debily

Archive for the ‘Where’d you get those cute shoes?’ Category

I’m happy to report that Mr. Scale and I have reached a truce of sorts.

Sure, he’s still a bit stubborn and, frankly, a tad arrogant.  And I am by no means perfect, though I think I’ve made far more of an effort to change my behavior this week than he has done to change his attitude.  But whatever.  He can be like that.  Because I have a new bff to hang out with: Ms. Measuring Tape!

See, when Mr. Scale gets all pigheaded and bullish and refuses to compromise or see things my way, I can go to Ms. Measuring Tape.  She is all kinds of niceness and positive reinforcement.  Because she confirms what I’ve known all along: that regardless of what Mr. Scale tells me, I’m thinner, leaner, and trimmer than ever!  And those smaller sizes I’m now wearing reinforce that she’s right.

So even though Mr. Scale still tells me I’m about 15.5 lbs. away from my goal, I can rest assured knowing that I’m making progress in other ways.  And that’s all the motivation I need to keep going.

As some of you are aware, I started the new year by joining a “Biggest Loser” game with several friends from McGowen.  We have been going strong for the past two months and although I’m not in the lead, I’m not far behind.

Over the past few weeks, I have hit another plateau, this time at about 35 lbs.  At my lowest, right after I returned from Uganda, I was at 38 lbs. lost.  I’m much happier with this plateau, and could *almost* bring myself to live here…but I know my goal is so close: 14 lbs.  And the irony is that NOW people are noticing I’ve lost weight again.

Last week, in an effort to re-motivate but also celebrate, I treated myself to looking at swimsuits.  Last year, for the first time in decades, I was able to wear a true 2-piece.  Bare belly and all.  This year, my goal is to ditch the skirt.

So I did it.  I tried on a 2-piece with a true bikini bottom.  And to my surprise, it looked decent.  I am now more motivated than ever to make sure it looks more than decent come summer.

Who knows?  I may end up winning that “Biggest Loser” competition after all.

This past weekend we had a special treat: my Aunt Marge, my mom’s sister, had flown in from Jacksonville and we had the opportunity to visit with her for a few hours on Saturday afternoon.  The last time we saw her was at Taylor’s graduation “reunion” in May, 2008, so it had been awhile since our last visit.  Trey and Crisana are always excited to see her as she is the one who made Trey’s “blankie dinosaur” and the ultra-cute doll dresses for Crisana.

Since Crisana had a movie date with a friend, I went alone to meet Mom and Aunt Marge at the Allen Premium Outlets down the street for some good shopping.  By the time I got there, they had already been to Wilson’s Leather and bought a beautiful red leather jacket for Aunt Marge and were well on their way to filling up a dressing room for each of them.  I joined them in the search for more clothes, and we had a grand time putting outfits together and finding great deals.

We managed to each find something – or, rather somethings – to take away with us, and I was especially thrilled to find that I can now wear size Medium tops…and size 12 pants.  We headed back to our house to visit with Matt and the kids.  Trey had been out dutifully selling his Cub Scout popcorn, and Crisana returned shortly from the movie, so we had time to enjoy visiting together before dinnertime.  And, of course, we had to get at least a couple pictures.

Crisana is holding her American Girl doll Ruthie, who happens to be wearing one of the dresses that Aunt Marge made for her.

We managed to get a picture of all of us using the self-timer and Matt’s new tripod.  Not bad for the first time!

We enjoyed a nice dinner as a family at MiMi’s and then said good-bye for now.  It was a short visit for sure, but it was nice to see Aunt Marge again…and we look forward to hopefully seeing her again next summer with a possible trip to Florida.

It’s back-to-school time!  And you know what that means!  New crayons!!

Seriously, is there anything better than a freshly-opened box of crayons, where all the tops are neatly filed and lined up straight in a row?  Or the look of a brand-new sharpened pencil, with the eraser square and pink, and the wood straight and yellow, with no teeth marks?

Only one thing could be better…and that is getting a great deal on school shopping!

At the end of last year, a facebook friend asked the rhetorical question, “Why wouldn’t anyone want to purchase school supplies through the PTA??”  Of course, I had to comment, despite the fact that the question didn’t really beg an answer.  I shared with her my reasoning, which included my previous bad experiences with EPI as a teacher not getting the supplies I needed and having to spend hundreds of dollars of my own money as a result; our generosity to the PTA in other ways which relieves me from the guilt of having to support every single fund-raiser offered; and the cost-effectiveness of doing it myself.

