This is Going to be like a Kennywood Ride

When I was 18 my mom decided I should go to my first annual gynecological checkup. I knew the dreaded yearly exam would come soon enough as I remember hearing in health class that females should start to go around 17-18 years old. I really wasn’t sure what to expect. The thought of spreading my legs while hoisted in stirrups, with my private girl parts out for the world to see really freaked me out – and rightfully so. When I got to my appointment, I waited the usual half hour for my doctor. I finally heard a knock at the door and in walked a 50-some year old man with salt and pepper sideburns and a chocolate brown toupee. He gave his hair piece a quick fix, looked at me and winked. What was I getting myself into?

I am sure reading this it sounds like a very awkward first experience/impression. Weirdly enough it was his way of lightening the mood for what was to come. In a very strange way, I must admit, it helped. I figured he had a good sense of humor considering he knew it was so obvious he wore a rug on his head. I left there with a sense of relief; it was not as bad as I thought. He was super nice and he made me feel comfortable in one of the most uncomfortable situations.

Last week it was time for another one of my annual gynecological exams and lucky as you all are, you get to hear about this one too. I debated discussing this trip as these types of appointments are rather personal but the event that took place was too entertaining to keep to myself. My regular toupee-wearing doctor transitioned to focus more on delivering babies so I was forced to schedule an appointment with the newest doctor to the practice. She is a nice, short young female of Indian origin (I am trying to paint you a picture). When it was time for my exam the nurse came in, I leaned back and anxiously awaited the end of my appointment.

The doctor sat down, she was so tiny that I could not see her too well. All of a sudden I hear, “I am going to bring you up. This is going to be like a Kennywood ride.” Oh how fun. Up, up and up I go as the table begins to rise. I am sure the look on my face was quite entertaining as I look at the nurse who is just as surprised as me with how high I was in the air, my legs spread wide open and my private girly parts out. She then says, “I am going to lean you back a bit so I can get a good look.” Lean me back? Well this doctor must not have much experience with this table because she clearly held this button in for too long, I start grasping the sides of the table in fear I would slide down then back, head first with my hoo-ha out. The nurse couldn’t hold in her chuckle and neither could I, she asked if I was ok and the doctor kept apologizing for leaning me back too far. I had never had an experience quite like this before. The toupee-wearing doctor would have never pulled such shenanigans. I prayed that the next time I came in she would be better trained and I wouldn’t have to hold so tightly onto the table in fear of slipping off head first, hoo-ha out. If it were anyone else in my position I am sure they would have been a little irritated and mad. But I couldn’t because I was too busy laughing and she is so tiny, it’s the only way she feels she can see in there. I wish I was making this up, but I am not. Sadly (or thankfully) for my next appointment I will not get to see if she brushed up on her table-operating skills as I am getting new insurance and they’re not in my network. I will, however, be sad to leave my toupee-wearing doctor.

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Has It Been Five Year's Already?

This past Friday, my hubby and I celebrated our five year wedding anniversary and it was one of the best days that we’ve had together in a long time.  I really wanted to make the day special for him.  Not only because it was our five year wedding anniversary (which I feel like these days, that’s a real accomplishment) but because things have been a little crazy for us over the last month.  So this seemed like the perfect time to celebrate and I just wanted to celebrate us.
Here’s what we did…

First, my hubby woke up surrounded by five heart-shaped balloons and each balloon had one reason why I loved him attached to it.  He just laughed and smiled because he knows that I love balloons just  because I feel like you can’t help but laugh and smile when you see a balloon…right?  Next we exchanged gifts.  The gift he gave me was a really big deal.  He gave me my engagement ring back which has been at the jewelers for the last seven months trying to be fixed…don’t ask.  The important thing was that it was finished and back on my finger.  My gift to him was a two-parter.  I always like to give one “traditional” gift and for five years, the traditional gift is wood.  So I went out and found a log and cleaned it up.  I carved our initials in it with a heart around it just like you would in a tree.  I then dug out a hole in the top to place a votive candle in it that was used at our wedding.  It’s totally cheesy and corny but cheesy and corny is just who I am sometimes.  The second part of my gift was a little adventure.  We went to a new place that just opened called Copper Kettle Brewing Company.  It’s located in Greenfield on Greenfield Avenue and we actually got to brew our own beer.  It was such a neat experience and we had a blast.  It really taught us so much about the beer making process and for two people that love beer as much as we do…this couldn’t have been a more perfect thing for us to do.  We then get to go back in 14 days to bottle and label our beer so now we’re trying to come up with a clever name for our anniversary beer.  Following the brewery, we went out for a nice dinner and then to a local bar to hang out and have a few drinks.  We laughed and had great conversations.  I felt so lucky and for the first time in a long time…I just felt like a normal couple, doing normal couple things.  A lot of the time I just feel like our bar runs our life and that’s all we do and all we talk about.

