Quick update

As of this morning, I am down 44 pounds since January 10th. So that is about 2 pounds a weeks over the last 22 weeks. Go me!.

Renovations, vacations and other such nonsense

So the other nonsense first.

I have taken 2 minutes off of my 5K run time and actually added distance. So instead of 34 minutes to do 3.1 miles, I can get up to 3.25 miles in 32 minutes and I can easily get that in over my lunch hour. So, I'm pretty stoked about that. I can also report that I am now down 43 pounds. So I'm on tract to be down about 80 pounds by my birthday in December. Awesome.

Now, renovations. So, 2 months ago we discovered water in our bedroom. Yes, water. Lovely when it is in the bathroom and more specifically, in the shower. But in the bedroom, not so much. Especially when it is running under a wall and soaking the carpet. Well, the shower pan cracked and that was the cause of the problems. So since then we have all been using the hall bath (aka the kids bathroom). Now here we are this week we are in the middle of the below scene:
Yes, that is tile you see on the ceiling. More to come after they finish that later tomorrow. So by next week after it is all grouted and sealed, we can have our bathroom back.

Now the cruel irony. We bought this house after it had been redone and all we had to do was move in. Yeah, now. Not so much. Tonight...we are standing in the master bathroom looking at the in-progress renovation/repair of our shower and decide with the new tile going in the wallpaper has to go, the floor in the bathroom really needs redone to match the new shower, and then, and then, and then. So we will see what we do next when we have the money to do so.
Oh my, this is the beginning of the end. Just shoot me now cause here we go.

So vacations. Vacations are nice. And so is this place: Great Wolf Lodge. Here is the outside:

This is is just the lobby: This place was just incredible, from the lobby to the water park to all of the details they take care of.

The room...

We had the Kid Kamp Suite and the kids had their own "camp" in the room. They slept in bunk beds in their "camp", had a little window, their own TV. one of the funnier things about the trip...throughout the day, at dinner, etc., you would hear the staff start a wolf howl, kind of like the wave in a crowd. One would start it and it would go all over the lobby, water park, etc. Our kids picked up on it and when they heard the wolf howl, they would howl. Reid's howl just too cute. In the end, the kids were beyond over the mood. More like over Saturn.

The Grapevine location had an 80,000 sq. foot water park (inside) and another water park area outside, something like nine water slides, a small kids area, a wave pool, a lazy river, hot tubs, a huge three-story water fort, and several other play pools. With our one night reservation, we were able to play in the water park for two days.They also had an arcade, restaurants (the spinach artichoke dip was to die for), an adult spa, a kids spa, and a thing called MagiQuest. You buy a wand for like 10 bucks and then go all over the hotel looking for clues to the Quest. There are pictures, treasures chests and crystals spread out throughout the hotel and when a kid would point their wand, the picture/chest/crystal would light up and give the next clue. We didn't have time to do it, but it was really, really cool.

That is about it for now.

I'm 40. 4-0, fourty, 4ty

So, alot has happened since my last post. Get ready this will be long.

The biggest news is that I am officially down 40 pounds. Actually 41.5 pounds since January 10. That is about 2 pounds a week. Pictures will come later of before/current.

So my idea to run the Tulsa Run as changed somewhat. At the first of May, the Wellness-Fitness Services at my work sponsored a 5K run. So after enough people asking me if I was going to run it, I succummed to the peer pressure and registered for it. I ran it in 34 minutes. My overall goal is to be able to it in 30 minutes so I was pleased. I wished Heather and the kids would have come to it seeing how it was my first one. But earlier in the week Heather had said that while I did that the would hold down the beds. So I didn't push it but the irony was that as soon as I started to back out of the garage, everyone was up. So Heather thought about coming to it, but didn't know where it started and I didn't have my phone with me for her to call. Oh well. OK, back to Tulsa Run. There are just a lot of people that run that race. But the same month there is a run sponsored by the Tulsa Zoo. Less people and flatter ground so that is more my pace.

So the pains that I was having for the diverticulitis went away but then came back. So I got to have a colonoscopy about a month ago. You know that it is not a good thing when the doctor comes back and tells you that you are only the second case he has seen in his career in a patient under 40. How special for me. You know how a child draws Christmas lights on a house when they are drawing? Yes? Good. Take that and put it around both sides of my large intestinge and that is what his drawing looked like. Turns out, I have diverticulums (weaknesses) all along the whole run of my large intestine. He basically said that it was a genetic issue and that even if I had managed to eat worse than then typical American diet, this would not have occurred.

Jackson as started baseball. Jackson has gotten really good this year. The other night he hit a triple and also scored once and was on base 2 times of of three at-bats.
Jackson has also taken off the training wheels from his bike. He is doing awesome with that.


Last week Heather and I celebrated our 11th anniversary. Hard to believe that it has been that long. So we took the day off on Friday the 16th (anniversary is on the 17th) and went to Tulsa. We bought the kids some clothes, me some shoes and a new case for my iPhone, and some clothes for Heather. Then on Saturday morning, we drove over to Arkansas City, KS to go see Heather A, Price, and Emmerson. She is cute. We went out to eat and for what ever reason, Price had a melt down. I mean huge like I have never seen from him. So we brought Heather and Price their dinner because Heather decided that they needed to leave. Emmerson slept through the whole thing.

