The Lite Version of Monday

I think I am going to begin referring to Tuesday as Monday Lite. I am finding myself frustrated with work, but hopefully it's a phase. Honestly, I am working like a dog to get myself through school as fast as I can...I'm ready to move on to something that is meaningful to me. Most days, this job isn't it. But it is a good job and I am very grateful to have it. This isn't the time to act like an ingrate, I know. Just having some frustrations. This, too, shall pass.

To put things into perspective, click on "The Russo Corner" and visit Jessica's blog. She had quite a scare with her 4 month old, Corbin. Her babies are so precious, and even though I am not a mother I can certainly feel at least a fraction of the fear she must have felt. Corbin is good, and I do believe the power of prayer moved through him. Sorry, but there are just days when I have to stand up and shout out to the world that God is amazing! Jess, you know my heart has been with you and I am so glad it's all OK!! Hug those little boys for me!

Tonight I have school, but I am excited to go do something fun afterwards. I got an invitation to the MAC store in Dallas for the launch party for their new "Hello Kitty" collection, and I am going to go! I can't wait! I've been saving my pennies for a treat, and this is it! It feels very foo-foo...it's an invitation only cocktail party to preview and purchase items from the new collection...I've seen pictures and I can't wait! (Anyone who knows anything about me knows that makeup is one of those girly things I love, and MAC is my brand, babies!) So I am going to rush home from school, freshen up, and head over! I can't wait!!!

So that's it for today. I hope everyone has a good Monday Lite!

Celebrating David's Birthday

David's birthday was the 29th, but we've been celebrating for days now, and we've had a ball! He got lots of fun presents from Williams-Sonoma from me, and we had dinner with his parents on Thursday, I took him out to Uncle Julio's Friday, and Saturday night we went to Boi Na Braza with his brother, Greg, and Greg's wife Katie. (By the way, amazing food!) Today we went to David's parents house for a Superbowl party. Greg was there, as well as my parents, and we had so much fun! It's been a really wonderful weekend, and I am sorry the festivities are over. Although my parents are taking us out to eat next Saturday night, so we can enjoy the birthday one more night.

Back to the grind tomorrow...I have work and school so it will be a late night for me. I hope everyone else had a wonderful weekend!!

Brrr!

Well, I guess you could say we've had some sort of weather event here. Yesterday I was at my work meeting in Ft. Worth and we left at 9:30am. (Total waste of makeup.) My friend Sandra and I decided to stop and have breakfast at IHOP in Bedford, so that was nice. Mom joined us and we had a good time at the girls breakfast. I pretty much spent all day at home yesterday vegging under the blankets with a fire in the fireplace. David made hot chocolate and we watched movies. But by 8pm last night, I was BORED! We went to Cheddars for dinner as the sleet began to fall, so we ate quickly and came home just in time. It got nasty out there!

This morning we got the call to just not even bother trying to get to Ft. Worth for the last day of meetings. We were only going to be there a half day, and we don't usually go back to the office after that, so we just planned to stay home anyhow. Turns out they ended up closing the office, so no one had to go in! So David and I went out to brunch today, and now I am entertaining myself with Facebook and blogging. Honestly, I have some stuff to do at work so it's not too awful that I am going in tomorrow. I am ready to get out for a while! I think I will go to the gym, too. This afternoon I am going to give the Jillian Michaels Trainer for the Wii. I tried Madden 09 yesterday...that's going to take some work!

Stay warm, everyone!

Peaceful Weekend Ahead!

This weekend promises to be a nice, low key one. David is spending a chunk of his time up at the DMC for the women's market, so I will be having some quiet time. How will I be spending this lovely time? Studying. Yup...very exciting. I got my Economics textbook in the mail yesterday and now I can read and really prepare myself for my quiz. (I have four chapters to read...there will be much coffee!) There will also be a couple of trips to the gym this weekend. I have GOT to make that happen!

I am getting ready for David's birthday next week, and have some really fun things planned for him. I made a change from the original cool plan I had, and now have some really fun stuff planned, but I'll share those after the birthday! But I have three days of festivities on the schedule for him, and the cool thing is that I get to enjoy all the fun, too! It's all capped off with dinner Saturday night (next weekend, of course) with David's brother Greg and his wife Katie. The four of us are dining at Boi Na Braza (this is not a secret) to celebrate, and I am really looking forward to hanging out with Greg and Katie. They're crazy busy like we are, so we don't get to see them much, but they got a babysitter for Ben and Rosemary, so the grownups can whoop it up! And of course, the Superbowl is the 1st, so David gets to finish it all off with a football game. :) He'll have a good weekend! I went shopping for birthday presents last night and had WAY too much fun!

So that's it right now. I am looking forward to some relaxing tonight before I kick off the Economics study-fest tomorrow. Four chapters of that stuff...wow.

Everyone have a great Friday!

Today

I think it's an exciting day, no matter what your political views. Our nation gets to embark on a new year, and it's neat to be a witness to history. I am hopeful that Obama can do good things for our country, although I am also a realist and know that it will be hard for him to do everything that everyone wants him to do. I think the thing we can all do is to want the President to be successful, because when he succeeds, we ALL succeed.

And in much less publicized news, I start my Human Sexuality class tonight at 4:30pm. I've reviewed the textbook, and I really got an eye full! Sitting in a class and talking about it is going to be interesting. :)

I hope everyone has a wonderful Tuesday!!

Cheer Competition

So I spent the bulk of my day yesterday watching a cheer competition. My 14 year old cousin, Ashley, is on a competition team, and this was a beat-down like no other! While I loved watching her team's 2.5 minute routine (and can I say that Ash was awesome!!), it was not as much fun to watch the other 2 hours worth of teams. They had 7 exhibition teams of what looked like 3 or 4 year olds in addition to the junior level teams, and that just dragged it all out. It wasn't as cute as a dance recital, I have to say. But if her team comes to town again, I'll be there yelling for her. She's good at it, and she wants to make her high school squad. She really seems to like it, and I am all about supporting activities that teach discipline, responsibility, sportsmanlike behavior, and physical fitness. Go girl!!

Today is kind of busy...I am going to lunch and a movie with some friends and then I have to get home right after that to get to the store and then make dinner for company coming at 5:30. But I still have Monday and Tuesday to relax. :) Oh, except school starts Tuesday, but I am looking forward to it!

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone!

The Tax Man Cometh

Yes, it's getting to be that time of year. For me, it's also accompanied with the treat of getting to pass out free "I told you so" lines. Remember that stimulus check everyone was so hot to get their hands on earlier this year? Yeah, when that came out I told people that it wasn't free money and that we'd be paying it back at tax time. Guess what? I've had a couple of people tell me I was right! Yes, brace yourself...that stimulus check was an advance on your refund. So now it's time to pay it back. Lovely. I didn't want it to start with. I think if Obama wants to do that again I am going to write to my congressperson and ask if we can opt out. I didn't want it in 2008 either. I don't know that it even did much for the economy anyhow.

I've been gathering possible 2008 deductions. I think we have enough to offset the stimulus payback, so hopefully we'll still get some sort of refund. I'll take $1 if I don't have to owe the IRS anything! (Can I get an "Amen!"?)

David comes back from Waco today. He only left yesterday, but it's nice to have him home. :) The kitties and I miss him when he's gone. But as happy as I am to see him, I am leaving him to dine on his own tonight. Christy and I have had dinner on the schedule for quite some time, and tonight is the night! She and I are having dinner at our favorite place tonight, and I can't wait! We haven't had dinner together in eons!

I guess that's about it for now. Everyone have a good Thursday!

Technology is Finally My Friend!

So I finally feel like being on Facebook has paid off! I have been reconnecting with old friends from high school and church, but I got two good friend requests yesterday! One is a friend from high school who was in the US as an exchange student from Germany, and the other was a really good friend from junior high. I have wondered about both for years now, and was ecstatic when I heard from them both in one day! What a wonderful treat! Both guys look like they are doing well and happy, so it's nice to reconnect. :)

I honestly have nothing noteworthy to share. It's been pretty quiet. Work is very slow right now, but it will pick up soon. School actually begins tomorrow, but my professor for my online class already posted stuff for the first week. (This is my economics class) So I read everything and did the first assignment and got it posted. Yes, I am just nerdy enough to have already turned in my homework before the class even begins. My classmates are going to think I am a dork, but I actually have so little to do at work right now that I was grateful for homework!

I think that's about it. It's been quiet lately, and I have enjoyed it. We've been laying low at home, just cooking dinner and relaxing. I made a pork tenderloin for dinner last night that was a huge hit with David, so I am keeping the recipe to add to our recipe rotation. :) But that is really about it!

So on that note, I hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

Warm Weather!

