Prompt to Ponder

If you had to pick one number to be your "key" number for the rest of your life, what would it be?

For example: When you order pizza you could only order this amount. You would have this amount of pets in your house. You would have to have those many locks on your doors. Almost everything in your life would be based on this number.

So what number would you pick and why?

Stacy

PS - Happy Halloween and Happy End of Haunted Things! I am sure you all have learned more about me in the past month than you ever wanted to know.

Weight

My weight has 'haunted' me for years now.

I wrote about dreams not to long ago asking what dreams haunt you. For years off and on I have had a recurring dream about walking up a set of stairs and as I go up they get narrower. At the top of the stairs is a doorway and I have to get through it, but it is too small. I have actually awoken upset and panicking because I couldn't get in the door. I am certain this dream was me subconsciously worrying about my weight.

In the past every time I would start to lose weight I would end of pregnant again and had to stop dieting. Since that isn't going to happen again, I am pretty hopeful that if I start to lose it this time, I won't be putting it back on anytime soon.

When I would see previews for the Biggest Loser, I couldn't understand why anyone would want to have someone yell in their face to lose weight. Now that I watch it I completely understand. What I wouldn't give spend a few weeks in the gym with Jillian and Bob.

So recently I have started walking every morning before work. Just the thought of sweating used to gross me out. Now I look forward to walking. Sadly though instead of losing weight I have gained 5 pounds. Everyone keeps telling me that it is muscle. Yeah me, but when do I stop gaining muscle and start losing weight? I want to start seeing that number go down on the scale instead of increasing.

Do you struggle with your weight? What have you found that helps shed some of those pounds?

Stacy

Movies

One thing that does not 'haunt' me is scary movies. I absolutely love them!

I used to be the only one around here that would watch them. But a few years ago Teen started liking scary movies. He and I cannot get enough of them.

Now we can't wait until they are on video. October has all kinds of great movies on TV for Halloween. We often try to scare each other during them.

We have seen most of the 'Saw' movies, all of the 'Final Destiny' series and many, many more.

Not too long ago when the movie 'Mirrors' was in the theatre and everyone was saying how scary it was we couldn't wait for it to come out. We were very disappointed. We didn't think it was that scary.

This past Saturday I had a free movie pass so Teen and I went to see 'Paranormal Activity'. It was really good. I think that the simplicity of it made it all the more believable.

Although the downside to seeing a scary movie in the theatre is there are too many people talking and squealing to really enjoy it.

Are you a scary movie fan? If so, what is your all-time favorite movie?

Stacy

Stuff

I am 'haunted' by stuff. I easily become attached to things and just can't bear to part with them.

Have you ever watched the show "Hoarders"? I can so see how that happens. Yes, it is really gross, but I totally understand some of them. Like the ones that keep every paper that their child has ever done. All of the clothes they have worn. Etc. I too have a hard time parting with things of my kids, parents, grandparents and some of my own things.

I used to keep a lot more of my kids stuff, but since we are in the apartment now, I have to throw a lot more stuff out. To help myself, I bought 3 Rubbermaid containers and in each I have saved a few things through the years of the boys. Maybe a special paper from school, an outfit that I just couldn't part with or a special blankey.

I hate that I get attached to stuff so easily, but I don't know how not to. In fact one of the neighbors was moving recently. She had a chair that she didn't want to throw out but couldn't find anyone to take it. She asked me to come look at it to see if I would like it or know of someone who would. I felt guilty for not taking it. I actually felt bad for the chair that was going to go to the dumpster. It is just a chair. Silly right?

I hate seeing the dumpsters after people have moved out. All I see is money being thrown out. You should see some of the stuff people just throw away. Some of the furniture that has been out there is nicer than mine and most of my furniture is less than 6 years old.

Are you 'haunted' by stuff?

Stacy

Emotions

I am 'haunted' by emotions. I am and always have been an emotional person. I cry very easy at almost anything.

Lately these stupid TV programs have really gotten the best of me. Almost every night I am crying about something on the TV.

This is the first season I have watch The Biggest Loser. I just couldn't get past the name. Why would you want to name a show that? But the first night it was on Chris K was watching and I got a text from Facebook saying "I could never, ever vote Abby off of The Biggest Loser". Well that little text was enough to pique my curiosity about the show, so I looked it up on the cable 'On Demand' and taped it to watch the next day.

