Thursday, June 30, 2005

Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday!

I'm ready for the weekend!

Going to go talk to my school advisor tonight (yay!) and start making my school plans. But after that, I have a hot date with a treadmill tonight! My team at lunch at Via Real today, and although I stayed pretty healthy with my lunch choices, I ate a little bit of flan and now I am very full and sleepy!

I'm still a little sore from working with Jacqueline on Tuesday, but we work my legs tomorrow and I am happy about that! I've been feeling pretty good about myself, and yesterday when I went to go see Gran I stopped at the Subway on Bryant Irvin road and the cute Subway guy was a little flirty. He couldn't possibly be old enough to buy me a beer, but it was flattering just the same. :)

I am looking forward to a laid back weekend. I don't have any holiday plans except for a possible matinee on Monday with Mia and Kim, and some errands to run on Saturday. What is everyone else doing for the holiday? The Tarrant County Demorat group is having a picnic on Saturday, but I have too much to do on that particular day.

I hope you have a great Thursday!

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Hey, that wasn't so bad!

Good morning, friends! I am alive and well after my first session with my trainer! I really like her and think she's really going to motivate and encourage me. We worked my upper body last night, and although I am a little sore this morning, I'm not near what I thought I would be! However, when we work my legs on Friday, I am betting it will be a different story! But as for today, I am a little tired and sore, but feeling quite proud of myself. Oh, Mom and I took my monthly photo to compare my progress, and it's pretty amazing! I'll have that posted by the weekend. It's a bit humbling to post that, but after losing about 60 pounds, the pride in what I've done far outweighs the trepidation of posting a picture like that.

I'm going to go see Gran tonight and I am looking forward to it. When I saw her on Sunday she was able to scoot herself around and sit on the edge of the bed by herself, and that's HUGE! She's really making progress! Tonight we are going to get her in her wheelchair and she's going to show me around the facility. I think this week they are going to work with her using a walker, and the sooner she does all this, the sooner she can go home. I have to confess that I wasn't sure that was going to happen for a while, but I really believe she has renewed courage and strength and this woman IS going to go home!

Going to walk tonight with Mom when I get home and I am looking forward to that, too. It's been a good week so far, and I am looking forward to a nice long weekend!

Have a great Wednesday!

Tuesday, June 28, 2005

There's no going back now

Well, today is the day: I begin with my personal trainer tonight at 6pm. I think I might die, but I will give it a shot anyhow. I was up at the gym and did about an hour on the treadmill and was so tired last night I could hardly hold a conversation with my mother on the phone when I got home. Needless to say, this trainer (henceforth known by her name, Jaqueline) is going to make mush out of me tonight. I guess I should warn everyone that tomorrow I may not be able to move on my own! However...I am looking forward to the results that will come of this, so it's a good thing. I'm just nervous about it since I've never worked with a trainer before.

Man, I am a little sleepy today! I need to start going to bed earlier. I just get so wound up at night trying to get stuff done that I don't pay attention to the time and end up getting to bed later than I would like.

I really don't have much news today. Oh, Happy Birthday Richard!!

Okay, that's it now. Have a good Tuesday!

Monday, June 27, 2005

Happy Monday!

Wow...the weekend was too short! I need more time to relax! I did have a chance to just veg with Angela. We celebrated my birthday and she took me to Applebee's for dinner. We had a nice evening. And big news for her...she's down a size in her clothes, so GO GIRL!! I'm so proud! I think she may be about 5 pounds away from her goal weight!!

I am having some "Me" time tonight. Going to go home after work, go work out, then come home and relax. I am starting with my trainer tomorrow night, and even though I am a little nervous, I am really looking forward to it. I think it will help me boost my weight loss and maybe give my confidence a shot in the arm as well.

Dan went to a concert last night and then got rear-ended on the way home. He's ok, but apparently his truck, although still driveable, is messed up in the back and his seat is even a little loose. What a way to end a weekend! Fortunately he's ok, but his neck is sore. Poor Dan! His wife is going to be afraid to let him out on his own again!!

So that's it for now. Have a good Monday!

