AS THEY SAY IN HOCKEY . . .

GOAL!!

It was a retro kind of week . . .

A couple of weeks ago I discovered a new television station on our cable system, from a small town in Eastern Colorado. Somehow this station has gained access to some of my all time favorite drama shows from the past four decades. I have been recording way too many of them for future watching. Way too many! Dragnet, Emergency, Magnum P.I., Quincy, Ironside, Rockford Files, Simon and Simon, Macmillan and Wife. It is fun to watch the acting from so long ago, especially Dragnet. It is amazing to see the change in technology in the last 20 years. It's been fun, but I have to get control!









Because of our schedule, Kristen and I have switched off days taking the big girls to swimming lessons. Why is this in a retro post? Because this is the very same place where I took Kristen and Kevin for swimming lessons for many summers when they were kids. I also took them back to the same pool many afternoons each summer where they spent the time playing in the water and I spent the hours sitting in the shade with a good book. (So what's new, eh??) I have good memories of those days.

Care Bear has turned into a little fish . . .







. . . while Feisty, in her first set of lessons, is having trouble getting her nose wet (like her grandma there). But she's having fun, and that's what it's all about at this point.

The littles are having fun, too - it won't be long before they're in the pool, too.

Thank you for coming over to my 4th anniversary of blogging. My second post was about how much music plays a role in my life. It was written when we got home from the Walker Hymn Sing, which we attended again last night.



It was the 7th annual gathering last night and this one had perfect weather, if somewhat hot in the pure sunshine. There were over 1100 people there. Another retro part of this story is what I wore. I was playing the organ this year, so I wanted to dress not too casually, but with slacks, since I was up on a high platform with an open organ between myself and the audience. I chose to wear a polyester pant suit that I haven't been able to wear for several years. I had forgotten that wearing polyester is tantamount to dressing in Saran Wrap. I was thankful to get up on that elevated platform, where a breeze and shade cooled me off. I can't imagine why this type of material was ever popular for summer clothes.

So - I'm down to 3 pounds from my goal. These last 3 pounds are hanging on for dear life. I have to ramp up the exercise or something - I have to reach my goal. Many people tell me to be satisfied, that I look fine. That may be, but I have to reach my goal. Understand? This picture is one that I chose to represent a time in my life when I was happy with my weight - to be used as an incentive. I'm holding my grand nephew, who was born 4 months before Care Bear - he must be a couple of months old here.

Yesterday I dug into a drawer and found that, sure enough, the shorts were still laying in the bottom, under a pile of clothes that should have probably been sent to Good Will or ARC a long time ago. Hope Springs Eternal!! Eight years later, I put the shorts on, (and the same t-shirt, believe it or not), posed with a prop for the baby, and asked DC to take my picture. What a great feeling!!

Well, hopefully soon I'll be able to report that I've reached that goal - in the meantime, have a wonderful week!

Monday Musings

Can you believe it?? 29 pounds and 33.25 inches in 12 weeks. I never would have believed it when I began this journey in early January. The first picture was taken the second Saturday (after the first 7 pounds went away), the second one was taken a week ago.

I have 12 more pounds to my goal, and if the pace continues these next 6 weeks as it has the past 12, I will reach my goal during Phase III. The program, as I have mentioned before, is called PRISM. It is usually done through a church, but you can do it by yourself with an accountability partner. We have a lesson to read each day, questions to answer about our personal journeys, and a very informative DVD at each meeting.

I have avoided meetings and fees for years, ever since I "backslid" from my Weight Watchers success. I tried to do it on my own, confident that I could. I have never believed in eliminating a food group from my diet. But it is amazing to me how I was able to eliminate sugar and white flower without batting an eye, because they are things that we not only don't need, but are really not good for us. It was also great to meet each week and share our successes and challenges with friends and my sister.

Of course, working out 5 days a week for at least 45 minutes has helped as well, not to mention the water consumption I have increased. Suffice it to say, I am very happy and excited. I look forward to actually maintaining this time! When your 5-year-old grandgirl makes a comment on your shrinking figure, you know it's good!

