Nellisms & Life

Ok so obviously I am NOT going to tell ANY of you how much I started out at!!!!! But from the starting point to today I’ve lost 28 pounds!!! YAY!!!! I didn’t even ever EVER think I would get this far!! I originally planned that I would like to lose about 80 pounds… we’ll see how that goes.  So far, so good. I can’t really tell by just looking at myself.. but other people are able to tell.  So I guess thats good. I keep pictures of myself EVERYWHERE. Of how I want to be again.. In my truck, in my purse, on the refridgorator, on my nightstand. And I make doable goals for myself. It’s not reasonable to lose FIVE pounds in one week. But ONE or TWO pounds a week is!!! So my goal this week is to lose at the most 2 pounds.. I think I’m off to a good start.   When I first began to work out I was BARELY able to do 75 crunches. I’ve kept working on that, day in, day out. Yesterday I did 200 crunches!!!!!!!!  WOO HOO!!!!! And I did it again today!!! So now my goal is to work up to 500!!! I know I won’t lose it all overnight but being able to do 200 crunches and not pass out is a HUGE improvement for me!!! Of course I’m a huge weakling… I can only do about 40 -50 pounds on my legs but I started at like 25. So progress is progress. LOL.. And I”m totally excited because I bench pressed 20 pounds!! hahahahahhaha!!  You should see the looks I get though. When I walk in people like stop what there doing and look at me with this INCREDULOUS look on there faces!!!!  I have gotten asked SO many times, ” why are you wearing a skirt???? How can you work out in a skirt????  LOL!!! I probably do look pretty funny!! But I think it’s worth it. Besides the weight that I’ve lost I feel SO GOOD. My energy level is up, my stamina is growing!!!  I remember the first time I tried to do the elleptical I lasted like all of 5 minutes!! ROFL!!! I was embarrassed of myself. And now I can do 30 minutes ALMOST easily. =) Progress is wonderful. To all of you that are encouraging me …… THANK YOU!!!!  Of course eating right does have a lot to do with all this.  It’s not always easy and I probably don’t always eat perfectly but I have learned that if I’m absolutely craving something for several days then I better have just a little bitty bit of it (whatever it is) to satisfy the craving!!!! That way I don’t totally pig out when I feel like I can’t take it anymore.  Also I think EVERYONE knows how much I love LOVE chocolate!!!! But I can’t have it because it gives me bad headaches and I haven’t really had any since I started this low carb thing.  But I found this ONE bar that actually doesn’t give me a headache!!! It’s a chocolate bar by CarbSmart!!!! It doesn’t tasted exactly like a hersheys bar but it satisfys any cravings I might have.  It only have d4 carbs in the WHOLE BAR!!!!!!! Can you BELIEVE THAT?????  I was so happy when I found it!!!  So for the most part I’m doing good. This is why I wrote on my last blog that I need new recipes !!!  So I can keep doing good.  One thing is .. I do get tired of eating cheese, nuts, and meat. SO I try to keep it interesting. Right now I am absolutely IN LOVE with spinich! Frozen and fresh.  So again, if any of you have a good spinich salad recipe or anything involving spinich… let me know..  ooooh espescially chicken stuffed with spinich… anything along those lines sounds awesome. OK  I could go on but I would just be repeating myself! I’m moving into my new place this week so YAY!!!!

Ok so I”m totally excited that tomorrow we get the keys to our new place. Our new landlords agreed that we could start moving the bigger stuff in this week we just can’t stay there. So I am going to be going back and forth this whole week. I’ve already bough plastic plates and cups and plasticware so that I can take all my dishes over there. And I’m hoping to take a lot of my clothes… besides the ones that I have to wear everyday and to church. ALSO —- gary and patricia are letting me and matt keep one on their beds. We get to choose between a full or a twin. I think I’m gonna go with the full bed because it comes with a frame etc…So that is wonderful because I can have someone spend the night if they ever need too. Or if one of my friends wants to come visit.. YAY!!! The second room will be a office/ guest room. I’m very excited about moving things this week.