Oh, one more thing...I am going to post (at some point this week) my side by side pics of me when I started Weight Watchers and me at my current weight. It's fun to compare...I have a long way to go but it's neat to see how far I've come! In the meanwhile, here's another Paris picture... It's the view of the Arc de Triomphe from the Eiffel Tower. I love this picture!

Sunday, June 26, 2005

I think I have to skip the scale today

I had a few too many drinks last night and am feeling a bit puffy today, so although I am going to Weight Watchers, I am going to have to use my "No Weigh In" pass...I had a few too many vodka tonics last night. (Feeling a little crunchy today, but I am chugging down water like crazy!) I am glad my birthday week has passed and things can get back to normal. I am ready to be back on track, for sure!

Mom and Dad have been in Beaver's Bend all weekend so I have been checking on the house and feeding their cat. It's been a pretty ueventful weekend over all, which is nice. I am going to see Gran this morning. I saw her yesterday and she is doing well. Today she wants to get in her wheelchair so we can roam around the care center where she is staying right now. I am going to try and get back in time to go work out before WW at 2:30. After WW I am going to Angela's house to swim and hang out with her. I love going over there...we just relax and chat anf sometimes we both fall asleep out there (they have a wonderful back yard and very comfy patio furniture!).

So that's my plan for the day. Have a relaxing Sunday and just look for any weight loss updates next week...there won't be a report today!

Friday, June 24, 2005

Fabulous Friday!

Good morning everyone! I guess I just woke up on the right side of the bed or something, but I am in a great mood today! There is a brand new Starbucks by my apartment that was giving away free coffee this morning (yay for a free grande non-fat sugar free vanilla latte!), I am wearing my "skinny" jeans, and I am having a good hair day! Can a girl ask for more? And on top of that, I am having a birthday dinner with my very good friend Stephanie tonight, so I am really looking forward to that, too. We took my Grampa out to dinner last night to celebrate his 86th birthday, and we had a wonderful time. He is doing so well, and so is Gran! She was up and walking a little bit during her PT yesterday, so I believe that she may be going home in the fairly near future! (That's my favorite birthday present!!)

I went to work out last night but it was late and I read the hours wrong at the gym and got there as they were closing. So tonight after dinner I am going to work out, and then first thing tomorrow morning. I start with my trainer on Tuesday and I am so eager to start with her! I've never worked with a trainer and I am optimistic that I will get the results that I need. How exciting! It feels good to make this kind of commitment to myself.

Had to empty out all the cabinets because the complex is doing the bug spraying thing. So putting my kitchen and bathroom back together will be my late night project tonight, but I don't mind. I'm going give the apartment a good cleaning and then schedule a carpet cleaner to come in and really give the carpets a good once-over. The carpet is ok, but after living there three years there is a little traffic dirt, so it will be nice to get that taken care of.

Here's me at the Eiffel Tower. My hair looks silly because it was very windy up there, but I like this picture because I was so happy at that moment. :) Actually, I look like a dork, but who cares! I was in Paris!!!



I think that's it for now. Have a great Friday!

Thursday, June 23, 2005

The end of the week is near!

I had a great birthday! Thanks to everyone who wished me well yesterday! :) I had a great day, beginning with my decorated cube here at work, my wonderful lunch that Holly set up (not to mention the card and flowers she gave me...so sweet!), and dinner with my parents at Mimi's Cafe. I also signed up for my trainer, and the ass-whipping begins next Tuesday. I told her I have never worked with a personal trainer before, so it should be interesting! I'll keep you informed. I am, however, going to go work out tonight. I have been meaning to work out the last few nights, but with all the birthday fun I haven't had a chance. Now I NEED to go after some of the fun things I've eaten over the last few days!

Today has been good so far. We're training a temp here at work and I think she's doing well. She seems bright and has a good personality...she'd be a good fit with the team, I think. Other than that, nothing else is new with me. Hope everyone else is having a good day. It's my Grampa's birthday, so we're going to go see my Gran tonight and then take Grampa out for dinner. (Gran is doing well...they think with some work she may be able to start using a walker in about a week...please say a prayer for her!)

Have a wonderful rest of the day!

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Happy Birthday To Me!!

