Blogging Business

First of all, I've been having some bloggy issues. It all started a few weeks ago, when I could not post comments on a few of my favorite blogs. Then, starting last week, it started happening more frequently on other blogs. THEN, yesterday, when I tried logging into my OWN blog, it was kicking me out and giving me the same error message. What the holy beans and hockey sticks is going on around here? Well, whatever it is, it seems to be better today. Hopefully, I'll be able to successfully post this and venture over to some of your blogs and leave some love.

Second bit of bloggy business is that I'm starting to mail out my THANK YOUs to the people who commented for a CAUSE! Thanks again to everyone! Everybody will receive a note from me and at least one little something to show my gratitude and to hopefully raise the awareness for cancer research! ONE of you will receive this:

A Ca-UTE pink camera clutch and a pink (of course) mini photo album!

Two of you will be getting a fun pink (or course) reusable shopping bag and a $5 Target gift card. (which I didn't take a picture of...sorry.)

Five of you will be getting an adorable Hope Bottlecap Necklace:

from Tabasc1 Designs on Etsy! She was a delight to buy from and had SUPER quick shipping. Thanks again, Toni! Also, all of the money she makes from these necklaces go straight to RELAY FOR LIFE! How cool is that?!

Four of you will be getting an adorable pink/white awareness headband:

from Princess Babies Bowtique on Etsy! I bought one for myself! They are super cute! Again, all proceeds go to RFL and American Cancer Society. Thanks, Joan! Please click on the links and visit their Etsy stores.

Please follow the links and go check out their Etsy stores! You'll love 'em! (Above pictures are from Tabasc1 Designs and Princess Babies Bowtique, LLC)

I used randomizer to see who got what so that it would be totally fair and unbiased!

I have one small itsy bitsy favor...when you get your package in the mail, would you mind to make a short post about Relay for Life/ACS...you could add it on to another post or whatever, but just mention it on your blog and let's work together to make a difference!

Hope you guys are having a great week so far!

Extreme Makeover {Me Edition}

I'm participating in {aefilkins} Extreme Makeover {Me edition}. This is my first time to play along. I'm usually just hopping around reading everyone else's inspiring posts. A few months ago, I really started trying to lose weight and get in better shape. I've currently lost 14 pounds 16.2 pounds (I just got back from my WW meeting and lost 2.2 pounds...YAY)! I'm super excited about that. I really do want to experience an EXTREME Makeover...ME edition! To be healthy, in every aspect of the word, is my main goal right now.

Each week, Amber or one of her followers, will offer up a question in regards to weight loss or healthy living. To participate, you just have to check out Amber's blog on Wednesdays and write a post about the topic...then go back and link up, of course!

This week's question is brought to us by Shortmama from Family of Shorts. Her question is:

Who is your biggest supporter/motivator in your weight loss?

I think my biggest supporter(s) right now are my co-workers. We are all attending a lunchtime Weight Watchers meeting each Wednesday. This has been so helpful! Number one, it keeps me accountable! I think accountability is HUGE in weight loss success. Without it, it is sooooo easy to fall off the wagon. It's easy to be bad when no one is looking. So, I have to credit them with keeping me on track. They also help me eat healthy. We all decided as a group that we would only eat out once a week during lunch. We have been bringing healthy lunches and eating in everyday except one. Even on the day we go out, we count our points and keep it all in check. We also exchange good recipes and ideas for staying full. They really are my biggest supporters. We even started an office weight loss chart that tracks how many pounds we have lost all together!

Do you have anyone around you that tries to sabotage you by "talking" you in to eating the not so good stuff?

There are a few people who are my "sabotagers" and they may not even know who they are, but they are people who enable me to eat the things that I would rather not. The nice thing about WW is that NOTHING is "off limits". It is a lifestyle, not a "diet". So, it's not that I can't have things, it's that I choose not to. So, I guess my sabotagers are anyone (mainly family) who eat things that I would like to eat, but choose not to eat. This is getting easier though. It's getting easier for me to look at food in a whole new light. I see the fat, the calories...and I can even see past that to the way I would feel if I would eat that. It's getting easier to put things into perspective.

