Game Day

I went to WW this morning and I am losing again. I lost half of what I gained over the holidays. So I am back in the game.

When I got home, I did some deep cleaning in the kitchen. Took things off the counters and cleaned all the appliances. Then I started to move into the dining area. I took note of all the things I want to change or add. Tomorrow I will make an effort in the living room (which will not be hard because I did a lot last week when I took the tree down). Can you believe it? I am still finding Christmas things that need to be packed here and there.

Yesterday I was working at my desk at home and realized how much I need to work there and get things in order. It is a "hotspot" that ends up collecting items to read or do etc.

As I am writing this, our Seattle football team is playing in a playoff with the Red Skins. Dave turned it on and Kari came in after working today to sit down to watch it too. It is quiet everywhere you go while a game like that is going on. I know Phillip is at the game and some of the guys from Dave's office is there also. We don't even watch football but we have the game on the TV. It looks like they have won the game now (35-14) and that they will be playing Green Bay next. They are really celebrating tonight everywhere downtown.

Speaking of Aaron, he is going downtown too tonight for his homecoming. He just left all dressed in his tux. It seems odd not going with him and escorting him and his date around. Last year they went to the Space Needle and we went to the Red Robin on the water front and waited. Now he drives and is 18... that makes a difference. The picture above is Aaron dressed and ready to go. I was lucky to get this picture on my blackberry because he was running a few minutes late and didn't want to stop too long for pictures.

I got a couple of DVDs for this weekend. Our weather forcast is rain (surprise... NOT), rain, and more rain plus wind just for fun. They are trying to suggest that we may have snow also. I don't know what we will have. Last night we had a lot of wind. Not like Santa Anas but I would wake up and hear it blowing outside. I am sure that a few branches rather than trees were falling. So staying home and doing things like cleaning, watching DVDs, and reading sounded the best idea this weekend.

Well, I will jump off now and go see if there is anything that I can eat around here. Have a great evening.

Copy That

Aaron's Homecoming Picture - January 2007

Yesterday was almost a carbon copy of the day before. I managed to get things done and out the door by 7:10 am, to the daycare by 7:30 am, and to work at 8 am. A lot of the morning I researched call centers in colleges to get examples of what other colleges do for calling prospective students and applied students that haven't registered for classes etc. We are going to have a couple of student workers making calls and I believe that they will be handling the blog on the college website also.

I met with Kari at a sub shop near the college for lunch. She is preparing herself for starting a college class next week. Yes, that is right, she will not this quarter be attending my college. Despite my efforts as a recruiter, she is going to take a class that our college doesn't offer this quarter. However, it can transfer so all is not lost. ;-) I am happy that she is going to take a class and learn. She works but it always good to grow.

After work I met Dave. Kari picked up the boys so Dave and I had time to do something away from the house together. Since Christmas has just been a part of our lives, going shopping didn't seem appealing. I didn't have any ideas but I wanted to go to a Weight Watcher meeting, so we went. I like the guy that is my leader on Saturday but I also like the lady that is the leader on Thursdays. Her name is Debbie. She is also funny but has a different style. One element of her meetings that I have liked in the past is that she starts with the members sharing food products that they have found that works with the program. I have got a lot of great food product ideas from her class.

Dave ran into a fellow that he use to work with 15 years ago. Interesting that two guys should run into someone at a weight watcher meeting. In our area it is mostly women that attend the meeting.

What did we do after going to a Weight Watcher meeting? Well, we had to eat. But it is good to eat after you have been inspired to be good.

We ended up at Target anyway. I had something in my car that I was going to return so I did. I had the item for when I could get to Target and the receipt with me. Hooray! While I was waiting to return the item, I noticed that some shoes that I bought also that day on clearance (on that receipt) had been rung in at the regular price. So that lady behind the counter looked it up. (OK, try to follow the logic about what I am going to say next.) They were not $24.99 but now $17.49 (like I thought). This is where it get tricky; if I had bought them "on sale" she could adjust the price and give me back the money. But because they were "on clearance" she couldn't adjust anything and couldn't give me back the difference. Even though it had been rang in as a mistake at $24.99. It took me a minute of trying to understand the logic which I still don't understand. I keep getting caught up in the loop. (Ok, I know it is clearance, but if I bring it back and get the $24.99 and then rebuy the shoes... I give up) It was clear that the person behind the counter was limited by some policy. (Where is the love?) Anyway, sometimes it is for the better when things aren't working out.