Tomorrow we have homeless ministry!!! yay!!! Patricia and I are going to make a 7 layer salad!! I love love love love love love the 7 layer salad it is SO good!!!! I’ve tried to get ahold of my mom for the exact recipe but she’s not answering her phone…. I THINK its lettuce, celery, bell pepper, mayo w/ sugar, frozen green peas, cheese and topped with bacon!!! yum !!! So I have to go to the store and then go to the community center and fix it. Which I am a horrible chopper….. hence Patricia!!!! I think it opens at 5 ..then we go to serve at like 6.  I’m very excited to be involved!! Hopefully I can go and do the juvenile hall thing too. yay!!!

Ok so anyone who has heard me lead song service knows that I REALLY like to do medlys when I sing! However I’m kinda sick of all mine… hehe.. So if any of you have any ideas of a few .. PLEASE enlighten me!!!  Ok.

I”m looking for some recipes. I am tired of cooking the same dishes all the time!  Or making the same sauces. I always ALWAYS make the same sauces!! i did however try a new fish the other night. At savemart they have a WHITE Roughy!!! Not orange roughy…. White roughy. It is SO light, very mild, very tasteful. I really liked it. I bought a fish seasoning.. very good. First Icovered the fish  in lemon juice, then pepper, salt, accent. Then I melted butter and poured the seasoning in the butter. Very very very good. I covered the fish in broccoli and cauliflower. It was DELISH!!!   But I still like to create my own dishes!!!!  So I need some new recipes… Help me out please.. Also does anyone have a good recipe for shrimp or fish tacos???  Matt and I had the BEST fish tacos in mexico… I haven’t had any that good since our honey moon.   Also i need a recipe for pork.. Something really good!! I like bone out, not a lot of fat. I can’t seem to get it tender enough… =(  Also I’m looking for a really good soup… I like lots of veggies and meats in the soup. Or like potato soup.. yum !!! I know that I could look online but I trust ya’lls tasted buds and your families!!!  =) I just need NEW stuff. Also if any of you have ever made COMPLETELY NOODLELESS LASAGNA??? It can have meat in it but NO noodles. Last time I made it I tried to do it with zuchinni strips in place of the noodles… But I couldn’t get the zuchinni strips crispy, they ended up being almost mushy… SO as you can see, I’m in deep need of good recipes… HELP !!

Well, We have had all our parties for dads birthday and I got to say a little tiny bit about dad. But not quite enough!!!!  Espescially for such a grand occasion, of course if you know me at all you know I can’t really say what I want without crying!! A curse I know.  I thought I would share a few memories and thoughts with all of you.  I know that I always say that my dad is the best preacher in the world and I know ya’ll probaly get tired of hearing/reading it, but I can’t help it. Honestly I have NEVER been bored in church. Not one time in my 24 almost 25 years.  My first memory of my dad is being a little bitty girl, maybe 2 years old… I just remember I hurt myself and he was right there with that reassuring smile, kissing my boo boo’s. =) For as long as I can remember I’ve been dads little golden hair girl. And YES I am a daddys girl and very proud of it!!!

