Happy Birthday to me?

Yesterday was my birthday! Happens every year, just like clockwork... another year ticked off the list, and a fresh one to grow into. I'm starting this year ten pounds lighter (yay!) and plan to end it with at least another ten gone. This middle-aged thing seems to have settled around my middle ;)

We treat ourselves with a house cleaner coming out every other week, and yesterday was her day. I love that feeling, coming home to a sparkling home that smells fresh and clean. I was looking forward to that, especially since it was my birthday. She came, she saw, she tried... Did I mention that I now also have my son, his wife and their five- and two-year-old girls living with us? Did I also mention that my daughter-in-law is a stay home mom (in MY home for now), and also babysits another little girl who is three years old? And of course, all moms know how difficult it is to clean around the chaos that little kids create. I guess my expectations were a little too high, thinking that everyone would put out a little extra effort to keep it tidy since it was my birthday. No luck...

So, I need to focus on the positive things in life to pull myself out of the post-birthday funk I find myself wallowing in. It's a familiar feeling, unfortunately. But God is good, and the world - my world in particular - is filled with a multitude of blessings, many of them generously laid right at my feet. Like my beautiful granddaughters, and the extra time I get to spend with them while we are hosting them at our house. All I need to do is open my eyes to see the wonders that God has created for us in this world - the beauty of nature, the warmth of friendship, the love of family. I am blessed with a good job, great co-workers, wonderful clients, pleasant office, and rewarding work to do. My agile brain, quick wit, charming disposition - all gifts from my Maker. (Even my humility!) The list goes on and on.... Praise God for the ability to shift my focus from negative to positive!

Continuing Insanity

So, just to continue the insanity, we had the kids go ahead and give notice at the apartment complex and start packing up their stuff. What this means is, if the house is not move-in ready by the end of October, they will be moving back in with us. (Was it only two years ago that they moved out? Yikes!) Of course, anybody who has purchased a house can tell you there are numerous things that can go wrong to delay a closing or completely derail the deal. We will try to circumvent those, of course, but need to be mindful that Erick, Liz and the little girls could end up staying with us for anywhere from two weeks to another two years! Well, probably not more than a couple months, really. Even if this deal goes sour, there are lots of cute little houses on the market in our price range right now, and it will just be a matter of choosing one in a good location in reasonably good condition. Or at least, with the price adjusted to cover all possible repairs that the place needs.

Real Estate Magnates

Been looking for a house to buy that we can rent to the kids. All insanity aside, we really feel like this could be a good long term investment for us, and help the kids get on their feet again. I mean, as long as they are paying somebody rent, why not us?
So today we found a cute little house in Black Diamond, not too far away from us. It's in a small development where we had considered buying when they were new construction, several years ago. It's a small neighborhood of what I call matchstick houses - they are built townhouse style, but are individual homes. There are sidewalks winding between the cozy (ok, small) yards, and everyone gets a garage plus parking. When they were first being built, we could see that they were set up perfectly for a young family, and this one has three bedrooms with a bath and a half.
What set this one apart from the dozens we have looked at in the last several months is the price, condition and location. It's an amazing deal, even though it is a short sale. The price was already approved by the bank, so we're pretty sure that the offer will be approved. Then it's just a few weeks of cleaning, etc. and they can move in.
We'll sweep what happens!

Progress?

Ok, so it's been over a week and not much progress. I've lost a total of one pound, and reduced my waist zilch. I guess it's going to take more commitment to really see some changes. Although last night's jambalaya was delicious, I should have stopped at one serving!
I'm finding the hardest part is to let go of those high glycemic carbs... Grains, potatoes, etc. Scott is finally willing to go along with the program starting in October. Maybe together we can triumph!

Diet?

Well, I've decided to try a new diet plan, but not totally commit to it. Is that cheating? My friend and encourager says that it's the effort that counts, and committing to changing habits. So far all I have been able to accomplish is to reduce my carb intake a little. I'm supposed to be replacing grains with greens. Sounds catchy, but I do love my grains!

So far I have lost zero pounds and zero inches off my waist. Stay tuned!