A Blessed life.... the NC Kazdas

When is teasing too much?

2010-01-11T22:08:00.003-05:00

Just doing some late night thinking tonight reflecting on some things that I have noticed recently and figured I'd write some thoughts down to get it out of my head for a bit.

In high school I was teased alot. I was awkward and not very confident so many times I was teased. It hurt. It was painful. I cried alot and was depressed. I missed out on alot of fun times because of it. I look back on my high school years and don't want to go back for that reason alone. I look back at those times and realize that helped to make me the person I am today. Then I look around and see this happening everyday when adults who know better do this every day. They tease and pick on people's weaknesses by calling them nicknames, like shorty, fatty, brat and others "all in good fun". I'll admit I have been known to do this from time to time and have been reflecting a bit on what real purpose this does serve. If it is to show love then why not come out and show some compassion and lift them up rather than bring them down. The youth today have so many more pressures placed upon them and have so few positive role models and then they look at some of their leaders around them putting each other down? Again, what purpose does this serve

I remember one time when we were teasing my niece about something and she started to get upset. We told her that we were just teasing her and that everyone does it from time to time. She asked why. I didn't have a good answer. Because I love you? Not exactly the way to show it. That tore me up that something I said could have hurt her.

My hope and prayer for myself is to show more love and compassion without having to put anyone down and that others around me can do the same. Or give me a good reason why...

Facebook is for Lovers

2009-12-09T21:44:00.002-05:00

Yes I admist it I am a Facebook addict. I check it probally more than I should during the day to find out what is going on in people's lives and all kinds of other stuff. Living all over the place most of my life, it was hard to stay connected with many people all over the country. I never really had that connection with the friends from my past until now. I have been able to see how they are doing and reconnect in many ways with so many. I have been able to share information about what I do at work and was even able to help a friend across the country find a RMH near them.

Recently I reconnected with an old acquaintance on there who sent a friend request and I reluctantly accepted. We kind of left on bad terms and I really didn't have an appreciation for how he was treating me and other people and the time. He was not really a people person!! I had heard that he had made some poor choices in his life and was on a rather destructive path, and honestly I was a bit curious. Neither one of us were believers at the time and we had some interesting conversations. I was a naive about my beliefs and he had turned his back on God. I have now learned he has been saved and is WORKING in ministry now. Not in a million years would I have ever guessed that this would be the path he would take. God is working through him to help young men not go through some of the same things he did.

We are MOVING!!

2009-12-02T22:25:00.002-05:00

It has been ages since I have blogged, but not for a lack of stuff going on!! We have been limited on having a computer for awhile and blogger was being a pain on my laptop combined with laziness=no blog.

The biggest news in our family right now is that we are in the process of buying a house!!! After ten years of living in Greenville, we finally decided that it was time to settle down and stay awhile. We have been waiting and saving for the right time for us to make this next step and God really stepped it up to put things in place for this to happen. I look back on my life moving around alot and can appreciate many aspects of it, but I am more than thrilled to finally settle. Paint some walls, hang some pictures, look at trees and wonder what they will look like in 20 years. We close on the 30th and there is a lot for us to do between now and then (and celebrate Christmas!

Here is a picture of "our" house:

Until we meet again!!

The little tweet that could...

2009-08-03T23:26:00.003-04:00

One week from today I will be in Chicago starting my new adventure. Every day there seems to be new opportunities emerging while I am there! A couple of weeks ago, we got a phone call from our national charity wanting us to share at the conference about our experiences with utilizing social networking based upon the posts and "tweets" they have been seeing. We are on Facebook & Twitter and have found it to be a great tool to reach out to families, donors, and the general community that supports us. None of my co-workers at the time had any clue about Facebook & Twitter so I was given the task to set it up and maintain it. I admit I am a novice, but am learning every day and the rewards are tremendous!

So now after 6 months of being linked, I have to present to a crowd of 200-500 people on why they should utilize social media in their charity. Me?? Really??? They must be confused?? Surely there must be someone more qualified?? Out off 300+ charities across the world they picked 2 of us ( one has already dropped out). I am trying not to think about the actual event too much because it is freaking me out a bit. This is an incredible opportunity for our House, me and the whole charity. No pressure.

So if you can say a little prayer for me next week at about noon (1:00 EST) that all goes well.

PS.....Through the magic of Facebook, I am going to try and meet up with Sean & Marietta who left our church and moved up to the Chicago area to start their ministry.

Cutest Picture ever?

2009-07-11T09:25:00.001-04:00

Been a little busy the past few weeks, but have lots of time spending time with this little guy and his best bud and big sister.

Until next time....

Chicago Bound

2009-06-23T21:42:00.002-04:00

Ok...well not quite for a couple of months.

Several months ago I attended a web conference for work. Honestly it was dull and boring, but I did learn lots of stuff that can help me understand my job and my company a bit more, so all was not lost. I think perhaps it was the 3 days sitting in front of a computer that did me in. At the end of the conference, the said they would e-mail a survey out to all of the participants and the first to answer all of the questions would win a grant for their house to send staff to the week-long international conference in Chicago. The survey was HARD and I got about half way through and said surely no one would have the patience to answer the 90 questions, so I trudged through not expecting anything........then I WON!! I only missed one question and got partial credit for it!!

This is an incredible opportunity where we are able to send 2 employees to attend the conference for a week in Chicago and all of our expenses are taken care of. How cool is that for a non-profit?? I have never been there before (except one train layover when I was a little kid) and am looking forward to being able to meet my counterparts from all over the world. We are making plans and reservations, and I am getting a bit nervous/anxious/excited about being able to represent an organization I love so dearly.

2009-06-03T23:45:00.002-04:00

We finally decided at the last minute to head to the mountains of TN for our vacation. We have been there a few times before, but it is so beautiful and there is so much to do (or not do!) that we headed to our little cabin in the woods. It was quite an adventure as I am not much for driving in the mountains and spent most of the time with my eyes closed and clutching the handle on the car door (luckily Bill was driving ;-).

This was the view going up to our cabin. I don't think the pictures did it justice, but for this Eastern NC girl it was pretty steep!! I think one of the highlights for Bill was getting to meet Cletus from The Dukes of Hazzard. He just so happened to be signing autographs at Cooter's Place in downtown Gatlinburg, so we were able to stop by and say HI. He was a very nice man and really didn't look too menacing as he was trying to arrest Bill.

During our stay we did alot of nothing, getting up early to watch the sunrise then going back to sleep, eating all of our meals on the deck, perfecting our pool skills on our very own pool table, relaxing in the hot tub, exploring the Great Smoky National Park, went to the Dixie Stampede, and reading on the deck. ( I finished 90 minutes in Heaven and it rocked my world!) I think we have decided that this was one of the best vacations that we have had. Our schedules can be crazy at times, so it was great to spend so much time with my best friend and fellow adventurer!

You Just Never Know....

2009-05-30T23:01:00.002-04:00

We finally made it on vacation last week. I promise a post is coming with pics and details. Time has slipped away from me again. We ended up going to the Gatlinburg area and rented a cabin in the woods...way in the woods and at the top of the mountain. In fact we were 16 miles away from civilization wayyyy down the mountain. It cracked me up every time we drove up to our cabin and saw this sign. Papa John's in Winterville charges $1.50 to deliver a mile down the road. I never called to ask how much or how long for a delivery. What would your pizza look like if the driver had to drive at such a steep angle with curvy roads??

Then I was watching the news this morning and heard about this. Apparently one of these pizza delivery guys went to deliver a pizza to a remote cabin like ours and saw a lady who was bound and gagged. He ended up calling 911 and saved this woman who had been kidnapped. WOW!!! I take all my jokes back as they probally saved this woman's life!

Vacation time....

