The Week Before Christmas, And All Through the House

Not a decoration was hanging, not even a, ummm, errrr, Well Jeez I don't know what fits there! I cannot believe it is the week before Christmas. I have soooo much to do and no time to do it. I need to get off my lazy rump and get busy. I have the finishing touches of decorating to do, send out the Christmas cards, finish the Christmas gifts for my team and mail them, finish shopping, and finally wrap everything. Sheesh!!

This Saturday is our annual progressive dinner with the Craigs and the Richards. I have salads this year. I usually do appetizers because I live the farthest out, and they all like to sip the sauce and don't really want to drive after that. Ohhhh don't get me wrong, we sip it too, but neither John nor I are big drinkers so it just works out better this way. I'm going to make an italian antipasto salad and then another one called Holiday Rice. It is TO DIE FOR. I'll have to post the recipe here.

BIG NEWS: On a whim Travis decided to try out for the school play. This totally shocked me because he is more of a jock and I just never realized he had an interest. However, one of his friends, a girl, was trying to get a bunch of guys to go out for the play. Well this one said he would if that one did, and that one said he would if this one did. Finally this girl said that someone better man up and go out so that all of them did. Travis spoke up first and soon 6 of them were going out for the play. After an extremely grueling try out, where he had to sing his heart out to New York New York, act like a gangster, walk like a girl, sing like a girl, and who knows what else, he walked away with one of the lead roles, LMBO!! They are doing Some Like It Hot and he is Jerry, or the part Jack Lemon played in the movie. He is actually really excited about it! I just keep cracking up, because this is so NOT HIM, but maybe it is him and I just never realized it. He always did like to be the center of attention, LOL!

John and I did some Christmas shopping today. He got off early because he has to go plow tonight. We went to Kohls and I got a coat, which I desperately needed. I wanted the Wii Fit, but he says anything he buys me having to do with exercise just sits there, so he refused. OK THAT IS JUST SAD, and true, but mostly sad! So needless to say, no Wii Fit for me. Thats ok, I'll buy my own after Christmas. We went out to dinner and actually had a very nice talk. I think we both really enjoyed it. It's not often that John "lets me in" to see the real him, but tonight he was open and candid and very amenable to certain conversations. He tends to put walls up and I love it when he lets them down and lets me in there!

Well thats about it for me. I guess I need to go get started on some of the crap I have listed above! It wont get done with me sittin her bloggin!

TTYL!!

Aloha Friday

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day they take it easy and look forward to the weekend. I think I really, really like this idea!! So the idea is that I ask a simple question. Feel free to answer by leaving a comment~

So my question for today is:

What is the one thing you look most forward to at Christmas Time??

You know, I would love to say getting together with family and rejoicing the season, and seeing all the bright smiles on the kids faces, and opening presseis (which is a close second, LOL) etc. But I really have to be honest. My favorite thing about the holidays is something so different than all of that. And it is wrong on so many levels, LOL.

My favorite thing about Christmas time is my moms stuffed cabbages.

I should not be looking forward to food all year long. Think of Christmas and think...."Mmmmmmmm, mom's stuffed cabbages......" Its November....."ahhhhhh, 1 more month till the stuffed cabbages." Driving home to celebrate with the family..."Hurry up John, drive faster!!! There won't be any stuffed cabbages left at this rate!!"

But hey, we only get them once a year ya know? She slaves away making a zillion and one of the little buggers, so that we can have them for Christmas dinner and then have enough for each of her 4 kids to take a bundle home. OMG they are heavenly. OK is that bad??? Probably.

Jackson Gepperheimer

So, I'm going about my business, living my life away, thinking I have the cutest dog ever, and come to find out not everyone thinks so! **GASP** **SHOCK** **HORROR** I never knew people felt this way! After I posted the picture of Jackson on my blog last night I was talking to my mom and said, "OMG can you even stand that dog? Look how cute he is!!" She goes..."Well, he's not really that cute." WHAT???? REALLY? I MEAN REALLY MOM???? We have had him 5 years now and I'm just finding this out??? What does she see that I don't see? Or actually what do I see that she does not see??? I see such a precious little face when I look at him. Such sweet eyes. Sure I felt that other people in the family thought their dogs were cuter than mine.....(cough, no names mentioned here, cough, TERRI..., LOL), but Whateva, ya know???

