Author Archives: tracye1

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About tracye1

A wee bit about me, Tracy. Married to my high school sweetie for a looooong time. Mama of 4 beautiful kiddos, now ADULTS!!!! This blog is a potpourri of posts. Some wax on about my Catholic faith, others family, some are just a “diary” of life updates. Life is a journey, taken one day at a time (sometimes one step at a time) and my blog is about my personal trek through life. Peace!

Quickly…TGIF!!!

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I’m on a roll this week…three posts, WOO HOO!!  Look out, imagine what can will happen when I get my laptop back!!  Or not..I take it as it comes, though I am really working on something for Valentine’s Day, just need to get it from my head to paper/computer and that, my friends, is often a LONG, LONG process!  Let’s wind this week up with the Quick Takes, usually @ Conversion Diary, but since Jen is busy finishing her book…..we’ll move it on over to Betty Beguiles

  1. Week 6 of my making strides towards my healthier goals.  This week came with lots of challenges to the exercise area and my lunch exercise routine wasn’t going to happen this week. at.  all.  Therefore, I did what I had to do.  I hit the gym at o’dark hundred (AKA 515 a.m. ISH) to get my strength work in.  And walks after work this week (2 so far) in addition to my gym time.  Next week will be back on track, but I am patting myself on the back for recognizing what was coming down the line for the week and planning for it. Like to see more of that, I would!
  2. Still no laptop.  You can go back the last couple posts and review whazzup with that, I’d prefer to just move on.  And there are STILL no pics, so carry on with your imagination and all.
  3. Today my phone fell out of my pocket while having lunch with our birthday girl.  Front screen, meet cement.   Screen is now spidery all the way down.  Taped together to keep the glass from slicing my face.  The phone works.  Phew.  That’s the good news.  Now to find a reasonable repair…which I believe my son has a friend who does that. or some guy in some kiosk in the mall.  Whatev.  I’m still pretty growly about it.  GRRRR!!
  4. Our youngest son had his official football weigh-in last night.  The night before our big girl’s 10th birthday!  Talk about a team effort with Hubby.  He and birthday girl had their “date night” and littlest girl and I made the birthday cake and took a walk together.  When they came home we made and ate dinner (minus the boys) and then I picked up Mr. Football from practice (with dinner in hand) and lugged him across town for an 8:30 p.m. weigh in.   Meanwhile, Hubby helped the girls make the school birthday snack and made sure Oldest son ate and everyone showered up.  Somehow at 9:30 we were ALL in bed.  WowZA !!  what a difference having Hubby home!
  5. Tonight we celebrated big girl’s birthday dinner with her choice of dinner:  chicken soft tacos and an appetizer of wings.  BOKKK!!  Followed by our homemade ice cream birthday cake.  See what watching too much Cake Boss will do?  Although, I am NOT ready for fondant yet…but ONE day…maybe just maybe and then look out, Buddy!
  6. Strep throat has been running through the house this week.  1 confirmed.  1 probable.  1 questionable.  1 still clean.  Have I mentioned how awesome Publix is with their FREE antibiotics?  Shout out.  Unpaid.  Grateful!  If I knew how to tweet there would be some ##hash mark thingies in there somewhere.
  7. The big birthday party this weekend is a Mystery party.  So fun.  My friend Lea gave me this idea last year and it was such a hit we hit up Dramatic Fanatic again for a new mystery.  It’s so fun.  We are kicking the boys out.  They  need hair cuts anyway.   Maybe they can go kayaking if it’s not too cold out.  Serving snack-ish foods and cake.  or cupcakes.  still to be determined.  Martha Stewart I am not.  And yet somehow my kids still end up having a good time.  Strange.  And there usually isn’t too much fussing about the lack of goodie bags. <gasp> what?  yes.  I.  HATE.  goodie.  bags.  Said it.  Out loud.  And I tell the kids, “thanks for coming, we don’t do goodie bags”.  Now, I usually DO have a great lollipop or some fun little something they may have made, but that’s it.  Who came up with that concept anyway???  I’d like a word.  Or the ability to pop ’em in the head.  JK,  that’s  not very nice.  maybe just a little pop?

Alrighty then.  That’s our week in a Quick Take.  All out-of-order, but that’s kind of how I roll.  Have a blessed weekend!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!   (for the next few weeks @ Hallie Lord’s blog!)

Week 6! It’s here, it’s here!!

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“Six weeks is a critical time to acclimate to any new exercise regimen so that you can set long-term fitness goals,” says exercise physiologist Dr. Robert Lampman, Ph.D.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/134939-6-week-work-out-plans/#ixzz1lmtIUjcf

My girlfriends and I have been keeping it fo’ realz ya’ll with our workouts and food choices (at work, anyway) and we have been looking forward to this:  WEEK 6.  Something about, HOLY COW!  Are you serious??? We’ve been doing this regularly for 6 WHOLE.  WEEKS?!?!  Methinks I see a  little muscle in my arm.  Oh, snap.  Lookout, Mama’s got guns.  Sorta.  C’mon, use your imagination here, K?

