Jeannie's Notes on Life

Approaching 50.....

2011-01-23T19:18:00.001-08:00

Well, this week was my birthday week...which turned out to be quite nice! I always enjoy birthdays! The only bummer was I am on a diet, weight watchers, and couldn't have cake, but oh well, when given the choice of staying on track or getting off I chose to stay on the dieting track.

When I woke up on the 20th I suddenly realized.....THIS IS THE LAST YEAR I WILL BE IN MY 40's. Yikes...Double Yikes!!! Not to say yikes because I am upset about my age, because honestly it doesn't bother me, but yikes because I have a lot of things left on my list of things to do! I need to get my act together!

My birthday did however prompt the opportunity to reflect on the positive things I have in my life. While reflecting I came to the conclusion that I could honestly be approaching the greatest decade of my life. I feel great...no aches or pains...and what a blessing that is! I am physically fit and quite honestly can keep up with a lot of the 25 and 30 year olds at the gym...here's patting myself on the back and giving thanks for this blessing.

Did I mention GRANDCHILDREN? My second granddaughter is due to be born this week...and what a joy she will be in my life...just like her sister. Here's a picture of my firstborn granddaughter...just so you can see my pleasure and joy!

Brooklyn called me on my birthday and wished me happy birthday and even sang to me. Now....is that a joy or what! I didn't need anything else after that! My birthday was complete...even though the cute card she colored on for me...made my heart melt!

I could set and write a 20 page blog on the blessings I have and the blessings that will be coming my way...but I won't bore you to tears...I will simply end by saying....HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME....LIFE IS GOOD!!!!!

Fruit of Choice for this Season is Pomegranates!!!!

2010-11-14T10:04:00.001-08:00

My daughter Bethany introduced me to this wonderful fruit last year when she made her first purchase of pomegranates at Trader Joe's . I am not sure why I had never bought pomegranates before this time but let me quickly say when they are in season they will be in my home! In the northern hemisphere the season is from October to February.

The health benefits coming from pomegranates are numerous. Pomegranates are high in antioxidants and have been dubbed by many as a "miracle fruit." Pomegranates are believed to help support the body's natural defenses against Alzheimer's disease, various cancers, coronary and heart diseases, arthritis and many ailments an aging person experiences. In other words, there are many anti-aging possibilities coming from pomegranates.

Last year when my Granddaughter Brooklyn came to visit in December, she had been dealing with diarrhea for a couple weeks. Her parents had been withholding dairy products under the direction of her pediatrician. Every time they tried to reintroduce dairy she developed diarrhea. Since it was in December we had pomegranates in the fridge and of course like any 15 month old she wanted to eat them. I was a little nervous to give them to her with her stomach issues but of course as a Grandmother I gave in. She loved them and kept wanting more and more. She ate them throughout the day....and this was the last day for her stomach issues!! Her diarrhea went away and I honestly believe it was because of her pomegranate consumption.

If you haven't tried pomegranates I strongly encourage you to do so. Below is a video to show you how to cut and eat the pomegranate if you have questions. ENJOY!!!

USE IT OR LOSE IT!!!!!

2010-11-12T17:13:00.000-08:00

Wow, my life has been crazy of recent. Actually, it has been a whirlwind for the past month and now the holidays are fast approaching and life has no sign of becoming easier! Oh my!!!

Recently I spent two weeks in Los Angeles. While in LA my entire normal exercise routine was turned upside down. However, I am so addicted to working out, yes I said addicted, that of course I did not move through my time there without finding a way to workout; however, the routine changed. I attended the Beverly Hills Fitness Center where I continued my practice of yoga. I arose early each day to talk to my family and yes walk 3 miles before work. Just a quick side note, the walks were quite interesting. I had a hotel in Beverly Hills and it is amazing what is going on at 5:30 am!!

Anyway, I did manage to exercise while on my business trip, even though it was not aggressive exercise...but light in nature. When I returned home work was nuts and catchup was crazy! Then, I had a health issue which needed immediate attention, which again altered my normal workout routine. Again, I exercised, but not aggressive exercise like I enjoy most.

After three weeks of only light exercise I returned to the gym and expected to pick up where I left off. WRONG!!! The yoga was fine, the pilates was fine, the runs were fine...even spinning with the Nazi was ok; however, my weight lifting ability had diminished. What? How could that happen? It had only been about 3 weeks! I was shocked!!

I walked back into my weight lifting class fully expecting to get right back into the routine. But to my disbelief the first day back was excruciating. I put the weights on my bar and then began or didn't begin to put it nicely. I got half way through the squats and lunges utilizing the amount of weight I normally used and my legs began to feel like jello. I honestly wanted to cry. All that hard work and I had to lower my weight load, only after 3 weeks. Now, mind you I only lowered it by 5 pounds and have since added weight back...but still to not be able to get right back into the routine after only 3 weeks was quite upsetting.

It really amazes me how quickly muscle mass can diminish and this was quite a new experience for me. Nonetheless, I have kept pushing myself and again it is paying off.

One of my friends recently asked me why I lift weights...and just for the record...here are a few of my reasons:

1. Weight lifting empowers me, I'm not really sure why but I feel stronger and more confident as a person both physically and mentally when I lift.

2. The health benefits are numerous, such as helping you to reduce the risk of arthritis, back pain, osteoporosis and depression. Weight lifting also helps to reduce the risk of heart disease, which is huge in my family!

Just a few reasons I have become an adamant weight lifter...lighter weights and high repetition work for me!!! Give it a try, it can work for you too! Me in my new favorite shirt ;-)

What I Do.........

2010-10-07T16:44:00.000-07:00

Facebook is a wonderful thing. Through Facebook I have been given the opportunity to connect with so many people, especially those I have been out of touch with for a very long time. It is incredible to reconnect!

However, during the course of reconnecting I have received so many questions about my employment. Explaining to people that I am a Product Manager is easy; however, when I get to the point of trying to explain what I sell...well I generally get a lot of, "What...what exactly is that?" So this blog is for purposes of explaining what I do.

I manage a product line for The Verdin Company http://www.verdin.com/ which is located in downtown Cincinnati. The Verdin Company is the oldest family-owned business in the state of Ohio. Verdin manufactures and sells bells, towers, tower clocks, monuments, site amenities and street clocks. Verdin also restores old clocks, bells, etc.

I manage the Street Clock Department. I included a photo of one of our beautiful street clocks on this blog. We have a full line of two-faced and four-faced clocks...the large four-faced clock, being Model No. 4MST, is featured in the photo. Street clocks are installed in a lot of places such as cities/towns, golf courses and college/universities.

Should you ever want one....just give me a call...and I can make it happen for you!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!!!!!

2010-10-03T17:08:00.001-07:00

Ok, are you ready? I am going to admit something....I am a "girlie girl." I love everything about being a girl...what can I say???? I always have! I love makeup, perfumes, lotions, clothes, purses, shoes, manicures, pedicures...should I go on? Better question...is anyone who knows me surprised?

The change of season gives any girlie girl the opportunity to shop for change of season clothing. I for one always feel like I have no clothes when the season changes; however, this is not always the case. Perhaps this is because I work in the business world and need business attire or perhaps it boils down to the fact that I just love an excuse to shop.

This past weekend was the perfect opportunity to update the fall closet. Since I am still on Friday short days at work, I get off at 3:00 pm, off I went to shop.

I am like most females, I look for sales, coupons and any way to make my self feel good about spending money. Please note I never charge these items on credit cards, I always pay cash, which makes me feel even better. Anyway, I found myself at

New York & Company http://www.nyandcompany.com/nyco/

Kohl's http://www.kohls.com/

and Shoe Carnival http://www.shoecarnival.com/.

The coolest thing about New York & Company is the great coupons you receive via e-mail, as well as, regular mail giving you a great incentive to shop with them. Friday was a great day...I had a nice coupon ($60 off at $150 purchase) and on top of that everything in the store was 30% off. I had a great time. Their clothes fit me really well and they sell petites!!! I love their sweaters!

Kohl's sent me a $10 gift certificate in the mail, they'll send you one too if you register for their coupons online, so I went there and found some great items on their clearance racks! I buy most of my workout clothes there!

As far as Shoe Carnival goes...need I say more...shoes galore! I am going to admit something else to you...I bought 4 inch heels to wear with my new black pencil skirt! Yikes! They look sharp!

I am really excited that a dusty rose pink is in style right now! Definitely my color!

Anyway, there you have it...I love to shop...a definite weakness I can add to my list!

Whoomp! There it is!

2010-09-24T19:03:00.000-07:00

This week was an exceptionally difficult week for me. The company I work for recently purchased a company in Los Angeles, California and individuals from this company spent the week in Cincinnati meeting with the owners/upper management. Since this company sells a commercial product, as opposed to church, it falls under my jurisdiction; therefore, creating long work days for me. At the end of the week needless to say I felt exhausted!

With that said I managed to do quite well on the exercise side of my life. Yes I am giving myself a pat on the back. Last week I had a perfect workout week and I am on my way to having one again this week! Whomp! There it is! Exciting for me anyway!

Nonetheless, when I came home from work I sat down for a few minutes and before I knew it, I was taking a nap. Man, it felt nice! But I am only a cat napper so the nap was short and when I woke up I immediately thought I need to go for a run especially since I did not get up to do so this morning. This is when it happened, my negative, evil side came out and said you deserve a night off! I wanted to comply with this side of me and if I had done so I would not have been on route to complete another perfect workout week. Just when I thought I was going to cave my guilt started to kick in and my conscience said, "Jeannie, Get up!" Just like in the Lindsey Vonn video, you know the one from Under Armour...I will Protect this House. So just like Lindsey Vonn I found the courage to get up and go to the gym. Actually, that video ran through my head! Gosh, I am really weird!

