Approaching 50.....

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!!!!

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!!!!!

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.........

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!!!!!

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!

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.....

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!!!!!

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!

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"

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?

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?

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'.....

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

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

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

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!!!!!

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!!!

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!

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

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!