So that was our anniversary day together.  It was fun, relaxing and perfect and if you are looking for a really fun thing to do, definitely check out Copper Kettle Brewing Company.  They don’t have a website yet but you can find them on Facebook or through their bar website which is Hough’s.  And if you have any ideas on what we could name our brew, leave it in the comments section!  Thanks for letting me share.

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It Takes a Village

We've all heard the saying, "It takes a village to raise a child." Well, it actually takes a whole lot more than a village to raise a child, raise awareness, raise self-esteem or do just about anything.

We live in a world full of "communities." Facebook is a community. Our churches are commuities. Our neighborhoods, co-workers, friends, friends of friends are our communities.

Back in our childhood days, we were taken care of by our parents, coaches, friends' parents. We ate dinner wherever. Slept wherever. And never worried. Someone would take care of us. Someone always took care of us.

As we enter adulthood, somewhere, we lose that. We lose the security of that "community" that cared for us and had our back. We have circles of friends that we are truly blessed to have. But we lose the "I'll look out for you if you look out for me." We get busy with our own lives and the waters get muddy. Too many ingredients fill the batter and we are left with something that looks amazing, but doesn't fill our hunger.

I have a lot of good friends. Friends that I could call at any hour of any day who would talk me off a ledge, bring me a home-cooked meal or laugh me out of a funk. But still, I hunger for more. I have back-up at work if I'm on vacation or sick, but what about in my real world?

I live far away from my hometown. The place I actually still refer to as home. But through communities, such as facebook, I'm still connected. Recently, on one of my daily facebook checks, I saw a posting from Liv With Autism. It regarded a simple idea--to anonymously friend another mom in the group and become their "Secret Sista." Someone who understands where you are, what you are going through and gives you anonymous words of encouragement, wisdom and the occasional Starbucks gift card. I'm not a part of the support group. I'm too far away. But the idea that someone, somewhere could give me validation that not even most of my closest of friends could (though they try, bless them all). I was in. All in!

Same goes for a friend of mine whose husband is fighting renal cancer. She's made her own community of support. She's set up the Renal Race. Gotten sponsers. Created a website and facebook following. All to honor her family's fight, but also support her mission. Surrounding herself with loved ones and friends, who in a most desperate time of need, are willing to step up and step in to help.

I don't know where my communities will lead me. I don't know if they will feed me or let me sleep under their roofs. I do know that where I am right now, among all my fellow villagers, we are doing what we can with what we have and we are crying, laughing and smirking through it all.

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Happy Birthday, Cuz!

When I was younger, I always wanted a bigger family. I wanted more siblings than my one younger brother. It wasn't until much later in life that I realized I come from a HUGE family. I don't think this occurred to me because it was so normal to have a big extended family. And I was only around my extended family a couple times a year.

My dad had eight siblings. While not all lived into adulthood or married and had children, my dad's side of the family is quite large. We segment the offspring by grandchildren (which I am a member of), great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Adding in the in-laws, this side of the family easily numbers over 100, stemming from my grandparents.

My mom's side of the family is not nearly that large. I have 5 cousins. But almost all have married and have kids of their own. I see and interact with this side of the family more frequently than my dad's side.

The great things about cousins, if you are lucky, is that they become friends. They aren't people you only see at weddings and funerals or only hear from at the holidays or keep up-to-date on their lives through your parents. But since they are family they understand and deal with all the quirks that make us who we are and don't hold those things against us.

Well...today is my cousin Robin's birthday! And it is a milestone birthday, but I won't say what it is. :) She lives in North Carolina and I don't get to see her too often, but I appreciate and love the person that she is. I am blessed to have her in my life!

Happy Birthday, Robin! I wish I could be there to celebrate with you!

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Can I Stay Dedicated for the Next 7 Months?

I’ve been intrigued lately by a relative of mine who has made the change in her life to go vegan. She is not a PETA vegan (she carries a leather purse and owns UGGs) but she made the choice to improve her health. In less than five months she has transformed, all by changing her diet.

Now, her measures to cut animal products out of her diet completely may be drastic to some, but to me it shows discipline and dedication.

We all talk about losing a few pounds here or there, or trying a new “fad” diet plan, but how many people are dedicated enough to make these changes permanent?

Dedication is something you have or lack throughout your life. Some things in life might come easy to you, and these changes benefit you in the long run. Other times in our lives, we are quitters – giving up because it is “too hard” or you lack the discipline to keep going at something out of your comfort zone.

We have all been there, faced with new challenges that turn and we tackle head on. But then the going gets tough, and we retreat. Sometimes it’s just hard to stick with something new. It’s easier to go back to the way things were.

I could never be disciplined enough to do what my cousin is doing. I admire her dedication to creating a healthier lifestyle. I’m accustom to eating a box of Oreos weekly. Cutting sugar out of my life would place me straight into that uncomfortable zone, and I would quit. I can almost guarantee you that.

So where can we find this dedication and discipline. Does it show up when we need it most?

There have been plenty of times that I have thought about making positive changes (starting small) – attempting to implement a workout plan (Workout Wednesdays, ladies), changing my diet by not consuming AS MUCH crap, and especially not eating after 9:00 p.m.

