Cute Dog with a Side of Cat Videos #FunnyFriday April 2016

Today’s post is this month’s Funny Friday, a regular feature published on the last Friday of every month. Funny Friday is a collaborative project. Each month one of the participants submits a picture, then we all write five captions or thoughts inspired by that month’s picture. Links to the other bloggers’ posts are below, click on them and see what they have come up with. I hope we bring a smile to your face as you start your weekend.

Here’s today’s picture. It was submitted by Southern Belle Charm              

  

1. Dog to owner: So this is what you do all day? Really? Cat videos? Et tu Brute?

2. Dog to owner: That video got 3 million views?! I am way cuter than that cat! Okay. Okay. You can start recording me. We will be on Ellen in no time.

3. Owner to Dog: One more video and then it is my turn.
Dog to owner: But mom, I just need five more minutes.
Owner to Dog: You said that two hours ago.
Dog to owner: I am serious this time.
Owner to dog: If you don't give me my computer back after this video, tomorrow at the dog park, I am telling Bingo and Roscoe you have been watching cat videos again.
Dog to owner: You wouldn't dare!
Owner to dog: Is that a risk you want to take?
Dog to owner: Fine, but I get more computer time before bed.

4. Dog to owner: I don't care what the guy in the video said. I don't think we should try to do this at home.
Owner to dog: I am telling you, we can do this. I have watched like a million how to videos on YouTube.
Dog to owner: Yeah. Sure. No way this can possibly go wrong. You do have an emergency dog groomer on speed dial, right???

5. Owner to dog: Are you still watching cooking videos on YouTube?
Dog to owner: Well, I was. It all started with how to cook a steak. Then I was watching dogs chase cats. Then I was watching dogs sled in snow. Somehow I was watching a squirrel on a water ski. Now, five hours later, I am watching videos on how to speak French. We really should travel more.
Owner to dog: I will keep that in mind. A squirrel on a water ski?
Dog to owner: Yeah! Want to see?
Owner to dog: Scoot over!


I hope you enjoyed this month's Funny Friday installment!!! I sure had fun with this adorable picture!!! I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!!! Tomorrow, we are going to a celebration of life for our dear friend we lost earlier this month. I still cannot believe she is no longer with us. Sunday, I am doing my first ever 5k. So, if I die, just know I adored you all and very much appreciated you all reading my ramblings!!!

Click on the links below and let some other bloggers make you smile:

Measurements of Merriment

Dinosaur Superhero Mommy

Not That Sarah Michelle

Southern Belle Charm

My Brain on Kids

Baking In A Tornado

Someone Else’s Genius

Spatulas on Parade

Unexpected Losses #UseYourWords April 2016

Today’s post is a writing challenge. This is how it works: participating bloggers picked four to six words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once and all the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That’s the challenge, here’s a fun twist; no one who’s participating knows who got their words and in what direction the writer will take them. Until now.

My words are:

Shell ~ Basket ~ Toilet Paper ~ Red ~ Wreath ~ Plaque

They were submitted by: http://www.southernbellecharm.com  (Thank you for such an interesting group of words, and I genuinely apologize for not doing them the justice they deserve!)

I have been in the habit of writing poetry using the words I am assigned, but since our monthly poetry collaboration posted earlier this week, I decided to go a different route this month. 

If you follow my Facebook page, then you know I lost someone very special to me earlier this week. It was very unexpected. Her name was Julie (Yes, just like myself), or as Gigi called her, Mimi. She is my best friend's Mama. I have spent the week in a daze and red eyed. I can honestly say, she made this world a better place. She was such an amazing person. After I had Gigi, I was shell shocked. I had no clue what I was doing. This woman and her daughter really helped me adjust to motherhood. 

As if that help was not enough, they also helped take care of Gigi while I was in and out of the hospital. It helped me focus on getting well, and enabled Chad to stay sane and not turn into a complete basket case. She really helped my family stay sane, during our most insane moments. 

I really cannot believe she is gone. 

So, this week has been hard. When it started out, I was thinking about writing this post, and telling you guys about how I recently tried a new toilet paper, but absolutely could NOT do it. I was going to tell you all about how I am just so set in my ways, that even something as simple as switching toilet paper brands was a no-go. I had planned on telling you guys about the Spring wreath I had decided not to buy, and how I have decided to be crafty, and make a wreath out of flip flops for our door. 

Then I was going to give you a short list of plaques I felt I probably qualified for. A few I had come up with: Most likely to die from seeing a spider, Best able to distract my kid in a time of panic, or Best able to spend an hour watching absolutely nothing worth watching on TV! 

