Happier days

Alrighty, I am doing a little better after some much needed baking time and a little sugar.  Its really is amazing how much an oven, some flour, eggs, and a little love, can change  my mood from blah to woo hoo. 
I am looking forward to spending TG with just Tad, and of course, not your normal thanks giving.  We are headed for the hills.  We are going to go up to the snow and check out some camping spots.  After the parade of course.  You're crazy if you think I am going to miss that.  I have watched it every single year for as long as I can remember.  I so wanted to be a rocket when I was a kid.  Ha! 

Christmas is getting so much closer and that means my dad will be visiting in no time.  That makes me very happy.  I miss seeing him on a daily basis. 

Okay, happy girl again. Thanks for hanging in there with me!

Sad day

My heart is heavy today, and I am saddened.  My young cousin Sarah is experiencing what no parent should have to go through.  Her little boy Timothy, only 3 and  half months old has passed away from SIDS.  What is SIDS? Why to her? Why does this happen at all?

When I worked at the Post Office, one of my daily stops was the Children's Hospital in Little Rock.  I used to enjoy stopping because there was a super cute little girl close to the door with this amazing smile, and the cafeteria was fab.  One day I came through and saw that all of her things were cleared out.  In a very upbeat manner I asked the nurse, "Did she get to go home?"  The nurse said with a sympathetic smile, "You could say that."  But in reality, she had not gone home.  At least not to her parents and family who loved her so.  She had passed away.  I went out to my truck and just cried.  Later that day I asked the guys I worked with if one of the could switch that stop with me.  My heart just couldn't take going back there again.

I just don't understand the reason for the little ones to pass so early.  This is going to sound so bad, but there are worse people out there who deserve so awful things, but my cousin is so young, how is she supposed to understand this? How is this not supposed to weigh on her forever?  I just cannot even imagine. 

If you read this, please keep her in your heart, if only for a little while.  Thank you

Time on my hands

Its funny the emotions, thoughts and memories that I go through each day.  I'm pretty much on a roller coaster each day.  I have nothing but time.  Its starting to get colder, so days out on the scooter are getting limited and I am "trapped" inside a little more.  I love it - my creativity levels are through the roof, but that is part of the problem.  This is not our roof I am under.  Since we are rooming with someone, space is restricted.  Tad and I have made a cozy space out of the studio style basement we are in, but I don't have a table, I can't get my sewing machine out yet, the kitchen isn't big enough for me to can and someone else use it, too.  I am somewhat stifled.  Talk shows irritate me, the craft shows inspire me and we don't have the cooking channel (probably good since I could truthfully eat all day).  I have listened to my ipod enough, I can probably predict the next song even on random. 

So in all this, begins the heart to hearts that I have with .... myself.  Recounting experiences in my life. Did I make the right choice in that moment.  Yes, good.  No, what did I learn? Places I have lived, places I want to live. Things that I still want to do before I leave this planet.  People who have come and gone, or is it me that comes and goes?  Half empty, half full?  I like to think that I have been more of a thankful there is anything at all in my glass, kind of person. 

I'm rambling, but this is my blog so I can do what I want, how I want.  I want to ramble therefore I ramble.  When I was a freshmen in high school I met my good friend Jessica Tisor.  I would stay the night at her house sometimes (she had way better living accommodations than I did, and food.  Many times we didn't have very much that) and we would play this sort of game.  I would type and at the same time we would make up stories.  There was no backspacing allowed.  When we were done, we would print it out and read it the way it was typed.  We would laugh so hard we would have tears in our eyes and we could barely even talk.  That was fun. 

I think about the friends I have made through the years, its such a diverse group of people.  Jennifer Bishop is the only person I have ever been kicked out of class with.  Poor Mr. Johnson.  He had no idea what he had when we were in his class.  We must have made an impression because when I delivered his mail 15 years later, he recognized me and swore he would never forget who we were. HA!.  Tara Smart, 7th grade.  Kenneth Newton 8th grade.  Jessica Tisor 9th or 10th grade.  Chasity, Misty and Lisa 11th and 12th grade. Oh the trouble we never got in trouble for - Ha ha ha.  Saturday nights are Misty's.  Crusin in the mustang in Modesto.  I remember sitting in the middle in the backseat and having to hold the stereo.  Desirea Doktor Army, Fort Bliss.  Amber and Justin Stephens.  My Tad - I met the most amazing man when I met him 305 days before I was supposed to get out of the army.  And when I met Tad, I got Chris, too.  Robin Wood in Arkansas.  The cool people of my family in California.  Arizona.....Sara, Sheera, Karyneeeeeee,Mary, Desi, Amanda, Sandy, I really could go on and on.  I have a couple year rule when it comes to living places.  It makes it easier to move when you don't have a good group of people to leave behind. Leaving Arizona was probably the saddest for me.  Although I was coming to live with my Tad, and that has been long overdue.  Oh how I have missed living with my very own husband.  So over explaining to people that "we just make it work", and phone calls and visits.  Who visits their husband? Woman with felon husbands - ha ha ha.  See I make myself laugh quite often. 

