Happy Birthday, Baby!

Today this beautiful granddaughter of mine turns 5 years old. Can you believe it? 5?!? Wow! Either I'm getting old.....or time is just going by way too fast! Or both! May 31, 2004 this beautiful girl was born. And she just keeps getting cuter every single day! Although I haven't seen her since Christmas :(
Which is when this picture above was taken. Shawn promised me that he's going to bring her to see me tomorrow......all I gotta say is he had better keep this promise, especially since I got someone to cover my shift at work. Once again, I didn't get invited to her birthday party today :( Seeing as she lives over an hour away, I guess Toni just had the party at her new boyfriend's house. I swear, it sucks not being able to see this little girl more often & give her hugs & kisses & take her picture 10,000 times! Which reminds me......I need to go charge my camera battery for tomorrow. So hopefully the next time I blog, I'll have some new pictures to post :)

Off to watch the hockey game.....GOOO RED WINGS! GOOO PENQUINS! ;)
Benita

I've Been A Bad Girl!

The past 8 days I've neglected myself....I didn't go to the gym at all during those 8 days. Bad Benita......BAD!!! But in my defense, I still managed to get some exercising in......lots & lots & LOTS of gardening, walks, etc. But I still feel bad. So I finally got my butt back in there on Thursday night & boy, it really made me realize how much I need the gym! And how much I missed it! I guess it's official.....I'm a gym rat :)
Over Memorial Day weekend, we made a trip (actually 2 trips) to Ikea for 2 more Expedit bookcases. They had an awesome sale on them ($49.00, regularly $89.99), so I couldn't pass that up, could I? Jim & I actually drove out there Friday night after I got off work & bought 2 of them at the regular price, then we took the receipts back on Sunday to get a price adjustment......sneaky, huh? :) At least we didn't have to wait in the extremely long line to get them! Little did I know that we would end up having to go back there anyway as one of them had some damaged boards that we needed to exchange.

I'm using one of them to store all of my pattern paper & cardstock.....I just hope it can take the weight! That paper is heavy! I weighed just one of my Cropper Hopper paper holders & it weighed 10 pounds! Yeowch! The other expedit I turned on it's side & I'm using it sorta like a sofa table in between the 2 windows in my scraproom......I really like it that way. And can you see what's on top of it....in the one corner? This:
I finally found an old typewriter! Jim & I went to the Salvation Army store the other day & I couldn't believe it when I saw it, but then I saw the price.....$39.99. I really didn't want to pay that much for one, but I know they're hard to find. So I left it there & proceeded to the checkout with some other great finds (I forgot to post pics of them). While checking out, I noticed their sales were posted on a board & one of them was to pick one item of your choice for 50% off. Well....you guessed it.....back to get that typewriter! Woohoo! I got it for $20.00! And the best part is.....it works! Okay, so it needs a new ribbon to really work as the one that's in it is broken, but I may try to fix it. If not, does anyone know where you can buy ribbons for old typewriters? I checked some websites & from what I can tell, this one was made in 1951. I would loved to have an even older one, but I'm not gonna be picky :)

Well, I better get to bed as I have to work my new shift tomorrow from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Next time I blog, I'll post some pics of my flower beds & gardening that we've been doing.

Have a great weekend!
Benita

Nothing To Talk About

Wow, I really am a bad blogger! I just realized that it's been 10 days since my last update. And I have no excuses.....really, I don't. I just haven't had much to talk about. Can you believe that? Me?? Nothing to talk about??? Okay, okay.....watch it.....I know what you're thinking! ;) Seriously, though.....since my last post was on Mother's Day.....which basically sucked.....both of my kids forgot about it :( Well, my 22 year old son sent me a text! A text??? What the h*ll!!! You can't even CALL me??? H-E-L-L-O! He never came to see me like he said he would, the brat! Yes, I dare call him a brat because he's my kid! Seriously.....if there are any kids out there reading this, take it from me just how important Mother's Day is & make sure you do something special for your Mom.....if not on any other day of the year, do it on Mother's Day! The one good thing that happened on Mother's Day was I got to talk to my Mom on the phone & we actually laughed & cried together. And my dh bought me a beautiful rose bush, so he got extra brownie points for that :)
I spoke to my sister Barb yesterday & she just found out that her mammogram came back abnormal :( So please keep her in your prayers for me. I'm also calling this morning to schedule mine as I admit, I've been putting it off. I know, shame on me! I definitely know better!
On the job front, Jim passed the test he took, so now we're just waiting to see if he gets an interview. I guess they don't interview everyone that passed, which makes no sense, so keep your fingers crossed that he gets one. As of right now, he's still working, but that could change at any given moment.

