Wilbur….

I have had some long hours this past week or more and Wilbur has been missing me something terrible. He hates to ride but still goes with us when able. He hides his head under the seat and just pretends the world isn’t there. Anyways, today he bugged and bugged while I was doing chores and I knew what he wanted but I can’t take him to work with me ….. or can I. Mike was coming out to the house to do some business and it was about an hour after I got to work so I did what he wanted, he got to go for a ride and spend the first 45 minutes at work while I got everything done outside and ready to open. He enjoyed his time with me and I’m hoping that it eased his mind a bit when mama is gone so long.

My boy, my protector, my friend, my …. well just mine!!

Blessing my friends!

And the news….

And smarter they are ….. because they took a young man that knows a bit about lots of things and hired him in a position that they can teach him, mold him and inspire him. He has been hired as an Engineer and a trainee in robotics. He gets to use his many talents from college and other jobs such as welding, plasma machining, fabrication and manufacturing. His wages are that of a trainee but with great potential. This is what he’s been looking for, something challenging and exciting. It is the answer to his and our prayers. And we have your love and support to thank too.

Mike works 4 10 hours days but also has an hour travel both ways. He’s thought about moving closer but that makes him further from friends and family and that is not what he wants so he is selling all his extra things such as guns and equipment, his dirt bike and his very first car – a suburban, and whatever else we can come up with so he can get a good size down payment on a new to him 4 wheel driver or all wheel drive vehicle. There are times in life that I wish I could help him more than just being supportive but I also know that this is how we grow and learn and become the people/person we want to be.

I am very proud of Mike. He has picked himself up and dusted himself off a few more times than most people have too but we also know less than lots so for all of this he/we are very thankful. Life’s lessons is making Mike into the man he really wants to be. It is awesome being the mama and getting to be part of it and watching and learning also.

So there you have the update. Isn’t it really truly awesome?!!!!

Blessings my friends!!!!

My daddy and I went on a hike today…

And my camera died so I had to use my cell phone but for this one time the pictures turned out awesome. As you drive around the little lake you can see this white patch on our back hill. Last year Mike mowed it for camping and this year nothing has been done so the flowers took over. I love the fact they follow the path up the hill.

 

  

 

So enjoy the pictures my friends and I am going to get ready for bed. It’s been a long afternoon/evening at the golf course and now tomorrow I have daycare. No complaints from me, I’m loving it.

Blessings!!

Please pray for Mike…

It’s his turn for that gray cloud to move away and for some sunshine to flood into his life. He has given his all and it is time for him to be rewarded. Please pray for Mike.

Blessings my friends!!!

Getting the miles in….

Just walking but getting there. Going to start C25K maybe even next week. I have at least three 5K’s coming up in August that I want to try and do each one better than the last.

Hope you’re having an awesome day. I get my daycare kids today, I’m in heaven. They are just here to spend the day with me, when your 11, 12 and 14 you don’t need daycare, you just need Julie’s love and she needs theirs.

Blessings!!!!

Summer has arrived….

Isn’t it awesome when summer arrives? Well for us up here it is. I just love this weather, I love the green, I love the gardening, the mowing, the outdoors and I love that I listened to myself and didn’t stay with a job I hated beyond hate and took one that is just about perfect. Just about is only because it’s part time summer work but that’s the only downer the rest is awesome. Want me to tell you about it? Well I’m going to even if you don’t want to know.
You already know that I work special needs on Fridays, I am a special home health aide for a 92 year old gentleman that oh so wants to go home so he’s working hard at a friends house so he can go . And my best part, I am working at a mini golf course in Deerwood. I can be outside almost as much as I want to be plus for a summer part time job the pay isn’t awful. If you click on the picture it’ll take you to Traditions web page and you’ll get to learn a bit more about it and if you live or visit our area, please stop in…you will be delighted and we’ll be ecstatic to see you.
Life has settled down. My parents are doing pretty good. In fact they came to work to see me. See…..

                                                   

                                                              Scott and Mike too.

