This Past Weekend

was my wonderful husband's birthday. He turned 36 on Friday. We both had work and I had work on Saturday too, so we decided to plan our celebrating for Saturday night. We enjoyed a FABULOUS dinner at The Keg with a couple we are good friends with. We then went downtown and hung out at a couple bars. We just relaxed, enjoyed good company, and watched the crazy drunks hehe. We greatly enjoyed grown up time and conversations. Some reminiscing and some talk of future. The couple we went out with, Christie and Shayne, are getting married the end of October. So we enjoyed hearing and helping with planning. Looking forward to seeing them in October if not sooner.

At the end of last week, Larry decided he finally had a project he wanted to make with the Plexiglas he has had for quite some time now. He decided our iguana who has been housed in a 55 gallon tank needed a new home. He is no where near out growing the tank yet, but we are doing all we can to encourage him to grow. So Larry did most of the work Saturday, a little on Sunday and Monday coming up with this:

Just a couple more finishing touches and it will be complete. He has already been moved in and our cousin came today to pick up the fish tank for their bearded dragon. I am proud of us girls for moving such a large item and not breaking it! Larry also built the stand a few years ago when we first got the 55 gallon for our fish that we had then. I am more than impressed with his craftsman ship. Looks like we have a pet store display case in our home!

OMG!

What happened to July and especially August?! I thought it hadn't been that long since I posted. But it's been almost a month!

We finally had the baby shower. I got so busy that I didn't get to make everything I wanted for little Alex, so more gifts to come for him. I did get some done. But in my rush to get everything done, I forgot to take pictures of my completed work. :( I made some more chew blankets and I got to try a new baby gift I found. I made this super cute diaper changing pad. Super easy and my new machine made sewing it a dream. On my old one something that thick would have gone no where. But I was able to fly through it.
I forgot to post about Holly's big birthday gift. Holly turned 11 July 19. And the week before she was visiting my brother-in-law's family for a week. While she was gone we did a massive redo of her room. We redecorated, reorganized, hauled out a TON of trash, and turned her room into a more mature, fun, and hopefully easier to keep clean room.

Before:After:The pink does not photograph well. It is bright lighter pink. With a bit of encouragement she has added more of her own touch with posters on the wall. Obviously in the before she never was into hanging posters. She bought them, but just never got around to putting them up. I think the room looks fabulous and fits her personality well. I give myself a big pat on the back. :)
And this Monday was the start of school. Holly is in 6th grade making this her last year in intermediate. And Haylee is in 8th making it her last year in Junior High. AAAAHH! Where did my little girls go?!Obviously this year Haylee decided posing for first day of school pictures was more fun! LOL!

And a Happy Birthday today to my brother-in-law! Love you so much Chris!!

Welcome Baby Alex!

Well due to the early arrival of my friend's baby, it will be a while before I am able to show you the things I made. Little Alexander made a quick and early arrival into the world last night. Approx. 2 hours after mama's water broke he was here! Amazed at the speed for a first born. So obviously we will not be having a shower this weekend. But I think it is for an amazing reason!!!!

This picture was stolen from his Auntie. I am looking forward to meeting him soon.

What a Sewing Machine Can Really Do!

Maybe I mentioned it before, and if I did sorry but I will again. Back in February my wonderful husband and kids got me a new sewing machine for Valentine's Day. I had shown him a new one I wanted a few weeks before. He remembered and went back to get it. I had shown him the mid range model, but he couldn't remember. So after a long talk with one of the sales ladies. He got me the top model of the one I showed him. I was ecstatic! I bragged at work about it, but only one person was mildly impressed. Everyone else said they would have thrown it back at their companion had they gotten one. Still I stayed super happy.

Sadly I have stayed so busy that it has not been touched till now. I have got to get baby shower gifts to make. I had been so good I had these gifts planned out months ago, but here I am with less than a week to go just starting the cutting of the fabric. So over the weekend I pulled out and watched the instructional DVD for the machine. Good thing, learned stuff I never would have guessed. And was blown away at all the things I will now be able to do/learn on this new machine!

