Landscape using my zoom over 1/2 mile away.

MY NEW CAMERA

I spend a little time exploring photography with my new camera. I have had an interest in taking pictures for a long time. My problem.....I am the worst "picture taker" in the whole wide world! I was on a vacation years and years ago, back when camera's required film. We were on a cruise through the Panama Canal. A once in a lifetime trip.....So, I take pictures for an hour only to find out I had no film in my camera. Yup......

So this year I bought me a "fancy" camera. I am having so much fun, but have so much to learn. I have been mainly using the auto features of the camera, but I really want to learn how to use the manual settings. I read what I can and experiment often. Some of my pictures are immediately deleted. And some aren't half bad. My favorite pictures are of people, mainly my Grandchildren. I am looking forward to taking some great pics this summer. I will share soon.......

FAITH

I can do this......have faith. I keep telling myself this....over and over. What am I talking about? Well, lots of things, but mostly exercising. I hate it. Plain and simple. Always have and probably always will. But I have to do it. I do! I don't want to be a crippled up old lady someday. I've watched too many females in my family just sit down too early and paid for it later. Starting with my Great Grandma, my Grandma and now my Mother. I will NOT do that!! 


I ran into a little hiccup a couple of weeks ago. I was going strong with my Couch-to-5K Running Plan. Just ready to start week 3. Then a family "situation" put me in the doldrums. I lost all of my energy and momentum. So now I am trying to get back on track. Not easy. I basically had to start week 2 over again. But I will do it even if it kills me. I have to promise myself that....and have Faith.

Finally...meet my other 2 Grandkids

MEET KAYDEN & KYLA

THESE 2 CUTIES BELONG TO MY DAUGHER KASEY

Kayden is a special 5 year old boy. He truly is a joy to have around. He is kind hearted and probably the most polite little guy I've known. Thanks Mom for teaching him manners :) He just started pre-school a few weeks ago and loves riding the school bus. He is very smart and  eager to learn. He loves guns, star wars, video games and watching his "shows". His laugh is contagious and he always makes me smile!


Kyla Michelle was born last summer in July. She is my little chubbers. She is very laid back and likes to just "hang out". Right now at this point in her life, food is very important. She is a lot like her brother was at that age. Their personalities are very similar. But she looks just like her Daddy. Just amazing. I am looking forward for all the new adventures and changes to come as this sweet little baby becomes a toddler. 

I'm a Runner!

Well, not really. At least not yet. But I am going to give it a try. It's been brought to my attention that there is an online program designed to train you to run a 5K in 9 weeks. It's called The Couch-to-5K Running Plan. I just finished Week 1/Day 1. It's a 3 day a week schedule where you alternate between walking and running. It kinda scares me just due to the fact that I'm 52 and have never been a runner. Is that too old to start? I don't know, but here I go.................

Updates....

Time to update on my previous blogs and the goals I have set. 


#1 - I have been to work every day on time for about 3 weeks now. Well, except for two days where I got to work like 2 minutes early and stepped away from the time clock for just a split moment. I looked up and suddenly I was a click late. OMG...I was disgusted but I will still say I've been on time. In my mind, that doesn't count as late.


#2 - I have been doing pretty well with my new "healthier" lifestyle. I joined a website called "calorie counter" where you log your food and exercise daily. It keeps track of your calorie intake and output. It makes you more accountable and aware of what you eat. Very helpful. I don't go down to the basement everyday to use the treadmill and weights, but I try to do it several times a week. Most nights I have to drag my ass down to use it. I've always hated exercise but I have to get it through my thick skull that I have no other choice. I'm not getting younger and I will be very sorry in the years to come if I don't start taking better care of myself. 


#3 - Okay....my hubby doesn't like me spending so much time on the laptop. He says I am not spending time with him if I'm on the computer. So I will try to do a better job of dividing my time. It's hard sometimes to make everyone happy and yet still do the things you want to do. I will try.......

Getting Healthy (or Healthier)

I've been thinking (there I go again) a lot lately about my diet and exercise, or the lack thereof. It is on my mind everyday. But yet, getting enough ambition to start exercising and eating right is really hard to do. So I decided today is the day to start. I didn't decide to start today until I had eaten a somewhat unhealthy breakfast. I had an egg, wheat toast and 3 slices of bacon. So that didn't make me happy, but it got better from there. I went to the basement and walked on the treadmill and worked out a little on our Weider Fitness Machine. You know, that piece of equipment we just had to have, and all it's been doing is collecting dust. Not good. Anyway, I'm starting out slowly so I don't overdo it. I hope I can stick with it. I read today that if you do something for 28 days, it becomes habit. That will be my first goal. 28 days...I can do that! 

