Saturday Snapshots

Here's a few snapshots I took over Labor Day Weekend...just wanted to share. :)

One of the new kittens at Grammy and Papaw's

Grammy and Papaw's dog, Meesha

Ol' Glory


Isaiah and my favorite new kitten...I want to take her home, but my BIG black dog wouldn't like her much.

A rose by any other name is still a rose.
Maybe a fairy lives under there?
Country living
Morning

An almost full moon

Hope everyone is have a splendid Saturday!

Friday Confessions and my new office decor ;)

• Should I confess now or later that I've been falling asleep to Twilight (the movie) playing on my iPod?
• Along with that I should also confess that I've been listening to Twilight (the movie) on my way to work...not watching...ok, watching, but just every brief once in a while when I know Edward graces the screen....oooo, and that one scene at the end where Jacob shows up at the prom. Love that scene.
• I sent Melissa a care package b/c her kiddos have been sick with the Swine Flu. (that wasn't the confession) I took some tissue paper with me just in case I needed it as a filler in the box. After purchasing my care package items, I dumped them all in the Fed-Ex box. In my haste to get the package into the Fed-Ex drop before the deadline, I left the said tissue paper all folded up nice and neatly in the bottom of the box. I'm sure Melissa was like "thanks, Jen...tissue paper, just what we needed...are we supposed to blow our nose with this?"
• I let the ATM eat my debit card! Yep, I walked off and left my card in a machine and it ate it! I almost forgot how to write a check. I've been in awkward situations a few times already because of it. Like last night, I ran by the convenience store (who does NOT take checks) to purchase a bottle of water and some Mountain Dew for Michael. I realized I did not have a debit card or cash and had to make my purchase with quarters. (Man, those quarters have really saved me lately!) Mr. Habeeb (ok, I don't really know his name, but that seems fitting) seemed really appreciative. He said "o, thank you...we been short on change." Glad I could help, Mr. Habeeb. Glad I could help.
• I've made a few changes to my decor in my office...

Is it too...how do I put this...over the top? I really need your professional opinion...or maybe I should just see a professional...therapist, that is.

Hope everyone has a fabulous Friday!

I'll always remember...

Catching Fire Review

I just finished reading Catching Fire. It is written by Suzanne Collins and is the second book in The Hunger Games trilogy. The third book won't be out until next year. The first two books have been so good. I really love them and I can't wait for the third one to be out. Suzanne is a YA author, but these books are so much more in depth than most YA books. They have an amazing plot and she keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time. I can never put them down once I start. They have a love twist to them and are full of suspense. She's created this whole new country called Panem, which used to be the United States, and she pulls in a lot of political undertones. I just can't say enough good things about them!

I am a sucker for twisted, undying love...can you tell? Seriously, if there isn't romance I don't want to read it, BUT if there is, it really does not matter what genre it is...I want it! Peeta's undying love for Katniss is so human and real. During the book, I can feel the anguish, the longing, the guilt, and the way that Katniss is torn between two loves. It's so strong and Suzanne delivers it so well. It's like it just jumps right off the page. No longer is it just words on a page, it's real. There is also a survival part of this book that I just can't get enough of. Katniss and Peeta are put in an unreal situation where they must survive the most gruesome of circumstances. You must read The Hunger Games first and then Catching Fire. They are not stand-alone or companion books, they must be read in order.

I promise that if you love romance or fantasy....you'll LOVE The Hunger Games!

Extreme Makeover : Me Edition

It Wednesday, and that means it's Extreme Makeover:Me Edition over at {aefilkins}

This week's question:

How are you being a healthy role model for your children?

Well, truthfully, one of the main reasons that I want to be in better shape is to set a better example for Isaiah. Of course, I also do it for myself. I had a WW leader tell me one time that if we always try to lose weight for someone else, we will never succeed.

I make it a point to always offer Isaiah healthy options for meals and we (almost) always eat balanced/healthy meals together for dinner. We stress that exercise and good sleep habits are also essential to good health, and try to do active things as a family. Isaiah asks a lot "is this healFy?" (it's 'healfy', not healthy =P) So, I know he thinks about what he's eating and doing and whether or not it's good for his body. I think causing our kids to be aware is one of the best things we can do.

I know that there is always room for improvement...I'm definitely a work in progress.

I have two 'healfy' recipes to share with you guys!

