I must preface this with the fact that I am not a movie watcher. We rarely rent, go to or buy movies other than Thomas the Tank Engine.
But this weekend there was just not much to do. Oh there were plenty of tasks that we could have done but none that were so pressing that I felt the need to actually do them. After Emily's basketball game on Saturday morning, Matt took David and went to meet with some "truck people". Yeah, I don't get it either but I doubt he gets my meeting up with scrapbooking friends.
Anyhow, it was just the girls and I so we had to amuse ourselves somehow. Working on projects and cleaning held no appeal so after a trip to Wal-Mart for some essentials, we decided to make a stop at Blockbuster to rent some movies. We wandered about a bit deciding what to get and came out of the store with Fame, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, The Proposal and Julie and Julia.
Fame was full of music from my past. Jessie and I enjoyed it but Emily quickly grew bored and went to play the Wii game we also rented.
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past was funny but pretty predictable. Part of it was probably not appropriate for the girls but they are good about knowing when to hide their eyes and cover their ears.
The Proposal and Julie and Julia were funny and had us laughing out loud all afternoon.
While we don't do movie weekends often, this weekend it seemed to be just the thing to do.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Creative Moments
I have been having a spurt of creativity recently. This happens sometimes. I just have moments when I have to create something. In this case, this spurt was triggered by the need to have some things to donate to a couple of fundraising auctions. I like to donate things that I have or make rather than going out and begging businesses to donate.
These jewelry pieces were made for the auction to benefit the 4-H club's Relay for Life team. It is really amazing to see how the kids have taken ownership of this great cause and put out a lot of effort for it. Last year our team raised the most money out of all the youth teams in the county. That is exciting. Our biggest fundraiser for the team is a spaghetti feed and silent auction. This year's event was last weekend. We earned over $1200 for Relay. We donated several things to the auction but I am most happy with these two pieces of jewelry.
This piece is made from findings in a set of earring findings that I picked up at Wal-mart. The little hearts and silver beads are also from Wal-mart. The blue and white beads were from my stash at home. I was really happy with how these turned out and they only took a few minutes to put together.
This piece, though hard to see in the photo, is a set of earrings and a necklace. All the glass beads, metal beads and medallion came from Wal-mart. Again, I was very pleased with how this turned out and it really took only a small amount of time to put together.
Next up I am working on some knitting. I am really happy to be creating again. I have been in a down period for a while and it is great to be coming out of it.
These jewelry pieces were made for the auction to benefit the 4-H club's Relay for Life team. It is really amazing to see how the kids have taken ownership of this great cause and put out a lot of effort for it. Last year our team raised the most money out of all the youth teams in the county. That is exciting. Our biggest fundraiser for the team is a spaghetti feed and silent auction. This year's event was last weekend. We earned over $1200 for Relay. We donated several things to the auction but I am most happy with these two pieces of jewelry.
This piece is made from findings in a set of earring findings that I picked up at Wal-mart. The little hearts and silver beads are also from Wal-mart. The blue and white beads were from my stash at home. I was really happy with how these turned out and they only took a few minutes to put together.
This piece, though hard to see in the photo, is a set of earrings and a necklace. All the glass beads, metal beads and medallion came from Wal-mart. Again, I was very pleased with how this turned out and it really took only a small amount of time to put together.
Next up I am working on some knitting. I am really happy to be creating again. I have been in a down period for a while and it is great to be coming out of it.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Reality Check
It is already time for a reality check.
One needs to exercise if one wants to lose weight.
Just a note to self.
Plan for tomorrow is 45 to 60 minutes of exercise. No excuses.
One needs to exercise if one wants to lose weight.
Just a note to self.
Plan for tomorrow is 45 to 60 minutes of exercise. No excuses.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Monday Stats
To work on one of those personal goals I have a joined a group challenge at my favorite scrapbooking website Scrapshare.
I have talked about this wonderful community of women often enough here that I am sure you all have figured out that we do much more there than just support each other's scrapbooking.
Many of us struggle with extra pounds so we have banded together to support each other, push each other and prop each other up while on this journey. To this end, off and on we run challenges modeled after the very popular Biggest Loser TV program. January 1st marked the beginning of the first challenge of 2010. Today marked the first "weigh in" day. There is one brave soul who is compiling all our information and figuring out who has lost the most and exercised the most on both an individual and team basis. I have 4 fun teammates to talk with through the week as well.