It's a beautiful day! I sure wish I had seen the weather report...I wore a turtleneck sweater today. Oh well...I'll change into something cooler when I get home. :) I do like the break from the cold, though. I did read that we may get an arctic blast next week...brrr! Some weather sites say we'll have 50 degree weather and some saw 30 degree weather. It's Texas...we won't really know until it hits!

I am so glad this week is winding down! It's been a LONG one, and I am ready for the weekend. Christy is doing my hair tomorrow (Yay!) and then we're having dinner with David's sister Lea Anne. She and her husband are taking us to Houston's for dinner, and I have never been. I checked out the menu online and I think it sounds delish! It's an early b-day dinner for David, so it's a special occasion. Glad I'm getting my hair done! (It's time for the blond highlights to go away for a few months!) I'd love a new outfit, but we're on a spending moratorium. We have a mission, and we're hanging on to our money to get everything paid off. We're doing so well, too! Again, I know it's only 9 days into the new year, but if 30 days makes a habit, then we only have 21 more days until we can say this isn't just a fluke!

My father is retiring at the end of April, and I am so excited for him! He's worked harder than anyone I know for a very long time, so I hope he thoroughly enjoys the relaxation he's earned. Growing up, I never needed anything, and my parents made sure I had opportunities to do things I wanted. (Everything within reason, of course!) But Dad always made sure I had nice things and he took good care of me and Mom. I can't imagine a better childhood. I am a very lucky girl! (Thanks, Dad!!)

That's it for this beautiful Friday. For some reason, my manager has decided to call a meeting...who knows why. So I am heading off to see what's up there. (Nothing much, I am certain.)

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!

Yawn!

You know how it is...you're in the perfect spot in the bed, all cozy and warm, and then that ugly alarm clock sound rips you out of your sleep and you have to get up. Yuck! I wish I was still in the spot in the bed! I was sleeping so well. *sigh*

Anyhow, I have very little news today. I got home yesterday and David and I went for a walk. It was a short one because I am lame and was getting tired, but we got up and moved yesterday, so I am proud of us both. :) We tend to be a bit lazy so we're trying to change that. Tonight I am planning to clean out the fridge and the closet on the patio. Both need to be done desperately!

I was going to work out up here today but I managed to forget my gym bag. Actually, I forgot to repack it after getting my shoes and workout clothes out of there yesterday, so I will be sure to do that tonight. I like getting my exercise in early so I don't have to do it later. I did manage to pack fruit and yogurt, though, so that's my accomplishment for the day. I usually pack a lunch, but I am going to lunch with a couple of co-workers today. I am allowing myself one lunch out per week, and this is my one for this week. See? I'm doing better already! Eating healthy AND saving money!! I'm so proud of myself - I just have to keep it up for longer than a week!

I am also fighting the shopping bug. I have gone to my favorite websites and changed my settings so that I don't get all the email notifications about sales. See? I am proactive about avoiding temptation!

On another note, David's friend Jeff email me some pictures he took at our wedding and I love them! He sent me three but he has lots more that he's putting together. In case I didn't rant about it here, our wedding photographer lost most of our wedding pictures in a hard drive crash. Please don't ask me about backups and all that because I already asked and apparently there were no backups of my wedding pictures, so I have some, but not many. It makes me very sad if I think too much about it, but it is nice to see pictures people have taken, and I love what Jeff sent! (BTW, if any of you were at the wedding and took any pictures, we'd sure be grateful if you'd send them our way!) Bottom line, Jeff sent us some awesome pics and I can't wait to see the rest of them! :) Thanks, Jeff! You rock!

So that really is about it for today. A bunch of rambling and silliness. But that's me! Have a great day everyone!

Seven Days In...

Yes, a whopping seven days into the new year, and I am still maintaining my focus. I know, I know...it's only seven days, right? Yes, but I have to celebrate taking things in small chunks, and one week of eating better, not spending extra money, and getting off the couch and moving more. I have menu planned, shopped carefully, and done more around the house rather than doing too much vegging. (Some vegging is allowed, right?) So yeah, I'm pretty proud of my first week in!

Mom and I decided that with trying to pay things off and put money in savings that we're going to postpone our NYC trip for now. It's not cancelled, just put on the back burner for a while. We're both trying to put money in savings and pay off credit cards, so it just makes sense right now. But when we do go, look out NYC!!

Other than all that, I don't have much news. Things are good...nothing big going on. David's birthday is at the end of the month and I have been planning fun things. He knows I am taking him to Boi Na Braza for his birthday dinner, but he doesn't know what else fun is planned! I'll spill the beans here after his birthday. Hey, I don't want him stopping by and finding out!!

That's it for today. Everyone have a great Wednesday!

Back To Work

Ugh...it's hard to look at the upcoming week and know I have to work all five days! But the new year is here and it's time to get back to it. How can I complain? I had plenty of time off and took a cruise and had a great holiday!! So I guess now it's time to get on it.

We worked HARD this weekend. Saturday we moved the spare bed out and cleaned out all the junk we could. Then on Sunday after church we headed out to IKEA and bought two desks and get them set up last night. (Oh, and we had to make a second trip to IKEA to pick up some hardware we forgot on the first trip!) It's not near complete yet, but David and I both now have a desk. He desperately needed an office and I needed a place to study and do schoolwork, as well as budgeting and bill paying. Now we have all this! We need to get rid of the old computer desk and get a futon to put in there, and as soon as we have some decor up on the walls, it should be complete! We have ideas, we just have to get it all done. But we're almost there!

So far, I have been doing well with my focus for the year. We've eaten very healthy, and although I haven't been to the gym yet, we've been very active at home getting things cleaned out. My body is so achy and sore, but that's a good thing. :) Today I am going to the gym here at work and am putting in 30 minutes on the treadmill. Hey, I am still sore from the weekend, so 30 minutes is good for me! We didn't go out to eat, so we've saved money. The bummer is that we went over budget on the stuff for the office, but I think we'll be fine since we're eating at home more. It will balance out.

School begins a week from Wednesday!! I'm actually excited about getting back into school...it means I'm getting closer to graduating! It's going to be a busy year, but a good one. I am planning to attend summer school to get my Spanish out of the way, so that will be a challenge itself: summer school is M-Th from 6-10pm. A lot of work, but in 10 weeks I can knock out 6 hours. Not a bad gig!! So while this is going to be a challenging year, I can do it! :)

Well, I guess I better eat my yogurt and get back to work. I hope everyone has a wonderful Monday!!

Focusing on 2009

I refuse to use the "resolution". I never keep them, so I won't make any. What I am doing, is deciding where my focus needs to be for 2009. Here's my list of things I am going to work on this year:

1. Weight - yes, I know how tired everyone here must be reading about how I am yet again embarking on the weight loss journey. Sorry, but I refuse to give up on myself. But I am taking a new approach with myself, so I will post periodic updates here as I am ready to do so.
2. Finance - This is a new one for me. David and I have an awesome plan in place to have all debt (yes, I mean ALL) eliminated by June. I will post an update to that in June and let you know how it's going. I expect this to be a great success, as David and I are a really good team and are very focused on this one. We have other goals that will follow once that is accomplished. :)
3. School - This is ongoing for me. I am taking 9 hours this semester, so I am going to be busy, but it will help me graduate sooner. That's the big motivator! Oh, and along with school, I plan to keep myself on the Dean's List. That's a list I enjoy!

That's my three. I don't want more than that because they are three big ones, and are of utmost importance to me. It's going to be a good year, and I am excited. One year from now I look forward to patting myself on the back for being so disciplined, and hopefully I'll be within a year of graduating!

What are you focuses for this year? I'm curious to know what is of importance to everyone else!

Happy New Years!

I hope everyone had a wonderful New Years! We went to Jeff and Lyn's annual party, and as always, thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! We always pack our jammies and just spend the night so that we don't have to mess with the drunks on the road. After we got up this morning, we went over to Joseph's catch up with him. They are doing well, and he is loving his new job.

It's a nice, laid-back day today. We stopped at Central Market on the way home, as we are grilling a special dinner of tuna steaks, asparagus, portobello mushrooms, and sliced avocado tonight. It's a new year, and we are ready. David and I have made commitments for the year and we're looking forward to accomplishing our goals. (I refuse to refer to them as resolutions...I never manage to keep those!)

So I hope that whatever you wish to accomplish you are able to achieve this year. I think 2009 is going to be good!

(Oh, and go check out http://www.therussocorner.blogspot.com/! Jess is doing her very first Oprah-esque "Favorite Things" giveaway!! :) She's my MAC soulmate!)

Home

We're home and settled back into real life. This is a very short post, as we have a ton of things to do, but I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!!!!

Loving This Vacation!

Hello everyone!!