Both Jim & I have been struggling with our weightloss :( We're still exercising like crazy, but for some reason, the pounds just don't want to come off anymore. I've lost a few more, but then I'll gain a pound or two back & it just seems like I'm not getting anywhere. So frustrating! But I asked myself the other day if I would be happy with myself where I am now.....I'm still waiting for myself to answer me, lol. I mean, I'm down 67 pounds & 10 sizes, which is a huge accomplishment, but is that enough?? I just don't know what else to do. It seems like the closer I get to my goal, the harder it is......why is that? I also just started taking an herbal medication for my Osteoarthritis called Aquamin Sea Minerals as I've read that it's supposed to help, but now it's making me wonder if that may have something to do with this.....can it be causing me to be stuck? Probably not, but it makes me wonder. Plus I got a protein shake mix from a trainer at the gym called "Muscle Provider" that I've been drinking after my workouts, but it states right on the container "Use this product as a food supplement only. Do not use for weight reduction." So maybe it's this that's making me stuck.....or maybe I'm just battling against being peri-menopausal? ARGH!

Okay, my rant is over. See, maybe now you're glad that I haven't been blogging so much :) Ah well.....I'm off to enjoy this absolutely, gorgeous day we're having as the temps are supposed to get into the low 80's today & tomorrow! YAY!

Until next time.....whenever that is,
Benita

Happy Mommy's Day!

Happy Mommy's Day to all of my blogging friends out there! I hope you get spoiled on your special day!

I know I posted this picture of my Mom & I a couple of weeks ago, but wanted to post it again as my Mom is so special to me! I just wish I could be with her today :( I hate living so far away!

In other news, Jim had to take a test on Friday in Indiana for a position that he applied for, so say some prayers that it all works out if this is the route that we're supposed to take.

I did a garage sale this weekend & I'm proud to say, I did pretty good.....$362 worth of good :) That more than made up for the money I spent at the Mega Meet on Thursday!

Well, I'm off to the gym, then I have a ton of laundry to do. Shawn may be coming by for dinner tonight, so that'll be nice to see him.

Have a wonderful Mother's Day!

Benita

Happy NSD

Today is National Scrapbook Day. YAY! Us scrapbookers now have a day made especially for us :) How cool is that!?! And since it's NSD, I decided to share a layout that I did a few weeks ago. This is for the album I'm doing for my dh of his parents wedding (click on image to enlarge). I'm using the new DCWV La Creme line for this album as well as lots of Primas, rhinestones & pearls. I have 2 more pages in progress that I'm hoping to finish up today & also start some more.....afterall, it's NSD so hopefully I'll have lots & lots of "mojo", as scrappers call it :)

I may also have to take a drive out to the Zone today as I have a 50% off coupon for NSD......gotta love those coupons! Thanks Kelley :) Now that I've started this album for Jim, I need to find an album to use for it, lol. I may just end up getting an American Crafts one & decorating it with the same papers.

Thanks for all the compliments on my last post regarding my weight loss.....you made my day :)

Have a wonderful NSD.....I'd love to know how you all celebrated it!

Till next time,

Benita

1 Year Ago Today.....

.....I went from this.....................to this!

I can't believe that it's been a year since I started this journey.....one year ago today, April, 25, 2008, I joined a gym (something I thought I would never do!) & made the commitment to myself to become healthier, skinnier & most of all, happier! It hasn't been easy, by any means, but the reward has been SO worth it! I've hit a few roadblocks along the way (shoulder injury (tendonitis & bursitis), being diagnosed with bulging discs in my neck, then being diagnosed with osteoarthritis.....just to name a few, lol), but I never gave up! Even when I couldn't work out, I still stayed positive & was even more careful about what I put into my mouth. I made it through the holidays, only gaining about 4 pounds (which is good for me since I love to bake cookies & make fudge!), but I got right back on track & kept going. To date, I've lost a total of 63.8 pounds & numerous inches.....unfortunately, I didn't measure myself in the beginning, but the clothes tell the story. I've gone from a size 24 jeans down to a size 14, from 1x & 2x shirts, down to a large, from a 48D bra, down to a 42C....and even those are getting too big now ;) Yeah, it figures.....the first thing I lose are my b**bs & b*tt! LOL
So welcome to the new me. Although I still have quite a ways to go until I meet my long-term goal, I'm getting there.....slow & steady :)

Have a wonderful week!

