this is it


Go take a gander.. and take a walk on the wild side...

the Red Grand AM is up and running.

Set your links to : http://redgrandam.colagrl.com -

See you there. :)

last post?

After 6 hours, I finally kicked MT back and figured it out. Now to find a "nice look" for the site. So there is a posting sitting over there, with comments, archives and a ton of other goodies just waiting to be looked at. Now I have to figure how to lay the look out. Won't be happening till tomorrow. I just realized I didn't eat breakfast, lunch or supper. I'm near passin out stage. Kids arrive tomorrow and B headed off to bed at 4 pm today with the flu. I don't think I'm far behind.

Dj over at the "The Three R's" is dealing with her new space and dealing with MT too.. I think I'll drop her a line tomorrow if she still needs help. The words are blurring on this end right now ~

Not much

Still haven't figured out Movable Type yet. It's kicking my ass. Tons of errors have popped up and since I'm no where a PHP, Perl, CGI novice I have no idea what I'm really doing. But I'm not ready to pay to have it done either.. well.. I am, but I want to make sure it really has knocked me out!

New Years was nice. B and I went to the local Comedy Store which had Vince Morris as the headliner. I have never been to a Comedy show and he was so funny. We had a champagne toast and a midnight buffet and after the drive home and all.. we were snuggling at 3:00am and enjoying our 1st New Years Celebration in years. I then spent New Years day banging my head with the MT install and enjoying the day with B.

Will admit - another vain moment. I have to remind myself that when I'm in a rut and not feeling good I don't put all of my make-up on. Moisturizer, always. Mascara - eh, blush - maybe, lipstick - on a good day, you get the picture. New Years Eve I decked out and even put the sparkles on and I felt good about myself. Even B made a comment that I looked good and that was enough to make the whole evening. Of course.. the new outfit I got myself help make the night. My MIL bought me a nice coat for Christmas, but it's a color I just can't wear, so I had all plans of changing it for a different color (it was RED). I liked the style, but was hoping to find it in maybe in a charcoal color (trying to put "color" in my wardrobe). They had this sick plaid green coat instead so I ended up replacing it with this beautiful 2 piece black outfit. Skirt and shirt. Just black. My favorite color, my dominating color in my closet. black. Now I need to find some boots to go with this outfit. :)

close - but no cigar

I'm almost ready to move to the new URL. Have hit a snag and I'm a little stuborn about getting it fixed. Should be ready by tomorrow. :)

comedy central

Bring in the New Year - we are going to catch a Comedy Show tonight. :)

hotline

My Director has a hotline, and daily she leaves us a message, and with it, she gives us food for thought, a challenge and something to laugh about. Today she asked us to reflect on this past year and celebrate the good things that happened in our life. I can' t say that 2002 was the best year in our family. We lost a lot of things this past year, and filing for bankruptcy was the hardest thing we have ever done in our 12 years of marriage. But with that and other major decisions we have made this year, we are a stronger family, a stronger couple, a wiser husband and wife and I am little more thoughtful in my decisions.

Here is a small recap of my defining moments of 2002:

The review of 2002 in posts, which cover some special moments in my life.

Holiday Open House's, last year I did only $100. This year was better, 2003 will be awesome.

Celebrating B's new job. Life should almost return to normal now.

Hosting Thanksgiving at our house. A first and most likely a last event in our home.

My contract job who has turned into my current job. A dream come true to work with the big league of web design companies.

Not getting out when I should have, but leaving the bad job was the push I needed to get back into a better state of mind.

A chance to play in the big leagues of web design. A quick call and I'm now working on one of the biggest web projects of the year for New York - Lower Manhattan

{ sigh }

Kick me. Kick me good.

I'm realizing that working for a high power web design company is not all cracked up to what it should be.

Resizing thumb-nail images all.day.sucks.big.time.

rumblings

I really don't like it when my office building rumbles.