I am going to make this pretty brief because they charge $.55/minute and their computers are so slow! I heard through the grapevine that I managed to miss the icy weather! Crazy! I am in Roatan, Honduras today and the weather is wonderful!! We took the island tour and did a jungle tour and saw lots of native fruits and veggis as well as beautiful trees and even a few small animals. People in Roatan are wonderful, and when the ship pulled into port this morning the natives were in costume dancing for us on the pier...very cool! We were in Cozumel yesterday and swam with the dolphins. What an amazing experience! Tomorrow we will be in Costa Maya for some beach time and snorkeling. I can't wait! I've been good and haven't sunburned yet, so I am hoping that stays the case for me. I must say that the food here is wonderful! We ate lunch at a restaurant in Cozumel yesterday and I loved it! Lots of authentic food that was very tasty! Food on the ship is excellent! I thought I would gain a ton of weight, but so far I am doing well...I haven't been able to be sedentary...we've been up and running a lot! I sang karaoke Monday night and made the cut to perform on Saturday evening, so who knew that would happen? It's so much fun and there is always something to do on board.

When we got to Galveston Saturday, we drove over to Bolivar and the devastation from Ike is horrifying. It's still a mess in some places in Galveston, but nothing like across the ferry. I'll post pictures when I come home...it's heartbreaking, and as I saw it all I found that I didn't even know how to express what I was feeling. There's almost nothing recognizeable there.

Enough about the sad stuff. It's beautiful weather here! Oh, and funny thing...as we got on the elevators to go down and disembark in Roatan, there was a very familiar couple on the elevator. It was Kevin Alexander's parents!!! What a hoot! It was great to see them and I hope we bump into them again!

It's ben hard adjusting to the rocking of the boat. No seasickness, I'm just walking like a drunk everywhere I go! (Yes I have had my share of the "drinks of the day", but I've been sober!!) It's funny on land when you have these odd sensations like you're still at sea even on land. I think I will have to reacclimate when I get home. We've taken tons of pics and I will post them when I get home. There's a good one of me with a parrot on my head and David next to me holding a HUGE iguana! Yeah, we party like animals!!

I think that's it for now. I don't know if I will post again until after I get home, but I'll try. Seriously, if you've never cruised before, do it! It rocks!

Twas The Night Before Cruisemas...

Tomorrow we head down to Galveston!! It's been a rush the last two days just getting everything done. I am finally getting packed tonight, and it's exciting! It's hard to pack...I always have a habit of bringing a little more than I need, so I am trying to pare down but that's not easy.

We had a lovely lunch today with David's parents. It's his father's 75th birthday so we took them to Maggiano's for lunch. YUM! Then we made the mistake of stopping at Williams-Sonoma afterwards. $65 later we left with cookie cutters, a snowflake shapped spatula, a hot chocolate pot with a frother, and a $10 donation to St. Jude's (probably the most worthwhile way to spend any of that money!). But we will make hot chocolate tonight to try our new pot out...it's way cool! And we do love the hot chocolate when the weather is cold! :)

So 48 hours from now we'll be on our way to Cozumel! Warmer weather, here I come! Check back during the week, as there is an internet cafe on the ship and I will try to blog at least once or twice!

Dean's List

I am posting late, as I just took my final in Adolescent Psych and I have made an A in the class! Couple that with my B in Dynamics of Mental Health and that equals the Dean's List for me!!!! I am a VERY excited girl!!

Now I can finally focus on getting ready for the cruise! Oh, and this means I also have no school until January 19th!! Woot!

One Down, One To Go

So I got my Dynamics of Mental Health exam out of the way now, and I think it went pretty well. (yay!) Now I have to spend my evening getting prepared for my Adolescent Psych exam tomorrow night. This is the class I take online, so my exam is online and I have until 10pm tomorrow night to take it. I just want to make sure I am as prepared as possible. If I feel ready, I may take it tonight but I doubt it.

I am off work beginning Thursday, and I don't have to come back until the 29th...this is exciting to me! I started pulling clothes out of the closet to try and figure out what to wear on the cruise, but I felt like I needed to keep my focus on school. I'll start really getting ready to go on Thursday. :) I am taking my friend Wendy to lunch on Thursday as a belated birthday treat. She is kind enough to be watching the kitties while we are away, and I know they'll be in good hands. (But they're going to be mad at us for leaving, that's for sure!) Friday we are taking David's parents to lunch to celebrate my FIL's 75th birthday. We head on out to Galveston on Saturday morning. I am eager to see how things look down there after the hurricane wiped everything out. We got word from our travel agent (insert shameless plug for Memory Maker Travel here) that the Port of Galveston is open and we're leaving from there, so we're happy about that. We have reservations at a hotel that finally has it's phone service back and is ready for guests, so everything is going according to the original plan. Yay!

With the shape of the the economy, we hadn't been planning for David to get his Christmas bonus this year, but they got word yesterday that they will be getting so we are VERY excited about that! We're going to chunk most of it into savings, but we'll be using some for fun! We've decided to issue a challenge to ourselves for 2009...we're going to try and live on just one income and sock the other away into savings. I think we can do it, we (translation: me) need to cool our spending as we've done our part to boost the economy lately. As long as gas prices stay down, I think we should do pretty well! It will be fun to see where we are at the end of next year!

That's it for today. Lots to do since tomorrow is my last day in the office until after Christmas. I hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

Final Exam #1

Tonight is my final in Dynamics of Mental Health. This class has been good, but a real challenge for me, so I am trying to make sure I get an A on the final. If I do, it will pretty much solidify a B for me, which I will be okay with. I am pretty sure I'll make an A in my Adolescent Psych class, so if I get an A and a B this semester, I will make the Dean's List which would make my day! Yeah, I'm a school nerd and I love it. :) I spent the day yesterday studying for my test tonight and I do feel ready. I just need a calm day at work and for nothing to distract me during my test.

I started trying to figure out what to take on the cruise last night. When I went to Paris, I way over packed and I am trying not to do that this time around. However, I think I am already on that track, so tonight I am going to sit down and actually put outfits together and see what really makes sense to take. I am getting excited, but I am having to stay grounded so I don't lose my focus on school. I can cut loose after Wednesday, though! I am off work beginning Thursday morning, and I am excited! I am taking Wendy for her birthday lunch, Shanna's girl's are coming over to make chocolate dipped marshmallows for her classmates, and I think Friday we may be taking David's father to lunch to celebrate his 75th birthday. We have a busy week this week! It should go quickly, but in a way I don't want it to...too much to get done!! But it's all good. :)

I think that's enough for today. I hope everyone has a wonderful Monday! (Is that possible?)

The Belated "What I Am Thankful For" Post

I try to do this and this year I just forgot! However, I still think it's important to list those things I am thankful for:

1. Family - Where would I be without you guys? I am a lucky girl to have the husband, parents, "cuz", grandfather, step-grandmother, aunts and unlces, etc. that I have. I love you all!

2. Friends - I am so grateful for you guys. It's been a trying year for me with school and stuff, and your patience is not only needed, but appreciated! I know I don't get out as much as I used to and I'm not available for ladies' nights these days, but I don't love you any less. You all mean the world to me.

3. Job - I am thankful to have a good job. There are days when I don't love it as much as other days, but I am happy to have a place to go and a good paycheck. :)

4. Cruisemas - Yes, this one is totally selfish. I am looking forward to our cruise in two weeks! Dave and I call it "Cruisemas" since it's the week before Christmas. Clever, right? Besides, it's coming the week that I finish my finals and I am going to need it!

5. School - Yes, as much work as it is, I am grateful to have the chance (and the desire!) to go back to school. I love it, even though I have no life anymore. :) But one day I will be done and I will be able to do something meaningful. I owe my chance to mom...thanks so much!! (I don't have to pay my tuition thanks to her!)

That's my top 5. I'm grateful for much more than that, but that's enough for now. I hope all of you had a chance to think about what you're grateful for!

The Christmas Season Begins

We spent our day yesterday putting up our tree and getting into the Christmas season. We had a great day, and we made beer-cheese fondue and drank yummy wine. David made chicken for dinner and Mom came over and hung out since Dad was at a football game. It was a great evening, and I am feeling so relaxed. However, that ends now as I am getting ready for one more test and then two final exams. When those are done I am going to be SOOOO ready for our cruise!! We set sail two weeks from today and I am going to be really ready for that. We're leaving the 13th to head down there and get the party started. It's going to be interesting to see what Galveston looks like these days. I'll take lots of pictures.

But that's it for now. I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving!

Yum!