But here we are – going on weeks of abandoned Workout Wednesdays and I snacked on brownies and chocolate covered strawberries at lunch. My challenge list might seem minimal to most, but to me a healthier lifestyle has to start somewhere.

Now – to find the dedication and discipline. It is only 7 months till the wedding (EEEK!)

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Is time really flying?

Is it me or is January just flying by? I seriously feel like it was last week that we were celebrating New Years. This weather certainly does not help the fact that I can't keep my mind straight on what month we are even in! Can you believe it was almost 60 yesterday in Pittsburgh? Hellllllo! It is January...when it is supposed to be blizzarding and icing, making my morning commute hell. Since when do we get thunderstorm warnings in January? Welcome to 2012 where all strange things are going to happen.

I swear come every Tuesday I am wishing it was Friday. Sure, we all do because Friday is much better than Tuesday. For me, there isn't any reason in particular that I wish it was Friday, besides the obvious, but I just feel like once I get to Wednesday that Monday and Tuesday are just a blur and Thursday just flies by so Friday can get here. Is time going faster than ever?

This year will actually be a longer year than normal thanks to Leap Year and the fact that the controllers of universal time are actually adding a second of time at the end of one of the months. Forgive me but I can't exactly remember which month and the Google machine isn't giving me anything, but I want to say that it is going to happen on the last day of May going into June. The world clock will basically be held for 1 second, so June will get here 1 second later than normal. No big deal for us. We won't even notice, but this is due to the rotation of the Earth and the sun, etc. etc. etc. space geeks.

The point is, do you remember when it felt like Christmas would never get here? When it was forever until your birthday or the last day of school? Now time just slips away when I want it to slow down the most. I want to enjoy this time in my life, when I am still young. I don't want to rush to 50 anytime soon even though I am halfway there. Actually, we will be lucky if we make it past 2012 since the world is supposed to end this year. So that explains all of the strange happenings...

Is your life just passing you on by these days like mine? How do we make it slow down? I don't know how to get out of my normal Monday through Friday routine to break the time-space-continum thingy since I wake up, go to work, get home, do a couple things around the house, have dinner, shower and go back to sleep to do it all over again. Thank God for the weekend. But can it get here faster, please?

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WW&B Gets a Makeover!

WW&B has started its makeover. In our hopes and dreams to become famous we thought we should start by getting a logo. You may have noticed a few new things around here like our Share the Love, Contact Us and Working Wives & Bachelorettes We Love to Follow sections. We encourage you to click around our site and explore. This New Year we hope to bring some more exciting gadgets so we can interact with you even more. We’re always looking for improvements! What do you like most about our blog? Come on, flatter us a little!

As always, we deeply appreciate your support and enjoy your feedback and comments. Happy Monday!

Now, meet our new logo…

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Since the Dawn of Time...

I grew up as an only child and being an “only” definitely had its advantages and disadvantages but one thing it didn’t do…was make me your typical spoiled brat.  My parents never had a ton of money and they both worked extremely hard so that they could provide for me but, they also taught me how important it is for me to work and be responsible.  I started working when I was 11 years old for my dad who owned his own handyman business.  When I was 18, I got my first “big girl” job as an admin for an advertising agency which helped pay for my college education.  I worked full-time and went to school part-time.  I’m now 33 and still working my ass off.  I still have a “big girl” job (part-time) and my husband and I own our own bar/restaurant.  I’m not complaining, I actually like working hard…it gives me something to do and keeps me out of trouble but, what really bugs me, especially in an economy such as this, is when people just take having a job for granted.  And I feel like a lot of people coming up in the workforce now just don’t get it.  To me they come across as feeling entitled and they are somewhat lazy and inconsiderate.  Does anyone else feel that way?  Or, is it just because now I’m in my 30’s and the reality of it is, I was the same way in my 20’s?  I don’t know…all I do know is that yesterday I got screwed and I’m pissed!

Thursday’s are my longest day of the week.  I typically work for my “big girl” job about 3 to 3.5 hours.  Then I jump in the shower, grab a bite to eat and I’m off to the bar.  I open the bar on Thursdays so I have to stock beer, do roll-ups, portions, clean and get the place open for business by 3 p.m.  Then I bar tend till about 9:30 p.m.  My relief comes in at 9 p.m. but has to restock beer etc. before she comes on.  Last night turned out quite differently though, as my relief decided to call off work ten minutes before she was supposed to walk through the door.  At that point, it was too late to try and find someone to fill in for so I just said fine, I’ll work it!  I ended up working the shift.  Thankfully, the girl that comes in it 7 p.m. to wait tables, till about 9 p.m., decided to stay on with me and we just toughed it out together.  I mean who calls off ten minutes before your supposed to show up for work.  You can’t really do that in the service industry because the hours are weird and most people in this industry have other jobs.  Not to mention the fact that she called off because of her period!  WHAT?!  I just couldn’t believe it. 

