is making cards.  For Taller's birthday I made this....

 

 "just a note

to wish you a

happy birthday"

♥ Shia

Made with

♥

by Shia

I also made this card for Paul's mom....

just a note

to thank you

The card to Paul's mom turned out so well it didn't even need spray glitter.  When I told Paul I should open an esty shop he asked what that is ... I said ebay for crafts...he joked...ebay for crap.  Isn't he hilarious...lol. 

Guess what today is??

 to ME!

I wasn't kidding...

So this is the "post-it drawer" of my desk at work.  I moved them around some to show you how many are in there.  They were in nice stacks but that made it look like maybe there's not that many...I don't even think this picture does the drawer justice...enjoy....

Yep there's a lot...hahahaha I told you I love post-its!

Day Whatever Update

Never fear I am staying on track.  Taller is out on vacation so I have been running on the treadmill at home instead of running at lunch.  I am still on a lunch packing kick and I stocked up on groceries over the weekend to not cause any last minute dinner solutions to turn out ugly.  I haven't blogged for a couple of days because when something is bothering me I want to write about it.  Sometimes it is better to keep certain things off the blog.  But things are starting to turn around so I am back.  March 3rd just keeps getting closer and closer.  Half excited and half scared to death.  

Phone Photos

So when my old phone died I was sad because I had no way of getting my photos off of it.  I didn't have texting so I couldn't text them anywhere and the phone would barely stay on so I thought there was no hope. I had a moment of genius on the way to Best Buy when Paul and I were going to get my laptop.  I thought...I could buy a mini SD card to save my photos on and then transfer them to my new phone.  Better yet...the mini SD card came with an SD card adapter...basically an SD card that the mini SD card plugged into all of which cost $9.99!!!!.  AND my new laptop has an SD port sooooooo Phone pics are HERE!!!  

These were my first flowers from Paul.  He got them for me for my 30th birthday.  Which he referred to as my  "29th" and now I am forever trying to remember how old I am...HAHAHAHA

These pics are all from the trip to the St. Augustine outlets...I think she is like 2 years old in these...she's going on 5 now.

Trip to the mall for her winter coat.  I think she's still about 2 in these photos.

She's looking at herself in the dressing room mirror.

Afterwards we rode the train around the mall.  I had to take a picture of Nicole in the train...lol.

Infamous kitty dino fight.  I bought Marissa a dinosaur that had an attack mode with a senor.  Kitty leaped and so did the dinosaur and the fight began.  I was cracking up.

Kitty's first Christmas.  Yes those are my shoes laying around in the background.  Paul hates it when I don't put them away...lol.

The Jew Tree...Blue Silver and White decoration.  With the dinosaur guarding it...lol.

Nicole was watching our pets one Christmas when we went to Indiana to see Paul's family.  She sent me this via text (yes there was a time I DID have texting)

Marissa again...random photo taken at Chickfila...LOOK AT THE STYROFOAM!  I'm pretty sure she's 2 in this one as well.  

Debra had Kaelyn when I was on vacation.  

This was my first picture of Kaelyn sent to me just after she was born via text.

Kaelyn day 2

Kaelyn about a week old. 

Random photo of Daisy...I love how she always has an OH SHIT look when I take her picture...lol.

Marissa as tinkerbell for Halloween 2 years ago.

Paul and I are out watching football and I am taking a picture of him without him paying attention.

He caught me...this is him telling me to stop...lol.  This used to be my background on my phone.

About a year ago at Steak n Shake.

ZOO PICS!!!!!

Marissa and I went to the zoo recently...here she is on the carousel.

She likes making funny faces...can you tell?

She was making a monkey face and noise while being on this statue...it didn't turn out well on the camera and there were tons of people waiting...no time to perfect it.

 This was later that day at the SECOND playground....she took this picture of herself with my phone.

I am so glad I didn't lose all of these pictures AND I am really glad I got to put them up on the blog and now I feel like I ALWAYS have a camera with me now.  Because my new phone as a micro SD card port and I can just plug it straight into my computer and share with all of you.

Mailman I am on to you...