Jeez, Louise, after watching that first episode I had swollen eyes from crying for a week. No Chris K I could never vote off Abby either. However, Tracey, I could vote out in half a heartbeat.

That is not the only show that gets me, there is Three Rivers, the forgotten, Mercy and last week even Survivor had my eyes leaking.

Are there certain shows that you can't get through without crying?

Stacy

Time

I am 'haunted' by time. There never seems to be enough time to do the things I want to do.

We got pumpkins a week ago last Wednesday (almost 2 weeks ago) and they still sit on my porch waiting to be carved.

There are so many books on my shelf right now just waiting for me to read them, they are starting to feel neglected.

My "Farm" has been neglected for weeks now. Might have something to do with those weeds...lol

I have thought of some many things I want to blog about after this month is over, but I keep forgetting to write them down.

I have realized lately that although I spend a lot of time with my boyz all together I don't spend enough "one on one" time with them. So Saturday, Teen and I went and saw Paranormal Activity together. We love to watch scary movies and no one else will watch them with us. Yes, it was scary.

There are so many more things that I don't have time for, but one thing I need to do now, is hit the hay.

What is something that you don't have enough time for?

Stacy

Family Curse

I am 'haunted' by an old family curse. If you have been reading me for a while, this story is probably familiar to you.


For at least the last 4 generations on my mum's side the women have all been young widows.


1) My dad died from cancer when I was 18.

2) My grandfather died from a heart attack when my mum was 12.

3) My great-grandfather died from injuries in a car accident when my grandma was 13.

4) My great-great-grandfather died from pneumonia after fighting a fire when my great-grandma was 2 or 3.


Sometimes I think back on this and make myself sick with worry about it.

When my husband was in a terrible car accident a few years ago, and we didn't know his status, just that he was hit by a semi, I was sure that it was happening again. I think my mum was pretty sure of the same thing.

I used to dwell on it a lot, but not as much any more. I can't live my life worrying about something that may or may not ever happen. This doesn't mean that I don't still think about it from time to time, I just don't dwell on it anymore.

Does your family have a curse?

Stacy

Prompt to Ponder

Sorry this is late today.

Let's say that Hollywood is going to make a movie of your life.

What genre would it be? Comedy, Tragedy, Horror, Drama, Love Story, etc.

Who would you want to play you? Your spouse? Your kids?

I can't wait to see the answers to this one!

Stacy

Garden

I do not have a garden. Besides the fact that I live in an apartment complex and can't put a garden in, I would not have a garden.

Want to know why I won't have a garden? Because I am 'haunted' by weeds. That's right weeds. (I hear you laughing mum)

When we were kids my parents had a HUGE garden. They grew everything. Really, try me, if you ask, I bet I can almost say yes to anything.

During our summer vacation from school, my mum would try to keep us busy and out of trouble while her and my dad worked. So she would leave us lists of things to do. Much like you probably do for your own children in the summer.

However, every day "Pull Weeds" was on our list. Every Stinkin' Day! Every One of Them!

For this reason alone, I do not have a vegetable garden.

Now flowers on the other hand I do have. Maybe because the beds are smaller and there aren't as many darn weeds. Maybe because I can lay tarp and mulch and not have as many weeds. Maybe because they are so pretty. I plant a few flowers every year and usually have a hanging basket or two also.

(Ok mum, stop laughing, it isn't that funny)

Stacy

Scents

When I got pregnant with Teen, I noticed that suddenly certain scents bothered me. I am not sure if that is common in pregnancy, but I developed a heightened sense of smell. And it has not left me. I can smell things way before anyone else or I smell things that no one else smells.


You know how when you hear a certain song, it can instantly bring back a memory or take you to a place in time? Like perhaps when you hear “Thriller” by Michael Jackson, his video starts playing in your minds. Or when you hear “Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison, you see Julia Roberts ‘walking down the street’.


This is the way I am with certain scents. I am ‘haunted’ by scents, some good and some bad.

One of the first scents that really bothered me was tobacco. It didn’t matter if it was cigarette smoke or hubby opening a can of chew, I would actually get nauseous from the smell.

Several years ago when Laurel and I worked together, the company we worked for sold Yankee Candles in their stores. They had a candle called “Sleigh Ride”. It was the best scent ever. They only produced it for one year and had we know then, we probably would have bought up a ton of them. If anyone knows of where I can get my hands on that scent, please, please, please let me know.


