It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

We started celebrating Christmas a couple of weeks ago. My sister and her family came to have Christmas with us. We had the big traditional country Christmas meal then. And it was good! But I knew I didn't want to do that again soon!

Last night, our pastor's family, our youth pastor's family, and our servant leaders/SS teachers came over for barbecue and the fixings. And once again, it was good! (I had every intention of taking pics of both of these events for my blog, but forgot!) After dinner, Frank took the kids for a ride on the mule to look at the neighborhood Christmas lights. We had a wonderful time, and hopefully were able to let these families know how much they mean to us.

Tomorrow night, our best friends are coming for a lasagna dinner. We don't get to see them nearly enough, and I am very excited about spending some time with them...I won't promise pics because we know how that goes.

Our Christmas Eve and Christmas plans are pretty laid back. We will probably go see a movie. We are going to have a nice hearty breakfast Christmas morning, but I'm hoping we can survive on leftovers and Christmas goodies for the most part. (I don't want to cook anymore!)

We will be heading south the day after Christmas to spend some time with Frank's parents and then on to my family in Florida for a few days.

I'm so excited about Christmas morning. My love language is gifts, so I am anxious to see what I get, but most of all, I can't wait to see the kids' faces when they open their gifts (and Frank's!). When I say my love language is gifts, I know people assume it's all about what I get, but it truly is more about giving gifts to me. I love to see everyone else so excited!

And of course, the greatest gift of all is the gift Christians were given...the gift of Jesus. Merry Christmas!

SHHHH! It's very, very quiet!

Frank and the kids are in Alabama for the weekend.

School is OUT!

The house is very, very quiet, with only the sound of the dogs snoring.

What is a girl to do?

Well, Friday after work, Sharon and I went to Macon to do a little more shopping.
We had sushi at Taki, and it was Soooooooo Good!
We were yawning as we finally headed home...at 7:30!
Saturday morning I went to the Jewell Box in Jewell, GA for a high tea with the ladies at much church. It sure made me miss Tara's!
Saturday afternoon I went to Walmart for even more shopping.
I came home and wrapped gifts...this year I've been wrapping along the way so that I don't get swapped with wrapping on Christmas Eve like I usually do!
Sunday morning we had a Happy Birthday Jesus party with our 4 and 5 year olds in Sunday School. That was a lot of fun with those sweeties!
I have a little more wrapping to do today, and a lot of cleaning. But right now, I think Food Network needs me to do some watching and I may need to rest my eyes on the couch a little while.

My family will be coming home tomorrow...I have to be rested up and ready to bake cookies!

Taco Soup

Since I had a request, here's my Mama's recipe for Taco Soup. She always made this on Christmas Eve along with ham and cheese poppy seed sandwiches. I was supposed to make this yesterday when my sister was here, but we had so many leftovers from our big Christmas dinner that I saved it for tonight. And since it is soooo cold, that was a good choice.

Original Recipe:

Taco Soup

2lbs ground beef

2 cups chopped onion

2 tbs cooking oil

1 pkg taco seasoning mix

1 pkg ranch dressing mix

4 16oz cans of tomatoes

1 15oz can of kidney beans

1 15oz can of pinto beans

1 16oz can of whole kernel corn

1 4oz can of chopped green chiles

1/2 tsp of salt

Saute onions in oil. Add ground beef and continue stirring until browned. Add seasonings and then all other ingredients (undrained). After mixture begins cooking, simmer for 2 hours stirring occasionally. Serve with doritos, grated cheese, and sour cream. Makes a gallon so use a large pot.

I did a little tweaking to the recipe. I only used 1 lb of lean ground beef to cut calories. I did not use any oil. I just browned my ground beef and onions together. I used 2 big (24oz I think) cans of petite diced tomatoes because I don't like hunks of tomato in my soup. I used more beans than the original recipe to replace the other pound of ground beef. (It's an easy way to make it more healthy without the people in my house realizing what I'm doing.) I also used two packs of ranch and taco seasoning because I like things heavily flavored.

This is one of my very favorite soups. I HATE canned soups, and can be pretty picky about soups in general. As much as I would like to load it up with sour cream, cheese, and doritos, I simply ate my bowl with a little Texas Pete and some non-fat plain yogurt that I try to convince myself tastes just like sour cream. And I lusted after my family's bowls. No, not really, I actually went ahead and packed up a bowl to take to school tomorrow. My students will flip when they see me eat something other than a frozen meal, lol.

I also made the dough for Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls tonight. I'm not so sure of it. I put the yeast in when my liquid was too hot. It was much hotter than I thought it was, and I am very impatient. It didn't rise like I thought it should, so I did a little research online and decided to add another packet of yeast to it. It did finally rise a little. The dough is in the fridge now, and I will attempt to make the cinnamon rolls tomorrow. If they turn out, they will be Christmas presents. If they don't turn out, I will be making a trip to the grocery store for some Pillsbury Grands.

Thanksgiving

We had a fabulous Thanksgiving. We left Wednesday morning to go to the Florida panhandle to visit with my daddy's sister and her family. As soon as we got there we started eating and ate the whole time! My aunt is a phenomenal cook and her cooking is just like my granny's was. We grilled hamburgers and hotdogs and sausages Wednesday night, and we got into some of our Thanksgiving desserts a little early. When we got to my aunt's house, her daughter and her grandson were cooking together, and it was so sweet! They had made magic cookie bars which I loved when I was a little girl, and they are still fantastic! We spent the night at my cousin's house because another aunt and her family were coming in and they were going to sleep at my aunt's house. When I got up Thursday morning my aunt already had her stove full of Thanksgiving goodies. You can not imagine how much food we had. We filled the dining table with the real food, and filled the kitchen counters with the desserts. You couldn't put another plate down anywhere! And it was so good, I mean, SO GOOD. We ate and visited, and ate and visited, and ate and visited some more! We had at least 30 people there, and it felt so good to be with family. Friday we went to visit my daddy's best friend. They seemed so happy to see us. He was sitting in his recliner watching tv when we got there and he reminded me so much of my daddy. We had just eaten breakfast when we went over there, and they insisted we eat some dessert with them. When we got back to my aunts we ate bbq and leftovers. (I told you we ate the whole weekend!) Saturday morning we left after breakfast to go to Callaway to spend time with Frank's best friend. I hated to leave my family because I enjoyed being with them so much. They want us to come back for Christmas, but we think we are going to wait until the day after Christmas to go back and spend the week between Christmas and New Year's with them. We went to see the lights at Callaway, and visited in the hotel room with Heath and Andrea. And yes, we ate a bunch with them too. We took a long, lazy route home and enjoyed some fall foliage and lots of old houses along the way. Since we got home, Frank has been writing a paper, and I've been catching up on laundry. Tomorrow it is back to work...but only for 3 weeks!

