Week 1

Well after week 1 on weight watchers I am down 2 lbs. and actually have more energy. I've dieted before but never really on weight watchers. I'm used to not being able to eat this or that, and now I can within reason. It seems easier when you are counting points rather than adding calories. I know it's the same concept but it just seems easier. I love that you can earn more points by doing things and working out. I love that!!! Spinning class alone I earn 6 points and didn't even use them last week.

There is much drama with my brother and his girlfriend again. I'm not sure if I feel like Dr. Phil or Jerry Springer. He needs to cut his losses and get rid of her. I know he is keeping it going becuase of his son, but he'll still see his son. He just needs to go talk to someone and get rid of her. She's a lazy piece of crap! I can't imagine living with someone who pays for my car, my insurance all the food for me and my kids (one is not even his), pays the mortgage and bills and yet she complains he doesn't help with daycare. FOR REAL??? What a bitch!

Another weekend gone. Got alot done around the house today and the bathroom is coming along nicely. Hopefully we'll be tiling next weekend!!! :)

Broken Promises

This time it's not with any one person it seems to be with work. I went to them back in December and told them enough is enough. I was looking for another job. I feel overworked for no reason. There are people at work that do NOTHING and keep their jobs. I work non-stop from the minute I walk in until the minute I leave, putting in well over 40 hours a week and for what? Nothing. Oh well. I had an employee leave 2 weeks ago and she put not just a 2 week notice but a 9 MONTH NOTICE. and did they hire anyone, nope. we just hired someone for her job. So now I have the next 6 months to train this individual on top of everything else. It's just nuts. Unfortunately I was raised to care about my work that I put out. I can't just be a slacker. I've tried, it eats me up inside. Dammit mom and dad! haha!

On the bright side my living room is ALMOST DONE! WOOHOO!!! It's been a year in the making. The bathroom....ehhh we'll see about that. I'm going this afternoon to look at flooring for it and tile for the walls. So hopefully we can narrow that down to be ready to put in. Right now we are waiting on our window. Probably another week or so before that will be in.

Started a food journal this week. It will be interesting. I've never kept a journal before but it's a start to see what I actually eat and get it under control. We got a new vending machine at work. I worked there a year before I ever touched it. With the stress lately I've been there almost DAILY. not good!!!! I am going to the produce market tomorrow to get produce to get me through the week. Hopefully and stay way from the vending machine.

Valentine's Day

Valentine's day on Daytona 500 sunday. So not cool! Oh well, not like he did anything anyways.

I'm thinking this bathroom renovation is more than we ever should have taken on. I am beginning to think I will always have a 1 bathroom house. Oh well, that's ok. I've been sick most of the week with a head cold. Seems my whole family has, the little one's, Toby, Katie, and now my mom. Craziness I tell you. This cold season has been HORRIBLE.

Another month with a BFN. OH well, we'll try again next month. After 7 months it's getting kind of depressing. But I guess that's normal for some people.

I need to get back to the gym this week. I haven't been there since I got sick the first time back in January. With work being crazy, yes I had another 50 hour work week last week, and being sick and being tired all the time, there just wasn't the motivation. However after trying on jeans today, I have new motivation. I didn't buy anything tempting at the grocery store today, just my normal healthy lunch/dinner foods. I passed up everything tasty. Except Oreos but those are for Dustin. They are his breakfast. Wish I had his metabolism.

Well I'm ending this depressing winter post. Hopefully next post will be a little more cheerful!

February already!

Wow hard to believe it's February already. Seems like January just slipped away.

Yesterday one of my best employees took an early retirement. It was very sad. As much as she kind of drove me crazy at times, she was the MOST reliable employee I had. It kind of irritates me that we knew she was retiring for 9 months and they just started interviewing for her position yesterday. But oh well. That's the way we work I guess. Hopefully I will find someone soon who can take her position and take me off Saturday work!

Our bathroom is completely gutted down to the studs right now. The new subfloor is in, bathtub is purchased, I have to get the tile, and Dustin's getting drywall today. Hopefully by March we'll be well on our way. Dustin has a friend from work helping us at night during the week. He's a good kid and a good worker. We feed him dinner and pay him $20 here and there and he's happy. So we are happy! I can't wait to have a bathtub I can actually take a bath in!!! It will be SOO nice!!!

New baby and a week of sick!

Wow it's been a while. Alot has happened since the last post. January 6th I did one of the coolest things in my life. I was asked by my best friend to be in the room with her during her C-section. Her husband doesn't do well with hospitals and other issues that most of her family were just not comfortable. I was so honored to be asked to do it. It was the most awesome thing I've ever done. I was the first one who got to hold baby Amie and show her to her new mommy. She looks alot like her momma and her aunt who she's named after. I could never ever fill the shoes Amanda's sister left behind, but I hope that I gave her some comfort along the way. I know Jamie was up there in heaven looking down very proud of her baby sister!

