Monday, December 21, 2009

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!!!

Thanks to all my new friends in blogland for amazing companionship, friendship and support - I have only been at this for a year and I feel like I have "met" soooo many inspirational and amazing people that I learn from everyday - - I really look forward to getting to know all of you even better next year and the next year and the next year, etc.
Seriously and truly, to any and every blog author that I follow - thank you...thank you for the entertainment and support and wonderful ideas and motivations that you bring into my life each and everyday without even knowing it!!!!!!!!!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from (L to R) Kidrock and Lucky(held by me - Ann) and Angelica (held by Waliacha)!!!!!

Weigh In Day...etc.!


Thank goodness that today is weigh in day because it gives me something to say! LOL

I have been a bad, bad blogger but I honestly have had nothing to say that is really exciting or positive really....:-)

Things are really busy and crazy at work and really crazy at home....Waliacha is starting a new job and they could not work today as we had a massive snowstorn over the weekend and the snow is still falling. So, needless to say the boys are off today....but Waliacha needs money!!!!!! Oh well, mother nature does not care about bills, etc. so neither do I (I wish I didn't). Anyway, I am trying not to think about it and god-willing he will get to work Tues and Weds before the holiday break.

So, I actually lost 2.8 this week - yippee for me. I was suprised as I snuck a few cookies this week here and there and also had pie and cheesy mac at a holiday party on Tuesday. So I guess the being careful most of the time and working out worked!! YIPPEE!!!!!!!

I hope everyone has a great holiday and I will definitely post the christmas card pic for everyone!!! Merry Christmas to all and God Bless and keep you ALL safe!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Waliacha Got a new Job!!!!!!

I am sooooooooooooooo excited to announce that finally after weeks and weeks and weeks and weeks of interviews and meetings and tests and applications....
Waliacha got a new job!!!!!!!!!!!!
He is excited and feeling sooo good - you can just see the total change in him. I guess it is true that men tie a lot of their self-esteem to their profession and he had been really down lately - I am sooooooooooo happy that he can be happy and feel productive again!
He thanked me this morning over and over for being so supportive (he did not hear me mumbling under my breath when I found him napping in the middle of the day-LOL) and thanked me for not constantly berating him for not having a job (I respect this man with all my heart and could never do that to anyone at ALL). I said "your welcome, it is just the way I would have wanted to be treated" which is how I TRY to live life today! Ha!!! I said TRY!!! :-)
I think he is really thrilled to get off unemployment and feel useful!
I am really proud and excited for him as this also has the opportunity of becoming a supervisor which I think would be great for him!!! Fingers crossed that this job for residential roofing is a move in the right direction for him and our lives can move forward together and productively - YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Annnnnnndddddd they work ALL YEAR ROUND!!!!!! YEAH!!!



Am I too old to have a baby?!?!?!!?!??! I think not!!! :-) LOL

Monday, December 14, 2009

Weekly Weigh In!!!!! Week 2 Down!!!!!!


Yippee!!!!!!!
I kept thinking I had nothing to post today...sad Monday!

I actually got a lot done this weekend in preparation for Christmas (ran errands/bought gifts/wrapped gifts/finished decor) but nothing really spectacular which deems posting...

Although...

I weighed in today at WW and lost 1.4 pounds this week! YIPPEE - still going in the right direction!!!!!

I had a little slip and fall this weekend on a patch of ice....Sunday night I was carrying my purse (not a light purse mind you) and my year old niece Ali (one of the twins) in a dark alley walking to our cars and I slipped on a patch of ice under a puddle of water.....I went flying to my butt while holding Ali above my head the whole time - thank goodness she did not even get wet. I, on the other hand, was a mess!!!! Ripped open palm of my hand where I caught myself...Black, muddy water all over my sweats and white sweater!!!! Not a pretty sight! I borrowed sweats from my Aunt Marti as I had a two hour drive home (could have been a little uncomfortale - HA) and drove home.

