the blog wide workout

So the Dummy http://datingdummy.blogspot.com/ started a workout group amoungst the bloggers. I signed up and I like it because it motivates me to do my walking. We all report at the end of the week and Dummy tracks our progress (or lack of!!) Anyway, my girlfriend lives a couple blocks away and she calls me to see if I want to walk. YES! I am so glad she asks me. She walks, she hikes, bikes and does yoga and is in great shape so I got all geared up to go. As I am walking to her house I get a text "meet me at the bakery?" sure, ok, we can meet there. Guess what! She went on a 3 hour hike with the husband yesterday so all she really wanted was to catch up over coffee and a giant cinnamon roll. wtf???? I didn't eat,! just had a cup of coffee. We chatted for about an hour and she said she needed to head home. Hmmm should I go home or walk?? Praise be, I chose the latter and went down to the walking path on the ocean and huffed and puffed by myself. At least I feel good I walked, but damn ... the bakery?? ****for a little inspiration check out: susanoseen.blogspot.com she has a great before & after pic.

Kid Rock Christmas

With the money and status Kid Rock has and the reputation for being a bad boy I don't think we would first think of Kid as a humanitarian. I read (& copied some of his personal pics and blog entrys regarding his trip to Iraq) Kid spent the holiday with our troops and I am sure he lifted morale and at least let the soldiers have a moment where they were not thinking about their worries or troubles. Way to go Kid, you Rock! http://www.kidrock.com/

"7:15am, Dec 26th, Iraq. Wow, what a Christmas. Christmas breakfast was pretty good. Toured some of Saddam's many palaces (money cannot buy taste still holds very true!) meeting more and more soldiers on the way. Things were pretty grim when we learned another IED bomb hit one of our hummers on a mission. I went with the captain immediately to the hospital in Baghdad and hung with two soldiers who were injured. One of the other soldiers I do not think made it. I said a prayer for him...We met another soldier who had been hit by a sniper the day before. He was doing well and one of the most amazing things about these guys who are injured is how quickly they want to get well and back in the field - incredible. Took pics and hung with alot of the hospital staff, great people. Back to the base where I participated in a long tradition of serving holiday meals along side the higher ranking personnel to our troops. Took another Blackhawk ride to our next stop (camp Rustamiyah) which is in a pretty crazy area. Lots of pics and whatnot, I was told over and over "I cant believe you came here to this camp, no one like you has ever been here before, thank you." That made me feel good, and a bit intimidated, taking it that we were in a pretty bad area. When you're flying in and out of dangerous areas in Blackhawks and riding though the streets of Iraq in Humvees, it's pretty scary. I don't care who you are, it makes you think about things ALOT differently. Took an hour nap and when nightfall came we jumped on another Blackhawk and headed to another camp (I apologize my memory sux) for another huge meet n greet Christmas night. All the soldiers were so thankful and expressed how much it meant to them that I chose to spend my Christmas in Iraq with them - but it's really the other way around - their smiles, stories, and will made me proud to be amongst them, proud to be American. This is definitely the most rewarding Christmas I have ever had and I am so happy and humbled to be here with them. I smoked a cigar and crashed!! (Did I mention this is a dry country?? It is, and that sux!!) Merry Christmas from Iraq."

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmakah! (ya, i watch the O.C.!!) Here's to a Happy Healthy New Year 2007

mud slingin'

Are you a Rosie fan? A Donald fan? I use to really like the Rosie Show (before she "came out" and was "in love" with Tom Cruise) If it is possible it seems she is even more opinionated that ever. Now that Babs Walters has her on The View maybe the power has gone to her head. The Donald, though he is amusing I don't really care for him. Forgive me (its the holiday season) but he just seems like a pig. (in every sense of the word) I watched a clip of the mud slinging and actually it was pretty funny and both of them said things we probably all think. Rosie:(*combed her hair to one side) the Donald filed for bankruptcy and never paid his creditors. He was married,(Ivana) had children, had an affair. Got married again,(Marla) had a child, had an affair. Married again, (Melina) had a child..... on & on. Rosy wants to know what makes him a moral compass to make the decision to keep the current Miss USA Tara Connor. (after allegations of misbehavior not conducive to a roll model) I think typically everyone is afraid of The Donald and Rosie is not, and that is refreshing. The Donald: (*with his hair combed to the side.. oh wait thats real. ) He denied filing for bankruptcy, clever wording since he personally did not , but business wise.. anyway he called Rosie "our nice fat little Rosie" oh my gawd!! He threatened to send some some pals over to steal Rosie's wife/girlfriend Kellie. How funny is that? He also said he is going to sue Rosie for her false statements because it "would be fun". He is so childish, wah wah. It was quite humorous to watch and I hate to admit Rosie was hilarious, and you can't dispute the facts. Oh and my opinion on Miss USA, she's an attractive blond. The 3rd Mrs. Trump should be worried!

boombox holiday music

http://podcast.fredflare.com/boombox/flare_player.html if you are looking for some fun holiday music, click on fred and dj chris has a fun selection . sammy davis jr. jose feliciano, jackson 5, the ronettes! vince guaraldi (linus & lucy!!) i'm dancing as i dust and vaccum! and luckily no one is home because i'm sure i am the only one enjoying my off key singing at the top of my lungs! (check out dj jen too "she's a bad mamajama".

hummin' along

I made my triple chocolate*"boondt" cake for the husband to take to work. And I finally made a batch of my great grandmothers snowball cookies. I was so stressed about State Boards I didn't do my usual pre-planning for christmas. Then when I passed my test I proceeded to get sick so I lost a whole week. Anyway, as of today I am getting better and at least I got some baking started.
*i love to say boondt every since my big fat greek wedding!! do you remember the scene??

the door,the ornaments, the tree! (my tree!)

got the tree

ok, the husband came home with a tree!!

