The Last is Very Stubborn

My weight loss journey has been successful in many ways. One of which I have taken 1 year to lose 15 pounds. In order to do this and not backslide (at least too much) I have changed my habits. A slow steady progression.

The problem is this, my goal was to lose 20 pounds.

The last 5 pounds have been stubborn as a mule! I have increased my exercises. I have decreased my calories. and

Nothing. I am stuck 5 pounds from my goal. Maybe I should increase my goal to 25 pounds and trick those 5 pounds into thinking they are not the last 5 pounds. A psychological trick? hmmm

Okay I'll do it. My new goal is 10 additional pounds. I'll re-set that goal for September 15th. Why that date? I don't know.

reset
recalibrate
recommit
redo
resort to drastic measures

Okay, mark, get set, go.
Joytobe

Speechless

Some days, some circumstances I just don't know what to say. I want to be eloquent but find myself fumbling. So I'll just try to keep it simple.

A passionate plea to God to help those in need affected by the tornadoes across the country this spring.

Joyce

New Look

I am playing with blogger. Looking for a new look. You may see some sporadic changes. I kind like the green. Not sure about the text colors. I may still play with it. But oh how I love the color green.

I also realize I really need to add more pictures for my blog. It's been kinda bland for me lately. Any suggestions? What do you like? What do you not like?

More stories too.

More of my insanity with a dash of crazy duck lady! Don't know the crazy duck lady story? Here is a link to it.

http://joytobelieve.blogspot.com/2010/06/duck-lady-epic.html

And well don't forget the bear incident.

http://joytobelieve.blogspot.com/2010/07/fight-or-flight.html


I got plenty more where that comes from. There is a never ending supply of insanity in my family.
Joytobe

Sunday Quotes

Jump into the day!

"Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present." -Regina Brett

"Mothers understand what a child does not say." -Jewish Proverb

Joytobe

Saturday Quotes

Have an adventurous day!

"Those who follow the crowd are quickly lost in it." -unknown

"You can be big and nimble." -unknown. This was shown to me by Savanah on a billboard with an elephant on it. Savanah loves to find me quotes. And I love that. I think someday she will cherish my quote book when I am gone from this earth.

Joytobe

Yay! for Friday

Billy drove yesterday!!! Just in our neighborhood. We waited until after dinner time but before dark so all (or most) of the young kids were already inside. Jeff took him. I do think Jeff is going to be the primary teacher here. Jeff has an unbelievable amount of patience. Literally it took them 15 minutes to pull out of the driveway and I was like, "Would you go already?" Oh and of course I freak out too easily, the anxiety thing.

But as they pulled out of the driveway I could hardly contain myself. I started jumping up and down, hooting and hollering, camera in hand. hmmm maybe that is why they waited until all the neighbors were inside. I was quite the spectacle. poor Billy with the crazy Mommy!


It has been a long week of ups and downs. I am so very happy it is Friday.

I was looking at our calendar and thinking WoW! May through June is VERY busy. Every year. A good kind of busy. Fun stuff: birthdays, vacations, graduations, end of the school year parties, etc. It is very "go, go, go".

It does make me look forward to July when everything slows down and the lazy days of summer kick in.

Then we jump into the craziness of August and September: camps and state fair and getting ready for school to start. Gees I am sooo getting ahead of myself.

This would be one of those moments I have talked about before. Time to live in the moment. Just a couple of deep breaths and a return to the present.

I am smiling as the weekend approaches. I love the time with my family.

Joytobe

The New Era

The New Era in my life?

We now live in a world where my son will be driving a car. Billy Congratulations. And now for prayer requests! Please Dear God Keep my baby boy safe. Help me keep my sanity.

This is only the permit stage but.......

First and foremost let me apologize to the neighbors in Trout Brook, the population of Elk River, the residents of Minnesota, the citizens of the United States of America and the human beings of the world. I am sorry for all of the driving mistakes my son will make. I hope there will be no injuries (serious or minor) and certainly no loss of life or property damage as a result of those mistakes. However with this blog post you have been legally warned.

I feel many a sleepless night coming. Starting with the frightening teaching of driving.

The real fear comes for me once his driver's license is in hand. The fear of a passed curfew and the phone ringing almost paralyses me. If only we could keep them five years old with helmets and training wheels.

Time to up the anxiety medication...again.
Joyce

My Honey's Back

My Honey has been gone three days now and has returned! I tell you...and I have said it before... Things just aren't right without him.

I know lots of women who's husbands go out of town often for longer periods of time. Kudos to them. I am not sure how they do it! I guess I mean I am capable but I'm pretty darn close to miserable when he is gone!

