Forging Ahead?

   Hello, my Firends,  sometimes it seems as if we are trying to make progress in one area of our lives and the longer we look at it, we really aren't sure.   Need some explanation?  I will try to keep this on the brief side, but I have never been very good at the short answer to any question, unless it is a single word.  Anyway,  I am very aware that I am need to lose weight.  My photo from vacation in January was quite obvious.  What wouldn't be looking like a bright sky blue stuffed sausage in a swimsuit?  So, I have been mulling the idea over in my mind for this length of time.  Trying to decide if I have the dedication and determination it will take to put in the effort and make some big changes in my daily diet routine.  A friend of ours completed the P90X fitness/diet plan program and lost 70 lbs. - yes 70!  He looks great.  I know I don't have 70 to lose, but still, to actually lose the now 40 lbs, get fit and eat healthier would be great.  Fred & I looked at the program - pretty intense.  He ordered it, we have it and I am now ready to begin on August 1st.  I went grocery shopping for the menu plan - shouldn't be too bad sans the salts and most of the fats.  Took my 'before' photos last night - boy do I NEED this program to work!  If I am successful, a before and after picture will be posted - at the end of October when I complete the 12 weeks.  There are some limitations to be accepted.  I will not be able to 'bring it' as a younger person and if I can exercise for 1 hour, that will be a miracle.  Endurance has never been a strength.  Fred & I are going to try to work on it together, but we have very different schedules so we'll see.

So, to forging ahead even in the face of possible failure, but the only way to completely fail is not to try in the first place.  If that's the case, then I have already succeeded!

Have a great rest of the weekend and the week ahead!

Love ya,
Bren

A frustrating thing . . .

Our vacation was great and it wasn't too bad getting back into our schedules.  However, when an unauthorized transaction for iTunes hit my bank account I was not happy.  I removed all my banking information from Scott's iTunes account in early June and cancelled my debit card when a transaction hit my account for about $14 or so.  With the new debit card we went on our trip and had no problems at all.  At least until last week when a $103.24 debit hit my account from iTunes.  WHAT!!!!!!  Yup, so much fun.  I called the bank because it was still pending - hoping they could deny it and that would go back to iTunes.  I didn't enter my debit card info into the computer at all and certainly not back into Scott's iTunes account. (iTunes gift cards are the way to go if you have an iTunes account - no worries with those at all!)  Then I looked at where I had used my debit card on the trip.  Only 2 places where the number was out of my control completely.  Jacob Lake Inn for breakfast at the Grand Canyon, they took my card in one of those leather folders, ran the transaction and gave it back to me - then it was not out of the room from where I was and nothing funny appeared to happen.  The other time was in  St. Robert MO where we stayed on the last night traveling home.  We wanted pizza for supper and I didn't want to drive any where, 10 hours was definitely long enough.  So we had it delivered and I gave them my card number over the phone so there wouldn't be a hassle when the pizza arrived.  I'm thinking it was a Dominoes pizza worker.
    I have tried contacting iTunes - good luck trying to talk to anyone at apple.  If they could look it up by card number then they could see who's account got the download.  Seems easy enough, but I am still waiting for an e-mail response.  Don't see that coming anytime soon.  I did get the money back into my account from the bank.  Cancelled the debit card AGAIN and will start over with a new one next week when I get it.

Oh well, what is a person to do other than what I did?  Not much.  I may go to a pre-loaded credit card not attached to any account and use that for online transactions.  Not sure if I could plan far enough ahead to work that out.  The funny thing is, it was only one transaction.  Someone suggested to me that it might be a person who walked by me with a card reader and got the information that way.  I had 5 accessable cards in my wallet - they only used one?  Could they tell which was the debit card?  Would the information be garbled amongst all 5?  Technology is going to leave a lot of us in the dust and soon!  If people could be honest and good, there wouldn't be too much to worry about.  Yes, that is a big IF.

I'm going to work out or something, need to burn off some of this stress.