In my ideal funeral service, there would be a big party, lots of food and good music, and all of those people would come together and remember the times that we each had. Kind of morbid to think about, but its true. No sadness, my life has been AMAZING and I would never want anyone to think that I "never got to" anything.

Okay, enough of the rambling and wha wha's  - I'm off to exercise, craft and eat.  :)

Enjoy the day my friends.

PS - I really am happy here, don't get me wrong, just having a woe is me kind of a day.  I'm entitled, usually I am making other people forget their worries.

So excited!!

So after waking up at dawn (well pretty close to it), I  figured I would check my etsy.com page.....I have a SALE!! I'm so stoked.  I sold a four pack of cupcake stands.  Now I just have to make sure that I have all the supplies need and get it all put together and shipped out.  Woo Hoo November is looking up. 
We received another couple inches of snow last night.  I have to admit that, as pretty as it is, it terrifies me.  I am petrified to drive in it, ride in it, even walking in our yard, since there are HUGE trees out there loaded down with snow.  So I pretty much stay inside.  But then I am afraid that the power is going to go out. WOW nothing like being a scardy cat, huh?  Oh well.  Life is good.

Oh I'm just so ExCiTeD!!!  Now this is a way to start a morning.  Now if I can get this to happen every morning I will be in REAL business.

Enjoy the day my friends!

Whoa Snow!!!

When I was first in the Army (my first Christmas), I experience a slight snow fall - like not even enough to cover the ground.  But what is falling from the sky today is AMAZING.  Through the night about 3 inches of snow fell, but 11am another 3-4 inches have fallen.  It's so pretty and new.  I took Moey out in it and took a couple pictures to share with you. 

Have a great day my friends!

One more thing for today....

So I was chatting with my good friend Dinelle today.  Chatting about the sad state of the world...this is what I said to her:
The world is very different than it used to be - people are very self centered and its a shame.  There was a time when people would come to your home when you moved in, and welcome you.  Today they are checking to make sure you are not a sex offender, another is watching what you move in so they can rob you, and the whore who lives on the corner is unbuttoning the top button of her too tight blouse so she can try and screw your husband.  Sad but true.

I miss the days when you could go to bed with the windows open and the door unlocked.  When trick or treating was not scary. Before tickle me Elmo's and Polly Klass, I miss those days. 

FOR SALE

So the doors to my etsy shop are finally open. I have posted some of the crafts that I have made recently. I am working on stuff all the time and there isn't too much time in the day that I am not thinking about what else I could be making or trying to figure out how. So I am sure there will be new things listed regularly. PLUS I am kind of hoping that this can supplement my income. I know, that seems a little out there, but we will see.

(here is the link to my shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LemonySweet?ref=si_shop)

So that is pretty much my life right now. Trying to find somewhere to live, run Tad's errands (wow I think I have had this job before) and crafting. So before I get too high from the glue fumes, I am off to make some dinner.

Speaking of dinner....

Hawaiian BBQ Pulled Chicken

3-4 chicken breasts

1 jar of either Target brand Hawaiian BBQ sauce or Lawry's Hawaiian Marinade

1 20oz can of Pineapple chunks

Put a little olive oil in the crock pot - put everything in together. Cook on high for about 4 hours. Once chicken is cooked, using two forks, shred the chicken. Stir it all up and let it cook on low for about another hour or two.

Serve over rice or on a roll as a sandwich

SO YUMMY!!!!

Okay, enjoy the day my friends....You only get one chance at TODAY!

Okay so...........

I guess there have been a few things going on since I last blogged. I'm such a slacker. Tad has been traveling more, fun for the first night, but then I am ready for him to be home again. I have been baking and cooking more....yum yum yum. The weather has been pretty nice so a scootering I have been. I am getting pretty comfortable and learning the streets pretty well, too. Each day I start with a trip to the gym, its about two miles from the house, then I tan and sometimes hit the grocery store. Then it is back home to hang out with the kids (AKA) Moey and Alley, the dogs. Get my butt in gear and get dressed, run any errands Tad might have, and then venture out. I have found the hobby lobby, Joann's, Ross, targets, petsmart, and a whole host of cute little places I want to check out. Tomorrow's adventure takes me downtown...cute shops, cup cakeries and just general tooling about. My scooter is the best - I'm getting about 90 miles per gallon. Can you believe that - its like a prius, only mine makes noise and I get way better parking places. I have only been almost killed a couple time - people suck, and the bus drivers do to - 2 buses have almost taken me out. Bastards. Anyway....lets see...

My friend Cami, who is in the process of moving up to Denver, came to hang out with me and Tad the other night. We had a lot of fun, so much I don't even remember everything. Thank goodness for cell phones with access to facebook and cameras. I was informed that I spent a lot of time in the ladies room, I found random flower pics, facebooked while I should not have, text friends at wee hours of the night and recorded a fight, that I truly have NO recollection of. Fun night...woke up on the bathroom floor with my robe, my dog and glass of water. Thanks Babe. Needless to say, Saturday was a rough one.

The mountains here have some snow on them already, the leaves are starting to change and the mornings are definitely a little crisper than before, its beautiful though. I am so glad to be here. I have missed true Autumns - not the two weeks we would get in AZ, winter....well that will be another experience, but I am looking forward to it. Maybe I can get some chains for my scooter tires - ha ha ha. At that point I will be home bound. Hopefully cooking, canning and baking myself nutty.

So things I have made recently:
Peanut Butter Chocolate cupcakes - AMAZING
Banana Bread (for the first time) - Fabulous
Cheesy spinach tortellini - so yummy
Hawaiian BBQ Chicken - to die for
Spicy Chicken Casserole - yeah not so much

I just bought some yummy zucchini and more bananas....more to come

from lots to little

So, I was thinking.....I know - don't worry, I did not hurt myself, nor were any animals harmed in this process. But seriously. When the realization of me moving to Denver sunk in, I had the over whelming need to purge, and purge I did. I went from a 3 bed, 2 bath, 2 car garage home to a small area in a friends home - which mind you is only a 2 bed, 1 bath home, to which we (meaning Tad, me and Mo) are camped out in the basement. Bathroom up stairs....makes it a little tough for a girl in the morning. Anyway....I went through all the crap - yes, most of it was crap, and I began selling, donating and giving to friends all these things. Things I had spent money on. Money that could have been used in a much better way. So this is my new VOW~

I will spend money (it's a way of life) but not on the un-necessary. I will buy groceries, carefully. Clothes as I need them, and for a purpose, not just because I am bored. I will not buy useless items for friends (sorry friends). I feel that I do that, not in a bid for friendship - I just have no self control when I see cute things that I know would make them smile. Again - no useless items. Craft things....well this is where it gets tricky. I am going to truly craft for cash. The items I make, will be made for the sole intent of being sold or given as gifts. See friends, I have not put you out of my mind all together.

Luckily, we are in this small space, so I will be held accountable by my Tad, not to mention that I no longer have the van, and while the Metro is functional, my trunk space is just a little bigger than a grocery sack. So I think I am pretty safe.

Lets see how this pans out for me. Oh yeah, also, we have allocated for a gym membership. So that means instead of wondering slowly through Target - I will be marching my chunky butt on the StairMaster, and spin, and yoga.....I'm going to do this. Save money, get skinny, find myself again.

Enjoy the day my friends!!!

Me and my dad on our way to the baseball game, May 2011

Oh Facebook - what have you done???

Well folks, as much as I love checking in on facebook and seeing how everyone is doing, this new change just may be enough to make me say audios. I have started a new Google You page - we will see how this does. I'm going to hang in there for a while and see if FB gets theirs heads out of the butts and changes it back to the way it is well liked.
I, along with some friends, have sent suggestions to them, letting them know how we feel about this. Only time will tell.

On a happy note - its Wednesday, woo hoo......I don't know, but I had to put something uplifting in here. Enjoy the day my friends, it only comes around once in a lifetime!

Weekends in CO

Well, the weekend has come and gone, for now, and boy was it a pretty one. It started a little early for me - Thursday - when Tad bought me my very own Honda Metropolitan. Its a super fun little 50cc scooter.

Friday kicked off our official weekend with tickets to the SF Giants vs CO Rockies baseball game. Along the way there was only one minor....situation. I slammed into the side/back of Tad's scooter and me and the asphalt became quick friends. Yes folks, my first day on the Metro and I crashed. Luckily I have the quickest husband on the planet. He quickly shoved his scooter out of the street, picked me up and my scooter, all before the light could change colors. As for me, well I saved the face, and only a little road rash on my wrist and some bruises...everywhere else. Didn't stop us from our baseball adventure though. Once my nerves were calmed (thank you yummy Blue Moon) we were all set.

I was also able to try a Denver kind of food - Rocky Mountain Oysters....you know what they are so don't even ask - to be honest, they weren't too bad. Pretty much just fried beef. The fries were better though.