In the end, myself and my faithful side-kicked, pushed through the night will smiles on our faces, made some great money and had some giggles.  But, I’m still really upset and I can’t figure out if I’m upset with her because I’m her boss and I feel like what she did was inconsiderate and disrespectful or, if I’m upset because she’s my friend and it was inconsiderate and disrespectful.  Either way, I have to say something to her and I’m just not looking forward to it.  I mean, I can appreciate the girl calling off because she didn’t think she could work her entire shift, but I didn’t appreciate her doing it ten minutes before she arrived.  I don’t know…I just feel like all of these younger kids pull this crap all the time and it’s frustrating to me because they make more money working 20 hours per week then most people twice their age, not to mention the fact that so many people are without work right now and really struggling.  Calling off because you have your period doesn’t seem to me like you appreciate your job….the one that I gave you and can take away from you anytime.  I’m baffled… I just can’t imagine calling off work (any work) because I have my period.  Women have been working with their periods since the dawn of time.

UGH!

I apologize for the rambling and complaining etc. but I’m frustrated.  Sometimes, this is when I wish that we never opened our own business! 

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The Doctor Will See You Now

It is so easy to put off going to the doctor. Trust me. I'm the queen of "too busy." My kids get there. I make my husband go for aches, pains, illness. And when I'm really sick, I'll go mainly because I need to get over whatever it is as fast as possible because I'm too busy to be sick! It's the preventative maintenance that us chicks usually aren't so good at. Our OBGYNs make us come in once a year otherwise we can't get our birth control filled. We typically go to the dentist because our teeth are something we can see. Same with the dermatologist. It is our regular PCP that we struggle with. It's so easy to put off. We feel fine, so we are fine. And while that is typically the case, it is still good to check in, get annual blood work and set a baseline.

I starts to get scary the older you get. Though I'm not terribly older than the other Working Wives & Bachelorettes, I am starting to see friends get sick with cancer. It's scary. I don't remember my parents friends getting sick or seriously ill when I was growing up. A few friends lost their parents, but I never gave it much thought. The older I get, the more it is in my face, especially when you see people your own age struggling with their health.

In our teens and twenties, we are invincible. Nothing can harm us. We can stay up all night and still function during the day. As we climb into our thirties, our bodies start to slow. I read once that the human body was never meant to live past 40. Through modern medicine, better food and better living conditions, clearly that number has raised, almost doubled. We are lucky, but you have to do your part.

Go to the doctor. Get your annual physical. If you don't have regular health insurance, check out a walk-in clinic, such as MedExpress or Minute Clinic. The prices are reasonable and well worth it. If you need to see a dentist and don't have dental insurance, find a dental school. Many times, they offer free dental exams from students. Visit your OBGYN. Any Planned Parenthood offers services on a sliding scale or, if you live in a city like Pittsburgh, UPMC is forever doing studies. I have a friend who is in grad school full-time and over 26 so insurance is a real issue for her. She participates in a study for birth control and, with minimal participation, she gets free birth control.

There are no excuses. Too busy. No money. Make the time. Find the solution. Stay healthy. We want you around...not just for the next 20 years, but at least 60 or more!

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So What If The Customer Is Right?

I don't complain about customer service a whole lot. I worked retail for quite a few years and know first-hand that dealing with the public is not always the most pleasant experience. But I had a terrible experience at a store I usually love - Target.

My kitchen is very low on cabinet and counter space. But it is a decent size. I have been able to add extra storage space, but I was still in desperate need of counter space. While my mom was here over New Year's, we found a nice kitchen cart at Target. It was the right color, the right size, and had drawers and a little cabinet. It was also on wheels so I could move it when and where I needed it. Just to prove how exciting my life is, I spent 4 hours on New Year's Eve night putting this thing together. While it wasn't difficult, it was very time consuming. At the tail end of the project, my mom and I pick up the top to put it on the base when I notice that it was not going to go on. The back piece had been cut incorrectly so the top did not fit on the base. It was a complete brick wall. There was nothing I could do to fix the situation. I was a little mad.

So the next morning, my mom and I headed to Target to explain the situation. And they were no help. I told them that the piece was wrong. I had pictures. But their only solution was for me to bring the entire cart back to the store. Well...this thing is heavy and bulky. My mom and I wrangled it down the stairs to her car. It doesn't fit. It doesn't fit in the trunk or the back seat. It doesn't fit in my car either. I was able to tie down my trunk lid to drive it back to Target. For all my troubles of putting together a defective product and bringing it back, they graciously gave me a $15 "please shut up" gift card.

I understand that they couldn't just give me a new kitchen cart, so I could go merrily on my way. The part that bothered me was that they had no interest in really helping me or even sympathizing with me over the situation. Even if they didn't care, they could have at least pretended that they did. The attitude I received from their Customer Service department could have changed my perspective on the entire situation. Instead, I left FRUSTRATED!