There is no doubt, the Gepperheimer has issues. We adopted him from Angels for Animals in Salem Ohio. John still flips them off when he drives by, LOL! I had requested a terrier-type dog. They called me and we went in, and thinking I was getting a Schnauzer or something like it, I was surprised to see this big 40+ pound rust colored dog, with a funky ear that sticks out (above it looks like it is laying back, but that ear actually sticks straight out), part something and part something else, with a wee bit of terrier somewhere down the line. Wait, this was not the dog I had imagined!! However, 10 minutes in the room with him and I realized that this dog was a sweetie pie and we definitely wanted him. This could have possibly happened with any dog they brought into that room. Jackson just happened to be the lucky one. From the minute we brought him home, at 2 years old, he was deathly afraid of John. Funny enough, all John was looking for was "Mans Best Friend." The dog is terrified of him, even 5 years into it. Travis darn near tortures the thing when they play and he is fine, but if John looks at the dog the wrong way, he cowers and hides. We have deduced that he was abused by someone who looked amazingly like John. We also figured out that he was left outside on a chain, because when it is raining, the dog will hold his business all day long rather than go outside. He also, in the 5 years we have had him, has NEVER let John put him out on his chain to go to the bathroom. When he gets excited he tends to pee.....often marking the shoes of unsuspecting guests coming for a visit, however, this has gotten much better and is almost a non-existent trait now. He also does not like to be disturbed when he is sleeping, and he is every bit as grouchy as Travis if you wake him up before he is ready.

All of this and I still love the little guy. It is amazing the joy a dog can bring to your life. Such complete and unconditional love. You can yell at them for barking in the yard, and yet let them in and they will lick your face off! You leave them all day long in a kennel in the basement, and yet when you come home they are so darn happy to see ya, they could care less what their day was like. They are just looking forward!! When he runs up to me with his one ear sticking straight out, showing me his "boo boo" for a treat, it just amazes me! I love his little self!!

I guess the gist of this post is that even though not everyone see's what I see in Jackson Gepperheimer, I'm the lucky one who gets to take care of him every single day! So it doesn't matter what anyone thinks!! What an epiphany! Life is good!!!

LIFE........

Hi There~

Well with the winter weather brings many changes to John's job. He is a building property manager and in the winter months they plow. His "territory" is up in the Cleveland area, which is expecting quite the snow storm tonight and tomorrow. So he will be leaving at midnight and has hotel reservations for Friday and Saturday. He said I more than likely will not see him till Sunday.

OK in one sense this makes me happy.....LOL....Happy because I don't have to cook. I just hate to cook anymore. In another sense, I miss him when he goes. He works long hours when he is plowing and I worry about him when he is by himself out there. Again on the brighter side.....I'm a free spirit....I can do whatever I want for 2 whole days! Actually, what I'll be doing is decorating for Christmas! I also need to finish up the last of my shopping! And John is seriously NO FUN to shop with. The man breaks out into a cold sweat in the parking lot of Kohls.

Other news......My SIL Lisa broke her collar bone last Memorial Day and at 36 she isnt healing so well. She had surgery to put hardware in a few months back, and then the Monday before Thanksgiving she had the hardware taken out. She has been in an immense amount of pain since then, and after going to the doctor's today she found out the fracture was not healed. She will be going in for surgery again tomorrow. Please keep my SIL, my brother and their family in your thoughts and prayers. This has been such a nightmare for them, not only physically for my SIL but financially as well. She missed 6 weeks of work the first surgery, then all last week, and now another 6 weeks after this surgery. Sigh........ (((HUGS))) Frank and Lisa.

My diet sucks.....guess that's all I can say about that right now. I really need to start putting myself first and take 1/2 hour a day and exercise, just for me. I'm about ready to consider gastric bypass, but my boss seems to think I can do it! She is extremely motivating so I think I'll lean on her a bit for some support. She actually lost 140+ pounds on her own with diet and exercise, and is NOT a fan of surgery at all!

Well on that happy note....I'm out......See ya soon!

Quiet.....It Sounds Beautiful!!

Well the last of my company went home today with my parents pulling out of my driveway about an hour ago. I always miss them when they leave. I miss everyone when they leave. At least we get to do it all again in a month for Christmas.....This time at my mom's.

So the Thanksgiving dinner was wonderful. My whole family was here and Johns brother came down from Ashland. It was soooooo delish, but I honestly feel like I really don't need to eat anything till Tuesday and be fine with that. I don't EVEN want to get on the scale.

