Fancy Schmanzy!

It's that time of year...it's Restaurant Week here in the metroplex, and most of the really nice (read: pricey) restaurants offer a set meal at $35/person. You have to call and get a reservation as they go very quickly. David has gone on about a restaurant in Dallas called Abacus that he got to go try on the company dime, and he LOVED it and has wanted to go back, so we have reservations in mid-August for a lovely dinner. I can't wait! :) I think this will require a new outfit.

So I leave for San Francisco on Monday!! I am so ready. Work is just sucking the life out of me. We've had so much going on and I am burned out, work out, and just plain sick of it. I know this will pass, but right now I am really in need of a change. Whew...what a whiner!

My cousin's wife, Jen, who I just think of as family and not an "in-law" is going through some tough stuff. Her mother has been ill for a while and they had to put her in a Hospice facility yesterday. Her mother has been battling cancer for a while now is in a lot of pain. Jen and Craig, I love you both and I am here for you. I can't even imagine what she must be going through. Please keep them in your prayers.

I spent some time with Cleo the Uber-Awesome cat yesterday. She's at mom and dad's because she doesn't play well with others. (Zak and Kaylee and Cleo in a one bedroom apartment? Too much cat!) But I laid down next to her and snuggled and it was so nice! I miss her little chubby self! I took a picture with my cell phone so that I could look at it all the time. I love my cat!! :)

Mom and Dad have had an ongoing saga trying to replace the window in the front of the house. They've basically been lied to and jerked around by the guy they hired to replace the window. They hired him May 24th and although they have a window in, it looks bad, it's not finished, and the guy has used every excuse in the book to be late or delay work. So tonight my parents are having a new person coming from Home Depot to take a look and do an estimate. We're hoping for the best! I think my parents need to take the original window guy to small claims court. He's paid for work he hasn't done. If you need window work done, what ever you do, do NOT contact Sister's Windows in Hurst. Bad bad bad! My parents are such nice people and I can't believe someone would try to cheat them. If I got hold of this guy, he'd be sorry! (When it comes to my family, don't cross me!)

I get to start my vacation off by leaving work at 2pm tomorrow, but I have to go for my annual physical so it's not that fun. But afterwards I am going to the Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale to buy a new pair of shoes! I know I get freebies from Born, but they don't make New Balance so I have no choice! I don't know if I will have a chance to blog from San Francisco. I am so worn out that I am planning to disconnect from as much as possible while I am there, which should include computers. I'll be back on the 24th, and will resume the blogging then. However, if I run into an internet cafe, I may not resist the urge to update you on my vacation fun, so feel free to check back periodically. (Yeah, I think our hotel has free internet access, so I'll probably blog.)

It's going to be 65 degrees in San Francisco next week! Thank goodness! Everyone try and stay cool and I will check in when I can!!

Event Planning is Hard

I'll quit referring to the "event" next year as an "event" and call it what it is...I'm getting married next year! You know what's hard about planning a wedding? Getting everything coordinated! I had no idea! We're still getting the ceremony and reception site coordinated...and I think we're finally getting that done but I won't know for sure until August 4th when we see the site. It wasn't my original choice, but the more I learn about this place, the more excited I get about it! We've had to move the date, but that's TBA. I won't say anythign for sure until we have everything nailed down. Last night my cousin Chris was up from Houston. He's a photographer and will probably be doing the wedding, and I am super excited about that! :) We had a fun dinner and it's always so good to see him!

Today was moving day at work. Everything is really chaotic. At least I have a computer...I don't have my phone hooked back up so it's pretty quiet right now. I should rejoice, right?

That's it for now. Have a great day!

Things That Make Me Happy

In no particular order!!!

1. My Family
2. David
3. My cats
4. MAC
5. Flowers-especially gerbera daisies
6. The color pink
7. Silly emails from my friends
8. Chocolate
9. Pictures from my vacations
10. Hugs
11. Friends
12. Shopping
13. Bubble baths
14. Strawberries
15. The smell of vanilla

What things make you feel happy?

The Downhill Slope

Just seven more days until vacation! I am so ready...I really need it! It's been over a year now since I went anywhere, so I am one ready girl! I have to borrow Angela's suitcase this week...the same one that went to Paris with me. :) San Francisco, here we come!

It was a fairly uneventful weekend. David got home around 7:30 Friday night and we grilled chicken and relaxed. Saturday we went to a BBQ at Jessica's house (Thanks Jess! We had a really good time!). We got home fairly early and David was exhausted. He was in bed and asleep by 9:30. Not me! I was watching Paula Dean's European Vacation. She went to London and Paris, so I watched to see places I recognized. All day Sunday David's allergies were in full attack. His brother stopped by for a bit to pick up a computer part from David, but he didn't stay long since David wasn't up for a lot of company. The rest of the evening was spent watching the Gray's Anatomy DVDs for season one and eating pizza. David is supposed to call and make an appointment with the allergist today. (He's going to call the one I used to work for-they're really good!)

Other than all that, no big news. Joseph had a birthday on Saturday, so happy birthday my friend! (I called him on his birthday, don't worry everyone!)

I hope you all have a good Monday!

Remembering Our Friends In London

It was one year ago today that the bombing on the Tube lines in London occurred. I was there just a month before, so when it happened I felt a little shaken up. I had just been there and everything was wonderful...how could this be? So many people were injured or killed. If you can, please take a moment and send the people of London a prayer...they need to know that we're with them. Also, take a moment and read "Rachel in North London". Her blog link is on the right side of this page. She is a survivor and very active in victim's rights. She writes a very intelligent blog. Go back and read the entries from after 7/7 last year. Her recounting of the incident is moving.

In much less somber news, David comes back tonight. Yay! I missed him, although I entertained myself all evening by playing The Sims. It was a quiet evening and it was nice. Tonight we are taking it easy, and tomorrow night we're going to a BBQ at Jessica's house. (I must remember to bring soda!!) Oh, and 10 more days until I leave for San Francisco!! If you have some good restaurant suggestions, please let me know!

I hope you all have a great weekend!

(Mom and Dad, you have 24 more days until your 37th wedding anniversary!!)

Oh Baby!

Jessica brought her baby by the office yesterday...hello to one of cutest babies ever!! Oh, he was a good baby, and he smiled alot and made cute faces! Babies are so sweet...especially when you can give them back and not have to be responsible for them. :) But boy, little Devin sure is a cutie!

I was going to Grampa's for dinner last night, but the rain kept me on my side of town. That was some heavy rain! When I got to the apartment, the creek was really high and moving very fast. We sure do need that rain!

I really don't have much news. David left this morning on business but will be nack tomorrow evening. We're going to lay low except for a BBQ we're going to on Saturday night. And we leave for San Fran in 11 days!!

Everyone have a great day!

Back to Regular Schedule

It's the end of all the short weeks for a while. Oh, except that I leave for San Francisco in 12 days! My last vacation was to Paris, and that's been over a year ago now so I am ready for a getaway. We're doing on the cheap, so we're flying on David's 2 free Rapid Rewards tickets, staying at a hotel so inexpensive I am not mentioning the name, and renting a Ford Focus. But we're going to have a great time and I can hardly wait!

We had a great weekend. Saturday David grilled dinner for my parents and we had a great time. Sunday we saw Superman and relaxed. Monday I work for a few hours and then we went to Angela's for a really fun pool party (stayed until midnight!!), and yesterday we spent the afternoon with David's family. We didn't get to swim, but that's okay...we needed the rain! So now we're back to the grind. David is going to go to dinner with me and Grampa tonight, and then he leaves tomorrow for Amarillo/Lubbock. He's coming back Friday, so it's a short trip.

I am working hard to get into my WW mindset. I've had a hard time and just can't get into my groove. However, I am going to start working with a trainer again. I am a member of the gym here at the office, and we have trainers here that are a lot less expensive. I miss Jacqueline but she was a little out of my price range for everything I am working to save up for. So I will have a new trainer. Her name is Euriah, and I really like her. I think she is going to be a bit of a drill sergeant, but I told her that I need that. She seems to be eager to work with me, too, so I think we're going to be back on the road to success. Once I am in my groove with my workouts, I think it will be easier for everything else to fall into place.

So that's it for now. I hope everyone had a great 4th of July!

Superman? Super Awesome!

We went to see Superman Returns this weekend, and I really liked it! I highly recommend it. If you stay to watch the credits, you'll see that they dedicated to movie to Christopher and Dana Reeves. Classy touch I think. Go see it...you'll enjoy it! (And they clearly left it open for more movies to follow!)

We bought curtains this weekend. The apartment looks so good, too! It looks like a real home! :) (Curtains really make a big difference!) David cooked dinner for my parents Saturday night, too. I love that my family likes him so much and that he likes my family right back! :)

Today we are supposed to go to Angela's for a pool party. It's overcast and rainy right now (we've been in a bit of a drought and it picks now to start raining?). I am hoping it will clear up so we can hit the pool, but if not we'll have fun visiting with everyone indoors! :)

Everyone have a safe holiday!!

A Case of the Don't Wannas

Man, I seriously don't wanna work today! I was sleeping so well when my alarm went off this morning...I could have slept all day! The good news is that my day is over halfway done here in the office. After work, Kevin is following me to David's to pick up the washer/dryer to deliver to his girlfriend. David is over at the apartment today to get everything else picked up and loaded up. We turn in his keys tonight and we're done with the apartment. It's such a great floorplan...it's a shame we couldn't move his apartment to my side of town! There was a little family of birds that had babies on the patio, so I will be sorry that we can't monitor their growth and watch them grow up and fly away. But my apartment has a wonderful view and good location, so it all evens out. :)

Tomorrow we are going shopping for window treatments. Mom and Dad are coming over for dinner and David is going to grill lots of yummy things. I work a short day Monday and then we're off to Angela's for swimming and socializing. We're both off on Tuesday and I think somewhere in there his family is having a get-together, but we need to check on that. It's going to be a busy weekend, but lots of fun!

Oh, I am also having my massage tomorrow morning! Yay!

Everyone have a safe holiday! :)

I Am Still Celebrating!

I love that almost a week later I am still getting birthday presents! The super wonderful handbag David ordered for me arrives tomorrow and I can hardly wait! It perfectly matches a pair of shoes he got me earlier in the season, and I can't wait to wear them and carry the bag! :) And I need to schedule my massage that mom and dad got for me! Yay!