Today was a great day! David and I have spent the two days cooking and cleaning and getting ready, and today we had my family over for dinner. David did the turkey, and the 36 hours of brining and then roasting to perfection most certainly paid off! Everything was delicious, and we had so much fun! We had a Wii Tennis tournament, we goofed around, ate, drank, and enjoyed some football. What an awesome day! I am so lucky to have the family that I do...no, not lucky, blessed. We missed Grampa, Ann, and Rob, but Grampa and Ann were off on their 15 day cruise to Hawaii (how lucky to be 89 and out on a cruise with your wife!) and Rob has moved to Vegas and couldn't make it home this year. But that aside, the day was wonderful.

Now I am full and sleepy, and I am going to go put on my pajamas and chill. I hope everyone has had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Happy Birthday Dad!!

It's my Dad's birthday today! We're waiting for them to get here and then we're taking them out for dinner. It's been a nice day...David and I have relaxed and watched the Cowboys win (yay!) and just hung out. :)

Tonight there is a bit of cake and ice cream...a nice finish to a great weekend! :)

And now it's time to get ready for Thanksgiving! I'm hosting and I am really looking forward to it! I hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend!

Treading Water

Well, I have been slow to post but I have been swamped with homework. I am excited to report that I got my major homework stuff completed and off my plate, so I am actually getting to enjoy myself just a bit. We had a our weekly dinner with Grampa last night, and had a great time. He and his wife are leaving next Wednesday for a 15-day Hawaiian cruise. Let's think on that for a moment...he is 89 and cruising! I love it! I hope to be 89 and active enough to be going on cruises one day! They are so cute about it...I will miss them on Thanksgiving, but I am so happy they are enjoying their lives. :)

David and I will be hosting Thanksgiving since it will be a small group. I'm looking forward to doing the cooking and then kicking back to watch the Cowboys play...I thought they were starting to look better last week, so I am hopeful. We'll see!

I have three and a half weeks of school left in this semester...and I am ready for the break!!! We leave on OUR cruise on the 14th, but we're heading down on the 13th so we don't have to rush. Our hotel in Galveston is open and we hear that the cruise ports will be ready by then, so I think we're leaving out of G-Town. I hope so...I want to see that area rebuilt. It's not a super luxurious tropical island, but it's a neat place and I hope they can have a full recovery after Ike.

That's all I have for now. I hope everyone has a great day!

Words From My Mother

I got this in an email from my mom this morning. It doesn't matter how you voted, it's a great day in history for everyone! Here's my mom's email:

"Well, it's quite a day and as I was thinking about everything, I felt pretty emotional. And here's why….

In my lifetime I have seen a lot happen. I remember:

White and colored drinking fountains and bathrooms.

Mother being in trouble with the neighbors because she would let our maid in the front door.
Neighbors said she was ruining it for all of them because they would all want to be let in through the front door.

Our yard man, Mr. Johnson, who would knock on the back door and ask for a drink of water and then stepping back down the steps to wait in the yard for his drink. He would tell me that, "I knows my place." I was about 10-11 and I just couldn't understand exactly what that meant.

I rode the bus to work in downtown Fort Worth in my early twenties and, if the bus was full and more White people got on, the bus driver got up and told the Blacks to move to the back of the bus where they had to stand. Even pregnant Black ladies were made to move to the back and often had to stand while riding the bus.

I remember Martin Luther King and the awful, but brave and courageous struggle he and others waged for a better life for all people.

I remember the march through Selma, Alabama, and the other marches that he and others led. Do you suppose that God would let Dr. King know this part of the dream?

Four young men went into Woolworth's to try to get served at the lunch counter.

Miss Parks did NOT move to the back of the bus and she went to jail.

A little Black girl walked through an angry, hate-filled crowd to go to school in Alabama.

Whites and Blacks lost their lives in the struggle to sign Blacks up for better housing.

Poll taxes were put in place to keep Black people from voting because they could not afford to pay it.

I was moved to see the tears of Jessie Jackson and others who know the struggle from the inside out.

But what really moved me is that Shanna was able to take her girls with her while she voted and she was there to answer their questions about the vote for President. Someday, they will vote and they won't have to walk through an angry crowd or pay a Poll Tax -- it's their right to vote. A lot of people paid the price and I am so proud she is instilling in them about the importance of their vote and that it will count!

I wish I were more eloquent, but it's a proud moment in our history.

Love, Mom"

Amen to that, Mom. How neat to be a witness to history!

Vote!

Today is the day...I hope you will all get out there and vote! I refuse to open the blog up for a debate on candidates, I am just here reminding you to get on out there and exercise your hard-earned right to vote. (Especially us gals...in the grand scheme of things, we' haven't had this right for very long so lets do it!)

And if you vote, be sure to stop by Krispy Kreme, Starbucks, or Ben and Jerrys to get your freebies!!

Happy Election Day, America!

Sick...and Tired!

I am both. Sick, and tired. My allergies are just really driving me nuts, and I am just worn out. We went to the funeral of a close friend's father yesterday, and I think that emotionally drained me as well. It's a tough thing to realize that we are getting to be that age where this is happening more often. One of David's close friends lost his father on Sunday, and then a close friend of mine lost his on Wednesday. It's just heartbreaking. I suppose the bright spot in this is that we've seen friends we haven't seen since the wedding, and that's nice. We agreed that it would be good to get together for something besides a wedding or a funeral. Now if only everyone had some spare time!

That's it for today. I am going to go rest on the couch. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

I Got Tagged

My friend Jessica tagged me on this one.....Rules: Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people & posts their names, then goes to their blog & leaves them a comment letting them know that they have been tagged & asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you've answered the questions on your blog.

10 YEARS AGO I...
1. Was in a relationship that wasn't so good for me
2. Was 26 years old
3. Was working for CIGNA
4. Was driving a Honda Civic
5. Was just learning the joys of MAC Cosmetics!

5 THINGS ON TODAY'S TO-DO LIST
1. buy cat litter
2. scoop out the old cat litter in the kitty box - not something I want to do!
3. study for a test on Monday
4. take my Adolescent psych quiz online (I made 100!)
5. Read blogs!

5 THINGS I WOULD DO IF I WERE A MILLIONAIRE
1. Buy a house
2. quit my job and go to school full time
3. give to the food bank
4. take my parents to the Isle of Man - where my family is originally from!
5. Take a very special trip with my hubby

5 PLACES I HAVE LIVED
1. Bedford, TX
2. Irving, TX
3. Hurst, TX
4. Seattle, WA
5. Back to Bedford again!

5 JOBS I'VE HAD
1. Sales associate at Claire's Boutique
2. Shoe salesperson
3. Customer Service/Tech support
4. Waitress
5. Account Manager

I don't know who to tag specifically to do this, so everyone just do this and post it! ;)

Put Your Fork Down And Help Someone

I participated in my company's annual Community Day event yesterday by working at the North Texas Food Bank. What they do there is amazing, and I am always glad that I chose to work there. Yesterday I worked on a project called Food For Kids. It's a program that encourages teachers to identify children who come to school on Mondays exhibiting signs of starvation. (These kiddos aren't getting any meals on the weekends.) So each Friday, the Food Bank brings bags of food tucked into backpacks for these kids. These bags have juice boxes, fruit roll-ups, fruit, peanuts, cereal, etc, in them. It's all stuff these kids can eat without help or utensils or cooking. The real tearful moment for me was when the woman from NTFB told us one teacher recently identified a student for this program who was so hungry he was eating the paper off of his crayon. This, needless to say, brought me to tears. And I can hardly retell the story without crying. How is it that, even in these economic times, we have children going without food? We have so many people who have the resources to help and just don't. Maybe because they don't know about stories like this one. I didn't until yesterday. But David and I have vowed to start doing more. What I don't have is lots of extra time, but I do have some extra money to donate. The NTFB says that for every $1 donated, 5 meals are able to be provided. That's a lot of meals for a little money. And it's not just the Food For Kids program...some food goes to the Houston Food Bank to help hurricane victims. Some will go to the Salvation Army, church food pantries, and various other places where food and meals are needed.

I am achy and sore today from all the work I did yesterday, but each ache and pain reminds me that because of what 79 of my coworkers and I did, 40,000 meals are going to be delivered to people who need them. I can feel good about that!

Argh!

Today it seems that the Blogrolling people have had major issues, so if you know I link to your blog and you don't see it here, hang in there. I didn't start deleting things. I reposted the ones I know by heart, but I'll have to wait for the rest to come back.

Oh, and I can't seem to get Blogger to update my layout. Lovely. Anyhow, the blogosphere is not my friend today. Yay.

Thankfully, it is Friday and I have some scheduled down time. Does it count that my down time includes doing my Adolescent Psych homework? Maybe not, but I'll be doing it while I eat my Chinese Chicken Salad from Cheesecake Factory that I am picking up for myself tonight. Somehow, it does ease the pain of doing homework on a Friday night. (I have a study partner coming tomorrow so I have to be prepared.)

Hopefully other people will do far more fun things than I will. But at least I am winning in my fantasy football league. (Ha ha, Greg and David!)