2009-05-04T22:21:00.002-04:00

We have some time off coming up in a couple of weeks. A whole week in fact!! We decided the first of the year that we were going to take a vacation just the two of us to somewhere. It has been a long time since we have done a vacation that is just us and doesn't involve traveling with or to family. I love my family, but we need some time after the last few crazy years.

Here is where we have a problem--not sure where to go. We have been so fortunate to do so much traveling in our "earlier" years, that I am having trouble deciding the best place. Any ideas out there?? We need to be able to drive relatively easy. We would love outdoors type stuff, but love to have other things to do in case of yucky weather. Fairly inexpensive is nice too :-).

Any ideas out there? I am sure whatever we do we will have the best time as we always do--just want to be together more than anything.

Think this will work?

2009-04-25T16:48:00.003-04:00

Our cardinal or should I now say cardinals as there seems to be more than one (male and female) that have been trying to enter our house. Honestly my windows aren't that clean that they can see how nice it can be inside :-). We now have our owl friend who was suggested by a friend to "scare" them away. I am just about to do anything....maybe some of those kids with paintball guns??

Less of Me more of HIM

2009-04-11T19:14:00.004-04:00

I am ashamed to admit, but I had a really lousy attitude about this week. Lots of challenges that were presented at work, a sick husband who lovingly shared his sickness with me, having to complete taxes that I put off to the last minute, trying to coordinate with our church on a HUGE Easter Egg Hunt....the list could go on. I was frustrated with many of the decisions that were being made that didn't fit into "my plan" or made things more difficult for me to get through it. I had to learn entirely too many things that I was completely uncomfortable with and it just made for a mess for me this week.

The problem with all of this was that I was focusing entirely on myself and how this was effecting me. The challenges at work were because a co-worker was out for surgery. My poor husband couldn't help being sick and tried desperately to keep the germs away from me. I put off doing our taxes and am paying the last minute price. I probably could have done a lot more to ease my frustrations with some of the things with the Egg Hunt. My prayer when I got up Thursday morning was to take the emphasis off of me and to focus on why I am doing what I am doing and that I purposefully do everything to honor God. Then I was blown away with everything that happened from that point on. Just about every encounter I had at work and at home ALL day were incredible blessings. We won a big grant to go to a conference, lots of people stepping up to help support families, a huge random hug from a Mom, a great e-mail from my sister that came at the perfect time, the list could go on and on.

Then when I got home, this card was in my mailbox.

To those of you who took part in all of the kind words. Thank you! It came to me on the most perfect day and was a true encouragement and outpouring of love. I am honored to be serving and worshipping along with you all!

So, on this holy week I am very thankful for all of the sacrifices God has made for me. I am thankful for the ability to make personal sacrifices for serving his Kingdom. May I live each and every day to honor him and all he has done for us.

Unwanted Visitor

2009-03-16T22:57:00.003-04:00

Pretty bird isn't it? Well for the last few days one has taken up residence on our back porch and at about 6:00 every morning it decides that it wants to come into our house and flies repeatedly into our glass patio door. Not only is it loud and annoying, but it leaves "presents" all over the patio. I am sure that the repeated pile-driving doesn't help the door either.

The bird doesn't seem too intimidated by my attack cats who sit with their noses pressed against the glass ready to pounce if the intruder ever made it in. I have tried to take pictures (this one is borrowed) and video because it is kind of funny to watch, but as soon as it sees me through the window it flies off.

Anyone have a good method for getting rid of a bird? My door and our beauty sleep is riding on it.

Interesting Experience

2009-03-06T23:11:00.002-05:00

So last week I get an e-mail from Sheetz asking me to a customer appreciation luncheon. I am a big fan of freebies, so I sign up for e-mails for all kinds of stuff and often get spammed to death. I love Sheetz because their gas prices are competitive, have yummy coffee, and it is a good clean place to go for gas, so I gave it a shot.

First of all they held it at the City Hotel and Bistro and had a nice lunch for everyone there (about 25 of us). Bill was convinced we would have chili dogs and pretzel sandwiches, which was not the case. The VP of the company, Mr. Sheetz himself was there. They were looking for input both positive and negative about their stores and took the time to listen to everyone. Apparently this is something they do a couple of times a year to get an idea of how they are doing in a particular market.

They also talked about how they want to get more involved in the communities they are in--which of course made my non-profit-loving self happy. They seemed geniunely interested in what we had to say. So for two hours of my time, I got a free lunch, gas card, spiffy new t-shirt and a deeper appreciation for Sheetz and its mission.

Go ahead and get on their e-mail list and you may be next.

What I do every day...

2009-02-28T16:20:00.001-05:00

I have a feeling this may be a long post, but I thought I would explain and share of how I came to the Ronald McDonald House. Grab a cup of coffee (or sweet tea if you wish) and hold on.

About seven years ago I heard an ad on the radio asking for groups or individuals to come and prepare meals for the Ronald McDonald House. I LOVE to cook and especially for other people, so I immediately called and set up a date for me and a couple of my co-workers to come and cook. I really had no idea what they did until I stepped into the door. I was amazed from the moment I walked in the door. The House is for families who have a seriously ill or injured child in the hospital or being treated at local medical facilities. Everything is thought of to provide a home away from home from laundry, TVs, video games, quiet rooms, breast pumps, fully-stocked kitchen. All of which is provided by the community!

After my initial visit, I became a regular house volunteer. I came every Thursday night and folded towels. I would sit down in the living room or kitchen and fold and talk to families who would tell me about their children. It was the highlight of my week to come and help but most importantly be there for the families who needed someone to talk to.

Then a position opened up as a weekend manager at the House and I was offered the job. This was a huge commitment because I was already working full time and this would require me to be at the house 8am Saturday to 8am Monday two weekends a month. However, it was a chance to be more active part of what was going on in the house. Little did I know that this extra income would prove invaluable as the company I was working for full time went bankrupt and I ended up leaving and going back to school. After a couple of years of my weekend gig, a position opened up as a night manager. It was perfect for me as I went to school during the day and worked nights and had my weekends back!

After I finished school I really felt I needed to move on and find another job that was perhaps using my degree more efficiently. I never found a permanent position after what seemed like a million applications, interviews, and rejections. Then my boss (who knew I was actively seeking other employment) approached me about a new position that they were creating and if I was interested. I honestly didn’t think that I was qualified, but she assured me that I could learn but they really wanted someone that knew the house and operations well and thought of me. So in August of 2008 I was hired as the permanent full time Business Operations Director. My main responsibilities include maintaining donations, daily family operations, and community outreach. We also have a very small staff, so those duties change and expand every day as needed.

I love what I do and thank God every day for the opportunities he has blessed me with. There were many times that I really wanted to leave because of various selfish reasons, but I am thankful I was patient and hung in there. I wake up every day and can’t wait to get to work to see what the day brings. I get to witness the triumph and tragedies life can bring and can be with families during some of the most trying times of their lives. I see daily the generosity of people all throughout the community. In these tough economic times, we are blessed with those who take the time to give. We know that it is our donors that have the least that give the most because they understand and get it.

Whew….you made it to the end. Thanks for reading! I encourage you to stop by the Ronald McDonald House in your area and see what they do. (there are 350+ worldwide). If you are in Greenville, stop by and I’ll show you around.

My Valentine...

2009-02-13T23:09:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow is the big day of love and all of that mush and stuff. I've always wondered why we have to spend one day out of the year to devote to the ones we love the most and not do that all of the other 364 days of the year? Why can't we make little heart Krispy Kreme's in September just because?

We will have a special day tomorrow just because the timing worked out that we both don't have to work or other commitments. Not because a little man in a diaper said so, but because I love my husband and want to spend time with him.

....so we are off on a little adventure. No real plans or direction, but we are going out of town just to be us together sharing the love.

Week of reflections

2009-02-10T23:33:00.003-05:00

So this week has been full of ups and downs and it is only Tuesday. My random thoughts and reflections that perhaps if I write down will help me go to sleep soon.