The holiday came and went and I did not take even one picture. Can you believe that??? Terrible! Never even thought to pull the camera out.

We did venture out on Black Friday. I finished up with Travis, but that's about all I did. I can't say what I got him because he reads this.....so it will have to wait!

Well I'm off to go take a nap. I beat! Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING WORLD!!!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!! I hope you all have an absolutely wonderful day. I was lying in bed this morning pondering the things I have to be thankful for. I am so blessed.....

I'm thankful for my husband. Even though I drive the poor guy crazy at times, (Like last night when I insisted he hang the mirror in the bathroom even though he was dead tired from working) he still loves me and keeps on coming back for more, LOL.

I'm thankful for my son. He is a bright spot in my days. He has so much spirit and such a great sense of humor. God knew what he was doing when he gave me Travis.

I'm thankful for my parents health and the fact that they are here right now spending Thanksgiving in Waldo, Ohio. I am truly blessed with my parents. They are so good to all of us kids. We hit the mother-load!

I'm thankful for my sister and brothers and their families, who I will be seeing, if not today, then tomorrow and it is not very often that we all get together. I love seeing all kids and it is mass chaos when we are all together, but I would not trade it for a second!

I'm thankful for my job! I love my job as a QA Coordinator for OSI Transcription. Our QA team are some of the nicest people I have ever met.

I'm thankful for my friends. Those who I am close to and those that I have drifted apart from. I love them all just the same and really miss one in particular!!

Yep, today was a great opportunity to sit and think about all the ways I have been blessed in my life. I'm going to refer back to this post when I'm down!!

I hope you all have a wonderful day. Try not to eat too much turkey!! OMG this house smells so stinkin good!!

It's Snowing!

And I say that like I'm excited about it....NOT!!! Really, is it winter already? I mean really? Where did the summer go??? I'm just not ready for snow yet. And of course I was sick with worry when Travis had to drive to school in it. You know that old poopy tummy feeling a mom gets when her child is in control of a 5000 pound machine that can kill??? Yea that kind of worry!

OK so it did stick a little bit but not enough to go out and do a snow angel or anything.

Actually, I don't HATE the snow. I just don't like the cold or driving in it.

Lets all keep our fingers crossed for a nice mild winter!! I'll quit whining now, I promise!!! I'm off to go put my slippers on and crawl under a nice warm blanket to watch Dancing with the Stars!!

OHIO BEADERS 4TH ANNUAL BEADING RETREAT

I went to the Ohio Beaders 4th Annual Beading Retreat the weekend of October 25th. This is the 4th one I have attended and as always, it did not disappoint!!

Let me digress a bit and tell ya a little bit about the Ohio Beaders. This is an online group on Yahoo for beaders living in Ohio or any of the surrounding states. A wonderful lady by the name of Signe started the group, and strangely enough, the stars must have all been aligned, and our chakra's centered, because we have one heck of a great group of members. Well tell Signe all the time, How lucky are we that you brought us all together?????!!!!! These are truly some of my best friends. The Ohio Beaders started with quarterly gatherings and soon the idea of a retreat came up. Well with lots of work and lots of dedication we had our first, with 18 attendees at the Spruce Hill Manor in Mansfield Ohio. This year we graduated up to a big lodge with 34 people.

The retreat took place at the Indian Bear Lodge http://www.indianbearlodge.com/ in Walhonding Ohio. Check it out~!!! Totally awesome and HUGE place! John and I stayed in one of their cabins this summer and it was awesome.

Back to the retreat, over the course of 3 days, different classes are offered, and Friday night, the night we arrive, there is always a pajama party with a gift exchange of a hand made present, and then door prizes. This year we also had a wine and cheese party. Quite honestly I was leary, LOL, because wine gives me a headache, but it was AWESOME! By Sunday we are pretty worn out from staying up late and laughing hysterically. We pretty much just veg until we pack up and leave.

Some of the my favorite things from the Retreat:

1. The gift exchange is always magical. This is my favorite part, and I'm in charge of it. OMG the POWER, LMBO!!!! Seriously, you cannot believe the talent in this group. We have a blog showcase, http://www.ohiobeadersshowcase.blogspot.com/ Really, you should definitely check it out. You will be awestruck by the talent!! If you are interested, feel free to contact any of the beaders or contact me and I will put you in touch with them.

