"Calorie Neutral"

Ward cracks me up.  

Last night, I worked out on the super-cool elliptical trainer for one hour! while Ward watched a Civil War special on the History channel.  After boasting about how I had just burned off hundreds of calories, I convinced him that he needed to hop on and do at least 15 minutes.  So he does.  Only, he puts his beer in the water bottle holder and proceeds to drink his beer while working out.  After several minutes, I pressed the "calories burned" button and it shows that he has only burned 42 calories so far.  Then he takes a swig of beer.  I told him that he just drank 42 calories with his latest swig, and pointed out that he isn't really accomplishing anything.  

He replies that he is trying to be "calorie neutral".   (like carbon neutral...)

Best Birthday Present EVER!!!!

OK, I was totally prepared to mope around all day and miss my dad.... and I did for part of the day.  Then Ward and I got out of the house and ran some errands.  My aunt and uncle came to town from California to be with us, which was really nice and thoughtful.  We all gathered at my moms house to catch up on the year's activities.

Then Ben and Christina came over to give me my birthday present.  It was wrapped in red tissue and put in a pretty little gift bag.  As I unwrapped the tissue, I discovered it was a 3x5  picture frame. I turned the frame over and let out a scream and then lots of tears..... 

It was a picture of their ultrasound.  

That's right!!  Christina is due in March 09.  I am just completely filled with joy!  Chrissy says she is struggling with nausea, but otherwise healthy.  So, just how cute do you think this little baby is going to be?!

Wooohooo!!!!  What an amazing day!  

I will now always remember August 14 as the day I learned that I am going to be a gramma!! 

Thank you Ben and Chrissy!!

A Year Ago Today.....

My dad died.  

It's been one year without him.  I didn't know how I would make it through this year, but I did. We all did.  We made it through together.  Thank you to all who helped and prayed.  

I've been through a range of emotions, everything from:

* disbelief regarding how quickly he became so sick

* relief that he is not sick and suffering anymore, and now has a healthy, perfect body in heaven

* feeling like I've come to grips about the whole situation

* feeling like I haven't come to grips with the situation

* feeling frustrated that I didn't learn more from him while he was here, ie; the BBQ assembly incident

* feeling sad that I didn't rub his feet more often

* back to disbelief that he is gone

I am grateful for my family and have noticed that we haven't all been "down" at the same time.  That has been great.  When one of us is down, there has always been someone else who can help.  

Thanks again to everyone who helped...

chris

Sebastian is in town!!!

Sebastian is Nick's long-time friend and he is visiting from Colorado.  Nick and Sebastian met when they were 3 years old in Montessori school up in Woodinville.  They are both avid sports nuts and can talk stats until they are blue in the face.  The boys see each other about once a year.  This time last year, Nick flew out to Colorado to visit them.  The boys fly all by themselves, and we meet them at the gate.   

Nick is really getting tall.  He used to be about the same height as Sebastian, but now he's about half a head taller.  Nick's seen several old friends in the last month and he is taller than them too. Seems like Nick is going to be a tall boy - like his daddy.