Got my first big gym injury. Tried to listen to the instructor who said "touch your elbows to your knees" (while doing squats with weights) I did it but couldn't get up and fell over. I was actually kind of funny after it stopped hurting.
Met a couple who are risking everything they have to save the life of a child that is not their own. Moved beyond words with their story. Makes this list seem inconsequential.
Had to confront a friend who had done some things that betrayed our trust and am glad I did because we are so much closer because of it.
Started a new bible study with the girls of Crosslink. Really excited to see what God has in store during the next 10 weeks.
Some major legal/political issues at work that may prevent us from giving the best care to our families. Would love to go into it, but would like to keep my job. It made it hard to remain professional when all I wanted to do was cry.
Was able to play a bit outside in the 70 degree weather.
Made a birthday cake for Bill that didn't turn out too well. Even though I greased the heck out of the pans it still stuck. Made a nice carrot cake trifle out of the cake crumbles. He ate it and loved it . (major hubby points here).

Was listening to the Radiothon for the Children's Hospital and heard someone say this quote by Helen Keller:

"I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do."

now my new mission statement

If only our whole world would take this to heart think of where we would be.

SNOW!!

2009-01-22T08:16:00.004-05:00

For I think what is the first time in four years we got measurable snowfall here in NC. It worked out to be a wonderful snow day off because Bill was already scheduled to be off and I was given the option to work from home. We had a great day together of doing some much needed cleaning up of the house and watching inauguration coverage.

Here is a picture that I had to take of Firetower Rd at 5:00 (rush hour!).
This is the view from our front porch. I think we ended up with somewhere between 4-6 inches. I am glad we got snow, but I am glad it will be gone soon too!

Week one down

2009-01-17T12:42:00.002-05:00

OK..so the first week of our challenge went OK. I did pretty good eating well all week until last night at date night--couldn't resist popcorn at the movie and sushi. I didn't make it to the gym nearly as much as I would have hoped because I had to work crazy hours this week, but did get some quality time in with our new Wii Fit. One baby step at a time and I'll get there!! A friend challenged me to do a 5K with her this spring--it has been a goal of mine for while. Seriously thinking about it, but I have a long way to go!!!

Later blog people!

Confession time...

2009-01-11T22:14:00.002-05:00

I have been really bad about blogging. I think I have been rally struggling with my purpose and how/why/what/when/where of blogging. I love to read other's blogs and have been inspired by so many, that I just haven't added anything in awhile.

I hate New Year's resolutions but I guess you could say that I have become one of the millions of people who decide to become healthier at the start of the new year. I did this last year (and perhaps a few before that) and had some pretty good success in the past. Last year was my best year where I was able to control my blood sugar and cholesterol levels to avoid medication and other complications. I kicked butt in boot camp and made some great new friends in the process. Then I was blessed with this great new job that was the answer to my prayers and the perfect fit for me. I struggled with the stress of a new job and juggling my new normal schedule and my health and fitness kind of fell by the wayside.

Tomorrow I embarq on a new project that I am a bit worried about. My coworkers and I have joined a program called Live Healthy Greenville where we "compete" with other groups in the community as well as support each other in fitness, diet and other areas to improve our health. I know I have fallen off the wagon in the past and hope to turn things around soon and get back to where I was last spring. Boot Camp here I come again!!

I'll try and keep you posted, but if I am now around, I am trying to be a better person inside and out and it may take me away from here.

Love you guys!

Catch Up

2008-12-21T22:48:00.008-05:00

A few weekends ago it was my sister's birthday, so we the girls (my Mom, sister and I) went on an all day shopping excursion. We told Susan that she could do or go wherever she wanted within reason. We had the best time going from store to store and getting our holiday shopping completed. We were gone from 1:00 until after midnight!! One of Susan's requests was to get a pedicure. I even ventured in and got one with her. I have a huge phobia about people touching my feet, but decided to give it a try. I just may do it again! (here is proof for all of the naysayers)

Another adventure that weekend was to visit Santa. Justin wanted nothing to do with him and leaped out of Lauren's lap a second after this photo was taken. Ahhh the memories!

Bill and I went to Jacksonville for Christmas with Mom and Dad. It was a short fun trip. Sadly no pictures to report from those festivities. We are headed back there this weekend as my sister and her brood will be there for a late holiday celebration. Perhaps we will corrupt the Powers with the fun of Wii!

Heavy heart this morning........

2008-12-20T10:21:00.003-05:00

Today I wake with a heavy heart as I learn of a young teenager who has lost his battle with a terrible disease. He as well has his family have been inspirational in their never ending faith and purpose in this life even through the midst of terrible tragedy. This teen was able to reach out to so many and share his faith and probally had no idea how many people he touched all over the world.

I took this from their blog:
I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone from the beginning … to the end.
He noted that first came the date of her birth and spoke of the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.
For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved her know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own, the cars … the house … the cash.
What matters is how we live and love … and how we spend our dash.
So think about this long and hard; are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left that can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough to consider what’s true and real
And always try to understand the way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger and show appreciation more.
And love the people in our lives … like we’ve never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile …
Remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.

Comfort Food

2008-12-07T21:47:00.002-05:00

Life has been crazy wonderful here. I have just recieved a promotion at work and am taking a more active role with the business aspects of the house. It is fun, challenging and rewarding. I am really excited about the opportunities that lie before me but very nervous about living up to the expectations. It is a big deal for me to make it right when we are dealing with taking care of people who are in dire need of help all in a struggling economy. No pressure right?
_____________________________
So on much different note, it was a cold and busy weekend, and I came across a recipe for a great soup on a friend's blog. It was yummy and made for some very comforted tummies AND not a drop of leftovers for me to take to lunch tomorrow :-(

Corn and Bacon Soup - from Southern Living

Makes about 8 cups
Ingredients:4 bacon slices (or as much as you like)
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 med.-size baking potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 3 cups) - (3 cups frozen country-style hash browns may be substituted)
4 cups chicken broth
1 (16oz) package frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (10-oz) can diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat 5 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in Dutch oven. Crumble bacon.
2. Sauté onion, bell pepper, and garlic in hot drippings over medium heat 5 minutes or until tender. add flour, and cook, stirring constantly. 1 minute.
3. Stir in potatoes and next 4 ingredients, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often. 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
4. Stir in tomatoes and green chilies and cheese, simmer 1 minute or until cheese is melted. Season with salt to taste. Serve with crumbled bacon.

Enjoy!

Thanks Stephanie!!

8 years ago today...........

2008-11-17T23:35:00.003-05:00

Eight years ago today I married my best friend. He has been my constant companion through the many peaks and valleys of life we have travelled. He has been my biggest supporter in allowing me to follow my dreams and was always there to cheer me up when I was having a bad day. He is always up for an adventure that I come up with as long as there are snacks and some sort of transportation museum involved. I am so thankful that God has blessed us both with each other!!

Several years ago we watched a forgettable movie The Story of Us about a couple who was going through some tough times and were on the verge of divorce. One of the parts of the story was that the couple always knew everything was OK and they were still in love if their feet touched at night. We loved this part of the story even though it was corny!! Thanks Bill for always making sure that our feet could touch every night. (and for letting me take this picture!) Here's to a million more nights where our feet snuggled up with each other. I love you!

End of an era

2008-11-07T23:30:00.002-05:00

This was a sad week in my family as my father had to part with his 1973 Plymouth Duster. This car had been with my family since before I was born and I always remember him driving it. It had so many quirks and "personality". There was a period of time where the passenger side door wouldn't latch properly and if you took a corner too fast it would fly open. I remember my sister and I would have to hold on to the door for dear life to make sure we didn't fall out too. The interior lights didn't work but would still charge, so one weekend I was home alone with access to the wheels that had a dead battery because I "left" the lights on. It was totaled once when our neighbor backed into it. Dad banged the dents out and it was back on the road.