It's the 4th anniversary of my 29th birthday today!! I'm finally not feeling depressed about it, so I will be able to enjoy the day. My super fantastick co-workers have decorated my cube with twinkle lights and confetti, so it looks very festive in my cube. :) Tonight I am having dinner with my parents and Christy, and then after that, I am actually going to try and work out. (Went to the Melting Pot for dinner last night, so I need the exercise!!!)

Holly has arranged a birthday lunch for me today, so it is really going to be a good day. Thanks for everyone who has had to contend with my annual Birthday Crisis...I am much better now! :D

So I hope you have a wonderful day! I know I will! :)

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Smaller Jeans

So I went to pick up a new pair of jeans last night and the only ones I liked were a size smaller than I wear, but I figured just for fun I would see just how much too small they were, so off to the dressing room I went. Much to my surprise, THEY FIT!! (And I can breathe in them!) So you better believe I bought them! I'd been in a funk all day, but that really helped my mood!

I also took that potentially painful but much needed step last night, and joined a gym and am waiting to hear from my potential trainer. Yes, I am voluntarily seeking out someone to push me to work out harder. I think I need it, as it's too easy for me to decide to stop walking when it gets too hot outside. So if you talk to me and I am groaning and complaining, just remind me that it will help me get to the desired result that much faster!

Tomorrow is the birthday, and I am going to eat with Mom, Dad, and Christy. Everyone wants to know what I want to do this weekend, but I just don't know. Man, getting older is hell...and I'm not old!!

Anyhow, have a good Tuesday everyone!

Sunday, June 19, 2005

Back in the Weight Loss Groove!

Well after a free for all with my diet in Paris, I am happy to report that I have lost another 3.5 pounds for a grand total of 59.5!! (Why is it that every time I am about to hit a big number I end up a half pound short?) I was hoping to have 60 off by my birthday, and I think that essentially I have done it. (The b-day is Wednesday, so I am going to give myself credit for being close enough!) Mom lost 1.5 and Angela lost .5, so we're a big bunch of losers this week...and it's a good thing!!

I think I am feeling better now. I was feeling really low on Friday but I'm doing better. Ended up staying home Friday and sleeping. Apparently I really needed that! Maybe I'm still catching up from Paris. Dad has been in bed sick all day, so it wasn't much of a Father's Day for him. We're going to celebrate another night this week.

Hope everyone had a good day!

Friday, June 17, 2005

Post-Vacation Blues

I think it's hit me that vacation is over. It's kind of sad that all those months of planning and preparing are over. It was such a great vacation!! Hopefully things will work out and Christy and Rich's wedding will happen in Vegas. That will be a nice getaway!

I'm just having one of those really icky days...not feeling so great and I am having my annual birthday issues. Ugh! I keep thinking that maybe I might just want to let this birthday pass quietly...no big fuss or anything. Maybe I'll feel differently about it after I am not feeling so icky.

Going to a toga party at my apartment complex tonight. The main motivation is that the best toga wins free rent for one month. Otherwise, I could care less. I'd really like to stay home tonight and sleep, but I invited Christy to go with me and I really want to hang out with her. We've both been so busy lately it will be nice to get to hang out. Now I have to figure out something for a toga.

Oh, anyone interested in seeing the pics I have uploaded can post a reply here with their email address. I think I've sent the link to most everyone whose email address I have. I still have to upload the pics from the digital camera, but I have a handful of good pics uploaded so far.

Anyhow, hope you are having a good Friday. I'll blog more tomorrow.

Thursday, June 16, 2005

Getting back into the routine

Back to work today. I have to confess that I would like to have been anywhere but here today. I just wasn't ready to come back. But it's good to see everyone. I like my co-workers very much, just not ready to be back.

To catch everyone up on my week, I hung out on Monday, saw my Gran on Tuesday and then went to see the Palace and Mosque exhibit at the Kimbell Art Museum. Got a call on Tuesday night that my Gran wasn't responding so they took her to the hospital. Mom and I drove up there and stayed with my Granpa until about 1am, and then I went back up on Wednesday morning. She is doing much better but it seems she may have some kind of kidney infection. No word on how she is today, but no news is usually good news. So now it's Thursday and thank goodness the weekend is just about here. I am dragging Christy to a party at my apartment complex tomorrow night. She told me today that Rich's travel agent friend may be able to swing a very good travel deal for the Vegas wedding and I am very excited about that! I'm really looking forward to the wedding. Christy seems so happy and I think the two of them will have a wonderful life together. :)

So that's been my week so far. I forgot to mention that the day I left for Paris I went to Weight Watchers and had lost another 2 pounds for a total of 56! (My suitcase weighed 53 at the airport-I've lost more than my suitcase weighed!) I weigh in again on Sunday and will post the news. I am trying to have 60 off by my birthday (the 22nd!) so we'll see how it goes!