I have way too many memories to speak of them all on here.  As a little girl I completely adored my daddy. He was my protector, my big teddy bear, my own personal jungle gym.  Every night growing up we would try, TRY to have family prayer. It was usually Dad, Mom, Than then me. But sometimes it would be Dad, Than, mom, and me.  So we would pray our prayers, help us in school, help the church, blah blah blah… Then the Lords Prayer. Our Father which art in heaven … You have to understand that EVERY SINGLE NIGHT at the end of prayer Dad would be our “horsey” and we could ride around on his back and he would buck us off and it was SO much fun!! Sooo the closer we got to the end of the prayer.. the faster we talked..  forthineisthekingdomthepowerandtheglory… forever and ever Amen!!! And we pounced on dad!!! I know that he knew he would get pounced on but every night he acted SO suprised!!! lol.  Then mom would help us brush our teeth and off to bed we were.  I remember falling asleep to Larry Carlton a LOT.  As a lttle girl I liked it, when I turned 12 not so much but when I got my own car, I went out and bought the cd.  I remember daddy taught me how to swim!!  At our old house in Texas, dad used to do this frog looking move around the pool and would let me ride on his back sometimes.  When I was a little girl I used to be scared to death of the thunder and lightening… One night at the house on Larry Drive. I woke up because I was scared, dad was out on the back porch and he said ” nelle come here, sit out here with me”.  I climbed up on his lap and he explained to me that the thunder was how far away the storm was. So the lightening would strike and I tried to hide my face in his robe, and then we would count. one one thousand, two one thousand. three one thousand…. BOOM!!!! And on and on it went. After that night I was never scared again.

These memories are precious to me… I remember getting the Holy Ghost up in Kennewick. It was the Christmas season and dad preached on Benji and Jared.  I was so scared that that wolf was gonna get me that I went down to the alter and was like God I don’t want the wolf to get me, please keep me safe and the next thing I know I’m speaking in tongues!!! And dad and mom and the whole family is there!! I remember being baptized! I once told my sunday school teacher that dad smoked in secret!!! Because I had NOTHING to put in the prayer request box!!! OUCH. And another time I told my babysitter that I should be allowed to watch cartoon because we really did have a tv we just put it in the closet when people came over. LOL.

I remember going to youth camps and seeing my dad running around doing this and that… and at night getting in his basketball gear and going and playing for HOURS in the old gym!!!  Then we moved to our new house … And we built a new building and we had ALMOST nightly trips to the new building.. but not before driving through Whataburger!!!!  Dad built me a pool.  I was in heaven. I swam from April to September every year.  I remember  our first ski trip and I lost control and was headed straight for the trees!!!! Dad caught up to me and whipped me on the slope with his pole!!! HAHAHAHA!!! At the time it wasn’t funny !!! But it is now…  One time we went 4 wheeling and both almost died!!!! We went down this mountain called the widows peak…. We should have known!!! It was fun going down but trying ot get back up …. I think dad almost broke his legs and it was a miracle that I didn’t die!!!

After we left Texarkana and travelled in the motorhome… I started to realize how much alike we are!!!  We are both very particular about certain things… Poor mom.  But that was SO much fun!!! I wouldn’t trade those 2 years for anything.  We would sing almost every night. Of course mom and I wanted to do some newer things and dad did too,  he just didn’t want to practice !!! lol! So I think we did like 3 new songs in 2 years!!  And we only did them once or twice..

The one thing I can say about dad is  he has always been the same. I said that at his party. But it is so true. Dad has always stayed faithful to what he believes.   Whether in Tx, evangilzing or here in CA. Or on vacations. I’ve never been ashamed of my dad. Never had any reason to be. Of course he has his funny moments…  but I think that adds to his charm.  My husband has a lot to live up to when we have children… I tease him about it. I would rather hang out with my family than with anyone else.

I tried to remember some of my favorite sermons down through the years..  My first pick would probably be the one about Benji and Jared. And then there was this one from back in the old sactuary in tx.. The hook of the sermon was What is your excuse??? What will be your excuse for not believing, not following, not doing… I don’t remember the name of it but it has stuck with me since I was about 11 years old. I also really liked The Shadow of a Praying man. The sermon about the cup, how God stretched his arms back to the first sin in the world and stretched to the last sin that would be committed and put it in the cup and drank it.  The dichotomy of the flesh!  The 7 stages (not the right word) of man. NOONE can preach about the cross like dad can. One time he whipped a chair!! EEK!!  I love when he gets excited when he’s preaching !! His whole face just lights up!! There are way too many favorite sermons to name!!

