"Tunnel Vision"

              

Staying focused is a good thing
But never forget the beauty that
surrounds you

KMH 2005

"Brickwalls"

    

 

"Even the brick wall...... has a way around it"

kmh 2005

"OBSTACLES"

KMH 2005

Mid-Life and relating to it! lol

I don't know where this originated from or who the original Author is....I would have loved to have given this person her props......it actually made me laugh out loud and touched my heart too........enough for me to post it as an entry in a journal that is now only 99.9% (give or take a point) Authored by yours truly. Hope you can nod your head at a few and giggle at the rest!

Subject: mid-life (Author Unknown)

I've seen two shows lately that went on and on about how mid-life is a
great time for women. Just last week, Oprah had a whole show on how great menopause will be.... Puhleeeeeeeze! I've had a few thoughts of my own and would like to share them with you. Whether you are pushing 40, 50, 60 (or maybe even just pushing your luck) you'll probably relate.

Mid-life is when the growth of hair on our legs slows down. This gives us
plenty of time to care for our newly acquired mustache.

In mid-life, women no longer have upper arms, we have wing spans.
We are no longer women in sleeveless shirts, we are flying squirrels in
drag.

Mid-life is when you can stand naked in front of a mirror and you can see your rear without turning around.

Mid-life is when you go for a mammogram and you realize that this is the
only time someone will ask you to appear topless.

Mid-life is when you want to grab every firm young lovely in a tube top and scream, "Listen honey, even the Roman empire fell and those will too."

Mid-life brings wisdom to know that life throws us curves and we're sitting on our biggest ones.

Mid-life is when you look at your-know-it-all, beeper-wearing teenager and think: "For this I have stretch marks?"

In mid-life your memory starts to go. In fact the only thing we can retain is water.

Mid-life means that your Body By Jake now includes Legs By Rand
McNally--more red and blue lines than an accurately scaled map of Wisconsin.

Mid-life means that you become more reflective...You start pondering the "big" questions. What is life? Why am I here? How much Healthy Choice ice-cream can I eat before it's no longer a healthy choice?

But mid-life also brings with it an appreciation for what is important. We realize that breasts sag, hips expand and chins double, but our loved ones make the journey worthwhile. Would any of you trade the knowledge that you have now, for the body you had way back when? Maybe our bodies simply have to expand to hold all the wisdom and love we've acquired.

That's my
philosophy and I'm sticking to it!

(Kim note) Now is that the truth or what???

 

 

 

Monday Photo Shoot.....Doubles

 

Mr. Scalzi's Monday Photo Shoot

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Take a picture of two of something. Two of what? I leave that to you. But they have to be two of the same type of thing.
 
Ok, So I took the easy way out.......I let Mother Nature do her tricks and I came up with 2 sunrises.......well, almost....it's a double image reflected on the water from the lofty sky above...still counts.....doesn't it??? lol

Well, thats my story and I'm sticking to it!

Photo was taken up in the Norther Woods of Wisconsin, a place so beautiful I have to return to it again and again......year in-year out.....can ya blame me??  Just look at it! For more photo's of the area please visit the last few entries! And to visit other takes on doubles from some of my fellow photo buff bloggers just click on John's link below!

John Scalzi's Journal

 

Northern Woods....Sunset

    

 

Every night between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. I was perfectly content sitting in the front of a rented aluminum boat, snagging my lines and stabbing my fingers with all kinds of fishing hooks and lures, just to watch my Husband do something that makes him extremely happy......Fishing! lol

I was able to listen to the sound of Loons calling out to each other across the lake, I watched the sky as the eagles soared and the buzzards congregated.....I was able to watch deer play along the waters edge and occasionally I heard the drag of my fishing line as I caught a few Northern Pikes and Large Mouth Bass of my own.

