So I managed to get something done today!

Well it was a lazy, rainy Sunday! So of course rock climbing was out, which was fine since I really needed to recoup and I totally did not go to the bridal shower. I was just not up to it. It was good just to spend the day at home relaxing. I cleaned the kids room(and I mean cleaned!). I also worked on my jewelry swaps. All sets but 1, that are due in March are done. I only have 8 more of the 1 set left. I ended up changing my prototype for the 2nd spring group. The green rock was not working for me. I also came up with prototypes for the other 3 groups. I have them all individually bagged and ready to be worked on. I figure I can knock them out this week. I will add pictures , because I am really happy with the turn out!

1. New spring charm

2.Shades of Green charm

3. Shades of Blue charm

4. Shades of Black charm

I am so excited because I registered for the Nashville Country Music 1/2 Marathon. I have exactly 10 weeks! I am all ready with my training schedule. A little nervous but I am glad I just went ahead and did it. I know that it will push me to work that much harder. Motivation!!!! Now darn it all if the gym is not closed tommorrow. Oh well , I will be doing a wet trail run. I got to get going in the morning too because I know I will never do it if I don't in the morning. So here is my quote for the day..........Since I am thinking of running.

"Some running is good, more is better, and too much is just enough" "The only way to define your limits is to go beyond them"

As for tommorrow everything is closed and the kids are out of school. I thought I might go to Chattanooga but I don't think so. I got a bug tonight and bought paint for the hutch. I have been meaning to paint that thing since I moved in. So I hope to knock it out tommorrow.....after I run! Do you think the kids will leave me alone long enough to not get finger prints in it? Ha!

Here is a myspace funny: Go to google. Put your name and the word "needs". Like Bry needs......This is what I got:

1st Werewolves, 2nd Vampires

Why is this so funny? And why did I feel the need to share?

Well if you are an Anita Blake fan such as yours truly, the coincidence that these both popped up is quite funny. I am a huge Anita Blake fan. I do not need Werewolves though.....Richard is so not my favorite character. But since Werewolves popped up firstl.......I choose Jason. But Jean-Claude is. And yes he is a Vampire. Now if you are confused....simply get the books , there are at least 14 out there. AND READ! ENJOY! Of course I will settle for the good Mick St. John anytime when talking about vampires. So anyway, I love the results I got! Go google yourself and your needs and tell me what you come up with! Ah the things we find to do to amuse ourselves online!

Blog Challenge~ Interview

I asked Ryley and Kendal 20 questions concerning me:

1) What is something that mom always says to you
A: Go brush your teeth(so true, I think I was scared of that answer)

2) What makes mom happy?
A: Us being good

3) What makes mom sad?
A: Daddy being gone

4) How does Mom make you laugh?
A: giving hugs and tickles

5) What was mom like as a child?
A: Kendal said.....Just like her!(True), Ryley said- I was always hurt with a broke arm(You have no idea , son!)

6) How old is your mom?
A: Kendal said 5, Ryley said 38(thanks Rye)

7) How tall is your mom?
A: Kendal said Big, Ryley said Can I measure you please?

8) What is her favorite thing to do?
A: Go to the Beach!(they got me pegged)

9) What does your mom do when you're not around?
A: Go out and see friends

10) If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
A: Ryley- Rock and Roll singer(Yeah, BABY!), Ryley said my signature song would be "We will Rock you"

11) What is your mom really good at?
A: Ryley-running and being yourself

12) What is your mom not very good at?
A: building houses(I wonder why they think that?)

13) What does your mom do for her job?
A: Scrapbook(I wish!)

14) What is your mom's favorite food?
A: Ryley-Vegetables, Kendal- Salad(hmmm, acording to them i am healthy!)

15) What makes you proud of your mom?
A: Because you are a runner

16) If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
A: Kendal-Little Mermaid, Ryley-Little bo peep(Smartie)

17) What do you and your mom do together?
A: Go out to eat and the movies

18) How are you and your mom the same?
A: Ryley-we both like to exercise, Kendal- our hair

19) How are you and your mom different?
A: Ryley- she is taller than me, Kendal-Nope she is taller than me

20) How do you know your mom loves you?
A: Ryley-She likes to hug on us, and because you read books to us-well sometimes


So I feel pretty good about these answers and they had fun talking! Kendal was just being silly and Ryley was thinking really hard on his answers. He can read now so , you know I could not change his answers!! Now to get started on that Rock and Roll Singer(Maybe I should put that in my 30 things before I turn 30!) Haha!! Oh and Ryley , that is 28 , not 38.

Here is another survey.....its late, yes I am bored

Are you an adult? yes
How old are you? 28
How old do you feel? You are as young as you want to be
Do you consider yourself a grown-up? yes....what is with the obsession?
Do kids call you mr/miss/mrs? I had a kid call me mrs. the other day.......snort
Did you graduate high school? Yes
Did you go to college? for a few semesters
If so, what is/was your major? marine biology....if you can believe it
Did your parents go to college? yes...some
Have you been back to your high school since you graduated? to the actual buiding .....NO
Do you still keep in touch with school friends? some yes
Have you been to a school reunion? yes.....interesting......especially the table cloths....Oh yeah, some people never change....at all.....still B@#$&*! (There are days I wish I had a filter)
Do you plan to attend a school reunion? why not, I would love to see if someone takes up the tableclothes at the next one
Are you single/dating/married/divorced? married
Do you have children? yep
Where do you work? Where don't I work
Are you happy with the carreer field you have choosen? let me think, this career kinda just chooses you, you know?
Are you satisfied with your income? nope
Do you hang out with your co-workers? all the time....we are like family
How many hours do you work per week? .24 x 7
Do you rent or own a home? I rent an apt.
Is your home big enough? nopeDo you throw parties often? nope
Do you want to move? not at the moment
What do you do for fun? hang out with friends
Favorite TV shows? Moonlight
Do you have a TVO/DVR box to record shows? No
What size is your biggest TV? 37? I think
How much do you spend on groceries weekly or monthly? Good grief...there is no telling
Do you have pets? had a cat....it left me for my mom(WTH)..I am getting a dog
What vehicle do you drive? corolla
What do you like or dislike about your vehicle? the dent where I backed a durango into it.
If you could back in time, what advice would you give yourself at
age 5: candy will totally give you cavities
age 16: do not where that short of skirt, and don't worry you really will get boobs
age 18: Do not stay with that guy(you know who you are!)
age 21: Go back to college.....oh and don't marry on a sidewalk in a shopping area.....still it worked out right?
age 25: Go back to college( I repeat)
age 29: Finish that 30 before 30 list!!!!!!!

Blog Challenge(playing Catch up!): FAVORITES CLUB

Maybe I should have a glass of wine(or 2) more often.....it puts me in the mood to write!


Imagine that you have just joined a club.It is a FAVORITES book/cd club.When it is your time to make a suggestion you should suggest a book and cd that is your favorite –the one that you really connect with.Your goal is not to please the group but to convey something about yourself with your selection.Select the one book that you really connect with for whatever reason. Select the album/cd that you would keep if you were only allowed one for the rest of your life.Along with your selection please explain why.


