Zumba!!!

Fun fun fun! I somehow got thrown in to leading a Zumba class for my church last summer thanks to Facebook & a misunderstanding. It was one of the best accidents of my life. 

It happened at just the right time when I had only been in my new diet plan for only a few weeks. One of my leaders from when I was a youth contacted me as she thought I was an instructor. Several years before I posted in Facebook several times when I was taking a Zumba class that a friend was teaching at our church. I had never taught or lead a class and had not even done Zumba in a couple years so I redirected my old youth leader. But something nagged at me. 

I kept thinking about how fun it would be to actually teach a class! I grew up taking dance classes for 12 years. Tap, jazz & ballet were my loves & when I was young my dream was to be a dance instructor. I had so much fun taking Zumba but never really thought about teaching it until it was presented to me. I searched Zumba dances on youtube & found ones that I liked. I thought I could at least learn enough to teach one class! So I asked my former youth leader if she had found anyone yet to teach her one time class. She had not. I told her I would go ahead & do it. I was so nervous!!! It was a hit though! All the ladies loved it and it inspired me to reach out & get a weekly class up & running. I have since put together 10 dances that we enjoy doing each week. 

My goal is to get certified and become a paid instructor. What's better than having fun, staying fit AND getting paid for it? Nothing. 

Gbaby

Yes...I am a "Mimi". Mr. Timothy Brian made me a gmom June 1st, 2013. Although I was not ready to be a grand mom quite yet, he is the bestest little guy ever and the best thing to happen to his mommy. 

He is definitely one loved baby & he is very loving in return. He has stolen all of our hearts & made the stress of life bearable. Seeing my daughter turn into this wonderful nurturing loving mother has been beyond amazing for me. She gave us a run for our money as a teen & becoming a young mom was another worry. She has stepped up to the plate though & is coming into her own. 

She has been working as an assistant groomer for almost a year now at Petco & is starting training soon to become a full fledged dog groomer. She works very hard & is good at what she does. She even does things above & beyond helping her coworkers out without expecting anything in return or shared tips. They all love here there. 

I have been watching Timmy while Corinne is at work during the week. His other grandparents have him on weekends. He certainly loves making messes but is the smartest darn kid ever. It's amazing how from day to day he says or does something new. Today he had fun drawing on paper, stacking cans, playing in his tent/ballpit & shooting hoops while counting to 10. He's not even 2 yet! 

Oh yeah and he already loves peeing on the potty. Lil stinker!!!!

Healthy living transformation with medifast & tsfl

Hmmmm might be time to start blogging again. I'll start with my biggest accomplishment since last August (my last post). For those who follow me on Facebook, Twitter & especially Instagram you already know I've been on a quest to lose weight & get healthy. I've lost 40 pounds & have gone from a size 16 to a size 4. What???? I seriously can't remember the last time I was a 4. Maybe college. Time to tone now. My skin, especially around my belly is lose & flabby. It will need time to shrink. I'm not looking for perfection all at once but am enjoying this journey & transformation. 

          Size 16.                    Size 4.

Monthly progress from August 2014-February 2015. 

I've been using medifast food and eating a low carb "lean & green" meal once a day. Take Shape For Life also provided me with a health coach, online group support & materials to learn how to adjust my lifestyle to incorporate habits of health for a lifetime. I have learned so many new things through this program & know this is something that will stick. Finally!! 

More blogging tomorrow. One topic at a time for now...

Wish You Well/All I Was

http://youtu.be/GMnHvY_wCtQ

Just yes...

Picture Perfect~FotoFriday: Contrast

FOTOFRIDAY:Contrast

Assateague Island, Maryland/Virginia

Following up my post when i was on the boat, we went out the second day and just south of Ocean City, Maryland is Assateague Island, where the wild ponies swim across the Chincoteague every year.

http://www.assateagueisland.com/ponyswim/ponyswim.htm

I've lived here all my life and spend 2 weeks in OC every summer but have NEVER been to Assateauge before. It was such a treat to finally see the ponies and take some pictures!

This view is the northern part of Assateauge with Ocean City in the background

a day on the water

FROM MY PHONE:

Took the younger boys to my mom's. She's to  keep them for a few weeks. They're all very excited as she was never able to do this with them when my dad was alive. She lots of fun plans to do with them. After dropping them off I headed out for my own fun!