2 Point WW Devil's Food Cake

1 package Devil's Food Cake Mix

1 15 oz can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling, just pumpkin)

Mix those two ingredients together (it seems as if they will never mix together, but surprise surprise...they DO!) Pour mixture into any type of cake pan, but I've found it most helpful for portion control purposes to pour the mix into 24 mini muffin tins (only 1 point a piece) or 12 muffin tins (only 2 points a piece). Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. It's oh-so-yummy!

Stuffed Mushrooms

12 mushrooms

2 oz low-fat cream cheese

4 tbsp. Parmesan cheese

1 tsp garlic

Mix cream cheese, Parmesan, and garlic together. You may need to soften the cream cheese in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Clean the mushrooms and take the stems off. Spoon the cream cheese mixture into the mushrooms and place them into a baking dish (sprayed with cooking spray) w/ the cream cheese mixture facing up. Bake in the over at 350 for 30 minutes. 1 point per mushroom! Delish! I served these last week with Parmesan Turkey Burgers (basically just one pound of ground turkey w/ 4 tbsp. of Parmesan and 2 tbsp. garlic salt mixed in, divided into 4 patties) and steamed green beans.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Wednesday!!♥

Oooodles and OOooodles of Swapping Goodness

Seriously's (Shawn's) Birthday Swap reaped HUGE rewards for me! Julie got my name again! WooT wOOt! Last Wednesday was such a good day...I lost 1.8 pounds at Weight Watchers AND Julie's swap package arrived...with a bracelet that matched the outfit I was wearing to a T! It was so meant to be!!
She had my name back in February for my first swap EVER...a Valentine's Day swap...and she showered me with oodles and oodles of goodies. This time around was no different! I got the most fabulous "vampire-ish" swap package EVER! Julie is so clever and creative when she puts together a package. She sent me all sorts of things that are shiny, sparkly, red, black...everything that makes you think Twilight!

She sent me an adorable faux leather shiny red clutch that has a long strap to wear over your shoulder...should come in really handy at midnight on November 20th, when I'm watching New Moon! I also put it to good use this weekend while attending my first OU game of the season, which by the way was a HUGE disappointment. My wounds are fresh, so I would like to bypass that topic for now. She also sent me the CUTEST black bangle bracelet that is studded with hot pink/reddish jewels...which I have worn 4 of the 6 days since I received my package! I LOVE IT! It goes with everything! I also be incorporating it into my New Moon attire. I also got these fantastic re-usable shopping bags that are black and white damask print with my initial on them...how cute is that?! I have already got major compliments! She has read of my love for stainless steel water bottles and included a red shiny one in my package, along with some red and black fingernail polish (SWEET! Perfect for opening night of New Moon!), a red glittery heart candle, and a super cool ring that is big (I love big bling) adorned with fall colored jewels, AND some Midnight Pomegranate body wash from Bath and Body Works (doesn't that just scream "vampire" :P)!

I really love love love it all! I just can't say enough nice things about Julie! She is a gem and the sweetest thing ever...I just love her! Go visit her blog and let her show you some good 'ol Texas hospitality and her wonderfully shabby chic decorating ideas...and you'll for sure hear about how good life is on the ranch. You won't be disappointed! Thanks again, Julie...not only for my swap goodies, but for being my friend.

Hope everyone is have a TERRIFIC Tuesday!

Friday Confessions

WHAT? It's already Friday...again? HALLELUJAH!

So, what to confess, what to confess...

Oooo, I got something.

• I didn't wash my hair...two days in a row. These mornings getting Isaiah up and ready for school are doing me in! I don't want him to be late. Any of you who know me very well know that he was CONSISTENTLY late to preschool. Thank goodness they didn't care, because we were never there on time...ever. So, I'm totally paranoid that we're going to fall back into the late pattern and that's just out of the question. Therefore, my hair goes unwashed two mornings in a row. Don't snarl your nose! I'm showering, just not washing my hair. This curly mess that I call hair takes at least 10 minutes, and 10 minutes makes a HUGE difference of whether we're late or JUST IN TIME! I've got to do better next week!
• I was attempting to be really good at McDonald's last night (Isaiah picked the restaurant) and I ordered a salad...and french fries. See, I'm just thinking that they balance each other out...and fries are made out of potatoes...and potatoes are a vegetable...or at least come out of the ground...sooooo...ok, whatever. I ATE FRENCH FRIES! Who cares??!...OK, these thunder thighs care, so what.
• I intentionally "misplaced" Isaiah's fundraiser thingy. I HATE FUNDRAISERS! Here take all my money, but pleeeeeaaaasssseeee don't make me sell anything! We've already been handed THREE...3...fundraisers between school and soccer. Hello! We just got started! These one fundraiser postcards you're supposed to fill out with your family's name and address and there is a little line where you write who the postcard is from...I really want to write "From: Isaiah, P.S. don't buy any of this crap."
• I have a million and one things on my to-do list and it's growing instead of shrinking...and it's driving me NUTS-O! I was just complaining to my mom about how I have so much on my list of things to do. We were in Michaels and I picked up these nifty little notepads, one was a To-Do List and the other was a weekly planner...she was like "that's just what you need, more places to write down all the things you haven't done." Thanks, Mom, for the vote of confidence.

Hope everyone is having a FABULOUS Friday!

Is it over yet? I'm sooooo ready to blow this joint!

Extreme Makeover : Me Edition

Here's today's question:

What is one of your favorite dieting secrets?
(I know it's a lifestyle not a diet, but you get the jist.)

I have TONS of secrets...oh, you mean dieting...well, yeah, I have lots of those too.

Like...

1. drink lots of water
2. only eat when you're hungry
3. make small goals

The list could go on and on, BUT my ONE FAVORITE dieting (lifestyle) secret is best said in the words of a dear lady I once knew, her name was Sister Booker, and she would always say "Jus' keep on keepin' on." I like to apply that one phrase to every aspect of my life and dieting is no exception. So, when I have weeks like I just had where life takes over and I have no control over circumstances, I just remember that I'm going to "keep on keepin' on", meaning I won't give up and I won't turn back...I'm only moving forward.

I had weigh-in at WW today and I gained another .2 pounds (so, that's almost a whole pound over the last 2 weeks), but you know what it could be worse and I won't give up. I'll just take it in stride. I faced the scale. I'm keepin' it real...

and I'll jus' keep on keepin' on.

How about you? Any brilliant diet (or lifestyle) secrets you would like to share?

For more EM:MEs, go see Amber at {aefilkins}!!

Honest sCRAP

This award was bestowed upon me by Julia at Brainella the Librarian. She's an honest kind of person, so I feel honored that she would award me the Honest Scrap Award. Her blog is down-to-earth and just about life. Go check visit and say hi!

Here are the rules:

In accepting this award, I need to do the following:
1) Say thanks and give a link to the presenter of the award.
2) Share "ten honest things" about myself.
3) Present this award to 7 others whose blogs I find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged me.
4) Tell those 7 people that they've been awarded HONEST SCRAP and inform them of these guidelines in receiving.

10 Honest Things About Myself: (this could get embarrassing...OK, so I'm not easily embarrassed.)

1. I burp...a LOT.
2. I LOVE coffee, not just like, but LOVE. (especially from Starbucks)
3. I like to be right. So shoot me! You can't tell me that people walk around thinking, "Man, I love being wrong...it feels good to be wrong." whatev.
4. I take things personal...even when I shouldn't.
5. I over analyze EVERYTHING.
6. I'm a talker...I talk a lot. Just tell me to shut-up if you ever need to...I'll try not to take it personal. (pssshhh, yeah right.)
7. I'm Nosey (with a capital N...it's like a profession).
8. I can be over dramatic.
9. I LOVE giving gifts. It's much better than getting them.
10. I would LOVE to go on a missions trip.

Honest.

