Happy Valentines Day

I hope everyone gets and gives love today! I am not big on the flowers and candy thing, but I do like gifts. But I really like gifts when I least expect them. Terry used to do the whole roses and candy thing, but I told him I thought it was ridiculous to spend $75 on roses when you can get them any other time for $14.98. I did not however let him off the hook with gifts! I will not get upset if I don’t get anything, I know he loves me and making only one day for us to tell each other this, is absurd! But I will take this opportunity to tell all of you, I love you!

P.S. I know you’re wondering….as of yesterday I have lost a total of 15 pounds!

This little piggy...

Official loss is 12 pounds to date! You would think I would be excited, but I know it should have been more. I endulged, okay lets call it by it's real name, pigged out this weekend. I was sick with all I ate and I wasn't that thrilled with it. The brownies, the homemade chocolate chip cookies, the pancakes, the hamburgers, oh my gosh the list is unbelievable. You would have thought I was some kind of disposal for junk! I was so disappointed with myself that I worked out an extra hour this morning. I am planning on working out an extra hour tomorrow too! I know, don't keep beating yourself up, but if I don't I will begin to justify it and before you know it, I'm back on the road to overeating and coach potato olympics. I'm pretty sure it started with the homemade fudge thing and grew from there. I suppose the main thing is that I recognize that I overate. Before it would not have matter, now it does!

FUDGE!

I gave in to temptation today. It was SO worth it! Homemade Chocolate Fudge. Cut in 2" squares about a 1/4" thick. They melted in my mouth like snow melting in the sun. It was heaven! I felt a little sick at my stomach afterwards, but OH tasting it on my tongue was incredible. Okay your asking, "Why is she so excited over a piece of homemade fudge?". Well, I am a sucker for homemade fudge. Someone brought it to work today for someone's birthday. I was so excited you would have thought it was my birthday! I haven't made any since last summer and it's the one sweet I can not refuse! I continue eating it until I am so sick that I lay in bed moaning and groaning swearing I'll never do it again. My grandfather was the one that introduced me to such a wonderful delicacy. He could whip up a batch in no time and it always turned out perfect. He would add black walnuts or pecans and I couldn't wait to get my teeth into a piece. I did good today, I stopped after three pieces (or was it four?). I'll be back on track tomorrow, but I will hold today's memory in my mind for just a little while longer! I am so glad I did that extra 10 minutes on the bike!

9 Pounds, but who's counting?

It has been one week since I embarked on my new life journey. Exercise and eating less. Notice I did not say eating healthy. That will come later! I have officially lost 9 pounds! I only have 111 more to go! But who’s counting? Seriously, it’s really not about the pounds as much as the increased energy and being able to participate in life again. I have listed 10 things I want to be able to do along my journey.

1. I want to be able to run and play with my niece.

2. I want to sit in an airplane seat and not encroach on the person beside me.

3. I want to go canoeing and not fear that the canoe will capsize.

4. I want to go to the beach and not spend the first two days in the room crying because I’m too embarrassed to go to the pool.

5. I want to buy clothes at any place other than fat lady stores.

6. I want to cross my legs.

7. I want to be as good at kickboxing as Lisa!

8. I want to tuck a shirt in. (Okay this probably won’t happen unless I grow a butt in the process)

9. I want to try new sports!

10. I want to sit Indian style on the floor and be able to get up!

These are just a few things that I want to be able to do. One by one they will happen and through the strength that I gain through Jesus Christ and the prayers of everyone I know, this will become a reality. Oh yeah and my noodle!

Why highs and lows?

Do I have to have valleys to have mountains? ABSOLUTELY! The Lord has made it clear to us that the lows are what gets us the closest to Jesus. It's easy to praise Him when life is going "our" way, but what about when it's not? Do we believe He is still in control? Do we believe that grace is sufficient? The perfect gift He gave us with salvation can not be measured by highs and lows, it's not an emotion. If we believe Him when He says that I am there with you, then is He still there when we aren't getting our "own" way. Of course He is and this valley is only going to make you stronger. Remember this is what faith is, believing at all times.

