Oh, another FYI:

The man that designed the BOK Center (Cesar Pelli) also designed some other really neat structures around the World:


Petronas Towers Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Minneapolis Public Library Minneapolis, Minnesota




















And now that the BOK Center is complete, he has designed the new Transbay Transit Center & Tower for the Downtown San Francisco area in California.

All I can say is WOW.

Interesting Facts!

Wow, it's almost the unveiling of the super-kick ass-glass infused-luxiourious BOK CENTER.

Have you seen downtown? It's kinda...FREAKY. I mean, there use to be nothing there and now there's this huge mega-structure of glass & metal steel. Amazing how things can change in just a second, even though they've been in phases since 2005's proposal to 2007's ground-breaking ceremony.

I was at my bank yesterday sending off a fax to Florida's Vital Statistics and while I was waiting to be helped, there was the brand new August Edition of OKLAHOMA! sitting on the little table. I don't know if they were complimentary or not but hey, I grabbed one anyway and before I realized it, had exited the bank with the mag.

The cover story of course, was BOK CENTER. With it's grand-opening just short of a month away now, they really gave it a go-to full fledged write up and I must say, the Center is magnificent. It has interesting facts about the Center from Naming Rights and how much BOK purchased them for (11 freaking million dollars for 20 years), to the Restaraunts that will be housed in the building.

(And Jackie, In the Raw will have an eatery there as well...just thought you would be interested in that!)

The posh seating that is laid out to be viewed in 38 suiutes, 20 loge boxes, and 682 club seatings is relaxing and comfortable. Those all leased within a week of placing each on the market with ONEOK signing a 15 year commitment to naming rights.

Anyways, I'm just going to let you guys find all the rest out if you care. LOL I think it's interesting whereas others might say ummm ok whatever NEXT!

P.S.

They did a Toilet Flush Test with local children yesterday. LOL I just found this funny considering the nature of the test and the fact that my children would have had a blast flushing all those dang toilets and laughing about how "eww" toilets are. It was to simulate intermission time once the building opens. LOL See, this is why I go during BORING parts of the shows.

Ribbon Cutting & Community Open House is August 30th from 10 am to 4 pm. It's free with $1 concessions. Contestents in the Games, COntests, and Tours will receive a free poster! WOW! (insert eye roll here)

Multi-Faith Celebration is Augsut 31st from 3 pm to 4:30 pm including a 10 minute blessing of the facility in 11 different faiths and supposedly a kick-ass choir. This is free too. Just an FYI.

Now I know what Chanel thinks of OK...

So I was pooring over the Chanel site today because I really want a pair of Chanel Logo Earrings. Yeah Yeah Yeah. I'm such a freaking girly girl. When the heck did this happen?

(And yes, I do want the earrings because I have seen people wear them and I think wow...those are reallllly pretty I want them! And yes, I do want them also so I can say YES! I have a pair! And they are totally awesome! Don't judge...LOL! This is coming from a girl that grew up with a big fat N O T H I N G! Not kidding.)

So I'm using the Search option to find a locator in my area. Of course, Tulsa is no Fashionista of the world so there is no Chanel Store here.

But for SOME reason, they have one in "Oaklandhoma City"??? For crying out loud, they can't even spell the name right or was this done on purpose? I mean, it's not like I care about OKC or anything, because it's a dirty dirty city with little to offer besides the 9-11 Memorial (may you Rest In Peace) and Bricktown and then, is Bricktown really all it is hyped to be? I mean, Toby Keith even opened up a restaraunt there and then...lo and behold, he's no where to be seen there himself & he even hires a double to sit there and take pics with people. Hmmm....

First of all, I'm not driving to OKC for a pair of earrings. But I searched everywhere on that site and I found everything EXCEPT the earrings. Boo. I'm not interested in Belts. Or Fashion clothes that won't fit me for another ehh..40 lbs or so. I just want the earrings dammit!

So, to all of my More-Fashion-Savvy-Than-Me-Friends out there (especially the Tulsa area)...where the heck can I find some Chanel Logo Earrings?!

Thank you in advance. =D

San Antonio was great!

So we're back. Yada yada yada.

We had fun. We were very busy, whipping around here to there and there to here. It was exhausting. Next time, I think I'll just shut down & take a 4 day nap. LOL Without kids. Yeah, that'd be NIIICE.