Super Saturday

So, I survived the shopping! Yay! I actually had a good time. Sharon and I left about 9 and went straight to Kohl's. The sale wasn't as good as I was hoping, but I did find Paige a lil something and Frank some things. Then we dropped into the Goodwill store to waste a few minutes until Taki opened. We had some fabulous sushi at Taki, then we headed across town to Ulta. I love Ulta. There I bought the only thing I bought for myself today...some make up primer. I can't survive without primer and am always looking for the ultimate one. This time I'm trying the Olay kind. Yea, I am that old. Then we went to Bass Pro because Frank needed some wood chips for the turkey he is smoking and apparently was unable to drive across the street to Walmart by himself. Men! But the joke's on him because we had the best time at the Bass Pro! Sharon did not know that they have women's clothes at Bass Pro and she bought as much there as she did at Kohl's, lol. And I may or may not have gotten a few Christmas presents there myself. After all the excitement of Bass Pro, we were pretty whipped, and headed back to Milledgeville. I am attempting a 12 layer chocolate cake for tomorrow night's Thanksgiving dinner. Please pray for me. I baked 4 layers tonight using two cake mixes and a yummy recipe from the cake mix dr. I am a firm believe in the cake mix dr. This recipe is a white cake mix, 1 cup of whole milk, 3 eggs, 1 stick of melted butter, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla. The batter whips up really thick. I baked the layers tonight and will split them tomorrow using my handy dandy Wilton's cake leveler. It is awesome! I plan to make 3 layers from each layer and I am going to ice them with homemade chocolate pan frosting...my favorite! If this turns out well, I will look like quite the baker. If it doesn't, I will be picking up some Paula Deen caramel pecan pies from the Wally World!

Shop til I Drop?

Tomorrow I am doing something I never, EVER do. I am going shopping with a friend, without Paige, for Christmas gifts in a real store . I always do most of my Christmas shopping online. And if I do go real shopping, I take Paige with me. It gets even weirder though...I have no idea what I'm shopping for. I always have an idea of what I'm looking for when I do actually venture into a real store. I make lists, lots of lists, of what to get everyone on my Christmas list. And the reason I make multiple lists is because I usually lose the lists. But tomorrow is a new day for me. I'm going to go to Macon, to real stores, with no real ideas, and just look around and see if I can actually purchase Christmas gifts. I may not make a lot of progress on my Christmas shopping, but I know I will enjoy some girl-friend time, and I am hoping to get a good lunch out of it. I just hope Paige isn't forever scarred by me going without her. And vice versa.

Thursday Date Night

Tonight was date night. We went to Down South and I had grilled shrimp and grits. YUM! Some wonderful friends of ours happened to end up there tonight too, so we got to visit with them. BONUS!

I am happy report that I have made it through the week. There were times I didn't think I would. But tomorrow is Pajama Day, and I bought popcorn for my class. I'm hoping we can treat the day like a big ole pajama party. (After finishing all of our work, of course.)

We are having Thanksgiving dinner at church Sunday night, and I am so looking forward to it! I love my church home and family, and I am excited about joining this tradition. We had an old fashioned Sunday a couple of weeks ago where we had dinner outside and an old tyme worship service complete with an Amen Corner. It was so much fun, so I know that our Thanksgiving dinner will be another wonderful time. We have Wed night suppers every week, and all this church eating is not good for getting these last few pounds off...but it sure is fun!

Well, that's a recap of my week pretty much so far. Hope yours is going great!

Fantastic Friday Night

A couple of weeks ago I came to the realization that Jacob never picks out his own clothes to buy. I do all of his shopping, and if it meets his approval he will wear it. And if it doesn't, he shoves it in the back of a drawer and just keeps wearing the same things over and over. I figured that now that he is 14, and seems to finally be taking more care in his appearance (he takes a shower without being forced to now) I should offer to take him to buy a few outfits. Uh, except guys don't wear "outfits". They just wear clothes. At least that is what I was told. So Frank made a whirlwind trip to Ohio with Rickey Wedgeworth this weekend, and I decided this was a good a time as any to take Jacob shopping...for clothes, not an outfit. Jacob is not much of a shopper. We only went to one store. Target. I had to make him actually go into the clothing department...he was much more interested in showing me the video game stuff he wants for Christmas. We finally made it to the men's department. And it was quite pitiful. I offered to go somewhere, anywhere, else, but he refused. What other store was gonna have the video game stuff too? So, we perservered and he found 2 pairs of jeans and 2 shirts. He couldn't believe I made him try them on. And he refused to come out of the dressing room to show me, so I really am not sure he did actually try them on. But we got two outfits, I mean, two sets of clothing, and he was completely over the whole clothes shopping thing. Paige only stuck her lip out once because I refused to buy her a Coca Cola shirt that looked completely worn out. So all in all, it was a very successful night. The best part of the evening was the ride home. Jake's ear phones are messed up so he had to have a conversation with me. It was great! He even joined in when Paige and I were belting out "My Redeemer Lives" in true Frank Meighan fashion. What a fantastic way to spend a Friday night.

Six Months

In 6 short months, my baby boy will be getting his learner's permit. Wow. Time sure has flown by. In a way it will be cool to have him driving...I will never have to go to the grocery store again (I hope). But then again, I sure don't think we are ready for this!

He has really grown up in the last six months. He has become a lot more comfortable with himself, gained a whole lot more confidence, and is an over all happier kid. I know in six more months he will be totally ready to take on the world from behind the wheel. But will we be ready for that?

The Mom Cave: A Metamorphosis

This is what most of my house was covered in when it was built in 1971...dark, ugly panelling! I had what must be one of the ugliest laundry rooms ever! It is a real room, with a door, and that door had to stay shut at all times. I think it's pretty obvious why the door needed to stay shut!
But it is a laundry room not a closet, and I thought it might have some potential...at least the potential not to be quite this ugly!

So, goodbye to 1971...

...and hello to the new and improved Mom Cave!

My friend and I primed and painted the panelling and cabinets. The paint color is a custom blend we like to call "Magical Mist". It was a mixture of some baby blue and fern green paint that I had sitting around the garage.

The whole project was done on a very tight budget. I already had the curtains, and I printed the botanicals on the computer. I even spray painted old picture frames for them! My biggest splurge was the mirror that I used to cover the panel box...and it was about $20 at Walmart.

