Just Me!!

Valerie received her first acceptance letter from Montana State University today. The thing that got her a even bigger smile was a $32,000 scholarship award letter to her to be paid over the course of 4 years! I am beyond proud of her and can't wait to see what she does with all her knowledge and her intelligence. She isn't stopping there though. She filled out another scholarship for MSU's WUE award tonight which would afford her non resident self, resident tuition for the year, which is a large factor in whether she will attend MSU. We love the school and the proximity to us so we are definitely encouraging this opportunity. During Christmas break she will be completing more scholarship applications and waiting for 2 more acceptance letters to come through. IT'S becoming real!!!!! Who would've guessed that 17 years ago this coneheaded baby would become one of the smartest whipper snappers I know. So proud of my pride and joy....    

Thanksgiving was graciously celebrated early because I have to work tomorrow. My MIL was wonderful to offer the change indate so that we could all be together.  It felt good to spend time with our family. Our year has been filled with a ton of loss and sorrow so it's hard to take time and be thankful. But we are Thankful! We are thankful for each and every day we spend with our families. We fought hard for years just to get back to our families and although they drive us mad sometimes they are the only reason to struggle through this life. I love and am Thankful for my family and Mark's family. I have learned to love them for who they are. My millennial kids have taught me that over time. Their hearts are open to everyone, and to change!  I love that about them. As we, or actually I because I think my husband is coming back over for more Thanksgiving tomorrow, close the book on today I can't help but feel an incredible sadness today. Our first Thanksgiving without Mike. I p...

What a great week! It flew by. Charlie is feeling better and we aren't stressed about her health at this time. She is back to eating, drinking, and being a finicky eater. I spent Thursday-Friday relaxing without a list of things to do. Although I feel lazy because of it, I needed it. I have plans to workout but somehow I find every reason to NOT. Anything such as I might look weird doing it and I don't want Mark to walk in, I'm so uncoordinated and can't do the required workouts, I'm not in a gym so it wouldn't do anything for me anyhow, I don't have a foam roller, I don't have a space, I'm doing great with the diet and why slow progress, I don't have a cute workout outfit, and many others! I haven't broken through these barriers. I will. I know I will, it's just taking me longer than others in my Strong Mommas group. I've been doing this for a week and a half and have lost lost lost on the scale. I'm about ready to throw it away ...

 The week has been dragging on at work, I can hardly stand it. I decided to go for LC today and was surprised at the 12 hours of OC that I received. I came back to work after a wonderful two days away with my man, and all I've wanted to do is spend more time with him and the kids. I got that time today. It was a quiet day filled with football, some yummy cheat foods since it is my cheat day out with my family, and even time to super clean my eight year olds room! She is now OUT of Halloween Candy! Hallelujah. I haven't stole any since I started this diet-I've been a Strong Momma.  I used my last day before work to grocery shop, make up three salads, mini turkey egg quiches, and crockpot chili. It has gotten me through four days. I have a lot of turkey bean kale soup leftover from last night, and drumsticks marinating in the fridge for tomorrow. I have been doing fine with the menu, not hungry at all, but haven't had time to do the work outs during my work week. I have d...

           Valerie spent Elections Day with Shannon at the Elections Department in Olympia. She job shadowed Lori Augino, interviewed her for nearly an hour, watched a new voter vote, listened to a radio interview regarding the Elections, and helped served floats and votes to the hard working election workers. I am so proud of her and am grateful that Shannon was able to set this up. Valerie wore her pantsuit inspired by Hillary Clinton and her Stars and Stripes scarf. We watched the Elections results flood in last night, but unfortunately for Valerie Hillary didn't win. We stayed up till 1230 to listen to Trump accept the win graciously. Hillary's career in politics is over now and she bowed out gracefully. Way to show your strength Hillary. #pantsuitnation  Now it is time for me to go back to work. Here is my grocery prep for Strong Mammas. Never mind the donut holes that you see, instead look at all those cans of beans! Yikes! The kittens are gainin...

 It's November again! Our getaway time. We were fortunate to carve out 2 nights from our schedules to get away with each other. Our times in these wood have only gotten better and better. We get so much time to talk without interruptions, and usually without our phones since the coverage is so spotty. Sometimes I think Mark and I aren't on the same page but then we go away and everything and everyone fades away and we become one again! I absolutely am head over heels in love with this guy. We can talk about religion, sex, politics, education, and crazy stuff that pops in our heads without fear of what the other person thinks...I love that! As much as I enjoyed the hot tub, time alone, our conversations, the Seahawks game at the local bar, I enjoyed our Geocaching even more. It's fun to have a hobby that we can work on together. I think I completed 12 smiley faces up and down the Morton-Packwood highway. I left feeling refreshed, thankful, and giddy about our life.    ...

I have nothing to blog about. The coldness of fall has set in and we have been pretty slow the last week. Work was incredibley hard last week and I am having a hard time on concentrating on anything else. However my google task list doesn't ever stop so we had to move along and get some stuff done! I try every month to keep decorating our room. One day it will get done. Last month Mark put the mirror on the wall and rearranged some furniture. This month I painted the table legs to the marble rock table that Mark's Grandmother made years ago. It turned out beautiful. Now I just need to decorate it. Here's a couple of ideas from Pinterest:     Valerie and Ethan made it through the quarter at school. Ethan learned after a week and a half of sitting at the table from the time he got home till bed that WE aren't playing anymore. I looked at his grades online and he is finally done with every missing assignment and he has all B's and one C+! Awesome. He feels relieved, le...

           We decided to go with Jeremy and Kat this year because the kids wanted to bring their friends too. They had everyone bail on them when the plan was to go to Lacey. We had a great time and we even had a chance to Trick or Treat at Grandma and Grandpa Nagels! We haven't done that for years. We had a great time with Jeremy's gang. We walked all the roads of Fircrest successfully accruing candy. We even found one street that blocked off their roads for a wild and crazy haunted front yard. There was even a chainsaw massacre but without the chain on the saw. The guy was pretending to cut off the Police's leg!! The adults were offered hot chocolate/cider and free hugs. We needed them by the end of the evening.