I'll post pics soon. I promise. Just still recovering. Yay for pics. For those of you that have my Myspace, there are already pics up! =D

TTFN!

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N!

The best thing about owning my own business is...

• Being my own boss
• Telling other people what to do
• Being a role model
• Being in charge/decision making and no one -NO ONE -can tell me how to do it or when, I make that decision!
• Having Employees
• Being able to schedule my own...

MINI VACATION!!!!!!!!

Sadly, there is no beach involved. That will be next summer when I go on a cruise with my sister. (Yes, seriously, I'm going on a cruise with my sister next year! OMG!!!!! I'm so excited! I've never been on a cruise. I've never been on a vacation with my sister!!!)

We're going to San Antonio. We're staying in an Executive Suite. Pretty Suite, eh? LOL Yes, sorry, bad pun intended. I haven't been on a vacation since LAST July & I'm pretty pumped up! I'm planning on the Riverwalk, Sea World (sSsShHhH the kids don't know!) The MALL (super excited, & I *might* just get that Coach purse or sunglasses there...as a souvenier, honest!) Ferry ride, Water Park, and some massive laying out/swimming/hot tub (especially once the girls pass out.)

When we go to Colorado (next year or 2), we're taking someone with us to "babysit" the kids you know, so we can go do our own thing. Adulty-without the kids things . We're gonna pay that person's way and expenses. Any takers for a vacation nanny for a 5 & 7 year old? LOL I'm taking APPS now!

We leave for San Antonio tomorrow night & we'll be back Monday night. YAY! My bff is watching my house for me, yay I love herrr! I've rented a sweet ride to mosey on down there & back...so we'll be riding in style! Of course, the girls wouldn't be content through a drive like that without dual dvr's in the back so they can watch their Disney Princesses and Scooby Doo's. They are trying to get into that Hannah Montanna but...that chick is for pre-tweens, not for my 4 & 6 year old daughters. They get so mad when I say no to HM merchandise. Oh well, the last thing I want for my daughters is to have a role model that could turn into another Britney Spears overnight. At least she already has her wigs if she ever decides to shave it all off!

Ok off topic. Whatever I'm finished anyway...lol! Vacation countdown...

23...Did you know...?

After being at a plateau for a whole week and seeing only changes in INCHES (gosh, I LOVE & HATE THAT!) I weighed myself and found I'd dropped another 6 lbs. Wow, my clothes are fitting better than they were, and I'm actually 3 lbs ahead of myself. I was expecting a loss of 20 lbs in the first month (water weight, etc.) and I lost 23. And I never even starved myself like last year! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1. Did you know SPINACH is a natural sexual enhancer? I know, creepy that those leafy vegetables can revvv up your libido but man! TMI whatever, seems to be a LOT of that today, but lemme tell you, they ain't-a-lyin'!
2. Did you know BLUEBERRIES can help exercise your brain and enhance your memory?
3. Did you know ALMONDS taken a handful a day can decrease your risk of heart disease by 30%!
4. Did you know SWEET POTATOES are really really good baked with applesauce & brown sugar? They also have an antioxidant that your body already creates that enhances your ability to heal after a cut or scrape (or say a jump off a cliff in another country...haha). And we could all use healing properties, hmmm?
5. Did you know that I can cook SALMON now? And it's really really good!
6. Did you know TOFU rocks?! Seriously, it does!
7. Did you know that a few handfuls of BRAZIL NUTS a day is good for your heart, your brain, & has enough protein in them to be substituted for meat?
8. Did you know KALE is good too. I just cooked a sesame braised kale dish last night and thought I was in heaven! WOW!
9. Did you know GARLIC increases good cholesterol while decreasing bad cholesterol?
10. Did you know BROCCOLI, CAULIFLOWER, & CABBAGE all help to prevent & fight cancer especially breast cancer, colon cancer, & lung cancer. They boost the immune system naturally!

Well, I was going to do 23 for the poundage that has been lost but now I'm getting bored & I don't dare go anywhere now without a well rounded number like 20 and that's just repetitive.

Either way, whether you knew already, I sure didn't until recently & I'm so excited, I feel SO.DANG.GOOD!

Kinda long...But Change is Good...RIGHT?