Scents can make me feel relaxed and comfy. Nothing beats the scent of an apple cinnamon candle burning. It just makes me feel all warm inside. This is usually the scent we have in the warmer at our place. It is just so welcoming to come home to that scent.


In our bedroom we have Lavender Meadow by Glade. The scent just seems to relax me and combining that with a nice warm bath sometimes is just enough to get me to sleep.

Is there a certain scent that ‘haunts’ you? Is there one that you absolutely love or one that you just can’t stand to be around?

Stacy

Secrets

I am sure that we are all 'haunted' by some type of secret in our life.

Frank Warren has made a great life for himself with the secrets of others. Several years ago he started a little blog called PostSecret. The idea is for people to write their deepest darkest secret on a post card and send it to him. He then picks out several each week to post on his blog each Sunday.

Each week as I read the secrets I try to imagine who could have written them. So are so sad, others are happy secrets. Some I can never imagine relating to while others I can so understand how the person feels.

Here is a quick clip from PostSecret:



I hope you enjoyed the video. Now skip on over to PostSecret and check it out if you haven't already. If you have, have you ever sent in a postcard? Or have you considered it? Have you purchased any of the books or snuck a secret in a book somewhere?

Stacy

ps - this post brought to you by the letter L.

DVR

I am 'haunted' by my DVR.

I love my DVR. I especially love that I can set it to tape a whole season of a show, and only the new episodes.

I remember trying to rush home in time from some activity so I could catch my "show". Now I don't have to worry about that.

I also that I can now watch an hour show in about 40 minutes. I can now watch a half hour program and an hour program in just over an hour.

I love that if I get a phone call, I can pause live TV and pick up where I left off once I get off of the phone.

However, this also poses a problem when I have a TV addiction and my DVR gets full. I have to keep a close eye on the % full. Sometimes I like to store up a few episodes and have marathon night of one of the shows.

And the saddest part, is that if my DVR is close to getting full and I realize I have to delete something that I really am not watching anymore, I feel guilty. Like the Nielsen police are going to call me up and yell at me for throwing off their statistics for a show. Silly, right?

Do you ever feel guilty for recording something and not watching it or is it just me?

Stacy

Language

One thing that really bothers me is when people do not speak proper English.

I am not talking about immigrants who are learning the language, I understand them.

I am also not talking about most slang, I understand that also.

I am talking about people who were born and raised in the USA, graduated from High School and possibly college.

I probably should have been an English major in college.

Here are a few things that really 'haunt' me:

"We was going to the store" <---We were going....
"She aks for it" <----- She ask for it.
"Was you going to eat that" <-----Were you going.....

Sometimes it takes all my might to keep my mouth shut and not correct people. I think that when people talk like that and know better, it makes them look dumb.

What word or phrase that is mispronounced bugs you?

Stacy

Posting

I am 'haunted' by the commitment I made this month to post every day.

And for the past few years I have committed to the November one also.

This is going to be a long 2 months.

And yes, I know this is a lame post, but it is a post.

Stacy

Prompt to Ponder

What is one thing that "haunts" you about yourself that you wish you could change?

I am not talking about losing weight or getting a nose job. Do you have trouble saying no to things? Maybe you are terrified of speaking in public. What is it that really bugs you about you?

Stacy

Good Luck / Bad Luck

Why do we have superstitions? Who started all of these weird little things? Why do we follow them to this day?


There are few that ‘haunt’ me in that I have to do them. And sadly I have passed a few on to my kids as well.

One is railroad tracks. I have to lift my feet when going over railroad tracks. If I don’t, I will have bad luck. I think my sister actually started me on this one.


I don’t care to walk under a ladder but that is mostly so nothing or no one will fall on me.

I try to be careful with mirrors because I certainly don't want 7 years of bad luck. Why 7?

The whole black cat thing doesn't bother me too much. I have had black cats in and out of my life for as long as I can remember. I even had two different black cats as a child (not at the same time) and they were both named Midnight. However, I used to know a girl that if a black cat ran in front of her car, she would stop and turn around. Crazy, huh?

Then there is the whole good luck penny.
Find a Penny, Pick it Up
All day long you'll have Good Luck.
Unless of course is it heads down. Then you flip it over and give the luck to the next person.


What are some superstitions that you have to adhere to in your life?

Stacy

Routines

I have to have certain routines in my day. For example if I don't do things in a certain order I might forget something.