This was the car I came home from the hospital in. I learned how to drive in this car. It travelled around with our family all over the country to our different duty stations. People remembered my Dad for his car. It was a no frills mode of transportation for my Dad too and from work. He sacrificed alot in comfort, aesthetics and perhaps at times safety to make sure that they always had vehicles that he never had to make payments on.

I never thought I would be so nostalgic about this car, but it was such big part of our lives. We used to take it to Sonic every year for its birthday because it made it another year. My Dad work on it so much and in the last few months it developed some major problems that he wasn't able to fix nor was it feasible to have someone else do it. I am so proud that he was able to keep it for as long as he did and the lesson that he taught us in keeping it. Thanks Dad!!

Here is the Prize Patrol

2008-11-01T22:13:00.003-04:00

Here is Bill and I in our Prize Patrol "Costumes". I still haven't tried to cash the check.....

Link Love...

2008-11-01T01:38:00.003-04:00

I have followed the journey of a Marine who was injured in Iraq for several years now. One of his fellow Marines was just injured in Afghanistan and their family created a blog to share information. I urge everyone to stop and say a prayer for this family and stop by their blog and share a comment to let them know that we are behind them!!

http://yllescasfamily.blogspot.com/

I am a Recycling Addict and I Know it!

2008-10-28T18:02:00.004-04:00

I am a recycling nut. You will often find me proudly toting around my Harris Teeter reusable bag everywhere I go. Since I have discovered them I am free of the million plastic bags from random stores that consume my house. They don't recycle at work (yet--working on it!) and I often take a bunch of stuff home to put in my bucket. I try and take all recyclable items home from church so we don't add to the mess.

It really bothers me too when people don't recycle. 'Comon how hard is it to throw your soda can, milk jug, or the million political ads in another bucket? If you try it for just a week you will realize how less often you have to carry out the trash and how much stuff can be recycled!

We need to take care of this planet for our future and the future of our planet for our kids and it is not rocket science!! Most communities pick it up at your driveway. The environment is going downhill, but your response to changing it is your responsibility!!

Just my two cents :-) On the other hand Elvis has a new love of my Harris Teeter bags as his new sleeping bag. I have now learned that they can be washed in the washing machine.

Army Wives

2008-10-26T23:07:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite shows to watch is Army Wives because I grew up the kid of a Marine and can relate to many of the daily life struggles that go on each episode. Tonight hit close to home big time. The main characters, the commander of the base was given last minute orders for a big new promotion which required his family (including a teenage daughter) to move out of the country. The news didn't go over too well.

This brought me back to when I was about to enter high school and my Dad got orders to move from NC to Quantico, VA. My sister and I were beyond devestated. I had a great group of friends and was excited to move on to high school with them I was involved in a lot of activities and was looking forward to playing "big time" sports and participate in fun activities I had heard about going on at JHS. After MANY tears and loud arguments, we moved and we had to start all over again. Not only was I starting high school, but I was starting with no one I knew.

The first year was difficult. I was so mad at my parents that I hardly spoke to them. The schools were much more difficult--I went from a straight A student to getting Cs and Ds. I was bitter because so many of the activities that I was involved in weren't offered there because

In the end I was able to adjust and realize now how fortunate I was to be able to spend my four years of high school in the same school. I had a great group of teachers who took time to help out and new each of their students and families well. We had little of the pressures and junk that kids in the public/larger schools had to face.

I guess that I am older (and perhaps wiser) I understand the opportunities I had growing up the child of a Marine. I got to live in many different unique places and travel across most of the US. Especially in Quantico I met people from different cultures from all over the world that came to train. I understand what true sacrifice is for a soldier who gives up everything to fight for our freedom.

Mom had a sign in the house that said "Home is Where the Marine Corps Sends You." No matter where we were or if we had a "house" we always had our family which made our home complete. We have lived in some interesting places which challenged us, but we made it a home. So if you are living in a place and keep sitting around saying how horrible it is, then it will probably never be good. BUT if you get out and learn and explore a little think of what you can learn!

So excited...

2008-10-25T18:09:00.002-04:00

Tonight Bill and I are going to a Halloween Party. Ok that is part of the fun, but the best part is he gets to go with me. I have been to several, but we have never gone together due to our crazy schedules....and we have a pretty neat couple costume. He doesn't really "do" costumes, (he says because he has to wear one every day), so this is BIG for him.

Wooohoooo!!! Hopefully I'll get some pictures in to share! ...and we can repeat next week at the Partners Dinner for Discovery.

Where do I begin...

2008-10-21T22:45:00.003-04:00

This month has been a crazy one thus far that I have not devoted much time to blogging. Trust me I have a lot to say, but just haven't written it down yet. Does anyone ever get overwhelmed by the blessings you have been given? I am kind of at that point right now!!

I was given the incredible opportunity to attend the Catalyst Conference in GA with a group from Discovery. My mind, heart, and soul were stretched farther than I thought possible with all of the information and celebration of God that surrounded us. These are just a few of the people I want on my bus on the journey of life:

(Jason, Lora, & Claude too, but I don't have pics for some reason...maybe they were in the limo??)

I was fortunate enough to meet Tommy Neeson who is running from ME to FL to raise money and awareness for the Ronald McDonald Houses. He injured his leg so his visit had to be rescheduled and we weren't able to have the big event as planned. He was just thrilled to have the small celebration we had for him! I was so inspired by his dedication and willingness to serve no matter what the sacrifice. He is even planning to do this again on the "left coast". The new opportunities I am exploring at work are amazing and we are able to help so many more people with the efforts of our community.

That is it for now. I'll try and be better...stay tuned for details about Kazda Halloween 08.

Fun Family Time

2008-10-05T23:30:00.002-04:00

I was able to sneak away to my parents house for the day Saturday to visit with my family. I wasn't sure if I was going to make it, so I only told my sister and then surprised my parents with coming. We had a great time full of lots of adventures. We took the kids on a hayride to the pumpkin patch. Lauren thought this was a cool tradition that we did with her when she was his age too.
Justin was less than thrilled with the pumpkins which he called "his balls" and thought it was hysterical to pick them up and throw them. Luckily no pumpkins were harmed during our trip.
After a long day of adventures my Dad was asleep on the couch and Justin thought he needed a friend and climbed up on his chest. About 2 seconds later he reached behind my his head and grabbed the remote and took off. He was in cute mode only long enough for us to get a picture. :-)

Have a GREAT week!!

Random Prayer Request...or not?

2008-09-30T22:26:00.003-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I was sending a text message to a friend about a prayer request that we had been talking/praying about. Much later in the evening I got a phone call from this number(I was too asleep to answer it and it went into voicemail) Little did I know, my friend had changed her cell number and it had already been given to someone else. The "new" owner of the phone number called to say that she was sorry for my friend and that God heals all people and she would pray. At least I think that what was said because she sounded really out of it. I laughed it off and deleted the number from my phone--and now have the new one.

Monday morning I get a text from my "friend" (her old # but with her name which I thought I deleted) saying to pray for her because she needed to be back with her son. I was confused and thought that perhaps this was a cryptic message related to a Bible study that we are doing together. It encouraged me to get my homework done to figure out what she was talking about. Never did find anything--but tried really hard!!

So tonight at Bible study I asked my friend about it and she hadn't sent it. Come to find out it was from the new owner of the phone number who was reaching out. We have exchanged a couple of messages back and forth now and she is getting prayers from a random stranger who dialed the wrong number.

Pretty cool huh?

Life's blessings....

2008-09-29T22:40:00.003-04:00

Let's see it was kind of a crummy week last week, but I am trying to move past that and be thankful for the many blessings in my life.

