Monday, October 29, 2007

Back to the Daily Grind

Well things are slowly getting back to normal around here. The schools re-opened and the college re-opened and I'm back at work. So far it seems like everyone survived the fires and none of my immediate circle lost their homes. What a huge difference from last time. While I am extremely grateful, it is so hard knowing what all the other families are going through. This is just the beginning for them. They have a long hard road ahead of them.

I spent several hours yesterday catching up on homework that was due last week. They shut the campus down and we were all a little pre-occupied so it just got pushed aside. It actually felt good to sit down and do homework. I know, many of you just laughed at that. My son thinks it weird too, but I like doing my homework. Numbers make sense. They are logical. There is a right answer. I love working out the problems and getting the answer. I think it's a sickness.

I've always been a good student, but if you asked me what classes I enjoyed, it was never anything to do with math! In fact I have taken every single English class necessary for my degree and a few extra just for fun. This accounting class is the first "math" type class I have taken in my college career. I avoided it like the plague and yet I have done some kind of accounting at almost every job I've ever had. Now I am wondering what took me so long!! I can whip through these classes so much faster. I don't have to read a novel and interpret things and come up with opinions. All I have to do is learn formulas, learn how to analyze financial statements and write up journal entries. It's logical and predictable. That's a good thing when life is a little crazy.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Little Update

They closed down the college I work at on Monday at 1pm and we don't go back until Monday and all I have accomplished is...I cleaned out the refrigerator. Yep, I'm the lean mean cleaning machine. Ok, so we also went out to a horse camp (evacuation center) and set up some corals, got hubby restocked and loaded so he can have food and supplies on the truck, did a ton of laundry, watched non-stop fire coverage and rested.

Once hubby left I figured I'd do all that deep cleaning that I haven't had time for the last couple of months, unfortunately I'm feeling a little bit under the weather. I'm not sure if it's a little cold or if it's allergies from all the smoke, but it's just kind of slowed me down a little. I'm hoping I'll feel more energetic tomorrow.

I know it's only Thursday, but since I haven't done a Biggest Loser update for a while, I guess I should catch things up.

Two weeks ago I gained two pounds. ooops... But really, you can go back and read my prediction. I knew there was no way I really lost 5 pounds the week before.

Last week I lost 2.8 pounds.

This week I lost 2.8 pounds and I have now lost over 25 pounds. Wowser!!!! I got my cool little magnet to put on my fridge. I'm kind of shocked that I lost so much this week. I definately didn't eat as good as I should have, but I ate small portions and didn't pig out so I guess that kept things moving in the right direction.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

All's Well

Just a quick post to say that we are safe and sound. Some maps show that we are in an evacuation zone, but we have not been asked to evacuate and we are still a few miles from the fire.

We are on the south end of the Witch Fire and so far our area has been spared the devastation that we endured in the Cedar Fires.

Today we are volunteering out at the Rodeo grounds and one of the other local evacuation centers for large animals.

The first couple of days we kind of hunkered down, made sure we were ready to go, were on standby with our emergency radio system (HAM radio emergency team) and were glued to the radio and tv to see where the fire was moving to.

We are having a hard time getting info about our end of the fire because it's a less populated area and isn't moving that quickly right now. Last night we drove down to see how far away it was and it's slowly moving closer, but we really think it's going to be fine unless the winds pick up again.

Today it is really smokey and we're starting to suffer from the air pollution. I'm sure part of it is because the fire is closer and part of it is because the winds are slowing down so it's not blowing the smoke away.

Right now I am feeling grateful...hubby was a week late getting home. If he had come home on time he wouldn't have been here with us.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Done with Stamping?

Hubby is home! I have a workshop Saturday, road show practice tonight and tomorrow and the actual road show is Friday night...

So last night I really needed to stamp my swap that's due Saturday and get a few things done, but hubby was home!!!!! I didn't want to stamp so I said....

"I don't feel like stamping. I think I'm done with stamping."

and hubby said....

"I've been waiting years to hear you say that."

Ooops, I hope he didn't get too excited. I don't want him to be disappointed when he realizes I was joking.

Friday, October 12, 2007

Haunted Hotel

What was I thinking?