So I am totally convinced that my mailman is living it up with my free Starbucks coupons and my monthly magazines.  I swear I haven't gotten a free drink postcard for like my last 3 rewards for Starbucks...plus I should have a free birthday drink post card and I have received NADA!  Also it is now January 21st and I haven't received February issues of my monthly magazines.  What is up with this.  I feel like I am constantly missing these same items month to month.  I hope you are enjoying my Starbucks while reading my magazines MAILMAN (or WOMAN).  Okay just to prove my point I am going to go check the mail....we shall see...

Just say NO!

So I have decided to stop going to Chick-fil-a.  I mean I really don't eat there often but the off chance of maybe thinking about it I will just say no.  There are two reasons for this 

1) STYROFOAM!!!  They use styrofoam and apparently have no problems with it.  I just don't understand a company that is going to say they take a stance on being closed on Sundays but keep dumping tons of styrofoam into the landfills.  Styrofoam can not be recycled and it does not breakdown like other sorts of trash so basically every single Chick-fil-a cup will sit in a landfill FOREVER!

2) SODIUM!!!!  The food Chick-fil-a serves is LOADED with sodium.  I ran some numbers for you to see how bad...a "classic" chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-a (that they are "known for") has 1410mg of sodium!  2500 is your recommended daily intake.  You can eat the knock off sandwich at McDonalds (Southern Style Chicken Sandwich) for 1030mg of sodium!  McDonalds is the better choice people...how sad is that?  Okay here's one reason to limit you sodium intake, the more of it you consume on a daily basis the less you can taste it.  Example, switch to no salt added canned green beans from regular and you basically have to choke them down the first time because of lack of salt.  Once you get used to eating those, switch back once and try to eat the regular canned green beans and you will gag!  Too much sodium messes with your taste buds, not to mention raising your blood pressure, etc.  

Again, I just say...a company that wants to get all up on it's high horse that they are so "moral" for closing on Sundays might want to reevaluate some of those other "morals" they are lacking!

Day Three Evening Update

So yesterday I left work at like 4:30.  I was in SUCH a bad mood.  I just couldn't take it anymore.  So I left.  I went to Publix got some stuff and went home made an actual chicken pita with enough chicken for lunch today.  I also bought some strawberries so I had a nice dinner.  Chicken pita & strawberries...mmmmm....anywho Paul was home hogging the computer and then when I finally got it from him I was too tired to blog.  Oh also, when I was at Publix I bought some granola bars since they were BOGO.  This is going to be my go to remedy for chocolate.  Instead of eating candy, cookies, etc I will eat one of these!  I know I love when I have moments of brillance.

Day Two Evening Update

So I went to Publix all revved up ready to make some chicken wraps with some leftover soft taco shells...well apparently Paul had eaten the leftovers so I had a chicken salad instead which was pretty good.  I made one for lunch.

One thing I noticed last night was that I was dead tired at 9:30.  I kept falling asleep on the couch...totally missed Top Chef All-Stars and only woke up to go move the cars around in the driveway so I wouldn't have to deal with all of that in the morning.  I think it is a combination of running and no Starbucks.  So needless to say that is why no post made it up here last night....Shia was ASLEEP!

Day Two Afternoon Update

So Taller and I ran, which is going pretty good except for my sinuses being all messed up from the wet weather. Next week it'll be 2 minute pace!  So I feel like I've drank 3 gallons of water today.  I had a salad for lunch.  I'm going to commit to going to the grocery store and start actually bringing my own food soon.  I just hate going to Publix after a long day at work.  I had brought some leftover white pizza that I made last night but I passed that off to Taller.  She loved it.  More progress later...

Day Two

Sinus headaches SUCK.  I just wanted to start off with my true feelings this morning.  I woke up at 3:00 am and couldn't go back to sleep because it felt like my left eyeball was about to explode.  Regardless, today is starting out great.  I drank some soy in the car with my half bagel with low fat strawberry cream cheese and I still feel pretty full.  Instead of my morning trip to Starbucks, I filled up my Starbucks cup with water and decided on a small decaf (firm coffee from the Keurig) with creamer (sugar free french vanilla) which has been in my desk for about a month (gotta love preservatives).  Taller and I are on for 11:30 for our run and for lunch I'm thinking salad....more later.