It was tough coming back to work after being off for a few days, but at least I get off work early next Monday and am off on Tuesday for the 4th of July! I love holidays!

I don't have much news to share today. David is driving to Abilene for the day to do a store visit out there, and I am having dinner with Grampa tonight. I missed dinner last week due to all the moving stuff, but now that's just about done. Kevin is buying David's washer and dryer, so we're taking care of that on Friday. David says he has just a few random things to do at the apartment and then we need to do a quick cleaning (I already cleaned the kitchen and bathroom there) and he's totally done. It sure is nice having him on my side of town!

I hope you all have a great day!

Birthday Recap

Hello to all! It has been a great birthday, and I want to saythanks to everyone who stopped by or called or visited the blog! It was a great birthday! Thursday my parents took David and I to Papadeaux for dinner (YUM!) and I got a gift certificate for a massage and a manicure-bliss! Friday we got the cable installed and the movers were supposed to come, but they had to reschedule for Saturday morning. So Saturday we got the bulk of the move done, and we got David unpacked and settled. We were so tired we just ate dinner in and called it a night. And then came Sunday-the day of the awesome pool party at Angela and Tom's house, and that was super fun! We were there all day, and so many wonderful friends were there! We quenched our thirst with lemonade and raspberry vodkas, ate grilled burgers, roasted corn, pasta salad, mushroom canapes, and delicious cake. We had so much fun that we're going to all get together on the 3rd and celebrate summer at the Barnette's pool again! Today, I had a great birthday lunch with Christy and she showed me the house she and Rich are buying. It's so cute! I am so excited for them! She's been wanting to get into a house for years, so it's so nice that it's all happening for them.

Tomorrow I go back to the routine of work again. I have really enjoyed the time off and have really needed it. Next week is a short week, and that will be really nice, too. :)

Thanks for everyone who made it a great birthday!

Happy Birthday To Me!!

It's my birthday!! I was thinking this morning about birthdays. Usually every year I go through a funk about getting older. But I realized something this year...I am happy and didn't really have a birthday funk! Granted, it's been super busy and I haven't had time, but this has been a good year. A lot in my life has changed in the last twelve months, and most of it has been very good. I wish my Gran could celebrate my birthday with me, but I know she is with me in spirit. David has been a wonderful addition to my life, and I am so very fortunate to be blessed with the best friends and family anyone could ask for. I have a really good relationship with my family and I am always thankful for that. My friends are always there for me, and love me in spite of my faults and craziness. :) Thanks so much to everyone who has touched my life in any way, shape or form. I am a very lucky girl.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day...I sure will! :)

I Still Love the Mavs!

You know, I just do. I love them. I think they could have played better. So Miami won...I am disappointed because I really thought the Mavs were going to do it, but it just didn't happen that way. Miami outplayed them, and that's it. But I don't want the fact that the Mavs are the Western Conference Champions to get lost! They worked hard to get to the finals, and maybe next year is our year! I still say way to go, guys! I can't wait to see what you can do next season!

In other news, my precious kitty, Cleo, got moved to Mom and Dad's last night so that David's kitties, Zak and Kaylee, could make their move to the apartment. They did pretty well, actually. Kaylee was fine after a few minutes, but Zak seems to be taking a little longer. They have hissed at each other some but it's because they are re-establishing their pecking order. It's funny to watch them sniff everything and climb all over the furniture. They're in for another shock when everything gets moved out so that the furniture from David's apartment gets moved in on Friday! But they are adjusting well. I don't worry about Cleo, but I sure miss her! I love that chubby little girl! She has more attitude and personality than you can imagine, and I love her so much! :)

So that's it for now. Oh, except that tomorrow is my birthday!!! Yay!

Okay, Mavs...Let's get This Done!

Enough said? Come on, Mavs! Two wins at home...you can do it!!

It was a very busy weekend. I spent Saturday moving David's stuff (non-furniture stuff) and Sunday we spent putting things away. Then we had to go different directions for father's day due to family scheduling conflicts. I had dinner with my parents and Grampa and his friend, Ann, who is a really nice person. It was strange seeing him with someone other than my Gran, though. I still miss her every day. I was really missing her this weekend. But Ann is a very nice and interesting person, and I can see why they enjoy each other's friendship so much.

Yesterday I woke up with the worst migraine I have had in a long time, so I stayed home from work. David massaged my head and I took some ibuprofin and felt better, so we went to his place and packe dup more stuff and brought it over. I will be glad when we are done moving stuff! The apartment is a huge mess! I am going to be taking Cleo to Mom and Dad's tonight. He's bringing his cats, Zak and Kaylee, to the apartment. Three cats in a one bedroom is too much, so since Cleo is the one with claws and a big bag of attitude, she's going to the parents with me to keep the peace. :) I sure love that cat!

So I am back in the office today. I am a little sleepy, but it's ok. I need to rest up so I can watch the Mavs play tonight. Tomorrow we are moving the bulk of my furniture out of the apartment, so that's going to be fun. Did I say fun? I meant a giant pain in the rear. Ugh!

Have a good Tuesday! For those of you who are interested, two more days until my birthday! Yay!

Did I Say The Mavs Would Win In 5 Games? I Meant 6..or 7...

Okay, I don't know what's up with my Mavs, but I know they'll get it together! All along I said I wanted to see them win it at home, and now they can! :) But only if they stop trying to shoot from that back corner or try to shoot for 3 rather than get under the net and dunk it!! Come on, guys! You can do it!! Let's make the Heat fizzle out!!!

Not much other news, really. David is hanging out with his brother, Greg, tonight so I am having dinner with the girls. (Yay for girl's night!)

So that's it for now. I hope everyone is having a good Friday!! And please send the Mavs some good vibes on Sunday!!!

Oh! One more VERY important thing...

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

Could It Be? Am I a SPORTS FAN??

I think I am! I watched the end of the Edmonton-Carolina game last night...good stuff! That was an exciting OT goal for Edmonton! (I'd like to see them win the cup!) And tonight? Oh yeah, baby...my Mavs are gonna take on the Heat! I'm going to David's to watch the Mavs do their thing tonight. There will be grilling of dinner and major cheering on of my Mavs! :)

Had dinner with Grampa last night...he is as wonderful as always! We had a good time and we're all having dinner on Sunday to celebrate the June birthdays in the family. (Mom's birthday is tomorrow, mine is the 22nd, and Grampa's is the 23rd) Grampa has a friend that he has been enjoying doing things with. Her name is Ann, and she is in his seniors exercise class. I haven't met her yet, but she will be joining us for dinner on Sunday. I know Grampa misses my Gran, but I am so glad that he has a friend to have dinner with and to talk to. As much as we all love him, no one can survive on family alone, right? Ann is 83 and is very active with volunteer work. She and her late husband used to travel, and that's something she and Grampa have in common. Grampa has been quick to say he's not looking to get married or anything, and that's fine. I'm just glad he's 87 and has a social life!! :) I know he still misses Gran, and I think that's why I feel okay about all this: I know he's not just moving on without another thought at all. He has pictures of my Gran all over the house, and he loves to tell stories of when they traveled the world together. He still loves her very much.

So that's all I have today. It's going to be a busy weekend with getting some more of David's stuff moved and getting my stuff cleaned out/moved around. Talk about getting my exercise in!

Have a great Thursday, and GO MAVS!!

Even Though They Lost, I Still Love My Mavs!

I refuse to be a fairweather fan! It wasn't our best game, it's true, but I still love these guys! They've brought so much excitement to our city it's unreal! And I've really learned about basketball...and I like it!! I can't wait to go to a game one of these days! So about last night's gaem...if that was the best that Miami could do and they only won it in the last few seconds and by 2 points and it wasn't our best game? Yeah, we can take this. I think we're going to take it in 5 games. Hey, Shaq had to save face...right? I mean, that guy went home and worked on his free throws! You gotta give him props! (But not too many!) It's all good, though. GO MAVS!!

In other news, I found out that the one day in all of 2007 that I wanted to select for a certain date is already booked at my church! Seriously! I have to talk with David. Looks like we have to go a week earlier or later. Ugh! The one day out of 365 and it's taken!

Okay, that's really about it. Holly is back from vacation today so work will be fun again! Yay!

Have a great Wednesday! I know I will...dinner with Grampa tonight! :)

What Happens When You Are Sleep-Deprived

So the night before last I didn't sleep much due to my very noisy cat. She felt the need to sit on the floor by my bed and chat. I love her so much, but that wasn't good. Especially at 4am and various other random times throughout the night. So I was a waste of flesh yesterday. So what did I do when I got home? I took a nap. Sounds good, right? Nope. I was up late because I was rested and couldn't sleep. Ugh! I took some stuff over to my parents' house and visited with them for a bit. I got home around 11 and wandered around the apartment. I have the kitchen pretty well cleared of unnecessary junk, so I think I am pretty much done there. I need to organize the pantry, though. I put away some of the new kitchen stuff David brought over, so that's done. As I put his/our blender in the cabinet, I took a step back and thought about how this is the first time in my life I have integrated stuff with anyone. It made me happy. :) We're looking forward to what our future holds, and I say "we" because we talk about it all the time and David says he is excited about our future, too, so I am not just being all girly and putting words in his mouth. Although I acted like a silly girl last week but he is good and knows how to handle me, which makes me all the more certain that he is the one. However, I have no doubts. ;)

Tonight David and my parents are coming over for spaghetti and the Mavs game. I am looking forward to it...the Mavs are on a roll! I hope they keep it up. I wanted them to win in 5 so that they could win the championship here at home, but I read today that a game 5 would be in Miami. Can this be right? If so, let's just do it in 4 and be done with it. I can't believe how much of a basketball fan I've become. Dave and I are talking about becoming season ticketholders at some point in the future. (Clearly not right now...we're saving for other things...like feeding lots of people dinner, drinks, and cake at some random special event in 2007. Hmm...)

I got my speeding ticket taken care of yesterday. I am going to take defensive driving to dismiss the ticket. I haven't had a damn ticket in 13 years! Until now, I guess. Now it's been 17 days. :(

So that's it for today. I will go home tonight and do as Mark Cuban says..."Get Rowdy, Proud, and LOUD!!"