While each reason was valid, I had never really put that third one to the test.  So I decided this was the year.  I was going to see exactly how much I spent on school supplies and compare it to what was offered through the prepackaged deals.  Here goes:

First, we have Trey.  A stack of supplies ready to go to fourth grade.  Here is what he needed and what I paid for each item:

4 100-count spiral composition books, wide rule  $1.29 x 4 = $5.16

24 no. 2 wood pencils $0.50

2 packages 200-count wide rule notebook filler paper (I had to purchase 3 because they came in packages of 150, so this way we contributed MORE than was needed) $0.25 x 3 = $0.75

1 box 12-count crayola presharpened colored pencils $1.89

2 boxes 200 count Kleenex tissue FREE (we purchase these in bulk at Costco so I did not have to purchase these)

36 pencil cap erasers (I purchased an entire box of pencil grips and pencil cap erasers because they were so cheap) $0.25

1 2″ vinyl hardback 3-ring binder $4.99

1 package 8-tab index dividers for 3-ring notebook $2.39

1 purple plastic pocket and brad folder $0.25

1 green plastic pocket and brad folder $0.25

1 pair 7″ sharp fiskar scissors $2.79

5 grab-on foam pencil grips (purchased in bulk with the pencil cap erasers)

12 bic medium black clear barrel pens $2.00

1 nylon pencil bag, clear top with grommets 7 1/4″ x 10 1/4″ $1.99

TOTAL before tax: $23.21

Now, we move to Crisana.  A first-grade supply list, which looks a little different.

6 large (22-gram) Elmer’s glue sticks (we purchased 12 of the smaller size because they were buy 2 get one free) $1.89 x 2 = $3.78

1 pair sharp 5″ fiskar’s scissors $1.34

1 box 20-count ziploc brand gallon-size bags FREE (we purchase these in bulk at Costco, plus I had a coupon for it)

12 Sanford Papermate no. 2 American pencils $0.99

2 boxes 24-count Crayola crayons (buy 1 get 2 free!)  $2.39

1 box 100-count Kleenex tissue $1.89

1 green pocket and brad folder $0.33

1 purple pocket and brad folder $0.33

1 blue pocket and brad folder $0.34

1 yellow pocket and brad folder $0.33

1 red pocket and brad folder $0.34

1 red plastic pocket and brad folder $0.98

4 100-sheet count black marble composition books $0.50 x 4= $2.00

2 pink bevel erasers $0.79

1 package 12″ x 18″ assorted colors construction paper 50 count $2.99

1 package 12″ x 18″ bright white construction paper 50 count  $2.99

2 Expo black chisel tip dry erase markers $1.50

1 package 100 count notebook filler paper (we purchased 150 at a much cheaper price) $0.50

1 box Crayola classic thick markers 8 count $0.50

1 fluorescent yellow highlighter $0.09 (yes, that’s 9 cents!)

TOTAL before tax: $24.40

This is compared to roughly $30-$40 or more as charged through the school.  And I did it by watching sale flyers and timing errands with other things in the area.  It was no extra gas or time for me and I certainly enjoyed watching the savings pile up along with the school supplies!

I have this friend who is a whiz at deal-shopping. You know, one of those super coupon clippers/deal finders who never pays more than $10 for a months’ worth of groceries.

Well, okay, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but she does find amazing deals and ways to save money on basic necessities.

While I don’t have the desire to spend hours poring over circulars, coordinating my grocery lists to coupons and doing my meal-planning based on what’s on sale…I do admit wishing I could be a little better at finding deals and saving money.

Which is what brings me to this post.  Torrey, this one’s for you.

I had to go to CVS to drop off a prescription.  I needed to pick it up the same day, so I ended up waiting in the store for it to be filled.  While I was there, I decided to browse the clearance area just to see what was there.  Much to my surprise and delight, I found some great deals!

Children’s Generic Triaminc Cough Syrup – $0.75

and it doesn’t expire until 2011!

4-pack of glittery Christmas ribbon – $0.25

Disney princess stickers (2-sheets) – $0.19

and since we’ve met our deductible for the year, our prescription was free!

Total spent: $2.87

Knowing I’d scored a terrific deal: Priceless.

It’s official – we’re dancin’ fools!

This evening Matt and I went on a date.  We went dancing!  But we didn’t dance together the whole night long.  In fact, Matt went out with a younger woman.  I was escorted by a younger man.  And we were both okay with the whole thing.

WHAT??

Before you get the wrong idea, perhaps I should back up a bit.

