Home, Sweet Home – Making Our House Into a Home

We started dieting with our first official weigh-in on April 4.  I hesitate to use the word “Diet” because it implies something temporary that will go away soon.  I’m aiming at more of a lifestyle change.  This “diet” was brought on as a result of looking at pictures of us from 3 years ago (when we first met) and looking at pictures of ourselves now.  Whoa!  Big, big difference.

Whoa!  Big, big difference!  For me, it’s 15-20 pound difference.  So we started last week.  We’ve tried to eliminate/reduce three items from our diet: extra processed sugars from items such as soft drinks (I’m having serious Dr. Pepper withdrawals!  And no, Diet Dr. Pepper really doesn’t taste the same as regular Dr. Pepper!),  sodium, and excess fat.  This means no soft drinks, no potato chips, no cream sauces, no fried foods, and–the kicker for my husband–no ice cream. We seriously want to be healthier and not just skinnier.

Oh, we do have a splurge day.  We get to pick one day a week to eat whatever.  Last Saturday, we ate a Bojangles Cajun Filet biscuit for breakfast and then ate at Texas Roadhouse for supper…salad, steak, and baked potato.  Still not too bad if you ask me.  We’re also trying to avoid restaurants because of the processed foods and overuse of preservatives…even in the salads.  Yep, even the lettuce in most salads has been washed with a preservative.  And between you and me, it causes gaseous by-products for me.

And how have we done so far?  Well, I’ll tell you tomorrow. 

MckMama is giving away an iPad to benefit Compassion International.

Each $5 dollar donation earns you 1 entry to the iPad giveaway.  A $100 donation would earn you 20 entries.  How cool would it be to win an iPad for only $5 bucks!  The best part is you would be helping save the lives of children!

Click here for more info: http://www.mycharmingkids.net/2010/04/little-ipad-with-big-purpose.html

On our trip to the Dillard House, we visited their petting zoo.  And among other animals in their petting zoo, they had a Rambouillet Ewe with lamb and a rooster.  The rooster was confused.  He fully believed the ewe was his lady friend.  The ewe didn’t seem to mind, although I really don’t think she could feel what he was doing.

Meet the rooster with an identity crisis.  We’ll call him Foghorn.

And this is his lady friend.  We’ll call her Molly.  And no, that isn’t her lamb climbing on her back.  It a little kid goat who had taken up with her.  Seems to be a trend here.

And now Foghorn approaches his mistress.

And…

proceeds to

Um…well…

you know.

Poor ewe.

For our first anniversary, we wanted to getaway from the world at an affordable price.  We didn’t have a lot of time because it was Easter and Jerrad had family coming in from Utah.  So we decided to get away to the Dillard House.  We had been there before to eat their food (unbelievably good and more than you can eat), so we figured to try the Inn.

We stayed in the Jacuzzi suite.  This second floor suite had a private balcony overlooking the riding stables and the horse pastures.  The view of the mountains was stunning and relaxing.

We really couldn’t have asked for a more restful and relaxing time.  We can’t wait to visit again!  Here are some more images from our balcony.

In honor of our first wedding anniversary, I thought I’d tell you what I’ve learned.  And I love lists, so here’s a list…

Things I Wish I Had Known When I Said “I Do”

1. It takes more than a few nights to get used to sharing a bed with someone.
2. Planning meals and grocery shopping can become an ordeal.
3. It may take a while for his family to become my family.
4. It may take a while for my family to become his family.
5. I seriously married his whole family.
6. All men are gross.  Especially in the bathroom.
7. From “I do” on, I’m no longer making decisions for just myself.
8. I’m responsible for two people instead of just me.
9. It’s impossible to please everyone.
10. Just because he didn’t hug me as soon as he walked in the door doesn’t mean he quit loving me.
11. He doesn’t enjoy shopping.  That’s ok.
12. If my only complaint about my husband is that he doesn’t wash dishes, them I’m doing pretty good!
13. You’ve got to have dreams and you’ve got to talk about them!
14. A one night getaway for the two of us is the best thing in the world!
15. Marrying him is the best thing that has ever happened to me!

One year ago today, I married my best friend!

Technically, it’s still the first thing.  Oh well.  I promise I’ll stop with the daffodil pictures eventually.  They are just too beautiful not to share!  And they are in my own yard.  How awesome!

I’m feeling rather blah today.  This is a complainy post.  I’m sorry.

For the last couple of months, the school district has been debating the necessity of my position (and 26 others with the same position at different schools).  Evidently, there’s no money to pay for our position even though they promised at least 2 years of funding.  I’ll know by next Monday whether or not I’ll have my same job.  At least I’ll still have a job.  The crappy part is that in order for me to keep my job, someone may have to lose his/hers.  They are “reassigning” all of the Literacy Specialists back into the classroom.  In order to make room for us, they have to RIF (reduction in force) first year teachers.  It sucks.

And today, the technology at school failed miserably…it was partly my fault.  I tried to fix something that didn’t really need fixing.  And I spent literally all day trying to fix it.  And on top of that it seemed like every little pesky problem happened to pesky teachers.

So now, I’m sitting here in my pj’s, watching Days of Our Lives, eating French onion dip and chips.  Thank goodness tomorrow is a new day!