*** i'm a shmuck!! i feel bad ,thats not my tree!!! now i'm getting comments how pretty it is!! i will have my tree pic up tonite!!

I have a cold, or is it the flu? according to the symptom guide i don't know what i have! anyway, all i know is i haven't gotten a christmas tree (usually have that first week of december) I don't have any shopping done, usually have that done as well. I was so stressed about my state board that i think i wore out my resistance, because i swear driving home after the test i had sore throat symptoms and now 6 days later i am still not well. yikes! gotta get something under the tree (well first i gotta get a tree) for sweet & sassy! We have a tradition, ,throughout the year i put all my spare change in a bucket and then the day after thanksgiving sweet, sassy & myself go and cash in all the change. The girls get to split it. First they pick a charity of their choice, sassy chose food bank and sweet chose spca. (they have to put 10%) then what is left they can christmas shop with. We have done that and we have done the packages for anysoldier so I feel good about that, but we need to put the tree up!! And I only got one work out in for the work out crew. Yikes again, its roll call tomorrow. Hope you all are well and have your tree up!! Happy Holidays! Happy Hanukkah.

christmas cheer xtra

i just spoke with *sweet's english teacher, she thought it would be wonderful to have the class write holiday greetings to include in the boxes to any soldier. http://www.anysoldier.com/
i know this is such a small thing but if we can put a smile on some faces it will be worth it. i am so thankful for all i have and my family and my friends and it really saddens me that these young men and women are alone and scared. shouldn't we all be able to be thankful and peaceful? i'm out the door to drop off some holiday cards to the school.


*sweet= younger daughter

Christmas Cheer

I found a site to help bring a little bit of cheer to our soldiers this christmas. It is so sad to me that men & women are fighting in another county and they do not get to spend the holidays surrounded by family and friends. Although Isuppose the troops they are stationed with have become their family and friends. I sent out a couple care packages today. If you have the time to read the site, you will see the simplest things will spread joy. For one a card or letter. Movies, popcorn, etc... I want to show gratitude to our troops and I hope my package brightens the day for them. http://www.anysoldier.com/
Wouldn't it be great if we all took a moment to send a card or note or christmas card saying hello, we appreciate you and pray for your safe return.

I'm officially an Este'

I passed my State Board written & practical test!! I now have my CA State Esthetican License. I am still in shock! I will be writing soon!

I'm a fruitcake

oh oh oh i just had to copy this from chrysanthemum tea !! take the test! i'm a fuitcake.... is that traditional, classic or nutty???

what crappy christmas gift are you?
www.blogthings.com/whatcrappychristmasgiftareyouquiz/

I sent the "what crappy xmas gift are you" to my sissie. word in. she's ugly underwear. oh that cracks me up.

talk the talk walk the walk

Well, I have been checking in at Dummy'shttp://datingdummy.blogspot.com/ to see how everyone is doing on the group effort workout. I think most everyone goes to the gym, although my workout is walking. I have not done ANYTHING! in 6 months , so walking is working out to me! Dummy says we have "accountability" & because of this simple statement I have walked 3 times this week. Believe me,this is huge! Ironically, I went to my annual doctors appt. this past October. And from Oct. 2005 to Oct 2006 I have gained exactly 15lbs. whf?? I mean i knew I had gained "alittle" but you should have seen the look on the good Dr's face! I am 5'71/2 so I have height as an advantage, and my husband doesn't like stick skinny (like i used to be) and he is constantly telling me he thinks I look good. Ultimately, I don't feel super fly fine so I am gonna keep on walkin' and loose 10lbs by my birthday in February.

books on my christmas list

peppermint cake

For the holiday season I am addicted to Trader Joe Pepppermint Cookies. (note to DD, Anny & Jcutness, in between workouts (hee hee) These cookies are amazing and I crushed them and put them in the middle of two chocolate cakes. Actually, I spread a layer of frosting, a layer of crushed peppermint cookies, a layer of homeade whip cream, then the second chocolate layer cake frosting, whip cream and crushed cookies.
Absolutely delightful, not a crumb left. hmmm hmmm good. p.s. thank you to cute jewess & http://leslyfinnsart.blogspot.com/ for telling me to hit F5 to get my pic's on!!

help posting a picture

I can't post pictures! Can anyone help? 'cause the help section isn't helping me. When I go to post there is no longer an option for me to change the font/and add pictures. Anyone?