Wii :)

It is so beautiful outside with the snow falling. I just love the cold weather and being stuck in my home. It's so cozy.

Last night I got an early Christmas present from my Husband, sort of by accident. I have these points at work where I can order free stuff and they are being discontinued so I needed to use them up right away, I asked for his help to try and figure out what I should use them for. Right away he said, why don't you get the Wii fitness program, and I said, 'yeah, but first we need the wii system to use the fitness program on.' I thought he didn't understand, LOL, so then he had to eventually tell me that he bought me one and that he tried to buy me the fitness program to go along with it but they were sold out everywhere. So I used some of my points to order the Wii fitness. :) Since he told me he bought it we ended up pulling it out and playing it with our friends (Adam and Khayla) until midnight last night. Boy am I tired, and my right arm is so sore that I can barely move it. The boxing and tennis seriously give you a workout. I LOVE IT! Such a wonderful early Christmas present. Thanks babe! xoxo :)

this and that...

So Dan has stopped betting me in bowling because I keep beating him (which I secretly LOVE) :) And my name was listed on all of the monitors last night for having the highest score the week before and I think I'll be getting it next week too because I rocked it last night! I guess I better not jinx myself. :) Bowling is fun, but so much more fun when we win.

I have my little niece with me tonight, Ryah Michelle. She is watching the Polar Express and she is so excited about Christmas, children make the holidays so special. I hope and pray that God will allow me to have a baby someday, what a wonderful gift that would be.

I got my Twilight novel in the mail today, I am so excited to start reading it. I have a bad feeling that I will be so engrossed in it that I won't be able to put it down until it is finished. (Just ask my Mom what I'm like when I start reading a book.) LOL

Okay, I better get off of here, Ryah is coming into the office and trying to peak at her and everyone elses Christmas presents. Goodnight! :)

Just a little personal.....

So I just finished watching last nights episode of the Biggest Loser and I cried my eyes out! For many reasons:

• Because Renee had to be sent home. :(
• Because I was so happy that the Mother Daughter relationship between Renee and Michelle which was once broken, is now mended and I am so happy for them.
• Because the one person I want to go home (Vicky) is still on the show.
• Because I'm watching the BL and I'm so inspired by there weight loss yet, I am sitting on a couch not working out when I should be.
• Because I have gained so much weight this year and don't feel like myself anymore. :(

And then, because I am obsessed with the show and have to try and motivate the last remaining black team member (her name is Michelle also) I sent her a message on her myspace so hopefully it will push her to defy the odds and win the 250k and beat out VICKY! :)

When I was on her myspace, I read a blog that she had posted titled, 'Why do YOU?' and it was about why do you work out? because you have to? because you want to? because of all these other reasons?? and it got me thinking..... Why DON'T I? Why do I not care enough about myself, my health, my happiness to work out and stop the cycle of obesity in my family? Why do I never know when to stop eating? Why do I reward myself with food? Why do I eat even when I am not hungry?

I have an ENTIRE closet full of clothes that I can not wear and it kills me. I am not as happy as I could be, and it is not because of other people's thoughts or feelings about how I look, but about my thoughts and feelings about how I look. I don't feel good about myself anymore, and I want to. I need to quit making excuses and putting off changing my habits until a 'Monday' or a certain date on my calendar. I need to make changes right now! Today! And they need to be life changes, not just goal weight changes, this has to be something that I am going to work at for the rest of my life. I am given only one chance on this earth and I want to be the best I can be on the inside and on the outside. So today I am making this promise to myself to stop the cycle, today I am going to answer the question that Michelle posted in her blog, 'Why do YOU?'

• Because I want to be happy
• Because I want to be healthy
• Because I want to be an inspiration to others
• Because I want to do this for myself!

PS- on a side note, I am very happy that America gets to Vote for who is the third person in the finale on the BL, and I kicked butt in bowling last night (best I have ever done 165 and got a turkey-for those of you who don't know, that is 3 strikes in a row!), even made a bet with my Husband and WON!!! and he actually held up his end of the bet! :)

Cameras, Software, Pictures and Battery Chargers......

I FINALLY searched through five boxes in my garage and found the software so that I could download my pictures from my camera to my computer. And of course I am now able to download my pictures, but now my camera battery is dead :( and for the life of me I can not find the battery charger ANYWHERE!!! :( So I will be on a mission tonight to search for it, even though I've already torn apart my whole house looking.

So here are a few pic's of my nieces and nephews that I think are just so cute. The ones of all the kids in the tub I took this summer when everyone came out to BBQ and Dan set up a homemade slip-n-slide for the kids, and then they all decided they wanted to take a bath! The one of Kendall (my niece) in our sink was taken about two weeks ago when Dan and I were babysitting. She was fascinated with the water in the sink so it was Dan's idea to let her get in and have some fun. Someday he is going to be a really great Dad!

DJ, I promise I will put pic's up of my house, my tree, and my bowling shoes once I find my charger and am able to take more pic's.

Mom, I know your going to ask for the below pic's of the kids. JUST BE PATIENT! :)

Thank You, Thank You, Thank you....