{ Front exterior to our building }

... New webspace waiting for a new blog! { went with redgrandam.colagrl.com }
... Time with B these past few days
... Another short week of work!
... Christmas was great, gifts were wonderful
... 2002 was good, 2003 will be greater!
... The kids enjoying another great visit with Grandma
... Talking to my sister in Greece on Christmas day
... The friends and family that support me - I am loved

Colagrl is ALIVE!

When I realized that I had a lot of work to do today, and accomplished a bit of it before noon. I thought about a treat to the movies and see "Two Week Notice" was in order.. then I thought of my new space and domain that is sitting waiting for me to move in to. So I fired up the cocamotion (hot coca) that I recieved for Christmas and I'm going to get at least the gallery or the blog up by the end of today. I might run to the store for some munchies.. I'm trying to eat healthy, but it's going to be a long day behind the computer.. I feel it. I can say this much about the little ones.. they keep this house warm with all their running around. I swear it drops about 20 degress in the house when they go off to visit Grandma.

Anywhoooo.. take a peek: colagrl.com of course I'll have to come up with a link to the new blog.. should I go with:

blog.colagrl.com OR redgrandam.colagrl.com ?

I don't know.....be back in a few. :)

2002 Review

A few others have posted memorable posts - I picked my favorite ten. Some including work, family, friends and MK moments:

10) Makin a little extra Holiday Cash

9) "Are You Bloggin On Me?" - Just how do you react when you think your husband has found your blog?

8) Leaving a Bad Job for a Good One - then finding out that the good one isn't so hot either!

7) With this New Contract Job - your duties will entail: copy, cut, paste, copy, cut, paste.

6) My 1st Post - give her some Cheerios.. this isn't a post!

5) Talking to a 4 year old long distance can make your phone bill go up!

4) A tribute to Remembering Dad

3) What defines a Best Friend?

2) Best Friends 2.0 who laugh at that photographer.

1) Miss Go-Give 2002

SNOWBALL FIGHT

I've been HIT!

Not by a Bus -



Dang it... I was wearing my good shoes and trying to stay out of this mess! :)

As ole Yosemite Sam says.... "them fightin words!"

Thanks DJ!

Hit Me!

For almost 2 months since the bus accident, I have been in constant pain. I saw a doctor right away and he said it should go away and I left it at that. There are days it just feels like someone is putting pressure on my shoulder, others - it feels like someone is pinching the hell out of me and I just want to scream. I now take 25 minute showers with the nozzle turned on to that direct spay to pound on the shoulder, I have turned up the heat on our waterbed to heat my shoulder up at night. Up till a few days ago, the kids couldn't come up and put their arms around me for a hug.. well, yes they could, but D likes to pull and hug at the same time and that puts pressure on the shoulder.

Christmas Eve when we were at my mother-in-law's, J had me sit in my MIL's chair that has this "massager" on it. Some kind of mobile thin padding that vibrates the areas you want. I did about 15 minutes on my shoulder that night and though it wasn't healed, it had made a dent in the pain and I thought I need to take this one step further.

I went and treated myself to a body massage this afternoon. Back in August when I was working contract for this company, they brought in a massage therapist to relax us while we worked on the Lower Manhattan project. I kept the woman's business card and today I went over for a 30 minute massage. What they didn't tell me the 1st time I did a massage, was the pain I would feel if I didn't drink enough water before and after the massage. What they didn't tell me this time, was that I wouldn't be sitting in the chair that they did the 1st time, but I would be partial undressed and on a table. HELLO?!? WEIGHT ISSUES!! OH well, it was the best and now I'm so light headed, I doubt I'll get any work done for the afternoon. Have decided that I will work this in 2 times a month and if at all possible, get my medical to cover it. Hoooo - boy. Then while on the table I thought.. with the 14 Days of Love.. I'll offer in a subsitute of a bottle of wine with glasses, but they (hubbies) pay for a gift certificate for the body massage to give those hard lovin wifes of theirs a special treat!

Done with it?

