to go there...

It seems as if everyone's blogging these days. Some people blog about coupons, some about trips to the park, some about babies and some even newer babies. Today I am choosing to blog about a place that not many women dare to go...I am going there...talking about the scales, baby! Besides my camera is still not back, so no new cute pics to blog about...just a good ole ramble, whittystyle.

A few weeks ago I noticed that my wedding rings were feeling a bit tighter than they should, some of my favorite pants...same story. I just kind of shrugged it off to well, that's weird but didn't give it much thought. Matt and I actually had a brief conversation this weekend about me being "healthy" or really lack their of. Same thought, hmm, that was nice, he's sweet to care, etc. but really kept on daydreaming.

Then I went to Old Navy yesterday to spend some birthday $ on some new spring duds. I gathered some finds and headed back to the dressing room, and what I saw when I looked in the mirror (undone, if you will) took me by shock...I...have...gained...weight. I mean I look at myself briefly in the mirror every morning but we are out the door by 7am everyday, so by briefly I mean briefly. Maybe it was just those horrific florescent lights above that seemed to mock me a bit. What made it even more lovely was that I had to politely ask the "attendee" to go and retrieve the next size up capris for me.

So then I started to do some analyzing, what have I been doing differently? Nothing really, I mean I love food, I think about it a lot in fact last night (monday) I was already planning what I would pick out to eat at the restaurant I had picked out for our date night (on wednesday.) Hmm, I thought, well I have been sitting a lot (supervising my student teacher,) I did have a baby (2 years ago.) I did exercise...two months ago. I did buy a really cool water bottle...to only add those powdery mixes to it every morning. And on and on and on, don't get me wrong, I'm still basically the same old Whit, just with a little more junk in my trunk, if you know what I mean.

I had a bit of time to myself last night in the car on the way home from a baby shower in Raleigh. I realized some stuff... I am 30...my body is 30. I can't just sit and eat and enjoy and think all will be well. It's gonna take some work to keep fitting in my size __ capris. I don't have a plan, I don't really do well with rules but I am hoping to make a few changes...to exercise ( I got a sweet bike for my b-day and I actually walked a mile on the playground today, ) to eat less, to drink more...un-flavored water, to eat better, no more cookies before bedtime...to...simply...be...me...a healthy me.

Sorry this has been long, it's been quite therapeutic for me. I'd love any tips, suggestions, or maybe just an Amen, sister!

catching up...

This weekend I officially joined my sweetie in the 30 year old club, we're the same age every year from March 28-April 26, I eat this up usually, not really sure why it just feels good to be the same age. We decided to brave the gray clouds and head down to do a little partying on the Shiner. My parents drove up and joined in on the festivies as well, it was a fun time had by all, well mostly all, we can't always say cheese in pictures can we?!

Sorry for the lack of pics in general...very sad...long story which involves my brand new camera lense being at the Nikon repair center...moral of the story, playgrounds and nice cameras don't always go well together, thanks Matty, for getting the 2 year warranty!

As for the tattoo...maybe I got one and just can't take a picture of it...or maybe every time I mentally went to the I'm walking across the threshold of a tattoo parlor place in my mind I threw up in my mouth just a little...maybe I'll get one before I turn 31, who knows!

In other news...the word MINE...is now my least favorite word in the American language.

And on a more serious note, I'm sure most of you have heard by now but one of the blogs I follow MckMama, her sweet boy Stellan is really sick and I know their family would appreciate any and every prayer for his healing.

Hey baby...let's go to Vegas!

That's right in a few weeks during my spring break, my baby and I are headin' to Las Vegas!!! We'll be attending the International Sign Association Sign Expo or ISASE, if you will. Well my attendance will be mostly checked daily at the pool outside our hotel. We're staying at the enormous castle shaped hotel called the Excalibur. I'm so excited to hit the high skies with my sweetie for a few days while Ollsie kicks it with Grandma and Grandpa Horse (that's what he calls Matt's parents b/c they have horses, of course.) We've never been to Vegas and would love any and every tip you might have to make our trip fun and wallet friendly!

picture of the week

It's been several months of Sundays since we've had one of these posts!!!

I call it: We made it...Happy Spring, People!!!

Farewell to friends...

About 8 years ago Matt was leading YL at Southeast high school and became good friends with John Clark. They hung out, shot things back in the woods of Southeast. John was dating Loren, we had them over to our house a few times back then. They were such a sweet couple. They both headed off to college still in love, we heard from then every now and then. Then they graduated and like us got married quickly after. Then they found out they were having a baby...we found out we were having a baby, both due weeks apart. On Feb. 14, 2007 Bryan was born, then 11 days later Ollie made his appearance into this world. It's been neat to share the same life experiences with our friends the Clarks...a trip to Charleston, camping, sharing a 1st birthday party and much more.

Last night we hugged all three of their necks for what might be a long while, for they are headed on the adventure of a life time...moving to Bundibugyo with World Harvest Misson. Their journey is for 2 years initially, but I have this feeling it might be longer. John will be working in agriculture to help get programs started that would better nutrition for the families they will be living and working with. And Loren will be working as a nurse in the local clinic...both of these somewhat part time so that they can share the roll of parents to sweet little Bryan.

As I sit here on my couch this morning I can't really get my mind around what it would be like to pack all of our "essentials" into 6 tupperware containers and head across the world. Switching my 2 year old to cloth diapers because where they are going they can't buy diapers, wow. But the Clarks are doing it, I honestly expected the look of sheer panic on their faces last night, but instead I was greeted with the look of sheer excitement...they...can't...wait! I know they would love for you to pray for them as they head off on this journey, one that involves a lot of traveling to get to their village beginning this Monday morning. I'm adding their blog to my side bar, so that you can, like us see into their world from afar. Farewell sweet friends...we'll see you soon!