In addition to this, I would like to share with you my two BIGGEST weight loss helps...

My fav workout DVD...Hellooooo, Maksim! Can you say 'motivation'?! ☺ This 100+ Oklahoma heat is making it BRUTAL to get outside and exercise, so I've been resorting to indoor workouts. It's not the easiest workout dvd, but it is fun, it makes me break a sweat, and bust a move...and did I mention Maksim?

And this...my reusable stainless steel water bottle. I LOVE IT! I put filtered water in it and it tastes so clean. I know that sounds weird, but the water doesn't pick up any yuckiness like it does sometimes in plastic bottles. It's green. It's good. I got this one at Old Navy for less than $10. Starbucks has some REALLY cute ones too.

One last thing...

I am in the process of gathering up some CUTE things to send out to all of you who commented on my Commenting for a Cause post. So, PLEASE...if you commented on that post...PLEASE e-mail me your address (jaltman@goldenfieldservices.com). I promise that I'm not going to send you anything besides my token of appreciation for commenting on my blog and commenting for a cause. I'm not an axe murderer. I won't turn it into a telemarketer. I won't send hate mail. I've been trying to go to each of your blogs and send an e-mail directly to you, but some of you don't have an e-mail attached to your blog. So, please please please send me an e-mail with your name and address. I can't let this super cute stuff go to waste!

Hope everyone has a WONDERFUL Wednesday!

Monday Morning - Weekend Recap

So, it's Monday...Monday alllllllll day loooooong. Sorry. Didn't mean to bum you out or anything. Sometimes, for me, it seems to help to let it sink in a little...get used to it. I don't know about you, but my weekend went by TOO fast. Our weekend was good. We had a Dad's Day Cookout at the farm (not the virtual one, silly...my mom and dad recently finished renovating and adding on to an old farm house). I'm pretty sure that sometimes when I say "I'm going to the farm" or "I've been to the farm", people think I'm talking Farm Town. They're also probably thinking that I need a psychiatric evaluation.



Here's a few pics from the real farm...

The house...well, the front of it...it's such a nice place to sit, especially in the evenings.

Isaiah intently signing his Father's Day cards...I love that he can sign his own name now. It's so cute.

Isaiah giving his daddy the stuff he made for him at church. A blue rock (because it's blue like the Cubbies), a card with LOTS of dinosaur stickers, and a keychain with red and blue beads (because that's the colors of the Cubbies)...do you see a trend here?

The kids played on the slip-n-slide. Great fun! ☺

Michael "played" on the slip-n-slide...☺ Wish I would have had my camera ready for that one!!...or better yet, the video camera. I could be $10,000 richer! He was getting on to Isaiah for spraying people with the water hose (*gasp* not MY kid) and as he bent down to take the water hose from Isaiah, he slipped on the slip-n-slide (Note to Michael: It's not called a slip-n-slide for nothing, babe.) It gets better...while Michael is down, Isaiah picks the water hose back up and starts drenching him with it. LOL. Oh, sorry. That's not funny. right. sorry. I forgot.
We took a drive out in the pasture on the golf cart. Most people use golf carts on golf courses, we use them to "putt" around the pasture. The cows know what's up. They were knee deep in the pond...wish I could have joined them. It's been a pleasant mid to high 90's here in Oklahoma with high humidity...outdoors pretty much feels like an oven.

Here's Isaiah's knew horse...her name is Baby Belle. She's about 6 weeks old. Isn't she ADORABLE?! I love her.

I think all the dad's involved had a great time.

Hope all of your hubbys/SOs/dads had wonderful Father's Days too!

Public Service Announcement:

DON'T DO CRACK!

Does that make me a bad mom? LOL ☺

Hope everyone has a marvelous Monday!

