Just a picture....

Been Awhile.

So summer has been in full swing. We've had festivals, swimming lessons, family reunions, carnivals, water parks, visiting family members, summer colds,zoo trips, museum trips.
Busy but not completly out of hand.
Actually going to a concert on Sunday. G. Love. Should be fun. We are going with 2 other couples at at High Falls Brewery---guess they have an outdoor concert venue there.
Not really digging the writing thing but just wanted you all to know I'm still around!

If I was married in the 30's

35 As a 1930s wife, I am Poor Take the test!

Here I am...

Ok, so it has been awhile. Birthdays, school ending.....And although all this craziness and business is going on I don't feel like I have a whole lot to say. Grace turned 3, which is just crazy. She doesn't go to preschool or anything so she doesn't have friends yet. So we didn't really have a party for her. We let her open presents on her birthday, and then a week later my mom and dad came and we celebrated again. It was sweet though, she wanted a party so bad and was asking when her friends were coming. Poor thing. Here she is on her actual birthday....


On other news....it has been about a year since I started this BLOG and since I started weight watchers. I have lost 46 pounds but the last 5 have been a bitch. I lose half a pound then gain 2, then stay the same then lose a pound and so on and so on. I'm happy though, don't get me wrong. I feel fantastic.
Here I am June 17 last year


And here I am just today:



They are different kinds of pictures but you get the idea. Mike has lost 45 pounds as well and looks fantastic. I will have to get a current photo of the 2 of us together. We are going to a family reunion on the 5th so I will definatly get some shots then.






Dalton finished preschool. Amazing huh. 5 years old, and kindergarten right around the corner---boggles the mind at how fast the years fly by.

Summer is here, all kinds of fun stuff ahead, I'll try to update more as things happen.
I hope everyone has a fantastic summer.

Hugs and kisses to all my friends :)

Dalton is 5 Today.

It is crazy to think that 5 years ago today, Mike and I became parents. Dalton was born 4 weeks early and nearly 10 pounds....yes the dates were correct! He was a sick little guy though(broken clavical, low blood sugar-stayed in the NICU for a week), but such a good baby. We celebrated his birthday on Saturday with a bunch of his friends from school and some family. He had a blast. Mike and my brother in law and our friend David set up a jungle gym for the kids that is pretty cool. We had been wanting to get one for awhile and saved a couple hundred dollars of christmas money the kids had and the great timing of the stimulus check and voila! Now I need to take some pictures of the kids playing on it!
So anyway today Dalton is 5. Where does the time go? (this also means that on Thursday I will be 33, I remember when that was just so old!
Happy Birthday Dalton!

4 Things

I got tagged by Nancy though I won't be tagging anyone else....feel free to repost this with your own answers though if you are feeling as bored as I am right now.

Four jobs I have had in my life:
1.Waitress
2.Music Store Clerk
3.Health Care Assistant
4. Food Prep

Four movies I've watched more than once:
1. Pulp Fiction
2. The Jerk
3.Forrest Gump
4. The Incredibles


Four T.V. Shows that I watch:
1. Scrubs
2. The Office
3. ER
4. 48 Hours Mystery


Four places I have been:
1. The Bahamas
2. Toronto, Canada
3. Seattle
4. Key West


Four People who e-mail me (regularly):
1. Erika
2. Corinne
3. Heather G.
4. Emma

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Pizza
2. Chinese
3. Cake
4.My moms mac and cheese

Four Places I would like to visit:
1. Australia
2. Spain
3.India
4. Hawaii

Things I am looking forward to in the coming year:
1.Hitting my goal weight
2. Doing something/going somewhere for vacation
3. Dalton Starting Kindergarten
4. Spending more time with my mom and dad this summer hopefully

Happy Spring....

Just a quick hi. I hope everyone is having beautiful weather like we are here in Western NY. Nothing too exciting these days. Mike is working a ton....I am ready to pull my hair out on a daily basis....but other than that things are good. Lost 1.5 pounds this week!!! Puts me in the 150's which is exciting. I weighed in early since the kids and I are heading to Norwich this afternoon. Grandma is being buried on Friday....not a fun thing, but it will be nice to close that chapter. Oh yeah, last week I got to hang out with a couple old friends. Went to the zoo and museum with my dear friend Tracy and met up with an old classmate and went to the mall and a quick trip to a park with all our rugrats. It was nice catching up!

