tomAto..TOMaTO..

In the midst of trying to do way too much during the one hour I have for lunch, today I was forced to have a 'pancake & sausage on a stick' (this has become my favorite breakfast meal by the way) for lunch as I was driving back to work.  Yes, this means I ate the same thing for breakfast and lunch, and yes, I realize it's not very healthy.  I did, however; decide to bring a container of cherry tomatoes with me to snack on because I knew I would get hungry again soon.  What a combination, huh?

I just love those little things and I could not stop eating them.  Within 30 minutes I had eaten almost the entire container.  This is not a good idea and please do not try this at home.  In my opinion, eating that many cherry tomatoes is the equivalent of eating sushi drenched in soy sauce.  You're probably wondering why I am comparing the two.  But you know the feeling where your belly pokes out so much you look pregnant no matter what you do.  There is no 'sucking in' until the wierd acid-ness feeling goes away.  Sometimes you even get a sharp pain that lasts for a few seconds just to remind you that something is just not quite right.  Now I'm no Nutritionist, but I do know that soy sauce is full of sodium and obviously tomatoes are full of acid.  On days when I have eaten sushi for lunch, I usually end up having to unbutton my pants when sitting behind my desk.  IT IS THAT BAD YALL!!  I will let you guess if I had to unbutton my pants today.

I quickly learned that when eating sushi, it is best to cut back (tremendously) on the soy sauce.  Today, I learned that eating that many cherry tomatoes is not good for the digestive system.  Doing this may or may not cause you to have gas.  I also do not recommend going to the gym the same afternoon.  And that, my friends (& stalkers), is your lesson of the day!

i heart my twins

Although I grew up an only child, we lived right around the corner from my two cousins, and we have always had a close connection.  April is married with one boy, Fisher, and Donna, is a single mother of twin boys.  I admire her so much!!  Those boys are handsome and well mannered; however, they are very much 'all boy'!  Donna recently started a blog so I wanted to do a post with some pictures of her adorable boys over the past years.  I can not believe they will be 6 in March.  UNBELIEVABLE!  I have gotten a new computer since they were born (although I think it's time for another new one - anyway), so the only pictures I have access to start here..

Jack (on the right) has always been bigger than Adam.  I think they were a little over one year here.

They are SO silly together, it's so funny to me to see the things they come up with to stay occupied.

They also enjoy making faces when someone wants to take a picture.  Here they are with their amazing mama.

Before riding the train at the Nature Center last summer.

They adore their tool sets!

Joseph & I helped them 'carve' pumpkins last year.  While the adults carved large pumpkins, we made sure their pumpkins were 'kid-friendly' and we just used a magic marker to help them create the faces!

They played tee ball this summer, and they look so grown in their uniforms.  They loved it, and I can't wait to see them this summer.  Watching kids play tee ball was absolutely hilarious to me.  

Thanksgiving 2010, playing on their scooters.

It is really true, time flies the older you get.  It seems like just yesterday Donna bought her house & they moved from their cribs to toddler beds.  Now they are in kindergarten and growing up faster than I can keep up.  I am SO excited Donna has started a blog!!



blogging might not be my thing

I am no good at this blogging stuff.  I can never think of good topics to write about (hence my 10 day hiatus) so tonight I will just post total random topics. 

• I'm hosting a Scentsy Party next Thursday night at 6:30...if you live in the area please stop by!  I absolutely love their products & it will be a good excuse to get out of the house!!
• Gina & I did attempted the body combat class at the gym on Monday.  Today is Wednesday & my arms still hurt when I take my shirt and/or coat off.
• I am over winter.  Oysters and scarves are the only things I like about this season.  As of 2010, you might could add leggings to that list.  But seriously, I like to see one good dusting of snow per year and after that, I've had my fix.  By mid-January we had already seen two snows.  Warmer nights, Longer days, Walking weather, please hurry up.  PLEASE!
• Yuengling goes down very smooth.
• We are in the very beginning stages of planning a summer vacation at Ocracoke with friends and family.  I.  Can.  Not.  Explain.  How.  Much.  I.  Love.  Ocracoke!
• Am I the only person who knows how I'm going to spend my tax refund prior to even submitting my taxes??
• Monday was MLK day & tomorrow is my Friday.  I feel pretty good about the amount of organization my office has experienced so far this week.
• I am looking forward to two friendly gatherings this weekend and good hanging out.
• Did I mention that my work schedule changed to 7:30 - 4:30 as of January 1?  I think it's going to drive me to drinking coffee.  For now, I try to be in the bed before 10:30...

resolutions for 2011

So I know that I am a little late with this, but I have decided to share my New Years Resolutions!  I have really high hopes for this new year and so far, this week is a great start.  I usually am not one to make 'resolutions', but I am going to try it out this year.  Why don't we just call them goals?  How many is too many?  Are we just comparing our resolutions to everyone else's?  Does it really help to write them out?  I'm here to tell you that my main reason in sharing them with you all is so that I will be able to stick with it, so please keep me on my toes.  I tried not to make anything toooo extravagant.

In no particular order...

• read my daily devotional
• buy a house
• be more punctual at work
• exercise regularly & utilize the 30 minute 'wellness walk' at work
• use more coupons & stick to my budget
• sending happy birthday wishes (i am terrible about forgetting good friends & there is no excuse thanks to FB)
• run a 5k

I practially live by lists and by my planner, at work and at home, so I look forward to seeing how many items I can cross off of this list throughout the year 2011.  Happy New Year & Best Wishes to you all!