This last Wednesday, my SIL called asking about my old machine. A couple months ago I had offered it to one of my nieces after seeing some decorating she had done in her room. She passed on the offer, but mentioned it to my SIL. She called to ask if it was still available to be borrowed. I told her no it was available to be had. So I happily ran out to the garage to get it out to send back with my BIL who was making a quick couple hour trip into town. I had stored it in the box my new machine came in. As I got inside I quickly learned the bottom of the box was not taped for support. The machine fell out landing on my foot that only had a flip flop on. Not a comfortable occurrence but I was upset to think I broke the machine before I could get it to my SIL. Thankfully the machine was ok. My foot was hurting badly though so my oldest helped to get an ice pack on it quickly. I figured this would work quickly to cure the problem Unfortunately my foot developed an egg on the top of it a couple hours later. So off to the ER with the Hubby and youngest daughter. I had already given permission for my oldest to have a friend spend the night, so we decided not to bore them at the hospital.

So at about 1am I was released with a new icepack, a prescription for pain meds, crutches, and a special shoe. Thankfully it was not broken, just badly bruised. I had to call into work for the next 3 days. I then have 3 days off and only work 3 days before 3 more off. Hopefully by the time Wed gets here I will be good enough to go back to work. Hate missing so much. But do to all the extra I do at work and it thankfully being the slow time of year, my boss is not upset. So fingers crossed for it to quickly heal by 2:30 pm Wednesday.


A few pictures of my machines work:

At the hospital couple hours after it happened

Three days after it happened

Today the swelling is mostly gone, and I can walk at a much more companion friendly pace.

After the baby shower this weekend I will post pictures of what the new machine can do. Now back to my cutting so I can get to using it!

Hard to go on

I was brought a situation yesterday that just made me want to walk out and retire from everything.
I look forward to summer time each year. The thrill of planning projects and redoing the house. Some how I think each year this is the summer it will happen. I will only do what I want and be faced with nothing but good. But each year the same situation arises that halts it all in its tracks.
I know this is cryptic. I don't wish to put fully what is going on out for everyone to read. I don't know who all looks at this and don't want the wrong people to see something and twist my words. That is part of what is happening now. Words that aren't even mine are supposedly coming out of my mouth. I don't say much ever that could allow me to get into trouble. I like to keep things around me positive. But it seems no matter how hard I try, this is not what is happening. I had a very huge (for me) break down yesterday. Honestly I probably didn't have as huge as I thought, but the words coming out of my mouth, the feelings I was letting go that I didn't know I had were suddenly pouring out of me. It shocked me.
I am thankful a good friend dropped EVERYTHING as fast as she could and met up with me. Then sat with me for the next few hours helping me to relocate my drive and my hope and my confidence. She allowed me to say anything I wanted. She also brought up other subjects to get my mind on something else to brighten my spirits. I am still on rocky water, but feeling better. I stopped at Barnes and Noble and splurged $52 on only two books. I NEVER do this. I LOVE visiting Barnes and Noble, but usually reserve my book buying to some place with lower prices, sales, and coupons. But I think these books are much needed and are hard to find anywhere else.
With help from those I love pushing me forward and the constant strength my husband provides, I am still going to do what I plan. I just have to know it really isn't impossible to go on. May be hard, but not impossible!

Seriously, I will get back on here!