I love to read. Anyone who knows me, knows this. I read it all. From Harry Potter to Jane Austin to Anita Blake Vampire Series! Oh and don't let me forget Janet EVanovich or Diana Giabaldon(no way did I forget LOLO). And while I would not want to be without any of these wonderful books. There is one that I don't think I could do without. And this is going to sound crazy...............Its the follow up book to Pride and Prejudice. Mr. Darcy takes a wife by Linda Bertoll. I know what you are thinking.. She has lost it. But here is why. The story of Elizabeth and Darcy is etched in my mind without a doubt. I know every conversation, argument, and memory they have in the original. But what I always wanted to know , was what happened next. I read countless sequels to the great classic, but was never impressed. Not until this book. From cover to cover , word by word, I soaked it up. I loved every ounce of it. I have read it so many times, just to be reminded. Because like so many women out there I needed to know that Elizabeth got the happy ending. That Darcy was just as good as he seemed. I needed to know that their love was one to last.


Now what album would I choose. Well obviously it would be a Jimmy Buffett album. Ballads from the Box Collection. So many songs that mean so much. My favorite song is Survive. A anthem if you will, for my life. A song that has been ever present in my marriage as well. Chris and I used to fall asleep every night listening to this album. We would lie in bed and talk or sing every song until we fell asleep. For years, the same thing. We used laugh when we would catch our kids mesmerized by the "blades of the fan on the ceiling" or about calling Kendal "Little miss Magic". I still laugh when Chris says to me....."If the phone does not ring....its me." Yeah, that is definetly the only album I would need for all time. In fact, now is as good a time as any to listen.......

.......because honey, I didnt know I would be missing you so..............but Come Monday it will be alright


Here is my favorite song's lyrics

I play the stereo loud
When I'm away from the maddening crowd
Smokin', jokin', clowns we all are
Sometimes I kinda get real ill
When I receive my monthly telephone bill
But you say it and I'll pay it
`Cause it helps me to

[Chorus:]
Survive stay alive
'Til I see you again
Survive stay alive
Can't say where it ends

Clouds lift and there are mountains below
Been a while since I've seen any snow
Chillin' so thrillin' so good to be back
Feels nice to be home for a while
Let's sip champagne til we break into smiles
We'll go dancin' romancin'
`Cause your the reason I

Survived stayed alive
Through the thick and the thin
Survive stay alive
When will it all end

But my bags ain't unpacked
`Cause I've got to go back and play
But I know we'll both
Survive stay alive
Through the thick and the thin
Survive stay alive
Until it all ends
Survive stay alive
When will it all end
Survive stay alive
Till I see you again

For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way. Something to be got through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. ~Fr. Alfred D'Souza

Found this quote and thought I would add it to my list. Very true, it is very true. Time is flying! And the faster is goes the more I wonder about the journey and what is the destination. Dont worry , I am not going all deep tonight. But I am sipping some wine while I update you on my life.

Last Saturday night I went hogwild at a place in Huntsville called yep.....HogWild. Excellent time with the friends old and new. Several drinks into the night found me and Stacey on stage dancing. But hey its all good fun. Brian and his wife came out which made me so very happy. Because I miss him! Also Summer , Stacey's sister and an old friend April joined us. It is so fun to hang out and catch up with people no matter how much time(there is that word again) has passed between visits. Happy Birthday my dearest Stacey. I love you!!!! The rest of this week went by pretty fast. Oh yeah, there was Valentines Day. I had a wonderful brunch with Beth and Jess at Cracker Barrell! Could not have asked for better dates! Friday was Homecoming. And Ryley was just so darn cute! He smiled and let me take all the pics I wanted. Of course he was a little distant. Someone mentioned his dad to him and he walked off. I know he wants Chris there for all these things and I have just run out of things to say to comfort him. I have to believe things will be better in just a little over a month. As for the weekend nothing much going on. Just going to clean house, get to feeling better and catch up on all my jewelry making. It has to be mailed off soon!!!!

Oh Yeah and other things you all were dying to know!

My puppy was born. Just yesterday morning. I have not seen pics yet and I am so anxious because I may have the perfect name!

And.....Last but So not least! MICKEY is coming back in April...... 4 more episodes of Moonlight. I just know my girls Kylene, Laura , and TAve are all hollering with me!!

Think on this

How do things change in such a short time? How do feelings change? How do you come to realize things you didn't just 30 some days before. Is it lightbulb moments? Do things just start to click? Did you know them all the time and it was just denial? Or is it just time? Time can do so much. It can heal, it can take away, it can hurt, it can give.

I don't have the answer to this question, nor do I think there is a correct answer. Just something I am pondering..............

And this is Deep thoughts with Bry........

Happy Chinese New Year!

Its the Chinese New Year so I had Chinese for lunch. Beth and I and Zanna ate, and it was good. I had an even better fortune in my fortune cookie! More like a statement cookie but still good. I am not telling cause this one needs to come true! HaHa....Speaking of coming true. I found this and I love it.

post your secret or wish :)

ExampleLike "I wish I could get to know that girl at the rec center"I W I C G T K T G A T R C
Or "I want pudding"I W P.
Repost your wish for the title.Within 5 minutes and the wish will come true.

p.s. don't tell anyone or your wish wont happen

So here goes mine!!!!!!

I W I C H H F G!!!

Got it? Come up with your own!!!!

Also good news! Ryley went back to school today, and he was picked to be the escort for the class Homecoming Representative. Its the same girl that he was class favorite with last year. So I am so excited to dress him all up and get pictures!!!!! Of course I will post when this happens. It is next weekend!

Other news....I am waiting to hear if my puppy is born....This week. I can't wait to see! This weekend should be busy. I hope to take in a movie with Beth and Jess(who should be back from the honeymoon) and it is Stacey's birthday weekend.....so Party out Saturday Night. Kind of excited to go out and party with the girls!

Well it is Wednesday morning and I am sitting here watching it POUR!! Schools are delayed 2 hours which I am kinda bummed about because I wanted to get to the gym! Ryley is home sick again. I got the call to come get him from school Monday. And yesterday I spent a wonderful morning at the hospital getting xrays, steriod shots, and breathing treatments. YEAH! NOT! Took forever! I was able to get the name of a surgeon though! So I am about ready to get his tonsils out and maybe put an end to all this mess. Enough all ready! My friends made me feel good though as I sat there for hours. Jess called from her honeymoon in Jamaica. She held the phone up and said "Hear the waves crashing?" UH! Wish I could trade places! I know she is having a wonderful time. I miss her! I have not seen Beth hardly at all either because of both are kids being sick. But she called me at the hospital to ask if I wanted food. Can I just say that I have great friends. AND!!! I really do not want to leave them!!!!! Speaking of good friends, Stacey joined Scrapshare and thus signed up for a jewelry swap! Woohoo! That made my morning! Good going girl! I can not wait to see what you come up with my creative friend! I need to get mine finished up and postal! I am making 3 of the princess bracelets. 1 for Kendal and her two friends Emma and Zana. I am behind on everything else. No scrapbook pages, no deck of me. Maybe I will get caught up this weekend. We shall see! I am not to worried. With sick kids and a MIL in town what can you do! MIL is leaving today.......which is always good! Snort! We just get under each others skin. But she has helped me out this week so I am thankful for that.

Thats about it for now, but here is a very cool pic I took from my back door. The cardinals just hang out all morning in the trees behind my place. They are beautiful!