I bought the big basket at Walmart on clearance for $7.00 and the little basket came from Big lots for $2.00. The flowers on the wall hung on my front door last spring, so it is being recycled. I decided to cover my sink with a piece of plywood because we really don't use the sink very much, and if I do need to, I can just slide the plywood off. I used some more leftover curtains to make the skirt that hides the trashcan.

I love the way my laundry room turned out, and now, we keep the door open!

The Man Cave

As you probably know, we always either have a project going on, just finished one, or are dreaming up the next one. Frank has been great about working on the house, and 90% of the changes have been what I wanted. I do the dreaming, he (and his dad) do the work. It was finally time for Frank to get one of his wishes. We finally fixed up the Man Cave! As usual, I have no "before" pics which is a real shame. Some of you have seen the "after" that came before the big transformation, but hardly anyone has seen the REAL before from when we first moved in. Let's just say, it keeps getting better! The screen is "where the magic happens" in this room, and I got it for Frank for Christmas last year.

Frank and his dad hung pine ceilings which I think are BEE YOO TI FUL! Frank did the decorating which for now consists of flags that represent his two favorite sports teams that he got another Christmas.

The furniture is the set we got back in 1996 but is still in really good shape and quite comfy. There is a good chance you either had the same set or know someone who did.

More of the purty ceiling. Behind that door is storage and mechanical stuff like the a/c unit and the hot water heaters.

The carpeting consists of rugs from Walmart.com that were only $20 each! Great bargain and definitely the most economical way we could carpet the floor.

On the other side of that door is Jake's room. I couldn't take pics because it was not up to my cleanliness standards. Frank built Jake's room the same way as the Cave, and he also has a bathroom and a huge closet.


We have already watched several movies down in the Man Cave, and hope to use it a lot. The big chair is Frank's, and the little one is supposed to be mine...but I much prefer napping on the love seat while Frank watches a movie! Keep an eye out for my upcoming post on the "Mom Cave".

Standing In His Presence

WOW! I know I've said over and over how much I love Lakeside Baptist Church, but I can not adequately express how much I love my church home. Tonight was a very special night. Our church family voted unanimously to call Greg Moon and his family to Lakeside as our new Associate Pastor. I have seen for months the human side of a monumental search to find the right man for Lakeside, but tonight I saw God's hand in choosing the right man.

We met the Moon's several weeks back when they came for their first interview. We had the privilege of having them in our home for dinner. Frank and I liked them as soon as we met them. We spent several hours getting to know them, and we really wanted them to be the ones. Frank was even more sure after Greg's interview. He said that he didn't seem to try to give them the answers the committee wanted to hear, but they both just spoke from their hearts and it was obvious they were a team.

Greg came back for a second interview, which further solidified to Frank that he was the man, and then they came to spend some time with the youth that Saturday night. We just sat back and watched Greg interact with the kids. When we got in the car, Jacob told us how much he liked him. In fact, Jacob said Greg was almost as cool as he is. So there you go, it just had to be!

Sunday we got to see the rest of our church fall in love with this family. Frank said they could just see what we saw, but I knew that our church hasn't seen the half of it yet! Tonight, our church service was devoted to hearing God's will. And it wasn't a whisper...it was a shout! We sang the song "Standing on Holy Ground" and it was amazing. I know that there were angels all around, because we were definitely standing in His presence. There were tears and hands raised all over the church, along with shouting and pure joy.

All I could think was how unbelievably happy I am to be home. Lakeside is our home. And I am thrilled that the Moon family will be here with us soon. In our church there is a banner that reads "The church is at peace." Peace, joy, and home...thank you God for my church, my pastors, and my church family.

We Are Weak, But He Is Strong!

And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

2 Corinthians 12:9

Yum Yum Tuesday

Frank and I decided to reschedule "Date Night" to Sunday afternoon because he has so much going on with school and I'm worn out from my school and the kids will be playing Laser Tag Sunday afternoon so we have the day to ourselves. Since it's not Date Night, I got a wild hair and decided to cook something new to make it a special Tuesday anyway.

Sunday afternoon I found a great website with WW friendly recipes. www.skinnytaste.com I saw a good sounding recipe for feta chicken and decided to try it for dinner tonight. I actually did some tweaking and expanding and I hope it turns out as delicious as it smells. Paige is already turning her nose up at the thought of artichoke hearts and Jacob is wary of the spinach, but I'm looking forward to a Greek inspired dinner. Opa!

A New Way of Doing Things

This past week I have been blessed to see things done in a different way. Our church is in the process of doing two things that can cause a lot of problems...start a building project and hire an associate pastor. Where I have come from, these two things were not done well, and things were done behind closed doors, and a lot of people were hurt because of this. Thank God we are at a new place that does things in a much different way.

We are about to undertake a building project. Our church needs a bigger sanctuary, a dedicated fellowship hall, and a place for the youth. After much prayer, the church has decided to start with the youth. WOW...that decision proves that our church has a heart for its kids. Another cool thing that I've found out about our church is that it doesn't believe in debt. But what has perhaps impressed me the most is that the members are making these decisions. The committee has done the leg work, but our church had a "town hall" meeting to discuss the project.

Tonight we had another town hall meeting. This one was to allow the church to ask the candidate for the associate pastor any questions they had. Frank is on the search committee so I know how much work has gone into finding the right man. But tonight, I got to see God's handiwork. Next week, we will vote. Our pastor isn't hiring a youth pastor. Our committee isn't hiring a youth pastor. We, the members will vote whether or not to hire him. But God chose the man for our church. How awesome is that?!

Once again, I am so glad we are at Lakeside. It's not the church we chose, it's the one God chose for us. I sure didn't like how He sent us there, but I know now that it was all for good.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to those that are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

Weekend Wrap Up and Date Night 3.0

This weekend Frank's parents came up. He and his dad worked all day for two days on the media room that the basement is becoming. They got most of it done, so Frank only has to trim it out and put down the floor. And then it's time to put the electronics back together and my favorite part...decorate! While they were working downstairs, his mom and I went to Senoia, GA to the Southern Living Idea House. It was beautiful, and makes me want to do so much more with my own house. Frank doesn't need to know that or he will never let me leave the house again!

I did decide I am definitely redoing my laundry room during Fall Break. I've roped Sharon into helping me, and we think we can knock it out quickly. Frank has agreed to help me with the flooring. I don't want him to help with the rest of it, because I am going totally against his wishes with it. But it's the laundry room, so if it's a total failure, I can always just shut the door.

It was a nice, busy weekend, and I was really looking forward to jury duty this week. I know, that sounds crazy, but I liked the idea of not having to be anywhere until 9:00 and sitting around with nothing to do but read a book! I worked my tail off to get everything ready for a sub and to get my report cards ready in case I had to be out for several days, and then found out at 6 last night that I didn't have to go!

