Ask, And Ye Shall Receive

The other day I sounded a bit like a petulant child who, on the eve of Christmas, complains that she never gets what she wants. I haven't ever grown up, not really. I'm still the spoiled, whiney little girl I was.

However, as a grown up, I can appreciate the irony when the very next day I open my presents and find that very thing I was most hoping for. Umm ... thanks? And ... I'm sorry for being so whiney? I'm not sure that's enough to make up for it.

Because imagine my surprise when after begging the universe for the "Marie Antoinette" award, Stephanie over at Write Bravely (I've always loved her blog title - isn't it the best?) passed it on to me. I really appreciate this award, especially coming from Stephanie. She was one of the first writer friends I made in blog world and she's always been so kind to me. I look up to her and am touched that she would think of me for this award. Thank you Stephanie!

I do try to keep it real here. You might not appreciate the whiney nature sometimes, or the endless narratives of things that might not matter to you, or ... whatever ... but it's me. I am me, nothing more, nothing less. 

This is my journal, and it's pretty much stream-of-consciousness kind of journalling, but it is REAL, whatever else it is not. However, a few of you seem to not mind too much my mindless drivel, and I thank you. I do appreciate you, all of you, who take the time to stop by, to read, and sometimes to comment. It always helps, whatever my topic of the day, to know I'm not alone in this big ol' world, but that sometimes what I say strikes a chord with someone else and for a moment we connect. I live for that connection and think it's the most amazing thing the Internet has to offer. So thank you, all of you, for being here, for stayin' real right along with me.

I would like to pass this award along to Danyelle at Queen of the Clan. Danyelle has a smile that lights up a room, but even if you hadn't ever met her in person you could tell she smiles like that just from the way she writes. She has a beauty that shines through every post and I find very word to be true to who she is and what is in her heart. Danyelle's blog is a happy place to be. 

Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor's Blog Award

I admit it, there's a blog award that I really, really want. And I was super disappointed when I didn't get it. Pretty sad, eh? I just thought ... well, the award is for people who are 'keepin' it real' on their blogs and I thought I did that pretty well. Shoot. Darn. Errr. 

Not that I'm sorry the worthy people who got it, well, got it. 'Cause they're totally real. And I love their blogs. And it's all cool. It's just that, dang, I want that award!

But, I did have a moment of shame when I realized that I hadn't, in fact, been entirely honest.

I started up that new blog Food Fights and Binges Bite, and I told you not to come. I hid my identity on that other blog because I was ashamed of what I was saying about myself. I didn't want to be REAL. 

So, I'm comin' clean. I am who I am. I created that other blog because I didn't want to keep dragging you guys on my weight loss/weight gain roller coaster, and because there were darker feelings lurking there that are pretty heavy for the average reader. When I write that stuff, my deepest feelings, fears and stuff, there should be a "Read at your own risk" warning. 

You can go there, you can read about my food fights and my binges, but I wanted to spare you the really ugly bits. 

There, I came clean. I'm keepin' it REAL. Maybe now I'll get that darn award. 

Gaming With Your Kids

A while back I read an enlightening article about gaming with your kids in, I believe, Canadian Living Magazine. Wish I could remember the author of the article so I could give him proper credit. Anyway, the author told of an experiment he tried, where instead of cursing the presence of video games in his kids' lives, he would embrace them, he would join them. 

At first he thought he was only checking out the games his kids wanted to play, but soon he found they could be fun. When his children discovered he was playing some of the games they were interested in, they were so excited. He began spending time with his boys playing video games, and the fun they shared became an addiction they could all get behind. 

I talked with David about this and whether he would consider playing games with the boys. My guys like medieval-style games best of all, and I wanted to find that type of game that was online, allowing multiple players to play together.

We have finally found a great, fun, safe game that we can all play, called Wizard 101. 