7 People I Tag:

1. Xazmin @ This Is The Year - Xazmin is a kindred spirit. We share a LOVE (and when I say LOVE I mean verging on "groupie" status here) of NKOTB (If you don't know what NKOTB stands for do NOT ask Xazmin or myself, we will give you the "uhh, you don't know who NKOTB is" look...yeah, it won't be pretty). She's also been a great friend who always listens and offers advise whenever I need it. Thank, Xazmin! :)
2. Rebeckah @ Life With Kaishon - I love Rebeckah! Whenever I am down and need a boost, I just go visit Rebeckah's blog. She always has fun and AH-mazing pictures of kiddos and family. Plus, she always has the kindest coolest words. You're a gem, Rebeckah!
3. Vivienne @ The V Spot - Have you had your dose of funny today? (that is a question we should ask ourselves everyday) If you haven't, and you want it given to you straight, then you should go see Vivienne. Girl is Funny (with a capital F). Also, she is my hero. She is the MOST organized person I know. When I am cleaning in my house, I seriously think to myself "WWVD"...what would Vivienne do? Remember it...use it...WWVD.
4. Amber @ {aefilkins} - Amber is awesome! She hosts EM:MEs, which have been a HUGE inspiration for me while on my weight loss journey. She also goes to WW and it's fun to share WW ideas. Her blog is great and full of life. Go check her out...oh, and join in on EM:MEs or FMMs (she's hosting for Kelsey while she takes a bloggy break).
5. Kelli @ Outside My Kitchen Window - Kelli is a new bloggy friend (and Facebook friend). She is super nice and has GREAT craft ideas on her blog. I read things on there and think "I COULD do that"...she makes it seem possible. Plus, she always has inspiring words and scriptures.
6. Julie @ Shabbywears - I got to know Julie through my very first bloggy swap. She was my partner and she totally HOOKED me up! She has a fun (newly redecorated) blog and she's got a family of ranchers. She got my name for Seriously's Birthday Swap! WOOHOO! I can't wait!
7. Becca @ The Texas Darlings - Becca is an amazing mom to three adorable kiddos. Her and her kids collected a post card from all 50 states this summer. What a cool idea, huh? She has an ADORABLE blog and always has fun-to-read posts!

Hope everyone is have a wonderful Wednesday!

Friend Makin' Monday is BAAAACCKKK!

I was just thinking this morning that I WISH there was a Friend Making Monday post to do...and, well, wishes really do come true! The wonderful fabulous Amber at {aefilkins} is hosting FMMs while Kasey is taking a bloggy break (we all need those from time to time).

Today's Theme:

Top 10 Things I Loved About This Summer

1. Michael doing most of the cooking on the grill. Thanks, babe. :)

2. Cookouts at the farm. (Is it bad that my first 2 favs revolve around food and eating?)

3. Not having to get Isaiah up and around for school. He's not a morning person, but he has been doing a fabulous job so far since he started kindergarten! ILY♥

4. Family Reunions...the Barney's representin'. We're so hard-core.

5. Visits from friends

and getting this tattoo...

6. The slip-n-slide!

Michael slippin' or trippin' on the slip-n-slide!

Isaiah slippin' like a pro.

and one of my fav shots from this summer...

The Crack Shot

(he'll hate me for this one day)


7. WICKED! By far the BEST musical EVER!!! If it comes to your local PAC, GO SEE IT!!!

8. Meeting up with my friends for Starbucks at my favorite locale. :)

9. Isaiah taking his first trip to Grammy and Papaws. I know it sounds crazy that this would be on my "favs" list, but it was a real growing moment for me. He had so much for, so how could I not LOVE that!

10. Our Colorado vacation, where we had the best time and met up with some great friends and really really enjoyed ourselves.

What a GREAT summer!

What is your TOP 10 of the summer?

Go join in on FMMs over at Amber's blog!

Hope everyone has a mah-velous Monday!

Friday Confessions

Aaaaa, look at me THREE posts in THREE days. I'm on a roll! It's FRIDAY! Can I get a woot woot?!!

So, I haven't confessed in a loooooooonnnnnnggggg time. I won't try to do any back-confessions, that could get ugly. I'm just livin' in the now people.

• Confession #1 - I haven't done a Friday Confession in months!
• Confession #2 - I have acquired some new Twilight love for my office which I will be showing all of you soon. I think you're really gonna love it. really.
• Confession #3 - I gained half a pound at WW, but I'm not dwelling on the past...livin' in the now.
• Confession #4 - I've missed ALL OF YOU so much and am so glad to be back to bloggin'.
• Confession #5 - I have lowered my Starbucks intake to a mere THREE times a week. *gasp* Please don't turn me into the Starbucks Patrol. I'm going to make my donation today...it is Friday and what would a Friday be without Starbucks? Bad. That's what. really really bad.
• Confession #6 - My baby started kindergarten. I must admit that I'm sad. I don't want him to not need me anymore and that first day I dropped him off and he walked into "big school" all on his own and waved bye, I felt my level of being needed go down a few notches. =( He's growing up too fast. Why must time go by so quickly?
• Confession #7 - I paid for gas in quarters this morning b/c I didn't have my debit card. See Michael, those quarters I save in the door of my car ARE good for something.
• I would also like to add a Confession #8...I just took my bra off in the Mall parking lot because it was driving me crazy! ahhhh. much better.

