Xmas Instead of Christmas?

"Xmas" used on a Christmas postcard, 1910

This is such a busy time of year for all. So when I can take a few shortcuts...especially when writing, as my handwriting is not legible for most. The thought of having to write more letters seemed almost painful. When I was younger I used (and today still often do use) Xmas in place of Christmas. I had never put much thought into it, as it felt natural to do. Recently it came to my attention that some found this offensive, I had not found or thought using Xmas offensive. After I read a post from a friend discussing this very thing, I did a little research. I did not have to go very far as Wikipedia is the first link that popped up when searching the subject and found it very informative. Here is just a little bit of information I got there:

The word "Christ" and its compounds, including "Christmas", have been abbreviated in English for at least the past 1,000 years, long before the modern "Xmas" was commonly used. "Christ" was often written as "XP" or "Xt"; there are references in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as far back as AD 1021. This X and P arose as the uppercase forms of the Greek letters χ and ρ used in ancient abbreviations for Χριστος (Greek for "Christ"),^[2] and are still widely seen in many Eastern Orthodox icons depicting Jesus Christ. The labarum, an amalgamation of the two Greek letters rendered as ☧, is a symbol often used to represent Christ in Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox Christian Churches.^[18]


 For more reading on the subject go to:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xmas

Being Positive in Rock Tavern,
Laurie

My New Job

The past few weeks have been a blur. I have been trying to figure out what to write about and still be positive. Okay, so here goes.

Some of you know that I started working a part time job about the same time that school started. It is a win win for me and the place in which I work. Gymnastics was a big part of my life growing up. I ate, breathed, and slept gymnastics. After I got "too old" (16years old) for the sport I started coaching. Took a break for a few years and found myself back in the gym somewhere in my early twenties coaching again. This was back before my Army days ~ which is another story!

My two daughters are in gymnastics and have been for some time now. My littlest started when she was about one and a half years old ~ she wanted to do what her sister was doing! I wanted to share with them the love I had/have for the sport. I started them in a place called "The Little Gym". It was a great program. Introduced them to the sport in a fun friendly environment. They loved it! Soon, they were both asked to be in a higher level class ~ plus they both got to be in the same class together ~ great for me, only one trip a week to the gym! About a year and a half the place closed down, so I had to find another gym. Walked into "Gym Kids, Inc". Looked around and got a good feeling about the place. Lots of equipment and the owners seemed pleasant.  I was a little disappointed when I could not put them in the same class together, I had to make two trips to the gym once again. Well, about 9 months into the program they were both invited to join the "Golden Group". A more advanced class that met for one and a half hours a week. Yeah, back to one trip a week to the gym. This summer they joined the "Copper Team". Back to two trips a week to the gym. It is so exciting to see how much they have improved and how much they really like doing gymnastics.

About a year or so ago I had inquired what it would take to be a coach these days. Things have changed quite a bit since the 80's. You now need to become an instructor member of USAG and should be "Safety Certified", which requires you to go to a class and pass a test on safety. At the time I had inquired we were trying to sell our home in Washingtonville, get ready to move into our new home; that was going to be ready at any time, and the gym needed a coach that could work numerous days a week ~ in which I was not prepared to do, plus the girls were all ready in other activities. So, I put it out of my mind. The first week of the new gymnastic semester, I noticed that the gym was a little short on coaches. The following week I received a phone call from the owners asking if I would still be interested in coaching. I would need to be there just the days my girls were. I would be assisting the other coaches. And I would get paid. I was thrilled at the chance to be in the gym again after all these years, plus I was already there watching my girls learn. After a few weeks, I was asked how I was feeling about being there and if I was getting comfortable, I was feeling great! Then, they asked me to become a USAG instructor member and take the "Safety Certification" course.

I remember sitting in the lobby watching, not only my girls but the others, saying to myself "point those toes, straighten your knees, squeeze those buns, arms by your ears, head up, don't look at the ground" ~ trying to coach the girls from the lobby! I am so excited be be back in the gym coaching!

Being positive in Rock Tavern,
Laurie

So proud of my son Nick!