The sunsets every night were just as spectacular as the sunrises of the mornings.......Even though I love the soft light of the morning sunrise, it's the gold shimmer that hits just as the sun sets behind the woods on the lake that always held be in complete awe. I would sit there and watch it with a grin on my face as if I was witnessing it for the very first time every night. Something about the water, the woods, the sun and the moon makes me at peace with myself....nothing else can penetrate my psyche during those moments.......I am as tranquil and as serene as my surroundings....it is at that moment, that I know......life just can't get any better than that.

Northern Woods..... Waterlily

                      

Northern Woods (1)

        

This is another morning shot of the bay, between the fog and the mist it made the lake and the surrounding woods take on a mystical appearance. I could hear the mated pair of Bald Eagles call out to each other that morning but I was unable to catch a glimpse let alone a picture of them.

A few years ago when my 19 year old daughter Amanda was just 14, Jim had dumped the minnows that didn't make it through the night very close to the large pier that holds several of the colorful adirondack chairs that I had mentioned in the previous entry. Amanda was sitting on this pier with her mind lost deep in the gameboy she was playing, tucked away warm in her hoodie (sweatshirt with a hood). Jim and I were just getting ready to do some morning fishing when we spied her sitting there  with her hoodie on and the peek of the hood itself gave her a gnome like appearance, we were giggling to ourselves about that when we heard her give out a blood curdling scream! lol  An Eagle was swooping down so low to feast on the minnows Jim had dumped by the pier that Amanda thought she was being 'Hitchcocked'!  When the Eagles are gliding in there is no noise what so ever, but when they are trying to climb back up in the sky, just the shear power of the wings makes this wonderful, loud, swoooooosh of a sound!

Just the image that gets replayed in my mind when I go back to that time gives me the giggles all over again......the Eagle happily flying off with it's free breakfast and my gnome of a daughter taking off flying in her own style, squawking and scrambling up that ridge to the safety of the cabin..........Ahhhhh.........GOOD TIMES! lol lol lol

Life is good and I am thankful!

North Woods

       

 

I'm back from the Northern Woods of Wisconsin!  You know it must be one of your favorite places to be if coming home makes you sad......and I am going to miss early mornings sitting in the oversized adirondack chairs watching the sun slowly make its way up into the morning sky. I'll be posting more pictures over the next several days from our trip. We had beautiful weather up until the day before we left, there was severe weather in the area with 18 tornados that touched down through out the state, several small towns were hit and one town in particular, Staughton was destroyed. Hard to believe something that beautiful and serene can be destroyed in a few moments....... Mother Nature at her finest then at her worst.

The picture above was taken on our first morning up at the lake, it's tradition for Jim to wake just before sunrise and take my lil guy (Jimmy) out in the bay for some early morning fishing. My lil guy says it's the best time to fish....the lake is quiet...the fish are hungrier than he is and the action is plenty. The cabin sits half way up a small ridge with a beautiful view of the lake through the tall pines, this particular morning the lake water was warmer then the air so it gave off an early fog and this is the view from my window watching my two favorite men do what they love to do the most.........fish!!!!!! sitting side by side, just the two of them, and I get to do what I love best.....watching them enjoy the simple pleasure of just being together.

I don't mind not being a morning participant.....my time alone on the lake with Big Jim is always the evening, 3 glorious hours every night just Kim and Jim, a beautiful sunset, and a stringer full of fish.......there is something to say about the simple things, that is for sure!

My Blogs Anniversay (blog revisited)

Today is my blogs one year anniversary and as promised here are a few of my personal favorite entries.......some funny, some insightful and some left me vulnerable all over again......I hope you enjoy!


Mid Life Crisis?


Age Old Battle

Journaling From The Waters Edge

One Moment Was All I Asked

He Called me.......Satan!

Decades

Personal Growth

The Dance

Then and Now

The Other Woman

Leave Me Alone Bill!

Personality Traits


A Cop, A Bustiere and Tequila!

Reflections of the ordinary

Grass is always greener

Those Moments

Flourishing under the influence

Thank you so very much to my 'Blogging Friends' who have reached across the internet and offered me friendship, laughter, inspiration and a small glimpse into their extraordinary lives!