Oh yeah...for the few of you who may not have seen this... here is a photo of Mike and I from our big night out!

Today is April the 10th

Ok, so lately I am just feeling completely behind in everything. I am usually on top of the bills and that type of stuff, I usually order prints of my photos soon after uploading them to the computer. But lately I just can't get it together. I actually paid a late fee on a credit card....haven't done that in years! It makes me so mad. I have probably 2 months worth of pictures I need to order prints of, not like its a big deal since I haven't put any photos in photo albums in probably 2 years anyway.
I've been in a rut the last couple weeks with my weight. 2 weeks ago I gained 2 pounds and then last week I stayed there. I weighed in today since we are going out tomorrow night to dinner and to see Jesus Christ Superstar, and finally I am back to where I was 2 weeks ago. I am hoping that by next week I will be in the 150's! I don't think I have been in that weight range since I met Mike, and the only reason I weighed that little when I met him was because of medications I was taking that made me want to vomit at the thought of food.
But all in all, things are pretty good. Mike has started the month of hell at work a.k.a Outage. He works at a Nuke Power Plant and every 18 months they shut down and empty and refill tanks and a bunch of stuff I have no understanding of. All I know is that for a month, Mike will be going into work Sunday-Friday, and leaving the house at 4:30-5pm and coming home at around 7am the next morning. I will for the most part be a single parent for a month. This schedule will go until about mothers day, just in time to get a swingset/gym built in the back yard before Dalton's 5th birthday party! Fun times.
So word is, my Grandmothers burial is supposed to be April 25....kinda sad, but it will bring closure to my aunt and my dad and mom---I really think that chapter needs an ending, especially for my mom. She was simply sucked of her emotion and energy the last year or so taking care of grandma.
So I guess that is all for now.
I hope everyone is enjoying the Early days of Spring! It's finally here!

Thursday.....

Ok so today is Thursday. My folks are coming into town this afternoon, so I really should be cleaning house right now instead of typing on here but as usual I really do Not feel like cleaning. Do I ever? So what is new? As of last Saturday I have lost 41 pounds since June! Huge milestone, makes me feel good-accomplished you know. Tomorrow Dalton doesn't have school so I am taking him in for his screening for Kindergarten. Crazy to even think he is going to be 5 in May. Some days he just seems so big to me and then just as easily it seems just like yesterday that I was pregnant with him. I have to say though, I don't think I will be one of those teary weepy parents when he starts school. The main reason being, he has been going for 5 days a week for 2 years now, and the Kindergarten here is for only 2.5 hours a day which is what he does now, so it really isn't going to be that much different than it is now. I think on Friday my parents and I are going to take the kids to the museum too since my folks haven't been there yet.
And Saturday, Mike and I will be going out with a couple friends. Been a long time since I've hung out in a bar so that was my one request- that we go to BARS! I can't wait.
Oh, and in April Mike and I are going to see Jesus Christ Superstar, which should be fun. Mike has always been a fan of this musical and he has seen it performed once---I have never been to a big production like this so I am kind of excited too! And Corey Glover- of Living Colour fame-is Judas in it so it's kind of cool to know that someone I am familar with is in the production.
So that is my life for the moment.
Oh yeah, Dalton finished up Karate this week and got his white belt. We are signing him up for 8 more weeks since he enjoyed it so much!

Have a good one!

I got tagged by Missy!

1. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions for themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player then tags some people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

10 years ago: I was still living in Texas and had no children. 

5 things on my to do list for Thursday: 

1.Take Dalton to School

2.Pick up a few groceries if I didn't do it already Wed.

3.Go to the Gym

4.Fold clothes...ongoing chore for me.

5.Pick Dalton up from School.

Things I Would Do If I Were Suddenly Made A Billionaire: 

1.Pay off all Debts.

2.Set my folks and my in laws up.

3.TRAVEL

4.Open a Bar

3 of my bad habits: 

1.Stressing about daily stuff.

2.Smoking...although it is not nearly as bad as I used to be.

3.Biting my nails...this comes and goes every few months

Places I have lived: 

New York State (raised and current residence)

Pennsylvania

Texas

Washington State

Jobs I have had: 

Candy Striper at the hospital--my very first job

Food Prep/Line Service

Waitress

Assistant in residental setting for handicapped people

Shop assistant/cashier  in flower shop, pet store and  2 music stores

Things most people don't know about me: I don't keep much from people really....