Friday Confessions

I haven't written a Friday Confessions post in TWO Fridays. I know. This could be embarrassing. Confessions in small doses don't make me sound so crazy (and in need of professional help). Confessions in large doses make all of you click over to a "new tab" and Google "psychologists and therapist for the mentally disturbed in Oklahoma". I

For those of you who don't know...I ♥ NKOTB...like love love love them. Not just the fab five from 1985, which I did LOVE them then too...but I mean I CURRENTLY LOVE NKOTB. I'm kind of a "groupie", if you will. My cousin, Renee, and I went to the concert here in Tulsa a few months back and we have tickets for the Full Service Tour in Dallas! WOOT! I follow all of them on Twitter and I often lay in bed at night and catch up with their tweets...it makes me feel close to them. :) LOL I tweet them back sometimes, but they never reply...I don't know why...but I know they read it (ok, so probably not b/c my tweet probably gets lost in a sea of a million tweets...but a girl can hope).

My friend Xazmin at This is the Year has been doing a countdown on her blog. She'll be seeing the boys in concert in Vegas just a few days before I will see them in Dallas. As part of her countdown, she's been posting NKOTB (HOTT HOTT HOTTNESS) videos each Friday. I told her I would join in this Friday. She has a FABULOUS one posted today...you should go check it out! So, today as part of my Friday Confessions, I would like you to check out this...

I have a good confession, one that doesn't put me on the "crazy list"...I've lost 14 pounds since the beginning of March! YAY! I started back to Weight Watchers this week and I think I'm going to start doing a Weight Watchers blog on Wednesdays (you know because of the whole 'W' thing...i'm weird...plus, that's my weigh-in day). Anybody else do Weight Watchers?

Michael thinks that I hide his work shorts. He works for Fed-Ex (delivering the purple promise) and I'm sure most of you are familiar with the standard navy shorts w/ the navy and purple shirts. Apparently, he thinks that when I finish the laundry I have a secret stash for his work shorts...yeah, because that's what I do...I hide clean laundry...that's how I roll. Psshh! Whateve! (now, I may hide dirty laundry, but not clean laundry) This morning he said he could only find ONE pair of clean work shorts...and accused me of hiding the others. ALL of the laundry in our house is washed, dried, folded, and put away (not in secret stashes)...if it were not, I would tell you. This is Friday Confessions!

Hope everyone is having a FABULOUS Friday!! Enjoy your weekend!

Who am I?

The title of my post is also the title of a Casting Crowns song. If you guys know me even just a little, you know that I LOVE music. It speaks to me more than anything else. I love all kinds of music. I'm not really "prejudice" toward any type. My iPod playlists are crazy and random...and probably don't make any sense to anyone else but me. Lately, I've been having some personal issues that have caused me to really reflect on myself. Through times like these I ALWAYS rely on Christian songs...lots of praise and worship...and songs that really speak to ME as a person. This song Who Am I by Casting Crowns is one that always reminds me that God is with me no matter what and that He really does care about the things that matter most to me...it puts me in my place for sure. So, for today, I'm turning my funky playlist off and I wanted to share this video I found on Youtube. Hope it speaks to someone else like it speaks to me.

(the verse at the end is really Psalm 143:5)

The funky fresh playlist will be back tomorrow. ;)

Hope everyone is having a terrific Thursday!

Flip Flop Fever...Bloggy Flip Flop Exchange

The Texas Darlings is hosting...are you ready for this...A FLIP FLOP EXCHANGE! How fun is this?! Well, I'll tell you how fun...TOTALLY fun. You must join in. It's a win win...you send someone a pair of flip flops and a memento from your state (put a huge smile on their face) and you get a pair of flip flops and a memento from their state in return!!! I love swaps...and I LOVE flip flops. This makes me very happy.

YeeHaw...ride 'em cowboy!

I've been tagged by Heather at Visions of Sugarplums! I'm pretty sure she has tagged me before and I have made one of the major Blogger faux pas by not following through with the tag and writing a post...nor did I re-tag. *gasp* I know. I'm horrible. *hanging my head in shame* I get so far behind on tags and awards until it feels like an overwhelming mountain of to-dos that is insurpassable(fyi, this probably is not a word, I might have just made it up). *warning: over dramatic blogger at work* She is a wonderful blogger. Her blog is always so fun and light. I love visiting her and seeing what she's been up to...oh, and she makes these fabulously wonderful hand-made garters and stuff. (Which means she's crafty...love that!) She tagged me for some random photo fun. Here's what I've been instructed to do:

