Day 30 - One Final Moment

My first 30 day challenge is complete. I had fun, although there were many repeats in the topics. Sara and I came up with a 30 day challenge of our own, which we will start up TOMORROW! :D

So for one final moment, here I am as Hodel in Fiddler On The Roof. I think this was in 2001. I am in the brown dress and I am also the first one to sing.

Day 29 - My Aspirations

Gosh, my aspirations!?!?!?!?

Once upon a time, I wanted to earn a Master's in Psychology and work with children with autism....or in a children's hospital with families of cancer patients.

Now, I think I just want to do all that I can to see that my children succeed in life and achieve their dreams. I want them to reach for the stars. I want them to grow up confident and determined.

Yep! :D That's about it. :D

Day 28 - Something I Miss

Arizona Sunsets

Day 27 - My Favorite Places

I feel as if there are many places I still have to experience.....but for now...here are a few of my favorite places:

- In Worship (eyes closed, hands up, belting out my favorite worship songs to God and feeling His amazing presence)

- On The Matterhorn

- Anywhere that looks like this

ALSO -

- In front of my baby boy as I push him on a swing.

- In  a pile of tickles with my kids.

- Anywhere with my friends

Day 26 - My Fears

When I was 11, I went through a phase where I was terrified of alien abductions. I blame my dad. He watched shows in the evenings all about UFOs and supposed abduction survivors. I didn't sleep well for months. I just knew that a beam of light would shine through my window, lift me out of my bed and take me up to a ship in space.

When I was a teenager, my biggest fear was that I would find out someday that I couldn't have children. Thankfully, I was blessed with three bundles of joy.

Today, I am afraid of home intruders or scary people harming my children.

I am afraid of my Trailblazer breaking down unexpectedly, and not having the money to repair it.

Sometimes in bad snow storms, I am afraid of being out on the road...especially after my experience a couple of years ago on Rollercoaster Road. I drove by at least four rollover accidents while I was stuck on that insane road during a really crazy storm. I think that was the most terrified I have ever been while driving. Believe me, in almost white out conditions, you do not want to be on any street with Rollercoaster in its name. Just a word of advice.

Oh there was one other time when I was pretty freaked out during a drive in the winter. It was a very cold night and a red sporty car decided it would be fun to drive insanely fast on black ice. Yes, he came right at me rather quickly and almost plowed into me. I kind of saw it happening, right before he slid...I just had a hunch. I knew that I couldn't push my brake too hard, or I would slide. So I barely touched the brake. I was able to slow down just enough so that we ended up barely missing each other. He ended up on the side of the road...I think he even spun.

Yes, I think sometimes, when I have to drive in a snowstorm, I have mild panic attacks.

I am proud to say however, that I haven't crashed a car since I was 16 (knock on wood). Did I totally just jinx myself?

Day 25 - The First Boy Next Door

Awwwwwww....the first boy next door. That boy right there, kissing little me, is Brian. He was born just a few weeks after me, and since our moms were very close, we pretty much grew up together. Well, that is until I moved away from Connecticut at the age of 9.

As a young boy, I am sure he just loved coming to my house. I used to make him dress up in my dance recital outfits and put on performances with me. Yes, we would put on shows for our moms. I really think he did enjoy it. :D But really, that kid did anything I asked.

Maybe that is why I liked kissing poor Brian so much....even when he didn't want to kiss me back.

We were great pals though. I have vivid memories of eating Count Chocula cereal with him at his kitchen table and then spending hours making spaghetti with play-doh. As we got older he shared with me his dreams of becoming an archaeologist. We took trips to Cape Cod together with our families and were always at each other's birthday parties. Yes, we were pretty much together all of the time.

Day 24 - What Makes Me Feel Better

So when I get upset...it is usually from stuff that I have let build up....stuff that I kind of shrug off initially or push down to not deal with at the moment. I am usually busy with so many things...that some stuff, if I don't think I can handle it at that time, it just gets buried.

The only problem is, I usually continue to pile stuff on top of it until I have piled so much, that there is no room left. So there is only one place it can all go...OUT! (And sometimes, it isn't pretty)

So I react in one of three ways I freak out with stress, explosively yell with anger or bawl my eyes out because of all of the hurt.

