The Weekend

Saturday was wonderful - we slept in. That in itself made the day great. :)

Seriously though, we slept in, finished watching Prison Break (season 3 - soooo GOOD!!!!) then got over to the gym. We only had to walk for 25 minutes. We get to the gym, and in the 30 hours or so since we had been in the room, one of the treadmills was broken. So i ended up doing the Elliptical for the 25 minutes - that was ok w/ me - probably burned a few extra calories anyway.

After we got showered, we had lunch at Mama Fu's (YUM!), visited another bike shop (another hour!) and went to OP to pick up Zoe, our niece, for a birthday trip to Busch Gardens! She is just 54" so she was able to ride all the rides. We drove down Sat night and stayed with Barry's cousin.

Sunday we got up about 8:00 and had breakfast and got over to the park about 9:30. It was so fun to watch her experience her first time on roller coasters - after the 3rd time around she was a front row-er only! Especially on Sheikra! There were NO lines and the weather was PERFECT. At one point we had about a 10 minute ride on Montu and she was like, "NUH-UH - we should come back later!" She was definitely spoiled on her first trip! I'll post some pictures tomorrow if i have time.

We got home just before 11. Sunday's workout was 2 miles on the bike, so before we even went into the house we walked over to the gym and did our 2 miles! COMMITMENT!! :)

We were in bed by 12, with the alarm set for 5:30...

It's Not My Head That Should Be Spinning

I spent 2 hours in a bike shop today learning about bicycles. I am blown away... When I agreed to do this triathlon, i didn't think about how much it would cost. Honestly, i didn't even think about the fact that i don't even own a bicycle... ONE bike, after helmets, and shorts, and lights, and car racks... is going to cost about a grand. But - oh yeah! - Barry and I are doing this together. 2 bikes. 2 helmets. 2 shorts. 2 light sets.

Luckily, we only need 1 car rack. :P

Training, Day 4

Uck. So, either i'm more of a wuss than I thought, or this Michael Pate guy knows what he's doing for couch potatoes like me...

Today's training was to Swim 100m and bike 2 miles. Swimming was hard, but I got through it w/o any major complaints. Then I got on the bike. 2 miles. I can do it. I got to about 1.6 miles and was dying... i had to stop for a few seconds. But I was close to the 2 miles, so i pushed through and did it in about the same time i did yesterday (10 min). Yesterday all we did was bike and today I had just swum* 100m plus, so i guess that's an improvement, right?

When we got back to the house I was thirsty so i drank a small glass of water, and then started to feel nauseous. Barry said my sugar was low, so i drank a few ounces of vanilla almond milk. I blaim barry - he kept talking about why i was nauseous... I ran to the bathroom and threw up everything... mostly water, but reminents of last night's yummy dinner too... not so yummy the second time. I got ready for work, but i still feel weak and queasy. Now it's 7:00, - all i have left to do is button my pants... and I sooo don't want to. Is this normal? We didn't even workout an hour! WTF? I've gone 2-3 hours of hard martial arts workouts and not felt this bad. I've gone 14 hours of guard practice and not felt like this...

Oh well, as I always say... "This too shall pass."

*Did I use that right?

Medical Update

I had another follow up with my Doctor about my PCOS. BTW, I mentioned before how much i like my doctor, right? Well, he's just the sweetest man ever. Gives out hugs at greeting and departure - i love hugs!! Anyway, I digress. (or as Matt LeBlanc said at 6:30 this morning on Married... With Children: "I digest...")
At the appointment, he was not happy with the way my chart is looking - yellow stickers everywhere, meaning, I have mucus almost everyday. I have not had a period since the end of June, and although i've been really good at taking my meds at night, i somehow forget almost every morning. I wasn't aware of this before, but he hadn't actually diagnosed me with PCOS until this week. Now it's offical. :P He also gave me another prescription. Now i'm taking progesterone, every night before bed. I'm grateful they're not shots, but they aren't taken orally either. That makes things interesting... Aparently the progesterone is supposed to jump start my cycle and on the 10th day taking the meds, i should have a period. And he warned me that it'll be a big one. That blows. On the bright side, hopefully i'll have more green days and a strong peak after that. *Crosses Fingers!* He says he would like to see more "I" s on my chart, and more green days would accomplish that. (I think his exact words were: "I'd like to see you have more sex.") Now you see why i like this guy?

On the other end of my body, i had some eye tests done a few weeks ago and the results came back yesterday. I thought I blogged about my eyes before, but to refresh: They're shitty. Not so much: Shitty, I'm almost blind, shitty, but more like: Shitty, If I'm not careful I could go blind, shitty. That's right. Blind. I have unusually shaped rods, which can be a catalyst for Glaucoma. On top of this, i am predisposed to be a 'great' candidate for macular degeneration. So every 6 months i get tested for both. And the most recent tests show I'm borderline for both. This means that for the mac degen, eating healthier and doing what i started to do this week will help. However for the glaucoma, the only thing we can do is catch it early. Once i have it, I'll have to take drops for the rest of my life to prevent blindness. How scary is that? I feel like it's just a matter of when. Luckily I get regular eye exams, i'd never know.

So, ladies and gents, just because you don't feel like you have poor vision, you should get regularly scheduled eye exams. Without tests, Glaucoma isn't noticed until it starts affecting your vision, and then it's too late - it's not reversable.

The Little Things

I think it's going to be the little things that will make a difference, once i start seeing changes in my body. I thought I'd list a few that i am looking forward to. Give me a comment, or post your own "little things blog" if you can think of some of your "little things"! Hopefully they'll inspire us, or at least make us giggle. :)

• Getting rid of the 'front roll'. It's the phenomena that occurs when I wear pants and the front rolls down to make room for my fat belly.
• Buying tops that have buttons down the front! Or at least wearing them w/o an undershirt, just so i don't flash everyone to my left with the gaping hold between buttons.
• Not feeling tired all the time.
• Having regular periods (TMI? Too bad, it's my blog.)
• Not shopping in the fat girl section (I'm right on the border - 14s are too small, 16s are too big, but 16s are more comfy, so i wear those.)
• getting second looks from strangers. i used to get them much more frequently than i do now.
• Adding "Triathlete" on my list of accomplishments. That'll be sweet.

As I think of more, I'll post more...

Triathlon Training Day 3

Woke up again this morning - that is a plus! I feel very good about this, i don't know what it is. I just really feel that i can create a habit this time. Woohoo! I really hope i maintain my excitement. I think that keeping up with my blog will help.

Training: Today (Thursday) is supposed to be my "off" day, but since we started working out just yesterday, We did Tuesday's workout today. All that was required today was to bike 2 miles. Reading what everyone else has been doing is really making me feel like a wuss, but I guess the program knows best. There's only 1 bike in our gym at our condo, and it's the sit-down kind. I can tell that the bike riding is going to be my crux. I haven't owned a bike since i got one under the Christmas tree from Santa Claus. But i was on the LOWEST setting today and it took everything i had to get through those 2 miles. And i was only on for 10 minutes! I hope the stand-up bike will be easier. While Barry did his turn on the bike i did some sit ups and some light weights.