I did find another kitchen cart at another store. And it is actually much better. I will still shop at Target. But I will think twice about what I choose to purchase there in the future.

P.S. Want an incredible Kelly Moore bag? Leave a comment on her Facebook status for the chance to win one!

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No Betty Crocker

I am not a chef, I am not a baker, in fact, I can’t even convert ounces to cups without the help of Google. But I like to try. I like to check out recipes, drool over how delicious the pictures look, but always manage to get bummed out when my concoction just doesn’t look like the picture.

Most of my cooking adventures fail. Events have resulted in inside jokes such as “the puddle cake” and “melted balls.”

I watch the Food Network and buy cook books, but nothing seems to help. I’ve mastered two meals – crock pot lasagna and potato leek soup. SOMETIMES my cookies turn out OK, but then again, it never fails that I burn one tray.

What does it take, practice? Some lessons? I’m not sure, but what I do know is that I have no natural talent. I’ve babysat for very cuisine-talented families, including the Mineo kids and Miss Laurie’s kids. I’ve eaten some GREAT home-cooked meals, but looks like none of their talents rubbed off. Hell, I cooked those kids mac n cheese or pizza for dinner. Nothing gourmet, and certainly not what they were used to from their parents. I still find Kraft and a Tombstone vital labels in the kitchen.

This weekend, my BFF Jackie and I took part in our latest cooking adventure to break in my new kitchen. This recipe Jackie actually located on Pintrest, but came from The Apron Gal.

Here is a quick peek into our SUCCESSFUL baking quest: Baked S’mores -- get the recipe there

We started by mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl to make the crusts. We had to double the recipe, because as per usual, I was not prepared, and did not have the proper sized tray.

Once the dough was made, we placed it in the bottom of the tray and rolled it out pretty thin.
Then we added layer one: CHOCOLATE!

Layer two: FLUFF!

And then Jackie carefully put the top dough layer on... which ended up being way messier than the first dough layerHere is the sweet, sweet dessert - baking away, getting ewwey and gooey

After 30 minutes, and once it was "golden brown" we took it out of the oven. Waiting 15 minutes or so was tough - I wanted to dig in right away!

Here is the final product. Beyond delicious, and tastes just like a camp fire s'more. I would certainly recommend serving them warm, and the next day, just heat it up in the microwave for a few seconds.

Basically, I need help. Our picture does not look like the one from The Apron Gal. But I bet it tasted just as damn good! I would love to take some cooking classes and learn a little more about making quality meals for two. Any suggestions?

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The snow is here...Now the dogs are a mess!

So in one of my last posts I asked where's the snow? I heard the question was also asked on GMA the same morning (which I am already on my way to work when it comes on) but I felt right on topic that day. We ended up getting a couple of inches, nothing too exciting, but of course everyone freaks out! It took a fellow blogger and I two hours to get home after work that first snow fall of the year! Typically it takes us anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and 15 depending on what fantastic event is going on in Pittsburgh. The worst is when the Pirates have an afternoon game...and even though they are horrible, people still go! How is it that we have the worst baseball team and yet, people still go to afternoon games? Don't they have to work like the rest of us? I digress...

Now that the snow is here, I get to look forward to my dogs rolling around and jumping in the snow like snow bunnies and bringing it all through the house once they are finished. It is fun to watch them do it (as you will see below) but the end result is what I hate. Don't you hate walking in the house, taking off your shoes at the door like we have been taught, but the first step you take in your socks is into a wet spot thanks to the dogs? ARGH!

My solution, I am buying them boots. We shall see how long this lasts before I get sick of putting them on. I did this with their shock collars too (and before I hear any crap about that, they learned their boundaries and don't have to wear them anymore...except for the random times they get brave). I would be really good about putting them on and thankfully they don't have to wear them anymore. I figure at least snow is only around for a couple months, so I should be able to handle it. When I get these boots (suggestions on where to buy them would be nice!), I will be sure to post pictures, but until then, I will chase them around the house with a towel to get their paws dry.

Here is a video from a snow day they had last year. Around 2:10 is my favorite part when Mark (the black one) gets a surprise from Axel. You will notice Mark is not a huge fan of the snow and has to have Axel make him a walking path. What a baby!

They are the best of friends and forever will be. But this year, let's hope we don't get that much snow again and I won't have to get the snow off of their bodies too!

Here is to hoping for snow days, even though we aren't in school anymore!

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Are You Feeling Lucky?

Cue the Jason music. I’m not a superstitious person but when things don’t go the way I hope I tend to blame it on my “bad luck”. Interestingly enough, only around 10 percent of Americans believe that Friday the 13th is an unlucky day, yet it is still a well-recognized superstition, causing people to joke about it and be perhaps a little more cautious than usual. This year, Friday the thirteenth falls on January 13, April 13 and July 13.

