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!!

Fade To Brown

So my sunburn has faded into a nice tan color now...it's good to not be so pasty!! I was tired of feeling like a lobster. I am peeling a little, but hopefully that will end quickly. (It's my forehead...ugh!) Apparently no amount of moisturizer is able to prevent this, so I am going to do a scrub tonight to help it along.

We had my parents over for dinner and David made is super-awesome ribs...I planned ahead and ate light during the day so that I could enjoy them without guilt. And trust me, I did!!

I have actually done well so far this week. I know I just started WW on Wednesday, but I already feel good about it. I've also been working out pretty regularly this week, and I am trying to make it a habit. I'll get there, it just takes time for me. But I keep my mind on my goal, and that's helpful. While I won't be where I want in 50 pounds, I'll be very well on my way and looking better. :) So this is all good, and I think I am on the right track.

So I am getting ready for SATC tomorrow!! I am so ready to enjoy the movie and find out what my four favorite TV characters have been up to. It's like visiting old friends. Maybe some people don't understand, but I was a singleton in my 30s during the time SATC was on, and someone they made it feel okay to be single. All of a sudden, being single felt glamorous and fabulous, and I loved it. I truly connected with some of the issues on that show, and it felt like someone else knew what I felt. So yes, I own all the DVDs and I watch them regularly. And tomorrow night will fill a little hole that's been empty for about four years. :)

I hope everyone has a great Friday!

200 Days And Counting!

In just 200 days, I set sail for the Caribbean! I am really looking forward to my first cruise. If I like it as much as I think I will, maybe next year we might have to do a Mediterranean cruise! Since airfare is so high, it really is a much less expensive way to go! Plus, we're going to go places and do things I have never experienced, and I love new experiences! :) It should be a blast!

My arms are sore from working with my trainer Tuesday. We lifted lots of weights, and my shoulders are in need of a massage. It may be time to call a friend for some help in that department! (It's nice to have friends who are massage therapists!)

Please no collective groans...I have re-joined WW once again. (Yes, again.) I am determined to lose 50 pounds by the cruise (December 14), and I can't do it alone. My meetings are on Wednesdays now, so I'll be posting the results from my first weigh in next Wednesday. I am looking forward to good results! I know you have all read the same song and dance here before, but I just refuse to give up. I can do this, it's just a long road for me with a few potholes along the way. :)

So I hope everyone has a wonderful Thursday!

Did You Get Some Sun??

If one more person asks me this, I will have to smack them. Yes, I got some sun. I am a lovely pink-red color. Did you know that leaving sunblock in a hot car for long periods of time causes the sunblock to break down and not be effective? Yeah, take my word on that one. I'm a bit sunburned.

But we had a great weekend! David is home until late next week, so we've had a good time hanging out. The kitties are very happy he's home! (Me too!) We've played the Wii and grilled on the new grill...lots of fun! We spent Memorial Day at his parents' house and had a nice time. I wasn't ready to get back to work yesterday, but at least it's a short week.

SATC movie comes out this weekend, and I am so ready to see it! I think it's going to be wonderful, and my girls and I are going to have lunch and see it together. There must be cosmos involved!!

Kim has her Aqua tryouts on Saturday...she's so awesome and I know she'll do well!

Everyone have a great day!

It's Going To Be A Good Day!

David comes home this afternoon, and he's actually home for two weeks!!!!! I am so excited about that! He's been traveling so much with very little time at home, and as much as I miss him, I know he misses me and the kitties and just being in his own home more. At least I have the comforts of home and the company of the little furry ones. But now he can play with the Wii and use his new grill and just enjoy being home.

I am really looking forward to a three day weekend. David is working on both Saturday and Sunday, but he'll be here locally so it's not too bad. And he's off Monday and then taking some extra days off on top of that, so he'll get a chance to relax and unwind.

Last night I met Kim up at the gym and she ran me through a 30 minute Aqua class. She is getting ready for her audition, and she did a GREAT job! I'm sore in all the right places, so she's got it! :) I'll definitely be in her classes when she's ready!

That's about it for today! Hope everyone has a great Thursday!

Wii Stayed Up Too Late!

David and I recently purchased a Wii, but since he's been travelling so much there hasn't been time to even take it out of the box. That changed last night!! We hooked it up and played until almost midnight...yes, I am tired today, but I have to suck it up because I am working with my trainer this afternoon. No excuses! But you can bet I'll be playing it again when I get home tonight!

So today I am putting the deposit down on our cruise!! I am really looking forward to the trip and spending time with David and my parents like that. We haven't had a family vacation in many years, and this is going to be a good one!! I've found several excursions I want to do...swimming with the dolphins is just going to have to be a must! And in Cozumel, I want to snorkel with the stingrays. I doubt we'll be having another Crocodile Hunter incident. :) I'll be fine!

So it's been a good day, except that David left again this morning and won't be back until Thursday. But after that, he's home until June 5th!! (And we have a holiday weekend this weekend!) That's about it for me. Everyone have a great day!

Weekend In Review

Saturday was pretty much spent getting my hair colored and then it was off to the mall. Mia and I spent the whole afternoon shopping and having a good time. We topped it off with the purchase of new shoes that are simply fabulous. (We ordered them online, so I will show them off when they come in!) We went to Fireside Pies for dinner...YUM! Sunday was nice and lazy. I went to the store and picked up some groceries, and that really was about it. David made it home around 7pm last night, and I was really glad to see him! It's been a long week without him, and he has to hit the road again tomorrow. I am happy to say that he will only be gone until Thursday this time, though. I've spent a LOT of time without him and it does get a little lonely and sad when he's gone. (Hence the shopping Saturday!)

I don't have much news other than that. Anyone watch the Desperate Housewives finale? The last minute was odd...we'll see what happens next season.

Have a good Monday, all!

Mothers Day In Review

Yesterday was Mother's Day, and it was a good one. I got to sleep in, which is always a treat. My darling kitty-children woke me up, but it's always a nice treat when these guys wake you because they want to be loved on. :) David took me out to breakfast, and I got a carnation from the girl at the cash register. She asked me if I was a mother, and I told her that I had three furry children. (I did explain that to her!) She told me it sounded like I had a handful...very true! Then we went to Target and got groceries and headed home. We got caught up on our TV shows and then went over to Mom's to bring flowers and cupcakes. I brought cupcakes from Sprinkles, but I gotta say that the very best cupcakes are from Society Bakery in Dallas. Seriously, they put Sprinkles to shame!

After all that, we went and got sandwiches and then went home and took a nap. David grilled some salmon for dinner and we enjoyed it with a salad. We watched "Dan In Real Life", which is a very sweet movie. And after that? Bedtime! I was sleepy! Monday came much too soon. David leaves again tomorrow and is gone until Sunday night. It feels like he will be gone forever. Only a couple more weeks of heavy travel and then we're back to normal! :)

I hope everyone had a great day!

Star Student

I got my grades for my first semester back in school, and I am a straight-A student!! I know it might seem silly to some, but it was good to have a good first semester back. And I earned those grades, too! It's such a good feeling to be so successful at something you've worked so hard for. So I did it! I have a ways to go, but it's a solid start out of the gate. :)

In other news, David is off in Denver. This is a tough time of year...he spends a chunk of time on the road and I don't get to see much of him. He was home less than 48 hours before he had to hit the road again. He gets home late Saturday night and then leaves again early Tuesday morning and won't be home until late Sunday night. It's hard, but it's only this way for a few weeks. The rest of the year never seems quite so bad. It wouldn't be such a challenge if I didn't love that man so much. (Yes, you can barf here if you want.)

Work is good. It's been weird that I haven't had any homework to do this week, and that I don't have to go to school tonight. I am having my parents over for dinner and I am making homemade pizza and a salad. I haven't had them over in a while, so it's about time.

That's it for now. We're hoping to escape more severe weather. It's Wednesday after all, and it seems that it's the day of the week that we get the dangerous weather here. Ugh!

Everyone have a good Wednesday!

The First Of Many To Come

Today I get to wish my dear Christy a happy first wedding anniversary!! It was a year ago today that she had a beautiful ceremony in the Botanical Gardens, followed by a great reception. She and her hubby are so very happy, and I am thrilled. I know there will be many more in the future!

This is a year of first anniversaries...mine in September and Kevin's in October. 2007 was a good year in the wedding industry among my friends!

It's also Cinco de Mayo, so everyone enjoy safely! (Keep the Coronas and Dos Eqis to a minimum if you're driving!)