Caving In

Sometimes things feel like that...like life is caving in. I think I am learning to work with that...that caving in feeling. There has been a lot going on that's far too private to share, but it's been rather stressful behind the scenes. I spent a long time talking to my Mom last night on the way home from dinner with Grampa last night. My mother is most certainly biased - she IS my mother, but she gives me very good advice and provides very good feedback when I need honesty. It was good to get some clarity, and she helped me feel good about a lot of things.

I often struggle with the worry that maybe I don't have my priorities in the right place, or maybe my choices aren't right, am I being the best person I can be, how can I tighten up my shortcomings? I don't know if other people share these struggles, but I feel like I'm hanging halfway out of a tornado. It's a tough place to be, for sure. I've had to watch a couple of people deal with things that have been life-threatening lately, and it sure puts some things into perspective, although somehow it doesn't really help me answer all my own questions just yet. But that's ok. (My marriage is solid, so that's not my stressor at all, don't fret.) I've been pulled in so many directions lately that I can't tell if I am coming or going. Every one of my obligations are my choice, but these choices are important and have demanded a considerable amount of attention. So my friends, if you are feeling neglected or distanced from me, I just ask that you bear with me. I am still organizing my life and figuring out how it all fits together. I'm learning how to be a wife and a student and have study time and carry a full time job and be a good Aunt to seven really great kids, not to mention the children of my friends, and balance relationships with family and friends. And oh yeah...my constant struggle with my weight and finding time at the gym - no small task in itself. I love all of these things, but it is a bit of a juggling act at times, and I've never been one to have a great deal of balance. Somewhere among all of these things is a need to have some time for myself. That seems to be in very short supply, and I am definitely depleted.

Here's the thing: Sometimes a girl just needs to put things into the universe and not have things solved for her. For me, this is today. Just needing to take these things off my shoulders and put them into the universe. You don't have to worry about me, because I am okay. I'm just in a different phase of my life and I have found out that I am becoming a student in my own life and not just in the classroom.

Although it is hardly a solution, I have scheduled myself a day at my favorite spa. It's time for a facial, a massage, a manicure, and most likely after that, a big nap. :) See? I still have my sense of humor! This isn't a gloom and doom post...just a real need to take the weight off my shoulders for a bit. I've decided that one lesson I have learned is that it's important to be kind to people, because we don't know what burdens they carry on their own. And we don't always need others to carry our burdens, but it's just good to have someone you care about to walk beside so that when you think it's too heavy to bear you can look over and see that you aren't walking alone. I am lucky...I'm not walking alone. That realization alone means it's a good day. :)

600th Post

600 posts...lots of posts about nothing and about everything. I guess this blog has seen me through some rather large life moments, most of which are documented here in some way. It's kinda cool, actually. :)

So as a very random thing this morning, I got a bottle of Vitamin Water. I don't usually drink stuff like that, but I am having a slow start today, and the "Revive" flavor seems like a good idea. Here's what the side of my bottle says:

"If you woke up tired, you probably need more sleep. If you woke up drooling at your desk, you probably need a new job. If you woke up with a headache, on a ferris wheel at the Idaho State Fair, wearing a toga, you probably need answers, not to mention this product."

Does this actually happen to anyone?

I just work up a little grumpy and wishing I could just stay home. Hopefully Vitamin Water has the cure for that.

Tonight is dinner with Grampa, and I am looking forward to his martini that he always has waiting for me. It's a good day for one, for sure.

Fall Weather, No Time, and Just Plain Tired.

First, I am totally digging this wonderful weather! If it stays in the 70s for a while, I am all good. It's cool enough to break out the fall clothes and those are always my favorites!

I feel like time is at such a premium these days! David and I have had little time lately, and it's been spent with others, which is always nice, but since he's about to start his six weeks of being gone Tuesday through Saturday nights, I'm kind of feeling selfish with our time together. We had a friend over for dinner Friday night, which was so much fun, and Saturday afternoon/evening was spent with his parents (which was really a good time!), but I was happy to have him all to myself on Sunday. We made a yummy dinner (Turkey Osso Buco and mushroom risotto - WOW! Thanks Food Network!) and spent the day just hanging out. Loved it! He's getting ready to leave again tomorrow, and I will miss him. But I have plenty to fill my time. School is keeping me really busy, and I have a friend getting married in November/December (her fiancee is going to come home from Iraq long enough to get married and then head back) so we're spending time getting that put together. We're planning a very small ceremony and reception for when he comes home on R&R, but when he finishes his tour next year they will do the big shindig. That's going to be BIG fun! So see? I have a full plate and won't have time to be bored. Is that good?


Anyhow...on a lighter note, here's what David made for our anniversary dinner:

It's grilled salmon, sea scallops and shrimp. And yes, it was too much food and we had to save some for leftovers. But it was VERY good! And here's dessert:

Yum! It's a replica of our wedding cake (we got some fresh cake instead of year old cake...yay!) and champagne in our toasting flutes. It was a fun meal, and VERY special.

So that's about it for now. I haven't been home long from school and I am going to heat up some dinner and watch some TV. Have a good evening!

My 1 Year Wedding Anniversary!

Today is the day I have been married exactly one year! It's really been a wonderful year, and I am feeling very blessed. David is absolutely wonderful, and we couldn't be happier. He planned a special weekend for us to celebrate. We went down to the Worthington in Ft. Worth where we spent our wedding night, and checked in. We got dressed up and went to Taverna for dinner - one of our most favorite places to eat! - and had an amazing dinner. The Executive Chef came to our table to visit with us and he made sure our food was perfect, and it was! After dinner, we went and changed into casual clothes and went to 8.0 in Sundance Square and had drinks and listened to the band play. It was right across the street from where we had our reception, and it was fun to remember being there. We had a yummy room service breakfast the next morning, and then came home. We had also ordered a small tier of wedding cake, so we've been enjoying that immensely! (And we will for a while...that was more cake than we needed!) I've brought cake to work to share with the coworkers, and to be silly I have been wearing my tiara from my veil all day. It's been a great day! Tonight when I get home from school, David is making me a very special dinner and we are going to eat on our wedding china for the first time. I can't wait!

So it's been a wonderful weekend!! I'd marry him all over again in a heartbeat!

In A Quiet Place Today

I'm feeling a bit solemn today. My Gran has been gone for three years now, and I miss her so much. So many good things have happened in my life that I haven't been able to sit and share with her. I wish she could have been at my wedding most of all. But I love her more every day and I just miss her like crazy.

Chicks Rule!

So I am in a Fantasy Football league with David and some other friends, and my team played David's team yesterday. I won! So we had a lot of fun teasing each other about it all evening. :) He's a good sport which makes all the fun and joking even more fun. I imagine that when we play each other in the playoffs (we're 1 and 2 in our division right now) he will stand a good chance of winning and I'll have to suck it up and take the teasing, but it's all in good fun! As for right now though, I'm the winner!! Yay!

It was a very busy weekend and I wish I had gotten a little more sleep. Our one year wedding anniversary is a week from today, and I can't believe the time has flown like it has. I feel really blessed to have him. He's not perfect, and neither am I so we're perfect for each other and I wouldn't trade him for the world. :) We have a special weekend planned this coming weekend, and I am looking forward to it being so special. He's planned a lot even though I told him I would handle it. He's planned dinner and made the reservations for everything! Love it!

On a more somber note, today would have been my Gran's 89th birthday. I miss her more each day she isn't here. She passed three years ago tomorrow. I wish I could hug her once more. But I was lucky to have her as long as I did. She was a very special lady.

So that's about all for today. I hope everyone has a great day!

Back Again!

Okay...trying to get back into the blogging groove! It has just been rather chaotic for me. My mother-in-law was VERY ill for a week or two and is doing much better now. She had some kidney failure, but is going to be fine. That woman dodged a major bullet somehow! Then we had the hurricane and worried about family, but there again, all is well. I don't know how I have managed to be so blessed, but I hope it keeps up!

On the good news front, I am going to be an Auntie!!!! I've been very good and not said a word until we knew she was in the clear, but Christy and Rich are having a baby!! She is 8 weeks along today, and I got the see the sonogram picture this morning. That's the most beautiful 15mm baby I have ever seen!!! They got to see the little heart beating and there's even a little leg starting to grow! I am SO excited, and I am already starting to think of baby shower ideas and places...yes, I plan to spoil this child like you can't even imagine! Sorry Christy...Auntie Jen is already in love with this baby!

So that's all I have for today. Thankfully, tomorrow is Friday. I forgot that Sunday I am going to the museum with Mom to see a really cool exhibit on eliminating racism and empowering women. It's a special tour and afterwards there is a discussion on the exhibit. I'm looking forward to sharing that with mom. :)

I hope everyone has a great day!

