Happy New Year!!!!

Here it is. New Year's Eve. Just when I was finally getting used to writing 2008 it is time for 2009 to begin. What will this new year hold for me? To be quite honest, I have no idea. It is currently 2:18 in the morning as I sit here and ponder that thought. I should be in bed but am finding that sleep is once again eluding me. I got home to my apartment around 11:30 pm after spending the majority of the day sitting in airports waiting for flights or in the air. I left sunny Orlando at 3:30pm and arrived in Charlotte, NC a little after 5:00. I then waited for my connecting flight to Columbus, OH which was not scheduled to leave until 8:55. I am exhausted but can't fall asleep. This I don't understand. The entire time I was visiting my parents in florida I slept on a pull-out sofa and had the best nights of sleep in a very long time. I get home and it all starts in again. I lay down and close my eyes but nothing happens. I am not swiftly taken to la-la land. So here I sit writing these thoughts down that are floating around in my head. At some point later today I am driving up to see my sister and nephew. Things are looking up for her. She was granted a temporary Civil Protection Order for my nephew against her ex husband. Everything is in the hands of the prosecutors office as to whether charges are going to be filed against him or not. His over night visitations have been terminated. His girlfriend is responsible for pick up and drop off on designated visitation days. If anything happens to Hunter while in her care, she could face criminal charges also. Brian did surrender himself and admit his guilt. But my guess is he will come out of this smelling like roses as usual. Hunter said he apologized to him. But that is Brian's "MO". He did the same thing to Laura during their marriage.
Aside from the fact that I have been batling a sinus infection and ear infection since before my trip, I had a nice time with my parents. We went to Disney's Hollywood Studios and saw their Christmas lights display. It was beautiful. It was chilly that night so it made it even better. We went to the beach one day. I like going to Merritt Island which is the wildlife refuge at Cape Canaveral. After we left the beach we drove through a self guided tour. We got the brochure and I read as we came upon each thing. We saw 3 alligators and a bald eagle. It was trully breathtaking. We did a lot of resort hopping as my parents like to call it. we would go to the various disney hotels and find an area to sit at and play cards for awhile. All my parents have to do is show their cast IDs and they have access to pretty much anywhere on the Disney property. Unfortunately I was not able to take much advantage of their free admission because they were blacked out from the parks. It is just as well. I have been in the parks during the holidays and it is packed. I can't stand being in large crowds anymore. I enjoyed visiting the various resorts and checking out how they decorated. It was also nice just to spend time with my mom and dad. I won't see them now until they come home in April. They are all excited. They picked up their "costumes" today and start back to work on Sunday. They sell merchandise at Hollywood Studios during their night time show called fantasmic. Did some shopping of course. Found a few things I wanted to get my sister and my mom is going to get them for me when she gets her 50% discount again. That is one of the main reasons she works for Disney. She wants the perks. My dad just loves the atmosphere and being there. It had been a dream of his to retire and go to work there. I am going to wrap up this blog and head back to bed and try to get some rest. I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year and may your year be blessed with good health, happiness, and prosperity.

What is your opinion?