52 questions

52 random questions

1. Would you forgive your best friend for sleeping with your wife or husband?uh......
2. Where were you on your 17th birthday?uh.......
3. Have you ever seen a live bat?Yes
4. Is there anyone you hate?totally
5. How much are you on the phone daily?all the time
6. Do you like the color orange?not really
7. Do you find it in your heart to forgive?hmmmm......not really
8. Have you ever seen a prostitute?sure
9. Have you ever seen a real redneck?i live in alabama
10. Do you like tattoos and piercings?yes!!!!
11. What size shoes do you wear?9.5
12. Whats your favorite season?Fall
13. Do you care if people talk smack about you?not really go right ahead..... cause I am probably talking smack about them! Ha
14. Do you like someone?Yes
15. Does your dad call you a nickname?yes
16. Are you in a good mood?yep
17. Do you think people will exist forever?nah, we are too stupid
18. What is your sign?Virgo
19. Do you believe in luck?yes
20. Would you rather sky dive or bungee jump?Sky Dive definitley!
21. Do you like snakes?not really---have I done this survey
?22. Where is one place you would like to visit?Italy
23. Do you like waffles?not really
24. Anything you are looking forward to?yes
25. What clothes are you wearing?shorts, sports bra and hoodie
26. Do you watch TRU TV?nope
27.Be honest, do you like people in general?generally yes
28. Big or small dogs?Both
29. Do you like Big Macs?Never had one! if you can believe it
30. Did someone bother you today?not yet, but it is early
31. What do you think about death?I try not to think about it
32. Sometimes, do you wish you were someone else?sure, I would love to switch lives........like in the movie The Holiday
33. Does someone love you?Everyone loves me
34. Do you know anyone named Dave?yes
35. Name a friend whose name starts with an M?Misty
36. Has anyone ever mistaken you for a family member?my sister
37. Got any nicknames?B, BB, Brick, Breezy
38. What color is your hair?brown
39. Do you like starbucks?not really
40. Are you named after anyone?nope
41. Say you were given a drug test right now. Would you pass or fail?pass
42. How tall are you?over 5'8
43. Are you taller than your mom?yes
44. Do you like the color blue?yes, I do......
45. Who was the last person to send you a AIM?
46. Last restaurant you went to?Ruby Tuesdays
47. What do you order at Outback Steakhouse?steak.....what else
48. How do you like your steak cooked?med. rare, depending on the place.....I like it almost cool in the center and bleeding all over my plate!
49. Last voicemail you receive?Laura....Como esta?
50. What is the first thing you would do if you won five million dollars?vacation
51. How many hours did you sleep last night?not enough
52. Any upcoming concerts you want to attend?don't know of any

The wedding

Jess' wedding was yesterday. It was simply beautiful. A very long ceremony (over an hour). But the priest kept it light and fun. The bridesmaids looked so beautiful, especially Beth. I could not get over it. And of course Jess. Stunning dress and she looked like she was having fun. I did not even see tears! I got to the reception around 3.....First one there(how lame) They wedding party showed up around 4 and we had a pretty good time. I did not Chicken dance or anything but hey, sometimes you just got to say no. Ha, Ha! It was very nice evening.......all though I was there alone. We waved them goodbye around 7 and Beth and I headed out to the car. I was kind of sad my friend was leaving.......but she is having a blast in Jamaica!

Here is a pic of me and Jess. Yes I wore a dress! LOL. I do not have many other pics. My batteries died in my camera. I wanted to CRY! So all my pics of Jess and Ben are blurry. I am waiting for their website to be up so I can see all the professional pics!

Pictures of the Jewelry Swaps

First pic is of the completed Anything Goes Jewelry Swap done by the girls at Scrapshare

Second is the Sweetheart Swap done by the girls at Scrapshare

The Pink charms are my charms for the Little Princess Swap that is Due in March

The green charm is my charm for the Spring Swap due in March

I have two other princess charms and one other spring charm set that I got to find the pics for. I will post later.

So thats what I am working on

3 Princess Charm sets

2 Spring Charm sets

1 Shades of Black Charm

1 Shades of Blue Charm

1 Shades of Green Charm

The Shades of Sets are due in April so I will work on them and get them posted. Hopefully I will be doing a Disney and Patriotic Swap! Can you tell I have a new obsession? I lurve it!

Catching up!

Okay, it dawned on me that I have not been so good with all the challenges. Well you know how it goes. You make all these resolutions in the beginning of January only to let them all slide by the end of the month. The most important things to you always remain clear but the excess usually gets trimmed off. So here is the updates on mine(because I am no different!)

LOAD Challenge. I made it something like 18 days........and then I missed a day. And then another day. Then a week. And then never started back. I wish I could have finished the challenge BUT, I gotta be in the mood to scrap and well I just lost all motivation! Still I love the pages I did, and I got alot done. Thinking back I should have split up those two page spreads and used one per day. So technically I got more done!

Scrapshare Page Challenge

Totals
32 total pages done
1 Altered Big Clip
2 altered drink cases(frappachino and coke)
2 altered soup cans

Also I have done a 4 jewelry swaps.

picture a day--okay, this is really hard. I TRIED! And I did pretty good. But here is the truth. Taking them is one thing , uploading them and labeling is another. UGH! But I have taken quite a bit more in January then I ever would have with out the challenge and that is a good thing!

I have not done any of the Scrapshare Blog Challenges. One I had nothing to write about the other I am still pondering. Sometimes you just got to ponder.....You know!

The night before the wedding!

I have officially had 4 hours sleep. The bride had less. Not sure about the groom. Probably the same. Its all good! I spent last night going out to eat with my mother in law and kids. I did some running around to get some wine and made it over to the church about 9. We loaded up gifts and me , Beth and Jess headed over to the house. The other bridesmaids showed up a little later along with Ben(the groom) and his groomsmen. What happened to Jess's rule about not seeing the groom the night before. That kind of flew out the window! LOL! She said as long as they did not fall asleep and then wake up before the wedding and see each other. Hmmm....okay! We all proceeded to sit around the kitchen table drinking as much as possible. Probably not the brightest move, but hey, I am not the one in pictures today. Can you believe we broke out with the Boones Farm? I mean who does this? I have not drank Boones Farm since like High School. Now I remember why!!!!! At one point we just passed bottles around the table. Sad.....I know. But hey good times to be had, oh, and we had them! Have I mentioned I am going to miss these people when I move?

Good Luck today my friend! Beautiful Bride !

ABC's of me......I am boring you right ?

ABC of Me

The Letter A
Are you available?: to do what?
What is your age?: 28
What annoys you?: one up people. Thank you Laura for teaching me that!

The Letter B
Do you live in a big house?: better question....Who cares?
When is your birthday?: August 25th
Who is your best friend?: I have several great great friends that I could easily call the best

The Letter C
What's your favorite candy?: hmm........lifesavers
Who's your crush?: a vampire called Mick St. John
When was the last time you cried?:????