~ Open my first photo folder
~ Scroll down to the 10th photo
~ Post that photo and story on my blog
~ Tag five friends to do the same

The Photo:

This picture does not currently have a title, but I would like to call it

"Yeehaw...ride 'em cowboy". ☺

The Story:

This picture is of Isaiah. It was taken in October 2007. We were making our yearly visit to Carmichael's Farm in Bixby, OK. They always have TONS and loads of pumpkins, colored corn on the cob, bales of hay...everything that screams fall. I love it. After we visit, I finally feel like fall has ARRIVED! They have great fun for kiddos of all ages, like pony rides...which is what Isaiah is enjoying in the picture above. They also have a hay maze, camel rides, petting zoo, and of course big mounds of pumpkins to climb! We have had some great memories there in the last 5 years since Isaiah was born. We would visit there before, but EVERYTHING is "funner" with kids! ☺ (And yes, for all of you grammar Nazis, I know that "funner" is not a word!)

I Tag:

Xazmin @ This is the Year

Tanielle @ The Polka Dot Daisy

Renee @ My Glimpse of Life

Melissa @ The Crazy Daisy

Traci @ Living the Good Life

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Wednesday!!

Where's Edward? (Edward Sightings)

This is not a post about a RPattz sighting...no, sorry. I wish. REALLY. Around here in Oklahoma, where the celebrity sightings are reserved for a few local country singers, we have to make our own fun and excitement. I have considered a road trip to Vancouver, but I couldn't convince my husband that it was a good place for a summer vacation. I've also mentioned Forks and that they are having some REALLY COOL baseball thingy. (I thought just mentioning "baseball" might get his attention...if only it were in Chicago.) No luck.

A couple of weekends ago, while hanging with the girls, I decided that it was time to pull pocket Edward out of his bubble package...it was a risky move...something could have happened to him. Ok, so something(S) did happen to him...I admit he was violated. It's true. However, he came back to his safe place (my office) in one piece. I'm sorry that I don't have more pictures for you, but I was sorta *in pain* while he made a few of his appearances (getting a tattoo) and having *a little too much fun* during his other appearances...therefore, most of the pictures of his appearances are on someone else's camera. Here are a few of the pics that I took on my phone...

This one is of Edward getting ready for his "adventure"...

Here's Edward enjoying a little Mexican food...

...and this one is of him back in his safe place...I'm pretty sure he's saying "You are my life now...or possibly that he wants some chapstick for those kissable red lips..."

If I ever get a copy of pocket Edward's other appearances, I'll be sure to share them with you. ☺

Hope everyone is having a TERRIFIC TUESDAY!!

Last day to COMMENT FOR A CAUSE!

This is the last day that you (or anyone else...really...anyone...friends, family, anybody that has a blogger account, or anyone who would just like to comment anonymously) can comment for a cause! So, hurry on over to my post and comment, if you haven't already! Thanks in advance!

Have a marvelous Monday!

Weekend Re-Cap and TATOO pic!

So, I know I've kept you waiting a day longer than I had said. Yesterday was a crap day and I just did NOT feel like blogging. I have to be in somewhat of a good mood before I'll even start a post. I prefer my blog to have a happy vibe, rather than an emo-cutter-kinda-vibe. The weekend was eventful. Melissa and Michelle came to Oklahoma and Renee made her way up to Tulsa. Friday night we acted like wild and crazy girls like any good girls would who hadn't seen each other in a while or ever...and we celebrated...

...by getting tattoos...