GO MAVS!!

Wow! My Mavs ROCK!!!

Awesome game last night! I should know...I watched the whole thing and then couldn't sleep a wink last night! Thanks to my noisy cat who wanted attention all night long! But I am so excited about my Mavs!! I'm ready to watch the game tomorrow night when the Mavs take the Heat down on their own turf! :)

It was a busy weekend working in David's apartment to get him packed. We got stuff done, but we both have a lot to do over the next couple of weeks. I'm remembering just how much moving can stink!

That's it for now. I'm tired today and I have a ton of stuff to do here at work. I hope everyone manages to make it through their Monday unscathed!

Go Mavs!

Wow! What a game last night! My Mavericks managed to pull it off, but it was uncomfortably close for a while. Everyone was looking worn down by the 4th period last night, which would explain all the missed baskets! And I didn't realize what a huge man Shaq is...good grief! He's a human wall! But I am so proud of the Mavs and I am ready for their next win here in Dallas. I would like to see them win it in 5 so that they can win here at home. But I'll be ok if they sweep it in 4!

No other big news, really. It's going to be a busy weekend getting the apartments cleaned out. David is moving in two weeks and we both have a lot to do as far as getting things moved and organized. I hate moving...thank goodness we're hiring a mover for his stuff!!

Anyhow, I hope everyone has a great Friday! Go Mavs!!

Hooray for Humpday!

Sorry for the lack of posting. I feel like I have been super busy! I got a cool surprise yesterday...found a roll of film from when I was in Paris (exactly a year ago!) so I had it developed and got a few more great Paris memories captured. I miss that place so much. I am ready to go back right now. But here's a picture of me at the Arc de Triomphe last year...

I wish I was there now. I remember being on top of the Eiffel Tower just a year ago yesterday and feeling like I had finally made it. I had always dreamed of traveling overseas, and I had done it! (I know...I'm a dork!) But it was all happy memories for me. I need to go again!!

I hope all is well with everyone. I don't have much news at all, just keeping busy. I hope everyone has a great day!

Yeah. Great Morning.

So thank goodness I got myself in gear and out the door early. I had a very low tire. So now, in addition to the radiator flush, transmission fluid flush, and $200 speeding ticket I have to take care of, I need to get a new tire. Yay! I'm so glad I'm made of money. Wait...I'm not. Damn. At least it's all minor stuff. Nothing too bad, but it all adds up, you know? I really can't complain. I like my car and it's very good to me. :) I'll just get it all taken care of asap. It's just not fun to spend money on that stuff! Grr! The good news might be that the tire could possibly just need to be patched, but I think I will just go ahead and get a whole new tire. That way I won't worry about it. It will just be done and that's it for that tire.

David had a fun day at Six Flags Over Georgia. I am envious and wish my group could do some fun teambuilding stuff, but we don't do that. We just go to work like drones, and go home. I will be glad when I finish school and have more opportunities to do something different.

So far, Kevin seems to really enjoy his new job here. Everyone likes him and he's got some great ideas on streamlining some processes. I get to work with him on some reporting stuff, so it's nice to get to do that. He's very smart and I think he's going to do very well here. :)

Had dinner with Grampa last night. We enjoyed a tasty dinner at the Olive Garden, and then watched some tv. He's doing really well, and I sure love my evenings with him!

I think that's it for today. I am going to be uber-geeky and watch the spelling bee on tv tonight. (Don't worry...I'll check the Mavericks scores when I can!) I competed in the spelling bees when I was younger, so I have a soft spot for these kids who have worked so hard to get to the finals. I didn't make it nearly that far, but I did pretty well! :)

Have a great Thursday! One more day and then it's the weekend!!

Wednesday Already!

Wow...I love short weeks! I can't believe the week is halfway over, but I'm not complaining. :)

Tonight I am having dinner with Grampa, and as always, I am looking forward to it. David is at Six Flags over Georgia today with his sales team doing their teambuilding stuff. I am envious! I hope he has a great time today! :)

I am doing the Susan Komen Race for the Cure on Saturday morning, so if you would like to donate, please click the link below. It's such a worthy cause and I am looking forward to walking. Almost all of us knows of someone who has been affected by breast cancer. Anything you can contribute will help! The link is below....

http://race.komennorthtexas.org/site/TR?pg=personal&fr_id=1000&px=1021175

Really, I have no other news. I hope everyone has a great Wednesday!

*Important fact-23 days until my birthday! It's the 5th anniversary of my 29th birthday! :)

Oops! It's Been A Bit Since I've Posted!

Sorry about that...it's been busy! Nothing really eventful to tell. Just been getting stuff done. It was a great holiday weekend! David and I spent lots of time by the pool. We had breakfast with my parents and Grampa on Saturday and spent yesterday with his family at his parents house. They have a pool and had a big cookout. I met his whole family and all his parents friends. It was a lot of people! I have a small family, so it was a little overwhelming to be around that many people, but it was fun and I had a good time. :)

Hey, did you know that the city of Carrollton lets you pay your traffic tickets online? Hey, how do I know this? Because I got a ticket Saturday afternoon going to David's. Seriously, I wasn't going any faster than the flow of traffic, but I was in the left lane and he clocked me and I was easy to get to, so I'm the one that got pulled over. As he was running my license, my cell phone rings...it's David asking if that was me on the side of the road. Yup. So I'll just do the deferred adjudication and keep it off my record. This is what I get for bragging that I hadn't been pulled over in about 11 years. I think kharma just bit me in the butt!

David is leaving for Atlanta today but he'll be back on Friday. This is more of a fun meeting/team building trip for him, so he won't be so drained when he gets back. He'll be home for the following two weeks from there, so you all know that makes me happy! :)

Everyone have a great Tuesday!!

Ugh!

I went to dinner with Joseph last night and we ate like we'd never heard about eating healthy. We went to Saltgrass. Great dinner, but I am paying for it today. My stomach is killing me! (But they have awesome pomegranite strawberry daquiries!) So I am back on track today and I have got to be very very good the rest of the week. A lapse does not equal a collapse!

Not much new here. Please send out prayers for my cousin Jen's mom. She is very very ill and in the hospital. She has cancer and it has spread very rapidly. It's not good news.

On a much lighter note, Kevin started at VHA yesterday! I saw him for about 2 minutes yesterday...they put him to work immediately! Today I get to go over some reporting stuff, as it looks like we may be working closely on a few projects. Okay by me! It's nice to have such a good friend in the office!

David and I are going to enjoy the holiday weekend by spending time in the sun. I am hoping not to burn as we bake by the pool. I have to go and buy a swimsuit. Not my favorite thing to do. Wish I looked better in a swimsuit, but that day will come. Hopefully by summer NEXT year! David's parents are doing a BBQ this weekend. They have a lovely pool, but I am having anxiety about being in a swimsuit around his family. I ams till trying to impress them, and me in a swimsuit isn't the way to do it! I'll have to find a great cover-up. :)

So that's it for now. I hope everyone has a great day!

All Is Right In My World

Ah, David made it home safely Saturday, and he's here until the 30th, so we're going to have some time to enjoy each other! He's so happy to be back home! After I picked him up, we went and had a bite to eat and then went home and crashed. He was a tired boy!

Sunday we went to see The DaVinci Code. We enjoyed it! If you go to the movie and expect entertainment, that's what you'll get. Phooey on all the critics who panned it! We enoyed it and that's all we cared about!

I went to WW on Sunday, but opted not to weigh in. I am retaining water, so it wouldn't have been an accurate weigh-in. Next Sunday, though, I will be a weigh-in champ! :)

That's about it. School and work are keeping me plenty busy. Oh, went to the Saints and Sinners CD release party Friday night...the band was great, but they didn't even play until after midnight, so I was really tired. I went with Dan and his wife and Yvonne and her boyfriend, and we were all really sleepy so we didn't stay for the whole show. I home really late and went straight to bed!

Anyhow, have a great Monday everyone!

Isn't it Friday YET??

It's been such a busy week. I'm exhausted and ready for the weekend. Work has been stressful and school is keeping me busy as well. Calgon, take me away!!

David comes back Saturday evening and I am looking forward to that! He's in Reno right now and will be there until this afternoon, and then he flies to Albuquerque for a couple days. And then home!! Yay!

I had dinner with Grampa last night and he is just wonderful. He's almost 87 and apparently quite the catch...he's getting calls from the ladies in his seniors exercise class! He has a friend that he has dinner with every Thursday night. She sounds very nice...she is 83 and does volunteer work and is very active. It's just nice for him to have a friend to do things with. I love the fact that he is leading an active social life and gets out and does things!

I think I need to plan some pampering for myself. I am going to try and get a manicure and an eyebrow waxing Saturday morning. I am overdue for some pampering! I'd really like a massage...maybe I will have to look into that.

So anyhow, that's about it for now. I have stayed within my points this week, but staying on WW has been a challenge. When I am tired or stressed it is so easy to want to pick up some fast food and be done with it, but I have been strong and stayed away from it. I just have to get some exercise in, as I haven't been able to do that this week. I will today, though!

So that's it for now. I hope everyone has a great Thursday!

Playing Catch-Up

After a fast and furious afternoon helping David get ready and off to the airport, I met up with Angela for dinner and catch-up. It was so good to see her, and we laughed and had so much fun! It's been a little while since we've had a chance to do that, and I am so glad we did! She's such a good friend and an amazing person. During summer months I always love going to her house and hanging out at her pool and just relaxing. I am looking forward to that this summer as well!

Things are going good with WW. I have done pretty well...ate at Chipotle yesterday (YUM!) but managed to do okay. Their Burrito Bowls are so tasty!! I am going to eat out with Mia for lunch today but I'll make good choices and then get a workout in after work today.

Oh, I got a new phone yesterday... I love it! I got the little pink Bluetooth headset too. I refuse to wear it everywhere, just pretty much in the car when I am driving. I think people that wear them all the time look like robots. It's also rude. It's like saying that you're too important to put your phone away and let a call go to voicemail. We're a very rude society sometimes! Anyhow, I'm planning to keep it put away unless I am actually on a call or in the car.

So that's it for now. David is in Las Vegas! I hope he wins big! (He's also there working...it's not just a vacation for him!

Have a great day everyone!