*I was born on my great grandmothers Birthday and that is why my middle name is IVY (her first name)

*I had a brother from my Dads first marriage that I never knew...he died when I was 2 or 3.

I tag Nancy, Melanie and Julie!

Today is Saturday

With a few minutes to kill waiting to head out the door I thought I'd jump on here for a bit. Things are going pretty good. Today is going to be fun hopefully. I weighed in this morning...stayed the same from last week, better than gaining at least. It just irritates me though because I've lost 39.5 pounds....I just wanted that half pound today-oh well.

Dalton and I are going to a birthday party today-he is SO excited. It is for his classmate Nora and it is at Chuck E. Cheeses, one of his favorite places so it should be fun. Grace is equally excited since she is going to my sisters while we are at the party. She LOVES my sister and is so thrilled be be going over there to play.

Monday is St.Patty's day. So Dalton has a little party at school for that plus it is my volunteer day at school so that should be fun too.

Oh, Dalton started Karate last week too. He is liking it. I haven't been there with him yet since Mike just happens to have those days off---he goes 2 days a week, 6 classes total. But he has a little uniform, which I still need to get a photo of him in it....

Anyway, just a little update. Have a great day.

MARCH FIRST

Hi everyone. Been awhile since I posted. So anyway, gained a pound this week. I'm almost positive it has to do with "that time of month", at least I'm hoping so. I'm also not beating myself up over it. The last month my weight has been a little mixed up. Between working out with a little more regularity and my new cravings for salty nuts and snack mixes and then throw in my period twice in one month...frickin February! Anyway....I will get out of this rut! 

Nothing else has really been going on. I am in desperate for attention right now though. Really needing some adult time, away from the kids again. I really felt like a lunatic half the time this week. Walking on eggshells around Mike because we were arguing about everything. Again, most of this can be chalked up to my period, toss in Mikes work schedule this week of 6pm-6am, which meant  waking up at 2, leaving for work at 5:30....always stressful. At any rate, I really want my mom to come for a weekend and hang with the kids so Mike and I can go out alone.

My house is a wreck as usual. That is really what I should be taking care of right now. I went to the gym at 7am before weight watchers this morning, so now Mike is at the gym and took the kids with him. Prime cleaning time, but I would much rather just enjoy the silence after the miserable week I have had. I don't know....maybe I'll shower first and then take it from there.

Weather has been cold...snowy...blowy...wintery.

I am ready for spring.

So I guess that is it for now.

Down 2 More....Valentines Day

                                                                          Well, Hope you all had a good valentines day. 

                                                                                                       This is what I made Mike:





Eat your heart out Julie :)

Well, I've already posted the Tattoo news. I guess the only other new stuff is that I am down 2 more pounds. I now weigh what I did on my wedding day in 2002 :) Feels good. But it will feel better when I hit the 150's, I haven't been there in MANY MANY years.

Dalton is on break from school this week. I was hoping to let the kids stay with my parents for a couple days so Mike and I could have some down time, but they are going to start cleaning out grandma's house and meeting with lawyers and all that fun stuff this week. Oh well. God that would have been nice though. Grace has been making me insane lately....I think I feel the gray hairs starting to sprout!

Anyway, nothing much new other than what I have already said.

Our Tattoos.....

Here is Mikes Tattoo:





And here is mine:

Got Bored...

Ok, I hardly ever post update photos anymore. Here is one of me last week. I am hoping that one day, my thighs magically become half thier size!

A little news....

So for valentines day this year Mike and I are going to get tattoos. I got one when I was 18 and have wanted a second one since that day. Mike doesn't have any yet so this will be his first.

I will definatly post pictures after we get them. This is the guys portfolio who will be doing them:

Dylan Tate-White Tiger Tattoo-Rochester, Ny

He seemed pretty nice, and was working on someone while we were there. Mike gets his done on Tues. and I will go in on Wednesday. I can't wait!

Lets see, well last week I GAINED 3 pound. Ugh. I was so pissed, but I know it can be fixed. I have went to the Gym 3 days this week. Taking a break today, and will go tomorrow to get one more workout in before I weigh in on Saturday.