And this week, is a crazy week.  My normal lunch time workouts are challenged with our oldest daughter’s birthday at the end of this week and my mom in town at the beginning.  Life is getting in the way.  Move over bacon, here comes Sizzlean…I have a Plan!  That plan is:  I’ve had to resort to the dreaded 5 a.m. workouts.  Ugh.  Ugh.  Ugh.  Once I’m there it’s “fine”, but crawling out of my cozy bed?  Not so “fine”.  However, as I type, I’m all  jacked up on the adrenaline rush, so YAY 5 a.m.!!  Plus, what with all the “New Year’s Resolution” people—ahem, me, too….the crowds are huge in the afternoon.  Probably because they are all still sleeping at 5 a.m.  Either way…2 days down, 2 to go. And I’m getting my walks in also.  ShaZAM!!  (good thing since the Girl Scout cookies came yesterday…hey,  you’ve got to live right?)

Progress on other goals:

Finances:  going well.  ish.  on task, anyway.  baby steps, baby steps, baby steps.  The silver lining is it won’t always be this way and every step forward is just that…FORWARD!  Onward, ho!!

Quiet time.  If you read yesterday’s blog post you will see my laptop is currently out of commission, so my Quiet time has seriously improved this past week, although steady climb in the right direction over the past 6 weeks.  Yay, God! 

Time to wake the house and get this party started.  Blessings to you all for a “forward motion”  kind of day!

**Still no pictures due to laptop down and stubborn will joining forces..carry on with your imagination, but seriously, you wouldn’t want a picture of my 5 a.m. bedhead anyway.

My laptop died…..ARGHHHHH!!!

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It happened one morning.  I got my coffee and settled in with my “precious” for my morning ritual (Daily Readings, News sites, emails and blog catch ups) and……… it  never got past the white screen, merely the bitten apple and a circle of so-called-loading mocking me.  I tried all the usual, shut down again, bring up and repeat about 40 times before I realized it just wasn’t going to happen.  Paralysis set in and then Hubby reminded me I have an ACTUAL Bible for my Readings AND  a book I’ve been reading by Scott Hahn, “The Lamb’s Supper” and plenty of people to pray for to fill my morning quiet time with.    At least I think that’s what he said.  It’s a little fuzzy.

Day 2.  No progress, even after our son tried all the tricks he could YouTube and Google.  Hubby consoled me as I pitifully admitted, “I am SO lost without my laptop.  It’s ridiculous, really.  I know.”  He hugged me through his chuckling and patted my head and promised to take it to the apple store to get looked at by the Genius bar peeps.  (since it’s right by his office)  Heyyyyy, things were looking a little brighter, I mean they don’t call them “Genius” for nothing!!!

One week, one new hard drive , a trip to the Geek Squad @ Best Buy and we are still “in the process” of reformatting and getting everything back up and running.  Time will tell.  In the meantime….Flippin’ computers….who needs ’em?  I DO!!!!!!    That’s who…

In all actuality, my computer time isn’t THAT much in my eyes (although, Hubby would likely disagree);  30 -45  minutes in the morning and a total of 15-30 minutes at night.  It’s MY downtime, though.  MY quiet time.  Maybe MY stronghold…one of many…trust me.  Either way,  it’s bizarro to come to this realization.   It’ s my crutch.  And it’s not even warm and fuzzy.

So, my blog is neglected because it’s just SO inconvenient to sit in the desk chair AT the computer hutch on the PC (gasp..yes we have a PC and a mac) which is also in declining  health these days…but as a result, I have been reading more, walking more, TALKING with the family more.  Because I’m not the ONLY one on my mac and it’s an interesting glimpse into life with WAY limited computer time and I am pleased to announce, that I truly do LOVE my family!  Especially when I can focus on them with limited distractions. 

How about you?  How much time do you spend on your computer and what would you fill your time with if you lost  your computer?

**This blog was printed with no pictures because my favorite photo program is on my laptop and I refuse to reacclimate to a NEW program on another computer unless I absolutely. have. to.  So….use your imagination! 

A weekend away…(but not too far!!)

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For the past four years, some of my girlfriends and I have had the amazing luxury of (ridiculously cheap) access to a phenomenal beach house in St. Augustine.  It is large enough to grant each of us “space”, even if there are 8 or 10 of us (this year 4 of us) and comfortably decorated enough to not feel lost in the enormity of the house.  Generally, we go in November and do some “Christmas shopping” but this year we opted for a post-holiday season retreat (November was booked..) and THAT was a seriously good call!!  And so, enjoy a (mostly) photo essay of the weekend!

Friday evening.  Subs for dinner @ 8:30 p.m. and a chick flick.

Saturday morning.  Peaceful.  Quiet.  Sunshiney.

A walk on the beach.  And surfers, too!  With snow in the Northeast this morning, THIS is the reason “snowbirds” got it goin’ on!!

I did NOT make my bed!!

Antiquing pre-lunch waiting for our name to be called at Osteen’s.  (cash only, baby!  super yum, super reasonable and worth the wait!…..about an hour!)

A one-man band.

Cobblestone streets.

Courtyards.

Graveyards.

The Cathedral.

Cupcakes @ Luli’s!  Yes.  I ate the WHOLE thing.  and I didn’t take a picture.   SO.  FLIPPIN’.  DELICIOUS!

Boots with the fur…the whole club was looking at her….(thanks, Flo-Rida…that’s all the lyrics I know, though, so you’ll have to YouTube it yourself, I’m not sure it’s appropriate to link here….)

Dinner.  Out.  Of course!  Creekside.  Sister restaurant to Saltwater Cowboys.  Both are wonderful!

Sunday morning after Mass.  One more walk on the beach…

12.5 hours to Mommy’s weekend away…

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— 1 —

My annual “Girl’s Weekend in St. Augustine” is upon us.  Generally taken in November (to do some Christmas shopping at the outlet malls), this year we moved it to January for some post holiday relaxation time.  Always a restful and fun time and this year is dad’s solo weekend with the kiddos.  Though I like to think MY way is BEST, I know he will do great and the kids will have way more fun with him than they do with me.  And after last night’s dinner debacle, he certainly can’t do any worse than me on the food end of things…

— 2 —

Speaking of dinner last night……I was inspired by my girlfriend’s crock pot dinner of ham, rice, cheese soup, broccoli.  It sounded so good, and we’ve really been using the crock pot like crazy these past few months, so I made my own version with chicken and brown rice, added in the broccoli and cauliflower and let it go.  Well.  At lunch I came home and OH.  MY.  GOODNESS.  The smell in the house was horrible.  I took the broccoli and most of the cauliflower out and covered it and returned to work.  Sadly, the fatal mistake was made.  Do NOT.  I repeat.  Do NOT cook broccoli and cauliflower in a crock pot ALL DAY.  Apparently they are a quick cook veggie and putting them in the crock pot not only forces you to open windows and light candles, it also brings you to Plan B:  pancakes and eggs.   I guess we all have a cooking faux pas from time to time, right?  RIGHT?

— 3 —

Exercising is going well this week.  Have gotten in a few walks. A few times at the gym followed by soreness in all the right places.  Week 3.  I can’t begin to tell you how impressed I am with myself.  I usually lose steam by Week 2.

— 4 —

Writing down my food this week is my newest addition to a healthier lifestyle change.  Something about putting it on paper.  In blue and white to see just what went in my mouth.  It becomes obvious.  The exercise thing I got (mostly).  It’s the mouth that needs attention.  Darn you cookies and cake and  your deliciousness.  It’s good to see where my challenges are and WHEN my challenges are and being prepared for them, adding more protein, fruits and veggies is really helping.  Still plenty of work to be done, but having it right in front of me, WOW!  (I won’t be logging this weekend……..but I will be walking!)

— 5 —

Adding in a great new blog for some quiet time reflections HERE and re-attempting Scott Hahn’s book, “The Lamb’s Supper” are great additions to my quiet time and breaking my spiritual rut.  I feel like I’m in a better place to read his book, hopefully less distracted and ready to focus.

— 6 —

Caramel the sweet little girl kitty who adopted us was spayed this week and lo and behold…..she…is a he.  Who has already been neutered.  Much to the vet’s surprise who had to OPEN HIM UP before they figured it out.  I’m still hot about that one.  OK, he’s a furry cat, but UM…isn’t that your JOB to make sure BEFORE you open up?!?!  Anyway….little boy has his shots and seems a little less PO’d at us.  Unless his purring at my head @ 1:30 in the morning is really a passive-aggressive cat move..I don’t know.  Still figuring out this whole “Cat thing”….he sure is a cutey-pie though!

— 7 —

Have been totally and utterly sucked into Downtown Abbey.  For someone who really doesn’t watch TV..(well nothing I would qualify as quality TV anyway…).  I was wondering WHERE I’ve been to have missed this gem and now I am THRILLED that I have an entire Series ahead of me with a new one just starting.  Even my youngest will watch it with me AND so will hubby…and that says a lot when you have something for everyone!  This whole kicking the cable habit is working out quite nicely, I must admit….

 For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!