Tuesday Archive Link Up 2/26

Good day! It's Tuesdayyyyyyyy!

Time for Tuesday Archive Link Up where every post deserves a second chance.

Hosted by me along with these other two great ladies...

Anne, author of Life On The Funny Farm

Debbie, author of Wrinkled Mommy

Take a gander at some of the other posts, you won't be disappointed.

And make sure you tell them you found them on TALU!

Have an awesome day!

A Year Ago

The last couple days have brought back fond memories of my trip to Africa last year.  Last year at this time I was embarking on a trip of a lifetime not knowing how much this trip would impact my life.

I was going through some of my pictures last night thinking about the adventure I had, tears welling in my eyes.  Remembering all the beautiful people I met and the friends I made.  It was an ahhhmazing experience, soul cleansing, eye opening, heart wrenching...but one I would do again in a heartbeat given the opportunity.

You want to stroll down memory lane with me?

Here are links to the posts I wrote while I was there (and a few after) on behalf of the people and the villages we visited, on behalf of Global Hope Network International.


February 22, 2012 Leaving Eden
February 23, 2012 Cruising at 35,000 Feet
February 24, 2012 African Village
February 25, 2012 Faces Of The Village
February 26, 2012 A Warm Smile
February 27, 2012 An Orphanage
February 28, 2012 Harar Coffee & Chat
February 29, 2012 By The Numbers & Shhh Listen
March 2, 2012 View From Here
March 4, 2012 Ciao & Goedenmorgen
March 7, 2012 Overstimulated & Jet Lag

What were you doing last year at this time?  Do you remember?


Off to Lincoln City for Tyler's Oregon Prep Basketball Tournament.  Far cry from Africa, but it will have to do.  LOL.

Have a great weekend!



Photo Credit: a_gonzalvo's flickr

Confessions Of A Non Superwoman #25

Yikes. I haven't done one of these posts since Nov.  No wonder I have so many "confessions" rolling around in my head.


1.  Today is Friday.  This is the first day I have blogged this week.

2.  I didn't even do my Tuesday Archive Link Up hosting duties.....which is a simple post.  My bad.

3.  Second week on the new job.  Still trying to get into a routine.  Not working out very well.

4.  My dishes are piled high in the sink and laundry still lonely sitting on our love seat.

5.  My Weigh In Wednesday post, yeah, didn't happen.

6.  I haven't even gone to the gym this week therefore didn't weigh in and I.AM.NERVOUS.

7.  A few old habits came back this week that I am not proud of.  TIRED. So I have drank a soda a day this week (not everyday but still).  I was doing so good with just drinking water.  MUST.DRINK.WATER.

8.  I keep forgetting my lunch at home.  Made it on a few ocassions and then WALKED.RIGHT.OUT.THE.DOOR. without it. Nice.

9.  Heading to Lincoln City this weekend for T's Basketball Tournament.  Nothing packed.

10.  Nothing packed.  Who am I kidding?  Nothing to pack unless I finish up laundry! 

It is going to be a long day!  Up at 4am this morning.  Probably won't hit the pillow tonight until pretty late with work and everything else I need to accomplish before heading out of town in the morning. 

Any confessions you want to share?  It would make me feel so much better to know I am not the only one struggling to balance EVERYTHING.

Have a great day y'all!



Ha!  Learning this all over again with new job=new hours.

It is all good though.

Six Word Saturday

 

 

And It Ended With A Bang!

 

My week.

 

Was Ahhhmazing.

 

I started my new job.

 

In training mostly.

 

But doing well.

 

Learning the ropes.

 

Meeting new people.

 

Getting reacquainted with old friends that I

have worked with in the past.

 

And then Friday at lunch, I ran into

a dear friend that I lost contact with 4 1/2 years ago.

 

She was one of my best friends since high school.

 

Known her since I was 15.

 

Been through a lot together.

 

But 4 1/2 years or so ago, life changes got in the way and our

day to day contact, friendship subsided.

 

I have thought about her a lot the last couple years.

 

But not sure why did not reconnect with her.

 

Seasons of life is what I chalk it up to.

 

It is what it is though and for some reason

God put us there to run into

one another, I believe that.

 

I keep saying 2013 is the year of new beginnings

and I can't shake that maybe this is another one.

 

This old friendship is meant to be rekindled.

 

She has two more children now.

 

Her oldest daughter who I adore (d) is 10.