I had a post planned, and now I just do not have it in me to write that post. I really do apologize. I am very sorry. 

I hope you all have a wonderful Friday and a beautiful weekend. 

Hug the ones you love. 

Please go and read the amazing posts my friends have written for you to read!! See what words the received and in what wonderful ways they used them!!

Links to the other “Use Your Words” posts:

http://bakinginatornado.com                                       Baking In A Tornado

http://www.southernbellecharm.com                        Southern Belle Charm

http://notthatsarahmichelle.blogspot.com                   Not That Sarah Michelle

http://spatulasonparade.blogspot.com                    Spatulas on Parade

http://www.angrivatedmom.wordpress.com                The Angrivated Mom

http://www.thediaryofanalzheimerscaregiver.com/   The Diary of an Alzheimer’s Caregiver

http://dinoheromommy.com/                              Dinosaur Superhero Mommy

http://www.someoneelsesgenius.com                    Someone Else’s Genius

http://thethreegerbers.blogspot.ch                 Confessions of a part time working mom

http://batteredhope.blogspot.com                         Never Ever Give Up Hope

http://climaxedtheblog.blogspot.com                            Climaxed

http://mybrainonkids.net                                           My Brain on Kids

National Poetry Month April 2016

If you have been around for the past few months, you have probably caught on, that my friends and I like to share poetry with you all once a month. This month happens to be National Poetry Month, and we decided to have that be our theme. Poetry as a theme for poetry. I don't know about you, but I love poetry. All types of poetry. I love to write, and can honestly say that poetry is probably my most favorite thing to write. I have written at least a thousand poems over the years. So, I really do enjoy these monthly poetry shares. I hope you do to! I will post the links to the contributions from my friends at the end. Be sure to check them out! 

Here is my contribution for this month. I hope you enjoy. 

Poem 1 (Razor to My Soul): 

I did it again.
I fell prey to you again.
I shouldn't be shocked.
I shouldn't be surprised.
This is just history repeating itself again.
Chances are this won't be the last repeat.
I don't know how it happened-
how you got so deeply embedded under my skin.
Time and time again your words cut me to my very soul,
like a million razor blades,
but I never learn.
I never learn to stay away from you,
to keep my distance.
I am an addict and you're my drug of choice.
I know that you are no good for me,
I know I should walk away,
I know I deserve better,
I know I need better,
but all I want is you.
The way you make me feel is beyond words.
The pleasure both mentally and physically,
nearly makes up for the devastating cuts to my soul,
from your razor blade words.
Nearly, but not completely.
One day I am sure you will cut my soul too deeply,
and its spark will die.
I know I should leave before this happens,
and I do try,
but inevitably history repeats itself,
and I am right back where I started.
Right back here with you.



Poem 2 (Salty Tears Shed): 

There are nights when I miss you.
When I find myself wishing I could kiss you.
Then I remind myself of the pain you caused.
The hurt you set loose on my heart.
The salty tears you led me to shed.
I remind myself how much I loved you,
of how many plans I made with you.
Then I think of how those plans never
came to fruition.
How you left before that could happen.
How you walked out on me,
for reasons unworthy of discussion.
I force myself to stop wishing for kisses,
and hoping for your presence at my side.
I then can go on with life.
Accomplish needed tasks.
Go to parties.
Hang with friends.
Feel normal again.
Then without fail the wishes return.
The nights of reminiscing begin to make me yearn...
Yearn for you. Yearn for completed plans.
Yearn for your kisses. Yearn for your love.
It takes me a while to make myself once again hate you,
so that I can begin to live my life again.
I cannot help myself.
You were such a part of me.
A part of my life.
A force within my heart.
I am tired of crying these salty tears.
I am tired of missing you all these years.
I am tired of wondering why you left.
I am tired of wondering why you felt okay,
causing all this pain.
I am tired of wishing you were here.
Tired of wishing I could kiss you,
and that I didn't have to miss you.


