Change in plans

Well, looks like Justice and I are headed to Lansing next weekend. It should be a good time. I am in the process of packing some stuff up to take to him for his apartment.

I also started packing up some of the house - wishful thinking?? No bites on the house. I even went so far as to put in on craigslist.

Progress

My belt broke and my pants fell off! I put my hands in my back pockets and they fell down!! So, I gave them to my friend. It feels great. I went to Curves and then walked/ran with the dog.

Now, I am trying to cool off. It is hot and humid. Apparently, we are supposed to get thunderstorms tonight. And, a cool front is supposed to roll in.

Gas prices are getting higher. We went down this week and then on the way home from my workout, I saw a gas station that was selling it for $4.15! So much for my trip to Lansing next weekend. Looks like Justice and I will be hanging out here for the holiday and my 3 day weekend. Ed is going to stay up there and attend his family reunion. I am looking forward to some pictures.

Goodbye

I just received word that Uncle Ben died at noon EST. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Back on Track

Went back to Curves this morning since last Thursday. No excuses, just busy - out of town, work, yard work, etc. I am ready to be done with this fitness study. I am the youngest by at least 20 years and cannot take anymore talk about grandchildren.

Work yesterday sucked! I am so ready for a new job.

I just wish the house would sell. I need to be with my husband. After being back in Michigan over the weekend, I realized how much I do not like being here. I would love to be able to just call up friends and have lunch. Now, I need to make appointments for way in advance since I am not close right now.

Ed signed a lease for an apartment yesterday. He did a little shopping - television, kitchen towels, etc. I gave him a box with bed linens, pillow, bath towels, 2 frying pans, and some other stuff for the kitchen. Poor guy is going to have to do his own grocery shopping now! I guess his parents have an air mattress that he can use for now. Eventually, we will get a bed, since we want one for the spare room that we plan on having in our new house.

The house hunting is going okay. We are looking, but no committments since we do not yet know what I will be doing for money. I will probably open my own firm and do wills, court appointments, etc. while looking for something else.

Birthday

I had a great birthday weekend. Ed and I went to Jeremy & Karen's wedding on Saturday in St. Clair, Michigan. It was a long drive, but it was beautiful. Our hotel room overlooked the St. Clair river and Canada. The room was just okay - it was a bit crowded with 2 beds, end table, dresser, 2 chairs and a table. The view was beautiful, but not sure that was enough for what we paid. However, the other choices in town were horrible.

After the reception, we headed on an auto ferry to an island. The wedding party was staying at a house on the island so we went with them and partied for a little while. Our hotel was only 2 minutes from the hotel, but 30 minutes from the reception and another 10 from the island. Needless to say, we got back to our hotel room at 4am!! We then had to be back up and on the way home by 11am.

Monday, my birthday, I spent with mom at the pool. We spent 6 hours just hanging by the pool and then the guys grilled steaks for dessert. My first three calls/messages were from, in order, Cathy, Laura, and Kimmer. I also heard from Mom, Lori, Dave and the kids. I got messages from people I did not expect and heard nothing from people I counted on hearing from. It was sad to realize that I did not hear from a few.

All in all, it was a great and relaxing weekend.

Not good

I just got an update on Uncle Ben. The medicine did not work. The doctors gave him the choice of staying in the hospital or going home. He has chosen to be at home with his family. From the information I have, it will only be a few days and we will be saying goodbye. I am devastated. This will be the first death of an uncle for me and I will not be able to be there. Again, I am asking for you to keep our family in your thoughts and prayers.

Uncle Ben

I just received news that my Uncle Ben, who lives in the Netherlands, is not doing too well. It appears that his cancer has spread from the prostrate to the pelvis and into his kidneys, which are now failing. He has been taken to the hospital where they are going to try one more medicine. However, if this medicine does not work, the outcome is not happy. Please keep Uncle Ben, Aunt Co, and the rest of the De Bruin/Meinema family in your thoughts and prayers.