The family is doing well since Grandma left. My parents seem ok. The services were very nice. She looked good. I mean, I know that is something everyone says as funerals..."oh, she looks so peaceful", "She looks so nice", "they did a good job".....but all those things were really true. The last time I visited my grandma in the nursing home, her hair was a mess...she had a bib on with food on herself, her teeth weren't in (that absolutly broke my heart because that was something my grandma NEVER did when she was well)so seeing her laying there in the casket with nice hair and lipstick...made me kind of happy. She is gone now....I miss her, and think of her just about everyday.

So we are moving on.....I will post again soon.

I love this photo.

With Grandma's passing still in the front of my mind I thought I would post this photo. I have always LOVED this picture. It has my granddad and his 3 favorite things....

His Lincoln

His Woman

His Gun

It makes me smile to look at this photo. It was taken probably in 1981 or 1982, he died in 1983. This was up at the farm we lived on in North Norwich.

They must be so happy to be back together again.

My Grandma....

Well, last night the phone rang...at a time that just didn't seem right. Sure enough, it was that dreaded phone call that nobody wants to get.....

Caryn, Grandma's gone. I don't know if the news itself was so sad or just the sound of my mom crying.

I am sad. But Grandma has been sick to different degrees since I was pregnant with Dalton. In the last year it has gotten progressivly worse, her dementia especially. Though she was still living on her own until November when collectively the family decided a nursing home was the safest place for her to be.

I am happy too. She is with my Grandpa now. She is in a place where youth prevails and her brothers and sisters, and my brother(my brother from my dads first marriage-I never knew him) and cousin are with her again.

My parents were with her around 4 or 5 o'clock yesterday and she said she was playing with all her grandchildren, and was singing the song "Together Again" word for word. So I think in her soul, she knew it was her last day. She passed about 8:30 last night.

My grandma was a wonderful grandma.
I have missed the grandma I knew for awhile now....I just didn't realize how it would feel when it happend for real.

I love you grandma.

Have a giggle....On Me.

Everybody Remembers this famous magazine cover.....


Here is my take on it.....



Mojo was sleeping next to me on the couch and Mike snapped a couple photos. When I looked at them later it cracked me up, then I realized it really did seem like that old magazine cover.

Saturday Night.....Feeling Alright

Ok, well it is Saturday at 11pm exactly. Mike and the kids are fast asleep. I am on my second cocktail and feeling warm and calm. This is a first for me in many days. The kids have been insane. I swear I have been seconds from calling the doctor to get meds to help me out!

Its been cold but no snow. Feels more like late spring than winter. Can't complain about that. I'm not much of a winter person. Although I spent a lot of money getting Mike set up for snowboarding and he hasn't got to go yet. Monday. That is the day. He will fall most likely, a lot. Because it will probably be pretty icy but he will have fun I am sure.

Mike got me this camera for christmas, and that has been making me nuts too.  I hate reading manuals so I've yet to pick that thing up and read it. Therefore I am taking tons of horrible pictures trying to figure out all the functions on my camera. I really do enjoy the close up features it has though and have gotten those down pretty good.

I would post more pictures but I have been having a horrible time uploading photos on this site. It either takes forever or doesn't happen at all. Anyone else? Maybe it is because this is a Safari browser or maybe because I am on a Mac. Who knows. 

Anyway.....

Weight loss is still going good.  I actually enjoy buying clothes now, which is just too weird for me.

Let's see I guess that is all I can think of right now. Hope everyone is well. It is at times like this I miss all my old friend so much. Growing up sucks sometimes!

How'd that happen?

Ok, so I managed to lose 3.5 pounds this week! Pretty happy about that. I am almost at the weight I was when I got married in 2002, which was the lightest I had been for many years. 

We are slowly getting decorations and such down. It will be awhile before we get the outside stuff taken down but tomorrow I will jump on the other stuff and get it totally out of the way hopefully.

We went to a party on NYE, and what a surprise. We showed up at a housefull of 20 somethings playing ROCKBAND. I mean, 3 guys showed up ready to rock with thier own mics and everything, pretty funny for a group of 30 somethings to witness. Made me feel old!

Oh so I put together a before and after picture. Some of you may have already seen this in your email but I wanted to put it on here anyway.

So the first photo is Jan. 2007, the second photo is Jan.2008