I saw these questions here and thought they were awesome so I decided to answer them!! Boy, did they make me think!

* What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before? I visited Chicago and fell in love!!!
* Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I was able to scrap more and I did take way more pictures (thousands!!) in 2008. I am planning some changes this year!
* Did anyone close to you give birth? No.
* Did anyone close to you die? Yes, this was a very sad year. My Aunt Bea passed away this Autumn and her husband passed this Summer. She was loved and will be missed!
* What countries did you visit? Does Kansas count? teeehehehe. Not this year.
* What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? More time! If we could slow everything down this year and enjoy life I would be soooo happy!!!
* What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? I don't remember dates real well...but one memory will be when we had to say good bye to my Aunt. It was a very sorrowful time.
*What was your biggest achievement of the year? Keeping my sanity! I know that sounds funny but it is true! This year has been a HUGE challenge and there were some real stressful times and the Lord pulled me through!
*What was your biggest failure? Not getting to church more and involved more. I would have loved to have done both more and hope to work on that in 2008.
*Did you suffer illness or injury?! Something happened to my knee in July and it is still acting up. I also had my very first mammogram and we have had to do 2 follow ups.
*What was the best thing you bought? My REBEL DIGITAL CAMERA!!!!
* Whose behavior merited celebration? My hunny bunny...he has gone through some major life changes and still manages to keep a positive outlook on life! Love him for that!
*Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Who am I to judge???
*Where did most of your money go? Credit Card bills and scrapbooking stuff (shame on me!!!). I am putting myself on a financial diet in 2008 so I am hoping this answer will be way different next year!
* What did you get really, really, really excited about? Our trip to the Mid-West and blogging!!!
* What song will always remind you of 2007? I know this is silly but "Stay" by Sugarland. Awesome song and awesome video. I also will remember Fergie's "Big Girls Don't Cry".
*Compared to this time last year, are you: much happier, richer, nicer. That is easy! I believe I am a much nicer! I really do try to smile more, talk more and not be so distant. I think it is working.
*What do you wish you'd done more of? Spent more time with my family (Aunts, Uncles, cousins...)t
*What do you wish you'd done less of? Stress out. It not good for me and is a waste of time!
* How did you spend Christmas? With my parents, in-laws and hunny bunny and the girls!
* Did you fall in love in 2007? Yes! With Chicago and the BORG!
*What was your favorite TV program? Wow! That is a crazy one! I love reality shows (yes we even watch KIDNATION!), HEROES, Shark, CSI (regular and Miami), Gossip Girl, The Unit, Ghost Whispers and so on....
*Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? Hate? No!
*What was the best book you read this year? Ouch! I read to many of them to pick just one. I continue to love anything written by Christine Freehan (yummy books).
* What was your greatest musical discovery? SugarLand and Fergie
* What did you want and get? My digital camera and my vacation! Loved the vacation and I love love love my camera!!
* What was your favorite film of this year? Hmmmm...I would have to say Transformers! Awesome movie. Also loved HairSpray!
* What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? Spent the day with my family and I am...well if I told you I would have to kill you!!!
*What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Spending more time with my family!
*How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? It kills me to say this but...natural(no make-up, no nails!!)! Nothing fancy and lots of jeans!
*What kept you sane? JESUS!!! I am not sure where I would have been without him!
* Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Hmmmm...do the Borg count???
*What political issue stirred you the most? The negative talk and disrespect given to President Bush concerning ANYTHING and EVERYTHING he does and is doing!
* Who did you miss? some close friends we use to have several years ago. I miss the closeness and fellowship we shared.
* Who was the best new person (people) you met? I am still working on "branching" out so ask me this next year...
*Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007. Life is short and it flies by so fast. Slow down and enjoy your family and friends! Celebrate Life! Live Love and Laugh everday and include others when you are doing these things! That's what will make the journey fun...sharing it with othere! Focus on the people that matter and love them! And take lots of pictures!!!

WAHOOO!!!! "The Borg" (my name for the Patriots) have done it...16 wins (NEW ENGLAND 38, NY GIANTS 35)!!!! Congratulations!!! We watched the game and boy was it a great game!!! Brady and the team are amazing!!! I am sooooo hoping they go all the way!!!!