2. The FUN. OMG I just never laugh so much. You would think, over a 3 day period, that we would all be on each others nevers, but seriously, it just all works out. Heck my snoring probably sends them over the edge, but whateva!!

3. The classes. These women give freely of their time and talent to teach for next to nothing and you always come away with beautiful pieces.

4. The food. Boy you will never go away hungry.

5. And Most IMPORTANT, The friends!! We have a core group that has attended basically every one. They are amazing people, each one so caring and also so full of fun. Each brings their own unique personality to the table, and we all just seem to mesh!

Below are some pictures ~

Signe ~ It all began with her!!

Diva Kim showing off her door prize. This is my "Kim Twin" and room mate for all 4 retreats so far. She is the "Angel Girl" Check out her website..... www.yogabykim.com and check out Angel Inspirations.

Di, Mary, and Jody making their wine glass charms.

Me and Mary, The Prom Picture. We do this at every single gathering and retreat.

Here's all of us!!

So I left Indian Bear Lodge with the same feelings I have each and every year after the retreat ~ I just can't wait until next year!!!

What I'm Up To.....

Sitting.... in my office.

Smelling... A Rosehips and Lavender candle that I think is the best smelling candle I have ever had the pleasure of burning!!

Listening ....to Dr. Niemi talk. Doing some transcription. Jackson Gepperheimer is lying right beside me and he keeps sighing.

Drinking.... Diet Dr. Pepper, but wishing it was beer or at least something a little better, stronger......

Reading..... CMT Prep Guide

Loving .... My family

Dreading...... Tomorrow......no further comment.

Eagerly Anticipating.... Thanksgiving when my whole family and part of John's is coming here for dinner. It sure would be good if I didn't have to work!

Lauging About.... Travis (my son) who just cracks me up every single day!

Worrying About... Job situations and a friend situation.

Wishing..... Someone would cure cancer and that I could get the strength to follow my diet for longer than a day or so......

Praying.... For the family of Heather Pick, a local newscaster whose life was cut very short by breast cancer. She was only 38 years old and leaves behind a husband and 7 year-old daughter and 4 year-old son.

Grateful.... for my husband who must have taken his "wonderful husband" pills this weekend because he was absolutely the perfect partner. I'm also very grateful for my parents health.

Sharing..... Nothing really.....I guess I should think on that and share something, LOL!

Borrowed from another blog... Feel free to snag it for your blog, and leave a comment so I can check it out!!!

FRIENDSHIP

Best Friend- noun
- the one friend who is closest to you
friend - a person you know well and regard with affection and trust; "he was my best friend at the university"

I'm very sad today and I'm hurting. I'm confident there is one other person in this world who is just as sad and hurting just as much as I am right now. I'm also confident things will work out eventually.

I guess that's pretty much all I want to say about this~

State Track Meet

Hello~

OK bear with me! Just one more post about Travis and then I'll lay off for awhile I promise. Jeez I do talk about him a lot don't I?


Last weekend his cross country team ran in the State cross country meet. It was incredible. Let me backtrack a bit. They have had this goal since they started running last summer, and the boys, as a team, made a pact that they would get mohawks if they made it to state. Sooooo 2 weeks ago, I was getting ready to go to my annual beading retreat (which I have to post about because it was absolutely fantabulous), and that same weekend was the regional meet down in Pickerington on the other side of Columbus. Travis warned me again that if they won, they would be getting mohawks, and that he was not going to tell me, but I would know when I saw him.


Here is what I came home to:









Really pretty huh? NOT, LOL. But it is just hair so I'm really not bothered. In fact, fast forward a week and the hawk is already shaved.


The state track meet was on Saturday November 1. The boys did fantastic. They came in 14th in their division, and there were only 16 teams, but they were predicted to come in 15th, so they were pretty happy they were up one position. Our best runner finished 16th. Just missed the podium by 1 spot. Travis actually finished 137th, but dang those kids were FAST. Below are some pics from the state track meet.




Travis is the second one in the pic


The kick at the end.




Congrats from the coach.








Hawkheads!

HELLO WORLD!! LONG TIME NO BLOG!!

