Baby Alli

My cousin Jennifer gave birth to a gorgeous daughter in October and whenever I can, I snag her for a day or two. I had her last weekend and I thought it would be fun to get her pictures taken. My good friend Marie is a incredible photographer so I called her up and she said, bring her over! So... we spent a few hours with Marie last saturday and let me just tell you, she captured just how precious Allison Holly is. I just had to share it with the blogging world because its just too cute to keep to yourself! I love Alli and I cant wait to have her again. Thanks Marie! I love you!

Goodbye Christmas... until next year :)

Well... all the family is gone.... we are probably all 5 pounds heavier and real life has to kick in again, but I wouldnt have it any other way! I love Christmas, and I was so happy that we all got to be together this year. A few of my cousins werent able to make it, and we were bummed out about that but for the most part all my family was together on Christmas Eve, so I was thankful! My brother and Laura have the biggest house in the area so we had everyone over on Christmas eve. Of course there was ALOT of food involved. On the eve of Christmas Eve I went a little nuts with the baking. I made some delicious chocolate chip cookies, and then I realized that we have a few diabetics in the family, so I had to accomidate them. So, I made some "less sugar" chocolate chip cookies. I made cranberry macadamia bark, and the new family favorite cheesecake bars. it was all a hit, and we all ate way too much of it. But like I said earlier, it only comes once a year and now we just have to deal with the results lol. I was especially thankful to see my Uncle Dave and his son Skyler. We dont see them very often, and we were all so happy that they were able to make it. Of course Christmas is the most exciting for the kids, but our babies are little right now so they dont really knows whats going on yet. Jack was excited because I bought him a little fire engine he could ride and that was really cute. Jack is walking now, and that is the cutest thing in the world. Of course when we want him to perform and show everyone he wont. But he just might do anything for a cookie, so we got him to walk for a cookie :) I will post more pictures later, but here is one of the whole crew( even our foster brother THOR, the giant dog in the front), less my uncle Chet who was the photographer. I love all my family so much, and I am really glad we got to spend that time together!

My thought for today.....

My Sweet Sugar Booger

Well... A few months ago I adopted a little kitten from the animal shelter. She is a sweet white and grey kitten, and when I got her she only weighed two pounds. The first few weeks were very trying and expensive because she came down with an upper respritory infection and there were a few days that I was worried she was going to die. Anyways, she made a FULL recovery. In this recovery she has transitioned from my sweet purring cuddle bug to a hells angel kitten. I have scars on my arms and legs from her attacking me while I sleep. I wake up to her often standing on my head staring at me. One day she came out from under my bed with 1/2 of my cell phone charger in her mouth. That was really nice lol. When she was really sick she wanted to be close to me all the time and that is when I noticed that she had a strange affection for my laptop. She would lay on me and stare at my laptop like she was watching a good movie. At first it was cute, and then it got annoying. Well.... this weekend I was having a lazy morning.. I had been laying in my bed surfing the net and my sweet angel sugar was curled up next to me sawing some major logs. So I decided to jump in the shower. I was gone approximately 7 minutes, and let me remind you that when I left the room she was soundly asleep. When I returned she has managed to violently rip three keys from my laptop. I couldnt believe it! I got one of them back on, but the other two are not fixable. What am I going to do with this sweet little hells angel?? All I can say is please pray for my Christmas tree during this holiday season!!!

Simply Having a wonderful Christmas time!

I am officially in the Christmas spirit! Today I got the cutest little tree for my place.... and with the help of the 99 cent store I decorated it for under 7 dollars! I know your impressed :) Anyways, it really got me into the christmas mood. I turned on the Christmas music, and did some baking. My brother hooked my christmas light on my tree to the COOLEST thing. Its hooked up to this light switch that I could hang on the wall if i wanted, and at the flip of the switch, the lights go on and off. So for instance right now I am laying in my bed with only my tree lights lighting the room, and when i get ready to go to sleep... all I have to do is reach to my nightstand and flip and switch, and wahlah! the lights will go off!!!Cool Huh? I have attached a pic of my tree so you can see it. Its only like 5 feet tall, but its pretty if you ask me :) I made the bows myself too.... :) Merry Christmas everyone!

