Me and Craig ...

Screaming and Yelling

2010-02-03T18:33:00.003-06:00

Normally I'm a relatively soft spoken person.
Although today screaming and yelling helped...
It really did!
I was on the treadmill trying to achieve a new personal best.
(A faster pace and a longer run time.)
But there was 15 minutes left to complete...
And I felt so done.
Sweat was dripping from my hair and my calves were burning.
I felt like quitting so bad - and I almost did.
Then I literally started yelling, "You Can Do This!"
I yelled it probably 15 times through that last 15 minutes on the treadmill.
And I did it...
I achieved that faster pace and longer time.
Freaking Awesome!
I think all the uterine and breast cancer crap from last year has helped me to come out of my reserved and shy shell.
Now I feel like...
This is my life and I'm not going to be afraid of going after what I want.
And if yelling and screaming helps me get it - so be it!

What a difference a week makes!

2010-02-01T17:57:00.005-06:00

Today was awesome...
We found out that Dillon and Jessika are pregnant with a little boy!
Our first grand-baby is going to be a little boy!
Our first born son is going to have a first born son.
This is so cool!
Oh and by the way, that is our son Dillon and his fiance Jessika pictured above.
They are so darn cute...
I smile every time I see photos of them together.
I know in my heart they are going to grow a wonderful family and a beautiful life together!
Our first grandson...
Such a blessing.
What a difference a week makes!

I Hate Mondays!

2010-01-25T11:07:00.000-06:00

But this silly cartoon did make me smile this morning...

Friday Link Love

2010-01-22T14:54:00.002-06:00

Here are some links to what I'm going to be reading this weekend...
Check them out and enjoy.

Here are some freebie links, too.

Photo Credit: Cody Hild

Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues

2010-01-18T00:01:00.000-06:00

Wordless Wednesday... Something Pretty On a Dreary Day

2010-01-13T20:43:00.000-06:00

Photo Credit- Cody Hild

wordless wednesday

Go Away Snow

2010-01-10T23:11:00.012-06:00

Cody took this picture a few days back from right out in front of our house. Cold and snow, cold and snow. That seems to be the reoccurring theme these days. Craig has been pushing snow for the city so much that he has maxed out his comp time and had to start taking overtime pay. He and his fellow public work guys are getting very burned out. Sixteen hours on shift, a few hours down time for eating & unwinding and a few hours for sleeping. The winter season feels very long... already.

The spring semester at UNI starts tomorrow for Cody. It will be his last semester of classes. He still has to complete an internship, but then he will graduate with his bachelor of science degree. Both boys done with college... Yippee!

I just made our hotel reservation for the Chicago Marathon. I really wanted a room downtown near where the race starts. Commuting on a normal day is crazy for out-of-towners like us, let alone on a major event weekend like that. I don't want to even talk about the ridiculous amount the room cost. (Let's just say a ridiculously ridiculous amount in my middle-class, middle-American mind.) But we have planned and saved for this adventure for over a year now and I do love my Marriott! 272 days until the race...

Today, Dillon and Jessika found a house they like. They are just hoping it doesn't sell before they are pre-approved for their loan. It is so fun listening & watching them experience all the "firsts" of building a life together!

Better sign off... busy day tommorow. Hope everyone has a good week... stay cool, be warm and be at peace.

The Dalai Lama is Coming to Iowa

2010-01-09T15:21:00.002-06:00

On May 18th, 2010 the 14th Dalai Lama will be speaking at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.
I'm so excited that he will be visiting my hometown...
It's so cool!
For me, it's one of those bucket list items to be able to hear him speak in person.
Sadly, the afternoon tickets sold out immediately - though they are compiling a waiting list.
Yet, they do have $15 dollar tickets to the morning panel discussion in which he will be participating.
That's where I'll be - because I wasn't quick enough to score the main event tickets.
It is going to be so interesting to hear him speak live and in person!

PhotoHunt 194: Lick

2010-01-02T01:39:00.000-06:00

Photo Credit- Cody Hild

Loving 2010 Already

2010-01-01T00:00:00.102-06:00

I'm really psyched about this new year...

I'm done with all the cancer stuff and starting to feel so much better.
Craig and I are in sync on our goals and ready to work together to achieve them.
Craig and I are going to be first time grandparents in June. (Dillon and Jessika are expecting)
Cody is graduating from the University of Northern Iowa and running in the Chicago marathon this fall.
He is also moving out June 1st, which will give me and Craig the whole house to ourselves!
We have quite a few trips planned for this year. Varying from a 3-day weekend in Vegas to a 7-day Caribbean cruise for all nine of us. (We have to remember to get a passport for the new grand-baby!)

We passed the test of 2009 and are ready to take on 2010.

Wordless Wednesday ... Grand-Baby Hild

2009-12-29T21:59:00.002-06:00

wordless wednesday

Music Monday - Silent Monks Singing Halleluia

2009-12-21T23:00:00.002-06:00

Take 10 seconds to say Thanks

2009-12-21T20:43:00.001-06:00

Photo Hunter ... Theme is "Fast"

2009-12-19T07:18:00.001-06:00

I had to giggle a little at this picture.

Craig sent it to me via picture messaging on his cell phone last week.

This was what was helping him get through...

All those 16 hour shifts of clearing snow from the city streets.

Red Bull...

"Fast" in a can!

photohunt

More photos from last week

2009-12-18T22:55:00.002-06:00

Cody's head about ready to explode...

He had one more final to complete before the semester was over for him!