Howdy all! Hope you are all well. Things are fine here in Waldo Ohio, home of the fried balogna sandwich. Now how many of you knew that???? We have been so busy. Travis has cross country meets every week and his team is likely to go to the state championship. I'm so excited about it. He keeps bettering his time, which is a great thing!! He was on the front page of the newspaper, again for the FeaRValley cheering thing....they dressed up in halloween costumes this time. He was Hugh Hefner.....where does he get these ideas??? His "Girls Next Door" had not arrived when they took the picture so you can't really tell who he is supposed to be, other than a geeky looking old guy.

WARNING - WARNING***BRAG MOMENT*** Travis got all A's again, but this time his classes were weighted because they were AP classes......so instead of having a 4.0 he has a 5.0.....that kid rocks in school. ***BRAG MOMENT NOW OVER***

Me, I'm going to my annual bead retreat this weekend and I'm so excited I could PIMP (pee in my pants)!! This is the 4th year I've gone and I just love it. You have so many women together and yet there is no fighting, no griping, no bitchin or moanin. We are all there to get away and just have fun. This is where we are staying, at the Indian Bear Lodge. Here is the link: http://www.indianbearlodge.com/LodgeRental/BearsDen/tabid/73/Default.aspx

Check out the Bears Den. That is where me and Diva Kim are staying. We lucked out. It was not built when we signed up for it and they ended up making it A LOT bigger so we have our own little suite! And don't any of you Ohio Beaders think you're coming in our room!! Anyone who knows me knows I am really anal about where I sleep and who I sleep with, and I get my own little bedroom with a door. Ahhhhh, could it get any better????? I'll definitely post pictures when I get back. Funny we all met online and these are some of my best friends I'm meeting up with.

John is doing well. Crabby as ever but doing well. He bought himself a little Triumph TR6, which I fondly refer to as "The Cute Little British Sports Car." It is adorable. It is white with a tan convertable roof. I'll post pics of that as well. The outside is perfect, the interior needs completely redone. It runs and we took it out a few times, looked like 2 big mooses in that little thing! He had a birthday on Saturday, 53 years old. We celebrated at Hoggys!

And how about that election?? I can proudly say that I'm voting for Barack Obama. I think out of the 2 he handles himself better, and John McCain seems like an angry bitter old man. Yes he devoted his life to his country and to public service, but he has an "I deserve this presidency" attitude about him. I didnt like that he would not look at Obama in the first debate, and in all of them he was angry and snippy and Barack kept his cool. No matter who gets it, they are going to have their work cut out for them, but I could not, with a clear conscience, vote another republican in after what the present one has done to our country. With the negative campaigns going on, I'll be really happy when this election is over! Its sad it had to get so ugly!

Well thats about all I have for now......I'll check back soon....

Kim

THINGS THAT MAKE YA GO HMMMMMM......

Well Hello!!! It has been awhile since I have posted. Things have been soooo crazy. Travis is deep in the throes of Cross Country. He is doing well, bettering his time almost every week. He was also voted in as the class VP. One of his best friends, Austin, is the president. He specifically chose NOT to run for president because he didn't want to be responsible for planning reunions, LOL. I told him he would still be expected to help plan it. He is enjoying high school so much. They seem to have such a good time and really do fun things! They have a group called FeaRValley. They cheer at all the school sporting events. Each week they have a theme and last week's was Rock Star. The picture above was in the Marion Star which is our local newspaper. That would be my son right up front with the dark sunglasses, white headband, and shirt that says HEROINE. He just does me proud!!!! (Well it could mean heroine, as in superstar). I asked him where he even got that shirt and he goes, at that concert Uncle JD took me to. Thats my brother......Niiiiiiice.............

Happy Labor Day!!!

Annnnnnnnnnd, I have to work :o(

Whateva!!

We really don't have much planned for tomorrow anyhow. I think we will cook out here ourselves. Our neighbors are camping. Not sure what my friend Jenn is doing, I'll have to call her and see. Travis the socialite will probably have other plans, he usually does. Funny, we are just not high on his list to hang out with! I wonder why?

I just want to take a moment and say that my heart goes out to all the people in hurricane Gustav's path. I have a lot of beading friends as well as coworkers that live in that area, and I ask that you keep them in your thoughts and prayers during this time. I'm sure there has to be an "OH NO, NOT AGAIN" attitude going on about now!

