WHERE HAVE I BEEN?

Hello, my name is Cindy. I am addict. A FACEBOOK addict! This blog has suffered due to many " goings on", but mostly due to me being on THE Facebook too much! I will soon play catch up on here. First I had to read my nieces, MaryAnn and Andrea's blogs. They make me so proud at how well spoken they are in their blogs. Andreas has even brought me to tears a few times. So I have to really think on my entry before hand! So I will be back with a much longer and detailed blog soon. But I have to go now...I have been off of Facebook for over an hour now....

Kitchen too!

Just a small part of my new kitchen. I am posting more....now and later. My brother in law Tom was here only 34 days! He did 99% of it by himself! I love it. My kitchen is spacious and clean. I hope the clean part stays!

Kitchen!

A NEW KITCHEN!

We are currently under construction at our house. I have wanted a bigger kitchen for like FOREVER. Mike has resisted, but I guess the timing was right when his brother called from Chicago and said that his remodeling business was very slow. He wanted to know if I still wanted that new kitchen, so while he was on the phone, I was furiously searching for airline tickets for him! Before he hung up, I had his flight here booked, and he was on the way. Poor Mikey hardly knew what hit him! But he is loving the time he is spending with his brother, and that makes the pain of all the money being spent a little less! He knew we NEEDED the kitchen (and the plumbing for the kitchen and bathrooms) updated. And he is actually excited that the plumbing issues we have had over the years will be resolved. In truth, we could keep Mikes brother Tom here for about a year with all the things that need to be worked on.

We picked up the cabinets yesterday, and they have worked on the plumbing for the last couple of days, and with the kitchen being gutted completely...it has been hectic around here. Tom is a diligent worker-almost 24/7. But living in the house with TWO Pistorius' is...how can I say this nicely? My stress level is elevated 200%, but it will be worth it to get my bigger kitchen. Tom has actually been on my side on a lot of issses, and is a lot better at manuvering Mike than I am. Years more experience! Plus he has a hammer on most of the time!

ALWAYS SEARCHING

I'm sitting here at home, off work for Presidents Day, thinking of my search. I have spent a LOT of time searching...for the right way to do things...the way to dress...to act...to be the kind of Mom I knew I could be... to be a good friend...for the right career...for the right way to decorate my house...even for the right husband! I have accomplished a few of those things. The Mom thing and the husband. But as I sit here in my little living room(that has four lamps that don't match, furniture that is not quite right, too many pictures of all the people that I love, and lots of dog hair), and I am happy. My life has been on the "odd" side...I never do anything the easy way. But somehow I have wound up with a job that pays good, a home that is full of love, gorgeous, smart children, grandchildren that I adore, a husband that I love more than I ever thought possible and who is my best friend, great relationships with my sister and brother, nieces and nephews that have little pieces of all things good, and a slew of friends.

Yet I still feel the need to search. I want to learn. I want to travel. I want to spend more time with my husband. I want to spend more time with my grand children. I want a NEW house with land for my animals. All things I want. Do I need them. No. I need to heal myself. I need to be there for my husband everyday. I need a home and clothes and a job. And I have all those. I need love and care. I have those. I have more than I deserve. And I AM thankful for it all. Really , I am.

But the search goes on!

What Now?

Well, we have been staying busy. Seems like every weekend has some place for us to be. We went to see Nina and Ehren in Killeen last weekend and I am horrible about not downloading my pictures. I got some really cute ones that I will have later. Promise. He is growing so fast and getting quite the personality. He is not getting to see his MiMi and Papa enough.

This weekend we have another mini class reunion. My 30 year reunion is coming up in May, and we kinda get together to "ramp up" for the real thing!

I am just about to my six month anniversary of my GB and my current weight loss is 70 lbs!
I feel so much better AND I get to buy new jeans all the time!

Rachal is getting busy completing her wedding plans, so that may be keeping me busy, too.

So thats all for now. Hugs and Kisses

A NEW YEAR AHEAD

Mike and I just got back from a trip to Vegas...visiting Rachal and Zach. We had a GREAT visit; did some gambling; some siteseeing(Hoover Dam); and a show. We did not want to do everything in our first visit. We left some things undone so we have something to do NEXT time.

We had a quiet NYE, but I think that is what I hope for the next year. A peaceful year! Would that not be a great thing. Spending a holiday with friends, out and about is great, but can be a distraction from what is important. I spent mine with the one that is important to me...My Mikey!

We both have to go back to work on Thursday, and the dread began early today. (What kind of excuse can I come up with to NOT go back to work!) But it is back to the real world for us!

My weight loss is ongoing. I am at 64 lbs as of today. I am still having the problem with my protein intake, but it is getting better. I have the hair loss and muscle aches, but nothing can dim my optimism about how much better I feel. I even went and had hair extensions in . For a couple of weeks, I had long hair again! I was more than ready to have my short hair back. Way too much work, and I think the short hair shows off my best feature(My BIG mouth!)!

Well...I hope that 2009 is kind to us all. Please remember to tell the ones that are important to you that you love them, treat the elderly and animals the way you would want to be treated, and take care of yourselves.

Hugs and Kisses