Max Lucado used a scenario of a plane full of passengers. When they ran into bad weather and the plane began to lose engines, the pilot left the cockpit to inform the passengers that they would all have to jump, but he had parachutes for all of them. Each passenger as the pilot gave them a parachute and instructed them to jump, had one more request, from wanting a different parachute to having reassurance that all was going to be okay. He says we are all like this at times. We are so thankful for God giving us the perfect gift, but maybe He could help us with this one thing. What if He never did? What if God said grace is all you get? Is it enough? There will be times that God says no and we must have faith that God's grace is sufficient.

Read Ephesians 2:1-10

I am guilty of not remembering that it is only by His grace that I am saved and all else He will take care of. I pray that we all remember this daily.

The Biggest Winner!

I did it! I went to the open casting call for The Biggest Loser. Two wonderful gorgeous in shape friends went with me. We stood out in the cold and rain for two hours before I realized we had not moved a block and we still had at least two more blocks to go. With numb toes and wet legs we or I decided that it was time to go. We did have our two seconds of fame. The local television station caught us on camera and aired it on the 10 o'clock news.

Looking around at others waiting to get on the show, it dawned on me, my problem is not my weight, it's that I hang out with really skinny friends. Some of these guys would have made me look GOOD!

I tell you what I did learn from this experience. I have great friends. Will die for you friends. (Risking pneumonia shows the death thing pretty well) Willing to risk divorce to hang out with a friend trying to get on a TV show to do what seems to come naturally to them kind of friend. Not able to see the AFC playoff sort of friend. I am very blessed!

We have decided that we will just start our own Biggest Loser show. Camcorder and a very loud motivator is all we need! My life is changed from this moment on. I am the BIGGEST WINNER!

Decisions, Decisions

I can't remember if I shared about remodeling, but just in case I didn't....WHAT WAS I THINKING? I usually don't have a problem spending money. In fact I enjoy doing it. BUT, when it's big chunks at a time I have a problem releasing it from my hand. Even to the well deserved. Our next purchases are the BIG purchases...flooring, cabinets, tile, granite and appliances. Now I am a deal seeker. Never and I mean never purchase large items for the amount they quote you. I have done my research on appliances and have came up with what I'm willing to pay. We go to several stores to find what appliances we can agree on and decide on what we (I mean hubby) wants. We find everything we want at H H Gregg (I hope it's okay to use their name in my blog) and begin negotiating with the salesman. Well there wasn't much negotiating happening. I do not like to be ignored and my hubby has never been one to deal, he has always left this to me. But the guy continued to talk to hubby. Okay. We get him to write down his quote and we leave. I stop at several places once we left there to compare prices. I found several items much less expensive (cheaper) and decide again what I'm willing to pay. I call the salesman from the aforementioned store and began to tell him that I have found several items for less and I would really like to purchase all from the same place, but I need him to help me out a little more on his price. Well I believe I got out that I had found the items for less before he RUDELY interrupts me and wants to know all the details. I'm game. I tell him and then begin to finish the sentence regarding what I'm willing to pay and he INTERRUPTS me again. He said hold on and puts me on hold! ME BAD! He then returns and says he'll see what he can do and call me back. I waited for an hour before I had to run errands and naturally he called while I was gone. HE DID NOT LEAVE A MESSAGE! I haven't heard from him since. Now what do you do, call him, look for someone else, tell him to take that really nice Fridgedaire and stick it up his.......? That was two days ago. Ok, I'm thinking take your appliances and shove them. I found them there, I'll find them elsewhere! Man I hate dealing with all these decisions!

Water Aerobics or...