The sun shines a little brighter for me during the day when I know I get to see him that night!

My husband is a "night owl" and I am a "morning dove". We like to go to bed together but my honey is not ready to sleep. So he watches movies on his zoon with headphones while laying in bed. At the end of a long day I know I can open my eyes while I lay in bed and see him. The light from the Zoon shinning on his face. I'll feel the bed shake as he chuckles. It is then that I experience the most cozy comfortable safe feeling I have ever known.

Love you Honey,
Joyce

The Q-Tip Miracle

In 1997 I was a single parent making a measly $20,000 a year. Living in a moderately crappy two bedroom apartment.

I was always one stumble from eviction. I was frugal to say the least.

The food I purchased was only the necessities. In fact I went to the grocery store every two weeks with my calculator. When I hit $25.00 worth of groceries I was done shopping. It was rough. My family helped me a lot. My sister would show up with the occasional bags of groceries.

It was a lesson for both Billy and I in restraint, persistence and suffering. We survived this poverty. We even thrived.

We were helped often with small miracles from God. This particular miracle may seem small but it filled my heart every day with faith.

Is there anything that feels as good as cleaning your ears with a Q-tip? Well okay maybe one thing. ;) Everyday as I was getting ready for work I would take a deep breath and walk to the hall linen closet.

Maybe?....Just one more time? I hoped. I would open the door of the closet and pull out the basket and begin my search. For months I had been out of Q-tips. I was unable to buy more because of lack of money. So each day I dug through the basket of miscellaneous toiletries and where the Q-tips used to be. The Q-tip container had been thrown away long ago when it was empty.

Everyday I was surprised to find just one more loose stray Q-tip. I thought it was magical. I was working so hard to make a good life and provide for Billy. Truthfully the never-ending supply of the eternal Q-tip was a miracle.

Keep your eyes open and watch for the small miracles in your life.
Joyce

Happiness # 8 - Happiness doesn't make you Happy

Ingredient # 8

Happiness Doesn't make you happy.

What???? I mean just because you are a happy person that doesn't mean you will be happy all of the time.

I could see some people (myself!) slipping into a unflattering position here. So I have a bad day and I am not happy. I failed. I must not be a happy person.

A constant state of happiness doesn't exist and who the hell would want to be around that person anyways!! It is just like light doesn't exist without dark.

Contrast is necessary. Just as truth is necessary.

And the truth is Life is an organized mess, fraught with difficult decisions that seamlessly change us. Life is filled with magic and miracles, disasters and disease, fantasy and reality.

To truly live you must believe in the possibilities and live within reality. You must grow and change.

To experience all that life has to offer the good and the bad, happiness and sadness in truth and not allow yourself to dwell in either of those realities.

Oops, this is my last post on Happiness. And I am happy about that. It is several weeks late. Enjoy

Joytobe

This Feeling

SUCKS!!!

I hate the feeling I get after I chew Billy's butt. It was a legitimate reason. I know parenting can suck sometimes. It's hard. You have to be tough. But truthfully it stinks. Nothing hurts me more.

Sometimes when I am that angry I need to breath more before I speak. No I don't call names or insinuate stupidity. I do a lot of, "What the hell were you thinking?"

Which really insinuates intelligence. I know he knows better, he knows the difference. He knows what he needs to do.

Billy has never responded well to yelling or anger. But this was an instance that needed the proverbial slap in the face.

So why is my face stinging? Because I feel like shit! :(

Joyce

It's Coming!!! 40

June 2nd!! It's coming!! Just around the corner! No way around it! No escaping it! Can't hide from it! Can't run from it! Can't skip it! Can't pass! Yup it is inevitable!

June 2nd, 2011. That very day I'll.......be.........40!

What comes with being 40? What are the consequences? The difference between 30 and 40?

More aches and pains.
More wrinkles and veins. (varicose, that is)
More gray hairs
More "Who is that there?" (vision's going too)

More "turn it down"
More Dr. appointments
to make me frown.
More things to make me laugh
most often at myself!


My gait may be slower but now it is more confident.
I now realize how important it is to slow down and fully experience the things that matter.


More patience
More confidence
More intelligence
More knowing who you are
More accepting who you are
More liking who you are

Not only do you stop "sweating the small stuff" but I am told, You start to not give a shit about the small stuff. You are no longer consumed with what people think of you, your outfit, your hair, your words, your actions. You are so comfortable in your own skin there is no need to "be cool". That in itself makes you OH SO COOL!

So although I can see the changes of time and age. And I won't lie, they do bother me. I am also looking forward to what comes with age,

WISDOM
Joytobe

Sunday Quotes

Have a blessed day!

