We're off

to see the wizard! No, not really. Just going to Orlando as M has a dance competition. There are 29 going from our school so this should be a lot of fun!

The checks for the "pounding down cancer for kevin" are coming in so fast. A big THANKS to everyone! I'll give you a total once everything is in. The Children's Cancer Foundation, Inc. is super! 90 cents of every $1 goes to research! .90--isn't that amazing. They only have one paid staff and the rest are volunteers. The President and founder is 83 years young and still going strong. They have given out over $26 million to research. Is that awesome or what???
Matthew (one of those brave cancer warriors) is getting closer to his transplant and MANY months of isolation. If you want to leave him an encouraging note- here is his website. http://www.caringbridge.org/in/matthewk/

Okay, on the lighter side.... You know how the girls in beauty pageants use Preparation H under their eyes and stuff to tighten up the wrinkles? You didn't know this? Welp, they do. Anyhow, I was wondering.. I have lost some weight you know and I have this turkey neck thing going on,so I was wondering if I put preparation H on my neck would it tighten up or... would one of the side effects be the puckering up of the lips? Picture that! haha Pretty gross. Maybe I'll just have a turkey neck!

The weather here is crazy. This week we had the fire because it was a bit chilly and now today we are supposed to have a record high of 85. Mother Nature must be pretty ticked off at the world- what do you think?
Gotta go and drive to the big "O". Check for an update on the competition Monday and then we are off to Raleigh next weekend for another. This really is alot of fun!
katie

Happy New Year!

Did that year go fast or what? For those of you supporting me in the "Pounding down cancer for Kevin" we have a final number......30 pounds or $30!!! December was tougher than usual with gaining losing gaining losing..... but 30 pounds is 30 pounds! I will email all of you so you can get a check out and I can make sure you get a tax deduction letter for your donation. If anyone out there wants to jump in at the end but doesn't know what's going on- check out my blog dated 10/11.
This isn't the end of the weight loss saga, just the fundraising part. We are still going to Ireland in June and I want to be THIN!!!!
December was a busy month- duh- and I am so glad to report that as of today everyone is back in school. YAHOOOOOO. M's dancing is in full swing with moving up to the next level in three of her dances, 2 competitions, try outs for the performance troupe and practices for the Ren fest. If you are in S Fla next month come check out the Ren fest! It's lots of fun and they dance EVERY WEEKEND! They are truly awesome to watch.
C racked up in the golfing department and played almost every day of Christmas vacation. He loves the salmon teryaki (or however you spell it) at the club so sometimes I wonder if it is the fish or golf he likes better. He is quite the sushi kid and would eat it every day. YUCK
J got alot of his automotive tools. OMG are they expensive!!!!!! Thankfully if you are in an accredited program at a tech school you get a BIG discount. He was very happpy. He bought another car for $400 and it is a piece of junk. Within a few hours of buying it the tire came off or something like that, helloooooo $400 what are you thinking? I guess he wants to work on it afterschool. I am sort of okay with it because the busier you are the less likely you will find trouble!
We had one of our coldest nights on record last week so we had a fire!!!!! We had a fire, we had a fire..(imagine me singing this while dancing like an idiot) I LOVE FIRES! I can't get D to agreee to turn the air on really really cold so we can have a fire. Silly boys.... Of course the next night it was really great because our stupid heat wouldn't work on MY side of the house, the kids' side was toasty and mine I swear you could see your breath! I had to sleep in the guest room with my pud, Edgar, because I was freezing. Speaking Ed, my poor pud got attacked by a filthy, dirty rotten raccoon. He's okay now just minus all the fur they had to shave off and the 4 wound marks. Those stupid coons are gonna pay!!
well, gotta go take a shower. I already did my walk and my cool down was to get a quick update to all of you! Again, Happy New Year.
and a PS to Arlene.. I am so glad we have reconnected after 33 years! Ethiopia was a long time ago but still fresh in my mind!
xo katie

various mutterings....

The picture is of our house in NC. Next picture is of D trying to get cell phone service. Nextel is horrid up there. The leaves were so pretty. The weather was nice until the last morning when it was 39 degrees. Oh, I don't think so - we are outta here! Off to St. Augustine where M took 4 1st place medals and 2 3rd place medals. The World Golf Resort, where we stayed, was very nice! We had a good time. After the competition was over we went downtown and took the Holly Jolly Trolley Tour. For $6 (m was $3) you drive around looking at old St Augustine all lit up for Christmas (and yes, I said CHRISTMAS! haha) listening to Christmas carols with a stop for hot cider and cookies. Very fun! We met up with a quite cute pirate and the girls took a a picture with him. Then we had dinner at a most excellent hole in the wall pizza place, the best we've had in years (still not as good as UNO'S though).

On Tuesday the Irish dance moms were treated to a concert by ANUNA, an Irish singing group. I don't know how to categorize them, they sing many traditional songs a capella with occasional harp, violin or low whistle accompanists. WOW doesn't even begin to say how phenomenal they are. It was mesmerizing. Afterwards we got to hang out with them for a while, get autographs, chit chat....If you can ever see them -DO IT! It was worth the 3hour round trip. Of course since we got to ride in a pimped out limo there and back....filled with champagne...great munchies...cool driver with ultra cool little doggie... Claire working the sound system inside..NOT she got fired haha! Ronnie was excellent at keeping Dante (the driver) on his toes..Thank You Maureen; it was bitching! Can't tell you guys any more than that because "what happens in the limo, stays in the limo!"

And then last night....I won $15 for high game at bunco! WoHoooo. Once again a great time was had by all and Darlene was chef extraordinaire! Good Eats! Which leads me to ....

A jenny update! Okay, so I haven't weighed in in 3 weeks because sick , out of town..blah, blah, blah. So in preparation I made sure my hair was completely dry, lighter shoes, same clothes I always wear( who cares if I look like a bag lady 'cause they are now too big) and I even cut my fingernails. Man, I was sweating it, even though I stayed the course for the most part. I did have a really crappy, ugly looking, tasteless, grossly colored piece of pumpkin mousse cheesecake in St Augustine at the dinner buffet (and man oh man was it hard not going back for seconds, do you think anyone noticed the finger smear down the backside of the cake?) and I did have the chili cheese with onions and sweet tea at the Beacon (last time I can do that as I thought the Jenny god had come to take revenge on my innards for that one!)So I go in... pee one more time.... get on the scale and SHUT UP!!!!! I lost another 3.2 pounds. Debbie, my consultant, and I are screaming like flippin' idiots. Rachel, the director, comes back to see what's going on and she starts squealing as well. Then another person waiting for her appointment yells out she doesn't know what's going on but it sounds good so she'll scream to. Probably scared the crap out of the chiropractor's patients next door. Who cares! I met my next goal of getting below 30 pounds. The credit card flips to a new statement on Monday and I am going shopping. For Christmas and for ME!!! yahooo...

Hey, why don't you email me your favorite recipe for the holidays and add a note as to how you know me... for my next project. You can send more than one recipe.
hohohoho...
katie