Well.....

I've lost 4 pounds in the first week! : ) I'm a happy camper.

Have a good weekend!!!

WHAT?!?

This morning I remembered something I've wanted to post for a couple of days:

Earlier this week, I went to Wal-Mart to buy several needed items, including sinus medicine. When Checker Girl scanned the medicine it beeped and she had to stop to read the screen. You know how some people always mumble when they read? She obviously had this problem. I heard "mumble, mumble, customer 18?" here she glances up at me, then mumbles "definitely" and hits the button to proceed.

DEFINITELY?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

What the heck did she mean by THAT? I mean, I know I'm 33 and don't look like a teenager anymore, but come on! Did she have to be so tactless, rude and insensitive? I don't think so.

Lacking people skills? Definitely!!!

::Kenneth and the guys made it out to Texas just fine!

Look Out Texas (and other ramblings...)

That's right, all of you who live in east Texas, anyway. Kenneth, his Daddy and youngest brother are headed your way. Right now. Kenneth left about 8:30 tonight, headed to Jacksonville, TX (wherever THAT is) for the Mud Nationals. All I really know is it's a big thing where he'll ride his 4-wheeler and break in those new tires he bought about a month ago. I just made sure he packed his Singulair and inhaler, and I cleaned off the memory card of my old digital camera. So I can rest assured he'll be able to breathe and take photos. ; ) And he'll be home sometime Sunday. We'll miss him, but I'm going to be busy with last minute preparations for my sister's bridal shower. I'm leaving work at lunchtime Friday and heading up to my parent's house for the weekend. My Mom is so excited that Ashleigh will be there so long. I'm sure my Daddy is too, but you know men just don't usually show excitement like women. Spending the night away from home is a hassle because it throws our whole routine off, but that's OK. Ashleigh needs time with my side of the family (I do to!).

The "diet thing" is going quite well. Since I have crappy scales (that will be replaced with digital ones this weekend I hope) I don't know how much I've lost exactly, but I have dropped a few pounds, I think. I'm doing Weight Watchers (again--just following the plan, not going to meetings) and it's so easy to get back into the groove that it's impossible to remember why I ever stop and gain weight again. I've been working out every day too! I'd love to win the money, but losing weight and feeling better about myself is really the only prize I need.

Ashleigh is growing up too fast! She just learns new things and gets cuter and sweeter every day. It seems that way. I actually cried a little when I left her this morning. Not just because she was crying and screaming "No Mama!" when I started to leave. It just really hit me that this complete dependence she has in me; the belief that I can right all wrongs and make all hurts vanish will be gone before I know it. Sometimes it can be a little irritating when I can't have 5 seconds of peace when she's awake because she wants me playing with her constantly; but I know I'll be devastated when these times are gone. OK. Enough of that!!!

Hmmm.....I've thought of all sorts of odd & end things through the week to write about, but now I can't think of anything! Oh well, guess that means it's time to sign off!

Getting In Gear

Well, wish me luck!

I am:
::Starting a healthier lifestyle today
::Starting to take care of myself so I can be the Mom/Wife/Friend/Person I need to be
::Being positive that I CAN and WILL do this.
::Stopping "trying" and starting "doing"
::Going to exercise at least 5 days a week, preferably 7

Bet you're wondering what's inspired me today, of all days. Well, I'll be honest. It's competition with some money for the prize.
Several of us at work (12, I think) began a weight loss "competition" today. Everyone chips in $10 and at the end of the month, whoever has lost the most weight wins all the money. My sister's wedding in 2 months also serves as motivation. I don't want people to think she chose an elephant for the matron of honor! Not that I'll be anywhere near my goal weight in 2 months, but I can look quite a bit thinner!

I've been playing at trying to be healthier with sporadic success since Ashleigh was born. But now with so many eyes watching and $120 at stake, it's ON!!! I'm so tired of not fitting in the majority of my clothes and feeling so uncomfortable in my own body that I don't want to leave the house.

I'll keep you updated. For real this time. I'm going to weigh in every Friday morning.

Have a great weekend! Mine will be busy with a wedding, (where I serve groom's cake-grrr....) completing some gift projects and cleaning my house. Joy oh joy...

Getting Caught Up

Why is it that if you miss a little sleep, it takes forever to get caught back up? I've gotten a decent night's sleep the past two nights-I even went to bed early last night and overslept this morning! And I think I'm even sleepier than yesterday...argh! Oh well, I'll feel well-rested again someday. It might take a few years, but I know it'll happen.

Things have been relatively quiet in the Taylor household, nothing much to report. Ashleigh learned to make a rooster noise on Monday and that is just priceless! Kenneth's getting ready to go on his trip to Texas at the end of the month and I'm making bridal shower preparations. Also need to get wedding invitations designed for my sister before she kills me!

Oh!!! Happy, happy, joy, joy-I'm getting my hair done tonight! I'm even more excited than usualy because I'm long overdue for a trim and root job. I had an appointment a couple of weeks ago, but Ashleigh's flu cancelled that out!

I did get Ashleigh's Easter dress yesterday...it's really cute (of course, why would I buy a dress I thought was ugly, LOL) I'll try to post a photo soon.

