what's been going on in Kelley's world... LONG post

She’s been busier than all get out is what! LOL

 

I’ve had a lot going on the past six months which you may have figured out since I’ve barely made a peep in here in that long, except to post my monthly book lists. Let’s see, I’ve been to Louisville, KY, Los Alamitos, CA, Nashville, TN, Little Rock, AR, and Denver, CO since the New Year, a week for each one. Next month I go to Las Vegas, NV for a week. All of these are work trips. I’ve also been to West Texas, and all over the Dallas area in the past month or so. With still more all over Dallas trips to make, at least one more trip to W Texas, at least one trip to E Texas, and at least one trip to central TX, all to come in the next few months.

 

I went through “oh no they are cancelling every single contract job in the Army Reserves” to “they’d never get rid of us” to “we’ve got two more option years on our contract so we’re safe” to “uh oh, the contract is up in one week where is the new one?” to “yes we have a new contract for next year starting in 3 days.” I’ve had brainstorming sessions to merge our 5 state area with the 3 state area managed out of CA since we will fall under their jurisdiction starting in October of this year. I’ve had a TON of reports to write for work for all these inspections I’ve done that I’m not even close to finishing (reports OR inspections) due to all the other trips I’ve had to take. I’ve had to start rewriting some of our policies and standard operating procedures and checklists for our inspection program to make sure that we are incorporating the way the California region has been doing things. I’ve been coordinating on setting up, planning and scheduling a week long training course (the Vegas trip) to get all our folks and the folks out of the California region up to speed and fully trained on the software we are ALL supposed to be using and were supposed to be using for the past 5 years but in actuality only two of out of 10 or so between the two regions are actually using.

 

I’ve been super active at my church since the New Year, volunteering at every event for their single parents ministry I possibly can since January. I’ve always felt this program was important and have been volunteering once in a while for a couple years. But after A and D split up, hearing both of their stories and how hard they are trying to make things work in the best possible way for the boys, I had a whole new appreciation for what single parents have to go through and it’s upped my passion about the program.

 

I’ve also become a small group leader in my Singles’ Sunday school class, leading discussions and coordinating events for our small group for a little over three months now. I did one three month stint and started a new three month cycle two weeks ago. I also attend a weekly Bible Study every Tuesday I’m in town with folks from my singles’ group and have been doing that since January or February. And of course I still attend our weekly Starbucks get togethers every single Thursday I’m in town. And of course I attend as many of the events and activities as I am able with my schedule.

 

What else? I planted a TON of stuff in my 6 huge planters out on my balcony this year after not doing anything with them last year and they are looking GORGEOUS! A couple planters not so good but most of them are huge and full and I get compliments all the time from folks who can see my balcony from the ground level and even the street my apartment faces.

 

My friends J and K who I met when they lived in my apt complex and were our events coordinators, and are actually the ones who introduced me to my church and got me going regularly again just moved to Nebraska. J finished Seminary School finally and graduated about 6 weeks ago or so. They invited me to his graduation and I went happily. J had a couple interviews in Nebraska early this year and I took them to the airport and all when I was in town so they didn’t have to pay parking. J was interviewing to be the pastor at a church up there and he got the job! So a month out of Seminary School he already has his own little church. I spent Memorial Day weekend helping them pack for their move. I got to know them really well when they lived here and we got to be good friends. So I was sad to see them go. Even though we didn’t see each other much, we chatted over e-mail regularly and it was a comfort knowing they were close by even though they moved out to Grand Prairie (about 30 mins away) over a year ago. I knew I could always call them if I ever needed anything and they knew they could do the same. So I’m sad they left because of that. But at the same time, I’m excited for them because this is something J has wanted longer than I’ve known them and he worked really hard to get it. So I am thrilled he got his opportunity so soon after finishing school for it.

 

I took a week’s use or lose vacation Mem Day week and spent almost the ENTIRE week cleaning my apartment top to bottom since I’ve been so busy I’ve not been able to keep up on it.

