6.6

First, I must apologize for being absent for a couple of days. I have been kinda busy. This past Friday Sassy went to a lock-in at church. I had a whole evening to myself. I actually hung out at church for a bit talking to my friends. I am worry about one of my friends...she is dealing with a lot right now. So, a prayer sent her way would be super nice. My honey came home Saturday afternoon. We did do much but chill out the house. Sunday I went to my weight watchers meeting...

I was a little nervous...I don't feel like I have lost any weight. I will be glad to start seeing results. =) 

Anyhow, I lost 6.6 lbs! YAY me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I was tickled. I was more than tickled..I was ecstatic! I am just a little less than 5 lbs from my 5% goal!
I know 6.6 lbs don't seem like much but its really hard to lose it. I have walked and then jumped on the trampoline alot and I just invested in Zumba for the Wii. 

At the meeting the had this gross looking yallow blobby solid stuff. It was 5 lbs and there was a 1 lbs blob too. That was just under what I had lost. Looking at 6lbs of fat on the table sure looks different than 6 lbs lost on a body. I am proud and have a long way to go but I will take the 6.6 lbs! YAY ME!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is a pic I took of the fat blobby stuff...that is 6 lbs!

Softball

Yesterday, Sassy and me headed to the ball field like we do most every Thursday. She has ball practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Well we were informed last week that there would be a cook out and a game girls vs. parents. We had a blast. For the past few days, Sassy has looked at me with the mean face and would say..."MOM YOU ARE GOING DOWN!"
When we got there the girls started there stretches and laps. Us parents just stood around while they did that. We all did pair up and throw the ball back and forth. I can feel it in my right arm that I threw the ball a lot. LOL! The girls coaches pulled them in and had their little pep talk...then were told what position they needed to play. One of the other moms (with lots of softball experience) became the coach for the parents. She delegated the positions we played. I got to be catcher. YAY I got to hang out at home plate. Every time Sassy would get up to bat, I would tell her she wasn't gonna hit the ball. She would nail it every time. The first time she got up to bat, I didn't know I was supposed to tag her with the ball. I thought you could step on base. OH WELL, my young'un got a home run because of it. I tagged the base. She was tickled.
I didn't bat...because my shoulder still aches really bad from that fall weeks ago. I let someone else bat for me BUT I did run the bases. I even ran bases for other moms that didn't wanna run. I did get nailed in the leg with a bat. One of the girls slung the bat back when she took off to run...I hurt like a S.O.B. too...I didn't let it show. I pushed on. The umpire guy knew that it hurt me. He asked me if I needed to sit down.I wanted to BUT for the girls I didn't. I just acted like it didn't hurt... I had a blast though.
We had hot dogs, chips beans, slaw and fruit for dinner.
Overall the girls THINK they won...it was a close came. We let the girls continue to think the won. That was some good encouragement for them...nothing like practicing as a team in a real game. I am proud of the girls. These girls have drive...there are only 10 girls on the team and I am sure that we will  have to forfeit a game or two this season. They at least have a team. We were worried that we wouldn't have the 10 to play...we actually need 12 in case any of the girls miss a game, someone can fill in. I am proud that the girls are showing teamwork. That is something that is important....not whether they win or lose. These girls are learning to work together and they are having fun.
It's gonna be an interesting season. Opening day is the 16th of April. I know Sassy can't wait. I know she can't wait to get her new uniform too. I am curious to see what they are gonna look like and what number Sassy got. She requested the same number she has last year...LUCKY 7!

Another buzzard photo....

