Monday evening....

They say that one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch....well, for me it was a blueberry; several, in fact. All of them tucked under a blanket of brown sugar, flour, oatmeal and butter....baked at 375 for 30 minutes. And then, to add insult to injury, lets put that on top of some vanilla ice cream....

What can I say? I fell off the wagon....hard. But it wasn't my fault! I was doing laundry this afternoon, and had the Food network on. Two episodes of "Barefoot Contessa" had me standing on the edge of cheating.....but it was "From Martha's Kitchen" that pushed me over. Oh the things they were making....roasted fruit, parmesan chicken on a stick, and of course the Easter egg cake with homemade lemon curd....how could I resist? I HAD to make something. So, after looking around I found some blueberries, brown sugar....and my crisp was born. *Sigh. What can I say? I'm weak.

Tomorrow is another day....right? By the way, don't worry that I'll be tempted to eat it for breakfast, no sir! I made sure there would be none left for that....::evil grin::

Monday's....

Good Monday morning! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. We ended up spending most of it getting over colds and flu. However, I felt better Sunday afternoon so dh and I took a short motorcycle ride and stopped at the grocery store to pick up some steaks to grill. It was lovely! I was thinking of Michelle and her hubby, wondering if they were riding on such a gorgeous afternoon.

It's supposed to rain here tomorrow, and Thursday and Friday. We sure need it. My backyard is nothing but sand at this point! Of course, that made it fun for dd to play in yesterday. I had just given her a bath when she decided to come outside and start digging around. She was cracking acorns open with her shoe and throw them into the forest. Well, I suppose the squirrels will be happy; she's done most of their job for them! Now, instead of happy, bouncy squirrels running from tree to tree, I'll see lethargic, fat squirrels, sitting around, waiting to be fed.

I did finish my big pile of ironing, cleaned off my desk, did my bills....so all I have left is to sew. WooHoo! I hate it when the work piles up and I get behind. Makes me crazy!

I can't believe the school year is coming to an end so quickly! The girls have six weeks left. That first week of vacation is such an adjustment period. Trying to get used to the new schedule, having the kids underfoot all day. Serving breakfast till noon! LOL....actually, this will be the year that Betsy gets a job. She is going to get her learners permit, and she needs to help pay for insurance. I haven't priced it yet, but I'm sure it'll be a shock. She wants to apply before school ends, for a better chance at employment. At least she is thinking about it!

Well, I hear my vacuume calling...."Plug me in....push me....you know you want to use me...."

Have a wonderful Monday everyone!

Oh! I forgot that I promised my wee one to put a link to her journal in my entry today. She added an entry, and was sad becuase her aunt and gram hadn't commented yet. So, HERE it is! Love you Hayley girl!

Good Sunday Morning!

Yeah BABY!!!!

Why the wolfish grin? Why the sly look? Well, I will tell you why....I am FREE!!!!  Free I say, freeeeee!

I got the results of my blood tests in the mail today. I opened them, expecting to read all about my horrible sugar levels and cholesterol. Slowly, I unfold the paper, only to find....EVERYTHING IS NORMAL!!!! And at the bottom of the results...."Cholesterol is great! Labs all normal." Oh yes....::happy dance:: good bye you freaking diet....

But, I also went clothes shopping today. And, although I haven't weighed myself, I was a size smaller in my britches. So, what ever shall I do? I figure, I have complained my way through an entire week of the 2 week induction period, so I might as well hang in there for the second. I've decided to make a few "life changes". I am going to pay close attention to sugar and carbs. And, if I must be honest, I am not craving them like I was before. I went through 3 aisles of Easter candy and didn't have the urge to buy any of it. I did, however, celebrate with an extra handful of almonds and 3 slices of a pear. (naughty, naughty me! lol). Fruit will be back in a week....I suppose I can hang on.

As for the rest of the day, my oldest has not been feeling well since 2nd hour at school yesterday. Achey all over, tired, etc. I was feeling good until we got to the store, then it hit me. So, we shopped and then came home and crashed for the rest of the afternoon. I'm just waking up now!

That's about it for my Saturday. I'm going to go read journals now....and see what everyone else has been up to!

 

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y- NIGHT!

Well, this is what I need to be doing today. I finished the girl's ironing last night, as well as my own....now all I have left is a mountain of shirts and slacks of my hubby's. Crud. I'll feel off all day if I don't finish it. I also never finished my sewing or assignment yesterday. Oh well. It's going to be a beautiful 72 degrees today with sunny skies so I should be out there enjoying things.