Oh, just a little note: those Biore Pore strips say just to use them on your nose, and I now know why-they don't work anywhere else. I tried cutting one in half to put in my chin and it didn't do anything but bother Ashleigh. She kept pointing at my chin saying uh-uh and ow!

Good Weekend

Well, we had a super-busy but fun weekend. My Mom came to our house Friday evening. Then she, Ashleigh and I headed out early Saturday morning for Columbia, MS, about 4 hours away. We met my sister's future in-laws, who are super nice, attended her bridal shower and went shopping. Got home Sunday evening totally exhausted, but it was worth it. Ashleigh has started drooling again-thought we were past that at 15 months, guess not! Not sleeping well either, joy of all joys. But that's OK. She's started pointing to cars and saying "Car! Vroom, vroom, vroom!" And she also likes to point out doors to us and flip light switches. So that makes the lost sleep worth it to me!!

Got a cool Photoshop action today, here are a few pictures I applied it to:



I think it's pretty neat for a change, anyway!

All Better

Well, we've made it through our first bout with the flu...I think. Kenneth and I still aren't feeling any symptoms (knock on wood) and Ashleigh was MUCH better today. She was happy and played and was pretty much back to normal. Saturday was a different story: she felt just a tad better, which meant she was the crankiest little individual I've ever encountered and that's saying something, trust me! I just consider it paying my "Mommy Dues." I mean, everything can't always be smiles and giggles, right?

Got a few small projects underway and one almost completed today. I even managed to squeeze in a couple of movies and some reading the past few days! But when you have a sick child that wants to be held and comforted, there isn't much else to do!

Oh well, off to get ready for another great week!

The Flu Sucks

Ashleigh has the flu. After days of sickness and battling high fever, I decided it was time to go to the doctor.

She now has a new pediatrician, and here's why:
After a night of not being able to get her fever under 103.5, I got to the pediatrician's office about 8:30. I was RUDELY told by one of the nurses that they only see appointments, no walk-ins. She'd see if they had an opening for the afternoon, but otherwise, I could go to the ER. WHAT?!?!? I really wanted to scream and curse, but I just said, "NO, I'll take her to another damn doctor!" and left. Grrrr.....so my next and LAST communication with them will be arranging for all her records to be sent to another pediatrician's office. I get angry every time I think about it.....

She was 15 months old Wednesday, here's the best pic from that:


Most of the photos from that evening have expressions more like this one below. But come on, she does have the FLU!


From last Sunday, this was her first 4-wheeler ride:



Kenneth was checking out the new camera, and the cat had to investigate and Kenneth got this funny shot:


Here are a couple of her playing outside Sunday afternoon. I know they won't win any photography awards, but I like them!



I hope her love of reading continues! Also love the new zoom--I was about 18 feet away when I snapped this:

Lovin' It!

Oh yeah....I think I love my camera. Haven't gotten to play with it too much or figure out many of the features, but I snapped these Friday night of Kenneth and Ashleigh with the continuous shooting mode:




We were shopping ALL DAY Saturday (left at 9:15, got home at 7:30) and my Mom came to visit Sunday. Little sad that Daddy didn't come, but that's OK. Ashleigh got a new carseat and Kenneth and I got a few things as well. Felt kinda crappy on Sunday, but still had a wonderful weekend overall!

Hope everyone else did too...

The Good and The Bad

I'll try to actually write something later, but for now, here are a couple of photos of Ashleigh. One being super cute in her little bunny "thug" hat she loves to play with, and one that shows her temper in full force. I have photos of my layouts I've recently done, will try to post soon!



If I don't get to post again soon, I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!! We've got a little shopping planned, hopefully dinner with some friends, and my camera is supposed to arrive TODAY!!! (It left Memphis at 2am today...LOL...gotta love UPS tracking!)

Long time, no blog

Just haven't been in the mood to write, I suppose. The hell that was our special section ended last week, so things might get back to normal, whatever that is...

Nothing too exciting going on the the Taylor world...
::My camera is due to be delivered Friday by UPS, that IS exciting, actually...
::Dentist appointment for some long-overdue fillings next Wednesday, BLAH!
::Dreading getting our checkbook/finances in order MUCH MORE than the dentist
::Ashleigh just gets cuter and sweeter every day
::Kenneth is still a good husband

OH! I do have one little funny story:
Monday night, I decided to try converting Ashleigh's crib to a toddler bed; just to see how she'd do with it. Other babies her age in my family have made the switch, so I figured why not? WELL...she was all excited about being able to crawl in and out of her bed. I still thought it was a little high (chest high on her) so I put a body pillow in the floor next to it. After putting her to bed, I added some more pillows because the over-protective neurotic mommy part of me was sure that even with the body pillow, she might fall out of the bed in such a way that her neck might snap. So now there was basically a pillow ramp leading up to her mattress. Fastforward to 12:15: I hear wimpering and whining over the baby monitor. I thought I'd go check because of the bed situation. I go in, she's not in the bed. She's actually nowhere NEAR the bed, She's over half-way across the room, on her belly, butt up in the air. And she's whining because she's trying to scoot forward and can't because a piece of furniture is in her way! Obviously, my pillows worked, because she never even knew she was out of her bed! The rail was back on her bed before bedtime Tuesday....