YES, I have to admit that I am quite fascinated by these ugly birds...
Well yesterday on the way home, I was on Ft. Perry Rd and there were about a half dozen of these creatures on the road eating their fresh killed meal. I know that, a few hours before where I seen them, there was a big bunny roadkill there. I am assuming that is what they were eating. Anyhow, as I was coming home there they were eating in the middle of the opposite lane. From a past experience (earlier post), I knew that if I went by them one would fly off in front of me...
I was prepared today ...I guess you could say! There was a long enough stretch in the road for me to see them and hope they would not taunt me by hanging out as long as they could feasting. I tooted the horn when I was about a 1/4 mile from them. I rolled up the driver window, turned my camera on....as I got closer I tooted the horn more, all while holding the camera and driving. They are still eating...and in my head I am screaming "PLEASE move!"  The closer I got the louder the voice in my head got....by now I'm cussing in my head..."F***ing move already!" Driving with one hand, holding the camera with one hand and tooting the horn with my elbow...I close my eyes and grit my teeth...push the shutter button on my camera in hopes I get a pic of them as I go by them. Now mind you, I only had my eyes closed for maybe 2 seconds...I didn't hear a thump so I knew I didn't hit any. Yay! They got out of the way for me. My heart beating so fast, I was relieved. WHEW! Anyhow, I had forgotten about the camera til that evening. I went out to the truck and got it....in my panic, I never turned it off. Luckily, the battery wasn't dead. I put the pics on the computer and looked a them. I got a total of 6 pics in a matter of seconds. All but one were of the sky. I got one of the birds in the road. Even though I had my eyes closed, I still got to see what I missed when they were closed LOL!

BLUE....

So, there’s this photography group on Facebook that I joined about a week ago. I watched it for the past few weeks to see if it was something I would enjoy being part of. I finally asked how to post photos on the page. The person over the page sent me a friend request. Each week there is a different theme that we photograph. We send the photo to the chick that sent me the request and she posts it on the page.

The theme for this week was BLUE…pretty easy you would think. I really struggled to find something cool to photograph. I was at the point of skipping this week and starting with next week…seriously. The only photo I had from this week that had any blue in it was one of some buzzards. Tika and me seen them circling above one morning on our walk. I snapped a few photos just because…

I wanted to contribute to the group but didn’t feel I had anything to contribute…at the last minute I decided to submit the photo of the buzzards circling in the blue sky. 

There was a post the other day that there would be one photo chosen to be the photo displayed as the group profile pic!

GUESS WHO’S BLUE PHOTO WAS CHOSEN!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Mine was!!!! I think it was super cool that mine was chosen. Here are the comments I got on my photo….

Cristobal Silva I like this photograph, very nice composition and the vignette looks natural I don't know if you added it or not but it doesnt matter because it looks natural. I like it...

Congrats 'Tanya Sanford Girsham, our newest Clickin Chick! Your blue pic is the winner! I love the many shades of blue and the composition. So awesome!!! Way to start off, girl!

My photo will be displayed all week…how cool is that?

I am proud. It is very encouraging to some one just starting out in photography…. THANK YOU!

Weight Watchers and my weekend...

So, I started Weight Watchers this weekend. I am struggling so bad to lose this weight. My BFF started it a few weeks ago. We kinda figure we would try the buddy system…maybe it would help us stay motivated. I sure hope so.

We got to the place yesterday, we did have all the kiddos with us, so all we did was sign me up and get weighed. I never realized how many people go to Weight Watchers. There was a really long line for people weighing in. Finally, it’s my turn and I walk up to the counter and hand the skinny chick my papers I filled out. She looks up and says “Sorry about your wait!” I could hardly hear her so I said “HUH?”…My BFF snickered and said “She meant about your WAIT not WEIGHT!” LMAO nothing like already feeling super fat and then an innocent comment like that making you kinda feel fatter…then what sucked even more was their scale is like 5 lbs heavier than my Wii says I am.

After we left the Weight Watchers, we headed to Thunder in the Valley. This was the first time we had ever been to the air show. It was hot…we stopped to the Gieco booth and I won a t-shirt…. size large. I guess I will hang on to it and lose this weight so I can wear it. I like the shirt, its pretty cool looking.

