Happy Birthday, Jeffrey!

Okay. This photo was taken on Christopher's 50th Birthday back in June. But today really IS Jeffrey's birthday...and we are in Florida with Christopher and Carol celebrating Jeff's special day. When Chris and Jeff return from a day of boating/fishing...I'll get a few photos of the birthday boy!

While visiting my brother in Florida, I started copying some photos from his hard drive to my external hard drive. Look at this photo I found! My beautiful grown-up kids! Taken only 2 1/2 years ago...I marvel at all the things that have happened in this short time. I'm thinking that each of us can look at the past two and a half years of our lives and note some big changes. A few of life's offerings just plain sucked. Flat out, no arguments, sad as sad can be...sucked. But looking at the glass half full....a multitude of blessings...more than our fair share, rained down on us and filled the cup again. Love the UGGS, Tarajean, and your beautiful smile (which matches the beautiful person you are on the inside)......And Abram? I actually miss seeing you and your hair in your eyes. Nope, I take that back. Let's just stick with "I miss you." THAT is the truth.

Sometimes it just works out. A customer asks if I’m able to do “such and such.” I am provided the thread of an idea…and from the idea follows a wave of head pictures (this is the part where I get very lucky!). Next is pencil to paper and then paper to scanner. When the artwork hits the computer, the project experiences another metamorphosis. The design begins to breathe on its own. I can usually tell if it’s going to work. And sometimes I’m downright tickled and surprised by the outcome. For this process, I give thanks.

Good Friends

Kimberly and Eileen

Week Three Cross Training Challenge

After a fairly easy start, this week's challenge ramps it up a bit. I've never been one to go to the gym often...but these requirements make the gym my "home away from home" this week. When I found out that I get to meet my dear friend, Eileen, in Charlotte, NC, later this week....I experienced a bit of angst. How am I going to cram all of this physical training into just a few days? Turns out my anxiety was all for not. Here's how you do it, Kim. Start the day with an hour-long Yoga/Pilates fusion class. Then hop over to the weight room and do 3 sets of a 10-item list of weight training exercises (thanks, Yvette, for showing me the ropes on these machines!)....then move into the other room and do 2 sets of 4-laps walking lunges (which equals a total of 64 lunges with my long legs). There! That's how to do it. Tomorrow I'll hit the 7 p.m. step aerobics class...and get a 30-minute swim in and another weight training session on Wednesday, after the Master Gardner class. I feel better already, just knowing I can fulfill the week's exercises.

Special Anniversary

September 2001

Congratulations to me......6 years of keeping the weight off!

Spring 2008

This was quite the exercise in collage design using Adobe Photoshop. It took entirely too long and although I ended up with a fun final product...there were things I tried doing and couldn't achieve. Maybe next time. These photos are a small tribute to my first couple of Master Gardener classes. Me on the "first day of school." The large sign out front of the Dale County Cooperative Extension office....the US and AL flags and a back drop of one of my favorite summer flowers, orange cosmos.

Thank you, Chris!

Just when I thought I might spend my day floundering and scattered, I received an e-mail from friend/customer, Chris. I have fresh direction! A rush order of assorted Earthshine Giftworks is needed for a Spouses Club membership sign up and I feel happy that I can do it. So, the Hestia chores will wait until tomorrow, along with yard detail and cooking (sorry, honey). A fresh pot of LJ's special blend is on the burner and I'm still wearing my pajamas. And Chris will be happy to know that I went back to the mat (no pun intended) and wrestled the "hat" beast of design...and I won!

Jeff and Abram, thanks for going to the rock wall with me. This photo of Y & I is worth more than any number of words trying to describe it. I love the work out I get from this particular activity and it was very special to share it with you guys. On Belay!

KY and YK

You can deal with anything if you have the right shoes!

Lucky Me! Two new pair of shoes. One pair for
walking/running and one for weight training and
rock wall climbing. It was a good sale on
name-brand shoes...how could I turn it down?
Oh, and I forgot to mention they BOTH have
awesome cushion and comfort.

Schnacky snack

The pears are on! I'm usually a Fuji apple-a-day kind o' gal but August - September brings us an abundance of Asian pears. The Quaker granola bar is my bow to the oatmeal raisin cookies I made in the "before" days of yore.

Did you know that a pear contains one more gram of fiber than an apple? I didn't. I just read this information in a nutrition guidelines handbook. Cool. Be sure and eat the peel.

Eat up, schnacky snackers! (Try saying this three times, real fast.)

Hurricane Gustav

We got more rain resulting from Tropical Storm Fay. Some mild winds and overcast skies were the only telltale signs that Gustav might come knocking. I'm sure our neighbors along the gulf coast to the southwest of us would write this blog differently. I can only share from my viewpoint, here in the house on the little lake. We'll keep an eye on the incoming Hanna and see if she's got something more wet in store for us.

40-minute cooking rice challenge

Just got back from the gym and successfully finished my cardio interval challenge on the treadmill. Then I performed the challenge move of the week --"push ups on the ball." I wrapped up the work out by finishing off my 32 oz. bottle of water and stretching most muscles in my body for 10 full minutes (easy to do if you stop to take the time but often times skipped if I'm in a hurry).

So you're probably asking yourself, "what does this have to do with cooking rice?" I'm getting to it. I was so energized after my work out, coupled with the fact that Jeffrey had just put on a fresh pot of coffee...that I decided I would see how many small domestic chores I could accomplish in the short time it takes to cook brown rice, ergo, the 40-minute challenge.

Here's what I was able to do...and I sure am proud of myself:

1. Take out the compost (which was starting to overflow the porcelain pot)

2. Fill the bird feeders
3. Windex the glass top patio table
4. Take up all the recycle for pick up in the early a.m.
5. Empty all household trash and wheel the trash can up to the curb
5. Scrub two toilets and clean one bathroom mirror and counter top
6. Water several of the potted plants and the day lilies in containers that I'm trying to keep alive so I can put them in the ground AFTER I kill the lawn where they need to be planted
7. Check my e-mail
8. Put a load of laundry in the washer
9. Drink a cup of the delicious coffee
10. Fill Stubby's dish with fresh water

Ding! Ding! That's the sound of the stove timer going off, letting me know it's time to cook dinner.

Let me know if you ever take the 40-minute rice cooking challenge. I'd love to hear what you accomplish with your 40-minutes

Our back yard

Labor Day 2008

For these things I am truly grateful...
A good night's sleep...coffee already brewed and ready to drink when I wake up (thanks, Jeffrey)....oh, and Jeffrey, always Jeffrey....Stubby to greet me on the front porch....our lake view out back...vinca flowers still blooming cheerfully in the front...talking to the kids and hearing they're doing well...being in contact with my Mom, sisters and brothers...and the good health to enjoy it all.