Anyway, once I got to the gym I felt good about being there, but I will admit I was tired going in which makes for a long, difficult run! But tonight turned out to be quite a bit different than I thought. I was running on the track and I was trying my best, my time was right where I normally would be and I was ok with that, especially since I was feeling tired. But tonight, this guy, who is a light weight boxer that trains at the gym, was running on the track when I got there. Now he is a very nice looking, well built individual. His physique is all muscle to say the least. I am guessing he is probably about 25 years old. But this wasn't what made him stand out to me, even though he was quite pleasant to look at. What made him different was his speed and endurance. He was running when I got there and still running when I left. I did 3.1 miles so I have no idea how much running he was planning on doing.

The best part of his running was the fact that while he would run around the track and he would verbally encourage other runners to work harder and move faster. I kept watching this, especially how others reacted and it was awesome! I also loved it when he would stop running so fast and do a few boxing moves and say things like let's do it, let's keep going, work harder, work stronger. He had many interesting phrases...actually, it was like watching Rocky Balboa train. I have never witnessed anything quite like this before.

Now, I know you are waiting to hear what my words of encouragement from the phenomenal athlete were, and yes I did receive a few, but my favorite one was, "Keep up with me, a one minute round!" And my response was, "I wish!" That's when he stopped, turned around and said, "You haven't even tried!" That hit me like a brick...I thought you know he's right...I haven't tried at all! With him standing there looking right at me, for the first time in my life, I didn't know how to respond. Then he ran up to me and said come on. It was at this point that the words you haven't even tried went through my head. So off I went to give it a try...and for one round...for one minute, I did it! I might could have done another round or two...maybe three, but there was no way I could have continued...but I did it for one round! He patted me on the shoulder after the round...and said Whoomp! There it is! Life is good. :-)

Life is Good.....

2010-09-21T16:44:00.000-07:00

Over the past few days my thoughts have drifted towards the life I have created for myself. Most of the reflection was focused on the many changes which have taken place in my life in recent years. Some of these changes include moving to northern Kentucky, divorce, grandchildren, graduating from college, career advancement and the many new friends I have made along the way. For the most part all of these changes have been very positive and have brought forth much growth in every manner of my life. Life is all about growth right?

But the past few days I have given much thought to the things that make life interesting, exciting, happy, worth living...to name only a few descriptions. Does this list include the expensive cars we purchase, the huge house in the great neighborhood, the beautiful clothes, prestigious job? Perhaps it does, this has been where my reflections have taken me of recent.

This past weekend I decided to walk across the Purple People Bridge, which connects the state of Kentucky and the state of Ohio. And yes, I have a photo for you, check it out below...with the City of Cincinnati in the background.

Anyway, I walked across the bridge and made my way to the Serpentine Wall. You can see the Serpentine Wall in the photo....down on the Ohio River. My friend and I sat there for a very long time enjoying meaningful conversation, the surroundings, Kentucky on one side and Ohio on the other, the boats speeding through the water and even the diverse and interesting people, even couples, walking by. It was here that I started to realize what really make life worthwhile.

I love life and even though there have been more bumps along the way than I care to discuss, I still consider my life as good. I love being able to go to the gym most days, I love being with my children and grandchild, even our conversations on Skype, I love spending time with my friends and talking to the many new people I meet daily with my job since I am in sales. I could continue this list but I think it is safe to say it simply, I love life.

Last night during my short run at the gym a friend that I occasionally run with was there. He decided to run with me, which was a good thing because he pushes me to the limit! I love it! Anyway, he likes to ask me questions, and sometimes the questions provoke thought. One of the questions he asked me last night was, "What is your favorite thing about life?" With all of the pondering I have done on this subject over the past few days I was more than ready to answer this question and of course a Mom and Grandmother instantly says their children, grandchildren, etc...but I continued the list until finally he said, "Wow Jeannie, your life is good!"

I may not have all the niceties in life that many people have and at times I get lonely...but I have reached a point in my life where I can honestly say, "Life is Good!" Love it, live it....long for more!

A Tribute to my BFF's Through the Years!!!!!

2010-09-17T17:25:00.000-07:00

As I reflect back on my life I enjoy thinking about the many people who have influenced my life and believe me there are many. These people range in titles from Mother, Grandmother, sister, aunt, sisters in religion, neighbor, sister-in-law...and the list goes on. These individuals have been with me through hard times, good times, have seen me grow, learn, struggle and this list could go on as well.

One thing I have learned through the years is that women are interesting characters. We can be insecure and confident within a 5 minute time frame, cry and laugh in the same sentence or change our mind about the same topic 10 times within a 24 hour period. I like to think this is all just being part of being a woman. But how in the world could we make it through all of these ups and downs without special people around us to assist us? The answer is we couldn't, that is why through all walks of life we develop relationships/friendships to rely on, individuals who have had similar situations, those who may be stronger than we are, those who are more intelligent in different areas than we are or even those who we rely on to tell us like it is, for lack of a better phrase. I have been lucky enough to have all of this in my life, and my journey has been filled with learning and growing because of all of these special people, they are my BFF's.

Through the years my BFF list has grown and while you may not continue to have the experiences you once had with these individuals, your fond memories will always be there, along with the many lessons you learned from them.

As a child we begin our life with our Mother being our BFF. I have been very blessed in this department. My Mother has taught me well and given me great advice throughout the years. Your BFF list begins to grow as you add on sisters you may have. As sibling BFF's you play together, eat together and even at times share the same bed. I have two sisters and I have learned many things from them ranging from patience to kindness. Most importantly, I have learned that during my times of greatest need, I learned just how much they care and how far they will go to make me feel better. Below is a photo of my mother, my two sisters and me.

Now no female's life is complete without Grandmothers. I even understand this better now that I am a Grandmother. I had two very different, special Grandmothers in my life. I lived next door to one and the other was only a few miles a way. Through the years they were always my greatest advocates and my life would have not been complete without these two "BFF's." I don't have a photo of my Mom's Mother, she passed away several years ago, but she taught me all about hard work and even physical fitness as she walked to the post office which was at least a mile from her home two times a day.

My Grandmother on my Dad's side of the family lived next door. She is currently 97 years old. She taught me many things, such as compassion, love, cooking and things of a spiritual nature. Below is a photo of this wonderful lady. She is featured with my beautiful Granddaughter Brooklyn.

Once school begins your BFF list grows and grows with individuals going through many of the same experiences you are; however, during these most trying days you develop a list of a few individuals who stick around. I will never forget my childhood friend, Mitzi Bowling. She lived not far from my home and we played together most days. We went through much together in school. I still keep in touch with her and once a year when I attend the PGA Show in Orlando, Florida we have dinner just to play catch up. Below is a picture of my childhood BFF taken a couple of years ago at my parent's home. The picture shows a 2003 date but I am positive this is incorrect.

Once you graduate high school and move into life you begin to develop other friendships. I had several along the way, but one for sure I will mention and that is my friend Sue Muse. Sue and I shared religion, children of the same age, husbands in the same profession and we were both "prissy" if you will. We have been BFF's for years and we may go several years without seeing each other but when the reunion occurs it is like nothing ever changed. Below is a photo of us that was taken in Washington, DC many, many years ago. I love it!

Life continued on and at this point in my life I moved from my hometown of Pikeville, Kentucky to Fort Thomas, Kentucky. I developed wonderful friends in this area, most of which I share a religious faith. I will first start with my friend Judy Shuley. Judy and I have shared so many wonderful experiences and also so many experiences of hardship. Our friendship has been sealed to never be removed. She is one of dearest friends. I took this photo on Sunday, she plays the piano for the children's meetings at church.

I have one dear "BFF" that I can rely on to "tell me like it is." Her name is Judy Nelson. Judy can say anything to me and I will listen. Sometimes in life we get off base a little and Judy is the BFF that pulls you back on base. She is really good at it too! I recommend her to everyone! I never get upset with her for doing this but always appreciate it. I always say everybody needs a Judy! Below is a photo of Judy and I with her new Granddaughter.

I also have a BFF that I like to discuss physical fitness with. We also have children of the same age. Her name is Kathy Tipton. I love to take walks with her and just chit chat. We use to take a walk every Sunday morning, where we would walk about 7 miles. Kathy is quite physically fit and it was a quite an effort for me to keep up with her! Kathy is just one of those kind people you feel comfortable with all the time and she is always willing to help! Below is her photo.

I have another BFF named Barb Ilg who has literally seen me through some of the roughest moments in my life! I am forever grateful to her. I also very much enjoy her husband Dan. Dan is quite a unique individual and Barb and I enjoy laughing and talking about some of our funniest moments with Dan. They make a wonderful couple! Below is her photo.

When I got divorced from my husband I decided that I did not have to divorce his family. After all, they always treated me wonderfully and made me feel special. I will never forget that. I have remained friends with his sister, Debbie Salvato. We have been through many, many things together including the death of her husband three years ago. Below is Debbie's photo.

I have one BFF that moved to Utah a few years ago. I miss her on a daily basis! Prior to her departure we spent hours and hours together. Her daughters are the same age as my two children, we got divorced around the same time and share some very similar experiences. Even though she lives very far away we still talk on the phone like teenagers every week to play catch up. Her name is Stevie Howard. We are alike in so many ways and very different in others, I mean come on she is from NJ and I am the Appalachian Mountains! I didn't have a picture of us together for the blog so I am just going to post a picture of her! We even share the same hair color. She is featured with her beautiful Grandson Tate.

I want to end with one final BFF, one in which I thought a few years ago I would never add to the list and that is my daughter Bethany. Beth and I have loved each other, hated each other, cried for each other, laughed with each other, screamed at each other, well anyway you get the picture. I am very grateful to have added her to my BFF list. Below is our photo.

I want to finish my blog with thanking all the wonderful women who have made a difference in my life. They have made life interesting, exciting, spiritual, happy and at times bearable. Thank you! I feel very fortunate!

If you are reading this blog and you don't have BFF's in your life, then I strongly recommend you find at least one. They are worth it and necessary!

I WILL, WILL, PROTECT THIS HOUSE!

2010-09-15T18:14:00.001-07:00

Well, most people that know me know that I love physical fitness and I spend a ton of my time at the gym. I may not be the most trim person in the world...but I sure keep working at it! Anyway, last night I watched a video for Under Armour Women which features Olympic Gold Medalist Lindsey Vonn working out and some of the workout moves were a little extreme...but very motivating!