LOVE HIM!!!!!

2008 changes....ok, i know they are usually referred to as RESOLUTIONS, however, I tend to be excited about resolutions for a month or so and then i am not. Well...i think this is going to be another year that will revolve around change so....i am going to dedicate myself to CHANGES!!! Things i want to make different, areas that need improvement, traveling roads that have not been traveled...things like that!!! So here they go (they are not in any particular order...)...


* Creativity....I so want to learn some new things this year (jewelry, book binding, conquer knitting, card making, gardening, cooking). I want to "expand" my creative world in 2008! I would love to do 1 new thing every month!!!

* ME!!!!...I know this sounds funny but I really need to spend time on me! I have noticed in 2007 that I have let myself go. I no longer have nails, I don't wear make-up, I have not done anything to my hair in months and I rarely "dress-up" anymore. I also want to focus on things that will make me feel better about myself (this is foreign to me since I always put my family first). I think my family and friends will benefit from this as much as I will!!!

* HEALTH...I need to focus on my health. One of the first things will be getting a physical (yucko!!). I also need to work on my weight and get it down (it will help my knee and me!!!). Drinking more water, walking more, eating healthier are things I would like to do more of in 2008.

* FAMILY and FRIENDS...I want to do more things with my family this year. Send cards, visit, email and have them over. I have isolated myself and this year I would like to change that!! Family is so important and I want to enjoy the family and friends I have been blessed with!!

* SPIRITUAL...Wow!! This is going to be a hard area to change. I am going to need God to assist me in this area. I know I need to grow in my faith and become more involved in our church.

* CELEBRATE...I want to celebrate life and 2008! There is so much to celebrate and I want to do this!!! Holidays, birthdays and LIFE!!!

* PAY IT FORWARD...I feel like there is so much good in my life and I want to be able to pass that on to others. I want to make others feel good and loved! I would also like to see about volunteering in 2008 (I have been wanting to do this for years so who knows...).

* SCRAPBOOKING...I would like to complete 208 pages this year, 10 projects and 6 "incomplete" projects. I want to spend more time scrapbooking and catching up on some older projects (that would be great!!). I also want to do more challenges this year (they really do challenge me and help me complete pages!!).

* ORGANIZATION...I know, one of the weak weak points in my life! There is so much of my life and home that would benefit if I became more organized! I want to work on this and have a "monthly project". If I succeed I will have organized 12 "things" this year!!! WOW!!

* FINANCIAL...I am doing it!! I am going to go on a financial diet!!! I am paying off all my credit cards and then I am going to start saving and watching my money. We are planning two trips this year and i would love to purchase a new TV and living room set (2009)! Paying cash for all of these things will be my goal!!! I feel I am ready to start saving and am excited about this one! I know it will be hard because I am putting myself on a budget (Uuuuuugggghhhhhhh!!!). So wish me success!!!

* Marriage...I want to focus on my marriage this year. I think I take it for granted and everyone knows that is never good for any relationship! I want to nurture it and hopefully watch it grow in 2008. I have some ideas and am looking forward to bringing them to reality.

...so these are the areas I want to work on in 2008! I am going to be busy and I think it is going to be a fun and challenging year!!

hibernate time......zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

i don't know if it was the weather or the fact that my body was so worn out, but either way, i did some hibernating these past few days! And guess what i loved it!!!Yesterday I got up early and did some "Borg" watching and then took a nap (around 11:00 a.m.) and i did not wake up until 6:00 p.m.! It was soooo wonderful to just sleep and not feel guilty! (i have this thing about feeling to guilty when i sleep to much...i feel like i am cheating myself out of something...) Anyway! I did not allow myself to feel any guilt. The day before I also took a real looooooong nap in the middle of the day and I loved it!!!! it felt so good to be able to say...forget the after Christmas shopping, forget making dinner, forget visiting people to give gifts....FORGET and HIBERNATE!!! Go to sleep and regenerate, the world will be there when you wake up, life will still be waiting to be lived and no one is going to give you the "you are so lazy" look (i told you i had issues about sleeping in the day!!!). *sighy* It was me, my bed and some real warm covers!!! I LOVED IT! I think this is a great way to get ready for the new year...rested and ready to go!!!! I have often envied the trees and animals who were allowed to sleep during the winter. No concerns, no issues (the bears got so fat they do not have to worry about eating during this time!! and the trees know they will bloom again in the spring, most times more beautiful than when they went to sleep!). Yes, what would it be like to hibernate? Well, i think i was able to do some hibernating and i hope to do some more in the future (trust me you need to try it...take a few days and do nothing!! just relax and sleep. it is amazing how awesome you will feel when you "wake" up!!...trust me...teeehehehehe).