My son, Nick during his senior year in high school was not sure what he was going to do after he graduated. He looked into going to college: he needed to find a college, a place to live and a job so he could eat. He looked into the military: Where everything would be provided for him: he would get the training for his career (as an added bonus it was in something he enjoyed(computers)); have a place to live; be fed 3 meals a day; and have clothes given to him ~ all the while getting a pay check too! Sweet! Win, win for him and the Army.
He joined the Army in July of 2009. In October of 2009, we flew down to Ft. Benning, GA to see him graduate Basic Training. It was awesome to see him march up the field. He looked so mature. From there he then went on to AIT (Advanced Individual Training) in Ft. Gordon, GA(which is where I went for my AIT as well, my school was right across the street). He did so well during this training he was recommended to be a part of a specialized company of soldiers in the SatCom field. There are only 3 companies that do what he does.
In July 2010, he was able to come home for a few days before he had to report to Ft. Hood, Texas. Shortly after he arrived a couple of his friends drove his car to him from NY. He visited his Oma, aunts and uncles in FL around the holidays. In February, my husband took him to the Superbowl in Dallas; this summer, his grandparents (my parents) visited him for about a week; just this past weekend, he and his roommate went to the Blizcon Convention in California, where he met up with another high school friend and my husband. While in Cali, his grandparents(my parents) took him and his friends to lunch, where he enjoyed his first Maitai! I can not put into words how proud I am of him. And what a great man he has turned out to be! I miss him dearly, since I have not seen him in over a year. Hoping he gets to come home for the holidays this year, before he ships off over seas! Love you Nick.

Still being positive from Rock Tavern,
Laurie

Our cats

When we moved into our new home, we decided to put in some cat doors in so the cats could get out and in of the house; In our other house we had to let the cats out and in by opening a door for them(what a pain). It took Lenny a few days to figure out how to get through the door(I had to push and pull him in and out for those days!). Bella, she caught on pretty much right away, no fear. She knew where the food was! This has made such a difference. They can come and go as they please! We actually have two cat doors: one in the door from the house to the garage, where the food and litter box are ~ this was the first door we put in, as I did not want the litter box in the house; the other in the garage door to the outside of house. Both doors have a slide that you can close; if we don't want them to go outside, we can keep them in the house with access to their food. And if for some reason we don't want them inside the house, they still have access to food!

This has proven to be a great tool for us. As you may or may not know, cats love to bring you gifts! You know the kind: mice, birds, snakes, rabbits, etc. Some alive and some not so alive! Now, I was a little suspicious the other day when my Lenny was sitting staring under the fridge. Then proceeds to walk the walls sniffing all along. He was looking for something. Ummm. The next morning I find the not so alive remains of a mouse, oh good at least he caught it! Yea! So why is he still walking the walls looking, Ummm. As I was getting a trash bag out of the closet yesterday morning, out runs a little mouse, so he had two toys/gifts he brought in greeeaaat. So the littlest child and I proceed to catch the little rodent and release it in the field across the street(after cleaning the floors and making sure there were no more!). So, back to the great tool. To let the cats know, that as much as I like them to have their free reign, I also do not want the gifts they bring. After such events as this one(and there have been many others)If they are not in the house when I am ready for bed. The door from the garage into the house gets locked and they get to stay in the garage/outside for the night. If they are in, then I lock the door from the garage to the outside, so they are unable to go out and bring more gifts!

The cats really like that they can come and go as they please and I no longer have to let them out and in. And I believe they really enjoy being able to bring in toys from the outside and have the room to play with them as well! (Boy, am I glad I have hard wood floors throughout the house, much easier to clean).

I realize now ~ I traded opening doors for the cats to cleaning up after they bring me gifts!

Still being positive in Rock Tavern,
Laurie

Yeah...About yesterday!

About yesterday, all the cleaning and errands, well I did not get as much done as I was planning. Usually, I dislike when the best laid out plans don't work. Fortunately, for me I had a great day! I got one load of laundry in the wash, made a few phones calls(2), loaded the truck(I call it a truck because it is not a car but an SUV, easier to call a truck) with what I needed for errands. While pulled of the side of the road to punch in the address of where I was going(since this can be dangerous while driving) my husbands calls. He has a break between meetings and wanted to know if I could meet him for lunch!?? Well, not for nothing but, my errand could wait. Not very often does this happen ~ I get to have lunch with my best friend! After a great lunch, I ran not only the errand that I had postponed, but was able to squeeze in another one before I had to get home to pick up the girls from school. Which is a another crazy schedule, I am sure I will post about another time! Nothing like the best laid out plans taking a back seat to spending a few moments in the middle of the day with someone you love!

Still being Positive,
Laurie

Tuesday Already!

Wow, is it Tuesday already?! Watched a little of 60 Minutes on Sunday after the game. Andy Rooney, retiring, WOW!!!. I remember watching him growing up. I looked forward to the end of the show to hear what he had to say, and loved it! Something that stuck with me Sunday was something Andy said, something like "there is so much going on today that anyone could write about it." So true. Made me think of my blog, why am I having such a hard time writing something here. Maybe, just maybe I have so much to say I don't know where to start? Yep, that sounds good! LOL Yes, there is a lot going on in the world today. Lots of news about all kinds of people. And so much going on in The House of Walden as well. Girls are off to school, laundry, floors, dishes all need to cleaned!? How in the world will this all get done? And get a little of me time as well? Oh, does blogging count as me time? :-) Ok, check "me time" is done. Now off to do the house work and errands, they are not getting done with me sitting behind the computer! Until the next time.

