Kitchen Remodel...Update

This weekend was spent finishing our kitchen remodel! D and I grouted the tile that he and his dad installed two or so weeks ago. We also caulked and I was able to put the kitchen back together today. If I think of it I will take pictures to post tomorrow. We went from a "sunny yellow" to a "cinnamon" we finished a natural stone backsplash and put down a Silestone countertop to replace the white formica one. We swapped out the hardware for oil-rubbed bronze as opposed to the brass and chrome. I love it!! I will post pictures as soon as I take them. D thinks he has some pictures of the old kitchen so I can post before and after pictures.

Goodbye 2009 / Hello 2010

As has become tradition, here are my resolutions and results from this year and my resolutions for next year.

I hope everyone has a safe New Year's Eve and that 2010 is your best year to date!!

Resoultion Recap:

2009 Resolutions:

1. Study hard and pass Comprehensive Exams in May. OK passed the last one in September, but they are passed!!

2. Get back in shape...I am currently at my highest weight ever! This last semester was stressful and I stress eat. Lost quite a bit of the weight, but I'm not sure I'm "in shape" just yet.

3. Spend more time with D and Soxy...at least pay them more attention when we are together. Got better at this, but need to get better still.

4. Work harder at making my students learn how to learn instead of just sharing information. Got better at this, but need to get better still.

5. Spend more time with family and friends--especially those not in my program. Got better at this, but need to get better still.

6. Get to Virginia to meet the newest member of my family...she was born in June and I still haven't met her. Haven't met her yet...I will!!

And now, for my 2010 resolutions:

1. Get back in shape and lose the weight my doctor's are telling me to lose (10 lbs, not too bad). Determined not to have another hospital stay by listening to my doctors.

2. Start, and hopefully finish, my dissertation...it is time to become gainfully employed again.

3. FOCUS (on anything and everything). I need to regain my focus, I have not had much in the latter part of 2009.

4. Spend less time with Facebook. This may be my toughest one as I LOVE Facebook; I may even start blogging on a regular basis again, since that is part of my dissertation!

5. Spend LOTS more time with my family. None of us are getting any younger, and I really do love and like my family. More time definitely with D and Soxy...as they are most important to me.

Loving My New Laptop

My old laptop died suddenly last week. My brother hooked me up with a new HP and I picked it up today. I LOVE my new laptop!!! It is an HP EliteBook 6930! Getting everything set up tonight.

Also, when I went to pick up the laptop I got to meet their new dog, Hank. He is a lover, but he is huge and decided that he and their boxer, Oscar, were going to fight for lap space on me.

Belated Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas! I know we did. We spent Christmas Eve with my family and then stopped by my parents on Christmas morning on the way to D's parents. We spent the night because the wind was so bad we were afraid of what might fly at the car on the drive home.

We had a fabulous time with both families but now I'm glad to be home and relaxing with my family (D and Soxy)

Had a Great Weekend in Chicago!!

I got to meet Chris this weekend! She is as awesome in person, if not moreso, than she is on her site!! If you are not reading Chris, you should be!

Oink Oink!

Today I was vaccinated for H1N1. I am glad I was able to be vaccinated, but not thrilled that I qualified as a high-risk faculty member.

Almost Caught Up

I had no idea how hard it would be to catch up with grading and with my lectures from when I was out sick. It's crazy how far behind I am when someone was covering my classes for me. I will eventually catch up and my students will be back on track. Unfortunately, they have admitted that they didn't study for the midterm and their grades reflected it! I just don't know how to get them to take these classes seriously!!!