Diet: I still don't have a solid diet plan, but i am WAY closer. I found the link that Angelle gave a while back from livestrong.com: http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/ I'm really enjoying this! I put in everything i eat and all the exercise i do and it spits out how I'm doing, complete with pie charts! I'm so Ross Perot when it comes to charts. I learned today that shrimp, other than cholesterol, is pretty good for you! I ate 10 shrimp cocktails a little while ago and learned that a serving of 80 calories has 12 shrimp. So I'm going to go eat 2 more! heehee :)

Another thing I have to be better about is to blog first, read second. I blame that on part of the reason for not being a better blogger in the first place. I'd read all my friends blogs and then it'd be time for bed! Now i will be sure to complete my own before stalking. :)

It's 6:33AM

...and I've completed my first workout and taken a shower. Today was great, but that's probably because it's day one and i was asleep before 11:00 last night. Jumping in the pool was not fun, but i got used to it pretty quickly and realized that i don't have any goggles. I need to add that to my 'things to get' pile, along with some better running shoes and a bike. So today i kept my head above water, which i think made it a more strenuous workout. Walking was boring... my talkative husband only spoke when spoken to - he is definitely NOT a morning person. Next time i'll bring my ipod or figure out the TV in the room.
I really need to figure out a good nutrition program. I don't think i get ENOUGH calories in a day, OR i get too many really shitty calories.
BTW, the straw that broke the camel's back was sunday when i had this to eat:
~Leftover thai food (Duck w/ red coconut curry)
~Leftover Fajita Nachos from LaNopalera Mexian
~5 Honey Garlic Wings from Gators w/ ranch
~Fried Green Beans
~Chili Cheese Nachos
~over a pitcher of Yuengling
~Cup of Funari's Banana Pudding/Brownie Batter Gelato

There. Now it's out in the open. No more eating like that.

Triathlon Training, Day #1

Ok, so i didn't actually do any training today. But I'm counting today as day one because my heart and mind are still in it and i did alot of leg work today:

• I got the OK from my doctor. He was glad that i was thinking of doing a program that started slow.
• I decided on my workout schedule: http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=262
• We scoped out our gym. We somehow lost the key to our pool/gym area, which was a huge excuse as to why i haven't been exercising. However, a quick sqeeze through some bars that some hooligan bent apart (Thanks, Hooligan!) and making a copy of our neighbor's key and we are IN!
• I'm still trying to figure out logistics for swimming when it gets cooler outside. I am thinking about going back to school, but if i do that won't be until feb and that's too late. There's only one other gym in the jacksonville area that has an indoor gym, but they're $40/month and 25 minutes away. I mentioned that getting a wetsuit was an idea... that's definitely something to do when it's dark outside! lol

All in all, day 1 i feel has been a good day. We wake up at 5:00 am tomorrow for some walking and swimming!!

OH!

And another bonus: I'm going to be smokin' hot for my cruise in February! Maybe I could wear a bikini??? OOOO I just got tingly!

Triathlon

Barry and I met the Gallers today for a quick visit with lunch at Red Lobster. (Endless Shrimp - yum!) Angelle mentioned that her next big step is to do a triathlon. Her timing in mentioning this was perfect because last night, (while enjoying the 2nd day at Funari's) I was discussing w/ friends what i had eaten that day and needless to say... it was horrible. I did have green beans... but they were battered and deep fried. I started to feel nasty and realized that i really need to change my life - I don't eat right OR work out. I used to do a little of both, but now: NOTHING. Just thinking about it right now is making me nauseous (or maybe it's the gazillion shrimp in my belly right now coupled with 1/2 the boston creme cupcake from Vanilla's for dessert?)... either way it's bad i'm sure.
So, for the first time, I am saying it out loud and in writing:

I am going to train for a triathlon.

Doing it with Angelle next spring will be great motivation - I'll get to visit with friends, have a nice vacation, and have an end goal in mind.
So, i've been online today looking at training programs and things needed. Obviously i'm going to need a bike. Yikes. I was going to use my tax refund to get a new laptop... it may be going towards some new bikes now. Damn. But it's for my greater good, right?
I happen to have a doctors appointment tomorrow. I'm going to get his blessing with this before i start on tuesday, since i am probably 50 pounds overweight.

HOLY SHIT!!! Wish me luck!

Class of 1998

Last weekend was my 10 year high school reunion. It started Friday night at a local bar called Square One. I saw a few people I knew from Elementary and Jr High, but didn't hang out w/ them in HS. But, it was fun to talk and have some drinks.

Then Saturday was the actual reunion. Out of a class of about 550 people, only 40 or 50 showed up. Amazingly, i recognized almost all of them, although i was only friends w/ a few. I really was just looking forward to seeing some suprise faces and reconnecting with them. Luckily, i wasn't dissapointed! A friend from band, Chris Cunningham, and his wife came. Honestly, i hadn't thought about him since HS so it was a great suprise to see him. He and a few other friends, along w/ their husbands, hung out and caught up, and then went bar hopping along the beach. Aside from my husband and I getting into it, I had a great time. (that's another blog).

It really was uneventful - no amazing stories. But I got some pictures, and if i remember, i'll put them up tonight. I'm looking forward to digging out the HS ones and comparing. :)

A Rare Topic: Politics

So, I'm really not a very politically-opinionated person. The only class in college that I got a "W" in was Political Science. I mean, I have my opinions, but I'm not very good at relaying them. However, a series of unrelated events happened today that got me thinking:
This morning I got a 'forward' from a friend's mom that sends way too many forwards. I normally just delete them but I happened to skim through it today. It was supposedly from David Letterman (which is not true according to snopes.com), who claims to be a Bush basher and one of the 2/3rds of Americans that seem to blame him for everything that's horrible with the US today. Within the email, however, it says (and I paraphrase) that 'Americans are so unhappy, yet we have clean water and electricity, police, fire fighters and emergency workers that are available within minutes, and flat screen TVs and computers in almost every home. All that we have, yet we are ungrateful brats. People love America, but hate Americans. We only think about ourselves. '
Then, as I'm listening to talk radio on the way home, they say to the caller(as they do often), "You're preaching to the choir, son." Which is completely true. I decided to listen to "the other station" for a while and wondered how many people actually do the same. How many people are open minded enough to truly listen and read about both sides and form opinions without the influence of the media. I'd say it's a rare few.
Finally tonight, while again listening to talk radio, there was a story about the inauguration of the new South African President. I thought about how insignificant it was compared to the US Presidential race. How we, Ungrateful American Brats - comprised of only 4-5% of the world's population - are responsible for electing one of the most powerful persons in the world. How sobering. And that thought brought me to my next one: I wonder how the election would turn out if the entire world voted for the American Presidency. Doesn't it seem fitting that they should at least have a partial say before it's all said and done in November?

Just a thought from a non-political American Brat.

FINALLY

I FINALLY got in the mood to organize my spare bedroom. For the last 6 months or more, it's been nothing more than a storage space and looked more like a garage w/ a bed in it than a bedroom. We also have SO much furniture in here, that it's hard to make it look like a usable space. But for the last hour i've gone though most of the junk and the only thing on the floor is the furniture - YAY!!
In going through everything i've found:

• 3 years of mail, 1/2 not even opened yet.
• my 2006 tax returns
• random books about China - how to speak it, read it, and travel in it.
• A box of shot glasses
• Enough Party Lite candles to burn for a year - straight.
• a cowboy hat
• My Paradigm medals and other random memorabilia
• and last but not least: our video camera! We've been missing it since we moved here. Barry was certain it was lost forever. It was a birthday gift of his and now it's back!! WOOT!!