Really, the only other things are that we are going on vacation this week (Yea!). I haven't taken a whole week off since August and I can tell I'm burnt. Running to Dallas to watch Jonathan graduate and play at Great Wolf in Grapevine. We (OK, I) also bought Wii Fit. If you have not heard about it, it is an add on device and game that you use with your Nintendo Wii to work on strength and balance activities. Basically, it is a way to get people off of the couch and not realize that they are "working out". It has been pretty fun but it can be difficult.

See you all later!

Further reason to continue...

So I am putting this out there so that I am accountable. I have made a goal to run in the Tulsa Run. Don't go overboard and think that I am going for the 15k course. Not gonna happen. Not this year (or maybe never). I'm thinking the 5k. We'll see how it goes.

I have had a couple of set backs lately.

3 weeks ago I couldn't walk really well. Turns out that I somehow irritated my Achilles tendon. So 4 ibuprofen 3 times a day and a week later. Things are better but I am really going to have to watch it and really stretch it.

Then lets back up to Sunday. Woke up not felling well but went about my business. The rest of the day my gut just didn't feel good. Like it was irritated and inflamed. So I stayed home yesterday and could not get into the doctor so I went to the walk-in clinic.  Because of the type of pain and where it was located and the fever, they sent me to the ER.

So at the ER, they drew blood and examined a urine sample. The doctor came back thinking that it could be a kidney stone but the symptoms are not usual. He was open to doing a CT if I wanted to. I went ahead and did it. Something told me to go ahead. So he set it up. 30 minutes or so later and he came back in and said that it was not a kidney stone. Diverticulitis was my issue. OK...what?!?!?! You mean that thing that Heather's 93-year old grandmother has. That thing that you hear of people over 50 get. Heather tried not to laugh but she failed. 

So I was prescribed 500 mg Cipro, 5 mg Lortab, and 500 mg Flagyl (another antibiotic). So I stayed home again today. I will probably go into the office today for a meeting and then come back home.

OK, so I cannot give Robin any grief about posting

So, it has been longer than I thought since I posted. Lots going on: Heather's travels, kids swimming lessons, dealing with training new hires and the rest of my department. And of course toys.

Heather turned around and bought me a silver Nano. And I like it more than I thought I would. The smaller capacity makes me change up my music more often which is good for my runs. But now, let me introduce the newest member.

Isn't the box just pretty?

Hel-lo. Can we say crave-worthy? Do I like it? Yes. Do I like it more than a Blackberry (my other option)? Yes and no, actually. I love the way it works. It is just simple. I find that I probably will only use the iPod function when I take a break and am walking outside or the tunnels at work or when waiting at the doctors office. When I am out on a run, I will still either use the Nano or shuffle.

About the runs. I have taken up running again to help set patterns for my self and the kids as I reclaim my closet. I have actually gotten back to running a 12-minute mile. So I can get 2 - 2.5 miles in just over a 1/2-hour jaunt. I drove a path that I recently ran through our neighborhood and it was just under 2.5 miles and I ran it in just about 35 minutes (those darn hills). So go me!

So at church we are starting a discipleship program call "The Way of the Master." I have to tell you, we had the introduction last week and I think this is going to be really good. So Thursday night as Reid and I were driving home from swimming lessons, I was listening to American Family Radio. At 7 PM there is a radio program that is call Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah and the topic was Courage When Fear Dominates You. I didn't hear the first part but am going to go back and do so. But what I heard was very interesting. He was talking about how when you are putting your fears ahead of trusting that God has your back you are actually engaging in idolatry. That was really interesting and I intend to go back and listen to the two sessions. Very very interesting perspective. Let me know your thoughts after listening.

So I am reclaiming my closet...

Sometime shortly after my birthday I decided that I have finally had it. I Had been saying that I am not going to be 40 and be this heavy; 256 to be exact (I can admit it). Then I realized that is 5 years to cop out which really means that it would never happen. I then changed to I will not be 36 and continue. Short term meant big motivitation.

So back in January, I signed up for WeightWatchers online. As of Friday (2/15) I was down to 243--15 pounds and 5 weeks--and can wear my 42-waist pants again. There are a few pairs that need a couple more pounds to be comfortable. But still progress is there.

In other news, Heather has been travelling to D.C. for her new job which has left me with extra time with the kiddos. During this time, Reid started going to bed with out me having to sit next to her bed for an hour and fight her to go to sleep. Heather A. can appriciate what we were dealing with since she witnessed it first hands several times. But for Heather's Valentine's Day present, I gave it to her before she left. Wanna know what it was? Do ya?

Yes, an iPod Nano. And yes, it is pink. This version of the Nano can play videos so I also bought the movie "What Women Want" for her to watch on the airplane without having to get out her laptop. She in turn, got me a silver one. So that makes a total of 6: my 20 Gig iPod (earlier than what is pictured), Heather's blue mini which is now Jackson's, Jackson's silver and my purple Shuffle, and then the 2 Nano's. OK so we like our iPods. But my purple Shuffle may have to go back to the Apple Store again because it either won't stay connected to iTunes or won't eject and this time I'm gonna ask to have it replaced. I want the red one but my credit card rewards did not have those.