We walked and walked…we saw lots of cool things. There were planes doing tricks, there were even dirt bikes jumping the planes. I even got to tour a big ol’ cargo plane. That was the first time I had ever been in a plane.

We stopped to McDonalds and got the kids an ice cream.

Then we headed home. It was a great day…we all were hot and tired by the time we got home.

We were already exhausted from the day before. Sassy and me went to the mud bogs with a friend and his kids. It was in the 80’s and very sunny. I am sure all the rednecks that went had redder necks by the time they got home. I know my neck was sunburned.

Anyhow, my friend Red, moved to Florida to go to school. He came up this weekend to spend time with his kids. He invited us to go with him. It was cool since we had never been to one. There were lots of jacked up trucks and even a jacked up VW bug. Most all the vehicles got stuck. We left early because we were hot and tired of standing around waiting on the trucks to get pulled out. Red took all of us to dinner and then we went to his house for a bit…long enough for me to baby-sit his young’uns for about 30 mins. Sassy and me headed home soon as he got back. We were exhausted. Overall, it was a busy weekend but we had fun.

Fog...

OMG it was super duper foggy this morning...

I do think the fog in places can be pretty...not so pretty when I have to drive in it.

I had to drive in it this morning...it kinda sucked.
I almost missed the road I am to turn on because of it and I was driving sssslllllllooooowwwww too!

The fog lifted to present a beautiful day...

It was cool and breezy.
When we went on our walk it was crispy bright out.

I didn't take that many photos today...I did manage a few foggy ones before I headed out...and one of some buzzards circling!

My front yard...

another one from the front yard...

buzzards...

Lack of Power...

I have come to realize power is important these days. Without it things kinda just come to a standstill. Power makes the world go…whether it is the power of communities, the country, leaders or even ELECTRICITY!

Last night, we were sitting here and the power flickered…like it does most everyday. When the power came back on my cable and internet were out. GRRRRR! So we sat here fiddle farting around. We were a little perturbed. About 15 minutes after the cable and internet went out the power went out again…WTF?

Sassy and me went outside and hung out till dark. It’s kinda not so bad when the power goes out during daylight hours…once it gets somewhat dark it sucks. While, we were outside Sassy traced leaves and colored. Sassy came in and got ready for bed about 8:30. So that meant I was being up by myself. You talk about BORING! I sat here twiddling my thumbs for a bit…finally decided to read a book…by flashlight. That kinda sucked too trying to find a place for the flashlight so that light reflecting off the light colored pages wasn’t blinding. I am reading a book by Robert Fulghum “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten”. It’s a cute book…

I must’ve dozed off while reading, because I woke up to the dang electric smoke alarms going off and every light in the house on…AWWWW the power was back on!

Anyhow, like I said the world would be at a standstill if power went away…people would truly be besides their selves, finding things to do. I think we all take it for granted. I can honestly say…I seen more of my neighbors outside yesterday evening and heard laughter and playing from the neighborhood kids. I know I would be lost without my cable and internet but I need POWER for the simple things in life…like taking a warm shower with light…LOL! 

I did find out today why we were without power for about 4 hours yesterday...apparently some kind of critter  climbed up the power pole. It had the POWER to knock out electricity...and in the process it got fried. They said it caused the cross tie on the power pole to burn and the grass on the ground.

Anyhow, I snapped a few photos yesterday while I had nothing better to do…

This was the beautiful sunrise...

This kitty was hanging out in my yard....

Five months later...this little gargoyle and his rat buddy are still sitting on the porch...I am sure he will stay there until next Halloween...LOL

Sassy coloring her leaves...

Sassy and her leaves...

The sky was beautiful as the sun was going down. 

God's beauty...

New photos of Sassy....

Today was portrait day at my house...hehe!

Sassy put on one of her cute little outfits with all intentions of going to the train tracks for photos.

I had to run a few errands and we were out during the hard shadow part of the day...

not  a good time for good photos.

So, we postponed to another day....

We did manage to get some in the backyard. 