My hibernation got me thinking about the benefits of sleep and i was able to find some good stuff (tesh.com)...

Are You Getting Enough Sleep?

Probably not! We’ve said many times on this show that North Americans get too little sleep. A new study in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that most people tend to overestimate how much sleep they actually get. Which means, we’re actually getting about an hour less sleep than we think! The study included over 2,100 volunteers, who were not ill or suffering from sleep problems. Unlike previous studies, participants slept at home in their own bed.

According to ABC News, the study volunteers believed they were sleeping about seven hours a night. When they were hooked up to a machine that tested how much they actually slept, it was closer to six hours. Studies show that too little sleep hurts your mental focus, and ability to function day-to-day. It also lowers your metabolism, making you more likely to be overweight, and increases your risk for heart attack and stroke. So, how can you get your full eight hours of sleep?

• Don’t exercise vigorously within two hours of bedtime. Your body needs to relax to fall asleep, and exercise can get you too pumped up.
• Don't go to bed hungry, or it’ll be harder falling asleep, but don’t eat a heavy meal before bed either. Lying down on a full stomach can push stomach acid up into your esophagus, causing acid reflux and interrupting your sleep.
• Don’t take a hot bath within an hour of turning in. A study at Stanford University found that a hot bath delays a natural drop in your body's core temperature, and postpones the release of sleep-inducing hormones. So, take your bath at least two hours before bed.
• Move all the noise-making, light-emitting gadgets OUT of your bedroom. That includes TVs, computers, cell phones, videogame consoles, and clocks with bright LED lights. Studies show that lights in the bedroom mess with your internal clock, making your body think it’s daytime – and time to be awake.

Benefits of Getting a Good Night's Sleep

Go to bed! If that doesn't convince you to do it, maybe this will. Here are the benefits of getting a good night’s sleep, courtesy of Reader’s Digest.

• Sleep makes you healthier. Sleep duration has declined from a median of eight hours in the 1950’s to seven hours in recent years. At the same time, high blood pressure has become an increasing problem. Coincidence? I think not. That’s because your blood pressure and heart rate are typically at their lowest levels during sleep. So it would make sense that people who sleep LESS tend to have higher blood pressure. Considering that high blood pressure gives you a fourfold increase in the chance of heart attack or stroke, it’s not something you want to develop. Sleeping better can also help you fight off illness. That’s because when you’re sleep-deprived, you tend to have higher levels of stress hormones in your body, along with an increase in inflammation, and both of these can decrease your immune function.
• Sleep makes you calmer. People who don’t get enough sleep usually have higher levels of stress hormones, and this puts your body in a hyper-awake state that can make falling asleep difficult. If you can’t sleep, you get even more stressed which makes it even tougher for you to fall asleep. Basically, you get stuck in cycle that leaves you feeling stressed out and exhausted.
• Sleep makes you look better! Growth hormones are essential to keeping us looking good as we get older. According to Dr. Mehmet Oz, co-author of the You health books, levels of growth hormones start dropping after age 20. Since growth hormones help you look good, you want them to stick around as long as possible, and Dr. Oz says the best way to keep your growth hormones as high as possible is to sleep.

so go ahead....find some time to hibernate this winter!!!!!

Last night the girls treated us to a movie (after a wonderful dinner of rigatoni and yummy garlic bread at my parent house...mmmmmmmm). We went to see ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS. We have been wanting to see it and i had the night off so it was a good time to go. It was soooooo cute! I had heard it was good and boy was everyone correct. It is a great movie and i recommend it to anyone who has kids (teenagers included). It is a fun family movie. I love all the of the chipmunks but I think my favorite is Theodore (don't tell Alvin or Simon). His green eyes are soooo cute (and they match his sweater!!!) and he has not lost his baby fat (according to Theodore himself!) which makes him darling! I also love that he wants a family so bad! Cute...Cute...Cute!!! Go see it if you get the chance (you will not be sorry!).

