I must confess.... I am NOT weighing in today. Last week did me in. When I got on that scale, I felt so great. Was expecting to lose about 2 pounds. When Barbara told me I had gained 1, I asked her to let me try again! My clothes fit looser, my body feels smoother, and more trim around the edges (lol), and I just feel better. UNTIL I got up on that scale. What a head game. I could have been retaining fluid, maybe muscle.... (lol)... but in my foolish head, I gained a pound of pure fat. What the heck is wrong with me?????

So I threw in the towel for the past week (wow, Erin - that was smart thinking. I'll show her....) and now I feel like complete crap! Not physically - I feel bad about my foolish choice to throw away a week of healthy eating. So, back on track I go. And no scale today. I just don't need to feel more discouraged. Next Friday will be a good weigh in. I just know it. :)

There. Now that I have that off my chest.

Good Morning, and Happy Friday!!!!!!!

It's bright and sunny outside!!!!

AND - IT'S 1/2 DAY FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!! Let's Celebrate!

We only have a few left! :P

About last night. Well, it was very productive. I worked! I sold this great pair of Lilly Pulitzer mens pants (vintage) in less than 15 minutes on ebay. As soon as I listed them - they were gone! Poof! I was pretty excited! I have been a major slacker in the selling on ebay department. I am usually really into it. When the going gets tough, the tough gets listing! :) And, we're in a pinch with time for our vacation. The plan has always been to earn spending money for our vacation through ebay sales. So far, so good! I'll be working hard this weekend!!!! :)

Can you believe it's really Friday? Wow! That was a fast week!

Oh... Did I mention that I'm thrilled that it's Friday? :)

I'll be back. Must start my day!

It's SO QUIET HERE TODAY!!!!!

How pathetic am I? I woke up early, and got to work early today - just because I was excited about getting back on schedule! AND, tomorrow is 1/2 day Friday! I'm such a silly fool.

But, what I can't stop thinking about now is - MY VACATION! I cannot wait!!!!! And I can't wait to see the looks on the kids faces when they board that Cruise Ship!!! I am so thrilled. I think I'm starting to lose sleep over it!! :)

One thing I wish for. I wish and pray that I don't have that anxiety again. I was so nervous and claustrophobic in the hallway the first time I walked to our cabin. It was scary. I couldn't breathe. Luckily, I got over it. lol. Hubby thought we were going to have to get off the ship. He would have, too. I am grateful for that. He was so good about helping me deal with it. He was patient. I needed that.
So, for this vacation - I hope that I don't go thorough anything like that, again!!! Deep breath!

I have check lists, and am ready to start packing. lol. I am such a nerd!!! And, once that ship takes off, I plan on enjoying the heck out of myself. Laying in the sun, swimming in the pool, reading, dancing at the pool parties. Doing the limbo. All of it!!!! I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok. I got that off my chest. :)

16 days..... and I'll be outta here.

:)

Story Time!!!!

Ready, set.... Fun story!

Not the most exciting, but it will do!

So.... Monday night. We arrive at Bally's Hotel. I had booked a Comp room months ago. I approach the desk to check in, and meet with this man with a very strong accent. Very nice man! What is really cool about the New Jersey Shore is that people come from all different countries to work for the summer. Most of them have the name of the country right there on their name tags. It's interesting to see where they come from. Anywho.... He asks me if I would be okay with a King bed. NO!!!! I couldn't! lol. I had the boys with me!!!! So, I tell him this. He was all smiles, and continued to look for a room for us. Well, he finally found a room. He mentioned that I was going to be very happy with it. Hmmmmmmmmmm.... I was very excited!!!! he put us in a room 2 floors below the penthouse. So, off we went. Wow. We had to go through this special area where they checked to be sure we were guests for that particular area. So, we pass through these double doors and arrive at the elevator. It was for the higher floors only. We got in, and FLY up, right past the first 40 floors. All of our ears were popping and clogging like crazy! I felt like a feather, as if all my weight was lifted.... it was crazy. It took 11 seconds to get to the 48th floor. The doors open, and there was the most beautiful hallway. All Mirrors and Suede padded walls. The floors were made with this incredible marble, and we were all just speechless. Even the boys. When we opened the door, and walked into the room, I was so thrilled! It was beautiful! I honestly think that the man at the front desk gave us this room because of how nice I was to him, and easy going. Most people are so fussy. I told him I'd be happy anywhere...... and I was just happy to be there. :) I'd like to think that being friendly gets me somewhere... :)
So, that was it. I melted into the bed. It was like no other bed I have ever laid on. I am so easy to please. lol@myself.