Busy days ahead

Tomorrow I am working 7-3:30pm and then heading to Michigan. We have a wedding in St. Clair on Saturday night at 6pm. Mom and dad have graciously agreed to watch Justice for us. SO, we are going to have a date!! We are going to the wedding and then staying the night at a hotel on the river. I believe we have a view of the river from our room. We will head back to Lansing on Sunday morning after check out. My plans for Monday - hanging by the pool. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate. I do not have to be back to work until Wednesday, so will probably head back on Tuesday sometime.

I cannot wait to see Ed. It has been a couple of weeks and this has been dragging on for far too long. He has been back in Michigan since February and I am ready for us to live in the same house again.

What a weekend...

Daddy and Andrea arrived on Friday night. I took them out to dinner at a local mexican place. It was okay.

Saturday was so much fun. We headed to the Yellow Springs Street Fair. For those of you who do not know Yellow Springs, let me tell you...it is quite an experience. I equate it to being stuck in the 60s. Lots of booths, with a few selling "Tobacco" Pipes, lots of hemp products, vegan displays, living green displays, etc. It was great! The food was really good and we bought a few items - Chanel sunglasses, pnut butter dog biscuits, etc.

Spent Sunday alone - daddy and Andrea left around 11am. I did a little yard work - mowed the lawn and trimmed trees/bushes.

Now, I am back at work wishing it was the weekend.

Katrina

So, I am reading a story on CNN about Louisiana being pissed off at FEMA. No big shocker there, right? My question? Did anybody else hear about Oregon from December 2007? Towns got wiped out from a hurricane force storm. Homes destroyed, businesses gone, roads have just disappeared. Now, I am not discounting the horror or sadness of what parts of the Gulf Coast had to deal with in 2005. What I am wondering is why does everybody assume the government owes them? Why can they not "pull themselves up by the bootstraps" and try and take care of them, without thinking it is someone else's job? The coastal towns in Oregon did not make the news, yet they were also devastated. Just my thoughts.

Lemon Pound Cake

Got back from my workout and discovered that Justice had gotten in to my bag and pulled out a slice of lemon pound cake that I had gotten from Starbuck's yesterday. He knew that he was bad, as he would not come out of the bedroom. Then he puts his head up with those big brown eyes and kisses me and I am not mad anymore. I did, however, call Ed and tell him.

The house across the street has sold. Maybe we should get a realtor who can advertise for us. The only thing we have is a sign in the front yard. With school out, there is not as much traffic up and down our street.

2 more days of work this week. Why oh why can it not be my last 2 days? I have taken the next step and have updated my Michigan Family Law and Estate Planning books. I guess that this means I will be opening my own firm. Damn - I am freaking out!!

Another Day

Had my 4th workout at Curves today. I am amazed at how much of a workout this actually is. I miss running on the treadmill, but feel pretty good. I am watching what I eat and drinking plenty of water and no soda, other than these Meijer Crystal Quenchers (no sodium, no calories, no caffeine).

Breakfast: whole wheat bagel w/peanut butter and Special K
Snack: Caramel Mocha Macchiato
Lunch: PB&J, Cheezits
Snack: apple or orange or popcorn
Dinner:??

Just applied for a job in Southfield. Not sure if I will make it. I am sure about 300 people will be applying for the same position. It looks like I will just have to open my own firm and hope that I can make some money.

House has been on the market for almost 2 weeks, and nothing!!

Computer

Any ideas? My other computer, also a laptop, when plugged in, will not charge. I am thinking new battery. The thing is 7 years old and time to hit the garbage heap, in my opinion. However, there is a lot of info that needs to be taken off of there. Maybe I will just get it to keep charged for a minute and start putting all on CDs. AAAUUUGGGHHH!!!

Went to Curves again this morning. Missed yesterday, thanks to a headache. But, I will be there the rest of the week. Daddy and Andrea get here on Friday and are staying through Sunday. I am really looking forward to a visit. This will be the last time that I see her before she heads out to South Africa for her study abroad program.

Breakfast - whole grain bagel and bowl of Special K, orange juice, DanActive
Snack - orange or apple
Lunch - peanut butter & jelly sandwich on whole wheat bread
Snack - apple or orange and microwave popcorn
Dinner - hamburger, no bun, and cottage cheese
Nothing but water to drink and one Crystal Quencher.