The Letter D
Do you daydream?: sure do
What's your favorite kind of dog?: I am not sure I have a favorite. It just depends
What day of the week is it?: Saturday

The Letter E
How do you like your eggs?: egg whites only, scrambled
Have you ever been in the emergency room?: To many times to count
What's the easiest thing ever to do?: smile

The Letter F
Have you ever flown in a plane?: yep
Do you use fly swatters?: I am guessing I have, but I don't actively have one in the house
Have you ever used a foghorn?: uh, maybe a couple times

The Letter G
Do you chew gum?:all the time....fav is orbit white wintermint
Are you a giver or a taker?: both
Do you like gummy candies?:hmm.....gummy lifesavers

The Letter H
How are you?: I am fine, how are you?
What color is your hair?: brown, blonde, streaked

The Letter I
What's your favorite ice cream?: one sweet whirled-Ben and Jerrry's
Have you ever ice skated?: yes, took some lessons as a kid
Do you play an instrument?: piano, very poorly and I used to play the flute

The Letter J
What's your favorite jelly bean brand?: jelly belly
Do you wear jewelry?:sure

The Letter K
Who do you want to kill?: what kind of a question is that.?
Do you want kids?:got them
Where did you go for kindergarten?: Central school in huntsville

The Letter L
Are you laid back?: most of the time
Do you lie?:yes....snort(kidding)

The Letter M
Whats your favorite movie?: pride and prejudice
Do you still watch Disney movies?: sure with the kids
Do you like mangos?: yes....nummy......

The Letter N
Do you have a nickname?: lots! B.B, Brick, Breezy, etc. etc.
What is your real name?: Bryonny
Whats your favorite number?: 25
Do you prefer night over day?: depends

The Letter O
What's your one wish?: Just one? hmmm......I could think of several
Are you an only child?: no , one sister

The Letter P
What one fear are you most paranoid about? I guess it is a good thing I can't think of much....maybe snakes, but I am not paranoid or anything
What are your pet peeves?: whining, people who insult you in a round about way
What's a personality trait you look for in people?: someone who likes to have a good time, someone who can make me laugh and smile, someone who can listen without judgement

The Letter Q
What's your favorite quote?: If it is not madness, it is not love
Are you quick to judge people?: I hope not, some people you can right away, but most people I like to get to know before

The Letter R
Do you think you're always right?:I was only wrong once, but it turned out that was a mistake
Are you one to cry?: no , I am not

The Letter S
Do you prefer sun or rain?: depends on what I am doing
Do you like snow?: yes
What's your favorite season?: Fall

The Letter T
What time is it?: 9:05
What time did you wake up?: 7:10
When was the last time you slept in a tent?: Its been a couple years

The Letter U
Are you wearing underwear?: yes
Underwear or boxers?: both

The Letter V
What's the worst veggie?: carrots when they are cooked
Where do you want to go on vacation?: Italy

The Letter W
What's your worst habit?: drinking caffeniene....Is that a habit?
Where do you live?: Ft. Payne, Alabama
What's your worst fear?: ? I don't know

The Letter X
Have you ever had an x-ray?: yeah
Have you seen the x-games?: no
Do you own a xylophone?:no

The Letter Y
Do you like the color yellow?: not so much
What's one thing you yearn for?: hmmmm.........I am not telling :)

The Letter Z
Whats your zodiac sign?: Virgo
Do you believe in the zodiac?: why not
Favorite zoo animal?: elephants

Here is another.......

Welcome to the 2008 edition of getting to know your friends! Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be lame and spoil the fun! Copy this entire email and paste into a new email that you can Send, change all the answers so that they apply to you. Then send this to a whole bunch of people you know, INCLUDING the person that sent it to you. Some of you may get this several times (that means you have lots of friends).


1. What is your occupation? stay at home
2. What color are your socks right now? bare feet3. What are you listening to right now? hannah montana
4. What was the last thing that you ate? blackened fish and green beans
5. Can you drive a stick shift? yep7. Last person you spoke to on the phone? jess
8.. Do you like the person who sent this to you? yep!9. How old are you today? 28
10. Favorite drink? beringer
11. Favorite sport to watch? Baseball
12. Have you ever dyed your hair? Yep13. Pets? not currently
14. Favorite food? italian15. Last movie you watched? The wedding singer16. Favorite Day of the year? oct. 31
17. What do you do to vent anger? get really pissed off and spout off to my friends! They are good and let me vent!
18. What was your favorite toy as a child? my little pony19. What is your favorite, fall or spring? Definitely fall20. Hugs or kisses? KISSES
21. Cherry or Blueberry? cherry
22. Do you want your friends to email you back? sure23. Who is most likely to respond? ?24. Who is least likely to respond? ?
25. Living arrangements? an apartment, just me and the kids
26. When was the last time you cried? ? 27. The friend you have had the longest that you are sending this to? krysten
28. The friend you have had the shortest that you are sending it to?laura29. Favorite smell? salt water30. Favorite sound? the ocean waves crashing31. What inspires you? getting out there and trying new things. Doing the things I have always thought about and trying them
32. What are you most afraid of? I am afraid of life passing my by and not doing the things that I want to do
33. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers? spicy
34. Favorite car? currently an XTerra, but any truck will do
35. Number of keys on your key ring? 5
36. How many years at your current job? To long :)
37. Favorite day of the week? Saturday
38. WHO WERE YOU NAMED AFTER? A Louis Lamour Book
39. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING. sure
40. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Turkey41. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? 2
42. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? sure, I am fun! :)43. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? yes, see question 42
44. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? yep
45. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? oh yeah!!!!!!!
46. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Lucky charms47. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? no, but I should
48. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? I am realizing I am!
49. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? cookies and cream or ben and jerry's One Sweet Whirled
50. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Their body type, jaw lines(I know I am weird) , smile
51. RED OR PINK? both
52. WHAT IS Your LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOU? I don't give myself enough credit.
53. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? DH has been gone a long time
54. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? no shoes, and black exercise pants
55. Do you exercise? Everyday!
56. HAIR COLOR? brown for now
58. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? nope, perfect vision
59. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? happy endings
60. SUMMER OR WINTER? summer61. FAVORITE DESSERT? I love Tiramisu ! good answer Kylene
62. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? The Harequin by Laurell K Hamilton
63. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? plain black64. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? part of the Biggest Loser
65. Favorite Singer? Jimmy Buffett
66. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Mexico?67. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Lots of them
68. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Huntsville, AL69. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? everyone's

Got this in an email......so passing it along

Welcome to the 2008 edition of getting to know your friends. What you are supposed to do is copy (not forward) this entire
e-mail and paste it onto anew e-mail that you'll send. Change all the answers so they apply to you, and then send this to your friends including the person who sent it to you. The theory is that you will learn a lot of little things about your friends, that you might not have known.