My initial weigh-in on New Year's Eve was right on par with what I expected it to be. Really my weight has not changed much in the last year or so. But I am determined to make a change.
This week's stats:
Down 0.6.
Exercised for ~200 minutes.
I am pretty pleased with these results because I know I did not have a stellar week but I am committed to bumping it up next week. My goal for this 6 week challenge is to be down at least 5 pounds. To achieve that, I need to spend more time playing on the Wii Fit and less time playing on the computer. We will see what the new week brings.
I have talked about this wonderful community of women often enough here that I am sure you all have figured out that we do much more there than just support each other's scrapbooking.
Many of us struggle with extra pounds so we have banded together to support each other, push each other and prop each other up while on this journey. To this end, off and on we run challenges modeled after the very popular Biggest Loser TV program. January 1st marked the beginning of the first challenge of 2010. Today marked the first "weigh in" day. There is one brave soul who is compiling all our information and figuring out who has lost the most and exercised the most on both an individual and team basis. I have 4 fun teammates to talk with through the week as well.
My initial weigh-in on New Year's Eve was right on par with what I expected it to be. Really my weight has not changed much in the last year or so. But I am determined to make a change.
This week's stats:
Down 0.6.
Exercised for ~200 minutes.
I am pretty pleased with these results because I know I did not have a stellar week but I am committed to bumping it up next week. My goal for this 6 week challenge is to be down at least 5 pounds. To achieve that, I need to spend more time playing on the Wii Fit and less time playing on the computer. We will see what the new week brings.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
What a game!!
I have missed a couple of days of posting. Sorry about that. I needed to spend some time on other things and time got away.
But tonight we celebrate.
As anyone who has read much of this blog should know, this is a household full of Oregon State Beaver fans. I, in particular, watch a lot of college sports. Baseball, football, volleyball, gymnastics, and the occasional softball game. But my favorite game to watch is basketball. I love the pace, the activity and the strategy. During my childhood, the OSU football team was in the midst of 28 years of losing seasons but the men's basketball team was one of the best in the nation. We had a dynamic coach, great players and some fantastic wins. But in the years since my high school graduation, we have seen a downward spiral in OSU men's basketball. It started with the retirement of our fabulous coach and the promotion of one of the assistants. The downward fall hit an abrupt and ugly stop at rock bottom two years ago when we did not win a conference game, saw the head coach fired in the middle of the season and the seats of Gill colesium more empty than full. For diehard fans like myself, it was a bitter pill to swallow and a painful season to sit through.
Since then things have been on the upswing. OSU hired Craig Robinson, BIL of President Obama, as the new head coach. He took a ragtag and dejected group of young men and exploited their natural talent by working them hard and making them a team. The team surprised everyone by not just winning a few games but by achieving a winning record and winning a post season tournament. But there was a big hurdle the team still stumbled on. They did not manage to beat the rival school down the road. This season has started out rocky. We have had some great wins, many very close games and some heartbreaking losses. But little was as devastating as last week's loss to Seattle University. It was the worst loss that Gill Coliseum has ever seen within its walls.
But tonight, on regional TV, OSU redeemed itself. They went to McArthur Court, better known as The Pit, to take on the red hot, running, gunning, Oregon Ducks. The OSU/UO rivalry puts most college rivalries to shame in it's length and intensity. It had been 16 years since OSU had come out of The Pit with a win. Incidentally, that last win came on my 19th birthday in 1993. If you are of a mind to do some math, you can now figure out how old I really am. LOL. But back to tonight. Tonight was expected to be all about the Ducks. They had one of their best players, Terrell Brandon, back in the house to honor him by retiring his number. This was supposed to be the Ducks night to go out of The Pit with a win to commemorate the closing of the old building. This is the last Civil War that will ever be played there. Next year, we will all be watching them play in their new digs on campus.
So it was with great excitement that the Beaver fans in the crowd watched our team jump out to an 8-0 lead. It was a lead that would never be relinquished. That's right, the team that lost by 51 points on Wednesday night, rallied together and became a team that could get it done. And get it done they did. They lead wire to wire and made the final game at The Pit memorable for such a different reason than everyone, including myself, was expecting. Oh, don't get me wrong, I have faith that this team can do great things but they needed this big win to right a ship that listing dangerously. Now, with a renewed sense of self, this team can move on from losing 16 straight at The Pit with the memory of this final game in the venerable building. What an amazing end to an era.