I realize Lindsey is a professional athlete and most of us will never reach the level of physical fitness that she has; however, somewhere in the depths of our universe...we all wonder if on some small scale we can reach a level...that our bodies have never reached before!!! This video not only motivated me to work harder to accomplish this but to also check our Under Armour for women. I went straight to their website! Whoever in the Marketing Department of this company created these ads is a genius! In reality it was most likely a team of people; nonetheless, they are to be applauded!

Below is a link to watch the video. I even posted the video on my Facebook as well as my Twitter, I was so impressed. You can check out the video on Under Armour's Facebook page at:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=148294495193152

I strongly encourage you to check out Under Armour apparel at http://www.underarmour.com. I did...lots of cool items to purchase in my future! I will...I will....I will...protect this house!

The Miracle called "Skype"

2010-09-10T17:33:00.000-07:00

I grew up in a very small town in southeastern Kentucky. My life was simple and I am grateful for that. Check out the picture of a small portion of my beautiful family.

During my childhood, and yes this ages me, there were no cell phones, no computers in school or at home, no internet, no Facebook, no Twitter and certainly no iPods. We did have a game where you could play ping-pong on the television...but I don't even remember the name of the game.

My favorite part of my childhood was the fact that I grew up really knowing my family. On my Dad's side of the family all of my aunts and uncles and cousins lived next door. We went to the same school and for the most part played together most days. My Grandmother lived among us as well...and this was great to say the least!!! When I reflect back on this I have such fond memories of running in and out of her house, especially during the summer, and on top of that she was a fantastic cook!!!

My Mom's side of the family was a little more scattered but many of them, including me and my siblings, would meet at my Mom's Mothers on Sunday, we called her "Mamaw Dorton," for dinner. Nothing better than Sunday family dinners and Mamaw Dorton's cooking!

However, in today's world it seems like families are becoming more and more spread out. I moved away from my hometown 20 years ago. That was difficult for me in the beginning but as time passed I found ways to deal with the absence of family. Now my son has followed suit and left the nest...only his new home is a couple of thousand miles away...in Idaho Falls, Idaho. He has blessed me with a beautiful granddaughter and I am expecting my second one in February. Thanks Matty! Of course I have to include a picture....check it out.

Learning to make the most of life and family, while not experiencing the next door family has been and continues to be a challenge for me. I try to do all that I can to stay in touch, especially with my little princess granddaughter, but this has not been easy. But thank goodness times are progressing and there are miracles among us!

My recent technique for staying in touch is Skype. I absolutely love it! I Skype with Brooklyn a couple of times a week for a few minutes. Brooklyn, even at 2 years old, knows what Skype is. For those out there who may not know about Skype...you should know that it is absolutely free and when downloaded onto your computer allows you to speak with someone, as well as, see them visually on the computer. You can get your free download at http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/home. Completely free!

As Brooklyn has grown and gotten to the point that she speaks clearly Skype has become more and more fun. Recently we had a great conversation about her toes. She kept saying Grandma, Grandma look at my toes. Of course the high chair tray was in her way and she said Dad move the tray, move the tray. She then proceeded to remove her shoes and socks to show me her nicely painted toe nails...they were purple! She told me about her Aunt Emily painting her toes. This was great for me to be able to hear her story about her toe painting experience.

There have been many other such times along the way with Brooklyn and Skype. She blows me kisses, makes funny faces, giggles, sometimes cries, makes a mess and cleans between her toes...sometimes all during one Skype conversation! Below is a picture of Brooklyn in her high chair talking to me on Skype...check out the cute smile! I took this photo utilizing Skype during one of our conversations.

For anyone out there who longs for their family give Skype a try! It is definitely worth it! You may miss out on the physical touches of your loved ones...but you can stay in touch and be part of their life. Nothing warms your heart more than to turn on the computer, utilize Skype and hear a sweet voice say, "Hi Grandma." :-) Life is good!

A Gym Rat??? For Real?

2010-09-09T19:04:00.000-07:00

I love going to the gym to work out. Even on days when I feel tired and overly stressed I can quickly be made to feel better when I think of the gym. It brings a smile to my face and joy to my heart.

Sometimes I have to stop and ask myself...why such an obsession? Is it because my family was very involved in sports as a child? Or maybe because it relieves stress? Perhaps because it makes me feel so happy??

Or because I don't want to grow old and not be able to do things I enjoy because of my fitness level? All of these questions could be true somewhere in the depths of my mind...but I think the simple answer is it feels good and right for me. Perhaps gyms aren't for everyone.

During a week's time I take three urban iron classes (body pump), a spin class (going to add a second next week), a yoga class and a mat pilates class. I also do 2 short runs and one long run...so as you can see, I spend a lot of time at the gym. The cool thing is....I never resent any of my time there.

While in my classes or during a run it is fun to look around just to see who is there, people watch if you will. I love the fact that people of all ages attend the gym. I see people from 14 or 15 years old to 80 years old. One elderly lady attends two of my urban iron classes a week, and she is at least 70. She is quite the weight lifter! I also see people of different races, different gender, different sizes, different hair colors, different fitness levels, different heights, different body shapes....and I like to think that each of them has their very own personal reason for being there.

In my urban iron class, which meets at 5:45 am. we have actually become a big weight lifting family. We rarely have new people...the same group shows up most of the time. It is a very big class...ranging in attendance from 30 to 45 people. The instructor is awesome and she makes us feel good about what we are doing and nicely corrects our form and small ignorances along the way. It is fun to show up and see what everyone else has been doing during the week. Even though I don't spend time with these folks outside the gym they still seem important to me...just like the gym is important to me.

I guess in reality I have officially become a gym rat...or that's what the folks at the gym refer to those who attend the gym often...like myself. I guess I have a new title...to add to the long list. At least it is a positive one!

For those who don't attend a gym...come on down and join me at Bellevue Urban Active! You won't be sorry!

I joined Urban Active after I graduated from college in December. They were having a special and I decided to take the leap and just do it. It was the best decision I have made in a very long time, I feel good about myself and my forever increasing fitness level!

Are you Kidding Me?

2010-04-14T13:06:00.000-07:00

I decided this year to watch Dancing with the Stars (DWTS). I really like Chad Johnson of the Bengals, enjoy his sense of humor and thought he was a great addition to the show. I follow Chad on Twitter and there are times when I find myself laughing hysterically. For instance, when he went shopping the day after Thanksgiving at Target and found Snuggy's for $5.00. He posted a picture of himself posing in the Snuggy on Twitter. It was one of the funniest things I have ever seen. Chad does a great job of marketing himself! Anyway, I decided to follow Chad through this dancing crazines. He is doing a great job in my personal opinion. He is certainly getting my vote each week...and that of my family! Go Chad!

I watched last night's episode and was quite dismayed that Kate Gosselin remained on the show one more week! What a joke...and I mean that literally. If you haven't seen her dance just check it out on YouTube...you will get your daily dose of laughter. Now, I am by no means a dancer but I feel comfortable in saying that I could do a better job than Kate has done on this show. The judges consistently tell her she is not a performer...and it is very obvious that she is not. Aren't you a nurse Kate?

Nonetheless, I became so upset last night when she was not voted off...that I decided to stop watching the show. Anyone in their right mind knows that Kate is the worst dancer to ever be on Dancing with the Stars. I believe the show is fixed, setup, staged....are they keeping her because they think she will bring better ratings? I also started a campaign in my office today to stop viewing the show and take a who cares attitude. So far I have recruited several people. Just stop voting, stop participating, watch something else! Don't give Kate any more press...just stop. So that is my goal of the day.

I wrote this today...and will say nothing else about it...but just ban the show!

Just Sayin'.....

2010-04-07T07:29:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been a while since I posted. Since that time much has changed in my life. I graduated from Northern Kentucky University in December 2009 with a degree in Business Administration! YAHOO!!! It was a great day that included all of my children, my beautiful little granddaughter and some of my most loved friends and family!!! Check out the photo above!

Since graduation I have spent some time relaxing, no class at night...I LOVE IT! My evening time has been returned to me. One might ask with all that free time what are you doing? Well, I am not the type to sit idly by...I don't enjoy being idle at all! Therefore, I have chosen to pursue things that I do enjoy, for the first time literally in years!!!

One of my first loves is physical activity. Over the last 7 years I have been a power walker and I have taken some yoga classes, which I also enjoy. However, I did this with a crazy school and work schedule leaving me little time to really pursue all the physical activity I would enjoy.

In January I joined Urban Active in Bellevue, Kentucky. Urban Active is located on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River overlooking the City of Cincinnati. They offer classes such as yoga, kick-boxing, weight lifting (utilizing barbells), zumba, pilates, etc. I had a hard time deciding which classes I wanted to attend so I attended most of them at least once to get a feel for what I wanted to do. I have chosen to do an hour of yoga a week, an hour of Pilates and two hours of weight lifting...plus I run 2 short runs/walks a week (1.4 miles) and I do 2 long runs/walks (about 3 miles). My goal is this year (sometime between end of May and first of August) to run a 5K. If I keep pushing myself...I just might make it!

I do recommend Urban Active for all those individuals looking for a gym. Hopefully, you will not become addicted like I have. Check it out at
http://www.urbanactive.com/trainerfinder/websites/60092/home/index.html

I also recommend for those individuals looking to run a 5K the Couch Potato to 5K running method. You can check it out at http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml It is working for me!

I am also pursuing other employment...specifically employment with greater benefits and income! I am looking particularly in the medical field pursuing account management or a sales rep position. Wish me luck! I have been employed in sales for over 3 years now and have had a lot of success.

Life is starting to look up for me...just sayin'......

Star Trek

2009-10-08T10:46:00.000-07:00

The above photo, if you haven't figurued it out, features the Old Kirk and Spock from the original Star Trek series as well as the new Kirk and Spock from the latest Star Trek movie. Having pointed that out, I have to say I never thought I would be doing a blog on Star Trek. Over the years I don't think I sat through an entire episode of Star Trek. Actually, I had never seen one of the Star Trek movies. I just really had no interest...unil May of this year. Thinking about it...Star Trek was filmed in the 60's, at the least the original Star Trek, and I was born in the 60's...this could be part of the problem.