1. What time did you get up this morning? 5:40 am
2. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? I am legend
4. What is your favourite TV show? Uh, I repeat Laura........MOONLIGHT.....Is there any other show!!!
5. What do you usually have for breakfast? Powerbar, coffee, water bottle
6. What is your middle name? Anne
7. What food do you dislike? onions
8. What is your favourite CD at the moment? jon mclaughlin
9. What kind of car do you drive? Toyota Corolla
10. What is your favourite sandwich? Quiznos, classic club with bacon....yum
11. Favourite item of clothing? cute panties
12. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation,
where would you go? Italy.....yep already bought the tickets
13. What color is your bathroom? boring white
14. Favourite brand of clothing? no favs, just has to look good
15. To where would you retire? The beach, maybe a island
16. What was your most recent memorable birthday? hmm, fav birthday.....is it sad I can not think of one?
17. Favourite sport to watch? Baseball
18. Farthest place you are sending this to? Afghanistan
19. Who do you least expect to send this back to you? Chris
20. Person you expect to send it back first? Kylene
21. Favourite saying: Nummmy.......Instead of yummy....HaHa
22. When is your Birthday? August 25th
23. Are you a morning person or a night person? I used to be a night person, but this year , I have definetly become a morning person
24. What is your shoe size? Ahhhh 9.5
25. Do you have a pet? A cat MIA who is now living at my parents, but I am getting a dog next month
26. What did you want to be when you were little? a marine biologist
27. What is your favourite candy? Mr. Goodbar if we are talking chocolate bar.....but lately I have been addicted to lifesavers!
28. What is your favourite flower? white daisys
29. What is a day on the calendar you are looking
forward to? November 8th is the set date to leave for Italy! But I am looking forward to some dates in March and April
30. What is your full name?Bryonny Anne Robbins
31. What are you listening to now? The rain
32. What was the last thing you ate? Ice cream cone from MCD's
33. What is the weather right now? raining
34. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Yes!
35. Favourite soft drink? diet mtn. dew
36. Favourite restaurant? This little bar and grill on Treasure Island in Tampa , FL
37. Siblings? 1 sister
38. Favourite day of the year? October 31
39. Favourite toy as a child? care bears, my little ponies
40. Summer or winter? Summer
41. Hugs or kisses? kisses
42. Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate
43. Do you want your friends to email you back? Yes
44. When was the last time you cried? When Jess was telling me some of the songs for her wedding and the reasons behind it......I kinda teared up.....yeah, I know so not like me!!!
45. What is under your bed? some boxes
46. Who is the friend you have had the longest? Stacey, ever since I met her in the bathroom in 6th grade....
47. What did you do last night? Passes out watching a movie after going to MCD's with Jess and Ben.
48. Favourite smell? Citrus
49. Plain, buttered, or salted Popcorn? Plain!
50. How many years at your current job? What job?
51. Favourite day of the week? Saturday
52. How many towns have you lived in? 9-10 easily!!
53. What is your pet peeve? Hallelujia Laura! one up people.........move on!!!!!!!

recipe for me~just a little fun

The Recipe For Bry

3 parts Genius2 parts Fearlessness1 part Prosperity Splash of Silliness Limit yourself to one serving. This cocktail is strong!

What's" the Recipe for Your Personality?

Fun times with the girls

Great party! I can't believe it has taken me a week to write about it. I have been putting in some major hours at the gym, and then of course it was a short week. Time sure does fly. Chris birthday was this week. It was the second year we spent it apart. Last year we got a cake and celebrated. This year , I just let it pass. Sometimes you just have to let days go by. Time is doubling up. I have already lived a January with out my husband. Anyway! STacey came over to go to the party with me as well as my cousin Krysten and her friend Evelyn. We had a great time. There was about 13 of us there including the consultants. The bubbly was flowing and the party got off to a great start! Of course put me and Stacey in the same room and we kind of feed off each other. i love that about our relationship! We had fun posing for some great pics. Had way to much to drink, but had an incredible time. We hooked my girl Jess up! She should have a great honeymoon!!! The wedding is just a few days away, I am very excited for her.

Well I forgot to post highlights of the week so I will now.

1. The party-alot of fun, and its been awhile since I had a girls night!

2. Spending time with Stacey. Its been a crazy year for both of us. We both wish we could have more time together. But that is what is great about our relationship, whenever we are together we always have a great time!!

3. I will add today's run to my highlights. I did about 8-9 miles. I am exhausted but man did that feel good. I feel like I am finally getting back in the groves of things.

best pictures for the week

It has been another crazy week here. I should be up cleaning the house and doing laundry. Tonight is the bachelorette party and I have some friends staying over. The kids are at the grandparents house and I had last night to myself again. I sat around , finished up my Anita Blake novel, and watched Moonlight. I am so not happy about waiting possible 6 months for the return!!! It was a good episode, but a little bitter sweet knowing it was the last one. Sheesh, I have not been so hooked on a show in so long!

It snowed this week. Wedneday afternoon it came down for hours. Nothing accumulated but it was so pretty. I met Jess at spinning class and we all watched it through the windows as we rode. At the end of class we did this pretend road race(called drafting) We turned out the lights and pulled up the blinds as it snowed. It was exhilirating! Great workout. I have been to the gym a few times this week , but slacked off the cardio a little. Did well on the diet , and did well on the weight lifting but only did 3 days of good solid cardio.

Chris sent some new pictures. Well they were uploaded to the Nuristan website(link on your right). I love seeing pics of him when I have not seem him in so long. Its an odd feeling. We are almost to the two month mark! Better get my butt in gear! I am adding a pic here of him, he is wearing the Alabama Hat I sent him. It looks totally out of place, I love it!

Oh yeah, and I have kept up with the LOAD Challenge. It has been a struggle this week but I did it. I have another card for the deck of me challenge to do as well. I will get some uploaded later.

Brave Girl

Kendal is so brave. We went shopping today with Jess and Emma. Emma has her ears pierced. Well this intrigued K, who constantly goes around with clipons. I will admit I secretly want her ears pierced but would always want it to be her choice. Well we walked into Claires to get some bows, she saw the earings and asked me to get them done. She was determined, even after I told her it would sting or hurt a little. She made it through the first ear, Eyes got real big, but not one drop fell! Second one......She let it all out for about a minute. Them she was so proud. She showed them to everyone! She is still very happy, I am not sure how happy I will be with all the cleanings, but it will be easy I hope! Oh did I mention she picked the most expensive ones out. So my child!

Best of this week

1. Box from Laura.......Laura was continuing with her gifts for the year. She altered a paint can for me. It was absolutely awesome!!! I need a pic of it , and will get one on here soon.

2. My workouts.....I ate great all week, staying on the diet and worked out faithfully every day!

3. I had friday night to myself without the kids. I just stayed home watched my Moonlight and scrapping and that was a great break.

4. Got my new phone, so I am not going around with my headphones on.

5. Moonlight(I can't forget this)

6. Laughing on the phone with Laura over you tubes!



Here is a pic I took yesterday as well. I am still taking them almost everyday , just not uploading them as much! I am really enjoying altering pics. I spend way to much time with this.

keeping busy

Here are the recent layouts for the LOAD Challenge and as promised my Deck of me Cards.

Week 1- Goals for 2008

Week 2-Quote that fits my life right now

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday

First of all Friday.......did you see the episode of Moonlight? Wow! again....Wow! Love it. My friend Kylene called me afterwards. I knew what that phone call was about! We talked for a long time about where the show was going and how hot we think Mick ST. John is! The next day I talked to Laura. Pretty much the same conversation except we spent the evening sending you tubes back in forth. Trying to out do the other. She sent me a "Im to sexy" one, after I had sent her the "naughty boy" one. Then we found a Hey Micky, and a "Im bringing sexy back" video. Seriously , we have nothing better to do........I wish I could post them all here for your enjoyment and some day I will get to it. I will try to put them at the bottom of the page. So scroll down, maybe I got it done!

Saturday was the bridal shower of a friend. And it went over well, took forever to open gifts, but afterwards we had a good time. Goofing around making pics. I love this girl, I tell ya. She has been a saving grace here. Here is a pic of us at the shower. The Bride(jess), me, and Beth. Now I got some really funny pics of her with bows on her head and stuff, but I am not sure we would like me to post that for the world. I am sure next weekend will be some even better pics at the bachelorette party! Can not wait!