I think they turned out very well...

a day at the park...

Today, Sassy and me decided to go to the park...

It's the only place around these parts with sidewalks for her to learn how to roller skate. 

We got up and ate a good breakfast...

watched a few movies and then went to the store and got some ice for the cooler. 

I got to meet one of my Honey's friends there. We have been friends on Facebook for a good bit...

it was cool to actually talk in person.

After we left the store, we headed to Junction City to the park. 

This is one of the cleanest parks around here....and its close by. Its small but has a set of swing, slide, see-saws, and few other things for the young'uns to play on.

There is also baseball diamond, and a walking track. 

Sassy skated around the walking track about one and a half times while I walked, then we both hit the swings...I know I am gonna be sore tomorrow....especially my shoulder.

 It still hurts from when I fell a few weeks back. I bet we swung for about 30 minutes straight. 

Sassy and I got hot...and sweaty! She says we were glowing because girly girls don't sweat...they GLOW! Well, I hate to inform her, I SWEATED!

When we were finished, we headed to the store on the way home and got some ice cream. It was a really nice treat.

Sassy trying real hard to be patient....

These smelled really good...

I dodged a bunch of bees trying to get photos of these blossoms....

The lady bug Sassy caught...

Some kind of winch....

There were birdhouses here and there at the park...

We watched the train go by...

Sassy chillaxin'

This is what we had for dinner...

whole wheat pasta with salmon

and 

a salad...

yummy!!!

My new camera...

I have been toting my new camera with me on the walks Tika and me take each day. I figure this way I can figure out how to use it. I am enjoying it alot. Although, I can't wait to get a better zoom lens. 

Anyhow here are some of the photos I took today!

Carolina Jessamine...this stuff is everywhere!

I thought these were cute little things...

These are miniature daffodils...these I thought were cuter than the purple flowers!

They were about the size of quarters.

A raindrop hanging on...

Next up are some photos of the sunsetting this evening...within a 20 minute span.

I thought the sky was beautiful.

The sunsetting....

The orange sky after the rain....

After the rain during sunset....

The beautiful sunset....

I hope you enjoy my photos as much as I enjoy taking them...:)

Long day...

During the end of last week, I have tried really hard NOT to come home and take a nap after I drop Sassy off at the bus. Getting up at 6Am is for the birds…. really! I am so not a morning person….

Well, this morning I got up at 6 and stayed up…mainly because I told my best friend I would start coming over at 8. That’s what I did this morning. When I got there she fixed breakfast and then we decided to walk.

I turned the speedview app on and we hit the road. We walked toward a friend of mines house. Altogether it was 2.4 miles. It was a nice walk…we chatted the whole way and I took a few photos along the way. It was a really nice day…. My best friend fixed lunch for us too, as well as, her mom, dad, sister and niece.

I so enjoy the time I spend with her… she is awesome. 

I tell ya, though, I am so ready for bed and its not even 7pm....lol! 

Anyhow, here is a couple of photos I took today!

This was a sign I thought was cool...I love the saddle leaned up against it!

Looks like she is smiling at me!

Here I come....Wait up!!!

Today, 3/5/11, Sammi and me went to a memorial for Louise Brooker. She passed away last weekend. It has been a very emotional day for everyone. Louise was our neighbor. There are two houses between hers and ours. She was a truly awesome lady. She was outspoken and feisty…yet loving and so kind-hearted. My girls thought of her as a grandmother. She used to help watch my girls when I was taking college classes.

It was a really nice service. The church was quaint and in the country. It was packed with family and friends who will greatly miss her. The preacher said his kind words. Songs were sung...The old rigged cross and Amazing grace, as well as one of Louise's favorite songs. Tears flowed in most everyone’s eyes. After the service we all went out to the small cemetery behind the church. We all gathered around and listened to few more words.   Then her ashes were placed in a hole and a pear tree was planted on top of it. It was awesome. I had never seen anything like it before. We all gathered in the fellowship hall to have a wonderful dinner. They said it was all Louise’s favorite foods. 

