Don't wear black at night...unless you're a ninja

My 5 year old niece, Maya, spent the night with mom Saturday night.  In the morning, before church, Maya asked mom to take her home to change her clothes before church.

Maya: Nanny, I need to go home to change.

Nanny: you can wear the outfit you have on; you only wore it for a few minutes last night.

Maya:  No nanny!  I have on black pants and a black shirt.  If I go out like this I will be hit by a car!

I assume they have covered bike safety in kindergarten recently (ex. Don't wear dark clothing when being or walking at night).  Glad to know Maya pays attention in school.  Too bad she doesn't realize You don't have to worry about being seen in the daylight.

conversation

Wife: Good morning honey
Husband: You look sick
Wife: Well, I feel great.
Husband: oh.  I guess you just need to put on your face then...sorry
Wife: *silent, deadly stare*
Husband: leaves for work with tail between his legs

*for reference: my grandmother always said, "I need to put on my face", when she was about to put her makeup on.

over heard

Nick: In first block I have AP Government.
          In second block I have English.
          For third block I work in the guidance office.
          Last I go to CTE.
Ben: So what do you do during third block?
Nick: Walk around school and look for a place to poop.

good grief.

Miss you sweet friend

We lost our Shortman right before Christmas.  He was a constant companion for me and the family for the past twelve years.  I still look for him when coming home and have even imagined his jingling dog tags a few times. 

It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life....

and I'm feeling good.

Love that song by Nina Simone.  Kind of feel like it's my theme song. 
I made the decision to lose weight in 2012.
People ask, what motivated you to do this? 
I don't really know.  Can't pin down a "moment of clarity" or anything like that.
I was tired of being fat.  Period.
Sick of feeling like crap, looking like crap and (in my own head) being crap.
If you have never been obese, you don't understand the self hatred that goes on inside your mind.
You've heard smiling on the outside, crying on the inside.  It's true, it happens, it sucks.
Here's to a New Year and a new me (who is still a work in progress)!

Before 235 pounds                                                                                                                                                                           

 

After 161 (still 24 pounds to go)

When the first baby laughed for the first time, the laugh broke into a thousand pieces and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies. And now when every new baby is born its first laugh becomes a fairy."

Sophia Grace Green
8 pounds 12 ounces
21 inches long

 

getting antsy

Lauren is now 6 days past her due date.
I want to hold my grand kid!
I'm taking Lauren to the Y with me today and putting her on the treadmill till I see I head poking out.

Oooo, Oooo, I'm halfway there. Oooo, Oooo, living on a prayer (sung Bon Jovi style)

Down Fifty pounds!
Started this journey on May 10th 2012 and hoping to be down 100 pounds by May 10th 2013.

I prayed in school. I'm such a law breaker.

God definitely puts people in your path for a reason. Once the Holy Spirit is inside you, you become a tool that God can use. With this willing heart, compassion will flow. This is God's living water. It says in Galatians,"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."  Everything is done for the Glory of God. "Give and it shall be given unto you", is what Jesus told us. So lend a helping hand to someone in need because you never know when that person in need might be yourself.

I was volunteering at Ben's school this morning and ran into someone Chris and I have known for a few years.  We coached one of this woman's children in soccer and have also seen her every now and then at an upward event.  She is a little "off", but sweet and well intentioned.  She was rushing from the office, having dropped off her child after the tardy bell.  I stepped away from my table and greeted her and noticed her tear stained face.  She exclaimed (loudly), thank God...a Christian!  Will you please pray for me!   Ummmm....okay.  Those who know me, know I do not feel comfortable praying out loud.  But...when the Spirit moves, you do NOT turn the other way.  I pulled her to one of the benches, out if the flow of traffic and we talked for a few minutes.  I got the low down on her hurts and frustrations and then I took her hands and prayed.  Out loud.  In front of people.  In public school.  Go Jesus.  She left with such peace in her heart (her words) and I am thankful to have been used by Him.  

Chris said we wouldn't babysit till Vin could say, "I want to go see Chris".

We babysat for Vin last week, while Katy and Mike went to dinner solo.
He was here for about 3 hours and we had some fun.
Watched about 4 episodes of a show called bubble guppies, ate snacks (lots of snacks) and Chris taught him to say "my mommy is a booger head".
It was the perfect evening.

What is a home without children? Quiet. ~Henny Youngman

can you hear me now?

The other day Chris says, "hey, did I mention that I went to Patient First last week, cause I couldn't hear out of one ear?"  I told him that he had for got to mention it to me (knucklehead).  I was freaked out instantly.  Loss of hearing, could not be a good thing.  I sat down, wide eyed, as he began his recollections of the events preceding  and following his sensory deficiency.
He was at the park, doing his daily run.  Everything was fine and dandy until he finished up.  He headed for the car and all of a sudden his hearing went.  He was shaken by this, which I know to be true, cause he headed straight for the doctors office.  He hates the doctor, so this must have had him a little scared.  He checked in with the receptionist, telling her what brought him there, then sat and waited to be called.  He still couldn't hear out of his right ear, and it had now been thirty minutes, something was definitely wrong.  He reached up and began to touch, rub, poke his ear.  That's when he felt it.  Something was in his ear.  What?! 
When walking back to his car at the park, he had pulled off his ipod and earphones....leaving the little ear bud cover stuck in his ear. 
LAUGH OUT LOUD!!!
He removed it and viola, hearing restored.
He calmly walked over to the receptionist and told her he had to leave, not telling her what had transpired. 
I love when things like this happen to my hubby.  Cause he is darn near perfect, at least in my eyes, so this helps me feel a little better about myself.

