Back with some random thoughts!

I have gotten some emails, etc. from readers (yay! people actually read this blog) of this blog, requesting more posts. I know it's been a very long time!!!

So, here goes--the most random blog!

Over the past several weeks, we celebrated Christmas with family, went to a New Year's Eve party, attending a wedding in TX, had my old college friends/roommate spend the night, babysat my precious niece, started back teaching, taught Bible class, took 2 weeks away from my Blessings and Bows business for Christmas break and filled orders after that. So, it's been busy, but fun!

Kristina's (friend from college) wedding in TX:

Serving punch with Ashley, a great friend from college:

Kara (roommate and Maid of Honor in my wedding) w/ her baby, Maida:


Me, Josh, Kara, Kristina and Ashley, December 2001 (aka...the week before Josh and I started dating). My, how we've all changed!:
Precious baby Viv:

My family Christmas was really fun! My big brother, Joe, surprised us and drove in from California to celebrate with us! We got lots of fun presents-I got a cute new coat and much more!!! Vivian made Christmas extra fun this year!! Of course, I indulged in my mom's BEST fudge, too!!!





We drove to TX to spend a few days with Josh's family to celebrate. I got a new sewing machine and supplies, which I'm very excited about!! I'm looking forward to making some things soon! Maybe pillows and curtains?!? We got lots of fun gifts there, too! Josh was excited to get a new mandolin and we all enjoyed his brother's new gift of a Wii. I enjoyed a few rounds of bowling!! We were able to drive down to Josh's aunt's house and celebrate his grandmother's 70th birthday with the whole family!

I have been cooking lots of meals from my Deceptively Delicious cookbook. I would pretty much recommend everything but the Tofu Nuggets....YUCK!!! We had to throw them out! I hated wasting them, but they were awful! I thought I could trick myself into eating tofu, but it DID NOT work! It tasted like extremely nasty battered eggs. I made the Chicken Nuggets this week and Josh LOVED those! He made a chicken sandwich with the leftovers on a wheat bun with pickles and mayo.

I have been working on New Year's resolutions, one including getting to bed early! So, now I'm getting ready for bed at 10:00 and then getting in bed by 11:00. I've done okay with that so far, for the most part!

I'm hoping that this new year brings us a baby, or at least a healthy pregnancy and some peace. I'm also hoping and praying that for my friends struggling with fertility, also, that 2008 can be THE year for them!! In my efforts to make this happen for me, since I have been rebellious about going back to the doctor for further treatments, I have purchased and read the book The Fertility Diet: Get Pregnant and Prevent Miscarriage. I have been surprised with how easy it is to throw some of the book's key ingredients into my food. Sunflower seeds are great on a salad, wheat germ is great to sneak into my DD (Deceptively Delicious) chicken nugget batter, yams are great to stick in my DD recipes, too! I'm not strictly following this eating plan, but I am trying to make some healthier options overall! Just adding things to what I already eat.But, I'm having an EXTREMELY hard time giving up my huge amounts of sweets that I eat on a DAILY basis! It doesn't help that I currently have in my house (from Christmas gifts): Twix, Reese's, Ghiradelli chocolates, Russel Stover's box of chocolates, plain M&Ms, Dark M&Ms, Hershey's dark chocolate sticks, Hershey's Kisses, and Hershey's Dark Chocolate w/ Almonds Nuggets, and other candy, too!. So, when I am double my weight by next month, you'll know why!! I will say, that I've been trying to go organic on my meat and dairy purchases or at least hormone-free. I do not need any extra hormones, that's for sure!!!

Here's my current list of favorite things:

-Horizon Organic Chocolate Milk: I'm usually a chocolate syrup kind of gal, but this is SO good! It has vanilla, real chocolate and creamy milk! I strongly recommend it!

-My Scumbuster: No more scrubbing and reaching!

-Brown Sugar and Fig Wallflower from Bath and Body Works

-Etsy.com: fun handmade finds for all of your gifting needs!

-Strawberries, blackberries and raspberries w/ frozen fat-free Cool Whip...the BEST!!!

-My new coffee maker!

I'm sure I'll think of more later.....

I will TRY to post more often in the next few weeks!