Have a good rest of the week!  Keep trying to move forward.  I've been told that even a teeny, tiny step in the right direction is still progress. I'm counting on it!  :)

Love Ya,
Bren

Vacation is done & I hit the ground running!

Well, here goes the story of our 4877 miles, 74+ hours driving vacation 6/28/11-7/10/11.  It was long, but oh so worth it!!!

This is us all packed up and ready to go.  That is our new (used) 2008 Saturn Outlook.  A dream to drive, it was great for the trip and fit all the stuff we needed to take out and bring back - comfortably!

This is Wyoming and I-80 that I don't know if it ever has a beginning or an end, it just goes on and on and on. 

We did a detour stop at Martin Cove in Wyoming.  This is one of our church historical sites.  This is the place where the ill-fated Willie and Martin Hand Cart Companies needed to be rescued on their journey west in the days of the pioneers.  Many members of both companies died on their trek west.

This deer/antelope was at the exit of Martin Cove as we left and it paused just long enough for me to take this picture.  It was only about 30 feet from our car!

We made it safely to Bry & Mark's.  This is us visiting Temple Square in Salt Lake City.  It was hot that day, but a wonderful time for us to be there together.

These were in Wyoming, it is awesome to see so many of these wind turbines around the country!

Here is our Bry!!!!  20 weeks in this picture and looking so cute with her 'honey bump'  :)  now she is 22 1/2 weeks - really hoping to make it another 15 1/2 or as close to that as she can get.

Here is a picture from our stop at the Grand Canyon.  That is Scott in the blue shirt with Alexa just behind him.  This is not the place to remember how afraid of heights you are.  I just had to tell the kids they could go out to the lookout points, but without me, and they were to be very careful - no funny stuff.

After the Grand Canyon we headed south through Flagstaff to Phoenix.  This deer sign was just south of Flagstaff and hilarious.  Even in Wisconsin we don't have deer signs like this one.  I know lots of hunters that would just about give their lives to bag a buck like the one picured - isn't that a 30 pointer?!?!

This was a cool cloud/thunderstorm we saw at the sunset point rest stop a ways north of Phoenix.

Now this is Pam (left) and I (right) in her pool.  It was a great way to start our days.  This is actually the morning of the notorious haboob (dust storm) that hit Phoenix.  We didn't notice it too much in the West Valley, just that it got dark much earlier that evening.

Some cool cactus/yucca plants that lined the interstate on our way to Texas.  Yes, I know, the trip isn't done yet.  That was a 14 hour dirve day.  Everything is bigger in Texas, even the miles!!!!!

Gwen & Greg in their apartment complex pool.  We took a swim break in the late afternoon as it was way too hot during the heat of the day.

We saw quite a few dust devils as we traveled from Phoenix to Abilene.  Most weren't good for pictures, but this one was quite close.

Bry taught the kids how to crochet and Meg worked the rest of the trip to finish this one.  She added a button and uses it as a scripture bag for church.  This was finished by the time we stopped in the middle of Missouri on our way home.  Awesome job, Meg!

The St. Louis Arch.  We hadn't planned on going directly to it, but a wrong turn by Mom and we were right at the park.  Which turned out nicely for driving because it was only three or four blocks off the route.  A quick stop and we were back on our way and into Illinois.  No pictures of Illinois - nothing really to see there.

Lots of hours, miles and sights to see.  I am so glad we did it.  It isn't a trip we'll probably ever do again, but it was the only way I could figure we'd be able to see everyone we did.  Now Alexa, Megan and Scott can picture where their sisters live and have seen things you don't see when flying.  They also got re-acquainted with their Aunt Pam & Uncle Dennis, cousins Katie, Jennie, Lynn & her family.  Can't put a price on all of that.

Now that we are home, it was right back into everything and busy as ever.  I have been to 2 scout committee meetings, a Court of Honor, 2 scout nights, volunteered with Scott at the Humane Society, got the girls ready for Young Women Camp this week, worked two full weeks and getting Scott ready for scout camp next week.  My grandmother used to say, "No rest for the weary' or 'No rest for the wicked'.  I'll take the weary.  Some days it's hard to tell.  :)  Fred did miss us and was glad to have us home.  He had dinner ready for us on the 10th.  It was good to be home.

