finding lori

Saturday we left for our annual girls weekend to celebrate my 2 nieces and my daughters birthdays.  We do this every year just to celebrate the girls in our family.  This year since I turned 50, my SIL bought some decorations and a crown for me too :) We go to a beautiful big old resort that has gold, zip-lining, a huge obstacle course in the trees, plus the usual, pool, hot tub and sauna.  In the winter they have snowboarding, tubing, and skiing.  We drove up early so that my sister and daughter could do the obstacle course and zip-lining.  I opted out of both due to my knee, and I just didn't want to do it....it's a height thing and it just looked way to hard for me being this size.  While they were gone (3 hours)  I sat and read and just wandered around the Inn.  Later my SIL and nieces met up with us!  Here are some pictures of our fun weekend :) Just a picture from the website to show you what the obstacle course looks like....Maybe someday I'll be able to do it...

I thought I'd try something a little different and fun today and show you what a day in my life is like.  I picked a Wednesday.  Wednesdays are our long days at work, so we don't start until noon,  and then we work later to accommodate some of our working customers.  Since there are only 4 or 5 Saturdays in a month we need these late days for overflow from Saturdays.  Yes, I work every Saturday, but we have Mondays and Fridays off, so it all works :)  Oh, and if you don't know already, I am a dog groomer.  My sister and I opened up The Dapper Dog Grooming Salon 15 years ago.  The salon is located in our small town in a building on my sister's property, which also happens to be just thru my back yard about 1/4 mile from my house. Anyway here is my typical Wednesday....... I usually start my days around 7:00. On nice days like today, I am always  out on my back porch, we call The Sanctuary. Coffee and my kindle are heaven! My sister, my daughter Blayne

I came across this the other day and it made me think.  I know we look at a lot of these kind of things, but do you ever really SEE them?   We all know you should take care of yourself physically.  Taking care of yourself mentally and emotionally is just as important.  I think working on this aids in success in whatever you are trying to accomplish.   It may be weight loss, a new relationship, letting go of a relationship, dealing with children, etc.  If you don't put yourself first and work on yourself it's harder to achieve whatever goals you have set.  If you work on your life, you can give much more to others. Take a look at areas in your life that you can improve on.  On that list, my biggest problem is that I am a people pleaser.  I tend to go along with things I don't don't want to do or don't believe in just because I don't want others to get mad at me.  That is a silly way to live.  I count!  I have my own opinions!  Right?  I am getting b

Happy Monday!! I just hate being away so long!  My week flew by and the next thing I know, the weekend is over and I haven't put out a new post all week!  Holy cow!  Forgive me for being so lax in writing :) My week was good!  Work, shopping with Ava, casino birthday fun with my niece Ariel, movie night with my daughter Blayne.  Geese, no wondering I haven't gotten anything done this week!  I finally did get my fall decorations up outside.  I've been so lazy lately, with no energy.  My sister bought me a beautiful yellow mum, so I was forced to take down my summer stuff.  Pastels and summer theme just didn't go with my mum :)  Thanks Connie for the mum incentive!!  My house looks more in season now :) My beautiful mum.  It's a little smashed on one side because it blew over in a wind frenzy! Just sharing some fall fun :) The chair that Greg hates :)  Greg's sunflowers.  Ours look a bit sad this year.  The heads always tilt, but the yellow

Before I begin, I have to post a picture of little Ava, just because she is so darn cute :) She is doing great at home, at work and with her "sister" Laker!! OK, so, I was going to begin my 2 week experiment yesterday, ( click here if you haven't read my latest idea ) but we celebrated my daughters birthday, and although I could have had my 3 meals and incorporated her birthday cookie cake in my day, I, like usual, went over board, so we just wont talk about that :) So, here we go........ My weight as of this morning......Don't mind my bad paint job on my toes, I quickly painted them Sunday morning before church, because I forgot to do them the night before.   Anyway, I wanted to post my starting weight so I could see what if anything will happen.  This is pretty bad considering I WAS doing OK, and I DO have a Christmas goal to get to.  Once again, a gain, and there isn't much more to say about that.   Today has been a good first day.  I act

Sometimes I just want to scream, "enough!"....."I'm done!"......"Stop the insanity!"  Does anyone out there remember Susan Powter?  She was a nutritionist and author in the 90's that had the catchphrase "Stop the Insanity!" that she used for her weight loss infomercials.  Anyway, I am feeling that way right now.  For the past 29 years, I have counted calories, counted fat, omitted carbs/sugar, starved myself, and even had a short bout with bulimia.  I have tried diet pills, diet shakes, Weight Watchers, Atkins, "the eat no fat diet", "the eat every other day diet", all in the name of losing weight.  I am tired.  I am tired of constantly thinking of food.  Constantly worrying about not being able to go out to lunch because there is nothing I can eat.  Constantly not eating what everybody else eats, only to go home and eat it anyway and more.  Food is the first thing I think of when I wake up.  Food is the first thin

Happy Brithday to my oldest, my beautiful daughter, Blayne!  I can not believe that she is 28 years old today!  I have been blessed since the day she was born.  She was my little white haired wild child, not afraid of anything, and always taking care of her younger brother Connor.  She still is my strong, sweet, compassionate girl, my animal obsessed dog lover, she still "mothers" both of her brothers, isn't afraid to speak her mind, and she is my best friend.  I am so proud of the young woman she has turned out to be!!  Just a few pictures down memory lane :) Blayne, 2 years old 3rd Birthday Ariel the Mermaid Theme :)  She wanted to be Ariel in the worst way!! 4 years old. Taking care of Connor :)  And now, my amazingly beautiful 28 year old :)  Oh boy does the time go by fast!  It just seems like yesterday we were bringing her home.  New parents.....I just turned 22 and Greg 23.  So young when I look back on