Benita

Picture Heavy Post

We left Michigan around 10:30am Friday morning & decided to go through Canada since we didn't want to deal with the road construction & closures on I-75 in Michigan. We drove non-stop to Niagara Falls until we got to the Duty Free store. From the parking lot, you could see the falls, so of course, I had to take a bunch of pictures :)
The falls always amaze me. I could literally stand there for hours, just looking at them & how beautiful they are! It's like they make you just forget about all of the troubles in the world....even if only for a minute or two!
The American Falls.
Here, you can see the rocks below the American Falls.
Me, with the falls in the background (although Jim didn't get them in the picture very good.....one of these days, I'm going to teach him how to take a picture! LOL).
Jim with the falls in the background. See, isn't this picture MUCH better? :)

When we arrived Friday evening in Pennsylvania around 7:00pm, we met my Dad at The Crippled Bear Inn for dinner. The first words out of his mouth were "Oh My God!" when he saw me! He knew that I had been working on losing weight, but he hasn't seen me since I started, so hearing those words meant so much to me! Saturday morning, we went out for breakfast with my Dad, his sister Jane (both pictured above) & my sister Donna.

After breakfast, we went out to see my Mom at the nursing home & along the way, we stopped at a flower stand to pick her up these gorgeous mums (I also got some for my Dad). They actually painted them these colors, so when the new ones bloom, they'll be white, but I thought the vibrant colors were so pretty! And they did what they were meant to do......
....they put a smile on her face :) My Mom was also very proud of me for the weight I've lost & she gave me encouragement to keep going!

On Easter Sunday, we went to my sister Barb's house for dinner. Donna (above) brought her dog Toby with her. Isn't he a cutie?

Here's the ham she made.....all 16+ pounds of it!

And here is Dad, being sneaky & snitching a piece of ham before everything else was done.

Barb & her son Kyle. I couldn't believe how tall he has gotten! Dang! He's 17 now & had one heck of a growth spurt since I saw him last!

Sunday night, we drove up to my Dads so I could see him one last time before we left to head back home. He's also lost some weight.....about 34 pounds & he looks great!

Monday morning, before hitting the road, I went to see my Mom again. She wasn't dressed yet & didn't want her picture taken in her gown, but I love this picture of us together! Right after Jim took this picture, I started crying. My Mom asked me why I was crying & I said because I miss you & hate seeing you in here! She assured me that she's okay & that they're taking good care of her. But still.....it's so hard! This is not the way she's supposed to live!

I've been home less than 24 hours & I miss my family already! It was so hard to leave this time, for some reason. I always wonder what if? What if this is the last time I see my Mom or my Dad? But I have to stay positive:

We saw this on the back of this van shortly after we got on the road in Pennsylvania (click on the picture to enlarge). Is that a sign or what???

I dreaded getting on the scale this morning, but knew I had to & yep, just as I thought.....I gained 4 pounds back :( I only got to exercise once while we were there plus I ate WAY too much. But this proved to myself just how quickly you can put the weight back on if you're not careful! And those Middleswarth Bar-b-q Potato Chips didn't help, either! Ah well....I'll be busting my butt BIG TIME this week at the gym :)

Have a wonderful week,

Benita

Doctor Update

Our first glimpse of Spring.....I saw these blooming around our Maple Tree today. But with the expected snow that we're supposed to get on Monday (they're calling for 4-6 inches.....UGH!!!), I doubt they'll be around for long.

Thursday, I went back to see my Rheumatologist to get my diagnosis. After she went through all the lab work results, explaining everything in medical terms (which I didn't understand one bit!), she finally told me that I do indeed have Osteoarthritis. Finally.....an answer! Not exactly the answer I wanted to hear, but at least now I know what I have & now I can learn how to cope with it. She said that with this type of arthritis, it doesn't affect the heart, liver or any other organs, which is good news....it just affects the joints. She also said that having osteoarthritis is a better arthritis to have if you have to have one, although none of them are any fun to have!

I had a really busy week this past week, covering shifts for other people at work to get some extra hours in as we're planning to go home next weekend for Easter. I can't wait to see my Mom, Dad & sisters again.....it's been TOO long (since August of 2007!)! And I can't wait for them to see me since I've lost weight :)

I was tagged by Janet for this photo tag:

The tag how-to...
Go to the photos folder on your computer.
Go to the seventh folder of photos.
Go to the seventh photo.
Put the seventh photo on your blog along with a description.
Invite seven friends to join.

I took this picture in August, 2007 on my way home to visit my family on Interstate 80 through Pennsylvania.....this is the highest point on 80, east of the Mississippi (elevation: 2,250 feet). I thought it was pretty cool that this picture just happened to be the one that showed up since we'll be heading home in a week (although we'll probably be driving through Canada this time).