It's amazing what you'll find when things are actually organized. I'm quite excited. (can you tell?)

NOW all that's left to do is organize the bookshelves and computer area. Ew. i'm not looking forward to this, but if i'm this happy about having the floor clean, just imagine how i'll be when it's all done. :)

I know, you can't contain your excitement either.

ARRRRRRR!!!!!!!!

Happy International Talk Like a Pirate Day!

http://www.talklikeapirate.com/howto.html

Only To Prove Angelle Right

A) Four places that I go over and over:
1 The Bank
2 Publix
3 Target
4 The Toilet

B) Four people who e-mail me (regularly):
1 Random People at Work (counts as 1!)
2 Eric King
3 Nichole
4 John McCain (recently... :P)

C) Four of my favorite places to eat:
1 My Mom's
2 Maggiano's
3 Sorbello's
4 Mama Fu's

D) Four places I would rather be right now:
1 My Grandparent's Lake
2 Denmark(to see my sister and her baby & baby belly)
3 The Acupuncturist
4 Turneffe Island Lodge

E) Four people I think will respond:
1 I
2 Have
3 No
4 Idea
(But I tag Laurie, Rhiannon, Erin, Jamie)

F) Four TV shows I watch all the time:
1 Scrubs
2 Mythbusters
3 Diners Drive-ins and Dives
4 Heroes (Sept 22nd!)

Feeling Sorry For Myself?

There are about 5 people on my myspace that are currently expecting a baby. I am unbelievably happy for them. I love children, I love the joy they bring me and I'm not even a mother. I love seeing the little peanut ultrasounds and the "We're expecting!" headlines. I love the joy i read through friends blogs or even just captions of a child's picture written by their mother. I read Laurie's blog about parenting.com and decided to take a gander at the DS baby pictures. Looking at them put tears in my eyes. They are just so beautiful. Children, whether they have DS or are "46-ers" just have a way to show undeniable love through their eyes and smiles.
I really don't want a child right now. I'm not ready yet. Barry and I aren't in a place that we can financially take care of a child. Barry's not in a place mentally that he is ready for a child. I don't know if he ever will be. But I knew that when I married him.
Even if we both were ready and wanted a baby, who knows when it would be before i got pregnant, if i am able to get pregnant at all. (That thought scares me the most.) With my PCOS, things don't seem to be getting any better. Most of that is my fault - the 20 pounds the doctor told me to loose is still sitting on my fat belly. I was doing so well at taking my meds on time and now, since we've been traveling a lot lately, i keep forgetting. I will get back on track with that though.
With all that being said, I have a confession to make: I would be estatic if I got pregnant. I can't help but feel envious of those 5+ people on my myspace. The warmth that must be going through their hearts - i can only imagine it. I've been only imagining it for a few years now. My heart is ready to experience it first hand. If only my head and pocketbook (and husband) would catch up.

Spirit Air Fiasco

I hope this is the worst that it will be. With Ike coming, i doubt it.

Barry and I are going to NYC this weekend to visit his brother in law and see the city.

A few months back I couldn't confirm my flight, so i was a little tiffed. I blogged about that here. Tonight is the night we drive to Ft. Laudie to catch a flight at 7:05am. Yesterday I went to my booking just to check up on it to make sure everything was kosher - of course it wasn't.
Not only did they change our arriving airport from Long Island's MacArthur Airport to LaGuardia, but they also changed the time of departure from 10:00am to 7:45pm, which gets us in Ft. Lauderdale at 10:50pm on Tuesday night. This give me NO time to get to work on Wednesday. There's another day of PTO i have to use as well as try and get coverage for my already short staff. With this news i had a scramble of phone calls. First to the airline to CONFIRM confirm. They actually answered the phone! It was India, but hell, at least it was a person. Then calling the hotel to see if we can change locations - of course I booked a hotel in long island, not near laguardia. No, because it was booked through Priceline, I'll have to talk to them. So on to priceline. I new it was a long shot, but i thought I'd try and save the $300 hotel bill. Amazingly, because of this mix up, priceline was able to refund my hotel COMPLETELY without penalty. (I recommend them to anyone!) After i got that straightened out, i call my brother in law to let him know and to ask him to recommend a good hotel in the city. He's like "Why did you cancel your hotel? You're not going to get a price like that in the city!" Well, shit. Back to pricline.com to try and get another hotel for the weekend. Lo and Behold! I got 3 nights at the Holiday Inn (same place bro-in-law is staying) in Long Island for $80 cheaper! woot!

All in all, its going to work out. I have coverage at the bank for Wednesday, and it actually gives us another 1/2 day in the city. Who knows, we may be there all week with Hurricane Ike headed straight for South Florida. Hopefully we'll have a car to come back to so we can drive home to Jax.

GRRRRRR...

After being SOOO good and not buying the Mondo-Expensive-Yet-Perfect-In-Every-Other-Way dress, go to balance the checkbook to find that Barry traded in his xbox and games (we have the 360 now), and even though he got $58 in credit, ended up spending another $55 at GameStop on 4 games. Why in the hell do you need 4 games at a time?? His excuse was that I spent money on my class reunion tickets even though he doesn't want to go. Of the men that read this, does that make any damn sense?? Blah.

Now that he's talking...

My nephew Braydon is so freakin' adorable. I know i say it all the time, but seriously? He is. He's talking so much more now. His articulation is very low, so a lot of the times i have to utilize Ashton as his interpreter.

Today i was taking off his shoes, which i guess i haven't done in quite sometime, because his feet have gotten so big! So i asked him:

Me: Braydon! When did your feet get so big!?
Braydon: Monday. :)

Later on, he had an accident, and the only thing left for him to wear is his swim trunks, so he thought he could go swimming. After countless times of telling him he can't go outside and to the pool, he says something. Ashton finally had to interpret.

Me: No Braydon, you can't go swimming, you're about to go home.
Braydon: I won't go swimming, I want to go standing.
Me: You'll just stand in the pool?
Braydon: Uh-huh.

I love kid's logic.

The Biggest Gainer

That's what i'm going to be if people don't stop bringing me these Vanilla's Cupcakes. If you read my previous post, you'll see why they are irrisistable. But they keep coming up with new ones. Today Kim walks in with that nondescript white box and sly smile and i knew where she had been. She opens up not only 2 of our favorite (Vanilla Bean w/ fresh pureed strawberry & vanilla bean icing) but 2 NEW flavors: Peanut Butter Cup and Banana Yumm-o. The peanut butter icing is re-DONK-ulous and the banana is like the best banana bread you'll ever eat because it's just sooo smooth.

I only have a few bites left and i'm so sad...