Loving and learning alot at work. We have our first big fundraiser/publicity event this Friday that I am involved in. I only wish I started getting my but in running shape sooner so I could participate. The economy is tough tight now, but I am still amazed that there are still so many generous donors out there.
Through some awesome people at church they have helped get me started working with multi-page layouts the "right" way. I am almost done with my first project. Hopefully the next one won't take as long!!
My car is FINALLY getting fixed!! Broken car + Lack of insurance of other driver + lack of funds in the Kazda household = long time to get it fixed. I should have it back by Wednesday. Bill and I are working on this carpooling thing :-). Not too easy at 4:00am!
My awesome small group and my whole church family who have taught me so much about the value of friendship and staying connected. Forgiveness, love and prayer can heal wounds.
Bill grilled out yummy salmon for dinner tonight. Love when he cooks and there are few dishes!!

My closing quote for the day

2008-09-20T22:53:00.003-04:00

If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap.
If you want happiness for a day, go fishing.
If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune.
If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.

Taken from Tommy Neeson who is running 2300 miles from Bangor, ME to Miami, FL to raise awareness and money for the Ronald McDonald Houses. Check out his progress here. He will be in Greenville October 3-4!!

I Love My Parents

2008-09-13T13:52:00.002-04:00

There are so many reasons why I love and am so proud of my parents. Sure they made the decision to have me and my sister and did a pretty good job raising us. Dad was in the military and worked really hard to make sure we had as "normal" lives as possible moving around so much. Mom was always the glue that would hold us together and make sure we were headed down the right path. This past month they have sacrificed so much of themselves to help others that I am beyond proud. They both have always been very involved in the church and various community activities and we were a part of it as well.

My grandmother had knee replacement surgery in the beginning of August. My mother flew out to be with her for a couple of weeks to help with her initial recovery. She diligently worked hard driving GM to all of her appointments, cooked and cleaned, helped change dressings and never complained about it all.

My Dad flew out two weeks later to be the relief for my Mom. They had a couple of days together in Oklahoma and then Mom came home. Dad is still there taking care of GM, who is doing well, but it is a slow recovery process, so he has been working a lot around the house and cooking and cleaning for her.

My Mom had been home a day when she got called from the Red Cross that she needed to be ready to open a shelter because Hanna was coming. She had to unpack, get all of the house secured (a job my Dad usually does) and then go get a shelter open. Luckily the storm wasn't too bad and they had few evacuees, but they still had to be open.

Dad is coming home tomorrow and I am excited that they will be able to be home together after helping out others and being apart for over a month. With the hurricane hitting the Gulf again, Mom may get called for disaster duty as well.

Thanks Mom & Dad for being perfect role models for us on how we need to take care of each other no matter what the personal sacrifice. I hope that we can continue to be as willing to serve as you continue to be.

Late Night Thinking...

2008-08-31T00:40:00.002-04:00

This has been such an awesome week that I am having trouble getting to sleep tonight thinking of all of the blessings that I have been given in such a short period of time.

We came off a great vacation with lots of time with the family.
My grandmother came through her knee surgery with flying colors and is getting better every day.
I started my "new" job this week. I have been involved with the RMH for over 7 years in many different capacities. I absolutely love this place and will probally always be involved in some way shape or form because I so believe in what they do. I was presented with an opportunity for advancement and to be more involved. Of course I jumped at the chance, but had to wait patiently as the details were sorted out. I spent so much time during this waiting period praying and trying to figure out if this was the right thing to do. This week was full of wonderful miracles for our families in the shape of healing and restoration as well as some INCREDIBLE new opportunities for us to serve more people in the community. I was humbled to be able to be there to witness and be a part of the celebrations for these blessings. Thank you God I am in right place to help your people.
Tommorrow (or I guess today now) is our first day of rest or Sabbath. This is probally the first time we have tried to do this as a family where we take one day out of the week and make it different from the rest in order to not distract us from God and the blessings he has given us. We have planned all week to be sure we both have this time to spend as a family. We have so much to be thankful for, that it is important for us to do this!!

Night night...I think I can get to my rest now! God Rocks Doesn't he??

Vacation

2008-08-28T23:41:00.003-04:00

I think the theme of our vacation this year was transportation. We first headed to Richmond and went to their Aircraft museum where Bill and I tried to see what it would be like to fly a plane. We determined that they must have been very small people because we both had a time getting in and out of this plane and I am not sharing those pictures my FIL took!
Then we were off to Charolletesville for some canoeing. This was the part of the trip I was dreading because I have never been on a trip for this long without a guide. Bill and I were the only other human beings that we saw on the entire journey. The water levels were very low due to the drought, so there were several spots that we had to get out and walk, but we survived minus a few cuts and bruises from our one and only tip over. My only regret was that I wasn't able to take my camera and get pictures--I was too afraid it would get wet and I was right. We saw some beautiful scenery of God's magnificent creations and lots birds, turtles, and even cows in the water!! If you are ever in the area stop by and visit these folks--they were the nicest people to some rookies!!

That same day we went to Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's home. This has little to do with transportation but we had to drive up a big hill to get there. It was a gorgeous day and I could have spent more time up there in the fresh mountain air taking in the gardens and scenery.
What trip without Bill would not be complete without some trains. Richmond is famous for having a triple crossing where 3 train tracks on 3 different levels cross at the same point. One of the tour guides said there has only been 2 times that 3 have been there at once. We have stopped by there many times in our travels and have only seen one at a time. They have a pretty cool downtown even for non-railroad buffs.

Nameless Soldier

2008-08-26T07:33:00.004-04:00

This past week has been a fun one of vacation. I'll have to share more details of all of the fun we had later. One of our stops was in Fayetteville at the Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum. One particular display really got to me about rescuing hostages in Panama. The soldiers were not allowed to wear any visible identification do to the extreme danger of the operation. All they had on them was their blood type written on their shoulder so in case they got hurt they could help them and then figure out who it is later.

WOW!! This really got me thinking about isn't this how we should be as Christians? Too many times we only help out someone in need if prompted or only help someone that is in our close circle of friends. If we all were able to take time out to think less of our own identity and help out someone just because they needed it at the time...think of how awesome our world would be! These soldiers do it every day and we make excuses of why we can't help out every once in awhile.

I've fallen and I can't get up...

2008-08-13T13:21:00.002-04:00

...so that is how I feel right now. My gym has started a group fitness competition this week where the first person to finish 30 classes gets a free month of membership. (2-10 wins other prizes as well). The inner competitor in me has come out and I am in pain. In three days I have done 6 classes (3 yesterday OUCH!!) and am feeling very tired and sore.

But I have started a challenge for myself and plan on being in the top ten. Not really to win, but to challenge myself to step a bit out of my comfort zone and try different things than my normal "routine". There are a couple of teenagers who are up to 10 already as of this morning--I don't stand a chance catching them! This on top of a very busy week with work obligations and my in-laws in town tomorrow.

Best Weekend!!

2008-08-12T00:54:00.003-04:00

This weekend was hands down one of the best times I have had in awhile. My parents and my sister and her family all came to visit. It has been over a year that we have all been together, so it made it that much more special.

We went to the River Park North nature Center where Justin was thrilled with the turtles and had to show them to Grandpa.
There were 6 adults, 2 kids, 3 cats, and 1 dog that crammed into our 2 bedroom condo. How would you like these cuties as your wake-up call?
Inspired by all of the Olympics coverage we spent most of our time at the pool trying to perfect our strokes. Lauren beat the pants off of all of us! I think living by the water has turned her into part fish?!?
Then to top it all off I had a meeting Friday and I was offered the job/promotion at work that I had been praying for for over a month now. It was great to be able to be with my family to help celebrate. I officially start August 25 after a vacation with Bill's parents next week.

Ouch.....

2008-08-12T00:45:00.002-04:00

My poor little new car was hurt this evening. I was in front of the fire station when a fire truck was preparing to pull out with lights and sirens blaring. The car in front of me stopped suddenly, then I stopped and then the car behind me didn't stop so suddenly. Thankfully no one was hurt but our cars. The new car smell hasn't worn off yet and we get to replace a bumper. I am thinking our insurance company is getting tired of hearing from the Kazdas this year!!