Take for example my shower routine:

1. Get the water to the right temperature

2. Get into the shower

3. Wash my hair

5. Put conditioner in my hair

6. Put noxema on my face

7. Wash my body

8. Rinse conditioner out of my hair

9. Rinse noxema off of my face

10. Rinse the rest of my body

11. Pat dry slightly

12. Put my hair up in the towel

13. Slather on lotion

14. Pull hair out of towel

15. Finish patting dry

Do you know what happens if I wash my body first? I have been know to put shampoo on my washcloth and body wash in my hair.

I have to get dressed a certain way, go to work a certain way, etc.

Not following routines has caused me once or twice to go to work without my glasses, without makeup (scary), without my jewelry, and even once recently without brushing my teeth (gross!) - no Dory I do not have a toothbrush and bottle of water in my car for just such an occasion ;) but I did have flossers in the car and some minty fresh gum.

I guess I am 'haunted' by routines. My whole day can be off if I don't follow certain routines.

Are there certain routines that you are 'haunted' by?

Stacy

Memories

Sometimes I am "haunted" about not remembering things that the kids have done or said. The way they try to tell you something with all the wrong words. The way they say certain words when they are learning how to talk.

I am so glad that I started blogging. It is often my way of preserving some of those memories. And I also get to share the silly little things with my family and friends that I don't get to talk to everyday.

Seriously, some of the things my kids say are hilarious and if I wanted to share it with everyone and I didn't blog, I would have a heck of a lot of phone calls to make...lol

*A few things I remember about Teen: When he was learning to talk he could not say the word 'good'. For some reason he would turn it around and say 'doog'. No matter how much we would work with him it would still come out backwards. Follow this conversation we had with him many, many times:

Us - Say 'g'
Teen - 'g'
Us - Say 'ood'
Teen - 'ood'
Us - Now say 'good'
Teen - 'doog'

It was like some party trick, in that no matter how you tried to get him to say it, it always came out backwards.

He also called his blanket his 'dia'. How he went from Blankey to 'dia' we will never know.

*Tween: He was so smart at such a young age, I don't remember him messing up words to much. A little background, he was potty trained by 2 . But I can remember going to Thrift Drug (sorta like Wal*Greens) to buy diapers cause they always had them cheaper. One time as I was paying I set Tween down on the counter as I wrote out the check. The cashier ask me my phone number and before I could answer, my less than 2 year old told her our phone number and our address.

However, as Tween has grown up we have realized he is very book smart, but sometimes just has no common sense. For example: one evening at church I asked him to put the piano bench away as someone had moved it across the room.

He looked at me in total seriousness and said: "I can't my arms aren't long enough."
I just stood there and looked at him. He was totally serious. It never came to him to pick it up by the front and back, just the two far sides. lol

This summer the boyz went camping with hubby's mom for a few days. I went up on Friday night to get them and stay until Sat afternoon. The campgrounds where her camper is has a little restaurant that is only open Fri & Sat night and Sat for breakfast. They also have a few large tv's hung on the walls and a beautiful stone fire place.

So when I got there they were finishing up eating and Tween had had dessert. One of the first things out of his mouth was "Mum, you should really try the sotomayor, it is so good."

Huh? This was around the time that Sotomayor was being confirmed and he got Sotomayor confused with Tiramisu....lol

Little S: I probably share the most stories about him on here since he is still so little and funny. He really keeps us rolling with the things he says. But I'll share another one so I don't leave him out.

The other day he called my mum to let her know what he wanted for his birthday and Christmas. I am only half listening to the conversation as Little S is a wanderer while talking on the phone. Meaning he can't just stand still or sit when on the phone, he has to walk around.

So he gets done and hands the phone to me. My mum is laughing and asked me if I hear what he asked for. So he told me he asked for a 'collar' for Christmas. You know, one that holds your pants up so they don't fall down. lol What a crack up!

What is something you remember that your kids said 'wrong'?

Stacy

Wishes

I was sitting at my desk yesterday at work being bored as usual. I noticed an eyelash on the desk.

I instinctively picked it up, set it on the tip of my index finger, closed my eyes, made a wish and blew it away.

Afterwards I thought about what I did. Why did I do that? I guess it is one of those things you start as a little girl and just never give up.

Like picking a dandelion that has gone to seed, closing your eyes, making a wish and blowing the seedlings away. Of course, then you open your eyes and watch where they all blow off to.

Or seeing the first star in the evening and saying the little poem and making a wish:
Star Light, Star Bright
First Star I've Seen Tonight
I Wish I May, I Wish I Might
Have This Wish I Wish Tonight

Seeing a shooting star and wishing on it.

Dropping a penny (or coin) in a wishing well or fountain.

And don't forget making a wish on your birthday as you blow out the candles.

Naturally you can not share any of these wishes or they won't come true.

Nothing much "haunted" about this except that it is something that I have to do. I can't not do it or I might have bad luck.

So, do you still wish on stars, dandelions, candles and/or eyelashes? Is there something else that you wish on? Did you pass these little wishes on to your children?

Stacy

Dreams

Have you ever had a recurring dream. You know, one that you dream over and over and over again in your sleep.

Maybe it is because you are terribly upset about something in your life and you have tucked it so deep down inside that the only way to let go is in your dreams.

Maybe it is because you are so happy about something that you continue to think about your happiness in dreams at night.

Maybe you dream about something that happened during the day or week and how it could have turned out different.

Some think that what we dream about reflects certain things about our life.

For example, have you ever had the naked dream? You know the one where you go to work/school/store and realize that you are naked or partially dressed? They say that we dream that because we have some type of guilt or feelings of inferiority in our life.

Someone once told me if you dream about death it means someone is pregnant.

As a kid we lived in a house on a hill. It was a pretty steep hill. Many nights I dreamt of starting to run down the hill and about halfway down I would just lift off and fly. I read that that meant I was at peace with my life and carefree. I guess since I dreamt that as a child, I was probably pretty much carefree and peaceful then.

There was a time when I was "haunted" by really scary dreams. Dreams of being chased, dreams of not being able to breathe, dreams of hiding from someone scary. Some of these dreams were night after night and would change slightly each night as I got to a certain point in the dream. I can only imagine those dreams meant that I was in an uncomfortable or unsettled point in my life.

Have you ever had a recurring dream? Did you ever look up the meaning of it? Did the meaning apply to your life at that point? Do you dream in black and white or color?

Stacy

ps - this post brought to you by the letter (L) ;)

Plates

When we were kids we had to finish everything on our plate or we could not leave the table. This wasn't just at home either, it was at the sitter and many other places.

I guess it was just a generation thing. If I think about it, when my parents were kids they had parents that went through the great depression. They saved everything. So every bite counted when there wasn't a lot of food in the house.

I try not to make my kids finish their plates. If they are full, I let them stop eating. But they also are not going to get a snack 10 minutes later. If they are too full to finish, then they are too full to eat for a little while.

On the other hand though, I do make them try everything. They have to take a little of everything that is being served and they have to take one bite. If they don't like it then they don't have to eat it, but they at least have to try it.

I remember when I was a kid, my mum would make stuffed green peppers. Oh boy did they smell good cooking. When it came time for dinner though, that was another story. See I did not and still don't care for green peppers. My dad did not want to hear that I didn't like peppers. We would eat our stuffed peppers with a little sour cream. Let's just say that I hated green peppers so much that I would use a gallon of sour cream just so I could choke down the pepper.

My favorite time to have stuffed green peppers was when my gram was visiting. She would wait until my dad was distracted and take the pepper off of my plate and eat it for me.

If I was really lucky, my mum would have leftover meat and make just meatballs with out peppers and I would get to eat that for dinner. In fact the last time I went to my mum's she had made stuffed peppers for dinner the night before. There were leftovers in the fridge and as luck would have it, there were a few meatballs in there. Yummy!

So to this day I am "haunted" by not cleaning my plate. I find it really hard not to finish what is put before me. Kind of like Pavlov's dog I guess. It is now ingrained in me that I have to clean my plate. The only time I don't feel guilty about it is if I am eating out and I can take it home in a doggie box for later.

Do any of you have this problem? Do you make your kids finish their plates?

Stacy

Prompt to Ponder

I am not sure how I will come up with "haunted" prompts all month, but I'll try.

What decision that you made in the last year or so "haunts" you? Why? Would you go back and change it if you could?

Stacy

Fundraisers

I am not so much haunted by fundraisers as I am bogged down with them. See the high school band decided last month that they are going to Florida in February.

This coming February.

As in February 2010.

Holy Whole in a Donut Batman!