The spiritual aspect of this journey has been a huge plus. I have enjoyed the scriptures the writers of the program have found to encourage us as we go.

I Timothy 4:15-16 - "Put these abilities to work; throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone may notice your improvement and progress. Keep a close watch on all you do and think. Stay true to what is right and God will bless you and use you to help others." (The Living Bible).

Proverbs 4:25-27 - "Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left . . . " (NIV).

Habakkuk 2:3 - "But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!" (TLB

Easter was wonderful. The whole week. Our new pastor is a wonderful preacher, and he and his wife are a great musical team. Over 400 people came through our 8th annual Easter Marketplace, and the weather even halfway cooperated. The twins didn't enjoy the Marketplace - too many people and too much confusion. I ended up bringing them home with me so the big girls could have fun with Kristen. Thus, no pictures.

But earlier in the week we had a fun egg hunt in our back yard, just the girls and me. They had their annual egg coloring event with Great Aunt G and brought the eggs over to my house - it was spring break, so I had all 4 of them on Tuesday and Thursday. I was impressed with the egg-hiding abilities of both Feisty and Care Bear. (Note the residual snow piles?)




The flowers are finally showing their beautiful faces - I'm still waiting for the first daffodil.







I bought myself a bouquet of roses - just couldn't resist. I enjoyed them very much --






Saturday night, since I always have the girls, I got to be the Easter Bunny for the first time in awhile. The girls really got into it, leaving him (her?) notes and gifts. Care Bear has the amazing ability to write backwards - don't know what that will do for her along the way, but it is something I sure never thought of doing!







I had not experienced the early morning excitement of kids when they wake up to their baskets full of goodies in a very long time - I was half asleep, but getting a real kick out of their animated 6:00 a.m. conversation. We got to church for breakfast by 8:00 - nothing short of amazing! Here's the only picture I got - not good, but cute nevertheless.



As I mentioned in the previous post, Kristen got sick again during the night - it has been a very rough year for her (and all of us as a result). We treasure and count on your prayers.

Thursday Thoughts

Thursday is almost over. I got the "crud" yesterday and spent a miserable day in bed (well, when I wasn't in the little room next door to the bedroom!) It was as if I lived in a protective bubble when everyone else was getting sick. I really thought I had escaped. But on the first day that I could actually crash, I crashed big time. It's unbelievable how good I feel today compared to yesterday.

Thanks for your prayers once again for Kristen. The meds are doing what they're supposed to be doing and she's feeling good once again. I want so badly for her to feel good for more than a week or two at a time!



While we had the girls this time, it was "spirit week" at their school. One day was Crazy Hair Day - Care Bear did her own and I helped Feisty. Care Bear also did Katie's for her.























That was a beautiful pre-spring warm day, and the girls had a great time after school. They decided to do a show for me - Taylor Swift song complete with all sorts of choreography - with a pile of old crunchy snow as the stage.








I had to take a few pictures as I was out and about that day. This is a view on the way to the kids' school - so beautiful.

I just have to ask you -- would you do this ----

if the shoreline looked like this???

I was so excited to get this in the mail this week - right on schedule. It looks white in the picture, but it is a lovely beige (called khaki) and goes well with the little bear I posed with the set. Now I just have to figure out a place to put it in my cupboards - I figure maybe some of my old stuff can pass for vintage at the Habitat store. Thanks again, Becky (Butler's Wife)!







The most exciting thing of the week - last week I took my "lost and found" diamond to our favorite jewelers - the young woman who waited on me was fabulous. She doesn't look anywhere near old enough, but she says she's been there for 17 years. She must have worked there in high school. She had an immediate idea how to salvage my original, sentimental bands, and make the stone secure for the rest of my life. It doesn't stand up high off the band any more, but I love the new look. What do you think??

And last but not least - WOO-HOO!!