Fat Jiffy

I wouldnt say that I am well versed on the affairs of our world, but MSN is my homepage and I like to read the 'weird news" category because those stories interest me much more than the stories about our new president elect.( I won't EVEN go there) Anyways... you have to read this story. After you read it I have a few things to say about it:

Dog frozen to sidewalk; fat helped it survive
Shelter workers uses warm water to free it; owner arrested

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. - A dog weighing more than 120 pounds survived being frozen to a sidewalk overnight, probably because he was insulated by layers of fat, authorities said.
The Sheboygan County Humane Society says the "morbidly obese" dog, an aging border collie mix named Jiffy, froze to the sidewalk when he was left out overnight Wednesday. Shelter manager Carey Payne says few dogs could survive the single-digit temperatures, and it was probably the fat that made the difference.
Jiffy's 59-year-old owner was arrested Thursday morning on suspicion of animal neglect, Sheboygan Police Lt. Tim Eirich said. She told police she tried to get the dog inside but couldn't, and instead checked on him every few hours.The dog is 11 or 12 years old, Eirich said. Shelter workers poured warm water over Jiffy's back end to unstick him from the sidewalk, Payne said, and it was too soon to say whether he suffered any long-term effects.

Now, I am on a never ending weight loss journey, but this email lifted my spirits. I always think to myself, WHY did the Lord allow some people to be fat, and why me??? This explained it... Please note the portion of the article where it says "the fat made the difference" So.... my point is... in SOME instances, the fat does make the differnce :) ( I still wanna be skinny though)

Have a great day!

My First Blog experience

Well.... here goes nothin! Today I was browsing various blogs and I thought that its about time that I join this blogging world! What really inspired me was all the blogs about how thankful people are at this time of the year. I really need to be part of this. It was so inspiring, and I even had to wipe a few tears away when I was reading some of the blogs. So I will start off my new blogging life by writting about the things that I am thankful for. Tis the season, so I might as well spread a little of my joy around right???

Here is what I am thankful for. It is not listed in order of importance, but as it pops into my little brain:

* God's never ending love and mercy

* Parents that love me, and each other unconditionally. Parents who never beat me( very hard) and taught me to be a good, caring, pleasant person.Specifically my dad, who is the best man I know. He loves his family and will do anything he has to in order to provide for us. My mom, a praying woman who isnt afraid to "tell it like it is" I wish I could be more like her at times.

*the chocolate chip cookie in my purse that I forgot about until right now

*Kristy Clark(Rowell) the best friend I could ever ask for. How lucky am I that I get to work one cube away from my best friend every day. Thats pretty lucky :)

* Jonathan, my brother who I am so proud of that even as I type my eyes well up with tears. He is a good man, a good husband,a great brother and son, and a honorable fireman who saves lives and calms fears every single day. I pray for a husband with his qualities all the time.

* Laura, the wonderful sister in law that God has blessed me with. Sometimes I feel like she is the calm in our family because we have a tendancy to get worked up, but she is always the same and I love her!

* Sugar, my kitten... even as she runs laps around me and stops to eat some cardboard, she makes me smile when I come home after a long day.

* Inland Kenworth- I have an incredible job, with an incredible boss who has been so good to me over the last almost 6 years.

* Im thankful that in exactly one year I will be DONE with my bachelors degree!!! Chapman University is the BOMB :)

* My bed... I made a pricey investment a few years ago and bought a GOOD mattress... the BEST thing i have ever financed in my life. Im looking at it right now, and I cant wait to climb in!

* Im thankful for a pastor and wife in my life that believes in me, and looks beyond my faults and sees my potential.

* I cant forget about Jack Boggs. This little boy has changed my life. He brings so much joy to my life, and I would do ANYTHING to ensure that his every need is met. I love him to death

* an INCREDIBLE extended family.... I am soooo lucky to have the family that the Lord has given me...

* my little house... its so cute... and cozy, and warm right now thanks to my little heater. I am thankful for my brother and sis in law allowing my dad to build this place for me. I even have an armored guard!! ( ask Jonathan about that one)

* FRIENDS. You cant make it in life without friends, and I feel awfully blessed to have the ones that I do. I wouldnt say that I have a HUGE circle of friends, but the ones that I have are true, and thats all I need :)

* Im thankful for deoderant and toothpaste. They make the world a more comfortable place for everyone. oh ya, also hair products. You really wouldnt stand next to me if i didnt use hair products becuase its not pretty... so I am so thankful for that LOL

* I am thankful for trials. I know that sounds weird, but my trials have made me stronger. I have learned things about myself in the last two years that have been hard things to learn, but Im so thankful now that I am on the other side.I am even thankful for the person who caused me hurt... because this person taught me so much about myself without even knowing it.I dont hate this person, and Im not bitter towards them, but they will get whats coming to them someday. You reap what you sew... So please remember to sew good and kind things, its always worth it! On the other side of the trial, the Lord has truely healed my emotions and heart, and I am forever indebted to him !

....... well, thats all i have for now.... I am a very blessed person... God is good to me... and Im soooooooo greatful!!!!!!!!!!!!Sure I have some bad days, but we all do, its called life. But I do love this life, and I wouldnt trade it... Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas.I love you all very much... I have to go get Sugar because she is currently on top of my refrigerator.. yikes!! ( but yes, I am still thankful for her!)