OOOh I also like Going up to mountain but living in the valley, Gods one allowed anomoly. LOL.  Thats a funny story, One time on a sunday night after the choir got done singing he told all of us to not go out and drink water just come in because he had a very important message to preach. So we were all came in quickly and dad read his text, very serious, sober, dignified voice and then he gets to his title…. Tonight I am preaching on God one allowed Anom, anoma, anom… Tonight I am preaching on Gods one allowed . BIG PAUSE …. And someone from the audience shouted Anomoly????  Yes that’s it. Be seated!!! ROFL!!!!! I was cracking up!!!  There are a few of those kinds of stories… =)  Dad is definitely where I get my mixed up words. =)

Dad was the measuring stick that all the boys I dated had to live up to. And the one that I wanted to marry!! But couldn’t. In some ways my husband is SO much like my father. And it’s definitely the ways that count.  One day he will be a wonderful papa… I know he wants to be … lol so does the whole church…

Overall I know I jumped around from place to place .. and the post is not quite as clear and consisive as I had in my mind.. But it hardly ever is.. Dad is my dad, and my pastor.  And my friend. And he can make me laugh like noone else can.  And he gets on to me when I need it, sometimes when I don’t need it.  Apologizes if he needs too, lets me apologize a LOT more and I usually need too. =)  Prays for me when I need it. I still love to feel that big hand on my head!  Even though it felt huge as a kid, it still feels that big now!!!!  I’ve never been afraid of dad. Well only during spanking but that don’t count!! In a serious way though, I’ve never been afarid of or fearful that he would hurt me in any way.   Dad always has a good word when I’m going through. When my heart was broken he told me to keep singing … Fill my way every day with love as I walk with the heavenly dove let go all around with a song and smile. Fill my way every day with love.  I did. And I made it.

And when he walked me down the isle he was bawling. I threatened to pinch him if he didn’t stop!!! It didn’t help much.  And when I was sick …  … My favorite shirt that he wears is the very rich colored shirt. It has deep purple, and gold, and blue stripes and the under cuffs are a paisley design.. the reason that’s my favorite shirt is because when I was at the hospital before I went under mom and dad came and prayed for me… Thats the shirt dad was wearing. I went under thinking about that shirt.  And when I woke up and went over to their house there he was.

Dad has always been my biggest fan, he  has favorite songs that I sing, and that really can make a girl feel good. Of course he one time said he knew more about music in his pinky finger than I did in my whole body… And I about fell on the floor laughing!!!! This was during a very serious alter service !!!  I “slid” into a note…. Because I had been singing the whole service pluse the alter call and when he told me to not slide into the note I rolled my eyes!!!And he madethat statement!!! HAHAHAHAAHAHAHA It was hilarious!!! So know that the thing…. If one of us feel qualified on a subject we’ll just lift our pinky finger to the other… This has caught on with the whole family.

BOTH of my parents have been and meant and will continue to be so much to me!!! Those of you who think I don’t love my mom because I didn’t write a post about her yet… You are not allowed to read my blog anymore if your seriously that ignorant!!!!   Anyways.. I could ramble on forever.. But I’m going to stop.

Daddy, I hope you have many more years ahead of you.  I love you.  I found this poem.

A little girl needs her daddy
To love her with manly charm,
To soothe her when she’s hurt,
And keep her safe from harm.

A girl needs her dad
To show her a man who’s good,
To help her make right choices,
As only a father could.

A woman needs her father
Just to be aware,
He’ll always be there for her
To sustain her and to care.You’ve been all these things, Dad.
I hope that you can see
How much I treasure you;
You mean everything to me.

SO Matthew got a new laptop from his work and I got his old one! Which is by no means OLD. I don’t know much about laptops but this one runs very good.  I have two songs stuck in my mind and if any of you know who sings them please let me know.

Trying to live in two worlds at one time. Holding on to everything I had in mind. Two roads to go, but only one road for me.  I’ve seen both sides and I’m as sure as I can be. Lord I want you to know that this double life is through. And everything all of me I”m gonna give it to you.

