What else can i do.....?

So about a month ago I started working out and really watching what I was eating. I haven't skipped a day on the elliptical. For that, I am really proud of myself. It has helped me become for of a morning person. It hasn't completely converted me but I am a lot better than I was before. Just ask Jeff. I have trying to count calories and trying not to over eat. For the life of me though i can not loose any weight. It is really sad. Now the real reason I started this was I just wanted to me healthier. That hasn't changed but I thought a byproduct would be some weight loss. I refuse to deprive myself of all things I enjoy but on a whole I have really cut back. I am starting to get really frustrated. I just hope that shortly it will start to just fall off but I am not holding by breath.

This past week has been a work out.

So I have started working out. I am really proud of myself and I am on day 10. Now, that might not sound that exciting but for me it is awesome. My goal is to go at least 21 days in the attempt to form a exercise habit. I am just tired of doing nothing and being unhappy with how I look and feel. But mostly I started working out to be healthier. It has been a struggle some mornings I really don't want to get up and do anything but i have to stick with it. I just have too........
My work out routine consists of Yoga on the Wii Fit and then 20 mins on the elliptical.

School is going okay, I really like the class and feel like I learning something.....I guess we will see after the first test. :)

I had the most wonderful day yesterday. It was the first really nice day that fell on the weekend. It was in the 60s and there was only a slight breeze. I went walking on the Green Way. The Green Way is walkway/bike path that follows Stones River. There were so many people out yesterday. From the young to old to ones with 4 legs. It was just beautiful to see so may people outside enjoying nature. People were riding bike, roller blading, skate boarding, jogging, walking and I even was on kid on Roller Skates. That's right old fashion roller skates with 4 wheels. I haven't seen those in years. I just had a overwhelming since of joy that filled my heart seeing all the people.

One small sad thing about being there though.......but I think I can turn it into a positive. As I was walking i decides to take a break on some rocks next to the river. While i was enjoying the sound of the rushing water and the way the sun cut though the trees hitting the water, I turned my head to see a bunch of trash that had washed up on the bank. It was really sad to see but, today i call the parks department and they have clean up groups. I am going to try to get involved.

Here is a question I am going am going to though out there......Are photo less blog post acceptable? My goal was to post a photo with every blog post but this week i really don't have anything. Does it make it less interesting? I just don't know.......

For this upcoming week, I am taking tomorrow off to go with my mom for a small surgical procedure. Jen and I are going to go shopping for wedding dress this Saturday. I am going to continue working out. It is going to be a great week!!!!

Week in review

This was an exciting week....it was the first full week i have worked since before Christmas. I was off for Christmas, New Years, and then I got sick. It was nice and weird to work the full week. Other things that happened, I started back to school.

I am taking one class this term, and it is getting me one class closer to graduation. I am taking a economic theory class. I am really excited about the class it sounds really interesting. It is every Thursday night from 6:00 to 9:00 pm.

Yesterday, Jen and I had a nice afternoon. We went to Julia's bakery and had the best fudge pie and coffee. It was a mini pie of heaven. It melted in your mouth......I am starting to salivate just thinking about it now. They are having a wedding cake far in Feb, I think Jen and I are going to attend it. Along with the wonderful yummies, Jen got to try on a few dresses. We found the most beautiful dress........she looked like a princess. It just isn't right for her beach wedding but......she was breath taking in it.

Saturday night we went to Jen and Dave's to watch the Dark Knight. It is such a great movie. Jeff didn't really like it but then again Jeff doesn't really like movies. It just isn't his thing.....i love him anyways. We had pizza, beer and cookies what could be better than that. We had a really nice time.

Today Jen, Megan and myself went to lunch and the movies. We went to Chilies for lunch and drinks and then we saw Bride Wars. Lunch was great, i ate enough chips and salsa for two people and then had soup. It was just nice to spend some times with just us girls. Both Megan and Jen are such amazing people and i am blessed to have them in my life. After we had lunch it was on to Bride Wars. At first i really wasn't into it but then it got good and i really enjoyed myself.