Poem 3 (Best Medicine): 

They say laughter is the best medicine,
And tonight I need medicine,
But I have none.
You stole my laughter when you went away,
And with it you took my joy and hope.
You left me here in puddles of tears,
Engulfed by my sorrow and memories of yesterdays.
Memories full of joy and laughter.
Memories woven with elation and bliss.
Memories of time spent between the sheets,
And other times out exploring the streets.
I relive them all,
The pain inside me enveloping me whole,
Growing out of proportion.
I hate this misery.
I hate this sorry.
I want you back, today,
Not tomorrow.
How did we get here?
How did it come to this?
Where did we go wrong?
When did it stop being so right?
Was it the time we stayed up all night
Critiquing music, arguing over which rapper had the better flow?
Was it the night you joined me in the shower,
And we made love, so passionate and slow?
Was it when I revealed I love you,
Always have and always will.
Was it that afternoon I asked all the questions,
Prodding you for answers to satiate my curiosities?
I'm so confused.
So sad.
Devastated and deflated.
I watch funny movies, trying to laugh,
Or even just smile.
But that hasn't happened in quite a while.
Not since before you left,
Leaving me lonely and lost.
Shattering my heart, dashing my hopes,
Ending my dreams, taking my pleasure,
And stealing my laughter.
Laughter is the best medicine they say.
Too bad you left, stealing mine away.


Poem 4 (Poetry): 

Passion, purpose, and promises.
Opinions, outpourings of love, and outcries of rage.
Emotions, egomaniacal boasts, and eloquent professions of love. 
Tearful pleas, thankful speeches, and tribulations shared.
Requited love, rambling thoughts, and rousing rhymes.
Youthful wishes, yummy descriptions, and young love.


Poem 5 (Hope You Stay): 

You came into my life,
opening my eyes to new possibilities.
Making me see things differently.
Making me think of new opportunities.
Making me wonder if things could change.
You came into my life,
in the most peculiar way.
I cannot help but to hope you stay.
You probably think that is strange,
since I have done nothing but try to push you away.
I am sorry for that.
I cannot help it.
That is just how I operate.
It is hard for to let anyone in.
It is hard for me to open up.
It is hard for me to want anyone.
It is hard for me to believe anyone would want me.
I like you.
I like you a lot.
I probably already screwed it all up.
I really hope I haven't.
I really hope you stay.

Here are links to all the contributions from my friends: 

Karen of Baking In A Tornado

There Once Was a Limerick

Dawn of Spatulas On Parade

There Once Was A Poet

Candice of Measurements of Merriment

April Showers Bring May Flowers



Steena of The Angrivated Mom

Baby of Mine



Sarah of Not That Sarah Michelle

National Poetry Month: Exhale

Crisis, Crisis!! Read All About It #SecretSubjectSwap April 2016

Welcome to a Secret Subject Swap. This week fourteen brave bloggers picked a secret subject for someone else and were assigned a secret subject to interpret in their own style. Today we are all simultaneously divulging our topics and submitting our posts. 

My “Secret Subject” is:

How do you handle a crisis? Do you fall apart or remain calm?

It was submitted by: http://batteredhope.blogspot.com 
(Thank you for the fantastic subject!!)

I actually do really well in crisis situations. I think it is probably a blessing. I actually suffer from horrible anxiety, so you would think I would do horribly, but somehow I manage to hold it together. Now, once the crisis is over, that is another story entirely. That is when I lose it. That is when my cool as a cucumber status ends and my OH EM GEE AHH AHHH AHHH status begins! 

I actual am quite proud of myself. I do get borderline upset, if Gigi gets upset, but I always manage to hold it together. I know I find my strength in the fact she needs me. Yes, I always fall apart once I am able, but in the moment I am okay. I even did well when she had her surgery. I was worried that would break me, but I maintained. 

The one instance where I am never in control, is when there are spiders involved. I have jumped from a moving vehicle over one of those things. I have had anxiety attacks. I have jumped from the driver seat, into the passenger seat, while driving. Crazy, I know. My brain shuts off, and I go into full blown panic mode. Admittedly, I think I am better if Gigi is around. I still freak out, but I hide it better than I have ever been able to prior. 

Now that I am thinking about it, I think that this is something I should be proud of. I have been in some pretty bad situations in my life, and I have always been able to maintain a cool head. Maybe that is why I managed to come out unharmed. I guess I am grateful. Now, I do want to make it clear, afterward, I may end up being a complete mess, but during the crisis, I am fine. 

What about you?! How are you in a crisis?!

Here are links to all the sites now featuring Secret Subject Swap posts.  Sit back, grab a cup, and check them all out. See you there:

Baking In A Tornado

Southern Belle Charm

Not That Sarah Michelle

The Lieber Family Blog

Spatulas on Parade

The Angrivated Mom

The Diary of an Alzheimer’s Caregiver

Dinosaur Superhero Mommy

Someone Else’s Genius

My Brain on Kids

Confessions of a part time working mom

Never Ever Give Up Hope

Climaxed