RECAP of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day! Christmas Eve found me out and about early in the morning (5:00 a.m.!). I did my Christmas dinner shopping when there were no lines! I then made my way to do some last minute stocking stuffer shopping. I also wanted to make sure I bought my Grandma G and hunny bunny's dad a gift (hint: Go Bronco's!!). With all that finished came home and we started on the house (is it not amazing how messy it can get in a few days!!!). Later that night we went to Chili's for dinner (yummy!!!...there Chocolate Molten Cake is "to die for!!"). We came home and got ready to see the girls first Broadway Show!!! It was "White Christmas". We dressed up and celebrated Christmas Eve at the theater! We then came home and opened our one gift (it is usually 2 but the show was one of their gifts!) and put on our pj's and took pictures! Good Times!! wow!!! Christmas is over! Wow!! It feels like Thanksgiving was yesterday! Where did the time go!! It was a cold and snowy day (but it sure was beautiful!!!). It snowed most of the day and i stressed over our parents and them driving here. *sighy* We went out earlier in the day to give my cousin her Christmas gift and the roads were horrible!!! I must confess it was a "little" fun driving in the snow!! We were all starving so we stopped by 7-11 (the only store opened!!!) and had a soda and nachos!!!! They were yummy and it was fun driving in the yellow cab/van, in the snow, eating nachos, listening to Mariah Carey and being with eachother!!! Good times!!! Later in the day out parents came over and we had a real yummy dinner. It was good to have everyone over (even if i was feeling some holiday blues). We opened gifts later and the girls received lots of clothes and the Grandpa's gave the girls a total of $800.00 cash!!! WOW!!! Grandpa Burgess gave them $300.00 and Grandpa Griego $500.00!!!! EACH!!!!!! It was fun watching them both give their gifts to the girls!!! The girls were thrilled and soooo excited! Grandpa and Grandma then taught us how to play a fun card game and it was so much fun watching then interact (who knew they were so competitive!!!). We will have to try the game again (and hopefully no fist fighting will occur...teeeehehehehe). They made it home safely (we were worried because of the snow and bad roads!! It was a wonderful Christmas and i am so glad the weather did not ruin it (or my blues....). I hope all of you had a wonderful 2 days with lots of incredible memories and tons of pictures!

Merry Christmas to All!!!! Well...yesterday was a very busy and good day (i will update on it more later...). Today our parents are coming over for Christmas Dinner and we will be enjoying yummy (at least i hope...) Prime Rib, baked potatoes, veggies, stuffing salad and lots of sweets!! This morning the girls and hunny bunny will get there "stockings". We are also hoping to get some gifts delivered before noon (hopefully) and last but not least...we are going to have a WHITE CHRISTMAS (just like the Broadway show we saw last night!!). So have a blessed and wonderful Christmas!!

wow!!! i did it...i had my first girls Christmas cookie exchange!!! it's over and it went really well (ok...my family says great but i am not real sure what great it for this type of event so....). Anyway, the stress is over, the anxiety put away and i can go forward. Isn't it amazing how freaky things can go when you step outside your comfort zone!! When you decide to do something and know it can flop but do it anyway!? When you leap and on the way down say...this is new territory so i guess i'll "wing it" on the way down!!! Yes, it is scary but somewhere on the way down it becomes exciting and fun! There comes a moment when you say "wow" did i really do this, did i really step off edge, decide to "go for it", LEAP????? and some small voice inside you answers, with wonder..."yes!!!". So what does a cookie exchange have to do with leaping? well...everything!!!! I am not that type of person; one who plans family get togethers. i think they are so wonderful and special and we will attend them but no plan them. So this year when i decided to try this it was a "LEAP" and an "outside the box" thought. I talked with my family and they supported me (don't you just love family!!! they are there when you decide to take the LEAP. they are waiting at the bottom with warm cocoa and words of encouragement!! yep...love them! ok...i digress... i am glad i did this and i think one of my 2008 resolutions will include LEAPING more!!!!