Then a week later I ended up sick. Strep throat with the onset of scarlet fever. Who the hell gets scarlet fever anymore!!! I was off work 4 days, and spent 6 whole days on the couch. After oral and injected antibiotics, prednisone, and a mono test, i am back to normal. With the exception of the after effects of the prednisone. Thank god I only have about 2 more days of those to take. They are horrid. Nothing tastes good, I'm bloated and puffy. EGADS!!!!

Snow Snow and more Snow

After a fairly mild November and December, winter is actually here. It's been snowing since yesterday afternoon and really hasnt' stopped. The roads are horrid! Dustin and his brother went out on the snowmobiles tonight, I stayed home. It's 10 degrees out, and blowing winds of 40 miles per hour. Yeah, my nice warm house and a good movie was all I really wanted today after work.

The holidays are officially over. Took the tree down today, threw out the stale cookies, put all the gifts away we had received, and filled a garbage bag of boxes, etc. to burn. I do love the holidays but I am glad to get the house and my work back to normal. Settle into winter and comfort foods.

Starting back to Weight Watchers on Monday. I waited until Monday just to have the weekend to plan my grocery list and the meals. I really haven't had anything horrible for me today and stayed close to my points range. So I could probably say I started officially today. I'm not a meeting girl, I'm an online girl. I just find it easier that way. Hoping to get a few lunch breaks in at the Y this week, we'll see how work goes though. I'm not looking to lose 40 lbs or anything, just looking to have a little bit better fitting pants and if I drop some lbs along the way, even better!!!!

2010

Well it's January 1st, 2010. I can't believe I'm this old already. Where has the decade gone. It seems like just yesterday we rang in the new year at a friends house and wondered if the power would go out because of it being the millenium. Since then I have graduated college, lived with my brother for a few years, started a restaurant (that is now out of business), had 3 different jobs and found one I am really good at, met my husband and got married, and bought a house, lost a great friend, dealt with family cancer, had to take care of my parents instead of them taking care of me, flew for the first time (and 5 more times since then), drove from PA to FL with just a map from mapquest, and became a real adult.

I'll be 30 this year. That's monumental in itself. 30 - I can't believe that! It's not depressing (yet!) but it's just like wow!!!!

All in all, the past 10 years have been pretty good. Some downfalls here and there, but who doesn't have those. Dustin and I have a great relationship partially because we have been through more than most couples go through in their entire lives. They say "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" and I feel that is very true.

What do I hope to accomplish in the next 10 years? Not as much as the past 10 years. I hope to become a mom and be a great one, be a better friend, and find a career that I am not just good at but at least like. No much right? haha!!!

Well here's to the newest decade and 2010! Let's make the most of it!

2009 Rewind

Well it's been a while...last entry was Labor Day. haha! I must be a holiday blogger (that missed a few in between).

2009 will be gone in about 3 hours. What has happened this year?

*We have had our first year in our new house. It's been alot of work and there's alot more to go but we've made some serious improvements in one year. (

• Kitchen wallpaper gone and painted
• Living room wallpaper gone, walls fixed, and painted
• Bathroom #2 gutted and ready for 1st project of 2010
• Hallway paneling painted
• Mudroom paneling painted
• Trees removed outside and landscaping redone
• Old Trailer/Shed tore down out back
• New furnace, woodstove, washer, dryer, and dishwasher

*The economy of 2009 has not been one of the best years, however we are both still employed in an industry that is here today gone tomorrow with small companies. For that we are both grateful.

*My new little newphew was born in September, he is the best little guy in the world.

*My parents are finally able to be in the same room together since the divorce 10 years ago. They don't necessarily talk to each other, but they can be in the same room. SUCH a relief!

*This year has been the year of babies, everyone we know it seems has a new baby. Maybe 2010 will be our year. We'll see!!!

2009 has been the year for many celebrity deaths, the inaugaration in one of the most historical presidential elections, the economy from hell, and the weirdest weather ever (hello texas had a white christmas but PA didn't?). Here's to a new decade and a great new year!!

The labor day weekend purge!

This weekend I am working on throwing out and cleaning out alot of our stuff. We closed so quickly on our house that we moved alot of stuff that we don't use/don't need. Stuff I really would have rather purged before we moved, but alas we moved it into our new house. I honestly do not know where all this stuff was in our old house. We went from 900 to 1600 sq. ft. and we have clutter here! I dont' get it.

Today I am working on the desks. Why do i have a USB cable for my first digital camera i got probably 6 years ago? And is it necessary I still have my utility bills from when my brother lived with me? Probably not.

