AAAAAAchoooo!

I woke up with a sore throat this morning and my nose is starting to run tonight....no fun! Feels like tomorrow will be a wimpy workout day at the gym! I do have a good attitude though.
AAAchoo...good night all!

Exercise...loving it!

I just have to write a post about my

progress where exercise is concerned. For those of you who know me well, you know that I have never been...well, let's say, "athletically inclined"....hence, I simply never learned to like exercise. In times past I have tried to exercise but usually wound up hurting myself or I didn't do it long enough to see any benefits only the soreness. But since working with my friend, Jeanette, who sort of acts as my personal trainer, I am loving it. I have been exercising regularly for over 6 months now and I can't believe the wonderful changes in my body. Now lest you think that I am this skinny svelt thing now, well, forget that! The great changes I am talking about are: no terrible achiness when I wake up in the morning, no tailbone pain at all anymore, no low back pain, increased arm strength so holding grandkids and hefting groceries are so much easier, greater balance and flexibility, less shoulder and neck pain...I am telling you, that if someone had told me that the majority of my little pains that sometimes wake me up at night would go away if I exercised, I would not have believed it. But that is exactly what has happened. Unbelievable! Even though I haven't lost a lot of weight yet, even my clothes fit better especially through my stomach area. I highly recommend it! Who knew it was SOOOOOOO good?

Happy Valentine's cards

I hope the reader's of my blog had a Happy Valentine's day! I wanted to cook a special dinner for my valentine. So I planned for steak, grilled vegetables, homemade rolls, a pecan blue cheese salad and chocolate covered strawberries. It was tasty though I suspect that the useful life of my yeast has expired. It took forever for the rolls to raise and even after many hours they still hadn't risen to perfection. Oh, well, I was just happy to have my valentine home to celebrate with! I also made some cards for Valentine's Day which I had fun doing. Here is a picture of my handiwork.

Creative announcment

I have wanted to share how Evaly and Nathan and their family told us about baby #4 because it was so creative and fun. McKell and Carter came to the front door very excitedly holding this cute little box. This was after Christmas so I said, "Did you forget to give Grandma a present?"

They said, "Open it, open it!" But before I did Evaly reminded the kids that it was for Grandma AND Grandpa. It seemed like forever for Grandpa to come downstairs (just ask McKell and Carter) but when he did, he lifted the lid and Grandma knew instantly that the blue and pink striped newborn cap was an announcment.

And what a special Christmas gift it was! Thanks Ev, Nathan, McKell, Carter and Kylie for making it so fun! We're looking forward to the newest little one to join the family.

In memory of....

I had something sad happen to me today. I had been out at Evaly's to see McKell get an award at school. On my way home, a bird flew too "low and slow" past my windshield striking either my antenna or rear view mirror with a very slight thump. I looked in my rearview mirror to see a flurry of feathers. If it wasn't killed instantly, it was at least stunned and probably killed by the truck behind me. I feel rather sad about it.

On a happier note, I did enjoy seeing McKell get her first award in Kindergarten. As I sat with Evaly, I couldn't help but remember her getting her first award, the "Good Citizenship" award as a kindergartner. Here is a picture of Evaly on that day and of her daughter, McKell, at the same age receiving a "Friendship" award on her special day.

Congratulations McKell!