Success at the Scale!

I had my first weigh-in yesterday and I lost 3 pounds!!! I am so proud! I worked really hard last week to get in all my water, exercise, and eat carefully and it paid off! :)

David made it back around 8:45 Saturday night, and it was so good to see him! We've had a wonderful weekend, and I am leaving work early today to spend a litle extra time with him before I take him to the airport tonight. He flies to Las Vegas tonight and is there for a couple of days, then on to Reno, then to Albequerque and then...HOME! He's back next Saturday night and done with the blitz.

Other than that, no big news. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and a Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there! (Especially mine!!)

Waterlogged!

One important part of being healthy is drinking plenty of water. WW tells us to drink six 8-ounce glasses of water every day, so I bought a big WW mug that holds 32 ounces. By drinking about 1.5 of these daily, I get all my water in like I should. However, I drank almost 3 of these mugs yesterday. I don't think I have ever had to go to the restroom so much in my entire life! I'm going to lose weight with all the trips to the ladies' room! I'm telling you, I should be squeaky clean on the inside!

No other big news. I had dinner with Grampa last night, and as always it was wonderful. We went to Applebee's and I had the shrimp and steak skewers off of the WW menu. GOOD STUFF! I was very full and it tasted really good. Tonight I am having dinner with mom and dad and we are making a new WW recipe for parmigan chicken. It looks really good, so I will report back tomorrow. If it's yummy, I will post the recipe here for all to enjoy. :) The recipes I get from WW are always good, so I expect this to be a success!

I am still doing well with WW. I'm feeling good and have gotten a couple of good workouts in this week so far. I am going to work out again tonight, too. It's helpful to have a gym here at work so that I can get my workout overwith and I have my whole evening to relax.

School is still going well, too. I am having to work harder to maintain my A average, but I like the challenge. I am good with an A or B, but I really want the A's!!

David called this morning on his way to the event in Cleveland. He's ready to leave Cleveland now, which is good since he heads to Toledo this afternoon. He got a little lost heading to the mall this morning, but he made it ok. I get to hug him the day after tomorrow!! I am missing him so much. I love that he calls several times a day but it's just not the same as having him here with me. I also have to get to work on cleaning out my apartment! He will be moving into my place (as I am moving out) in June, so we need to get moving along. So much to do!!

Everyone have a good Thursday!

Hump Day! (Thank Goodness!)

I am so glad it's the middle of the week! I am ready to be on the downhill slope toward the weekend. I am eager for my weigh in on Sunday, but I am super excited that David will be home on Saturday night! :) I miss him so much!

No big news. Tonight is dinner with Grampa, and I am going to suggest Applebee's for dinner since they have the Weight Watchers menu. (It's good stuff, too!) I am having dinner with Mia and Kim Friday night. I think we're going to go to Monica's for dinner and dancing. I am planning ahead and will have a healthy dinner (you can get healthy Tex-Mex there!! They use fat free black beans and low fat cheeses!). I'm going back to my old stand-by drink of club soda with lime. Right now, I am avoiding alcohol and the calories it leaves on my body. (Except for my martini with Grampa, but I am allotting for that with my eating today.) So I am going to eat healthy and have a fun night! :)

I hope everyone is having a great day! David is in Cleveland and enjoying himself. He heads to Toledo tomorrow, and then home for a bit. I can't wait!!

1 Pound = 4 Sticks of Butter

So I cheated and got on the scale this morning and I am down a pound already! My mom and I always have fun joking about sticks of butter, because 4 sticks of butter is equal to one pound. So I have lost 4 sticks of butter!! Woo-hoo!

It's been a busy day so far, but not a bad day at all. I am looking forward to a good workout this afternoon at the gym after work. When I get home tonight I am going to have a hot bubble bath and relax and read my copy of Allure magazine that I have yet to even take the plastic off of. I love that magazine! :)

The best news of the day is that my Dad had an ECG and preliminary reports show that things look great! He had a stress test recently and they seemed to think they might detect a little damage, so I've been worried. Today is good news for my family! :) My Dad is awesome and I am glad to know that he'll be around for a while! (Yay Dad!)

So other than that, no real news. I am doing well with my WW stuff, so all is well. I am looking forward to my weigh-in on Sunday...I predict good things!!

So Far, So GREAT!

It's my first full day back on the WW plan, and I am doing so well!! I even went to lunch at a Mexican place, and had chicken fajitas (no tortillas, no cheese, and no problem!) and charro beans. I ate a few chips, but I accounted for them when I was writing it all down. I am drinking lots of water and I will eat a lite dinner...probably mixed veggies sauteed in a tsp of olive oil and maybe some balsamic vinegar. I am pretty full from lunch so a lite dinner will be just right. I am taking it easy tonight and cleaning the apartment. I haven't had much opportunity to work on cleaning things out so I want to get some of that done tonight.

David is coming home in 5 days! I can't wait!

Oh, I forgot to mention that my friend Kevin is going to start at VHA on the 23rd. I won't be working with him, but I'm glad he's getting on with the company. He has been working as a contractor for another company for a long time, so he's ready for something permanent I'm sure!

That's it for now. It's nice to get back to the original idea of this blog...to celebrate my weight loss success! :) I didn't gain all my weight back, but I don't want to say how much. I am starting from square one (which is still considerably less that last year's square one!) and will go forward from there. The day I reach my goal weight will be the day I tell you all how much I weighed when I started.

So yay for me! :) (And thanks to all my family and friends who are so very supportive of me!)

New Beginnings

I did it! I went back to my regular WW meeting today, and it felt good! I saw my buddies there and they hugged me and told me how happy they were that I was back. I felt like a superstar! I sat in the meeting today and felt like it was the right time for me to be going back. I have a very good feeling that I will be able to meet my goals this time around. I've done very well with my eating today, and I went to the store and got everything I need for this week to be a good one. So the good news is that next Sunday I know I will be reporting a loss, and I can hardly wait!!

David is doing well on the road. He's pretty tired, but at least he has a couple of days to take it easy before his next event. He gets to come home for just a couple of days next Saturday, so I am really looking forward to that! (It helps since I haven't seen his handsome face sine last Wednesday!)

I am feeling rested after just feeling worn out for the last couple of days. I am going to get my homework done, have dinner with the folks, and then head home to get a good night's sleep.

Have a good day, everyone!

Ladies' Night

Mom and I had dinner last night because I worked late and couldn't get to Grampa's at a reasonable time. (We're having brinch on Saturday morning!) Mom and I went to Blue Mesa Grill and enjoyed a very tasty dinner. We did a little bit of shopping afterwards and then went back to Mom's to just visit. We were going to do a few things around the house, but we got lazy and just vegged.

Dad comes back from his annual fishing trip with the guys today. Apparently the fishing wasn't so good, but the fun and fellowship were in abundance! (Tequila and tasty food were there in plenty, I'm sure!) Hopefully he won't be coming home with his annual sunburn, too! (Poor Dad!)

I talked to David for a while last night. I am missing him already! It turns out that he will be coming home for a couple of days next weekend, which works out fine. Kim and I are talking about a girl's night that Friday (the 12th), so it works out perfectly! I know he'll be tired so no big fancy dinner planned, just picking him up and getting him home to rest! He won't be home for long, just two days but I am sure it will be nice for him to see his own home for a short time. Then he will only have to be gone for a week and then he comes home for a week. But then he has to go to Atlanta for another week, but I will take what I can get! :)

We're going to Corpus Christi/South Padre for my birthday weekend this year! I have never been down there and am looking forward to it! (Been to Paris and London, never been to Corpus Christi?) And then we have our San Francisco trip in July, so we have lots to look forward to.

School is tougher this semester, but I am liking the challenge. After my straight A's, I am challenging myself to keep it up this time, too. I can do this!

I am still geared up for WW on Sunday. Angela, if you're going, I may need a little hand-holding!!

Everyone have a good Thursday!

A Step In The Right Direction

I am so proud of me! David and I walked for almost an hour last night and it felt good! I was more out of shape than I realized, which was pretty frustrating, but I am going to fix that! I burned over 300 calories (according to my heart rate monitor!) so we did well!

I took David to the airport this morning. He's already in Omaha now and he won't be home until May 20th. :( I am missing him already, but I have plenty to keep me busy with schoolwork and all! Besides, I need to get back to the business of cleaning things out since we are going to move his stuff into the apartment by the end of June! I know you all think I am a sill girl for moving home, but I am just old fashioned enough that I want to be married before we officially live together. That's just me.

I am still getting geared up for WW on Sunday. I am going to think positive and have a successful go of it. This time is it! David and I talked about it and he is so proud of my commitment and says he will do anything to support my efforts. It's nice to have that kind of support. :)

That's it for today. I am working late since I took Daivd to the airport, so I am out of here at 5:15 and will head home and then on to Mom's for dinner. Dad is on his annual fishing trip with the guys, so it's just me and Mom tonight.

Have a good Wednesday everyone!

At That Point

When I started WW last year I had hit a very emotional point and was mentally ready to commit myself to the weight loss. I hit that point again yesterday. I've been waiting for that emotional moment and I found it. I know it sounds silly to anyone who hasn't had to deal with weight loss, but it's an important moment for me. I sat down and made two lists. One list is seven things I will do every day and why they are important, and the other is a list of 25 reasons why I want to lose weight. I won't share them here because they are very personal, but my friends, I think I am ready. I'm going to go back on Sunday to my meeting where all my WW buddies are. They used to tell me I inspired them, and now I need them to inspire me. It's hard to go back because I feel like I failed, but I am trying not to focus on that. I am trying to focus on being ready to dive in completely. It's a little scary because I want to succeed, but I need to realize that I will. I just have to stay with it.

So unlike all my half-hearted efforts since last November, this time I am going to make it happen. I'm ready and determined and that will carry me a long way.

I'll need your good thoughts and support, so please feel free to leave encouraging messages. I will report in on Sunday about my meeting, but there won't be a weight loss to post until the following Sunday.

Wish me luck!

He's Home! (For A Few Days)

Saturday was a busy day. Joseph came over and helped me make the Coq au Vin for my dinner with David. (Joseph, you are such a blessing!) It turned out so good!! David was exhausted when he got home...we ate and then he went to bed around 9:30. Poor guy! All this travel is taking a toll on him, and I worry about the next round of travel. He is leaving Wednesday for almost three weeks. I will miss him terribly, but it will be much worse for him not seeing home for so long and getting to spend time in his own space. I wouldn't be able to do it. When he comes home I know he will need a few days to himself to regroup and relax and sleep.

