A Call Today From the Doctor...

... confirms that my grandma has Alzheimers.

It's been suspected.

Now it's for real.

I'm really sad.

A Fresh Start...

It's been about a month since I really focused on my Weight Watchers... and tomorrow I am starting fresh. From the beginning of the year, my coworker and I have been weighing ourselves each Monday on the Warehouse scale. In February, I was up to my highest weight. Since then, I had joined Weight Watchers in May and had lost 17 lbs. I am fearing that my little bit of wavering has let a few of those pounds creep back in. So, tomorrow... a fresh start. Cory helped me out by portioning some of my food that I'll take to work (he spoils me!)... and I am going to start getting online to log in my food again. It's really not that big of a deal and it's not hard... it's just that I get busy or lazy... or a combination of both. Wish me luck! I believe that we are God's temple... and I definitely fall short from keeping it pure. I love sweets... and yes, I have a tattoo. But, considering there are things that are out of my control (like removing a tattoo)... I believe that I can still make the effort to eat right and be healthy. I do not like to exercise... YUCK! But I may try to get on that exercise bike as well and make the most of it. The good thing is that I am able to read and pedal at the same time, so I can actually half enjoy the work out. I do want to say though, I don't believe that we have to be stick-thin or look like (air brushed) models in a magazine to honor God's temple. But eating right and being healthy is important... that's why when I do follow WW's, I try to eat the fruits and veggies... the foods that are more wholesome. I admit, I do eat some sweets and such... but you can't just cut things out cold turkey or you'll go crazy!! I would like to encourage others, if you are struggling with over-eating (I'm the type of person who likes her comfort food!!!!)... take a look at WW's website. It might not work for everyone, but it has worked for me when I've made the effort. And if you can't afford it or just feel overwhelmed, just do the best you can. I know it's not easy to pass up dessert or that extra helping at meal time, but you'll be glad you did. If you need some support or want an accountability partner, let me know... I'd be more than happy to have one myself. I think back to when I started eating unhealthy over the past month and think what I could have lost if I would have stuck with it. That's what gives me motivation to keep going. It also motivates me to want to make a lifestyle change. The minute you stop "dieting" - the weight is going to creep back in. But making the right, healthy choices is what is best. I can do it, you can do it... all with God's help!!

More Massachusetts

I don't have the time or patience to write out everything from the rest of our trip. I just have too much to do... but I did manage to put all of the pics on a slide show, if you'd like to check them out!

I know, I know...

I know I still need to post the rest of my Massachusetts stuff... but I wanted to share this video. I am actually not a huge fan of the contemporary Christian Music scene... a lot of it starts sounding the same to me. Maybe I'm just picky? Anyway... I really love this song by MercyMe. If you have ten minutes to spare... its a great song to really listen to and think about. I believe it speaks to each of us in our own ways...

Massachusetts!!! Day 1

Forgive me if this post is less than stellar. I am recovering from a refrigerator door to the nose incident! I know, you're probably wondering what in the world happened... it was very simple. Boo follows me everywhere. OR... she anticipates where I am going to go and tries to get there first. I came home with a bag of groceries (only to realize that I didn't get much other than ingredients to make some soup--oops)... and was headed for the kitchen. Boo got there first and eventually ended up backing into my bathroom - which is right near where the fridge door swings. *sigh* I was leaning over to put something in... and she got stuck behind the door and couldn't see me.... and so she nudged the door forward at the same time I was leaning over.. and BAM!!!! I have a black and blue nose... and a pounding headache! So bear with me.