Instead of jury duty, I did get to go out with my sweet husband for our third date night. We went to Gray to eat at my favorite Mexican restaurant. I chose Gray because I wanted to go to Ace Hardware to buy a baby gift. Ace Hardware? yep If you haven't been to their gift shop, you are really missing out. I had a ton of fun looking for a baby girl gift, but I don't know the baby's name so I was really limited. They have the CUTEST Christmas stuff for babies. I ended up getting these cute wooden dividers for the baby's closet. They have the sizes on them so you can separate the baby's clothes by size. I'm sure Amber and Brad will get tons of sweet clothes for their sweet baby girl, so I thought it would be a neat thing to have. I also got her some cutey-patootie socks and a sweet toy. I am going to keep looking between now and Saturday for some more pink and green things to put in her bag of gifts. I love shopping for baby girls!

Now I am just waiting for The Good Wife to come on and wishing I hadn't eaten so much Mexican food. I will be much better tomorrow...only 12 more pounds to go!

I Did It!

I have blogged every day for 30 days. I've enjoyed sitting down and thinking about my day, my life for a few minutes every evening. It's not exactly an "exciting" life, but it's a life I wouldn't trade for anything in the world. I definitely plan to keep up with my blogging better, but it will be nice not to feel like I have to say something of meaning every day.

I have loved reading blogs for a couple of years now. The blogs I read now are not the sames ones I used to read consistently. I'm into decorating blogs more than anything right now. I love to see the pretty things they do, and every once in a while, I get inspired enough to actually do something too. Right now I am thinking about fixing up my laundry room. It is only utilitarian and not pretty at all. But then again, I just took a look in there, and I'm not sure if I am that inspired after all, lol. But if I do get a wild hair and decide to beautify the laundry room, I will be sure to blog about it...with before and after pics!

Burger-less Burger

I have been dying for a hamburger. A good, juicy, bad for you hamburger. I tried the Boca burger thing, and it wasn't bad exactly, it just didn't have any real taste at all. Today Frank made burgers for him and the kids and I wanted one too! I thought about trying the turkey burger route, but at 4 points, didn't want to waste them on disappointment. Instead I got some portabello mushroom slices and sauteed them and used them as my meat. Oh wow. It was so good. REALLY. I made my hamburgerless hamburger just like I would a real one (without cheese) and served it on a zero point bun, and it was so daggone good! I happen to like mushrooms, so I'm sure that's part of it, but it was juicy, and messy, and perfect. Yay! I'm blogging with a pleasantly full belly tonight.

PS. Only 13 lbs to go!

Date Night 2.0

Tonight was Date Night. I met Frank over in Macon so that he didn't have to drive over there twice today. He used the quiet time to study for tomorrow's midterm so it worked out good. We went to Fish n Pig for dinner. This is one of the places Oprah ate when she was in Macon. We've been there a couple of times before. It is owned by the same people who own Jim Shaw's and Satterfield's BBQ. It is right on Lake Tobesofkee and there are tons of ducks and geese that hang out there. I had broiled shrimp and Frank had catfish filets. The best thing about this place is that they serve our favorite appetizer...boiled peanuts! After dinner we went to HH Greg to look at freezers and ended up spending more time looking at gas stoves. I hate our glass top stove, and Frank really wants a gas one. We are definitely just looking though, not ready to change it out. Then we went to Michaels. I am going to make a pumpkin topiary for my front door similar to Hollie's. I made one last year with my address numbers, but it didn't look as good as I wanted. As I was shopping for pumpkins, I remembered that I still have last year's pumpkins, and I really couldn't find but two shapes and needed three, so I decided just to buy some leaf garland and work with what I have. I will be working on that later in the week. We are going to have to adjust our date night because Frank will be working the lights and sound board for GMC's fall play and starts practices Thursday. He will have to work Tuesday nights, so I'm not sure what night will be our new date night. I do know we are going to keep this up though, because I really look forward to our date. I was plum giddy on the drive over to see him. And he's so nice on date night, lol. He didn't complain one time about traipsing all over Michael's with me. Can't beat that! Next week he has to plan the date...remind me not to complain when it involves a sporting goods store!

O M G !!!!!!

Ok, so I'm on Facebook looking at a girl's profile. She happens to be the sister of the first boy I ever kissed. Many, many moons ago, I was totally infatuated with this boy at my church. I was about 14, he was 16. I wrote him a letter to tell him how deeply devoted I was to him. I know, how embaressing. But oh, it gets worse. So he "liked" me too, but he didn't want anyone else to know it. We even kissed in the back of the church a few times. (I know, I'd kill my child for such as that!) Anyway, he broke my heart, no one believed we had ever even been an item, and that wasn't all she wrote. He popped into my life a few more times, and eventually actually sang at my wedding! Hey, it was a small town. Well, here we are today, and I am looking at his sister's profile. And she is tagged in a picture of an album cover. Who is on the album cover? None other than "the boy"! He now has a new name, but this is so defintely him. O M G! My first kiss is a country music singer that may or may not be hitting the big time now.

I laughed and laughed about this, but Jacob did not quite the see the humor in it. Thank goodness Sharon did. And Frank even did, but not the extent that I did. Sharon also agrees, I did trade up when I met Frank! I wish I was still in touch with my high school friends who suffered through the days of infatuation with me. I'd love to share this news with them. But for now, I'm sharing it with you, my faithful blog readers...all three of you.

BTW Kolt Barber's website is www.koltbarber.net and he's on facebook. And I love Frank even more now than ever!

What to do, What to do?

Today the kids went bowling with their youth group, and Frank had his buddy Rickey down here to shoot skeet. I had the afternoon all to myself. How did I spend my day? First I went to get a pedicure, but please don't tell Paige. She will be so mad I went without her! Afterwards I ran to Walmart for a few things. Then I came home and, wait for it, cleaned out my closet! I know, I know, all this excitement in one weekend...Goodwill, Publix, AND cleaning out my closet! It could go to one's head. The guys had a fun day doing their man stuff, and Frank and I collaborated on dinner. He cooked pork chops in the iron skillet and I made twice baked potato casserole, green beans, and fried okra. There were some very happy people at my house tonight! The kids had a great day with their friends. It's been a good Sunday.

