Beautiful Creature

For the twelve years I've lived in my house, we've had a hawk who makes his home in one of our trees. He used to have a mate, but we haven't seen it in a while. The other day I happened to look out the window and saw it perched on S's playground. I called for S to come see while I went to get my camera. I was able to snap a picture of this beautiful creature! He sat there for about 10 minutes just looking around. I assume looking for something he could hunt! I could have sat for hours just watching him. He's so majestic.

Eyes and Age!

Okay, so 10 years ago, I had LASIK surgery on my right eye. At the time, I was told by doing one eye it would delay the need for reading glasses. Fast forward and it was like the light switched off two years ago at age 42! I needed reading glasses for everything. At work, I wear them about 75% of the time because I need them to see my monitor!! Yesterday, I left my glasses at home (down to one pair because Furbaby #2 ate my other pair!) and I couldn't see anything all day. Today I go back to my favorite eye doctor, Dr. Y. Shock of shocks, my left eye has become dominant and completely corrected itself for distance vision!! My right eye, which had the LASIK, now needs a little distance correction. I told Dr. Y I'm SICK of glasses all the time, so we are going to try one multi-focal contact in my right eye. Unfortunately, my strength was not in stock, so it is on order. I can't wait to try this and hopefully alleviate my need for reading glasses. Maybe I can just go to one on my bedside table for that nighttime reading I love so much! But the lesson in all this is that is SUCKS getting old!

So, it seems like all of my friends are into the blogging thing, so I've jumped on the bandwagon. I am LaRay, wife to Charles, Mom to Shauna and full-time Stepmom to Ethan. However, in our house there is no distinction between Mom and StepMom!! I stay very busy with the kids activities, so my life is full of athletic events, Brownies, etc. I've been team mom for every activity the kids have taken part in and am very active in Shauna's Brownie troop. In fact, I'm the Cookie Manager so that means right now I'm VERY busy as it's cookie time again!

In May 2007, I started a serious weight loss journey and have lost 83 pounds. It's been several months since I've actually lost any weight, but I have gotten healthier by morning work outs 5 days a week. I'd like to lose 20-30 more pounds, and I need to get serious about it again!

I'll have crazy stories to share along my path of blogging - some my kids would probably be happier I didn't share! I hope distant family and friends can stay up on our happenings this way!

I'm so proud to be an American right now with the election of our new president!
**Updated -- My friend told me the way I worded that sounded like I was never a proud American before. Those who know me, know that I've always been a proud American. I'm just especially proud of what our country has overcome to get to this point! There ya go, AJsDad!