I've had a few people ask about the plan for celebrating my birthday, and I just don't know yet. As it gets closer I just don't know what I want to do. Man, I'm not ready to have another birthday! I've had 32 already....do I have to have a 33rd?

Speaking of birthdays...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!! I LOVE YOU!!!

Monday, June 13, 2005

Back in Bedford

Well, after a long 10 hour flight, I'm home! Our last night in Paris was fun...we had dinner at the Mexican restaurant we liked, then drank a bottle of champagne and then headed out to the Champs-Elysees to see Paris at night. After we left the Arc de Triomphe, we were walking down the street and a couple of guys came and started talking to us. The offered to take us dancing at a club very close to where we were, and we agreed. We got in there and had a beer or two and decided these guys were getting way to touchy feely so Kim user her foot as an excuse to get us out of there gracefully. We got out of there and no sooner than we had left that club, we were getting hit on again by a couple other guys. We just opted to stay on our own and by this time we were getting tired so we headed back to the hotel to pack up and get some sleep. We had such a good time and it was hard to leave such a wonderful place! I'll definitely be back to Paris!

I'm going to take a couple days off from blogging...I got back to work on Thursday, so I will probably blog then. Thanks for reading, and as soon as I have pics I will post them.

Saturday, June 11, 2005

Saturday June 11, 2005 3:25pm

It's been a busy last few days! We saw the Palace of Versailles yesterday, and it was incredible! The gardens outside are hundreds of years old, and just as they had been initially designed. The palace inside was exquisite, and perhaps a little gaudy, but I have decided that's just how the French do things. What they call beautiful, we as Americans would look at and say, "yikes! that's just too much!" (Except for Donald Trump...his apartment seems to reflect the decor of the French royalty) Last night, we had dinner at the Hard Rock cafe. I had a good old burger and fries and a beer. As much as I love Paris, I do miss home. :) Today we actually made it to the Louvre! I think it may have been one of my very favorite parts of the trip. I can say I have seen the Mona Lisa and the Venus di Milo, as well as the Winged Victory. After our two hour tour, we decided on a meeting place and I headed off to rent a headset and wander the Louvre. I saw Napoleon III's apartment and some of it's furnishings, and then went through the halls of the Italian and French painters. I know sometimes I get emotional, but sitting there among paintings that date back to more than 300 years before Christ and admiring the beauty of everything around me made me feel a little emotionally overwhelmed and I misted up just a little bit. I can't believe how fortunate I am to have seen the things I've seen. The French make history accessible in a way that I never imagined. I have walked where kings and queens have walked, and I have seen the very places that they were beheaded. I've seen the Obelisk that stands in the Place de Concorde that is over 3000 years old and came from the Luxor in Egypt. (This should mean something to Dan Brown fans) And even more importantly, I have met so many people that have gone out of their ways to be so welcoming and kind. There is a little shop on the Rue de Rivoli called Mod Shop. The owner's name is Cristine, and she was wonderful! She wrapped up all the gifts we bought there, and she even gave Kim and I silver Eiffel Tower pins as her gift to us. (We took her picture!) The crepe guys on the street like to greet us in their broken English, so we (try) to speak to them in our meager French. And everyone smiles and somehow it all works out just as it should.

Tonight, we are going to have dinner at the Mexican place we like so much, and then on to drinks at Fouquet's on the Champs-Elysees. Apparently it's where all the celebrities go when they are in Paris, so we're going to have a drink there to say we've been. Then we will walk the Champs-Elysees and see Pairs lit up at night. I can't think of a lovelier way to end the vacation I never dreamed I would have. Will I come back to Paris? Absolument!!