"We ought to treat strangers as if we expected to see them again." -unknown

"Don't be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances we learn how to be brave." -unknown

Joytobe

Where Have I Been?

I've been quiet lately. Where have I been?

In the Land of Unmotivated, Iowa. Sorry to any Iowans. I am sure there are lovely parts of Iowa but well my experience driving through on my way to Missouri has been less that stellar. Two camera speeding tickets once on the way there, once on the way back. However, I do love driving through Cedar Rapids Iowa simply for the smell of Oatmeal. What am i talking about? There is a big factory for Quaker Oats in Cedar Rapids Iowa and when you drive through it smells Divine.

So truthfully have I been in Iowa? NO

I think after my long experiment with winter blogging I lost some inspiration. Yeah, winter can do that to you for sure.

So Now what? What is happening in my life?

Billy is finishing his classroom portion of Driver's Ed today. Oh Lordy. After today he can take the test to get his permit. Mercy!

Two questions:

Question number 1.How did the time go by so fast? Last night Billy told me, "Hey you know I will be able to vote in the next Presidential election?" WTH? I tried to argue with him but alas he was right. The 2012 Presidential election he will be 18, just turned 18. Do you think we will vote for the same person? Hmmm

Question number 2. How will this child of mine with the attention span of a gnat be able to drive with said attention span? just kidding but he is easily distracted. scary!


Let's see..... what else? My beautiful world has once again turned vibrant green.

I am thinking on and working on an outline to another book. This one would be completely fiction.

I was also thinking of writing a story based on my grandmother's (Pama) life.

So my question the other day of facebook was: Can you call yourself a writer if you have never had anything published?

I received positive affirmation that YES you can. I like this particular answer: When you become published you then call yourself an author. WORKS FOR ME.

So I am no longer a "housewife" (EWE) and no longer a "homemaker" (blech). I'll keep my volunteer status. You know I am President of the "ISD #728 Competitive Cheer Squad Booster Parent Group." But now I add "writer". Can you call yourself a writer if you always mispell receive? I mean recieve. oops no I meant receive.

Thank God for spellcheck! I could probably use a "random useless content checker" too!
Joytobe

Saturday

What a busy, cold, rainy Saturday.

Enjoy the quotes.

"Every piece of the puzzle that doesn't fit gets you closer to the one that does."
--Cynthia L Copeland
--Really Important Stuff My Kids Have Taught Me


"The average dog is a nicer person than the average person." -Andy Rooney

Joytobe

Uncle Yandell

Lt Charlie Shultz is in the back row 4th from the left. Also known as my uncle Yandell.

My uncle, WWII Veteran Col. Charles Yandell Shultz, Jr. United States Air Force/Ret., passed away on April 15th, 2011. This makes me sad. Although I hadn't seen him in many years I did cherish the time we spent together. What an incredible commanding man with a heart of gold.

He was part of the 398th. The 398th was part of the 8th Air Force 1st Air Division during WWII and was one of many B-17 Bomb Groups stationed in England. The 398th was formed in the United States in 1943 and was stationed in Nuthampstead, England from April 1944 until June 1945.

The stories of flying bombers during World War II always captivated me. He was a Mickey Operator.

What is the meaning of the Acronym PFF and MICKEY
Specially equipped B-17s, called Pathfinder Force [PFFs] were equipped with a radar navigation system devised by the British and improved by the Americans for targeting through heavy cloud cover. It was encased electronics and replaced the ball turret in the B-17 lead plane. These planes flew in the lead and others dropped their payload when this plane did. Since the ground couldn't be seen, the results were marked as "unobserved." The "secret" system was code named "Mickey". Highly trained operators were called "Mickey Operators." For additional details see the April 1995 Flak News Article

I am sad that these stories can never be retold by him from his personal accounting. I am sad to never see him again at least on this earth. I feel the loss of my father again as this was one of my last true connections with my father's family. They looked a lot alike.

Thank you for serving your country and for being a wonderful man.

I miss you.
Joyce

Without Exception

So without any exceptions...THIS WEATHER SUCKS.

It feels like forever until we will see 70 degrees again. Yesterday was nice but oh man.

It could be worse a large portion of the country has seen quite a few dangerous spring storms. Parts of Wisconsin had 8 inches of snow this past week So, I'll shut it and count my blessings.

So I will use this rainy yucky day to get caught up on chores from last weeks spring break shenanigans. Now to find my motivation. Revving my engines. Emergency break off. Seat belt on. Coffee loaded. Music turned up. Windshield wipers wiping.

Mark, get set, go
Joytobe

Happiness # 7 - Remove the Word Perfect

Happiness Ingredient # 7

Remove the word Perfect from my dictionary.

