New Year...New Me?

Well, Christmas has come and gone with a blink of an eye and I am always amazed at how much work and effort goes into one day! I love giving presents! I always have and sometimes I don't even care about what I get, I am so excited to see every one's reaction to theirs. But, with the new year fast approaching on my heals, I felt it was important to document my 2008 resolutions, so they don't go ignored just in my head and maybe next year I can reflect on how I did to accomplish them.
So here goes.....


1. Continue to lose weight. I cannot believe I made it through the holidays and lost
20 lbs~It has been hell, I won't lie. I want to lose 100 lbs. in 2008! Stay tuned!


2. Be more organized. Simplify my life and remove unnecessary distractions.
(DE CLUTTER!)


3. Be more punctual. I have the best intentions and really poor follow through!


4. Not work my life away! I want to spend more time focusing on what brings me
joy.....family,FRIENDS, hobbies and interests. I am taking Thursdays off. We'll
see how long my resolve holds. I want to take at least one class every semester
on something I find interesting.


5. Build more lasting memories with my nephews. I want them to remember me for
being a fun aunt, not just someone who bought them things. I'm hoping the weight
loss will really help me
with this.


6. Stop procrastinating! Live life today, don't just wait for tomorrow to be better.


7. Put ME as a priority. Stop disrespecting myself. Honor my spirit! Love myself.


8. Quit being afraid. Remember this is the only life I'm going to get and LIVE!


9. Have more patience.


10. Be grateful. I have such gratitude for everything I have and everything I am
and I need to stop focusing on how hard I feel my life is and re shift my focus to
how truly blessed I am and how much love surrounds me everyday.



MAN! I sound like a total cheeseball and these are tall orders, but if I can improve just
a little bit in these areas, imagine what I could do and how I would feel! Holy Crap!
I hope I can. 35 years is long enough to be afraid to try. Keep your fingers crossed.
Happy new year everyone!!

I miss my friends...the farmers!

Ever had a best friend move away? I have and it sucks! This time of year seems to make them seem even farther. Luckily we have the internet, so we can chat in an instant, but I miss my "chicken curry nights" with my best buddy Col. Emails just don't do it for me. Col "gets" me, really gets me, and I miss her hugs! Hopefully, I will get to see her someday soon. I miss my McMahans! "Oh...the weather outside is frightful, and the fire is sooo delightful, so since we've no place to go....Let it snow, Let it snow....." What? I would like to injure whoever wrote this song! Who would ever sing that? Let it snow? Obviously, they never had to drive or function in
a snow storm! And who has no place to go? At Christmas? Are they on crack? I am sweating just thinking about the next snow storm which is fast approaching and I HAVE SO MUCH TO DO AND MANY PLACES TO GO! UGHHH! Winter really brings out the best in me...can't you tell?
I think it is all the exercising I have to do lately. It's is killing me slowly and painfully. Man, who filled me with all this holiday cheer? I'll try better to be festive. Maybe after I get all my laundry done.

Toys-R-Us.....Not!

For the last 2 days, I have been taking my two cutest nephews Christmas shopping. OK...sounds fun right? These two could not be more different and I had to totally control my OCD from kicking in, because they are both what I would term....browsers! I am exhausted!! Brady didn't quite know what he wanted for his family and after making about 1000 suggestions, to possibly hurry it a smidge along, I decided to just let him do his thing and he had a ball! The gifts are hilarious and I can't wait to see everyone's faces when they open them on Christmas morning. Brett, on the other hand, knew EXACTLY what he wanted to get everyone, and spent 1 hour and 37 minutes, picking out his gift to himself, and 4 minutes on everyone else. Toys-R-Us should have a warning sign on the front for parents.....This store may actually make you want to end your life, before your child can be dragged out! OH MY LORD! It is like a crack den for kids. Things are blinking and bopping up and down and there are a million things to try out. Kill me now was the only phrase that kept popping in my head. No one took me up on it. Anyhoo, we got there shopping done and now the Christmas Elf (Me) gets to wrap the treasures and hide them so no one peeks! I am the best Aunt ever, if I do say so myself. We had a minor non-politically correct moment at McDonald's after, however. We were eating and Brett gives me his confused look he usually gives when he is about to say something I will regret, and says "Kiki, there are a lot of people here speaking a different language!" (Really loudly.) And I immediately say, "Yes there is. They are speaking Spanish." (Hoping he will drop it down a notch.) To which he says, (again really loud) "Oh, they must be from CHINA!" Very fun moment for me to explain the difference between languages to a 7 year old. But, we decided to make Christmas shopping an annual tradition and I am very glad I get to share these 2 little turkeys! They are such fun!