Mike is settled at his job and shortly will be off probation (the first 90 day thing) and him and the company are looking forward to being able to use him in other departments like engineering as well as fabrication and shipping and receiving that he already works in. He works for in McGregor. If you click on the Floe you can see what they do and what Mike is apart of. We know it’s not the diesel tech that he went to school for but at least he’s using his minor, welding. And one day a job will roll around that is meant for him as a diesel technician. 
My husband has gone from the …. well not the winner of the husband award to an awesome, understanding, wonderful man. There is no more egg shell walking, there is no more worrying about what I’ve done, said, thought or expressed because it’s not his thoughts. I have fallen back in love with him and it’s marvelous.
Now it’s time to fall back in love with me. I have gained all my weight I lost back (except about 10 lbs) and I could make excuses about how life sucked and how things just didn’t work but I can’t go back and fix things, I can’t bring Cindy back, I can’t change my daddy’s future and I can’t fix things that were broken. But I can move forward and I am. I started last week with watching what I was eating and cutting out the sugar again and I know very well I feel awesome when I do that so I will keep that going this week and today I was up and out of the house as soon as Mike came and ate breakfast and dropped off his dog. I walked 2 miles and saw the most beautiful morning.  
And after my walk and a breakfast of berries and yogurt I went out and tilled the garden. It has been so wet and nasty that I’ve lost over 1/2 my tomato crop, 3/4 my brussel spouts, 1/2 my cucumbers, 1/2 the peas and 1/2 my peppers but the corn, kohlrabi, onions, sunflowers and potatoes are coming along just fine….slow but growing. The weeds are amazing, no matter what the weather is they thrive just fine. So today I finally got in there and took care of them and will have to do it again on Friday but at least I got to get that done.
By 9:30 I already have my steps in for the day and I still have a shift at the golf course which I get lots of walking, bending from weed picking, tree and shrub trimming, picking up balls in the batting cage and lots of arm power skimming ponds. I am a work in progress.
So I am hoping that since life has settled down some that I can stop by and visit you and see what you’ve been up too. I have a few bloggers I get in my in-box but I know I’ve missed out on quite a bit of your lives and hope to be able to stop and see and comment.
Take are my friends. I hope you all are doing awesome. You really are a top notch bunch of wonderful people that I am truly blessed to “know”.

Summer is here….

It has been an awesome summer so far. One camping trip in, garden is in, flowers are growing, 2 new summer jobs – one is at a mini golf course, and it’s sunny and warm and ….. well it’s summer and I am happy.
I hope you all are having an awesome season, no matter what one you’re in. Take care and God Bless!!

My mother’s day gift….

I love my son!!!!

Happy Easter….

Just Deb and I?

Is there anyone out there that would like to take a 14 week challenge with us?  Monday starts our beginning. Deb and I gave the full challenge a shot the past 10 days and I’m going to say doing all the 14 weeks at one time didn’t work for me. I am going to work on this just a week at a time. More manageable and maybe I’ll learn better one at a time. If you want to join us, click here and link up. 

14 Weeks of “Real Food” Mini-Pledges:

• Week 1: Two fruits and/or vegetables per meal – Eat a minimum of two different fruits or vegetables (preferably organic) with every breakfast, lunch, and dinner meal.
• Week 2: “Real” beverages – Beverages will be limited to coffee, tea, water, and milk (only naturally sweetened with a little honey or 100% pure maple syrup). One cup of juice will be allowed throughout the week, and wine (preferably red) will be allowed in moderation (an average of one drink per day).
• Week 3: Meat – All meat consumed this week will be locally raised (within 100-miles of your hometown). Meat consumption will also be limited to 3 – 4 servings this week, and when it is eaten meat will not be presented as the “focal point” of the meal. Instead meat will be treated as a side item or simply used to help flavor a dish.
• Week 4: No fast food or deep-fried foods – No fast food or any foods that have been deep-fried in oil.
• Week 5: Try two new whole foods – Try a minimum of two new whole foods that you’ve never had before.
• Week 6: No low-fat, lite or nonfat food products – Do not eat any food products that are labeled as “low-fat,” “lite,” “light,” “reduced fat,” or “nonfat.”
• Week 7: 100% Whole grain – All grains consumed must be 100% whole-grain.
• Week 8: Stop eating when you feel full – Listen to your internal cues and stop eating when you feel full.
• Week 9: No refined sweeteners – No refined or artificial sweeteners including (but not limited to): white sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, sucanat, splenda, stevia, agave, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, brown rice syrup, and cane juice. Foods and beverages can only be sweetened with a moderate amount of honey or maple syrup.
• Week 10: No refined oils – No refined or hydrogenated oils including (but not limited to): vegetable oil, organic vegetable oil, soybean oil, corn oil, canola oil, organic canola oil, margarine, and grape seed oil.
• Week 11: Eat local foods – Eat at least 1 locally grown or raised food at each meal. This includes, but is not limited to: fruits, vegetables, eggs, grains, nuts, meats, and sweeteners like honey.
• Week 12: No sweeteners – Avoid all added sweeteners including, but not limited to: white sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, honey, maple syrup, date sugar, maple sugar, sucanat, splenda, stevia, agave, fruit juice concentrate, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, brown rice syrup, and cane juice.
• Week 13: Nothing artificial – Avoid all artificial ingredients including, but not limited to: sweeteners, flavors and colors.
• Week 14: No more than 5-ingredients – Avoid any and all packaged food products that contain more than five ingredients no matter what ingredients

Hope that life is treating you well. Blessings my friends!!!