Saturday was a more home grown kind of day. Started off with amazing coffee from Ink, then off the to the Cherry Creek Farmers Market where we scored some amazing collard greens, cucumber and peaches. All organic and locally grown. Not to mention the fabulous roasted chili's and our breakfast's from the food trucks. I am so glad that the food truck idea has taken off so well, especially here. It's huge in Denver. Then we scooted home and made our way to meet up with Tad's friend.

Sunday....FOOTBALL - Man I love Sundays. We hit the irish pub for some amazing food, good beer and of course, to watch the game. I am a Lions fan, have been ever since I was a kid, even though they suck. But let me tell you, they are kickin' it up this year. They kicked @ss. It was awesome. And the fact that I love how we road our scooters downtown and just tooled around.

All in all it was a good weekend. Lovin' Colorado!! Here are a few more pics...

a little here and a little there

Okay, so most of you know that when I moved up to Colorado, I sold, gave away or donated most everything that I owned. I reduced my 3 bed, 2 bath, 2 car garage home down to 10 Rubbermaid bins, two mattresses and a mini fridge. Hard to believe, but Gypsies have these kinds of talents. The reason for the giant purge was the fact that I was moving from said space to essentially a studio apartment - a finished out basement in 2 bed, 1 bath house with a friend of ours. WOW you say - WHOA I say. I also came with no sort of employment. The combination of the two has created this = Crafty girl with a million ideas, all supplies packed away in a tiny space all day - alone. YES - THIS is the definition of my INSANITY. I am about to lose my mind. Pinterest has become an evil conspiracy to me - a tool to rub in my face that I have no space to do anything, and the oven - well this, as most already know - is just another slap in my face. Not to mention the fact that in this space are two people who have been committed to each other for a really long time, but who have not truly lived together in a really long time. I want to make the space homey and inviting, my husband is more along the lines of male functionality and his space. Again - WHOA.

Today's mission is as follows:

Get out of the funk, IKEA, storage and work space solutions.

**Side note - other dilemma, I'm in the basement, which creates a tricky moving-things-in situation. Tight stairwell and door makes getting things down here nearly impossible. So storage solutions are best from IKEA because they come ready to assemble. Awe a sweet excuse for hot dogs and ice cream cones. :)

I am sure there is a stop at yogurt guru in my future as well. For my AZ friends, basically YogurtLand meets local products. Equals yummy.

So I am off....now if I can just find my way to IKEA.......should be another driving in Denver interesting day.

Enjoy the Day my friends, it only comes around once in a lifetime!

My dad enjoying his giant In and Out burger :)

Tooling around Denver

So the people here are in a group all their own. I completely believe they walk through a store the same way the drive their cars - poorly. I must have said excuse me 100 times while I was at Target today, then while trying to check out, a lady actually hit me with her cart while I was unloading mine, shoved my stuff forward so she could put her stuff on the counter and then when I pushed forward to put my stuff back into my cart, she had moved up to the card swiper before I could even finish my transaction. The clerk actually had to ask her to step back - what they hell, Lady? So I sarcastically said "So sorry to be in your way" and she replied "no worries, just move." I'm pretty sure I left there with my mouth hanging open.

WOW Denver, is this my welcome? This will be a very interesting adventure.

While I was lost though, I did find some really cute little shops and places that I want to check out. Not to mention the trip Tad and I made out to Parker the other day. They have a really cute little downtown area. The trips we have made up north have been a lot of fun, too. Its so pretty and such a nice change to see green. Green trees that are taller than 5 feet, green grass, water flowing...Its been beautiful.

Will the real Gypsy Jay please stand up?

Hello there, so here is my introduction.
I am:
loved, a good friend, young, silly, crafty, the momma of an adorable pug, the wife of an amazing man -who is pretty hot, new to Denver, a giggler, the eater of all things yummy, a little dyslexic, a little chubby - but working on that, creative, adventurous, romantic, sometimes a little hard on myself, a wonder-er, a cheap traveler, a bit of a shop-a-holic, not the best cook - but I try, a serial texter, jersey shore fan, Detroit Lions fan, procrastinator, a veteran...
I believe in:
dreams and wishes, love at first sight, that a touch can spark the best memories, the right to bear arms, America....though it needs a little work, singing at the top of my lungs in the shower, car - anywhere I am alone, my voice being heard - even if only by a few, men and women...
I still want:
to see the world, to celebrate 30 years married, to see my friends be happy, scuba dive, snow board, start a twitter account, make amazing meals, go candy free for a whole year, to be the person who brings out the prizes on The Ellen Show... ha ha ha

Okay, so MANY of my friends say that I need a blog...so here it is. I cannot guarantee that I will update regularly, probably more so while I am unemployed [ :( ], but I will be posting the silly things that always seem to happen to me, the adventures I embark on, the yummy treats I have the pleasure of eating, crafty projects I start but never seem to finish and anything else I deem gypsy worthy. So hold on, shut up, and enjoy the ride!