My Labor Day Weekend

FRIDAY

Friday night after work I went to the Roadhouse. It is my hometown's dive bar where the beer is cheap, but the cover bands are decent and you don't have to dress up. Also, it's within walking distance to 3 of my good friends so if i have to much i can just crash at their place. This was the case on Friday. At $5 pitchers of Yuengling and friends willing to buy most of that for me, it was a cheap night! I definitely paid for it later on though. After walking (barely!) to Nichole's parent's house, we went swimming for a spell and crashed on her couch. I got home about 7:30 am, took a shower, and went back to bed until 10.

SATURDAY

I had a hangover Saturday, which is not normal for me. It took until about 6pm to get rid of my headache, so we ended up watching the rest of this show called Firefly and the movie that went with it, Serenity. (Angelle, i think you'd like it.) The show did a really good job of allowing you to fall in love w/ every character, but unfortunately, it was cancelled after the first season. I don't know why, because it really was a good show. I also was Barry's Wingman while he played GTA 4. :)

SUNDAY

We woke up at the ass crack of dawn (5:15am) to meet James's family (all 12 of them) to go to Itchetucknee Springs and float the river. I was really good and put sun screen on my whole body! Well, except, of course, for my armpits!!! You know, that really sensitive area where your arms rub against your boobs, and your bra strap adjusts at will? I'm a pretty pale gal, and when i burn, i BURN. See? Anyway, other than the burn, it was a great day of relaxing and snorkeling, as well as spending a good time w/ my nieces and James's crew.

MONDAY

Today has been pretty uneventful. We are going to NYC this weekend, so we spent some time planning for that, and then I went shopping w/ Nichole for something for our 10 year HS reunion, which is coming up in a month! I found a really pretty dress, and i only tried it on because i was sure it didn't fit. Of course, it fits perfectly, all $198 plus tax of it! I was "this" close to buying it when Angelle, my voice of reason, reminded me that it was a bad idea. Thanks Angelle!

Happy Labor Day everyone!

Still Alive

Yeah, I'm still alive. Right now, we're a little watter logged w/ Fay bearing down, but Barry has his Olympics and I have a new puzzle, so we're good to go!

There's nothing really too crazy going on w/ Fay. My poor sister and mom both have houses that are being wet-vac'd, but luckily i live in a 2nd story condo. My parents have a house that tends to flood during regular rain storms, so it's been particularly bad these last few days. My sister, unfortunately, has a house that is less than 2 years old and is having water issues. Not so good.

We got out and about today. My work calls at 6:45am to let me know that we're going to open at noon. Then i get a call at 11:15, when i am 3 miles from the office and have already driven over the Buckman, that they changed their minds and aren't going to open - but to stay on standby. By 2:00 i got the final call that we are closed for the weekend.Woohoo! Two 3-day weekends in a row! Woot! So we ended up just lounging around orange park all day. I finally saw Spiderman 3 - what's up w/ that dance scene?? Really?

We got home about 9:15 and right after we got over the buckman, we get a text from a friend letting us know there were tornados spotted in Orange park - right were we JUST were. YIKES! I'm just glad we're home - safe and sound.

I'll post later what else i've been up to recently!

The Lush :)

I just talked to Grandma at the hospital up in Illinois and I thought I’d share:

I asked her how the food was and she said “Wonderful! I can have anything I want.” I said, “Even beer?” She said, “No, no beer… I’m on to wine now.”

I love that woman.

IKEA Hacker

I have found something WONDERFUL!

http://ikeahacker.blogspot.com/

Here is someone who loves Ikea more than me. YAY!!

Grandma Hart

My Grandma is back in the hospital. An MRI on Sunday confirmed a brain tumor. Only it's not as big as the first one... 3/4 inch vs. 1 inch. She had some issues last weekend because she lost the use of her left side and couldn't stand or grip or do anything. Every once in a while her leg would move all on its own. :(
They're talking options right now. Grandma does not want to loose her hair again and does not want surgery. They talked about doing a one time treatment, I think it's called GammaKnife, but they would have to drill two holes in her forehead to hold the thing steady. OR they can do the same thing (results-wise) and it would take 5 treatments and she would not loose her hair. I think they are leaning towards that one.
My grandpa has been able to take care of her becuase she's had the strength to hold on around his neck, but she can't do that without the use of her arm. She can't walk independently, so anytime she has to use the restroom or go to bed, she needs to be lifted. She wants to be home, but they are going to have to talk about full time care.
Luckily, her spirits are good and she says she will do what the Drs. recommend. She says she is trying to make the best of it and doing what she has to. She said to the Doctor, “Oh, I’m just eating like a pig.” One of the nurses came to give her a breathing treatment and asked Grandma if it was ok to put her head up. She said, “Oh sure.” Then while looking her in the eye said, “What would you have done if I had said no?” She's a hell of a woman. :)
My grandpa is trying to be positive. I almost worry about him more than my grandma. He's been in love with her for over 60 years. How do you cope with loosing your soul mate?

Queen of Who?

So for the majority of my log-in's, from my email to my ABC Distributing online purchases, "qnofharts" is my user ID of choice. When i start typing really fast, sometimes it comes out "qnohfarts".

This makes me chuckle every time because it looks like "Queen of Farts".

I'm so mature.

...heehee...

My Personality in 4 Letters

http://humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp

I always love these things. I guess it's a good thing I majored in Psychology. :)

I'm an ESFJ.

"Guardians of birthdays, holidays and celebrations, ESFJs are generous entertainers. They enjoy and joyfully observe traditions and are liberal in giving, especially where custom prescribes.
All else being equal, ESFJs enjoy being in charge. They see problems clearly and delegate easily, work hard and play with zest. ESFJs, as do most SJs, bear strong allegiance to rights of seniority. They willingly provide service (which embodies life's meaning) and expect the same from others.
"ESFJs are easily wounded. And when wounded, their emotions will not be contained. They by nature "wear their hearts on their sleeves," often exuding warmth and bonhomie, but not infrequently boiling over with the vexation of their souls. Some ESFJs channel these vibrant emotions into moving dramatic performances on stage and screen.
"Strong, contradictory forces consume the ESFJ. Their sense of right and wrong wrestles with an overwhelming rescuing, 'mothering' drive. This sometimes results in swift, immediate action taken upon a transgressor, followed by stern reprimand; ultimately, however, the prodigal is wrested from the gallows of their folly, just as the noose tightens and all hope is lost, by the very executioner!
"An ESFJ at odds with self is a remarkable sight. When a decision must be made, especially one involving the risk of conflict (abhorrent to ESFJs), there ensues an in-house wrestling match between the aforementioned black-and-white Values and the Nemesis of Discord. The contender pits self against self, once firmly deciding with the Right, then switching to Prudence to forestall hostilities, countered by unswerving Values, ad exhaustium, winner take all.
"As caretakers, ESFJs sense danger all around--germs within, the elements without, unscrupulous malefactors, insidious character flaws. The world is a dangerous place, not to be trusted. Not that the ESFJ is paranoid; 'hyper-vigilant' would be more precise. And thus they serve excellently as protectors, outstanding in fields such as medical care and elementary education. "

The Fag Bug

On the drive home from NC, we saw this bug in our rear view mirror and thought - DANG that's a gay bug! Lo and behold, that's exactly what it was! On the side, as well as her licesnse plate, it read "Fg Bug" and Fagbug.com.
We kept passing back and forth so i finally took a picture. i'm glad I did, because it reminded me to actually go to fagbug.com and see what it's all about. What an interesting story! Please visit fagbug.com or http://www.myspace.com/fagbug and learn about Erin's story. Homophobia is very real and unfortuntely a serious issue in the US. Knowledge is a powerful thing. Educate yourself!