As I was perusing the daily headlines online today, I saw one that caught my eye. I clicked on it and began to read the article. Anyone alive for more than 25 years is familiar with the name John Walsh. Who doesn't know the host of America's Most Wanted. But how many actually remember how he got that program started and why? Today, it was announced that after 27 years, the murder of his 6 year old son, Adam has finally been solved. There was a lot that went wrong when little Adam Walsh disappeared from a Sears in Hollywood, Florida in 1981. The police department messed up big time and John and his wife were there holding them accountable. Two weeks after his disappearance, fishermen found Adam's decapitated head in an area where they were fishing. The rest of the body was never recovered. The police had a suspect but due to their mistakes they were never able to fully charge him with the crime. The suspect, Otis Toole, confessed and later recanted his confession. Carpet samples from his home with blood stains were lost along with some other key evidence that linked him. Toole confessed to over 100 murders and was eventually sent to prison where he would die. On his deathbed he confessed he had in fact kidnapped and murdered Adam to his niece who recently gave this information to the police. Does this help the Walsh's? Who is to say. It most likely brings closure for them but the fact remains that their little boy is gone. He never had a chance to grow up. I guess I had never really thought about it but had Adam been found and lived, he would be my age today. But in my opinion, out of tragedy has sprung good. We now have the missing children's database for every local police department to access. We are fingerprinting our children. Violent criminals are being apprehended daily due to John Walsh's TV program. At the end of the article a professor of Sociology and Criminology from Mount Holyoke was quoted at saying he felt that because of the Walsh's persistence we have created a society that is afraid. I don't think that is true. I think we have brought this issue to light and parents are more vigilant when it comes to their children's safety. He stated that we have raised children to be frightened of strangers. With the type of deplorable characters wandering the streets these days you can not be too careful. We can not live a blind existence anymore and think our children are safe. There are monsters out there that prey on children. We need to face that. If the programs John and his wife started can find and bring just one child home safely then that is a good thing. Let me know what you think. To say the least, this professor has gotten my panties in a bunch. I must go fix them now.

This blog entry is written in honor of Adam Walsh.

disFUNctionality

I have always said that my family puts the "FUN" in disfunctional. Case in point. My dad has 2 younger sisters, both total opposites in every way. Cindy is a teaching assistant and lives with her husband in Maryland. Both are very successful, upstanding citizens. Kris lives in Florida and "sponges" off of the government. She has been on disability for several years now from a back injury sustained while working. She has been battling with worker's comp for a settlement and finally received it. My uncle decided he had enough of her outragious behavior and left. Things between Kris and my dad have not been good over the years. Aunt Cindy and her husband were in Florida visiting my parents this past week. She set up a visit with my Aunt Kris and convinced my mom and dad to go. A good time was had. The evening ended and they headed back to where they were staying. The next day my aunt gets a phone call from my 24 year old cousin Jordan (Kris' oldest). He needed bail money because my aunt had landed herself in the pokey. It would seem that after everyone had left she decided to go to the bar with her boyfriend. Jordan and his girlfriend ended up bringing her home after she got wasted out of her mind. She was very adament about leaving so Jordan took her car keys and hid them from her. He sent her to her room and ordered her to bed. Around 3:00 am they discovered she wasn't in the house. He and his girlfriend went looking for her and found her wandering down the road. There was a struggle to get her in the car but they finally did. Somehow she managed to get the car door opened and jumped out of the moving vehicle. A police officer happened to be in the vacinity and saw what was going on. He approached my aunt and she became very belligerent with him. The next thing the poor cop knew he was being sucker punched by my aunt. So she is being held for drunk and disorderly and assaulting a police officer. Bail is over $5,000 for the assault alone. Everyone agreed that they were not going to put the money up. She was just going to have to figure out things on her own. They are tired of bailing her out. As my uncle told Jordan, she'll have a roof over her head, 3 warm meals, and her meds administered. What more could she want? Some might say how can you allow a family member to sit in jail. Well, when you have dealt with someones ridiculous actions for so long, there comes a time when you have to say enough is enough and my family has finally reached that point.

Just in time for Christmas

Have someone in your life that you are just quite not sure what to get for them for Christmas? Is that someone a blonde? Why you ask? Well, just in time for Christmas you can now purchase a keyboard especially designed for those wonderful blondes in your life. Yes, my friends for just $49.95 you can give the gift that is sure to help any challenged blonde overcome the confusing computer keyboard. This keyboard comes in bright pink and has such wonderful features as a backspace key that says "Oops!". How about a dollar sign that sounds like a real cash register clinking. Or the row of function keys that spell out USELESS KEYS. Then there are the "OMG", "ALI"(absolutely love it), and "XOXO"keys. The best is the cap lock key that says: "Warning! size XXL letters". Just when I think I have seen it all someone comes up with something new.