I am thankful year round, but it is nice to have a time of year where you can marinate on the things you are thankful for and let those individuals know who have touched your life, just how Thankful you are for them! So on this Thanksgiving Eve, here are the things I am so thankful for:

• I am thankful that Jesus died on a cross to save me and others, and that he loves me enough to keep putting up with me. :)
• I am thankful that my Dad has been sober for 5 years, and that he has a relationship with God, and has become such a wonderful Man that I admire so much.
• I am thankful for my Mom, who listened and didn't give up on my Dad when she had every reason too. If she would have given up we would have never seen such a sweet Victory of Gods grace and love!
• I am thankful for my Husband, who without knowing it, has brought me closer to Jesus and is helping me become the helpmeet and woman that God intended me to be.
• I am thankful for my dearest friend, Niina Maher. Niina, if you read this, I am so blessed to have you in my life. We have been through so many trials together and individually. You have listened to me my whole life, given advice when needed, and loved me unconditionally. God had a plan from the beginning for us to be friends and I am one lucky girl to have you in my life. Thank you for being my friend. I love you!
• Pastor Andy Roberts, I have said this before, but I want to say it again... Thank you for leading our Church. God used you to save my family and I am ever so greatful. You are real, with real hurts, real feelings, and real love for Jesus. Thank you for sharing that love with so many. You will be blessed for all of the sacrifices you have made on this earth. Thank you for listening to your heart and following Jesus.
• DJ, you are such a blessing to me. Thank you for listening to me and giving me Godly advice whenever I need it. You sacrifice your time anytime I need help with singing and I appreciate you so much. Thank you for opening my eyes to a whole new world of Christian music. I am so thankful to call you my friend. I love you!
• I am thankful for my Church Family; Carol, Kathy, Khayla, Kristi, thank you for your friendships, for your advice and listening, and for sharing your testimonys. I love you gals!
• I am thankful for my home, my job, my wonderful Manager who doesn't know how truly great she is and what a blessing she has been in my life.
• I am thankful to work for a company that has allowed me the flexibility to work from home near my family and church.
• I am thankful for my Aunt Marla who prays for me, and spends hours at a time on the phone with me to teach me about Jesus and his unconditional love. I see Jesus in her, and she amazes me.
• I am thankful for my Grandma Jackson, who is as close to perfect as I have ever seen in any one human being. She puts up with my Grandpa, even when he's cranky and she never argues :) she keeps an imaculate home, she eats meals at the exact same time every day, she is on a schedule always, she has never spoken badly about anyone in the 30 yrs. that I have known her, she just NEVER gossips, now or ever before. She is strong in so many ways and I hope that one day I can be just like her!

Wow, the list could truly go on and on, but the trend that I see is that I am thankful for Jesus for all of the many blessings he has given me in my life. And I hope that he will use me to be a blessing in others lives.

Have a Happy THANKSGIVING!!!!

Reno Here I Come- NOT!

LOL, tonight my husband and I played on our bowling league, it's really a sad sad site to see. Most weeks I do 'okay' but tonight I was AWFUL!!! These are the nights that I am okay with the fact that I am the youngest person there by about 20 years, some even 40! :) It is nights like tonight that I wish they would come up with a 'Cosmic' bowling league where the regular lights are out, black lights are on, disco ball in motion and the music blaring. We often play on Friday nights with 'our age group' (lol) during Cosmic bowl and it is much more fun and I bowl SO MUCH BETTER! League night is just too stressful! Dan even does better on Cosmic Bowl night, although I do have to give him credit for tonight because the poor guy bowled with stitches in his hand and didn't do all that bad. Anyway, I think we should start a Cosmic Bowling League, I think everyone involved would enjoy it more. So Khayla if your reading this, lets make it happen, hahaha! (I should of had you sub for me tonight!) Oh well, at least I have fabulous hot pink and black glow in the dark bowling shoes to make me feel better! I am now off to watch tonight's episode of 'The Biggest Loser.' - Which I am WAY too much invested in, I act like I know these people and I am totally rooting for Vicky to GO HOME and if anyone watches they will know exactly what I mean. (What would I do with out a DVR?- I LOVE THAT INVENTION which could be a whole nother topic all in itself.)

Sunday with a cherry on top!

Some days really are wonderful.

Today, my husband surprised me at church and met me in the parking lot to take me to lunch. We went to the Cannery Cafe here in Astoria. I love there Bumble Bee tuna sandwich, grilled with Tillamook Cheddar Cheese. So good! The weather is awesome today, the sun is shining and as I looked out over the Columbia River I just thought of how beautiful Astoria really is. I take it for granted so often and it was nice just to take it all in today.

Then we headed to Home Depot and looked at wood, which doesn't sound exciting but it was so much fun. Dan is making me a Media Cabinet for our living room (anniversary present) so we looked at all of the different molding pieces and router bits for wood tools. It got me very excited for him to start building it. Hopefully in the next few weeks after his hand heals. For those of you who don't know, he about chopped off his middle finger at work last week. And I FINALLY figured out why he doesn't like doctors or hospitals........ He is deathly afraid of needles. I wish I would have had a camera to take a picture of his face in the doctors office, the nurse and I were laughing so hard!

Anyway, now I am off to the only decent clothing store in town to try and find some tops! That is one of the main things I miss about the city, the convenience of the shopping and the ethnic food choices. Thank goodness for on-line shopping! :)