2 more from my Christmas Journal

9...Christmas Traditions

7...To Do List

Today we made cookies. Yummy!!! The girls and I did some our holiday baking (i forgot my lemons so we will have to make those cookies next week....). This year we made Peanut Butter Blossoms (those famous peanut butter cookies with the kiss in the middle) and Cherry Rum Balls (with rum and wow!!! they are potent!!!). I will post the recipes later (when i have more down time...teeehehehehe...like that ever happens!!).

I am sooo not prepared for out Cookie Exchange tomorrow. I still need to make a Spinach Dip (you know the kind you put in a bread bowl) and run by the store and get some plates and wrap for the cookies (this is so new to me so I will be learning lots as this progresses). We are also making ornaments so I will need to pack all the supplies for that! Fun Stuff!!!!

It is snowing so it is starting to feel like Christmas!!! I cannot believe Colorado weather! This morning (at 11:30 a.m.) the sun was shining and it was real windy and cold..this afternoon 4:00 p.m. it is grey and snowing!!! Only in Colorado (teeehehehe). I love it!!!!

Thursday Thirteen: 13 reasons to get your Christmas "stuff" done early!

1/ Less Stress!!!

2/ Less Stress!!
3/ Less Stress!!
4/ Less Stress!!
5/ Less Stress!!
6/ Less Stress!!
7/ Less Stress!!
8/ Less Stress!!
9/ Less Stress!!
10/Less Stress!!
11/Less Stress!!
12/Less Stress!!
13/Less Stress!!

Random Thoughts...

1/ Including today there are 6 more days before Christmas.

2/ I love shopping but I hate the mall!!!

3/ I am sitting here wondering where in the hades did this month go???

4/ Why did one of my peers up and leave (I have some thoughts but they are not random...teeehehehehe).

5/ We will be leaving in a few minutes to take Gigi to her friends for a holiday get together and then we are off to Chubby's for some yummy Mexican Food.

6/ 2 more year end reviews to write and i am done!!!! wahoooo!!!

7/ When will I get the time to buy my Mom her gift certificate (yes...i have done it...resorted to gift certificates!!!!)....shame...shame...

8/ why is she not answering her phone (i know she has caller ID). could it be related to a conversation we had on Monday??????

9/ i am liking these random though thingies....i will have to do them more in 2008/

10/ WHOA!!!! stop thinking about 2008...you are not even through Christmas yet!!!!

11/ who will be leaving this week on Project Runway???

12/ I need to call Angie...and it's time to leave!!! tehehehehehehe

more pages from the Christmas Journal...

Countdown

Christmas Past

Today I want to get to the mall and do some shopping. I need to figure out what to put in the Christmas stocking! This year I am drawing a blank!!! I usually have all the stocking stuffers down by now....sighy! So...maybe a trip to the mall will help me to figure out what I am going to fill them with. Candy, Cd's, make-up, gloves, little knick-knacks, jewelry...who knows!!! Boy it is hard to believe a week from today we will be celebrating Christmas! Wow!!!

Earlier today I found a fun site to send e-cards (this concept is real new to me!!). So I spent a few minutes sending some cards....teeehehehehe! I found them at myfuncards.com

This week i need to...
* figure out what cookies i am making for the cookie exchange
* figure out what i am cooking for the cookie exchange party
* make an ornament (for an example)
* make a desert for our potluck at work on Thursday
* wrap gifts
* plan the Christmas dinner menu
* figure out if Gigi's friends are coming over Saturday night and plan for that
* figure out if we all have black and silver for Christmas!

2 more from my Christmas 2008 Journal....

3...Christmas Cards


4...The Perfect Christmas

communication...

it is a love hate relationship...to communicate or not to communicate (when i say communicate i don't mean chit chat...we do that every day...). i think communication is essential to every relationship. i also think communication is a bittersweet thing...the truth and nothing but the truth (???)...please! the truth can set you free but it can also force you into places you do not want to go (dark places, places of illusions...). communication...it's like air to life...without it a relationship will perish. Maybe not now, maybe not tomorrow but there will be a point in that relationship where it will cease to be. How can it not? Going through life's journeys without expressing yourself, your inner thought, your deepest fears, your ugliest secrets, your incredible dreams???? How does one truly live if they do not share these things? Communication...it is such a vital part of humanity (how does one have a relationship with Christ if they cannot communicate??).

