fabulous

Keeping hope alive and struggling to get by on this Fabulous Wednesday

~ gracelessnessover40 ~ 3 Comments

wish you a great wed

It seems like every day there is something new and challenging. Whether it’s the garage door breaking, a new client, another bill you had no idea it was going to happen or your favorite shoes breaking there is always a challenge.

Like everyone else I am just struggling to get by. However, my mantra of Keep Hope Alive really does help me get through even in the worst of moments. That and “this too shall pass”. I also think karma can be much too slow but I know better than to mettle in the fates of the universe! Can I get an amen?!

If you are reading this post, and I thank you if you are, then you are Alive and you made it to see another morning! WhoooWhoo!

You made it to Wednesday, the middle of the “work” week. Like the middle child, the middle of the work week sometimes gets lost in the shuffle. But like the middle child, Wednesday’s have a lot to offer. Hope that you are almost to the weekend. A night for special events, classes, sports or church. Sometimes you think that Wednesday will be predictable, for example, get up, take the child to school, go to work, run errands, get child, get dinner, go to karate, come home and do your nightly thing.

over the hump wed

Life is anything but predictable!

I am blessed to work with some amazing people. On Wednesday’s normally Miss Candy and I would run errands, but she has joined a pool and now we go swimming on Wednesday’s. She has Parkinson’s but it does not have her. She was thrilled I was willing to go with her as in the water, her disease does not show and she can move around like a “normal” person. Sometimes it is the little things in life that make a day, a week or a month all that much sweeter. We are still working on the logistics and how we feel after, but I love that it was tossed into my mix. Now I get to work and exercise, and I didn’t even cringe when I typed that word, all at the same time and I love it! It helps both of us. I do stretches while walking along side of her in the pool. I put her wheelchair to the side and for about 20 -30 minutes it is like she doesn’t have a disease that ties her to a chair like she does when she’s not in the pool.

Plus Wednesday’s are karate day for the boy and we love some karate. I was a bit hesitant at first as I wasn’t sure how it would work, his dad has him every other Wednesday, but it is fabulous! I go every week, with the exception being after 3 medical procedures, and am astounded in the changes in him. He is more focused and learning so well. Of course there are times when he stares at himself in the big mirror and forgets he is in class, but he is reminded and at once is back into the moment. Seriously there is a whole bunch of cuteness with a classroom full of 4-7 year olds doing karate, yelling “Yes Mam!”, “Yes Sir!” and “Ki-yah!” as loud as they can! Everyone is treated as equals and some are at different stages but they all work together. It is a beautiful thing to watch!

b karate

I hope that whatever you do, whatever happens that you get to enjoy something beautiful today. Whatever that may be for you.

moments smile wed

Always remember to Keep Hope Alive!

Stay Fabulous and Graceless My Friends!

Hello Monday to my Fabulously Graceless Friends!

~ gracelessnessover40 ~ Leave a comment

Helloooo Monday! Hellooooo my Fabulously Graceless Friends!

I hope everyone survived their weekend and are ready to kick booty!

I always seem to have something up my sleeve to get through the day!

monday cafe mocha vodka valium

I work to find the happiness and the humor if possible. Laughter is the best medicine for many of our ailments. It’s like it transports you, all of you with your pain and suffering, all of the bad and laughter tosses it out of the room and makes you cry tears of happiness and your belly ache. Laughter is powerful!

laugh until belly hurts then laugh more

Of course I can always rely on those that I love to get me through it, no matter in person, through text, email or social media or a phone call. Those of whom we just know when the other needs us or the universe just makes it happen. Those people that God, the Universe or whatever have placed in my life at the perfect time and we stick it out for each other no matter what.

I then go back to the fact that I am Fabulous Gracelessness, Lady Maos and a crazy chic who loves to write so I share it with everyone on the intraweb.

tgif thank goodness im fabulous when not friday

 

I also remind myself, and those reading, to always Keep Hope Alive!

Have a fabulously fantastic Monday!!

Texting can be evil and annoying when it’s the only way you can communicate

~ gracelessnessover40 ~ 1 Comment

Let’s pretend for a moment that you are having a conversation with someone through text. Let me interject my opinion here and say texting is challenging, can be misconstrued and anything lengthy should be kept for email, unless you are communicating with someone who that is the easiest method for them and you know you can get a response from them immediately.

