Resolution Time

One thing I've learned from Sparkpeople is when it comes to setting goals, don't just set the 'lofty' goals...but create small, doable steps to acheive your goal. Like I want to lose weight...instead set the goal of 20 min exercise 5 days a week, and increase water drinking. So...that is how I am approaching 2012.

Every year I have the goal of reading my Bible. A couple of times I've tried a daily reading plan...but it doesn't work for me. So, this year, I am going to set the goal of reading one book per month. I think I'll start with Ephesians. As in 2009 I had the opportunity to visit Ephesus during my cruise.

Last year I did very well with my Goodreads goal of reading 44 books. I started with 24 (2 per month) increased it by 20 when I had my surgery recovery time. I will end with 48...so, for 2012..I'm thinking a goal of 30 books. AND to limit my buying to one book per month for the Bound Together Group on Goodreads.

A while ago I had counted my book collection and it was close to 1500 books! Well, I haven't stopped buying since then...In December alone I bought myself 6 books and rec'd 2 for Christmas. yeah, this could be a bit of an issue.

(you're not a hoarder as long as you can store it right?)(but my books are starting to pile up)


Learn to REALLY Use my camera. I'm still pretty much at point and shoot mode. BUT 2 Peas has some really good tutorials. AND this year I will avail myself of them.

AND of course there are the scrapping goals. I haven't fully made them yet. Need to do an 'inventory' of which of my 2011 goals were done to get to 2012.

one thing I know, I need to get my Cinch out of the box and use it!! I bought it at the Expo in August...and it is still in the box!!


One goal I did make was to finish my dd's best friend's wedding scrapbook to give to her family as a Christmas gift...whew!!!






Another goal I've had is to 'pump up' my scrappin' style. As you can see, I tend to be very simple...pic, mat, pp, cs, embellie...done. I have the Elsie Recipe Cards...I should make using them to inspire a lo a 2012 goal, too. hmmmmmm

I'm home!!!

back from an 8 day trip to Tejas! Got to visit dd and her hubby in Fort Worth AND we drove down to Houston to visit my mom, sister, nieces, nephew, ex bro in laws...overall a terrific time. I LOVE Texas! What do they say? You can take the girl out of Texas but you can't take Texas out of the girl. I may have lived in CA for more than half my life...but Texas has my heart.

But too tired to post pics...oh, yeah, gotta download the ones from the trip.

BUT the kids did bring Missy to visit (my dgd)...she is soooooooo ADORABLE. Whenever she wanted me to direct my attention to her, she would ask "Grandma, do you hear me?"

Yup, the only thing Texas needs to be perfect is for my li'l Missy-boo to move there.

Good news, Shelby (our dog) has not had puppies and does not look like she is going to. First call tomorrow is the vet to get her fixed. phew!! that was a close one. My excuse for not knowing she was in heat in October, is we usually have our dogs fixed early...or they come fixed...she is our first female rescue who showed up..I just did not know the signs till it was too late. ANYways, I really would not know what to do with puppies. So, relief is the first emotion.

AND no more panic attacks or similar incidences. Even when a young mother with a toddler and an infant sat next to me on the plane. It wasn't so bad, but I did not get to do the reading I wanted to do. BUT I did get to hold the baby when she needed her hands free (like when the toddler spilled his water) and you know me, I won't complain about that!! THEN on the flight home, I was next to another couple with an infant....I'm just a baby magnet! It was fine, they outnumbered her and kept her pretty much entertained..and I kept my headphones on. I was on Virgin, and I love that li'l tv on the back of the seat. Watched a couple of episodes of Dexter (a definate guilty pleasure)(almost makes me wanna subscribe to HBO)

Well, my body is 2 hours ahead...time to 'kick it' on a couch with my cat. He does not 'hang' with my hubby, so he was really lonely the past 8 days. My poor baby. He did give me a bit of a scolding when I first walked in...some pretty loud Meows.

I'm a mess...

but I did finish and deliver the wedding scrapbook, I'll post pics later, after my trip to Texas for the holidays.

yesterday, I think I had a 'panic attack' or something. It was while I was on my bike, I noticed that my heartbeat was way fast...I mean way too fast even for a workout. It was scary, I did not know if it was a heart attack or what.

It's almost funny, the thoughts that went through my head at that moment...
first, "Okay, God, so this is it"..."Where do I want to go? Can't lay on the bed, cuz if Michael finds me there he'll never sleep there again"..."Okay, I'll sit on the couch so I can be next to Percy (my cat)"..."Oh, I hope I don't fall and hit my head".

Then came the fear..."Wow, I'm not ready" ..."What should I do?"..."should I call someone?".

gee, I did look up 'racing heart'...'caffeine intolerance' (I did have a pepsi in the afternoon) and 'panic attack'. If it was a panic attack, it will be my 3rd one since Oct. I do have a dr. appt in Jan...I'll discuss it with her then.

But all night it was, "am I breathing too hard", "is my heart beating too fast?", "is that numbness in my arm?"...you know, not sleeping, but thinking/worrying, so, of course I woke up with TMJ..thinking about it, I had TMJ Sunday night also.

BUT I leave for Texas soon, to spend the holidays with my dd and my Texas family...looking so forward to it...it will be a good time to relax.

gotta go, got a tummy ache...ya'll have a Merry Christmas!!

traveling, traveling...

Been traveling this past week. Went to Verdi for one of dh's company's annual meeting and Christmas Party. So, we got to stay at the Grand Sierra. I'm not 100% crazy about our room. It was nice, spacious (we got a 'tower' room) BUT it sure is dark.
ANYWAYS, traveling means not eating as well. BIG dinner at Charlie Palmer's on Weds night (had pheasant..it was good) and at the party...and fast food while traveling home. It was the fast food, KFC, that was not agreeable to me. When you don't eat fried food anymore...you feel it when you 'indulge'.

Of course when you come home, there is sooooooo much to do. I don't have a laptop, so when traveling I don't do much on the internet. Only when dh's is available to me. Which it wasn't this time, as he was in the meeting all day with it. Which on one hand is kinda nice..till you see your inbox. And I have 2 email accounts.

BUT I am getting dd's laptop for Christmas. Her dh got a ZOOM (I think that's what its called), she gets his old laptop and I get hers.

I'm up at 4am...started laundry, and the dishwasher. I've noticed a trend of waking up earlier and earlier. That is a part of getting older (er, more seasoned) isn't it? One of the dogs was 'woofing' and that woke me up.

I decided against the card I made...it just wasn't 'right'. I liked the pic, but not the background...so, I'll use storebought (I tend to buy a couple of boxes during the day after Christmas sales, so I have some). AND with the purchase of a few more gift cards...I'm done!! yahoo!!

Today, the main goal is to finish the scrapbook gift...and take a nap.

This year, I'm in charge of veggies and desert for the Christmas dinner. hmmmmmmmm

I got a nice bonus for Christmas. I've already spent half of it...I got myself the Nikon S6100 bundle at Best Buy. My old point and shoot was acting up. Now, I've got to teach myself this one...it is all touch screen. But I'm excited.

Our pastor asked us to bring our Christmas wish list to church on Sunday. I've started it...but sometimes it feels so 'trite' to write out your wish list. But maybe that is part of the exercise.

I'm thinking about Cathy Z's weight loss/scrapbook class on BPS. Maybe it will help motivate me to break this plateau. I'm also thinking Couch 2 5k. From what I am seeing, running is the best way to lose weight...and keep it off. But I guess that falls into the New Year's resolution category.

pictures, please

I've had a hard time blogging, cuz I'm having a hard time with the transfer of pics from camera to computer. BUT I'll get a bonus, so is a new Coolpix in my future?

I am going to do the Journal Your Christmas with Shimelle again...but...have not started. Yesterday I worked a bit on a Christmas card, I'm not 100% into it...gotta figure out how to 'tweak'. I only hand make a few cards, not all of them.



the t-shirt says, "What Santa doesn't bring me, Grandma will", ummmm how true.

BUT today, dh and I plan to make limoncello. Our tree is FULL of late lemons. BUT the thought of sitting around and 'zesting'...ugh. But you don't know till you try...right???

okay, hopefully after transferring pics...I'll post some of my tree for this year. I really like them!! But I like my tree every year. Decorating them is something I do enjoy. I limited myself to 2 this year...

learned something...

last night, ds and ddil went to his Christmas Party, so, I got a "girl's day and night" with dgd, Adriana. After church we went to Strings for lunch, a li'l Christmas shopping and visited a friend and her kids...very fun day. A nap did not work out, but she took a 'quiet time' on the couch while I did the treadmill.


Since I was spending the night, her mom gave us permission to sleep together in the guest room. And this is what I learned...

A person who sleeps with Adriana DOES NOT SLEEP!

Oh my, not just tossing and turning and throwing off covers...but flipping so her feet were in my face, sitting up and talking a couple of times...and at one point she even stole the pillow pet right from under my head!! (me: 'Hey, that's my pillow pet!"...her: "No, its mine"...me: "no, here is yours"...her: "okay" as she rolled over to go back to sleep) aye yi yi.

The good thing about sleeping with her...when she is in repose, she really does look like an angel. It is hard to not stay awake just to watch her sweet li'l face.

So, you know, after my Jenny Craig appt this morning, I promptly took a nap!!

very sad day

Today we said goodbye to our little Cassandra. For almost 20 years she has been a faithful friend to my dd and a joy to me. When we got her at the Pack N Save grocery store, she fit in the palm of my dd's hand. She was sooo playful and as she ran around she made her little motor noises, earning her the nickname "Cassandra the Squirrel". A couple of years later, Marshall (ds's cat) joined our family and they became best of friends. So many good memories of this little girl.

The past few years, she has been the 'cuddler' of the cats. Anyone who came into our home, she saw as a lap to make herself home in...esp if the visitor was wearing white. She is the one who put up with dgd, and let the baby pet her. Whereas the other 2 cats were not quite as friendly.

Cassandra Marky-Mokie (what can I say, a 6 year old did name her) will be missed. We love you little girl.