Confession Session

Justin Bieber. When I first heard about this kid, I thought "Oh great, another Jonas Brothers 12-year-old-boy Disney-ish singer who only appeals to 7-year old girls." And that was my story and I was stickin' to it! And even though I've never heard one of his songs all the way through and I won't go out of my way to see/hear him, I do like him more and more each time I see him on a talk show.
Even though he is still kind of awkward and shy, he is starting to come in to his own and I believe that he is a good role model (so far) for kids. I would allow my kids to love him and listen to him all the time.

And I'm glad that he cut his hair. Finally.

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for the beautiful weather we've been experiencing.
I am thankful for good friends and good times.
I am thankful for air conditioning.
I am thankful that some things are coming to an end.
I am thankful for new challenges.
I am thankful.

Since I have so many professional photographers in my life, I thought I would pass along this article/blog post that I found through a friend. I don't know this photographer, but I thought that the information was interesting. Enjoy!

Click here

Five Facts

1. I make my own panko breadcrumbs, tortilla chips, pita chips, and pancake mix.
2. I would rather sweep than mop.
3. I have lost more than 10% of my body weight. :)
4. I am a planner. Mostly for vacations. Researching hotels, flights, activities, etc. gets me so excited!
5. I don't like sitcoms. I just can't get into them.

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for a working heater in our home.
I am thankful that I didn't have anywhere to go for the past two days.
I am thankful for a kind, thoughtful boss for telling me not to venture out on the ice.
I am thankful that Jed made it to and from work both days without any accidents or injuries.
I am thankful that rolling power outages are not part of our daily routine. I know that for some people they are and I now know how awful that would be.
I am thankful that we no longer have a yappy dog in our front yard every day.
I am thankful that nobody I know is in Egypt right now. How scary!
I am thankful.

BYU in Old Navy

I stumbled across this T-shirt while I was shopping online today:

Just in case any of you were interested in a BYU shirt from Old Navy. I think it's kinda cool.
Oh and they have a Spurs shirt, too. The only NBA team from what I could tell.
BYU and Spurs?? I love Old Navy!!

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for my job.
I am thankful that I discovered Starbucks' Caramel Apple Spice. Mmmm.
I am thankful that I lost three pounds this week!
I am thankful for our health.
I am thankful for good friends.
I am thankful to have some family close.
I am thankful for warm showers.
I am thankful that Jed is so handy.

101 in 1001 Monthly Update

This list is my New Year's Resolution. ;)

1. Make a wreath for my front door
2. Go to the Texas State Fair - 10/4/10
3. Eat a meal from a food truck
4. Go to the symphony
5. Go 1 week without watching TV - 1/9/11
6. Finally buy wedding pictures...
7. Hang wedding pictures
8. Go to the ballet with Jed - 11/27/10
9. Go to The Sixth Floor Museum
10. Finish my T-shirt quilt I started 2 years ago
11. Go to the Ft. Worth Zoo - 10/2/10
12. Lose 20 pounds!! - 11/3/10
13. Lose 20 more pounds
14. Go snorkeling again
15. Catch up on 30 Rock - 12/6/10
16. Eat vegetarian for a week
17. Go to a Rangers game
18. Do a ropes course
19. Write in my journal every day for 1 month
20. Go rock climbing again
21. Go back to school
22. Take a picture each day for 3 months
23. Ride a train
24. Bear my testimony in church
25. Get my picture taken by a professional (good thing I know some great ones)
26. Get our family photo taken by a professional
27. Swim 10 continuous laps
28. Get a dog
29. Visit NASA
30. Family prayer and Personal scripture study every day for 1 month
31. Visit San Antonio during a holiday
32. Join a choir - 10/10/10
33. Make a sourdough starter
34. Go white water rafting again
35. Pick up the violin again
36. Take Jed to a rodeo - 1/20/11
37. Buy cowboy boots or hats - 11/6/10
38. Get in the car and drive 2 hours in one direction with the windows down and the radio blasting
39. Visit all great-grandparents' grave sites
40. Go to the Dallas Temple
41. Take Jed to a jazz bar
42. Fly a kite
43. Go to a haunted house with Jed - 10/25/10
44. Complete Couch to 5K Challenge
45. Do a 5K
46. Get my palm read or fortune told
47. Go on another cruise with Jed
48. Help build a Habitat for Humanity house
49. Make Mom's cinnamon rolls - 10/30/10
50. Make Theresa's cinnamon rolls
51. Go to Schlitterbahn with Jed
52. Buy a homeless person lunch
53. Have a baby
54. Watch the Zombie Walk - 10/16/10
55. Pay off Jed's car!! - 10/19/10
56. Go fishing with Jed
57. Be 100% debt-free
58. Ride horses
59. Go to the Dallas Aquarium
60. Dance to a vinyl record
61. Take a cooking class
62. Get an SLR camera
63. Skydive
64. Visit Gettysburg
65. Make out in the rain
66. Go to Six Flags with Jed
67. File my own taxes without calling Daddy
68. Make a hole-in-one
69. Take a hot-air balloon ride
70. Change my own oil
71. Go to NYC or San Francisco with Jed
72. Take an art class
73. Jump around in a mosh pit again
74. Go to a circus - 10/14/10
75. Deep clean my bathroom
76. Visit my sister, Laurel, in California
77. Ride a motorcycle
78. Get a TX driver's license again - 9/29/10
79. Go one week without carbs
80. Dance barefoot
81. Get all dressed up and go to a fancy dinner
82. Get on a bike again
83. Buy myself flowers for no reason
84. Go camping in Texas with Jed
85. Go camping on a beach
86. Go to the Texas beach with Jed
87. Donate blood again
88. Spend a night with the lights off, watching a lightning storm - 11/15/10
89. Go to the Grand Canyon with Jed
90. Have a meaningful conversation with a beggar
91. Paint pottery again
92. Join a bowling or softball league
93. Watch a movie at a drive-in
94. Grow and eat my own vegetables
95. Sing karaoke again
96. Take the Riverwalk boat tour - 11/6/10
97. Don't eat out for 1 month
98. Go to the batting cages with Jed
99. Donate plasma
100. Eat fried green tomatoes - 11/6/10
101. Do 1 correct push-up

