Photo Book

I finally made my photo book that I won over at She Says!  I was a little limited with pictures on my computer so I'm thinking that this just means that it is time to start taking a ton more!  Anyways, I can't wait until my photo book arrives :) Here is what my new book is going be, Enjoy! 

Click here to view this photo book larger

Shutterfly allows you to customize your photo book just the way you want.

I'm Back!

I have been away from my blog for far too long!  I'll try o catch up on some things that have happened...

Starr, Allen, and the girls came to visit on Friday night, 11-4-11, and it was a wonderful visit!  First of all, we didn't tell my kids that they were coming so when they pulled into the driveway I called my kids downstairs and told them that they had to come outside with me because there were deer in tn the yard!  They were so excited to see deer but way more excited to see their aunt, uncle, and cousins when they turned the corner of the deck!  It was so cute!  Starr and I stayed up super late just talking and catching up Friday night.  It was absolutely wonderful :)  Then we all just visited Saturday morning, went to lunch and did some shopping during the afternoon, and went back to the house and made fajitas and cake for dinner and dessert.  Sunday we went to Sunday school and then lunch in the afternoon, and then church again on Sunday night and then back home to hang out and eat leftovers.  They had to leave to go back home on Monday afternoon :( but I will probably get to see them again for Thanksgiving in Nashville!

So, I had the next few days to clean up my house from having five extra people and two extra dogs lol!  It really wasn't as bad as you'd think though!

Then my mom and Aunt Dot came to town on Wednesday night, 11-9-11.  My aunt had never been here before and besides....my birthday was the next day!  I was so happy to be able to celebrate my birthday with my mom and aunt :)  I had the day off from work so we went shopping for most of the day!  Then Mark threw me a birthday party that evening!  It was so much fun!  I had to work on Friday but the kids didn't have school so it worked out perfect that my mom was in town because they were able to stay with her and my aunt.  They all met me out at my work and then we went to a few more stores to buy more stuff, which made Noah miserable but the rest of us were happy :)  We all met Mark at a restaurant for dinner and then back home to relax for the rest of the night....well, we were going to relax until I decided to pull out my Christmas decorations to see what all I had (since I had just bought more Christmas stuff at Hobby Lobby).  We ended up working our tails off decorating my staircase and the little cubby space area that is pretty much useless until we put a Christmas tree up there!  I think it looks so pretty!

On Saturday morning we all went to breakfast together and them mom and Aunt Dot left to get back to Mississippi :(  It was a very nice visit and I was sad to see them leave.  I don't think it will ever get easier.

Sunday we had church and I almost missed going on Sunday night.  I just haven't been feeling too good lately.  I am trying to find a doctor here but I haven't had much luck so far.  Finding a doctor that takes our insurance and is also accepting new patients is not an easy thing to do.  Anyways, I went to church anyways because missing church just feels so weird!

On Monday my classes started back up and I immediately remembered why I was so happy to have the break.  My brain is so foggy right now!  It better clear up soon though!  I also had a meeting with a teacher who tested Chloe to be in their gifted program and she was accepted :)  My kids are so smart!! Both are now in gifted classes!  I am a proud mommy!!

Tuesday was work and then an eye doctor appointment, which I now have to go back on Friday for more tests because of something that he found that he feels needs to be looked at a little better.  I'm sure it's no big deal though.  Then home to do school work, laundry, cook dinner, more laundry, showers and bedtime for the kids, dishes, shower, more school work, and then bed...ahhhhh!!!

Wednesday was more of the same (work, school, housework, dinner,....) and then church.  We had a missionary from Tonga there.  Pretty interesting stuff!

Now, we are finally at today and it was more of the same again.  Except for the fact that my boss is not a nice person!  Ok so maybe I am being a little sensitive but seriously she has very poor management skills.  I think she must be a very insecure person because she seems to feel the need to make up reasons to correct and boss around all of us employees in front of our coworkers and customers!  It is really starting to get to me!  Like four different times yesterday she did this to me.  I have just about had all I can take.  If I blog that I quit my job of got fired in sometime in the near future you will know the reason why!

Well,  I think I am all caught up for now...other than the fact that I am not doing so hot with my eating habits lately but I promise I will try to do better.  But that is another blog post for another day.



Happy Day :)

So, I have had a really rough few days (emotionally and physically) but today while I was at work I received wonderful news that made my day! I called my sister real quick to tell her something and she told me that her and her family will be coming to my house tomorrow night! And, they get to stay all weekend! I am so excited! They haven't been to Alabama yet so I just can't wait! We're not telling Noah and Chloe though. They are going to be so shocked when Starr, Allen, and the girls show up at our door :) Did I mention how extremely excited I am?!?! However...my poor house is so not ready for company. Like I said, I haven't been feeling too great so my house has suffered. I came home from work and got right to cleaning. It's starting to look presentable...slowly but surely. I went ahead and hung a few more pictures today too. I was trying to wait until we repainted the wall but busy days mean paint will have to wait. No biggie. It will get done eventually, probably.