I arrive at the Y and go into the family dressing room. I close the curtain and change into my very Hawaiian print bathing suit. I leave the dressing room and sit outside the door to the pool for fear of going in. The pool is half filled with ladies over 60 in the shallow end. Their class is not finished yet and mine has not begun. I have 25 minutes. What to do? I chose to sit and watch the elderly ladies do their workout. I receive looks every once in awhile. I'm sure they're wondering what in the world I am doing. Then at 5 minutes until 8:00 am the first water duck arrives. I know she is going to be in the deep water aerobics class, because she dives into the deep water. I know, what clued you in? I make my way around the pool. Remove my cover-up and feel very naked! But hey it's just a bunch of old ladies, right? I go into the shallow end and make my way to the 10 foot deep end. Oh my, where is my floatation device? I know they said I should have one. At this time the instructor jumps into the pool, introduces herself and asks if I need a "noodle". Unsure if a "noodle" will hold me up or if I really need one, I accept it. Sure enough most everyone in the class uses one, so I participate. This is where it gets good! Sigmund Freud would have had a hay day with this one. You put the noodle between your legs and maneuver through and in the water. I was beginning to get a little excited and decided I didn't need to be flexing so tightly on the noodle. Who would have thought that I could kill two birds with one stone? Get exercise and get excited all at the same time!

I'm in heaven! I will be going back!

Workout!

Okay, as a lot of you know I started going to the YMCA back in October or was it November, whatever. Well I have been doing resistant training. I'm pretty sure this means you begin to build up a resistance to go to the Y. My girlfriend has been trying to get me to do classes instead of just doing the "resistance" thing. I finally decided that if I don't do something I'm going to die of boredom.

So I looked at the classes and found that I was very interested in the "Y" box class. The girls in there look very fit and toned and since that is what I'm going for, then that is what I should do. HELLO! I haven't moved this amount of weight around this much since I got it! What the instructor or the other members of the class don't realize, is that once you get this much weight moving one way it takes a few minutes to get it to move the other way. But I held in there and I made it through the whole class. I thank my girlfriend for pushing me on. I know I couldn't have done it without her.

Well she and I look at the schedule and find that there is a "Y" box/Powerlift/Conditioning class the next day. I'm feeling very confident and she assures me that if there is something I can't do then I can adjust it and do something else. HELP! I knew once they started getting more than one piece of equipment out that I was in trouble. I told my girlfriend when she got to the barbell that maybe this was not the class for me right now. She insisted that I should give it a try. I did and I made it through most of the class and then a strange thing happened, my neck became very cramped and hurting tremendously. I kept pushing through. The instructor saw that I was hurting and announces on her microphone that "If you are experiencing pain in your neck and/or lower back, it is the floor and you need new shoes". I began cracking up at this point. I wanted to scream at her "No lady the fact that I am trying to squat 200+ pounds with a barbell on my neck is what's causing the pain!".

I tried to go to work after this and had to leave to go to the drugstore to purchase the "You gotta be kidding me" survival kit. The biggest bottle of Advil they had, Nuprin patches, Emergency cold packs and a Hot/Cold wrap. How do they do without it on Survivor! I'm much better now and next week I think I'll try Water Aerobics.

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW!

Okay, I admit it, I like to turn the volume up when I don't feel you are understanding what I am saying. But I am sure that if I talk louder, you'll hear better. I have been informed time and time again that this is not the case. But I can't help continuing to try it. I am sure singlehandedly that I can wipe hearing aides off the face of the earth. Why do I do this? I don't know! I have tried to hold my tongue until the urge to yell passes, but it builds up and before you know it, I'm roaring at the top of my lungs because you didn't put the milk back in the refrigerator correctly. Then you disregard my enhanced tone because it makes absolutely no sense why I'm so vehement. When if I had spoke boisterously about the thing that made me bite my tongue, my point would have been made.

I have gotten a little carried away I suppose. I mean using a thunderous voice at a 9 year old is just incomprehensible. Right? Is there ever a cause to justify loosing your cool to the point of increasing your voice to the high pitch tone of a dog whistle, except you actually can hear it. It seems to be my first reaction when someone is not listening or ignoring what I am saying. I have to get this under control.

So next time you aren't agreeing, hearing, listening or just plain ignoring me, remember that MY TONE WILL GET LOUDER....AND LOUDER....AND LOUDER....

This way I know you will hear better.

AGAIN!

I first posted this blog on September 23, 2005. I have had 25 comments. I have blogged 16 times. I am getting discouraged again. I mean good grief I even opened it to all who cared to see. Please comment. I'll delete them if I don't like them.