We saw United 93 this weekend. It was well done, but very hard to watch. I cried through several parts of it, and noticed that I was shaking. It's hard to relive that part of our history. But it's good to remember those who lost their lives...both on 9/11 and in the Oklahoma City bombing. David visited the memorial when he was there last week and it was very moving for him.

I got my final grade for my other class...I have a 3.83 GPA! Yay!! Straight A's, my friends!! I am so proud of myself! I worked hard for that and it paid off. My next two classes are more difficult but more interesting. (I do well with a challenge!)

That's all my news today. Poor Christy is still sick, but she thinks she might muster the energy for soup at LaMadeline's, so I am crossing my fingers. I haven't seen her in over a week and I am missing her.

Angela stopped by for a little bit Friday night. It was SO good to see her! She's a good friend and I need to better organize my time so that we can see each other more often. Summer is coming and I always love the quiet time she and I spend hanging out in her backyard by the pool!! Angela, thanks for being such a good friend. I love you dearly!

That's all my news for now. Everyone have a good Monday!

Friday, Baby!!

TGIF! It's been a really busy week with work, so I am glad the weekend is here. And I am extra glad because David comes home tomorrow and I am making a special dinner for him. If this recalls any memories of my chicken debacle last November, I have three words for you: Don't go there! This dinner is going to be so good I am not even going to make a backup dinner! I found a recipe for Coq au Vin (Chicken in Red Wine) off of the Food Network tv show "How To Boil Water". It looks like an easy recipe, and I am making a salad to go with it. I anticipate good things! Also, I am making it before I pick him up from the airport so if it sucks, we're ordering in and he won't have to be subjected to it. But it's going to be awesome so no worries!!

It's payday, too, so that helps make it a good day! Christy was going to cut my hair tonight but she isn't feeling well at all, so she is staying home and recovering. I am going to spend the evening cleaning and making everything look nice for when David gets in tomorrow. I have been sorting through things and getting rid of stuff and I have garbage bags and throw-away piles all over the apartment. It's a mess! So I am going to do a super cleaning on the casa tonight so that I don't have to do it tomorrow. I am going to go grocery shopping tomorrow and run a few errands, and then cook and get ready for the love of my life to come home. :) His flight arrives around 6pm, so I have plenty of time. I know me...I will be ready early, go to Starbucks for my Passion Tea/Lemonade and head to the airport. It seems to be my little tradition for when I am picking him up. I do that every time. :) If you haven't tried that at Starbucks, it's very yummy and refreshing. A nice change from my usual "grande non-fat sugar-free vanilla latte". (If it's late I also throw in the "decaf" as well. I'm a pain the tushie!)

Anyhow, that's it for today. I'm outta here in 3.5 hours and then it's countdown to David time!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Considerably More Cheerful Today!

It's amazing what a good night's sleep can do for you!

I ended up cancelling dinner with Grampa because I felt so lousy. I suggested dinner tonight but he already has plans! (I love it!) He goes to an exercise class three days a week (He's almost 87, mind you!) and has lots of friends there and he goes to lunch or dinner with some of them. So he and I will have dinner next week at our usual time. It makes me so happy that he has a social life!

Tonight I am having dinner with Mom and Dad. I am looking forward to an uneventful evening!

So that's it for today. Nothing too exciting. Send David good thoughts...he's driving to Tulsa tonight!

Stirring the Pot

I don't generally think of myself as being controversial, but I have managed to stir up some trouble in my new class. In my Critical Thinking class I made the following post in response to the assigned question of "Describe a situation you are familiar with in which people based their actions or opinions on false information. How would the situation have changed if the facts were researched and presented more carefully? "

Here was my post:

The first situation that comes to mind when I think of people acting on incorrect information is the president making decisions to go to war in Iraq with the understanding that Iraq had been producing weapons of mass destruction. He was acting on information given to him by the Secretary of State, Colin Powell, which turned out to be false information (as admitted by Mr. Powell himself later on). Although it is purely speculation, the American public is left to wonder if the actions taken by the president would have been the same if the correct intelligence had been presented to him to begin with. I don't know that the course of action would have changed greatly had the president been different information, as it seems he was eager to send U.S. troops over to Iraq, but it is possible that he might have given the situation more time and been more willing to work with the United Nations and not sent troops to Iraq so quickly, which could potentially have resulted in a more peaceful solution with Iraq.

So let's think about why I posted this. I chose this because it was the first example of someone acting on false information that came to mind. And who said the information was false? Colin Powell. Not me. However, I have some classmates who wanted to remind me that I sleep safely every night because of our soldiers and that I need to be grateful.

Where in there did I say I wasn't grateful to our soldiers? I love them all and am proud of our troops! I answered a discussion question and now I am getting hammered. I knew it was a touchy subject, but I thought it was a good example. I really don't know how it would have changed if he had different information. I can't even really venture a guess. All I know is that I answered a discussion question for class. Sheesh! There are uptight lefties and righties in my class. I was gracious and responded to my harsh critics by saying how neat it was that we had the opportunity for an open forum, and that I appreciated their thoughts on the discussion question. Anyone that knows me knows that I would never disrespect our soldiers. UGH!!!

Maybe I am cranky today because I am cramping and feeling rather blah. David must be happy to be out of town!! So really I don't have much news. If I don't start to feel better I may call Grampa and reschedule our dinner. I don't want to take my attitude out to dinner with us tonight. Hopefully it will pass, though!

Oh, I have one of my official grades back, and I got an A in my IT class. Now I am waiting for my grade from my persuasive writing class. Maybe I should write a persuasive essay on getting my grades back faster!!

Okay, that's it. I am logging off until I am my happy funny self again! Damn cramps!

Twister!

So David has had an exciting stay in OKC with all the tornados. He wasn't in the line of fire, but he could step outside and watch the twisters as they tore through town. I was a nervous wreck worrying about him, but he is totally fine and in the clear, now. It was scary to think of him in the middle of all that!

Yesterday at work was so busy I was absolutely worn out by the time I left. I came home with the intention of working out, but instead I ate dinner and then began cleaning things out. It's different when you think about getting rid of stuff because you will at some point be combining stuff with someone else. But it's a happy feeling and I liked doing it.

Tonight Mom and I are running errands. I am delivering some Avon goodies to Jen and Mom has some stuff to return to another store, so we're going to be a little busy and I won't really get to do more cleaning out tonight. Joseph and Dima may be coming over on Friday to help me for a little bit, and then we will go have a drink and play a little bit of pool. (All work and no play, etc)

David comes home on Saturday and I am going to make dinner. Yes, I know the last time I tried to do this I made a big disaster (undercooked chicken, etc), but I am trying again. I am making Coq au Vin and a salad. We saw it on the Food Network Sunday and I thought it looked easy and very tasty. If it's awful I will know beforehand because I am going to make it and then pick David up, so worst case scenario is that it will be awful and he will never know and we will just order pizza. :)

So that's it for me. Nothing earth shattering. Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

The Next Phase of My Life

I had a wonderful weekend! I spent it all with David and although we didn't do a whole lot, it was wonderful. Friday night we went to Fish City Grill and had dinner-YUM! We did some window shopping and had a lovely evening. We also talked a lot about our future together, and we both agree on how we see our lives together going. I haven't outlined a lot of our discussions here because some things should stay between us, but we are definitely planning our future. His lease is up at the end of July, and he is going to move into my apartment then. I am moving back home because I am still old fashioned about some things. I want to wait until I am married to officially combine residences, and thankfully, David understands and loves me for that. So this will save us both a very large sum of money each month and I can pay off my credit cards and save up for a special event that will be happening next year. (Nope. Not sharing any details until we have made things official, so don't ask!!) We have talked in detail about our finances and how to wipe out our debt, which isn't much for two people really! We want to work together and save money like crazy so that we have the means to enjoy our lives and not be under any debt if we don't have to be.

I need to give a shout out to Stephanie who is getting married on Saturday in a private ceremony with her family by her side. She is excited and happy, and her husband-to-be sounds wonderful. (He is a farmer, which is perfect given Steph's love of animals!) So Best wishes to Stephanie!!

I hope everyone has a great day! Please send David good thoughts. He has to go to OKC today, and they are predicting some scary weather, and his anxiety is a little high. Be safe, David!!

Hooray for Friday!

It started out as a long week, but it ended up just flying by! I had dinner with Christy last night and we had a blast. It has been tough with our crazy schedules, but I was glad we made the time to catch up. We had dinner at Lava Grill, and had some very tasty sushi! :) She and Rich are looking at buying a house. Wow...my friends are all grown up! Buying houses, getting married, having babies, earning Masters Degrees...I can't believe I am old enough that these are the things we're all doing these days! (I'm going to be 34 in two months! Holy cow!)

I was bummed to find that I don't have the week off in between classes like I thought I did. I don't know where I got that, but you can imagine my disappointment. But I'll keep plugging away and working on school. If it gets to be too much I can always take a semester off, but I think I would really like to get this done ASAP. I am still headed towards straight "A"s in both of my classes, so that's a good thing. :) I should have my associates degree finished by July of 2007. I may take a little time off between that and starting the downhill run to my bachelor's degree. (There may be a lot going on in the fall of 2007...)

And in other news, David comes home today! I get to see him this weekend and then I won't see him for a couple of weeks. I am going to have to get the address of his hotels so I can be silly and send him cards wherever he is. Or I could plan ahead and pack a bunch of cards in his suitcase. Who knows what I will do! But I want to do something fun for him. It's hard for him to be on the road like that I would imagine.

I am hoping we have a chance to get to the Main Street Arts Festival this weekend. I like going to that. Kevin and I went last year and meandered around for a while. It was kind of late and most of the vendors were packing up, so there wasn't too much to see but there was a lot of food and music, so that's always fun. We're going to see Robin Hackett Saturday night. She's a favorite of mine...she plays great music and I have seen her many times. She probably thinks that Kevin and I are stalkers, but her music is so good I just can't miss an opportunity to hear her. I think she is on the cusp of her big break and I am hoping that if this is the case that she doesn't forget her fan base here!