So my next blog will be upon my return to Bedford. That makes me sad, too. Just people watching here has made me think about how things are at home versus here. Here's what I have learned:

1. No matter what you may have heard about Parisians, they care about other people. Twice I have seen an elderly person fall, and there was no shortage of people rushing to help.
2. Americans get too busy to even say hello sometimes. Here, when you see a friend on the street, you are greeted with enthusiasm and a kiss on each cheek.
3. Appreciate everything. There is beauty where you least expect it.
4. If you say "I'll do it tomorrow", you may never have the chance, so do the things you want to do now. It seems that the French have figured out that life is to be lived.

All this may seems so corny to everyone else, but this trip has been an eye opener for me. I'm coming back a little different than when I left...and I don't mean with a funny French accent (although it may take a day or two to stop saying the few things in French that I have picked up). Life keeps reminding me of all the things that mean the most, so I can't wait to hug each and every one of my friends and family when I get back. I love you all and I will be home tomorrow.

Love,
Jennifer

Thursday, June 09, 2005

2:12pm On Thursday

Wow...it has been a busy week! My legs are tired and my feet are sore, but I am having the time of my life! It has been a bit since I had a chance to really update things, so here goes...

Yesterday we started early and headed to the Gare du Nord station where, as has been par for the course, we got a little lost trying to find our train to London. We got there, but it was a challenge. The couple of people I tried to ask for help indicated they did not speak English, but so,ething tells me they just did not feel like it. No worries! We found the train with time to spare, and off to London we went. It was a two and a hlf hour ride, with about twenty minutes of that going under the English channel. (my ears were popping like mad underneath the channel!)

When we got to London (Waterloo Station..ironic!) it was nice to speak the language! We got a map and headed off to Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the guard. Sounds easy, yes? Not so nuch. True to form, we got turned around and had to ask directions. The first woman I found to ask was very cheerful, but man...she had some stereotypical English bad teeth! I could not stop staring at her mouth as she spoke, but she was as nice as could be. We walked across Westminster Bridge and past Big Ben and the Parliament building. ("Look kids...Big Ben, Parliament!") Then we saw all kinds of war protest signs that were interesting, so I took some photographs of that to show you all. Oh, and guess what? We got turned around again! This time over by the New Scotland Yard, where a very pleasant (no joke...he was super nice!) gentleman with an AK47 told us we looked lost and asked how he could help. Don`t worry...he works there. I am not taking to just findin random folks with guns to ask directions. He pointed us in the right direction and this time we made it, but just as the changing of the guards began. There was a parade, and then they open the gates and the guard marches in. I couldn`t see very well, but I was able to snap a few pictures, so you can get the general idea. From there, Kim called her friend Kevin and he met us at Big Ben and took us to an outdoor cafe in Covent Garden for lunch. Form there he showed us around Piccadilly Square and the West End, where we each had two pints of English beer in an English pub. (Hey Kevin, I remembered all that!) I think it was the St. James Tavern. Kevin told us that there are still pubs in London that women are not allowed to enter. Yeah, Kim and bristled at that one! From there we went to Harrods. That place is amazing! I can`t begin to describe it, but they truly do have everything there at a price you would never get over! I bought a few souveniers there, but not too much! (Christy, I also picked up shoes for you in London...they are so cool!) That about wrapped up the day in London since our train was to leave at 7:45, so we thanked Kevin and off we went. The train ride back was in 1st class, and what a treat! Champagne, wine, dinner served to us...so spoiled!! We were totally exhausted by the time we got back (11:30 Paris time) that we absolutely crashed out. We were set for the Louvre today, but we rescheduled since we were so tired. (Louvre on Saturday morning) We went to the Musee' d'Orsay this morning and saw lots of impressionist/post impressionist paintings. We`re going to do some souvenier shopping today, and tonight we have dinner reservations so we will get all dressed up and go out to dinner. Tomorrow is the trip to the Palace of Versailles and I am excited about it since we talked about it in my history class.

I am finding that the most useful thing to bring on a vacation like this has been a backpack...forget the purse! It has been a great vacation so far, and I try not to think about it ending soon. If you ever dream of Paris but are concerned about not speaking the language or people being impolite, fear not! The people continue to be kind and helpful and I am happy to be here. However, there is no place like home!

Until tomorrow,
Jen

Wednesday, June 08, 2005

I met my Waterloo!