To Blog or Not to Blog

Now that is the question! At first I thought writing down my thoughts so the world could see, okay not the world just the chosen few I have shared my blogsite with, would be refreshing and fun. I have enjoyed the few times I have done this, but am discouraged by the lack of comments I receive from my "world" out there. There is a comment section, did you know that? By leaving comments, good or bad, okay just good, let's me know someone is reading. I thank the one person that did ask me where had I been when I was MIA for several weeks. That encouraged me to write two more. I know it is selfish of me and egotistical and just plain wrong to want the acceptance of others, but I CAN'T DO WITHOUT IT! So if I have appealed to your sensitive side and you care about me, please leave a comment. It is right there below this line, see it. CLICK ON IT!

STUFF!

I knew it. I knew it. I knew that moving was way to easy. I forgot there are all the closets! Oh yeah, and the kitchen cabinets. Oh my gosh! Where did I get all this junk. I try throwing it away and it keeps growing. My dilemma is that I still don't want to throw it away. I just don't want it. Okay so give it to Goodwill or ARC or Salvation Army. Well that means I have to pack it in something to get it to them and boxes are a rarity at this point. If I bag it, well who knows what ends up in one piece. I would hate to think that "they" received something of no count. (not worth anything for those north of the Mason-Dixon line). Well I have a deadline and it is tomorrow and I still have two closets to go and a kitchen counter full of stuff to get rid of. The guy who is doing the ceiling is going to be there bright and early at 7:00 am and I'M NOT READY! Oh sure I could call and put him off, but when would he be able to return and if I don't keep the deadline will I push myself to finish? It is already driving me crazy and oh forget the hubby. We are at each others throat right now. He thinks one way and I think another and we all know who is right. And it is about being right. Right? One thing this experience has taught me, I don't want all those knick knacks and I don't want but 4 plates, 4 glasses, 4 forks, 4 spoons, 4 knives, 2 cups, a skillet, a pot and a cookie sheet. Of course my head is spinning with all the stuff I can't wait to buy for my new kitchen and in about 25 years I'll be thinking, "what was I thinking".

The Creekmur Christmas

We all survived. 26 people together in 5 cabins. We had the poker tournament and I was the first one out. The grand prize was a 360 X box. Not sure what I would have done with it if I had won. But it was fun while it lasted. There were 16 of us left for New Years Eve and we brought it in by dancing and laughing. How wonderful to be with ones you love to bring in a New Year. I'm posting pictures to tell the story of our time together and you'll surely see that my family is one mixed up family!

"The Group"

It's Not Over Yet!

The hustle, the bustle, the can't wait to open another package, is not over. We still have my family Christmas this weekend. 23 people together at Lake Cumberland in Kentucky. A long weekend, 3 nights, 4 days. I wonder how fast the police can make it to the Lake up there. I mean if we should need them. My sister called me today to let me know that her husband and oldest son are going to host a Texas Holdem tournament while we are there. Nothing says Christmas like a poker tourney! I think it will be fun. My biggest dilemma is deciding on the camouflage I will wear to hide my bluff over a high 6 or my excitement over a royal flush (this happens a lot right?). Dark glasses vs. Groucho glasses, Hood vs. Red Hat, etc. I have promised to be on my best behavior and not "cheat". Some of my siblings like to refer to the way I play cards as cheating. I just try and have a little fun. I will keep silent while playing, except for the occasional raise, call, all in, or what in the world did I do that for? This may be the platform I need to get on the Poker Celebrity Tour.

Merry Christmas

"But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them."

Luke 2:19-20

...............

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and sing Glory to God in the Highest for sending us a Savior born in a manger.

May God continue to bless each of you

throughout the New Year!

Old Lady, Who Me?

It's happened. I have turned into an old lady! Let's celebrate! Always wondered when this would happen and now I know. I will share with you that it happens at 47. How do I know I have turned into an old lady? I called someone sweetie tonight. They were helping me get my groceries out of my cart. I think they were in a hurry and I wasn't moving fast enough. So they took it on themselves to reach into my cart and start unloading. Hey more power to ya! I'm all for help. So when they finished removing all items from the cart, I rose from the recliner I had sat down in (just kidding) and without a thought or even a pause, I said "Thank you sweetie"! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! My first thought when it came out of my mouth was, "Where did that come from?" and "Who said that?". When I realized it was me, I began to search for ways of retracting my endearment and change it to just thank you. Too late, can't be done. Okay now you must deal with the fact that you will start referring to anyone with the slightest look of youth with terms of endearment. I always hated that. I wanted to tell whomever it was calling me all those cavity forming words to STOP! Now I am that person. I guess next I'll start pinching kids on the cheek!