Tomorrow hopefully I can force myself to get rid of clothes I dearly love but know that I will NEVER fit into again. We'll see how well THAT goes! :)

We have finally moved into the year 2009.

Dustin bought me a Wii for my birthday. We are officially people of 2009! lol. We've always talked about buying one, even had it in our cart at walmart a few times and put it back. So he decided for my birthday since my only wish was not having to cook that night. :) We also have the fit and guitar hero world tour. I know it's alot but my anniversary is next week so it's kind of a dual present thing. We are normally not game system people, but this I think we will use. Atleast the fit I think I will. I'll be nice to get up in the morning and do 10-20 mins of stuff on that and then head to the gym on my lunch break for my cardio and spinning sessions. We'll see. Hopefully we use it!!!

Golf Sundays

Sundays are our "golf nights" We took up golfing last summer and suprisingly we enjoy it. So much that I joined a league this summer on Tuesday nights with a bunch of women. Am I good? I'm ok. Which is suprising, I've never been good at any sports like function. I was always the last one picked for everything. But I'm not half bad for only doing this a year. Dustin is starting to enjoy it too.

Tonight we didn't really go golfing, we went to the driving range with Devon and Becky. We had a good time just hitting balls around and laughing at each other. It's times like this I am glad Dustin has the relationship with his Brother that he does. It's a good thing!

Our sunday nights in the summer is probably my favorite time of summer. It's "us" time but us having fun too!!!

Summer or Fall?

It's June 28th and I sit here in my hoodie with capri pants and my toes are FROZEN! This weather is too freaking weird. It was 80's and humid all last week with 60's this week and rain. WTF is all I have to say!

This week is our GO LIVE week with the new software at work. WISH US LUCK! It has been a LOOOOONG 2 1/2 years. I know I would never recommend this company to ANYONE. My account rep is a nice guy but he works for a crappy company. They purposely tell you anything special they have to customize at a price. You can't do your own programming, blah blah blah. They tell you that so you have to PAY them for EVERYTHING! And I mean everything!!!!

Fourth of July is this coming weekend too. I love the 4th. This year we are yet again driving a truck through the parade hauling a float for either the Elks club or the Girl Scouts. It's alot of fun. Plus Dustin's boss pays him well and he's salary so it only feels right that we do this for him on the 4th. Fireworks won't be the same though without Jamie. It was always Amanda, Jamie, and myself at the fireworks. This year just won't be the same. Miss ya girl!

Getting baby fever...

Dustin that is not me! lol. Last weekend we headed down to gettysburgh to see adam and kelly and the twins. They were born 4 months ago and this was our first free weekend since they've been born. And wow, let me tell you, I give 100% credit to any family with twins. It's not an easy job, but they are doing great with it!!! And you can tell they are in love with their children, no matter how hard it gets. This was a blessing to them since Adam had stem cell a few years ago and didn't know if the invitro would take. The are beautiful kids! I will have baby fever some day...just not today! :)


Proud parents, Dustin, and changing time!


Lane watching TV!Aleah ready to go!
Dustin playing with Lane

Spinning Class

So I started spinning classes about 2 months ago. I thought I'd NEVER make it through one and now I go about 2 nights a week for 45 mins and man do I sweat!!! I love them because of that and I hate them because of it. I went tonight and he really kicked our asses. But...that's ok, that's what a GROUP EXERCISE CLASS is for, right? I haven't noticed any weight loss because of it, but I've gotten a lot toner from it. Which is better than nothing. I just like the way I feel when I actually accomplish a class.

Awwww Spring!

Spring is FINALLY here after a very long winter. Last weekend was like summer, I thought we'd skipped spring which would be very disappointing since I love spring. Dustin was mowing last night and he had Buddy out with him. I couldn't find buddy following the mower anymore so I went out back to see what he was doing and low and behold this is what I found.
Apparently this was a mouse or something in the gutter and he ripped it off the side of the house to get it. I did take it away from him once I got the pictures and told him NO, but that was after the picture and hard to do with a straight face!!!! I'll never survive kid stuff if I can't survive dog stuff. After watching "Marley and Me" last night, I realized if this is the WORST he does, he really is a good dog!!! :)

Grouchy Crappy Day

I hate mondays. But I hate stupid people even more. I have a coworker who never shows up, hardly ever does their job but had the nerve to imply to me that i should have been in the office more last week. Oh I'm sorry, my family member had surgery and I had to spend a day with customer's per my BOSS! ARGH!!! One girl asked me if I needed some m&m's and I said no, because the other person would be picking them out of their forehead when I was done!!!!

Ok...so that was at 10:0o this morning. I was all downhill after that! I did however get most of my work done for the current day. So that was one plus. I just have a few things left to finish up from last week and should be done as well.

