2012...simply.

OK, so here we are again...it's a new year. A time to set resolutions, a time for goals, a time for betterment of every man and woman.... OK, OK, so how many have already broken all of your resolutions and forgotten about your goals and have in fact become a worse man or woman?? Well, maybe you haven't become a worse person but I am sure you have had a smoke or a big ol' slice of cake...but I haven't, because I am wonderful....joke. I actually gave up smoking YEARS ago but I am back on my healthy lifestyle again...that's fancy talk for diet.

My resolutions were as follows
      -Stop eating, or lose weight, whatever

So, that's it. There is no point in trying to set 50 resolutions because that sets you up for failure. I know I can lose weight...I don't know if I can get to my goal weight so let's just try that one for now. Once I do that I will try another one like, win the lottery.

Another resolution is to get organized, now my Director would tell me to use this opportunity to plug my business as a Thirty-One Independent Consultant and get you to buy organizational products from me but I wouldn't do that to you (Please go to www.mythirtyone.com/jcash to learn how you can get organized at home and on the go) I am sure you have all you need to get your house in order (My 31). But seriously, I have begun organizing my house (with 31) and I have been getting rid of so much stuff!! I would like nothing better than to have my house completely void of ANY clutter, ANYwhere but for now I have kids...one of them small, so there are toys everywhere and art supplies and books about Pigeons driving buses...it is my life and I can't donate it yet. Soon, well not soon, about seven years or so. But you get the idea...just get rid of it! If you haven't looked at it since 1991...toss it. I live in an apartment so I just had to come to terms that I just don't have room for all the crap I had.

Another resolution is to take more pictures...so then you end up with  is 253 pictures of January 1st and 2nd and then NOTHING! Or you do well for a while, print them out and then they sit in a pile waiting to be framed or cropped into a collage you wanted to make for your mom but never get around to it...oh, is that just me then? Oh well, I really want to frame those pictures...

Save money is another popular one...but isn't this the MOST obvious one? Don't you think that if you had the money LAST year you might have saved something?? But no, you wanted to go to that baseball game and eat at the priciest restaurant in town or that cute little kid comes around asking you to buy girl scout cookies...which, by the way, directly affects you resolution to lose weight..or your local My Thirty-One Consultant comes over... never mind, you get the point. Saving money is a pointless resolution...how about make MORE money. That could be a good one!

Either way, just try your best to do what is right and healthy and everything should be fine in 2012 for you. Settle debts...just get rid of it. Declutter your place...just get rid of it. Eat healthy, lose weight...just get rid of it. I see a trend...I think it's SIMPLIFY!

2012, the year of simplification. LET"S DO IT!    

Slacking Off a Bit

Since coming back from vacation, it seems I have taken the liberty of going off of my diet and going off blogging, 2 things I once enjoyed very much. I was trying to get back on the dieting bandwagon but it seems to be moving too fast and I am hoping that in 2012, at some point I can get back on. Blogging has become a problem because I live a life so boring that I dare not spread the boredom through my blog. However, it is Christmastime now and the girls have changed quite a bit and there are some new things going on now that I probably can't share all of it today! Let's start with Jocelyn's news....

Jocelyn has had her surgery postponed. Woohoo!! The Dr wants to give her body a second chance. After scans in October prove that her bladder is looking better we have decided to give potty training a shot. If we can get her potty trained and her flow is strong and she's emptying completely then she won't have to do surgery...so keep her in your thoughts. This opens up a whole new world for her if this works. She would only have check ups as opposed to monthly tests or procedures. We could stop cathing her every 4 hours then, of course, she could start school in Fall 2012 as a preschooler! I might be able to find a part time job or even go back to school. Either way it goes I would continue to be proud of her and I will still do whatever I can to keep her happy. She has started a dance class and she used to love it but now the past 2 weeks she doesn't want to participate and hopefully it is just a phase...please, I hope it's just a phase!

Lexie is continuing to do well and got straight A's again! So proud of her!! Her friends that she is choosing is giving me great confidence that she is on the right path! She is also in a dance class which she loves and practices for an hour a day. Her dance school Victoria's Dance Stars has taken part in 3 Christmas Parades that she, a first year, usually wouldn't have the joy in joining but because of her hard work, she was moved up to parade team. I have already noticed a difference in how high she can kick and how much better her splits look! Couldn't be prouder!! Lexie has also joined Best Buddies at school. Best Buddies is a Non Profit Organization that helps out in the special needs class at her school! She loves to help out down there and is always telling me great things about the kids! She is really growing up nicely.

Sorry about all the mush about my girls...just having a proud mommy moment.