I went back to the shoes department and there were a different pair of shoes there that I like better than the ones that I bought. I don't remember even seeing those shoes on Monday when I was shopping. So, I bought the new shoes and I am going to return the ones I bought on Monday. It is going to work out better anyway. Whew.

I hope you were interested in my shoe adventure. There is a lesson in there somewhere. Maybe a couple.

It is Friday and Aaron is going to his homecoming tomorrow night. I will let you know what happens. He has struggled with what to do after the event with is date and friends. Remember, he goes to a Christian high school. They go somewhere nice for the homecoming, get their pictures taken, and have a little to eat. There is not any dancing at this school's homecomings. (I am not sure if I agree with that philosophy but that is the way it is there. We aren't talking about salsa or dirty dancing here... but whatever)

The boys (of 3 couples) wanted to go bowling afterwards. Yes, I said bowling... afterall they are guys, what else can I say. Of course, that isn't what the girls are getting dresses, getting their hair done, nails etc done to do... go bowling. Surprise, they didn't like the idea. I had to explain this to Aaron. So after a couple of days of thinking about things, they have decided to take the girls on a downtown carriage ride after the event and then take them to the Cheesecake Factory for dessert. They will end up at one of the guys house (who lives in a big fancy house) at the end of the night. Nice and wholesome. I was proud of them figuring out what else they could do to make memories for everyone. This year everyone drives so I will not be able to be a part of every aspect of the evening like I have been for the last few years. I was always there with my camera (they love me). The picture above is Aaron's friends last year going to homecoming. I remember all the snow we had at that time.

Sorry for going on and on in this post. Guess I am making up for a couple of short postings. With all those thoughts I will end now and say have a great day.

Feeling the Heat

We sat together in a meeting yesterday at work discussing all the events and tasks we have coming up in the next few weeks and months. With each task on the list, we each could feel the "heat" being turned up. We have schools to visit, education fairs to attend, events on campus to plan, materials to be delivered... and the list goes on. It is a very fun job but it has a lot to do and juggle.

Not much else is happening today except more planning. I am trying to keep to my commitment to a routine and impliment more things such as exercise etc into my schedule as I begin to get a better hold of what I am doing. I don't want to try to take on everything at once. That could only bring failure and discouragement.

I will try to get on my blackberry today and make my visits. Have a great day.

Back to Work

It was nice while it lasted. Reality set in last night as I was falling asleep that I needed to be committed to my routine. So I got up and while eating some breakfast, I read my devotions. I ran a load of wash. I also made my lunch (and remembered to take it) I was ready to go by 6:30 and got the boys ready by 7am. I was driving down the street by 7:10am. Hooray!

I got to work before 8am. The whole day seemed to go smoothly because of my plan. It is nice to not be stressed. There is always so much to do. I keep a pad of paper and a pen near me so that I can write down the thoughts that I have about what I have to do. It seems to help but sometimes there just isn't enough time in a day.

I did pretty good with eating what I should keeping to my points and I drank water too (with the help of adding the lemon mix into the water by Weight Watchers: 0 points). Now I will be truthful because it may help some of you. Despite my good intensions, I gained a few pounds during Christmas. There was only one lady that didn't in my Weight Watcher class last Saturday. It is a little depressing but what can a person do? The only thing to do is start up again and don't look back; only learn from the mistakes. So again, I have recommitted myself to being healthy. So we will keep to the challenge, right?

Have a good evening.

The Beginning to 2008-A Good Start

Happy New Years Day!

We had a wonderful New Years Eve and Day. Yesterday we (Susie, Terry, Aaron, Dave and I) went to see the movie "The Great Debaters" with Denzel Washington. It was the only movie that they hadn't seen and fit into our time limitations. It was a great movie of a true story. It was very inspiring. If you go see this one, you will not be sorry.

We went back to our house. They had made the chili and we made a salad and bread. We were so hungry it was gone in a snap. Very tasty.