Crazy week

I have been crazy busy this week, but I have managed to get the layouts done. NOt much else though! I have been working

out like mad and taking spinning in the afternoons. This is the first full week for both kids and it has taken its toll on me. One thing that did get done this week was the booking of my Italy Trip. I am so stinking excited about this! Going with hubby and sister and brother in law. Trip is in November for 10 days. I have never been overseas. My one place to ever visit overseas is Italy. Of course there are so many other places but if I only get to go once, I wanted it to be Italy. So this is very special, not to mention one of my "things to do before 30".

Other things happening this week......New episode of Grey's Anatomy, and Friday night is a new episode of Moonlight. I can not wait!!

Also I have a friend getting married in a few weeks so I have been trying to plan a "slumber" party for her. Its going to be really fun and a good friend /consultant is going to come over and do the party for us. I am looking forward to a night out with friends. Now to ask the parents to watch my kids. ugh! NOt fun. Same friend is having a bridal shower this weekend so I have got to ask them for this Sat. too. I was really doing a good job at staying away from my parents house. I mean I take my clothes to the laundry mat, pick up my mail once a week, etc. Oh well, it will just be one afternoon.

One thing I have totally slacked off with this week is my picture a day, unless you count taking a pic of my layout. So those will have to do. I need to get more in the habit of taking my camera everywhere. I will get back into this though! I will!

Oh and picked up another scrapbooking challenge. Deck of Me challenge. 52 cards, 52 weeks , one a week. Topic are being posted weekly. I think this will be fun, and its just for me. I will do it on the weekend. I will post some soon!

Pic for the day

K.K. taking a picture. Verdict is still out on this kid camera. How the heck do I get the pics on the computer? EVery time I try to upload it says there are no pics! One day I will figure it out. Like every other electronic in my house.....If I only had time to read the manual that go with them. We all cleaned the house today really really good. Then the kids played Wii while I scrapbooked. I like the Wii, except I am not liking my son's atitude when he does not get to play it. I believe that until I can work on a reward system for it. It will be restricted for the weekends. End of story! I am tired of fighting over it. With school back in session for everyone this week(yeah!) then there will be even less time for it during the week. I actually think that this will be a fun family system once Chris gets home. Right now, I can not get into it to much. It takes to long for them to talk about how to play and what is going on. Rye is constantly calling me into the room to read the screen. NO thanks!

Well January 6th the dreaded 1 year mark came and went. And now it is just getting through the next few months and this will all be over. Tommorrow is back to the gym. I only have 3 months to look really good for the return!!!!

I will end this week with my weekly blog challenge.

What made me happy this week:

• Moonlight tshirts from my friend Laura
• A box of books and a writing challenge from my friend Kylene(We had challenged each other to write things in each other we liked) It was a great gift to get hers in writing(I had sent an email!)
• The knowledge that I have great friends that interest , challenge , and love me!
• A year down, and the excitement of this deployment being almost over!
• Challenging myself to do layouts everyday.
• Scrapbooking on QVC-definetly makes me happy!

layouts for the weekend

Here is Sat. and Sun. layouts for the Load Challenge. It is great to fit a little bit of scrapbooking in every day. Even if it is just the one layout, its something. But I was able to get more than this done over the weekend. I am crusin through this album. Very exciting because in case you can't tell its an older year. I am going to get all caught up this year on older years!
So far I have done 16 pages in 2008.

365 days......and still I count

This is the 365th day that my husband has been gone. And do not say that those 2 weeks he came home count! Well they count, but you can not believe how they fly by. All you try to do is calm down, breathe , and find some joy in them.....and then they are over. Chris texted me this morning. Its already the dreaded January 6th there for him. His text said " Do you know what you were doing 1 year ago" , I said "yep, freezing my ass off , holding you, saying goodbye". I will be thinking about it in the morning when it is January 6th here for me, but I will try and concentrate on the fact that the year is gone! And we made it.
I will talk about the emotions of the night before though. How do you say goodbye? How do you squeeze all the hugs and kisses into a night and know that it will be so long before you can do it again? How do make sure you say all the things that are in your head? How do you memorize a person, and hope it is enough? I don't have answers to these questions, I just know that you do the best you can, and that is will never be enough. There is no way it can ever be enough. So I sit here tonight and let those emotions flood over me, and I realize how far I have come. No one can ever get used to this life. It will never get easier. Being away from the person that makes you whole for years at a time will never be normal. But I do not want another life. Being married to Chris is the best thing that ever happened to me. And I will take what I can get. I will wait for him. I will make the most of the time we are together. I will smother him with hugs,kisses, and "I love you's" whenever I can. No it will never be enough but I will just continue to do the best that I can.

Another day down

Here is my layout for the challenge. I am managing a two page layout a day. Nothing more. But hey thats alot! I will get done with this album. I will. But it is fun to look at how little my son was or how young(and fit) I looked! I took some other pic today too. Nothing worth uploading(I am too tired), but I did take it for the pic a day challenge. All I can say is Thank goodness it is Friday. I even got a vampire fix. Even if Moonlight was a rerun, it was still good. New episode next week! woo hoo! I am off to read some Laurell K Hamilton. I have 3 more to finish the Anita Blake series! I need to slow down because there is not another new one until June(I think) Guess I will have to get back to my Outlander series. It is getting about time to have a Jamie fix!

A few pictures for today

1. Swap Boxes. Out my door!! And one for Chris as well. I am glad to be done with these. I was in 4 jewelry swaps(see examples in Dec. post). I love to jewelry swap! But I need not to do so many at one time. I can get them all done. I just hate the mailing part. I got all the way to the post office today and forgot to put something in them. I will get them done tommorrow! First thing. I hate when something slips my mind. Thats what I get for making myself quit making lists! Lists bogged me down with expectations, and disapointment when I did not finish something. So I quit making them. See where it gets me!

2. My birthday present(Its in August)........ and Christmas......Valentines, St. Patty, Quanza, whatever. I got the best gifts today. They just made me laugh out loud. It is definetly one of my happy thoughts for the week. My good friend Laura sent these tshirts to me. I am a Moonlight fanatic, as is she. If you know the show, if you have ever drooled over Mick the vampire, you will love these shirts. I am sleeping with one...I mean in one tonight!

3. My layout for the day. I thought I would never get this done. I just did not feel well. Its the new diet. Not new, just back on it. I dropped my calorie intake to fast. Ugh, I had a headache and just felt yuck, but I made myself sit down and do the layout, upload it and finish day 3 of the challenge!

Back in the swing of things

I had that familiar feeling today. You know, being overwhelmed. School starts back tommorrow. I had a ton of errands to run, bills to pay, spinning class at 4...............There is never enough hours in the day to get it done. I hope things will be easier when Chris gets back. You really underestimate the extra pair of hands. I was able to get my 2nd layout done for the January Challenge. I am not getting much else done but a 2 page spread a day, but every little bit helps right. This power pallatte(CM-Cabana) is awesome. I am doing the entire year in it. It really helps to limit all the choices and just get it done! Also I took a picture today for the 365 picture a day challenge. Nothing exciting. Just my shoe. Why? Because I need a new pair. See that whole on the top, left side? I proudly gained that hole from all the trail running I have done. I have another , newer pair for the gym, but these are my favorite. I gotta go see if I can find them again. We have one store here that carries athletic shoes. Not a big selection. And I have to buy New Balance. There is no other brand for my foot. So thats my picture for the day. I just said I would take one everyday, not that it would be a piece of art!