Most every year, Louise and her family host a Halloween party. Last year, she came as a cougar. Not the typical animal kind either. Granted she did have on a black outfit, kitty ears and a tail…but it was a metaphor in urban slang. The definition that urbandictionary.com listed is  "A 35+ year old female who is on the "hunt" for a much younger, energetic, willing-to-do-anything male. " It was cute…she had gloves that had long fake nails glues on them.A few years ago, she dress up and that comic picture of the lady that was looking for her dog and she had sat on. Louise had on a moo-moo type dress and had pinned a stuffed dog to her rear-end. 

R.I.P. Louise...you will be greatly missed by us...we love you!

French Toast...

Today, Sassy and me were tired of eating the same ol' same ol' for breakfast. Breakfast choices were looking slim in the house this morning. There is only so many ways you can fix eggs and bacon before it gets monotonous. We decided on French toast and bacon and peaches. For once, the French toast actually looked pretty…not burnt! Sammi said it was scrumptious!

 

Roller Skates

Yesterday was payday.... yay!

So I headed in to town to pick up a few things...I needed a sponge mop so I can wash the walls in the living room. I am gonna go get some paint in the next few days to paint. I figured I needed to wash walls before I painted. I got a few other things as well. I left that store and headed to the thrift store. This is my favorite store. Its a mess on the inside...really unorganized. Still it’s my fave. I have gotten many great things there for next to nothing.
Yesterday, my goal was to find some curtains for my living room. I know what I want and I don’t want to pay a fortune for them. Well, I ended up getting two flat sheets that actually matched. Well while I was there plundering through the mass array of junk, I found a set of roller skates. These skates took me back to my childhood. They were exactly like the ones I had. I remember getting the skates back then and I skated under the carport and on the sidewalks in Vegas. I had a friend that lived next door, Leanne, who skated with me sometimes.

There wasn’t a size in the skates at the store BUT I knew in my heart they would fit Sassy. I had to get them. They were a little dirty, nothing a magic eraser couldn’t take care of. They needed new laces. I really had to get them.

I walked around a bit more looking around and finding more treasure. I picked up the 2 sheets, a small white tablecloth with Battenberg lace and remnant of eyelet lace fabric. I went back and grabbed the skates. Like I said I had to have them. I spent a total of four bucks. I was proud.

I got home and set the skates on the back of the sofa…this is where I set all the “new” stuff I get for Sassy. When she got in from school, she seen them and her eyes got big and she was so happy. She couldn’t wait to get them on her little feet. I told her that she could wear them in the house and practice skating. Poor kid is 8 years old and never skated. Surprisingly, she is doing great at it. I told her that next time we go to town, to take them with us and I will let her skate at Grandpas house on this driveway or maybe we would go to the park and she can skate. She is tickled pink.

I think I got a great buy considering they were only a buck. The happiness in Sassy’s eyes is priceless. 

buzzards...

I just got around to unloading some photos from my camera. I try to do so about once a week. I mainly did it today because I wanted to see what Sassy photographed the other day while she was at Mamaws house. Well as I was looking at the photos…I realized I had taken some photos of a flock of buzzards soaring through the air.

Buzzards fascinate me…. well kinda! A few years ago…I was driving to town and seen a mess of these ugly birds on the road. I slowed up a little not for the birds but for the bumpy train track coming up. I figured these birds would fly away like they always do. I slowed down enough to give the birds some time to go to the side of the road…I knew that as soon as I passed they would be right back on the roadkill they were feasting on. Well let me tell ya…most all the birds flew to the side of the road BUT one! It decided it wanted to be on the other side of the road…it didn’t follow the flock…. as this rebel bird took off flying  (not fast enough) I had it with the pick-up! OH YEAH! I had hit it…this dang bird didn’t hit the grill or the bumper…it had hit right in front of me on the driver side of the windshield! I am telling ya there ain’t nothing like seeing a BIG bird coming at ya …I closed my eyes (I know a bad thang to do when you are driving) ducked my head and hit the brakes hard. OMG you should have seen themes on the windshield. I didn’t kill the buzzard…it had to have flown off. I didn’t see it anywhere around or the rest of them.