XOXOX,

Kimberleigh

Monday Photo Shoot (on tuesday) lol

               

 

By now you all know what a charming, handsome, sweet man I married right??......John Scalzi over at "By The Way"  wanted us to post a photo of something unusual in our house, here is my unusual...........

By now you all know what a romantic, charming, handsome, sweet man I married right? Well, believe it or not, for some kind of gift giving holiday, it could have been Valentine's Day or Sweetest Day (I think it was Sweetest day) because he is/was kinda annoyed that Hallmark invented yet another holiday that I, his sweetheart should receive another gift! He bought the above "GIFT" for me ( I know, your wondering just what exactly is that anyway.......right??)

It's a pig formed out of 'Cow Chit'.....Yup! you heard me, 'Cow Chit' and why oh why did this man think this was an appropriate gift for me..... you ask? So he could go around telling everyone about this great 'GIFT" and say, "See! There she can't say I didn't get her CHIT for Sweetest Day!"

Did I mention how funny this man is too???

Hardeeeeeee har har!

 

Visit John's blog for more 'Unusual" things

Pines through the panes

           

 

This will be my view in the upcoming week..........No, I am not going to be behind bars! That is the view I will be waking up to up in the northern woods of Wisconsin......No phones, no computer, no worries! Sounds lovely doesn't it? I will fall asleep every night to the call of the loons on the lake, I will wake to filtered sunshine through the tall pines that surrounds the cabin and I will see Eagles........ soar! But I will drop dead of total fear if I spy a.............BEAR! Yikessss!

This is my escape from life in the burbs of a big city and all the noise and the lights that go along with it. Nothing brings me peace faster than standing under the tall pines and gazing up at the unencumbered night sky..........the Northern Lights and the shooting stars are my evening entertainment along with the Hoot Owls, Bull Frogs and crickets....oh yeah and the occasional grunt of the giant mating snapping turtles near the boat dock.......now that......don't sound like love to me! lol lol lol

My mornings are spent sleeping in while DH and baby boy hit the lake running, they wake up around 5:00 a.m. since they swear daybreak is the only time to fish for the serious fisherman! They usually return around 8:00 a.m. looking for breakfast......then it's lazy days at the private beach, visiting with other vacationers that consider this a lil slice of heaven too! My Husband has been fishing on this lake since he was 4 years old........I do believe it is his "Happy Place" on this big blue wonderful sphere we spin around and around on!

Early evenings are Jim and my time out on the lake.......well actually my time fishing......he has to spend the whole time either baiting, or unhooking my fish or unraveling my fishing line and counting the number of lures I loose every year.......oh yes Paradise! lol I remember what fun we had (not!) one time when it was getting very dark, he didn't bring along fishing lights (big no-no) and the engine wouldn't start.......that poor man had to row in the dark all the way across two lakes.....listening to the loons and me complaining......"I told you so" for at least an hour.........almost complete silence except for the "EEEaaaaahhhh"  "EEEaaaaahhhh" of the squeaky oars.....and my unhappy thoughts spoken out loud......I'm surprised I didn't get pushed over board and "accidental drowning" typed in my C.O.D! (cause of death)

Life is good and I am thankful!

Happy Anniversary.....My Love!

It's August 8, 2005......the house is quiet, it' still early......and the In-Laws left for home yesterday morning. It really was an enjoyable visit with them this time.....who knows maybe we have finally grown on one another! lol

Today is my 15th Wedding Anniversary, 15 years and he is still my biggest crush........Sometimes when he's not looking, I still study him......I love the many looks of my husbands face. He is still every bit of handsome at 46 as he was 24 years ago, when I saw him for the first time and thought how very beautiful he was. I knew that someday we would forever be in each others lives.......I knew because my heart told me.

Gray hair has replaced the once soft black hair on his chest, that I used to play with for hours.....I love the feel of him.....and gray has moved further into his hair then just his temples....... but his eye's are still the most beautiful shade of green and they sparkle still, when he looks at me. I love to watch him sleep, there is something so very manly about him, the curve of his broad, suntanned shoulders, the rise and fall of his chest with each slumbered breath. I love the very scent of him.....I breath him in deeply while he sleeps.

