HOLIDAYS ARE OVER

This year the holidays weren't so bad :) Lisa came home for a long weekend in November, which is better than not seeing her at all, although I miss her on Christmas Eve when everyone is there! This year we had all the food catered (except for a couple dips and chips :) and I thought the food was great and everyone seemed to like it. We also did a different gift exchange, this year instead of picking names and buying for someone specific, we decided to do a dollar store grab bag type thing, but made a game out of it (for the adults) I guess it is officially called the White Elephant, with maybe a few minor changes! Everyone got a number, and number 1 went first and picked a gift........then 2 could steal the gift or open a new one, and so on - then at the end #1 was able to keep his gift, or steal anybody's gift. It was a good time I think! No major illnesses over the holidays (no flu bugs, but maybe some sinus/cold stuff going on), so all and all the 2007 Holidays were great. On New Years Eve we did not do the traditional Chinese Food to my disappointment, however . . . . . we did go to the Red Wings game (me, Bob and Matt) and had a great time.

Now we're in to 2008!!! Hope it's GREAT!!! This is the year I retire. I can't wait. Today is January 11th, so I have 24 weeks to go, then I will be a retired person :) Yes!!!!

Also, reality set in and I found out that I weighed more than I have EVER weighed in my life, so I just started Weight Watchers on November 14th. I have done SO SO SO many diets over the past couple years (last time I was successful on a diet was when Lisa graduated in 1999 - and then I slowly put it all back plus some). I have tried to excersize only, that didn't work, I tried to diet only, that didn't work (several different diets), so this time I decided to combine them - started Weight Watchers at the same time I started excersizing. A freind offered to train Susan and I with weights once a week, so we took her up on that - I am actually getting stronger! AND, it has made the numbers come down on the scale - the first week I could not believe I was already down 7 pounds - week 2 another 2 pounds - week 3 minus 1.2 - week 4 minus 3.6, week 5 minus 1.6, week 6 I DID NOT WEIGH IN - I TOOK A PASS CAUSE IT WAS RIGHT AFTER CHRISTMAS AND I WAS SCARED!!! Week 7 I was down .6 (better than nuttin!) - week 8 I was down 3.6 - SO my grand total to date is 19.6 pounds lost. The SAD thing is that I have SO MUCH to lose that nobody has noticed. I have NOT gone down a pant size yet, HOWEVER my pants were getting very tight and now I would say they are very loose - - BUT, I tried on the next smaller size, and they are still a little tight - I mean I COULD wear them, but not comfortably, so I'll just wait..........hopefully not too long!!!! I still have about 44 pounds I SHOULD lose, HOWEVER if I lose another 30 I will be so happy - hopefully my way of eating healthy will continue the rest of my life and some day I will be down all of those 44 more pounds (to my TOTAL that I wanted to lose was between 54 and 64 pounds - WOWZERS!).

I also decided that I am going to be a brunette - at least for a while. I have been a blonde for so long. Maybe add some hi-lites for the summer, maybe not---I am actually kinda liking the brown hair. Lotza changes to come in 2008.

Matt is skating through 10th grade. He's playing hockey and starting basketball this week. Keeps both him and us busy. Matt will be 16 in May - and will get his drivers license - that is just SO scary. I am sure he will be a safe driver, but when they first get on the road they just don't realize that they have to watch everyone else's driving too!

Not sure what this summer will bring. I just don't know what I want to do, but I do want to go on SOME kind of vacation!!! I mean, I will be retired! Maybe a trip to Colorado, maybe make it a longer trip and go to Arizona - or maybe a cruise, or maybe Hawaii. So many choices :)

Lisa is doing well in Colorado - she loves it out there and I am so proud of her for being such an independent strong person. Linda had a house built in 2007 - she is working for the city of Novi still - must be around 3 years since she was actually hired in. I am proud of her too for being able to manage her life so well and doing all this on her own! Susan went through Ross Medical training in 2007 and got a job in a doctors office in Farmington Hills as a Medical Assistant. I am very proud of her for never giving up! She is such a hard worker and did so well in her medical traing (Almost all A's!!! yeah!). Susan is very content still living at home and taking care of her dog, coming to Matt's games, and helping me around the house. I appreciate her for all she does for me - I think I'll keep her :)

So, I am hoping for a really quick winter, a mild spring and then a fantastik start to my retirement. So much to do!!! I keep making mental notes on all the things I want to accomplish while I am finally able to. First thing is the house! Going through things and getting rid of stuff, then decorating the way I want to - get new carpet, new furniture, new blinds and curtains, new paint job, new wall decorations . . . . and I want to frame some pictures that are favorites, I want to go through all the photo's I've taken and organize them, put them in photo albums (this will take me years to do!!!), start collecting things for Matt's graduation party (it will be here before I know it) - maybe even think about setting up another family reunion! I was thinking of maybe a cruise or something this time - make a real vacation out of it - last time (the only time we've done it) was a weekend in Chicago and it was fun, just short :) A cruise would be great - we could see people when we wanted, do things on our own when we wanted, and someone else would do all the cooking and work :) Sounds good to me.

OK - I will end here for now and update when I can!

HOPE EVERYONE HAS A GREAT TWO THOUSAND EIGHT!

(photo is of Lisa and Linda at a Red Wings game when Lisa was in town - it was Orange Hat day and everyone who attended the game got an orange Red Wing hat!!!! -- you have to be a Detroit Red Wing fan to know what that's all about!!!)