We went to Dallas for the weekend because my cousin got married. They were an hour and a half late for their reception! It was hilarious because they said they got lost.....rrrrrrright. Those stinkers got a standing ovation at their reception when they finally showed up! It was a fun trip and I got to see some of my relatives there. Most of all I got to see my Grandma Nora. She is such an amazing woman, I am so blessed to have grandparents with whom I am so close.
Mike and I had a long talk yesterday. He was depressed because one of my cousins asked him what he liked about his job, and he couldn't think of anything that he "liked". It pays well, has good benefits, is a stable company.....but he just doesn't like it. I mean, really- who wants to sit in a cubicle for 12 hours a day checking formulas and calculations page after page after page. When he decided that he wanted to be a mechanical engineer, he thought he would be designing machines and making things, lots of hands on stuff. Not this. We sat and tried to figure out what he would want to do that he wouldn't get bored doing, and really couldn't come up with anything. I just want him to find something that he will enjoy doing. Besides that, we hate Texas. Soooooo, I think we're moving back to Colorado when his year is up here. (yaaaaay!) We decided that we are just "Colorado" people. It would be great to be closer to family again, too. Hopefully Mike can get a job with NREL again. Plus I miss my friends!!! I can't wait to see them again! I have some of the best friends on earth back there.
Texas is just funny. These people have seriously been brainwashed to believe that everything is better in Texas, everything is bigger in Texas, blah blah blah....I bought some fajita size tortillas the other day. I noticed the package said "Texas size" and guess what....I held them up to the other fajita tortillas and they were the exact same size! Then, one guy asked Mike if they had as many trucks in Colorado as they do in Texas (like having more trucks makes them better of a state) and Mike just laughed! He said that Colorado has just as many trucks, but the difference is that the trucks in Colorado usually have mud on them and have been off the pavement. (in otherwords, Coloradans actually use trucks for what they were made for!). Anyways, people here really do have a "Texas-size" attitude. Probably because they've never been outside of Texas and don't know any better. I even saw a guy with the state of Texas tattooed on his bicep! Now, you don't see guys in Colorado with a big rectangle tattooed on their arm! You don't see houses with the Colorado flag painted on their garage, you don't see Burger King signs with "try our new Colorado size deluxe cheeseburger today!". And Coloradans don't have a "Colorado Edition" Ford truck. Yes, Texas is definitely one of a kind. I'll just leave it at that!

Well, I've completed one week on the Abs diet! I can't really tell all that much of a difference, but my husband says he can. I guess that's the one that really matters. I try to watch what I eat during the day, and then after I put the kids to bed I do the weights and crunches and stuff and do a half an hour of cardio. I usually do a 5 minute warm up, then I run a mile or so and then I alternate walking and running for the rest of the time. It's supposed to burn fat faster if you keep your body guessing and change up your pace. So it's not bad at all! I thought it would be torture, but I'm finding that I really like it. I'm finding that I sleep better (because my body is actually tired!) and I feel better about myself. I can't wait to see the results after the 6 weeks are over!

I have decided to go on a DIET! (oooh, the "D" word!) I heard from a little birdie that my stomach could use some work, so I am starting the "Abs Diet" and I'm excited to see how it goes. Right now I'm at 125 lbs, and I'd like to lose about 10 pounds. I read the book last night and it sounds like a pretty good plan. The usual "watch what you eat" and "here's your exercises for today" kind of book. I can use my weights and do the exercises right here in my living room and then I can use our new treadmill and do cardio for a half an hour every day. And one day a week I can eat whatever I want! What a wonderful day of the week that will be! =) This blog can kind of work as my progress journal, too. Maybe I'll post a before and after picture!

Good news. The results came back negative! I can't even begin to tell you how relieved I am. Although, in my "depressed therapy session" I finally bought a nice big area rug, a big black leather ottoman (to use as a coffee table- no pointy corners, yaaaay!), and some wall decorations. I gotta say, there is something to be said for shopping while you're upset. My house looks better and I feel better. Nice.

Today is one of those days when I just can't concentrate on anything for more than 30 seconds. I think my significant other is having a "rubber band" week (for anyone who has read the "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus" book you know what I'm talking about) and has hardly said a word or looked at me in 2 days. My Grandma (the one who's husband passed away in September) is getting her test results from the doctor today, they think she has cancer. She has been on so many medications that her kidneys have had about all they can take, so they're not sure what they will be able to do for her. On one hand, I know she is excited to be with Grandpa again, it will be a glorious reunion! She is terribly miserable and lonely without him. Yet the selfish side of me can't bare to say good-bye. I'm supposed to see her next weekend at my cousin's wedding. If these results today come back as bad news, how do I greet her next knowing that I may never see her again in this life? Do I just hug her and be happy and act like nothing is wrong, or do I fall to her feet and weep because I fear for how she will have to suffer? I don't really know what else to say, other than it's going to be a long day.

So, I just talked to one of my friends from church yesterday and I can't stop thinking about her. She just found out that she's pregnant, and her husband had an affair on her! She had no idea. He would lie and say that he was going to a game with one of his friends, and of course he wasn't. She has 6 kids (one is a 11 month old baby!) She had a good venting session and I hung up the phone just as depressed as she was. She is absolutely devastated! Suddenly I have a whole new fear of becoming the "old run down stay-at-home mom" model. My body has been scarred by having two (wonderful!) children. I'll be honest. I'm not the fun, crazy, hot "babe" I used to be. My stomach looks like I was mauled by a tiger, my boobs are a few inches south from where they started before breastfeeding, I have permanent dark circles under my eyes, and I'm lucky if I get dressed by 10 a.m.! Instead of going to the gym- I'm grocery shopping. Instead of spending time curling my hair and taking the time to put on eyeliner, I'm wiping the hand prints off of the t.v. and cleaning the crayon masterpieces from the walls. I usually have spit up or something smeared on one of my shoulders and my hair half pulled out of it's ponytail from my 10 month old son. But this gives me new a whole incentive to try harder to look better when the husband comes home. It's sad when you suddenly see all of the rest of the women in the world as competition for your husband. I'm not saying that I don't love being a mother, it is the most wonderful thing in the world. They have made my life worth living in a whole new dimension, and brought me happiness and joy that I never knew I could feel! I only hope and pray that my husband won't lose sight of what he has here for a newer model with perky boobs and a toned tummy. Hmmm. I think I'll go eat some chocolate now. On second thought, maybe I'll go eat some chocolate artificially flavored rice cakes.

My First Post!

Hello World! So, this is my first post. Thanks to Diana for introducing me to this vast and interesting world of blogging! This will be fun, I think! Say anything I want, speak my mind, make people laugh....wow! What more could a girl want other than to be able to eat anything she wants without it going straight to her butt? (OK, I can think of a few other things but that would take all day!) Well, until next time- ciao!