Who Knew?

That Pilates could be SO HARD?????? Yikes! Good thing I didn't know this BEFORE I signed up...I may not have taken this class. Mercy!! LOL!! Lord knows I need it, tho. I thought Yoga was tough...Wow! Who knew? Anyway...this class was much different than what I anticipated and I will have to really work to incorporate my regular aerobic activity in with it. This means MORE time at the gym...UGH!! Oh well...it's for the greater good!!! Ha! I've lost almost 20 pounds since October 1st and I am NOT giving up now. Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay for ME! And Tony is getting in shape, too. He likes to run 3 miles at a time on the treadmill at home...he is LOOKIN' GOOOOOODDD!!!!!!!

OK...enough bragging for now. What are y'all up to?

Hugs~ Nan

Long-Winded...Sorry!

Where do I begin today? It is December 2nd already and we are on the cusp of going into yet another busy, hectic, crazy holiday season. Heck...we are probably already there and I am just in denial! LOL! I am on the verge of feeling extremely overwhelmed. No matter how much I try to do in advance, I can not help but focus on what still lies ahead to get everything done in time. Throw in a birthday party for a soon to be 10 year old and you have the recipe for nothing short of a slight nervous breakdown. Oh!! And not to mention dieting on top of it all and starting a new exercise regime. We all know how HARD it is to make time for exercise in this day and age of working full time and running a household. As my grandma likes to say..."MERCY ME!!!" :) Soooo...taking a deep breath here as I try to take one HOUR at a time. Perhaps making a list is in order! Maybe crossing duties/tasks off of a list will help with the feelings of anxiety that start to creep into my heart. I know what some of you are thinking (Helen, Sabrina)..."How can she be overwhelmed? She only has ONE (1) child at home?!?!" LOL!! Well...all I can say is I may only have 1 child to take care of but it's all the little things that creep in that seem to overtake me at times. Not to mention, I have a full-time job that keeps me away from home for at least 9 hours a day!! You throw in going to the gym and it's even longer. Tonight I start a Pilates class that is 3 nights a week. My goal is to make it for at least 2 of those nights. Seems reasonable to ME! Oh..and did I mention I am singing in the Singing Christmas Tree this year? That's always a huge time committment. Then we've got the 4th grader (a BOY, mind you!!) who still (yes..still!!) needs to be constantly micro-managed when it comes to what he needs to be getting done, which is always homework, homework, homework!! It is just never ending! After all that is said and done...you throw in laundry, trips out of town, etc...etc...and before you know it...you are CHASING YOUR TAIL!!!! At least I FEEL like I'm chasing my tail. *SIGH* Now...all that being said...when I have moments like this I turn to my new favorite blog...which will take you to a daily devotion if you are so inclined. If you have not checked out Lysa's blog...YOU MUST. Thank you so much to my friend, Debra, for introducing me to her! I read her stuff daily and she is MY KIND OF WOMAN!!! She is so down to earth and shares the same struggles as the rest of us...you know...REAL WOMEN! LOL!! Anyway, today's devotion is a good one if you'd like to check it out.

Proverbs 31 Ministries: Daily Devotions

Now...enough "reflecting". Seems like I've been doing that a lot lately. Let's see....we are on day #2 of clear, blue skies and sunshine! Yea, Baby!!!!!!! I am LOVIN' it...actually everyone here is! LOL!! However, with that comes COLD, COLD, COLD! I'm sure snow is around the corner soon. Jake is hoping for the white stuff on his birthday (this is his wish every year!). Speaking of which, my baby is turning 10! *Sniff* How is that possible???? OMGosh!!!! We are planning a pizza party at Godfather's per his request. This makes it easy and I don't have to clean up...yay! I'm so glad it's on a Saturday this year.

So, this week I am trying to focus on getting packages in the mail for Christmas, planning a birthday party, making my Christmas card list, learning the music for the Singing Tree...hmmm...starting my Pilates class....What else??? Oh...and here's my schedule for the next two weeks so you may not hear much from me after this!! Starting Friday, Dec. 5th...going to the Nutcracker with my MIL. Saturday, Dec. 6th, trying to get Christmas tree and decorations out and UP...a daunting task it seems. Sat. night...company Christmas party with Tony. Sunday...church and "tree" practice. Sunday night...collapse! Monday...work and "tree practice". Tuesday...work and "tree" pratice. Wed...work & a night off...whew!! Thursday...work and "tree" practice. Friday...work and then 2 (two!) "tree" performances. Sat. recover from previous week...only 1 "tree" performance. Sunday...church and 2 "tree" performances!!!!!!!!! OK...perhaps I shouldn't have recapped all this...I'm feeling overwhelmed again. Yikes!! Not to mention...while all of this is going on...I have to get ready for Christmas!!! Ack!!! LOL!!!

Anyway, life is good but very busy! It's a good kind of busy...I just need to stay on top of it all. One VERY IMPORTANT THING I keep forgetting to mention is this. Behind every busy woman is a man who is just as busy. At least this is true in MY household. I must give a shout out to my very wonderful and HELPFUL husband who keeps things running at home like a well-oiled machine while I am "flitting" about pulling my hair out making sure stuff gets taken care of. Honey...YOU DA BOMB!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!! I COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU!!!! (I wonder if he even reads this blog!?! LOL!)