Weekend

Long weekend. We had more rain on Saturday, but we still managed to get to the Strawberry Festival. It rained for about 30 minutes and then it stopped and we were able to enjoy all of the tents. We got to have our deep fried strawberries, strawberry lemon coolers, and italian sausage.

Today, it was hot hot hot! Ed left this morning, to try and beat the heat. I mowed the lawn and thought I would pass out from heat.

The house is almost ready. Ed spent the week repainting the kitchen cabinets! Now, we just need someone to buy the stupid thing.

This week I will be working, working, working at a job that I am ready to quit quit quit. I am not having any luck finding a job and I it scares me. I have never had difficulty find a job. I am trying to trust the universe, and God, that what happens is meant to be. However, I cannot imagine that I am meant to be somewhere that does not make me happy.

Playing Catch Up

Okay - I am a few days behind.

I joined Curves on Wednesday night. 30 days/workouts for $30. I have been there twice and so far so good. You would think, when looking at it, that it would not be much of a workout. However, I was sore last night from Thursday morning and a little sore this morning.

My diet has been so so. Last night, I did eat some chicken chunks from Fricker's and had a couple of beers. A friend needed to talk and the food and beer was just there.

There were cupcakes at the gym, but I said "No Thanks!" I was/am pretty proud of myself. For breakfast yesterday, I had whole wheat english muffins and a couple of eggs. For lunch - turkey panini.

Today, I have had a granola bar and a bottle of water with a fruit drink mix in it, Crystal Light.

I have no idea what I am going to eat for lunch, but it will probably be a salad from the cafe at work. I am out of bread and ground turkey.

My plan, since I belong to 2 gyms is to spend 30 days at Curves. This is in case we sell the house - the membership does not transfer. Then, I can go to my other gym, which does transfer.

Tomorrow - STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL!!!! I am so excited.

Day 2 - part 1

Last night was AWFUL. We had severe thunderstorms, the power went out, there was a tornado warning - NO SLEEP. AND, I had to be to work at 9:30am. So, I did not go to the gym, but I have my appointment at Curves tonight at 6:30p.

Breakfast - What did I want? Pancakes, Bacon, Sausage Gravy & Biscuits. What did I have? Glass of milk and Whole Wheat English Muffin w/peanut butter.

Lunch - I packed ground turkey, broccoli & brown rice, Cherrys and Yogurt, and a peanut butter & jelly sandwich on whole wheat. This will be lunch/snacks for the day.

Day 1 - Bust!

Okay - I swore to myself to be honest on this. I did not go to the gym AND I had a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese! Damn - where is my self control? Believe me, it is back full force now. Why? Someone asked me if I had good news to share - nope, just getting fat. I wanted to cry. I feel so low right now. So, I took the next step. Curves & Avon are doing a fitness study. For $30, I join Curves for 30 days. They do a Start & Finish Fitness Evaluation, 30 days free on CurvesComplete.com and supervised training from a Curves Trainer. I have an appointment at 6:30pm tomorrow night.

I ate ground turkey, broccoli, and brown rice as a snack/early dinner. I have been drinking water all day.

My excuse for missing the gym today? I am so tired - I stayed up to watch the Triple OT game last night/this morning. My alarm went off at 6am and I went right back to sleep. No more!!!! Every morning, 6am, up and out the door to the gym.

A New Beginning - Stacy

Okay - it appears that I have gained quite a bit of weight since starting law school and getting married. In fact, I have about 80lbs I would like to lose. So, here is my plan. I am going to use this blog as my journal - I am also writing in a journal. I was going to join a weight-loss website, but I figure who better to be my support group than my family and friends. So, starting tomorrow, June 3rd, I will be recording my exercise and food and thoughts and frustrations. I meant to start this weekend, but we were doing so much on the house - we put it up for sale - that I was too tired and sore to even think about the gym. So, no more excuses! I have fruits, salad, veggies, chicken in the fridge.

If anyone has any suggestions, comments, etc., please do not hesitate to let me know!! I may even include a before pic - YUCK!! But, it will help me remember how gross I no longer want to feel/look.