We Don't Like Ike

Needless to say there was no trip to South Padre this weekend. I still took the day off on Friday, and we cleaned and just generally hung out. My friend Anne came over, and it was nice to spend time with her. Her father is very ill and her fiance is doing a tour of duty in Iraq, so she needed a night to just chill. I'm glad she chilled with us!

Saturday we spent watching the coverage of the hurricane. I have family in Houston, and it was a little nerve-wracking waiting to get confirmation that they were okay. For a while, we just didn't know. Our prayers were answered!

It's been a very relaxing weekend, just hanging out. David and I went to the park and walked a couple miles today, and that felt really good. I lost .6 pounds at WW this past week, so now I have lost a total of 4 pounds in two weeks. I'm just trying to take it a day at a time, and so far it's working. I haven't really talked to anyone about it because this time around I am just trying to keep it close to the vest and not make a big fuss about it. So no, I won't be posting about it every week, and it's okay if no one asks me about it. I'm just doing my thing, and occasionally I'll give an update here.

I've been feeling a little drained lately. We've been under a lot of stress at work and I am really doing a lot of reading for school. It was nice to take a weekend and just lay low and not do much. I do wish that there had been no hurricane...I've been ready to dig my toes into the warm sand and listen to the waves gently roll in. I guess that's for another day.

I hope everyone has a good week!

Lack of Updates

Sorry all...I promised stories, and right now I don't have time to deliver. My Mother in Law has been ill and hospitalized this week. She should be okay, but she's having some kidney issues and it's been a tiring week. Pile on the homework on top of that, and I am one tired girl. David is at the lake relaxing and I am home reading about the psychology of adolecents. Hey, at least I am going to South Padre next weekend!

So I will update later. Right now, I am a tired girl!

Breathing Easier

Thankfully, Gustav didn't tear up the coastal areas as originally predicted. I know there is damage and lots of repair work to do there, but I am so glad people got out. It's inconvenient and frustrating for those folks, but better safe than sorry. I hope they feel that way, too.

It seems that hurricane season is in full swing now, with Hanna and Ike doing their thing. We'll hope for the best there, too. I understand Hanna is already starting to fizzle out. Yay!

That's it for today. I'm getting caught up from last week and trying to get stuff done. I'll post tomorrow about being at a pool party Saturday night where the cops were called. The story is much tamer (and way more lame) than you'd think!

A Prayerful Post

I was going to post a silly story or joke, but I think today is reserved for thoughtful prayer for the people along the Gulf coast. I don't know how many of you that read this blog live in Texas or on a coastal state, but when the coast is on alert and people are evacuating, we take special notice here. In Texas, we help shelter those trying to get out of harm's way. My mom and I have taken donations to shelters, I've been on committees at work to help families recover from Katrina, and most of us here know someone who had family affected. I work with a guy on my team who actually had to get into a boat from his second floor window when he lived in NO and had to escape Katrina. His story is amazing, and it's still not clear how they survived all that they did.

So tonight, humor me and say a prayer for all those who have had to flee their homes yet again. And for all those who have stayed behind to protect the city and be there in the first responder capacity. I've been watching TXCN all day hoping to see the hurricane die out, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen. So please, PLEASE say prayers for everyone affected in any way. It's going to be a long night for all of those people waiting to find out the fates of their homes.

My Long Weekend Was Longer Than Planned

Yeah, I was home sick from work today. I've had this crud for a couple of days now but I felt super crummy this morning. I stayed home and slept, and I had to go to school tonight...it was the first day. I feel better and should be at work tomorrow. This sick stuff is never fun!

I honestly don't have much news. Just me feeling stuffy and sneezy. I'll be back later this week with something witty. Just not today. I think I am going to go to bed.

It's My Friday!

I am taking tomorrow off from work, and I am really happy about that! David and I are having lunch with my mom and then going to buy my books at the bookstore - I start school again on Monday! I've been ready to get back in the swing of things. Mostly I am ready to move toward having my degree finished. I'll be glad to get away from corporate America when the time is right. I'm working on my degree in psychology and a masters in social work so that I will hopefully be able to actually help someone someday. It's the thing I am called to do...I honestly believe that.

Tonight my friend Anne is coming for dinner and some Wii time. We still love the Wii! I swear it's the best investment we've made in a while! :)

So that's about it for today. Everyone have a great evening!

Sleepy Weather

I am loving the misty rainyness we're having these days...but it makes me so sleepy! I refuse to complain about 80 degree weather in August here, though...keep it up, Mother Nature!!

We've been eating out and enjoying some of Dallas' finer restaurants during Restaurant Week. My favorite? Fearing's at the Ritz-Carlton hotel. If you need a special occasion spot, go there!!!!

Other than that, not much is new. I am taking Christy to dinner tonight for a late b-day dinner. We haven't had a chance to get together to celebrate until now, and I am looking forward to it. :)

Everyone have a good day!

MUCH Better!

All is well with me again! Thanks to all for the well wishes...I wouldn't want that for anyone! I'd love to have a ton of stuff to catch everyone up on, but nothing new is happening here. I am in corporate meetings until Wednesday so not much action. Kim is teaching her first Aqua class on Wednesday, so that's very cool. I start school two weeks from tonight and I am looking forward to it. I am going to buy my school supplies this weekend! (Wow... nerd alert!) I'm just ready to make some progress toward my degree. When you know what you want, you just want to get there, you know?

It's creeping up on my 1st wedding anniversary! David and I have some special plans that weekend, and I am ordering a teeny little cake made of what our wedding cake was...and seriously, YUM! I am looking forward to having a bit of that! :)

No other news, really. I hope all is well with everyone else. I'll check in toward the end of the week when I am past all these meetings! (Ugh!)

A Whole new Kind of Pain

So what could possibly be so painful that I couldn't go to work today? It must this raging UTI that I have. Seriously, this could be one of the most painful things ever. I've never had one before, and WOW! This sucks like nothing I have ever know. The good news is that I am on a antibiotic now, but It can take a day or so for it to kick in. I mostly rested today. It's crazy how this stuff wears you out. I hate it. But it will be gone soon enough...I am drowning it with water and cranberry juice to help.

So that's the big thing in my world right now. David comes home Saturday night, so I am happy about that.

I am going to bed now. I'm so glad tomorrow is Friday!

Wrap-Up

It's been a nice weekend. David and spent lots of time together, which is good since he leaves tomorrow and will be gone until late Saturday night. He is conducting several seminars on men's footwear for Dillards associates. He did it here in Texas and it got such rave reviews that he is literally taking his show on the road. I am very proud of him! I was originally going to meet up with him in Salt Lake City, but I decided I would rather meet him in South Padre next month. Hopefully it will be in good shape after the hurricane by then.

We went to Snuffers Friday night and then saw "Get Smart", which we thought was hilarious! Saturday we spent cleaning and just doing stuff around the house, and Saturday night David made me an awesome dinner. We watched TV and drank wine and just had a good time.

Sunday has been busier for him, since he leaves tomorrow. We watched the "Bucket List." I really like that movie. I think I may make a Bucket List of my own. I'll have to think on that.

This week will be a bit lonely without David, but one my girlfriends is going to keep me company some, so I am looking forward to that. Wednesday I am taking dinner to a family from church. I am part of my churchs' Care Team. We take meals to families in the are who might have a loved one who is sick, or recovering from something, or just needs a meal for any reason. (They don't even need to be church members...I think that's cool!) So I am going to make chicken with roasted tomatoes. I found the recipe in this month's Real Simple magazine and it looks awesome! (and it's healthy, too!) Tuesday I am having dinner with the family (Craig, I will email you about this but Ann and Grampa are going to mom and dad's...you should come, too!)

But the rest of the week I am free and breezy. I plan to fill some of the time with trips to the gym. I lost 1.4 pounds last week, so I have turned it around and am trying to be back on track.

I hope everyone has had a good weekend in spite of the sweltering 107 degree heat. Seriously, the dog days of summer have arrived.

Stay cool...literally!!!!

A Wee Bit O' Surprise

Shumpy has informed me that Bennigan's is closed! While I didn't find myself there so often anymore, it does come as a bit of a surprise...where the heck will I get cheap beer and a Turkey O'Toole sandwich any more? That's just sad. And I know there was a crew of semi-regulars that spent many a weekend night there. It's like the end of an era. I wonder what will go in there next? It seemed to me that Bennigan's was the staple in the little Bedford Restaurant Row. Hopefully something good and with cheap beer. :)

I feel sorry for all the people who lost their jobs. It's just not a good time to be out of work.

And what will people do for St. Paddy's day next year? This is just sad.

Now would be a great time for the economy to look up. I don't know that either of our Presidential candidates can help with that. *sigh*

On that note, at least the day is coming to a close!!