My youngest is going for a bike ride with my aunt. They are going to ride from our house to my mom's house....which is about a 6 mile ride. They get to ride over the bridge that goes over the St. John's river. It will be a gorgeous ride....I should go too, but my bike is at my mom's and the tires are low. *Sigh. I'll have to have dh air them up. My oldest is still sleeping and wasn't feeling well yesterday, so I don't know what her plans are. Dh is working till 11:00, so I thought I might go run some errands, maybe stop at the bookstore. Who knows. Really, I feel like being outside today. I could go to the park and just enjoy the water and the gorgeous day. Hmmmm, perhaps I'll do that. Or, maybe dh and I will take the motorcycle out for a quick ride.

I had such strange dreams last night. I dreamt that I had a baby and my dh delivered it. It was a boy and although I was excited, I wished it were a girl. Then I dreamt that we took the boat out and my aunt was going to swim along side, but there were snakes in the water. Then I dreamt that we were on the highway and two busses were on fire and just missed hitting us. What is up with that?

So, I suppose I should get going and do something. My throat hurts. I am drinking my cup of coffee with splenda....oh yum. I also had some roast beef and cheese. Puke. My mother says I have a bad attitude about this diet....ya think?!

Have a lovely, carb free, sugar free day everyone!

General Friday Chit-Chat....

Congratulations are in order for two of the finest in our group of journalists....KAREN and MONICA have made the "editors pick top 5 list" this week. WooHoo~Homer Simpson style to you guys....you deserved it! What a way to start the weekend.

This morning I ran to the store to purchase some "Kashi" cereal. I have been reading that it is supposed to be some highly nutritious cereal, with high fiber which means slower digestion, which of course means you are not "supposed" to be hungry for a long time afterward. So, I rush into the store, grab my box, rush home and pour a bowl, splash on some fat free milk, take a bite....and, let's face it folks, I could have eaten packing peanuts and gotten the same taste sensation. The taste is reminiscent of Puffed Rice....but stale. The sad thing? I ate it within 2 minutes. I was so happy to be eating something that seemed normal, I didn't care that I was eating styrofoam soaked in watered down milk. Now that, my friends, is pathetic. So far I'm not hungry, but it's only been 10 minutes. I am waiting until Tuesday, my official "one week" day to weigh myself. If I haven't lost anything....I'm going to be one mad mother. My oldest says I've been rather snappy lately, and when my uncle came over to check out the boat yesterday, he said, "John has told me what a pleasure it is to come home to you now that you are on this diet." ::snicker:: Well, Mr. Smartypants, I'd like to see YOU try it....

Well, it is time for me to get going on my Friday cleaning. I've got sewing, ironing and an assignment yet to do today....the fun NEVER ends around here!

My Lunch Date....

For the past two days I have eaten my lunch in my Florida room, which faces the "forest" behind me. And each day a gorgeous cardinal has joined me. It's really peaceful....he sits on the post and eats his food while I sit and eat mine. We had been thinking about selling our house and looking for a new one....but the more we work on our backyard, the more I want to stay. The pool deck is 90% finished, and the landscaping is at 75%....things are beginning to come together. It's hard, when you move to a new house, to get it to feel like "home". I think it was especially hard in our case, being that we moved from the only place we had ever lived in our lives. 32 years of fimiliarity and family is a hard thing to give up. However, slowly but surely things are beginning to feel more natural.

So many things have changed for us in the past three years. John's father died, my best friend died, my father was diagnosed with PSP, and then John's best friend died. When this opportunity to move came about, I didn't give it a second thought. All I could focus on was how badly I wanted to leave that area and start somewhere fresh. I made it a point to leave all of my heartache and old feelings back there....and to bring a fresh, new outlook here. I did have a difficult time of it....but what surprised me was that we had been here for 6 months before I felt homesick. I'm over that now....and have realized that this is my new home. I can't move foreward, if I keep looking back.  I know that sounds cliche, but it's so true. If I can't get myself over the past, how will I be able to help my girls move forward? Although, they have adjusted 100% better than I ever thought. I still have the dream that one day we will live in our ultimate destination, North Carolina, on the side of a mountain surrounded by Gods glorious landscape....but until then, I will be content with what He has blessed us with. The ocean is spectacular and truthfully, I can't imagine not being able to see it anytime I want to. I suppose I'm getting used to my tropical location....however, don't expect to see me in clam diggers and a big floppy hat ala Golden Girls anytime soon!  (Although you could find me eating cheesecake to solve my problems! ;o)