(Christopher showing off his new spring clothes and a fresh haircut!)

I just wanted to let everyone know that I seem to be having some kind of trouble with my yahoo account right now. I guess people are receiving a message saying that I'm temporarily down or don't have an account or something like that. Then, when I try to respond to an email, I get an ERROR 14 message and can't respond. I have contacted yahoo and they sent me an email saying they are working on it. Weird. Maybe it's punishment for not downloading the newer version. I just like my good old simple version thank you very much.

I am gearing up for a visit from Taylor, Charmaine and Tyler next week! Yippie! They are arriving at Rob and Ann-Marie's on Sunday evening. Taylor will come over here for a couple of days so that Hope doesn't have to miss the entire week of school. We will then drive over and spend Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with Rob and Ann-Marie. Both Ann-Marie and I will have plenty of pictures to post so look out!

I am happy to report that as of this morning, I have lost a total of eight pounds! Yippie again!!! I have bumped my six mile bike ride daily up to seven miles. The hard part will be sticking to it with the upcoming trips that I have planned. Next week will be the first test, after that I'm headed to Toronto for 10 days and then to NH for graduation. So, send all your positive thoughts out to me and I will succeed!!!!

I would love for everyone to watch this video on youtube. I wanted to post it here, but the embed has been disabled. When I first watched it, it had already been viewed by over 11 million people after only about one week from it's original air date on British television. In the last week or so, it has jumped to over 39 million. You may have already seen it. It is from Britain's Got Talent and it gave me goosebumps and made me cry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

So, graduation is June 12th at 6PM. I can't believe it! I am trying to prepare myself for this!! I have been having a hard time sleeping lately. My mind is just racing in all different directions. I wake up and wonder if Britany got her community service slip from the guidance office? Can't participate in the graduation ceremony without that. Did she submit some work for her online courses? All assignments are due by May 18th for June graduation dates..and so on and so on...Taylor is having some issues with nasty girls being jealous of her (the usual high school drama)..I am pretty sure she can handle it, but I still think about it...Hope needs to finish school by June 10th to go to NH with me for graduation...so far, so good (at least she tells me) And now, to top it off we discovered a cyst on Lola's back. Colin checked it last night and he said it feels totally benign but I will have to take her to the vet. He said if he found it on a person, he would probably just go ahead and remove it for them, so I guess we'll see if the vet wants to do that too. I am worried about how Christopher will handle Hope staying in NH for a few weeks over the summer. He will be a mess without her. I'm hoping to trade her for Taylor (lol) The timing will be tricky because Taylor wants to work at the YMCA camp that Brit did last year. It is run by Britany's gymnastics coach from Portsmouth. The camp is in New York. Britany made awesome money last year coaching the little kids. So, she is hoping to do that for a few weeks end of June first of July. So, anyway...

Sleepy in Seminole...

We had a great Easter ~ a bit unconventional, but nice. We met Nana and Papa at Busch Gardens, had a small lunch and walked around for a couple of hours. It would have been really nice if Britany, Taylor and Patrick could have been there and we could have all spent the day together. It was hot in the sun, but really nice in the shade.

Battle of THE BULDGE!

(Ahh, the old days)


Ok, so in my last post I briefly mentioned that I had lost 5 pounds. Well, let me back up a little and make it clear that that 5 pounds is 5 pounds out of the 7 pounds I gained over the holidays!! That is added to the 10 I already wanted to lose! I was so angry at myself for gaining 7 pounds over the holidays.

Since turning 40, it has become painfully clear to me that weight loss is going to be a huge battle. After I had Christopher, I was somehow able to manage losing the first 30 of the 40 that I had gained while pregnant. (I think the stress of everything played a big part of that.) The last 10 pounds (10-12) not so easy.

I go up and down... lose three....gain five! ARRRR.

I've been asking Colin for his advice (obviously) but still sticking to my old ways and trying to lose it the way that used to work for me...counting carbs or trying to starve myself. Forget it!

As of now, I am just watching my calories; trying to keep it around 1,000 a day (for now) and riding my exercise bike 6 miles a day without fail. I have to accept that after 40 it is a SLOW process. The days of dropping 6 pounds in a week are OVER!

I am more trying to focus on the fact that I need to do this for my overall health and not that I want to look good in a bikini this summer. (Although, I have set a goal for Britany's graduation in June...we'll see..I still have to get through Easter!)

By the way..get a look at those high waisted 80's jeans! And those eyebrows! Tweezers anyone??? Let's not even talk about the hair.

Yesterday, I went to Build-A-Bear and made Easter Bunnies for the girls and an Easter Bear for Christopher. He couldn't wait to name it. Guess what he named it? "Vicka". That is the name of his little imaginary friend. Isn't that cute? I made a little recording to go inside each one that says "Happy Easter! I love you very much!" He pressed the button inside his bear so much the rest of the day, I thought it would wear out.

I took him to Sweet Tomatoes for lunch. He loves that place and always eats well when we go there. So, I was at the salad bar preparing both our plates, and while up on his tip-toes looking at the tray, he announced "I'm such a lucky boy!" He ate every last bite of his mac and cheese, baked potato, tomatoes, a little pasta and his entire bowl of vanilla "Familla" ice cream.

I'm still on a roll with my exercise bike. I am so proud of myself. I am going to say it here so hopefully that will help keep me honest...I have been riding it for 6 miles every day for the last two weeks. Yesterday, I weighed myself and I've lost 5 pounds. Thank you Jesus!

Hope is doing well at school. It is so nice to pull into the school parking lot at the end of the school day and see her playing dodge ball with the other kids. At this school, she actually still gets to BE a kid!

Britany graduates June 12th...I will be the one with the extra large box of tissues, making an utter fool of myself, sobbing.

I'm not sure exactly what Taylor will be doing this summer, although I do hope it includes some time down here with her mama!

Another Twist...

Well...now it looks like Britany has decided to give the Air Force Academy a try...I have to say, I cried and cried when I first heard this. I was actually even a teeny bit angry at first too. The coaches at the Air Force have worked their magic with her I guess.

After speaking with her at more length, I can see her point. If she goes there and hates it, she can transfer to UCF (as long as it's in her first two years, after that, the AF owns her butt for about 7 years). On the other hand, if she starts at UCF she cannot transfer into the Air Force Academy.

So, now instead of moving closer to me, she is actually moving further away..to another time zone even.

*Sigh*. I know all the clichés, but nothing has prepared me for this feeling of letting go of your kids and letting them fly away on their own. It sucks.