With Christmas just around the corner, I am starting to get as giddy as a school child and can't wait until 7am on Christmas morning! It helps that I have been able to get out our Christmas cards, which I haven't managed for about 2 years. Christmas was always a happy time at our house. No matter what was going on, or how much money we had, Christmas was always good. We (the Griffiths family) have our annual putting up the tree argument 'Is it straight?' 'Are you gonna help with these bloody lights?' you know, things like this...but Christmas morning was always amazing! I am so happy we get to see the light in the girls eyes as they come down the stairs and see what Santa left for them. The tradition is that Santa ALWAYS brings us our Cadbury  Selection Boxes...for all you American folk, this is a box of Cadbury chocolate bars and once we open them the trades begin. Swapping for your favorites is an after unwrapping thing we do every year. Then there is that lull that comes over the room after all the presents are open and the tea/coffee has been drunk and you realize you have to wait a WHOLE year to get this sort of satisfaction again. I love hearing all of the Christmas traditions that everyone has that are just as wonderful and completely different from ours. So to everyone, Merry Christmas and enjoy your family's traditions as much as I do and then the countdown begins again! :)

I have also started a new business venture. I became a My Thirty-One Independent Consultant!! This has brought more income into our home and has helped out tremendously with Christmas shopping!! I started back in September and for just $99 I have made over $750!! Sounds like a good investment to me! I will let you know more about this in another post.

The year is coming to an end and I am leaving 2011 20lbs lighter than when I came in, more income than what I came in with, SO much less debt than what I started with and more happiness than when I came in with. All in all 2011 was a transition year...2012 will be the culmination of all my hard work from this year and I look forward to it!! So to everyone Happy New Year to you!!

Going home...for all intents and purposes

I have delayed this trip home like I wish I could have the actual trip. I am now on my final installment of California road trip. I have shown you so much already but there is still so much more to see. This trip taught me just how small I actually am. All the time I spent wrapped up in my own world, all these things were happening all over the country. People were horseback riding through the canyons of Utah, gambling on the Vegas Strip, kayaking the rivers of Colorado, and farming on the flat lands of Kansas. There are people, right now as I am typing and you are now reading that are doing these things. Sometimes we need to remember there is more to life then our life. You gain a certain appreciation of things after seeing the country this way.

As the last day in California arrived, I got sad knowing that in a few short days I would be back in Delaware leading my mediocre life...or that's how I saw it anyway.

                                 Here is the sun setting on my last night in beautiful California.

Here, I must tell you that sometimes I wonder if I would truly be happy in California or if I just think I will be. After this trip, those doubts were put to rest. Anyway, let's carry on towards Delaware.

We had to stop at Bob's Big Boy on the way out of Cali. Yes, I had a Big Boy! Don't judge me!

We made it to Las Vegas. This part of Vegas is so nice! This is the strip. We had managed to squeeze between 2 storms on the way...we had done this a few times during our long drive. Something about out west is that you can see storms that are miles away. The lightning storms on the tops of mountains are amazing!

                                                    It really is nice on the strip but....

                                       "Fabulous" Downtown Las Vegas is not so "fabulous".

Yes that sign says "Speed Limit 80" You gotta love Utah!! Let me just say, we made up some time this day!

This was the best part of the trip home. This is in beautiful Circleville, Utah. It is the boyhood home of Butch Cassidy...you know, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? Ever heard of them? The funny thing about this house is that it is completely unmarked. There is no sign on the side of the road marking a historical site. It is just there about 100 yards of the road. It is almost like Butch Cassidy might have shamed Circleville. Either way, it was pretty cool!

More beautiful Utah scenery. This is the Sevier River. The surrounding rocks were absolutely beautiful. This picture, like many others taken on this trip, do it NO justice.

                                     Yep, Utah again. It was too pretty to not take pictures!

The 2 pictures above are from Avon, Colorado. It, too, was beautiful but not Utah. After Denver it was surprisingly flat. We also dodged a couple of storms in Colorado. it worked out well that the road we were traveling took a turn South or we would have been clobbered!

                     I debated posting this one, it is Kansas. This is about it. Still very nice though.

Here is another shot of the Gateway Arch in St Louis. We got a lot closer to it going east. Jocelyn calls it the "silver rainbow".

This pretty much concludes the trip. Everything from here on out we already saw going West. I, however, didn't feel vacation was over until we got into Pennsylvania. The reason is, I can get to Pennsylvania in about 10 minutes from my house. As soon as I saw the Delaware sign my mood changed, I was back. No more palm trees, back to reality.

So now the countdown is on again...10 more months until I see again what I had waited for 9 years to see...

                                                          Welcome home, Judy.

FB&R...Fun, Beauty and Relaxation

Well, in this installment of the California Road Trip, I will show you the fun and the beautiful side of the sunny state. More reasons to visit, or in my case, hopefully move back to, California.