Honestly, here is what I think would make me feel better when this happens. First, to be able to get it out while someone listens and tries to make sense of my crazy babble..then to sit down and rationally handle what is wrong and talk it out and finally, to end it all with a hug.

I think patience, understanding and a hug is all I need when that happens. I need the freedom to release and then constructively deal with it.

HOWEVER that could be quite hard for the person I am releasing the crap onto, especially if it is that explosive anger release. But I do understand and empathize with that person.

Oh and I also think that ice cream works wonders and makes everything better, except for Rocky Road!!!! :D

Day 23 - What Makes Me Cry

I don't cry a lot, and if I do, I try to cry privately. However, there are certain scenes in tv shows and movies that get me.....no matter how hard I try to fight the tears.

Here are some of the tv/movie moments that have made me cry:

This movie makes me cry...especially the scene that is shown in the trailer at 2:12



During this dock scene from Dawson's Creek, I bawled my eyes out. I remember it clearly...where I was when I saw it for the first time and what was going on in my life that made this scene so intense for me. (The scene starts at 2:00)



I Am Sam - I LOVE THIS MOVIE AND ALWAYS CRY WATCHING IT!



Beautiful Boy from Mr. Holland's Opus always makes me teary-eyed.



And then there is this right here from Life is Beautiful.

/

And now that we are all thoroughly depressed, I will end this post. :D

Day 22 - What Really Gets My Goat

What upsets me? That really depends on the day. If I am realllllly tired, which seems to be often, lately, then I seem to get irritated by little things. I usually won't voice my annoyance, but I will definitely make a face. I definitely have a very distinct "annoyed" face.

I feel it does take a lot to get me upset. I think feeling misunderstood can upset me, but it is more of a hurt, than an anger.

Selfish, egotistical and close-minded people upset me.

Most of the time, it is complete strangers who succeed at upsetting me, and other than a split second glare their way, I don't approach them about it.

Although, last week, I was driving down my neighborhood and two kids chucked rocks at my blazer. So I did a u-turn.....drove up to them and in my sternest voice, I said..."You really shouldn't throw rocks at cars. Vehicles cost a lot of money and you can do a lot of damage by throwing a rock and then your parents would have to pay for it, which means you would be in A LOT of trouble." -  I know, I know...so very intimidating. I'm sure they really cared.

Yes, kids destroying property, upsets me.

You know what else upsets me? Jack In The Box ruined the Ultimate Cheeseburger by adding ketchup to it. It used to ONLY have MAYO! Ridiculous!

Day 21 - Another Moment

So I broke out the old photo albums tonight to find a picture of a moment to share with you all.

I laughed when I came across the one from my high school graduation. The picture itself isn't funny, it's the fact that it is THE only photo I have from the evening. THE ONLY ONE! I think it was the only one that was taken....seriously.

This was taken in the master bedroom/bathroom. I always got ready in the master bedroom. I remember I was annoyed with my mom when this photo was taken, because I was on the phone, and she kept calling me..."look over here for a picture, Erica, Erica." Honestly, I think she just wanted to capture me in all of my attitudey (my new word) essence. :D

I loved that dress that I wore. It was one of my favorite dresses. I wore it quite often. I had a thing for lavender back then. I really should have thought twice about the shoes though. Those things are hideous and make me look like I have gigantic feet.

I still am not quite sure why my mom was so insistent on picking that moment of my graduation night to capture...I mean I didn't even have my gown on yet.

Oh well. :D There you have it, a moment....17-year-old Erica on graduation night 1997.

Day 20 - My Month

Are you sure that you want to hear about the month of August? It was busy and exhausting, but if you insist. ;)

The month started off with FUN! I headed to New York City to attend blogher10. Basically I raced around the streets of New York, attending events with the lovely gals over at 5 Minutes for Mom.

I also spoke with various PR reps, including a lovely lady at the Toys "R" Us in Times Square. I toured the location and was also introduced to some of the hottest toys that will soon hit store shelves.

I stayed at a gorgeous hotel called The Royalton, where there was also a special event held in the Penthouse with all sorts of pampering sessions and food sampling. It was a blast.

Oh, and I also had the 5 Minutes for Mom camera turned on me. :D Oh and that gal doing my hair, she will be doing Sofia Vergara's hair for the Emmy's. Sofia plays Gloria in Modern Family.