Rest In Peace

Barbara Jean Reece
December 19, 2005

You were so inspiring
You’re faith was enduring
You’re compassion unending
You’re character alluring

I considered you a friend
You made it so easy
You loved unconditionally
You were never too busy

I’ll miss you so much
I’m sure you never knew
But life here on earth
Won’t be the same without you

My tears will turn to joy
This I am sure
The journey I’ll take
Will be its own cure

I take comfort in knowing
That our Lord was always there
I take comfort in knowing
That our Lord always cared

I watched you til the end
And was very impressed
With the way our Lord
Loved and held and caressed

You are now at peace
This you so deserved
He took your hand and led you
You’re place with Him reserved

Barbara I loved you
And I won’t say goodbye
I’ll see you again
In the Sweet By and By

With love,
Christie Jenkins
December 19, 2005

Girls, Girls, Girls

I have returned home from the "girls" trip. We had a lot of fun. It was my Mom, sister and Aunt. We went to Williamsburg, VA. I am not much for history, but was quite surprised at how much I enjoyed hearing all the history. It was a great place and so much to see and do. We began our trip from my house and I had just received a new gadget called Earthmate. A friend bought it for me, specifically for this trip. I had my laptop and my GPS hooked up and was ready to go. My trip was all planned out and the software was going to let me know all of my turns. Ok, my GPS was not locating satellites and they were all ready to take off. Oh NO, I exclaim, we must wait so I can track our route. Finally after 15 minutes, I had my signal and off we went. This thing even talked to me and eventually I began to talk back. My sister was especially excited, because we could type in Points of Interest along our track and it would tell us every one of them. She typed in Walmart and found that there were more than a few between here and there. I was sure she was going to make us stop at all of them. We did stop at 4. At one point in our trip, our radio stopped working and then our cigarette lighter that was fueling the laptop. We had blown a fuse. I am illiterate when it comes to car things. We decided that we would pull off the route and find a Walmart. My sister was so elated. On the way we spot an Auto Zone and so we pulled into the parking lot. It was 10 minutes before they close. We hurried inside to find two male species that were obviously ready to go home. They informed us that they didn't know a lot about fuses. (Yeah, right) Perhaps we should purchase a variety pack. So my sister keeps them in there to purchase such a thing, while I go out to find out where the fuses are located. I find them and return back in the store to see that my sister had purchased the variety pack and the low down don't count for nothin' employees are announcing that they are locking the door. They leave us in the parking lot not knowing what the heck we are doing. Well we showed them. We replaced that fuse and then along the way had to do it again. We became experts at the replacement of fuses. I will tell you that I had a blonde moment. My sister handed me a fuse and at looking at the number I said "But Cindy I need an 02 fuse and you handed me a 20 fuse". So she took the fuse from me and turned it over and handed it back to me and said, "Will this one do?". Funny, very funny! We stopped at Natural Bridge in Virginia along the way to spend the night and see the magnificent sight. It was pretty awesome. I am glad to be home and start getting ready for Christmas. I'm sure you'll be hearing lots during this time.

Monthly Bible Verse

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. (Romans 5:5)

During this holiday season, there are many that have experienced the loss of a loved one or the distance from family and friends. This brings on feelings of depression and the lack of hope. Jesus lets us know that He is always with us and especially when we are feeling alone. He offers hope. He wraps His loving arms around us and lets us know that we are loved. Call on His name and He will be there. He abides in us. He was born to give us hope, to give us salvation, to bring to us the Holy Spirit. I thank the Lord above for sending His son to us. Thank you for the grace, the love and the hope. Be aware of those around you that may need to know this hope, especially during the Christmas season. Is there a better time to introduce them to hope?