Dear 17 Year Old Me,

Inspired by Weasel Momma and the fact that tonight is my 30 year hs reunion, Hail Good Counsel High! I've thrown together a few thoughts that my younger self may have appreciated hearing back then.



Dear 17 Year Old Me,

Let's just get right to the point, because over the next thirty years you will not mince words. That will not always be a good thing, but eh, a spade is a spade. MJC is not your soul mate, he will make your life a living hell, although you won't see it for many years. Please, for the love of God, give him back the opal pre-engagement ring he gave you for graduation and run! The opal will in time crack which is a definite sign of things to come. What you don't know now is that abuse comes in many forms. He is abusive, it will be ugly. But I must be completely honest with you, you will survive and in the end you will come out a stronger and better person and those two kids you will have are pretty amazing.

Stay in school! Get loans, beg, borrow, steal if you must. OK stealing's a bit extreme. Do whatever it takes to finish your degree. Screw accounting, you have way too much personality to count beans the rest of your life. You are a care-giver by nature, there I said it, because none of the hs counselors ever did. Major in Early Education, there will be an unbelievable need for quality daycare in the future or try nursing. Wait, have you ever considered Journalism or Communications, maybe Marketing? Do it now!

Your mother will never change. Oh you'll think you have a better relationship for a while, but she will always be the same. Your father on the other hand will try to move Heaven and earth for you. Spend more time with him, he's gone way too soon and things will never be the same.

Spread your wings, expand your horizon, there's a great big world out there. Travel, give back to the community. There is an amazing satisfaction in helping those less fortunate than you. Trust me, someone always has it worse than you do.

Count your blessings, be thankful for them, they can be gone in the blink of an eye.

Life is not a competition. Bury the green eyed monster and truly be happy for your friends, they've earned it, they deserve it. And if they're tossing it in your face all nanny nanny boo boo style, they are not your friends. Dump their sorry asses and move on.

Don't be too proud or ashamed to ask for help.

Embrace your crazy hair! A round brush, some great product and a decent blow dryer will work miracles.

Find that Best Dressed Award you won senior year and put it in your senior yearbook now! No one will ever believe you in the future without solid proof.

Watch what you eat! Now you're young. You're beautiful. But right around 30 your metabolism will take a shit. Starve yourself if you must, because you ain't gonna like the package you're in at 47.

In the end, you'll do as you please, you always do. There will be some regrets. There will always be the what ifs. You're probably freaking out at all that I've dumped in your lap right now. Just know that whatever you do, we're happy now. It's taken a while, but seriously we're happy. And that is what matters most.

Love you!
An Older, Wiser Me

Cheerios-Do What You Love Contest

What do you love to do? Bike rides in the park? Scrapbooking? Travel? No matter what you love to do, you´ll need a healthy heart to do it, and Cheerios® can help.

As part of a heart healthy diet, eating Cheerios cereal, which is made with 100 percent whole grain oats, is an easy way to help maintain a healthy heart. And now cheerios is giving you the chance of a lifetime!

Cheerios is partnering with country music superstar Martina McBride and professional athlete Cal Ripken, Jr. for the "Do What You Love" Contest. McBride and Ripken will recognize two lucky people with prizes that will make their hearts race.

One music lover (and a guest) will tour the Country Music Hall of Fame^® and Museum with McBride, hang out with her in her recording studio - the world famous Blackbird Studio in Nashville, Tenn. - and even get VIP tickets to one of her upcoming concerts.



Another lucky baseball enthusiast (and a guest) will have the chance to hang out and play catch with Ripken and to tour the Ripken Youth Baseball Academy in Aberdeen, Md., with the "Iron Man" of baseball himself. In addition, the winner will throw out the first pitch at the Cal Ripken World Series and sit in Ripken´s reserved seats at a Baltimore baseball game.



Now through July 23, 2010, you can submit your 150-250 word original story and photo, showcasing what you love to do. For a chance to win the experience of a lifetime with McBride and Ripken, visit http://www.cheerios.com/love today.

But there's more great news. Through MyBlogSpark, Cheerios has provided me with a "Do What You Love" prize pack that includes one box of Cheerios and a $25 American Express® Gift Card, which can be used for doing whatever it is you love to do.

To enter:

Leave me a comment telling me what it is you love to do that gets your heart pumping and makes you happy.

To increase your chances of winning, you may do any or all of the following.
Be sure to complete the above mandatory entry or your bonus entries will not count!
Remember to leave one comment per entry and an email so I can contact you in the event that you are the winner.

• Follow my blog publicly through Google Friend Connect.

• Follow me on Twitter.

• Tweet about this giveaway.

• Subscribe to my blog in your reader.