7:20pm London Time

This is a quick post from the London Waterloo train stattion. It has been a great day but I am so tired! To bring you up to speed, we saw the Eiffel Tower yesterday and had a bottle of wine below it as I wrote out my postcards. We also walked along the Champs Elysees and did some shopping. Today started early as we took the train to London where we saw the changing of the guard, Big Ben, Parliament Square, and much more that I will have to write about later, as our train is now about to board. I will update in more detail tomorrow, as we are going to the Louvre for the day and I am sure we will have much to blog about! All is well but my feet are quite sore!

Love,
Jen

Tuesday, June 07, 2005

Day Three: Much Walking!!

It was an eventful day on Monday! We got up and ate breakfast at the hotel, and then set off for our guided tour for the Louvre. Sounds simple enough, right? It is when you read the map correctly! I have voluntarily relenquished any map reading duties over to Kim. Not only did I read the map wrong, I read the address wrong so that when we did get to the right street, we walked many blocks in the wrong direction. So we have rescheduled the tour of the Louvre for Thursday. That was a big embarrassment, as I don't ever get turned around like that when there is a map involved! However, I am in a foreign country and was only operating on about 4 hours of sleep. (Jet lag is HELL!)

So we learned how the Metro system works here, and it is incredibly cool! Tough to figure out at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's easy! We took the Metro to Notre Dame and went through the cathedral, and it is beautiful beyond words. I got to light a candle at Notre Dame and say a prayer for Gran...Mom and Dad, be sure to let her know. It was a very moving experience, and one I will never forget. You can take pictures in there and most of them are good...some are quite dark, though. From there we took Les Car Rouges (the red bus) and saw the major highlights: Arc dr Triomphe, Champs Elysees, Eiffel Tower, and lots more. We're going back today to do that, and then take a cruise on the Seine River. We just bought a bottle of wine and are going to enjoy it under the Eiffel Tower. (That's where I'll be writing out all my postcards, too!) Lots more walking today, but I am enjoying it tremendously. We ate dinner at a Mexican restaurant last night and the food was great! The margaritas are different, but still very good. We were serenaded by the band, who told us we were very beautiful...they didn't say that to any of the other ladies! I got to speak a little Spanish to them...lots of fun! I am getting more comfortable using the French that I know, and people here are very very nice to us, regardless of what you hear people say about the French. They appreciate it when you greet them in French and they like to talk to you in English when they can. Many of them seem interested in the fact that we are from Texas, and one woman said it was her dream to visit our great state. We had crepes after dinner, and WOW! Very yummy! I had one with Nutella and whipped creme..my body went into sugar shock! I can't do that again, but it was so good! (Nutella is a chocolate hazelnut spread)

I finally slept a full night and I am feeling good today...minimal soreness in the legs, but the walking I was doing at home has helped. Kim is still limping a bit, but it's because of the scrape on her foot form the night before we left. Check out her blog for the story on that. I think that will do it for today. Have a wonderful day and I will blog again tonight about the events of today. I am taking lots of pictures and cannot wait to share them!

Love,
Jen

Sunday, June 05, 2005

Bonjour du Paris!

Hello from Paris! The first thing I must say is that the keyboard is very different, so if you see typos in my post, please forgive me!

After a very long flight with less sleep than I would like, we got to Paris without any trouble. We were disappointed that they did not stamp our passports...I will ask for a stamp when we come back from London on Wednesday. We were so excited to get to our destination that we zipped through customs and hurried to meet our American Vacations guy. He was very nice, and asked us if that was all our luggage. That was when we realized that in our haste, we forgot to pick up our luggage so back in we went and got our bags and headed off. We didn't have much time to soak everything in as our guy walks fast and we had to work to catch up with him. Didn't get to observe much of the airport because we practically had to run to keep up, but he was very nice and helpful. The drive to the hotel was interesting. It's very industrial looking until you get into the city where it is a very interesting combination of old and new. We are feeling a bit turned around, but have been able to find a friendly place for croissants and coffee. The don't speak English there, but we are all getting good at charades! The front desk guy at the hotel is funny. He gives interesting directions but so far they have gotten us where we have wanted to go. There are lots of restaurants and pubs in our neighborhood, but not much is open on Sunday so we have rested and walked around some to get familiar with the area.