Her middle name was based on something I said to

my friend one time about having children.

 

"Having children is a leap of FAITH just like many things.

If you wait til the "perfect" time, then you might be waiting for awhile."

 

Her boys.  I met one of them yesterday.

He is just a couple months old.

ADORABLE.

 

And then they adopted a son a year ago at birth.

So they now have two boys under 1.

 

Wow. How life has changed.

 

She barely knows Hayden our 5 year old.

And didn't know about our almost 3 year old, Kaylyn.

 

Lots more catching up to do.

 

I can't wait.

 

I have missed her.

 

I hope that we can pick up where we left off.

 

 

 

 

I am linking this up at Cates Place Showmyface.com

 

She is fab!

 

You can too.

 

Write a post with 6 words about what is

going on in your life right now.

 

You can elaborate, like I did.  Or not.

 

Post pictures. Or not.

 

It is up to you but just DO IT!

 

And then visit some of the other links. 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Weigh In Wednesday 2/13

Weigh In Wednesday.

Oh.How.I.Will.Eventually.Dread.You.

But not yet.

Things are still peachy.

So I am happy.

I am down another couple pounds with this last weigh in on Sat morning.  Which is kinda funny because I went to the gym, every intention of working out and then my 14 year old had a *crisis* so I didn't even make it out of the locker room, but I made sure I at least got to weigh myself.

Total weight loss so far is 16.8 lbs in 45 days/approx 6 weeks.  Therefore if I am doing the math right I am losing about 2 1/2 lbs on average per week.  I am hoping and praying I can keep this up but of course I am preparing for that ugly word we all probably hit eventually: PLATEAU. 

I started my new job this week so I have not made it to the gym AT ALL this week.  I am ok though because I am walking a lot more at my new job being that the building is so big.  Just to go to the bathroom, it is a maze through the floor that I am on...and then I have been to/fro to our lovely Reception lady with questions, supply orders, etc.  She is one floor up so up and down the stairs I go.  Often.  I am confident I am burning more calories at this job than I ever did at my old one.  AND I am eating better overall, brown bagging my lunch pretty much everyday (which is also helping my pocket book too). 

:::For breakfast, I had 2 hard boiled eggs and a banana.

:::For lunch, I had Grilled Chicken Slices, an Apple & Cheese Chunks. 

:::For afternoon snack, I had a sliced up tomato and some cheese its.

:::For dinner, two slices of pizza.

Not too shabby.

Ohh and if/when I decide I want or need a little bit of help, which may come when I start getting discouraged....There is a Weight Watchers Group at work.  Several ladies within the company are part of the group so they actually have a leader that comes into the office for the weekly meeting, weigh ins, etc.  How cool is that? 

So there you have it.  My week.  Short and sweet.

How has your week been going?  Any struggles?  Milestones?  Just remember every step is a victory! 

Tuesday Archive Link Up 2/12

Wow, it is Tuesday already? Where did the days ago. I feel like we just had this party.

My bad. It has been a whirlwind of a week so far (I know it is only Tuesday).

So let's DO THIS!

Tuesday Archive Link Up where every post deserves a second chance.

Hosted by moi and these two other ahhhmazing bloggers...

Anne, author of Life On The Funny Farm

Debbie, author of Wrinkled Mommy

Link a favorite post that deserves some more attention and then hang out for a bit.

Read some of the other blog posts. Let them know you found them on TALU!

Have fun! And make it a GREAT day!

Weigh In Wednesday 2/6

Well, well, well...it is Wednesday and time for the "dreaded" WIW post. 

How'd I do after last week? Remember, I didn't really do a WIW post instead I talked about another major life change.  I am all about change these days (apparently).

I am glad you are here and glad you asked.  You asked, right?

 I lost a couple ounces, down just shy of 15 lbs (see my ticker on the sidebar).  I am just thankful I didn't gain.  I thought for sure I would have gained but since I was not going to the gym, I was very conscious to what I was putting in my belly so not to overindulge too much. 

I honestly didn't do that bad for only hitting the gym once last week. Yes, I only went once. It is disappointing but it was another not so good week. I am back on it this week though. Hitting it hard. And then not sure how it is all going to play out once I start my new job on Feb 11. They have a gym in the building that I could use and I might walk on the treadmill on my lunch for 20 minutes each day however I only have an hour lunch and have to eat lunch too so AND not so sure if I want to come back to my cube smelling all sweaty. I am sure my cube mates would just adore me then.   I am also on the 14th floor so I thought maybe just maybe I would get off on the 12th floor and walk the rest and slowly work my way down and then up the stairs as the days pass.  Not sure I will ever walk 14 floors, but never say ever, right?