Time to meet my Grandkids

These two beautiful creatures are Madison and Sean. Madi is 9 years old and Sean recently turned 3.
They belong to my Son Kory and his wife Liz. The kids both resemble their Mother....in fact, Madi is her Mother's twin. Kinda freaky.


Madison is all girl. She loves school and really enjoys reading. Which I think is just fantastic. So unlike her Father, who was not a big fan of school. She can be really silly and laughs really loud. She is all about high-top tennis shoes and her beloved Lakewood coat. She enjoys family "get-togethers" so she can play with her cousins, and boss em' around a little too :) At times she is 9 going on 16, but she has a good and kind heart. She will be a scary teenager. Can't wait!


Sean is the typical 3 year old boy. He says the funniest stuff. A million laughs a minute. He likes trucks, tractors, guns and all that "boy" stuff. He loves to go "farming" with his Dad. He also likes camping and was so mad when his Dad had to put the 5th wheel away. He seriously could've lived in that thing. I just love his hugs and smiles. Such a joy!


Next time I will introduce Kayden and Kyla..........................

Frustration

     The world today is full of frustrations. Most of the situations that frustrate me are ones that I have no control over. Like when you have to depend on others to do their jobs, in order to help you with an issue or problem.
     As previously reported, I received my first laptop. We got it all hooked up and was working fantastic. Then I started getting a pop-up window telling me that I was using a counterfeit copy of Windows 7. Huh?? What the heck does that mean??  To make a really long story short. Well, shorter..... I spent over 4 hours on the phone and on the computer with a technician from Dell. She eventually had me totally wipe out my entire computer to the original factory settings. Oh nice....all my pics gone. Roxio Creator that I had just spent $55 on, gone. Dell then sent me some discs to re-install all the programs. I called Dell Service for assistance in the installation and talked to a different technician. He had me read to him some numbers that are on the bottom of the laptop. He punched them in and it was fixed. FIXED!! Really? 
     So I decided to get really brave and order a wireless printer. It came yesterday. Unpacked (man they use alot of tape) and set it all up. Put the installation disc in..... Wrong disc. Belongs to a different printer. Here I go again. I have their number memorized. Guess what, they can't just send the manuals and disc for my printer. They have to send a whole new printer. Really?? So I packed up the printer and other "stuff". And now wait for the other one to be shipped. Oh and did I mention I had to speak with Achmed from Sri Lanka. Huh?? What'd you say? You get my drift. I need a drink.....................

New Year Resolution

Okay....I'm not the New Year's resolution kinda girl. But I was thinking this morning at 5:04 that there is a resolution that I could make and probably keep. It will just take a small effort on my part and is something that has been bugging me for a long time. Are you ready??


Get myself to work on time. I know...you're saying "what"?? Didn't know that was optional, right? I typically arrive at my job 5 minutes and up to 10 minutes late on a daily basis. Give or take a couple minutes. It's not that I can't do it. I get up in time. It's just that I do dumb stuff like check my Facebook, watch the news, make coffee and decide I just have to wipe down the kitchen counter, etc. before I walk out the door. Oh...and gotta give my Hubby a kiss before I leave (not optional) I always get the mail sorted on time so my tardiness has no impact on my co-workers. And my very laid back boss doesn't care. But if I could get to work on time, it would benefit me in 2 ways.


First, it would give me 40 hours of work every week. As it is now, I fall short of 40 hours by a half hour or more. Also, if I work 40 hours a week, I earn 8 hours of leave time for the pay period (2 weeks). When I work less than that 40 hours, I only earn 6 hours of leave. If I do the math right.....that would give me 52 more hours of leave. Yikes!! I should've done the math sooner. Another week "plus" of vacation. Yessirr......


I am going to work very hard at this situation. I will keep you informed on my progress. 

Where to Begin

Blogging....so new to me. I know, I know. It's been around for a long time. I'm slow. I think it has a lot to do with my age. I try to stay somewhat current but fall short in some areas. The truth is I'm so bored in the evenings. And now that winter is here, I can barely stay awake past 8:00. Heck, some nights I'm yawning at 7:00. I need something to keep me busy while watching t.v. because just watching the telly isn't enough to keep me alert. I need to do something else WHILE watching t.v. My hubby just doesn't understand it, but it's true. For me anyway. Thank goodness we invested in a laptop a few weeks ago. It has truly been my savior. He can sit and mindlessly watch t.v. and I can keep him company while I mindlessly surf the web. Perfect...in my mind anyway.


Anyhow, here I go. I have no idea what I'm doing or how to do it but it will give me something to do. Just bear with me, it will get better. Till next time.....................................