Day One Evening Update

So I made it through Day One with awesome results, for lunch I ended up getting a grilled chicken pita.  It was pretty good...enormous so I ate half... but good and a good choice, since I eat everything plain it ended up just being grilled chicken, lettuce and a bit of shredded cheddar.  For dinner, we made homemade pizza tonight and I scaled it back to two slices.  I have lunch planned for tomorrow and I'll be stopping at Publix in the morning to figure out my whole no coffee possible soy situation.  I am thinking I am just going to bring in some soy, stick it in the frig at work and threaten people with their lives if they drink it.  Any thoughts on what I should write on the carton...I'm thinking....

Property of Shia - Drink this and I'll drink all of the half & half in the frig and then throw up on your keyboard.   

Let me know what you think!

Who's Jerseylicious?

PAUL!  So tonight when scanning the channels, I came across the newest Jerseylicious and since Paul was home I started to set it up for DVR and he told me to hold up.   He wants to see what happens with Olivia.  LOL!  Yes folks we sat here and watch the entire hour WITH commercials and then he got all in to the previews.  Someone is a closet realty tv junkie.  This happens EVERY time I try to sneak in some Bravo or Oxygen shows, he ends up getting all into them and asking me about all the background stories.  Too hillarious!  So apparently next week we will be tuning in again for some new Jerseylicious drama.

Day One Afternoon Update

First day back to running was hard but I didn't have to start over at the beginning pace so that thought kept me going.  I am not gonna lie there were moments when I felt like dying but I kept going.  Seriously, what I have to tell myself is the end makes it worth it.  I feel great!  So when I get to that wall of feeling like I can't keep going I am just going to think about how great I feel after I've done it.  Little milestones add up to big ones...okay enough cliques...I think it's all coming from a runner high...lol.  So now what to eat for lunch...hmmm...gonna go figure that out.  I will be more prepared tomorrow but for now I am going to make the best of my circumstances.  I'll let you know how that turned out later. 

Morning Day One

So the first couple of days are always the hardest.  It always seems like once I tell my body that I am going to do something better for it ... it rebels.  Like being overly hungry just to piss me off.  Like really?  I've eaten more food (just better choices) and I'm STARVING?!?  Please it's just a sick mind game.  So far actions I have taken this morning to start down the road to ending this Chapter is ...

1) I ate cereal this morning.  Yes I know this doesn't sound like much but hello...no breakfast or a crappy on the go breakfast...not so good.

2) Came to the realization that my Venti Soy Caramel Macchiato from Starbucks has like a million grams of sugar.  Yes folks, even I, Shia, make mistakes.  So now I am currently drinking a Grande (smaller) sugar free (-million grams of sugar) soy Caramel Macchiato and it SUCKS! (okay not as bad as what Taller drinks...that is HORRIBLE...no offense Taller but it is!)  So peace out morning coffee I am going to figure out something better.  I know what you are thinking...I've said I would give up Starbucks in the past and well haven't ... I'll still go...get some green tea but no more coffee.  I hate the after-taste anyway.  Chewing gum right now to get rid of it.  So win win!

3) Drinking more water!  Yesterday I had coffee (addressed); WATER; and ONE green tea and MORE WATER!!!  Gotta stay hydrated...tons of running to do!

4) I'm officially owning the fact that yes this seems to be a big challenge and IT IS and there will be bumps in the road BUT it will be done!  Where there is a will there is a way!

5) My blog is about to become narcissistic for which I apologize.  There are going to be TONS of updates because I am going to use this as another way to stay true to my goal.  I plan on posting pics and everything.  Give you a glance at Shia's world directly.  However, I promise that there will be more on here than just how my running is coming along and how many pounds I have lost.  I will write actual posts like normal as well.  I mean come on folks cheer me on and you will NEVER have to read another blog about this TOPIC EVER!  Shia's closing this chapter remember so don't give up on me until the end and I promise it'll be a happy day for all of us!  I mean I made Kardashian Hair happen...I can do ANYTHING!