Several weeks ago, we made reservations for Matt and Crisana to attend their first ever Daddy-Daughter dance through the McKinney Parks & Rec.  Crisana has been looking forward to this day for weeks.  She has told everyone within earshot that she’s going dancing with her daddy tonight.  I found a special party dress at Kohl’s (on clearance for less than $25) and we dolled her up with pretty jewelry.  She looked very special!

No girl can go to the dance without a corsage, so Daddy presented his date with her very first flowers: a wrist corsage of dendrobium orchids with a pretty red bow to match her dress.

The beautiful princess was ready for her prince to take her to the ball where Crisana managed to be too shy to dance until it was almost over.  *sigh*

There was no way I was going to be stood up on this Friday night, so I grabbed myself a date, too.  Trey and I donned our retro-tie-dye and headed over to McGowen for the Second Annual Winter Family Dance: the Rockin’ Retro Disco!

The gym was decked out in groovy retro colors with great decorations and funky lights.  Just like in high school, the perimeter of the gym was filled with “old people” (like parents) who either were too afraid or “too cool” to dance.  The kids were crowding near the stage, partying like it was 1999…or 1979 as the case may be.  Trey found his friends and wasted no time busting out a few moves.

It was fun to see parents and children dancing together.  I loved the opportunity to have some one-on-one time with my boy.  It won’t be long before some other girl captures his affections and I will no longer be his date of choice.  I choose to enjoy these moments while I can.  And while I’m enjoying them, I’m going to capture them on video as well…so enjoy this clip of Trey as he moves to the beat!

Look at that booty action!

This week, my threads of gratitude are many.  So many, in fact, that they can be woven together.   With brightly-colored hues and striking designs, they converge together to create a lovely fabric…a BEACH TOWEL.

Whether playing in the ocean, building sandcastles, or swimming in the pool…whether sitting quietly on our balcony watching the sun rise over the ocean, or sharing a liesurely lunch on the other balcony overlooking the pool…whether reading a book on the shore, or building entire sand-cities…I’ve had plenty of opportunities to reflect on what’s truly important.  And it’s those things that I am most grateful for.

• I’m grateful for time….for time spent with my children and husband, for these years that we have together to build family bonds and create the memories that my children will cherish well into their adult years…for the time we have to wait for Matt’s treatments to begin: that his cancer, though serious, is not life-threatening…for the ability to put our schedule on hold for one week and enjoy unlimited time together, playing games, laughing, relaxing, and just enjoying one another.
• I’m grateful for family…for my children, who bring such joy into every day…for children that I not only love with all my heart, but actually like to be around…for a husband who is my best friend in every sense of the word…for extended family members who share in our sorrows and rejoice in our happy times, even when they can’t be with us physically.
• I’m grateful for my faith…for having an anchor to ground me in the craziness of life…for having a compass to guide me in the confusion of life…for having a Father to comfort me in the troubling times of life…for having a Guide to lead me in the unknowns of life…truly, nothing can compare to His presence in every moment of life.
• I’m grateful for creation…for the beauty, the creativity, the awesome design, the attention to detail that infuses every aspect of the world God gave us.  As we’ve explored washed-up jellyfish and crabs, as we’ve collected shells and visited museums and marine rescue centers, we’ve been reminded that our God is a Master Artist.  And the same God who made those jellyfish, an incredibly simple form of life, is the same God who controls the pounding waves, the constant winds, the shifting sands.
• And on a far less reverent note, I’m grateful for my new clothes..for having to buy a new bathing suit because the ones I had were too big…for finally feeling brave enough to get a “real” two-piece that shows my belly button (though I couldn’t completely ditch the skirt!)…for buying new pajamas (because I conveniently forgot to pack mine)…for being able to buy these things in smaller sizes than what I own…and for a husband who celebrates with me (and really likes my new bathing suit and pajamas.  ‘nuf said).

The next seven days hold great promise of things to be grateful for in the midst of a certain storm.  We will leave on Saturday to drive to Houston, where we will drop Matt off for a consultation with M.D. Anderson Cancer Center on Monday morning.  We will be ushered back to reality very quickly…and it won’t all be fun.  So today, I’m grateful to be able to spin these threads into a beach towel and enjoy the moments we have.

Surf’s up, dude…gotta go catch a wave!

Are you kidding me??  I’m on VACATION!

So, NO, as a matter of fact, we did NOT pack our scale.

And I’m not even going to think about my scale until next Monday, when I have to.