Ahhhhh....it's nice to have good friends. 

BONUS when your good friends have a beach house and pontoon boat! 

We headed out from southern Delaware, just north of Ocean City Maryland. 

 Up Assawoman Bay... 

Through Assawoman Bay canal....sooooo beautiful

 luckily I didn't manage to ground us

 but the captain (my friend's hubby) must've got nervous, so I just kicked back to enjoy the nice breeze and awesome view.

we stopped in Lewes, Delaware for some Irish grub

 where I was enamored with their chairs

after lunch I made the captain snap a shot of me & his lady

we got rained on just a little but but made it home just in time before it poured with lots of thunder...gotta love summer!

Time to start blogging from blogger!

 Tonight was a lot of fun DESPITE the really really REALLY bad restaurant we ended up at tonight. We have a monthly ladies dinner on the 3rd Monday of each month. We've been doing this for two years and have been to a different restaurant each month, so I guess one completely horrible experience in the last two years isn't too bad. But have to say this was the WORST place I've ever been too.

Lemongrass Too in Annapolis Maryland.
Poor Janie (second from left sitting) couldn't even eat hers...smelled like dog food.

so we ended up going to McDonalds afterward! LOL

What was so bad about it? Well, not only was the food not great (Janie's was the worst but none of us really enjoyed our dishes) but the service was beyond bad. It took an hour for us to get our food, and then they got two of our orders wrong and mine must not have even been ordered because they didn't bring mine out until the others were half done eating theirs! Then after they finally brought us our food the waiter never came back to check on us. My dish was extra spicy hot and I needed more water. I actually had to stop eating because I was sweating so bad and was turning all shades of red. My lips were going numb! I finally had to yell across the room to another waiter because I was so uncomfortable...and I love spicy food! He came back with a pitcher of water and soda for the others but never offered an apology. When we went to pay the girl at the register apologized because she was new (so was our original waiter) so the same waiter that brought us our drinks had to take care of our money too. Worst. Experience. Ever.

Oh well. Good Company. We still managed to have fun. :)

Edna...til we meet again <3

(April 4, 2012)

transfered from Multiply blog

To: “His Mother”

“Mother-in-law” they say, and yet,

Somehow I simply can’t forget

‘Twas you who watched his baby ways,

Who taught him his first hymn of praise,

Who smiled on him with loving pride

When he first toddled by your side;

And as I think of this today,

Methinks I would much rather say, just “Mother.”

“Mother-in-law,” but oh, ‘twas you

Who taught him to be kind and true;

When he was tired, almost asleep,

‘Twas to your arms he used to creep;

And when he’d bruised his tiny knee,

‘Twas you who kissed it tenderly

When he was sad you cheered him, too,

And so I’d rather speak of you as “Mother.”

“Mother-in-law” they say, and yet,

Somehow I never shall forget

How very much I owe

Because you taught him how to grow;

You trained your son to look above;

You made of him the man I love,

And so I think of that today –

Ah! With thankful heart I’ll say,

“Our Mother.”

Author Unknown

saying goodbye to grandma

Veterans Cemetery Crownsville, MD.

Edna's boys...she returned home with her baby girl

bells & flags at the cemetery chapel

small flower arrangements & plants

roses taken from the grave in remembrance

larger flower arrangements on top of grave

planted from arrangements given!

cover on funeral program

LDS Logan Utah temple where Edna & Norman were married

SO EXCITED MY BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER IS HOME!

(October 7, 2011)

transfered from Multiply blog

Met my mom on the other side of the Bay Bridge and confiscated my daughter after school today.

Her Ray Ray was VERY happy to see her too. And EXCELLENT NEWS....he is getting better! Slow progress, but he is beginning to be able to balance up on his hind legs, walk a little on the carpet where he has friction and went potty all by himself for the first time today since last Sunday!!!

After the boys Tae Kwon Do lessons tonight we headed over to our Friday night hang out, Sakura, for some sushi by Simon. Yes, That's Simon working behind the counter, he is our personal friend and best sushi maker in the world. ;)

It was a busy night so only the kids could sit by Simon. Brian and I were behind them at a table with friends of ours who showed up right after we got there. Yay for sushi with friends! A nice surprise.