This past May a new Star Trek movie, a reboot as it has been referred to, was released starring "Chris Pine" as Captain Kirk and "Zachary Qunito" as Spock. I was told by a close friend that I had to see the movie...that is was fantastic. Of course, this friend was a major Star Trek fan so I wondered if her opinion was somewhat prejudice. Nonetheless, I took the time to see the movie and she was right. The new Star Trek movie was the best movie I have seen all year! It was funny, it was exciting, it was action packed...and the new cast was amazing...not to mention beutiful! Please know that this in no way takes away from "William Shatner (The Shat as I like to call him)" or "Leonard Nimoy!"

Zachary Quinto, who played the young Spock in the movie also plays Sylar in Heroes...for those of you who enjoy Sci-Fi. He does a nice job on that show as well. Most of the cast was unknowns for the most...well maybe not completely unknown but by no means superstars.

Once I watched the movie...somthing happened to me. I became a Trekkie or Trekkor...I am not good with the Trek terminology. Anyway, I have seen all of the original movies and the original series. What's up with that? This is definitely not my style.

Anyway, if you haven't seen the movie...it will arrive in stores in the middle of November via DVD. Rent it, buy it...but just make sure you see it! It will be the best two hours of movie time you have had in a long time! Just a pitch to purchase the DVD!

This is for you Zach!

Top Ten Things Kate Gosselin Can Do To Make Money

2009-10-05T19:10:00.000-07:00

Well, I haven't posted a blog in almost a year. This is due mainly to my very hectic lifestyle, work 40 hours a week and 12 hours of college classes. But I'll graduate in 75 days so life should get easier. Anyway, this leaves me very little time to post a blog. However, having said that I have been very upset of recent regarding the dissolution of the marriage of Kate and Jon Gosselin. I enjoyed their show for the most part, with the exception of the last year to year and a half. While I didn't really enjoy Kate & Jon that much I did enjoy watching the children. It was fun to watch them interact with each other and to experience life with them...to a certain extent. But the events of recent have been sad to watch.

Every morning before I go to work I turn on the Today Show as I prepare for work. I do this mainly because it catches me up on daily events. This morning the Today Show chose to have Kate Gosselin on the show. She cried and told the world about her lack of funds saying she only had about $1,000 in her checking account and had a purse full of bills to pay. She also said Jon had taken most of the funds out of their joint account and she never thought she would find herself in this position again...penniless. While I do have compassion for Kate and her situation I do want to say that I have had enough! To watch two adults air their dirty laundry on national television is cruel and unusual punishment for the world...and to their children.

In order to survive the cruel and unusual punishment I decided to make myself laugh. I created a list of ten things Kate Gosselin could do to earn money. Please know these are only meant to make people laugh. It worked for me.

I do wish Jon & Kate the best...and hope they will take some time away from national tv to solve their issues...and let their children have a normal life.

Nonetheless, here are the "Top Ten Things Kate Gosselin Can Do to Earn Money."

1. Go on Dancing with the Stars, they feature a lot of has beens!
2. Go back to being a Nurse and actually worry about others for a while.
3. Go to work for David Letterman…I hear he enjoys women.
4. Go to Washington and become an advocate for an agency to protect exploited children.
5. Go on unemployment.
6. Become a before and after model for plastic surgery.
7. Make a blog to whine about your life, Jon and lack of funds and charge people to read it.
8. Create a psychic network for divorced women.
9. Go live with the Duggars, they are lacking in drama.
10. Become a financial planner.

BROOKLYN MEETS SANTA

2008-12-23T20:03:00.000-08:00

Brooklyn is spending her first Christms with me! I am so thrilled to have her and excited to have time to be a Grandma. Today we took her to the Florence Mall to meet Santa. Below is the picture that was taken. I will try to post more pictures soon.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN FROM THE PORTERS!!!!!

2008-10-31T06:20:00.000-07:00

I thought I would wish everyone a Happy Halloween with of course a few photos of my granddaughter in her Halloween outfit I gave her. She is a Happy Girl!!!

20 Things That Make Me Happy!!!

2008-10-27T07:49:00.001-07:00

1. My new granddaughter. Everything about her makes me happy...her smile, her serious look, her cute face, her soft little feet. I could carry the list on but for lack of time I will stop :-)

2. Thinking about the Christmas Holiday and the fact I will have my family with me...especially Brooklyn!!!

3. My kids, all 3 of them, Bethany, Matt and Janell. I am quite blessed!! I love the fact that each of them are so different and bring such different thoughts and ideas to my life.

4. My eastern Kentucky family! I love that group of people. I would name them all but there are so many of them I am afraid I would bore everyone. I love their different personalities, their carefree lifestyle, the food they make for me to enjoy!

5. My northern Kentucky friends and family. The Lord blessed me with great people when I moved to this area.

6. The church! How happy it makes me to know that my Heavenly Father loves me and wants me to succeed.

6. Four-wheeling and hiking! Now that makes me happy. What a great way to view the world that the Lord gave us and to spend quiet time with close friends.

7. Jewish people. Why? I have no idea! But I enjoy talking and laughing with the few Jews I know.

8. I love people with accents, eastern Kentucky, southern, Boston, New York...I really enjoy hearing the different accents throughout the country! It makes me smile.

9. Going to hockey games with my daughter! That really makes me smile! She is hilarious!

10. To see my children succeed! How could that not make a person happy!

11. Hugs and kisses that make you feel warm and fuzzy inside! It makes me so happy to receive and give hugs!

12. Exercise! I love being physical, walking, running, yoga, weight lifting...I love it all. And yes, I love to sweat!

13. Watching my nieces and nephews play sports. Watching their faces during the games and talking with them after is so fun.

14. Reading material that my daughter has written and seeing her progress as a journalist puts a smile on my face.

15. Saturday Night Live during election year. I think I have laughed for a month now even though I can't see Russia from my house!

16. The fact that I will receive a Bachelor's Degree next year! It has been a long road...but I am almost there!

17. Shopping! I love to shop for new clothes...for me and Brooklyn!

18. Happy People! I love being around happy people with positive attitudes!

19. Sunshine! Wow! I love the warmth...the cheer it brings and the way it makes me feel!

20. My 95 year old Grandmother and the great example she has been to me in my life! The stories she tells, the way she makes me feel, the food she cooks...it makes me laugh to think about her. If I could only be half the woman she is I will be in great shape!

Brooklyn's First Photo Shoot...Quite the Model!

2008-10-15T10:44:00.000-07:00

Brooklyn is Happy! She is getting soooo big!!!

2008-10-13T12:56:00.000-07:00

Brooklyn posing for her Grammie! They told her they were sending me this picture :-)

Brooklyn's Aunt Bethany bought her this onsie. She loves it. Just because I don't have a ponytail yet doesn't make me a boy!

Beautiful Brooklyn all ready for church and happy! I like church! 17 more months and I will be in nursery!

Do I look like my Mom? or check out below, my Dad? Or maybe my Grammie?

Best Baby in the World!!!! My little Mormon Grandbaby!

Brooklyn Smiling at Christ

2008-10-06T05:52:00.001-07:00

In Brooklyn's nursery Matt and Janell hung a picture of Christ above the rocking chair. It is a picture of Christ with a small child. Brooklyn has been very fascinated with this picture. Recently, she stared at the picture for 2 or 3 minutes and just smiled. Matt took a picture of it...because he was so fascinated watching her.

I truly believe she has not lost all of her memory of the pre-existence and she remembers Christ. If only she could speak and tell us what she remembers.....

I Met My Granddaughter!!!!

2008-10-01T09:24:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a trip to meet my first and only grandchild. I can't begin to explain to you how excited I was to meet her. She is incredibly beautiful, smart, and full of personality and no I am no at all prejudice :-). It is going to be so amazing to watch her grow up and see what amazing things the Lord has in store for her.

I am a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, joining the church while still in high school. It was quite emotional for me to see her blessed on Sunday, September 28th. This will be a 3rd generation member for me which made me feel quite blessed.

I thought everyone would enjoy seeing a few photos. So check it out below. I have added a little commentary :-)

Brooklyn the day of her blessing. She wore the same dress her Mother was blessed in...she looked like an angel.

This picture was taken at Janell's parents house the day of her blessing. Matt and Janell are quite the proud parents.

This is a picture of my family on the day of Brooklyn's blessing. Brooklyn was getting a little tired at this point. She just wanted to eat!

Brooklyn loved cuddling with her Aunt Bethany. Bethany is quite in love with this little girl. She did just about everything for her...like changing her diapers, rocking her, feeding her.

This is a picture of Brooklyn and I at the end of the day, on the day of her blessing. She had a big day and was tired at this point...sleeping in my arms.

This is a picture of Matt, Brooklyn & I. This picture was taken in Matt's living room at the end of the day. Three generations of Latter-Day Saints! It is a miracle to me.

Finally, one last picture, Brooklyn taking a nap and sticking her tongue out at the same time! What a smart baby! :-)

The Many Faces of Brooklyn......

2008-09-24T06:20:00.000-07:00

What? My first Sunday at church? Do I look ok? Is my bow on straight?

I better take a nap before church...I need to be alert for the speakers!

I think my profile looks cuter from this side...what do you think?

Dad and I love to lay on the sofa and watch tv together...he tickles my tummy and makes me laugh!

I love cuddling with my Dad....

I learned to stick out my tongue....

It is very tiring being a newborn!

Brooklyn...With Her Serious Look!

2008-09-19T19:21:00.000-07:00

She runs my show!

Beautiful Brooklyn!

2008-09-11T17:13:00.000-07:00

OK...I am a very proud Grandmother...so I have to share more photos of Ms. Brooklyn....she is absolutely beautiful and perfect! And no I am not prejudice :-)

Brooklyn June Porter!!!

2008-09-09T11:35:00.001-07:00

Just a few photos to show off my beautiful Granddaughter!

Brooklyn June Porter Rules!!!

2008-09-09T07:43:00.001-07:00

It's official, my granddaughter has a name....and it is

BROOKLYN JUNE PORTER!!!! She Rules!

