Well it is done...my house is empty. Kayla is officially a college student and I am officially an empty nester. Good thing I like Dan so much! :) The house seems quieter and emptier, even though between school and work she was seldom home the last year. I guess it is just different when you know the kids are all gone and only coming home to "visit". But, we raised those kids to be independent and I am proud that they are doing just that!

I am what is called a "helicopter mom". In other words, I tend to hover over my children. I do not apologize for this, in fact it basically defines who I am. However, it is much more difficult to hover over them when they live 2, 6 and 8 hours away :p Nothing brightens my day more than when one of the kids calls or texts or emails...even if they are having a problem, it still makes me happy just to hear from them.

Someday when I die and go to heaven and God asks me what I accomplished on earth I will just pull out photos of my kids and say "this!"

date August 22, 2011


After the previous post I felt I should do an update, after all, it has been 3 months since I started this adventure! August 2011 - 207 lbs

date August 18, 2011



I am currently trying to eat healthier and lose weight. I am not dieting, because that is not a way of life, it is just a temporary change. I am changing how I eat and what I eat. I am also exercising...although I hate that part of my lifestyle change...blah! So in order to be accountable to someone other than myself, I am putting it all out there on my blog. I plan to take a monthly picture of my progress, or lack thereof. I also plan to update monthly on how much I have lost, or gained as the case may be. This is a lifelong journey and I am only beginning...but I will make it and be healthier for it!

May 2011 - 225 lbs

date August 17, 2011

Got tattoos number seven and eight today...and I have made the executive decision that eight is enough. Well at least I think it is for now...I do not have any more ideas that I really want and I have most certainly almost run out of places I am willing to expose to the tattoo artist! Every single one of them is in a place that I can cover with ease, if needed. Although I don't want to cover them because I am proud of them! I guess I can't really reasonably cover the one on my finger, but it is not one that most people will notice.


It surprises me how mainstream tattoos have become. So many people have them, they are not just for bikers anymore! I guess the "tramp stamp" was the beginning of it all, but now the foot seems very popular, as does the wrist...for women anyway. I don't know if it is a trend that will continue, but I figure when I am an old lady I will be a very colorful one and have something interesting for the undertaker to look at :)






date August 13, 2011

I had a request from Becky to blog about her, so here it is! Not a lot of new things going on with Becky...she is still in Spearfish and still dating Nik, in fact he has moved in with her. Not because they are madly in love (although maybe they are, she hasn't told me one way or the other) but because he couldn't find a one-bedroom apartment that he could afford on his own in Spearfish. I said they should move in together, she said they should move in together and his mom said they should move in together...took Nik a little longer to figure it out :p

For Kayla's birthday Becky bought her her first tattoo...music related of course! Then Becky got a matching one...number seven for her. She now has a music heart on her side, an owl on her wrist, a peace-bomb on her lower stomach, a stack of books on her thigh, a shoe on her ankle a heart butterfly on her other ankle and a pin-up girl on her back. Becky is becoming the tattoo queen!

Becky discovered a website that sells shoes and purses at one set price for everything, you just have to be a member and buy something every month. Of course buying a new pair of shoes every month will be a huge hardship for her...not!! I must say, she does take after her mother :) On that note, she also takes after her mother when it comes to getting lost, or at least taking the "scenic route" when going somewhere unfamiliar. The gang (Ashley, Kayla, Fred and Haley) went to visit Becky over the weekend and she decided to take them to Mount Rushmore. On the way they ended up in Wyoming...just a little off track of where they wanted to go.

She has decided to change her major from English Education to something with business or library science. Her ultimate dream is to own a small bookstore with a coffee shop and sell old and rare books. I told her she could open the store and I would run the coffee shop and make muffins for everyone. Sounds like a good business plan to me...plus who doesn't love books?

So there is the blog post about Becky...who of course is my favorite child. Oh wait, that isn't right...I love them all the same (of course!). Hope you like it Wooboo Grill :D

date August 9, 2011

18

18 years old...wow...
In honor of my favorite band nerd turning 18 today I decided to list 18 instruments she can, or perhaps will, play in her lifetime. The first 13 she has already played, the first 4 she has mastered.

1. Clarinet
2. Bass clarinet
3. Trombone
4. Trumpet
5. Flute
6. Piccolo
7. Bassoon
8. Piano
9. Guitar
10. Recorder
11. Drums
12. Keyboard
13. Saxophone
14. French horn
15. Violin
16. Cello
17. Tuba
18. Sousaphone

Kayla has accomplished a lot in her 18 years and now is off to college to accomplish more. Her dream is to live and perform in New York City, and I see her doing it. Lucky for me she will have to do at least 5 years of college first so that will keep her closer to home! My band nerd has put so much determination and hard work into achieving what she has done so far...music is hard work and takes a lot of time and just plain talent to really do anything with it. Kayla has put the time in and the talent was God-given, so with the two she is a fantastic musician. I am looking forward to many more birthdays filled with "music presents" and dreams being fulfilled. Kayla was a shy, quiet little girl who turned into an outgoing, sometimes dramatic young lady...I can hardly wait to see the full-grown woman she turns into next.

date August 6, 2011
Powered by Blogger.