Onesome: Merry: Merry times? Hey, did you have a Merry Christmas? How did things turn out for you and yours after all the work and time you put in preparing for the big day? Pretty big and great. Recieved my year doage of Coca-Cola collectiables, new country to add this year - Greece. Turned out great, I figured for sure that we would let the cat out of the bag with the jolly man to our children, but I think we can possibly go one more year.

Twosome: Christmas: Christmas presents? Did you get what you wanted from Santa? ...or are you headed back to the stores with the rejects on 'Reverse Shopping Day'? Recieved alot of great items. A coca machine, coca-cola items, pictures, sweater, "pink" lunchbox, pasta dishes from Italy... only 1 item needs to be returned and only because of size and color. The style is just adorable so I hope to find the same thing in the store.

Threesome: Everyone! Is everyone back to the normal routine today, like work and homemaking and such. ...or are you still entertaining? ...or maybe just taking a well deserved break from it all? Somewhat back to normal. Hubby and I are back to work, but the kids flew out this morning with a 9 day visit to Grandma. They arrived 30 minutes ago.. a big thing for them.. they flew by themselves for a 1st!

How about you? Play along and post your answers in your own space, and leave a comment here so we can find you!

the simple things

Yesterday on the way home from work, I realized that after the crappy year I have had with money woes - I have been blessed with a few Christmas gift's all year long -

The friends who have supported me, and believed in me - Julie, Jennifer, Maryann, Kim, Stephanie

The job that has seen me through this year - I may not have been "happy" employed, but I was for the year and I know there are many out there that have been out of work longer.

The house I'm in - I grumble that we rent. But for many who are homeless, I'm blessed.

I said at the begining of the year that 2002 was my year for new and great things. I guess it was - my year to find my strength, my will, my growth, my friends.

I'm humbled by the love that surrounds me.

Ho Ho Ho

Santa arrived bright and early this morning. The kids asked that I wake them before I leave for work this morning, and so we scrambled downstairs to see what goodies were under the tree. D was so happy that he recieved "moustrap". Such a simple game and that's all he wished for. J was a little nervous when there was a yellow volkswagon beetle for her Barbie under the tree and no train...but golly gee, another letter, this time from Mrs. C telling J that she sent Santa to the wrong house with her gift (how can he do that when D's arrived ok?) and to call grandma and see if it was there. AMAZING that when we did call Grandma, she was wondering why she had a travel train under her tree this morning. (snicker snicker snicker).

They opened thier stockings with goodies and then I dragged B to the garage to find his toolbox, totally not assembled, it was kicking my butt at 2am this morning. So I had to at least put it out of the box and tell him him the rest was in side the toolbox. I then said they all needed something to play with while I worked and they opened the race cars. I'm now way more upset with Radio Shack then before. The lady failed to tell me that they were all on one circuit. There's no racing each other. I'm really pissed. She cheated me out of a 40% discount now they can't race. "oh, we test them out, we all want to race them when they come in to the store". Sure you do tramp. Ditto my letter to Radio Shack using Trish's words.

Once again - HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

I'm wrapping up the work day and going home to unwrap some presents!!

mission control.. it's a go

While J was running to get me a soda from the fridge this evening, I quickly opened the letter from Santa and left it open to catch her eye. D was out getting a hair cut at the time with Dad. She gasped when she saw the image of santa and where it was from and started reading aloud. She was just so blown away. Am I good or what? I'm in so much trouble when she finds out the truth. I'll deal with it. D then arrived shortly after and with his reading of the letter, and B looking over my shoulder it was just too much. B said I did a great job. J made a joke later in the evening about D's burping and he just started crying, huge wails. When we asked what was up, he thought that because he burped, Santa wouldn't arrive. Had to explain..that the reindeer get no sleep, but doesn't stop Santa from arriving. Geeesh. So the presents are under the tree.. we are on our way...

Happy Holidays - our fun begins tomorrow.

sneaky

I'm so sneaky, I scare myself. We decided that with me working a half day tomorrow, and B working a full day on Christmas, then a 9am flight out to NM the day after, that it would really be wise to have Christmas tomorrow morning. J was so concerned that with Santa getting everything ready for Christmas eve, he won't have time to get over here the day before. I said I wrote him a letter and explained our problem, and had heard in the past of other kids asking of this small favor and sometimes if they are good he will deliver a day early. I said I'm still waiting on his reply via email. Isn't it so cool that Santa is up to snuff with technology??

