Happy Birthday!

Here is part of the card that I put together for my dear friend, Beth. I doesn't go with the theme of the birthday at all, but it does match the gift bag...

A Haircut Update

After my shower and before the haircut...I changed my mind....I only got a trim. So it is off to trying to grow my hair for this summer.

Another thought for today. I actually went to the library and it was OPEN! Miraculous - I would say.

A Haircut

It has come to the point where I am really sick of my hair. I was going to try to grow it out for when I go to Europe this summer....but this is it. I cannot take it anymore - being in my face etc. So time to get it chopped off by my favorite free hair dresser - MOM. Ah yes...it is time.

Monday, Monday!

5:55 am and I pushed the snooze button, only to be awaken by a crash of thunder this morning at 6 am. It shook the entire house and I was shaken out of bed. Downstairs I went to the living room to do my normal routine for waking up - ah yes...the body sculpt workout. I only did 22 minutes worth until I could not do it anymore....way too hot and not too motivated. At 6:30 I got the call to work all day, which I am pleased to say went rather well. It was nice to go to school and be in a classroom where everyone is working and actually grasping the idea of doing the work written on the board. I like this age.

Through the pelting rain, I arrived home, wet and tired and in dire need of coffee...all day long, not one cup. I am guessing that is the cause foe my severe headache. I really need to stop drinking it and drink more water....which in this case - today I did - 3 quarts to be exact, but it really didn't pay.

So now I am home, catching up on emails and my blogs and hoping to get some reading done tonight and maybe even finish the second part of the sculpt video. We'll see.

Tomorrow brings much the same schedule...wake up, work out, go to work, come home, make dinner, email, read, and go to bed early. What a life! Exciting, isn't it?

Mr. D

I'm Mr. D.
I like to dance, my dazzling dance.
Da, da, da, da, da, ra, ra, da, da, da, da, da, ra, ra.

This is the song that has been playing through my mind in the last 2 days. Oh the INSANITY! The song has a Spanish flair, while meeting the requirements of just plain annoying. I will be glad to meet a new letter person very soon.

Pellet Stove Cleaning...Could it be considered a workout?

To all you pellet or wood stove cleaners out there...

According to my recent research...those people that clean the pellet or wood stove and then refill it with the 40 lb bag of pellets or 2 large pieces of wood, they are actually working out. No need to walk in the afternoon or work out in the morning...just clean and fill your stove everyday and you will see results immediately.

I have been doing this for 2 days straight and I can already tell a difference in arms, legs and abs. With stove cleaning workout, you don't need to spend long hours at the gym waiting for your favorite eliptical cross trainer, it is already in the convenience of your own home.

If you would like to try the stove cleaning program, come to the house March 2 - March 6 at 5:30 am and at 9:00pm and I will let you work, work, work your way to a more sculpted you.

Time Pieces - The Magazine

Isn't this so fun? I found out about this magazine cover at one of my mom's favorite blogs. What a great idea! You can make your own magazine cover at Flickr.com. So of course, I used some Jane Austin "ideas" and one of my mom's photos and created the first edition of Time Pieces...Moment by Moment. Enjoy!

Little Things...

Did you ever think how the littlest things are so important? This weekend, I noticed that with my niece. At the age of one, it is very important to her say all the words she knows. She says them over and over. I am not sure why...to not forget them... to show to others that those words are very special... I can truly say that I am not sure at all.

I was reading yesterday about God's Word. The author of the book I was reading emphasized how the Bible is so complete and so true...not one little thing was left out...

I started to think about that tonight and it came to my mind that just like my little niece that is sure to share all that she knows over and over, I should do the same...to not forget and to show to others that God's Words are very special.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Ah yes...another day off from work. I find it truly funny when no one calls in for a sick day on a "party day". What did I do instead of work? I cleaned a very dirty room - my own and made muffins and cookies for my family.

Season's Change

The snow is back today and it is piling up quickly. It started out with just a dusting this morning, but now with 6 inches and more by the hour, I am sure it will give cause for a snowday tomorrow. All the students have been waiting for this for some time...there hasn't been a snowday yet this school year.

Here's to snowdays and snowmen!

The V Position

Here she is....my Palites instructor, Mari Windsor. Once a week I meet with her and her patient staff as they try to help contort my body into various positions...like the V position, the astronaut, and other "teasers". I started to workout with her last year. All of her staff is very helpful in demonstrating all the "signature moves" to perfection. It is actually really quite sick. They are all super in shape and can do everything without even a struggle. I, on the other hand, have a hard enough time stretching my legs to a 90 degree angle without breaking into a sweat. Okay, for those who know me really...my legs (thighs) are 90 degrees, but my calves are more like 45 degrees coming from the knees. Oh...the pain...oh, my powerhouse.

If only Mari truly knew what I was thinking as I work out with her.

Fortunately for her, she is on a DVD...and is only with me 1 time a week.

Pictures for many YEARS...

So, I have just finished getting my passport and driver's license pictures done. And unfortunately, those pictures will be around for a LONG TIME. My passport picture is not too bad, but it looks like I am a major crank. The student's worst nightmare.

The driver's license picture leaves much to be liked...hello double chin action! Why...when I worked so hard to make my chin look as skinny as possible and still I look like I have been munching on the 30 pack of Timbits at Timmy's where it's SO CHEAP and a 12 pack of HO-HO's (you know the Sam's Club bargain pack...)!

So my mom asks me what I am thinking about from today...I am thinking about double chins and how long I will have to look at those pictures. It is going to be a long time. Maybe I'll move again and have to have them redone, again! Here's to MOVING!

A Great Day

It was one of those days for me in the substituting world...A Great Day. A good day will occur most days of the week, but a GREAT DAY...now that is few and far between. There was no need to bribe, urge, and ask students to do their work over and over again...they just did it. Amazing!
For those days, I can be so thankful and it makes the not so pleasant days seem not so painful.

"Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples. Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; speak of all His wonders." I Chronicles 16:8,9

Moldovan Moment

After much prayer about going to Moldova and Romania for one month this summer, it looks like I will be able to go. God has provided quite a bit of the funds so I can go. Now, I can start the process of passports, visas, etc. If you were praying about this for me, you can now praise the Lord with me with this answer to prayer.

"Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:5-7

Seasons

The seasons this year are so unusual. In December, we had a ton of snow and it was so cold out. Now, in January, the snow has left, but it is still cold. In some places where I live, there are already flowers peeking out, thinking that it is spring. The birds also were out looking for food and seeking a place to rest. The snow will probably come back for another two months. Thankfully, we can let God take care of the flowers and the birds. Are you allowing Him to take care of you?

"For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these." Matthew 6:25-29

Time Pieces

"Every instant of time is a pinprick of eternity."

Marcus Aurelius 121 - 180 AD




Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. The LORD is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works. Psalm 145:13 ESV


My first post on my new blog is dedicated to my good friend, Tanya. She took all the above pictures and the one in this post while she was in Rome. So..thanks Tanya. You are the best!