I put my foot on the gas pedal and moseyed on to town. I called my Honey on the cell phone…”You ain’t never gonna guess what just happened to me!” He tried guessing and was wrong…I told him what happened…I even told him that I didn’t see the bird anywhere and that it must’ve flown off. He laughed and laughed…then popped off with…”you don’t think it could be in the bed of the truck? DO YA?”

Now mind you I am already shaking from my traumatic experience…I don’t want to even imagine a dang ol’ bird dying in the back of my truck on the way to Wallyworld. I couldn’t see in the bed of the truck…we had Dodge quad cab at the time…I couldn’t just look in the mirrors and see…I didn’t want to stop on the side of the road either and look. So the WHOLE drive to Wal-mart, I was paranoid that there was a dying bird in my truck. I got to Wal-mart and thank goodness there WASN’T a bird there. I would have died if there were. My honey still thinks its funny...often when we pass a flock of them he will ask me if any of them are my friends.

The mess the bird left on the windshield stayed caked on for a good bit…I don’t wash my vehicles. It’s easier to pay someone else and quicker. I took the truck to Goo-Goo carwash and the kid there did a really good job. He did say some of the stuff was hard to get off and he had to use a scraper to get it off. I laughed and said thank you…I told him that it was buzzard crap and that I had hit one. EWWWWWW!

Like I said I am kinda fascinated by them…I wished I had had my camera on a different day though. About a ½ mile from where I hit the one…there were about 100 of them…NO KIDDING. There is this house that had an OLD ford truck out front for sale and some other odds and ends. This yard and truck was covered in buzzards. It would have made for an interesting photo.

Well the other day, Sassy and me were headed to Mamaws and above us there were a bunch circling above us. I grabbed the camera out of the Durango and snapped a few photos. I would love to have a lens that zoomed in better but I think I did decent considering they were on the move…

Blah....

Nothing much going on in my household...

It’s been quite boring....

BLAH!

Sassy started softball with a big ol' BUT in there...there aren’t enough 7-8 yr old girls to make a team. They are hoping by this week that there will be enough. If not then we will keep practicing through out the season so the girl will be on the up and up next season. I got me and Sassy new gloves, so we can practice here at home. I know she would rather have one of the cute pink or purple ones BUT those cost a bit more. She also is a lefty and finding a glove for a left-handed thrower is tough. 

I settled on the plain brown leather one, for her and me. I noticed that a lot of the gloves have synthetic materials on them. That is why I figured a leather one would be a better investment. I know she will use it for a few years and leather will conform to her and my hands. I know she will be excited when it gets here. I got a price on both of the gloves *pats self on back...hehe! I hope Sassy gets to play actually games this year. She loves softball so much. She doesn't care that they win or lose, she just like to play and enjoy the sport. 

My honey made it home Saturday, which was very nice getting to see him. Sassy and me had went to a friends house early that day...came home and then had to run over to Mamaws. AS we were leaving there, My Honey called and said he was almost home. YAY!!

On Sunday, He took us to town. We wanted to go to Lowe’s and get some paint but we ended up going to Shoguns and had a belated birthday dinner for Sassy. I know her birthday is in the fall but this is the first time since then that we had the funds to go. She got her some California rolls and some fried rice. She also ate red snapper, tuna, some other fish and OCTOPUS! She really liked the tuna and also said that the octopus was tasty BUT quite chewy! We had gotten a variety sampler and she sampled those too. To her there ain't many foods she wouldn't eat...I love that about her. 

My Honey left out today. :(

I hate seeing him go...I do enjoy him being home.