Thanks to our ancestors this date has worried some of us for no reason at all, or is there a reason? What is the origin of this day? According to folklore, 12 Norse gods were having an awesome meal in their heaven. They were drinking, eating and partying when, low and behold, Loki the mischievous appears. He apparently set out for the god Balder (the god of all things wonderful and cool) to be shot in the face with a mistletoe tipped arrow by the blind god of darkness, Hoder...who's blind...and the assassin. (Really? How does that work?) Anyway, Somehow Hoder gets past his crippling loss of sight and shoots Balder with his mistletoe arrow. Balder dies and the whole wide world becomes a dark, sad, and unlucky day every Friday the 13th.

Wow, some story. And great, all of this irrational fear is because of some blind god that shot another god with mistletoe. Way to go. I am not one to follow or believe in superstitions but I am not going to lie the thought of the end of the world does freak me out. I won’t get into my rant but as long as I don’t have to suffer, I will be able to deal with it.

In light of this day, I came across some fun facts that I thought I’d share with you. I am not sure if they are 100% the truth so don’t quote me on them. But, they are fun!

• According to Smithsonian Magazine, “fear of the #13” costs Americans billions of dollars per year in absenteeism, train and plane cancellations, and reduced commerce on the 13th of the month.


• The technical name for the fear of Friday the 13th is “Triskaidekaphobia”.


• According to folklorists, there is no record of “Friday the 13th” superstition before the 19th century.


• Any month that begins on a Sunday will contain a Friday the 13th. There will always be at least one in every calendar year.


• Many buildings have no 13th floor and many airplanes have no 13th row.

So can bad things be attributed to Friday the 13th or the number 13 in general, or is it just coincidence? You be the judge. Either way, today stay away from ladders and black cats, don’t break a mirror and carry around your lucky rabbit foot.

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BFFs Forever!

Sometimes I feel like I’m the luckiest girl in the world as I recently got to spend time with my five best friends for our Annual Girlie Christmas Party.  Spending time with these girls is incredibly precious to me because it doesn’t happen as often as I would like it too.  With my “big girl” job, my travel schedule, the bar, my husband, family, house and the million other things that I – and they – have going on, it just doesn’t happen often and it really bums me out.  These girls totally ground me and remind me to stop and smell the roses.  Let me tell you them about…

Missy:  There’s only one word to describe Missy and that’s…AWESOME!  She’s a single mom with a teenage son who is wonderful.  She has an amazing job and is back in school…again (I swear she just loves going to school) and she’s a tough girl who always has our backs and isn’t afraid to punch anyone in the face!  The other part I love about her is that she’s crazy spontaneous.  At the party she told us she was going to Vegas with guy she went out on one date with to see…Motley Crue!  AMAZING!

Sherri:  Sherri is my crazy friend who I absolutely adore.  She cracks me and I would absolutely do anything for her.  She just moved back to the ‘burgh from Greensboro, NC, where she had been living with her boyfriend.  Needless-to-say, that didn’t work out and we were all so grateful.  He was a douche and she deserved so much better.  But the great thing…it didn’t kill her spirit and she’s right back on the horse and she’s back to being crazy!

Jenny:  Jenny and I have known each other for 12 years.  We’ve been through some pretty intense and dramatic times and yet somehow we’ve survived them all.  She’s now pregnant with her first child which definitely put an interesting twist on this year’s Girlie Christmas Party as she was not drinking which kind of kept everyone in check.

Sue:  Sue and I actually see each other a lot.  She lives right around the bend from me, we row together two-days a week and she’s my only girlfriend that comes and hangs out at our bar regularly.  We have a blast together and sometimes she’s my only point of sanity in a completely insane world!

Jerilyn:  Jerilyn is my very best friend in the whole wide world. We’ve known each other about twelve years.  She was the maid-of-honor in my wedding and I in hers and although we don’t see each other often (because of life) she’s the person that I know I can count on no matter what!  She knows everything about me and I could not imagine my life without her.  I just love her to pieces!

These are my best friends…the greatest bunch of girls you ever could meet and I guess what I’m trying to say, and the point of this blog post is…that it’s important to have great friends that you know you can count on.  It’s important to be able to take a break and sit back and relax with people that you know are always going to tell you the truth but not judge you.  These girls are those girls for me and I couldn’t live without them! 

Good friends are like stars…. You don’t always see them, but you know they are always there.

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Starting Small

Starting most things with a small, simple step is usually interwoven into the fabric of begining something new and challenging. Going to college--you have to fill out applications, research online, visit campuses. Starting an exercise routine--you can go big, but you will wind up sore or injured. Physiology puts the kibosh on you rushing toward the end of your fitness goals. There are stops or checks at every point along the way to keep you on track and continually making slow and steady progress, unless you stop altogether or don't know where to begin.

Lately...I don't know where to begin because I'm not sure I know where I want to go. I have always had plans. Big. Small. A, B and C. Fool-proof. Back-up. All sorts of plans for all facets of my life. I've learned, thank you my wonderful children, that the best laid plans are laughable, but that's why I have always thought everything out and counted on every angle so there aren't too many surprises. When life throws me the inevitable curve ball, I give myself 48 hours to assess the situation and then start planning and acting.