My job at work is taking some interesting turns and so I have to make a few decisions on what to do because of a few other things that look like they could take place. More to come on that. But this week I will be starting training sessions that are 3 full days this week and a day-and-a-half next. But it was almost $900; sure hope it is worth it since it was charged to my department.

Other than that, not much is happening.

I'm a winner!

Oh, but I am. See what showed up on my walkway Tuesday?

I was reading Renee Pearson's blog (she wrote this and this) and she was doing a Twelve Days of the Season Giveaway of things out of her scrapbook studio. Well she gets to Day 12. I think how cool would that be. That's $150 I would not have to spend (unless I move to an iMac sooner that anticipated then I'd be buying the Mac version). So I post a comment. Late the next day I was looking at her blog again and she had posted the winner. Needless to say, I was stoked. I'm sure Renee was given this by Adobe, but who am I to complain. It is a sealed box; not like she installed in and then decided to give it away. BRAND NEW. Why is this cool? Because for those that don't know, I do dabble with the digital side of scrapbook pages and other things (cards, etc.; the card example is the Christmas card that we never got out this year)

I also have had my 2007 performance review (supervisors have to get them done before January 31). Things went well and my review was better than I expected. Next month our potential bonus is announced, and because of my review, and whatever the outcome is I will have an additional 20% added. Nice. Then they just allocated stock to employees who participate in a savings plan and they matched $15.90 in stock for every dollar I contributed. Nicer. So a banner week. For those that know of me through Heather A and my wife Heather C. may not know that I work for ConocoPhillips. That's right; I work for Big Oil and no I don't get a discount on my gas. You can see my bill for the months of October through December with all the trips to Winfield (see the wife's blog for the ugly details) as proof.

Speaking of Winfield. So we were there just after Christmas (Dec 29and 30) to do the Christmas thing with Heather's grandma and Dad. Ever since Gary really became ill, I have watched Heather struggle with doing what she and her brother believe is right and the his girlfriend doing whatever she pleases despite Heather and Kemper's requests. The move was awful because of her. I had the idea to take a day off and drive up there to have a talk with Gary and the girlfriend about the current state of affairs. Didn't but thought about it. Well, Gary and I went to get dinner Saturday night. So we are talking and on the way back he makes a comment and I the opportunity to say something go. He says something else. I let it go again. Well, those who know me know that I cannot leave a third opportunity alone. So I simply tell Gary my side of what I see going on and how I be live this is affecting Heather and I am not going to let the girlfriend mistreat Heather and her authority with Kemper. I wasn't nasty, just honest. I think he was surprised about a couple of things because he really didn't know about what happened in the background when he moved. I later started a conversation with Heather of "Don't be mad" (probably was not the smartest move but oh well) telling her what happened in the car. I apologised and say I know it was not my business but I wasn't going to stand by and let her be mistreated. I think Heather was on one hand kind of mad at me but she said that she was glad I did because I don't think it was a conversation the she could have with Gary easily. But she told me not to expect much to change. Well, from what I can tell, I think the things that Gary can control, things are better. So, if she was a little mad I think it was worth it.

So, that is the current state at our house.

You Are Kermit

Hi, ho! Lovable and friendly, you get along well with everyone you know. You're a big thinker, and sometimes you over think life's problems. Don't worry - everyone know's it's not easy being green. Just remember, time's fun when you're having flies!

The Muppet Personality Test

Total rant...

Why is it that people find it totally OK to clip their fingernails at work? I mean, It is one thing if your tear off part of a nail and have to trim the rest off. I understant that, but all ten fingers?

For the love of Pete! There are other places to do such a thing! It doesn't even bother me so much at home. But the thought of someone else's DNS flying about the air near my desk with their dirt on it just sends me over the edge. It's not like they vacuum these offices (if they do, i can't tell).

The funny thing about this is that at my last job, there was someone else that did that and it totally drove me nuts then, too.

OK. Rant over

So what we have been up to this weekend?

We have been busy little bees this weekend. We have spread out decorating the house over 2 weekends. So here is what happened last weekend:

So we set up the tree in the den and the moved on to the mantle hanging our Pottery Barn stockings. Then moved on to set up out "forest" in the dining room (just need some "snow" to complete it).

On our tree this year (and last), we bought a bunch of Making Memories frames and plaques (with a Christmas Tree shape) and we printed pictures from the year and put them on the frames. Finished the tree out with red ornament balls and red beaded garland. See the close ups:

In other fun, we drove down to Tulsa to go to Rhema Bible College to see all of the Christmas lights. Reid was beside herself. There is just a lot to walk around and see. Here are a few:

The lights to this bridgeway are timed and change with music.

So today we put up lights on the house. We promised Jackson that we would this year since we ran out of time last year. He was itching to help. Then he decided that playing in the leaves would be more fun than helping Dad with the lights (since he couldn't get the lights clipped on).

So, that is what we have done. Any one else?