But tonight we celebrate.
As anyone who has read much of this blog should know, this is a household full of Oregon State Beaver fans. I, in particular, watch a lot of college sports. Baseball, football, volleyball, gymnastics, and the occasional softball game. But my favorite game to watch is basketball. I love the pace, the activity and the strategy. During my childhood, the OSU football team was in the midst of 28 years of losing seasons but the men's basketball team was one of the best in the nation. We had a dynamic coach, great players and some fantastic wins. But in the years since my high school graduation, we have seen a downward spiral in OSU men's basketball. It started with the retirement of our fabulous coach and the promotion of one of the assistants. The downward fall hit an abrupt and ugly stop at rock bottom two years ago when we did not win a conference game, saw the head coach fired in the middle of the season and the seats of Gill colesium more empty than full. For diehard fans like myself, it was a bitter pill to swallow and a painful season to sit through.
Since then things have been on the upswing. OSU hired Craig Robinson, BIL of President Obama, as the new head coach. He took a ragtag and dejected group of young men and exploited their natural talent by working them hard and making them a team. The team surprised everyone by not just winning a few games but by achieving a winning record and winning a post season tournament. But there was a big hurdle the team still stumbled on. They did not manage to beat the rival school down the road. This season has started out rocky. We have had some great wins, many very close games and some heartbreaking losses. But little was as devastating as last week's loss to Seattle University. It was the worst loss that Gill Coliseum has ever seen within its walls.
But tonight, on regional TV, OSU redeemed itself. They went to McArthur Court, better known as The Pit, to take on the red hot, running, gunning, Oregon Ducks. The OSU/UO rivalry puts most college rivalries to shame in it's length and intensity. It had been 16 years since OSU had come out of The Pit with a win. Incidentally, that last win came on my 19th birthday in 1993. If you are of a mind to do some math, you can now figure out how old I really am. LOL. But back to tonight. Tonight was expected to be all about the Ducks. They had one of their best players, Terrell Brandon, back in the house to honor him by retiring his number. This was supposed to be the Ducks night to go out of The Pit with a win to commemorate the closing of the old building. This is the last Civil War that will ever be played there. Next year, we will all be watching them play in their new digs on campus.
So it was with great excitement that the Beaver fans in the crowd watched our team jump out to an 8-0 lead. It was a lead that would never be relinquished. That's right, the team that lost by 51 points on Wednesday night, rallied together and became a team that could get it done. And get it done they did. They lead wire to wire and made the final game at The Pit memorable for such a different reason than everyone, including myself, was expecting. Oh, don't get me wrong, I have faith that this team can do great things but they needed this big win to right a ship that listing dangerously. Now, with a renewed sense of self, this team can move on from losing 16 straight at The Pit with the memory of this final game in the venerable building. What an amazing end to an era.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Keeping the thoughts in my head.
I really need to learn how to keep the words in my head. I was doing better with this but had a slip up today. There is one person that has caused me to lose my resolve more than once. But it is really only one particular topic. Otherwise I find her to be a very interesting, engaging person. So clearly the problem is mine. I must overcome it. I must learn to keep my mouth or, in this case, my keyboard shut so I can keep my foot out of it.
I guess, picking up the thread of a previous post, I am an eggshell person. I still think I am right in this case but she clearly does not and the others involved in the conversation, for the most part, seem to agree with her. So I am examining my reaction to the conversation. I understand why it strikes me the way it does. It centers around an issue I am struggling with. I am sensitive to it. I know that. So the issue is to deal with it in a different way. And figure out how to stay out of her way when the subject inevitably comes up again.
Sigh. This personal growth stuff is hard.
I guess, picking up the thread of a previous post, I am an eggshell person. I still think I am right in this case but she clearly does not and the others involved in the conversation, for the most part, seem to agree with her. So I am examining my reaction to the conversation. I understand why it strikes me the way it does. It centers around an issue I am struggling with. I am sensitive to it. I know that. So the issue is to deal with it in a different way. And figure out how to stay out of her way when the subject inevitably comes up again.
Sigh. This personal growth stuff is hard.
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