Hubby decided he wants to go as a chaperone also. So now we are fighting against time to get enough money raised through fund raisers so I don't have to come up with too much cash.

They are selling candles, having pancake breakfasts, selling strudels, selling Forbidden Apples, and who knows what else they will be doing.

I so wish I had the extra money right now and didn't have to beg people to buy stuff.

So if you are one of the unlucky ones that me or the boyz keeps bugging, please forgive us.

Stacy

ps - I added links in case you aren't sure what a forbidden apple or any of the other products are.

Aging

Recently my sweet friend Shannon blogged about how she is soon going to turn 40. As I read her post, I also started thinking about myself turning 40. I have just under a year and a half and I will hit that milestone.

Wow, the Big 4-0.

I am more than likely about half-way through my time on this side of Heaven.

Age is something that haunts me. I remember being terrified of turning 15. 15 can you imagine? I have no idea what was so scary about it now, but I was really scared. I am not talking about being a little nervous about it; I had full blown depression over it.

I look back at 15 now and think – Wow that was the beginning of a great couple of years for me.
I was in high school. I did a lot of traveling with band and girl scouts. I had a great group of friends and really enjoyed life.

As I am facing 40 soon, I am starting to get a little nervous again. I can only hope that as I move closer to that date, I can see that it will be a great time in my life.

Currently I have a great group of friends in my life, and I have been doing a lot of traveling in the last 2-3 years.

So instead of letting it haunt me, I am going to try to look forward to having a great couple of years and really enjoying life.

Stacy

Terrified

I would say that these things haunt me, but really they terrify me.

It doesn't matter how small:

Or how big they are:

I can't stand them. I don't care to run away from them either. If I would, then I wouldn't know where it went and I would be more scared.

I sometimes think that God gave me boys, just so I would have someone to kill the spiders for me. lol

Before we moved into the apartment, we would see them all of the time. Thankfully, we have an exterminator here and hardly see them.

As long as I can remember I have been afraid of them. I can remember once when I was probably Little S's age I was at my grandma's sitting in the rocking chair across the room from her. I remember her saying hold very still. I remember sliding down off of the chair and my pappap killing a huge spider that was on top of the chair. I am not sure if that is what started my fear, but it sure didn't help any.

Click on this link if you dare: Spiderz Rule!

I can hardly even look at pictures of them without getting the creeps. Blecht!

Mice, snakes, bats, etc. don't bother me at all. They might startle me, but I can look at them or touch them without it bothering me.

What animal/insect terrifies you?

Stacy

Names

As I am making dinner last night, Little S is in the diningroom playing school. He is pretending to be the teacher, giving assignments and grades, taking them to the library and gym, etc. I love listening to him play.

He does such a good job playing by himself also. TJ was not a good one to entertain himself, he always wanted someone to play with him. Little S on the other hand will play by himself for quite sometime and it can be very entertaining listening to him.

So as I am listening, I hear him say "Ick, go to the thinking chair!" I didn't think I heard him right so I just shook my head and moved on. Then he said it again and again.

I stopped him and asked him what he was saying. He indeed was calling one of his classmates Ick. When I asked him why, he said that is what he is called in school. His real name is Dominic, but everyone calls him Ick.

Why would you do that to your child? Aren't you supposed to love your child? Why would you, granted it is a nickname, call him something so negative?

I am haunted by what people think is okay to call their children. Really, what is wrong with parents to name them things like Adolph Hitler , Pilot Inspektor, Kyd, Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii, etc.

The names that I listed are all real names that people gave their children. Go ahead and click the links, I'll wait.

Are you back? Are you in utter disbelief as I am?

What is the strangest name or nickname you have heard a child called? What do you think possess these people to do this?

Stacy

Homecoming 09

Homecoming was Saturday. We missed out on the parade and game Friday as it had rained all day. Turns out we should have actually gone to the game. The weather cleared up and it was a beautiful evening.

This is Teen and his girlfriend. Some of the girls were dressed up like it was prom. I can't imagine being the parent of a teen girl in today's time. These boys are breaking my bank and they don't have half of the upkeep of girls.

So how am I going to turn this post into something haunted? Hmmmm.....

I am haunted by the fact that my oldest baby boy is 16 and a Junior in high school. When did that happen? I am having a hard time imagining that he will be leaving me in less than 2 years. Did I teach him enough to make it on his own? Will he make good decision when I am not around to guide him?