May you have a wonderful weekend, stay cool, and make the effort to plan that once in a lifetime vacation.  We aren't getting any younger.

Love ya,    Bren

good day

Well,  I did it!  I got up early and made the trip to Oshkosh for the Badger State Games to compete in the Women's Discus Throw.  There were only 12 women throwing.  The hard part was knowing exactly who you were competing against.  I did not know until it was all over that there were 3 in my age group.  One lady, Lindsay, thought I was in her group; now I know she was younger than me, but she didn't.  She threw in the 30-35 age group,  I thanked her but let her know I was in the 45-49.   The results?  I placed first with a throw of 74' 8".  I was really disappointed in that distance as I know a few times in practice I had thrown real close to 100' and hit 90' pretty consistently.  The weather was great, sunny, warm-but not overly, and a perfect breeze.  I forgot the sunscreen and there was no shade for anyone there.  So. . .  4 1/2 hours in the sun and I am pretty pink.  I am actually giving off a fair amount of heat from my arms, face, and lower legs.

Here is me on the podium with my medal.  :)

This win qualifies me to go to the State Games in 2013 in Pennsylvania.  I won't go with a throw of only 74'8", but if I can get real close to 100' next year I would consider it.

The picture below is wierd.  I don't know why, but my kneecaps did not burn.  No sunscreen at all and they just have no color.  I know I scraped and cut my knees a few time growing up, but the exact same mark on both knees?

It was a good experience for me.  I will try to fit the competition into my schedule for next year.  I learned a lot about preparing and competing all over again.  It was hard to know how many warm-up throws to take, next year I will take a few more.  I won't get there quite so early and will definitely have sunscreen.  I will also compete in the shot put - might as well as long as I'm there.

Have a great week!  Good luck to all those trying something old again as something new - may you be successful in your endeavor!

Oh, yeah, we are now in high gear for preparing for the driving vacation out west - should be awesome.  Especially in the new Saturn Outlook we got on Friday.  It's not brand new, an '08, but it rides great and will make the trip that much more enjoyable.

Love ya,
Bren

Better Today

Hello, and glad you came back to read my blog.  :)   I was soooo tired earlier this week, but feel much better now.  We are getting excited for the vacation - even if it will be lots and lots, oh did I tell you LOTS of driving?!  My 'little' Alexa will be a senior this school year and some senior pics will be taken on the trip.  In fact, we are going to try to get some pictures at the same park that Bry had her bridal pictures taken at.  Should be way cool!  AND Bry lives just a few blocks from that very park.  Whoo Hoo!  for not a long drive!   We will take some pics at the Grand Canyon, maybe Sedona, and some at the same place Gwen & Greg took their 'engagement' photos in Texas.  They were already married, but that's what that type of photo is called, so engagement it is.  She might be the only senior to have pictures taken in 4 states!

Alexa used her birthday money and worked very hard for the rest to buy a Nook.  She is way excited to have it for the trip.  It is way better than an iPad.  Apple just makes me angry - their accounts, their charges, their service and try talking to a real person.  Good Luck with all that.  Anyway, she is busy figuring it out and getting it ready for the road trip.

It will be interesting to see if Meg and Scott actually survive the trip.  I may leave one, or both, of them by the wayside if they can't find a way to get along better than they do.  We are getting a newer vehicle tomorrow.  A Saturn Outlook, same chasis as the Chevy Traverse and a couple others.  I wanted to keep lots of room for kids, yet. Just to give them space apart and also room to haul stuff - as I still do a lot of that yet.

Good luck to all who are planning a vacation!
Love ya,
Bren

Summer, where have you gone?

I know the calendar says June, but the weather feels like late September or early October!  Up Nort (this is not a spelling error, but Yupper Slang) in Wisconsin is usually colder than almost anywhere else in the states, but this is truly ridiculus.   Maybe it will warm up by July.

