IN FLIGHT

On Tuesday, my boss and I flew down to the Tri-Cities for work. My boss pilots a Cessna 172 and I get to be the helpful co-pilot. It was quite an adventure to say the least! On the trip down, we had climbed up out of the fog and were soon on top of the clouds. It was extraordinary. It was so beautiful to be soaring above the clouds in clear blue skies. It just looked like a blanket of cotton for miles and miles. After about one hour, we started to encounter more clouds, so my boss had to maneuver up and down and around them (which made me a little queazy). At one point, the air traffic controllers asked him if he needed any help because I'm sure they saw him all over the radar! Then we were advised that too many clouds had come in and we shouldn't be flying by visual flight. So we were diverted to land at a very small airport in a small farming town. (basically it was a strip of asphalt and a windsock!) After an hour or so, the clouds had cleared and we were able to take off and make it to our destination. I was glad to finally see the clouds break and safely get on the ground!

On the trip back, the skies were pretty clear (a few thin clouds) and we enjoyed the sun setting behind us to the west. Once again it was really beautiful. By the time we got home it was completely dark and we flew in and got a great view of the city lights. Here are some pictures from the flight home.

My Christmas Countdown

OK, I have to admit I've been doing a whole lot of nothing in the exercise and healthy eating department for the last month or so, and I'm sure feeling it. I'm a little sluggish, tired, & stressed (ask my family). I'm beginning to realize how important GOALS are to keep us motivated. I haven't been focusing on my health because I have set no goals pertaining to it.

So I decided today what my new goal is before the end of the year. And I'm making it public record, so I don't mess up. Since the holiday season is filled with parties and goodies, I've decided to focus my efforts on exercise. I'm planning on working out every day up until Christmas! I have to move for at least 20 minutes daily doing whatever gets my heart rate up. And at the end of the week, I'll post my efforts on my blog.

I figure that this year I won't wait until the New Year to develop healthier habits. I'm starting NOW! Wish me luck!

Funny conversation today:

Elizabeth: "Mommy, you're gorgeous"
Me (feeling a little proud): "Well, thank you, that was nice of you to say!"
Elizabeth later in the day: "Mommy you're gorgeous again."
Me: "Thanks, sweetie. You're gorgeous too."
Elizabeth: "I AM??"
Me: "Yes, do you know what gorgeous means"
Elizabeth: "No."

SEVEN THINGS

I was challenged by my lovely sister to blog SEVEN (7) things that are INTERESTING about me. So please don't laugh at some of them...

1. I've always had a good sense of direction. If I go somewhere once, I can get there again with no problem. I love maps too. I could just study a map forever.

2. I'm really interested and fascinated with geneology. I love old photographs, stories, facts about families. I'd probably really get into it more if I had a little more time. I've kind of grown into this interest, maybe because I'm into scrapbooking.

3. I have a huge dislike for styrofoam. The only way to describe my fear is that stryofoam is like fingernails down a chalkboard for me. I don't like to see it, touch it, or hear it. So when I get something new in a box and it has stryofoam I want to run out of the room. I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it!

4. When I was in high school I quit the track team as a freshman because I wasn't any good. I ran the 400m and came in dead last. (Not even close to the 2nd to last person.) I had about 100m left running all alone, it was completely embarrassing. So I've learned I'm not a fast runner, but I can run far! After running my first marathon, now I have goals to run several more, including New York, the Marine Corps marathon (Washington D.C.), and even Boston someday.

5. I love quotations. Yes, in fact, I even collect them. I have a collection of favorites that I read often to motivate myself. So if you have a favorite quote, you can always share it with me.
I wonder if pop and momma k still have that brown leather quotation book that I used to read as a kid?

6. I don't do laundry. Yes, my husband does all of our laundry and I LOVE IT! I do help fold clothes though. Back when we were first married, there was a terrible laundry accident. I won't go into the embarrassing details, but in the end, our nice towels had to be thrown away. Ever since, Kurt ("thank you") has done the laundry.