I just can't stress this enough.

Perfection has the ability to ruin my day and everyday if I let it. Some examples:

When we were selling our house I was a perfection monster. I tortured my family and myself. Now this was short lived and somewhat necessary. We needed to move and we needed the house to sell....and fast.

But every time we got the call for a showing I went on a flippin tantrum induced psychotic outburst.

The problem really started when we moved into our new house. I still required that perfection. Since this was a brand new home I expected it to always look like a model home. I felt like a failure when it didn't.

Now I still easily can slide down this slippery slope back into this neurosis.

Something I strive to remember....Perfection is not only ugly. In fact I would go as far as to say "Imperfection is Beautiful". You can quote me on that.

I lived in a new home outside of Dallas, TX as a child. This neighborhood created great memories for me (catching frogs, gaining some independence with my bike all summer long). But perhaps my favorite thing about the neighborhood was an imperfection within our house. The sliding glass door had an oil spot in the glass. I assume it occurred on an assembly line. Probably oil dripped from some machinery. Someone quality checking the product must have missed this imperfection. To me it was the most beautiful thing in the world. When the sun would shine on that glass door it created the most beautiful rainbow on the floor.

No one in my family ever mentioned the imperfection but I found out later that my mother also loved that door. To me it was my special little rainbow.

I have 12 beautiful drinking glasses. (they were an anniversary gift last year) They should all be exactly the same but they are not. One of my kitchen glasses has a strange, wonderful, beautiful imperfection. It is hard to explain what it looks like. Almost like a small strip in the glass is blurry like a prism. It is my favorite. Every time I pull a water glass out of the cabinet I look to see if it is my special glass. On the lucky days that it is.....well, I smile just a little brighter that day! It's hard to explain I'm not sure I can.

A perfect plank of mahogany would not be as beautiful without the knot. A perfectly sunny day would not spark the imagination of a child making shapes out of the clouds.

A few times when my children were little I would hear people tell them, "That is perfect." It could have been a story they created or a drawing. Or maybe the clothes they were wearing. Whatever it was, I would privately speak to that person and ask them not to say perfect to my children. I would give them suggestions like, "Wow that is great. I can tell you worked hard on that." or simply "nice job".

I never said it to them. I don't want them to feel like they have to live up to perfection. I have always told them just do your best. People may still say that to them but now I feel they are equipped to understand. Young children take everything so literally.

I have had to learn to train myself to stop requiring perfection.It is an ongoing work of art.
Joytobe

KID News

About the snow I am only going to say one word......Blech.

I have successfully recaptured the cat. Soon we will be taking him in to the vet/shelter. Savanah said a tearful goodbye this morning. But I sensed a little relief in her voice. I think she has been worrying about the well being of this cat and now she knows he will be well taken care of. I am so proud of her. She took great care of the cat. She understands the need to get him to a good home. And she understands why that home cannot be ours. She has finally graciously excepted it.

She has a huge capacity to nurture and love.

Exciting news, Billy made it on to the Elk River Competitive Cheer team. I just think Billy is so neat. He looks all emotional DRAMA. He looks dark and dreary. But he is so upbeat and comfortable in his skin.

One of his teachers has nominated him to be a LINK leader. They go through training to help the new freshman next year. I like that they see him as a leader. He is a leader and certainly not a follower.

Also very exciting...BILLY IS PASSING CHINESE! Yay! This has been the hardest class for him. He has an awful time with the written language. The characters and such.

Billy want to join this club called "Yellow Ribbon". According to him they deal with teen issues and emotions. They also help raise awareness to Teen suicide prevention. I also like that he wants to be involved. He has had to deal with suicidal threats and talk from friends and a girlfriend. He handled himself with caution and care. he really cares about people and values life. One of the guidance counselors runs this club.

Last but not least important.....Billy starts Driver's Ed on may 2nd. Lord help us all!!

I love my kids and I like them too.....most of the time.
Joytobe

NO SNOW

Okay Everyone and their brother is complaining so I am going to join the crowd. You know the old saying, "If your friends jumped off a cliff would you too?" At this point with this weather. well....Yes, yes I would!

This weather SUCKS!!! I am going to close my blinds for the next 24 to 36 hours. Light some pina colada candles, turn up the Bob Marley, turn up my thermostat to 75 and drink some rum!

These are my suggestions to you as well. There is nothing I can say or do to make the approaching snow tolerable!! So I plan to bury my head in the sand! Or you could just bury your toes in the sand while dreaming of a sandy beach, humid sunshine and gentle ocean breezes! A frothy drink with little umbrella. Oh yeah that too.

Is 10:30 am too early for that??
Joytobe