But we did an unofficial weigh-in before leaving early Sunday morning and I’m happy to report that we’re both back down to our lows from the week before:

Matt – 28.5 lbs. lost

Debbi – 27 lbs. lost

But really, that’s not the best news of all.  The best news of all is that I now have to buy a new bathing suit!  I hope to go shopping tomorrow at one of the surf shops in the area.  And even better – they’re all having massive sales for the off-season!  Woo-hoo!  Shopping, sales, and new clothes in a smaller size.  You bet I’m having the time of my life on this trip!

5:20 A.M. – Wake up for no apparent reason. Not liking the way this day is starting.

5:50 A.M. – Tired of tossing and turning and trying to sleep, finally get up. Not thinking it’s going to be a great day. Try to find a quiet yet productive activity to consume my time while waiting for the kids to wake up, as they’re supposed to be “sleeping in” this morning so I can take them to school.

6:45 A.M. – After ” sleeping in” a whole 15 minutes, kids are up. Crisana wants to take the bus. The race is on. Not looking good for Mom. I think the bus will win.

7:35 A.M. – The bus wins. Crisana is still eating breakfast.  She cannot take the bus. Mom has, however, managed to feed both pets, pack 3 lunches, 2 water bottles, one snack, prepare the kids’ breakfasts, and burn Matt’s omelet.

7:50 A.M. – See Matt off to work. Step on scale and open mouth in disbelief as the display shows an 18-pound loss in 5 weeks. Recognize that this is the first sign that this day might be salvageable after all. Without the benefit of breakfast, I hop into the shower, knowing it’s a 30-minute sprint to get the rest of us ready to leave on time. The race is on. Again.

8:20 A.M. – Mom is dressed. Kids, notsomuch. Hurry to make beds, get kids dressed in clothes that are clean AND match. With shoes. Manage to brush hair, brush teeth and grab backpacks, book order, and Crisana’s homework project before dashing out to the car.

8:32 A.M. – *Sigh* Leaving a good 10 minutes late. Can we get there before the tardy bell rings?

8:40 A.M. – SCORE! We managed to hit every green light on the way to school and are now on the McGowen campus. Things are definitely looking up.

8:44 A.M. – Crisana marches into Nurse Vicky’s office and proclaims, “I want you to pull my tooth!” So she does. The Tooth Fairy will be making a return visit to our house tonight. The ensuing celebration beats any lottery winner hands down. Within moments, the staff and parents of the McGowen community are aware that Crisana has lost a second tooth.

8:56 A.M. – After seeing Trey off to class and helping Crisana show off her gapey smile to anyone with eyes to see, Mom is finally ready to leave.

9:00 A.M. – Meet for first Moms-in-Touch meeting. Only two of us are there, but our prayer time is sweet, precious, and powerful. We pray for our school, our administrators, our children, and their teachers. We cry, we laugh, we bond. Beautiful. I’ve longed for this for three years. I can only breathe from my heart, Thank you, God!

10:00 A.M. – Head home for a few minutes of down time. Get great response from email sent earlier regarding planning for Neighborhood Night Out in October. Get great response from Sloan Creek Facebook group. Start getting excited – again – about being part of this community and the great people who live here.

10:50 A.M. – Mom shows up for Grandparents’ Day at McGowen. Head up to school for lunch with Crisana. Enjoy great conversation and catching up on news and life.

11:15 A.M. – Lunch with Crisana. She was so surprised to see us! The cafeteria was full of parents, granparents and “grand-friends” for this special lunch. What a great school!

11:45 A.M. – Head to Panera bread to pick up lunch for Mom and me. Person who takes our order and serves us turns out to be a former student of mine from Scofield 15 years ago!! His dad was my dentist and I tutored him after school! I live in such a small world, it’s not funny.

12:30 P.M. – Drive back to McGowen, delicious Panera Bread lunch in hand, for lunch with Trey. Enjoy sitting with Trey’s great friend Alex and his mom and have a great time together.

1:00 P.M. – Take Mom on a brief tour of McGowen, introducing her to Trey’s teacher and showing her his room. Good times of catching up with teachers and friends.

1:15 P.M. – Head over to Kohl’s to help Mom find some jeans.

1:45 P.M. – Mom buys jeans and a matching denim jacket – both on sale. Both very cute.

2:20 P.M. – Arrive home…see Cub Scout Notebook and meeting materials on the table…and remember….I had a meeting at 1:30…that I scheduled…and even sent reminders….and I forgot!!! Hang head in shame momentarily, while checking for blonde roots. Lori, if you are reading this, I assure you, my hair is dark brown all the way down. I only think blonde.