Susie had played a game that she liked but couldn't find it. So they bought one similiar to that game. We opened it and she explained how to play. It is really simple to play. The name of it is "Apple to Apple". We played the game for a good 4 to 5 hours. It has a lot of interaction among the players which had us laughing and talking about various topics.

New Years came and a few of our neighbors were outside making noise with fireworks. You can actually buy fireworks here at this time of the year too. I was surprised that the boys slept through the noise but they did.

Since the boys slept, they were up early this morning. We had only about 4 or 5 hours of sleep. I tried to get them interested in the Rose Parade but it wasn't going to happen. So we decided to get out of the house.

It had been a really sunny day on the 31st and today was dry too but not as sunny. We headed to Snoqualmie to see where the snow line was at this time. There wasn't any snow. We would have had to climb up to the pass. We thought about going there but decided we weren't outfitted for snow. It was really windy up there with 50 mph winds so we drove back home.

I cooked a roast for dinner that I got at Costco. It turned out really good. And since dinner I have been preparing to get back to work in the morning. (I've got left overs for lunch).

Remember I told you I was looking for a word or focus for the new year? Well mine is "commitment". It's not a very exciting word. I know I also am not alone. Many of us are working on our commitments to ourselves (to get healthy or organize), to our families, or commit spiritually in some way. I will write here all year about what I learn about keeping or being "committed" as I go. I will leave you with a quote that was in the movie I saw yesterday, "We get the things done we have to do so we can do the things we want to do". To me it meant, healthy = living longer for grandkids etc. (Hugs)

Happy New Year's Eve

Happy 2008 Everyone!!!

We are off to celebrate by going to the movies and having company this evening. Enjoy your evening! Until 2008

West Seattle

Today we headed out to Costco just to get out of the house. Dave wanted to pick up a few items so we got the boys in the car and went. One of the gifts that the boys got was a "reader". A certain book is put into this device and it will read the book to the child. It was easy for Riley to figure out to work. It came with 4 books and I picked up 3 Mickey Mouse stories today. Later Kari and the boys watched some TV, and then they met up with her boyfriend James. He has a boy that is Riley's age so they all played together. Brady didn't get a nap at all so he will be going down tonight early.

Today is also my dad and stepmom's anniversary. My dad passed in 1999. If he was alive it would have been 34 years today. She really misses him. I really miss him too. He contracted MS when he was in his 30's and was in a wheelchair for half of his life. But it wasn't MS that he died from, it was prostrate cancer. Because of he was weak because of MS the doctors couldn't really take the steps with him as the would otherwise. The cancer grew. He died at home August 12th. He and Eva was married even though he was in a wheelchair. In fact, the met when he was in the hospital. She was a nurse working there. The had a very special relationship and I am not sure that she will ever get over his passing. I hope she does if she finds someone just as special and will treat her as well as my dad did. But in the meantime, she has many friends and family that keeps her busy.

You know, 34 years pass really quickly. I was 18 at the time they married and I remember that night like it was yesterday. I was a member of the wedding party and I was sick with a fever. I was really sad that I couldn't enjoy the reception as I wanted but I went home to bed. Although I remember every event since, in reference it is a very short time. It causes me to once again to not take time for granted or those around me.

Today Dave and I also took a drive to West Seattle and Alki beach. You might remember Alki beach in "Sleepless in Seattle". Do you remember the scenes where Megan Ryan is following Tom Hanks and his son in a row boat? She stops the car and watches them while they play on a beach. Well, that is Alki beach. It was where Seattle was founded. Al-ki with the "i" saying it's long sound or it's name.
From West Seattle one can look over the water back at Seattle. Here are two pictures that show today's Seattle skyline. You can see the Space Needle in the second picture. Seattle is the Emerald City but in these pictures it looks like the Golden City. The sun was shining right on the face of the buildings. So between the sun and the cellphone camera, it isn't all that clear.



This is a picture from Alki beach looking out to Blake Island. You will see a small Statue of Liberty which is loved by the community. It was just fixed after vandals messed with it. They cut off her arm. The community is looking to put something around it so that no one can destroy it again. These pictures are from my cellphone's camera so I hope you can see it ok.


Here are some more pictures of Christmas. This is Butchie again.

This is the dining room...

Here is Steve doing dishes...

and finally a picture of a picture of Jason and Todd (who were not present)...

With that, I will say goodnight...