Wake up! My story is over. For now ~

Happy Thursday!!!!!!!

Back at work.

Cloudy and rainy today.

Room with a view

Where is my head???

I almost forgot what day it is!

Back from the beach.
The weather was gorgeous!
We spent all day in the sun, yesterday. The boys swam all day.... while hubby and I laid out in the sun. The breeze was so cool that we only got heated up once in awhile. We cooled off in the water, and back on the lounge chairs we'd go.
The evenings were cool, and calm. Lots of people out there, enjoying the summer, and the holiday.

Today, not so nice. The sun wouldn't come out, and it was actually really cool. So, by noon, we were on our way home. The mood was not so great...so the ride home was pretty quiet. :(

And for this moment.....
HOLD ON TO YOUR PANTIES......
It's pouring out! I mean, POURING!
And we have tornado warnings until 10 p.m.
Time to bring the cook out - IN. (we're not having one).

I ate Ice Cream for dinner.
Just the mood I'm in.

Pictures? Not so many. I have to post them though. It's all part of keeping track of my life. Will post them as soon as I load them up.

Hope you are having a beautiful, relaxing Independence Day.

God Bless America.

HAPPY
4TH
OF
JULY!

2007

And
off
I
Go!

See ya!

Adios!

xox!

Lets Try this Again....

Happy Monday!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, in a bit of a "funk". Not feeling the best.

However, this afternoon, I'm going to the BEACH! Yippie!!!!!!
Packing up, and heading out.
I'm traveling with: Hubby, Brandon, and my practically second son, Justin. (Brandon's best friend).
My baby girl is already at the beach, and boy do I miss her. Terribly........

Should be a nice time. I think the weather is supposed to be beautiful. It's what I hope for, anyway.

Time to celebrate, and enjoy JULY!

I need to peel off the yucky, and feel better. Can't go to the beach feeling down!

Monday Monday....

Good Morning, and Happy Monday!

About last night. Strange party. (lol)

Let's see. We had quite a combination of people there. I didn't much feel like I fit in. But, I have to say. Everyone seemed very polite and nice. I'll just leave it at that. :P
It was different.

I did play a round of cards. Texas Hold em. USUALLY, I am really pretty good. Last night, not so much! :) I was the first one out. And, unlike the picture I used for this post, I did not have to take off my clothes! And, I was the only female player. So, the photo above, well..... wishful thinking! Hey, this is my blog, and I can do whatever I want!!!!!

I was happy when it was time to go home. Again - Nice people, nice place, just not my type of party. Plus, I didn't really know many people.

Give me a minute and I'll post a cheerful "Happy Monday" post.

This blogging is such good therapy. My life. My journal.
Confession: I may not post everything that's going on in my life... or inside my head....
But, I'm working on it.
What you see (I'm guessing) is a very confident, outgoing girl with really high self esteem.
I'm trying to see her that way, too..... It's not so easy sometimes. But, I'm working on it.

Today is a day for cleaning, grocery shopping & doing laundry! I am now sitting in my comfy's taking a break! ;) We are gone so often that I usually have to find the time to play my domestic goddess role during the week, at night.... after work. Today, I am enjoying taking care of business during the day!!! woohooo!

Tonight we have a party to attend. From what I hear, it should be a lot of fun. I'll bring my camera (of course) and see if I can take any fun pictures to add to my blog!!!! Can you tell that I love photography??? It's One of my favorite hobbies in the world. I can never get time back, that has already been spent. So, I might as well capture it in a picture, when I can. Even simple pictures mean a lot. They do, to me.....

Well, back to my laundry! Hope this is a fine day for you. And that you find lots of sunshine, and smiling faces - pointing towards you!

Rise and Shine ......

It's a beautiful Sunday morning. What a gift. :)

6:45 A.M : I think the Post Secret guy slept in! I propped myself up in bed to read the secrets of the week, and they hadn't been posted yet. So, I decided to blog instead! I'm all alone this morning. Hubby got up and left for his early morning ride. The kids are away. It's just me. For now........

Post Secret. Is my life so dull that I feel like I have to pop up first thing in the morning to read the new messages? No way. I read them because a lot of the time they make me feel normal. Sometimes I can relate to some of them so well. Other times, when I can't relate - I try to understand where people are coming from. I don't always get it, but I do learn something new every week from the secrets that are posted.........