I woke up to find my "hallmark" on my desk...he knows my morning ritual well, he says he always feels bad that he can't express how he feels about me better than a Hallmark.....it's just not in his DNA, but every once in awhile he says the most perfect things to me at the most perfect time and I store those moments away, when things aren't so perfect for a moment. The moon and the stars are my constant nightly reminder of what that man once said to me, when we first married and things were tight with a new family of four........He said," At this moment I can't give to you the moon and the stars even though I want to give you everything.....all I have is my love, my heart and myself to give and I hope that it will always be enough!".... He has always been enough....more than enough and I'm a very lucky woman!

It was love at first sight when I was 18 years old, but our worlds weren't destined to collide again until I was 23, we married a few years after that when I was 27.... and today at 42.......He still gives me "Butterflies."

Life is good and I am very blessed.........Happy Anniversary Darling!

2 down.........2 to go!

OK, Child number 2 (Amanda) the child who would have rather been homeless then get a job (and she still hasn't landed one yet and even admitted to me that she hasn't been looking) moved into her first apartment today.......how you ask? Well, it's an accident waiting to happen.....it's a 2 bedroom 1 bath apartment to be shared by an ever changing cast of characters........first was her and her boyfriend Wayne, then Wayne's best friend and his girl....problem with that is both the girls wanted to be Diva's and as you all know bu now, only one Diva per household! lol

So they have another 'Couple' that is moving in with then later this week, and no matter how much I have tried to tell her that this is destined to be a disaster, she is more like me than I ever thought possible and in spite of herself is going to do this anyway! I have to keep reminding myself she is almost 20 and has to learn things the hard way, much like her Mother. She knows I pretty much stick to my guns on almost everything so even after living from friends house to friends house and sometimes sleeping in her car, she has not asked me for anything......I guess I will not know if tough love is working until I see her fly then soar on her own.

When our oldest Daughter moved out earlier in the year, she did not ask for anything either, we helped her and her Fiance Tony, move  into their own apartment and I went out grocery shopping for them. I bought all the necessities that a new household needs, paper products, cleaning products, and the basic grocery items. They did not ask, but I told them to consider it a house warming gift from Mom and Dad......and I did the same for Amanda and Wayne......if they want to spread their wings and fly they can do it on a full stomach and after that they are on their own. They will make their own way in life because sooner or later all the guidance and all the lessons taught will take effect and they will prove to us they were listening all along....even though we felt it was always a brick wall we were speaking too. After all, I was far...far... FAR.... worse and I turned out all right! lol

The one thing I want most for my children is to prove me wrong when I thing they are making a mistake...........show me that I underestimated them and that they need me less than I ever thought. After all, isn't that what every parent wants......a self sufficient child? Now with 2 gone from the nest and 2 more to go I just look at the 2 youngest (13 & 14) and think to myself........"Now what they hell are you gonna put me through before you fly from me!" LOL

Having babies is easy........raising babies is easy.......surviving their teenage years is where the true challenge begins!!!  2 down, 2 to go..........Lord give me strength and patience.........I need a lot of both! And let me..... be able to let them........ make their mistakes....after all life will always come with lessons.

Heard it in a love song...

When the rain is blowing in your face
And the whole world is on your case
I could offer you a warm embrace
To make you feel my love

When evening shadows and the stars appear
And there's is no one to dry your tears
I could hold you for a million years
To make you feel my love

I know you haven't made your mind up yet
But I would never do you wrong
I've known it from the moment that we met
There's no doubt in my mind where you belong

I'd go hungry, I'd go black and blue
I'd go crawling down the avenue
There ain't nothing' that I wouldn't do
To make you feel my love

The storms are raging on a rolling sea
And on the highway of regret
The winds of change are blowing wild and free
You ain't seen nothin' like me yet

There ain't nothin' that I wouldn't do
Go to the ends of the earth for you
Make you happy make your dreams come true
To make you feel my love

I cannot tell you how much this song means to me.....I remember the first time I ever heard it playing on the radio. I had just came in from running errands and doing some shopping when I came in and turned on the stereo.......music is everything to me, it is the one constant noise in my everyday life (Children aside! lol)

First the melody caught my attention and then the lyrics just blew me away, I immediately connected with that song and tears slipped quietly down my face....it moved me that much. In the end I found out that is was on the soundtrack from the movie "Hope Floats" and it was sang by Garth Brooks. He sang that song from his heart and his talent for telling a story put to music is what made me an instant fan. I found out later that the song was written and originally song from another great story teller Bob Dylan.

Music has a way of defining how we feel, it also has the power to take us back in time whenever we hear something from our past....A song can take me back to a concert, to a broken heart, to a dance floor and sometimes a song has the power to remind someone of what true love is all about.......I love you Jim!

New Addition (photo update)

     

I have another new grandpuppy!!!!! His name is 'BEEFY" and he is an English Bulldog. My oldest daughter Melissa and her Fiance Tony are the ones that presented me with my first grandpuppy "BLU" the amazing Basset Hound a few months back.......they thought it was time to add another furry child to the mix........I will be bringing along my camera of course and will be sharing pics of both my furry Grandpuppies!

The In-laws should be arriving any moment and of course I never know how long they will be staying, but they are returning daughter number 3, Rachel from her usual 4 weeks stay down in Kentucky with them.......sad to say this will probably be the last time she stays down there, because just like her older sisters, she is getting older and wants to do more and more things with her friends, she is starting High School in the fall and that means family won't be a priority for a few years......but such is life and I remember being a teenager so very well myself.

Life really goes on doesn't it?
                                                             

Monday Photo Shoot

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Get Close

 

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Take a picture of something in extreme close-up. So close it's hard to tell what you're looking at. Ask people to guess. On Thursday, reveal what you've photographed.

Sounds good to me, this is one my my favorite shots.......it's not new to my journal but it's worth repeating........guess away!

No........ it's not MC Hammer! lol lol lol

 

Wanna play along......click on the link below and it will lead you to more great blogs!

John Scalzi

journal name change

Well, a year ago when I started writing this journal, I was happy with the name I chose because it was an ongoing story of my life.......it was "Life as I live it."

Well, after quite a bit of time, I decided to change the name of my journal to reflect more of the comedic side to my life. Hell.......even with this new title it could cover the tragic side to my life too....so here it is...........drum roll please.............unveiling the new name.......

 

"I shaved my legs for this?"

 

ta daaaaaaaaa!

I think it suites me........ Ü

 

Blog Anniversary is fast approaching!

My one year blog anniversary is fast approaching......I am thrilled that this is a something that I stumbled on and have not become bored with it yet, I cannot tell you how many 'projects' that I have thrown myself into only to become bored with it a short time later.

I went through my arts and crafts stage, everything from designing oversized T-shirts with matching leggins from the late 80's through the early 90's. From just 'having to have' a sewing machine because, "Honey just think of all the wonderful things I can make for the home!" I made wall decorations, pillows, ect,. I gave that sewing machine away after only 3 months playing with it and another 6 months of it just sitting there collecting dust, to re-doing every room in my house every few years. I think they call it an Addictive Personality........I become all enthralled with something new, over do it then abandon it forever........everything that is but my writing and my photography......I will never become bored with that!

So what I think I am going to do is reread my earlier entries and compile a list of a few of my favorites, ones that I went deep on, ones that I thought were funny enough to share and the ones that are my hearts favorite. I would love it if any of my readers would link me back to any favorites of their own personal journal entries......we all have a few golden ones and I would love to get your perspective on what you think was your all time personal best!

In the mean time............The In-laws are coming! The in-laws are coming! And I am off to slaughter dust bunnies........

Oh Mother-In-Law.........bring on the white glove, I'll be ready! lol lol lol