New Year - New Date Book

So with the start of every new year there is that whole buying of a new calendar/date book to contend with.  Since I have a mild obsession (okay a huge obsession) with office supplies I always get a date book and then never use it.  Literally last year I found the one I bought for 2009 and it didn't have one thing written in it.  Well back in June I bought a date book (June 2010 - June 2011), and I was maintaining it pretty well.  I had work stuff organized and personal stuff organized.  Well since last month, I feel like the date book has hit a wall.  The work stuff to even write down is nonexistent.  So how do I bring my date book back up to speed?  What should I be writing in this thing?  You know me, I like to be organized, but do I need a date book haunting me to make my life feel less important that someone with a busier life.  I mean if you have 20 meetings to go to in a week, conferences with clients and deadlines for projects, perhaps you need a date book and perhaps you have a way cooler job than me but what do I need one for.  So  I seriously just googled "uses of a day planner" and found the following on ehow.com:

Make a daily to do list.   Each morning, write an agenda for that day.  Make it detailed - include meetings, tasks that need to be accomplished and goals for the day.  It may be useful to list the items in order of urgency.

I know what you are thinking.  This sounds like common sense.  How often do I feel like it is midday and I am not getting anything on my mental list to do done.  EVERYDAY!  Also, it seems like something on that mental list gets pushed to the back burner so much that you eventually forget about it and it doesn't get done.  So I think this is a brilliant idea.

Instead of trying to just organize future time such as meetings and appointments to come only, it can be used to manage current time.  Also, if you don't accomplish everything on your list for that day, it's right there and to be done the next day.  Plus, there's never that moment of did I get that done?  You can check your daily to dos and see exactly when it was done.

So I am going to try this "new system" out.  If it doesn't work perhaps in June 2011 when my current planner runs out I will come to grips with the fact that I indeed don't need a day planner and I indeed don't lead that elaborate of a life...lol.  I mean if only I had writing deadlines to make, meeting with my editor and book signings to attend...sigh...wouldn't that be the life.

Read more: How to Use a Day Planner | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5166498_use-day-planner.html#ixzz1B9cG422i

Shia techno savy? Getting there!

So as I said in my last post, my phone died. Also, my laptop died yet again. So I got a new phone...it's a touch phone of sorts with TEXT messaging! Holla! I found out that I get 250 for the $5!!! So today we took another trip over to Best Buy and.....Shia got a brand new laptop!!! Paul got it for me for my birthday! I just turned it on...downloaded chrome and started blogging. The world of writing for me just got a whole lot bigger since, it seemed like every time I would sit down to write that is when my laptop decided to die. Plus, how do you take a 10 year old laptop into Starbucks and not look like a complete dork...lol. Also, that sucker was heavy....it made bike trips impossible...the weight was unbearable. Needless to say, I am totally excited that I got a new laptop! Love you Paul!

Sad sad day....

So if any of you are trying to call me, I currently don't have a cell phone. Mine completely died last night so I am waiting on it to be ship which will arrive tomorrow. Why not just go to the Verizon store and get one? TOO EASY! Gotta do it the hard way. Anywho, the reason that this is truly a sad day is for a couple of reasons 1) I had the same phone as Hannah Montana from that "great" and "moving" movie that dubbed Hannah Montana time and 2) there are so many pictures on my phone that I am going to lose ... cute pics of Marissa (including the zoo trip), pic of my first bday flowers from Paul, etc. Why not just take out the SIM card....IT DOESN'T HAVE ONE!!! 

However, turn those frowns upside down folks....I'm getting text messaging back! YAY!!! However, I only get 150 of those bad boys so if you feel the need to text me....MAKE IT COUNT...no Heys or What ups...get to the point in the first text.

PS if one more person asks me why I just didn't go a month without a phone to get the NEW iphone...I am going to kill someone.

Oh Happy Day!

So, today I feel so grown-up. As you we all know, I am working on the J Fund. Saving money is my M.O. now. Well, I was banking with Wachovia getting 0.05% annual interest....so um like NONE! I went to Wachovia (since I work in the dang building) and asked for an account with some better rates for my dear J Fund. Well first off, I felt like I was being help by the equivalent of a used car salesman. Second, he said oh let me check with/email my "DM" to see if I can get you 0.75% and if not it would be 0.10%. I said well send the email. Then he said that he needed to speak with the CEO...(who was one cubical away. Really he's the CEO? RRRRRRRRRIGHT!) He comes back in literally like one second and says oh he was on the phone but he told me that I can't send the email. He said let me know if you decide to close your account and I'll get you the cashier's check. So I left. Determined that I was going to find a new home for my J Fund. I looked up some rates at Vystar (a Florida Credit Union) found that a primary checking account makes 0.40% where my Wachovia checking account made umm...ZERO! So I then went over to Vystar - chatted about some Money Market accounts and CDs...marched back in to Wachovia...cleaned out my J Fund and took it right on over to Vystar, where it was welcomed with open arms and treated like it is as substantial as it is. So now I have the J Fund earning 1.01% in a 18 month CD, a mini J Fund earning 0.51%, a checking and savings each earning 0.41%. So all in all ... a good day for the J Fund. I am so excited. I think this also gives a fresh take on savings. It's new and you just want to keep it neat and clean (no transactions out...lol).

Might I also add that the online banking feature of Vystar lets you give your accounts nicknames....hmmmm I wonder what I named them?

Guy's Closet

So how many of you have old clothes in your closet that you're keeping for who knows what reason?...too small - will fit one day...two big - will fit one day, etc. Well since I have cleaned out my closet, I've noticed that Paul has clothes that he is holding on to. People he has STONE WASHED JEANS - and yes they are HIDEOUS as they sound and some of the other pieces of clothing are just as HILARIOUS. There is a vest! YES SHIA SAID VEST!!!! You thought stonewash was hilarious .... I can tell you that he'll NEVER wear any of this stuff but it's just comical that men hold on to old clothes too. I seriously am thinking about posting pics of this stuff on here but I'm afraid that he'll see and get upset. But trust me....FUNNY STUFF. Also, it's just amusing to know that those quirky things that women do....MEN DO THEM TOO! So, next time your guy is giving you a hard time about your wardrobe or hoarding stuff. Look in their closet...it's definitely entertaining to say the least.

Birthday Woes

So today is January 3rd....24 more days until my birthday. As I've mentioned in the past, I hate that I always have to start the new year off with getting older. I mean it really sucks. But this year, I think I'm just going to handle my birthday with a "grown-up attitude". So what that I will be 32...okay I admit when I just typed that I felt a little pain in my stomach. I think I've finally gotten to a place in my life where I accept my accomplishments and things that I need to work on. I mean just like I said in the New Year's post, why do I just sit around summing up the last years of my life and wanting so much to change THIS year. I am happy to be 32! I've done A LOT of things over the past couple of years that I never thought I would EVER do and there is so much to look forward to for the rest of my life....so SO WHAT I'm 32! Now hopefully I can be this mature when I turn 40 ... good thing I have 8 more years to worry about that.

So it's 2011....

Now that it is a new year, we're all supposed to sit back and dwell on what made last year suck and then make promises to fix it this year. Why do we give the new year such prospects of hope and opportunity? We're just so quick to sum up the past year as not so great. Don't get me wrong, you all know that I am all about setting goals and trying to constantly better my situations. But I just don't think it is fair to 2010 to just walk away from it without giving it some appreciation it deserves. Okay, so everyday of 2010 wasn't rosy but come on...good stuff happened in 2010! Of course things can always get better but don't give 2010 such a bad wrap. There was tons of fun in 2010 and tons more to be had in 2011. 

How about this year instead of thinking about everything that went wrong last year and trying to fix it. let's just think about all of the things that went right and vow to make those things happen again. Like Paul and I going on vacation to New Hampshire, that was a great vacation. I had never been to New England and I loved it. So this year, we're planning a trip to Washington State and it will be amazing. We plan on going for like a week and a half and seeing a lot of the state. I can hardly wait to put those pictures up on the blog. 

Also, I feel like I wrote a lot of great blogs last year. I have so much swirling around in my head on a daily basis that I'm going to focus on getting more of that greatness up here on the blog for all of you to enjoy. 

So now I say so long 2010, we had our ups and downs, but all in all I'll just hope that 2011 is just as good!