I shared the room at the Royalton with our camera gal, Molly, who is a doll. I love her. We had such a great time together in NY.

Okay, so also this month, Audrey started school, first grade, annnnd we also had our first Girl Scout meeting. I lead her Daisy Troop....and I LOVE IT!

I also attended a birthday party for a good friend and a baby shower. I feel like my calendar was jam packed this month...but boy did time fly!

I am happy that the month is almost over, but I have a feeling that next month is going to be just as hectic. I will be flying to Phoenix for a weekend, to spend time with my family and friends. Also, my Daisy Troop is going to take part in their first event, a lemonade stand for Alex's Lemonade Stand, an organization that raises money for childhood cancer. Did you know that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month?

I think the girls will have a blast. Plus Strawberry Shortcake has teamed up with Alex's Lemonade stand for the month of September, which means her darling face will adorn our decor, posters and banners. Annnnd we will serve strawberry lemonade. YUM!

Day 19 - A Regret

Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable. - Sydney J. Harris

I used to say that there was nothing in my life that I regretted, because every hurdle, tear and smile has made me who I am today.

But there actually is something that I regret and I have mentioned it here on this blog a few times. So for you few regular readers, I apologize for the redundancy.

When I was in my tween/teen years, I was your typical adolescent. I was caught up in my own little world and I didn't really want my parents a part of it. My life revolved around my friends. My parents were just around to annoy me and make my life difficult. Yes, your typical teen.

What I didn't realize at the time, was that while I spent hours alone in my room, ignoring my parents....while I yelled and screamed during fights with my mom and then stomped away, slamming my bedroom door behind me, I was wasting valuable minutes, hours, days, months and years with my mom.

I didn't take the time to have deep heart to heart chats with my mom. I didn't take the time to find out what she was like as a teenager. I never heard stories of her adventuresome twenties. I knew a bit about how she and my dad met, but I never took the time to talk about their early years of marriage.

What was it like for her when she was a new mom? What was the craziest thing that she ever did? What were the boys like that she dated? How many times did she have her heart broken? How many times had she been in love?

I do remember, when I was around 15, having a conversation with her about a boy she had once been pretty serious about. He joined the army, went off to Vietnam and was killed. It was very traumatic for her. She always associates the Beach Boys song, Surfer Girl, with that boy. That is probably the only conversation I had with her in those tween/teen years, that gave me a glimpse into my mom's early years. 

My mom has had Multiple Sclerosis for over 20 years. The myelin in her body is being destroyed by the disease. One of the effects of demyelination is memory loss.

My mom doesn't remember much of her past. Her short term memory is pretty much shot as well. As I have said before, many times when we talk on the phone, she doesn't know who I am. She doesn't even remember having a daughter. Other times she knows who I am, but has no idea that I have children. Most of the time, I have to remind her repeatedly what my name is.

So all of those questions I wonder about now, about her heartbreaks, her favorite high school memories, her funny new mom stories, will remain unanswered, because I didn't take the time back then to get to know my own mother.

Thankfully I do have today! She may not be anywhere near the person she was then, but she is still here on this earth. So, I am trying now to make the most of the time that I have left with her. I do still have minutes, hours, days, months and perhaps even years with her, and for that I am so very grateful!

Day 18 - My Favorite Birthday

Well this is EASY! My 30th has so far been my FAVORITE BIRTHDAY. Two friends joined me in NEW YORK CITY and we painted the town red!

We had the yummiest cheesecake EVER at Junior's!!! I ordered the Devil's Food Cheesecake and it is amazing..there are no words to describe how incredible it is. The best part is that you can actually order their cheesecakes online to be delivered to your door....so I can have Junior's whenever I want. :D

But of course it is always better when you get to have it in NEW YORK CITY!

Since my birthday is in December, we were able to ice skate at Rockefeller......

We also hit up a Broadway show, Burn The Floor, at the GORGEOUS Longacre Theatre. Burn The Floor was HOT!

When I first saw the movie, Serendipity, with John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale, I vowed to eat at Serendipity III and indulge in a frozen hot chocolate. So, we did just that.

I also had the yummiest sundae EVER!!!!!!

Of course we also took in the sights of Times Square and visited the Mac store, F.A.O. Schwartz, and Dylan's Candy Bar, just to name a few. Everything was also decorated for the holiday season, so it made it even more exciting and beautiful.