Craig in his grader totally ready to drop after way too many 16 hour shifts in a row.

"It's supposed to snow," is not something he needs to hear for awhile!

Little Dylan and Logan at Breakfast with Santa.

I can't believe I almost forgot this one...

This is my 11 year old Labrador Buddy.

He actually loved being out in the snow...

To bad he can't shovel snow!

I'm having a hard time keeping up!

2009-12-18T22:17:00.003-06:00

Dillon's puppy Common (pictured above) turned a year old on December 12th.

Craig put in over 100 hours of work last week clearing the city streets of snow.

Jessika (Dillon's fiance) and I took her two boys to have breakfast with Santa at the Waterloo Recreation and Arts Center.

Cody had a show to perform at in Des Moine and finish finals at UNI.

I had two doctor appointments, holiday work to complete, and my dad Lyle to check on.
Besides all the normal stuff.

Yep... I'm having a hard time keeping up!

Music Monday - Victor Wooten

2009-12-06T23:26:00.001-06:00

Sunday Inspiration

2009-12-06T23:18:00.002-06:00

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.

Life is beauty, admire it.

Life is bliss, taste it.

Life is a dream, realize it.

Life is a challenge, meet it.

Lif is a duty, complete it.

Life is a game, play it.

Life is a promise, fulfill it.

Life is sorrow, overcome it.

Life is a song, sing it.

Life is a struggle, accept it.

Life is a tragedy, confront it.

Life is an adventure, dare it.

Life is luck, make it.

Life is too precious, do not destroy it.

Life is life, fight for it.

~ Blessed mother Teresa of Calcutta

A Super Saturday...

2009-12-05T19:33:00.011-06:00

Cody, Craig, and I all had a good Saturday.
Cody finished up homework.
Did a morning & afternoon workout.
Plus he watched the first episode of season two of "Dexter" on DVD with me.
Craig spent the day helping his friend Danny work on his "I'm single & divorced now" house.
His soon to be ex-wife is getting their beautiful house in the divorce.
The whole thing is kind of sad ... to me.
Last but not least - I paid bills, picked up groceries, cleaned the house, and visited my dad.
All while doing a vegetable juice fast.
Right now I'm isolating myself in the computer room.
Because,
Craig and Cody are noshing on a cheesy, greasy pizza they ordered for delivery.
Yuck!
I will convert them to healthier food choices ...
I WILL!!!

Photo Credit: Our Son Cody

Finally...

2009-12-05T13:44:00.001-06:00

We ditched the land line and got cell phones.
Craig and I have been like two kids in a candy store playing with them.
It's been fun texting and picture messaging each other, family, and friends.
(I thought this picture of me was a hoot!)

Guardian Angels

2009-12-03T01:30:00.008-06:00

How do you feel on the topic of guardian angels?
Do you believe in their existence?
Or, is it just silly to think there is such a phenomenon?
Personally, I'm a straight up believer.
Even before this crazy year of battling (successfully) two different cancers.

Yes ma'am or sir ... I finally finished treatments on the breast cancer!!!
Actually I finished them a couple of weeks ago -
But it took awhile to bounce back enough to feel like writing about it.
Life is so sweet!
And guess what?
Craig and I are going to be grandparents!
Dillon and his fiance' Jessika are expecting a child.
Our first grandchild ... how cool is that?
I'm so excited to meet that little baby!
But back to my first part -
The whole guardian angel thing.
It really comforts me to know that something good watches over us ...
Especially all the precious little babies!
So where are you at on the whole guardian angel thing???

Photo Credit: Our Son Cody

Wordless Thursday - Iowa Sky and Grass

2009-12-03T01:00:00.000-06:00

wordless wednesday

Photo Credit: My Son Cody

It's been awhile, hasn't it?

2009-10-21T22:00:00.005-05:00

These last couple of months have seriously disappeared in a blur of doctor appointments and cancer treatments.
Happily though ...
I'm half way through my treatments!
And I'm feeling pretty well (just tired a lot of the time.)

This weekend is Craig's and my 29th wedding anniversary!!!
We were going to do a three day weekend somewhere ...
But are putting that on the back burner, for awhile.
He hasn't been feeling too well lately.
(Hernia issues and some sort of cold or flu bug.)
Also,
I found a walnut size lump in the other breast that my doctor is going to check out on Friday.
No sense spending that kind of money when both our minds are on all this health stuff.
Instead it'll be some local fun-

Either a matinee of "Law Abiding Citizen" or "Where the Wild Things Are."
Lunch at a new-to-us restaurant.
A trek to this really huge Arts & Craft's show up at the UNI-DOME.

(We are such an old married couple sometimes!)

Next year will be thirty years ...
Definitely a big party for that one!!!

Photo Credit: Cody
(Isn't that photo pretty? I thought so, anyway! He took it while standing on our front deck.)

Wordless Wednesday - I Haven't Lost All My Marbles, Yet!

2009-10-21T21:15:00.001-05:00

wordless wednesday
Photo Credit: Cody

On This Day

2009-08-23T18:00:00.004-05:00

On This Day ~

Mend a quarrel.
Search out a forgotten friend.
Dismiss a suspicion and replace it with trust.
Write a letter to someone who misses you.
Encourage someone who has lost faith.
Keep a promise.
Forget an old grudge.
Vow to reduce your demands on others.
Fight for a principle.
Overcome an old fear.
Express your gratitude.
Take two minutes to appreciate the beauty of nature.
Tell someone you love them.
Tell them again
and again,
and again!

Photo Credit- Our son Cody