Ashley #1 & Ashley #2

So I know I talk a lot about Joseph's sister, Ashley, aka, The Heath Bunch, a lot, but there is another Ashley that is extremely close to my heart.  Ashley Deaver & I have known each other ever since we can remember.  When our parents were still together, through their divorces, through their second marriages, through boyfriends, through summer camps, through numerous summers spent at the beach, through dance classes, through sleepovers, through high school, through college, through her marriage, her daughter, the gym, bunco, and the list goes on!  She has always been a long legged beauty, she gets that from her dad.  Me, on the other hand, I am usually the shortest person among any of my friends.  Therefore Ashley was always, "Ashley #1" and I was "Ashley #2".  What kid wants to be second place?  NOBODY!  But, I always told myself it was just a way for our parents to get our attention, and just because she was #1 didn't mean she was better than I was.  We are both equally important, right Ashley??ha!  Both of us were practically raised by our stepdads, difference is, hers didn't ruin things like mine did.  We have so much in common, yet we are so different, but she is and I have no doubt, will always be, one of my very best friends.  She has been there for me through thick and thin the past 25+ years and I hope that I can always do the same for her.

I got a terrible phone call yesterday morning to say that her stepdad had passed away.  He woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't feel his arm, so he woke her mom up and let her know they needed to go to the Hospital.  They both got dressed and before he could get out of his bedroom he had a massive heart attack.  January 6 is also her mom's birthday.  It just breaks my heart.  It is like a bad dream and we are waiting to wake up.  I am only sharing this information with hopes that you will please say some special prayers for the family of Mike White.  Ashley loved him SO much, and he did love her just as good, and he was always so proud of her.  He was such a loveable man, and his 2 year old granddaughter had him wrapped around her little finger.

I know the days, weeks, and months ahead will be so tough for the family.  I have said numerous prayers since that phone call, and I just ask that you please keep them in your thoughts as well.  Please also say a small prayer for me, as I will be reading a poem at his funeral.  It was on my heart all day yesterday to offer this to Ashley & her mom, because I know how much it meant to me when people spoke at my grandmother's funeral.  The words were on the tip of my tongue all day yesterday, but they just wouldn't come out.  However, when I sent Ashley a goodnight BBM last night, I knew exactly what I needed to tell her.  I have never done anything like this before.  I don't know that I can do it, but I honestly believe it was a sign from above, and I'm putting my trust in the big man upstairs to help me through it. 

Ashley reads my blog regularly, and I'm just waiting for the day that she starts her blog up again.  Yes, she has a blog, but I'm not doing a link to it because it's been so long since she has updated it, I hope she will forgive me!  And maybe she will surprise me with a post sometime soon  :) 

I LOVE YOU ASHLEY #1!

white christmas

HI!  I am here, I am still alive, I have not forgotten about you blog friends!  Life just gets pretty hectic sometimes and I've been on the go a lot lately.  It doesn't help that I'm blocked from blogger at work, so google reader has become my best friend.  I may not comment on your blog, but have no fear, I am reading all of your updates anytime I please, thanks to google reader.

Let's start with Christmas....I must have been a really good girl, because Santa was very good to me this year!  Joseph surprised me with a Pandora bracelet and charms.  It was such a great surprise, I had actually been thinking about one for a few weeks, but hadn't mentioned it to anyone because I didn't know much about them.  Plus, you never know how long these fads will be around, and let's face it, Christmas of 2010 is pretty late to jump on the Pandora bandwagon that started 3 or 4 years ago.  Better late than never, right??  I am really loving my new piece of jewelry and even more excited that I can pick out charms in the future and keep adding to it!  He did a great job, considering every time he asked me what I wanted, I referred him to the blog.  I don't think he reads it therefore he probably had no clue what was or was not on my list, but no complaints on the jewels!

I got a lot of things that were on my list, minus a few CD's and the "A" hanging for my porch, and I also got a few surprises that were not on my list.  Some of my favorites are the Avon necklace, my NCSU hoodie, my new pocketbook, new scarves and new gloves.  A small thing my mom surprised both Joseph & I with were tee shirts from the new local brewery, Mother Earth, so that was exciting.  She has even been on a tour of the facility, we've really got to step up our game!  I got some new rainboots from Joseph's parents, apparently his dad thought they looked just like me, and I am loving them.  I actually got to put them to use the day after Christmas when we got about 5 inches of snow (more on that later).  My dad surprised me with the Down Home with The Neely's Cookbook, signed, "Ashley - Best Wishes, Gina & Pat" & I am tickled about it.  He did confess that they sign every book that's ordered, he just added my name in the 'shipping details' section.  I am so impressed, and that was definitely the most meaningful gift that I received this year!  And everyone loves money & gift cards, so I treated myself to a successful shopping day on New Year's Eve with Ashley.

What better way to end Christmas than to come home to snowflakes!  We had a long 18 hour day that included over 3 hours on the road, but coming home Christmas night to snow falling was so special!  After peeking out the window every few minutes for about 20 minutes, I was man down and sleeping peacefully.  My mom's 3 sisters had all planned to join us at church the next morning, but little did we know what we would wake up to.  About 8:30am, I looked outside and it was a winter wonderland.  Snow was everywhere, and it was still falling.  It was so pretty!  I seriously don't remember having this much snow since I was like 5 years old.  I didn't take any pictures of my house with my camera, but I did get one at The Davenport's, where we ventured to play board games and let the guys make a big pot of chili.  The girls got brave and decided to make a snowman.  I didn't think it looked too bad, but I was glad to get back inside to some heat!!

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas with you & yours!  I am so fortunate to have so many special people in my life, and thankful that Christmas gave me time to focus on just that.