Being Positive,
Laurie

Getting Organized (yea right!)

Hello again, finally. I know, I know it has been too long since I have posted. I am going to try to post more often. (Being positive!)

I thought I was fairly organized until this morning when I went to make a deposit. You see I need to find all my checks that I get from my Avon customers, so I can pay my Avon bill, so I can place another Avon order for my customers. Simple right?!? Well, let me tell you this was no easy task for me this morning. Usually, when I get checks I put them on my desk, right next to the monitor (which is in my new office specifically for my Avon business(supposed to make having this business easier, all in one place)). After collecting the envelopes with checks and loose checks, I review them to make sure I have all of them. One is missing! Crap! So I proceed to look in my vehicle(which is in serious need of cleaning(on to do list)), not there. So I look on the counter desk in kitchen(currently cleaning/organizing), not there! OK, so where in the world could it be??? I go back out to the vehicle with flashlight to look under seats, in cracks that it could have fallen in, still not there! Crap!  Phone rings, it is one of my customers wondering if I am still going to deliver her Avon? While I am explaining to her that I was looking for a check (so I could make a simple deposit) I knew I had and that was why I had not gotten there yet, riffling my desk(which in worse shape then my vehicle!) yet once again, AHHH there it is! Success! Tell her that I will now be there shortly right after I fill out the deposit slip.

So driving to make the delivery, go to bank, cleaners, another delivery, post office, I get to thinking...can someone be too organized? Am I really that disorganized or just going over thinking? So with this in mind, I now believe I need to make a list of things that I need to do(on to do list).
Moral: I need to organize my organize~

People in my picture

I was asked today...who is in the picture? From left to right: Rhapsody(the short one), My Mom(Barbara), Me, Diane(close friend of family), Samantha (the other short one), My Aunt Cinda, and Amy(my nephew Evan's mom). This was taken while we were in South Carolina at my nephew's Army Graduation from Basic Training("WOOHA"). We were at a BBQ Restaurant called Little Pigs Barbeque, which was featured in the magazine "Southern Living" not too long ago, stating best BBQ in Columbus, SC.

Barthle Family ~ Family Tree

Alright, I want to share with you that my father has a web site. He has invested many, many, many years developing this awesome site by inputting information about his father's side of the family. It is amazing how many people run across his site and email him with information to fill in the blanks. And it all starts from a man named Andreas or Andrew Barthle who was born on November 16, 1802 (or maybe even 1801, records are a little sketchy about that date) and passed February 6, 1891. Get this, he was married 4 times! He had 3 sons and 1 daughter. My father has filled in the branches of this tree over time with the help of a lot of Andrew's descendants. This is quite an accomplishment. I have a link to where my branch has grown in this huge tree trunk at the bottom of my blog. For those who are interested in checking out this two century old tree here is the link to where Andreas or Andrew started this amazing family ~ Barthle Family - Family Tree

Love you dad, you rock!

Being positive in Rock Tavern,
Laurie

1 week, but who's counting!

It has been 1 week since I started this blogging thing. And I only have 2 posts! LOL I always think of  things to say but when I sit down at the computer to type them...everything goes out the window! I am still trying to figure out what I am wanting to blog about and what I don't. What I do know is that I want it to be a positive not a negative blog. We often read/hear too much negative in our lives ~ so my first goal for this blogging thing is to only post positive things. OK so 2 posts that is more than none - positive! Cool so far go good!

New topic, should I start a new post...? So see my next post for the new topic!

No school due to flooding/road closures

Received three phone calls from the school district today. First one telling us about the 2 hour delay due to weather. From what I understand second one was a back up because some of the calls were not going through because of the flooding. The third to cancel school! Today would have been the third day of school. What a way to start the new school year! Girls were saddened to hear about the flooding (especially Sammie, she was concerned about the people, and rightfully so(I heard they were evacuating the trailer park yet once again)) and that there was not going to be school. They both enjoy school and have been looking forward to going. I was looking forward to some needed food and supply shopping without kids. With all the flooding I am not sure I want to venture out!

1st day blogging

I have no idea what I have just gotten myself into here, but my friend is doing it so I am jumping off the roof with her. Kids are at school. I just placed my Avon order for this campaign and was reading the news feed on Face Book and ran across her blog. So here I am. Ummmm. Well I think that is it for now. I will try to write something more later. Later? Well that could be today, tomorrow or next week. Not sure yet but am willing to keep you informed.