GROWN PEOPLE SHOULD NOT WEAR ONESIES!

Ok… so of course you know this was sparked by a previous conversation about fashion and what you do and do not wear. If you do not remember being scarred by wearing a onesie at any other age than the baby/toddler age (and toddler is pushing it) than you were spared-be thankful! Grown ups are more than capable of tucking in a shirt (even though there are select times when this is appropriate) when it is necessary, that whoever invented such a thing as a “grown-up onesie” should have been beat! I feel like “grown-up onesie’s” fall into the same category as socks with sandals, pants so short they show your ankles, tucking shirts in without a belt, white shoes before Easter & after Labor day, ribbon bows on your ponytail (unless you are a cheerleader, then maybe it’s ok), stirrup stretch pants, 200+ lbs wearing skinny leg (emphasis on the word skinny) jeans and the list could go on for days.



I am not claiming to be the “World’s Best Dressed” but I feel like I most definitely don’t fall into the above categories. If you have within the past 5 years done one of the above NO-NO’s, feel free to confess your sins immediately and swear to never again!

Oh yeah, you didn’t think I forgot what today is did you?????

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!! On March 25th, 25 years ago the world was FOREVER changed, and of course for the better

Thanks for the birthday wishes, you guys are the greatest!

Don't worry, be happy:)

I truly want to start off by saying I am very thankful for the life that I have been given which brings me happiness EACH and EVERY day. I have <3 MY LOVE <3, a wonderful mother, 2 great sisters, 2 brothers (ok in-law be to politically correct)--something I have never had before-- 2 of the funniest & cutest nephews, 1 niece who is the most precious thing yet and many (way to many to begin to name) extended family members and friends. I can't forget my two four-legged children, Luke and Max. They always make me smile even when I don't want to.

On to the rant & rave for the week:

There are way too many people in this world that can't seem to crack a smile to save their own life. Everyone has up and down days and times when you could care less about smiling. HOWEVER... Life is too short to be miserable.(I TRY-key word there- to follow that in all that I do but not so easy sometimes.) Work may be stressful, money may be tight, who knows but the truth is we ALL have our own situations to deal with (good or bad). No one person can truthfully say their life is worse than the next person or they have way more going on than someone else. The only truth is we know what we what extent our situation is and that is it. I have a short hike to work (as you already know), so I see a BUNCH of different people on the road. I often have to take a deep breath when someone cuts me off, drives 5 under the speed limit instead of 5 over, or shoots me the finger. However, I also see the many faces of “you have no clue why I need to get there before you.” It goes back to we all have our own different (and crazy sometimes) agendas here on this earth.

If you are unhappy with your appearance… dye your hair, buy new clothes, something. If you are unhappy with who you are sharing your life with… fix the problem or move on. If you are unhappy with your job… find a new one. If YOU are unhappy with yourself… YOU should change your ways.

You are the only one who can change your life. If your life is miserable, feel free to keep it to yourself or change the things that are causing you misery. We are only given ONE life here on earth and no matter how long it may be, it’s too short to live miserable. Eat the foods you like (chili cheese fries & ice cream…YEA!), spend hours being lazy with the one’s you love, don’t clean the house even if it’s dirty… do the many things that make you HAPPY!

To my DUMB BLONDE FRIEND: The last sentence brought you front and center in my mind. Even though you drove like a girl, didn’t listen to your dad & me, and acted like a DUMB BLONDE, you did what made you happy and that is all that matters! Love you for being only YOU!

Happy to see you again, Friday!