TGIF!

I think the toll of the week caught up with me today. I didn't sleep particularly well last night, so I was dragging today. But I took off a half day and went home and rested. Actually, I went to mom and dad's and napped. They're out of town so I am feeding their kitty, Maddie. Maddie and I took a good afternoon nap and I felt much better. I went to sit in the hot tub at the gym with a girlfriend and then we grabbed dinner at Jason's Deli. Something healthy and inexpensive. (yay!) David has been busy all week with colleagues in from out of town for their big market meeting, so I am on my own.

Tomorrow would have been New Kim's birthday, so a handful of us are getting together to toast her and remember her. It's going to be an uplifting evening of snacks and drinks and remembering our friend. I'm looking forward to it.

My 13 year old cousin, Ashley, is coming in town next week and I am looking forward to spending time with her. We're going to shop for school clothes and hang out. I want to talk with her about internet safety..she added me to her MySpace page and she's got her first and last name out there for all the world to see. I think no one has had a talk with her about that, so I'm going to. i just don't want someone with bad intentions getting hold of her...she's a very pretty girl and I suspect a little naive.

I hope everyone is having a good weekend! Try to stay cool...it's hot out there!

Something Cute

Today needed somthing cute and fluffy, so for your viewing pleaseure I present...fluffy bunnies! I needed something nice and sweet for today's post. Life has been a bit of a downer this week, so rather than rehash that today, I just wanted a mental vacation. So bunnies it is!

I hope you are all having a wonderful day. Be sure to enjoy the cuteness and I'll be back with my usual blogging tomorrow.

An Unexpected Loss

I got the news last night that one of my friends had passed away very unexpectedly. She was one of those people that I didn't see all the time, but I really cared for her and was always happy when I got to see her. She was smart, funny, beautiful, and most importantly a good friend. I referred to her as New Kim, as I have another very close friend named Kim that I called Paris Kim (for obvious reasons), and New Kim was the newest Kim in our group. :) She had been a good ear for me when I had some dating debacles, she shared my passion for MAC, and she had a really deep love for animals. Over the last year she had to overcome some incredible health issues, but her passing was a total surprise and shock. Even now I just feel so hazy...like this news just can't be real. When Angela told me last night, I didn't even know what to say. I shared the news with Paris Kim and other friends, and none of us really had any words. We all liked New Kim so much, and we will most certainly miss her. She was one of us.

So here's to the memory of our friend...we'll be there together tomorrow to remember you along with all the others whose lives you touched in so many special ways.

(from left to right: Me, Paris Kim, New Kim, and Mia)

Hip Hip Hair-ray!

Christy is able to get me in to color my hair today, so I am leaving at 11 this morning. :) I woke up feeling blah and not really wanting to work today, so I am out of here in 18 minutes and off to improve my follicular appearance! Seriously, Christy has been so busy that I wasn't going to be able to get in with her, but she did have a 12:30 today, so I'm on it!

Nothing new to report. David is in New Orleans, Kim is in Chicago, and Mia is in Boston. I miss my posse when they're all gone!

I am not going to WW today because of the VERY important hair appointment, but I am going tomorrow. However, I am not getting on the scale. I am going for the meeting to get re-motivated and get myself in gear to do better. I've been slacking, and I can't do that to myself. No more. No excuses. I have to be a drill sargeant about this.

So that's my news for the day...hope everyone is well. And safe travels to all my peeps!

Back To It

My back is much better now after taking good care this week and not overdoing it. I can't believe I jacked it up at the gym...I know what I did. And no, I won't be trying to curl that much weight with my legs again. Ugh.

I rested last night and watched TV. I got excited to find out that iTunes now offers applications for the iPod Touch! So I went online and downloaded some free apps and a couple of not-so-free ones, only to find that I have to download an upgrade for my iPod. No problem, but it wasn't available until after midnight, and even this morning I can't locate it on iTunes, so I guess I will have to mess with it more tonight.

In other cool news, Joseph is off to work in Europe for a week, and he will be spending a few days in London checking out their office there. If he likes it, he may be moving there permanently. While I will miss him, it will be a very cool thing to have a friend living there that I can go visit sometimes!!

Nothing too big going on this weekend. I am having dinner with Mom and Dad tonight, and I am looking forward to that. It will be nice to relax with them. :) David is gone until Sunday night, so it's quiet at home right now. I had trouble sleeping without him there...I got used to him being home! He'll be in New Orleans next week, and he's looking forward to it since he's never been there. It's been a VERY long time for me. He'll be in the French Quarter, so I told him to enjoy but be very careful out there.

I think that's about it. It's been a busy week and I am happy to have some time to relax this weekend. I am going to South Padre Island in September, so that will tide me over until Cruisemas! (I was going to Salt Lake City in August, but AA has changed their Advantage reward policies, so I would have been able to get there but not come home. I'll pass, thanks!)

Everyone have a great Friday!!

Yeah, I'm Some Kind Of Gym Rat...

So I was working out yesterday and managed to strain my lower back. I know when I did it now, but didn't know at the time...should have. I was overdoing it a little. Ugh. Anyhow, sorry for the lack of posts. I'll get back to it in a few days.

Now I'm Hungry

Next month is the big Restaurant Week in Dallas. August 11th starts the fun, and now the hard part is waiting to see who will be on the list so I can make reservations for David and me. I love getting to go to these very upscale restaurants for reasonable prices! N9NE was on the list last year but we didn't go, and I really want to try them this year. I'm also interested in Abacus, the Mercury Chop House, Silver Fox, and Dragonfly. We can't do them all, but as long as we make it to N9NE, I'm good. I'm hoping we can pick two places, but as I have found before, sometimes David just does it better when he grills. (As much as I love Kirby's, their pork chops have NOTHING on David's!)

So yeah, all the restaurant talk is making me hungry. I ate breakfast and it's not even 10am yet. Ugh!

Nothing else to report, really. Just a busy week so far. I am planning to relax and have fun this weekend. We are going to David's parents house on Friday for a family BBQ. David is making ribs for the family...they haven't had the pleasure of his ribs so they don't even know what they're in for!! YUM! Great stuff! (Seriously...I am starving this morning!)

I hope everyone has a wonderful Tuesday. I think I am going to get a cup of coffee and try not to think about lunch for at least an hour. What's my deal today???

Someone's Got A Case Of The Mondays!

Yeah, I don't want to be at work today. But only because I was sleeping so good when the alarm clock rudely interrupted my sleep! But it is a short week, after all, so I will just suck it up and be here. (But I'll be dreaming of being warm and toasty in my soft, comfy bed!)

It was a good weekend! Friday night I picked David up from the airport and we had dinner at our favorite little sushi place. YUM! Saturday David had to work, but Kim came over and we went to water aerobics class. Since she is officially hired by the gym, she was checking out the Aqua class and getting some info from the instructor that does this class. We had a great time, and I have been sore this weekend from the workout!

Saturday night, Craig came over and David grilled and we played Wii...that was some serious fun! David had to work Sunday, and after that we went to his parents and had dinner. It was a lovely weekend!

David is home for about a week and a half, and I am very happy about that! I am also happy that it's a short week...did I mention that already??? :)

Everyone have a good Monday!

Weigh In...Not The Best, Not The Worst

Well, I went to WW today instead of yesterday and the news was as expected. I enjoyed my birthday quite a lot! I didn't weigh in last week, so I got my little shock on the scale and the worst is over. Now I am back on track and ready to get the few pounds that are visiting back off. I have slacked off on the exercise over the last two weeks, and I think that was the biggest part of why I gained. But next week will bring better news for sure! :)

See? It's different this time. I faced my fear of the scale, got on, and now I have a plan. Lots of exercise!!

That's it for today. David is out of town and will be home tomorrow. Yay!!

Birthday in Review

So back on Saturday we had my birthday pool party, and it was a blast! :) Good friends, tasty drinks, and yummy food all made for a lovely day. Thanks to Tom and Angela for letting us enjoy the pool!

Sunday was actually my birthday, and it was wonderful! I got one more of the Lolita martini glasses ("Celebrate!") and the promise of a fab new gym bag which should be arriving soon in the mail! Yay! Mom took us to brunch at the Blue Mesa Cafe - YUM! That buffet is huge and quite filling! Then we came home and relaxed for a while, played some Wii, and hung out. David made dinner reservations at my very favorite restaurant, Kirby's Steakhouse. We got there at 6:30 and had a lovely table. The service was spectacular, and the food was so good I can't begin to describe it. It was amazing! We got home after that and sat on the patio and enjoyed some wine. It was a perfect day! Turning 36 has been so wonderful, and I know next year it will be just as fun to celebrate again! (Thank you to everyone who made my birthday so much fun!)