Picture a day for the year!

January 1 , 2008

Picture a day for a year seems so overwhelming! But I have been reading blogs of people doing just that. Well I am going to try it and go for as long as I can! I woke up today panicked though because I didnt take one yesterday on the first day of the year. Well except for the layout page. But I did, I did! I took one with my phone at the Cracker Barrell. This is K, playing checkers with Bubba. Our table was right up against it so I enjoyed my coffe and they played, well until Rye got mad because K was not playing right. Oh Well!

How I spent New Year's Eve and New Year's Day

New Years Eve

-Well I am pretty boring here. I spent the last 30 minutes of 2007 watching Rockin New Years on TV, sipping pink champagne. Yes, I opened the bottle early. Chris called me about 10 minutes before the new year and talked to me until the ball dropped. He said that he may not be able to kiss me on the lips but he could kiss me in my ear at midnight. And thats what he did! It had been January 1st for him for about 10 hours. We said our goodnights and I went to bed.

On a side note I kinda had de ja vu watching Fergie on TV. Its what I did the previous year, I went out a week later and bought her album. Love it!

-Today, well I have been lazy! The kids surprised me by cleaning up their room before I got out of bed. I told them that they deserved breakfast at Cracker Barrel for that. So we went and ate Sunrise Samplers. I still have not got used to eating out with the kids by myself this year, but I have really enjoyed the few times we have had breakfast at Cracker Barrell. Another plus to having an apartment in town! After Breakfast we came home and the kids played Wii and played. They were a little irritable today due to being up late last night. I tried to let them stay up but neither one made it. Of course they were up at the same time this morning. Ugh! I played around online and did some scrapbooking. I am doing the January Challenge Class on the Big Picture Website. We have to do a layout a day in January. Here is mine for today, I will try to add these in daily.

Hi/Low of 2007

Lets start this on a positive Note. I challenged myself to think of 5 Highlights of 2007. This was hard for me. It was a rough and challenging year. But here are some things I came up with.

1. Road Trip- January- Now if you were on this trip you would be shaking your head at me for adding this as a Highlight, but it was. For a few reasons. First of all 2 great friends came out and held my hand as the soldiers , my husband included, left for deployment. We all loaded into my little Corolla and drove across the country. It was rough! We fought, disagreed, and generally argued about everything. We got no sleep and ran on nothing but caffeine. But you know what it was a hell of a ride! We stoped where we wanted to stop, we even went to San Antonio (which was a major adventure) and took a picture at each state sign. I would totally do it again. Crazy as it was, I can look back at it now with a big cheesy grin and say yeah, that was fun.

2. Seeing my kids for the first time. The kids left for Alabama with the grandparents on Dec. 26th, So I did not see them until January 10th. That was the longest I had ever gone without my babies. And I loved walking in to that house and seeing my son. It was late but he stayed up and waited for me. Later I crawled in bed with my baby girl and snuggled up to her. She woke up the next morning and could not believe I was there. That was a major hightlight!

3. Being close to Ft. Bragg, okay not exactly close , about 7 hours. But, close enough that I got to see Chris more than I would if I had been in AZ. I got a call from him one day and he asked me to drive up. He snuck off the base for 6 glorious hours and it was heaven. I will not add details but it was the best feeling in the world to see his face after 3 months!

4. North Carolina Trip- A few weeks later we all got to go to Ft. Bragg and see Chris before they flew out to Afghanistan. It was heart wrenching but we made the most of it. We visited the outer banks and explored lighthouses. It was a wonderful time and I truly enjoyed it.

5. Not 24 hours after leaving Chris with the kids crying our eyes out , I got a call from him. Come back he said, I have another week of R and R. Things got postponed and viola we got another 5 days with him. I went by myself this time because the kids were in school. 5 days in a hotel with the man of my dreams ......Highlight!

And I thought of some more!
-Finding out I was stronger than I believed
-Getting a new apt., and moving out of mom and dad's
-Finishing a 10k


So here are the Low points of this year

1. Obviously , Chris leaving. January 6th was an awful day. Standing there for hours saying goodbye. It about killed me. The same goes for each time we said goodbye at Ft. Bragg. 3 different times!

2. Chris called from Bangor , Maine right before his plane left the country. I never felt so alone in that moment. I did not think I would survive it. I think I physically felt him leave the country. Until I heard his voice again, I am not sure I breathed.

3. Communication has sucked this year! It took weeks for email /phones. And it is still not great.

4. Our relationship nearly fell apart. Enough said. This is between him and I , I will just say that neither one of us handled this first deployment well and we pulled away from each other instead of trying to come together. Chris and I have never handled time away from each other well and as the months went on we both fell into alot of depression.

5. You can never go home! It can not be done. Nothing like feeling like a teenager again living with the parents, oh yeah but this time with kids! Ahhhhhh!

6. Last but not least. Realizing that family will not always be there for you. That you can not depend on a whole lot of people in this world. I could expand on this but I am working toward releasing my anger instead of mulling around in it. My main goal is just removing myself from the situations that cause the anger.

New Year's Resolutions

Now that I have finished my 30 before 30 list I am ready to do my New Years Resolution.


1. Continue the running/workout schedule that I have been pretty good about in 2007.
2. Learn to not obsess about things like the house being perfect at all time. I spend to much time doing unimportant things instead of the things I enjoy(you following me?)
3. Work on my 30 before 30 list. This kinda goes without saying but there are specific things I want to cross off in 2008. School, Fitness Certification, some of the trips are things that need to be taken care of in 08!
4. Find a babysitter and begin regular dates with Chris. Yes this was also listed before but needs to be repeated. The biggest part of this is finding a babysitter. Something I have always found very difficult. Could this mean I need to be more involved? Yes!
5. Get a new Car! I have payed off this one, drove it and drove it some more. I want a new one! Like an XTerra!
6. Do not light up!- That means do not slip back into smoking. Its not worth it, I have come to far!
7. Blog more. I want to do more creative writing, and push myself. I enjoy it and do not understand why I have such trouble doing it. I am going to keep a list of ideas and topics to inspire me in writing.
8. The little things. I want to be aware of them. Write them down. Journal them. My kids do special things all the time, my family has special moments. I want to remember them!
9. Continue paying off my debt. I am almost there and I love the feeling. If I can keep with it, This could be done by May!
10. Cook-Sounds simple, but I have let myself believe it is a chore and I do not enjoy it. I used to enjoy it. I want to find away to get back to it.

30 Things before I turn 30

Now I have been thinking about this list for a long time. I don't feel like I have enough time to get it all done, but maybe just writing out the goals will help me work towards them. So with only 20 months to go before I turn 30, here is my list. I hope to cross each one off, write about it here, and if I am not able to get something done I hope to have a plan in place to help me achieve it as soon as possible. Oh and these are in no particular order, just how they came out of my head.

