just say NO

it is time for me to just say NO to indulging in food. food is not my enemy but my poor choices have sabotaged me. pre wedding i did nothing to lose weight and i even ate elaborately at shower and parties while managing to keep my weight at a steady point not losing but not gaining. the now mrs. thomas on the other hand has become rather round and robust in the past months. i chose to eat the Reece's hearts, blue bell candy jar ice cream, and good hearty winter meals. NOW I AM MISERABLE... my pants are tight and this makes me grumpy... i don't want to be both grumpy and frumpy...

my dad who has copious amounts of will power (i wish it was genetic) and i spoke last night about his rigorous and ridged diet plan. i am on it because it is simple and manageable... simple because there really are not alot of options and because the options are pretty much always available.

breakfast
heaping bowl of special K (strawberry kind)
skim milk

or

2 eggs
dry wheat toast

lunch
protein bar (he is partial to the Power Bar - Peanut Butter)
apple

dinner
1000 calories

chicken
baked potato

or

salad
with chicken

2 nights a week I am allowing myself ICE CREAM. this is an addendum to my fathers plan (shh don't tell). if you cut out ice cream totally it is not really realistic... at least not at the THOMAS HOUSE.

an unrequested extention = freedom for the moment

i just was granted a 2 week extention on two rather large state portfolio assessments. there was a month of projected due dates mine had orignially fallen on the first of those... and then by the hand of GOD i was graciously moved without ever having asked for it. thank you... i am greatful!
it is an hours past quitting time and i think i'll head home.

x-ray

chip my hard hat wearing hard working man

my chip is an electrician. websters-merriam defines an electrician as one who installs, maintains, operates, or repairs electrical equipment. i think of him in a more essential modern terms... he wires buildings, builds structures to process information and makes sure that the rest of us can do our jobs. from civic centers, banks, hotels, walmarts, at&t, data processing, doctors offices, colleges, and on and on ... he builds the capacities and connects the wires so that lights come on, computers connect across the world, machines work, money is processed, x-rays are taken, and the life luxuries that technology has created since BEN FRANKLIN that make our lives easier and more productive. i am thankful, i am bias, i am in love.

thank you

the best valentine's gift ever.

thank you chip!

sun ... does your body good.

i saw the sun this weekend for what seems like the first time since november. it does your body SO much good. i am definitely in an OUTSTANDING mood for a MONDAY... and a monday during my busy season. ahhh... VITAMIN D

candy jar ... i scream

blues traveler and bread making

today chip had to work... so i jumped in my car in my saturday jeans and t-shirt... and TOMS (the best saturday shoe ever next to bare feet) thanks to sister anna... well i rolled down the window and put in an old school blues traveler cd... and blared my music much like i did in high school... OH THE FREEDOM A DRIVE BROUGHT THEN AND STILL BRINGS NOW.


i was excited to find 2 things at the store that i have wanted but were not on my list.... candy jar ice cream by blue bell... BEST EVER... chip and i had it this summer on vacation in Florida but thought we would never reunite with the flavor again. i bought 2 GALLONS... the second thing was WEEKS HONEY it is a local bee keepers honey. we are hoping it will help with allergies. it was a great surprise to find in our PUBLIX. i was getting honey because today is bread making day. not only did i get honey i got LOCAL HONEY. which has many perks to health and local economy.the bread has been made... rolls, sweet bread and 2 plain loaves... and while it cools i sit on our front porch and give myself a mani... chip is home and THE WORLD IS RIGHT.

HAPPY FIRST WARM SATURDAY!

happy FRIDAY... the weekend is around the corner

it is FRIDAY and i am HAPPY! it is not that i do not like my job because for as difficult of a load that i have had this year I AM LOVING MY JOB... I LOVE IT and it has taken some years for me to get there but i do! i am so thankful for this... but this week i am tired and ready for a little interlude and the 60 degree weather that is on its way!!!

the suburbs

please do not take offense but...
i hope i NEVER have to live in the suburbs!
that kind of life would squash me long term.

My Almost Grandmother

when i write almost grandmother it takes on the connotation that Winnie almost married my grandfather, Jack Walter. however this is NOT the case. RATHER Winne was Harriet "June" Beery Walter's BEST FRIEND. they were next door neighbors on lake hickory for the length of their adult years. when i was born my Nana, June was already being treated for cancer and so she was not in town often and suffering from the side effects of radiation. so Winnie stood in ... and SHE NEVER STOPPED STANDING IN. this fall at 90 brilliant years young she made the trek down for our wedding. she was the cherry on top.

i want to be like Winnie when i GROW UP!