More Baby Girl Pictures!!!

2008-09-08T08:32:00.000-07:00

Mom, Baby and Dad are doing well. We don't have a name yet...but will have one soon! Thought you might enjoy additional photos. Check out the bow...she is already quite the fashion plate :-)

We are still waiting on a name :-)

My Beautiful Granddaughter!

2008-09-07T21:44:00.000-07:00

She was born tonight....weighing in at 9 pounds 8 ounces and 21 inches long! She is beautiful.

When Will I Be A Grandma????

2008-09-02T16:50:00.000-07:00

Well, the time is here and my first granddaughter is due to be born...and we are patiently waiting but she has decided to take her time :-) The good news is if my daughter in law has not started labor by Saturday night the doctor is checking her into the hospital and inducing her labor...so one way or the other I will have a granddaughter on Sunday...Monday at the latest. YAHOO!!!! Photos will follow.

I had the opportunity to visit with my son and daughter-in-law this past weekend. Janell is beautifully pregnant and they just moved into their new home! It made me very happy to see the great life they have together. Matt is really excited with his new home, his amazing wife, the opportunity to be a Dad and his job. It makes me pleased as a Mom to see my child's life unfolding in a way that makes him so happy and me so proud.

While visiting with my son I took the opportunity to visit Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Tetons which is only a couple of hours from his home. What an amazing place! I thought I would post a photo of sunrise at the Grand Tetons for your viewing pleasure...this picture was taken about 6:00 in the morning.

Michael Phelps - The Greatest Olympian of All Times!

2008-08-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

I don't know about anyone else...but for me Michael Phelps was the definitely the most exciting thing going on in the world last week...or should I say the most positive thing going on in the world last week. I watched each of his races and held my breath as a couple of close finishes were accomplished. Wow! I was impressed, excited, proud, happy....the range of emotions I felt were interesting. I guess what made me the most excited about and for Michael Phelps is that he has proved to America what extra hard work can lead to...ACCOMPLISHMENT!!!!

As I have watched his interviews since his great accomplishment of receiving 8 Gold Medals and also read a ton of articles about him, I realized that he was a kid with a dream. His life was not easy by no means....he was raised by his single Mom who Michael remembers working and completing her college education which illustrated to him the importance of hard work, he was picked on as a kid in numerous ways and fashions, suffered from ADHD, struggled with his relationship with his father...but yet he came out on top. HARD WORK! To the youth of America he has proven to you that anything is possible as long as you are willing to work hard.

I will close with one final statement, which my son sent to me about Michael

Phact! Michael does not shave his body hair. His body hair chooses not to grow out of awe and respect.

GO MICHAEL!!!!

Mammoth Cave and Lincoln's Birthplace

2008-08-15T08:05:00.000-07:00

Even though I am a native Kentuckian I seldom take the time to enjoy all the wonderful sites in Kentucky. I recently took a short vacation with a friend and we decided to tour around Kentucky a little. One of the coolest places in Kentucky is Mammoth Cave. Mammoth Cave is the largest cave system in the world consisiting of 367 miles of cave system....and per my tour guide much is left to be discovered.

We did hike several miles of the cave. The temperature is a consistent 52 degrees so if you plan on visiting there remember to take a jacket or hoodie for hiking inside the cave. It was well worth my time and energy to visit this incredible place as the sites are quite amazing. The photo above was taken during our hike and is called a tubular passageway. I walked through at least 2 miles of this type of passegeway.

This photo was taken of the Niagara Formation inside the cave. This was quite amazing to view....I only wish I had had more time to spend viewing it! You will see this formation featured on many post cards.

Not only were the caves beautiful but the park was filled with beautiful animals. My favorite were the deer. Check out the photo of Bambi below!

There were also a few laughs to be had in the park. My favorite was the "Little Hope Cemetery." Well, hopefully you thought it was as funny as I did...I don't think it needs an explanation as to why it is funny!

On this trip, we also visited Abraham Lincoln's birthplace which was quite interesting as well. I am including below a photo of the shrine dedicated to Lincoln which is on the property where he was born as well as a photo of the natural spring on the property, which is probably where Lincoln took his first drink of water! I also included a photo of the cabin inside the shrine. Originally it was thought to be the actual cabin where Lincoln was born but thanks to the History Channel they proved that wrong. The carbon dating showed it be built about 20 years after Lincoln was born. However, they do show a really neat video inside the visitor's center so if you have the opportunity to visit there I strongly suggest you see the video.

We also toured My Old Kentucky Home during this visit...but those photos will follow in a few days! Enjoy!

Tybee Island - A Well Kept Secret

2008-06-21T19:24:00.000-07:00

While recently on a business trip to Savannah, Georgia, I took the opportunity to visit Tybee Island...mainly because I wanted to walk on the beach and feel the waves from the ocean beat up against my feet and legs. I really didn't know much about the island...but thought it is surrounded by ocean why not give it a try....and how excited I am that I visited there!!!

When crossing over to the island the first thing I saw was a sign indicating "Turtle Crossing." What in the world? Then I discovered that the Turtle Crossing was for sea turtles...yes the endangered sea turtles...HOW AWESOME IS THAT! The residents are very aware of this endangered species and they stop and break for them when crossing the roads on the island...and yes they do cross the roads...rearing their heads up at you as if to say I am doing the best I can...just wait a minute. Wow! What an awesome opportunity to view these creatures.

Then of course there is the beautiful historic lighthouse that calls in the ships....having existed since the 1700's. While I did not get to tour the lighthouse due to lack of time I did get to view it.

The birds on the island are amazing. I will not go into the many types of birds there but I have posted a picture of the pelicans.

Anyway, if anyone out there is looking for a beach vacation where it is quiet, beautiful and lacking in tourists....Tybee Island is for you. While taking my walks (I went 2 evenings) I was one of maybe 30 people on the beach. It was awesome! Check it out.

My Cincinnati Reds!!!!!!

2008-06-14T19:36:00.001-07:00

Today I attended the Reds vs. Sox game at the Great American Ball Park! Even though we lost I loved being at the game (we beat the Sox last night). Just being in the park makes me excited and happy.

I took a few pictures of today's events which I am sharing through a slideshow. I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I enjoyed the game.

One of the photos needs a slight explanation. My daughter attended the game with me today, as well as her friend Kelley and her husband Kyle. When Beth and I attend sporting events together, whether baseball, hockey, etc. we look for one individual attending the event who is...well let's just say way too involved in the game to put it nicely. We call the game "Spot the Idiot." You will see our choice in the slideshow.

Also, I realized today how much baseball has become part of my summer enjoyment. For the last 6 years I have attended several games a year...I LOVE IT...but most of all I love the Cincinnati Reds! Onward and Upward Guys!

The Grand Canyon

2008-06-09T11:31:00.001-07:00

At the end of a recent business trip, I was afforded the opportunity to take a mini vacation. Since the business trip was in Las Vegas, Nevada there were quite a few places in the west to choose from. But fortunate for me there was only one place my body was willing to take me....and that was one of the most incredible places on earth....The Grand Canyon! I even love saying those words! This was my second visit to the Canyon and while the weather was not as cooperative this time as the first I still loved every second of it since in my personal opinion this is one of the most inspiring places on earth.

The photo above was taken of me the last evening I spent in the Canyon. As you will notice notice from the photo...I was sitting on the very edge of the Canyon at sunset! It was incredible! Even looking at the photos makes my heart race.

As I mentioned the weather wasn't cooperative the first couple of days; however, on a very positive note this allowed some beautiful photos to be taken. The photo below was taken of a storm that was occurring over the Canyon. At the end of the storm we were hoping for a rainbow. While a rainbow did not happen...the sun did shine through and the rays shining on the Canyon were amazing.

Sunrise occurred very early on the Canyon, at 5:15 a.m. actually. Most mornings I was out of bed around 4:45 to get dressed to enjoy this beautiful moment in time. The photo below was taken of a sunrise on the Canyon. You can see the skies were cloudy but yet Mr. Sunshine was able to shine through and make his appearance. The beauty was such that it simply takes your breath away.

The photo below is a panoramic photo taken at Hopi Point. This was one of the last days I spent at the Canyon and the weather had quite an improvement. There were several clouds in the sky which created beautiful shadows over the Canyon. If you look closely to the left of the photo you will see the Colorado River which runs right through the Canyon.

My hope in life is to some day hike the Canyon. Since I have little sense of direction I definitely need those with me that are skilled in that area. While I have not accumulated a group as of yet...I hope to do so.

On a similar note, while leaving the Canyon and returning to Las Vegas to catch my flight we were able to see Hoover Dam which is quite an interesting place. We were also able to enjoy some nice views of Lake Meade. For your viewing pleasure I have attached a photo below. And yes, the water really was that blue!

Also along the ride home in a small town not far from Hoover Dam (sorry but I can't remember the name) we discovered several desert big horn sheep. They were absolutely gorgeous! We watched them for about 45 minutes and got some great photos. They didn't mind that we were there so we took the time to enjoy them.

To finish my blog...I must mention that I can not take credit for any of these wonderful photos. They were taken by a very close friend of mine who will remain nameless since I did not ask permission to use the name. My friend claims to be an amateur photographer but those of who know this person know fully well amateur is not the appropriate description.

My Home Town

2008-05-12T13:18:00.000-07:00

For Mother's Day I had the opportunity to visit my family down in southeastern Kentucky. I just love Kentucky, especially spring in Kentucky, it is so beautiful!!! The mountains of southeastern Kentucky did not let me down...as they were lined with beautiful flowering trees! The smell was so sweet...the skies so blue...everything was so peaceful.

While there I had the unique opporunity of attending Mother's Day services with my Grandmother, who is 94 years old. She is always honored at her church on Mother's Day for being the oldest Mother. It excited me to be able to witness this great recognition. It was so sweet...everyone in the congregation knew she would receive the award so when the Pastor said, "Next we will honor the oldest Mother," everyone's eyes focused on her. He said Sister Rowe...just how old are you...would you like to share that with everyone? Her comment was classic, being the vain little woman that she is, she said, "Well, I just can't remember." Then I responded to her by saying, "Now Mamaw are you sure?" she slapped my wrist! I laughed so hard I could hardly stand it. Finally my Aunt said she will be 95 in August. My Grandmother gave her the meanest look. I loved it! Every time I think about that moment, I crack up.