On a not-so-happy-news note...I seem to be at a weight loss standstill. I have still only lost 9 lbs. Don't get me wrong, I am extremely happy to have lost those 9 lbs and all but I am so ready to lose more! Maybe when I step on the scale in the morning I'll be another pound down. We'll see!

Time for me to get some sleep so I can go to work in the morning and then come home to finish cleaning! Yay!

Lazy Day Today...Busy Day Tomorrow

Today I slept in until 10 am! Well, I woke up a few times before that but I didn't get up until 10:00 :) It was beautiful! I actually took some medicine last night and it knocked me out. The bad thing is that I have felt pretty drugged all day. I could barely keep my eyes open which was bad because I had a lot to do today. Tomorrow our church is having Sunday School and then a Fun Fest with all kinds of stuff including trunk-or-treat. I made a big crockpot of vegetable soup and three dozen peanut butter cookies. I also made a bunch of bows for the craft booth. I made Chloe a bee costume and Noah a spider costume. I am going to wear a ladybug costume that I made a few years ago and Mark is going to be an exterminator. It'll be a fun day but very busy too. I plan on taking tons of pictures so I'll post some soon.

I have been doing really good on my diet so far. I have lost 9 lbs total :) It is such a hard, slow process but I am doing it! I am going to take a little break tomorrow for the Fun Fest though. I don't think I will be able to not eat all the yummy food that will be there. I won't go food crazy, but I will have to eat some of it! I'll have to come back home tomorrow night and go at least 3 or 4 miles on the gazelle haha! I don't think that one day off the diet will kill me :)

A Few Things That Annoy Me...

When guys wear pants with their shirt tucked in but don't wear a belt.

When customers come in at work and I say hello and they completely ignore me...rude people.

How absolutely ridiculously overpriced school pictures are.

When people try to embarrass other people.

When customers get mad at me when I say I can't change the price for an item.

Hearing people chew their food.

My sewing machine!!!! I clearly just do not understand how to work the thing or something because I am constantly breaking the thread or something else is going wrong.

How slow the weight loss process is.

Commercials.

Living too far away from my family to get hugs from them when I need them.

When people put WAY too much personal stuff on Facebook!

All of the gray hair that I am getting :( I'm not ready!!

Having too much to do and not enough time to do it.

Having to rely on my glasses or contacts so much.

My frizzy hair that I have to either straighten or put products in just to leave the house.


I could go on but I feel the need to start thinking about things that make me happy before I get in a really bad mood. It has just been "one of those days."

Busy, Busy, Busy

I have been a busy girl lately!  I came across a blog with tons of craft ideas and I have been trying some of them.  My church is having  a Fun Fest next Sunday and I have been making things for it.  I made a bunch of bows and some really cute hats and scarf sets from sweaters.  I made some things for myself too, of course :)  Sunday is also when we are having trunk-or-treat so I've been working on our costumes.  I still have so much to do!  And, not only do I have all of these crafts and things to finish, I have to bake a whole bunch of cookies (and do my best to avoid eating any of them), make vegetable soup, and try to get my house back in order.  Oh, and I work every day this week too.  I can do this!  I think I can, I think I can....

I have done ok with my eating habits lately, minus a little cheat here and there.  Haven't lost as much as I would have liked to but I didn't eat as good as I should/could have.  I didn't cheat on my diet at all yesterday or today though!

On a side note, I had a bad day with headaches and numb hands and all that junk yesterday.  I haven't had an MRI in over a year so it might be time to make a doctor's appointment.  I sure was hoping that all of this health nonsense was over but it might just be time for a round two.  Prayers are welcome!

Well, when I get finished making the stuff for the Fun Fest I will post pictures.  I better get off of here now though, tons more to do!

Still Getting Used To Things

I am in my second week of my new job and I am still getting used to things. Not just learning things at work but learning how to still keep up with things at home. When I get home from work I am totally exhausted! My legs hurt, my arms hurt, and I am just so tired. The last thing I want to do when I get home is do laundry, dishes, start dinner, and pick up around the house. Not to mention all of the other cleaning that needs to be done. All I want to do is get in comfy clothes and fall asleep on the couch. My poor house is suffering! I need to start cleaning right when I get home and not sit down first because once I sit it is so hard to get back up! I'm sure I'll get used to it soon though.

Well, I cheated on my diet today. I had nachos at one of my favorite restaurants tonight. They were so goo but I felt super guilty. I came home and walked two miles to try to cancel the extra calories out! Hahaha! I have lost about five lbs so far though. I hope I didn't just gain some back. I'll weigh myself in the morning to see how much damage I did. I am really ready to fit in all of the clothes in my closet and dressers. My first goal is to be able to wear my wedding ring again without my finger turning blue! I'll be sure to update when I have reached that goal!