Goodwill Hunting

Paige and I went to the Goodwill Store at Lake Oconee and it is awesome! We got there and there were cars everywhere. I almost didn't go in because I was afraid of it being so crowded. But it is a big store, so it didn't seem bad at all. Because it's new, it was clean and didn't smell bad. It was nice and cool, and they were even playing the Fish on the radio. There are tons of racks of clothes. It's pretty overwhelming because it's all organized by color. I wish they organized it by sizes. You have to dig, but its definitely worth the digging. I got 5 pairs of pants, a dress, and at least 5 shirts, and Paige got some knee shorts, a shirt, a sweater, and a scarf. All in all, we got a huge bag of clothes for less than $45.00. And these weren't Walmart clothes either. We got brands like Ralph Lauren, J Crew, Talbots, Ann Taylor, Old Navy, and Gap. I have a rule when I thrift store shop that it has to be a brand I can't afford. I refuse to buy anything second hand that I could get at Walmart. After we saved so much money shopping, we went to lunch and had Mexican food over by the movie theater. I had yummy fish tacos and she had beef nachos. Then we went to Publix, my favorite grocery store in the world. I know, Goodwill and Publix in the same day...it's almost too much!

10 Things Before the End of '10

I was reading someone's blog today with their list of 100 things they wanted to do in the next 1001 days. I thought it was really cool, but I can't think that far in advance right now. So instead, here's my list of 10 things I want to do before the end of 2010.

1. Lose these last 15 pounds.

2. Re-hang my living room curtains at the right height.

3. See a play at the Fox Theater.

4. Bake the Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls.

5. Complete a 5k.

6. Landscape my front yard.

7. Go to the dentist. (I HATE the dentist!)

8. Hang family pictures in my hallway.

9. Start couponing again...seriously.

10. Host a movie night in our yet to be finished media room.

I'm Gonna Make it to the Weekend

Little the little engine that could...I think I can, I think I can...I know I can! Make it to the weekend I mean. The full moon has been in full swing at school since Tuesday, and as usual, I'm ready for a break. But this isn't just any ole weekend, this weekend I have big plans. I'm going to the new Goodwill at Lake Oconee! The older you get, it's amazing the big joy the small pleasures in life bring you! I'm hoping that some high dollar junk is gonna be fun to look at, and I might even get a few things. I really need some clothes, but I'm not ready to go buy new ones yet. My 10's are too big, but I'm not ready for the size I want to be. I hope some rich woman took some barely worn nice things to the Goodwill and they are there waiting on me. If not, I guess I will just get a belt! The kids have Sunday plans and so it's gonna be an adult only day around here. Wild times in store I'm sure...prolly a nap! Either way, it's gonna be a great weekend, and I am really looking forward to it.

Happy Wednesday!

Wednesday is one of my favorite days of the week. When I wake up at 5:45, I think to myself that I only have to wake up two more times this week. Nah, actually, my favorite part of Wednesday is Wednesday Night. The women's Bible study group I'm in is so good. We are studying about grace, and I love learning from all the other women in the group. There are some really, really wise women in our group and they bring so much to the discussion. Tonight was extra fun because my friend Jody joined us. We were packed out, nearly every chair filled, and we actually got through 3 passages tonight, lol.

We got home and ate tacos. Now we are watching Criminal Minds and kickin' back. And you know what else is great...I only have to get up 2 more times this week!

Date Night

Tonight was "Date Night". The kids are getting older, and they really don't care if we go out to eat without them...as long as we bring them something when we get home. So we decided it's time for us to implement a "Date Night". Tonight we went to Sylvia's for dinner, and then to see the movie Town. Dinner was good, and the movie was very good. (Lots of cussing though) The kids didn't start texting until we were in the movie. We had left out that part of the date night description to them, because that part they would care about. I know, we are such bad parents, but we did have a good time! Tuesday night was a great night for a movie because they have $1 drinks and popcorn! We brought the kids home McDonald's, and all is good. I feel so naughty for being out on a school night! We are planning on doing this every Tuesday night. Anyone have any great date ideas?

A Good Day

This was not only a good day, but a good Monday even. I woke up dreaming that my class was so bad that I went to the principal and told her to deal with them, lol. Thank goodness it was just a dream! My students were very good today. They were even good in Music! Woo Hoo! We are making progress. They were very excited about the new LCD projector which was installed in my room today. And what did they want to see first, the pictures of my uncle and family from his obituary. I know, weird, but they have been so sweet, and they enjoyed seeing pictures of my family. However, they still think he was my grandpa, not my uncle. I guess I must look too young to have an uncle who was 77 years old, lol.

Sharon, Erin, and I went to walk at the Centennial Center. I'm not sure which we work more, our legs or our mouths, but either way, it's fun. Then I went and did my circuit training work out. I needed it desperately because I had not worked out since last Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday I was out of town, and then Thursday and Friday I was nursing an, uh, injury. I tripped over the gas hose at the gas station and fell HARD flat on my face. I skinned my knee and bruised my palm, but apparently jarred my butt pretty good in the process. I strained a muscle or tendon in my butt check and it hurt like the dickens. What a nerd. I also hurt the muscle in the opposite upper arm. It's so weird that the worst part of the fall were parts of my body that didn't even make contact with the concrete.

I came home and actually cooked dinner and am now waiting on Frank to get home from a service call. It's been a good day, and I'm looking forward to a good week.

Sunday Worship

I love Sundays. So much in fact, that I usually wake up before the alarm goes off. We had a great class this morning studying how Paul told the church to forgive someone that hurt him. Then we had an awesome worship service studying the book of Ephesians. The kids and I came home while Frank met with the Associate Pastor Search Committee as they interviewed a second candidate for that position. We had a quiet afternoon and I even snuck in a few zzz's. Jacob asked could he please go to church tonight (wow) which we normally do anyway, so I'm not sure why he asked, but I sure am glad he did. On Sunday nights we are studying Hosea. My favorite part of Lakeside is the emphasis on prayer. We open the morning worship with a time of prayer in preparation to be able to worship with clean hands and clean hearts. Then before the sermon is a special time where people can go to be prayed for their specific needs with worship leaders and servant leaders. I love that, and you can feel the Holy Spirit moving. On Sunday nights, we have special prayer time where we gather in small groups or all together for specific prayer needs. Tonight we went down the prayer list and prayed for each and every family mentioned specifically by name. It is such a great feeling to know your church family is praying for you! Our family is so blesssed to be worshipping at Lakeside.