With my whole heart, I’m gonna love you. with whole life, I’m gonna live it for you. Take my heart, every secret part. I’m whole hearted in love with you.

Song number TWO -  I can’t live without you no matter what I try to do. your the reason to believe your spirit is the air I breathe. It’s not a question of win or lose and it was never hard to choose and no matter what I do. Still I just can’t live without you.

I have both of these songs stuck in my head and I’ve looked all over the internet looking for the guys that used to sing these songs. So if any of you know who does, please give me a heads up.

In other news I am feeling a bit better.  Thanks to prayer and advil sinus/cold.  I am very much enjoying my psychology class. I think I’m hooked!!!! Of course since it’s a online course I don’t meet the people face to face BUT we had to introduce ourselves on the first day and one of the guys in my class is from Hooks Texas!!!! That just cracked me up!!  What a small world.

I am totally cracking up right now – both matt and I are sitting here on our laptops! It’s hilarious.  Right now I have no great revelations to share with you.  It’s just a slow day in my brain. =)

Today is a GORGEOUS day!!!!! And I’m stuck inside SICK!!! Why can’t it being pouring rain?? lol. I am seriously having a not so great day. My throat is killing me. But it’s not like a regular sore throat. It’s hurting at the back top of my mouth. WEIRD!!!  And it hurts to talk!! I think that’s what the worst part is. =)  My mom is out of town so I’m being pitiful over at my inlaws. Mom2 is so sweet. She made me hot tea. Anyways I hope the rest of you are feeling well. I hope you don’t get what I got. I think my mom got me sick. Bleck. Oh well. My pity party is over. I”m going to sleep.

Today we had our annual foot washing and communion service. It was one of the most memorable communion services I can remember.  The church has been “preparing” to take communion for several weeks. Dad has been teaching on the necessity of  communion and foot washing. Especially foot washing. I mean, who doesn’t like taking communion???? I know it’s a gruesome thought.. The blood and the body. But the wonderful feeling that comes over you as soon as you take it is incomparable. But FOOTWASHING!!!!  Has never been my favorite. However I’ve been listening these last few weeks about the importance of it. And even though I’ve been born and raised in Pentecost. I still learned so much.  Today dad preached on Pure Focus on Jesus. How communion is 100 % about Christ. We will never be worthy, never be good enough, never have reached a place where we don’t need communion.  I have to pause for a moment and say. My daddy is the best preacher in the world!!!! I have NEVER in my 24 years been bored. Not on wednesday nights, Sunday nights, even when we were evangelizing!!! Now I could probably quote a few of his sermons… lol. Some of his “favorites”. But I am so glad I’ve never been bored!  Anyways.  I’ve taken communion for as long as I can remember and I’ve always felt the Holy Ghost afterwards, but today it was different somehow. I totally focused on Jesus. I refused to think about how I’ll never be good enough and if I “missed” a sin to repent about and it was AWESOME!!!!! For a brief minute or so it was just Him and me. The rest of the church ceased to exist.  There is no feeling like that!!! I felt clean, renewed, refreshed. I literally felt energy run through my body. It was amazing. So then after we were done with that we separated the men and the women and had foot washing. It was so precious. I know that the Bible says if we don’t partake of foot washing then we have no part of the Father. Thats paraphrasing. So these past few weeks I’ve been praying, God PLEEEEEAAAAASSSEEE  help me learn to LIKE foot washing. Lol. I’m not entirely sure that THAT prayer got answered. BUT. I also prayed for God to lead me. I know I used to in Texas make little groups and not stray outside of my little group year after year after year. lol. Who didn’t??? But this year it wasn’t like that. I washed this newer young ladies feet. She is a sweet young girl and on my part I feel that I had pre judged her before ever getting to know her!!!  Which I HATE when people do to me!!!! So I was standing there and all the sudden it was like God said Go and wash her feet!!! I was SOOOO scared!! As much as I had prayed and asked God to guide me, when He did I was scared!!!  Finally I gave in, and I asked for her forgiveness for any wrong doing on my part, if I had mistreated her, etc… And no at first it wasn’t easy, but it was SO worth it!!!! There was such a sweet spirit.  She had not sensed this, but it still made me feel better. =)  After we were done with that everyone went back to the sanctuary and it was “open mike” for anyone who wanted to speak. It was almost like a family gathering!! I felt like the church was bonding! How can you not feel that way after such a service. As for my title… I know some churches don’t honor this anymore. It’s too hard, too much work, too difficult, too uncomfortable, etc…  I was thinking about this today. How SAD!!!!! I feel sorry for the people that have just let this slide out the back door!!! There is such a blessing in taking communion and foot washing.  I know it’s not the most comfortable feeling in the world… believe me I’m ticklish!!! But I wouldn’t trade it for the world. There are some traditions that I’m very glad we still hold on too!!  I was watching a group of about 5 or 6 young girls.  I mean like 7 and 8 years old. Of course they don’t understand all there is to know about foot washing but they were practicing today!! It was precious! At one point they all went over to my mom and asked if they could wash her feet. And it probably was fun to them but I was BAWLING and it wasn’t even happening to me!!! I know I’m kinda on a soapbox here… but there are some things I refuse to let go of!  I would not trade today for anything.  I got all teary eyes thinking wow that could be my little girl one day.  What a blessing.