Then for about 15 minutes this afternoon at work, I found a cool graphic, found a few festive fonts and I composed a letter to the kids. I'm so baad! The letter had this to say:

From Mr. & Mrs. C
North Pole

To: J & D -
Colorado

I was checking my list, and checking it twice, have seen
that you have been a little naughty and a lot of nice.

I know that you have big travel plans - and with your
daddy working so hard - a little early christmas for
you all, will soon bring you some cheer.

J - what a darling young lady, please do get better
so that you can enjoy a visit with your grandmother in
gallup, new mexico. My elves do have pointed ears - you
watch the wrong shows my darling dear.

D - such a fine young lad. mind your manners and
say "pardon me" when you burp. For every chld who burps
so loud and doesn't excuse themselves, they wake up my
reindeer, and they are such in need of a long spring nap!

enjoy your christmas - an early one at that. I only visit
good little girls and boys -and you have shown that!

Dorky, corny, but fun. We shall see if I pass the test tonight... :) I'm now done with the shopping. Picked up a few more things this afternoon while at lunch. I'm complete. Finished. Done. Ovah. Will be a grand Christmas this year. Not bragging.. just feeling good that after a crappy year, we are coming back out of it.

Yes Susan - there is a Santa

After all these years, my mom is still the Santa that rules. After 4 more visits to stores (super wal-marts, all nighters) not getting home till 1a.m. this morning, calling my mother-in-law and she scouted her area of Colorado looking for the train, I called my mother this morning and told her my situation. Within 30 minutes she called me back and said "you owe me". Travel Train Barbie pulled into the Grandma New Mexico station at 10 a.m. this morning. Not sure how we'll explain that to J, that somehow it arrived at Grandma's.. but we'll make do. I feel so like "Ahnold" in that silly Christmas movie he did with Tom Arnold. My shopping is almost done. A few stocking stuffers and it's a ho ho ho over for me. :) That's a wrap. Bad pun. bad bad pun.

Yes - I "believe" that I will make my daughter's Christmas -

Tell yourself you will succeed at whatever you’re doing at the moment. Troiani suggests setting your mind to predict success. “Convince yourself good things will happen today and they will. If you tell yourself you can’t possibly achieve your goals, you won’t,” she says.

It's a Christmas Special

Never. I repeat NEVER will I wait this long to buy Christmas gifts. N.E.V.E.R. I have been to 5 Wal-Marts, 3 Targets and 1 Toys R' Us looking for a "Barbie Train". Barbie is taking a train ride and the train pulled out of the station a looonng time ago.


BUT - they do have have reservations at $130 for Barbie's Dream Hotel.


But I did get the best present ever. B always gets me great presents on the holidays, and when I'm trying to pinch corners, he does something nice. Since Oct. I have been putting a little here and a little there a side and then with my holiday sales I was able to buy him something real nice. Julie helped me with her truck, go pick him up one of those red craftsman wheel-able 3 foot tool sets. Oh here - the picture is here. It's in a box and hidden in the garage (along with mine I found this morning) and on Christmas day, while he's working at the corrections, I'm going to assemble it in the garage, we bought this huge bow to put on it and I found wide white ribbon to wrap around it. Then I headed over to Radio Shack with a huge prayer that the zip zaps would be still around. 160 people are on the wait list to get one of those things! They (RS) must have seen me coming... I told them I had my heart set on getting one for each of my kids. She asked how old are they - "33, 7 and 8". She just laughed. Sold me on some expensive race car and now that I'm looking at their website, I think the chic cheated me and I'm going to have to go back and ask for some cash back. Have yet to figure out how I'm going to let them open that gift set up yet. Wrap all three together and make it one big package or single gifts and open at the same time? Dunno know.

I'm now ready for Christmas.