Tagging....

2008-08-04T11:53:00.003-04:00

I Got Tagged
10 years ago: Aug 1998:
Bill and I had been dating a year. I had just finished my first year "off" from college and decided that I needed to get my butt back to school and registered at Alamance Community College. Worked full time with Aramark at Elon College.

5 years ago: Aug 2003:
Working at Collins and Aikman as a techonology coordinator. LOVED my job but went downhill after the summer and the plant closed. 2003 lost 65 lbs which managed to find its way back in later years (on my way to getting rid of it agian!!). Kenny Chesney concert at Walnut Creek with friends!

5 months ago: March 1: Getting ready for Grandma's 80th birthday celebration at the beach.

Tomorrow:
1. Go to gym for some Zumba
2. Go to work to make the big bucks :-)
3. Check on a friend's Grandma
4. Spend time with hubby who is off
5. Maybe hit the gym again after work

5 bad habits:
1. Leaving clothes in the dryer--hey they are dry!
2. Staying up late when I have to get up early
3. Cake batter ice cream.
4. Leaving scrunchies all over the house-drives Bill crazy.
5. Not saying NO enough

5 places I’ve lived:
1. Winterville, NC
2. Burlington, NC
3. Quantico, VA
4. Lawton, OK
5. Picatinny Arsenal, NJ

5 things people don’t know about me:
1. I am deathly afraid of haunted houses. You will never get me into one
2. My favorite vegetable is brussel sprouts.
3. I am allergic to cantaloupe.
4. I was a very shy kid. My sister talked for me for the first 5 years of my life. People don't believe me today when I tell them this for some reason??
5. My dream one day is to run a 5K--thinking of one in October.

Next to add to the fun Barbara, Sheila, Laci, Corey and anyone else!

{{HUGS}} to all my blogging peeps!

Being Challenged...

2008-08-03T16:28:00.002-04:00

An adventure last night has been weighing heavy on my heart today....

Last night I went out to eat downtown with several of the ladies from my gym. It is always so much fun when we are able to get together and they have been such an encouragement to me that I treasure the friendships I have made. After dinner we decided to walk around downtown a bit. I haven't been downtown after dark in years, but the vibe has changed quite a bit. It was definitely not the place for a bunch of thirty something "soccer moms" to be headed towards. We walked around for awhile and then decided to head elsewhere where we could just hang out and talk.

Anyways, it started to pour down rain so we decided to seek refuge under the awning of one of the closed stores while we waited for someone to go get the car. While there I was approached by a couple that came up to ME and very loudly told me that I "was going to Hell for what I was doing and that we are all sinners and it will be a privilege for you to be selected by God to be sent there." HUH?? There must have been about 10 people downtown that were yelling at people that they were going to Hell and nobody was listening. I don't think I have ever been told that I was going to Hell in the first place, but especially since I know, pray and try to live my life in a way where I know that is not my destiny. After a lengthy discussion of how I was going to join Hitler in Hell and him reading "scripture" from his "Bible", I had to ask how they thought that yelling at people and telling them they were going to Hell was going to bring ANYONE closer to God. The answer I got was well "we do it the way our God tells us to."

I have never been challenged in my faith in that way before, much less very confident in debating about my faith with those who obviously strongly oppose my beliefs. My prayer is that the lost are not turned off by those in the world who practice attack tactics to scare people into their side of things and can understand and learn the awesomeness of our God!!

Thanks for reading.............

In the Zone...

2008-07-28T14:42:00.002-04:00

We had a pretty uneventful weekend at the Kazda homestead. Bill worked all weekend and I amazingly didn't have to. I spent Saturday morning at the gym and was able to take my favorite class Body Pump and Kickboxing--not so much my favorite, but I was able to get my cardio in. I have to be careful that I balance between my love of lifting with some cardio time! I have never tried two classes back to back before--but I gave it a try. I LOVED it! I was on such a "high" when I came home that I got so much accomplished off my to do list around the house. Who would have thought I would become a gym-rat and would love the sweaty/nasty/delerium that I was in? Now I am trying to check my schedule to see when I can do it again!! Anyone want to join me? Trust me if I can be transformed, anyone can!!

To top it off I went to see Mamma Mia with a friend I haven't seen in awhile. Love me some Abba tunes, but not too sure of a musical movie?!? We both decided that a movie was not the best place to catch up and need to sit and chat sometime!!

Have a Happy Monday!!!

Triple Coupon Fun

2008-07-24T11:31:00.002-04:00

This week is another adventure in Triple Coupons and Harris Teeter. We met Tuesday evening at our house to trade coupons and get ready for all of the deals. Barbara and Ruthie had a lot and were VERY generous to share with us their coupons. Here is the ladies (minus Amy) who had their scissors warmed up and ready to go!

Lora and I met this morning to go into Harris Teeter and tackle the deals. We were much better prepared this go around and had a blast getting through there. Between the two of us we had 6 orders. The cashier even asked if I was done for the day and I said I didn't want to be too greedy, and she said "that's ok we can always restock". I love My Harris Teeter!! I also stopped at Kroger on the way home who is doing a great buy 10 get $5 off promotion as well. So between the 2 stores I spent $23.19 and saved $174.55!! (The picture doesn't show the 150lbs of kitty litter that Bill so diligently put up for me!)

Happy Deal Hunting!! Laci & Sheila we missed you this go around!!

I'm here

2008-07-24T01:02:00.003-04:00

I have been really bad about blogging lately. I never thought people were reading this until I heard from several friends and family members that I haven't blogged in awhile. We have been rather busy the last few weeks and I just didn't do it. Forgive me! I'll try and give you the highlights of our fun and crazy life. Sorry no pics as our computer is misbehaving and I don't have the patience to wait for them to load.

Great things are happening for me at work. I was kind of at a crossroads with not moving forward and questioning why I was still there. I enjoyed what I did, but felt I needed a change because I have been doing pretty much the same thing for years and wanted some new responsibilities to challenge my brain a bit. Enter my boss last week who approached ME about a new position they may have open in August. It is truly the answer to my prayers. I won't find out if I got it for a couple of weeks, but I am hopeful that it will come through.

We made a trip to Kings Dominion last week with the youth from church. The day just so happened to be my 32nd birthday, so Bill and I took the day off and went with them. Nothing like spending the day with teenagers riding crazy roller coasters to keep you feeling young. We had a blast and woke up the next morning rather sore from some of the adventures. Thanks to all who made my birthday so special.

Although I have finished with Boot Camp, I am still keeping a pretty strict exercise regimen trying to keep up what I started earlier in the summer. I have been a bit naughty on the food side (had to have some birthday cake!), but am getting back on track. My new favorite class is Body Pump which I am completely addicted too! It is an hour long class of various weight lifting moves choreographed to awesome music. It is a class I didn't have the confidence for before Boot Camp, but no more!

Take care my peeps and remember to stay faithful and you will be rewarded.

Small Town Life

2008-07-03T19:57:00.003-04:00

While traveling to the Outer Banks in May, I got a little speeding ticket in the small town of Hertford, NC. I was given the court date or an option of today to come and talk to the District Attorney about my case. Bill and I both had the morning off, so we decided to take a nice drive over there to take care of things. The town is very charming and full of history. The courthouse was interesting as when you walk in the door to the old building the sign pointing to the left was "holding cell" and the right was restrooms. I am glad I didn't get those mixed up!

The DA and the sheriff were there and talked to me about my infraction and reduced it down to where I didn't get points off my license and reduced the fee a bit. When I was leaving I asked the Sheriff if that was all and he said that he needed to make a call to the jail to see what weekend I needed to be there. HAHA! I joked back that only if I get to wear a pink jumpsuit :-). We walked around downtown a bit and stopped in some of the shops and grabbed lunch. We have driven through this town numerous times but never stopped in the downtown. Lesson learned...slow down :-).....take time to enjoy what beautiful NC has to offer!!