I also got to spend time with my Mother on Mother's Day. I took her shopping, bought her lunch and some flowers. She was so happy. My sister showed up to go shopping with us and we just really enjoyed each other.

During my visit I also visited with a couple of high school friends, did a little hiking and four-wheeling...and went to dinner. It is so pleasant to go home to visit where you actually know people and their history. I have currently lived in the Greater Cincinnati area for over 15 years and I rarely see anyone I know when I am grocery shopping or just shopping for enjoyment. I guess sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name...and they are awfully glad you came!

I hope everyone out there who reads this has a hometown like mine, where it is fun to visit and enjoy good, long time friends and family who make you feel special. I guess I am very blessed.

Earthquake in Cincinnati????

2008-04-18T10:23:00.000-07:00

While sitting at my desk today shortly after 11:00 a.m. I felt my chair begin to rock back and forth and my first thought was what in the world is going? Then I realized EARTHQUAKE!!!! Now I have never been in an earthquake before and had no idea what it felt like so this was a new experience for me. All I can say is I was on the fifth floor of a building in downtown Cincinnati and we were moving! It was actually quite interesting. To my knowledge no damage was done. It lasted about 15 or 20 seconds and then it stopped. Turns out it was an aftershock and the real earthquake occurred about 5:30 a.m. and I slept through it! Nice! The earthquake registered a 5.2 and the aftershock was 4.5. I can't imagine what it would be like to feel an earthquake that registered about 6.5 because the building was swaying at 4.5. Hopefully, this is the end of the quakes and all is well! At least I created a new memory!

Pick my Name

2008-04-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

Hey, it's Bethany. I am taking over my Mom's blog for just one post. We have been arguing back and forth for some time now over what my Mom should be called when she becomes a Grandma. That is why I have decided to take matters to the internet. That is right, you people who read my Mom's blog get to vote in this crazy debate. She has agreed to go with this...so vote wisely, as you are choosing what my children will be calling her. YIKES!

Baby Porter is a Girl!!!

2008-04-10T12:42:00.000-07:00

Well, its official...BABY PORTER IS A GIRL!!!!! How exciting is that??? Matt and Janell went for an ultrasound today and found out we are having a Baby Girl and the best news is she is healthy and doing well...although she wasn't very cooperative and kept moving around and hiding. How fun! She already knows how to play hide and seek! What a smart baby :-)

I wanted to post her ultrasound picture but for some reason I can't get it to upload. So I will have to have my daughter assist me with that later. Hopefully, I will have it up later in the day!

The Bird of Freedom

2008-03-21T19:21:00.000-07:00

I am an avid Eagle lover! There is just something about these amazing creatures that move my spirit! While it is rare for me to have an opportunity to view Eagles...I take advantage of each opportunity I am blessed with.

While enjoying Spring Break recently in Florida I managed to find a lovely Bald Eagle sitting on a nest filled with two young ones. The nest was located in the Everglades. I was mesmerized by the beauty that surrounded me.

While I did not physically take the photo which I am posting, I was there when the photo was taken...and the Eagle was as beautiful as the photograph! Enjoy!!!

Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie.....and Spring!!!

2008-03-18T19:06:00.002-07:00

Well, Florida was great! It was warm, sunshine was in abundance, the ocean was incredible....and I was sooooo ready for BASEBALL!!!!!!!!!

I had never been to spring training before, even though I love going to the Reds game. This year I decided to make it happen and it was awesome!!! For all those who love baseball I highly recommend it. The atmosphere was just great, you have greater access to the players and lots of older players are there and you have the opportunity to meet them, players like Johnny Bench, Eric Davis, Todd Benzinger and Dave Concepcion.

I posted a photo above that a friend of mine took of Ken Griffey, Jr. at bat. Thought I would share it to get everyone excited for the season! Go Reds!!!

I will be posting a few other photos later in the week. I have some great variety of the wildlife in Florida, the ocean, the sunset and of course the Reds!!!!

2008-03-18T19:06:00.001-07:00

The Best Part of Life

2008-03-10T13:47:00.000-07:00

As I look back and reflect over my life I realize I have so much to be grateful for. My two children are certainly my greatest blessings. The good news is once they are married, which my son is, they reproduce!!! Then you get to have grandchildren and the gratefulness increases.

Anyway, in December I graduated from NKU with an associates degree in Business Administration. Both my children got to attend the ceremony...which made me happy. Below is a photo of our happy day. The smile on my face illustrates how grateful I was...not only to graduate but to have my children and friends surround me.

My daughter-in-law was missing from the photo. She is a wonderful young lady and my son is extremely lucky to have her in his life. She too blesses my life on a daily basis!

I would say I am the luckiest woman alive!

Blizzard 2008!!! It's an Emergency

2008-03-08T12:25:00.000-08:00

Wow! I really am snowed in...what a day! Let's see I've showered, cleaned, cooked, done laundry, watched tv, read...doesn't sound like too bad of a day now does it?

My daughter and I decided to take a couple of videos from the door in front of our home and the patio door at the back....just for kicks. They are posted below for your viewing pleasure.

Finding Spring!!!

2008-03-07T19:41:00.000-08:00

Well, we are currently under a "blizzard warning" here in the Midwest. The snow is coming down unbelievably hard and by morning we are expecting to have at least a foot of snow!! What in the world is going on??? Who's idea was this? It is March...and we should be enjoying sunshine and bird's chirping and warmer temperatures!!!

Since I am a proactive person with a lot of energy and spring seems to be having a problem finding me I think I will make my way to Florida...and find spring. Anyone that would like to come with me...leave me a comment and we will go on the hunt together. Once I find spring I will see if I can convince it to come home with me me. Of course, I will have to wait until the blizzard is over to do so...but that's ok. How does Thursday sound? Ok...flight is booked and I am not joking. I am heading to Sarasota on Thursday...warm weather, spring baseball...I am so excited. I will post pictues from my trip! See you there!!!

Lost-Vivor

2008-03-01T19:39:00.000-08:00

As you most likely already know, due to some of my previous posts, I am a LOST fan. In my personal opinion, Thursday is the best day of the week because of this show. This year's episodes are some of the finest that the show has produced. I wait with excitement each week to see what the latest twist will be.

Last year I discovered a great website that I would like to share with you. On this website, Jess, who is the website's owner, runs through the previous night's episode and then ranks each character based on their abilities, for lack of a better word, during the show. The game is called "Lost-vivor" and runs from the beginning episode of each season until the last episode of the season. At the end of each season the character with the most point is crowned "Lost-vivor" for the season. This contest is hilarious and Jess's sense of humor will crack you up.

For my fellow lost fans I encourage you to check this site out every Friday morning. The website is as follows:

http://wiw.org/~jess/

Spring....We Are Waiting with Anticipation!!!

2008-03-01T19:10:00.001-08:00

The month of February has proven to be a tough month weather wise in our little town. We have had hardly any sunshine, which makes me sad! We have had some snow...but nothing that couldn't be handled, with the exception of the ice storm, but just dreary days absent of sunshine. I love the sunshine and I love beautiful weather, probably why I could never live in a place that has six months or more of cold weather.

This week the sun actually shined a couple of days, which made me feel excited for spring. One of the sunny days, I decided to spend my lunch hour in my car, as it was too cold to be outdoors. While I was eating my lunch I pushed the fabric section of my sunroof back so the sun could actually shine down on me. The warmth and brightness made me happy and I could actually feel a difference in how I felt and my attitude.

So why does the sun make us feel happy? I asked my daughter and she said because dark and dreary is a good way to describe depression and the brightness of the sun is a good way to describe happiness. A good answer indeed...but is there a scientific explanation for this? I decided to use my googling skills to see if I could find an answer...and of course I did. This very question was actually posed on yahoo and one of the responders to the question (bazsmudge) had a great answer. He said:

"Sunlight stimulates the pineal gland in the brain. This produces certain chemicals called 'tryptamines' which improve our mood! Also, Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is our main source of vitamin D, important for your bones, muscles and immune system, so get out there, but be careful!

I loved that explanation...so now it makes perfect sense...in a scientific sort of way.

I am looking forward to spring and the sunshine and happiness it brings to me. In the meantime I have planned a trip to Sarasota, Florida (in two weeks) to see my beloved Reds Team in spring training! I can't tell you how excited that makes me feel. Seeing the Reds and the opportunity to be in warm, bright, sunny weather is definitely a priceless, anticipated event!

Baby Porter's Heartbeat!!!!

2008-02-25T18:36:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a very exciting day in the life of this newly proclaimed Grandma to be. Matt, Janell and Baby Porter had a doctor's appointment for a check up. Of course, during the visit they were given the opportunity to hear the heart beat. Matt of course recorded the heart beat and shared it with family members so we could get excited about our new baby. So...for the world to hear....I give you Baby Porter's heartbeat!!!! HOW EXCITING!

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What Kind of Aunt Will My Daughter Be???

2008-02-18T10:35:00.000-08:00

My daughter, beyond her love for family and the church, has two loves and they are first hockey and second journalism. Her aspirations are to become a sports journalist who covers a hockey team...the NHL to be exact. She has been developing this love for quite a while and is very enjoyable to watch. She even started her very own blog which covers the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Columbus, Ohio, NHL team and receives a hundred plus hits a day. Check her out at www.bethanyshockeyrants.com.

Anyway, after I wrote my last blog about the kind of Grandmother I would be...I thought about my daughter and the kind of Aunt she will be. She will be a great Aunt!!! So great that I actually found a video on www.youtube.com that illustrates how I would anticipate my daughter behaving at the birth of her first niece or nephew. Enjoy!

What Kind of Grandma Will I Be???

2008-02-18T05:36:00.001-08:00

Wow!! I feel like I have been on the roller coaster of life for the past couple of weeks! Everything has been fast-paced with lots of new life situations being thrown my way. It has been a great time...but I think the time has come to slow down for a few days and to perhaps let everything sink in.

