Beth's Bling!

Check out those EARRINGS!

Beth has wanted to get her ears pierced for years, but Matt felt that she needed to wait until she was 12. Well, they struck a deal this summer that if she made honor roll for two consecutive quarters during THIS school year, she could get it done. Well, 5 months, 6 A's & 7 B's later, Beth got her big reward. Woo hoo!

The Best Kind of Cake

Aunt Corinne told John that she'd help him make me a birthday cake for today. His pick...chocolate cake, with chocolate icing and about a pound of M&M minis on it. Whoa baby! Death by chocolate may no longer be a myth.

John was very proud of his masterpiece and could barely wait for me to get home to see it. It was so colorful and pretty that I almost hated to cut it. Almost..... It was yummy! :-)

Finally!

SNOW!!

It was late when we got home tonight, but we had to take advantage of some play time since the temps are going to be subzero for the next few days. We've never gone out to play in the snow when it's dark before...it rocks!

The only perk to having an inclined driveway. Sledding!

John demonstrating his superior snowflake catching skills.

Just Words

I found out today that a very good friend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer right before Christmas. While I realize that this is in NO WAY a death sentence, I can't help but to be devastated for her. She's very young, the picture of health and had no history of breast cancer in her family. She's a wife, mother of two girls - ages 10 & 8, an all around wonderful person, my assistant cheer coach and my friend. My heart breaks for her.

What do you say when a friend delivers news like that? I'm sorry? I'm here for you? What can I do to help? While we all mean well, they are just words. Really, I want to cry and tell her that it's okay to be REALLY pissed at a lousy situation. The surgery is going to SUCK, chemo can make you sick, and the radiation may burn, but in the end, this all may help her lead a very long, happy, healthy life.

So, I ended up responding those very words above of sympathy and an offer to help in any way I can. But I just couldn't leave it at that. I ran over to the store and bought her the goofiest, non-sensical card that I could find in the hopes that it will do nothing else but make her smile...and possibly wonder if I'm on drugs.

Enemy #1

Same story, different year...

I avoid that damn thing from Thanksgiving until after New Year's, then WHAMMO! I get sucker punched by that little white devil in my bathroom.

I knew it was going to be bad this year when I decided to wear my super-stretchy black dress pants for New Year's Eve and I still had a "muffin top" goin' on. Dammit! Well, now the holidays are over and I've successfully scarfed most of the junk out of my house so I guess I will AGAIN start on the road to fitness. I'm sure it'll take me a week or more to detox the sugar from my body, and even more time to break my nasty snacking 24/7 psychological pull, so that should be loads of fun.

Tell me, why does it take 10 months to lose 20 pounds when you can pack it right back on in less that 2 months? Is this for real?! Is it normal? Am I an over-achieving cookie gobbler? Ugh...I guess I'll go pull my fat clothes out of the extra closet. Maybe Corinne will let me borrow some of her maternity clothes now that she's done with them.