Weight Blues

Many of you know I've lost weight with Weight Watchers in the past year and a half but I've been struggling with my weight here since I came back from my Alaska cruise. It started on the cruise and I came home with a few extra pounds and have not been able to get them off. I have three mindsets when it comes to my weight. The first one is I just don't care and I'll sit down and eat a whole pint of United Dairy Farmers Cookie Dough ice cream or I'll go for the really hard stuff and eat a pint of Greater's Mocha Chocolate Chip or I'll hang out with my two good friends Ben and Jerry(you get the picture). I'm not there (yet). The second mode is being determine to take the weight off. I know what to do on Weight Watchers, I've done it before but 90% (maybe 100%) is in the mind, you have to want to do it. I'm not in that frame of mind right now but I want to so bad to be back there. And the third mindset is the maintaining part. I've been doing the maintaining longer then I was doing the losing and I know exactly what to do to maintain. So I've been in this maintaining mode with going over a little and I can see the scales sliding into the first mode if I'm not careful. And with the holidays coming, I'm afraid of going way off. Did anyone see the movie The Devil Wears Prada? There's a scene in the movie where one girl says to the Anne Hathaway character "I'm just one stomach flu away from my ideal weight." NOW I know that's not the way to lose weight but I did laugh at that line because I understand the mindset if I am being totally honest with you guys. So anyway here are my new jeans I want to wear for Christmas, just look at how pretty they are. They do fit me right now but I am not a tight jean person so I like them have a bit more room. I'm determine that these jeans will fit better by Christmas. Hey, it's as good of an incentive as anything else. Wish me luck. And with that whining done with, don't forget to go here and sign up for a chance to win Paula Deen's Christmas cookbook. I know there is something not quite right about giving away a Paula Deen cookbook and going on about my weight. But I'm not sure how many of you guys would want a Weight Watchers cookbook. Though they do have some great recipes in the Weight Watchers cookbook.

And just because I could not resist putting this picture up. Maddie has been making this funny face all the time, kind of like a frowning smiling face. It just cracks me up and she knows it so now she does it to make me laugh. She's coming to spend the night tonight and have a slumber party with Grams and Gramps. Hope you have a great weekend!

Giveaway

Hey Ya'all, look at what my BFF sent me and guess what? I have an extra one and it's signed by my BFF . We're really tight ya know? So I'm giving my extra one away, if anyone wants it just leave me a comment on this post and I'll pick a name on Tuesday, November 13th. I told you I love to collect cookbooks but I really am not the worlds greatest cook but I looked all through this book and it has some great recipes in it. I am using it for our Christmas Day open house because last year we had an Italian Christmas theme and this year we are having a Southern Christmas theme. I had wanted to do a giveaway for my 100th post but who would have thought I would have reached that number so fast. She not only has recipes in the book but stories from her favorite holidays. Now I have to figure out how to work that random.org or just pick names from a hat. LOL It's just a little thing because you all have become a part of my world and have been so kind. And don't forget to leave an e-mail address if I can't link back to you.

Check It Out

Irene from Our Piece of The World has been getting into photography lately and so have I. I've been visiting some of the photo blogs and I have to tell you I am blown away by their talent. I am not a photographer by any stretch of the imagination but I do so admire people who take beautiful photos. A few weeks ago I met a older gentleman at the zoo who was taking photos. I admired his camera and talked to him about taking pictures. He told me it's not the camera that takes good photos but the person who is taking the photos. I've never thought of it like that before but I think he has a good point. Anyway here are a few of the blogs that I have visited in the past few weeks. Photowannabe is one I visit almost everyday. She does all her photography with a Sony Cybershot which is the same type of camera I have and you should see her photos. I didn't know my little camera could take those types of photos so I've gotten out my manual and have been checking it out. Also check out Beachy Cape Cod Photo Album , her photos of Cape Cod are great. And also check out IMac, he has some amazing photos on his site.
Also I've found another blog in my visits and she is so funny. Kellan from On the Upside . What she wrote here about her polka dotted shoes just cracked me up.
And I don't want to forget my sweet friend Julie who is having a Christmas giveaway. So head over to Nunnie's Attic and check it out.
Also I want to thank Leah from South Breeze Farm for helping me with some blogging issues. And it's not too late to start the I'm Giving Thanks Challenge. I'm doing it, just check out my top sidebar and go to her site for more details.
And guess what Karolee? They cancelled my knitting class again. I think I was the only one who signed up. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR ! Anyhoo can't you come to Cincy and teach me? Just kidding. One of my friends whom I had dinner with last night told me about a yarn shop in Northern Kentucky that also has knitting lessons so I'm going to check that out soon. Well, that's about it for today. Hope you are having a good Wednesday!

