A Little Off Topic ...

So really quick ... things are going great with my weight-loss.  I was afraid I really messed up while on my business trip last week.  We were treated by the company for basically every meal so there weren't a lot of choices that I was able to make as far as the types of food I was eating.  I did indulge on a few items ... and initially, I was very fearful that I had gained weight.  But after being on the scale yesterday morning - it appears that while I have not lost any weight, I didn't gain either.  I'm being very strict on myself this week - hopefully I can lose a little this week and really get back on track next week!

On another note ... I need a place to vent about an issue I believe I'm about to be experiencing at work.  I have an associate in my office who has been there for just over 2 years now.  She's a very sweet person and she and I get along really well.  Sadly, her work has definitely not been up to par at different times throughout the past 2 years.  She very much goes in ups and downs in doing her work as she is supposed to.  I have talked to her about it as a friend and lead and she's been talked to more than once in an official capacity by our supervisor.  She's been given multiple chances to get on track and stay there - and now, I think her time has run out.  Part of my job is tracking all of the associates productivity at the end of each month and preparing them for our supervisor to "grade" them on how they met the standards for our job.  Anyway ... I reviewed December's work today ... and I don't think associate met the grade for last month.  In fact, I have a very awful feeling that tomorrow this associate's employment is quite possibly going to be terminated.  I realize that this is her own doing - she has been given chance after chance to get her work on track and she continuously fails to meet our standards - but I hate this.  She will not be the first employee since I started with this job 4 years ago that had to be let go ... but I hate this one.  As I was working on her reports today, I kept wishing there was a way I could help her out ... but there was just no way.  She can't manage to do her job consistently - even though I know she is capable of it.  It is just disappointing to me when someone so capable won't do what she needs to in order to keep her job.  I fear tomorrow or the next day will be very difficult and I'm not looking forward to it.

This is definitely not the normal kind of post I'd make - but I needed to vent ... and I definitely could not do it on Facebook.  If anyone has any kind words of wisdom or advice - please feel free to share!!

So Horribly Far Behind ...

So ... what I was afraid of happening, happened.  I am TERRIBLE at keeping this thing current!!!  So sorry everyone!!!  So, let me try to catch up - at least a little!!  I am still totally on the weight-loss track.  Even through the holidays I lost some weight and my current grand total is 45 lbs lost!!!  I am officially down 2 pant sizes and I'm SOOO happy!!!  Because my loss has been so continuous since the surgery 3 months ago - I have only had to have one "band fill" at my follow-up appointments!!  I'd say that's a good thing.  I'm sure if I went in and asked to have it filled some, I'd lose a little more - but right now, I'm really happy with how I'm doing.  I've (very) slowly started to get into working-out.  I have a friend who lives in my apartment complex and we're trying to hold each other accountable for getting into the gym here at our complex and walking on the treadmill and elliptical at least a few times a week.  Hopefully at my 4 month anniversary, I'll be down at least 55 lbs ... that's my hope right now, to lose around 10 lbs each month. ... It's been a while since I shared a "This Is Me" photo on here ... so, here you go!!!

As for other updates, my family had a wonderful Christmas and New Year.  It was a little crazy and we were running around a LOT ... I don't think I stayed in my apartment for more than a day or 2 over a nearly 2 week period!!  I spent a lot of time on couches ... at my parents and both sister's!  But it was fun and I love nothing more than spending time with my awesome family.  I know parents totally love getting to be the adults at Christmas now and seeing the faces of their children on Christmas morning and seeing what Santa brought ... and I have to say, I'm super lucky that my sister allows me to join in on that fun with her 3 girls.  It is so much fun to watch them come into the living room and seeing all those fun toys and clothes that Santa put under the tree for them.  It's also a lot of fun to have them run into the room with their new automatic Nerf guns and shoot their Uncle Jared with foam bullets!! :) ... those guns were the highlight (and annoyance!!) of every family gathering throughout the holidays this year!!!  Below are just a few pics that I took of our family fun (I am NOT a professional photographer - so please forgive the amateur picture taking!!!)

 Miss Madison & her new bicycle (no training wheels!!)

 My Cailey Bug - and her new keepsake box

 Little "B" was VERY excited about the make-up her sisters got!!! haha

 They were very good at saying "Thank You" for their gifts!

 GMa & PaPa with "B" ... she wanted to get on her knee too! lol

 Madison only wanted Uncle Jared to help her ride her bicycle

 Cailey Bug got a new bicycle too - she loves it!

My beautiful mom & sisters (I'm so lucky to have them!)

My Christmas was pretty awesome in the gift department as well this year.  I told everyone that there was no need (clearly) to buy me clothes as I am just "shrinking" right out of them every time I turn around ... so I really wasn't sure what they'd come up with!!  I was very surprised when I opened THIS on Christmas morning! Happy Happy Lisa :)

My other gift this year, came from myself.  I bought a new car a few weeks before Christmas.  Amazingly, I still haven't actually taken a picture of it!!  But it's a blue Chevy Cruz and I love it.  It's a 2014 and they literally rolled it off the truck for me ... it had 8 miles on it the day I brought it home ... it's now got close to 1500!!  I've had fun driving around during the holidays!! haha

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday with family & friends and you got everything that you asked Santa for!!  I'm leaving Tuesday to spend nearly a week in Florida on a business trip, I've got a week-long vacation planned in March with my parents, I have a family reunion in OK in June and I am planning for there to be at least a few days in Ohio this summer as well.  So I've got a busy schedule coming up.  I promise I'll keep you updated - even if it's only once a month!  And hopefully some of you who are reading these updates will get to see me soon too!!!  Thanks again for all your continued love and support - y'all are amazing!!