Let’s keep pretending that there are 5 topics you addressed in this text. Then there are 6 and the 6th one is the one you didn’t see giving you any issue with. It wasn’t even on your main topics but came up when you sent the main text covering things to be taken care of. You address #6 and then ask about the main issues, just say even 1-3. Number 6 is brought up Again. Seriously.

It is at this point I am so glad I am not having a conversation with this person. As I make sure the boy isn’t around I am screeching at the phone yelling unladylike and foul words at the phone because I do not want to engage this person in an argument. Yet they are trying to drag me into one because they can’t do the very basics and care about the first topics I was referring to. The reason, you big jerk, that you keep bringing up number 6 is because you can’t see past your own selfishness and understand the other things you don’t care about, are why you have the issues with the one thing you do.

Some people will try to find fault and start fighting over their own bitterness or guilt. As adults we have to move past our emotions when there is business to take care of. Not that our emotions don’t play into the business, but we have to remember that we are supposed to be mature, responsible adults. The only way to resolve problems is to discuss it openly. Lay it out on the table. Yes there will be debates, disagreements and possible misunderstandings. But if you Listen to the other person, put your personal feelings aside and work to make a situation better, it will get better. You can resolve so many problems by open communication back and forth. Respecting the other person is one of the key aspects. You don’t even have to like them.

But you have to be willing to work with them and respect them enough if you are going to get anything accomplished. Business, personal or otherwise unless you can communicate. Both sides. All you have to do is be mature about it. Unfortunately some cannot be mature, no matter what their age is.

Hence my mini “pretend” rant. And for the record I didn’t get any responses to 1-5 yet, but I will.

So I hope that this day is fabulous in some way for you. For you to be able to take a breath, a few minutes to listen and work to be respectful to others. No matter what the situation always keep hope alive! And for the love of Pete be cautious when texting!

 

 

 

 

Fabulous, crazed, keep hope alive Monday!

~ gracelessnessover40 ~ Leave a comment

Hello and Happy Monday My Fabulous Graceless Friends!

DSC_0769

I am on a crazed mission with a 5 day countdown to the Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Saturday and not everything is done!

I am also riding on the high of the fantabulous weekend I had with the boy and our friend. Since the boy will be gone for the next 3 weekends, I tend to go a bit over board in terms of spending time with him. Arcade, Hotel Transylvania 2, Alabama Football, Greek Festival and The Pumpkin Patch where he rode horses, played at the petting zoo and did bouncy things. Yes it was a bit overboard but FUN! And we didn’t get to go to the Butterbean Festival because of the rain but I think we did enough! We only got to carve one pumpkin but we can get the others done before Halloween! Overboard, maybe just a tish!

DSC_0919

He will fortunately be home before Halloween as it is our favorite holiday and we love to dress up, trick or treat and have our kind of fun. We now include his cousin, Baby HaHa, so named when he was still in the oven and his parents were not revealing his name and Baby HaHa stuck. It’s still ok to call him that now, but I am guessing by the time he’s a bit older, it won’t be so “cute”!

Today is filled with work and volunteering (read crazed calls and last minute errands for the walk) for me and school for the boy and this evening family gathering at my brother and sister-in-law’s.

It is also my parent’s anniversary, the second one without daddy. It is so strange with my daddy being gone. Just the other day I was thinking “It’s the first of October I know bow season starts sometime soon.” I know so many things because of my daddy. Things precious and special to me because of who taught them to me.

Maybe I may a bit nostalgic this week. I tend to get that way knowing the boy is going to spend time with his other family, even knowing he’s in good hands. Knowing I need a break and time for me and all the things I need to take care of I can’t always find time to do when he’s around but still. I miss him.

Here is where I know it’s time to sign off and not get too morose in my blogging!

I do wish you all a fabulously wonderful day!

This week is going to be amazing!

DSC_0770

Keep Hope Alive!

 

 

 

It’s a Fabulous Fall Saturday!

~ gracelessnessover40 ~ 4 Comments

Fall is definitely in the air! The temperature and landscape has changed so much in just a week. You notice how everyone is feeling the change. Some are already complaining about it being “cold”! After the scorcher of a summer we had I wonder how could they even say that! It isn’t even cold in Alabama, even in the northern regions. Cold is below 40 in my mind and although it is getting cooler at night, it isn’t really cold. Just much cooler than it was a mere 2 weeks ago!

I love the options of things to do for the fall too! We do as much as possible outside, festivals, parks, zoo, the yard and the neighborhood but if it’s rainy or actually too cold, we find indoor activities like the movies, the science center, skate center or crafts, games and movies at home.

alabama football how i roll

Of course from September through the end of November we have college, more importantly Alabama football & I am a big Steelers fan so I try to catch those games if possible.

steelers

This month is Halloween! It’s one of mine and the boy’s favorite holiday! I tend to get a bit excited. Maybe sometimes a bit extreme. We put out decorations and get at least one pumpkin early. Ok maybe one big a few smaller ones! We carve the big one and draw and decorate the smaller ones.

multi halloween pumpkins color

Dressing up is not an option for us, we have been planning for months! Actually I purchased his costume last year… I may be on the Halloween Express preferred customer mailing list! We have several costumes. Yes both the boy and myself! Last year we were the Power Rangers! Hand to God I NEVER want to wear that much pink again! And the boots looked fabulous, I even got a larger size knowing they would not be high quality, but they killed my feet and I was waddling for a few blocks before I decided the pink power ranger did not need cute white go-go boots but black cowboy boots! Red Ranger approved the wardrobe change and we were back out with his cousin, the mouse in a trap, headed for more sugar that no one but the adults would really eat!

power rangers

So yes, you could say I love the month of October and to me, the real beginning of another fabulous fall!

One of the other things that I now am getting back into during the fall months is Alzheimer’s walks. For 8 years the walks to end Alzheimer’s, previously known as Memory Walk and now “The Walk to End Alzheimer’s”, in Georgia was my life from the end of September through the first of November. I am once again walking, working and volunteering for the Alzheimer’s Association of Central Alabama. It’s a cause very near and dear to my heart as my grandfather had the disease and my aunt and 3 great grandparents had the disease. I posted about my feelings and the walk here and here.  So a week from today I will be in downtown Birmingham at the crack of dawn for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Anyone interested come on down! Volunteer, walk or just take in the Hope of the event!

alz walk

As far as today, weather permitting, we are headed out to a few festivals and to visit with those we love and enjoy their company.

I hope you all have a fabulous Saturday! If you’re into football I hope your team wins… as long as it isn’t against one of my teams! Roll Tide! Goooo Steelers!!

And always Keep Hope Alive!

 

 

 

 

The First Fall Monday

~ gracelessnessover40 ~ 2 Comments

Today is the first fall Monday.

hello monday image

The air has been crisp the days not quite as smoldering as it has been here in sweet home Alabama. The changing of the season to cooler at night and in the mornings.

We have a bit more rain but yet it isn’t all over.

We have some leaves that are colored still on the trees and then leaves on the ground of green, brown and bright reds and orange.

leaves green yelow orange red

Every day brings changes and fall is a time of change. That sweet spot between boiling hot and freezing cold.

What they say about the south is true. In one week you may wear shorts and sandals, jeans and t-shirt as well as heavy coat with boots. I keep a coat, boots and flip flops in my jeep year round.

flip flop boot

I am looking forward to a fabulous week with hopefully beautiful weather. I will find a way to find the good no matter what. After all, I have the miracle boy, proof dreams do come true and the universe has a wicked sense of humor.

Keep hope alive my fabulous friends!

Let’s go into this week kicking full of gracelessness!

Fabulously Fall Friday

~ gracelessnessover40 ~ Leave a comment

Hello my fabulously graceless friends! We should celebrate because it’s Friday!

I can only hope that you get to enjoy your weekend and that if you have had struggles and trials this last week that this weekend give you a reprieve from all of the maos in life!

We are officially into the fall season now and in some areas the trees are changing their colors from the lush green to the vibrant colors they are known for. They are also beginning to fall and I have seen some piles around, perfect for jumping in! I’m not so sure some people would be thrilled with strangers jumping in their leaf piles but I would think as long as you cleaned up, maybe they wouldn’t mind!

Colours of Autumn.

I can picture it in my head, my boy and I seeing a large pile of leaves, pulling over the Jeep and jumping in to play. As I am going to get the rake, doesn’t everyone carry a rake with them geez, the owner of the house coming out to see what all the noise is about. I gently explain what is happening, they shake their head and laugh, help me pile the leaves back up and off we go to find another pile. In reality I might end up talking to the law!

I hope you all have a fabulous Friday!

Keep Hope Alive!

 

Sometimes I just don’t want to be an adult

~ gracelessnessover40 ~ Leave a comment

i miss being a kid hair

I don’t feel like being an adult today. I wish someone could take over all of the responsibilities I have for just one day. Think about it. How it would feel to have no worries, be carefree, have everything taken care of and you don’t have to worry about a thing. I have no idea because I don’t think I could stop my mind or life from happening.

We go about our lives and sometimes we let our hair down and get crazy but we have to jump back on the adult train eventually. Sometimes it seems to take longer than others to get on board. Some people think they can “play adult” in certain areas and let others handle their responsibilities in others. Personally I can’t do that. My brain and soul won’t let me do it. I acknowledge each and every time someone else takes care of my business – be it with my finances, my child, my life – it does not matter I can’t “forget” someone else did something for me and when I can give back in whatever way is possible I will. I also thank them because I learned before I was an adult that when someone helps you that you should be grateful. Life isn’t yours to demand and take from others. Karma will slap you upside the head for that. Trust me!

Ahhh but to be carefree and child-like in life for a whole day and not worry… I think, I hope, I believe that that is possible.

carfree girl

The irony is it has to be planned, not spontaneous. I mean who else is going to make sure bills are paid, there is money in the bank for random “I want ice cream!” moments surely to come with being care free. A driver will be needed as will making sure the vehicle is working and ready for adventures if needed. I will need someone to cook, clean up (because honestly I can’t stand to see it out with all of my other fun stuff knowing it’s there waiting for me later). If I am really lucky there will be someone to make all those decisions for me and get me ready to go! Being a kid can be hard at time but you don’t realize how awesome it is until you’re an adult. You want to grow up. Once you grow up sometimes you want it back!

adult show your math

Can’t I be a kid for a day please? Just a 24 hour period where I can enjoy with no repercussions would be amazing!

But I can certainly dream.

And I always keep hope alive!

Have a fabulous day!

OHMERGOSH IT’S ONLY TUESDAY!!

~ gracelessnessover40 ~ Leave a comment

Hello again my fabulous friends!

I hope – OHMERGOSH IT’S ONLY TUESDAY!

I keep thinking it’s later in the week though Tuesday is good too!

This week is the Celebration of my Boy who turned 5 yesterday which means he gets to basically party all week with friends and family. Saturday is his big party at one of those kid places where you may need to take a nerve pill or have a drink before you go… and I scheduled it for that morning because obviously there is something wrong with me! Besides the need to make sure everyone can catch their football game because me and mine love to sleep! Ah-ha no rest for the wicked! That’s it!

When I started blogging, 5 days shy of 4 months; I originally thought I would post several times a day but at least daily. We all have dreams! HA Seriously I did make a promise to myself that I would post at least once a day. Not for recognition, although that would be lovely, but because I love writing and I needed a commitment to do it for myself. No one else nor any other reason.

It isn’t always easy. I have lists and pages of topics to write on. So many things that mean something to me. There are also dates of significance and days that mean something. I seem to be sharing my life more than I thought I would. I do have friends and family that say, “don’t write about this” but also “you should write about this.” It’s is a fine line let me tell you. People thinking it’s about them or others they know, that can be good or bad depending! But it’s my thoughts, my writings, my ramblings and rants. I love it!

I love getting emails from friends, making new friends and getting “followers”, it’s so exciting to me! I am so very thankful and grateful!

That said today I am keeping it short and sweet!

Between the boy, my jobs and writings I have a bit of a full plate today. Of course I love it all!

Don’t’ forget always Keep Hope Alive!

Stay Fabulous!

 

Happy 5th Birthday to My Boy!

~ gracelessnessover40 ~ 1 Comment

photo 2

Happy Birthday to My Boy!

I can’t believe it’s now been 5 years!

You’ve grown so much and I am so proud of you.

You’ve had to deal with life situations most adults can’t handle and you have done it well and grown from it and are better on your life path for it.

One of your favorite things to do is cuddle with me and say, “I chose you and you chose me, I chose you and you chose me” because you chose me to be you mama and I prayed to be your mama.

I cannot even begin to describe how amazing it was to find out I was going to be your mama after being told I couldn’t have children.

I can never express the love I have for you and everything I do and will do for you.

You are an amazing young boy and I love watching you grow and become the awesome human you will be one day.

You are my angel, my miracle, my tater tot and dream come true!

Happy Birthday to the Love of my Life!

photo 1(1)

I hope everyone has a fabulously graceless Monday!

Always Keep Hope Alive!

photo 3