Wish I was Here...

I hate winter! I hate the grey, the cold, the constant worry of whether your car can actually do what it claims to do in all weather. I want to be here. This is a picture I took in Ireland in April. What an amazing trip and I wish I was there now. Snow is so over-rated. OK I get the whole "we need water to drink" thing, but come on! We just had a summer that was a million degrees everyday and now, here we are. Snow. Cold. Yuck. I guess with Global Warming, I should just put some sunscreen on and shut up. But, why snow? Already! Alright, I guess it could be worse. I just needed to whine a little. I feel better.

Dun..Dun..Dun...Cold Season Has Arrived!

Yes. It's true. Some random germ has invaded my body and left me sniffeling, sneezing, coughing, achy, stuffy head, fever, and I'd love to rest! (How did Nyquil know EXACTLY what I would be feeling??) Anyhoo, I am on Day 5 of my head cold and my diet has completely gone to H E Double Hockey Sticks! So, instead of feeling just ill, with the light dimly lit at the end of the 7 to 10 day tunnel, I am feeling pangs of guilt , as well. SWELL!! I am feeling slightly better--i.e. I am not wishing for immediate death, which is a good sign. I am going to take a more positive spin to it and see hope. I have to say, though, I have found the cure to the blues. No, it's true. I know you are thinking, yeah right, but it is a fact. My cure is...I log onto Ross the Intern's Blog and before I know it, I am laughing my head off and I feel better. He is truly one of my people and it makes my heart happy to know there are other unique individuals in the world, that don't care what people think and live happy lives! So, if you haven't experienced a RossBlog...DO IT TODAY! He is so dang funny and adorable. I want to be his friend!! Anyway, it is nice to have an automatic dial up for a smile. Spoken like a true ubergoober. That's me-Love me or not. Anyway, I'm off to the gym tomorrow. I need a shot of self-respect in the arm. YUCK.

Tis The Season To Be Tired...I Mean Jolly!

Remember the good old days?? The days when all you had to worry about are how many days until Christmas vacation.....Hoping Santa got your letter and that he had the right cabbage patch doll in his workshop so you would receive it on Christmas morning? Remember when you didn't have to worry about how many calories were in each cookie and how many minutes or hours on the eliptical trainer it would take to work those delicious cookies off?? I am writing this with what is left of my arms from my "light weights" workout with my darling personal trainer! They are mushy stumps, created by various machines that I am quite sure were invented by someone who got laid off from their job in the torture chambers of the world. Are you kidding me? I think I've figured out her methods, however. I believe she is literally killing me with kindness and a smile. I keep trying because I don't want to see her disappointment. Who needs Jillian Michaels kicking my butt? I am being trained by the Sugar Plum Fairy! She really is sweet and I love her, but when she smiles and tells me great job...only TEN more, I want to cry. 17 more to go. I hope I live.

Personal....Training?

Well, I took the plunge into the painful world of working out! It is much easier to be lazy. What was I thinking?? I know that is what you are thinking and I believe those words have escaped my lips many times as well. But, I have a fantastic much younger, energetic trainer who is making me do several things with this body of mine, that I am pretty sure were never meant to be! I am still in pain and it has been two days. She is convinced I can do this, so I'll believe her. Thousands wouldn't, but I'll believe her. However, I am committed to this new endeavor, so I put my money where my mouth is (and food used to be) and I have paid for 20 sessions. What?? I know. I feel the same way about it. SHOCK. HORROR. Empathy. All those things. I guess the phrase "That which does not kill me, makes me stronger" will take on a WHOLE different meaning. This actually might kill me. Good Lord. Anyhoo, I'm gonna keep plugging along and we'll see what happens. Damn that show BIGGEST LOSER! It makes this seem possible! Stay tuned.....

I'm Just Sayin...

So, this whole blog thing. Everyone seems to be doing it. I guess it will be easier than a diary, because everyone will be reading it while I go along and it will save me a whole lot of explaining later. I like it! It's kind of like a cleanse without the yucky drinks! OK. I can do this.