The Numbers are In

2008-07-01T10:08:00.003-04:00

I am sad to say that boot camp is over! We were scheduled to have our final weigh-in and testing last week and ended up getting sick (perhaps from the poo-water) and had to take it this week! I have not paid attention to "numbers" throughout this because this was not my goal rather for fitness and motivation, but I'll admit I am pretty happy with the results!

During 6 week Boot Camp:

14 lbs Lost (Total since Feb--32lbs!)

Decrease of 7% of my Body Mass--I am assuming there is lots of muscle there now!

The best is that I was able to bring my cholesterol down 20 points from "High" to "Borderline High", so still some work there.

As for testing, I was vastly improved in all areas--running, push-ups, sit-ups and flexibility. I did horribly the first week on this, so I had no choice but to improve :-).

***Another high note was that many of my fellow boot campers came to cheer me on while I did my testing. I was so touched and moved that they took time out of their busy lives to come--that was such a blessing to me!!

Things I am Thankful for

2008-06-23T22:26:00.003-04:00

It has been a busy couple of weeks in the Kazda househols, so I haven't been blogging much. I have been blessed with so many new experiences and opportunities!!

Spending time with the DC youth group. I am constantly amazed at these young ladies and gentlemen. They are learning and growing with their relationship with the Lord and have a BLAST doing it. (thanks to Sheila for the pics!)

Bill and I headed down to Wilmington to the wedding of the former Worship Leader for DC. It was probally one of the neatest weddings I have been to and perhaps had the best music too!! (thanks again Sheila for the pics!)

This was a our dinner tonight. I took advantage of a good sale on shrimp and made a "Low Country Boil". Bill looked at it and said it was pretty as a picture. YUM-O!!

Boot camp is coming to an end this week. Due to a couple of members not being able to make it last week, we had our end-of-boot-camp celebration Friday. I had so much fun out with these ladies and I don't think Chicos will be the same after a bunch of gym-rats invaded. We all comsumed too many carbs, so EVERY one of us was back in the gym this morning working hard. I probally had the best workout I have ever had today. Thursday is the last day and I'll be sure to let you all know the final numbers! ( and perhaps some pics!)

2008-06-12T23:37:00.003-04:00

This was the view of our Boot Camp area this morning. There are huge wildfires to the east of us that due to a change in wind direction we are getting inundated with smoke here. If you look very very close you can see the course! Our very smart "drill sargent" had us workout inside. It was a nice change of pace and we got one heck of a workout.

Got my measurements today and doing good so far!!

Sorry one more...

2008-06-12T00:04:00.002-04:00

Just had to share one more thing! A good friend from church has started a blog where she compilies information from various sources about good deals and such. She posted a list of all of the good deals you can get on things at Wal-Mart. I thought I was a pretty savvy shopper but there were a TON of things on this list that I never thought of. I went there earlier today and saved $50---alot of it on "healthy" items that I needed!!!

If you haven't already check out Barbara's blog. Thanks for all of your hard work to help us out!

Boot Camp Progress

2008-06-11T23:35:00.002-04:00

Tommorrow is the end of week 4 of boot camp. This week has been rough because of the heat (100+) and lots of other stuff going on to distract me from my goal. I was really letting that get to me and almost talked myself out of going Tuesday. It was brutal!! We ran alot of drills (not my strong suit) and did more rigorous strength training which pushed my body farther than I think it has ever been. My body was pushed to the point of puking (might I add that I wasn't the only one)........but I am more determined than ever to finish and do well.

So this week we have to be weighed and measured because it is the halfway point for us. This is never something that anyone looks forward to and I have been putting it off. I know I have lost alot, but for me it is not about that. It is about learning to live a healthier lifestyle and discovering new challenges for myself to go through.

Fun Family Time

2008-06-11T23:11:00.004-04:00

Wow it has been a couple of weeks since I have posted. We have been very busy and have been having alot of fun enjoying the warm weather that I forget about posting (sorry GM!)

I headed out to the Outer Banks for Lauren's 9th Birthday extravangza. 9 girls loose on a miniature golf course in the blazing heat with 30mph winds....fun??? We had a blast and needed a big nap afterwards!! She got a skateboard which was perhaps her favorite gift once she learns how to use it.

Not to be outdone we took the kids swimming at the sound. It was a first for Justin and he had so much fun digging in the mud and seaweed and splashing everyone!

Bad Boys......Bad Boys

2008-05-30T15:14:00.002-04:00

Well I made it safely to my sister's house this afternoon for my niece's big Birthday bash tomorrow. Unfortunately I got the fortune of meeting a fine State Trooper who seemed to imply that I was going a bit too fast. OK I was going 70 in a 55 but a few minutes before I was going 80 and thought I should perhaps slow down. Got a nice ticket from them and can visit the beautiful town of Hertford to go to court if I so choose. These trips to see my sister and family get expensive for the Kazdas as we have both received tickets coming out here. These country roads that seem like highways are deceptive.

I am "babysitting" the baby right now while Susan and Tom take care of some stuff. It is a tough gig as he has been asleep most of the time. I get to wake him up to go and get Lauren from school in a bit. Love these kiddos.

I hope you all have a great weekend!! It is going to be non-stop fun and activities here as we have 2 parties tomorrow and a Girl Scout ceremony tomorrow night. I'll be back in G-ville Sunday and will probably need a nap!!

Boot Camp Day 3

2008-05-27T11:41:00.002-04:00

Whew...glad that one is over. We really stepped up the cardio a few notches today and it kicked my butt. The best was probally the tire relay which we had to sqaut and flip a big tire down the field and back and then run sprints. Challenged doesn't even begin to begin how I feel! I was not in the mindset from the beginning today, so it was tough. My classmates were awesome and brought each other up when we were struggling.

We are supposed to be filmed for the Fit for Life TV show next week. I am not really looking forward to that, but I'll let you know in case you want to check out what we do. I want to take some pictures but somehow between all of the sweating, lifting, sweating, running, sweating, squatting, sweating, jumping, curling, and sweating I forget. :-)

On a much happier note Bill and I have 24 hours off together at the same time and are headed to Atlantic Beach later this afternoon for some R&R and Bill and Kim time! I promised I will try and get a run in on the beach!!

Sunday Night Reflections

2008-05-25T21:21:00.003-04:00

The fun of is week has consisted of:

Elvis is sick again and it is not looking good. They think it is probally bone cancer. We (meaning Bill and I) have to give him shots every week to keep his blood counts up. Not sure if this is going to work or if we can even afford to continue to do it. How does one make that decision???
The beginning of Boot Camp. The most physically challenging thing I have had to do in my life, but I am enjoying it thus far. Someone asked me today how much weight I have lost--made me smile. (we aren't "allowed" to weigh until the end) I have been inspired to work out every day now to keep up with all of my classmates.
Got bloodwork back from the Dr. and I need to work on the cholesterol. I still can't figure out how it went up when I am eating better?? More incentive to consistantly eat better and exercise.
Work is still stressing me out and not sure what my future holds there. Love what I do though which makes it tough.
Bill has been sick and hasn't had much time to rest and recover.

I just got home from Youth Group and am inspired and pumped up about the coming week because of all of the awesome things God is doing through them. The message today in church and youth was that as much as I love God he loves me more and I need to ask him for guidance and LISTEN before I make a decision or act. We have had a few distractions this week and I need to do better at making time for God in my daily life!

Boot Camp Day 1

2008-05-20T23:42:00.002-04:00

Well, I am still alive after Day 1. We did fitness testing which I did OK on, but I know where I stand and what I need to do to achieve this goal. After testing, we only had about 30 minutes to do boot camp activities. They were tough, and challenging, but FUN!!

The best part of the experience today was the spirit of teamwork that was shown. There were ladies of all different fitness levels and they were all there encouraging one another and working together to get tasks done.