It's All About Me Tonight

I am worn out. It's been a tiring week, and I finished my last Humanities class last night. I am actually very sad it's over, because I have gotten so much from that class. When grades come out I will send my professor an email to tell him how being in that class has changed me a little. I won't go into all the sappy stuff here, but I think I am a better person for being in his class.

David is in Omaha right now, so I am on my own until Sunday evening. Tonight I am really missing him. We bought a new king sized bed, and it's really empty when he's not here. Not sure what it is, but I am missing him more than usual tonight. I needed some down time desperately. It's just been so busy at work, and with the end of school I have just been worn to a nubbin. It's good to have a night to myself.

We've changed out December vacation again and now we're going on a Caribbean cruise, and the more I think of it, the more excited I get about going. And I am very happy that my parents are going, too! I am happy that they will see places that are new to them, too. Beautiful, tropical paradises that they can share together. It's nice when your parents are mid-sixties and still in love. :)

So that's it for tonight. I am going to wash my face, brush my teeth, and call it a day.

The Wrap-Up

It was a lovely weekend! I dinner with the girls Friday night over at Mia's place, and it was yummy! She made pasta and a salad, and we all left with full tummies! I had to leave early to go home and study for my Health class final. I think I did pretty good, so I think an A is in my future there!

Saturday night, my parents and David and I went over to Dave's parent's house for a lovely dinner. They went out of their way to set a beautiful table and feed us well!

Sunday I went to the Byron Nelson and had a blast! I've never been and I can't wait to do it again, although I was pretty worn out after all the walking. But hey, it was great exercise!

So it was back to the grind today. I have to get home and finish some homework due Wednesday, which will be the last night of my Humanities class. I really like the class and enjoy the bonds I've created with my classmates. I have to figure out what to bring, as my professor told us we could bring snacks as we have our class discussion for our final project. Something healthy...yes, I am trying to be good! David and I are going with my parents on a cruise the week before Christmas and I am going to lose 50 pounds before I go. Yes, we've decided to wait until next year for Paris and London since the economy is in the pits right now. But I am excited about a cruise...I've never been on one!

So that's the latest with me. Have a good Monday!

Checking In

Thankfully, school is winding down. I have my final for one class on Saturday morning, and then my final project due for my other class next Wednesday. After that, I am free for the summer!! We had en eventful week last week...we bought a new coffee table, washer and dryer, and a new bed. I feel so very grown up now!

Everything is good, just been swamped with work and school. Things will lighten up soon! Just wanted to say that I am still here and alive. Oh, and Jerilyn, I will so take you up on your offer for a drink!! (You don't need to buy!! We just need to hang out!)

Everyone hang in there and have a good one!

Sorry For Being Gone!

I have been working hard in school and have had a LOT on my plate lately. The posts will probably be a bit sparse until the end of April...that's when I am done with this semester of school.

All really is well on my end...just lots of work and school. David is about to be travelling quite a bit, but it's okay. Absence does make the heart grow fonder...is that possible? I am already immensely fond of him! :)

The kitties are all doing well, too. Things in our world are wonderful. No real news I guess!

So I hope everyone else is doing well! I'll post again very soon!

Weathering The Storm

Good grief! We had some monster storm move through last night, and it was a doozy! It started around 3:30am I think...I usually sleep through storms but not this one! The wind was unreal, and the lightening was blue! I've never even seen blue lightening...scary! We turned on the TV to see what was moving through, and it was a long squall line that brought circular and straight line winds. It's like a war zone around my complex...there is construction across the street and the big, thick pieces of plywood were blown everywhere, and there are trees and limbs scattered around as well. It's a mess! But we're all okay, and despite the emergency sirens going off, all is well.

That's my big news today. Needless to say, I am very sleepy after being up for an hour in the middle of the night. I hope everyone in the area is okay! Have a good Thursday!

I'm 16 Again!!

Take a step back in time with me...

It's 1988, and I have some very poofy bangs. The arms are stacked with bangle bracelets, and I am in an over sized t-shirt with leggings and flats. The occasion? George Michael in concert at Reunion Arena. My friend Holly (from church, mind you!) and I were off to see him in concert, and it was totally awesome!! We sang along with every song (including "I Want Your Sex" even though we didn't want anyone's sex...we just wanted to sing along and dance in the aisles!), and screamed like the teenagers we were!

Fast forward to 2008, and he's coming back! And my husband is taking me!!! Yes, we're going to see George Michael in concert at the AAC, and I am one happy girl! Gone are the poofy bangs and all the bangle bracelets...and yes, the t-shirt and leggings. But not the teenager spirit! We'll be dancing in our row and having a blast! it's our first concert together and it's going to be a riot!! I am filling my iPod with George's best stuff, and getting ready to start planning the concert clothes...I haven't been to a concert in ages!! And I am so glad David is happy to go. And now we get to be 16 again for one more night!

And a big shout-out to Kim for a lovely dinner party Saturday night! The girls got together for a vegetarian pot-luck, and it was wonderful!! Kim is a perfect hostess, and it was a great night! (except for bad traffic and Angela's allergies! Poor girl!)

I hope everyone has a good Monday!

Sheer Disappointment

I attended the county Democratic convention on Saturday. I won't say as much as I would like because there isn't much to say that's positive. I arrived at 8:45 am only to find myself waiting until 1:30pm to even get signed in. Absolutely no organization at all. I ended up leave early, and I was mad driving all the way back home. I don't want to go much further with that, but I can only say that right now I won't ever plan to attend another one. There HAS to be a better way.

I did attend six art shops/galleries Saturday night for my Humanities assignment. Some were interesting, some were total crap. (In my inexperienced eye!) But David and I also celebrated being married exactly six months Saturday night. We drove by the church and then drove by the reception site, where another wedding reception was taking place. It's so much fun to think back on the night and remember how much fun it was for us. I always wish I could experience it once more...and I wouldn't change a thing. Oh, except that my husband wouldn't forget me at the church. (He rode with a groomsman to the reception...thank God for mom and dad!!) I was mad at the moment, but it's really funny now and we laugh about it. :)

So it was a good weekend. I am very tired this morning, but I have to shake it off...plenty to do today for sure!!

Drained

It's been a while since I've blogged...sorry for the vacation. It's been really busy, and I feel like I am going in about twelve different directions. I'm kind of at the point where I feel like I am so busy doing things for everyone else that somewhere in all this I have managed to forget to take care of myself. And on top of that, I have the Democratic Convention tomorrow from 9-5 (registration begins at 8am...ugh!) and then the Forth Worth Spring Gallery Night, which I have to attend for my Humanities class. Somehow I have to hit 6 galleries between 5-9pm. I have to pick 3 pieces of art to analyze and observe the crowd. Then I have to have a paper written about this to turn in for class on Wednesday. Oh, and it's my 6 month "anniversary" of my wedding, but there's no time for a date. I'm just drained. Sunday needs to be spent writing my paper, so my whole weekend is just shot. Sorry for the rambling bitch session...I'm just tired and can't seem to feel rested or refreshed.

I think I'm going to end the post before I scare everyone else away. I hope everyone has a good weekend!

Spring Storms

I know technically it's not spring yet, but we had some crazy storms yesterday! Tons of rain, thunder and lightening...not to mention high winds. Crazy stuff! And it was cold rain, too...I don't like that stuff! I don't know where any of my umbrellas are (David!!) so I got soaked running to and from the car. Ugh!

David was probably one of the few people who managed to fly out yesterday morning. He flew to Lubbock and comes home today. Yay! I have school tonight, but I'll get to see him for a little big between work and school. I'm looking forward to that!

Rich's interview is this afternoon. I think he's going to do really well. It's a team interview, so I'll be in there. The whole team here is really pulling for him, so I think it should go fine. as long as he's relaxed and is just himself, he should nail it.

My team is going to lunch at PF Chang's today. I haven't eaten there in a little while, so I am looking forward to that, too. They have wonderful lettuce wraps! I don't know what I am going to have for lunch...maybe I should start reviewing the menu now...it takes me so long to decide sometimes!

That's really about it for today. Everyone send Rich good vibes at 2pm!

Good Sleeping Weather

It is so overcast and gloomy today...I feel like I would be better off in bed today, snuggled up with the kitties and napping. It's the perfect sleeping weather.

I don't think I have any news...David is out of town, but he'll be back tomorrow. Oh, I do have news!! I got the midsemester grade report yesterday, and it looks like I have an A in my Humanities class! This is the class that has been so challenging for me, and I think I am doing very well! I'm feeling so very proud of myself right now. :)

Okay, that's officially all the news I have right now. I hope everyone else is having a wonderful week so far!