Since the start of 2012, I've been floating. I don't know how else to describe it. I don't know where I'm going next. I don't have a plan. I'm not giving my all in any area of my life. I don't know where I want to be or what I want to be doing and I certainly don't know where to start. It's so frustrating to me.

I spoke to a friend today and she was so excited for me. A new beginning. The unknown. Mediate on it. Just go where life takes me. I embrace her advice, but she's a bit granola. She's very laissez-faire and I'm very OCD. But I heed her advice. She is right.

I need to loosen my grip and let go of the reins. Not everything needs a plan. Not everything needs to be known or counted on. Maybe by 2013!

“I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity.” ~ Gilda Radner

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Idea Overload

I am attempting to be more crafty. I received a sewing machine for Christmas. I don't know how to thread the machine, but I have already purchased a pattern and material to make a curtain for my bathroom window. A relatively easy first project...at least I hope. My great desire is to make curtains for my dining room. And I am slowly, but surely, learning how to knit. I have so many things I want to create!

I have been stumbling across blogs, like thisismeinspired.blogspot.com, that speak to my trying-to-break-free creative side. The writer has amazingly creative projects and edible treats on her blog. But she explains how she does it, making the finished product something attainable. At the end of a post, I'll think, "That is something I could do". Sometimes that is all the push needed to get started.

Pinterest is another huge time waster, but it can lead to so many ideas. Plus it is addicting!

My cousin, Tammy, is a great motivator for these do-it-yourself projects. And she finds things on the cheap! This past spring, while shopping at a cute little store in Amish country Indiana, I found a candle holder with a cracked base. It was for sale "as-is" for 75% off the original price. While I may have passed up the great deal because of the flaw, my cousin assured me that we could make it look great. And we did! A little garland around the base covered the crack. The original price for the candle holder was $75. But for $20 I was able to make it my own.

For me, finishing a project gives me a sense of accomplishment. I made a ribbon board this weekend from an old bulletin board that I would have otherwise thrown away. I was really happy with how it turned out and it didn't take that long to do. While I probably won't become a crafting maven anytime soon, I think the more I do it, the more I will love it. Not a bad way to spend time!

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Ooooh tile, things are gonna get easier

And as the home projects continue, and some wrap up - whether we want to or not - we are learning a lot. And what we don’t know – we YouTube!

Still, sad to say, I am without a shower. Although progress has been made over the weekend, I am still longing for my own bathroom and losing the stress of showering at my mom’s or my future MIL’s house every day. I pray to the shower gods it is complete this week!

I’ve learned a lot about flooring. Tile, hardwoods, floating, laminate… Tiling, oh, tiling, you are bane of my existence, and I now see why people pay the big bucks for professionals to come in and do it for them. If I knew it was going to take this long, and be this tedious, I would have selected a whole shower, not a tub and tile. And remember, my bathroom is SMALL! Still, it’s a huge freakin project.

I’ve also learned that the shows on DIY TV and HGTV help set unrealistic expectations for your own home improvement projects. Unless you have a team of 30 people, all specialized in something, it is impossible to get a pretty large project done in three days, especially when you are DIYers like Nick and me.

I would now like to take you on a little transformation journey that has been my bathroom...

One fun Saturday afternoon, our friends Meagan and Kevin came over to check out the new digs... Nick enlisted Kevin in some demolition, which resulted in my bathroom looking like this - and my dining room filled with insulation and the rest of the first floor covered in a layer of dust. Who knew demolition was so dirty?

A week later, my friend Matt came to town all the way from Columbus. He is a professional contractor, and was kind enough to give DIYers like us a hand. Well, thank the dear baby Jesus he came! Clearly we had more issue than we were ready for - water damage to the floor, floor joists and a door frame that were no longer attached to the house. Ugh. A huge mess! This is what my bathroom looked like after day 1 (a gaping hole looking into the basement). Three days later we had a new floor, new plumbing and a ceiling and electric! Not what we thought, but so thankful for the help and knowledge of a GREAT friend.

Here we have a mid-project picture. Look - drywall, cement board and a new tub! All preped and ready to go. Ladies - for those of you who don't know (I learned this) cement board is different than drywall. Cement board is specially made for tiling purposes and does not absorb water! Hence it's importance in the shower area. Also, cement board doesn't expand and contract on the floor (like a plain wood base floor) so it is good for floor tile too - no cracking!

Here, we have the most updated picture that I have taken. Progress! Thanks to some other sweet friends (Adam and Aron) we now have a floor! Isn't she pretty? The hole in the middle is where the toilet will attach and the poop will go :) Since this photo was taken, we have grouted the floor and started tiling in the tub/shower area. Big things are happening in the Killmeyer-Irvine household.

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Emmy's Heart

I was watching NBC Nightly News and saw this great piece about Emmy's Heart, an organization that makes tutus and capes for kids who are in the hospital. What a great idea! The video ’Tutu Lady’ delivers joy to sick kids told the story of how the creator, Laura Pita, got the idea because her son was sick in the hospital as well as her mom and she needed something to do to keep her mind busy.

