April 20th walk

I worked last night and was going to go the same park after work as I did yesterday but then decided to come home and change and go to WW. I made it as far as home and weighing in on my own scale and decided I would give it another day before going to weigh in, I need to see a loss for my motivation and as everyone knows who has tried to lose weight it is a up 2-3 lbs one day and down 2-3 another and while I understand water weight and hormones and that I need to look at the long run it still is fun to see the loss on the official stamp! Anyway instead of taking a nap I just vegged all day, dozing on the couch watching tv and late this afternoon I did put on my shoes and start to head out but decided I would just walk on the treadmill instead. And I got my new fancy-schmancy pedometer in the mail today. So I walked for 30 mins and per the pedo I took 3975 steps and walked 1.5 miles. I know I have a lot to go to reach 10000 but I don't think it will happen today but I did make it yesterday. I hope to do my core, upper body and lower body workout also but I know I'm going to crash soon plus DWTS and AI are on. LOL It's almost time to start watching, I don't start until the show is more than half over so I can skip through all the blab and commercials and catch up right at the end!! Love that DVR!

Here's a link to my new pedometer hope this works I suck at adding stuff to my blog.
Well, I'm getting frustrated, it shows in my post but won't show when I publish. Any way you can see it on Amazon.com it is a OMRON HJ 303 GoSmart Tri Axis Pedometer.

Good Morning, I didn't do too well this weekend with my walking, I missed Friday, rode my bike on Saturday with Holly but didn't take my camera and then missed Sunday too. But as soon as I got off work this morning, I went walking at 59th and Thunderbird. It was overcast and a little gray this morning as you can see from this first picture.



This reminded me of a wedding band placed in the bridal bouquet.


I walked for 30mins, per my pedometer (which worked this am and didn't fall off) I walked almost 3500 steps or 1.65 miles. Hope you all have a great day, love you all.

April 15th walk

This is looking up into one of the huge pine trees, This one is so full of pine needles that it blocks out the sun, several birds flew out so they probably have nests in there.


A neigbors poppies


The view of the park from my house


In my own yard looking up and out.

Good Morning, I spent all my free time this am planning my walks, looking up parks etc. I made a list of about 23 places that aren't too far away to go walking at each day. I printed them up and cut them apart and put them in a jar to draw from. I then promptly drew the one farthest away and I don't have time for that this morning, I have to work again tonight and need to get to bed. So I ended up just going out my front door and walking in my own park. No fun wildlife, just birds but I did find 11 cents!! Anyway, here's a couple of pics of todays walk.

Daily (hopefully) Walk

Thought I would post picture from my walk today and thought it might be inspiring (to me) to post one for each day's walk. So here is a couple of pictures from my walk though Cave Creek Wash as it travels from Greenway to Bell (at abt 9th Ave). It has an improved bike/walking sidewalk so not really like hiking but got to see some wildlife. I saw 1 butterfly, 1 squirrel, 2 quail, 2 bunnies (one a baby) 1 coyote, 1 humming bird, 1 lizard, dove, sparrows and assorted other birds. I got a pic of one of the bunnies but missed the coyote (well actully tried but it didn't turn out). I think I walked about a mile and a half but I was bummed cause the pedometer I clipped on today didn't work so not sure how many steps. My expensive pedometer keeps popping off of my waistband and pops the battery out when it hits the ground so I lose whatever info was on it. So I tried this little one that came with a walking Dvd I bought last year. I think I'm going to have to buy a more expensive one that will read even in a pocket or a purse (and that comes with a secondary tether so even if it comes off your waistband, it doesn't fall) It was a nice day out today and hope that I can commit to increasing my activity and decreasing my portion sizes. I have been kind of off the wagon for the last two weeks so trying to recommit. Hope you guys have a great day.

Book covers and dishes

Hi everybody, I know it has been a while but I guess I had the winter doldrums. I have been promising my mom that I would show her what she got me for my birthday, clear back in January so here it is. I have been trying to lose some weight and joined weight watchers after much pleading by my daughters who are enjoying success with the program. I had been wanting some new plates/dishes and had been looking for a smaller plate to eat on since that is one of the recommendations from most weight loss sites. Anyway I found these dishes and really liked the butterflies. I like to think of myself as a butterfly flying free after years of being a caterpillar. LOL So here's a pic of my new dish set.