I was the dedicated chaperone for tonight's festivities.... J and L wanted to go to the haunted hotel and since we needed to eat at some point, I put together a little picnic/preview of their upcoming Europe trip. I went to cost plus at lunch and found items from England, France and Italy. Since all of the foods were kind of small snack type items, we rounded it off with a little pizza.

Then we headed off to the haunted hotel.... downtown San Diego on a Friday night. Not one of the brightest moves we've ever made. It took 40 minutes to find a parking place. We ended up at Horton Plaza. Then we had to go in and get our ticket validated or it would be $2 for every 20 minutes. Ouch!

We walked a couple of blocks to 4th and Market and then we stood in line, and stood in line, and stood in line. It was the worst line I have EVER been in. It took us 3 hours! I was dying. My feet hurt so bad. Even my crocs couldn't help me.

On the drive home I literally had tears going down my face because my feet hurt so bad.

If my son ever doubts how much I love him, someone please remind him about tonight.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

True Confessions

Ok, I'm going to stop apologizing and I'm letting go of the guilt about "no craft" updates on my blog. I love blogging and my life is constantly changing and shifting right now so there is no time for crafting. Once we get done with the road shows and I put Josh on the plane to Europe, I think things will change. Until then I'm just going to post... about whatever comes to mind and sometimes that might be about crafts... I did make something really cute over the weekend. I just need to take a picture!

Ok, so I have a confession to make. I love Crocs. Yep, I should probably have to make that confession in a large crowded room as penance for all my evil croc thoughts over the last year or so.

I swore I would NEVER buy a pair.

I do not need to keep up with the Jones. I do not need to follow a ridiculous fad. They are ugly. And what is up with the croc jewelry? How dumb!!

Yep, I said all of that and more. Even when my customers professed their croc love and told me how comfortable they were, I was not impressed. Nope. I'm not spending $35 on ugly, plastic shoes.

ha ha ha!

I should've known better. I was the girl who loved jellies and had a million pairs. Why didn't I realize that I love plastic shoes?

My dear friend Gail made me buy a pair. I suppose she was just a little tired of hearing me complain about how much my feet hurt. I bought them one week ago tomorrow, at lunch. Since then I've ordered two more pair (cuter styles of course!) and I have been wearing them every single day. Gail now calls me happy feet.

There's an interesting thing that happens when you wear comfortable shoes and you no longer suffer from foot pain. You become less grumpy! Yep, I'm miss happy feet, miss energetic, miss croc lover, miss take your words back.... I have been healed and I love my crocs.

Friday, October 05, 2007

Biggest Loser Friday Week 5

Woo Hoo.... I lost 5 for update number 5. While it was really fun to hear that number, I'm trying to prepare myself for disappointment next week. I knew I lost a few pounds, but I think 5 might be a little bit off...

1) I weighed in several hours earlier because I couldn't go to my normal meeting.
2) I think I weighed in on the magic scale that always seems to give me bonus losses.
3) I only weighed one pound more at ww and I tend to weigh 3 pounds more.

Anyone remember my goal? The one where I wanted to be down a total of 20 pounds by the time hubby got home? Well he'll be home next week and I am down 21.5 pounds!!

I'm hoping to keep the weight loss going so I don't show a gain next week and then I'll have to set a new goal. The goal will depend on how long hubby plans to be out. We have to decide if he's going to come home for Thanksgiving....or before.... I'm thinking it would be fun to have four days off and a hubby at home, so my vote is Thanksgiving.

This week I really concentrated on drinking my water. Post with super cool favorite water thermos coming soon. I also got more exercise by adding in the recumbent bike.

Here are the top six reasons why I still haven't posted any stamping/scrapbooking/crafting...

Monday - Family association meeting
Tuesday - road show practice
Wednesday - road show practice
Thursday - CTMH meeting
Friday - Dinner at church
Saturday - Volunteering at the school's booth at October fest

This week has been crazy, even by my standards. I worked on a little project during one of the road show practices and I have some fun ideas from the meeting last night... I have a stamping date with my buds on Saturday soooooo...... stay tuned.... it may happen yet!