The only disappointment was that we didn't get to use the standby dress rehearsal tickets for SNL, that we had waited in line for, in the wee hours of the chilly morning. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HOT...SEE...

All in all, it was the most amazing birthday EVER!

Day 17 - A Moment That Changed The World!!!

This is a long post, but I truly hope that you make it all the way to the end and watch the video I placed at the very, VERY end. Today I saw the video for the first time and it brought tears to my eyes!

Today I am supposed to share my favorite moment. I find that extremely difficult. How does one pick their absolute favorite moment? I have lived for 30 years, I have had great family moments, I have birthed three children, I have been on several fabulous vacations. How do I select one moment that outshines all of the others? I believe it is impossible.

So, I am not going to do it. BUT I will share with you A moment. A moment in time...a movement that I was a part of that actually made a huge difference in thousands of lives.

It's a day in my life that I will always, always remember, that is a part of history and that I am proud that I was able to take part in.

In Denver, on Saturday, April, 25th, 2009, I took part in The Rescue event for Invisible Children.

Invisible Children is an organization determined to help the thousands and thousands of abducted children in Northern Uganda and The Congo, who are taken from their homes at young ages, desensitized to violence by witnessing horrendous beatings and killings, and then forced to fight as child soldiers for a terrorist, Joseph Kony.

Invisible Children decided that Joseph Kony needed to be captured and arrested, so that his child soldiers could be freed. They organized an event called The RESCUE. 80,000 people gathered in over 90 cities all over the world to abduct themselves to bring media, political and cultural attention to the longest running war in Africa and to the situation affecting the 30,000 abducted child soldiers.

Can you find me? I'll give you a hint...bottom right corner, front row, in off-white hoodie...There I am! :D

 
We gathered at the state capitol and then walked for a couple of miles in a single file line, holding a rope, just as the abducted children are forced to do. Finally arriving at a nearby park, we set up our sleeping bags and blankets, wrote letters to our senators asking them to rescue the child soldiers in Africa, and waited for a political or cultural figure to come out and rescue us by pledging their support to do something about the situation in Northern Uganda and The Congo.

Here is a little video montage I made of the event in Denver. 1500 people showed up in Denver, for the RESCUE! 1500!!!!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Other photos from the event in other cities:


RESCUE group in L.A. (5,000 showed up and were rescued by a host of celebrities including Kristen Bell, Ben McKenzie, Kirsten Dunst and Tom Arnold)


RESCUE group in D.C.


RESCUE in New York


THE MOST AMAZING PART OF THIS ENTIRE THING, IS THAT WHAT I DID, WHAT WE DID THAT DAY, ACTUALLY MADE A HUGE LIFE CHANGING DIFFERENCE!!!

WATCH THIS!!!

To be honest, for some reason, TODAY was the first day that I saw this video and it brought tears to my eyes. I am so very proud of every person who supported this cause. :D


Congress Passes LRA Bill: Highlights from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.


On May 24, 2010, President Obama signed the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act into law.

Day 16 - My First Kiss

So you want to know about my first kiss, do you?

Juicy? Not really.

Awkward? A bit.

Mortifying? Completely.

Oh and to add to the fun of this post, I am including my 7th grade yearbook picture. BE NICE!

7th grade yearbook pic

So my first kiss took place in 6th grade with the first boy I was "going out" with. He was my first "boyfriend" and we dated from the end of 6th grade through the middle of 7th grade. My first kiss wasn't like a kiss kiss, if you catch my drift. But it was close enough.

I am fairly certain that I was the biggest female nerd in 6th grade and I was "going out" with the other biggest nerd in the school. It was quite fun for the bullies I dealt with on a daily basis.

So on this particular day, recess was just finishing up and students were starting to make their way from the field, to line up by classroom.

My boyfriend and I were under a ramada on the playground and had been contemplating kissing. We decided to go for it.

One of his friends, who had been around for most of the indecisive conversation, decided to spread the word to all of the 6th grade.

And as we started to kiss, most of the 6th grade class had started to gather around the ramada. Our kiss was welcomed with laughter and lots of "ewwwwww, gross" comments.

We were embarrassed and just headed to our separate classroom lines, while listening to snickers about how gross it was that we kissed and how we would have nerd babies.

Yes, my first kiss was magical.