All of the tutu and cape makers are volunteers, Laura's friends. I think this would be a fun thing to do for a girls night! Laura is currently doing this for a couple of hospitals in Florida but encourages you to try it in your town.

If you can't be creative, we can still help because Emmy's Heart also accepts monetary and supply donations. So the next time you take a trip to JoAnn Fabrics or Michael's clearance bin, or your mom or grandma's sewing closet, pick out a few extras that they have and donate them! On the website, they state, "We use rolls of 6-inch tulle to make our tutus and crowns. Capes are make from poly/cotton blend broadcloth with felt appliques. Our hair items are made with grosgrain ribbon. We also use 3/4 inch no-roll elastic and velcro. Did I mention buttons? We love to embellish our hair items with fun buttons too!"

If you and your friends decide to create some flare, Laura promises it doesn't require much! Why not make a couple of tutus or capes to make a child's day brighter? I am sure Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh would gladly accept your donation. In fact, a friend of the WWB and local designer, Angie of Sew Addicted in Pittsburgh said she already has a ton of tutus that she would love to donate. Follow her and Emmy's Heart on Facebook!

Let me know if you do donate or make your own designs. I would love to see them!

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Career Bullsh*t

I’m sure we have all heard the career advice, “do what you love.” I say forget it. Think about it, we do what we love no matter what, because we love it, not because we get paid to do it.

Career decisions are not decisions about what do I love most. Career decisions are about what kind of life I want to set up for myself. How could you possibly pick one thing you love to do?

The world reveals to you what you love by what you spend time on. Try stuff. If you like it, you'll go back to it. I recently tried being crafty. If you read past blogs of mine you may have learned that I started to paint wine and shot glasses. At first I didn't want to try, I wanted my friend to be the creative one and use my idea. When she and I got together to give my ‘idea’ a try, I started to paint and loved it. Although very time consuming, the end result of painted glass is awesome. Anyway, in reality, I would never do this for a living.

Not all of us are going to be so lucky to do what we love for a living. For instance, I have always loved fashion. Let’s face it, I am never going to be the next Rachel Zoe. That just wasn’t in my cards. I am sure Rachel loves her job, she always says she does at least. She’s lucky. For the rest of us living in the normal world, we have to come to the realization that instead of choosing a career we LOVE, we may have to instead do things we love to do outside of work.

I always wonder how we are supposed to decide what we want out of life when we are only 18 years old. Choosing a life path in college is tough. How is a kid supposed to know what they want to do with the rest of their life? They don’t even know all of the possibilities out there. The pressure we feel to find a perfect career is insane. And, given that most people are trying to find it before they are thirty, in order to avoid a biological-clock crisis, the pressure is enough to push people over the edge. Oddly enough, one of the highest risk times for depression in life is in one's early twenties when people realize how totally impossible it is to simply "do what you love."

Good relationships make you feel great, not jobs. A job can ruin your life and make you feel out of control in terms of your time or your ability to accomplish goals - no job will make your life complete. Doing what you love will make you feel happy but you don't necessarily need to get paid for it.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not telling you to be miserable with your career choice - that is no way to live. But there is no need to stress yourself out or beat yourself up over not having the most perfect job that you love going to everyday, that just isn’t reality. If you feel overwhelmed and looking to “do what you love” you are totally normal. Stop being so hard on yourself and realize you don’t have to find a career that you necessarily LOVE. Find a job or career that accommodates your strengths and skills. Love comes from relationships, not our everyday work, so make sure you keep the good people in your life that you’ve got.

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Happy New Year from Me!

For me (as I’m sure it is for most), the holidays are the most crazy time of year.  From Thanksgiving straight through New Year’s, it seems like you’re on a never-ending roller coaster of shopping, wrapping, cooking and visiting.  Now I’m not complaining…there’s something about all of the holiday cheer that just pulls me through it but sometimes, I wish that the holidays were about rest and relaxation rather than madness.   

This year it seemed like it was particularly maddening.  Although I took time off from my “big girl” job, I still had to be at the bar every day.  We’re opened 365 days a year so even on Christmas Eve and Christmas night, we were down there working away.  You may be surprised by this but, those are two of our busiest nights and they are actually pretty fun to work.  Then, I’m responsible for buying and getting the bar completely decorated for our huge New Year’s Eve party and this year, it was particularly important because not only were we ringing in 2012 but it was the bar’s five year anniversary.

Now I just have one more giant event to get through and that’s our staff holiday party which will be this coming Sunday.  I’m really looking forward to it because I feel like 2011 was a growing/changing year for us and I’m looking at 2012 as a fresh new start.  Honeslty, I’m just looking forward to life getting back to normal.  But, before we know it, the holiday season will be upon us again and we will all be consumed by it's crazyiness.  Why is it the older we get time just zips by? :)

Wishing you and your family a very happy and healthy 2012!

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