Movie Reviews and Birthday Fun

I saw Juno last night, and I really loved it! If you haven't seen it, it's not just some teenage pregnancy film...it's actually a very smart movie with really witty dialogue. I laughed and cried...it's totally going to be a movie I will be buying when it comes to DVD.

So today is actually one of my co-workers birthday. She LOVES her birthday so we've made a big fuss...and a BIG mess in her cube. She loves Elvis, so we decorated with a "Blue Hawaii" theme and put a big sparkly palm tree, a balloon shaped like the sun, and tons of confetti and Elvis pictures in her cube. She's going to love it! I made a yellow cake with chocolate icing for her, too...that's what I'm really excited about. :)

Tonight I am meeting Kim and Mia for a workout at 24 Hour Fitness. There is a "Zumba" class we're going to try out. It's some kind of crazy Latin/salsa/exercise class. This is either going to be awesome or we'll make major fools of ourselves. Either way it will be fun. With the three of us there, we can't go wrong!

Saturday night we're having a girls' night out. I have been bragging about Fireside Pies for a while, so we're going there for dinner. If you haven't eater there, you absolutely must! It's probably the best pizza/salad I have had in ages! This place has great drinks and wonderful service, too, so I am a fan! (David and I ate there twice in one week we like it so much!) So go there. You have to! (http://www.firesidepies.com/)

The great news is that Christy's husband, Rich, has a second interview scheduled for next week up here. Send good vibes for him...he'd be perfect for the job!!!!!

I think that's all my news for today. I'm glad it's Thursday. David comes home tomorrow, and then leaves again Saturday and comes home Sunday. But he's here most of next week, so that's good. :) I don't mind his travel, but it's always nice when he comes home. The cats miss him when he's away, too. We're a crazy little family with furry children, and that's working for us!

Oh, and a shout-out to Shumpy, who has added me to his list of noteworthy blogs! I promise to try and live as interesting a life as possible so that I make a good read! :)

Have a great Thursday everyone!

Time Change, How I Hate Thee

Man, this is the time change that just sucks the life out of me. It's so hard to get going in the morning, and I feel like I am just dragging all day long. I manage to get up early because I worry about oversleeping, but once I am at my desk at work, I feel like a zombie. I see that I am not the only one feeling this way...there are other zombies in the hallway, and we just sort of grunt our good mornings to one another. Maybe we'll all be fairly functional by spring.

I had a really nice weekend. I even worked out! David and I spent the weekend going to the gym and going to look at plants for our patio. We know for sure we're getting a lime tree and a dwarf peach tree. Both are good for our patio and will bear fruit - YUM! We also spent time looking at washers and dryers. We found what we want so we're just waiting for my bonus next month. I can't wait to own a washer and dryer that no one else has ever owned! Wow...I guess I really am grown up now! (We even own a Dyson vacuum, and I love that thing!)

On the 29th of this month we will be married 6 months. I can't believe it! I would love to go back and enjoy that day just one more time! It was so wonderful! We laugh now that David forgot me at the church after catching a ride with one of his groomsmen to the reception. Not so funny at the time, but definitely a riot now! (My parents were still there, but we were the only three people left at the church!) I lost my special wedding shoes, which actually turned up at church a month or so ago. Lots of funny stories, and one really amazing wedding day. :) We're waiting for the pictures we ordered to come in, and I will post some here. And if anyone who reads this has any pics from our wedding that you haven't shared, I would LOVE to see them! It's still fun to relive that day in my mind.

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

Blizzard! (Sort Of)

Yeah, we got hit hard with quite a snow storm! ( I have pics to post, just haven't uploaded them off the camera just yet.) My office closed at 12:30, so I headed home and changed clothes and went to the store. It was snowing these amazingly HUGE snowflakes! It was like being in a snow globe...I loved it! And of course, David is gone and Mom and Dad were out of town, so I had no one to share the wintry fun with. I was supposed to have dinner with Christy, but we thought it might not be a good idea because of the weather. :( So I went back and forth between houses to check on kitties and make sure everyone was cozy. The weather forecasters kept telling us we were in for more snow and freezing temperatures, so I stayed up late watching TV. Was I a bit upset to find out this morning that none of that happened and I had to go to work? Oh yes I was! I had to drag my tired a** out of bed and get ready for work. At least today is a jeans day and I could wear jeans and my warm Born boots! :)

So both my parents and David are coming home today. I get to pick up David from the airport around 4:30, so please send out good thoughts that his flight arrives on time and doesn't get cancelled or something like that. I haven't seen him since Monday and I am missing him terribly! Everyone stay warm today and have a great Friday!!

More Snow??

We are getting weather predictions of more snow for tonight and into tomorrow morning! I think our weather got very confused. I'm not really holding my breath that we'll get enough of anything to keep us home tomorrow, though. Usually when the weather forecasters start to get this excited, it turns out to be mild and we don't see much of anything. But I wouldn't be too sad if we had a delayed opening or a snow day! We didn't get one this year, and I would love to have a free day! I'd sleep in, make myself breakfast, and lounge! But I don't want the snow to last all day...David flies in tomorrow night and I'd like to be able to pick him up when he gets here!

Nothing new to report. Next week is Spring Break, so no school for me all week, and I don't mind a break! I am trying to decide how many classes to take in the fall. The two I took this semester have kept me pretty busy, so I don't think taking three classes would be a good idea. But I am still mulling it over. I am waiting to hear back from my advisor to see what she thinks.

I think that's it for today. I am a very sleepy girl. I stopped at Mom and Dad's after school to visit for a short time, but ended up staying later than I planned. So now I am sleepy and ready for a big fat nap!

Everyone have a wonderful day today!

How Did This Happen??

So I was a good citizen and voted tonight in the Primary and Caucus. I really wanted to see just what a caucus was and how it works. Not only do I now know, but I am also now a Democratic delegate to the county convention at the end of the month. Crazy! I'm excited about it...it's pretty cool to be part of this. Now I just need to find out more about what my responsibility is!!

Christy's husband interviewed at my office today, and I think he did very well. That's cool, too...he's a hard worker and a really nice guy. It's a good job, so I am keeping my fingers crossed for him. :)

So other than a long day at work and a very long night at the polling precinct, I am tired. And now I need to do some reading for school tomorrow night. Ugh! The busy schedule of a delegate!!

What Is Going On Here??

Snow? In Texas? In March?? Oh yes, my friends...we're having a weird winter storm. And of course, David has to fly out tonight. His flight was originally scheduled for 6:40pm, and now at 9:25pm, I just got a text from him telling me he is in the air and on his way. I didn't want to tell him, but for some reason, my stomach is full of butterflies about him flying in this weather. I won't feel better until I hear from him. I am sure he'll be fine, but I will worry until I know he's on the ground. It's only an hour flight, but it's going to feel like a long hour.

Of course, there is no good TV on to distract me. I have been chatting via text with some of the girls from work, but I need a distraction and since I am behind on my blogging, here I am.

We had a nice weekend. Friday night we celebrated being married five months. David grilled a delicious dinner, and we sat and talked and had a lovely weekend. Saturday was school, and that evening we had dinner with my parents and Grampa and his partner (I don't know what to call her!) Ann. We got home around 8:30 and David was tired so he went to bed shortly after that. I stayed up and watched movies on TV since I was very awake. I did end up falling asleep on the couch, so I didn't sleep well. Sunday was full of grocery shopping. We also had lunch with Rich and Christy. Rich has an interview at my office tomorrow so I was giving him some helpful tips. I think he's going to do well, and he's a perfect match for the job. :) Sunday night David made dinner for me again (grilled fillet Mignon!) and we had another wonderful evening. I have been spoiled...he hasn't had long travel since before the Christmas holidays, so I am missing him tonight. It's going to be a lonely week without him.

So to all my Texas friends, I hope you get out and vote in the primaries tomorrow. And don't forget the caucus! No political messages here, please...I just wanted to remind everyone to get out and vote!!

I am going to fold some laundry. I'll update to let everyone know David made it okay!

Update: Of course, he made it just fine!! :)

Star Pupil

Yes, I am the good student! I got my first paper back in my Humanities class and I got a 100 on it!! Now this is a tough class, and quite frankly I wasn't sure how he was going to grade. I would have been happy for a B on this, seeing as my quiz grades have been a little less than impressive. But 100?? Yeah, I'm pretty happy about that!

Not much to tell, really. I took the day off yesterday to finish my other paper and some additional homework. That, and I wanted a day off where I wasn't sick. David drove out to Tyler/Longview yesterday so I had the house to myself. Oh, and I had the kitties there, but they're cool. They chill and eat all day, so they don't bug me. Kaylee hung out in the office with me while I worked on my paper, but it's nice to have the warm furry friend in there with you!