The boys had been playing it for about a week before David and I decided to join them. It was at the end of a school day, when I asked the boys for help in setting up my character. They flew out of their seats and ran to look over my shoulder at the computer. They helped pick my wizards' face, her clothes, her name. they were so excited, it blew my mind.

They couldn't wait to get on their own computers and start playing with me. The fellow who wrote the article mentioned how it was interesting to take the parent-turned-student role with your kids, and boy was it ever! They felt so proud to show my how to do things in this new world ... and were proud of me when I accomplished my first tasks. 

Now David is out of town and last night he texted me and asked if we wanted to play with him. We all got on Wizard 101 and played a few games together. What a wonderful feeling it was, to have Dad on the other side of the country, but yet we felt like we were together.  

I highly recommend that you put aside your video-game phobias and consider jumping into this wild, colorful world with your kids. Let them show you around, show you what they love, what they think is don't' like, and what they can do in their virtual world. 

It will give you amazing perspective into the world your children live in, and into their very hearts and minds. You might also discover, as we did, that it provides a vehicle to bring your family closer together, despite the miles, and even the years, that may separate you.

What Is There To Talk About?

You would think after not writing a proper post in four weeks that I'd be brimming with things to tell you. But now that I'm here, seeing somewhat well enough to actually write ... I, well ... I can't think of anything to say.

Hmm.

I could tell you that I'm still in my p.j.'s and it's almost 1:00 in the afternoon. And I don't even have school to blame ~ we've only managed to get about three lessons done and there's been much wailing and gnashing of teeth to even get that much done.

But that would make me look bad and I want you to be glad that I'm back, so I'm not going to tell you that.

I could tell you that my house is a mess and I've been binging a lot lately instead of cleaning it.

But again, that paints me in poor light and I want you to like me, not be disgusted with me.

I could tell you how I have all my Christmas shopping done, my home is decorated to perfection and my boys have been happily baking Christmas cookies with me to give to our neighbors, but that simply would not be the truth.

The truth is, I've been going through the motions every day, hanging in there, some days climbingin onto one of the branches of life, only to fall off the next day where I hang, swinging in the breeze for days.

At least I'm still ON the tree, right?

But seriously, things are going okay. I'm glad that my eyesight is returning. It has been unbelievably hard not to be able to read or write for four weeks. I most miss reading my scriptures. My husband was out of town last week and it drove me crazy that I could dig my teeth into a juicy novel and read, read, read while he was away. 

And I was really bummed to miss Jen's Self-Esteem Carnival because I wanted to have a chance to win the book she was giving away. Now I'm gonna have to go buy it.

I've started a new blog, that I'm not sure I want to invite you to, so I'll only post it here this once and that way it'll be obscure enough to miss the attention of most people. It's a blog about my food issues and weight loss efforts. It's called Food Fights and Binges Bite. Don't go there. It's just a big ol' pitty party. At least I won't party here. No more of that. Innocents such as you do not deserve to be subjected to my insanity.

Well, some versions of my insanity, but certainly not all.

Homeschool is going well (except for today.) 

All is well.

Tomorrow I will challenge myself to write something a bit more interesting. Maybe I'll go surfing and hijack someone else's good idea. *U*

I've Been Rated

I'm beginning to read a bit - hurray! I get tired awfully quick and then the vision is super blurry again, but at least I can read little. So Elana had this on her blog today and I thought at least it would give me something to post without having to read too much.

I'm not too embarassed to say I only rank as a Junior High blog. Heck, I've never aspired to much fanciness here on this blog. Junior High was actually a good time for me, so ... maybe it stuck with me, grammar and all.

Where In The World Has Ali Been?

Thing is, I can't see at all. Where have I been? Here. Just bored out of my mind because I can't read or write.

Can't really write here, either (can't see what I'm writing, argh.) But I thought ya'll ought to know I hadn't abandoned you.

I had PRK vision correction on November 11th and while everything seems to have gone really well, I still can't read. I hope I'll be back to my old readin' and writin' self real soon!

Stay tuned! And, thanks for your patience!