Ok… first and foremost. I am so sorry to those that are my faithful followers, for being out of commission for a week now. It has been one of those weeks. Work well; let’s talk about more interesting things in our short time together. Play time (yea that’s what I’m calling it!) has been busy this week. Sad to say but it didn’t take long for me and <3 MY LOVE <3 to come in each evening, do a few chores, I fix supper, and he does the dishes and then we’re couch(me) and recliner(him) bound for the remainder of the evening. Some call it lazy and some call it “the norm” but we enjoy our down time tremendously!!! However, this week has been a bit more exciting than TV, Rook (via internet), Facebook, and the usual trips outside for “Luke, go to bed & quit barking.” Monday was just itself, enough said. Tuesday was Madhouse on DVR at Cori’s after work day and we found out we’re getting a GREAT deal on getting our enormous pin oak trees (times 4) cut down soon so we will actually have grass this summer in our front yard…YIPPEE! Wednesday… ok this is where it gets interesting. I left the house and forgot my wedding rings. I was only 2 houses away from our house so I turned around and went back. Coming out of the house for the 2nd time that morning, I put my car in Reverse and “IT” happened. My every morning routine was changed forever from the slow put the car in Reverse, put on my seatbelt and then reach down to grab my coffee (in an open glass inside a woozie-wine coozie) that is sitting on the spot between the cup holders, not in a cup holder because it messes up the coozie.-----The coffee cup situation itself is an ENTIRE blog full of craziness—TO BE CONTINUED!----- Coffee goes ALL OVER the passenger seat, words of stupidity are exchanged from my loud mouth to myself (that of course should not be repeated), and the car is the put in Park. Going back into the house for round #3 (#1 first time out, #2 for rings, and here we go again) to get a towel and wipes to attempt clean-up. As I’m cleaning up…. re-phrase that attempting to clean-up the mess I decide to say FORGET IT! I was saved from total disaster since my seats are a slight shade lighter (very slight) than the coffee. I get back in the car and proceed to back out of the driveway for the 3rd time. I get to work and the day is twice as long as normal. The light bulb goes off on my drive to lunch. EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON! My car was extremely nasty inside and out before the coffee spill. Someone higher above was looking out for Judy (Judy is my Jeep and yes…. another full blogging day). She needed some TLC and it just took something drastic to get that for her. I’m sorry Judy; I do not intentionally neglect you when you are ever so sweet to get me all over God’s green earth! I call up Mr. Clean-Tony and he says bring it on over! After work, we head off to the big WC and drop Judy off. I hate to leave her, but it’s only one night. Thursday rolls around and the weekend is in full view! We spent the evening with <3 MY LOVE <3's grandma because his grandpa has been in the hospital having leg shints(sp?) put in. Of course we didn't leave WC without Judy though! Cleaned up Judy & Friday am went well together. No coffee was spilt (is that a word?!) and I survived the day and the week! Some weeks are just crazy and full of those "just keep that to yourself Brooke" moments and this was most definitely one of them. I hope this finds everyone doing well. Off for playtime-filled weekend, lots of sunshine, and baby dedication for Miss Lyla on Sunday.

WOW! Where did my blogging time go? I've been writing for awhile now and nothing gushy for you guys. I'm sorry for the boring disappoint of Happy Friday but the explanation of my week should give you a hint of what my blog COULD have been about! Await next week's blog... BIG THINGS TO COME (I hope!)

Hello weekend, I missed you!

Driving 101

Where did you learn how to drive?

I learned from my dad and I think I'm dang good at it! No 2 cents from the peanut gallery please! I can drive circles around anybody, ok... well I like to think I can. I could drive a straight drive at the age of 15-like a pro, can back in a parking spot better than pull into one, and can back a trailer BETTER than my husband! You know this most definitely means I'm a great driver-HA! HA!

I'm sure you are all wondering what sparked this topic. Try driving 35 minutes (15-20 down Hwy 52) in the morning and evening work traffic. You know the song and dance, EVERYBODY has somewhere to be that is way more important than the person in front of you. Taking the same drive for almost a year now, I have learned quite a bit! Take notes:

1.) Merge to the left lane as soon as safely possible- the right lane is for those getting on and off of the highway-DUH!

2.) If you choose to take the "left lane all the way" approach, you are expected to do at least 5 mph over the speed limit!

3.) When you merge onto the highway, the tractor trailer in the right lane will most likely NOT move over for you and you need to be patient enough to slow down and slide in behind them. (Thanks for the tip Sweetie, it has helped!)