 

A week or so after one of the folks at my website who did a lot to help with our monthly left suddenly in April, (which meant I had to pick up the difference in my already jam packed schedule), some web designer lady contacted me, threatening to sue us for stealing HER website design! We opened in March 2006. The site we supposedly stole the design of the earliest date we could find on it was July 2007. But WE stole from HER? Anyhow, I wanted to fight it but my friend who actually designed our website didn’t want to deal with the hassle so she just changed our site a bit, giving it a facelift and a slightly different color scheme to so that lady wouldn’t harass us.

 

On top of all that as if I wasn’t already busy enough and having enough to do, I decided it was high time to really get serious about losing weight and getting in shape again. 7 weeks ago I signed up for Medifast (http://www.medifast1.com though I go to a local clinic rather than using the online program). My goal is to lose 40 lbs, which puts me back where I was before I gained all this weight about three or four years ago. So far I’ve lost about 15.5 lbs. Feel great! A lot of my clothes don’t fit and I refuse to buy more since I don’t intend to stay at this transition weight since I’m still losing. So some of my friends are teasing me because all my pants are too big and I really have to tighten the belt to keep them in place. LOL Apparently the weight I’ve lost is really starting to show now too. I can’t see it yet except in the lower numbers on my scale and knowing my pants don’t fit right but everyone else can! A couple weeks ago in the leasing office when I went to pick up packages they were all telling me how great I look and asking how I’ve lost the weight. And on Sunday at church in class, everyone was telling me I looked fantastic.

 

I’ve also just joined a gym. I started going to 24 Hour Fitness almost a week ago on a 7 day guest pass. I don’t go for the equipment though, I go for the exercise classes. I wanted to take some different classes but researching the prices made me realize it’s cheaper to join a gym where I have access to every single class they offer and can do whichever ones I want. So… Monday I attended kickboxing class and worked out for about 45 minutes. Tuesday I didn’t go since my Bible Study in the evenings makes it a little difficult to get to the classes I want. I’d have to come late to Bible Study or skip entirely and I don’t want to do that. Wednesday I attended a 15 minute “Amp’d Abs” workout which is an INTENSE abs only class. Immediately after that ended Kickboxing started up and I did that for an hour. Last night I attended the Amp’d Abs class again and it was immediately followed up by an hour’s worth of dance exercise classes. My abs HURT today. Every time I swallow or cough or stretch or even bend I can feel the ache there but it’s a GOOD ache! I’ve been pretty lost in the classes since obviously they are full of regulars who know the routines so I probably only actually GET about 2/3-3/4 of the workout since I get confused at some of the routine moves. But even so I’ve been sweating up a storm each day and actually ENJOYING my classes! I figure after I’ve gone a few times and get the hang of the routines and the different moves I’ll be fine and really getting the full benefits. The Abs class is HARD since my abs and my whole core muscle group is pretty week but I’m going to stick to it. They also have Pilates and yoga which I want to try out, and a 3 lane lap pool I intend to make use of sometimes too to get that workout.

 

What else? Well since I’m on this diet it’s been forcing me to cook more (and gas prices are keeping me from going out as often as I used to). My George Foreman Grill is my new best friend and got pulled out of the closet where it’s been languishing since I moved here, except the 4 or 5 times a year I actually used it. LOL Now I use it several times a week when I’m cooking.

 

And yes, even in the midst of all of this craziness, I STILL am finding reading time! Mostly it’s audio books but I’ll count ‘em! I think I’m at 76 books total for the year already. My goal this year is to read 150 so I think I’ll make it.

 

But as you can imagine from all that’s been going on, I’ve MAJORLY had to cut back my internet time so I’m not in here near as much to chat with people.

 

I also made this new friend through my friend B. She came to our Memorial Day party for my singles group and we met there but then she came to Starbucks a couple weeks ago with B for the first time and we immediately clicked! M and I get along great and have been talking about all sorts of stuff we’d like to go do.

 

I’m crazy busy and I’m always exhausted, but I’m happier than I’ve been in a long long time. So the being happy really makes up for the stress of my schedule and the tiredness. And that my friends, is what’s been happening in my world. Now I need to go eat lunch and then come back here and get moving on the monthly site update for Kwips and get some of my reviews written that are piling up due to no time to write them!