Back to the Daily Grind

Well, I'm back at work after 5 days up in beautiful Monroe, NC (or, MON-row if you're from there). Barry and I had a great visit with the Gallers and the Maddexes. Every time I visit with them it makes me wish we lived closer together. I think of my mom and her best friend from college, Lynn Doolittle, and I hope that in 20 years, that we will still be as close as we are today. Dang, by then we'll be going to Leah and Ian's wedding! YIKES!

We spent our 5 days laughing, catching up, and just talking about anything and everything.

Wednesday we saw Avenue Q in Charlotte. What an awesome city. It's so sad that Jacksonville has absolutely no life after 5:00pm. We ate at an irish pub and then saw the show. We were really high in the back, but it was still hilarious.

If you've never seen it, and even if you don't like Broadway, i highly recommend it. I would recommend floor seats, however, because there are some things that you don't catch when you sit high in the balcony.

On Thursday we ate "Dollar Cones" and I apparently attempted to kill my husband by Oreo Crumb Inhalation. (word to the wise: Don't breath in whilst taking a bite of your wife's ice cream cone, topped with oreo cookie crumbs. duh.)

One of the other things we wanted to do while we were near Charlotte was to check off another "Diners Drive-Ins and Dives" hot spot, Bar-B-Q King. They make their own bbq sauce from scratch every day. LUCKILY someone (i think it was Laurie) remembered another spot that Guy went to called Penguin Drive-In, which was a sit down place that was better for the kids, since the bbq king was curb service only. SOOO we got to knock TWO more places on our DDD tour! SWEDEDEDEU! I'm SOOO glad we went there b

ecause they had the best fried pickles EVER. It was well worth the 20-30 minute wait. The place was so small!

I'm sitting in the corner taking this picture.

Saturday night we played Apples to Apples, with a drinker's twist! That was a lot of fun. Every time it was your turn you had to make up a rule. It got pretty funny, since for whatever reason the rules always seemed to include me and Bryan. What was up with that? Here are a few snapshots from that night that i can publish:

It was a great, relaxing time with old friends. I'm looking forward to next time, that's for sure!

So Excited!

In about 9-10 hours i will be in NC! YES!

Vanilla's Cupcakery

YUM!

Friday afternoon, I was on my way to Peterbrooke's to pick up some yummys for my co-workers when i remembered about this new cup cake bakery around the corner. Sooo... I decided to stop in and see what a cupcake-only bakery was all about.

WELL. I have been introduced to a whole new level of cupcake. And I thought Publix had the best. No Sir. Imagine, if you will, a Creme Brulee cupcake. An Oreo Cookie Cupcake, complete with white creme filling. And my personal favorite: Strawberry. A vanilla bean cupcake, with vanilla bean icing folded in with fresh pureed strawberries. TO DIE FOR. It was like the Ace of Cakes of Cupcakes. They had a little baby sleeping on top of a cupcake bed and a wedding dress cupcake.

I took a picture during the demolition on friday. Notice the forks, untouched. You can see one of the creme brulee cupcakes still in tact. (the other one is long gone.) You can also see a mango coconut cupcake that was like taking a shot of whiskey, it was so sweet, and another favorite, the chocolate chili cupcake, which had some sort of hot peppers with it that gave it a nice kick, a tirimusu cupcake, and a "simple" chocolate with vanilla bean icing.

So i sent this picture to my co-worker who wasn't here on friday. About 11:00 she says she's gotta go out for a little while. When she gets back, what does she have in her hand? More cupcakes. today, aside from the Oreo cupcake, was a red velvet and a island carrot cake, both with FRESH creamcheese filling. The remenents are still sitting on my desk, waiting for me to lick the paper plate clean.

A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

My day started when I woke up this morning with a horrible sore throat and my cat biting my toes at 6:15. I feel like butt, and apparently, I look like crap, too…according to my coworkers. I was supposed to leave here at 1 for a webinar at 2 that I was in charge off, across town. It’s a good thing it got cancelled because when I emailed/called everyone to let them know, they didn’t realize there was one in the first place and wouldn’t have shown up anyway! I’ve been trying to concentrate enough to deal with 3 new loans, opening a money market, finishing up on 4 renewals (which I haven’t even touched). I finally went and picked up some soup from Panera about 30 minutes ago along with some green tea. Hopefully that will pick me up. My eyes are itchy, my ears feel clogged, my nose decides to flow at random moments, and my throat still hurts. After I leave here, I still have a meeting at 5:30 at Gate Parkway (across town) that I have to stay awake for, even though the person that is running it gets so off track that a 30 minute meeting could last 2 hours. I should be home by 7, just in time to check my myspace/facebook/gmail, talk to barry for a little while, hug my kitties and go to bed early.

Bleh

Barry's Mini Burgers

1 lb Lean Ground Beef
Cumin (about a small hand full)
1 T. Onion Powder
1 T. Garlic Powder
1-1/2 T. Paprika
Salt
Pepper
(all spices are 'eyeballed' to taste)
1 sweet onion, finely chopped
Olive Oil
1 pkg white american cheese, cut into 2" squares
2-3 pkgs Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
Mustard or other condiments

Mix spices into ground beef with hands. Lay out wax paper and with a rolling pin, flatten ground beef to as close to a 1/4" as you can. Its easiest if you place another peice of wax paper on top so it doesn't stick to the roller. With a pizza cutter, cut the meat into 3" squares. Cook using a griddle on medium heat, flipping 1/2 way through cooking. Once flipped, place a slice of american chese on top to melt. Meanwhile, saute the onion with olive oil, salt, & pepper.

Assembly: open rolls (they open very easily with your hands). place mini burger in roll with a small amount of onion and a dab of mustard. Serve and enjoy!

Better Late Than Never

July 4th was a nice long weekend for Barry and me. Thursday night I had my nieces, Theresa and Amethyst over for Amethyst's 11th birthday (which was the 1st). We cooked mini-burgers for dinner and Barry made them do most of the cooking. They LOVED flattening out the meat with the rolling pin. I'll post the recipe for them next - they are so delicious and easy! Barry even let them use his knives to cut the onion - I was a little nervous about that; his knives are sharp! I wanted to make a fresh blueberry pie for dessert, but they wanted to go swimming instead - so we did - until about 11:30pm! The plan was to get up, make blueberry pancakes, and go shopping the next morning and have them back at their mother's by 12 or 1, but these girls didn't get up until after 9am. Luckily their mom was running late so we had plenty of time to mosey around the mall. The pancakes got substituted for Cinnibon -MMMMMMMM! They had never had them before so i kept hearing "These are WAY better than the school's!!" I told Amethyst that she can pick out an outfit for her birthday and instead she wants a build-a-bear. These dern things are expensive!!! I said I'd buy the bear and she can buy the clothes. After all, she kept reminding me that she had her own money to spend. SO... 65 bucks later(!!!) she has herself a rollerskating Husky (named Heather) with 3 hearts, a cool bark, and a pink collar and leash. GOOD GRIEF!

