Planting this years crops...

This is going to be the bounty this year....

Herb Garden 1 (basil, texas tarragon, and mint)

Tomato and chili peppers




clematis...

posies...

rosemary and MORE basil...

more tomatos...

hanging plants (fusia for the hummingbirds)...

and last - a wide angle view....

I am sure to be adding more as the spring progresses...LOL!!!

Stay away snakes!!!!!!!!!!!

We had a Be Well challenge at work and just for finding out your helathy numbers (ie: cholesterol, weight, etc.) you got a gift card. I selected mine for Target and just found the best use for it!!!
It has been horribly yucky and rainy and I am part of the Wildlife Sustainability Team at work. With this membership I am assigned a pair of bluebird boxes that I have to watch and report on. They are in the middle of a large field at work and here is my new purchase from Target....

Yeah!!! Purple rain boots - and soooooo cute!!! It was actually a little sunny today in Pgh (as you can see by our green green, grass we have gotten a lot of rain-LOL) so I wore them out to the center of the field to check my boxes and what did I find.....
Box 8C-1
NOTHING!! EMPTY then....

Box 8C-2
YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!! A nest and inside......

Here are the eggs..........soon to be five adorable baby bluebirds!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope!!!!

Snakes and racoons - STAY AWAY IF YOU KNOW WHAT IT GOOD FOR YOU!!!!

Last year I had a different set of boxes and everytime I had eggs they would be eaten by a snake the next day...gone with nothing left but an empty nest-I hope to report happier endings this year with the new location)

Enough said on that - I will keep you posted!!!

Also, I was taking the day off from the gym yesterday but mom and I went shopping and dinner and she headed home by 5:30 so I had the rest of the night free....

Where did I end up???

You guessed it...spinning......

Here is my results - this teacher felt easier than the last and when it was over I was about 8 miles shorter than the last class....oh well, still great workout!!

And, now tonight will be my night off!!!

Have a great rest of the day and next post will be FRIDAY!!!!!!!!

Another yippee!!!

Hottie's 12!

My nephew Matthew Daniel ---AKA Hottie or "little Matt" is an amazing little man!!

Today is his 12th birthday!!!

He was my very first nephew and he is such a great kid!

He is an awesome athlete and is great at sooo many sports and our family could not be prouder!!

He does great in school and LOVES bacon and ice cream - so much that I think he could exist only be eating bacon and ice cream!!

I love him with all my heart and hope he has a birthday to remember!!

Happy 12th birthday my sweet nephew Matthew!!!!

XO XO XO XO Aunt Annie loves you bunches!!

Here is the sweet little guy with his sisters a few years ago!!!

A just last year with his very first cousin Kyleigh (well, his head at least!)

Pitching a game...his first love!

Kissing a stingray?!?!?


Sporting the team colors....go Penn State....

And, his very first buck (makes me a little sad but his daddy's family are big hunters and he was sooooooooo excited and proud and the meat was donated to a shelter)...
And, last but not least, him with his sisters last Christmas!

I love you Matthew Daniel!!!! Happy 12th birthday!

Stepping It Up Report and Misc.

I am participating in the Stepping It Up Challenge with Jen at Prior Fat Girl.

I wanted to post an update as to where I am soooo far to keep myself accountable and on track.

Also have a few misc and fun pics below.

Here is the chart with my progress milage (SPINNING) filled in...as you can see below I am taking today off - my mommy is coming into town and we are going to shop and have dinner so working out is out...I need a day rest anyway! :-) XOXO Love you mommy! Also, on Monday I did two spin classes _ one in the AM and one after work so that is two classes milage...

Here is my actual numbers after class last night...love these digital ones - they are awesome...



My new dresser arrived....I caved and decided to get the one that matched the bed and other plain 5 drawer dresser that I posted about earlier....here it is - I AM IN LOVE!!!! I can't stand having to leave my bedroom!!! I actually pet this dresser each time I go to bed - LOL!!!

Here is a zoomed out shot - sooooo awesome! I love my bedroom...oops did I already say that?!?!?!

Here is my freddy frog...he or she is crazy. It is actually called a dwarf frog and he or she lives underwater...every now and then he or she does this.....

He (for the sake of not having to write he or she anymore - lets just say its a he-LOL ) gets stiff as a board with his arms and legs straight out and floats like this...just with the tip of his nose out of the water surface. The fish nip at him and bump him and he will not move. I actually thought he was dead the first time I saw this and got the net and scooped him out and then he finally started moving...he WAS ALMOST FLUSHED ALIVE!!! Not sure why he does this - if anyone knows clue me in please. And if you can tell from this upclose shot also let me know if Freddy is a he or she as I have NO idea! It is hillarious and gives me hours of entertainment (does not take much) - Love this little guy or girl!!
A little closer shot - HILLARIOUS!!!!

New Love...

I have found a new love...
I am officially obsessed - no more treadmill pounding for me (although I will jog outside on nice days sometimes when (and if) it ever stops raining in Pittsburgh).

This comes just in time for a competation at Jen, Prior Fat Girls Blog.
I actually did it TWICE yesterday...that NEVER happens to me...worked out and then tanned and then worked out again....
What is it that I am doing now you say?!?!?!?
Not this...

OR THIS.....




DEFINITELY NOT THIS EITHER....

BUT THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




ON THIS......

WITH OTHERS and I love it!!!

It is a HUGE calorie burn, an amazing workout and the classes FLY by so quickly!!! I wish I had tried this before,....from now on I will remember....change is always good and how much fuin to find a new workout that I love?!?!?!??!
Now I just need a pillow or padded shorts...although everyone in the classes assures me that my sore buttocks will get used to this someday :-)

If you have not tried it, I suggest you do, I almost promise that aside from a slightly sore butt you will LOVE it!!!!!!!!

Training Fun

I am at offsite training today for work and the cutest things are living outside the window here...

Check it out.....

Adorabable, no?!?!?!??!?

Ding Dong...anyone home up there?!?!

I feel soooo stupid -

soooo stupid, in fact, that I was not even going to write a post about it.

But, to save anyone else the embarrasment and frustration I will!!!

(Actually I just have so free time and I am bored - HA)

Anyway......

The past three weeks of weight watchers have sucked!!!!

I lost 0.8 then 0.4 then actually gained!!

I could not figure out what was happening as I was doing nothing different that I could find and I always follow my online tracker for daily food points that I have left, evercise every other day about and generally could not figure it out!! I was getting frustrated and ready to quit and have four or five sundaes!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, on Saturday I was entering my weight and I said...

"Do you want to remain on Maintenance even though you gained weight this week?" MAINTENANCE; I am not on MAINTENANCE believe you me!!!!!

Well, I came to find out that somehow my online tracker accidently got switched from lose weight to maintain weight and I was eating (get this) EIGHT points extra a day!!!!!!!!!!

That's like over 400 calories a day!!!!!

No WONDER I am not losing weight and just maintaining! WHAT A DUNCE!!

My mom says "didn't you realize you were getting wayyy more points...no, I have no memory of points which is why I let the tracker tell me how many left for the day!

All in all I am glad it only took three freekin' weeks to figure that one out (I am not a rocket scientist) and I AM losing again and back on track NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!