Tomorrow we are going to the Louvre for a guided tour and we are both looking forward to that. It's about 5:30pm here right now and we will look for something interesting for dinner...we are now armed with our French phrasebooks so hopefully we can do a better job of communicating with the waitstaff. Most places seem to have a vegetarian option, so until I am better acquainted with things I am going to join Kim in the world of vegetarianism...never a bad choice!

Our hotel is funny...the elevator barely fits one person and a suitcase, and the room isn't too big but has a balcony and interesting view of the street. We are a half block from the Folies Berger. The weather looks much like Seattle today...gray and cool, but it is a welcome change from the Texas warmth we have been experiencing.

That's about it for now. Since we are so close to the hotel I anticipate posting daily, so I'll post again tomorrow. Hope all is well back home!

Love,
Jen

Friday, June 03, 2005

Au Revior, mes amis! Voyez-vous bientot!

Well, in less than 36 hours I will be at the airport getting ready to go. I can't believe it! I've been planning this trip since last October, and now it's here. I feel a bit of nervous excitement, and the anticipation is killing me!! Having a happy hour with my co-workers, and then off to my parents to pick up the digital camera. Then after that, some quality time with Christy, and then home to bed! I have much to do tomorrow and not a lot of time to do it in. (I have weigh in at 8:30am tomorrow!)

I won't have time to post tomorrow, so the next post you see will be from an internet cafe in Paris. I need to get a lot of things wrapped up today, so I apologize for the short post. I'll blog from Paris most likely at the end of the first day there (don't forget the seven hour time difference), so just check back periodically for new updates.

Please pray for safe travel for me and Kim. Until the first post from Paris... au revior!

Thursday, June 02, 2005

The Day After Tomorrow!!

It's starting to feel surreal...I'm leaving for Paris in two days! I still have much to do...finish packing, get the apartment cleaned, etc. It's getting down to the wire!! I wonder what it's going to feel like the minute I catch my first glimpse of Paris? There is an internet cafe that seems to be fairly close to the hotel, so I am hoping to be able to let you know all the news of Paris while I am there.

I can't even begin to tell you how ready I am to be off work! It's been relentless, and honestly, if the vacation weren't coming up, I would need to take a week for myself anyhow! However, our VP says my team has managed the server issues so well that they are buying us lunch tomorrow. It's so nice to be appreciated!

I finally got to exercise last night and it felt really good to get out and walk! I am looking forward to doing it again tonight and just getting in some fresh air. I just grab my iPod and my armweights, and off I go! It was nice weather last night around 8:15, so I am going to shoot for the same time tonight.

Visited with Gran and Grampa last night, and Gran is doing very well! She looked good and even had a little makeup on! It's so good to see her looking well. Now if only she could get up and walk, she'd be back in business.

I think that's about it for now. Gotta get more work done. Have a good Thursday!

Wednesday, June 01, 2005

Prepping for Paris

3 days, my friends!! I can't believe it's getting so close! The vacation of a lifetime is finally within reach!! Man, I'm so sorry for all my friends having to put up with me right now...I've got to be annoying to be around right now, being giddy about leaving and all! Work has been so difficult and I've been thinking that I need this vacation more than anyone I know...until yesterday. Now Kim needs it more than anyone else I know. She got the most unfortunate news that June 30th is her last day at her job. Aren't reorganizations grand? As bad as that news can sound, there are a few upsides to this: She can finally feel free to date the "CuteBoy" co-worker that she is very interested in, and secondly, she can make the career change of her choice. We decided last night at OTB that the world is truly her oyster now, and who knows what doors will be opened up for her. She's an HR person, so she has many contacts and will more than likely have something lined up by the time the end of June rolls around. But Paris is much needed for us both now.

Tonight I'm absolutely going to exercise. I'm going to see Gran, but when I get home I am putting on my walking shoes and heading out the door. I need to try and exercise as much as I can before Saturday since I am weighing in Saturday morning instead of Sunday...kind of cuts my week short by a day! I'd like to get one pound off this week to make 55 pounds off before I go. (Might be tough to do after OTB last night, but we won't talk about that.)

So that's it for now. Have a good Wednesday!!