Help needed

To all of my friends out there, I have been asked by my sister to blog for assistance. She called me this morning with and said one simple thing. "I need to raise money." Here is the situation, and you may need a kleenex because I burst into tears the minute she told me. My 5 year old nephew got in the car yesterday after school and told his her he had heard his dad yelling at her on the phone the night before and he was sorry about that. He then went on to say "Please don't duct-tape me like my daddy did." Now I know 5 year olds can make things up but I do not know too many 5 year olds that know the term duct tape. He went on to describe how the man taped his wrists together and then taped his arms to the side of him at his waist because he did not know three of his spelling words. He told him he was going to stand in the kitchen like that until he could spell the words right. Needless to say she went straight to the police department and filed a report with the police and then went to the town her ex-husband lives in and filed a report. While there she learned that he has had an altercation with said police department in which they either had to or almost had to pull their weapon on him. Laura contacted her attorney. The first officer has contacted the ex in regard to the harrassing phone calls and complaint filed against him. Our attornye is waiting to hear back from the officer. They are supposed to be contacting childrens services. Perry said the same thing I did. How does a 5 year old know that word. So if anyone has any ideas on how to raise money quickly for a legal fund, we would certainly appreciate it. I am already working 3 jobs to help support her since the, pardon my language, asshole doesn't. Please say a prayer that we can work some magic and have all parental rights taken away and come up with a way to pay for the court costs and attorney fees. Thanks!!

In Memory of a lost loved one

I would like to pay tribute to a loved one of my family. Hard to believe it is possible but it has been a year since my Aunt Rose Marie passed away. I had talked about it with my coworker Dona yesterday and her suggestion was to remember that she now is in a better place without pain. She enjoyed spending as much time as possible with her family and would have loved to be with us longer but her body just couldn't do it. Considering she came into this world prematurely, it is not surprising that she would leave it early also. The holidays were her favorite time of year. To her it wasn't about the presents, it was getting together with everyone and having a good time together. There were times when she could drive you bonkers but that was just part of her personality. The more she pestered about something meant the more she cared.

So, my friends, as you read this I ask you to pick up a glass of your favorite beverage and join me in a toast to my aunt, Rose Marie Emerson Hill (November 23, 1956-December 10, 2007), the nosiest angel in heaven. I know you are looking down and watching over us as you did on earth. Loving and missing you today and everyday.

Holiday questionairre

My friend posted this on her blog and said to copy and paste my own answers so here goes.


Wrapping paper or gift bags? Definitely wrapping paper. my family always can tell which one i wrapped by the amount of tape used.
When do you put up the tree? usually right after thanksgiving but haven't done it yet.
When do you take the tree down? Whenever i get around to it.
Do you like eggnog? Hell No!!!
Favorite gift received as a child? brand new bike
Hardest person to buy for? My father. He has a tendency to purchase things that are ideas for gitfts.
Easiest person to buy for? my mom. anything lighthouses or a good book.
Do you have a nativity scene? no
Mail or email Christmas cards? I have a tendancy to forget to mail them.
Worst Christmas gift you ever received? any type of clothing from my grandmother. She continued to buy my sister and i the same thing, in the same size even though we weren't the same size. nothing ever fit me.
Favorite Christmas Movie? emmet Otter's Jug band Christmas
When do you start Christmas shopping? whenever I find the time and have the money. my mom and i have a tradition of going christmas eve to get last minute items.
Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don't think so.
Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? my mom's snowball cookies
Lights on the tree? As many as I can fit on in as many colors as possible
Favorite Christmas song? tie between O Holy Night and Carol of the Bells. Also anything done by the transiberian Orchestra
Travel at Christmas or stay home? travel to my parents, who can pass up christmas in florida?
Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? i'm a teacher, of course i can. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and rudolph.
Angel on the tree top or a star? depends on my mood that year. I have done both.
Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? christmas morning but growing up mom always let us open 1 on christmas eve. generally it was pj's or slippers.
Most annoying thing about this time of the year? finding a place to park at the mall or store.
Favorite ornament theme or color? nutcrackers(theme) green, silver, and blue (colors)
Favorite for Christmas dinner? my dad's standing rib roast
What do you want for Christmas this year? world peace, wait a minute that was the answer to my question in the miss america Pagent. seriously, though, I really would like a Nintendo dS with the brain age game