Friday after we dropped off the girls I finished my blueberry pie! It turned out SOOO good! It was a beautiful lattice work pie, made from scratch. I was taking pictures, thinking about all yall's recipe blogs the whole time and thinking how proud you'd be of me. Then I realized that I had no memory card in my camera and no cables to transfer the pics. :( But it tasted so good! Once it cooled, we brought it to a friend's house for BBQ Bulgogi and Firecrackers. I, of course, burn my thumb with the lighter. That dern wind would kick up right when I ignited the ligher, right over my thumb. Oh well. Chicks dig scars. Wait. Anyway.

Saturday and Sunday were pretty boring, so I won't bother you with the details. :)

What I've Done

I got this from Angelle, who got it from "plasticplease." What "Plasticplease" is, i have no idea... but, why not, eh?

You highlight what you have done. Leave a blog comment so I can come read yours. I've done 100 out of 200 of these! WOW!

1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula (can i get a "HELL NO!")
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty (I've been on Liberty Island, but wasn't allowed to go inside. I dont' think anyone is anymore since 9/11.)
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables.
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse?(Maybe?)
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run

32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking

33. Adopted an accent for fun

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (they grew up there, don't know if they were born there)
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabatized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume (I am counting my WonderWoman Underroos!!)
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check (yes, even the banker does it from time to time.)
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did(The Knoblock Toaster)
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about(Maybe?)
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one(this doesn't specify mini-golf!)
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission (see previous blog!)
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hotel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a campfire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Responded to a NJP newsletter

*NOTE: I didnt' know what an NJP Newsletter was, so i Googled it. Almost everything that came up was blogs of this survey! (the 5th one down was Myfiasco!) I thought that was interesting...and i still dont' know what a dang NJP Newsletter is.

Why I Do Plunge

What a fantastic week. I went on Urban Plunge as an adult for the first time last week. The last time I went I was a kid...11 years ago! Since then a lot had changed in my life, but I had an extra week of vacation and thought "Why not?" (If you're unsure of what Urban Plunge is, click here.)

First let me say that if you freak out because there are no "good kids" left and all the crappy teens out there that are going to destroy our world: Have no fear. There is hope. And that hope is within the 32 kids that I got the honor of meeting last week. Sure we were on a church trip and spiritual levels were up there, but these are GOOD KIDS.

Second, being an adult vs. being a kid on Plunge is different, but not much. You still get to play around and have a great time, but now you get to drive, stay up later, wake up earlier, and be in charge. :) A big difference is as a kid, you change jobs from day to day, so you get to do more: carpentry, painting, cleaning, yard work, whatever's needed. As an adult, you stay on the job until its completed and you get handed the next one.

For me, the job i was given was to paint a 2 1/2 story wood home. A job that we thought would take 3, maybe 4 days max. No sir. I was there from 9:15-4:15 every day, and on Friday we stayed until the job was completed: 5:45. (Dinner is at 6 and no one eats until everyone is there, paint supplies are cleaned and all people are showered.)

The main reason we stayed so late was because on Thursday, our client, Ms. Alvarez, asked if we were going to paint her upstairs porch. I explained to her that I am planning on it, but we may run out of time. She looked heart broken and said "That's what they said last time." When I went upstairs to look at it I completely understood. Her porch was caked in about 20+ years of dust and dirt. To paint, not only would we have to move the various items into her already tiny hallway, but clean all the dust off the almost rotten wood to paint it. The ceiling had never been painted, unless the spare wood planks used to repair it had previously had paint on it. The porch was dreary and dark. Her window coverings were being held up by nails and were mismatched.
By Thursday afternoon all we had left to paint was the infamous porch and some trim. About 3:00 another crew shows up at the house and says "We're here to help!" I started to get excited. We can do this, i thought. I sent 2 of them upstairs to start cleaning the porch and the others started with the trim.

*on a side note, the paint colors were a bright beige w/ 'creme brulee' trim. Ms. Alvarez picked them out.

On Friday morning I was determined to get the house done by lunch. Little did i know HOW dirty the porch was. And how poor a shape the roof of the porch was. The wood just soaked up the paint, or was still dirty after being brushed off countless times. Lunch time came and we were almost done with the trim and 2 of those awesome kids, Luis and Kyle, were able to start painting. As they took off the blinds they asked if we could get her new ones. After all, they were old, mismatched, and quite dirty. I was able to make a phone call and got the OK. After lunch, i said "lets get this done in an hour!" Negative. That dern porch roof was so tedious. But the kids didn't complain. When i asked if they were OK with staying late, they were determined to get it done just as much as i was. So 4:15 came and went. 4:45. 5:00. Finally at about 5:30 i heard Woots and Cheers from the upstairs porch. They were done! I went up to look. It wasn't perfect, but it was the best it could be for the condition the wood was in. And it was 1000 times better than the dark room it was before. It was bright and even had a place she could sit and enjoy the breeze. We called Ms. Alvarez in and she was just so excited. She kept saying the Lord answers prayers. She hugged us each one by one, even though we were dirty, sweaty, and full of paint. She had tears in her eyes, and so did I. As we were cleaning up, the 5 of us that finished shared a group hug, got the last of the supplies in the van, and headed 'home'.
When we arrived, there were still people that had not showered other than us. Apparently we weren't the only crew determined to finish. We all worked together, got the brushes and rollers cleaned, and was able to shower and get to the dinner table only an hour behind.

Ms. Alvarez is the reason I do Plunge. At 73, her only transportation is her bicycle, on which she seems to ride with no problem. She has no carpeting in her home, only plywood for floors. The home itself is probably 120 years old, and she probably has lived there since her childhood. Her only relief from the heat is a small rotating fan in her bedroom, which is where she stays most of the time to keep cool. Even though she had so little she offered to cook us hot dogs and drinks, which we politely declined. Our soup kitchen meal was waiting for us.

The 32 kids is the reason I do Plunge. Becoming a part of their life and having the mutual acknowledgement that, for me, there are still good kids out there. And for them, there are still adults who respect them. Watching them go from not wanting to be there to wanting to go back when they got their license in a few weeks, just "Help Ms. Jackson with stuff she needs."

A renewal in faith is the reason I do Plunge. "Faith Without Action Is Dead." I realized that just because I don't have the unwavering faith I did as a child, doesn't mean i don't have any faith. I learned that it's OK to be somewhere in the middle. My path didn't quite end as I thought, it just went on a 'road less traveled'. I'm looking forward to frequent renewals, I just need to keep my eyes and heart open.

I'm ready for next year.

Two-Thirds of My Nephews

I never talk enough about my nephews. I'm so blessed I get to see 2 out of 3 of them every week at our Tuesday night dinners with the family and sometimes on the weekends. Unfortunately I never remember to write about all the cute things they do. A lot of it, honestly, is just little looks or smiles that Braydon does that you can't really duplicate in a blog. Here's a few pictures my sister just sent me. :)

Optimus Prime: TIMES TWO!

Braydon dressed himself this morning: :)

Good Habits

I thought I'd respond what my habits were in my own blog. This is a response from Angelle's blog.