Hope you all are having a FABULOUS Friday!!

Hodgepodge

This post is just a hodgepodge of random thoughts. I was thinking that perhaps I made that word up in my mind, because I do that often, but then quickly opened up another browser window and punched it in to the hand-dandy http://www.dictionary.com/ and found out that I did NOT make it up! whew. It means a"heterogeneous mixture". Yep, that's what this post is going to be a heterogeneous mixture. I like using big words. That one is going into my long term memory. So, I said I was going to blog more frequently and here I am. I know you're stoked.

First, I would just like to say that I am ECSTATIC that football is right around the corner, hence the new blog header. I love my SOONERS! There is only ONE Oklahoma...you did know that right? If you're unsure, you should watch this video...






Are you PUMPED? I am. I love it.



Second, I would just like to say for my fellow Twi-holics out there that we are now a mere 92 days away from NEW MOON!! Wow. Have any of you been to a TwiCon? I want to go to one. Like bad. There are about 10 of them coming up in the next year. I want to be at one of them. I'm not sure what they do at a Twilight Convention, but I want to find out.

Maybe one of them will show up?

Random topic #3, I weighed in at WW yesterday for the first time since vacation and I gained half of a pound. I was disappointed yesterday, but today I decided I'm going to look at it as an accomplishment. I mean, I did go on vacation for 6 days and totally enjoyed myself while I was gone...no regrets. I WILL do better this week. I've been drinking water like crazy. I wish there was a way to drink lots of water and not go to the bathroom every 22 minutes. ugh! I brought lots of veggies and fruit with me to work today. No eating out!

I thought I would share an easy Weight Watcher recipe with you. It may not sound very good, but you should try it...you might like it!

Bean Soup

1 can beef broth

1 can fat free re-fried beans

1 can Rotel (diced tomatoes and peppers)

Mix all three cans together and bring to a low boil.

It's fast and easy...and only 1 point per cup on WW! You can put a ham sandwich or a veggie quesadilla with this soup and it's a yummy low-point/low-cal meal! Another variation is to add tortilla strips or baked tortilla chips in the soup with some low-fat cheese. Good!

Hope everyone is having a FABULOUS day!!

Extreme Makeover : Me Edition - Back To School!

I'm not even going to say it...you already know how bad I've been. The proof is on the page, right? I'm not going to make any promises...I HATE breaking promises, but I am going to try MUCH harder to post more than once ever 9 DAYS! Geesh. What a slacker!


What better way to get back in the groove than with an EM:ME post?! Today is Wednesday, which is my Weight Watchers weigh-in day. So, I'm not sure exactly how bad I was on vacation yet. I'll have to let the scales tell the true story. I don't feel like I did all that bad. I watched what I ate on MOST days...OK, a FEW days...and I ate healthy when it was possible...OK, when it was convenient. That's neither here nor there. It's in the past. I'm dwelling on the NOW.



Amber's questions for this week:

How is sending the kiddos back to school going to affect you?

Is it going to be easier/harder?

Are there any benefits/downfalls?
Not just back to school time, but basically, summer is coming to an end.

Is summer harder or easier for you to stick to your weight loss goals?


So, Isaiah started back to school last Thursday, the day after we got back from vacation and HE LOVES IT!

This was him on his first day of Kindergarten

For me, Isaiah starting back to school is a good thing. It helps me feel more organized and on a schedule, which means less stress and I feel in control of things...including weight loss. The only down fall is that I miss out on my morning exercising, unless I can start getting up EARLY! I'm trying, but the tiredness from vacation is still lingering. Hopefully, by next week I won't feel so tired. Summer is usually a great time for me to lose weight. It's warmer outside, so I exercise more. There are lots of fresh fruits and veggies, so I eat better. The warmer temps make me CRAVE water. However, I'm determined to be successful as we go into fall.

I WILL find creative ways to work in exercise (Thank you, Maksim and DWTS :)!

I WILL continue to eat fruits and veggies, even if they're of the freezer variety.

I WILL continue to drink water!

How have you been? Tell me, I REALLY want to know!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday!!

For more EM:ME posts, go see Amber!

Denver Pictures

Just wanted to post a quick blog and say "hello" to all my bloggy friends! I swear I haven't forgotten about you guys and I'm looking forward to things getting back to normal when vacation is over and school starts back. We are in Denver on vacation right now and I thought I would share the link to some of our pictures from the trip. It is GORGEOUS up here and we are thoroughly enjoying ourselves. Just click on the links, if you want to check out the pics.

