YAY, I did it.

I actually visited, followed and commented on everyone in the list. Ok, ok, so the list was small and no, I didn't actually read in depth everyone's blog, but I promise I will go back and do that throughout the week. And hey, it doesn't take much to make me happy, so let me have my moment.

Ok, I'm done. It's been a long day and I'm headed off to bed. I hope all you blogsters sleep well. OMGosh, did I actually say that? It's my delirium, I'm definately headed off to bed.

Monday Madness - A New Party!

I'm finding that the best way to discover new blogs, is by participating in these parties! i've already met some pretty fantastic people, and I'd love to meet more. Please leave me a comment, and let me know that you stopped by. Follow the instructions, and have your own Monday Madness party!

What is Monday Madness?

Monday Madness was created by us: mommy bloggers Micael and Meghan. Mommy, daddy, single, stay at home parent, working parent, blogger, non-blogger, pie lover, pie hater (who hates pie, seriously?).... it doesn't matter who you are or what you do, Monday's tend to be crazy, right? So we thought we would bring a little fun into your Monday routine. And at the same time you'll get to check out new blogs, network with others, make new friends and connections - multitasking at itsbest!

So what do I do to participate?

It's really easy to participate with us! Just follow the steps below and you'll be set!

1.Follow the hostess blogs at Saving Obsession and The Tuckers Take Tennessee for some Madness Lovin'.

2.Grab the McLinky code and make a post on your blog about Monday Madness, so more people can join in the fun!

3.Add your blog name and link to the McLinky below.

4.Check out some of the blogs on the list and follow ones you like. Leave a comment to let them know you're from Monday Madness.

5.If someone follows your blog, follow them back to keep the Madness going.

That's it! Visit and follow as few or as many blogs as you'd like!

Hey, can you get addicted to blogging?

Ok, so it is painfully obvious that I'm new to blogging, I've only been on here about a week or so (too lazy to check right now). I'm stumbling around with this blog hopping (like New Friends Friday) and with all the ins and outs of posting, commenting and following. I've discovered this entire subculture here, people who have their own language and way of communicating back and forth. But OMGosh, did you guys know that there are free craft ideas, recipes and sewing patterns all over this site? Tips on fashion and home decorating and I'm not sure what else, I haven't gotten that far yet. Well, I sat down Friday to do this blog hopping thing and started visiting all these sites and then I just couldn't stop. I was on most of Fri. until nearly 4am, got up at 9am, got back on and other than an hour and a half cooking, eating and cleaning dinner session, I was on until 2am. Each blogspot you go to can take you to a bunch of others and they will take you to even more, and so on and so on. I hopped and hopped and hopped. Ok, so I know this is not new to any of you guys, but I am totally enthralled with it all, so much so that I will have to show great restraint while on here. I mean, I wouldn't want this to become a serious problem in my life...LOL

I would love to meet new people today!

Sometimes I seem to have just the craziest weeks, but I always am able to find humor in them. Ever had one like that, if so tell me about it, I would love to hear it. I am hoping to find new friends and new blogs to visit. If you would like the same, add your blog addy to the list at the bottom and visit as many as you can, you will be amazed at the amount of visitors you get. As I said, a great way to meet new people.

Friday Followers Blog Hop

As I was surfing around a few different blogs to get an idea of how I might want to set mine up (being so new to this),I ran across something called the Friday Followers Blog Hop. I thought, why not? I put my blog addy in there and had traffic almost immediately. This seems like a great way to get people to your blog and to find new and interesting blogs for you to look at. I know this is probably old hat to most of you guys but this is all new to me and I think any help I can get is great. So, to the gentleman who developed this I say thank you very much.

Flu time!!!! Can anyone help?

Well, I guess the title says it all. It's flu time in my little town which means everyone will get it, and sickness will rotate around and around as if it was in a big toilet bowl. We are set in a little valley which is beautiful but the air never seems to clear out, not to mention the fact that as a small town we just keep reinfecting each other. We moved here about 5 years ago and I just love it. I've noticed though that everybody is related to each other, everybody. It's a little creepy to be honest. I've always wanted to live in a small town and if truth be told, I could live in an even smaller one happily. Anyway, my girls and husband are coming down with the stomach flu and our financial situation is such that we can't afford to have my husband or daughter out of work long. I was wondering if anyone had any remedies that might speed this up or even just make them more comfortable while they are going through it. I would really appreciate any help, and thank you in advance.

