The Pursuit of (true) Happyness for 2009

First off I know I spelled happiness wrong. But I liked the movie and I like the spelling with the Y.

I usually don't make New Years Resolutions, mainly because I don't keep them. I am proud to say though that in October 2008 Jason and I started the slimfast diet and so far (even through the holidays) we've managed to loose about 45# and 20#. Since we did not have that as a 2008 resolution I feel this is more of an accomplishment.

The pursuit of (true)happyness for 2009.....In 2008 we experienced nice wealth. Sitting here thinking back...wealth did not make me truly happy. It was nice that all of the bills got paid on time and we were able to have some nice vacations but all-in-all, looking back, I was happy on the outside but not on the inside. Well I take that back...when we were snowmobiling and when we were inshore/offshore fishing my soul was truly happy.

SO.....in 2009 I want to change/try some things out. A BIG change I am almost 100% for sure I am going to make is that I will not seek re-election for the Arkansas Women's State bowling board. I've been on the board for 5 years now and I've pretty much doing bowling non-stop since I was 13. I want to state that most of time I LOVE BOWLING. For the past year now bowling & being on the board has become a JOB not something I love to do. I've tried making myself love bowling but the more I try the more I hate it. The hard part for me is that there will be certain people that will be very disappointed. It is the disappointment that has kept me on the board for the past year. I will keep bowling but just need time away from the business part of it. This will not be a permanent leave...just something long enough so that I get the desire/fire back in me. This will be hard but something I feel I must do.

Also...I want to spend time with my husband and motorcycle riding more. This will be totally new to me BUT an experience I am eager to take on. I never understood his love of the bike until I got on my trike headed to El Dorado. This bug has bit me.

Next...since we did not sell our fishing boat this year we are going to buy a new trolling motor and fish more in 2009. I was born in June under the Cancer sign. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE being on the water. On the water I feel my soul is beaming.

Then...I am going to get caught up at work. I am so far behind and swamped that I will work from home or come in on a weekend. Heck, when I go on VACATION my lap-top comes with me and I work. Jason frowns upon me working on vacations, BUT I will say that it is my work that allows us to take our vacations. I am ready for a vacation where I turn my computer on and the first thing I don't do is log into SeaArk. I think this will be the hardest for me to accomplish...just ask my husband.

The one thing I don't want to change is time family. I've got a great family and two adorable great neices. In February I will be going to Boise, ID for the 2009 Special Olympic World Games where my brother is a coach for the Arkansas Floor Hockey team. If he doesn't have a game we will be able to spend some time together.

These are some things that I THINK will help me in my Pursuit of (true) Happyness. If you have any thoughts/commments/suggestions please feel free to leave them for me.

Hope everybody has a Happy, Healthy and Safe 2009!!

Why????? (Part II)

Why do I even bother to actually make an appointment at the doctors office? I had an appointment yesterday morning at 10:30 with one of our local doctors. I had called in last week and scheduled this appointment, I did not walk-in. The parking lot was not packed and neither was the waiting room. I finally got to see the doctor at 12:25 p.m. By the time I got to see the doctor, get a shot and have lab work done I left the office at 12:55 p.m.

I could understand if I had walked in and the office was trying to fit me into an already booked schedule, but to actually have made an appointment....well the time I spent there yesterday was just ridiculous!

I hope everybody has a very Merry Christmas!!!!

Cold!?!?!?!?

Do you know how could it was out hunting this morning? We got to our stands around 5:30 a.m. By 5:45 a.m. I was freezing. Around 6:30 a.m. I finally found the "clicker" and was able to start my portable heater. TOO LATE!!!!!

Around 8:25 a.m. I called Jason on the walkie talkie asking if he had seen anything. He had not and the next words out of his mouth just about put me into shock. He CLEARLY stated....."I am getting down from my stand because I am about to freeze my --- off". Now those of you who know Jason knows he is NEVER cold. We made it back to the house about 8:30 a.m. and I think both of us were equally excited about the heat.

** Christmas tree is at Universal Studios Japan and was taken December 2005 **

WHY?????

This year for Christmas holiday I am on vacation the 22nd, will work the 23rd and then work is closed the 24th, 25th and 26th. That is 7 of 8 days of NO work (yes I will go in anyway to try to catch up).

Why is it that the closer it gets to Christmas the less amount of work I want to do and the more I REALLY don't want to be at work??????

Thanksgiving

This year Jason and I had a little bit of a different Thanksgiving this year. We spent it in Crowley, LA with Anthony, Kelly & Nora Claire. Thanksgiving day we went to Anthony's family in Franklin, LA. We had fried turkey (we usually have at home) a turkey roll (excellent), fresh mustard greens (Jason loved), melotone w/seafood (not for sure exactly what that is), mashed potatoes, gravy, macaroni & cheese (not boxed) and spinach. Since we've been on the Slim Fast diet our stomach's have gotten smaller and I will say that our eyes were way bigger than our stomach's. The one thing we couldn't turn down was Anthony's mom's blueberry banana cheese cake. Too die for! The weather was just wonderful, the food was good and the company was great. It was nice for a change not having everybody out by us. Nice for a change but not the same.

Friday we headed to Lafayette for some shopping at Target, lunch @ Pete's (hamburgers with a fried egg), shopping at Babies R Us and Linen's & Things. We found Nora Claire a door jumper which she was put in Saturday night and enjoyed it. We wanted to stop by Casual Male XL but Nora Claire was having a stomach ache screaming fit. We pulled over and tried comforting her for about 20 minutes. All we could do unfortunately is let her work though the pain. I felt so bad for her & momma. We finally made it back home. After a few more screaming attacks I think Nora Claire just got tired and gave up.

Anthony's team (Notre Dame Pioneers) are in the Louisiana state playoff and were playing Rayville (just south of Monroe). We did not attend the game but did listen to it on the radio. Well we tried listening to it. There was bad weather in Monroe so the local radio station went in and out....well more out than in. The Pios lost their starting qb to a broken collar bone but managed to hang on and win. They will play next week back in Crowley and IF they win that game the state championship game is 12-12 at the Superdome. By Monday I will have made a hotel reservation for that Friday night. I would much rather have to cancel a reservation than have trouble trying to make one. Jason and I were sorry to hear that Monticello lost such a close game. I was a firm believer that if the Billies won that they would go on to win the championship. Still they had a GREAT year!

Today was pretty much a relaxing day. Anthony had coaching stuff to do. Kelly, Jason and I had lunch at home. We were going to Franklin tonight to eat dinner at Rik Rak. This is a Japanese steakhouse at the casino in Franklin. The food is E X C E L L E N T!!! The earliest reservation we could get was 10:30 pm. Instead we ran to Lafayette real quick to Fresh Market. We bought NY strip steaks, sushi (spicy tuna and smoked salmon Philadelphia roll). We finished out the meal with a Doe's salad and veggies (asparagus, zuchini and squash). Last but not least finished off with desert (Jason-creme brule, Anthony-NY cheesecake, Kelly & I-fruit tarte). As I am typing this I am sitting here in misery!!!!

Even though Nora Claire was fussy a bit it was nice to get to spend some time with her, Kelly and Anthony. Jason and I are looking to leave NLT 9 a.m. We want to stop by Simmons in Bastrop to look for me a new deer feeder and once we get home I will either go out hunting or go to work. I leave Tuesday morning to go to New Orleans to attend the 2008 International Workboat Show (work). I have alot I need to get done before I leave Tuesday...........I may just have to sit on my deer stand.

Hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving!

2009 Special Olympics World Games

I want to start off by saying that my brother will be going to the World Games as a coach for the Arkansas floor hockey team. When I finally realized that Jason and I wouldn't be going snowmobiling (sob, sob) I jokingly told my brother that I am going to Boise. He made the suggetion to try to register through family services. Well I did knowing I probably wouldn't be accepted.