After relaxing and going to Santa Monica to spend time with my childhood BFF and enjoying dinner at Ye Olde King's Head Restaurant with 7 family members (practically a complete family reunion for us). We were to hit up Disneyland next. This would be the first time I had been to Disney with the kids. Lexie had been a few times with my parents, both Disneyland and Disney World. This would be a very special day for me. My family and I, while I was growing up, lived about 30 minutes from the Magic Kingdom and would go once or twice a year. It was MUCH cheaper to do so in the 80's. Anyway, I am rambling. Jocelyn was sure to love her first visit.

As we entered the through the gates Jocelyn had yet to wrap her head around the organized chaos of the Disney experience. She overly enjoyed seeing the Princess Castle and walking through it instantly changed her into a princess, in my eyes anyway!

We got to see Mickey as we walked in but missed the end of the line by 2 people...ahh well, at least we got to see him!

                                                       The girls on Main St Disneyland.

One of my favorite pictures. Lex and Jo with Walt and Mickey with a princess castle as a backdrop!!

                                                        My lovely princess at the castle.

On the It's A Small World ride. Tradition has us do this ride first every time we go. Can't break tradition.

                       Meeting Goofy. I thought Jocelyn would freak out, but she gave him a high 5!

This part was by far Jocelyn's favorite part!! I can't even begin to describe how happy she was here in Pixie Hollow. THIS 10 minutes was well worth the entire admission price. She met Fawn (above and of course her ultimate favorite....

                                                              TINKERBELL!!!

Jocelyn ran straight to her!! And then look at my other princess...standing eye to eye with Tinkerbell. Where does the time go??

            And of course they did the Dumbo ride! One of Jocelyn's favorite...besides the carousel!!

And this is how EVERY kid should leave Disneyland! I am so grateful to have been able to do this with my girls!

While Disney was amazing and nostalgic, our trip wasn't over here. We still had A LOT of vacation left. Now I will share...

Sequoia National Park! Home of the Giant Sequoia Trees. I have been here many times and I always remember that the trees are big but you forget HOW big and are amazed every time. This picture with the girls and the sign is another tradition...every member of the family has their picture taken here, with the exception of the newest member, my sister in law.

I am going to post pictures of the trees but I can tell you, it will do them no justice. Only one will make you understand the sheer size of the giants.

                                                     Beautiful scenery in Sequoia.

                                                        Entering the Giant Forest

                                           People would drives their cars on this fallen tree.

                    Looking down on my mom and Jocelyn from the roots of the fallen "Auto Log"

Does this picture put in perspective for you? The roots of the tree that fell almost a hundred years ago. You could stack 3 Lexie's from top to bottom.

                                                         Another example of size.

Some more scenery. I could post pictures all day from Sequoia. In fact I think I took more pictures here than anywhere else. Everything is just amazing up there. but I think you get the point and I will move on to the next part.

Back at my aunt and uncle's house. This was my view EVERY morning. Something I really miss. I would go straight outside and sit on the swing with Jocelyn while Lexie slept in and enjoy the peace and quiet and watch the hummingbirds sip at the nectar and the dragonflies skim the top of the pool. Paradise.

Just happy...but it's almost over now and we will be packing to head home shortly. So I will leave you with the image that I go back to when I need a small mental break and then on the next post I will take you with me on our trip home! Still so much to see. Vegas, Utah, Colorado and more!

                                                           Sit on the swing with me.

A Sense of Belonging.

Part 2 of our California road trip will start in Arizona...Flagstaff to be exact. We always seemed to stay in Flagstaff in our trips to Arizona when I was growing up. We stayed at a Comfort Inn I believe...I enjoyed it there. I had a woodsy themed lobby with thick wooden tables and chairs and a deer head mounted over the stone fireplace...very nice. I had intended on using the fitness center but I took in a Kidney Walk via conference phone meeting at 5am local time. Gotta fit in the important stuff. I was anxious about getting on the road and seeing the Welcome to California sign. Here are some pics from this day.

                                                Some western Arizona scenery for you.

                                             A reason I have no plans on moving Arizona...

The sign I had been waiting for...The area you enter into California from Arizona is pretty desolate and if this is the first view of Cali you get you might just turn around and go home...the beautiful scenery and palm trees come later...

Our final destination...my aunt and uncle's backyard. When I first got there and went out back, I had to stand there for a minute and just soak it in. "I am here" I said to myself. It felt unreal.

Only a few people will understand the complete peace that comes over you when you feel that you are exactly where you should be. I felt a sense of belonging that I have not felt in a LONG time. My kids looked happy...and wasted no time getting in the pool I must say...and I felt complete, well, minus the fact that my hubby wasn't with us. If I could I would move there today...like right now...as I am typing this.

It has been very hard to be comfortable when Delaware has always felt temporary. Don't get me wrong, I would miss the friends that I have made and some have even become like family to me, my parents are here and my brother is in New Jersey...I would miss them like crazy, but I only have one life and I want to be where I want to be plain and simple. Now, back to the trip.