I know you'll be in shock to find out that my tattoo is Twilight related...I'll give you a minute to compose yourself...I didn't go completely crazy and get Edward's profile or RobPattz signature, which some have done. I kept it simple. I had went through sooooooo many pictures of "Twilight tattoos", apples, fonts, "sparkles"...it got so confusing, but one thing I knew I wanted from the get-go was "frequently dazzled" in Edward's font. The phrase comes from one of my favorite parts in the first book. Bella tells Edward "you shouldn't do that to people." Edwards says " do what". Bella responds "dazzle them the way you do." Edward asks "do I dazzle you"? Bella responds "frequently". Ahhhhhh. Don't you just love that?! The apple came next, it just made sense. It has such meaning in the book, but can also have other meaning outside of Twilight. Inside the realms of Twilight it mostly refers to Bella being Edward's forbidden fruit...and how we often "crave" the things we can not have. Outside of Twilight it often reflects fertility, love, sensuality and sexuality, temptation and sin. The last thing I added was the "sparkles". Anybody who knows Twilight gets that. If you don't know...Edward sparkles...plus, it's "dazzling". PLUS, I needed something to fill out the tattoo.

The tattoo... (it's on my left side...think rib area)...I'll post a better one after it heals.

I've got a few more pics to share from the weekend, but I'll save them for another post. (Edward appears in a few of them...☺)

I know you're thinking I'm totally crazy right about now, so I won't throw any more at you today...I'll let the whole Twilight tattoo thing sink in first.

Hope everyone is have a great week so far!

Friday Confessions

So, IT's FRIDAY!! Woot woot! This is better than any Friday I've had in a LOOOOONNNNGGG time. 'Why' you might ask. Well, I'll tell you...in my confessions.

• Melissa (The Crazy Daisy) and her sister, Michelle, are flying HERE...TODAY...TO SEE ME!!! It's uber exciting. I don't even think exciting is the right word. I'm about to pee my pants. I can't wait.
• Tonight, I'm getting some new ink. No, not like a printer cartridge or a fancy shmancy pen...a tattoo! I'm almost as excited about this as I am my visitors. Seriously, how much excitement can a girl take in one day?!
• To make things EVEN better, my cousin, Renee (My Glimpse of Life) is coming up this weekend too to play with us...see, I'm telling you...I might pee my pants. She's meeting me here at my work in less that 2 hours! Then, we're driving to the airport to pick up Melissa and Michelle! It's ridiculous to be this excited. I can't help it.
• I stayed up until 3:00 am. It was like Christmas Eve and wondering what Santa was going to bring...except I already knew. I can't explain it, but it kept me awake.

Monday I'll give you all full details and pics of the weekend...well, most of it. You know the saying..."what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas"? Well, that applies to Tulsa too. ;)

Hope everyone has a fabulous Friday and a wonderful weekend!!!

Let It Rain

Yeah, you heard me...let it rain!

I don't care.

Nope.

Bring it on!



I've got cute Coach rain boots and a hot cup of Starbucks...



...so LET. IT. RAIN.

Happy Wednesday...Happy Hump Day...Happy Rain Day (if it's raining where you are☺)!

Sweet Glory...oh, how I have waited for this...

I just had to post this and say that I am SOOOOOOO EXCITED! I could pee my pants. Now the anticipation really begins (ok, so I've been anticipating this since I finished reading New Moon...the first time).

How many times have you watched this trailer since last night...too many to count? Me too. I already can tell that the movie will portray the sadness and the deep dark zombie world that Bella falls into after Edwards departure. I don't know about you, but when I started reading New Moon the first time, I wanted to burn the book and write Stephenie Meyer hate mail for the rest of my life...perhaps make a trip to Arizona...stalk her house...throw bricks through the window with "WHY?!! WHY did you take my Edward away...WHY?!!!"...or something crazy like that. For me, Jacob was a bright spot in New Moon w/out Edward there and until Edward's return, Jacob made things interesting. Without Bella and Jacob's love issues, the books would have ended so much sooner and would not have been nearly as good. Even though I am an Edward girl all the way (Team Edward), I have a soft spot in my heart for Jacob (and his rock hard abs...ok, he's HOTT...is that a weird thing to say about a teenager...ok, I could probably go to jail for the thoughts I have.) Sometimes I think Team Switzerland doesn't sound too bad. When Jacob phases at the end of the trailer is my favorite part of the whole 1 minute and 48 seconds. I was worried about how real the phasing would be and I think they did a fantastic job, as far as I can tell. It's ridiculous how excited I am. Seriously. Breathe.

Sweet Glory.

I'm dazzled...

frequently.

Be prepared...more crazy Twilight tangents coming soon.