I went to the grocery store today after work, probably not a good idea in a bad mood, but I did it because hey, my husband has to eat. There was a woman that was aisle following me. You know the person you almost walk in next to and you end up following them through the entire store. She had her 3 kids with her. 2 of which were very young. Apparently the oldest child wanted goldfish so she bought them. AND PUT THEM IN THE CART WITH THE 2 SMALL CHILDREN. For about 4 aisles I could hear here yelling at the smaller children to put them down and leave them alone. By the time I got to the cereal aisle, the kids had FREED WILLY! Goldfish on the floor from the ripped open bag. I learned today, you get the goldfish when you are DONE shoppping, not when you walk in the door. It did make me smile though I know when I have kids, I won't be smiling as much! :)

Back in the Groove, if you want to call it that.

What a whirlwind week!!! We got home from Vacation on Saturday. Started back to work Monday. Worked Monday and tuesday. Wednesday went to Buffalo for work with the bosses for a customer lunch then a performance meeting with one of the terminals. Got home around 7:30. Had to be up at 5:00 the next morning to take dad to the hospital for what was supposed to be a one day quick surgery. 45 min surgery, eat, drink, pee, you go home. I SHOULD have been home by 4:00 that afternoon. But dad had an allergic reaction to the anesthesia and passed out right in front of me while talking to me. I mean eyes rolled back, and passed out. Scared the beejeebees out of me. Then he came to and threw up! So the Dr. kept him over night. My dad wasn't real impressed with that, but he didn't complain too much. So I had to take 1/2 day friday off and go get him in the morning. He was to be discharged around 7:30 and expect 2 hours for discharge papers. We left at 11:15 for home. Finally made it to work around 1:00 or so and worked until 5;30 trying to get caught up. Then worked yesterday and went to a 3 year olds birthday party. I am POOPED!!!! I slept until 9:30 this morning, something I never do!!! It's a good thing I went on vacation or I'd need one after this week!

Here's a few pics from vacation. We didn't take alot, but we took some!

Babies, Babies, everywhere!!!!

I feel like I'm stuck in baby land. Our very good friends gave birth to their twins TODAY!!! Leah and Lane are doing well. Lane is at another hospital though because his lungs weren't fully developed and they are taking it as a precaution. This is an awesome thing for these two because they weren't sure they'd have a baby since he had cancer and the had frozen some of his swimmers before his stem cell. But they ended up with TWINS!!! Welcome Leah and Lane!!!!

Also, my brother has announced this girlfriend is expecting in August. YIKES!!! My brother's main goal in life is to have a child, so he is very excited. I just wish they would've waited until they were a little more financially stable since she already has one of her own who lives full time with them.

And then..out of the last 4 weddings I've attended....3 of those couples are expecting. The only couple that isn't expecting is in the 50's so that's understandable!!!! lol.

I feel babied out right now, but still nothing thinking it's our turn just yet! :)

History

It's weird as I watched TV last night to see that Obama's Inauguration is considered "historic" in 2009 for a 1/2 black man to be president. But oh well, the times are the times. I just hope that he is all he's promised. I realize the economy is going to get worse before it gets better, but he's made alot of promises and I hope he's up for the challenge that awaits him.

This is definitely an interesting time for me to be the age that I am. I work in an industry that literally if you don't like what's going on today, wait until tomorrow. I live in a world were teenagers have to have laptops, cellphones, $300 ipods, brand new cars, and $100 jeans. I work 40 hours a week and we live comfortably and I STILL don't own $100 jeans. OH MY GOD, I'm officially old and sounded like my mother there.

The future does scare me, it scares me about our jobs, our livelyhood, and our security. But I cannot live everyday worrying about what tomorrow may (or may not) bring and just hope for the best each day. And know there is no money in the world that is going to change the fact that I love my husband and my family very much. Nothing can take that away.

I am very proud to be an american, today, and everyday! Pride is not something you feel one day and not another.

Colder than a witches ...

well you know the rest. lol. What a crazy freaking week of weather. I haven't not seen it below zero on the legion clock in town since I was in high school. It was -1 friday and -6 Saturday. Saturday morning it was -20 at my house at 6:30 a.m. Freaking nuts!!!!!

We are getting warmer weather though and with that warmer weather brings SNOW and lots of it. Dustin and I went to Erie last night and wowza it was a rough ride home. It wasn't even snowing when we left but by the time we headed home it was a blizzard. Took us a very long time to get home.

Spent most of today sanding and mudding drywall in the kitchen. Ok...umm those people that do this for a living or enjoy renovating houses are just plain freaking nuts. It took all day for a 4x12 wall. I need to be able to look at something and get some satisfaction after a days work, this is not my idea of satisfaction! lol.