I also wanted to show this easy but cute craft I did to give to my visiting teaching ladies. This month the lesson is on strengthening our faith through personal scripture study. I found a tutorial on how to make these book covers on a blog called U-Create at (http://kari-youcanmakeit.blogspot.com) (I tried to make this a link but I can't seem to do it. It inserts it in my copy but doesn't put it in the finished post so I guess you'll have to manually enter it) They were quick and turned out really cute. You just pick whatever scrapbook paper you like and a paperback Book of Mormon (or any book) and before you know it this is what you have.



Aimee and family are coming next week for spring break, I can't wait. All of my grandchildren are getting so big, Bailey is 20 and Isabelle will be 17 this month! Jonathan Robert (my youngest is 3 and is "Not a Baby!"). I'll try and post again sooner and share some pictures from their visit

Silliness with the Halloween candy

Last night at our Sunday family dinner, Susie and I played with the left over halloween candy. One of the candys I purchased to hand out this Halloween were these whistle pops. The results was the silliness that follows. Just a glimpse into life at the Sunday dinners.

Also since I posted twice today be sure and check the previous post with the winners of the Halloween literary contest winners revealed!

Del is head-over-heels excited about winning October's contest.


Chris James also won for his creative entry, way to go!



It's official! Del won for the best entry in the Halloween literary contest, and Chris James won the all entry drawing. Thanks for entering. It is so much fun to read your entries!!! You can read all of them by view the comments on the last post. Monica had some cute Cookie monster stories and Susie entered a cute poem too. I am thinking of a new contest, probably something related to Thanksgiving or gratitude and will let you know soon what it will be.

Here's Del's entry:

The Day of The Dead
and past Halloweens,
The best years are gone
and never more seen.

I've fond memories
of the Good Ol' Days,
Far more simple TIMEs,
free and CARELESS ways.

HYPERVENTILATE,
racing door to door.
Fill my pillow case,
always wanting more!

Witch with black nails from
CUTICLE to tip,
Dark GREEN PASTA hair,
fat mole on her lip.

Zombie, SKATEBOARDer,
HUFFALUMP, and ghost.
Look! COOKIE MONSTER,
he scares me the most!

At home with my Queen
and three little ogres,
I fall asleep smiling
in my FOUR-POSTER,
Dreaming of Harleys
and '32 roadsters.

A SMART man knows while
simple times are past,
The memories made
then will always last.

When the Day of The Dead
dawns in my hallowed den,
I may not be as
young as I was then.
Remember these words
and I'll find my Zen;

When Mister Owl speaks,
yes, the whole world stops.
"Only three LICKS kill
a Tootsie-roll Pop."

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!

And here is Chris's

The old gray mare let out a snort,
With the echo of the rifle’s report.
The air was crisp, the night was dark,
The hunter’s aim had missed the mark.

In the woods a flash of something GREEN,
This was no place to be on Halloween.
Undaunted, the men knew this was the night
The mysterious HEFFALUMP would be alight.

The group pressed on for a while,
Like a manicurist pushes a CUTICLE file.
The Heffalump was dangerous and SMART,
But the men smelt his silent but deadly fart.

The chase was on as they galloped to the stream,
Till the horses’ started at a blood-curdling scream.
Big Bird had been CARELESS and gone on alone,
Now he lay on the ground like a big yellow stone.

His insides looked like PASTA,
And Elmo just lost it.
While Oscar drank one for him and his homie,
This is where our poem gets corny.

Bert and Ernie beat a quick retreat
Back to Sesame Street.
Only one dared remain,
COOKIE MONSTER was his name.

Cookie splashed into the stream,
Like a chocolate chip dream.
This ball of blue fury
Had a Heffalump to LICK and bury.

The Heffalump was big like a FOUR-POSTER bed,
With SKATEBOARD wheels weaved in his dreads.
Cookie charged on, till the beast did HYPERVENTILATE,
He knew this was the TIME, he must not be late.

He reached for his chips ahoy,
And smacked that macadamia nut
Upside his pistachio.

Then he followed it up with some milk in a glass,
And that’s how he kicked the Heffalump’s ____.

Another Contest

(Just a fun picture to ask "What are you going to be this Halloween?")

Hi all, I'm finally going to start the next contest. So here is the contest. Write a halloween story/poem/essay/whatever using the following dozen words somewhere in the story (which were collected from those family members present at the last contest drawing and by opening a book and blindly placing my finger on a word).

Cookie Monster, cuticle, lick, hyperventilate, green, smart, Heffalump, four-poster, skateboard, time, pasta, careless

Hope you have fun, the entries will be judged on Oct 31st with the 20 dollar prize going to the one I judge to be the cleverest. "ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" (wicked witch laugh)