I guess my lesson was that I bounce really well as nothing at all hurts today....I thought for sure I would be sooooo sore but I have no aches or pains at all!!!!!!! YIPPEE!!! I BOUNCE WELL!!! And, I used oxy cleaner on my white sweater and it came clean also!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Gingerbread 101 for 2009?!??!?!?











HERE IT IS...

The debut of the 2009 Waliacha and Ann Gingerbread House...

Yippee!!! I think it turned out great minus the balls missing from the front door already. :-(

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

13 Year Anniversary!!!


Today is OUR 13 year anniversary!!!

Thank you to all of you that have ever attended, sat in or spoke at a meeting or written a blog post at all!!!!! Whether positive or negative or happy or sad!!!!

I love my life today sooooooo much and it is only possible because of all you!!!!!!

On 12/9/1996 I entered (what I hope is by the grace of God) my final stint at a rehab (after years in and out) and everyday since has gotten just a little bit better!!! I look back now and do not even recognize that person I was - I do not think, see, feel or act the same at all!!!!!!!!!!

Life is such an amazing journey and thanks to all of you here on blog land because (along with real life meetings) reading your thoughts and inspirations have all added a little piece to who I am today!!!

I am sooooooooooooooooooooooo grateful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks!

Monday, December 7, 2009

Weekly Weigh In! Week one down!


I am soooooooooo excited to post this!
I started back at WW last week and weigh in was today.
I knew I did well and did not cheat and worked out but...
who would have thought...DRUMMMMROLLLLLLLL...
lost 8.8 lbs this week!!!!!!!
That is my biggest lost EVER in a week!!!
I feel like I should be on Biggest Loser and be jumping up and down in a sports bra and yelling!!!!!
But trust me, you do not want to see that!!!!!!! LOL So instead I posted a pic of Jillian (what I aspire to become more like)! Ha!
Anyway, I am soooo happy and definitely motivated to hang in another week!!!!!!!
Zumba and 20/20/20 tonight at the gym - YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday, December 4, 2009

Well Crap!!!!!!!


Not sure what else to say.....CRAP CRAP CRAP!


Just got a call from Waliacha and he has NOT passed (hate to use the word failed) his drivers test for FedEx. He said he bumped a cone backing up in the truck and the test leader just could not pass him.


So, he now has to wait for 21 days to try again! Yuck!!!!!


Oh well, sometime all I can say is crap - I really thought this was going to be "the job" but God must have something else in mind.....footwork footwork and more footwork...


Lord, when you have the time, please fill me in....this is tooo much suspense for a controlling woman!!!!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Secret Ornament Swap

Imagine my excitment when I got home from work last night and had a package!!!
I participated in secret ornament swap hosted by Valerie at It's a Wonderful Life!
YIPPEE!!!!!!
Better than anything else is packages....second only to mail (not bills but letters from friends, etc)!
I found out that my secret ornament swap blogger friend is Cindy at http://www.marinemomof1.blogspot.com/

I LOVE EVERYTHING THAT SHE SENT!!!!!

Look what I have already hung on my tree!!!!!!

Here is the adorable card she included....

Snowman jingle bell ornament
Another snowman..


Beautiful cross (this looks amazing on the tree)!


Peace angel!! Is this not beautiful!!! I love it!!
And also this little notepad with a beautiful verse on the front!!
Thank you soooooooooooo much!! I love it all and as I said the ornaments are already on the tree!!!! My only regret is that the photos do not do the ornaments justice - they are all beautiful!
This was soooooo much fun - Thanks again to Cindy at http://www.marinemomof1.blogspot.com/ and Valerie at It's a Wonderful Life - I cannot wait until next year!

Thanksgiving Post - A Little Late :-)

Here it is in pics...Turkey Day at my sisters (also included annual cookie baking weekend and trip to Chocolate World)!!!!!!
Here is sister-in-law Sara at the kitchen table - she is currently preggo with my soon to be new niece "Ann Jr." - I am working on convincing them to use this name LOL

Mommy washing dishes and cleaning up the kitchen....we are an OCD family....ha

Waliacha waiting in line for the Hershey tour ride....

The Hershey cows....Gabby, Harmony and Olympia


Kyleigh waiting in line for the ride - I told her to give me her excited look - LOL

JoJo and Kyleigh holding hands waiting for the ride... I love this pic and it is even better if you know that Kyleigh is a "mini Jordan" - it is like watching Jordan grow up all over again - she does everything just like Jordan - really neat to watch!!!!!!!! They ae buddies to the core!!!!!!

Out of sync pics...sorry....this is of the outside of Chocolate World - it was crazy busy at Hershey the Day after Thanksgiving!


Steve and Waliacha in kitchen (they boys cleaned the table up after Turkey dinner since the girls cooked) nice, hugh???

Another of the boys cleaning up...

Again, out of order, sorry!!!!!!! This is all of us on the ride....shortly after I snapped this a lady at the counter said "Maam, you cannot take a picture of your picture - you have to buy your picture". Oh well, live and learn....needless to say, this time around I did not buy my picture...was this wrong?!?!?!? I kinda blended right in with the back seat of the car....LOL


A picture from the ride....



And another...



Back at the house - Ali in the car that the twins fought over ALL weekend)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The girls once they realised I woul dkeep snapping until they looked at the camera
This is the one before that - they think they can hide from the blog post....not happenin'!!!!!


Kyleigh and her new monkey (JoJo is cleaning out her stuffed animals and gave them to KyKY)
What a nice cousin!


Another of Ali and "the car"!!!!!!!


Christmas Tag

1.WRAPPING PAPER or GIFT BAGS? Wrapping paper. Gift bags are sooo hard to transport without them all getting squished and folded.
2.REAL or ARTIFICIAL TREE? Artificial this year! Never before this though - I have ALWAYS had real up until this year.
3.WHEN DO YOU PUT UP THE TREE? Already did - about thw weeks before Thanksgiving!
4.DO YOU LIKE EGGNOG? Ick - no!
5.FAVORITE GIFT AS A CHILD? Barbie ski slope - LOVED that thing and also loved the rock tumbler I had for years - soooo fun!!!!!!!!
6.DO YOU HAVE A NATIVITY SCENE? yes - had to put it high up so the cats dont steal baby Jesus again this year.
7.HARDEST PERSON TO BUY FOR? Mom
8.EASIEST PERSON TO BUY FOR? Older nieces - just want gift cards!!!
9.EMAIL OR CARDS? Cards - preferably with pics!!!!!!
10.FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE? Rudolph and the land of the misfit toys
11.WHEN DO YOU START SHOPPING FOR CHRISTMAS? All year long
12.FAVORITE THINGS TO EAT DURING CHRISTMAS? Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate
13.WHITE LIGHTS OR COLORED LIGHTS? white outside on icicle lights and coloered on the indoor tree!
14.FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONG? Little Drummer Boy - makes me cry every year!!!!!!
15.TRAVEL FOR CHRISTMAS OR STAY HOME?Travel
16.CAN YOU NAME ALL OF SANTA'S REINDEER? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen, and dont forget RUDOLPH!! (cheated on this one and left previous answers) - but I still can do it on my own LOL
17.ANGEL OR STAR ON TOP OF THE TREE? Flashing Star
18.DO YOU OPEN PRESENTS CHRISTMAS EVE OR CHRISTMAS MORNING? Pick one to open Christmas eve from a fmaily member and the rest (plus the ones from Santa) Christmas morning
19.MOST ANNOYING THING ABOUT THIS TIME OF YEAR? Icy roads!
20.UP EARLY OR SLEEP IN? Up Early!!!!!!!!!!
21.ARE YOUR GIFTS FROM SANTA OR MRS.CLAUS? definitely Santa
22.DO YOU TELL THE CHRISTMAS STORY? Yes or read it
23.DO YOU LEAVE COOKIES OUT FOR SANTA? Sure do!!!!!!!!
24.FAVORITE CHRISTMAS TRADITION? Family all gathering at my mom and dad's with kids no matter how old we all get and no matter how far away we all go!
This was so fun! Try it out everyone!!! And let me know so I can check your answers out!