It was a really good day to end a really nice week.

Blog Catch Up: Part 2

Okay, so where did i leave off okay we got back to Tennessee and everything is good. Next big thing is New Years Eve. Big for 2 reasons, one it is he end of one year and the beginning of another and two which is the most important it is my anniversary. Jeff and I do share this day with another two other awesome people, Joe and Marsha Howell.

We both had to work that day but we had plans to spend the evening with some of our closest friends, Jen/Dave & Megan/Ryan. We met at Casa de Howell and had pizza and a few pre-bar drinks. Things at home are cheaper than when out. Okay so the plan was to head to downtown Murfreesboro to, this bar Jen and I found, WallStreet.

We have to have a little back story on this bar. One Friday evening Jen calls me on her way home from work and asks if i want to run down town with her and pick up a book from the library. I had nothing else to do so i agree. She picks me up and we head down there. Once there we realize that the library was already closed. We as we leave i get this idea to walk around downtown, it was a nice evening and would be fun. As we are walking around we see this bar with like 5 people inside. I am not sure who suggested that we go in for "one" drink. Well once inside we start talking and having a good time one drink turns into.....well i am not sure how many. But before i get to that point, we must have been 2 drinks in when the cute bartender asks us, "What brought you in here tonight?" I reply very matter of fact, "We tried to go to the library but it was closed." Now this got a laugh from the locals hanging out....I think it was at this point we realized we liked this place. Okay, back to the multiple drinks we are just hanging out talking and have a good time when i get a call from Jeff and realize it is 8pm. At this point neither one of us could drive so we invite Jeff down for a drink and a ride home. Jeff is there has one drink and now Jen and I think it is time to leave. We just really loved this place so when ideas for New Years Eve i thought it would be a good place.

Back to New Years........now we know we are going to be having a few cocktails and being responsible people i enlist my dad's help. He agrees to pick us up from the Casa, take us downtown and then pick us up again. Isn't he great. So we have the DD taken care of.

We have the place, the ride, a few pre-game drinks, and some dinner we are ready. Oh and don't forget the camera.

We head down there and when we get there we get a few drinks. There isn't a table at first but after a about 10 mins we find one next to the bar and under the TV. It was a good spot.

The rest of the night went drinks, laughing, talking, laughing, and more laughing.

Megan got a hold of my camera and was talking all kinds of pictures. Jen and I played some songs on the jukebox that were a hit in the bar........I mean everyone was singing along not just to one song but 3 in a row. First was Bon Jovi, then CCR and David Allen Coe. Everyone was loving our music until the last one which is a personal favorite of mine. This song actually caused everyone to boo....boo i say. What was the song to cause everyone so much disgust?..........................Miley Cirus!! That's right i said miley.....what wrong with that?

Midnight came and went we started winding down, call my dad and us party animals packed it in around 1am. Pretty late for us old people. Megan and Ryan came back to the Casa and my dad took Jen and Gave home. Ryan, Jeff and myself played a few songs on RockBand and then called it a good night. It was a great way to end the new year with some of my favorite people.

I think 2009 is going to be a great year. !!!

Blog Catch Up

So it has been a while........but in my defense I did try to post on Christmas Day but I couldn't get the layout just right and well I just didn't get back to it.

So.......what has happened since Dec 17th. Well, we went to Florida for Christmas.