Five Facts

1. My feet don't touch the ground when I sit on my couch. Maybe that's why I always tuck one under me.
2. I have a heightened sense of smell and I'm really sensitive to bad smells.
3. I consider myself an amateur food critic and I critique places on yelp.com and urbanspoon.com.
4. I am scared to have a newborn baby. I want to fast forward and have a 18-month old right away. That's weird, right?
5. In the summers when I was younger I used to wear swimsuits practically all day long - my dad started calling me "Nitro", like the guy on American Gladiators.

Thankful Thursday - Friday Edition

I am thankful for the three job interviews I had this week.
I am thankful for the new job that I started yesterday.
I am thankful that I LOVE my job - it is positively perfect in every way!
I am thankful that Jed and I got to go to the rodeo last night.
I am thankful for both of our cars.
I am thankful to have found an honest mechanic.
I am thankful for my health.
I am thankful for the my freedoms.

New Job!

Oh my goodness. Oh. My. Goodness.
I got offered a job today and I start on Thursday! It's a part-time nanny job, two mornings each week, about four hours each day. Just enough to get out of the house, but not so much that I'll dread going. (I've kind of become a homebody over the last six months...)
I'll be working with a 2-year-old girl who loves dress-up and princesses. Two-year-olds are my absolute favorites - they are so fun at this age!
I absolutely adore the mom! She's got an awesome British accent and she's just a fun lady.
Plus! I may be going with the family to Europe in August for a wedding! Wouldn't that be incredible?!?

Big Girls

Jed's cousin introduced me to this song and I LOVE it - so catchy!
Happy Monday!

Great Day!

Today has been such a good day! I went to my OBGYN and he gave me a clean bill of health - my body is now baby-ready (even though we are not) and according to his scale I've lost 10lb since I last saw him! Then I came home, talked to my MIL, and got two job interviews lined up - one working at the DFW airport and the other working as a nanny. Both are part-time jobs and I would be lucky to get either one. Jed and I are going to go to the gym when he gets off of work and then The Biggest Loser is on tonight! Yay!

Freakin' Amazing!

My friend E posted this little number on her blog last week. It's fantastic!
Happy Monday!

Weight Blog

Or should I say Weight Blarg...?

I started a weight loss blog this summer. It's just something I do for myself, to help keep track of things, to have some accountability, and as an outlet. It's private and it will stay private, at least for a while.

Before Christmas, I had lost 27 pounds since my heaviest this summer. If you would like to share the journey with me, be a cheerleader, etc, email me and I will send you an invitation.