I also received this awesome award from Aimeeslee.....thanks girl :)

The rules governing this award are as follows: List 7 things about myself (I'm not sure that there's 7 things that you still don't know about me, lol). But here it goes:

1. I try to almost always buy things on sale or with a coupon....even better if it's on sale AND I have a coupon for it! Whenever I tell Jim how much I paid for something, he says "let me guess, it was on sale & you had a coupon, right?" LOL

2. Lately, I've been obsessed with buying workout clothes ;) I got some really good deals at JCPenneys today (they were on sale & I had a coupon, hehe).

3. I actually look forward to exercising & feel bad on the days I don't!

4. My highest game in bowling is a 267 & my highest series is a 694. My next goal is to bowl a 700 or higher series and/or a 300 game (I can dream, can't I?).

5. I've joined the ranks of Facebook & it's as addicting as blogging.

6. My 4 sisters & I all collect different things.....Karen used to collect Owls, Linda collects Angel, Barb collects Teddy Bears, Donna collects Wolves & I collect Koalas.

7. As hard as it is to believe, I've actually been selling off some of my Prima collection (note the emphasis on the word some, lol).

I decided to pass the tag & award on to the following people: Darcey, Cindi, Linda, Denise, Sue & anyone else that reads my blog :)

Have a great weekend.....I'll be hitting the gym HARD tomorrow since I missed the last 2 days! Bad me.....BAD!

Benita

10 Strikes!

Last night at bowling, I broke another record for myself :) I had 10 strikes in ONE game! 10!!! I had the first 6 strikes in a row, then opened in the 7th frame, leaving a 7 pin (of all things!), 4 more strikes in the 8th, 9th & 2 in the 10th frame & then I left the big 4 split (4/6/7/10) on my last ball in the 10th for a 263 game. Not my highest game (that was a 267), but I was still very happy :) Then I started thinking about maybe shooting a 700 series & well.....let's just say, I shouldn't think when I'm bowling! I finished the night with a 182 & 210 for a 655 series. I'll take that :) And yes, I beat Jim by 51 pins & Joe by 234....yep, you read that right! 234! And you can bet that I rubbed it in ;)

Not much else is new with me.....I go back to my Rheumatologist on April 2nd, so I won't have any answers until then. Just been working, exercising & trying to be a little more careful with what I'm eating. I think I finally conquered my plateau that I've been stuck in what seems like forever! Yesterday marked 11 months since I started my weight loss journey & when I weighed myself in the morning, I lost another .6 of a pound, which may not seem like much to some people, but when you've been stuck for months, any loss is a good loss! I am officially down 63.2 pounds in 11 months :) That also may not seem like much to some, but to me, it's perfect! I told myself in the beginning that this weight didn't come on overnight & it's not going to come off overnight! I have to be patient & take it one day at a time & that's exactly what I've been doing. Slow & steady wins the race.....slow & steady :)

Tomorrow, Jim & I are going to a retirement party for 3 of his co-workers.....luckily, I got someone to cover my shift at work (a new guy that will probably regret covering it for me :) Then on Saturday & Sunday, we'll be hitting the gym to drop the weight we'll probably gain from all the partying! LOL

Have a great weekend!

Benita

1st Day Of Spring :)

No, my Lilacs aren't blooming yet, but I can't wait until they do so I just had to post a picture of them in hopes that it'll speed them up, lol! I am SO ready for Spring.....for flowers to bloom.....for warmer weather.....for sunnier days! What about you? Bring it on, Spring! Bring it on!

I received a phone call from the Rheumatologist on Wednesday that they had a cancellation for that day at 2:00 p.m., so I took it. After they took all my information, they took me back into a room, checked my weight, blood pressure & pulse, then I proceeded to sit there for over an hour until the doctor finally came in to see me. ARGH! I was not a happy camper at all since I had to be at bowling at 4:00 p.m. When she finally came into the room, she asked me all sorts of questions & then examined me. She then looked at the 2 MRI results that I had done back in November & December & she doesn't think I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, but possibly Osteoarthritis. She's running more blood tests.....13 in all, to hopefully pinpoint the exact problem. She also wants to see me back in 2 weeks or sooner if this flares up again. By the time I got out of the office, bowling had already started, but luckily, we were bowling against a very patient team that are also good friends & they let me catch up :)

Speaking of bowling, we had elections this week to vote for the new officers for next year & I got elected to be Treasurer :) The guy that did it this year doesn't want to do it again, so I was nominated & won. It's a big responsibility, handling all of the league payments & dealing with people when they get behind, but I've done it before (years ago on another league), so I know I can handle it.

That's all for now.....gotta do some cleaning & then work this afternoon.

Have a wonderful Spring-filled weekend :)

Benita