Lovin' the Weekend

I had a very lazy Saturday and am lovin' every minute of it. I slept til 9:30 which NEVER happens! Frank got up at 7:30, but he was kind enough to go ahead and get up and not flip around and turn on the tv in bed. It's taken over 17 years, but I think he finally gets it! I got up and piddled around, did some laundry, straightened the house, folded a hundred loads of clothes that never got folded this week. I sold my freezer that Frank wanted to take to the dump for $60.00. I posted my camper on craigslist and a few other sights, and had a few nibbles on it. I got a short, much needed visit with my friend Cindy. Frank and I went to Piggly Wiggly to get him and the kids fried chicken for supper. I had shrimp and grits. Now we are about to settle down and watch some month-old netflix movies. Today has been quiet, lazy, and stress-free. Lovin it!

Say Yes to Friday Night

A peaceful Friday evening after a very hectic Friday day. I was soooooo looking forward to some peace and quiet when I got home, but Frank was rewiring the basement in preparation for the media room remodel. Hammers, drills, saws, and such so it wasn't exactly what I had planned. We ordered pizza (thin crust with white sauce, roasted red peppers, and spinach for me) and I've settled in for a night of Say Yes to the Dress. The commercials for some of the other stuff on TLC are ridiculous. Remember when TLC was the Learning Channel? Oh well, I realize I'm not learning anything from Say Yes to the Dress, but I sure am loving it right now! However, I will be skipping the new show with the guy and his THREE wives! I'm saying yes to the dress, not polygamy!

It's Thursday, It's Thursday, Almost Friday!

My students seemed thrilled to see me this morning. What a way to start a day when you don't feel like you slept at all the night before. We got quite a bit done, and almost everyone made a 100 on their spelling pre-test, so life in the 2nd grade is good!

I made sloppy joes and tater tots for supper, and my family was very happy that 1. I cooked (sorta) and 2. they love sloppy joes and tater tots. Grayson is spending the evening with us while his parents celebrate their 22nd wedding anniversary. Right now there are 3 happy kids in the pool, and I imagine that the water is a tad chilly. In a little while there will be 3 teeth chattering kids wanting to come inside.

Tomorrow is Friday, and that means that in another day I will get to sleep past 5:45. I'm looking forward to that so much.

Blogging Challenge Kinda Stinks Tonight

I'm tired. Just got home from Bainbridge. Funeral went well, and I enjoyed my time with my family. I enjoyed it so much in fact, that we stayed too late, and I'm ready for bed and not wanting to blog. BUT, I am challenging myself, and I am not a quitter. Tomorrow, I will try to write a blog-worthy post, but tonight, I'm going to sleep.

Family Time

I left work after lunch today to come down to Bainbridge for my uncle's funeral. The kids and I came down today, and Frank will come tomorrow. I hate the reason I am here, but I do love seeing my family. After the visitation, we went to dinner at the local Mexican restaurant with my cousins. It was fun to spend some time with them, and to see their kids. It's so crazy to think about my little cousin who I dressed up and treated like my own little doll with her own son! Now we are at the hotel chillin'. Tomorrow's going to be a tough day, but like I tell my kids, it's something you do for family.

Mellow Monday

For a Monday, today wasn't a bad day at all. My students were pretty good actually. I got my workouts in without any complaining. I had a good time catching up with Sharon about her weekend. I didn't have to cook dinner since we still have lasagna leftovers. The kids didn't argue at all today that I am aware of. I spent the evening with a sweet, sweet lady planning Lakeside's Winter Women's Retreat. I'm about to watch tv in bed with my sweet, sweet husband. Maybe Mondays aren't so bad after all!

Sad Sunday

My sweet Uncle Shorty passed away at 6:05 this evening. I will miss his stories, his laughter. I will miss that connection to my own parents. I feel so bad for his children, especially Deb. Deb lost her only son in May, her mother in August, and now her daddy. As bad as I know it hurts to lose a parent, I just can't imagine her pain.

But for Uncle Shorty, I rejoice. No more suffering, no more pain. He is in Heaven with his love, my Aunt Betty, with his best friend, my daddy, with his parents, with his beloved son and grandchildren, and with his Savior.

Saturday Night Dinner

Tonight we had the pleasure of hosting a candidate for the youth pastor position at our church and his wife and also our pastor and his wife for dinner. Frank requested his favorite lasagna for dinner and I also made some homemade brownies with icing. The brownies were sinful, but the company was heavenly! It was great having these sweet couples over for dinner. I sure have missed this kind of fellowship. We have had two big parties since joining Lakeside, but this is the first time we've had Peggy, Tim, and Grayson over in a small group. I love them, and am so glad God led us to Lakeside.

Finally Friday

It may have only been a four day work week, but it was a long four day work week! I'm so glad the weekend is here. We went to Macon tonight for supper and ate at Olive Garden. Frank and Jake had big hopes for the never ending pasta bowl, but Jake wimped out after one bowl, and Frank just ate two bowls of the same kind. He did get wild and change from sausage to meat balls though. I had big plans for looking for a small chest freezer but ended up too tired to shop. We are already back home at 8:00 on a Friday night. Good times, good times. We do have big plans for tomorrow evening, but you will have to wait til tomorrow's post to find out about that!

Kids Say the Funniest Things

This year I have the cutest kid in my class. His brother was in my class when he was in kindergarten, so I have known him for a few years. He is also quite a handfull, and he ALWAYS has something to say.

One day I wore a brightly colored dress, and he told me he liked my dress...then he turned to another kid and said "You know that's a cute dress."

Today though, might be the funniest thing he has said so far. He brought a note from his mom to me, and asked if I wanted him to take it up to the office. I told him no, that it was just to me. He said "Oh, I didn't know you could read cursing (cursive) writing."

Another student asked me one day if I had a job. I guess I need to get busy on the job I do have!

Yesterday, Frank stopped by my classroom to swap keys with me. The kids started bombarding him with questions. It's crazy the things they wanted to know. Such as...

Where did you get your watch?

Are you rich?

Do you have a big house?

and my favorite....

What do you weigh???

Uncle Shorty and Aunt Betty

In late August, my Uncle Shorty became very sick and was admitted to the hospital. He was suffering from renal failure. He and his wife, my Aunt Betty, had just celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary. She went home for the night because she didn't have her medicines and planned to go back the next morning to stay with him until he was better. That night, she had an anuerysm and was rushed to the same hospital he was in. She passed away the next morning. I truly believe she couldn't bear losing her husband. Uncle Shorty has gotten sicker. He can not tolerate dialysis because he is also suffering from congestive heart failure. After a few weeks in the hospital, Uncle Shorty was sent home for his last days. Monday, his family was told this is the beginning of the end. He is no long eating or drinking or speaking. We went last weekend to see him, and he was still able to speak, and he knew who we were. I am so glad I was able to spend some time with him. Uncle Shorty was my daddy's brother and best friend, and Aunt Betty was a sister to my mama. I know what it's like to lose your parents, but I can't imagine what it's like to lose them so close together. Please pray for my cousins as they go through this and pray that my Uncle Shorty does not suffer.