The first good habit I thought of is one that I've developed most recently: Taking my vitamins and medicine regularly. We went and bought some expensive multivitamins that have "high potency" so we don't just piss it all down the toilet and since then, about 3 weeks or so, I've been taking them every night, along with my vitamin C, EyePromise, and my metformin. I'm actually seeing a difference in my PCOS! I've had more 'green' days in a row than I've ever had before!
Next week I will be out of my routine, so i hope to be able to keep it up!

Cage or Not a Cage? That is the Question.

So, I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but I recently got a "promotion" at work. I put it in quotations because I didn't get any more money, just more responsibility. I am now the Office Manager of my branch. That's right - I'm in charge. Kinda scary eh?

Well anyway, with being in charge comes with a new office. I actually now have my own 4 walls I call my own. Not even cubicle walls - real ones, full of windows. I was so excited when i got to move into it and now, after being so used to not having walls, I kinda feel caged in. Like I'm in trouble or something and i was put in the corner...

Hopefully I'll get used to it. :)

"They Say Its Your Birthday!"

"...It's my birthday, too yeah!"

Soooo, last week my boss comes up to me and says "I hear you have a special day next week... why don't you not come to work". I said OK!!

So my day started with me sleeping in (even though it was only until 8, i still woke up on my own volition without aid of an alarm clock), laid in bed for about 30 minutes and got up. I started putzin' around the house, kissed Barry off to work, started some laundry, and decided to start packing for my Urban Plunge trip next week.

I ended up also cleaning the litter box area, vacuuming the stairs (not an simple task, lemme tell ya), and then got in the shower to get ready to meet Barry for lunch. After YUMMY LaNopalera, I went to my mom's, got a great birthday hug from Ashton, and ran errands with my sister. My mom cooked yummy pulled pork sandwiches and hot baked potato salad for dinner, with the tradition of Mom's Ice Cream Cake for dessert. MMMMM....

From there I stopped at my friends Dave and Jen's house to visit with them and their new baby and VOILA! Dave got Rock Band for Father's Day. SWEDEDEDEU! I get to play rock band on my birthday!

All in all it was a good day.

Happy Birthday To Me!

Kudos to Mike

Thanks Mike for un-bor-i-fying my blog. I am now officially "Not Playing With a Full Deck..." :)

Well, i guess i always was, but now its official. :)

Who's Got Spirit? Me?

http://www.searchengineguide.com/jennifer-laycock/good-or-bad-words-spreads-fast-on-the-we.php
http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-0923insidersep23,0,4761103.story

I went online yesterday to confirm our reservation to NYC in September, and they did not have our booking number on file. And I have not been able to get in touch with Spirit Air. Every time I try, I get a busy signal. I even got their corporate numbers ...still: busy. I tried the airport directly. Busy Signal. Finally I got so fed up I called my credit card company to just dispute the charge, but they can't do that until the date of travel passed. At the end of yesterday, I was getting sooo frustrated, especially after reading the above links about how poor the airline is. I decided to look at my printout of when I booked the flight ONE MORE TIME. Apparently, your reservation number and your "Record Locator" are 2 different things, and my record locator was on an email that stayed in my inbox. When I got home, lo and behold, there was the email and inside that was a record number.

Alas, we are confirmed for 2 tickets to NYC by way of Ft. Lauderdale. Phew. Now, unfortunately, we have to drive to Ft. Laudie the night before to catch the 6 am flight. I just hope the airline doesn't go under before then...

Got This From Mike, Who Got This From Angelle, Who Got It From Erica

COUNTRY WESTERN SINGER NAME: (mother & father’s middle names)
Esther Joseph

NASCAR NAME: (first name of your mother’s dad, father’s dad)
Chuck George

STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name)
Swema

DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)
Plaid Tiger

SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)
Jo Waukegan

FLY NAME: (first 2 letters of 1st name, last 2 letters of your last name)
Masw

GANGSTA NAME: ( fav ice cream flavor, fav cookie)
Espresso Chip White Chocolate Strawberry (eh?)

ROCK STAR NAME: (current pets name, current street name)
Harley Osprey

STRIPPER NAME: (name of your fav perfume/cologne, fav candy)
Escape Heath

PORN NAME: (1st pet, 1st Car)
Corky Escort

AMERICAN GLADIATOR NAME (model name of your current car)
Civic

Escalator Fish

At Keegan's, it took me a gazillion years to decide what to eat. Everything sounded SOOO good. I finally decided on the Swordfish with black beans and rice. Of course they were out of swordfish and were substituting a fish i'd never heard of called escolar. The only way i could remember it's name was to call it escalator fish. I thought, 'what the hell' and decided to try something new.

It was De-LISH-shus!! I was so sad when i finished it because i just wanted more. So buttery and moist and yummy!

Barry looked it up when we got home and wouldn't you know that this dang fish is banned in like 4+ countries for being 'toxic'. There's one report of a woman dying, but that was undetermined. Perfect. I finally find something that tastes sooo bad for me but is virtually fat free and great for you. Well, except that possible toxicity that can cause discomfort that "may include oily orange diarrhea, discharge, or leakage from the rectum that may smell of mineral oil."

Grrreaaat...

Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives

One of our favorite shows on Food Network is Guy Fieri's Diners Drive-Ins, and Dives. In one episode, Guy went to a place called Keegan's in Indian Rocks Beach, FL. I knew of IRB because that's where my BFF Angelle got married! So Barry and I said next time we had the time when we were in the area we'd go. Well, last weekend - we went! We went down to visit our cousin, so it was a perfect excuse to take her to dinner. Their claim to fame is the Grilled Octopus. It was the first time I've ever had octopus, and it was pretty good! I ended up having a broiled escolar that was the best fish I've ever had, but that's a different blog.

Anyway, now that we've popped our Visiting-Places-We've-Seen-On-TV cherry, we're ready for more! And, Lo! and Behold! We found our next place. After watching Diners Drive-ins and Dives tonight, Guy went to a place called the Bar-b-q King Drive in... Charlotte, NC! SOOOO, as if i wasn't super excited already to see the Gallers and Maddexes, now we get to go to the Bar-B-Q KING! YESSSSSS.

Next stop... Hackney's, which is around the corner from my Grandparents in Glenview, IL :)

Should I be mad?

I can hear Barry picking up hookers in the other room on Grand Theft Auto 4. Is it bad that i find it funny? The comments made are pretty humerous and i'm guessing that instead of bumpin' noises they play some R & B tunes (gratefully). Hehehe.

I wish he would stop playing though so i can play Guitar Hero... JK. :)

(not really :P)

Hello, Goodbye

I finally got my car back yesterday morning, after 3 weeks in the shop. It looks as good as it did the day I bought it, but, alas, I had to give up the 2008 Accord. It was a bitter sweet day.

Confession

O.K., so I can't blame work ENTIRELY on why i haven't been on blogger. As you may have noticed in an earlier post, we got an xBox 360 and for my birthday, I got Guitar Hero. It. Is. Bitchin. I am no where hear as good as this guy, but I don't think i want invest what it takes to get there...