The grandest news of course is the fact that I will be having my first grandchild in September of this year. I have anticipated this day for a long time. The anticipation is wonderful but it has provoked much thought within me.

Recently, at one of my church meetings a lady said to me, "So, since you are going to be a Grandma are you going to learn to knit?" I was a little taken back by such a comment and the very thought of knitting repulsed me. My response was, "No way." But I will say....this question make me search and ponder the kind of Grandma I want to be.

I was raised in a small town in southeastern Kentucky and I like to think that I have outgrown that small town; however, while I may have moved on intellectually, spirtually, professionally and personally...the values I was raised with are still embedded deep inside me. As I watch the values of the world deterioriate around me I feel concerned for my grandchild. I hope to be the kind of Grandma that can exemplify and teach the values I was raised with and those I found later in life to my grandchild, which remains nameless at this point...only known as Baby Porter.

So back to the question, "What Kind of Grandma Will I be?" I hope to start by being a loving Grandma...one who exemplifies goodness and love. As I have reared my children I have always had a rule in the back of my head, one that was actually shared by one of my dearest friends, one she lived by, and that was to never do anything to embarass your children. Of course, I have tried hard to live by that rule and hope to continue to do so for my grandchild. Example means everything!

I also want to be a Grandma that has a lot of fun involved in the visits with the grandchildren. That would involve hiking, baseball, perhaps hockey, museums, swimming, movies, sharing great books, plays...the list goes on. I am not one to sit idly by and let the world pass me by...and there are so many things I want to show and teach my grandchild....where we have moments of fun and memories together.

The list goes on and I could never put everything into this brief blog...but everyone should know the love I already feel for something so small...is incredible and undeniable.

The Lord has granted me a wonderful opportunity by allowing me to be called Grandma. How thankful I am for this opporunity...and the many moments of love to come! I look forward to developing my role as a Grandmother and for the joy and pleasure this new human being will bring to my life. I hope to be a Grandmother who returns the favor!

Just Call Me Grandma!!!!

2008-02-05T11:50:00.000-08:00

Yesterday appeared to be a normal day...but by no stretch of the imagination did it end up that way. Looking back I don't think I can ever remember feeling so much joy. Everyone should have that experience!

What made me so happy? Well, my son, who will be 27 years old next week and his beautiful wife, sent me a very special gift in the mail to be delivered by a dear friend. I entered the YMCA for my normal Monday night workout when I was approached by my friend who delivered this special gift. I thought surely it was a belated birthday card, but I was ever so wrong. My gift was a book prepared by my daughter-in-law on behalf of her and my son, to give me some very good news. The book read as follows:

Grandma,

I can't wait to meet you!!

I thought I'd make a book to

tell you a little about me.

I will be your grandkid, the first in the family.

The Doctor says I'm growing big,

I'm over an inch long.

My Mom and Dad listened to my heart.

It's beating very strong.

Soon you'll get to hold

and cuddle me.

It will be in September

probably on day three.

You can read me stories

and spoil me to all ends

I can't wait to meet you!

We'll be the best of riends.

Love,

Baby Porter

In tears I ran out of the YMCA, forget the workout! It was time to enjoy my awesome news! I was going to be a Grandma! I could not stop crying tears of joy. I think I cried all evening and into the night. Today I am walking on cloud nine, sharing my beautiful brag book with all who will read it.

I'm so proud that I am going to be a Grandmother! I can't wait to look into the little eyes, tickle the little nose, hold the small hands and kiss the cute feet of my grandchild. Pure pleasure is the best way to describe how I feel!

Now, I will be anxiously await the arrival......

Another Good Day

2008-01-30T09:28:00.000-08:00

Life is good these days. I am less than 24 hours away from the premiere of LOST. I am so excited I can hardly stand it! I have waited months for this day to come.

However, the premiere of LOST is not the only thing I am excited about...you see today is Wednesday and the day I weigh in at Weight Watchers....and I lost another pound! YAHOO!!! I am now only 13.2 pounds away from my personal goal! I continue to feel better about myself and my workouts at the gym are getting easier. Life is definitely good! Onward and upward!

President Gordon B. Hinckley

2008-01-28T19:04:00.000-08:00

Last evening the beloved Prophet and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints passed away at his home with his family present. He was 97 years old. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends and fellow church members.

What an incredible man he was! His example of leadership, righteousness, courage, faith and strong work ethic was second to none. I am grateful to have known him through our shared church membership.

GRANDMOTHERS

2008-01-26T16:53:00.000-08:00

As I reflect back on my life and think about individuals who have been a strong influence in my life the first name that stands out is that of my Grandmother. She became a widow at the very young age of 54. She never dated nor married after his death but turned her focus in life to that of her family and from that point forward she spent her life taking care of others.

I grew up next door to my Grandmother and can honestly say that most of my days and nights were spent at her home. I loved spending time at her home! Her home was so clean, she always cooked for you, let you watch anything you wanted to on tv, talk on the phone as long as you wanted to and she always made you feel important and special. I will never forget those feelings as long as I live. She truly made you feel like she had an unconditional love for you.

My Grandmother is still alive and one of my favorite things to do is to call and talk with her about the past or to visit her home...SHE IS 94 YEARS OLD!!! Her memories of the past are so interesting to me. I hang onto every word and hope to learn more about some of the events that have made her the person she is.

You never leave her house hungry! As soon as you walk in the door she wants to cook for you...and she always remembers the foods you enjoy most and is quite prepared to make those foods. If grandmothers were ranked on a scale of 1 to 10 she is definitely a 10 plus!

While I know that I could never be as great as she is I do hope that when my grandchildren arrive to this earth...and that better be soon if my son and daughter-in-law are reading this, that I can be the type of grandmother that mine is. I have very strong shoes to fill but every child deserves that!

A Testimonial of Yoga...Great for the Body, Spirit and Mind

2008-01-25T10:21:00.000-08:00

About a year and a half ago I began the practice of yoga two, sometimes three, times a week on my lunch hour. One of my fellow employees is a yoga instructor in the evenings and actually teaches our "at work yoga" in an empty room in our office building. The company where I am employed is gracious enough to allow us to do this, well, actually encouraged it.

I have often read about yoga and thought it to be somewhat interesting...but my overall perception was that it was for "older" individuals and I in no way considered myself old! However, I was so impressed with the teacher, her calmness, great attitude and physical abilities I thought I would give it a try. So the journey began.

You should also know that I was diagnosed with high blood pressure about a year ago as well. I began medication with the hope that if I lost weight, watched my diet and exercised more frequently I would be able to control it without medication. Since that time I have been on the journey of pursuing each of these items; my blood pressure has become stable, and I am only taking one-half a pill every other day with the hope of eventually ceasing it all together.

I definitely feel that yoga has been a large contributor to my overall success with my blood pressure. I also feel more at peace, my body is stronger and more balanced and my mind more clear since I began practicing yoga. I now look forward to the lunch hours when I can practice yoga.

For those of you who have not tried yoga...give it a shot. It is great! It is definitely not for just older individuals....but something for any age! You will feel greater strength and peace in your life. I highly recommend it!!!

For all those who currently practice yoga...I would like to hear your stories. Leave me a comment.

My Happy Day!

2008-01-23T13:12:00.000-08:00

Well, today was my first weigh in for Weight Watcher's. I was nervous, excited, scared, happy, sad...you name the emotion and I had it! In order to weigh I had to enter a line of people and wait of course...it seemed like it took forever to get to the scale...then it was my moment. On the scale I hopped praying it would not be a weight gain. Then, the happy news occurred, I got on the scales and I weighed 5.8 pounds less! YAHOO! Pretty cool, eh?

I am continuing to workout on a regular basis, doing cardio, weights and yoga...and writing down every bite that goes into my big mouth! So I guess it works...let's see if I can keep it up.

One might ask if all the hard work is worth it? Well, my answer is simple, OF COURSE!!! I feel better about myself, my clothes are not as snug and I have a lot more energy.

By the way, I have 14.2 pounds to go to reach my goal! Let's see if I can make that happen sooner rather than later. I love a good challenge!

Ethics

2008-01-22T18:09:00.000-08:00

I am currently taking a class called "Business Ethics." This class is required in the Business Administration Degree I am currently pursuing. Prior to going into the class I bascially thought that most people were ethical...rarely running into someone who had extremely poor ethics. However, after my first Business Ethics class my opinion has unfortunately changed.

My class is dominated by 20 and 21 year old youth, with perhaps a total of 5 nontraditional students. The discussion in class tonight focused on different dillemas individuals find themselves in and whether the choices they made in the situations were ethical or unethical, in our opinion. The discussion that ensued was shocking to say the least.

I typcially consider myself a virtuous person. However, like many others I have found myself with pens that belong to the office in my purse or even making a copy of a personal document on office equipment and using office paper. However, the issues in this class were larger than having a pen in your purse that belongs to work, they dealt with issues such as stealing, lieing and falsification of documents. At one point the professor posed the question, "Would you steal food from a grocery store if this was the only way you had to feed your starving child?" One young man, about 21 years old, spoke up and said, "I would just steal less than $10.00...they won't arrest you for that." He was not making a joke but was very serious. My first thought was are you kidding me? Is this the generation of Americans who are going to run our government and businesses. Parents have you been sleeping for a long time? Wake up!

Step up to the plate America and her parents...let's teach our children the value in having high ethical standards! This greatly saddened me! We can and must do better!

LOST...A Sneak Peak!!!!!

2008-01-13T18:18:00.000-08:00

For my fellow LOST fans I discovered today that ABC has released a sneak peak, in addition to the trailer, for the season four premiere to be aired on January 31st. YAHOO!!! I love it!!! I have posted it below for your viewing pleasure :-)

I DID IT!!!!! I JOINED THE YMCA!!! MY FIRST GYM MEMBERSHIP!!