On a very un-related side note, I appreciate all the sentiments about getting a tattoo for my b-day, I honestly haven't decided as of yet, 7 more days!!!

Tattoo

This is Matt. Raise your hand if you think Whitney needs to follow through with her goal to get a tattoo before she turns 30. Her birthday is next Saturday the 28th so we have to act fast.

On a side note- save the date for Saturday April 25th when Whitney and Kelly Heritage have a combo blowout turning 30 party.

On another side note, I think the tramp-stamp area would be really hot.

Makes cents ...

Okay, hear me out on this one, I am clicking around tonight with my blogger account. I see an option to make $ on my blog, hmm, I say never seen that one before. So I click and check it out ask my sweetie if I should put an ad bar on my blog and his response was..."we're in a recession baby!" So I did it call me shameless or help a sister out by clicking away over there and bringing the Hannam family a few extra dollars a month. Or hey even better, join the crowd and add one of these to your blog too we'll just have a clicking party!

Mhaw, thank you very much!

Bubblicious!

You work that bubble wand, Olls!

Hey Mother Nature, we'd like to have spring back if you please...last week was such a tease!!!

think about it Thursday...

It's that time of week again, time to pull out the ole grocery list, the coupons, the recipes, the enthusiasm to go to the store to compile what you'll need to gather for your family for the next week/weeks/ months worth of groceries. For me this activity takes place on Sunday afternoons after I've gone through the paper, clipped coupons, checked Harris Teeter's weekly specials, mapped out all of the family events we might have going on during the week...I get in the car and headon over to...do my bidding,ugh!

Well, Kendra over at My First Kitchen is taking a survey on just this topic this week, about the what, the where, the when...when planning meals, getting recipes and just mealtime in general. The best part if you take the survey and comment on her blog you are entered to win a set of her very own spices, so check it out leave a comment and hopefully she'll give us all some really handy tips, I sure know I need them.

wordless wednesday...

Ok, few words...yes, I am a teacher. Yes, this is my impromptu white board during bath time now. Yes, that is a dinosaur. Yes, Ollie can tell us the names of all those shapes. Yes, we use crayola bath markers. Yes, we love our magic eraser for cleaning off all our colorful mess on our clean newly re-finished tub!

selah...

Often times in the psalms, the psalmists will place the word selah in the middle of their verses. Selah means to stop and think or to stop and praise. I like to think that selah can be a place...a place to ponder, stop, breathe, to praise. For us our selah is a little village named Oriental. We started heading down south to Oriental about 4 years ago as we brought the Water Weasel down on a trailer. And then about a year and half ago we officially made the move to dock the new boat, The Shiner, on Smith Creek, smack dab in the heart of the village.

When we are in Oriental and on the Shiner...we breathe deeper, we laugh harder, we smiler longer, we love better, we eat richer, we sleep sounder (well most of us)...it is our selah. Maybe your selah is the mountains, the beach, the lakeside, a trail or maybe just a comfy couch at Starbucks, whatever or wherever it is, I pray you have one. If you don't come on down and aboard with us next time, we'll share a little piece of our paradise with you!

Even when I have a case of the Mondays...I can still feel the warmth on my sun kissed cheeks...ahhh...selah!

wordless wednesday...wheeeee!

Random Recipe

I haven't given away any recipes in a month of Sundays, so here's one we've had quite a few times around our house lately due to the fact that winter just can't seem to find it's end this year, sigh! I give you the...

Chicken Noodle Bowl

Here's what you need:
48oz of Chicken Stock
1 c. water
Handful of carrots diced (about 3/4 c.)
1/2 handful of bean sprouts
1/2 onion diced
a couple of pinches of salt
2 or 3 shakes of Asian Essence (or something with a Asain spice flare, mine's called Asian Essence Emeril makes it)
2 chicken breasts or the chicken from a Rotisserie Chicken
2 handfuls of thin spaghetti broken in half (I probably use 3 truth be told, it is a noodle bowl!)

Ok, basically you just put everything in your big pot, bring to a boil, then bring down low to medium low for 20 minutes. We had a rotisserie chicken left over from yesterday so I used that, but normally I just put in raw cut up chicken breasts, when I do that I usually let it boil for about 5 minutes just to get the chicken cooked through. I found a recipe similar to this several years ago by Rachel Ray, but over the years I've tweaked it to become what we like to call the noodle bowl. Similar to chicken noodle soup, the Asian Essence gives it a slight twist, I like to carry this thought a bit further and put a dash of rice vinegar on it when it's in my bowl. It's simply "lishous", as Ollie calls it!

Snow Day Bloggages!

Bloggage 1: 7:30 am... brisk walk in the snow with Mommy and Daddy before Daddy headed to work...the new wagon did great!

Bloggage 2: Headed over to Pineburr Ct. to be with friends, tried sledding for the first time, built a snowman and just had fun playing in the snow with my bud, John!

Yo Birthday, Birthday!

Well, we're officially 2 here in the Hannam house! We celebrated on Saturday with cake, snacks, friends (tons of little tots), fishin' on the porch, and some special guests all our Gabba friends. Ollie would like to give a shout out to all his friends for giving him a membership to the Natural Science Center for his birthday, yahoo, tigers here we come!