We bought a business 6 years ago and actually moved here for that specific purpose. Due to the economy, especially in this state (Idaho), we very quickly went from a half a million dollar a year business to losing everything. It was so fast, I still can't believe it happened. I don't mind so much what we lost (sort of) but my husband and I really have a problem with owing people money and not seeing any way to pay it all back. In the blink of an eye everything changed and we now struggle to put food on the table. I'm not whining, just stating the facts. I'm sure there are so many people out there in the same situation or worse and I wish things would turn around quickly, but I'm afraid it will be a while yet. I hope I'm wrong.

My sister and her family are coming home tonight from a two week cruise and I'm really excited to see them. We live next door to them as they very generously let us move a mobile home onto their 5 acres. Funny thing, I've been with Mark for 27 years and she's been with Jim for 25 years and we just discovered a few months ago that the guys were related. They are actually second cousins. It really is a small world. I hope you all have a great night and a blessed evening.

Not a great day - I changed my mind, it's a great day!

I want to start by saying that I rarely complain about my pain because it doesn't help anything and it makes everyone around me sad, but today I'm going to do it. (Sorry) My pain is so bad I can hardly stand it, it has made me cry and makes me want to scream! There, I said it. The walls didn't fall down and the earth didn't shake. I know that sounds silly but trust me, it has everything to do with how I was raised. You know, something about suck it up soldier. Besides, I don't want to bring everyone around me down, I feel bad enough for a hundred people sometimes. I'm pretty sure I caused this myself by trying to wean off the steroids before my body was ready, but you don't know if you don't try. This flare looks like it's turning into one of those really long ones, I was afraid of that. It started with my whole body covered in hives and rashes that moved around, popping up somewhere then disappearing and popping up somewhere else. I even had the butterfly rash on my face, just lighter this time. It never ceases to amaze me how many different ways this disease can present itself. There are so many symptoms associated with it I can hardly keep up. I don't usually have rashes that bad at the start of a flare, normally it's a combination of ulcers, swelling in my hands (very painful), extreme tenderness in my joints and muscles that makes me walk like a ninety year old woman, small rashes and various other signs. My asthma always worsens, but the one thing that drives me the craziest is that my hair starts falling out. I mean clumps of it, not just when I brush it but just running my hands through it gets me the same result. I cannot tell you how glad I am now that I had unusually thick hair all my life. I didn't like it so much growing up because it was a hassle, but I'm grateful now. It's funny the things you become grateful for when you have Lupus, things most people take for granted. That's one thing I hope anyone with Lupus remembers, as bad as it is that day, the pain, the depression and the isolated feelings, there is always, I promise you, always someone out there worse off than you. All you have to do is turn on the news to understand that. I don't mean to get on my soapbox but I've read a few blogs about Lupus and the thing that breaks my heart is that not one of them talked about anything good in their lives. I get the craziness of having this disease, the endless rounds of doctors appointments, the endless bouts of pain and the feeling that nobody truly understands what you are going through, but I can't believe that none of these people have anything good in their lives. I hope I'm wrong and that they've just chosen to only write about the downside of this disease (as if there is an upside), but I get the feeling that some of these people have just given up and that really does break my heart. Life is so precious that as long as you're breathing there is something good in your life, there has to be you know, something to hold on to until you start feeling better, anything to grasp and strangle until you come out on the other side. I have to believe that or I wouldn't make it through these flares and I don't think others can either. Now (stepping down off my soapbox) I feel stupid for writing this stuff sometimes, but I think that's what this is all about, I least I hope it is. Did I mention that I was on heavy drugs? No? I'll tell you about that later when I'm not feeling so loopy. I always start these early in the day and don't finish them until the end of the day, that's why I jump around so much, I'm not that loopy yet LOL. I hope you all have a great evening and a blessed night.