All in all a good day when I didn't puke or pass out! Ask me on Thursday when I have a full hour of it!!

Boot Camp?!?!?

2008-05-19T11:10:00.002-04:00

I've gone and done it!! I signed up at my gym for Boot Camp class. They have been advertising it for weeks and I have debated whether or not to do it, so last week I signed the commitment "contract" and paid my dues. Today I had to go in and get weighed and measured to get my starting point (UGH!!--I am sure a Cubbies lunch yesterday didn't help!)

This is such a huge step out of the box for me, but I thought I needed a major challenge to jumpstart my fitness routine. I am not one for getting dirty or being outside in the extreme heat, but I am ready to try this out!

We start tomorrow bright and early for our six week adventure. I am looking forward to pushing my body and mind to places it has NEVER been. I may come home tired, sore, and banged up but with the benefit of knowing I gave it my all!

As Bill reminds me that rule #2 whining is not allowed (he added that it isn't allowed at home either!). After all "My response is My responsibility!! Thanks to all who have cheered me on--I'll try and keep you posted.

4 Women Loose on "Triple Coupon Thursday"

2008-05-15T12:40:00.016-04:00

Number of DC ladies at Harris Teeter this morning for triples: 4

Number of trips between us: 11

Coupons used: 200+

Savings: Guessing over $500

Time spent with good friends: Priceless

I didn't get nearly as much stuff as my co-shoppers, but I spent $10.02 and saved $127.46 on items my family uses.

Life Sans TV...sort of!

2008-05-14T11:18:00.003-04:00

Well it is now day 4 of life without TV. I must admit that I have watched **some** tv this week, but it has been mostly limited to the news. Monday was tough because I went home sick early from work (just a quick stomach bug and I am fine now) and wanted to curl up in front of the TV and rest it out. My mind really wasn't on reading or anything else, so I had some nap time. However my much less TV time has afforded us other opportunities:

Bill and I have been going on walks in the evenings where we have been able to talk and get some good exercise. This has been probally the best benefit!!
I am getting caught up on my reading the Bible in a year project. I started a month late in my daily assignments and never really was on track. I have devoted much more time to this.
I have read the entire newspaper every day and have learned lots about my community and the world.
Our house is cleaner and staying that way.
I have gone to bed early as I am not caught up in watching late night TV.
Did you know there are TVs everywhere? Yesterday I went to the dentist and they have a TV in the waiting room and the exam room. Our vet even has one in her waiting room. My gym also has them on most of the machines--I really think they should ban ALL cooking shows from the gym.

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-11T23:57:00.004-04:00

Happy Mother's Day Mom. She's the best for taking care of us and raising us well. Since Dad was in the military and frequently away, she stepped up on more than one occasion and was Mom and Dad for awhile. Love you!

What a fun weekend spent with family. My parents came for a visit for the weekend. We just had some great time together!! Our big fun was breaking out the Super Scrabble Game. If you have not played it and are a fan of Scrabble it is crazy--twice the tiles, a bigger board AND quadruple letters and words! It takes a long time to get through a game, so two games took our weekend. We went to church Sunday and then came home and had a nice cookout meal for Mother's Day.

Interestingly enough, Saturday night at dinner we were discussing something I read on one of my old schoolmates blog (Unstained) where as new parents they are working towards simplifying their lives and be more focused on family and doing Christ's work. One of the many steps they have taken is to turn off their television/cable and spend more time together. This is something that we have talked about, not really for the purpose of more time together rather to be better stewards of out money and how much we could do with the $50 (or $600 a year!) we were spending to watch TV. Disclaimer: I am a reality TV junkie and watch way too much of it and Bill is a news junkie, so this never happened. Today in church the pastor challenged us to turn off the television and spend time with God, our families, or something more meaningful until the end of the series in a month. We have decided to take up this challenge and make more time for each other and for God in our daily lives. Day one done--it wasn't easy! It was kind of like when you turn the light switch on even though you know the power is out. I had to stop myself as I entered the room to not automatically turn on the TV. We spent time talking and reading quietly tonight instead of zoning out in front of Desperate Housewives!! I'll let you know how it goes!

What it is all about

2008-05-02T00:29:00.003-04:00

I saw this video on Good Morning America this morning and am still amazed by it. At small group the other night we were discussing personalities and how we can embrace what God has given us and use it to glorify him. There were several people that labeled themselves as "competetive" and weren't sure how we could use our competetive nature to serve God. Perfect example here. Sure the girls were out there to win the game--they were in the championships after all. However when a need arose that was much bigger than the game they stepped up to help out forgetting that they would lose the game because of it.

Fun Weekend

2008-04-29T01:31:00.003-04:00

What a great weekend we had. A group of friends got together and headed out to the strawberry patch. This is truely one of my favorite pastimes and much better shared with good friends! I picked WAY too many and had a lot of eating and work to do to get them put up. Bill is such a big help and we got them all put away that evening.

Then after that fun I headed to Greenville's parade of homes with the Wallace ladies. It is always interesting to see how the other half lives. We got to see the only $5,000,000++ house in Greenville. Too big for me--I would get lost and never see my cats again with all of the closets in that place! This is from one of the houses. It is a dress made out of bubble gum wrappers. She had it displayed in her bathtub??

Here are the lovey Wallace ladies (minus Mom) who were modeling one of the bathrooms that I think was bigger than my house! We had a blast looking at all of the homes and may try to see some more next weekend too.

Sunday was a fun day at church and Bill was off so he was able to go with me which always makes the days better. We were able to go to the Lord's Supper and spend some time with families we don't normally get to spend time with. Lots of changes and many blessings the Lord is working on with our church family that it is exciting to wake up to everyday!

Sick Kitty

2008-04-24T23:23:00.002-04:00

Our poor Elvis is sick. I hate to pick favorites, but he is my first cat, first pet on my own. He has been with me through some pretty rough times and in my darkest days he would always jump in my lap and give me love. I love them all for different things but he is my baby!

Several years ago he had some kidney problems which he recovered from, but had to keep a close watch to make sure he didn't relapse. This week he has been getting sick alot ALL OVER the house. I finally called the vet today and the new-not-so-friendly vet tech said that they were booked up and couldn't squeeze him in until Monday afternoon. Are you kidding me??? I just about lost it then...I wanted to talk to the vet but she was busy. A little while later she called back and said to bring him in and they would make time for him. Bless you!!

The diagnosis is that he has ulcers related to his kidney problems. He wouldn't cooperate with getting weighed, blood drawn or anything for that matter. So for the next few days we are treating him with some meds and a fancy French ( I am not kidding the directions are in French!!) food that is supposed to help with kidneys....and wait and see.

An awesome week

2008-03-31T17:31:00.003-04:00

Whew what a fabulous week of time with family and friends. I went down to Jacksonville Friday and spent Easter with my parents, grandmother from OK, Sister and her family. We came back Thursday and then Friday went to the Outer Banks for a wedding on the beach in the cold brrr.. Then back for church and youth group Sunday. Here are some pictures of our adventures:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA

2008-03-20T12:08:00.002-04:00

My Grandmother turned 80 earlier this month. We wanted to throw her a big celebration or go on a big family trip and all she wanted to do was fly from Oklahoma to NC to visit everyone here. We are so excited that we will all be together for Easter and several days after. She is a remarkable woman who has taught me so much about love, faith, and life! Love you GM, "I'm in the back seat hugging and a kissing with Fred"

A Life to Short

2008-03-18T08:47:00.000-04:00

A phone call late in the night revealed that a dear friend lost their only son in a tragic car accident. He was 17 years old full of hopes and dreams for the future. I had just seen him a couple of days ago at a chance meeting in town. He was laughing and teasing his Dad about having to take Algebra and he would have to teach his Dad a thing or two. His love of life and compassion for others have taught us all something. May God be with his family in this time of terrible lost. Justin we will see you on the other side.