Facebook Your Photos - Denver - Day 1

Facebook Your Photos - Denver - Day 2

Facebook Your Photos - Denver - Day 3

Facebook Your Photos - Denver - Day 4

Hope everyone has a MARVELOUS Monday!! :)

Shawn's 39th...and holding...Birthday Swap!

Shawn over at Seriously Shawn is hosting a Swap in honor of her 39th ...and holding...Birthday! That's right people. She will no longer be celebrating birthdays, only anniversaries of her last birthday. So, let's join in and make her 39th and final birthday the best one yet!!! Swaps are so super fun, if you haven't joined in a blogger swap before, you are missing OUT! Click on the button and follow the instructions. It's easy-peasy-japanesy.

Hope everyone has a FABULOUS FRIDAY!!

Extreme Makeover : Me Edition

Blah blah blah...that's how I feel about today's Extreme Makeover : Me Edition today. Well, just about my post and the fact that I don't have anything positive to say right now. I just came back form weigh-in where I gained 1.8 pounds...that's almost 2 pounds! What the hey? Ugh. I guess the positives are that I felt a little kick in my pants when I stepped on those scales today...like a little voice saying "see, you better get your butt in gear" and I left the meeting feeling somewhat motivated. So, I guess I better listen. I want next weeks 'tales from the scales' to be good. I wanted soooooo badly to have lost 25 pounds (at least) by vacation. Now I know that I can kiss that dream good-bye. Vacation is a week from tomorrow and now I am an extra 1.8 pounds away from that goal. boo. My WW leader said something today though that really stuck with me..."the road to success is always under construction." I think that is very fitting.

So, this week I will...

• exercise


• eat LOTS of fruits and veggies


• drink lots of water


• make smart choices


• remember that one bad meal does not constitute giving up

I will not...

• be frustrated


• give up


• sabotage myself


• let stress get the best of me


• lose out on quality sleep


• make excuses

I hope everyone on the weight-loss/healthy living highway has a successful week ahead! For more EM:ME go see Amber (she lost 4 POUNDS this week!...go give her a virtual 'pat on the back'!)

New Moon HOTTNESS!

I'm here today for the love of New Moon...and all it's yummy goodness. I don't really have time to be on Blogger...I should totally be punching some numbers and running reports, but these lovely photos captured my attention and I just couldn't NOT share them with all of my fellow Twilighters (Twihards, Twiholics...however you label yourself...you know who you are.)



Without further ado...

Let the love triangle unfold...it does make for a great story, doesn't it? I love Jacob for the fact that if his love for Bella (and her's for him) didn't exist, the Twilight Saga would have ended a lot sooner. So, thank you Jacob for loving Bella.

Holy HoTTness...it's Edward Cullen!

Thank you Lord for New Moon and the fine features you bestowed up on our very own Edward Cullen. It's much appreciated.

...did I mention that I would like to give thanks for Edward being so hott?

Once again, I would like to give thanks for Edward being so HOTT...however, I do not give thanks for this portion of New Moon. At this point in the book, I was ready to throw my copy of New Moon out of my bedroom window and make it my life's mission to make Stephenie's life as miserable as possible (but I totally don't feel that way now, of course...but at the time...well, you know what I mean.) Oh, but I am thankful for Edward and Bella's reunion in Italy and all of the Shirtless Rob pics floating around the internet...thank you for those!

This makes my heart melt...I'm going home to re-read New Moon...TONIGHT!

Yeah, this one...

Hellloooo, CUTE boys! :)

The whole cast...

In case you aren't keeping count, there are only 116 days until New Moon (that's like 2,784 hours...or 167,040seconds).

For the 11th (eleventh) and 20th (twentieth) commenter (if there are that many...if not, I'll do a random drawing), I have a New Moon teaser poster w/ your name on it! If you're a Jacob fan let me know. The first person to declare their love for Jacob will get a Jacob poster!

I would like to give a big THANK YOU to Michelle (from Tickled Pink) for my WAY cool magnet she sent me...that she bought while in Forks, WA (yeah, THE Forks!) over the 4th of July! Thank you, Michelle! You're awesome! I love owning something that came from Forks! :) It will reside with the rest of my Twilight treasures in my office and every time I look at it I will think of you. :)

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! Enjoy your week!