We all feel the way we feel. Good, bad, happy sad. Right or wrong. Sometimes, things happen in our lives that stick with us forever. Maybe Postsecret really helps people that are trying to let go of pain, guilt, unwanted feelings....... I hope it helps them live a more peaceful life.

You can't change the way someone feels inside. That is really the bottom line.

Wow, this is way too deep for a Sunday morning blog.

Beautiful wishes - beautiful day.

Hello ~

Happy Summer!
It
is
so
nice
this
weekend!!!




No plans. Nope! Nothing! Went swim suit shopping yesterday. NO luck. I guess I just wasn't in the mood. I have some really cute suits that I can use for now, though. I was just hoping I could find something fun, and new.

Today (Saturday) was different. Nothing much going on. You know, I get so used to running, and running. I almost didn't know what to do with myself! Lots to get done. Not in the mood to do it. And I couldn't really say where this day even went!

This morning we went to see Donna.
We saw Alan, too.
He was all smiles, as usual. :)

Then, we took the Harley out for a bit. Not far from home. Both hubby and myself are afraid to get hurt before the Cruise. THAT would be horrible. I worry a lot. He worries even more. So, we just took a little ride. It was nice. I'm getting better on the bike. Not as nervous. I think I'm a pretty good biker chick! :)

Now, we're planted in front of the T.V. No kids, just us. It's very quiet around here!

Tomorrow I'll get the cleaning done. And the laundry. Tonight, relaxation!

So, that's about it. Hope who ever stumbles upon this blog is enjoying life. And smiling.

Good Night!

Hope it's a beautiful day for you!!!!!

So far, so good.... for me!

Quiet - but gorgeous weather!

My
Weigh
In....

I'm
NOT
even
going
to
talk
about
it!

Grrrr.....




HAPPY FRIDAY~

Today is a rainy day. BUT WHO CARES! It's 1/2 day Friday!!!!

Let's celebrate!!!! Ever dance in the rain? Today would be a great day for it!!! :)

I'm feeling pretty good today. I have a lunch date with Eveline, and I'll be shopping for a swim suit afterwards! Hmm..... we'll see how that goes!
I think we're all way to critical about ourselves. I'm trying my very best NOT to be. I am working on being my own best friend. :) It's not always easy.

Last night was fun. I got the most sexy red high heel shoes! I loved them so much I even brought them in to show the ladies at work. They aren't appropriate to wear to work.... but they are just awesome!!!! I used to have a nickname "Big heels". My friend and her husband called me that. If they could see these shoes... lolol!!!!!
I will have to post a pic of them, with me in em! They are too cute not to share!!!!

Anyway. Last night was nice. It was hot and humid, but nice.
I relaxed, and listened to the rain. I played on the computer. Chuzzle. It's a must have game, if you LOVE puzzle games. I have a nerdy streak in me, miles long. And, I love puzzles. :) So, it was very nice.

Weekend plans. As of right now, I have NONE! Pretty exciting!!! I'm going to try my best to get organized for my trip. It's getting close!!!!!


I'll be back to post my Weigh In results..... WISH ME LUCK! I am nervous!!!!!!! *Begins to remove layers of clothing. lol! I am bare bones again. I will take off what I can for this weigh in! lol :)

Happy Friday!

Happy
FRIDAY!

YOU
KNOW
WHAT
THAT
MEANS!

WEIGH
IN
DAY!

*gulp!

OK..... Story time!!!!!

Last Friday. I mentioned that I got together with my girlfriend, Julie. Well....once we got settled, we got into talking about relationships, and men.
Julie met this guy online. She's been chatting with him for a few months. He's been asking her to go out, over and over again. She has declined, each time. I asked her why. She tells me that she doesn't think he's exactly her type. Well.... This woman (and I love her dearly) has no right telling me what her "type" is. She is famous for choosing not so great guys to get involved with. So.... maybe "her type" isn't working so well for her.

Anyway. I told her to go out with him. She refused. I told her it would be good for her. She told me she had no babysitter. So, I offered. Then, she didn't know what to say. :)
So, she returned his call later that night. She accepted a date with him. For Saturday (this past Saturday). She came over with her daughter, and a list of names, numbers, and so on.... just in case I needed to help her out of this "blind date" that she met online. I was both nervous and excited for her. She was too..... it was sweet.
So, off she went. And I was hoping it would be a nice night for her. She has very few. And, it's a shame. She is a great human being. And, I adore her.