Birthday Day 3 and 4

There was more birthday fun, and I'll have to update soon. I just ran out of time this weekend. I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Oh, and a very happy birthday to my blog friend Carmen!! Enjoy your Monsters! :D

Birthday Celebrations Day 2

Friday was day 2 of pre-birthday fun, and it started out with David making me a VERY yummy breakfast of French toast and turkey bacon. It was absolutely delicious!

After the best French toast ever, we did some cleaning around the house and then went to the movies to see The Love Guru. Do not go to this movie if you don't like potty humor! However, apparently we're like a couple of 12 year olds, and laughed at the silliness of the movie. I couldn't help it...it was just funny! (Check your brain at the door for this one...you won't need it!)

Then we came home and filled and frosted cupcakes. We injected them with cheesecake flavored pudding and frosted them with a bit of cream cheese icing. When mom and dad got here, we all shared what may be the best birthday cupcakes ever made! Oh, they were little cakes of heavenly joy!

Then it was on to D'Vine Wines for some wine tasting. We had some good stuff, and I love this little wine bar. We all shared a wine and cheese plate and sampled a few wines.

From there it was on to a very tasty little hole in the wall Italian restaurant, where we ate some amazingly good food! After that we called it a night, and after David and I got home we played the Wii for a few hours. It's the first time we've had a chance to just play together, and we played bowling, golf, tennis, and boxing. (I got smacked in the arm playing tennis...they are serious when they tell you to make sure you have room between you and the other player!) We broke a sweat playing boxing - it's physically involved with all the punching and jabbing and ducking! Then I finally had to call it a night. I was very tired!

Today is the day before my birthday, and it's pool party day! I can't wait! Almost everyone invited can come, and I am so excited to enjoy the day with so many good friends! I'm tomorrow will bring more pictures of all the fun! David has really made this a very special birthday!

Birthday Dinners

On Wednesday night we had a big birthday dinner with my whole family, and it was wonderful! Me and Dave, my parents, my freaking awesome cousin Craig, Grampa and his partner Ann, and her son Rick and his wife Jeannie. Let me tell you, a better time hasn't been had in ages! We went to a hibachi grill in Ft. Worth, and it was very good! It was so wonderful to get to spend time with family and new family! I really like Rick and Jeannie, and it's nice to have them in the family. :)

So that was Wednesday night...I decided to take off Thursday and Friday to enjoy my impending birthday, and David has been the king of making it special! I am being treated to pre-birthday fun!

It started out yesterday with breakfast and then running some errands, but as a pre-birthday gift I got a very cool martini glass:

I have started collecting these painted martini glasses by Lolita, and I love this! The matching bottle stopper is in the glass...it's really cool!

Next, David wanted to make me some special birthday cupcakes! So he made strawberry cupcakes with real strawberries in them!

We had a blast! Today they will be filled with cheesecake flavored pudding and topped with icing. YUM!

To round off the evening yesterday, David made my favorite dinner! He grilled big eye tuna, and we enjoyed it with avocado slices, and a salad consisting of scallops, grilled portobella mushroom, mixed greens and grapefruit. Seriously, it's one amazing meal!

So that was day one of birthday fun! I'll post tomorrow about the events of the day, and it's starting out great!!

Birthdays!

My mom's birthday was yesterday, and we got to celebrate with dinner out last night. We had a great time! My birthday is Sunday, and my grandfather's is Monday, so we're all having dinner together tomorrow night. It's going to be so cool...mom and dad, me and David, Grampa and his partner Ann, her daughter in law and son, and my cousin Craig. Having us all together like that is going to be wonderful, and I can't wait! :)

My awesome friend Angela is hostessing my birthday gathering this weekend, and I am very pumped up about that! It's going to be so cool!

WW hasn't gone great this week. But I am still going and stepping on the scale. I am actually going on Thursday so that my WW buddy Sandra can go. She has a conflict tomorrow, so we're going to together on Thursday. But yeah, I probably gained a pound or two this week, but it will be gone next week, for sure!! :)

I am still mourning the loss of Tim Russert. For me, he made politics exciting. The elections won't be the same without him. I hope his family is holding together.

That's it for today. Everyone have a good evening!

And The Magic Number Is...

Three!!! I have now lost 10.4 pounds!

Yep, it's a great day in my neighborhood!

Weigh In Alert!

Today is my second weigh in, and I am feeling VERY good about it! I don't expect to lose another 7 pounds in a week, but I do feel like I lost weight this week. I can't wait to report in! I looked back over the last week and noticed I am actually not getting enough dairy in my diet, so I need to add in some more milk or cheese or yogurt. It's all about a balance! I have had many good workouts this week, so hopefully my body will reward me! I weigh in at 11:30, and I usually don't eat before then so you can bet I am starting to get hungry now! Actually, I am thirsty but I can hold out until after I get on the scale.

I am on an orange kick right now, and they have become my snack of choice. Mom picked up a box of Harry and David pears (if you have not had them, they are to die for!!) while in Austin, so I get to pick that up tonight. She also picked up some jerk seasoning for us, so now David needs to do some jerk pork! MMM! All this food talk is making me hungry!

In other news, Kim is now a 24 Hour Aqua instructor!! I am so very proud of her! She's going to be great, and I can't wait to take her class! I knew she could do it...she's a Rock Star!

So that's it for now...I'll post my WW news as soon as I get back from the weigh in. Please send good vibes out to me!!!

Until later...

Sometimes You Have To Give Yourself A Break!

I discovered that sometimes too much is just that: Too Much! I have worked out vigorously all week without a day off, and Zumba last night was it for me. I couldn't do the entire class because my body was just so fatigued. My muscles haven't had any recovery time, and because of that I just couldn't get through the entire class. I had to take it down a couple notches and stop for a couple of breaks. It's a tough class to start with, but I was just too tired to give it my all. I am not exercising at all today, and I think my body will be better for it. I am going to water aerobics in the morning, but today? It's nothing but rest for me. :)

David is in NYC until tomorrow. He saw those two guys that scaled the New York Times building. Do people just climb buildings because they can? I'm too afraid of heights to do something like that. The elevator ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower was scary enough for me!

I have decided that when I have lost a total of 10 pounds (hopefully soon!) I am going to treat myself to something I heard about on the radio. It's a lip scrub (www.thelipscrub.com) and I think it might be nice to treat my lips to something like that. I'm dying to try it so I thought it might make a good reward for my hard work. It's hard not to just go buy it, but I am making myself wait. The big decision will be which flavor to try! :)

Well I think that's about it. I hope everyone has a wonderful Friday!!

Reality Check

So with my WW success yesterday, I got to thinking about it all last night. My body is so tired from working out so much, and I found myself wondering if I would have to always work so hard at exercise. The reality of that is a big yes. I am always going to have to work this hard at it, but that's okay. All my muscles are so sore, which is a good thing, but it does feel overwhelming to think that for the rest of my life I have to work out at this intensity (or higher) to keep the weight off. I'll do it, but it's just a lot to think about. No worries...I'm not falling off the wagon! Just got to thinking about this stuff. It's all good!

I got up very early to take David to the airport this morning, and I am VERY tired today. I may need to go get some coffee!

Everyone have a good Thursday!

Oh, I Am SOOOO Back!

Okay, so first week back on Weight Watchers (WW) and I lost....brace yourselves... 7.4 pounds! Oh yes, you read that right! All the working out and making good choices paid off, people, and I am on track and ever so motivated! I am taking it a little at a time, and this was a pretty big step for me! I almost fell off the scale when I read my weight loss on my card. I'm still in shock I think! My WW buddy from work, Sandra, lost 1.4 and she'll be the first to tell you she put no effort into it at all this week, so I bet she'll be on top of it this week for sure!

So I am floating on a cloud today! Yes, it's a great day! I have taken the day off and am about to go have some (healthy!) lunch with David, and then off to the pool for a little relaxation. I think for my first 10 pounds off I will reward myself with a new lip gloss. :)

Everyone have a great day!

Waxing Poetic About SATC

So I got what I have been waiting four long years for...the Sex and the City movie, and I wasn't disappointed at all. A bunch of us got dressed up and headed out to the theater to enjoy the evening. Do I feel silly that it took me two hours to get ready to go sit in a dark movie theater for two hours? Not at all! The crowd was fun...great vibe! The theater had a cosmo bar set up so we got our very cliched cosmos and toasted to the night. We laughed, we cried, we cheered. It was everything I wanted it to be. For me, the underlying theme of the movie was simply love. And I think that as long as we believe in it, then love can conquer pretty much anything. Yeah, I know I am channeling my inner Carrie, but that's okay with me. :) It's nice to be optimistic.

The rest of the weekend was good. I was still on a SATC high. :)

I hope everyone had a great weekend. Try to have a good Monday!!