Life seriously just takes over every year at this time. With school very quickly coming to an end (if all tests and reports come home good, it's over next Friday...AAHHH!!!!), we are bombarded with last minute projects, end of school activities (both of mine are past the classroom party stage unfortunately and are rewarded with trips to places such as Main Event and Six Flags instead. Couldn't we go back to just a cupcake party? Those are waay less than party tickets). We also have been bombarded with doctor visits lately. I FINALLY got in to the eye doc again and got brave and went for contacts. First time ever. Still working on quickly getting them put in. And I can feel my eyes trying to work harder than they need to at times since they think after 20 years, if there isn't something sitting on my face they need to be on overdrive. I am greatly enjoying the freedom I have with contacts. I don't have to switch glasses out coming in and out of stores. I also don't have something I am constantly pulling off to clean due to a smudge. The rest of the family has also been to many doctors a lot these past few weeks. Haylee had a very drastic and sudden eye change so we had to get her eye prescription updated. Then everyone of them has had some complication that has taken them all in to the doctor for various things a number of times lately. Nothing serious for anyone, but all stuff that couldn't be cured at home. I seriously think that if all of us had gone to the same doc each time one went in for something, that doc would have been able to purchase a new car just with the funding from our visits!
We also have been working hard to squeeze in a lot more family time lately. We all are in need of being more active, some more than others as mentioned at some of these doctor visits, so we have been getting out more and doing more activities that get us out and about. I am very excited about it. They are all places I have been wanting to go, but couldn't get everyone inspired enough to go with me. Turns out as I had figured, everyone has enjoyed our outings immensely! A few weeks ago we headed out to the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens. Larry and I went in the fall for my birthday, but I was really wanting to go in the spring to enjoy the Rose Gardens. I definitely got my wish! I will post pictures from it soon. We took almost 200 that day. And many were by Larry and the girls of the various plants. I am very proud of their artistic eye they are each developing.
I am off though. Got to get to the library, tons of laundry to do, and I need to get my sewing table cleaned up and finally sit down and get some working done on it. Baby showers are quickly coming up, and oh how I LOVE sewing baby things!

Where do you go?

To find the drive to do what needs to be done? To not fall to that weak side over and over again?
I can't find the right answers to these questions.
I am unhappy. With myself, my weight, and so much more. I was a good size when I was in high school. I never worried about what I ate. I was active and just had naturally good health. Then when I was 22 I had a reaction to some medicines I was taking. I ended up not being able to tolerate the medicine. After only 3 doses I was then sick for 3 days straight. I lost almost 10 pounds in those three days and after since it took a while to get my stomach in order to eat. I stayed that small for just under two years. I look at pictures of that time and never want to look like that again. I was waaay too small.
But I look at pictures now and am unhappy again. I have put on a great deal of weight. Don't get me wrong, I don't feel I am horribly fat, but I know I am not a healthy "for me" size. And the places where I carry my weight the most are the places that show signs of major health problems to come. So for my own safety I want to change this. I also want to change it because I know I will have more energy and struggle less with the moodiness I seem to have gained along with the weight.
But I just can't get the inspiration. I was doing great last spring and dropped 10 lbs. I have kept those 10 off but have only dropped about 3 more in the last year. I thought going back to work would help the pounds just start falling off. But this is proving wrong and one more sign I just am not that young anymore. I need to quit treating myself like I am and face the facts that my diet needs to change as well as my activity levels. But the sweets and sodas just tempt me way too much. And the only time to really exercise is early in the morning. But my time with my husband is often late at night and then it is so hard to pull myself out from bed. I know that by making the changes I need to will mean a long and HAPPIER life.
Again, I know I am not huge, but I know my body is not happy with the way it is and how I have treated it. I know that once I get going on a healthier life I will get into it and want to keep going, but I just can't fight the desire for the junk when I come around it. I don't agree with pulling it all together cause I know that is just setting me up for doom. I know just little changes here and there will make a big difference, but it is hard. Work plays a big part in it. My schedule changes daily. I often don't get to take a lunch break at a time when I am hungry and not about to pass out from starvation. This makes me rush to the fast ready junk.
I would love to pack my lunch, but I am limited on time and storage space at work. And I get bored with the same thing.
I just reread what I wrote and noticed I have "I know" a lot in here. So I need to prove how "I know". I also want to be an example for my daughter. My youngest seems to have put on a lot of weight as I have. I am hoping as I loose she will naturally take after me and loose too.
Thoughts ideas on what will give me that drive to finally start the turn around? Again, I know what I need to do, just how do I get myself to make the jump and do it?