• Enter this giveaway into giveaway linky on another blog or website. Then leave me the link to where you posted it in the comments.

This contest ends on Tuesday July 13th and the winner will be notified by email.

Disclaimer: I was provided a box of Cheerios and an AMEX $25 gift certificate as well as an identical prize package by MyBlogSpark. I did not receive any other compensation for my post.

BusyBodyBook Giveaway

Back in high school I never owned the highly coveted sleek grayish brown planner, only available at a specialty shop three bus transfers from my home and at a price I was too cheap to pay. Yes, even back then I was frugal. Instead my BFF and I purchased our planners from the drug store I was employed at, utilizing my very generous employee discount. Mine was pink with Holly Hobby emblazoned on the cover. I set trends then too LOL.

Starting in Middle School, my kids were provided a school issued planner and I thought to myself, hrmpph, now why didn't the elite private school I attended do the same thing? At the very least they could have offered the prized planner for sale in the tiny book/supply store run by Sister Lucretia, the French teacher who spent more time persuading me after school to continue with my French lessons than acknowledging me in class.

Whew, I know, I know, by now 80% of you are mumbling, what is your point Megryansmom?

Well my point today is to introduce you to BusyBodyBook. This is no ordinary planner! Who can't use a little more organization in their lives? Enters BusyBodyBook, the tool every busy mom needs to plan, coordinate and easily view her dizzying life of multiple and overlapping schedules. This versatile planner has 5 columns that can be personalized for individual family members, meal planning, work projects or my favorite, blog projects!




BusyBodyBook Personal & Family Grid Organizer features:

• a planning calendar for birthdays and other special events
• full page month-at-a-glance
• perforated shopping list pages
• important contacts pages
• inside pocket covers
• a bookmark, that doubles as a ruler
• laminated covers
• protective clear plastic front and back covers

Still not convinced this is the choice for you? BusyBodyBook also offers a a 7 column 17 month wall calendar for when it's best to keep the entire family's schedule on the kitchen wall. I love this calendar! Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a calendar with BIG squares to fit all your activities and appointment in? Keep your puppy/scenery/cute kids pictures, I need BIG squares.

Now, for a limited time only, you can enter to win a BusyBodyBook product of your choice.

To enter:

Visit the BusyBodyBook website and tell me which planner you would choose.

To increase your chances of winning, you may do any or all of the following.
Be sure to complete the above mandatory entry or your bonus entries will not count!
Remember to leave one comment per entry and an email so I can contact you in the event that you are the winner.

Follow me on Twitter.
Tweet about this giveaway.
Subscribe to my blog in your reader.
Enter this giveaway into another giveaway linky on another blog or website. Then leave me the link to where you posted it in the comments.
Follow founder Joan Goldner on Twitter.


This giveaway ends on Monday July 19th and the winner will be notified by email.

Disclaimer: I was sent a BusyBodyBook organizer to review and
one to giveaway. I was not compensated in any other way for my post.

Happy Birthday Augie Dawgs!

Yesterday we celebrated Augie Dawgs 33 birthday! Ahhh, how I wish one of us had bigger dining room sets. When we all get together there's a shortage of chairs and someone ends up sitting on the sofa in the living room or cajoling TOF to sit on a lap. If you've ever seen him eat cake you would understand why I always secretly hope it's not my lap.



Augie Dawgs is currently recovering from back surgery for a herniated disk. Ouch, just the thought makes me queasy. During her recovery she's not able to lift more than about ten pounds, which means lifting TC is definitely out of the question. He's been spending lots of time at Mema and Pa's house, while his brother, who is a big help to his mommy pretends he's an only child. Fortunately TC sleeps 12 hours a night and I often forget he's here.

Since Durwood was home to help out, I thought it might be nice for her to have an extended visit with her baby on her birthday. So we swapped kids for the day and Pa and I took TOF to see Marmaduke at the cheap show. After the movie we headed back to her house for CAAAAKE. She's a chocolate and butter cream cake lover and I am not. But since it was her birthday I sucked it up and bought her favorite. Imagine my delight when I saw that Durwood had picked up some carrot cake cupcakes for me! Big points for you Durwood! Even TC enjoyed his first smash cake.



I then had the pleasure of bathing that sweet, sticky mess before bringing him back home with us where he peacefully fell asleep at 7:52 p.m. and was not heard from until 8:15 the next morning. The boy can sleep!

This blog post was sponsored by CSN Stores, with over 200 online stores where you can find everything from cookware to cribs to specific needs such as dining room sets and dog beds! As as a CSN Preferred Blogger I was given a $60 gift certificate to use on any of their websites. Stay tuned to see what I choose.