The diet is going OK.....and that is an iffy OK. However, on my sparkteam (The official team for Columbus, which I'm one of the leaders), we have a challenge starting tomorrow and going to Thanksgiving. I'm so excited because we have A LOT of people signed up for it. Support in numbers!!! Anyway the goal is to loose 15 pounds by Thanksgiving. I think it is dooable!!! If you have not checked out SparkPeople, you really should! I really enjoy their articles and the teams I belong to as well. They can be very motivating. You can also create a spark page, that is your own and other people can leave comments, etc. Kinda like facebook but different of course.

Anyway, wishing everyone a great labor day!! If you have to work, don't work too hard!

Election

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OK I have been bad about posting!!! I'm sorry. Work has been crazy!!

Anyway, I love JibJab and these little videos they do, they just crack me up! Thought you might enjoy this one!

*Gasp* It's Finally Here

Well.....Its here.....my child starts his SENIOR year of high school tomorrow!! Secretly I have been dreading this day. I've known its coming, but I hated to even think about it. It seems like just yesterday we were fitting him for uniforms to start out at Holy Family School and now here we are. He just couldn't be more excited. Although I'm truly excited for him and all that lies ahead, a part of me wishes he was still that sweet little boy that used to burst through the door like a wild banchie, with his little friends, yelling, laughing, and having fun. The one who would get in trouble for not sitting still or talking too much in kindergarten (although I'm pretty sure that still happens in high school). It seems like just yesterday. I'm still not exactly sure how I'm going to get through this year, considering I was the one crying on Senior Night at the football game last year and my kid was not a even a senior yet, LOL! So many changes coming this next year. He is a man now, well kinda......I mean, do they ever really grow up?!? But he will be graduating, he will be moving out and going to college. It's definite that he wants to go away to school, and I want that for him. I think everyone should go away to school, and always wished I had. However, It's like they are never really home again after they leave for college. All this makes me sad. I do put on a happy face for him though. He knows I'm a little bit nervous about it, and I really am, but I am truly excited for him as well, and this is the attitude I try to show him all the time. He has such a bright future ahead of him. They all do! So much potential. They have the world in the palms of their hands!

What I want for Travis in this last year of high school is for him to enjoy every single moment because it will fly. May will be here before we know it! He is an honor student with all AP classes, so he will have have to work hard. But along with that hard work I want him to have fun! And I want for him to be happy! I'm so proud of all that he has accomplished so far, and I know this year will bring even more!

Travis, I hope your senior year is the best school year yet!

Well thats about all for now. I hope I don't sound too depressed. If Patty or Terri are reading......honestly I'm not! Just sad my baby is growing up!!

See ya!

AND THE WINNER IS........

This is the winner!!! I think he was just over 2 years old in this picture. So precious and sweet!!! I was really glad because I have had this picture in the back of my mind ever since he was a sophomore in high school and I knew I would be needing to pick one for the program. You guys just solidified the deal! Thanks Peeps!

On another note, we were home this weekend. My neice Kayla was in from St. Kitt where she goes to nursing school. When spending time with Kayla there is NEVER a dull moment and you basically just laugh your butt off. She is just full of fun, and lots of stories from going to nursing school in a 3rd world country. I'm not sure my father will ever be the same after hearing some of her tales, LOL. However, I think he is getting used to expecting the unexpected from Kayla. You never know what is going to come out of that mouth next! Anyway it was great seeing her again! I love ya Kay Kay!

I Need Your Help!

Hello out there! We need your help!!!

Every year, the parents of seniors have the opportunity to place an ad in the fall and spring sports program, with a baby picture of the kid and then saying how proud they are, congratulations, etc. Its really fun to look at the ads every year, but dang, our turn came way to quick!! I wish he was still a sophomore!

I wanted Travis to have some input on the pic. We narrowed it down to 5, which I have posted below. Looking through the pictures was so much fun. They had been packed away for so long.....trust me, on the bottom of a 5-high pile of rubbermaid containers. Last place I looked of course!!

Please have a look at the choices and leave a comment as to your favorite!

And the nominees are......

1. He actually doesn't mind this one, but it could be pleasantly embarrassing for him :o)

2. Donning his Dad's Alma Mater sweat shirt, Kent State.

3. *Gasp* Could he be any cuter? He has his dad's beret on. He wore it every night when his dad came home.

4. Again, the outfit alone could be pleasantly embarrassing!

5. Look at that sweet little dude. He was always smiling like that!

Thanks so much for your help everyone!! We are looking forward to your responses!