2:45 – Mom leaves, I make brownies for Ladies’ Bunco and Book Swap at church tonight. I even treat myself to licking the spoon. Yum.

3:15 – Christin calls. That’s always fun. She makes me smile.

And now, here it is almost 4:30. The kids are due home any minute now and my crazy, whirlwind life will begin anew. What an amazing journey of grace today has been. Friends old and new, reconnecting. Family. Fun. Laughter. Chocolate. And new clothes.

Yeah, it’s all good. And it ain’t over yet.

Pictures from this great day are below. Read the rest of this entry »

Okay, so it’s not the Oscars.  There aren’t discussions about who wore what and who came with who.  There are no reporters hiding out at after-parties.  But the day that the David L. Edwards Servant-Leader Award for Faculty Excellence in Spirit and Service is presented tops any award ceremony in our book, hands down.  And frankly, there was just something extra-special about yesterday.

Perhaps it was the terrific new outfit I had purchased for the occasion.  I went to Dress Barn on Monday, just to look, and went into the dressing room with an armful of clothes.  Though there were three outfits I truly liked, when I put this dress on I just went “Wow!”  The best part?  It was a size 12!!  A SIZE 12!!  I found the cutest shoes to wear with it, and the accessories were perfect…I know it’s not about me, but I just felt so pretty…and it’s been a long time since I’ve felt that good about myself.

Perhaps it was my handsome stud muffin of a husband who now fits comfortably back into his double-breasted suit.  I must say, he looked mighty fine, and I was quite proud to stand with him at this special occasion.

Perhaps it was seeing my sister-in-law who just recently has completed her radiation treatments for breast cancer.  The relief and peace I saw on her face when I asked about her prognosis was beautiful.  She took it all in stride and has shown a quiet strength and peace I never knew she had.

Perhaps it was having the chance to reconnect with my brother David after not seeing each other in nearly a year.  I have always looked up to him – both literally (as the pictures will show) and figuratively – but I don’t think I’ve ever been as proud of him as I was yesterday listening to him talk to the award recipient about the possibilities for mission work in third-world countries.  David’s passion is microfinance, and listening to him speak excitedly and with incredible enthusiasm with the professor of cross-cultural missions brought tears to my eyes.  My heart just swelled – love, pride, unabashed admiration – for this incredible guy who just happens to be my brother.  I know I’m the luckiest kid sister ever.

Perhaps it was having the privilege to hear Dr. Donald Campbell, former DTS president, speak a challenging and inspiring message from Ephesians.  What an honor to hear God’s word spoken from such a diligent and faithful servant.  And having him come down to speak with us following the service was more than I could have hoped for (we usually never have contact with the chapel speakers following their message).

Perhaps it was seeing friends – old and new – once again.  I was delighted to be able to introduce Karie, the Studio 153 intern at McKinney Fellowship, to my mom.  Seeing our friend Dorian from our MLBC days is always fun – and I know Matt enjoyed the opportunity to visit with her.  The previous recipients who come by and share kind words, memories, and stories with us always touch our hearts and make us grateful.  And having Mom’s special friend Marcia with us to celebrate the day made our family seem a little more complete…though we did miss Dan and wish he could have been there, too.

Perhaps it was the recipient, Mike Pocock, who came to the seminary about the same time Dad did.  Mike’s wife, Penny, worked under Mom’s administration and taught with Marcia at Grace.  Mike and Penny prayed for me when I fell from the horse, and when I had the second surgery to remove the steel rods.  So many wonderful layers of connections between our families, and so many precious bonds we share with them.   The look of absolute shock on Mike’s face as his name was announced was one of those “priceless” moments, and we couldn’t be more pleased with this year’s honoree.

Perhaps it was the fabulous meal at Maggiano’s…the delicious food we shared and the wonderful table conversation.  Matt and I worked hard to stay true to our South Beach diet though we did splurge and split a dessert, a wonderful apple crostada.  The pace was liesurely, the conversation flowed, and all too soon it was after 2:00 though it hardly seemed we could have been there for nearly two hours.

Who knows if it was one single thing, or just a combination of all elements falling into place and clicking together.  Whatever it was, we certainly enjoyed a special day as we honored two men: one who continues to faithfully labor to prepare men and women for service around the world, and one who has heard the words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

I hope you enjoy the pictures below the fold.  I think they capture not only the moods, but also the moments that made this day one to remember.

Read the rest of this entry »