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Amish Friendship Bread


Hopefully this is yummy!!!!!!!!!
I am on day ten (got this bag of starter from my sis over Thanksgiving and she took care of it the first 7 days of its life) and tonight I will go home and add ingredients and portion out three starter bags to give to three LUCKY people at work.
Then I get to add more ingredients and bake my bread....I will blog pics of my cooked loaf!
I hear there are many variations on how to cook this bread..what to add, etc. If you have any suggestions please leave them and I will give them a shot eventually. I think this would be a cool thing to do with blogger friends also....jyst figuring out the logistics of mailing the starter bags,...LOL
Since I started fat club I will have to freeze some for me to try later - sounds good to me!
Walt will be my official taster tonight!
I am soooooo excited to see how it turns out!!!!!!!!

Monday, November 30, 2009

It's Official - 6 lb gain!


OK!!! It is official...time to get SERIOUS!!! Soooooo serious that I am once again going to pay to get this weight thing under control!

After Turkey Day is now over - I hopped on the scale and after the scale stopped moaning (ha ha) - I found out that I gained 6 lbs since I stoped going to Weight Watchers last year at this time(affectionately called Fat Club in my family).
I work out like a maniac daily however, my portions are obviously sized like a maniac also!!!!!!!

I will not head back in that direction and I could still stand to lose more so this is my deal with myself!
I am re-joining WW tonight after work at the 5:00PM mtg in Greentree.

I will get down to at least size 8 before I quit but hopefully at that point I will be a lifetime member and maintain that weight....so, there it is in writing!

Back to Fat Club and I CANNOT WEIGHT TO GET THERE!!!!!!!! (get it?!??!?!)

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy and Safe Thanksgiving to all my blogger friends!!!!!

Make it a safe and fun one...

Monday, November 23, 2009

My first turkey

I am not cooking Thanksgiving this year...nor any year so far in all my 24 (errrrr 41) years! We will be going to my sisters house and her and my mother are the cooks this year.

Last year I assisted my sister in putting butter cubes in the turkey slits and we had an oven fire.....not good with a house full of people...LOL. I think I am in charge of entertainment until dinner! Ha!

So, I am getting a free turkey from the grocery store for spending a certain amount of money and decided this would be the perfect thing to bring to our friends holiday party - I will supply the turkey. However, that is not until Dec15th and I need at least ONE practice turkey before then, right???

So, I bought a 20 lb turkey last week (they were one sale for 40 cents a pound) and cooked it over the weekend - with real hoimemade stuffing too!!!! swear I did it all myself and wait till you see how great it turned out!!!! I WAS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED AND WALT LOVED IT!!!! Here it is with the traditional homemade sage stuffing before and after roasting and also a cute pic of the babies under the tree!!!!!!!!!!
PS-If anyone tells you you cannot roast a 20 lb. turkey in a dollar store tinfoil roaster ($1.00) they are wrong!!!!!!! :0
PSS-Only issue now is that the OCD in me hates that my oven is actually getting dirty inside.:0

Before cooking...




After...
Two of my babies........


Friday, November 20, 2009

Show us Your Life Pets!!