Travel Tuesday - Carmel & Monterey, California

This picture is of the sun setting at Carmel beach, I have no idea why it decided to be little. Blogger was giving me some problems today.
This is the Green Gables Inn in Monterey and yes it is as wonderful to stay here as it is to look at. Our room was at the very top of the inn and it had a huge window seat that I would sit in every morning and listen to the sea lions or maybe they were seals, I'm not sure but it was wonderful. Again this is part of the Four Sisters Inns and if you ever go to California, I highly recommend them.
This is Garland Regional Park, right outside of Carmel. All of these pictures were taken in 2003 and this is our good friends Mike & Vickie and me. This was a pretty cool park.



Travel Tuesday is late today because I had a little friend with me for the past couple of days. My daughter Melissa has not been feeling well with this new pregnancy, she has not been able to keep any food or liquids down for a few days. So Grandma's been hanging with Maddie and we've been having fun. They put Melissa on some anti nausea meds and when that didn't work they put her on what they give chemo patients and that seems to be working. Good thing because she was close to going to the hospital to get some fluids in her.

Anyway, I don't want to gloss over Carmel and Monterey because these are such wonderful destinations. First of all I love Carmel. I first went there in the mid 90's and loved everything about it. The cute little shops and all of the restaurants are so charming. And don't forget to go on the 17 mile drive and Pebble Beach, it is well worth the drive to see the lone cypress. There are too numerous of restaurants to mention and there are so many good ones. Take a drive around Carmel and see the homes by the water, it's a sight to see.

Monterey and Big Sur have some of the most breath taking shorelines. The Monterey aquarium is one of the best. Pacific Grove is where the butterflies come to mate each year. Travel down Highway 1 for some of the best scenery you have ever seen. Out of all of the places I've been the only place that compares to the scenery is the Amalfi Coast in Italy. I know I've just gone over some of the highlights of this wonderful place and it is so beautiful and I don't mean to go over it so fast. Perhaps I'll come back to this another day when I have more time but for now believe me when I tell you that if you have never been to Carmel, Big Sur or Monterey, you should go. Okay, next week we are going back across the big pond and are going to Paris. My sweet niece Allison has been wanting me to go to Paris and now that I have mastered how to scan pictures (since I didn't have a digital when I went) we are going to go. Next week we are heading to Paris.

Celebrating Our 31st Wedding Anniversary

My sweet husband Mike and I at our daughter Melissa's wedding in 2004.

My little blog is celebrating today. Today is our 31st wedding anniversary so my blog is filled with mushy stuff today. But hey come on life's too short so let's all celebrate. As you can see we were very young when we got married in 1976 and I often tell my sweetie that it is by the grace of God that we are here today and I mean that. Anyway hope you all enjoy the decorations (check out the bottom banner too) and my trip down memory lane. I love you sweetie and would do it all over again in a heartbeat. You are my best friend and best father and grandfather.

On our wedding day, November 5th, 1976. We look so young!

Isn't it funny how different wedding dresses are now? Mine actually had sheer sleeves and I loved my headpiece, it reminded me of something Juliet would have wore in Romeo and Juliet.

Okay, this is a bold move on my part. It's to prove to myself I once could wear a bikini. My sweetie took this picture on our honeymoon in Ft. Lauderdale in 1976. It might have been the last time I ever wore a bikini. I was only 20 years old in this picture. Between stretch marks from having babies and various scars from surgeries, you will never see me in one again. Check out those JLo sunglasses. LOL

Movie Fun and Going For a Walk

My fellow blogger from Cincinnati, Sarah Cool recommended this movie and she was so right. I've never seen Steve Carell in any movie before nor have I've seen The Office. He's a pretty funny guy. I think this movie is being billed as a comedy, drama and romance and I would agree with that. I seen this the other night and really enjoyed it.
And I went for a nice long walk today at my very favorite park on the Ohio River. Hey if I can't be on my very favorite beach on Hilton Head Island, I'll take my park here at home. The nights have been cool here and the days have been sunny and in the upper 50's so I took a few pictures to show you along the way. There's something about this cool crisp weather that just makes you glad to be alive.

I'm Giving Thanks!

Leah at South Breeze Farm has put out a challenge to post one thing everyday in November that you are thankful for. Go over to her site at South Breeze Farm for all the details and start giving thanks.