Memorial weekend was so nice. Overall, the weather was great and family time was even greater!

We had a picnic at dad's and just about everyone was there (we really missed you Crystal and family!)

Too much food, as always, but sooooo good! Christine made this awesome cake, well it was the topping that made it so awesome.

Peaches with the peach juice mixed with instant vanilla pudding mix and then blended into cool whip ~ Mmmmm. Nice and summery and refreshing!!

Time has a wonderful way of showing us what really matters.

Margaret Peters

What an awesome, tremendous, do-it-again weekend I had with my sisters!! I have never felt so blessed as I was this past weekend spending time with my best friends ~ my sisters. Thank you girls. This is what memories are made of!
If anyone has family they love and adore...I suggest just these kinds of happenings with them! You will NEVER regret a moment you spend with them ~ laughing, loving, sharing, cooking, secrets and memories! Take a moment today, and set a time, a date, to do this with YOUR family. You won't be sorry.

When I look into my heart I see reflections of you

Well, this is it, the day is here!
Two of my sisters arrive today
Tomorrow the third sister comes!!
Yee-haw!!!

Weather beee-u-teee-full!

Ok, details later!

Well! Believe it or not...I've had great difficulty accessing my own blogspot!!
But here I am! Now I have got to get out of this winter scene.
HEY! My sisters are coming! My sisters are coming! It's "sisters weekend"! Yay!!
We laugh, drink a little, talk, laugh some more,
Talk, of course, drink some more, share a few tears along the way
Watch movies, listen to music, maybe even shake our groove thing!!!!
We be havin' a great , great time!
OH! And what weather we should have!
Maybe we will lay out on a blanket and look at the stars.
Oh knows?
Update to come after the weekend!
Oooooooooo!!!

Reasons to be thankful:
Family ~ for bonds not broken
Sisters ~ they know the good, the bad & the ugly and love you anyway!
Friends ~ share laughter and sadness ~ joy and heartbreak.
Parents ~ for love, direction and support
Home ~ where love and safety surrounds
God ~ for unconditional love
Country ~ freedoms
Jobs ~ to support family
So many things to be thankful for and so many, many more to count!
I am thankful to be such a blessed woman and so glad to be alive!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!!

CHERISHED MEMORIES
Cherished memories
Is what we have together
I'll always hold them dear
In my heart forever.

We did so much together
Just you and I
The love you gave me
Had a never ending supply.

The things we did together
I remember so clearly
These memories are in my heart
And I'll always hold them dear.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

(author unknown)

My mother would be 76 years old today. She passed away two years ago. I miss her so much~ her smile, her touch. No one will ever be able to replace her. She had a spirit that could not be broken or crushed. Even death could not defeat her, for I know she is in heaven, surrounded by angels and sitting at the feet of Jesus.
I love you Mom~I always have~I always will.

Oh my, oh my! Where does the time go? I can't believe it's November already! Before we all know it, we'll be shopping and then celebrating Christmas!

I have two sisters whose creative juices are just flowing abundantly!
My baby sister just had her jewelry line accepted into a local shop for sale and my next youngest sister's knitting ability is growing by leaps and bounds!!

If time permits for anyone, I would strongly urge you to stop by and check out my sisters sites... Etsy :: C.Gail Designs & crystaleverchanging.blogspot.com... you won't be disappointed!!

JR still has had no luck in finding another job, but he's still looking! How's the market up there in Emmaus?? Maybe we will move closer yet! And if things couldn't be bleaker, his car is not being dependable. Every time he goes to use it, it won't start. Probably the battery. And THEN! Along comes some good news...JR's dad calls and says he has a truck for him that he picked up at a sale. It's ours! All we have to do is drive toJuniata county and pick it up!! Woo-Hoo!

Maybe the next time I write I'll have some new hobby that I'm working on and I won't be so green with envy!!!

As you make your way through this hectic world of ours, set aside a few minutes each day. At the end of the year, you’ll have a couple of days saved up.
–Age 7

Another time to post.
Today was my 2nd anniversary of being married to JR. Where has the time gone? We went to the Macaroni Grill & it was awesome!! I had the 'Layers of Lasagna', a salad and a dessert. I also had a Peach Italian Cream for drink. Mmm-Mmm!! JR had the Scicilian Pizza. WOW! Very good (yep, I had to try it!) OH! I forgot, I also had Crab stuffed mushrooms. Now, that's a dinner! Umph! But I know I'll pay for it later~I already feel the tummy gurgling!
Been checking out my sister's jewelry site ~ cgaildesigns.blogspot.com and she has got some AWESOME rings she has been designing! I wish I knew where this creative gene is coming from (or should I ask, who?). I am so proud of her & her work. She is definately an up-and-coming artist!!
No luck yet for JR and a job. Still looking!
Just found out today that both Bryan and Daniel have also been laid off from their jobs too. For now, it's only a two week lay-off. I'm hoping for the best for them.
Looking forward to this Saturday and the arrival of King Frost! I keep hearing rain in the forecast...I hope it's WRONG!!! Otherwise, I might not see it, esp. if they postpone it to next Saturday. This is always such a great time of family togetherness and fun!
Ok...enough for now. Gotta save things to write about another time! LOL!!

