A Good Weekend

We had a fun weekend. We went to Indy for a wedding. We decided to go a day early and just get ready down there. Driving two and a half hours in my wedding clothes didn't thrill me. We stayed at Drury Inn and Suites. If you haven't stayed there before, I highly recommend it. For a very reasonable price, we got a great room. We had a better tv in our room than we have at home. You got free drinks and food in the evening from 5:30 to 7:00. It was actual "make a meal on it" food. In the morning, they had a full breakfast buffet. The hotel was only two years old. Very nice!

On the way down we passed the wind turbines near West Lafayette. There are these windmills for miles as far as you can see on both sides of I65. It was pretty neat.

The first night we were treated to a beautiful sunset out our hotel window.

Here we are at the wedding. We really had a great time.

Literally five minutes after we got home on Sunday, our daughter and son-in-law were in the driveway to pick us up for the Gary Air Show. My son-in-law's grandpa has a house right on the beach, so it's the perfect place to watch the show. It is amazing to watch. How these people ever think up some of the stunts is incredible. We had a great time here too.

One thing I learned this weekend is how truly awesome my new camera is. With the telephoto lens and some editing, I got some amazing shots. At least I think so.

So that's the weekend. I have a ton more pictures, but I didn't want to bore you.

You Capture / America

This week, America meant family, fun and fireworks.

Go see more America at Beth's.

The Choice Is Yours

Do you want to be Tigger.....

or do you want to be Eeyore?

Two years ago this month, Randy Pausch died of pancreatic cancer. You know who he is...the Last Lecture guy. The man who used his death to teach us about life. I loved this man. He taught me so much. I just rewatched his lecture and the ABC special about him. My sister bought me his book because she thought I would like it. She was wrong. I love that book. I keep it in a basket in the computer room. I don't bother to put it away because I know I'll be reading it again soon. I read parts of it every week. It really is how I want to live my life. I keep the book close as a reminder.

The older I get, the more I realize that you have the choice of being Tigger or Eeyore. It's just like Randy said. It's your choice. I try to be a Tigger. I really do and I think I keep getting better at it. I have no reason to be anything else. I have a husband who loves me. I have four beautiful daughters who are healthy and happy. I have sons-in-law who are the best and are wonderful to my daughters. I have awesome grandkids who are the lights of my life. I have my mom and stepdad and my sisters and brother and their families. We have a roof over our heads that is totally paid for. We have food to eat and I have a job I love. We have great friends. The worse thing that I can say about my life right now is that I am overweight and I'm working on that. Why would I be anything but a Tigger.

Of course, there are days when things happen and Eeyore comes creeping in. I have to remember all the things that make me a Tigger to keep him away. I am so lucky. I know this. I have friends and family who have lost parents and husbands and children this year. One of my very best friends is fighting cancer for the second time. If you want to meet Tigger, you need to meet her. You would never guess she has cancer. She is the most positive, wonderful person you will ever meet. The kicker is, she will have cancer for the rest of her life. Her cancer is inoperable and the best they can do is keep it at bay. If she can see past that and always see the good in her life first, how can I do anything but the same?

The one thing I have learned is that no matter how bad you think you have it at any given time, someone is always worse off than you. There are a few people in my life who refuse to see this and are always Eeyore. They can't accept that things aren't as bad as they make them out to be. I'm sorry to say that sometimes, I just have to walk away. I can't take the "oh poor me" thing anymore. It is like their favorite thing is to tell everyone how bad their life is. Why would someone want to live like that? How much fun can it be to be a Debby Downer 24/7?

I guess what I am saying is that I choose to try my best to be Tigger. I'm trying to focus on the positives instead of the negatives because there are so many more positives. So, who are you going to be, Tigger or Eeyore? You know the choice is all up to you!

Perfection

and in my own back yard!

You Capture / Green

My friend Mary and I went out to the Dunes State Park to capture some green.

We had a lovely walk and boy, did we find some green.
I think the pictures pretty much speak for themselves, but be sure and check out #8. I love the reflections on the pond. And...doesn't #4 look like where Luke Skywalker found Yoda?

If you head over to Beth's, you'll find some green or hands or chairs waiting for you. What are you waiting for? Go!

Nature at Her Best

I spent several days last week helping my sister get her yard ready for her granddaughters graduation open house. I went back today and took pictures. 133 to be exact. They don't do the yard justice. It is really beautiful and she can tell you everything about every plant. These are just a few of the ones that I especially liked. Maybe one of these days I'll post more showing the big picture. For now, enjoy these.

I really love this first picture with the bee.

Drum Roll Please!