That's about it for now. Oh yeah-please send Kevin good thoughts at 9am this morning. He has an interview here and I am really hoping it goes well. Mia and Kevin and I are having lunch afterwards, so I am sure he can give us the good news that it went well. He is perfect for this position and it really is his time for something good to come along job-wise.

Have a wonderful Friday everyone!

This Time, I Swear!

I know you all must be sick and tired of hearing about me joining and rejoining Weight Watchers. I have been struggling with joining (again) and looking for some sort of sign that I am ready to really commit to it again. I got it when I opened my mail yesterday. I got a coupon for free registration for me and a friend, and then I got my WW magazine. So I am taking it as a sign and rejoining tonight. There is a 6:15pm meeting that Mom and I are going to attend, and I am going to do this. I have had to pack away some of the clothes I was so excited that I got into last year, so I am going to get back into them soon. So I am seriously going to do this. I am just going to start from square one and get on track beginning right now.

So next Thursday you can expect a weigh in report. I haven't been very good about it since last September, but I am going to be really good about it now!

In other news, I overslept because the storms knocked out my power in the middle of the night. We had a lot of thunder and lightening, a little rain, and no power. I think I need to start setting the alarm on my phone as a backup!

David comes home tomorrow from Houston, and then after this weekend I am not sure when I will see him again. He'll be on the road doing his store events for a few weeks and I am sure going to miss him! So aside from going to see one of my favorite local artists this weekend, we will probably be spending the weekend together since I won't see him for a couple of weeks. The upside to this is that I will be losing weight and when he comes back I will be smaller! :)

Big shout-out to Kim who has gotten a new job offer! Now that she has her Masters Degree she is off and running! Congrats, Kim!

And one other big piece of news...as we speak, Jessica is being induced so she and Joe should have their new baby today! And I know she is VERY ready! I can't wait to hear the good news and see ths pictures!

Everyone have a great day! :)

(And David, if you read this...I love you!)

The Home Stretch

I am in the last week of my first semester of school, and I still have As in both my classes! Looks like it's a success! I am so proud of myself. I've worked hard for this and it's paying off. I think the online learning thing is just the way for me to go. :)

David is off to Houston today and he'll be back on Friday. I will sure miss him while he's gone, but I have lots to finish with the last week of school, so by the time he comes home I will be ready to kick back and relax! After this weekend I won't see him but just a couple of days over the following four weeks. He has a lot of travel and won't be home but just one or two days throughout May. That's going to be tough! I am going to miss that man! But it's all in the name of shoes, and I guess I have to let Born have him for a few weeks since I got 6 new pairs of shoes!

Easter was nice. We went to church with Mom and Dad then the four of us grabbed a nice lunch at PF Changs and then David and I dashed off to his side of town for dinner with his family. They are all so very nice to me! I was a little nervous because I want them to really like me. After all, I plan to be around for a long time!

We went to the Ft Worth Zoo Friday afternoon and it was a blast! I hadn't been out there for years and it was so much fun to go together. A lovely way to spend a couple of hours together.

That's about it for me. No big news. I hope everyone had a lovely Easter. And to my Jewish friends, I hope Passover was nice, too!

Everyone have a good Tuesday!

Good Friday

It's a good Friday for many reasons! (Most important being the religious observance of the crucifixion, as I am a Christian)

Other reasons it's a good day? I get off work at 11am, I got my paycheck AND my bonus, and David and I are going to the zoo this afternoon after I get off work! So it's a great day for me!

My seminar yesterday was good. The best part was when I got home and ran into the UPS driver who was delivering my SIX PAIRS OF SHOES! Let me tell you how cool it is to sit in the living room and try on shoes! One pair was so cute but it just didn't look good on my foot so I am shipping it back to exchange it for a really cool pair of red clogs. But everything else is AWESOME! I am so lucky! I really do think that Born shoes are the best. I thought that even before David was working there. :)

So that's about it for me today. I'm off work in 3 hours!

Everyone have a wonderful Easter Sunday!!

Wednesday Wonderfulness

I am so glad it's one day closer to Friday! Friday is the day we get our bonuses, so I am VERY excited about that! The other great thing about today? I have dinner with Grampa tonight. As always, I am looking forward to it.

I got to see David last night. He went to visit his sister who lives close to me, and then he came on over and took me to dinner. What a nice surprise!

School is still going really well. I think this is the first time I have ever felt like a star student! (Straight As in college! Go me!)

Tomorrow is going to be a busy day. I have a seminar all day so I get to be out of the office, I have an eye doctor appointment after that, and when I get home I will have 6 new pair of Born shoes waiting for me!! I can hardly wait!

So it will be a great day!

Monday Again

It gets hard to come back to work after a good weekend, doesn't it? I had a nice one. I had dinner with mom and dad Friday night. Saturday Mom and I went to go visit my Gran's grave. We cleaned up the headstone and pulled a few weeds around the area. I miss her terribly!

Saturday night I spent watching Sopranos DVDs with David. We made homemade burgers-YUM! And Sunday we went to Scarborough Faire. We had so much fun, but I am VERY sunburned! Ouchie!

So that's it in a nutshell. I am feeling tired and my face, chest, and arms hurt from my day in the sun so I am keeping this short.

Have a good Monday!

Just when I thought my life was good...

It gets better!!! David got his shoe cards last night, so he let me order a whole bunch of shoes!! :) So now I am waiting for my 6 new pairs of shoes to arrive!!! I am so excited! I got some super cute shoes! FREE!!! David likes to remind me that when we first met I told him he needed to work for Born. And now he does!!! You know, even without the perk of new shoes he is the most amazing man ever...the shoes are the icing on the very perfect cake!

No real news today. David is driving to Tyler to do a store event out there and he has an event at a local mall tomorrow, so I am going to have dinner with my parents tonight. David gave me cards for them to each get two pair of shoes...isn't that incredibly thoughtful? He's wonderful! I really feel lucky because not only do my parents like him but he really likes my parents, too. It's such a perfect situation! :)

Oh...everyone send my good friend Kevin some great vibes...he's got a phone interview with my company on Monday for a position he would seriously be perfect for, so please say a prayer for him!!

That's it for today...TGIF!

Have a great weekend everyone!

New Shoes

I forgot to post pics of my awesome Born shoes!!!

And...

Thank you for the new shoes, David!!! :)

Everyone Needs A Little Break

Sorry I haven't posted...just taking a little blog break. It's been busy with work and school, so I just took a little time off from something that I wasn't trying to get a grade for!

Nothing to report here. It was a good weekend. David and I had our six month celebration on Sunday and we went to Pappadeaux and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! We ate very well and were pretty stuffed the rest of the day. We are planning to go to Scarborough Faire next weekend and I am looking forward to it. I haven't been in forever and I really enjoy it!

I got my two new pair of shoes, and I am loving them! Born rocks! (Thanks, Dave!!) They arrived on Friday and I was super excited to wear them to pick up David at the airport. :)

That's about it for today. Have a good Wednesday!

Payday, Friday, DaveDay!

It's three great things rolled into one day! It's payday, it Friday, and David comes home today! Yay! Boo that I have to spend a chunk of my weekend writing my paper, though. It's the rough draft, but still...not fun!

So I did it. I rejoined WW last night! The damage was pretty much what I expected, but even though I am not starting at square one, I am going wipe the slate clean and start as if it was all new. I didn't much care for the leader...she wasn't very friendly. I need someone who has more of a warm fuzzy personality. So I will try a meeting at a different location next week and see how it goes. I used to have a leader named Sally who was the most amazing person. Right about the time I lost my Gran, her husband was diagnosed with a form of cancer and she had to stop being a WW leader. I haven't been able to find someone as wonderful as her since then. You don't realize just how important a nurturing leader really is. But I am planning to have a great week and I'll report in next week how well my first week goes. After all, I am working to get 25 pounds off by the time David and I go to San Francisco.

Speaking of vacations, 2/3 of my vacations with David have fizzled. Las Vegas got cancelled because his travel schedule got moved around, and NY got cancelled because he won't be going to that meeting. So we decided that we'll spend more time in SF and enjoy the vacation. I think this is better for us because the SF trip is one where he won't have to be working part of the time. So this will give us time to relax and enjoy each other. I can't wait!

So it's going to be a good day. I hope everyone else has a great Friday, too!

Quick Update

Thanks again to all of you! Joseph's good news is that his job is safe. Sadly though, 80 of his co-workers' jobs are not. The company he works for is moving production jobs to Mexico, but administrative jobs are safe. So thanks to those of you who sent good thoughts his way...it worked!!

Rally the Troops!

If you haven't noticed, I am all about my friends and family. When someone I care about is in trouble, you all know that I appeal to each of you to send good toughts or prayers. (I hope you know that I do the same for you, too!!)

So I am asking you again to send good thoughts to a friend. Joseph called me this morning to say that there is something big shaking down at his job and he is afraid he may get laid off. He may not, but this guy needs a break! He was a victim of all the WorldCom stuff (he lost his entire savings, not to mention his job!), and has had crummy luck with jobs ever since. He likes this job and it was good for him to have something stable that he could depend upon. So now I am asking that you take just a few minutes and send him good vibes. He's a good friend and I don't want to see him have to go through this again.

So on to me. I absolutely exhausted myself yesterday. It was a long, mentally draining day at work, and then I went to Grampa's for dinner. Then I went to Mom and Dad's to do homework (I am sponging off their DSL connection), and finally got home around 10-10:30. I felt terrible when David called...I wasn't good conversation. He'd had a pretty good day and had lots of news to share, but I was so tired I wasn't able to focus very clearly on what he was saying. I had to end the call and get myself to bed. I was so tired that after I got into bed I got a little tearful...for no reason other than just being so drained! I realized on my way to work I have been forgetting to take my vitamins, so I need to make sure I take one as soon as I get home tonight. I think that will help a lot. I need to be as energetic as possible, as I have got to get the rough draft of my paper finished since I have to turn it in on Sunday. I have a full sentence outline completed, but I need to fill it in and get a few more sources. So much to do! But the nice thing is that David comes home tomorrow, and I couldn't be happier! I have missed him so much! But it's always nice when he comes back. When I fed Angela's dogs last weekend, she and her husband were so sweet and gave me a gift card to the Pappas chain of restaurants, so David and I will put it toward a nice dinner to celebrate our six months together.