Soooo....I hope this doesn't sound like I'm feeling sorry for myself because it is definitely not my intention. I am using this blog as an outlet to keep myself in "check" and to get input from those around me (and friends far away.) It has been very therapeutic for me! LOL! And fun, too!! I hope you are actually enjoying it and getting *something* from it even if it's just a laugh or a smile. :)

With that, I will leave you for now and hopefully I won't get *too* busy to drop you a line once in a while.

Love and Hugs!! Nan XOX

OK Bloggers...

Some of you are getting a little "behind" on your blogs and I'm getting quite anxious about it! You know who you are! Now Get Busy!! LOL!! I'm dying for new pics and an update. I know you are all crazy busy this time of year...but please throw me a bone!!!!!!!! :)

Hugs~ Nan

Thanksgiving 2008

Poor Tom! (He didn't stand a chance.) You have fulfilled your turkey destiny and we very much appreciate it!! This is my whopper of a bird...22 pounds. Enough to feed a small Army! As you can see, he almost didn't fit in the pan!

Tony and his mom, Shirley. The "spread" before the spread.

The Newell Family

Finishing up dinner...Tony was in agony and not in this pic after eating too much! LOL! Anyway, starting with Jake and going clockwise...that is Mandy (Bob's youngest), Bev (Bob's Wife), Jennifer (Bob's oldest), Shirley (Mom/Grandma), and Bob (Tony's older brother). We missed Amy (the "middle" child) this year as she is still away at college. It was weird to have her gone! We'll see her at Christmas, tho. Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving...I for one (and Tony) had a stomach ache from all the rich food. It was SO good, tho, and I finally achieved my goal of the perfect mashed potatoes. I had bought a "food mill" earlier in the year...that is my secret. There wasn't a lump to be found in those taters!! I also rocked the turkey...I'm getting GOOD! And my stuffing was YUM...course, there's a pound of bacon and butter in it. No wonder we were sick!! LOL!! Sorry...these are all the pics I took b/c I got so busy and then I was SO full and I just wasn't on my game. I promise to do better at Christmas time. Enjoy the rest of the weekend. OH!! I almost forgot! Tony got up at 5am to check out the "Black Friday" sales. He came home with an early Christmas present for me (us). It's a Shiny...Red...15 inch Gateway Notebook (Laptop)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was hoping for diamonds but I will happily settle for this. Now that I'm Blogging, Facebooking, and Emailing and what-have-you...I will always be connected wherever I go. We are quite excited! LOL!! Better Go....Happy Long Weekend to Y'all!!!!!!! Love and Hugs~ Nan XOXO

Happy Thanksgiving!

From our house to yours...Happy Thanksgiving! This year I am so thankful for my family and friends whom I love so much. I am also thankful for the roof over our head, the food on our table, and the many things that God has blessed us with. We are a very fortunate family and I am reminded once again how blessed we really are. It really hit home with my trip to POW just how alone you can feel when you don't have family or friends to turn to. My first night there I was dropped off in an unfamiliar apartment in a town I'd never been in. I don't get put in that situation EVER so it was quite disconcerting. It was dark and cold out...and I knew almost noone with the exception of a few co-workers but they were "doing their thing" as I settled in for the night. It was a very odd feeling and I must say I did not enjoy it very much. I thought I would love the time alone...but it was a whole different ball game once I was there. It made me think of all the people out there who have no-one. I felt a deep sadness for them and how the holidays were coming up and, unlike me, they had nobody to go home to. My eyes get misty now just thinking about it! So, needless to say, I have asked EVERYONE I can think of since my return if they have somewhere to go tomorrow for dinner. Rest assured, I extended an invitation regardless of their answer. I plan on going down to meet our new neighbor tonight and invite him if he has no plans. :) It's the "proper" thing to do, wouldn't you say? I can't stand the thought of ANYONE feeling alone and empty and forgotten on a holiday that celebrates family and friends and the many blessings we enjoy in this life. I am also thankful that because I know God...I am never truly alone. I can only hope that others...those without families and friends...can say the same. My prayers will be for them this holiday season.

So, with that, I will say Happy Thanksgiving and may you all be surrounded by those that you love this holiday season! I will be thinking of each and every one of you and thanking God for you as well!

More about my trip later and pictures to follow! Blessings to you!! Nan

SIGH*

Well today is the day. I am taking the ferry to POW and OF COURSE...it (almost) couldn't be nastier out. I am DREADING this trip now! Guess I'll go buy some Dramamine and hope for the best. :( If the boat goes down...I'll see you all on the other side. Pray for me!!! LOL!!!

Bye for now~ Nan

POW or Bust

Just a little overview of where I'm heading tomorrow for those that aren't familiar with this area. Craig is on Prince of Wales Island and located west of us. You can see Ketchikan on the far right of the map above. As you can see on the map there are many small communities on the island and I have friends throughout. Looking at the map now and considering it's already been snowing over there, I will not get to see my friends who I believe are in Thorne Bay which looks to be clear on the other side of the island. Darn! It's probably a hefty drive...sorrry Benson's!Maybe another time. :(

I am very much looking forward to this trip as I've never been to this big island...I plan to read and listen to Singing Tree music over and back on the ferry. It's a 3 hour journey. As I mentioned, they've already had snow and I anticipate it being quite lovely over there.

Anyway, I will spend today getting the house clean and figuring out what I still need for Thanksgiving dinner next week. We are taking Jacob and his little friend to the movie "Bolt" at 4pm and I will continue to get ready for this trip when we get home.

Stay tuned for pics from POW!!! Love, Nan