Lamentations 3:22-23

It is because of the LORD's mercies that you, are not consumed. His compassions do not fail. They are new every morning. Great is His FAITHFULNESS.

my new favorite fingernail/toenail polish

sweet sister was in the ATL over the weekend and we got to go have pedi's post class on saturday. living 3.5 hours away from each other (it feels like 490 hours) we did what all sisters do we got matching polish. a color that is both classic and edgy... mushroom. it is my new cajun shrimp.

things i am enjoying in the dead of winter

a hockey arena coming to ball ground... what?

so for two nights i have had vivid dreams about BALL GROUND. i have dreamed that BALL GROUND got their very own HOCKEY TEAM... and even more exciting their very own HOCKEY ARENA... that seated all of 25 people.

the dreams have been vivid and real... cold and action packed. the 25 seats were stadium seats yellow plastic with blue numbering. i hope tonight i dream and catch the name of this team... i think the BALL GROUND BEAVERS is quite fitting... i can just see the crowd now... instead of a wedge of cheese on the head they would wear buck teeth.

and the facation goes to.... (drum roll)

VANCOUVER

after much research and thought the facation of winter 2010 goes to Vancouver. i thought tropical beaches... sand between my toes... fruity drinks... Fuji. THEN i thought ... plays... shopping... night caps...LONDON. I ALSO CONSIDERED mysterious and captivating like Morocco. my desire to play even considered more local adventures such as Orlando or the DELLS (Wisconsin that is).

but i settled on VANCOUVER. i have always wanted to go to this great CANADIAN city. i have wanted to see VICTORIA FALLS and take in the beauty. this city also has a metropolitan flare and offers all of the luxuries that one could want and...for ONE WINTER AND ONE WINTER ONLY this city will host the world in the greatest sports competition... THE WINTER OLYMPICS!

itinerary to follow.

for my continued sanity this weekend i would like to thank

lil john
ludacris
missy elliot
notorious B.I.G
DMX
snoop do DOUBLE g
yo yo ma

wordle

planning a facation

a facation is a fake vacation.

people it is February i have worked 60 plus hours... chip is working 7 days this week and i have class all weekend. all of this warrants me a few frivolously hours of planning a facation. it will aids in boosting the mid winter blues. i am in serious need of sunshine and no to do list. i will let you know where i am facationing by the end of classes this weekend.

bed and pet bed... really???

tractors and school buses

i was late to school because i got behind 2 school buses each with multiple stops... i am puzzled as to why 2 buses would be on the same route picking up people at staggered driveways... all of the schools have varied start times by more than an hour... huh?

side note: bus driver = a dangerous job with many liabilities
i am THANKFUL FOR THEM as they bring my students to me each day HOWEVER it is a job i would be VERY VERY SCARED to do.

then as the buses turned to go to their BIG RED SCHOOL HOUSES a tractor pulled in front of me at the stop sign... all this to say i was LATE for faculty meeting... and walked in the door as they were introducing me and a new position that i am taking on. so today i wear the scarlet T for TARDY.

happy THURSDAY.

i am hoping that by tomorrow i will be enchanted by the thought of tractors (insert the many great songs about GREEN TRACTORS) and school buses doing the GREAT and FRUITFUL jobs that they do but for now i am well ... I AM LATE and all that goes with that.

dialogue defining terms of endearment

Mr. Darcy: How are you this evening, my dear?
Elizabeth Bennet: Very well... although I wish you would not call me "my dear."
Mr. Darcy: [chuckles] Why?
Elizabeth Bennet: Because it's what my father always calls my mother when he's cross about something.
Mr. Darcy: What endearments am I allowed?
Elizabeth Bennet: Well let me think...”Lizzie" for every day, "My Pearl" for Sundays, and...”Goddess Divine"... but only on very special occasions.
Mr. Darcy: And... what should I call you when I am cross? Mrs. Darcy...?
Elizabeth Bennet: No! No. You may only call me "Mrs. Darcy"... when you are completely, and perfectly, and incandescently happy.
Mr. Darcy: [he snickers] Then how are you this evening... Mrs. Darcy?
[kisses her on the forehead]
Mr. Darcy: Mrs. Darcy...
[kisses her on the right cheek]
Mr. Darcy: Mrs. Darcy...
[kisses her on the nose]
Mr. Darcy: Mrs. Darcy...
[kisses her on the left cheek]
Mr. Darcy: Mrs. Darcy...
[finally kisses her on the mouth]

then there was DAD!

On February First Many Moons ago my DAD was born. He has loved me and for that I AM THANKFUL!

happy LOVE history month

Love Me Not For Comley Grace

Love not me for comely grace,
For my pleasing eye or face;
Nor for any outward part,
No, nor for my constant heart:
For those may fail or turn to ill,
So thou and I shall sever.
Keep therefore a true woman's eye,
And love me still, but know not why;
So hast thou the same reason still
To doat upon me ever.

- Unknown