My Aunt Kate

Here's a picture of me with my Uncle DeMont and Aunt Kate from last summer. My Aunt Kate just passed away last night.
She was like a grandma to us, since our Grandma lives so far away from us. She had been in the hospital for about a week and then decided she'd like to be at home in her own bed to die.
I remember some funny things about her. She loved food. I remember my mom telling me that when I was a little baby, Aunt Kate would just keep feeding me and feeding me, so I know she passed on her love of food to me! She also could eat an onion like a tomato! I remember them visiting us in California one year and drove all the way home, across the country with a bunch of elephant sized garlic in the car! She sure loved the sweets too! My sister, Lori made a whole pan of cinnamon rolls for her and said she'd just leave a few of them, but Aunt Kate said, "leave the whole thing!" and told Lori that "Daddy [Uncle DeMont] likes them too!!!" She was a hoot! We've also got a lot of incredible family recipes from her, including my two favorites, "Aunt Kate's Brownies" and "Chocolate Mint Brownies" and yes, she has given me both recipes!
A few other things I remember about her, that cracks me up, is the fact that when she'd travel, she'd pack so much stuff (like my mom does, too!) that she'd have to sit in her seat and have some of the stuff packed around her! And if something still didn't fit, then she'd say "Then I'll hold it on my lap!" She also would save every Ziploc baggy ever used and wash and reuse and then rewash and then re-reuse it! I'm not really sure how many times, but it sure makes me feel a little guilty when I throw them away at home! Oh! And, she would never EVER drink water from the bathroom! I think to her, it was more like drinking out of the toilet and that was just not going to happen! Even now, I feel that bathroom sink water tastes different and sometimes, I just can't drink it either! Weird, right? But that was Aunt Kate!
I think one of the saddest things, is seeing Uncle DeMont. They were so in love. Always holding hands and they ALWAYS kissed after every prayer.
There's a lot of family here now, all the cousins are here (Aunt Kate and Uncle DeMont's kids and their kids) and my siblings from New York and my Mom and step-dad Bob are coming here on Friday. I'm pretty sure we're not going to Oklahoma this next week now, because of the funeral this weekend, which makes me sad that we won't be able to see our Grandma, but my sister, Lori is on the phone right now with Grandma, and let me tell you, if anyone can get Grandma Annie out of the state of Oklahoma for the second time in her life (I can only think of one time she left the state), then Lori is that person!
Keep our family in your prayers!

More quality time/pictures with Tony

21#

It's official! I've lost 21 pounds in the last 8 weeks! Wah-hoo!!!

959 Calories

This is how much I worked off this morning in my step aerobics class at the Y! There's a lady there that had a monitor on and that's what it registered. It was so hot in there too, because apparently the A/C isn't working 100% and they have a new one on order, but until then, we're using fans, that I can't feel! I will definitely be looking for a fan to work out in front of tomorrow morning, or tonight after work when Rachael will be coming with me! I'm pretty excited about that too, because I've had to make a few friends at the Y to work out with, but now Rachael said she wants to do the power flex class on Monday and Wednesday nights with me, so I'll be able to workout twice a week with her! Oh, and since it doesn't start until 7 tonight, I'll probably go to the abs class before it, and just go right after work.
Now for all of you who don't know/realize, that abs class, is torture! I did it last week on Monday and my abs hurt all the way until Friday! It's a work out!!!
To date, I've lost over 15 pounds and still working hard! It's pretty nice too, because I can wear more of my clothes now, so it has multiplied my wardrobe!

Habitat for Humanity 2009

I signed up to help with Habitat for Humanity again this summer. It was pretty neat to do the the first house and help with the rafters. This time I got to help put the siding on a house, which kind of reminds me of putting up wallpaper, because we had to keep measuring and using the level, then a few times we had to tear it down, and redo it because it wasn't level, but, it was still a pretty fun experience!
This is my friend/co-worker Jill who signed up with me.And I learned that the seams need to be at different areas on the siding, or else it will look funny, and also, the overlap for the seams need to face the back of the house so when you look at the sides, you can't see them from the front of the house, and from the porch out to the side of the house, you shouldn't see it there either.
The lines also have to be level from each of the corners.

This is Rachel, the woman who will be living in this house. I don't have all the criteria for Habitat for Humanity, but I do know that the person that is going to live in it, has to help build it too! This specific house was one they wanted only women to work on, as well (besides the supervisors).
Here I am, drenched! Just before lunch it started pouring down rain and I was soaking wet and then it got kinda cold as well, so me and Jill stayed for only 5 hours and then left. But we had a lot of fun and I'm really glad I was able to help out this summer!
I had signed up for the week build in Atlanta this August, but just found out yesterday, that I wasn't chosen, but it's okay. I now have a weeks vacation to figure out what to do with this year, now!

the kids

The other day I took the kids to the pier and got some cute pictures. They are so silly!

Dairy Queen = picture time!

I got the kids to pose for some pictures, after buying them all ice cream at Dairy Queen... A pretty sweet deal, if I do say so myself!

Another purse I made! (And sold!!!)

This is the first purse that I've actually sold! Pretty cool, huh?

Baby Bella and updates

Baby Bella (finally let's me hold her without pitching a fit! Yay!!!)

I lost my camera cord that plugs into the computer, so I haven't been able to post any pictures for some time now... Lucky for me, I found it yesterday in my car! Yay!

I have been working out and I joined Weight Watchers a month ago and have already lost 5% of my starting weight! Another "Yay" for me! I'm counting points and it's been nice since my sisters are very supportive and whenever I go over to their houses, they are more aware of what I can and can't eat. It's been pretty exciting, losing this weight.

Also, Jason and I have been house-hunting. We actually found one that we liked and Jason put an offer on it last Wednesday, just to find out that it went into foreclosure the following Thursday and was auctioned off before we even knew about it! We're both really bummed about it, however, things happen for a reason, so there must've been a pretty good reason that God didn't want us to get that one.

We're still looking.