Using random.org, the lucky winner of the CSN Stores gift certificate is #3. That means that our winner is Christy! Congratulations girl! I just need you to email me and let me know what email address to have Jessica send your gift certificate to.

Thank you to everyone who entered this giveaway.

You Capture / Down Low

This week we got down low.

I took all of these either on my knees, sitting on the ground or laying on the ground.

This is one of my hostas with an old railroad light.
Probably should have moved the ladder.

The start of my radishes in the garden.

My onions in the garden.

Poppa relaxing on Father's Day, drinking his beer and waiting his turn at bean bags.

They're over there grandma.


My girls riding their power wheel and Lizzy being a little unsure of the whole thing.

Just throw it down there, Aunt Kate.

Go get the low down at Beth's.

True Confessions

No bull....isn't that what that symbol means? Well, no bull here. It has been a long time since I've confessed here and it's not pretty at all. They say confession is good for the soul, so we'll see if that is true. I am embarrassed to tell you that.....

1. I used to be a smoker. I quit quite a few years ago, but I didn't really quit. If we were out with friends in a bar and I'd have a few drinks, I'd bum a few off whoever was smoking at our table. Smoking was also my crutch when I was angry or upset. I could go weeks and not smoke, but if I'd have what I considered a crisis of sorts, I'd buy a pack. Maybe I'd smoke three, maybe I'd smoke the whole pack, but after that day, I'd throw the pack away. Then, I would go about my business and not smoke. Now, here is the good news. I haven't had a cigarette in seven months and I don't want one at all. I am confident that I will never smoke again. So, how do I handle my mini crisises now? You guessed it...food. Now here is the really bad news. My taste buds are like brand new not being dulled by smoking. If you have never smoked, you have no idea how good things taste when you have quit for a while.

2. The last month of school kicked my butt and then I got roped into teaching summer school. I didn't exercise for way too long. I was exhausted most days and could barely drag my butt out of bed in time to get to school. I had something going on almost every night. I had no time to myself. Here is the vicious circle....I was exhausted because my metabolism was shot from not exercising, but I was too exhausted to take any little bit of time I had to exercise.

3. My food choices have been pretty much crap. We ate out way to many times. Worst case example of late night snacking in one night...a three inch stack of mexican layered Pringles, a bowl of caramel praline crunch ice cream and a half a chocolate donut. Oh my God, who the hell eats that in one night?????

4. My body has pretty much gone to mushy, flabby and gross.

Now comes the good part of this sad confession.

1. I am done with school now and I have started back with exercising this week. I'm walking first thing in the morning no less than five days a week with a good friend and we do no less than three miles and are going to work our way up to at least five miles a day. I come home for that and do some form of exercise. Yesterday I did the kettlebell workout and today I did a Biggest Loser workout on the wii. Just a bit of info for you all...don't start your kettlebell workouts with an eight pound bell. It works fine for the below the waist stuff, but I almost knocked myself out trying to swing that sucker up over my head and control it for upper body work. I did it, but it was touch and go a few times.

2. I've been thinking about joining Weight Watchers for a few weeks. After some feedback from some people I trust last night, I am going to do it. Today is the day that I join Weight Watchers online. As soon as I post this, I'm heading over to their website. If any of you are doing Weight Watchers, please leave me some feedback about how you like it. I'm a little worried about how the points thing works, but I'm sure it will all come together.

So, that's it. The good, the bad and the ugly. Yesterday I started with a clean slate. I'm not proud or happy about the other stuff, but I can only start over and do my best. I'm not going to waste time beating myself up over it. Hey, at least I'm not smoking and I have to give myself credit for that.

Lastly, I confess that if you go to the post under this one, I have a giveaway going on. It's for a $40. gift certificate, if you'd like to check it out.

Once again, Blogger is messing with me and won't let me make paragraphs. Sorry!

A New Giveaway

Do you remember CSN Stores? I'm sure you do. I did a giveaway with them a few months ago. They have everything you could possibly be looking for in one website. There are over 200 stores there. You could replace your tired old vanity or get some new Rachael Ray bakeware. I have literally spent hours just browsing the stores.

Here's the good news. CSN promo representative Jessica has once again contacted me with a great offer. I was given the option of doing a review of my choice or having a giveaway for you. Of course, I chose you. Jessica is giving away a $40. gift certificate to use at any CSN store you want.

For the mandatory entry, go to the CSN Stores website and look around. Then, come back and leave a comment telling me one thing that you loved . Simple enough.

For extra entries, post about the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter and leave the link in a seperate comment. If your comment doesn't link back to a blog where I can get your email, please leave your email address in your comment. I will choose a winner using random.org on the evening of June 28th. Good luck everyone!!