I wanted to post a picture of my starting point and a recent one I took and was supposed to post last week, but my phone was giving me grief.  I know you might not notice a huge difference, but I can feel it.  That shirt is a bit more loose (can you tell just a little bit?).  Any my pants no longer as snug as a bug in a rug. I'm slowly getting there.  I know I dropped a size because I am fitting into some shirts that I haven't worn in a while.  It feels good.



How was your week?  Did you lose?  Gain?  What has worked for you?

Tuesday Archive Link Up 2/5

Woot! Woot!

It is Tuesday and time to partay.....with us...your hosts for the weekly TALU!


Of course we share the hosting duties, me, along with these FAB ladies:

Anne, author of Life On The Funny Farm

Debbie, author of Wrinkled Mommy

So link up a past favorite post that deserves some more attention and then drop by some of the other links to say hi!

Make sure you let them know that you found them on TALU.

Menu Plan Monday

This week since I am off...before starting my new job I did a HUGE grocery shopping trip.  Hopefully it will be able to take us through most of the month with the exception of going to the store for milk, eggs, produce.  I have NEVER spent that much money grocery shopping in one trip. I about had a coronary. 

My plan this week is to do a few new kid friendly, easy meals that I can gauge their enthusiasm and possibly put in rotation.  With my new job, I will be getting home a bit later so I am going to have to really stay on top of my menu planning and easy dinner ideas during the week and/or prep a lot of stuff on the weekend (which of course is an awesome thought but it will probably be just that if I am going to be honest).

So here goes this week:

Sunday

Superbowl Fend For Self
(whatever you want to make yourself)

Monday

Pizza Macaroni*

Tuesday

Crock Pot Pork Roast
Carrots
Mashed Potatoes

Wednesday

Ranch Chicken Tenders
Salad

Thursday

Chicken Stir Fry
Rice
Mandarin Oranges

Friday

Eggs & Cheese Muffin Sandwiches
Applesauce

Saturday

TBA--Basketball Tournament in Beaverton


*Instead of hamburger I used just the pepperoni.



What are you cooking this week?  Any quick and easy kid friendly recipes you want to share?



I am linking this up with Laura at I'm An Organizing Junkie because she is ahhhsome!

Six Word Saturday

 

 

 

 It all came down to this.

 

 Just like that, up in flames.

 

I quit my job this past Monday in case you didn't know. 

 

Read more about it here.

 

I really wanted to leave with my head high.

 

But when one has to beg for their final paycheck
because owner is having a power trip.

 

Humiliating is a good word that comes to mind.

 

 

 I worked for this company for 17 years. 

 

And was treated like day old trash when it came down to leaving.

 

I left on Thursday instead of February 8th.

 

I get some extra paid time off so that is positive.

 

But still 17 years of blood, sweat and tears and still *business is business*

 

No common human decency. 

 

Came back from lunch on Thursday.  Locked out of everything.

 

I didn't make this decision to quit lightly.

 

But man, after Thursday wonder what took me so long.

 

I should have done it sooner.

I deserve more for my capabilites.

I deserve to be respected.

I deserve the same loyalty, that I showed for 17 years.

 

In the end, what goes around comes around I guess.

 

I don't mean to sound spiteful by any means

but it is hard not to under the circumstances.

 

Wow! What a week.

 

 

This is it though. 

No more talking about my past with

regard to my former job after this post.

 

I had my pity party Thursday and Friday morning.

 

Onto greener pastures.

 

Yes, I have a new job.

 

Better pay.

 

Better benefits.

 

Better growth.

 

Onward and upward I go.

 

The possibilities are endless.

 

 

 

 

I linked my post up with 6WS at Cate's Showmyface.com.

 

Want to?

 

Post about what is going on in your life right now in 6 words.

 

Make it fun.

 

Elaborate.

 

Pictures.

 

Whatever works for you.

 

Just do it and then visit some of the other great blogs.

 

This is one of my favorite memes.

 

Love all the blogs there.

 

I haven't been reading them enough though. 

 

I am going to take some time this next week and do that.

 

Have a great weekend!