My new backyard friends....

One of the things that I enjoyed in Ohio was my huge backyard. We always got a ton of squirrels! I know it's not recommended, but I would feed them on a regular basis. They would always come back and I would enjoy watching them run and play in the yard. They were quite entertaining. I swear, we had the fattest squirrels in the neighborhood!

Since we've moved to Florida, I haven't seen too many squirrels. Our yard is much smaller now and we haven't had one squirrel come visit us. I think the only place I've seen them running around is at the zoo. Probably because of all the trees and places to hide.

Even though I do miss my squirrel friends, I have come across a few new backyard friends that have been keeping us entertained.... some friends that I don't think I ever expected to see and probably never would have in Ohio (at least not in my backyard!).....

Getting into shape...other than round!

Now that we are pretty much settled in our new home, I've made the commitment to lose this extra weight I've gained over the last few months.

Problem is, I really don't like to exercise. I enjoy going for walks but at a leisurely pace, not a pace that would really burn any calories. I hate bike riding and I can barely swim so those are not good options for me. I find the treadmill to be boring. Running is something I would consider but I need to find a really good sports bra first. My boobs are just to big to run comfortably without one. I am not into sports so much....I feel I am not coordinated enough to do something like tennis or aerobics class.

So what am I to do??? I opted for an elliptical trainer. We recently invested in an elliptical machine and I'm hoping I can stay motivated enough to continue doing it. It's tolerable and doesn't require much coordination though I'm afraid I'll get bored with it like I would with a treadmill. I'm trying to keep in mind the health benefits of getting in shape and how much better I'll feel once I lose weight. I'm also hoping my daughter's upcoming wedding will be enough to keep me going!

Why does losing weight and getting in shape have to be so much work? I know it'll be worth it in the end but it just seems like such a chore.  It's so much easier putting the weight on.

Enjoying the view.....

I really like Florida!

Discovery.....

"Dad, is the moon made of cheese?"......

A Somber Weekend.

Mark was suppose to have drill this weekend. He left Friday morning and I didn't expect to see him again until Sunday. When he called late Friday afternoon to ask if his dress shoes were anywhere to be found, I was a bit surprised. He was out in the field. What did he need dress shoes for?

He told me he had been selected for a temporary duty assignment and would be home soon. What assignment would pull him away from drill and require his Class A's? Not a good one. He was chosen to be a Casualty Assistance Officer.

The duties of the Casualty Assistance Officer are to help a family that has suffered the recent loss of a soldier.

After the family was notified Friday night, Mark contacted them to help prepare them for their trip to Dover for the arrival of their soldier. His duties include being the contact person in case the family has any questions regarding the process and what happens once their soldier is returned home.

Even though we do not personally know this family or soldier, it is a sad time. My heart goes out to them. We, of course, cannot know the full extent of what they are going through but this has had an effect on us. It brings us back to the realization that there is still a war going on. People are still dying.

It is a sad time. A sad time for the family. A sad time for us. A sad time for our country.

No internet...what a pain!

This past week we did not have internet connection! When Mark cut the grass the other day, he accidentally cut the cable to the phone/internet. It took the phone company until today to come out and fix it. It's not til it's gone that you realize how dependent you are on it!

I tend to do a lot on the computer. From banking to shopping and even some socializing! With the internet down, I've been very limited in what I could do. For the important things that needed to get done, I would sign on through my cell phone company. I also sneaked a peek at a couple of my social networks but I didn't want to do that too much. I'm not sure how much the phone company charges if I go over my data usage and I didn't want to take the chance of finding out!

I'm glad to be back online. Now that the internet is fixed and I'm pretty much unpacked, I'm hoping to get more time to blog among other things!

Lunch on the Beach!

One very curious little boy.....

One french fry......

Some very hungry and eager seagulls.....

Lunch on the beach.........