Hey, I get my two new pairs of shoes tomorrow! Yay! Will show them off here as soon as I get them!

One more thing...I am going to Weight Watchers tonight, so I am going to get back into full swing with my weight loss. Enough of the gaining and maintaing...I am going to have 25 pounds off by June 22!! So this is a good thing and I am ready to get to it!

Everyone have a great Thursday!!

Middle of the Week!

I am so glad it's Wednesday! It's dinner with Grampa tonight, and I am looking forward to it as always! I really can't stay too long because I do have a lot of homework to get done. My rough draft is due on my paper Sunday, and I need to get that done.

David is in Atlanta today and tomorrow. He is meeting up with a couple of colleagues, and they will be taken to dinner by one of their managers, so David will get to have a nice dinner out tonight, and I am happy for him. It will be nice for him to have dinner with people he knows! Sometimes I worry that he might get lonely out there by himself. (But he's a big boy and has done this many times, so I should worry about him...but I love him and just can't help it!)

I got to see Joseph and Dima last night. It was nice to see them for a bit. We've got to get together on the weekend when we have more time!

So that's all my news for now. I hope everyone has a good Wednesday!

One Day Closer to Friday

Not that it's a bad week, but I am counting down the days until David comes home! :) He is in Georgia right now and will be driving to Atlanta tonight. He is doing so well with Born, and I am so proud of how hard he works. He has such a strong work ethic, and I hope Born recognizes what kind of talent they have! (Oh, I got to order two pair of shoes and I get them this week! I can't wait!!)

Generally speaking, things are going well. I am looking forward to getting to see Joseph tonight. I feel like we haven't gotten to sit and talk in forever, so it will be nice to see him. Things seem to be going well with him and that makes me very happy. I am slowly getting the chance to get caught up with friends. We have all been so busy that it has taken a while. One of the best bits of news I have is Christy and Rich's official wedding date! October 28th of this year, and Christy has asked me to be her Maid of Honor...what a great honor for me! I am so flattered, and I am looking forward to making it a wonderful experience for her. I want to start thinking about her bridal shower now so that it goes off without a hitch! I love weddings so much, and there are so many wonderful things to look forward to as we plan her very special day. She has several bridesmaids, so we can all work together to ensure everything is perfect! :)

In other news, I am still down 1.8 pounds! Kim, I saw on your blog that you gained a pound, but I am positive that it's muscle so don't be down about it!! I had decided to make losing 1-2 pounds my goal for the week, but I didn't actually weigh myself until last Wednesday so I will weigh in officially tomorrow morning and post the results. I am retaining some water, so hopefully that won't be an issue in the morning, but we shall see! Mom and I have decided to re-join WW (again!) but are trying out a Thursday night meeting this week. Sundays are just difficult days for me, and I think she and I are both ready to re-commit to WW. I want to have 25 pounds off by my birthday, and I can do it but it will take some real dedication. I think I'm ready! I'll let you know how it goes.

David and I celebrate our 6 month anniversary on Sunday! Now, I don't have to celebrate every month, but I think 6 months is special! Actually, more than celebrating the amount of time together, I just want to celebrate how happy I am with David. He is so special, and he makes me feel very special. I was talking to my cousin Jennifer last night, and she told me that even though she hasn't met David yet, she already knows he's the one for me just by hearing how I talk about him. I thank God every day for helping us find each other! :)

So I am having a good day, as you can probably tell. Nothing in particular, just feeling happy. I hope everyone has a wonderful day!

One more thing...thanks to everyone who helped me to remember my friend Karen by either reading about her a few posts below, or by doing something good for someone else. She had a very big heart for animals, and so I am going to donate some time and money to a local animal shelter in remembrance of her.

Have a great day everyone!

3 Day Weekend = LONG Monday!

I took Friday off to relax, and I certainly did just that! I lounged, got schoolwork done, and just enjoyed my day! David came over that evening and my parents took us to dinner and a movie. We saw Failure to Launch, which I thought was VERY funny! After that, we took care of Angela's doggies and then headed back to my place. We headed back to David's side of town on Saturday so he could get some work done and get packed for his trip. After getting his stuff done, we made dinner and watched Capote. It was a really intense movie, but David fell asleep and missed about 2/3 of it. (It's usually me that does that!) Sunday the poor boy had to work some more, and then we went to visit his parents for a bit. Then we went to the store and came back and made dinner and watched all our favorite Sunday night shows.

David called me this morning from the airport to tell me that he comes back Friday night instead of Saturday, so I am one happy girl!! :) It will probably be kind of late, but I don't mind one bit!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

A Special Tribute

Back in September of 2004, I lost a very special friend. Her name is Karen, and she was probably one of the kindest, most loving people I have even known. She was the kind of person who would go out of her way to cheer you up. When I met her, she was working as a social worker for CIGNA Behavioral Health. We worked together for several years and became very good friends. Even after I moved to Seattle we remained close, and when I came home to visit she took me to see the Dave Matthews Band as a belated birthday gift...this is on the day after her honeymoon, mind you! Her husband, Rabbi Jeffrey Leynor, was truly the love of her life. They got married in 2001, and she passed away in 2004. They had a very special three years together, and I learned a lot about what real love is like through them.

The Dallas Morning News did an interview with Jeffrey just this week. It's a neat story, so if you have time, please visit http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/fea/healthyliving2/stories/DN-NH_leynor_0321liv.ART.State.Edition1.3e5ff38.html to read the story.

One other really cool thing...her synagogue now has an annual Karen Leynor Mitzvah Day. It's a day where the entire congregation goes into the community do to good deeds, like volunteer work in nursing homes, cleaning parks, etc. If you have time on Sunday, the Second Annual Karen Leynor Mitzvah Day, I would ask you to do something good for someone else. Whether it's as simple as hugging someone you love or going out to do something in your community, remember that what we do goes far beyond what we can imagine. The things we do in the name of kindness are the things that people will remember about us. I just hope when my life is over that people see me as half the person that Karen was. She was an amazing woman who brought love and happiness into every life she touched.

I miss her a lot.

Warning: I May Be A Little Grumpy

I am feeling blah today. Mix slightly hormonal with irritation with a co-worker, and this is what you get. But overall, things are good...I really shouldn't be blah at all! I think it's more the hormones.

Dinner with Grampa was wonderful, as usual! We had a great time and we joke and laugh a lot. He's just wonderful. :) Afterwards I stopped by Mom and Dad's for a few minutes to visit, and then headed home. I got to talk to David for a little bit, but he was just as tired as I was so we kept it short. He comes back from Houston tonight. He's got a lot to do because his big travel blitz begins next week. He'll leave for...um, I can't remember. But he should be leaving Monday evening and won't be back until the following Saturday evening. He'll have to leave out again after just a day or two at home, and I can't remember where he goes after that. Bottom line is that he's got a LOT of travel over the next few weeks, so I may need to be babysat by my gals! I miss him when he's gone, but I love getting excited about him coming back. The travel hasn't been a bad thing for us. Anyone who knows me knows how independent I am, so I do ok. Not that I don't miss him terribly, but it's fun to welcome him home. (I also think I really appreciate our time together more!)

So tonight is haircut night!! Christy and I will be dining at Jason's Deli and then heading back to my place to cut some hair! YAY!!! I can't wait!

I hope everyone has a good rest of the day!

Date Night with Grampa

Tonight is my night to have dinner with my Grampa. I am looking forward to my martini and just getting to visit and laugh. I feel really lucky to have developed such a close relationship with him. :)

I didn't get my hair cut last night because Christy had a last minute late appointment that she had to take, so we're going to cut my hair on Thursday. I can't wait! It needs some serious help!

David left this morning for Houston and spent the better part of his morning sitting in traffic, so he called to brag about stopping to have breakfast at Cafe Brazil. That place is just divine! He's going to be enjoying fruit pancrepes and fresh coffee. I am very envious. I am having a banana. Woo-hoo! However my breakfast is much healthier, so I can be proud of that!

Other than that, no big news. My company is providing lunch for us today, so that's a nice treat.

I hope everyone has a great Wednesday!

Hair Nirvana

This will be a good day! How do I know? Because Christy is cutting my hair tonight! Folks, this girl knows hair, and I am so lucky that she comes and cuts/colors mine for free! (This is what happens when your best friend is a super awesome hairstylist!) Besides the haircut, we are dining at Souper Salad tonight, and that is good news all on it's own! :)

Aside from that, I don't have much news. I was going to try and get together with Angela last night but I had to get homework done, so everything else came first. She and I are going to shoot for Monday most likely. I haven't seen her in ages!

School is still going very well..."A"s in both classes! (Go me!) I have been good about working out, but I need to be better about my munchies. But i'm getting there! Slowly but surely!

So that's about it right now. My job is still not making me very happy, but I am keeping my eye on our internal postings for something else. It may take a little while, but I'll find the job that makes me happy!

I hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

Rainy Weekend

Wow! Did we ever get the rain here! But at least it didn't flood in my neck of the woods...Dallas really got hammered! It may take a little time for our area to dry out, though. However, it didn't stop me from having a good weekend!

Mia and Christy and I had a great dinner Friday night! Martinis and yummy food...it makes for a lovely night! afterwards I went to mom and dad's to say hello and get some homework done. Saturday David came over and we went to lunch and to see "V for Vendetta", which is a very interesting and thought provoking film. Lots of political commentary there. I liked it a lot.

David and I went bowling Saturday night and had a blast! I did pretty well, but he won both times. That's ok...I'll beat him next time!!

Sunday was wonderfully lazy...went to IHOP for breakfast, watched some season 1 Sopranos, napped, went to dinner, and then watched our usual Sunday night lineup of TV shows.

It was a nice weekend! David is traveling this week, so I will doing lots of homework and working out. I have a goal to lose 2 pounds this week. Definitely do-able!

Have a good Monday everyone!

TGIF?