Yummy to my Tummy

After surviving for 6 months on very few carbs, I am now counting Weight Watcher's points. I am not going to the meetings, but I went a few years ago. I am almost down to what I weighed when I went to Weight Watchers, hahaha. I don't feel deprived at all especially after no sugar or bread for so long. Here are some of the things I am LOVING right now.

100 calorie popcorn (2 points)

WW little cakes...esp carrot (1 point)

a warm Smart One's or other kind of frozen meal for lunch every day

Fiber One key lime yogurt (0 points)

low-fat cinnamon graham crackers (1 point each)

sugar-free pudding (1 point)

Crystal Light peach tea

Anything on a tortilla

the Hungry Girl website

It's funny what starts to taste good to you. I saw online that people are marketing baby carrots as the new "junk food" to get people to buy them. I don't think I will be adding baby carrots to my list of "loves" anytime soon...at least not with fat free dressing.

Life, it is a Changing

The only thing constant in life is change. Change can be good. It can also be very scary. This has been a year of much change. Some of the biggest changes in 2010 have been relationship changes. One change has set forth a ripple effect of other changes.

I don't usually deal with change very well. I hold grudges and stew over my hurt feelings. I admit this, and I know it is very human and very wrong. Our Sunday school Bible study is on forgiveness right now. Talk about a divine intervention!

But there are positive aspects to change too. I have learned who my real friends are. A few genuine friends are much more precious than a crowd of people. We have made new friends and are really enjoying getting to know them better.

Frank and I have also become closer than we have ever been. After 18 years, our marriage is just getting sweeter and sweeter. Is he perfect? nope Am I? oh heck no! But I genuinely enjoy spending time with him like never before.

The kids are growing up, and their need for me is different than when they were little. Some parts of that change are great, others are scary. They are becoming more independent and I have to admit, it's great to be able to go to Macon for lunch with Frank without worrying about the kids! But it's also pretty sad knowing that Paige won't always come in to kiss me goodnight every night before she goes to bed.

Ugh, life, it is a changing, but I see that the good definitely outweighs the bad. And there is something else that is constant...God's love. His love for me hasn't changed. He knows the plans He has for my life, even when I don't. And they are more than I can ask for or even imagine.

"For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work in us. Ephesians 3:20

Cruise to the Bahamas...No Boys Allowed!

Ever since I was a little girl watching the Love Boat, I dreamed of going on a cruise. Frank and I have talked about it many times over the years, with me doing most of the talking, and him avoiding the topic.

Last year, Paige and I started a tradition of going on a girl's only trip for our July birthdays. She saw a commercial for Carnival cruises and decided that was the vacation for us. I thought it was a great idea...except for the cost.

Then I remembered that Frank has been saving Baker Bravo points that he gets from his AC supplier ever since he went into business for himself. He had enough points saved for a 4 day cruise! He and Jacob both swore they had no interest in joining us girls on a cruise, so it was anchors aweigh for Paige and me!

I decided to cruise out of Jacksonville because I was familiar with the city since we lived there when we were first married. Carnival offers one ship, the Fascination, in Jacksonville, and our cruise was to Freeport and Nassau, Bahamas.

Paige really wanted to swim with dolphins, so I surprised her with a Dolphin Encounter excursion. We were able to see the dolphins perform, learn a lot about them, and then get in the pool with them and pet them and were even kissed by a dolphin!

The weirdest thing about Freeport was the ride through town...they drive on the wrong side of the street!

We were really blessed to make friends our very first night on the boat. We met a girl and her mother from Camilla, Ga of all places! Bethanny was pretty close to Paige's age, and her mom is a teacher, so we had plenty in common and really enjoyed spending time with each other on the ship. Paige and Bethanny were instant friends and spent almost every waking hour together. They wore us mama's out! We went to all the shows and ate, and ate, and ate! Midnight buffets and room service became our best friends. Everything they say about cruises is true. And we loved every minute!

We had great service and Paige was always excited to see what towel animal we had in our room every night.

It's very hard to describe how absolutely beautiful the ocean and the sky were out there. The whole experience was awesome, and we are definitely going back! I've even talked Frank in a cruise for our 20th anniversary in 2012...as long as it's to Alaska!

In Nassau, we decided to take a taxi cab out to the beach. Paige wanted to get her hair braided by the ladies. We spent the day at the beach, and it was BEAUTIFUL! We were going to go to the Atlantis resort too, but were just too tired. That is the only day I got Paige to take a nap! The water was so clear, the waves were like sheets of glass.

There was so much to do both on the ship and in the ports, that we just couldn't get to all of it. I would be more than happy to go back on the same ship to the same ports again and again...it was that fun! Paige has already put in that we are going back next summer...and I'm already looking at deals to go back. I just wish I could talk the guys in our house to join us for a Thanksgiving cruise!

Paige-a-riffic

Paige is now 11 and in the sixth grade. She is the type of person who loves big. Everything is a big deal to her, and she has a huge heart. When she makes a friend, they are her best friend. When she likes a song, she plays it over and over. Everything is her favorite. This makes for some drama around our house, but it is also her best personality trait. As a person who guards their emotions like I do, I could learn a lot from Paige.
Last summer we started a tradition of going on a birthday trip, just the two of us. This year's trip was a cruise to the Bahamas. We had the best time. Paige is not afraid of much, and she forces me to come out of my own shell sometimes. We maneuvered the islands right by ourselves and had so much fun.

She is going to EBLA now, taking 6th and 7th grade classes. She has worked so hard, with hours and hours of homework. It's been frustrating for her, and for us too. She hasn't given up, and on her first midterm progress report got all 5's out of 5 for effort, preparedness, and attitude. Woo Hoo! Dr. Moss assures us that Paige will catch up quickly, and will be successful.

Switching schools last year was very hard on Paige. She really missed the social interaction with the other girls. I prayed that God would send Paige a friend at her new school this year, just one sweet girl. Not only did he answer my prayer, but he reconnected Paige with a girl she used to go to school with, so that she knew someone from day one, and he also gave her several new friends too! She is excited to go to school each and every day, and that is a blessing. She is enjoying the best of both worlds at church because she goes with the youth on Sunday nights and for Sunday school, but she stays with the younger girls on Wednesday nights with Mrs. Joy.

Paige is such a blessing to us. She keeps us on our toes and she makes our lives much more interesting. By the way, she is just about as tall as I am now, and LOVES that! When I grow up, I want to have a heart just like Paige.

