This. Is. Serious.

Ok, so since our wedding (almost a year ago...ahh!), Ja and I have been extremely busy and happy. Therefore, we have both gained weight. It is not an obsession for either of us and we're both happy with who we are, but we both knew we could stand to lose some pounds, mostly for health reasons. We did a great job before the wedding of really getting serious and eating well and going to the gym. We both dropped a good few pounds and felt great. Well it's time to get serious again. We owe it to ourselves to live as long and as healthy as we can.

So last Saturday, we started P90X. If you haven't heard of it, it is SERIOUS business. It is 90 days of hell. But it kicks your ass in a good way. You do a different work out every day and for the first 3 weeks you do the same weekly routine and then you have a lighter week and then you have a different 3 week routine and then on and on until you get to 13 weeks.

Today we completed day 3 and I really do feel good. I am in pain from my head to my toes, but hopefully when we keep working, all the pain will work itself out!!

In order to make this interesting, we have set ourselves up a little wager.

*If Ja is the only one to make it to 90 days, he'll get a shed he wants for the backyard and his manly yard tools.

*If I'm the only one that makes it to 90 days, I get a Visa Card of equal value to the shed that I can use for a shopping spree.

*If we both make it to 90 days, we are buying ourselves a flat screen TV or a cruise - depends on how comfortable we are with ourselves when we get to the end!

*The first one to bail has to clean up all the dog crap we have in the backyard, and folks, sadly enough, it's been a while!

So, I'll keep you posted with the progress. We have put the scale away and instead we're just using our clothes to help gauge how well we're doing. I have a pair of khakis that caused a break down and the beginning of our last weight loss adventure about a year and a half ago, so my plan is to work until I'm able to fit back into those khakis comfortably! Bring it on!

Peace.

I think right now, for the first time in a really long time, I am experiencing true peace. I am sitting on the sofa with Harley curled up in the crook of my legs and Riley on the other end - not too close, but close enough. The snow is falling outside, blanketing the grass, the street, the houses, and everything else it can find. The man I love with all of my heart and soul is asleep in our bed in the house we have made ours, together. I have spent my day doing a job that I love. I have come home to a man that is my other half and 'children' that have stolen my heart and in return greet me with such joy and excitement that it cannot be contained. Every single bit of it shoots out of the tips of their tails until they are content and happy enough to just lay beside me. Life gets really hectic sometimes and there are sounds and smells and sights that just bombard my every sense. There is good and there is bad. There is joy and there is sorrow. But tonight, there are no TVs on. There is no noise. There is a fire going in the fireplace and I am deeply into a great book. There is no stress. There is no sorrow. Here it is - for me. True peace.

I'M SO EXCITED...AND I JUST CAN'T HIDE IT!!!

I'M GOING TO BE AN AUNT AGAIN!!!!! JEFF + JOHNNA TOLD EVERYONE LAST NIGHT THAT THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE A BABY! I COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED FOR THEM AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT KIND OF LITTLE HELLION THEY PRODUCE...AND WHAT THEY'LL NAME IT!!!!!!! I HAVE NO DOUBT IN MY HEAD THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE THE CUTEST, SASSIEST, CRAZIEST, AWESOMEST LITTLE THING EVER AND THAT JEFF + JOHNNA ARE GOING TO BE AMAZING PARENTS!

Family reunions just got more awesome!

(Sorry for all caps. I'm not screaming at you...that just helps to show a bit about my level of excitement! Can you tell I'm just a little bit happy for them!)

I LOVE SNOW DAYS!!

So since my big bus driver announcement, we've had some interesting things going on!

Last Friday, Leslie and I jumped in the car and headed to Myrtle Beach, SC to meet Mom for a Women of the Word conference. Leslie had the only picture and did a great job here. We did a lot of chatting, LOT of shopping, and just a great time hanging out and spending some QT together.

Leslie and I also headed out early to beat the snow storming heading our way. Like Leslie said in her blog post, last time it snowed we were in Wilmington for Greg + Michelle's wedding. So, it happened again. We left town and snow came in. Darn it. But Ja did a great job sending me pictures so I could see what was going on. It dumped a solid 8"-10". That made things a bit messy for going back to school! : )

So Leslie and I went the long way on Sunday to get back to Winston to make sure we stayed on roads that would be cleared. We got back in for dinner and even though the roads were gross, Will HAD to get out of the house. He had been at home with Anna since Friday, but he isn't quite ready for full time Daddy-Daycare! So Ja met us at East Coast Wings and I do believe our husbands were glad to have us back. Absences makes the heart go fonder - and helps you realize all the shit we do for you all the time!! Love y'all!! : )

So, Monday was a snow day. Tuesday was a snow day. Wednesday they made into an optional teacher workday (I will not miss a workday - how great is getting stuff done with no kiddos around!!). Thursday was a 2-hour delay (which means I saw most classes for about 25-30 minutes). So when the 8" to 10" got dumped, back roads were just covered. Since the main roads get cleared and the other roads don't, it makes for a mess. What didn't help was the fact that during the day the temps got up to about 37-40 and would melt the snow a bit and then that night it would refreeze. It was a complete mess. Then last night at the basketball game we found out school was canceled for today. We had another winter storm come through. That dumped about 3" this morning and then gave us nasty frozen rain all day. So the entire city became a pile of slush. So it's going to freeze tonight and then dump another band of frozen rain/snow tomorrow. Good thing I love winter!

So this week was awesome. 3 snow days, 1 work day, and 1 2-hour delay. That's what I'm talking about!

(And for all you negative people, yes I know we are going to have to make these days up. I'm chosing to live in the present and be happy for today and not worry about later!)