"Love is more than three words mumbled before bedtime. Love is sustained by action, a pattern of devotion in the things we do for each other every day." - Nicholas Sparks

Oh my, where has the time gone? Me thinks there are people out there wishing I would update my blog, but I find it so hard to just sit down and do this!
So following my sisters (and niece's) example, I will try to be more diligent in keeping this up-to-date!
Let's see, I'm still working at Brethren Village, in the Assisted Living wing...and lovin' it lots!! Oh the stories!
Bowling season has begun again....why I torture myself...I'll never know! I guess a 140 average isn't so bad, but I want to be better!
I've discovered my new favorite ice cream "Summer Peach Pie" by Edy's. MmmmMmmmm!
Oh yes! There's gonna be another new little one come March. Andrew and his girl are expecting a baby. So that will make 5! Oh my!!
In past posts, I've talked about my non-smoking success, well that's been tough! I quit. I start. I quit. I start. Now I shall quit...again! One of these times, it's gotta stick!! LOL!
And lastly, and sadly, JR has lost his job. I hope he can find something, cause this not working, for him, is driving him crazy! I guess being able to watch as much TV as one wants to, is not all that it's cracked up to be!!


Treasure relationships with people who let you disagree with them.

It's time for an update. My journey to being smoke-free has resumed. It's been 13 days since my last cigarette and at the moment, I'm not missing them at all! Must admit though, the first few days this time around were definitely much harder than the first time I quit. Dummy me, just HAD to have a smoke!! Yes well!
I've joined the fitness group at work, so I've begun introducing real exercise into my life. I say 'real' because my job requires me to be on my feet 90% of the day~ walking, bending, stretching~ but not in an aerobic/cardio way! So the weight (and the waist) keeps increasing. Thus! The need for exercise!
Oh! Back in March, I had a delicious visit with two of my sisters for a whole weekend! What an amazing way to relax, rejuvenate and revive one's soul, spirit, and body! Thank you Sisters!

If a man insisted always on being serious, and never allowed himself a bit of fun and relaxation, he would go mad or become unstable without knowing it.

Herodotus (484 BC - 430 BC), The Histories of Herodotus

It's been so long since I've written, that I think I'm a bit rusty. I'm just not quite sure as to where to begin!
To start, the reason it's been so long is I've moved to a new place. One i just love! It's an old farm house, somewhat out in the country, but also a little too close to a main road. Oh well, it's kinda of hard to be too picky when you are just renting!! I've felt so at home since day one, and I think my sister Crystal nailed it on the head with her comment about the house..."it has 'Mom' written all over it." You tour the house and it seems you see Mom everywhere. She would have loved this place. It's spacious (friends & family that have seen it declare they need a floor plan to get around!) yet cozy, friendly and inviting.
Second, shortly after moving in we tried to get our computer up and running, but nooooo, somewhere in the move, it died!! Great! Moving can be quite the expense, then add the cost of a computer too! Oh well, obviously we did, and here I am finally trying to catch up! Ha!
And now to catch up on my smoking progress...........I fell off the wagon. Oops! Who knew that moving could be so stressful as to make one want to have a cigarette and want it REALLY BAD!!! I couldn't believe how strong the pull was going to be to have one, and of course, I didn't stop with just one. Yes, I'm still smoking, but good news to be had, I've finally restarted my Chantix and I plan by next weekend March 22nd (or sooner) to have put them down again, but this time for GOOD! At least I truly hope so! Sometimes I enjoy my smoke, oh-so-much, but most times I can't figure out why I'm smoking. It just leaves a bad taste in my mouth AND I feel guilty. Not sure where the guilt comes in, maybe cause so many people were pulling for them and I feel as though I left them down, who knows?
So much for being rusty...I guess it's like riding a bike...it all comes back again!

Before I close, I need to leave you all with a quote.....

It's bad to suppress laughter. It goes back down and spreads to your hips! ~F. Allen

It's so amusing to hear the comments regarding quotes. Most people seem to enjoy them, find encouragement, inspiration or a moment of laughter...of which I find very satisfying. But my daughter gave me the greatest compliment (although I'm sure that's not what she intended!) She said to her brother & sister-in-law "Have you seen Mom's blog yet? She sounds like a greeting card!" Then proceeded to go through and read some of the blogs (well quotes) out loud! I so happen to enjoy greeting cards, at least most of them, so thank you Christine!

So...not to disappoint anyone...I will leave you all with this very ponderous quote to chew on!!!