7. I'm a little obsessive compulsive with certain things - like outlets, the stove, door locks, and my alarm clock. Yes, I'm always afraid I'll burn my house down, forget to lock the door, or leave something plugged in. I have to run my hand over outlets to make sure things are unplugged. And no, just looking at it, doesn't do the job for me. (Yes, I'm a little weird, but I know YOU have your own quirky habits too!)

OK, this is a totally random post - things on my mind, things I've done, am doing, or things I need to do.

• Went to a bridal shower this weekend for Kurt's cousin - good company, good food, a fun afternoon to get away from the usual Saturday routine.
• Hauled away 1/3 ton of garbage today and I learned once again that I do not like the DUMP. Eww! BTW, Pop, our trip cost $30! I know your dump is free.
• Was a beatiful Sunday, so we drove over to a favorite county park on a lake. The girls were excited to get out and play, but when we got there the whole playground (which was quite big) was simply gone! Who does that? I've got to find some answers!
• Isn't the first step in recovery admitting that you have a problem? Well....here goes. Halloween candy is my crack - I am addicted. I seriously feel better the moment I eat it. Then I feel bad like an hour later. Is that normal?
• This is my declaration of NO MORE CANDY, I'm setting myself FREE (see previous bullet)
• Major Pet Peeve this week - Ads on the radio heard while driving that have sounds that psyche you out. Like cell phones ringing and emergency sirens. That is just plain dumb.
• The only show I have watched religiously this season is The Office. That show just cracks me up (like the Finer Things Club). Seems like there is so much of nothing on TV these days. (I've also seen most of the Dancing with the Stars shows, shhhh!, but my girls love it)
• I did find a good show last week on the Discovery channel called "Everest, Beyond the Limit". It is a reality show that follows a group of climbers on their expedition to the summit. It was really good, I think I'm hooked! It is on Tuesday nights for the next two months.
• I'm so giddy about my new scrapbook discovery (yes, I'm a nerd). I was feeling overwhelmed about how much I had to scrapbook and I never seem to have enough time to even get to it, so I'm going to do a mix between scrapbooking and plain photo albums. And I found the perfect product. And I got some new albums that are like a box you can close to hold all of my pages.
• I'm hoping the end to daylight savings will help my morning exercise routine. We will see this week. I've been too much of a slacker lately, time to get up and get out the door!
• I'm in the middle of organizing all my recipes (I'm typing them in and making a book) and all my photos (photos on our computer and old ones that were printed before we had a digital camera.) This is a major project, but I'm doing a little at a time, hopefully I'll be done before the kids graduate high school.
• I'm hoping I haven't been the victim of identity theft. I was notified of a charge made on my paypal account that I did not make. I've only used paypal once. The charge was for $30, but it still made me really mad. I've turned in a report, we'll see what becomes of it.
• We got back the girls' preschool photos this week. One sheet of school photos (like 1-8x10 or 2-5x7) is $16. What they do here is print out eight full size sheets of photos and give the whole package to you. You give back any you don't want and pay for the rest. Seems like a waste to me. So if your child's photo didn't turn out at all they've wasted a lot of ink and paper.
• Tuesday is Election Day - don't forget to vote! We have mail in ballots here, which is frustrating because for the past week the envelope has been staring at me to fill it out. I always liked to go into a booth and vote (and get a sticker). Another thing that bugs me is initiatives or referendums that are completely confusing. I consider myself pretty intelligent and the wording on a few of ours are totally crazy. I think I need to go to law school to figure them out.
• Wishing Darlene and Bill good luck on Monday as they have their baby. Can't wait to see pictures!

Have a great week everyone!

After a fun and crazy day with a preschool party, trick or treating, the sugar highs (and lows), we took the girls up to bed. I asked Elizabeth if she had a fun Halloween now that it was over. "Yes Mommy", she said, and then asked, "Is it Christmastime now?"