I'm going to break this up into different posts for lack of time at the moment:

Cory and I took a semi-spontaneous trip to Massachusetts. We wanted to see the ocean (well, I did anyway)... and go to Boston. The first day we drove out to Cape Cod and checked out some shops and ate at a Papa Gino's. Never again will we go to a Papa Gino's! Haha... it wasn't what we were expecting AT ALL! Not that it was horrible... just... not what we expected... and not very great service. Anyway... We went to this store called Tree's Place. Cool store and art gallery. I could totally see my aunt and mom in there for a long time checking things out. When we first walked in... there was a gallery of paintings that you could browse. Kind of classy... We were definitely out of place in our jeans and my wind blown hair. Cory's Buffalo Bills Hat. Haha! I tried to breeze right up to the store... but Cory lagged behind... where he discovered a painting. A rather large painting, not to my tastes, but well done nonetheless... two adolescent girls on a path with some nature around. Flowers, grass and such. Price Tag: $32,000. Yes, you read it right. I almost choked on my own spit and hesitated going to the store part. We had been eyed though and couldn't just turn around and head out! The store part ended up being pretty cool... I got a neat-o glass. (I'm such a tourist) I wanted to get this one thing for my aunt... but I couldn't justify the price. So I didn't. Oh well. We headed to the beach... where... oddly... everyone sat in their vehicles. I mean... everyone. I wasn't sure if we were allowed to get out! We hesitated a little... and then an old guy got out and started throwing food to the sea gulls. We figured.. ehh.. might as well try! We were probably the afternoon entertainment for the people in their cars... who were just... sitting... there(???). We didn't do anything crazy... but we walked way out and tried to find sea shells and scan the ocean and such. Cory happened to get this pic of me... just as a sea gull was flying by. After we strolled around the beach and kind of got frozen and my hair was in knots from the wind... we kept driving around and went to this store called "The Christmas Tree Shop". I thought FOR SURE it was going to be a neat-o place with all kinds of Christmas tress and ornaments, etc. We have a place like that around here that I LOVE to go to. We noticed it was REALLY busy. Kind of seemed weird... but we went in. LOL! It was a craft, grocery, toy, anything you can think of store... minus a pharmacy. I was a little disappointed... but we looked around and they DID have really good prices. We found another beach and did some more strolling and sea shell finding... where, once again, people were sitting.in.their.cars. So strange. Cory decided to take a different road on our way back and we found more cool shops. :) (I'm all about the shops). I didn't take any pics of the shops... but I did take pics when we were driving near the city (Boston). I am such a hick... I took pics of this stuff because I never see it where I live. It's OK if you laugh at me... I don't mind!


Well, I'm off to see my sis and her kids and have dinner with them and my mom! More next time!

I'm Back!

Real quick, as I am supposed to be getting ready for work...

Cory and I took a weekend trip to Massachusetts... I have pics and stuff to post. But I picked up Boo to find she had a couple of ticks (she stayed with Cory's parents and they had her outside--they live near more woods than I do). So luckily Cory tweezed them out! Then I came home and found ANOTHER one! So poor Cory had to drive out to get that one out also. ICK!! I haven't had any time to do anything. I've barely even unpacked. I will write and post pics later on this evening if I have time. I would like to relax a little and go read all of your blogs also!!

Hope all is well!!!

All Things Bright and Beautiful

The Elk of Elk County

How goofy am I that I have lived not far from Elk County my whole life and never realized that the reason it is called ELK County is... well, for the ELK! LOL! Anyway... a coworker was telling me about it the other day... how there are SO many Elk this time of year. Cory and I set out yesterday in the late afternoon to take a nice drive up to the "Elk Sighting Areas". I admit that I was getting a little discouraged. There seemed like so much traffic and I wasn't sure what exactly you did if you saw an Elk. Did they walk out on the road? (I was hoping not since I just got my car back from the deer incident). Did you have to spot them and pull over? Did you go to a designated area, like a park? I had no idea. I guess I just assumed we would see dozens of them on the sides of the roads. No such luck. HAHA. However, we did finally come to a congested area of cars. It was INSANE! There were people walking on the roads and pulling off. Cory saw them first... THE ELK were in someone's YARD! We turned around and found a place to pull off (my apologies to the property owner)... and walked up the hill. People kept gathering and I don't even know how many elk there were... maybe 20?? It was nuts. They just meandered through the yard, eating the grass. We think that the people probably fed them often... they were so tame. (Or so it seemed). People didn't bother them at all. It was like an attraction at the zoo! See how close they were to the peoples' house and car?? There were cows and babies (cute!) and then this big guy who startled us by walking toward us, then turning off to another part of the yard. He was BIG. ...Ok... So I admit... I thought they would be GIGANTIC... like, we're talking MOOSE big. I was a little disappointed that they weren't that big. But they were still pretty big and cool to watch. I started getting a little paranoid though, bugs were dive-bombing me... and SO many people kept coming and coming. The owners seemed to be getting irritated that people were on their property... but HEY... it happens. We took some pics and then walked back to the car and waited and waited to merge into traffic. I couldn't believe the cars and people. We passed another "sighting" on our way back... but didn't stop. The Elk was pretty far back from the road and near a curve... so we just kept on going. It was a neat experience though!! :) Hope you enjoyed the pictures!
One last little note... (Here is a pic of Cory and Boo) My lovely dog here... decided that she would roll in some.... shall I say... POOH! I was just about to leave for a meeting and she ran over to my mom's yard. My sister's kids were there and playing... and Boo wandered around and WHAP! Down she went into the pile of smelly pooh and I could've choked the snot out of her. We got her all nice and clean before I left... but boy was I not happy! She will be staying with Cory's parents this weekend while we take a trip to Massachusetts. I hope she doesn't do anything crazy for them! haha!