Normally I am beside myself with happiness that it's Friday. Not today. We had a change in software today at work, and the way it's set up totally changes not just my workflow, but there are changes in reporting as well. I won't bore you with the details, but I will just say that I am not happy with this at all. It's nice how nobody in a management position consults with the people who will actually be using the software to see how things will be affected. I sat in a meeting yesterday for training and I literally picked it apart and no one in charge had any solutions. I got a few blank looks and a few "Oh, we didn't think of that." So here I am feeling very unhappy with my job this morning. I don't see much hope for immediate change, so I am keeping my ear to the ground for other things within the company. Things don't come up very often. As of today I have been here four years, so I want to stay with the company as I am almost 100% vested.

Enough of that. There are good things happening today.

Kim has a new family member! Her cousin(?) gave birth yesterday to a healthy baby girl!

I am having dinner with the girlies tonight and I am very happy about that!

David is coming over tomorrow and we are going to dinner and go bowling! :)

I am still doing really well in school.

So see? Lots of happiness. Just very stressed about my job today. My head hurts.

Ugh!

Happy Friday everyone!

One of the Best Dinner Dates

I had dinner with Grampa last night and we had a great time! We always start with one of his martinis when I get there. (He calls them a mood adjuster!) Then we head out to dinner. Last night we went to the Olive Garden. We each had a glass of wine, and then Grampa had another one on top of that. He joked that it was a good thing I was driving! We laughed and talked all evening and I finally headed back home around 8pm. I love having dinner with him!

I stopped at Mom and Dad's after that and visited and did some homework. Then I went and put gas in my car, which physically pains me. What in the heck is going on with the gas prices?? $2.47 for a gallon of gas? We really need better public transportation around here. Ugh!

So after putting gas in the car, I stopped for milk for my cereal and headed home. I went right to bed and had a tough time waking up this morning. Tonight I am going to work out after work and then go grocery shopping. I need to clean the apartment since I haven't done that yet. I keep saying I am going to do it, but I haven't had the time. Tomorrow night I am dining with the ladies and then it's off to do the rest of my homework for the weekend so that I don't have to do any on Sunday. (I don't like my time with David to be interrupted with homework!)

So have a good Thursday everyone!

Payday...Thank Goodness!

It's been a little snug lately so I am happy to report that payday has arrived! :) Tonight I am having dinner with Grampa, and then after that I am going to do homework. I have a fair amount to do tonight and I didn't have a chance to do any of it at lunch today like I normally would have. Bummer! I was really wanting to work out after dinner with Grampa, but I can't fit all of that in and still get any sleep. I am forgoing the workout for the homework. Probably a good choice. :)

So we're having a March Madness thing going on here at the office. I am ashamed that I know nothing about all this stuff. I like watching basketball, I just don't have a clue about picking teams and all that. My group is betting that North Carolina will win. Sounds good. I can go with that. But they could tell me that the Desperate Housewives will win, and I would just say that I didn't know they had formed their own team. David must be very ashamed that I know so little about sports!

I don't have much news to report. I go a free cup of coffee at Starbucks this morning and that was a nice treat! I didn't know they were doing that outside of the 10-12 time frame, so that was a nice surprise. (I like free stuff!) I also got a tuna salad sandwich for my lunch while I was there. So I had a very "Starbucky" day. :) (If you haven't had one of their sandwiches, they're really good!)

I am ready to call it a day here. It's been a long afternoon and I still have another 44 minutes to go. We're doing some system upgrades and it's going to mean lots of changes, so I get to spend a good chunk of time in training tomorrow. I will really have to pump myself full of coffee for that!

Have a good afternoon everyone!

The Best Lunch Ever!

I got a wonderful surprise today! David came and took me out to lunch! We went to Potbelly Sandwiches (which is good stuff, but the way!) and had sandwiches and shared a vanilla malt. It was a wonderful surprise to get to share lunch with him! He's the best!

It's been a good day. I got some advanced Excel training and have been fairly productive today. Between looking online for a new swimsuit and doing my budget since I get paid tomorrow. I have also been daydreaming about spa treatments. I am going to be meeting David in Las Vegas in May. I'll fly in on the 19th, but he has to work on that Saturday the 20th, so while he is working I am going to get a couple of spa treatments. :) Any suggestions on where and what I should get? I want to be all glowy and beautiful when he gets done working. We can go somewhere fun for dinner and then do a little gambling. He says he can't wait for us to play some Blackjack together, and I said that's fine as long as he agrees to roll dice with me! (I won a good sum of money a few years back doing just that and it would be fun to give it another try!)

So any ideas on what spa treats I should give myself would be greatly appreciated! :)

Tonight I am working out after work. Afterwards I am going to home to relax and clean the apartment. (I need to vacuum and dust so bad!)

I hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

Sleepy!

I tell you, I could just go back to bed and sleep for hours! Everyone I've talked to today is yawning and looks like they are ready to go back to bed as well. Is it me or are the weekends getting shorter somehow?

It was a good weekend. I spent Friday night having dinner with mom and dad and then doing homework. Saturday I headed over to David's and we ate dinner and watched movies on TV. Sunday he made homemade Belgian waffles with bananas in the batter. The best part? He made homemade strawberry syrup. That was sooo good! We lounged around on Sunday, but we did manage to get out to go look at plants. I want to buy flowers for my patio this weekend and David is willing to help me pick things out and get them planted. We stopped by Central Market and got fresh tuna steaks and veggies to throw on the grill. Sunday night TV is our favorite, so we made dinner and snuggled in to watch Home Makeover, Sopranos, and Grey's Anatomy. Now, I was never one to watch Sopranos, but David had me watch a few episodes last season and that show is surprisingly good! So we watched the season premier last night. Leave it to me to get hooked the last season.

So that was it in a nutshell. Tonight I am working out and then relaxing the rest of the evening.

I hope everyone has a good Monday!

What I Love About Girlfriends!

After yesterday's post, I want to say how awesome my friends are! I got lots of emails from friends rallying around my girl who just ended a relationship. And Livia and Blonde, you guys are awesome for posting supportive messages! Yolanda reads the blog and the messages will help her know she's doing well. I always love how when one woman is down, the rest of us circle the wagons and show her the love! I think that's how it should be.

So thanks to everyone sending thoughts to my friend Yolanda. She's just great and she's moving on! :)

In other news, I worked out last night after having dinner with my parents. It was a good workout...I did about 30 minutes on the treadmill and then really worked my legs. I am going to work my arms after work today. Tomorrow I am going for my 8am fitness assessment and then I am going to the 9:15 water aerobics class. Folks, I am in this to be serious. I am really ready to get some more weight off. David said he would happily grill for us Saturday night rather going out to eat, which makes me very happy. (That man can cook!!) We'll grill some veggies and have a very healthy dinner. I am voting for salmon but since he's the grillmaster, I'll let him decide. (Anything but red meat right now-but he's well aware of that!)

I am still doing really well in school. I have a perfect 100 in my persuasive writing class and a 97 in my Intro to Online Learning class. So things are going really well for me. And it's about darn time! :)

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! TGIF everyone!!

Strong Women

I have a friend here at work who broke up with her boyfriend over the weekend. She found out he had been cheating on her. Not just cheater on her, but living with the other woman during the week and spending the weekends with my friend. He got away with this because he lives far enough away that it was hard for them to get together during the week. They had been together 2 years!

But I don't feel sad for her. Why not? Because she dumped this guy before she was married to him. She is no longer saddled with a cheat and a liar. If he didn't want to be with her, her should have respected her enough to break up with her. She's a good woman and didn't deserve this. But she is doing really well! She is moving on and making new plans for her life. She goes to school, she is joining a gym, and she is keeping her good girlfriends close to her. We all love her and as much as it hurt me to hear what happened to her, I am glad. She never has to hear him lie to her again. I don't tolerate that. Not for myself or for my friends. And quite frankly it makes me mad to think that he would sit there and talk to her every night on the phone...from his OTHER girlfriend's house! I won't devote any more time to this guy. He doesn't deserve it. He hurt my friend, but she's better off without him. She came by my desk this morning and she looks good! So look out all you single guys! She's ready to get back out there and just enjoy the dating scene!

I have no real news with me. The hamburger I ate at Bennigan's Tuesday was still sitting in my stomach like a brick last night. Ugh! I am staying clear of Bennigan's food for a while, and definitely staying clear of red meat for a while. I ended up having to take some enzyme supplements that David's sister suggested, and I think it's helping. I don't feel so sick to my stomach! (Pleasant, huh?)

Anyhow, that's about it. Tonight I am having dinner with Mom and Dad and then I am going to go work out at the gym.

Have a good Thursday everyone!

Me, to the Power of 24

So I did it! I joined 24 Hour Fitness last night. (I get a corporate discount and it's pretty good!) Now David and I can go to the gym together. There are classes I want to take and I am excited about it! I get my fitness assessment Saturday morning at 8am, so right after that I can go to the water aerobics class. :) So this is a good thing for me and I am excited about it. And to top it off, David even wants us to take some dance classes together! When he gets done with his travel "blitz" at the end of spring, we're going to take salsa dancing lessons together. I am so excited about that!! In the meantime, I am going to take some of the Salsa Moves classes at the gym, as well as the Nike Rockstar Fitness Dance classes. Although I may have to work my way up to that one. But I will!

Tonight is dinner with Grampa. Mom is coming, too. And actually, David is going to be at Hulen Mall this afternoon, so he may meet up with us as well. I don't know if Dad is coming or not...I'll have to ask Mom. So it should be a nice dinner. When I get home, David and I are going to try and get a short workout in up at the gym. I'm ready to get going on that! I think knowing that David will be there will motivate me to not have a lazy workout. You know, the workouts where you don't push yourself and you don't really try? Yeah, I want more for myself than that and I wouldn't want anyone else to see me having that kind of workout, either.

So there isn't much news other than that. It's been quiet here at work so far. Oh, I am still making an "A" in both of my classes!

I hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Serious About My Exercise

So tonight after I get off work and do my time at the gym here at the office, I am meeting David at my apartment and we are going to go to 24 Hour Fitness together. He already has a membership there, and now I am getting one so that we can work out together in the evenings and on the weekends. I am looking forward to this because this is one more opportunity to get myself in gear. And besides, David is very knowledgeable about lifting weights and working out, so if I have any questions, he can help me out. I do miss my trainer, Jaqueline, but $360/month was getting a little steep for my income.

So anyhow, last night was uneventful. I took it easy and watched TV after a good workout.

I hope everyone has a great day!