One is the sad things about communication is the ability to want to communicate, the desire to share yourself, the passion of wanting to have someone share them self with you and the sadness of knowing they will not do it. They will not share...they will not communicate (they can chit chat but they cannot communicate). This is such a frustrating and ugly place to be. You can try and try but they choose to put up walls...thick brick walls! You try to go over them, under them, through them and nothing...you think you have made some progress and BOOM! another brick, a thicker layer, more grout...anything and everything to keep the wall erect. Slowly the air is dissipating and weariness sets in (trying to get through walls is a very exhausting endeavor). What to do???

You can exist on the side of the wall. Wait for those rare moments when a drawbridge comes down. Wait for the times when you are allowed to "see" them (the time factor is determined strictly by the one behind the wall). Wait...wait and hope one day the walls will tumble down and the relationship can be flooded with communications (good, bad, angry, loving...it does not matter is is communication!!).

*sighy* Communication...to or not to?????

I signed up for the incredible Christmas Journal with Shimelle. It has been fun and challenging!!! I am not use to doing lots and lots of journaling so this is taking a little longest than I thought (i now know how much easier it is to put pictures on a lo and boom! it's done!!...it's the journaling that is the challenge for me!!!). Sooooooo...this has been doubly good forme! I decided to use Basic Grey (LOVE THEM!!!) for this projects and I am using 6x12 paper (love it!!). Here are my first 2 entries...

2/ Weather...

I found these on History. com... (some fun facts)

– Each year, 30-35 million real Christmas trees are sold in the United States alone. There are 21,000 Christmas tree growers in the United States and trees usually grow for about 15 years before they are sold.
– Today, in the Greek and Russian orthodox churches, Christmas is celebrated 13 days after the 25th, which is also referred to as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. This is the day it is believed that the three wise men finally found Jesus in the manger.
– In the Middle Ages, Christmas celebrations were rowdy and raucous—a lot like today's Mardi Gras parties.
– From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was outlawed in Boston, and law-breakers were fined five shillings.
– Christmas wasn't a holiday in early America—in fact Congress was in session on December 25, 1789, the country's first Christmas under the new constitution.
– Christmas was declared a federal holiday in the United States on June 26, 1870.
– The first eggnog made in the United States was consumed in Captain John Smith's 1607 Jamestowns settlement.
– Poinsettia plants are named after Joel R. Poinsett, an American minister to Mexico, who brought the red-and-green plant from Mexico to America in 1828.
– The Salvation Army has been sending Santa Claus-clad donation collectors into the streets since the 1890s.
– Rudolph, "the most famous reindeer of all," was the product of Robert L. May's imagination in 1939. The copywriter wrote a poem about the reindeer to help lure customers into the Montgomery Ward department store.
– Construction workers started the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree tradition in 1931.

Sunday Seven Blessings

1/ Family....I have an incredible family and I truly believe I am blessed to have each and everyone of the in my life. They "complete" me.
2/ Health...ok, I have not been feeling great lately but I still feel I am blessed to be able to function and enjoy life!
3/ Closeness...I am blessed to have my parents and in laws in the same state as us. They are always just a "scream" away.
4/ My job...I enjoy what I do and am grateful for the opportunity to have a great job!!
5/ America...as corny as this sounds I am truly blessed to live in the country. I have the freedom to live my life as I want without the fear of retaliation for any of my choices.
6/ a family who loves to travel...wow!!! the adventures we have been blessed with!
7/ the ability to have a relationship with Jesus!! ...what more can be said in that!!

good times!!! i was able to recover and we had our family Christmas movie night!!! Boo made the cookies...hunny bunny ordered the pizza...Gigi helped with the set up and i took pictures...teehehehehe. We have been having our family Christmas movie night for years and it is always fun. My favorite movie is "The Drummer Boy". I love it!!
We also love to watch the other classics...
Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Frosty the Snowman



Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer