In The Beginning ...

Happy New Year ...

Don't you love the first day of a new year?!

I do!

It's fresh ... it's new ... it's clean ... it's a brand new start on all those things you said you were "going to do" last year!

It's simply "another day" ... but it just seems so "beginning" ...

So ... In the beginning ...

Tammy goes to the gym!

Tammy gets in shape!

Tammy loses weight!

Tammy feels great in 2008!

(speaking in faith at this point)

Nate and I are remodeling our bonus room as our Christmas gift to each other ... and as of today ... we have all the painting done, new crown mould, and carpet on the way (Thursday or Friday) to be laid (hopefully) on Saturday!

We are really excited about our "new" room ... it's already a major transformation ... amazing what a little paint and some trim will do! (pics later)

So ... on a "break" today ... we ran to get some lunch and pick up more supplies at Lowes ...

Nate turned into McDonalds and said "what do you want?" ... we ordered ... paid ... got our food ... and pulled off ...

THEN ... he drove to the gym (where he purchased me a 6 month membership as a Christmas present) and said, "we're eating our McDonalds in front of the gym!

Okay ... that was a serious guilt trip! And wouldn't you know?! The gym was OPEN!!! So - being my first time there, we went in to check it out!

Very nice and I'm actually very excited to get started ...

It's an all ladies gym and they have a pool with pool aerobic classes, tons of equipment, tons of classes, tanning, massage therapy AND child care!

Okay ... I "think" I can do this ...

As with any new type of exercise, I have to be extremely careful and start slow (thank goodness) - ha ... so my insulin regimen can be adjusted for the exercise (my body is very sensitive to insulin and my sugar drops quickly).

I know it will be good for me and I DO want to get in shape ...

So ... here's to January and "trying"!

In "thinking" today ... I was reminded of some of our 2007 highlights ...

January
- Mom's surprise 65th birthday bash! It was huge and she was so excited!

February
- Purchased and closed on our current home and started renovating
- broke tooth in half, had it pulled and got a dry socket and infection in the jawbone - HORRIBLE!!!!

March
- MOVED!
- had an allergic reaction to some cleaning chemicals and ended up swollen all over and at the doctor (DURING THE MOVE IN) - oh my!

April
- Chris Botti Concert at the Symphony Hall (one of Nate's Christmas presents)

May
- LeAnna graduated pre-school

June
- LeAnna lost her first tooth!
- my "new" kitchen sink unattached itself to the granite and fell to the floor - 1 hour before 13 people were coming for dinner! (hard to forget this moment!)

July
- LeAnna was in an issue of Paula Deen Magazine
- Vacation to Hilton Head - best family vacation EVER!

August

- LeAnna started Kindergarten

September
- LeAnna lost her 2nd tooth
- LeAnna started cheer leading
- LeAnna started piano lessons
- Neely Family Reunion in Gatlinburg

October

- LeAnna turned SIX!
- LeAnna had her first game (cheer leading)

November

- had Thanksgiving Dinner at our home
- actually had some family pictures taken!

December

- LeAnna got Fifths Disease (a-typical of course!)
- had a Christmas party
- had a Cookie Swap
- started remodeling our bonus room

We had a great year in 2007 .... lots of memories ... lots of good ones, some bad ones (as you can see above) ... but all in all ... great year!

I'm "expecting" a great year in 2008 ... PRAYING our condo sells SOON!!!! (yep - still on the market) ... not a very good subject right now ... hmmm ... I'll even throw in dinner once a month - cooked, home-made meal to the lucky homeowners ... if SOMEBODY will just buy it! yikes!

Anyhoo ... I'm not one for "resolutions" - don't even care much for the word ...

however ... I do like the word "commitment" and that I'm striving for ...

Happy New Beginning ... tammy