Extreme Makeover: Me Edition

*hanging head in shame*...I feel bad. I miss you guys. I think about blogging and commenting on my fav blogs EVERYDAY, but something happens through the day and I NEVER make it over here...I'm sorry. *pouty lip* I would promise that I'll do better, but I see the trend continuing until after vacation, which isn't until August 6th-12th. I feel so consumed w/ planning and getting work to a place where I can leave it for a week...and the to-do list at home grows daily! It's hard work to get ready for vacation. OH, and Isaiah starts to kindergarten the day after we get back. Oy! Pray for me. Seriously. I need it.

I swore to Amber on all things Coach and Twilight related that I would come do EM:MEs yesterday...did I? NO! ugh. I'm sucha loser...a blogger loser. Not only did I let Amber down, but I let two of my favorite things down as well...Coach and Twilight. Come on, what kind of person am I? No, don't answer that. I'm drowning my sorrows in a cup of coffee and a package of 100 calorie Milano cookies as I type. don't look at me like that. Speaking of Amber, she could really use some love right now, so if you have a second, run on over there and give her a virtual hug. K? Thanks in advance. You're awesome. =)

Sooooo, on to EM:ME...

Amber asked, "How are you doing?"

Well, Amber...I'll tell you...and I'll be totally honest. promise. I haven't been doing the best that I could do, but I've been doing ok. I skipped WW last week. *gasp* I know, I know. Bad. Last week was so super busy and we had 3 special things going on at work...and you know what that means...CAKE! Yep, there was a Merritt's Cake in my office THREE times last week!!! I resisted. I didn't eat ONE piece! Can you believe that? I surprised myself. How does one turn down Merritt's cake not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES? It was quite an accomplishment. So, even though I didn't wake up early enough to exercise with Maksim *pouty lip*, I did have some successes. The bad: not exercising enough, letting my emotions direct my eating, buying a can of Frito Mild Cheddar flavored cheese dip...and eating all of the said Frito Mild Cheddar flavored cheese dip. The good: eating lots of fruits and veggies, drinking lots of water, and remembering to take my vitamins daily. Oh, and I went to WW yesterday. :) I lost 1.8 pounds! WOOHOO! It's not a lot, but it's a loss and it brings my total to 20.6 pounds!

So, how is everyone else doing?

P.S. For those of you who I sent packages out to as Thank You's for commenting for a cause, your packages should be arriving in the next couple of days...except for Shilo, I'm thinking Paraguay will take a few extra days. :)

P.S.S. I just wanted to say that Wicked was WICKED! I had a FABULOUS time. It is seriously the BEST musical I've ever been to and I can NOT quit listening to the soundtrack. It's amazing! I'm going to host a little WICKED giveaway soon, so don't miss it. :)

Bad Blogger :(

Man, I'm a bad blogger. I just can't seem to get it together in the bloggin arena. When things are chaotic in REAL life, blogging just doesn't come as easy to me. Life has been so busy...family reunion planning, family visiting, get-togethers, vacation planning. I have a million things I want to blog about, pictures to post, and stories to tell. I even have a "bloggin' to-do list". Lists make sense to me. They help me organize my thoughts, but lately lists aren't even making a difference. I've never been diagnosed with ADD, but I'm pretty sure I have it. I'm making a promise to try to get around and catch up with everyone's blog and catch up on some blogging of my own...ASAP! I swear on all cute Coach purses...and Edward.

How's your summer?

Guess what? I'm going to see Wicked the musical TONIGHT!!! I'm sooooo super excited and I can NOT wait! EEEeeeeeee!

Anyone else seen Wicked?

Tomorrow is Friday! Yippee! I think I'll try to muster up a Friday Confessions. We'll see how it goes.

Until then...

Hugs and lotsa LOVE! :)

Flip Flop Fever!

How lucky am I???  Well, I'll tell you!  I am ONE lucky girl!  Yes, I am.  My Flip Flop Exchange came from THE one and only Texas Darling!  She has a fantastic blog!  She sent me the CUTEST pink sequined flip flops AND she thought enough of me to send me a TWILIGHT book FULL of 7 HOTT posters of my Edward (OME)!  Eeeeeeeeee!!!!  So exciting!  You know where these are going...yep, all over my office walls.  Everybody around here talks about me anyway, might as well give them some new things to discuss.☺  

(I'm thinking SNL skit 'Coffee Talk with Linda Richman'..."talk amongst yourselves".)  