Last summer (2008 not this past), I went to my mum's church one Sunday shortly before school started in the fall. Their worship team sings first and between songs they will give little snippets about their week and how God is working in their lives. So this Sunday one of them started talking about her daughter and how she was never going to go far away for school. But then something changed and she decided to go to this college about 6 hours away. It is a Christian college and she was proud of her. But it was killing her that her oldest daughter was leaving.

My mum looks over at me and the tears are running down my face. She asked me what was wrong and I told her that TJ was going to be leaving soon. I still had 3 years at that point.

I have no idea how I am going to handle him leaving in 2 years. Guess this is something that will haunt me again and again with the other 2 also.

Stacy

Haunted

This is a continuation of Friday's post. You may have to read Friday's post forst to understand today's.

Something I took away from Women of Faith this year was this phrase: "If you don't have a few really good girlfriends, then get yourself some."

At that point in my life (just over 2 months ago) I had one close friend. ONE - Laurel She was it. Poor thing had to carry this burden all by herself!

Oh I had a lot of 'friends' but only one that I could call any time of the day or night and tell anything. And sadly we don't live close enough to just meet up at the local haunt for coffee and pie. We talk almost every day and some times several times a day, but we don't very often get to sit face to face together.

And if you have been reading for a while you might remember that a few weeks before Women of Faith, Laurel got really sick again. I was scared to death. What was I going to do without her? Who would I talk to? After hearing that phrase above, I was more afraid. I was suddenly haunted with loneliness.

So I decided to pray for another friend or two. Let me tell you folks, when God hears the desperate prayers of a lonely little girl crying out for a friend, he takes the ball and runs with it. All I had to do was knock on that door and He opened it for me.

Since that weekend, I have gotten close with 4 other women. In fact sometimes I think God has over blessed me. I went from only having one person to talk to, to not being able to keep up with everyone.

And that is a great blessing!

Stacy

Prompt to Ponder

Last week was a hard one. I wasn't sure of my answer either. This one should be a little easier and fits into October's NaBloPoMo.

Do you believe in ghosts?

Why or Why not?

Stacy

Haunts

On Friends, Rules of Engagement, Big Bang Theory and the likes you see them meeting up at a little diner or cafe, their "haunt". I always thought "Who in real life really does that?"

I mean seriously who has time to just meet up at the local cafe for coffee and to chat? What are the chances that if you stop in the little cafe one or more of your friends will also stop in or be there?

Well, here in small town USA, that really happens. Really! Lately two of my friends and I have taken to going to the diner together late in the evening for coffee and pie. Not very often, maybe once every other week or so. It is nice to sit together, uninterrupted by kids, husbands, phones or housework. We are there for about an hour, just chatting about life.

And every time we are there someone else we all know stops over at our table and chats for a few minutes. Once one of the other girls parents were there. Her mom came over grabbed our checks and her dad paid for our pie and coffee.

After many years of watching those shows and thinking there was no way that people really met up in diners and coffee shops like that, I am now doing it myself. It really is like that in real life.

Do you have a favorite haunt in your town?

Stacy

October 1

Can you believe it is October already? I mean wasn't it just May? Anywho.

Every year in November I join in this little thing called NaBloPoMo. Which stands for National Blog Post Month. I have done it for several years and for the last 2 years was actually able to post every day in the month. NaBloPoMo started a while back as just for the month of November, but through the years has really changed into kind of a theme a month club. I only ever participate in November.

Until today. They had a really cool theme this month and I am going to try to join in. The theme is "Haunted". Naturally the theme goes well with October and Halloween.

So here goes nothing!

Haunted can be many things. Websters defines it as this:

Main Entry: 1haunt
Pronunciation: \ˈhȯnt, ˈhänt\
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French hanter, probably from Old Norse heimta to lead home, pull, claim, from heimr home
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1 a : to visit often : frequent b : to continually seek the company of
2 a : to have a disquieting or harmful effect on : trouble b : to recur constantly and spontaneously to c : to reappear continually in
3 : to visit or inhabit as a ghost
intransitive verb
1 : to stay around or persist : linger
2 : to appear habitually as a ghost
— haunt·er noun
— haunt·ing·ly \ˈhȯn-tiŋ-lē, ˈhän-\ adverb

So after looking at the actual definition, I can think of a million things to write about. Or at least I hope to be able to.

Stacy