4.) Horns are to be used with caution. It was put there to use, but not every 2 miles. Sometimes the urge to use it can be calmed by just pretending to hit the horn.(Learned from pure experience)

5.) If you cut someone off, you deserve the finger. If they cut you off, then you don't deserve the finger. (This one is for the 50+ yr old man on 52)

6.) If you know the right lane will merge you onto Hwy 52, don't think by waiting until the last second to get over anybody owes you real estate there. Get over before the last second like the rest of us, you knew that beforehand! (Don't tell me you're dressed in work clothes & go a different way every morning--Liberty St right-hand lane for at least 1 yr+ now merges onto 52)

7.) Most important... BE CAUTIOUS & SAFE! If you don't make it to your destination, crazy driving wasn't worth it.

So, now that you have learned from the best get out there & drive like the PROS!

Daddy, you know I learned from the best!

My lovely sister, Ann and her eventful life on the farm has inspired me to begin a new segment of blog posts: "Life on the Prairie"

Ann lives on her little 6 acre farm in Mocksville with her husband, two children, 4 horses, two dogs, one goat, 6-7 chickens (subject to change depending on whether or not she makes it to the store that week), two cats... and I'm sure I missed something. There is a running joke that now that I have moved to Stokes County, we're "redneck central" but the stories coming out of Mocks-Vegas lately are far outdoing the ole "Sto Co" (and YES there are people that refer to it as that)!

Enough said... stay tuned for "Life on the Prairie" and here are pictures from the latest from Mocks-Vegas!





P.S. Lyla if you need Aunt Brooke to come save you before you are corrupted I will!

Bringing it back!

So I have noticed that the cool new thing is to post old (and yes of course for some people old is 3-5 yrs and others well...its more than that) pictures from high school or back-in-the day. But, for reasons I'm not sure why people are bringing back the past and posting it on Facebook like new. I guess they think they were hotter, skinny-er, or who knows back then when actually "the past is the past for a reason"! Now don't get me wrong there is a big difference between "the past" and "throw-backs."

The Past = DRAMA
Throwbacks = Stomach-grabbing, tear-dropping LAUGHTER

I most definitely agree the past is HUGE part in why we are all what and who we are today, but we can't go back and live there so let it RIP people! It's way more trouble to bring up the past and dwell over it than it is to remember the past and be thankful for what it has given the future. OK... I AM SCARING MYSELF NOW BY NEEDING TO LIVE BY MY OWN ADVICE! Funny how you go to put words on paper (well the "new" paper) and they teach the person who wrote them something-CRAZINESS! One of my favorite quotes that has helped me (or tried you all know I'm VERY hard-headed) through times of trial when the past is involved is: "Make peace with the past so that it will not interfere with the present." Now this quote is GREAT when the past tries to haunt you but of course there are always exceptions to the rule and the past needs a firm beat down!

Ok back to the throwbacks on FB. Watch out ladies, I'm thinking of spending about 3-4 hours and scanning in EVERY single Senior Beach week picture and tagging all of your scandalous selves in them! When that happens I'll make sure to let you all know. There are many more reasons why you DO NOT do that to out way the laughs we would actually get from that. I might get the wild hair to throw in some "throwbacks" but I promise no blackmail pictures!

Please feel free to share any throwbacks of me that you have already spent the countless hours scanning into the computer but remember let "the past" RIP!

WHY?

Ok, be honest I know you often say, but Why? WHY WHY WHY… and yes there usually isn’t ever a right/good answer but more like an excuse to answer the infamous “Why” question.

I bet you've said Why once or twice...

*Why do we have taxes taken from our check all year and because somebody thought it was a good idea we deal with them every April?

*Why does a girl of 175 lbs+ think she looks good in skinny leg jeans & high heels?








*Why does Time Warner charge so much for such a “bundle convenience”?


*Why do stinky fishing rods/reels live in a full size van at our house but my poor puppies have a small dog house to keep them dry & warm?












*Why does milk get an expiration of like 2 weeks (max) but stays fresh in cows for so much longer?

*Why does the DMV give people who can’t read or write in English a driver’s license in America?

*Why is it ok for men to ask us questions for clarification like 5-6 times but the minute we ask one TWICE we get our head bit off?

*Why do so many celebs keeping running to Dr Drew for help, did somebody die & leave him to fix the world's problems?















*Why did it choose to snow multiple times this year instead of when I was in school?

*Why do kindergarteners get naps when they absolutely hate it and the people who enjoy them don’t get then?