Anyway, while she was gone, we took her little munchkin out on the town. We went to Chuck E Cheese. She had the time of her life. I just loved watching her enjoy herself. She doesn't have the opportunity to go many places like that. The things we take for granted.... we shouldn't. I was about to burst out in tears when Fred asked Jory if she wanted to go to Chuck E Cheese. Her response made me cry. She told us how her Mom was too poor to take her, and that she was saving lots of money in her crayon bank so they could be rich. Wow.... it was very emotional. And, it made me even more excited about taking her. :)
Anyway, all that was a lot of fun. I DID send Julie a text msg every now and then to check on her. After all, I honestly felt responsible for her going out with this guy. I guess, deep down inside, I knew she wanted to. She just needed a little push. And I'm not pushy.... but I did convince her to go. So, I was a little nervous.
She txt' me back. She was having a "wonderful" time. WooohooooO!!!!! Her online date - yippie!!!!!! And then, it was like 11:00 p.m. She sent me another message making sure we were okay with her daughter. :) We were fine. I was hanging out with the girls watching movies. It was lots of fun!
Anyway, she finally got to my place at almost 1:00 a.m. She was smiling ear to ear. I was too. I just hugged her tight, and told her I was glad she went. She said it was so awesome. So natural. Lot's of great conversation. They took a nice walk, had a great dinner. Went out for Ice Cream. I was so happy for her. :) And she thanked me. Over and over again. For talking her in to going. And for taking Jory out for fun stuff. It was all my pleasure. I loved every minute of it. :)
Julie sent me a msg this morning. Seems she's won the heart of this guy. He's crazy about her. How could he not be? She's a love.
So, tomorrow night we might go out - the 4 of us. I'd like to meet this guy. We'll see what happens. I have my fingers crossed for her. She is a very special person in my life.
Brief history.....
Julie and I met in 1986 when I first moved to PA.
She was my first, and only friend.
She was my best friend, ever.
I used to drag her back to Long Island with me, when I needed to "go home" - until one day I realized, PA was my "home" - and much of that, thanks to Julie.
I watched her suffer through the loss of her Mother.
She watched me suffer through the loss of one of my best friends in the whole world.
We were there for each other. And now, 21 years later, I think we're there for each other, again. It's nice.
We have memories, a few hundred miles long. Maybe one day - I'll share some of them.... Until then, We have today. And new memories.

That is my story - and I'm sticking to it. :)

Wooohoooo!!!!!!!!!!

My day here at work is almost over!!!!! It's almost time to go home!!!!

And...... 22 days until vacation!!!!!!

It's sorta been a long week.

Very hot, humid, and pretty quiet.......

I'm looking forward to the weekend. Lot's of nothing going on!!! Until Monday evening!!!!

Yeah... it's been a strange week.

Lets Celebrate! Tomorrow is 1/2 day Friday!!!!!! YIPPIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not so much in the mood today to post. Even though I do have lots to say!! Poor hubby.. looks like he's going to have to be sweet and patient, and listen to me ramble tonight!

Happy Thursday!!!

Happy Thursday!

Today is sizzling hot!!!!!!!!

And humid - BLEAH!!!!!

Be back to post shortly.

GOOD NIGHT ~ SWEET DREAMS xo

An
AMAZING
friend
once
told
me....

If
she
were
Bi-Sexual

I wouldn't be her type....

LOL!

How dare she! Wonder what her "type" would be.......
:P

BANANA FACTS!

Sharing some fun stuff with you!

3 medium size bananas weigh approximately 1 pound.

A cluster of bananas is called a hand and consists of 10 to 20 bananas, which are known as fingers.

As bananas ripen, the starch in the fruit turns to sugar. Therefore, the riper the banana the sweeter it will taste.

Banana plants are the largest plants on earth without a woody stem. They are actually giant herbs of the same family as lilies, orchids and palms.

Bananas are a good source of vitamin C, potassium and dietary fiber.

Bananas are America's #1 fruit.

Bananas are available all year-round. They are harvested every day of the year.

WHY BANANAS ARE GOOD FOR YOU:
Containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

Providing energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.


Depression: According to a recent survey amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.


PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.


Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.


Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect way to beat high blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.


Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.


Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.


Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

It's a HOT and HUMID day!!!!!!! I am prepared!!! Light Skirt, light top... fruit, water, cool office. I don't enjoy when it gets too humid. AND, today IS humid!

Other than that - things are going well. Lots going on. Tonight, relax! Gotta keep cool!

Happy Hump Day!

Enjoy :)

Happy Tuesday.

This Morning was something else. Long story.... I'll try to post it all. Small world. Strange how things work out. I don't know. Back to the theory of "Everything Happens for a Reason". This is one I haven't been able to figure out. BUT, I will.

My sweetie and I had to go to Court this morning. I was the "Star" witness to a reckless driving accident. It was from back in March. The Dumb Ass could have really hurt someone. He cut in front of my hubby and me, and crashed, full force into a telephone poll. Totalled his truck. What a mess. Anyway, that's what I had to go to Court about. However, something totally different happened. I know, I always have a story.........

So, here it goes...

We waited for the guy to show up. It appeared as though he was going to pull a no show. So, the officer asked us to go into the court room, and wait until the case (before us) was over. So, we did. This other case had just begun. Besides them, we were the only ones in the court room.

So, the other case begins. It's about a property rental eviction. No big deal. We know the process well, based alone on the fact that hubby works for a Property Mgmt Company. So we listen. There was a woman sitting there (the defendant). She was an older black woman, with pretty old looking clothes on. Her outer appearance might lead you to place judgement that she didn't care too much for herself. But, no so much the case. She sat and listened to the Plaintiff. Seems she had been having trouble making her rent each month for the past year. I kept looking at her. She really looked familiar. Don't know why....... The way I understood it, she was really only a full month behind. The Manager was there to cancel her newly signed lease, and have her evicted. :( I didn't like that.
Now, it's the defendants turn. She steps up to the box. She swears in, and begins to cry. Fred held tight, on to my hand. He, like me - is very soft hearted. We both felt really bad. Then, she begins to tell her story. She talks about how she has never been in a position like this before. She's in a bad spot, and working really hard on getting out of it. She's worked the same job for 26 years..... We both felt terrible for her. THEN, she mentions how her daughter has been really sick. And, how she recently went through a double lung transplant. WOW - THAT was my light bulb moment. I remembered how I recognized this woman. IT was her daughter. I remembered. Her daughter is a doll. She is a student at Rider!! I love this precious thing. She used to come in to my office a lot. I'd help her. She had tanks, and tubes, and all sorts of things all over her. She couldn't take more than a few steps at a time. She'd have to stop, so she could catch her breath. She was a sweet little thing. And, BOOM... one day she came in. No tanks, no tubes. I had a feeling something good happened. I asked her what was going on. She had the biggest smile you could ever imagine. Told me about her double lung transplant. How she can live again. How she was blessed with new lungs.... and she felt "normal" for the first time in years....

THAT was how I recognized her Mom. She'd also been in the office. Dropping something off, or picking something up, because (then) her child just didn't have the strength to get here........

So, there we are... and I'm about to cry. Fred nudges me. Asks me for a pen, and something to write on. All I have in my purse is a Wal-Mart receipt. I look over, he's writing her a note. Telling her to call him. That he can help her find a place. That he knows people that can help her. A safe place, in her price range. He asks me to give it to her when she's leaving. When I did, she just looked at us with hope in her eyes, as well as tears. It was touching.

Once we left, I was able to tell Fred that I think I knew who the woman was. Well, he was surprised to hear about it, but DID remember me talking about the blessing her daughter got, with having the lung transplant.

Anyway, by the time I reached my office, my phone rang, and it was Fred. He wanted to tell me that "Maxine" (the woman from court) had already called, and gone over to see Fred. He wanted to tell me that it was her daughter, from Rider. Sadly, she's had some trouble with her new lungs. She's been in the hospital now for about 3 months. I hope she'll be okay.....

We're going to help her find a place. We have some connections. Well, hubby does. I will do what I can, too.

What a morning.

My ramble for the day.....

HAPPY MONDAY!!!!!!

What a cloudy day it is!!! Looks like RAIN!!

Nice weekend. A lot of things happened. Lessons learned. Nice stuff... different... I'll share later.

My eyes are much more open to so much these days. I pay a lot of attention to things around me. I observe a lot. It's part of who I am. I can't help it. I learn a lot about people this way. I'll explain later......

I'm happy to be here today. I look forward to a good week. Lots going on.....

I have stories. I just can't focus right now.