My Boy J

Jacob is now 14 years old. In less than 2 years he will be driving. Just two short years ago, he was still a little boy...at least I thought he was. But now there is no denying, Jacob is growing up. He has taken to calling himself Jake. That's fine because I had intended to call him Jake the whole time I was pregnant with him. He's been Jacob, Jake, Jake-Jake, J, JJ, Jay-G, Jake the Snake, Bunk, and heaven knows what else we have called him at any given time. Most of all though, I'm proud to call him my son.

Jacob hates to have his picture taken, so it's very hard to get a good one of him. He is such a handsome boy to me, and his heart is his best feature. He's a smart kid, with a lot of self-motivation, and he has a knack for making his teachers fall in love with him. He is in the 9th grade and is enjoying high school. He has started having a social life and is loving his youth group. This weekend he is zip lining in the Georgia mountains! He just got his braces off and has been shaving since Christmas. Man, I feel old! He is way taller than I am, and has a set of shoulders like you wouldn't believe. Everyone thinks he is going to be taller than his dad, and they wear the same shoe size now. He is becoming more confident every day, and has a great sense of humor...

Ok, I admit, I made him take that picture, but you have to admit, it is funny! Jake is a great kid, and I know that no matter where he goes, he is going to behave himself. He is smart enough to save the bad stuff for home! He has grown up way too fast, and all the good qualities that he has, I know we had very little to do with them. He's a great kid in spite of his parents. I know that the next few years will be very exciting for him, and hard for me. Part of it I'm probably going to want to fast forward through, and part of it I'm going to want to pass as slowly as possible. I can't believe that he will be an "adult" in four short years. But I know if the next few years pass as quickly as the last 14 have, it will be time for him to go off to college in a blink. I think I miss him already!

My Hero

That's him... My Hero! Frank graduated in June from GMC with his Associate's Degree in History. He did this with a 3.9 GPA. The only B he made was in a summer session Statistics class! He also completed this monumental feat at the age of 39 while still providing for our family and doing more than his fair share with the kids. We are so proud of him! He is now a full time junior at Macon State College majoring in History Education. He took the summer off (at my request) and we celebrated his graduation with a trip to California.

Frank "grew up" in California and we loved seeing his old stomping grounds. We were able to spend time with his wonderful aunt, and even got to meet some of his cousins that he hadn't seen since he was Jake's age. The kids loved hearing about "Frankie". We did realize though, that Frank has actually lived longer in Milledgeville than he has ever lived anywhere in his whole life.

Frank has become very good friends with our Sunday school teacher, John, and they are golfing buddies now. He is serving on the Youth Pastor Search Committee at our church, and will be teaching our SS class this Sunday.

I've kept him busy around the house building a bedroom and bathroom in the basement for Jacob. He will be starting the media room renovation down there soon. I even convinced him to go running with me. I thought I could impress him with my new found athleticism. Hahahaha, he is running 2 miles at a time already and has left me in his dust!

Our family is so blessed. He is a great dad and a pretty good husband too! He forces me to lighten up when I take things too seriously, and he has a great big heart. He is strong enough to handle the things I can't, and loves me in spite of myself. I was only 18 when we got married, and I sure didn't know what I was doing, but God sure did when he gave me Frank!

September Challenge

Well, I'm back. I have thought about blogging a hundred times, and I finally decided to give myself a 30 day challenge. I am challenging myself to blog every day in September. A lot of things have happened over the last few months, and I hope to get to some of that, while also keeping up with what's going on now. Right now, I'm gonna play catch up. Since it's my blog, I'm going to be very self-centered and blog about me today. I have been working very hard since January to lose weight. I have not taken diet pills (though quite tempted) and I am not sick. Both of those have become rumors as to why I've lost "so much weight so fast". First of all, it hasn't been fast! It's taken me 7 1/2 months to get this far, and I still have about 20 lbs to go. I didn't weigh at first, because I couldn't handle the devastation to know just how big I was, so I don't know exactly how much weight I have lost. I estimate it to be at least 50 pounds. Ugh. I have a hard time being proud of what I have lost because I am so embaressed about what I weighed to start with. This is my "before picture". It was taken the day before I started dieting. It is just of my fat shoulders and face because fat people who are deep in shame don't let people take full length pictures.
This is my 5 months progress picture. We were on vacation in northern California. (more about that later)

I started at a tight size 18 W and am now in a comfortable size 10. I do weigh myself now, each and every pitiful day, and I go through the anguish of it going up and down, up and down. I keep gaining and losing the same pounds over and over. But I am determined to do this. I started out with a low carb diet, and after 6 months, was officially stuck. Now I'm counting weight watcher's points. I walk/run with a friend who is in much better shape than I am, and I have just started strength training to go with the cardio. My goal is to run a 5K, but I am not a natural runner. I keep trying though, and am almost up to running half a mile non-stop. That doesn't sound like much, but considering I started out trying to run between light poles and couldn't do that without grunting (LOUD), it's quite an accomplishment!

As for other news, I'm still teaching second grade. This year has already been challenging, but I am optimistic. We will make huge improvements this year. And I won't lose my mind (and hopefully my temper) getting us where we need to be. We are really getting settled into our church home. We have made new friends, and have an awesome Sunday school study on forgiveness. My toes are battered and blue and I am learning so much. Putting what I have learned into practice is not nearly as easy though.

Sadly, one of my favorite aunts passed away right before school started. Her husband, my daddy's brother is also very, very sick. We have been trying to spend some time in south Georgia with family during this tough time. It's been good, because of being able to see family I haven't seen in so long, but it's also been tough because it makes my own parents' passing even more real. I have realized that when your parents die, it's like the last of your childhood goes with them.

Well, now that I've made myself cry, I guess I will end this lengthy catching up post. I will be back tomorrow, and I will tell you what the other three Meighans have been up to.

A Night in the Big Peach

Frank and I took Paige to Atlanta for a night on the town. We went to the Shakespeare Tavern to see the "The Taming of the Shrew". We went last year to see "Romeo and Juliet" which I did not enjoy. But we all three loved, Loved, LOVED "The Taming of the Shrew". We stayed in Midtown at the Hotel Palomar. This was the view from our 20th floor window. Paige said this is Georgia's version of the city that never sleeps. This is our hotel room view in daylight.

Paige and me before we went to the play.

This is our hotel room.

Paige's dress matched the decor!

After the play, we had a late dinner at the Broadway Diner.

Frank had lasagna...I was good and had a salad.

The hotel had these cool robes but they were a lot hotter than we looked wearing them! We had a great time, and Paige had a great time being an only child for the night. We all need to experience a little culture in the big city every now and then!