THANK YOU a million times over, Becca!  You're super-awesome-fabulous!

This is how I usually sit during the day...while eating bon bons and drinking Starbucks...skimming through the latest US magazine...daydreaming of Edward.... 
Check out that "come-hither-look"...don't have to tell me twice!  Those eyes are SMOKIN'!
Oooo, and she sent me a postcard w/ a Ca-UTE cowboy on it!  Thanks again, Becca!

Hope everyone has a happy Friday Thursday (I'm off for a 3 day weekend!  Woot!)

p.s. I'm typing this in Safari...for whatever reason I don't have as many blogger problems in Safari like I do when I use IE.  Just thought I'd pass that on to anyone else who might be experiencing "technical difficulties".)

Extreme Makeover: Me Edition

Amber at {aefilkins} hosts Extreme Makeover: Me Edition each week on Wednesdays. It is a fabulous time to read other people's journey to healthy living and weight loss, gain encouragement, give encouragement...and make friends! We all want friends, right?! :)

This week's topic is simple:

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Share with us how you're feeling about your progress.

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To be completely honest, this week has been a struggle for me. I haven't worked out with Maksim since last Friday! *hang head in shame* My in-laws came for a visit over the weekend and with visitors always comes FOOD! We grilled out and I was good...I made myself a turkey burger and it was YUMM-O!

Let's pause for a recipe break...

Jenny's YUMM-O Turkey Burgers

1 pound of ground Turkey (all white meat...lean)

2 slices of Pepper Jack Cheese

seasoning salt

Directions: divide ground turkey into 4 equal parts. Roll turkey into a ball and press out. Take cheese slices and divide them into fourths. Press 2 cheese squares in the middle of each turkey patty and cover with the ground turkey and press back into a patty. Season w/ seasoning salt (or any kind of seasoning) and grill...and Enjoy! They're delish!

You know how it is when family is around...you just sit and visit and eat...and drink mojitos. Oh, you don't drink mojitos? Hmmm. Maybe that's just us. Well, for anyone wanting to know a mojito made w/ 2 oz light rum and 4 oz of mojito mix is 4 points on WW.

On Sunday, Isaiah went home with his Grammy and Papaw for a few days. *insert pouty lip and major sad face* He's NEVER been out-of-town without us and NEVER stayed that many days without us. It was so hard to let him go...he's my baby and I want to keep him that way...BUT it was good for him and he LOVED it!

Going to Grammy and Papaw's!

He really had a great time and did terrific! However, while he was gone, in the evening I felt myself wanting to eat and snack due to nervousness/boredom. It was all I could do to just go to bed and not eat something...popcorn, chips and guacamole, crackers and cream cheese...something! I'm just relieved to make it to Wednesday. Isaiah is back home and it's weigh-in day at WW! WOOHOO! As of last week, I had lost 16.2 pounds LOST 18 POUNDS (an additional 1.8 at WW this week!). *fingers crossed* for another good weight loss. (I'll come back on and update this post after weigh-in.) I had a small goal set for this weekend. When I started trying to lose weight back in March, I had said I wanted to lose 20 pounds by my family reunion, which is this weekend. I don't think I'll hit 20, but I feel good knowing that I'm close. My next goal was to have lost 25 pounds by the NKOTB concert in Dallas on the 17th of July. I'm really hoping to meet that one! I need to look smokin' hott for Joey! (Right, Xazmin?! :)

My goals for this week are: to keep eating as many fruits and veggies as I can squeeze into a day..."portable fruits" (aka bananas, grapes, berries...things that don't need peeled, cut, or sliced) ROCK! I also have been trying to drink at least 8-10 glasses of water every day...thanks to my stainless steel water bottle, it's been pretty easy! I love that thing! I MUST exercise! I'm hoping my nose unclogs so I can get back to exercising with Maksim asap ...acceptable levels of oxygen are essential while exercising with Maksim!

Check out this mass mailing...

If you commented on a Comment for a Cause, you have a package headed your way! :)

**I'm still having MAJOR blogging issues, so please know that I'm trying to get around to everyone's blog and comment...it just takes me FOREVER!!!...if I see one more "error" message I think I'll SCREAM and simultaneously throw my computer out of this 4th story window...hopefully, things will be back to normal soon!**

Hope everyone is having a great week!