I got wonderful news today. My "family" application for the 2009 Special Olympics World Games has been approved. I will be attending the games from February 7 - 14 in Boise, ID. I hope to fly in on February 6th and fly out the day of February 14th. I will be attending the opening ceremonies but will miss the closing ceremonies. Since I am a "family" member I will have tickets for the opening ceremonies and all of the games that the floor hockey team will be playing.

I am happy that I will get to see snow again!!! Just won't be the same not going out into the wilderness on a snowmobile. I am happy that I will be able to spend some time with my brother. Yes brother I do enjoy doing things with you and I think this is going to be AWESOME.

I am apprehensive though. Taylor (our daughter) was a special needs child. While it has been 14 years since she passed away I ALWAYS get a little emotional getting to see the participants in action. I often find myself wondering that if Taylor would still be here that Jason and I might be attending the numerous Special Olympics events with her. While the majority of time you will never know how much I miss her, attending this will be tough.

I will be purchasing my plane ticket, reserving a car and booking a hotel tomorrow. I can't wait...Before I even think about Boise here is my schedule through the end of the year:

November 21 - November 23 bowling tournament in Tulsa, OK
November 26 - November 30 Thanksgiving with Kelly in Crowley, LA

December 2 - December 5 International Workboat Show in New Orleans, LA
December 6 - Hot Springs dropping off motorcycle parts & staying overnight to celebrate our 18th anniversary

January 1 - January 4 Inshore fishing in Venice, LA

During all of this time I will be working, bowling and enjoying the holidays. You know it seems like I am already looking forward to 2009!

What's Up

Well it has been a while since I posted so I thought I would provide an update to what the Caldwell's have been up to.

A little more than a month ago Jason and I started the Slim Fast diet. We drink a shake for breakfast, have a low calorie morning snack, have a shake for lunch, have a low calorie afternoon snack and then for dinner we eat what we want. Since we no longer need leftovers for the next day we are cooking less at night. Our stomach's have shrunk and my pocketbook likes the cost savings. Earlier this year Jason was up to 335 - 340. Today he got on the scale and he weighed 295. He would like to get down to 275. Earlier this year I was 232 and as of this morning I was 214. I would like to get down to 200. For turkey day we are going down to Kelly's (cajun food). The first Tuesday in December I am going to New Orleans for a boat show (more cajun food). Needless to say that week and a half all I can do is hope I can excercise portion control. I know I can with the food but the time we are in New Orleans......the crown and coke will be the killer.

Mother is having cataract surgery tomorrow. My brother will pick her up @ 5:30 in the morning. I will pick her up and take her to her follow-up appt. I didn't realize how bad the cataracts were until last weekend. We were in West Little Rock and come up to an intersection. Between the street lights and traffic lights it was so bright mother had to put her hands over her eyes to block the light. I know she has been looking forward to having this surgery. I do hope it is a success.

Due to the neck it is suggest that I do not ride a snowmobile (bumps). Because of that I am toying between just going with the group snowmobiling then just hanging out in West Yellowstone OR going to the Special Olympics International games in Boise, ID. My brother is a coach for the Arkansas floor hockey team. While I would not be staying with him I would be spending most of the day and some of the evening either watching the team or hanging out with him. CHOICES, CHOICES, CHOICES.

How come it is that recently I've received a big commission check and bonus check from work, know I need to pay off a credit card, invest some money and buy both Jason and I new clothes (smaller sizes) but I can't seem to get motivated to do it.

I've gotten x-mas gifts already for Jason's dad, my mom, 2 of my 3 neices, 1 great and one great neice. Having the money has afforded me to go ahead and start buying. OH, I truly love Overstock.com. I've recently ordered 650ct Egyptian cotton sheets and I tell you they are awesom. I also just got a couple of down pillows. We will see how they sleep tonight. I ordered a king size down comforter and man-o-man.....

I am loving my trike. More discussion on this will have to come in another post.

Last but not least Jason and I did go hunting this weekend. Both days I saw does and a 3-point. Jason saw a spike and 3 does. For those of you who have been to our house the rule has always been you can't shoot a deer from the back deck unless it has horns.........well tonight Jason took a step out of the back door and shot a 7-point.

All in all.......life is good!