Today at Kelly's Korner it is all about pets!!!
Yippee - my favorite subject!!! CATS CATS CATS
I got my biggest baby Lucky when I was first married (15 years ago and long since divorced). Lucky has been with me through everything. When things got really rough for me and I wanted to give up (major depression and addictions) I kept going on because I realized that noone would take care of Lucky if I was gone (she was only nice to me - attacked everyone else...LOL).
Long story short - we made it through to the other side...stronger and more determined than ever to have an amazing, god-filled, addiction-free life!!!!! Yippee!!! Lucky is a tabby that loves to drink out of the tub when it is running and she does not AT ALL fear the vacuum cleaner. She is a spitfully mean little girl and very protective of me (her mommy).
About four years ago I got the twins. There are such babydolls....brother and sister (Kidrock and Angelica).
Kidrock is an amazing boy - he loves to snuggle (in and out of bed all night) and can open closets with his paws. He also constantly teases and tortures the girls(Lucky and Angelica).
Angelica is a sweet and playful girl...she does not sit still and will not cuddle with anyone but her brother. She is sooo fun and spirited and loves a good game of chase!
I love all my babies but that special affection will always be strongest for Lucky because of what she and I went through together!!!!!
If Angel and Kid are reading this---just kidding - I love you all the same!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here they are.....

Kidrock

Lucky (not sure why this is sooo small)
Angelica (exact clone of Kidrock except her nose is black)
The twins snuggling....






Thursday, November 19, 2009

Fa La La La La Prep

Here is a little Christmas prep!!!



I love love love the holidays and here are just the beginning of the decorations for this holiday!!!

My little patio!!! Left up the harvest flag till next week!!!


A little decor...

A little more...


A little more...

And lastly my very first "not real pine" tree...it is growing on me - can only decorate the top 2/3 due to cat issues...they steal the ornaments and run with them!!! LOL
Since this picture I have also added a ton of candy canes to the tree too!!
















Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Loving the Miracles in life


I love blogging because it brings those little "God things" and coincidences and miracles soooo close for EVERYONE to witness.

I have watched many, many people recover from a seemingly helpless and hopeless state of addiction and when you see it; it is AMAZING!!! That is one of the blessings of sponsoring others in recovery!

It is such a miracle to be present when that light comes on and the newcomer "gets it"!!!
I love blogging because these miracles happen everyday to a lot of people in a lot of walks of life...no just addicts, etc.

I want to share with EVERYONE this story because when I read it today I just started sobbing.....makes you TOTALLY realize and believe 100% (if even for that one moment) that there really is someone else in charge and we just have to share what is on our hearts with him and great things will come to pass.

Please read this and you will see what I mean...I hope you ENJOY!!!!
And keep your eyes and ears out - the miracles happen everyday ALL over the world if we look for them and are open to them!!!!!!! Congrats to the Staffords also!!!!!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Sold Out!!


Okay!! It is official!!!! I am finally a sell out!!!

I was (as of last year) the last of our family (Parents and three siblings included) to purchase a REAL tree for Christmas.

Everyone else went out sometime in the past five years and bought one of those plastic, icky, pseudo trees to decorate.

Well, this is the year I finally sold out!!!!!

Yesterday I went and bought an icky, plastic pseudo tree. It is prelit (saved massive time on decorating) and needs nothing to eat or drink (no more water for the cats to slosh onto the condo rug!??!?!?!?) And, aside from a few stray pieces of plastic it will not shed.

So - all in all - I am a very happy fake tree owner this year (I will be happier next year when I dont have to spend ANY money at all and just get it out of the box)...saving money too?!?!??!?!

I am going to stop on the way home from work today and invest in A LOT of pine scented candles or maybe just some pine cuttings to decorate with here and there - I think the smell is what I will miss the most - aside from sap covered cats!!! LOL

What is your preference?????? Truth be told, I STILL prefer real however there are just toooo many pros to ignore purchasing a fake tree!

I will have pics tomorrow!!!!!!!!! Yippee - I love the holidays!

ICU Nurse it is

 Hi everyone!! I am just here checking in quickly. I almost feel bad checking in as it has been an eternity since I posted!!! UGH! Life has ...