There have been so many changes in me the past few weeks, I don't even know where to begin. I really fully believe that I can possibly really do this this time. Those of you that know me, know what a struggle I've had with my weight, and the many diets that I went on that worked for awhile but something would always happen that I would allow to mess up my goal.

I refuse to be inappropriate in my blog here because of the sensitivity of the issue, so I'll just be rather broad in the next paragraph and if you wanna know, you can ask & I'll elaborate and if you don't then that's fine too! =D

All.my.life.I have struggled with being FAT. An overeating disorder that has plagued me since childhood. I stuffed my face when I was hungry, I stuffed my face when I was sad, I stuffed my face when I was angry...well...you get the picture I'm trying to paint for you here. I stuffed.everything. My problems always seemed SO BIG, and now they seem so very very small. My problems then compared to now are nonexistent and infantile, so why did they seem like they were consumming my world?

Pastor George said something this weekend that really hit home with me: "Overcoming your past begins with attitude. Even your innocence to past wrongs will not free you to prosper & overcome them. Only your attitude can do that."

That really got me to think. I do get upset and sometimes I can't bear some things because it reminds me of my past, of my childhood. With the "right" song, phrase, even a movie, I'm automatically transported back in time to some faraway place where the pieces of my heart and spirit have lain broken and bleeding along this track labeled "Joy's Life." But maybe if I just change my attitude about it, maybe then I can finally overcome it. Maybe if I just said FORGET IT, I don't care, it has no hold on me. Maybe if I just fight for the freedom of my mind, I can be at peace with the skeletons & ghouls from my past. Easier said than done, I know that.

What a wake up call that was. I consistently find the sermons he's been giving relatable in some way lately and this one really was the icing on the cake. I knew he was talking.to.ME. Little insignificant me. I mean, there are days that I feel that way, and think wow, I never really mattered much before and why should I matter now? I also know that I'm not really that insignificant but you get the point.

The point is, CHANGES have been happening. And these changes are all over the place:

Change in diet.
Change in mind.
Change in heart.
Change in weight.
Change in attitude.
Change in perspective.

Now I'm rambling so I'll close for now, but if I pick up the *pen* later to write more, I know you won't mind.

Nothing of Importance.

This weekend was really good. I didn't hardly have any trouble with my kids. We went to a birthday party. The kids had fun, we had to leave early, but accidents happen & I guess that was our day to have accidents. LOL

So I went to church on Sunday, just like every other Sunday, and it just felt.different. Like I had no more weight on my shoulders. I don't know why, I just know that I really really liked the way I felt when I sat down and when I started singing. Pastor George was talking about Dreams & how everyone has a dream that is attainable and how to get there. It got me thinking about my dreams.

When I was little I said I wanted to be a firefighter (b/c I liked fire). a lawyer (b/c I liked to argue). a teacher (b/c I liked being the "head" or "boss" per-se & I liked the feeling it gave me to know that someone LEARNED something from ME, listened to me, etc)... Deep down in my heart though, I knew that the only thing I ever really wanted to do was SING.

Yes, sing. I have a talent like no one else has got when it comes to singing, however, I short-change myself often. I am terrified standing and looking out at the crowd before singing. It seems to me that I have this uncanny ability to mess up right at the beginning, and once that happens, I'm fine to really belt out the rest.

I don't know why I'm so fearful of singing. I sang in high school, quite a few solo's I might add, and I always got very good reviews. I sang in the Choir at Rhema, and did quite a few solo's there as well, and only the first time I sang there did I totally freak out beforehand!

So I called around and got some pricings on studio time. I got a few good quotes and a few tips on what to do, etc. So, we'll see where this goes from here...

Because I'm a Woman...

...I'm allowed to change my mind. Which one though??? Hmmmmmmmm HELP?

Rewards

So I have 48 lbs left to reach my goal weight. With that being said, I have devised a reward system for myself so that I can keep myself on track. No, I am not talking about food rewards, I am talking about rewards to make me feel good about being me and being able to reward myself the way I would like to be.

When I reach my goal weight, one of these two items will be my reward (heck, maybe I should just get BOTH?:

"Taryn"

or

"Jovana"

When I have kept the weight off for 3 months THIS will be my reward:

And when I have kept the weight off for another 3 months off of that, THIS will be my reward:

I am hoping that this will happen all this year. This is my goal. Yes, I love Coach. Get over it! HAHAHA! LOL