Speaking of children… Kung Pow Kitty is growing SO fast!! I want her to stop growing!  My father wants little munchkins… Thats his words.  LOL. I have to admit, I’ve been thinking about children lately. BUT I’m not ready yet!!! Matthews more ready than I am !!! lol. We have switched positions!!  After church today I took mom, dad, and Than to go see our “new place”!!!!!  OOOOOH I can’t wait till we are actually there!! After being in there our apartment feels so small. Lol. And it actually is a very nice apartment. 2 bedrooms 1 bath. A very open floor plan. But still it’s all SO close together. Like the bathroom is within seeing and hearing distance of the kitchen and living room!!!  And is sometimes awkward when we have company. lol. But at the NEW place it’s all the way down the HALL!!! OMWORD I’m GONNA HAVE A HALL!!!!! lol!  The kitchen is so BIG!!! and I have a pantry!!!!! Oh I have died and gone to heaven. Matthews and my bedroom is large enough to have my WHOLE bedset. Sleigh bed, dresser with mirror and 2 night stands in AND out computer etc….  I promise I will put pictures up. Maybe before and after pictures. My mother, who has the most classy taste in decorating is going to help me. I’ve been trying to figure out what my decorating style is … I can’t figure it out!!! I like modern style but with RICH colors! And a little bit of old world style thrown in. I can’t have the whole house look the same. I think I want one room to be animal print. One room totally modern, and one room old world elegance. Hmmm. Do any of you guys know a really good decorating magazine??

Tomorrow I get to start working in Salinas!!! yay! no more trips to Santa Cruz. From Hollister to Santa Cruz it’s like 50 miles which is a longer commute than I would like. But tomorrow I start helping set up the new office. I really believe that God is helping me and also giving me favor with the people I work with.  I absolutely LOVE my job. So far I’ve helped out on several crown deliveries, amalgam, composite, srp, prophy, setting up and breaking down, sterilizing, and I can’t remember what else. I KNOW the steps, but it’s the anticipating the doctors next moves that I’m not quite familiar with yet. However I keep jumping in and asking if I can do this or do that!!! It’s all very exciting. I think my favorite part is taking the X Rays it’s one thing that I am very comfortable with. Boy would my teacher be surprised!!!  I can’t believe how much God is blessing us !!! lol. God gave us this bigger for 125 less apartment, gave me a good paying job, gave Matt a 3 dollar an hour raise, and our landlord said she would give us our deposit back!!!!  God is just too good!!

Thats all folks