ODU Football

We are week three into the ODU football season. 
The team is undefeated and we have had a blast tailgating and screaming for the Monarchs.
Nick has had to work a few times, so we took Scott for one of the games, Joe for another and Kristian for this past weeks.
I can't believe I went all of last season without attending.  I have had so much fun with the fellas and now don't feel like I am a step away from a heart attack when we have to walk a mile from the lot to the stadium.  The benefits of dropping a few pounds.

Season twenty

I counted up all the soccer seasons Ben has played in and this is season twenty.  That is counting fall, spring and a few indoor seasons.  Wow.  We have watched a lot of games, done a lot of screaming (less so in the more recent years), bought a truck load of Gatorade and blown through over twenty pair of cleats. 

five years...where have they gone?

“Pleasure is the flower that passes; remembrance, the lasting perfume”

 

baby shower

Our church book club, hosted a baby shower for Lauren this weekend.  There were over forty women in attendance to encourage Lauren and prepare for Sophia's arrival with gifts, both practical and adorable.  She was surrounded by family, school friends and church ladies who have known, taught and loved Lauren for all of her years.  What a blessing!

questions and comments heard in the Green vacation house

I love you more than anyone on the planet...and I have wanted to hit you with a pool stick about ten times this week.

Did you see the lamp move?!
Do you think it was a ghost?

Mom, the sea water healed your skanky lip.

Why can't he just poop in one place, like a normal dog?

Nick broke the catapult!

The oj is gone!?  But I just bought it thirty minutes ago!

I got up this morning and all the furniture was rearranged.

I want a blue bird tattoo on my shoulder.

How you gonna fit your 6 ft. 8 inch self into a tiny gocart?

That's why I don't need to go to a comedy club.  I got the show right here.

Hey nanny, do you know the navy?

I guess Mitt got the looks in the family.

I bet the three of you haven't touched a toothbrush all week.

Mmmm girl, you could roast a marshmallow on that!

You follow Colin Cowherd on twitter?
I just fell in love with you even more.

Toes in the sand

Had a great vacation to the Outer Banks this year.  The consensus was that it was the best year ever...and I agree.  We got a huge house and took everybody (except Katy and her youngest children) with us, for the entire week.  Chris joked with friends that its not a real vacation...he was packing up everything and everyone in his life and just relocating them.  lol.
We found a new favorite place to eat, called Fireflys.  Best eatery in the obx...by far.  Everyone was impressed.  The collards were amazing and many of the others raved about the lobster/macaroni and cheese.  Yummy.
We also went to the much raved about Duck Donuts, for the first time.  My goodness...that is the best donut I have ever had.  Yes, I who is the Krispy Kreme Queen, loved D.D. more.  Wow.  Probably 1,000 calories each, but well worth it.
But I must say, the best dining experience of the week, was the homemade pizzas Nick whipped up.  I brought several dough balls (white and wheat) and he made four pies.  Chicken, pepperoni, salami and mozzarella with tomato sauce.  Pepperoni and salami with sauce and cheese.  Pesto, sliced tomatoes, mozzarella and parm.  Mozzarella, fresh spinach, feta and olive oil (my fav.).  Ridiculously good.  Katy and Kaden were able to come down at the end of the week, for a girls weekend.  The boys left Friday night, so as not to miss ODU tailgating and football on Saturday.  We had a good time (and it was a lot more quiet) shopping and taking pictures on the pier.  Can't wait to return next year!

I think I see a lot of law breakers in the house tonight.

Katy and I went to see Magic Mike recently.
Um, yea.
Only thing I will say about that is, during the movie she turned to me (open mouthed and wide eyed) and murmured, "are their places like this around here?" 
bwahahahahahah!

questions and comments heard in the green house

The instant replay looks like a Good Times painting.
What?
A painting done by J.J. Evans.

That is not fair.  So if someone loses their arms, could they get fins put on instead?
Yep, and I bet they could beat Michael Phelps with fin arms.

Nick and I get so mad when you leave the room.

Why do we have such messed up genes?

Can I get some Pepsi Max on the rocks?

I've saved people from drowning.

Does this dress make my butt look big?
Mmmm hmmm!
Um, that is not what I wanted to hear.
Oh...I meant, what butt?  I can't even tell which side is your front and which side is your back.

Thanks for making me have fun this weekend.

I'm 41 yrs old, and I still can't believe someone lets me do that.

That dress makes you have movie star boobs.

*goes to the stairs, to go to bed*
*finds a giant pile of dirty clothes have been tossed down and left for me*
*finds my ipad and makes a list of reasons not to go on strike*
1.  I love my husband
2.  I love my kids
3.  The mess would be even bigger once I returned.

Aww, he is writing on her wall again, and she has been dead for a while now.
Maybe she checks it?

If you can't keep my interest with vampire sex, then you ain't good no more.

what excercise gets rid of booty and not boob?

Can't wait till we leave for the outer Banks.  Need a change of scenery, preferably sandy and wet.
Ten days and counting!
Maya spent the night last night.  She begged, after Kaden and Kai each got to sleepover this week.
She ended up falling asleep on the couch around 11:00, after announcing moments before that she was staying up till 2:00am!
I made her, Nick and Ben, egg and sausage burritos and cereal for breakfast.  I ate an apple...gotta get bathing suit ready before vaca.
Actually, I am stuck for the past week at the same weight (down 38 pounds).  So frustrating.  I am thinking about getting a trainer.  Needing a little guidance on what to do to get different results.  I will call the y after vacation and see what is available.