1. Go abroad-There are plans for this in fall of 08. DH and I are planning a trip to Italy!
2. Learn the basics for said country-again, I have set the wheels in motion for this, but now its time to actually read the books and listen to the tapes.
3. Go back to school and work on finishing up my general studies- I am shooting for Fall here.
4. Catch up on all things scrapbooking-This means all previous years, specialty albums, childhood albums, etc. I want to be working on current years only. I am so tired of the worry that these other things will never get done.
5. Continue my running-This sounds like more of a new years resolution, but really it should be a life long decision to remain active and in shape.
6. Run a marathon- This is my goal, I have run a 10k, I want to do a 1/2 in 2008, and the plan is to do the AZ Rock in Roll Marathon in January 2009.
7. Work on group fitness certification-This is seperate from going back to school. This is a field certification that can be obtained with a little studying and testing. Then I can go and teach in a gym. I would like to do group fitness/spinning/possibly yoga
8. Take my husband to Half Moon Bay, CA- He has never seen this beautiful place and I wish to take him there and drive down Hwy 1, hopefully in the fall. Stop at the little pumpkin festivals along the way, taking our time and enjoying all that this route has to offer.
9. Go to San Franciso-This could technically be done on the same trip as Half Moon Bay, but who knows, I love California so much I may want to break up the trips.
10. Visit Big Sky Country- Maybe even ski! We will see. I have a friend who lives up there and so does Chris. So It would be great to go to this area that I have never seen and be around friends as well.
11. Buy a mountain Bike- There are alot of races and fun things to explore if I could get into this hobby.
12. Go Kayacking- I live in AZ for goodness sake, there is so much to see and explore. By water, land or air!
13. Learn what it takes to be the house that is the kid friendly house-You know what I mean, I want the kids and their friends to want to be at my house. There are multiple reasons for this. For one, I am always in contact with my kids and know what they are into, and I wish to build a relationship with my kids that is close and open.
14. Get a dog- I do not have any pets, my cat is now living with my parents(long story) but I wish to have a dog. I want a small one, Chris a big one. So we are comprimising and getting a small dog. LOL. Actually I told him that when we knew his schedule better and would stay in a house longer than a few months then yes he could get a bigger dog. But for now , I have my name on the list for a morkie(Maltese/Yorkie).
15. Set up a fish tank..........again. Chris wants salt water which I am okay with, but here again....we need to stay in one place for awhile!
16. Do a fun/run/walk/ with the kids for a good cause
17. Sky Dive- Not by myself. No thanks, with someone attached to me and I think Chris will join
18. Continue paying off Debt- including student loans
19. Spend a anniversary together with my husband-This has not happened for us in 6 years! We have only been married 7!
20. Get into the habit of a girls night out-Seriously Laura, when I get home, seriously!!! I miss you--Oh and side note to this, we are going to get tickets to see Wicked and hopefully Mama Mia again!
21. Go on regular dates with my husband- No we have never done this. I need a babysitter!
22. Get in the car and drive somewhere for the weekend-no plans, no direction, just go!
23. Attend a SS retreat
24. Better yet, host a SS retreat-There is a ton of us in AZ and CA....its doable!
25. See Jimmy Buffett in concert....again-Now I know technically I have already done this..3 times but it just gets better and better and I hope in the next 2 years I can do it again!
26.Wine taste in California- I would love to go and stay at a vineyard and do this!
27. Ride a motorcycle- Yes I have done this, but it has been a really long time. Chris wants one so maybe it will be his I am riding!
28. Get another tattoo-I want one on the wrist or neck and I want it to be celtic in design with Chris name entwined in it.
29. Go back to Mexico- Hopefully with someone that knows it better!- Ivan and Krysten I am counting on you guys for this. I would love to see all those things I saw pictures of!
30. Vegas Baby!-- for more than 24 hours. This is the key factor. I got no sleep last time because we tried to squeeze it all in in such a short time frame. Also included in this trip is a shocking show(more shocking than Wayne Newton!) Chris and I are thinking of that Vampire Kiss show....I wonder if it is still playing.

Okay , there they are! Here is to crossing these off !

More charms I have been working on

These are all my charms I have been working on for different jewelry swaps. I really wanted to branch out and start really altering things. I am quite proud of the bingo charm. The others were more simple and had set themes. Two of these charms are wine charms. I am excited to be doing a swap like this. Mainly because I am always in need of these little wine charms. The charm with the shells is for a Margarita swap. I love this charm but I may think twice before working with shells again!

Chris' Christmas Greeting

I am adding it here. I wanted to take it off myspace but needed to save it somewhere. I was so lucky to find these soldier greetings online because there was no way I would see it on the tv. Chris cracks me up in this video , he was so nervous. But I am very lucky to have it.

Info about me(Thanks Krysten)

Four Things You May or May Not Know About Me


Four jobs I have had in my life:

1.Store Manager at Movie Gallery in Alabama
2. Waitress- Macoroni Grill in Montgomery, AL
3. 1-800-Fly(something), booking flights -Tampa, FL
4. Education Coordinator for Joanns Fabric Store-Phoenix, AZ

Four movies I would watch over and over:

1. Pride and Prejudice(does not matter which version)
2. Office Space
3. Christmas VAcation (it does not have to be Christmas)
4. Ella Enchanted

Four places I have lived:

1. Tampa, FL
2. Phoenix, AZ
3. Prescott, AZ
4. Troy, AL

Four TV Shows that I watch:

1. Gray's Anatomy
2. Moonlight
3. Blood Ties
4. American Idol

Four places I have been:

1. Outer BAnks, NC
2. Casa de Fruta, Half moon Bay, CA
3. Rocky Point , Mexico
4. Treasure Island, FL

People who email me regularly:

1. Chris
2. Laura
3. Tavia
4. Kylene


Four of my favorite foods:

1. pecan divinity
2. grilled zucchinni marinated in queen creek olive oil
3. R&R pizza with Ranch!(right laura)
4. Coffee....okay technically not food, but Love, Love, Love coffee

Four places I would rather be right now:

1. Arizona
2. California
3. the beach
4. With Chris.....I don't care where!



Things I am looking forward to this year
1. Chris coming home from deployment
2. Moving home to Arizona
3. Going to Italy in November
4. Going to Vegas with Chris

Passing the time

One thing I have been doing to pass the time is embarking on a new hobby! I have gotten into the world of jewelry charm swapping. Don't know what this is, just Google. It is awesome. I was involved in the very first one done on Scrapshare and now have 4 more going! The first one is a Christmas Charm Bracelet. 25 unique charms made by ladies on SS. I can't wait to get working on my others. They are due after the 1st of the year. This time I even doing wine charms. Now I have never been able to get myself involved in swapping online(scrapbooking) but this....well I am hooked. And hey, its makes those days go by fast!

99 Bottles of Beer on the wall .....I mean until DH comes home!

I just took the 100 day tag off of our "Countdown until Daddy comes home" wall hanging. I can't believe what an impact it had on me. I have been so BAH HUMBUG this entire holiday season. I still have a week and a half to go. I have always loved Christmas, but it holds nothing for me this year. I just want it to come and go. My daugter turns 4 on Christmas Eve and my son recently turned 7. Where did this year go. I think back on it and it all feels so surreal. Like I watching a movie. I don't know how my life will be when he returns but I hope I can wake up from this way of living. I don't want everything to pass by and not live each day the way I should. I know I have to find away to exist when he is gone. It not going to be the last time I have to endure something like this. I am glad that I can now see a light at the end of this tunnel. Double Digits. He will be here before I know it. I can not wait to have our family back together.