Oldies but Goodies

This video is from my birthday back in July. I was just able to upload it on to YouTube and wanted to share it with you! What a cutie my nephew is!!



This is also a video from my birthday... just some present opening and stuff! (There is one more that goes with this... but this video took like 3 hours to upload... so I will try to post the other one another time when I can upload it)

It Seems as if a Lifetime Has Passed...

I haven't blogged in a bit... my apologies. And my apologies for not having been able to keep up with reading blogs as well! I have been busy!!

My mom and I went to this Fall Festival about 1.5 hours away last weekend. It wasn't as good as years past, but I picked up a brand new pair of shoes for $2!! (There are vendors... but also people bring yard sale stuff out in front of their houses) I think we got some pretty good deals all around. We ended up missing a turn though as we were chatting and ended up taking this road with a quaint little sign for Route 45 "this way". Ended up, we went OVER a mountain on a dirt road.... took us 40 mins out of our way! We should've turned around and gone back the way we'd came... BUT, I admit... the scenery was beautiful and it reminded me of taking the mountain road to my grandparents house years ago. Kind of made me sad at the memories. My grandpop passed away 7 years ago and my grammie ended up moving closer to Philly to be near one of my aunts. Anyway--I will start to cry and blubber all over the place if I start writing about it. So I will move on.

My internet connection was Pooh-Pooh last night and I couldn't get on AT ALL. I personally think that my internet provider should knock a days worth off my bill since I couldn't get online. Would only make sense, right?

I have been trying to post more on Etsy. My mom has sold THREE pots in less than a week! Sheesh!!! I haven't sold any... haha. Oh well. I will try to post more in the upcoming days. I have about 20 more things to put on it.

My Jetta is FINALLY out of the shop (4 months later). For those of you who may remember... I hit a deer back on June 6. I haven't been driving it though because the weather has been GORGEOUS and I can't bring myself to park the bug JUST yet. Maybe after this weekend.

I left work early today... WOO HOO and I am getting ready to bake some cookies and biscuits. My mom and I organized a fundraiser lunch thing (chicken and biscuits, veggie, coleslaw and cookies) to help get some money for a family we know who is struggling financially. Yes, I know... there are MANY of us who are struggling. But, this is just something we wanted to do to help out. They don't know that we are doing it for them and we are going to send the money in to the utility company to pay straight on their bill as an anonymous gift. I am taking tomorrow off and we have a few people who are going to help us deliver. We took orders from some local businesses and have to make about 80 lunches. We are going to spend the morning preparing and putting everything together and then hurrying to disperse the food before it gets cold! I am looking forward to it, and although the amount we will make won't hardly put a dent in what these people need... it is worth the effort. Times are tough.

Well, I guess with that being said, I'd better get on the ball... I hope everyone is enjoying the changing leaves as much as I am!!

Adding On...

I have added some of my mom's pottery to my Etsy shop! I am going to be adding more as I have time... but please, check it out! I will also be putting more of my own on.

Tis the season - to start your Christmas Shopping!! ;)