2008-01-13T15:42:00.000-08:00

One of my New Year's Resolutions this year was to join a gym and lose 20 pounds. I am happy to report that I have begun the journey of accomplishing both these goals. I joined the Weight Watchers at Work Program and the local YMCA. Weight Watchers will assist with the weight loss and teach me better eating habits while the YMCA will provide a fitness center with personal trainers to assist me with the firming up process. Also included with the membership are yoga classes, kick boxing, step aerobics, cycling and hip hop classes! How cool is that!!

I made the choice to join the YMCA for several reasons, the first and main reason being it is about a mile from my home. Convenience is everything with my hectic lifestyle! To my pleasant surprise they have a newer fitness center, personal trainers and as an added bonus many individuals I know belong and attend there, thereby bringing added encouragement and support of my efforts!

This has been a very exciting adventure for me. My membership also entitled me to a a consultation with a personal trainer who introduced me to the all the equipment in the gym, assisted me with my weight allocation and gave me a 12 week work out schedule. It has been a fantastic experience thus far!

Since January is the time of the year when everyone makes commitments to lose weight and get themselves in shape attendance at weight loss programs and gyms increase by large numbers. Per the personal trainers at the YMCA this attendance decreases during March and April and in May only the very dedicated remain. Since I want to be a dedicated, successful individual at my new task I really looked long and hard at this decision to make sure I had the necessary tools to be successful. Of course, I also did my research.

I found it very interesting when reading an article recently on MSN Health which indicated that the most successful "gym" individuals are those who attend an at work gym or a community gym such as the YMCA as opposed to Golds Gym, etc. This made me stop and think...what are the differences? Could this be because we are more likely to be surrounded by individuals we know who will support our efforts?

Since I am only at the beginning of this journey support and encouragement are crucial for me. It is awesome to go to the gym and see friends and family there who are doing the same thing. My daughter is also a great support as she is doing this with me! She is actually one of my work out buddies. Even though she is younger, prettier and stronger than me...I am not intimidated! I run your show Bethany!!!

Thanks to my friends and family for your encouragement and good luck to all of you out there who are on the same journey. I will keep you posted on my success.

LOST!!!

2008-01-08T10:13:00.000-08:00

On January 31, 2008, the first show of the fourth season of LOST will premiere. I can not begin to tell you how excited that makes me feel! Every day since January 1st I have marked the days off my calendar, my own little personal countdown if you will, till this day rolls forth. It makes me happy just to think about it.

You see, I watch very little televison, mainly due to my very hectic lifestyle; however, when Thursday nights roll around, beginning on January 31st, nothing will stop me from being in front of the television to see the new and exciting season of LOST begin.

I have had several individuals ask me what I like most about this show. Some have even asked, "Is it the hot guys?" Duh!!!! Of course, Sawyer, Jack and Sayid are about the best looking men I know!!! And I do enjoy that...but believe me that is not what I enjoy the most. So I took the time to compile a list of my favorite things and they are:

1. The physical abilities of the men and women.
2. The island, which has become a character in and of itself, and the many mysteries surrounding it such as the island's healing power.
3. The many clues about the future in each show that you have to watch ever so closely to pick up on. This show makes you use your brain!!!
4. Each character has a story and issues...and it is very interesting to learn about their pasts in the flashbacks...things that have brought them to this point in time.
5. Finding some of the Losties in other Losties flashbacks. How cool that is!
6. The Others and the way they manage to stay a step ahead of the Losties at all times.
7. The Dharma Inititaive and the many things they left behind.
8. The animal life and beautiful scenery...especially the Polar Bears!
9. Walt and his mysterious ways! He seems to be John Locke's new best friend.
10. John Locke and his ability to know the future...somehow, someway!
11. Who the heck is Jacob? What's his story?

Recently ABC released a trailer for the first show of the fourth season, which of course has appeared on YouTube and I have watched it over and over again...pausing the video every second, literally, to see if I can pick up new information. Yes, I am that in love with LOST!!! Actually, there are several things I have picked up on in the newly released trailer which may interest you LOST lovers. I will list some of them...so you curious watchers who haven't taken the time to slow down the video, may become a little more curious. I am also going to post the trailer at the end of this blog...so perhaps you should watch it first and see if you can spot any of these little secrets I have picked up on.

1. Why is Jack's father, who is deceased, shown sitting in a chair in Jacob's cabin wearing that same suit?
2. Since Charlie is dead why is he seen talking to Hurley on the island sporting a great looking new jacket?
3. I thought Naomi was dead...why is she holding a knife to Kate's throat while standing under a tree? Does this have anything to do with the island's healing powers?
4. What is up with the number 6 that keeps flashing throughout the video?
5. What is the purpose of all the yellow fruit in one huge pile? It doesn't appear to be on the island....
6. What are Sayid (what a man!) and Sawyer (cute little southern guy) holding Jack back from as he screams, "Let me go!"
7. Hurley looks really scared as he screams and runs through the jungle! Did he find Jacob?

These are only a few of the items I have managed to pick up on that are hard to catch; however, I am postive there are others. Enjoy watching the trailer!

P.S. For my fellow LOST fans...we only have 23 days to go! The countdown continues. Are you as excited as I am????

Beenup2.com

2008-01-06T20:14:00.000-08:00

Since my daughter has earned the official title of "Queen of Technology" in our household I tend to pay very close attention to her conversations with her friends. By doing so I feel like I am keeping up with all the latest trends in technology. The most recent conversations have included the words "Been Up To" and have included hysterical stories about different people and "Been Up To." As I listened to the conversations I was a little confused...what could they possibly be talking about? I became more curious and finally asked Beth, "What are you talking about when you say "Been Up To?" Her response was, "It's just a website."

Well needless to say I became curious enough to look up the website...and what I found was very interesting. You see someone has been spying on me, literally following me around and taking pictures of me, well, at not the best times. There were pictures of me posted all over this website, pictures of me sleeping in my easy chair...WITH MY MOUTH WIDE OPEN!!! Thank goodness I have teeth! There were pictures of me in my pajamas, there were pictures of my Christmas tree, pictures of the 2 failed pumpkin cakes I made at Christmas, pictures of my son and his wife sleeping on my sofa, pictures of a very dear friend sleeping in my easy chair and at my graduation and pictures of me being goofy at a hockey game. Who in the world could this spy be and how in the world did they get so many photos of me. They must have used a zoom lens. Then....like a ton of bricks it hit me and I realized that the spy lived within the walls of my home...and she had just bought a new Blackberry Pearl phone with a camera and wireless internet..and once she sneaked a photo....off it went to www.beenup2.com.

My point of this blog is this. Be careful, you may have spies in your home as well, don't walk around in your underwear, don't pick your nose while driving and most importantly don't fall asleep with your mouth open if you don't have teeth....because the world will now be able to view it...through the photos posted on Beenup2.com.

Check it out at your earliest convenience! I am sure there will be photos of me recently submitted doing something weird! http://www.beenup2.com/

Hockey Hat Trick

2008-01-06T10:56:00.000-08:00

My daughter and I attended a New Year's Eve hockey game in Colubmus, Ohio, featuring the Jackets vs. Oilers. This is a great tradition that we began last year. The arena is always filled with happy people who are glad to welcome in a new year with a sport they love.

My daughter, Bethany, who is a very dedicated hockey fan and even dedicates a website to the sport (www.bethanyshockeyrants.com), looks forward to the fun event for weeks before the game actually takes place. This night was made even more special because she ended her year on a great note seeing her favorite team, the Blue Jackets, win and also getting to see one of her friends play, Dustin Penner of the Edmonton Oilers (Team Sexy)! Congratulations Dustin on the weight loss!!!

Anyway, hockey has become a sport of which I have learned to enjoy. I am most impressed with the physical abilitities of the hockey players since physical fitness is one of my first loves.

On New Year's Eve in Columbus this year, I witnessed something I had never witnessed before...with only seconds remaining in the game, Rick Nash, or Little Ricky as Bethany prefers to call him, scored his third goal of the night...or he had a hat trick as hockey fans like to call it. Everyone in the arena stood up and cheered with joy and excitement and at that moment it began to happen...hats flew through the air onto the ice. I was overwhelmed with excitement...so excited that I had a strong urge to throw a hat onto the ice like everyone else, but I didn't have a hat...all I had was a hood on my vest that could be removed simply by a zipper. I could throw it onto the ice....the feeling was getting stronger and as I began to tug at the zipper the true girl in me emerged...WHAT WAS I THINKING!!! I just bought this new vest at Ann Taylor's Loft and paid $79 for it...there was no way in heck I was throwing it onto the ice only to have it removed and trashed by the hockey girls (hockey ho's as my daughter refers to them). Forget it Ricky.

Therefore, this blog is dedicated to Rick Nash and his New Year's Hat Trick...hats off to you for a job very well done! Hey is that what hat trick means????? Anyway to view the excitement check out the video below.

New Year's Resolutions

2008-01-04T05:28:00.000-08:00

I am so thankful that a New Year has begun to bring about reflection on life, goals and accomplishments. The very thought of 2008 brings about a need to search deep within to see what is next in life.

Within the walls of the company where I am presently employed the word "resolution" has been used over a million times this week. Well....perhaps not a million times....but certainly it has been the word of choice. Sentences such as, "My first resolution for 2008 is" or "What are some of your resolutions for 2008?"

After hearing the word resolution numerous times and certainly listening to my fellow employees' resolutions, I felt compelled to search even deeper and to make resolutions for myself...ones that I intended to keep, which have meaning. In order to make these resolutions I felt I needed to look at myself both personally and professionally and look at my family as well. At this point I would put together a list of needs. From this list of several needs, I would choose 3 or 4 which I felt would make me a stronger individual, both personally and professionlly, make me a happier individual, both personally and professionally and make me healthier, again adding to my life both personally and professionally.

Therefore, my 2008 New Year's Resolutions are:

1. To Lose 20 pounds and join a gym.
2. To begin the process of buying a home.
(This may take a little longer than a year but the process has to start somewhere).
3. To bring spirituality back into my life in a deeper form to include more frequent prayer, meditation and scripture reading.
4. To prepare myself to begin a new life with someone special.

So there you have it! My goals for 2008. Stay tuned to see how I do!!!!