We got there on a Friday afternoon, we lazed around and went shopping and swimming on Saturday and we went down to Santa Monica on Sunday. I was meeting up with my friends from the old block. I was so excited to see my childhood friends and see my BFF's kids!! Here are some pics from the next few days of my trip.

                                             The girls wasting NO time getting in the pool!

                    Me wasting no time sitting poolside and soaking up some California sun.

                                            Pyramid Lake-between Bakersfield and LA.

                                             Self explanatory, I think! The pier.

The Pacific Ocean at Santa Monica Beach as seen from the Pacific Park Ferris Wheel on the Pier.

My old house, where I grew up. This house, the whole street in fact, looks MUCH smaller that I remember, but I guess I was much smaller then. The house looks so different now and I wouldn't want to move back, but I wish I could just walk through it and check things out.

                        Another beautiful morning in California. My aunt and uncle's backyard.

The girls at CALM...California Living Museum. It's a zoo essentially, but it only houses animals that are native to California. Foxes, mule deer, black bears, snakes, mountain lions, bald eagles, roadrunners and others...you get the idea.

This is the last picture of this post. This is another reason I want to live in California, the weather channel is so boring here! LOL. Should I mention now that we didn't see a drop of rain on our trip? While we were in California, Delaware had tornadoes, a hurricane and an earthquake!! That's right the east coast earthquake of 2011 happened while I was in California! Irony.

I hope you enjoyed this section of our trip...the next post will include Disneyland, Sequoia and the Giant Redwoods, and Las Vegas. I guess I am doing this trip in 4 posts.

From Here to Flagstaff.

It seems I have failed to keep this blog up to date. I am very sorry and I hope I can do better for you and for me. I am such a slacker.

Anyhoo...2 weeks ago I returned from an amazing adventure. My parents, myself and my girls drove across country from Delaware to California in a Ford Fusion. 5 people. Fusion. Cross Country. 5 people. Fusion. Cross Country. Just want to make sure you have the mental picture. It was pretty amazing though. I am sure you have already figured out that I was over the moon on going back home to California. I was too excited for words!

 I wanted to share with you our trip and I may have to do it in 2 or 3 blog posts. The first part of our trip was great...the feeling of the open road and being on vacation, there is nothing like it. Our 1st night we stayed in Richmond, IN (just across the border of OH). The girls were able to go swimming in the heated pool and I was able to get in a small workout in their not so well equipped gym. The 2nd night we drove from Richmond, IN to a place called Sapulpa, OK (just outside of Tulsa). This is the day that I saw the Lucas Oil Stadium where the Colts play and I drove over the Mississippi, I saw the St Louis Arch and met a Facebook friend I had never met before! Here are some pics from the first couple of days.

Here is a picture of an Indian Trading Post in Illinois...obviously modern. They had some amazing stuff in there though...mostly hand made. Jocelyn got herself a little drum and Lexie got a ring for her friend and one for her.

                                  My girls, Lexie and Jocelyn, in Illinois at the Trading Post.

Something they had set up at the trading post...all made from wood, I believe. All of them for sale...should have brought back those horses huh?

                                      The girls in the hotel room in Tulsa after a LONG drive!

Jocelyn and her new friend! She is the same age as Jocelyn, which is how I met her mother on Facebook! So neat how we ended up around the corner from her house!!

Jocelyn was doing better than I expected and only had 2 "moments" that lasted about 2 minutes each where she was either overly hyper or crying. Not bad for a kid who just turned 3. Lexie was all plugged in, whether it was her iPod, iPad or the DVD player she was having a good time. My dad and I took turns driving although, even though I am in my 30's, I don't think he was completely comfortable in the passenger seat, but enjoyed the break and being able to enjoy the scenery and really take it in.

The following day was our longest. 970 miles to be exact. The plan was to drive from Sapulpa, OK to Gallup, NM...however we drove to Flagstaff, AZ. THAT is A LOT of driving!! But this too was a good day. We saw Oklahoma, City, we ate at an awesome "little" place in Amarillo, TX and drove clear through New Mexico, one of the prettiest states in the country. This day also meant we would be in California the next day!!

                                                Jocelyn being happy to be on the road again.

                         Lexie and Jocelyn in Oklahoma...did you know that the state animal is a...

                                                                        A Buffalo!!

                                               Lexie and Jocelyn in Texas...it was HOT!!

                                  The reason I have NO plans to move to Texas...in a rest area.

The "little" place in Amarillo, TX I was talking about. As seen on Travel Channel and Food Network...if you eat a 72oz steak with sides you get it free!! I had a buffalo burger...and I couldn't finish that.

                              Some New Mexico scenery...the pictures do it NO justice at all!!

This wraps up our first 3 days of our trip. I hope you enjoyed it. I wish I could have taken you all with me but we were pretty full already. 5 people. Fusion. Cross Country.