We are preparing for our trip west.  So excited to go! 

I threw the discus for a while on Saturday and that went fine.  I really don't want to embarass myself at the competition, though.  What if I scratch?  What if I can't keep it in bounds?  Can't worry about 'what if's'.  I will go and do my best and if those things happen, then they happen.  It's just been so long - 28 years since I last competed.

This is a long week, my neck hasn't been very good.  A big headache, sore neck and stiff with some limitations on range of motion.  Even with all the driving, the vacation sounds wonderful right now.  Can we leave today?

Not much else to say without whining, so I will just leave it at this.

Have a great week!
Love Ya,
Bren

Time Flies

Hello and welcome to summer in full swing!!!!  Busy isn't the right word to fully describe our lives at this moment.  I am practicing discus throwing each Saturday and then me & some scouts head off the to Humane Society to walk dogs for community service.  The boys need this for advancement and the Citizenship in the Community merit badge.  It is an Eagle required badge, so important to make the time to get it done.

Work had been very, very busy.  However, I took two afternoons this week to attend a digital photography/photoshop class.  It was supposed to be 3 afternoons, but I was smart enough to not waste any more time being frustrated with that program and losing work hours in the process.  I guess I am the teachers first drop-out.  Oh well, I don't have time to waste sitting there staring at a screen wanting to accomplish a task and nothing working, being frustrated beyond belief.  I did learn more about my camera and maybe just enough on their program to be a little more fluent in the Photoshop Elements software that I have at home.  I just don't get the layers thing.  This is a 'cadilac' program and I just need a 'chevy'.  Knowing my limits is a wonderful insight, listening to them has not been a strength for me in the past.  See . . . I can learn!

Scouts has been going much better, at least I feel ontop of things and not feel like I am being swept away by them.  The gift-card program is working out very nice.  The last thing I need to do is type up the instructions so some one else could follow them if anything were to ever happen to me.  They are hand-written and just need to be typed.  This is something that I've done on different jobs that I've had and it's been good to do from time to time.  The easiest way to write them is assume that the reader has no frame of reference to what you are talking about.  This helps me to write them very simply and forces me to be very detailed.  Usually turns out well.

I also have helped get the scouts' advancement information in our Troopmaster software program.  This helps with tracking their progress and partial merit badges as well as tons of other information that's handy to have in one spot.  This program will help us upload data to the BSA National database.  Pretty cool.

The big news of the day is that Bry & Mark found out the gender of the baby today  . . .  And . . . . it's a boy!  His name will be Korbin.  She hasn't felt him move yet, but should soon.  They did see him swim around lots on the ultrasound.  He is very active.  The appt with the cardiologist also went well today.  Nothing a concern at this time.  I asked her about the pacemaker.  They don't need to implant one at this time, unless something comes up.  She's doing great and feeling good with very little morning sickness at all.  I really hated that feeling, so I'm glad she doesn't have it.  Don't think all the girls will be so lucky with that, but we'll see.  I can't wait to go visit and take her maternity clothes shopping - just for a few things.

The next two weeks are busy, too.  We are preparing to take our trip west to see Bry & Mark, my sis Pam, and then end up at Gwen & Greg's.  So it will be to Utah, Arizona and Texas!  Whoo Hoo!  Let's hit the road.  Sounds nice, but it will be a lot of miles.  Alexa and I will take turns driving.  We plan to stay one night at a hotel in Nebraska on the way out then one night at a hotel in Missouri on the way home.  One big loop and I am sure I won't want to get into a car for any great length of time when we get home.  Still excited for the trip.  Not sure which vehicle we'll take.  Right now we have a Chevy Venture mini-van, which has lots of room, but we are looking at newer vehicles, so who knows?  I just need to have lots of room for stuff.  I will have stuff to take out and stuff to bring back.

Have a great summer! Hope you find a way to take some type of break from the day to day routine!!!
Love Ya,
Bren