We left on Tuesday night, Dec 23rd. We got to Valp around 1am so it wasn't to bad. Jeff drove the entire time but I did offer to drive, didn't press because i really didn't want to drive. We made really good time except for the extra long potty break/gas stop. It was all Jeff's fault, here is the story........ We pull off to get gas and use the bathroom. Jeff really had to go but said he would wait while i went first and he would the pump gas. I go in and do my thing. When I get back it is his turn, he walks up there and the door is lock. Now i had just gone to the bathroom and he was still pumping gas. We thought maybe the lady had to use the bathroom and locked the door because she was the only one there. We wait a few mins and she doesn't come back. We see a Burger King next door and decide to go there for a bathroom break. They are drive-thru only so that won't help us. We swing back thru the gas station assuming she is back, that would have been too easy. As we are pulling back in she is turning the lights off, with a car still pumping gas. Customer service really isn't her thing. We see another sign for a gas station so we go that direction to try and find him some relief, all we find is a closed Wal-Mart station. I tell Jeff just to go into Wally world but he refuses. He really has to go so we drive to the other side of the interstate and finally find him a bathroom. This really short bathroom/gas stop ended up taking about 25 mins. Jeff and his girl bladder!!!!

Wed, 24th was a nice day. I slept in and Jeff and his dad went golfing. When they got back Jeff, Joe Sr, and Granddad went and got our new Iphones set up. That is another long story but Jeff and I got I phones for Christmas. It was super awesome. Okay, so while they did that Liz, Lorre, Gees and myself went over the bridge into Destin. We had lunch did a little shopping and just had a nice afternoon together. It was really good to spend some quality time with the girls, only wish Marsha could have been there. After everyone got home we kinda laid around and then got ready for Church. We went to the late service at Church and then come home and had some amazing corn chowder. And i ate 2 kidney beans....... and for those who know me know that is huge. They were in some other kinda soup that looked good so i acted like a big girl and tried them. It didn't kill me. That was Christmas Eve! Don't we look nice all dressed up for Church.

Christmas Day! We got up and had a nice big breakfast and then opened presents. We all got a bunch of gifts. The gifts are wonderful but sending time with family is what is really important. We were pretty lazy on Christmas we kinda just hung out, which was really nice. One of the best things was i was able to talk to Joe in England. It had been the first time since they they move. It was a nice conversation.

Later that evening, we went to see Larry and his new girl friend, Lindsey. It was fun had a few beer retold some old stories and just had fun. (As you can tell i am getting a little sloppy on my blogging.) Didn't stay to long as we had to get up really early the next morning But it was a nice visit.....please check out some photos......shot with are wicked awesome digital camera.

Okay so, that is all about our trip to Florida...It was super great.

I really can't blog anymore tonight but tomorrow i will take you thru New Year and finish catching you up on the events in Casa de Howell.

Olympus FE-370

We got a new camera today !!! Jeff got a Christmas bonus and thought it would be good to get a nice digital camera. Isn't he the bestest!!!

We had been to BestBuy in Florida and the guy had an Olympus FE-370. He sold us on the model. So when Jeff said he wanted a digital camera we new what we wanted.

Jeff and I had been doing some last min Christmas shopping today and we decided it was the right time to go look at the camera. We had wanted to get it before Christmas so we could use it while in Florida. Best Buy had what we were looking for and the best part they have a warranty plan that cover accidental breakage. Knowing me, we might need it. So we bought a silver camera with a 2 year warranty.

We have it and it takes some nice pictures. We are really happy, look out world the Howell have a digital camera and aren't afraid to use it !!!!!

These are some pictures we have taken tonight.

Grades, Shopping, and Fun

I got my grade back in my Managerial Economics class...................... I got an A. I am really excited, it pushes my GPA up a bit so that is really great too.

This happened Sunday morning then I spent the day shopping with my mom. We had a lot of fun we had coffee at McDonald's (which the caramel latte was actually really good). Then we spent 3 hours in Kohl's and got some really good deals. Then we went back to Casa de Padgett and worked on Jeff's stocking. It was a lot fun because I did most of the work and learned a lot of about sewing. Here is a photo....

Jeff seems to like it....I think he will like it more with some presents in it.

Speaking of Christmas shopping.....I am almost done. I have a few more people to get stuff for.

I am really proud of myself because i did really well this year and not waiting until the last min.

That's all for today !