I thought a thought.
But the thought I thought wasn't the thought that I thought.
If the thought I thought I thought had been the thought I thought,
I wouldn't have thought that much!

Now, go take on the day!

It's been awhile since I've updated my progress on smoking, and from the title I'm sure you've noticed it's been 31 days since I've quit! Yee-haw, a month!!
While I can say it's not always been easy, I can also say it's been easier than I thought it would be! Contradictory, you might think? Actually, no. The hard times have been truly hard, but very short-lived, easy to distract myself from...and easier, because I really thought this 25+ year addiction was my ruler, but instead, discovered that I'm the ruler!!
It's nice to know that when I needed to be strong & courageous, I could be just that! To believe in oneself is very empowering!
Thank you to all who believed in me...who already knew I was strong & courageous. Keep on believing and supporting me....this fight ain't over yet!!

You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself. Alan Alda

It's time for another New Year! I hope everyone is ready to take on the new year! I know I am!

May all your dreams, wishes and hopes be fulfilled.
I hope your friends be many and true.
And the love of family surround you always!

Till next time.....

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!!! I hope everybody's Christmas is a good one and that all have a HAPPY NEW YEAR too!!!

Since the last post, yes, I have puffed a little. No full cigarettes, but smoked all the same. Oops! But....this does not mean failure...I just need to get back on the no-smoke wagon!

Some days are super easy, others are a mild annoyance and a few are down right difficult!

I know that has more days go by, each day will be less bothersome, but till then, Chantix is my new best friend!!!

I wish for all to have a joyous, memorable Christmas as you celebrate it in the way that brings you the most joy!

Happiness is where we find it,
but rarely where we seek it!

Well!! This may not be as easy as I thought! I'm having stronger cravings NOW, instead of the first 2, 3, or 4 days (like most people!)
I didn't have a bad day, in fact, we put on a talent show today for the residents where I work. Boy, was that fun! My little group sang the Twelve Days of Christmas 'Village Manor' style.
You know...On the 1st day of Christmas.....a case of protective underwear!! On the 5th....5 delicious prunes!! You get the idea! The residents got a kick out of that!
Nothing happened to trigger any desire...it's just there! Kinda like old habits die hard.
Who knows, maybe I'll cave and then I'll just enjoy another coughing fit like I did the other night! Smart, real smart!!
Ok. I will just have to let you know how I did. Resist or cave????

It's been 8 days since I've quit smoking. I've had one slip, but that seemed to be more of a defiant slip than a craving slip. I have had a few urges, but were easily worked through. This new drug, Chantix, is truly amazing!!
What surprised me was the times I thought I would struggle the most, haven't caused me any problems.
The other night though, I walked out with my husband after supper, and yea, I thought I'd have a drag. HA! That turned the tables on me!!! For the next half hour all I did was cough! It was such an irritating, tickling cough that I just couldn't shake. Let me tell you...that's enough to make me want to stay quit!!!
So, if you think of me, think encouraging thoughts and blow them on the wind to me!!
I WANT this to work.

As the Little Engine said, "I think I can, I think I can!!"

Tomorrow begins my first day as a non-smoker. You may have noticed I've changed my quit date. I will be still living with two smokers and I decided not to place the pressure on myself for my first day of quitting, so I postponed it for Monday, December 10th.
I'm hoping to have a good start to quitting because I will sleep for 7 hours and then my work day begins at 6:00 am and I won't be done till 9:00 pm, so that's 15 hours of being busy! So, if I combine my sleep & work hours, that's a total of 22 hours of being smoke free!! Yee-haw!!! Won't that be an awesome start!
I'm not oblivious to the fact that it's still going to be a bumpy ride! But I do have friends & family who are behind me, supporting me all the way!

"As a single footstep will not make a path on the
earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in
the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again
and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think
over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate
our lives."

- Henry David Thoreau    (1817-1862) 

Well, folks, I have decided to take another step in the direction I want to go. Tomorrow (Nov 30, 2007) I will begin taking my Chantix to help me quit smoking. On the eighth day (Saturday Dec. 8, 2008) I will throw out any remaining cigarettes.
Honestly, I don't think anything has terrified me this much in a long time. As much as I really want to quit, I know my willpower to be one of my weakest links. I've been so afraid of failing that I haven't had the courage to even try.
So, if change is what I truly desire, then this needs to be my next step...to look my fear in it's face!
I think Eleanor Roosevelt says it best.......

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, "I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along." ...You must do the thing you think you cannot do. - Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962)

Goals for myself:
1)Lose 10-20 lbs.
A)Started eating smaller portions
B)Drinking more water
C)Excercise
a)Need to decide on choice: Yoga, walking, dance...
2)Quit smoking
A)Filled Chantix prescript
B)Begin process
C)Set quit day
3)Read a stimulating subject
A)Open to suggestions
I know there are more things I want to change & challenge myself on, but I think these are enough for now. I don't want to get discouraged before I even start!!