I'm still working out and trying to do my best with WW. I've been struggling with the food, but I am getting the exercise in. It's just hard. Mia sent me a very inspirational quote:

"You may have a fresh start at any moment you choose, for the thing we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down."

I think that is incredibly true. As long as I don't give up, I can't possibly fail. I really like that idea! So I am making this my personal mantra.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thursday!

Tired

It's been a hard day! I got lots done at work, and then worked out with Susan. It was leg day, so needless to say I am pretty tired. We had dinner with mom, dad, Grampa and Ann this evening, and it was nice. But now I have been working on home work and I am tired! I am about to shower off and go to bed, but wanted to check in with everyone. I am getting myself back on WW this week, so there will be a weigh in on Saturday morning. However, I don't think the news will be good even though I am going to be very good this week.

Hope all is well for everyone! Take care and have a good evening!

Finally! A New Post!

Sorry it's been a week! It's been busy at work, and then I lost my ability to blog from work for a bit while they did something to our Internet up here. But I'm back! I sort of saw Maroon 5 this morning. There is a radio station in my building and they had the band there today. I got to work at 6:30 to see them, and I caught a glimpse. I did take pictures, but I will have to upload them before I can post. That Adam Levine isn't too hard to look at! ;) However, he's nothing compared to my hubby!! :D

It's been a really busy week. I'm settled into my new cube. No more office. No more window with a view. But it's quiet and that's nice. I'm not longer right next to my work BFF, Shanna, but we email each other often so I don't have time to miss cutting up with her. I do get to sit next to my other work BFF, Sandra, so between the three of us we stay pretty entertained. Oh, and we work, too! Sandra is out today, but David is picking Shanna and I up for lunch and taking us to Chipotle, so life is good.

I've been a little spendy this week. I got some new MAC, 4 new pair of shoes (Dillard's is having the 75% off sale, thankyouverymuch!), and a couple of shirts. Yes, I am done for a while. Hey, I can't help it! I'm a member of the shoparazzi! I have needs!

Seriously, I am so ready for spring weather now. Tired of the cold rainy mess we have going on right now. I need some 70 and sunny! I find myself missing the sunny shores of tropical Jamaica right now. *sigh* Maybe for our 5th anniversary we'll head back. Actually, we think we might celebrate the 5th at the Sandals in Antigua. I saw pictures of that resort and we need to check that out! All this travel...I think I drive David nuts with my LONG wish list of places I want to visit. But at least we're going to Paris/London in December! (We wanted to see it all decked out for Christmas!)

And one last thing...you can go to www.thejenspot.com courtesy of Kevin! I'm slowly becoming my own website! :)

So that's it for me. Everyone have a wonderful Friday!

Happy Birthday to the Girls!

A quick post to wish Kim and Mia a very happy birthday! We're getting to have dinner tonight to celebrate their fabulousness, and I can't wait!!

It's good to be thirty-faux!

Happy Valentines' Day

I hope everyone is having a nice day. I always used to refer to it as "Singles Awareness Day", but even as a married woman, it's not that big of a deal to me. I now think of it as Birthday Eve for Kim and Mia. :) David is making our annual menu of ribs and mashed potatoes, so I am looking forward to that. My boss brought us all a bag of treats, including Ghiradelli chocolate (damn her!) and some turtles. I am looking forward to a nice evening and a yummy dinner. :)

So I hope everyone has a wonderful day, and if you don't have a significant other, celebrate yourself! Go shopping and eat something decadent for dinner. And know that you are loved!

Have a great day!

A Room With A View

I've moved up in the world, if only for a few days. We're having a bit of shuffling going on here in the office, so until my new cube is ready, I have been relocated to an office. And A pretty good one! It's nice to have a door. For all of you who have one, consider yourself lucky! Although I do miss being right next to my comrades/partners in crime. It's a little quiet in here, but it's fine for the next few days. :) I'll survive. Here's what my view looks like:

Not too bad. There are better views, but there are worse views, for sure. But again, it's nice to have an office, even for a short time. At least it's something different.

Nothing much to report on. I am feeling much better now, and so is David. We're both pretty sick of being sick. Hopefully we're going to be good and healthy for a while now. We've had more than our fair share of germs!

School is going well. I have plenty to keep my busy, so my free time has become a bit of a premium these days. I'm sure friends are wondering why I am such a recluse these days, but I have been a bit worn out. Just trying to recouperate and keep my sanity. Oh, and do well in school!

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

Slightly Less Congested

Yes, I think I am better today. I am still in need of sleep, but I am definitely on the mend. I am going to be laying pretty low this weekend trying to get back 100%. Its been a long week and I am sick of being sick! Mom and I are going to a Valentine's party tomorrow afternoon, but other than that there are no plans. Just lots of relaxing.

Kim and Mia have birthdays next Friday, so I am sure we will be doing something fun to celebrate. After all, it's the anniversary of their 29th birthday! :) (Which anniversary? I'm not saying!) Now I just have to find the perfect birthday gifts!!

Did anyone watch Lipstick Jungle last night? I didn't get to see it all, but I recorded it. I wasn't into Cashmere Mafia when it first started but now I am recording and watching it regularly. Great. I don't need any more TV shows to record! I think I am hoping it will fill the void left by SATC, but nothing really can. That show was absolute greatness!

Seriously, I am so looking forward to getting into my jammies and crawling under the covers tonight. I am a sleepy girl!

Everyone have a great Friday!!

Clawing My Way Back

Man, I have been SICK!! I've had a horrific sinus infection that has really knocked me out. Which sucks because David was sick with a stomach virus all last week, which interferred with birthday fun. And then I got sick, so it's been no fun around our house. But I am better and am going to work tomorrow. And school. It's going to be a long day!

But when I went to the doctor yesterday I lost another pound for a total of 22 now, so that's some good news. :)

I also had a quiz in my health class Saturday and I made an A, so even sick I am still a good student. :)

That's it for now. My NyQuil is kicking in. Hope everyone else is well!

Back In The Land Of The Living

I have been at off site meetings all week for work, and this is my first day back in the office and I am trying to catch up. Once I get things taken care of, I'll have a chance to get caught up here. Hope everyone is well and I'll be blogging tomorrow!!

Have a good Thursday!

Happy Birthday David!

It's David's birthday today!!! The sad news is that he is sick, sick, sick! He has a terrible stomach virus that I wouldn't wish on my enemies!

So send wishes for good health to David please! He hasn't been able to enjoy any birthday festivities!!

NSV

In WW lingo, an NSV is a Non-Scale Victory. I had an NSV today! One of my co-workers asked me how much weight I had lost, and when I told her 21 pounds, she said she could really tell!! What a great way to begin my week!

It's going to be a busy week, for sure. It's David's birthday week (tomorrow is the big day!), and on top of that, he has his big meeting with Dillard's and I have a corporate meeting today-Wednesday. So between both our schedules, it's a weird week! But here's the worst part - David is home with a terrible case of food poisoning. He ate a grilled chicken Caesar salad for lunch yesterday (beware of Eatzi's!) and became really ill. He was in pain all night, but this morning his body decided it was ready to, uh, get rid of everything. He was a very very sick man this morning. I hated to leave him, but I think there isn't anything left, and he is sleeping now. I am hoping he'll be better tonight, but he only gets broth or a simple starch (baked potato or rice) for dinner. And at that, he may not be interested in eating. It really stinks that he's sick on his birthday week! Please send him well wishes!!

So other than that, no news. Hope everyone has a great Monday!

Class Dunce

So I had my first quiz in my Humanities class last night. I honestly read all the materials he told us to read, and I studied like crazy. What I did that I need not to do next time is anticipate what I think he's going to quiz us over, because while I studied with great intensity the structure of value systems and how we establish vales, he quizzed us over cultural matrixes. While I read about the cultural matrixes, I didn't spend a lot of time on that because he never mentioned it in class so I assumed the quiz would be over what we covered. WRONG!! But now I know for next week that I need to be very familiar with EVERYTHING! However, I still really like my professor and I am loving the class. Next time I will be better prepared! I hate giving him the impression that I didn't do my homework, but next time I'll do much better!

I also ate a cheeseburger yesterday. I bombed my quiz AND I ate a cheeseburger. Not a banner day for me. But I was hungry and it really was good! (I'll be paying for that later on the scale!) So I am working out and being very very good for the rest of the week. There is still time to show a loss, but I bet it won't be a 4 pound loss this week! (And you know what? That's okay! I can't go the rest of my life with no cheeseburger!)

David comes home today, and if we're lucky, we'll get iced in and can't go to work tomorrow so I can stay home and snuggle! We're crossing our fingers! David told me if I have to stay home tomorrow he'll make me pancakes. I love this man!

His birthday is next week so I am going to plan fun things to make the celebration last all week long. It will culminate with dinner at Truluck's that following Saturday night, and we're both looking forward to that. We've never been but I hear rave reviews, and since we both love seafood so much, we're going to give it a try. Now I just have to plan fun and silly things to make for a great birthday week! I already took care of one birthday gift for him, but now I have to do a few other little things. I love planning birthday stuff! Since we're going to cut out gift giving at Christmas and give money and time to charity, we decided to make birthdays much bigger deals, and I am going to set the bar! (Hey, I want to be spoiled when it's my turn!)

Okay, I think that's it for now. Everyone stay warm and have a great Thursday!

Holiday!

So I got the day off, and I have been spending my time studying for a test in my Humanities class on Wednesday. Fun, right? At least it's interesting stuff!

So...wondering how Saturday weigh-in went? AWESOME! I lost 4 pounds for a total of 21 gone!! I am one very happy girl!

Friday night was great! Christy cut and colored my hair, and then we grabbed some dinner. We had a really nice dinner, too. We sat and talked about politics, pop culture and how we don't understand our fascination with celebrity train wrecks, etc. It was a really good evening! I'm looking forward to the next time we get to do that! (I am especially proud that my girl has become a registered voter this year!!!)

So nothing else new to report. Saw Cloverfield this weekend. If you got motion-sick from Blair Witch Project, skip this one. I didn't feel good at all afterwards, and had to go home and sleep for a few hours. Lame! What a waste of a Saturday. Ugh!

So back to the grind tomorrow. I am taking David to the airport in the morning, but he's only gone until Thursday evening so it's not bad at all. With school on Wednesday, I'll hardly have a chance to miss him before he's home again! Next week is his birthday...I need to think of what to get him!

We bought a Dyson vacuum cleaner this weekend, and if think a vacuum is just a vacuum, you are so wrong! That thing is absolutely incredible! it wasn't cheap, but I think it was a good investment.

So that's it. I've moved dinner with Grampa to Mondays since I have school on Wednesdays, so I need to get myself ready for dinner. He's coming this was tonight and we're having dinner with mom and dad, too.

Have a good Monday, everyone!

Back To School

Well, I did it! I registered and I am headed back to school. I have my first class tomorrow night, so I'll zip on over after work and meet my friend Anne before class. Class doesn't begin until 7pm, so we're going to buy our books and then get a bite to eat. My first class is my humanities class, and it should be a good one. I hear the professor is great, so I am optimistic that it will be a good first semester back. I also have my health/fitness class on Saturdays at 10:45 am. I'm not as jazzed about that one, but it's only one semester. I just took the two classes this time around so that I can get back in my school groove. I plan to have a more challenging fall semester for sure. I'm a psych major, so I am going to work my butt off to make it into the psychology honor society. (That's my plan, anyhow! I have to get my GPA up!)

WW is still going very well. It's nice to know that I truly am on track and doing so well. I worked out with Susan yesterday and we lifted weights and did some core exercises. And my core is sore today, too! We're doing legs this afternoon, so I'm sure I will be a big whiny baby tomorrow. :) But at least after today I will have 2 of my 4 committed workouts done for the week. The other two are up to me. I plan to work out Thursday and Friday, so as look as I keep with it, I'll get them all in for the week.

So nothing else to share today. It's been a busy morning and I have tons to do here at work, so everyone have a great Tuesday!

The Holiday Loser!

So I went back to WW yesterday and found that I lost 2.6 pounds for a total of 17 pounds off now!! I was so prepared for a gain, and was happily surprised!! This is incredibly motivating, and I have done really well this weekend. My main source of activity has been housecleaning, but I worked hard and wasn't laying around so I don't feel guilty. I workout with Susan tomorrow, so I will be hurting but I am looking forward to it! I also register for school tomorrow evening, and I am happy about that. It's going to be nice to get that going and finished. It really feels like I am getting my ducks in a row this year, and I like it. :) It's nice to feel like things are coming together in the right way.

My plan this week is to focus on more physical activity. I've got to get moving more, and now that I'm not sick it will be a lot easier to do that. So this week, I have to get in 4 good, solid, sweat-building workouts. I'll be checking in here so that I have to be liable and accountable.

So everyone have a great evening!

Improvement

I am happy to report that I contiue to feel better, so I think a trip to the gym will be in order VERY soon! :) Hey, I need to get excited about that! Oh, I found two cool things to share. One is a food find that I love: Simple Harvest oatmeal. I could normally take oatmeal or leave it, but this stuff is great! It's quick to fix, and tastes good. Oh, and it doesn't have all the chemical sweeteners in it, which makes me very happy. I am trying to cut out all the chemicals and processed foods that I can, and this stuff is perfect for me! So I recommend the Vanilla Honey Almond flaver. I just had the Maple and Brown Sugar flavor, and while I like ti just fine, I absolutely LOVE the Vanilla Honey Almond one!

The other find is www.iTrain.com. You can download a personal trainer for your iPod and take it to the gym. It seems like a good way to have someone give you that extra push without having to pay the cost of a trainer. I think I am going to download some sessions for walking outside just to push myself a little harder. :) Seriously, I am getting the weight off this year!

I register for school on Monday, and I am looking forward to it. It's time to get that degree finished so I can have a career that I really love. I'm okay with my current job, but I think there is more for me in life than this. But I am grateful for where I am right now. :)

So nothing else to report. Everyone have a great Wednesday!

On the Mend

Yes, I think I am better. I have still been coughing and sniffling, but I am doing a lot better these days. I haven't made it to the gym just yet, but I tried! My trainer told me yesterday that she thought I still needed some recovery time, so we're shooting for later this week. I REALLY need the workout! I'd love to feel up to just taking a walk, but my lung capacity is a little diminished right now. I hate these upper respiratory infections!!

All of that aside, I am still doing really well with my eating, which is a big victory after all the crap I ate over the holidays. The good news is that I am going to WW this weekend - no exceptions!! I know I'll show a gain, but maybe turning things around this week will ease the pain a little. But I am going to take my gain and move on. :) I've learned after losing so much weight a couple years ago that it's better to face the music and stop the gain before it goes out of control. So lesson learned!

My girls and I are beginning to plan our trip to Vegas! We're going May 30th for a fun weekend. We timed it with the release of the new SATC movie so we can catch the movie in Vegas while we're out having fun. I love it! It should be a blast, and I am excited about going out there with the girls. Angela and Kim have never been, so Mia and I will be the Vegas veterans. I was there last August and had so much fun with David! I'll miss him, but absence makes the heart grow fonder! (Besides, he can hang out with his brother!)

So I guess that's it for now. Hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

Belated First Post of 2008

I would have been posting on New Years Day, but I have been sick and haven't felt very good. It's all sinus crap, but it was enough to keep me home from work yesterday, and will keep me home all weekend. I am happy to report that my eating has been much better, but there has been no workout in 2008 yet. I am going to see how I feel tomorrow, but I really need to get my booty to the gym. Otherwise I am just getting nowhere. And 2008 is all about self-improvement! So please send me healing vibes...I need them so I can go exercise!

No other real news. Things are good on this end. For NYE, we went to our friends Jeff and Lyn's house to celebrate. We got there around 9 and stayed until about 12:15 and went on home. I was already starting to feel puny, but we had RSVPd and wanted to be good guests. We had fun, but it was nice to come home and go to bed. I do realize that the older I get the less important it is to go out and whoop it up. Man, I am going to be 36 this year...where does it all go?

I start school this month, and I am ready. It's part of the self-improvement plan. I am going to bust my butt to get my degree finished up, get my masters and then hopefully find myself in a career that I will really love. I'm ready for that!! My friend Anne is sharing the same major and going to the same school (totally not planned!) so we'll be taking classes together, and I am so excited about that! I'll have a buddy in class, which always makes things more fun. :)

That's it for now. I need to go blow my nose and lay in bed some more. Everyone have a wonderful weekend!

How to Look Good Naked

I downloaded an episode of this show and watched it...I love it! What a wonderful show! It's all about taking women who feel awful about their bodies and helping them see how beautiful they are. I actually learned some stuff and the girl they showcased really evolved and by the end of the show she was seeing just how fabulous she really is. Finally there is some positive self-image on TV! This will be on Lifetime in January, so all you women out there who can't see all the good stuff about you, I insist you watch this show! (And for everyone else who doesn't understand what it's like to not love your body, watch and learn!!)

Tonight is the end of the year. It's been an amazing year for me. Married, promoted...next year will be so different. My focus for 2008 is school and fitness. I start back on January 16th to school, and I am ready! I'm getting back in the weight watchers groove and I'm excited about that. It's time, and I feel good! (I didn't go to my meeting Saturday, but that's ok. Next Saturday I'm so there!)

So no more resolutions. Just dedication to the things that will bring about an improved me!

Happy New Year! Everyone please be safe, and have a fun evening!

I Can't Believe It's Over!

Seriously...has Christmas really come and gone? Wow...that was fast! I spent most of yesterday glued to the television watching coverage of the death of Benazir Bhutto. I honestly have to say that I don't know how it will affect Pakistan or the US's relationship with Pakistan. It's interesting to watch the coverage and see how Pakistan reacts. I don't in any way claim to be educated on anything going on over there...I just have a fascination with the news and how the world always reacts to things of this nature. In any case, I always think it's sad when people pass away like this. It seems to really have set things off over there.

It's been quiet otherwise. Nothing going on with me. I have to work a 1/2 day today and Monday, and then after the New Year holiday it's back to the grind. As a way of passing time, I have my new iPod up here at the office with me. I love this thing! It's the Touch, and I need to put come more movies/videos on here. This is such a cool piece of technology! :) When David and I go to London next year it will come in handy on the plane.

I have done just horribly with my eating over the holidays. I am ready to get back into my groove. I am going to work out today and I need to get in quite a few workouts! Too many tasty treats and not enough discipline. That ends right now. But the good thing is that I am putting myself back in control, so I will have lots of success this year! :)

I think that's it for today. Everyone have a good Friday!

Merry Christmas!!

Just a quick note to say Merry Christmas! I hope Santa was good to you, and that you spend the day with those you love dearly...I am! I got an iPod Touch from my Santa! :) It's charging right now and I can't wait to play with it!! I am about to get things ready to head to mom and dad's, so I am keeping this short.

Merry Christmas, and may the new year bring you lots of peace and joy!

Better Than Sprinkles??

So I made cupcakes last night. Nothing fancy, just a yellow mix and chocolate frosting. I think David was in Heaven! He went on and on about how they were better than Sprinkles...moist, delicious, and not crumbly. and he LOVED the milk chocolate icing! I may get the Wife of the Year award from him! I got a big hug when he finished his cupcake - and then he went and got another one! :) So I am feeling quite pleased with myself for giving him such a special treat.

This might be the last post before Christmas. We have lots of things we're doing and lots of family to see, so in case I can't squeeze in a quick hello, I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!

Tired

I just feel so tired today. For some reason, I just didn't sleep well last night and it's catching up to me. I think I may be getting close to being ready for the holidays to be done. Not that I am not enjoying them, but all the holiday food pitfalls are getting hard to resist, and I am frustrated about that. I am going to have to kick my workouts up a bit. I didn't weigh in on Saturday, but I will this week. There are just some days when you know you can't do it, and last Saturday was just that day for me. It was a good weekend, otherwise. Full of holiday fun stuff. But now I am back at work and it's hard because everyone else (it feels like!) is home. That's just no fun! I have to go out at lunch today to buy stamps for our Christmas cards. (Yeah, they haven't gone out yet.) I'm just ready to take a big fat nap, though. I have to get a better night's sleep tonight. I went to bed at a decent time, just didn't sleep well.

No real news, just popping in to say hello to everyone. I hope everyone has a good day!

The Joy of Sprinkles

Ah yes. Anyone who really knows me is keenly aware of my love of cupcakes. And now I have experienced joy like no other...I have had Sprinkles Cupcakes. Yes, I bought into the hype and had a "designer" cupcake, but they're good! We now have a Sprinkles here in Dallas. We've had it for a while actually, but I hadn't been since it's not exactly next door. Oh, they are so good! But wait, you say....what about WW? Well, everything in moderation, my friend. I got an assortment when my friend Shanna went yesterday, and I am sharing the holiday love with others. One of them is mine, but the rest are being shared. However, here is a picture of my box of happiness:

Either the bottom left or the bottom right will be mine. I am not sure yet. The bottom left is a Madagascar bourbon vanilla cake with vanilla cream cheese icing. The bottom right is a spiced buttermilk cake with cinnamon sugar. I definitely have to choose...I can't have both. UGH!! Just for fun, the bottom middle is dark chocolate with dark chocolate icing. The top left is egg nog, the top middle is vanilla with peppermint, and the top right is strawberry. (The vanilla with peppermint and the strawberry are for David!)

So I am letting my brain wander to cupcakes for a little while. I hope everyone has a great day!

What's Wrong With People?

I am going to a funeral on Friday, and I think this may be the worst thing ever. My very dear friend Anne's aunt was murdered Sunday night. That's right, murdered. If you live here locally, you probably saw the news story about the woman who was shot by some guy who knocked on her door and she answered it and he just shot her. She and her husband were just watching TV on Sunday night. Some jackass randomly selected their house and ruined everything for them. He didn't steal anything, he just shot her three times and ran off, jumped into a car and drove away. No one knows who this jerk was, and there isn't much evidence. How in the world do you wrap your head around this? There is no reason, rational or irrational. There isn't any way to justify this. It's this huge thing that no one knows how to make peace with. Marianne was a 67 year old woman who, along with her husband, was retired and looking forward to landscaping her back yard. My friend, Anne, is devastated. I have known Anne and her family my entire life. Our moms were best friends since their 7th grade year, so this isn't just something that happened to a casual acquaintance of mine. Although I didn't know her Aunt, I know that there isn't anything I wouldn't do to support Anne's family right now. She was there for my when my Gran passed, and I will be there for her to hold her hand be the best friend I know how to be.

Please be extra cautious. Don't answer the door if you don't know who it is. It sounds so elementary, but it seems that we officially live in an age where you can't even be safe in your own home. And most important, please be sure to hug your family and tell them you love them often. We really just don't know what life will hand us.

Dreary Monday

Today would have been a nice day to stay home in bed! It's cold and icky outside! Sadly, no chance of weather that would keep me home from work. :( It would have been nice! So here I am at work. But at least it was a good weekend! I had dinner with the girlies on Friday night, and Saturday we got to celebrate Jen's birthday with a surprise dinner! David and Kim and I met up with them at a Mercado Juarez in Arlington and had a good time! it was a big group and a fun dinner. Yesterday was a bit lazy...we watched the Cowboys squeak one out against Detroit. I still don't know how they managed to win that one, but they did, so go Cowboys! We went out to dinner and to Target to pick up some kitty litter and fire logs, and that was our big outing yesterday! So it was a quiet weekend for the most part.



I heard that the Salvation Army still has angels from their Angel Tree that need to be adopted, so we're going to head to the mall to check into that and see what we can do to help. If it's too late, we're going to plan to do something for Toys for Tots. There are too many kiddos who don't get anything for Christmas. It's the least we can do. I hope everyone will consider finding a way to give time or money this season. Maybe take care of a soldier's family, or give a gift to a kid with no chance of a visit from Santa this year. Isn't that what we're supposed to do? Take care of each other?


Anyhow, have a good Monday, and stay warm everyone!

Happy Dance Time!

So I stepped on the scale this morning and the news was great! I lost all the weight I gained last week, so we are back at 15 pounds gone! :) I am proud! It's good to be back on track!

I had a great dinner with my girls last night. I love them all so much! It's good to spend time with friends like that. We're eagerly anticipating the release of the SATC movie in May! (I hope they do it justice!) We're planning a girls trip, and that's going to be awesome! :)

So that's it for today! Everyone have a good Saturday!

Counting The Hours (And the Calories!)

So my weigh in is tomorrow morning. For those of you who know know how much I must hate myself, I get up at 6am on Saturday mornings to go to my 7am meeting. So I will be weighing in around 6:40. I have done pretty well this week, and gotten lots of exercise in. My goal was 5 workouts, but I only managed 4. (Today will be number four, but I am going to the gym here at work before I go home, so I'll get it done!) I am hoping that my good choices and exercise will pay off tomorrow. Even if I don't lose it all, if I just lose SOMETHING I will be happy. It's all part of the journey, I know. There will be gains as well as losses, and I do accept that. I just want to be rewarded tomorrow! :) Whatever happens, I will be glad I went and work hard again next week.

Tonight I am going to a Christmas gathering with my girls. We're going to Mia's to hang out, and we're all bringing a snack. You know mine will be WW friendly for sure! I found two recipes I want to make. (I want to make something veggie friendly for Kim!) One is spinach triangles, and the other is Mexican beef and cheese won tons. They both require a fair amount of prep work, so I may be searching for alternatives. I am going to be sweaty when I get home and I need to shower and dress in addition to getting food ready. I think I may rethink my food ideas and find something yummy and healthy at the market. There are plenty of yummy and healthy snacks to be found there!

Tomorrow I am also going to get caught up on laundry. I am WAY behind and have plenty to do! We're not messy people, but the house needs to be picked up and vacuumed...we have lots to do! And of course Sunday is the Cowboys game at noon, so everything comes to a screeching halt for Romo and the boys at our house. (And that's okay! I watch the games, too!) So that's our weekend in a nutshell. Maybe somewhere in there I can get a manicure!

David is doing something super sweet! He has arranged a very special date night for us. On Saturday the 22nd, we're going to downtown Ft. Worth and having a nice dinner and enjoying the Christmas lights in Sundance Square. He even got us a room at the Worthington (where we stayed after our wedding!), but he used his Marriott points so it's FREE!!! :) So we can have a nice evening and we don't have to drive home! I thought it was very sweet, and I am really looking forward to it.

I think that's it for now. I hope everyone has a great Friday, and I will post my weigh in results tomorrow! :)

Cozy

My grandparents had the most wonderful cat named Cozy. She was the light of their lives, and the family joke was that she got better treatment than the rest of us. (Which was great with us!) My Gran adored that cat so much. Cozy would sit in my Gran's lap and cuddle with her. When Gran passed away, Cozy was my Grampa's companion. She would follow him through the house and they had their own routine.

Tuesday, my Grampa let her out to hang out in the yard, as always. She stays in the yard and keeps to herself. When he came home, he had to face the horror that she had been attacked viciously by two dogs, and she did not survive. It's like losing my Gran again, in a way. And now Grampa is without both his beloved wife and the loving furry companion that they both adored so much. Needless to say, I took this really hard. I am angry that these two dogs were running around without being on a leash. This didn't have to happen. And I hate that the last few moments of Cozy's life were filled with fear and terror. I can't even think about what she went through. We all loved that cat, and now she's gone, and there isn't any justice to be had. I'm not so much mad at the dogs, but at careless owners. We don't know who they belonged to, but God help them if I ever find out.

So now my comfort is that Cozy is reunited in Heaven with Gran. Gran loved that beautiful cat so much, and now they are together. That somehow really does provide some comfort for me. But I am still heartbroken for Grampa.

The Blogosphere - A Sampling

So I decided to check out other random blogs by clicking the "Next Blog" button at the top of the screen. It takes you to other blogs and I learned a lot. There are a ton of junk sites and Spanish speaking blogs out there! I found a couple of interest (just random people's lives that sound interesting) so I bookmarked them for later, but otherwise it was a lot of stuff that didn't interest me. I did run across a blog where a girl had her wish list for Christmas. What a good idea! Here's my wish list, assuming that money was no object. So this is truly a list of things I would love to have:

1. Coach bag - specifically the Carly Leather in brown. What can I say? I dream of Coach bags!

2. Drawstring workout pants and log sleeve zip hoodie from Oprah.com. I love this stuff! Check out the kiwi colored pants! These look insanely comfortable. I want!

3. Manhattan Leather Chair from Pottery Barn - Seriously, one very cool, sleek chair. I am sure I can find it cheaper somewhere. I just haven't looked. But I have loved this chair forever!

4. BMW 328i. Yes, I am a BMW lover. My little Honda is good for now, though. :)

5. Anything from Williams Sonoma. How could I be expected to narrow that list down?

6. My wedding china. It's so pretty and yet we hardly got any of it. It's a mix of two patterns from Wedgwood. (Pacific Stripe and Blue Fin) We have two bread and butter plates. It's not cheap stuff, but I would love to have at least 4 place settings!

7. iPod Touch. I saw this at Northpark Mall and LOVE it! It's really cool! My iPod is old and very outdated and needs to rest.

So that's it for now. Enough wishing for stuff I don't really need. But it sure is fun! If you could have anything you wanted for Christmas, what would you ask for? I'd love for you to leave that in the comments! :)

The Weekend In Review

Okay, so it was a fairly busy weekend. I went to dinner with Christy Friday night and we had a blast! It was good to catch up with her. Saturday morning was the weigh in. The news? Not great. I gained, but there's some water retention going on. It's not all water, but it wasn't all me. I am not beating myself up over, actually. I have really refocused and am doing well so far this week. Last week was so hard for me, so now I am back on track and looking forward to better results next week. :) Then there was the mammogram. I had mine at 10:30 Saturday morning. It wasn't painful or even uncomfortable, really. The girl was very professional. It's awkward to get moved around and adjusted like that with a complete stranger. But it's done now. I just have to wait for the results to make sure all is well, which I am pretty sure it is. This was done as a baseline, but it's still a little nerve wracking.

After all that, David and I went out to Northpark to look at the holiday decorations. We wandered around the mall and had a great time. Then we drove out to McKinney to the town square and walked around. It was so much fun! We even found a great hole in the wall pub called the Londoner, and enjoyed a pint of beer. :) We went over to Craig and Jen's for dinner and we hung out and had a really good time! Jen made a really awesome beef stew (that was also very WW friendly!) and some corn bread, and it was so good!

Sunday we were lazy. We pretty much just hung out. I went to the grocery store but that's about it. I hope everyone else had a good weekend, too.

Have a good Monday!

The Holiday Edition

Welcome to the holiday edition of the blog! In today's installment, I feel the need to be snarky and criticize some holiday lights. Let's begin...

What is this mess? It can best be described as Al Gore's holiday nightmare. Can you imagine what their electric bill will be like? And really...do you have to put up EVERY strand of light that you have? Sometimes less really is more. I'm just sayin'...

But sometimes less is just less. Moderation is good, but do it with some style...

Hmm...did they just give up? Was this the most creativity that they could muster? I think at this point they should have just admitted that they didn't feel like decorating and left it all in the attic.

I'm going to keep an eye out for a lovely happy medium. These two were just wrong!!

In other news, I am really glad it's Friday. Oh, and how about them Cowboys? Sorry for all you Packers fans. I think we broke your QB. Oops!

Everyone have a good Friday!

Target = Grinch

I love Target. It's one of my favorite places to shop! But I had a very unpleasant dealing with Target that has soured me a bit, and as a consumer I feel compelled to share.

David and I bought a new Christmas tree last year, and we saved it (still in the box) for this year. We got ready to decorate for Christmas and when David put the tree together we discovered about a 12 inch gap with no branches and no place for branches. Clearly a manufacturer's defect. So naturally, we called Target to see about exchanging. We explained to Customer Service what the issue was, and even told them we'd be happy to upgrade our tree and spend a little more money. We got a big fat no. They told us that since it was past 90 days, there was nothing they could do. So we spoke with the store manager, who was rude and just as uncooperative. Now, I totally understand store policy. But with a holiday item like this, you would think they would grant some leeway. Do you open a Christmas tree a year in advance to make sure it looks okay? Well, we didn't and I never would think to do that. I trust Target to sell me good merchandise. So the store manager gives us the number to their corporate office and David calls them. Although they were more pleasant, we got the same deal - sorry we sold you something we won't stand behind. We couldn't get hold of anyone at the manufacturer, so here is my advice: Don't buy a tree from Target. If you do, assemble it in the store and make sure it looks like it is supposed to. Or at least make sure you assemble it right away and then return it immediately (with the receipt!) to make sure you don't get screwed. We did! Bah Humbug on Target!

So anyhow, the rest of our weekend was good in spite of the tree issue. We have a new tree that's BETTER than the old one and it's all decorated and festive. I'll have to post a picture of our beautiful tree. We're going to go to the Neiman's Christmas Store to pick out a special ornament to celebrate our first Christmas as a married couple! (Feel free to gag...I know some of you are right about now.)

Today my super awesome husband is out getting new tires, an alignment, an oil change, and new wipers for my car. It was getting bad! (And I didn't have to go do that! It's nice to have him take care of that!)

Everyone have a wonderful Tuesday!

Victory in the Face of Adversity

We all have our demons. The holidays can really bring them out for some people. Maybe for some it's dealing with family, for some it's getting through the holidays and not reverting to bad habits. I fall in the latter category. (I have great family, so that's not a holiday issue for me.) My demon is food. It's been a struggle for me as long as I can remember. I vaguely remember not having a weight issue in elementary school, but even toward the end of that I began to gain weight. Now that I am 35 I have decided that I won't let that control me any more, and just to make my point, I managed to lose 3 pounds this week, even through 2 Thanksgiving meals!! That's a total of 15.2 pounds now! So am I feeling good about this? You better believe it! That gives me the strength to know I can keep this up. It's hard to make smart choices when your mother in law makes Paula Deen's Corn casserole (which starts with a whole stick of butter in the recipe!). But you know, I had a teaspoon of it, and it was good and I moved on! I think I impressed myself with my inner strength. I forget it's there sometimes. But it really is, and I think I reminded myself of that today. I know a lot of people that don't deal with weight/food issues might not understand this particular victory, but it's a very big deal for me. I am working to have 25 pounds off by Christmas. This I can do, but I will need to work for it. I am ashamed to say my workouts were few this past week, but that will change next week. That's what I love about WW...every week is brand new and I can do better than the week before. So here's to a new week and new successes!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! Brace yourselves...the holidays are truly upon us!

Meet Madeline aka Maddie!

This is mom and dad's newest household edition! Isn't Maddie adorable?

Tomorrow we are going to start the turkey day preparations! I'm keeping this short so I can get a few things done. Everyone have a great day!

I Forgot To Post!

I lost 1.8 pounds for a total of 12.2 pounds gone now! I am one excited girl, and I am well on my way to having 20 pounds off by Christmas! (That's my first goal)

Mom and Dad adopted a rescue kitty this weekend, and she is adorable! She is a precious dark marmalade tabby with beautiful almond shaped eyes. She is a year old, and we've named her Madeline, but we are calling her Maddie. I'll post pictures very soon! She is a snuggler, and mother is in love with this little precious baby!

David and I got all the nieces and nephews Christmas presents bought and wrapped, so I am about halfway done with my Christmas shopping. This is a first for me, as I am always out there at the last minute trying to get it all done! We bought beautiful wrapping paper and bows and tags at Target, and I had a blast getting them all wrapped and ready. Now we just have to put up the tree! (Which we won't do until AFTER Thanksgiving!)

So that's it for now. Everyone have a great Monday!

End of the Week

I am glad the week has gone by fast. David comes home Saturday night, and I am excited about that. So it's quiet around here. I did get two new pairs of shoes Wednesday courtesy of David! I got a pair of cool new boots and a great pair of flats. I got some gorgeous brown leather dress heels Tuesday that I love, so I am doing well in the shoe department! I had my annual "well-woman" exam yesterday. (Ugh!) Now that I am 35 I get to go have a mammogram. I don't mind except that now I just feel old! But I am all for taking good care of myself and making sure I am not at risk for breast cancer. After Christy's mom won that battle last year, I know how real it is. (And Pam has been clean for a year now!!) So while I am losing weight and trying to eat healthy, I will be making sure that the "girls" are healthy, too.

Tonight I am going to sort through our wedding pictures. Mom and I need to decide which ones we are going to order so that we get the 25% discount on the prints. I am excited, as the pictures really turned out very well. It's so fun to look through them! Mom and Dad came over last night and Mom and I got the menu figured out for Thanksgiving. We made our shopping list and we'll be buying everything tomorrow. (Trying to keep out of the stores as much as possible this week!) David and I are doing the Christmas shopping for the nieces and nephews on Sunday so that we can get our trip to Toys R Us out of the way ASAP! (Not my favorite shopping trip!) I know what I am getting David, and I'll buy that at the end of the month. (He knows he is getting a Zune mp3 player!) I think he'll be getting a Wii for his birthday. He was torn whether he wanted that for Christmas, but he decided on the Zune, so I'll do the Wii at the end of January. Maybe I can get a good post-holiday deal on one!

I think that's it for today. I hope everyone has a wonderful Friday!

It's the 500th Post!

This is my 500th post! I can't believe it's been over two years ago when I started this blog and that it's still going! Lots of things have changed in two years...some stuff is the same. (Still battling my weight!) My life has taken so many twists and turns, but it's all good and things have worked out well for me. It's a good life! :)

No huge news here. Actually, not even small news. Oh, except that this is David's last week of major travel until next year! This is a big deal for me! I haven't had a Saturday with him since our honeymoon! It will be nice to actually have two days in a row with him without one of us having to go to work. :) I think we'll have to uncork the champagne we brought back with us from Jamaica for this! (We were going to pop it open on our 1 month celebration of marriage, but he was on antibiotics)

It's a quiet day here at work. I am listening to BBC Radio 1 on my headphones. If you haven't listened online, it's interesting to hear the radio station in London. David and I are going for a week before Christmas next year...I can't wait!

So I think that's about it. Everyone have a great Tuesday!

Yes, I Am A Loser!

And it's a good thing! I lost another 3.2 pounds for a grand total of 10.4 pounds gone! Yes folks, it's the real deal and I am regaining my rock star status. :) (I'm rejoining the ever so fabulous Kim in the rock star world of weight loss and fitness!) And I even went to the Melting Pot this week! Yeah, I think I'm getting my ducks in a row, people. And it feels good!

Today is a very exciting day of housecleaning. But I am going to take a break mid day to go to the gym and the grocery store. I found a WW recipe for phyllo-wrapped salmon, so I'll review it tomorrow and post the recipe if I like it.

I was super lame last night and pretty much came home, made dinner, and fell asleep. hey, it's been a long week and I actually had to think this week! Those two days of consultative sales training whooped my booty.

I can't believe Thanksgiving is creeping up so fast! Mom and I are starting to plan what to make, and we're trying to cut back on how much we cook since we always have way too much food left over. We're doing the big meal at my Grampa's this year and mom and I will do the cooking. I'm excited about it! I have some yummy and healthy recipes to make so I am planning to lose weight for the holidays...I can do this! :)

Okay...time to get rockin' on the house work. It will be nice for David to come home to a clean house! Everyone have a good weekend! (Hope yours is more exciting than mine!) :)

TGIF!

Yay! It's Friday! I am so glad, too. It's been a busy week. I have been in training for the last two days, so it's nice to be back at my desk and doing my thing. I went to dinner with mom last night, and we chowed down at Subway. I swear, I love that place! I am addicted to the turkey on honey oat bread. I may have another one for dinner tonight! I am going to work out after I get home from work, and I am looking forward to it. Mom and I were out and about and she was very generous and bought she and I both some new workout clothes, so I have to go try them out tonight! :) After that and dinner, it's bubble bath city for me. I am looking forward to the down time. I have my weigh in tomorrow, and I am thinking it should go well! :) I'll post here tomorrow morning and let everyone know for sure.


Tomorrow is going to be a day of housecleaning. I want David to come home to a clean house. (Who sounds like Suzy Homemaker??) That, and the house needs a good cleaning. With three cats, we have cat hair everywhere so I need to vacuum and dust and wash sheets and all that stuff. We're still figuring out where to put some of our wedding gifts! We got a lot of wonderful stuff and we're a little limited on space. We'll figure it out!

Oh, I'd like to introduce my newest blog link! Check out Carmen in Sin City! I found her through the Blonde's blog, and Carmen is another fun gal about town. She's a poker player and her blog is lots of fun! (And her Vegas pool reviews are very helpful!)

Yes, it's shaping up to be a quiet weekend. Oh, I didn't even get to share that our wedding pictures are in! It's so exciting to look at them, and I really love the pictures!! Here's me with my absolutely gorgeous bridesmaids:



I love this picture! I think each of these ladies is amazing. My 12 year old cousin is in the middle on the left side, and she's going to grow up to be a strong woman. I won't let it be any other way!

So anyhow...I hope everyone has a wonderful Friday! Send me some skinny thoughts in the morning!

It's Just As I Suspected

My legs HATE me today. Walking down the stairs at my apartment this morning was very painful. It seems that my trainer did just as I asked, and she worked me over good yesterday! So I will smile through the pain and know that I am on my way to a smaller, healthier me! :) Tomorrow I can complain about my arms since Susan and I are working arms today. Great...tomorrow I won't we able to walk or lift anything. What a pain!

Man, it was windy last night! The wind just howled outside the bedroom window all night long. I was surprised when I left this morning that it wasn't colder than it was, but it was definitely chilly! I put on my jacket and scarf in the hopes that winder was on it's way but it seems that we have a little bit longer before it truly gets cold. Heck, it's going to be 80 degrees this weekend! (We don't even know how to dress this time of year!)

I don't really have any other news. Tonight it's girl's night at the Melting Pot, so I am meeting Kim and Mia for dinner. This poses a challenge with WW, but I have a plan to stay on track. I'm eating carefully all day and will be very careful tonight. I think I can do this! :)

Have a great day everyone!