The Way I Used to Be

Wow, will ya just look at that? That is a picture of me and my dad 10 years ago, at a party for his birthday.

Here's the thing. I had to to through pictures to grab one of Travis when he was little for the River Valley Sports program that will come out in the fall. It was so much fun to look at the old pics and reminisce. There were a lot that John and Travis had never seen. I came across this one and kept looking at it over and over again.

A few things come to mind when I look at this picture. For one thing, my dad and I both look a heck of a lot younger, LOL! Another is that Travis definitely has my nose and mouth. Never thought he looked like me, but he does!! It is almost like looking at him a little bit. But the third thing, is that I was sooooo much thinner in that picture. I probably weighed 60 pounds less. Funny, I remember thinking I was soooooo FAT then! I wish I was THAT fat now! It makes me sad to think what I have let happen to my body. That I let it go. That I let life get in the way. That the only true comfort I could find was through eating. Something is sooooo wrong with that picture.

Well I'm so over that! I need to take control if I want to lose this weight.

I want to BE that person again and I'm going to work my butt off to get there. That is the person I want to be when Travis graduates. That is the person I want to be for the rest of my life. I still had weight to lose at that time, but I would be forever happy to be that weight again.

Another part of this whole thing is my mental attitude. I was so happy then. Yea I was a little overweight. Yea I wished I was thinner. But I was truly happy. I enjoyed life then. I enjoyed being out doing things with my mom or my friends. I truly cannot say that I'm happy now, and that's sad. I feel like I'm going through the motions, but not really happy, and not really living! I hide from people I haven't seen in awhile. I hesitate to go places for fear I might run into someone. I feel like my life is so "blah" and only I can change that!

I am thinking here that it has been since meeting and marrying John I put most of this weight on.......could he be the reason??? Travis and I have a long running joke in this house....anything that goes wrong we say "I blame John." Doesn't matter what it is we say it. Just to be funny, and to aggitate him! No doubt marriage sure ain't easy, but the truth is I really can't blame him for my weight. I can't blame anyone but the person I look at everyday in the mirror.

I plan on making an effort to exercise every single day. I deserve it! I also plan on eating correctly every day. I deserve it!! I plan on rewarding myself every 10 pounds lost. I'll definitely deserve that!

In the meantime, I have hung this picture in my office so that I can see it on a daily basis. I think it's good to keep your goals in front of you!!!

And So It Goes..........

I had a terrible day on my diet yesterday, and I'm sad. I didn't want to lapse so quickly into my program, and so I'm going to just own my dysfunction right here and now.

I had an issue that involved my son, and a water balloon party, and neighbors and hubby blowing things out of proportion. IMHO it was just kids having fun. No one got hurt, the kids cleaned up their mess. I guess I should backtrack. Travis and Lacey across the street were having a cookout at Lacey's house for the River Valley track team. Travis was here filling up water balloons so we knew there was going to be a water balloon fight between the boys and the girls. No biggie. John and I had to go to Polaris to Fedex some documents to his sister. While there, we had dinner, chatted, etc. It was really nice. When we got home, there were about 20 kids in our back yard. They were grilling their hamburgers and hot dogs. Lacey evidently does not have a grill. Although not happy AT ALL that there were that many kids here without parental supervision, I was happy that they were simply on the back porch grilling. We have a fridge full of alcohol in our garage that they could have gotten into. They could have been blaring music. They could have been running around the neighborhood being destructive. No, they were simply grilling. Evidently their language lacked tact (probably putting it mildly), and although talking to each other, my next door neighbor overheard what they were saying. He went to another neighbor and told. That neighbor told my husband, and so on and so forth. It was sad, because in my opinion, as I said, it was just kids having fun.

I live in a very small town, and I sometimes wish that people would mind their own business. I have a house next to me that is painted just short of neon green. I have another nextdoor neighbor with a fence that is so flimsy the next windstorm it will be leaning against our house. I could go on and on. The fence I complained about, but really have not said much about the neon green house. My point is no one is perfect and I wish people would just live and let live.

So anyway, back to the original reason I was posting.....I think that I let the stress of what people were saying affect my eating plan yesterday, because I simply ate everything that was not nailed down.

Totally bummed!

However, I'm back to it today!! I have my journal next to me. Drinking coffee right now but will switch to water shortly. Wish me luck! I sure need it!

Kim