Urban Plunge

During the summer from 9th-12th grade, I did a service trip with my church called Urban Plunge. About 40 teens and adults (mostly teens) would go to St. Augustine and for 1 week, would fix peoples houses. There's a part of St. Augustine that few know about that is just as needy as the people in Haiti, South America, and The Philipines. We did everything from screening and yardwork to painting and putting in new floors all together. We were there to listen and be good neighbors to those in need. We ate lunch at the local soup kitchen and at night we slept on the floor of a class room of a local private school. Those 4 weeks changed my life. Not only did I learn the difference between a circular saw and a band saw (and used both!), but I met new friends, both fellow "Plungers" and the clients we served. I found my faith, my way and I recieved a true appreciation for what I was given, tangible and intangible.

A couple months ago at work I was looking at my vacation days and realized that I actually have more time than i knew what to do with it. So out of the blue I call a close friend (Jay) who has since become in charge of Urban Plunge and asked what he thought of me going as an adult chaperone. I was a little nervous: In the 10 years since my last trip, that faith that i found "my way" has gotten lost again. I didn't know if it was right for me to go and be a leader to these young christians if i don't have the answers to the questions they might ask. I voiced my concerns to Jay and he said that it was my decision. I felt 16 again. However, I talked to Barry and he was supportive. I just feel like this is what i'm supposed to do this summer.

We've had 2 meetings and I am really getting excited. These kids are so much fun! They're smart and whitty and I love it. We leave June 22nd. At our last meeting, the icebreaker was to interview our partner to be a Plunger. One girl said she enjoys going on Plunge so much because she loves that she's not pushed into church. She can travel her own path to find her faith. Its insane how these kids half my age can really hit it on the nail sometimes (no pun intended). Our motto is a bible passage, James 2:17. It states "Faith, without action, is dead." And that is what we do. We help place faith in the hearts of those who otherwise may not have any. We put faith in ourselves and each other. And I don't specifically mean christian faith. I mean faith in men. Faith in humanity. And sometimes... faith in God.

I'm really looking forward to this trip. :)

Who's Bloggin? Aparently, Not Me...

I started blogging because i loved reading friend's blogs and staying in touch, and also because I was so bored at work, i wanted everyone to know it.
That has all changed. Work has become SO BUSY that I'm actually grateful that Barry is playing his GTA 4 so i have the excuse to get on the computer and blog. I actually started this blog on 5/23 at 11:47am... Just to give you an idea.

Sooo....look out, because here comes a plethora. :)

Who's got two thumbs and is excited...

...about Guitar Hero?!?

THIS GAL RIGHT HERE!! **points to herself with her thumbs**

That's right, I just got an early birthday present from my family - Guitar Hero III on the 360. YES!!!!!

10 years? Really?

I just got word of when my 10 year reunion will be - this October. I'm so glad that High School is over, but I can't believe it's been 10 years!

I'm So Excited!

I booked 2 tickets for Barry and I to go up to visit family in Cleveland for Barry's B-day in August. I can't wait! While we're there, we'll also go to Cedar Point for a day of roller coaster fun! I've heard so much about it and now i'll finally get to visit the "roller coaster capital of the world!"

Swedededeu!

DARN!! (yes!)

I just called the auto body shop about my car and the parts they were waiting on didn't get here until today... YESSS!!!


I never thought i'd be so excited about keeping a rental longer, but with this car, wouldn't you be?

Fender Bender

As I was yielding to the on ramp to get onto the Interstate on Thursday morning, I heard the unmistakable *CRUNCH*. I, of course, got hit.

CRAP. I look in my rear view mirror to see this big ass Isuzu commercial truck staring at me.

The guy comes over to make sure I'm OK. I am; we were completely stopped, so you can only accelerate so much before being stopped by the trunk of my civic. I was pissed, but quite calm due to the fact that I've been through a few fender benders before and I've become quite the expert. I did let a few expletives slip after seeing my poor car's rear end.

I had to call work and make sure someone will be there to open the branch, and call the police because this guy is calling his boss instead.

An hour later, I'm driving to work in my gimp car. After I took those pics with my phone, the Genius in me decides to try and open the trunk. Oh, it easily opens without the need of a key, and I have to just wedge it shut because it will NOT re-latch. I get all the way home without it opening, pull into my neighborhood and POP! the innards of my trunk decide to flash everyone on Sunbeam Rd. I grab some bungee cord and put my car together (if only i had duct tape!).

So, yeah, I'm THAT guy until Friday morning. I drive out of my neighborhood and POP! My voyeur of a car starts waiving to everyone again. The bungee cord broke. OH what the hell, I was not that far from the auto shop anyway, so i just let my civic have another mile of flapping up and down at the whim of every little blemish in the road.

Luckily, the Isuzu has good insurance. So while my car is getting a rear-lift, I'm loving life driving a BRAND new 2008 Accord. (When I got it it only had 30 miles on it!) It's sweet-ass-sweet. And the new car smell is intoxicating... I hope they take their time with the repairs.

Best Thirty Bucks I Ever Spent

We heard through the grapevine (a.k.a. my friend Dave) that you can buy an HD Antenna to pick up broadcast channels that are sent digitally - for free! I looked them up and they ranged from 30-70 bucks. I thought "That might be a good plan!" So as we are buying the 360 at Sam's, we see an HD Antenna for $29.97. Well, hell! So we pick it up, plug it in and....

...it doesn't work. Apparently i need a splitter so i can plug in both the antenna and the cable. Poo. In a drawer it goes until i buy a splitter. Well, in my boredness the other day i'm flipping through the channels and i realize that we have a few more channels than we used to. Channel numbers 17.1 and 30.1 for example. Lo and Behold! We're recieving the HD channels! I look, and the antenna is still in the drawer. Hm.

So now i have to return the HD Antenna and get my 30 bucks back AND I get to watch the Jags in HD this fall. Sa-weet.

Extreme Makover - Home Edition

Everyone mark their calendars! Our dream home is being built as a dream home for one lucky family in New Orleans. Deltec Homes is building one of their round houses for a family that was devistated by Katrina.

This type of home (if you didn't know already) is the home Barry and I want to build in Colorado. We visited the factory and model in Asheville, NC a few years ago and we are just waiting for the opportunity to get out there! check it out! (maybe you'll build one too!)

Shameless Begging

Now that we have a flat screen HD TV, we thought we should get some HD channels to enjoy our TV with... then we learned that it's an extra $65/month or so (with tax) and we said "Fhagetabaudit!"

So here we are enjoying our TV...all pixelated and non-HD. :( Of course Barry has the itch now and NEEEEEDS to see something on this thing that will meet the potential of the 1080p we bought it for... so what does he get? An xBox 360. And of course he needed to get a new game to go with it (Mass Effect). I have to admit, it's sooo cool. :)

But. Now I neeeeed Rock Band and Guitar Hero (yes, i said and). TOTALLY. NEED IT. But of course we just spent an ASS load of money on this living room, and my 'need' is being pushed aside. :(

and i am sad.

So ladies and gents, my birthday is right around the corner - feel free to put your pennies together and start the "Mandi Needs Guitar Hero and/or Rock Band Fund". I swear a good time will be had by all when i get these items in my possession. (I'll even throw the heads up that you can buy them used at Game Stop.) :) This will be me if I get either one: