Red, White, and Blue!!

Happy 4th of July Everyone!! PS. I took that picture at the top! With my camera... and mad skillz lol!! Anyway,

Day 1 of our 3 day holiday weekend was climbing Pinnacle Mountain, and going swimming.

Day 2 has been all about relaxing! Tom and I started the day by getting up and playing on our computers. Then, around 2 o'clock. Robert and Monica came to the house so that they could follow us to my parents' house to do fireworks. We shot off probably $250 worth of fireworks... I think Tom and I spent about $75. Part of which was one a kick ass "Finale" piece.

(l>r) Monica, Tom, and Robert, lighting sparklers for Lisa to play with.

My mom and dad, a really cute pic of my mom, too bad Dad's eyes are closed... lol

Brett, getting to light fireworks for the first time this year!!

Anyway, it's been a great weekend so far, and we still have ANOTHER day. It's GREAT.

Tomorrow, Sunday, we have Brett's birthday party. He turned 13 years old on July 1st! I can't believe how quickly all "my kids" are growing up!! It's crazy.


Anyway, Happy 4th of July!! Thank you to all our troops at home and abroad. You keep us free, and for that, there is not enough "Thanks" on the planet.

<3 Jessica

P.S. I took that last photo too with my camera!!

On top of Ol' Pinnacle! All Covered in trees!

Ok, so you get a day off from work. A PAID HOLIDAY. What do you do?
Tottle around the house?
Maybe go shopping?
Me?
I go climb a big ass mountain. haha!

Pinnacle Mountain State Park
West Summit Trail'

Length: 1 1/2 miles round trip
Time: 1 1/2 hours (took us the better part of 3, because I kept stopping because I was EXHAUSTED!!)
Difficulty: Strenuous (no one ever pointed out to me that this was STRENUOUS!)

Description: This rocky trail begins at the park picnic grounds and winds its way to the top of Pinnacle Mountain. From the top is a spectacular view of Lake Maumelle, the Arkansas River Valley, the Ouachita Mountains and west Little Rock. This is truly a breathtaking view. To return, you must retrace your steps or hike down the rugged East Summit Trail and return via the base trail for a total hike of 2 1/2 miles."

-Yeah, ok, so first of all, I haven't hiked this mountain since I was probaly 13 or 14... ok, so a good 12 or 13 YEARS. Plus, Tom and I noticed that a lot of the kids going up and down the mountain didn't seem to FEEL PAIN...

How are they breeding these little demons??

Anyway, in August of 2007, Tom and I had intentions of climbing this mountain, but I was only able to do about 3/10ths of the way up, because it was so hard on my legs... Well, I got this idea, since we're 65 pounds lighter than we were last summer, and we've been walking 3 1/2 miles twice a week, SURELY I could handle a silly little mountain...

oooooooooooooooooooooooooh nooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

Don't tease the mountain, it's a bitch.

But, Tom was very patient with me, and was so great. He pushed me, but not to the point of pissing me off. He kept telling me "Make a small goal, reach it, and make a new goal" or "Take as long as you need, sweetie, we're making it to the top!" He's so great.

I made it though!!

It took us the better part of 2 hours to go up the mountain, then we loafed around for about 20 or 30 minutes at the top, taking pictures and resting. Then it took us a little less than an hour to get back down... WHEW.

I tell you this much, that mountain honestly felt like I had just done the stair stepper machine for 3 hours... it was crazy. My calf muscles burned, my thighs burned, my back hurt... It was seriously the most rewarding 3 hours I've had in a long time. It was totally worth the hike, once we got to the top, and I couldn't have done it without my wonderful husband, Tom.

I love you, baby!

4th of July Weekend Break down!

Hey guys! Here is my break down for the weekend:

Friday (today): Gunna go climb Pinnacle Mountain! Super excited! Then possibly some swimming.

Saturday (tomorrow): Robert and Monica and their two kids are coming with us to mom and dad's for swimming, grilling, and fireworks!!

Sunday: Brett's 13th birthday party at Playtime Pizza!!

Should have some awesome photos!!

Can't wait!

Love you all!!

<3 Jess

Reader, be warned...

I'm sorry, this may upset some people. but I have to get it out. You don't like it, don't read it.

I don't want to be around anyone's teeny weeny, new born children. I'm sorry. I don't. By this time, had all things gone well, I should have a 7 month old. and I don't. I understand, God works in mysterious ways, but it sucks.

So please don't HATE me for not going to the family reunion/bar b q. I don't want to be around something that is going to upset me. Why put myself in that position?

I have enough problems on my plate, enough worries, enough sadness, without adding more.

I'm sick of feeling pressured into going. This year, hasn't been QUITE so bad, because they chose the weekend of my birthday to put the reunion on, and I, thank God, already have plans to spend it hidden in the woods with my husband. But seriously, two miscarriages does NOT make me want to hold your new born infant.

Over a year after the two miscarriages, it still freakin' hurts. so just drop it.

Thank you.

Best. Day. Ever.

#1. Didn't have to be in the office until 1:45 p.m.
#2. Got to meet some wicked awesome people ALL DAY LONG!
#3. Got HELLA compliments from school owners, and random taekwondo students.
#4. Saw my bestie (downside: it was at the Arkansas Children's Hospital, where her daughter had just had her tonsils and adenoids removed.)
#5. Had a great dinner with Tom.
#6. Had a FANTASTIC walk, a great pace, it was killer!
#7. Checking my facebook/blog has been really rewarding
#8. Listening to Tom sing along with songs on his computer.

Thank you Dear God, for the day you've given me, the friends you've put in my life, and the opportunities I've been able to take part in.

Mk. Now that THAT'S over with! LOL! Testing at World Championships was freakin' AWESOME!

I got to dress SUPER cute:


I got to watch Master Dendy do his board breaks, I got to watch sparring from 1st Degree Black Belts all the way up to 6th and 7th Degree Black Belts. I got to take part in what is DEFINITELY the best Worlds, EVER.

{This is from the tester's meeting right before the Testing/Midterming began. There were over 300 people there doing testing and midterming. It was a GREAT turn out!}

I got to meet Chief Master Ozuna - who is really nice, even though some of his paper work was messed up - Not my fault though! I know that for a fact, I double and triple checked... Anyway, it's fixed. He'll get his corrected paperwork tomorrow morning. I've got at LEAST two school owners coming to visit me tomorrow!

It's been a good day, tator... It's 10:30 p.m. and I'm BEAT!

Love y'all!
{Currently listening to Tom sing Thin Lizzy "The Boys are Back in Town" sung by my main squeeze... he's so hot}
<3>

And so it begins...

Today, marked the unofficial beginning to World Championships 2009 for the American Taekwondo Association! Technically, classes and seminars don't start until tomorrow, but we've already had a few instructors come through. Mr. Peirre Aucamp, from South Africa, and his students, also from South Africa, came through today. They are really neat people, plus, they have really nice accents! I think it's cool that he tries so hard to get his students to be able to come to the US for Worlds. It's neat.

Anyway, so I spoke with another of my instructors today who want to come by and say "hi." Mr. Jade Hockman - from Columbia, MO. I can't wait to meet him, he's probably one of my favorites. Doesn't hurt that the girls in my department say he's "hot". haha! He'll be one I'd like to get my photo with so I can post it here in my blog, and on facebook. I have two event links for Worlds on my facebook, which is cool. There are a lot of people on there that I need to add as friends.

Today was kind of rough. Poor Marissa, she's been so stressed, and we were working on our score sheets, and it just wasn't going as smoothly as it could have. I think we got it in the end though! Yay Marissa!

Other than that, it was a good evening. I made mini cheeseburgers for dinner, then we went for an hour and 17 minute walk around Shannon Hills. It was muggy, and we sweated a lot... which is good! The hills don't seem quite so hard anymore, here soon, we may have to start jogging! EEK!! PS. 60 pounds down, 40 more by Thanksgiving and I'll look HAWT for my Christmas pics!

Oh! Also, tonight, Robert and Monica stopped by, they had to pick up Tom's Euphonium (looks like a baby tuba) for an audition for an assistant band director's position at a high school close by! I hope he gets it! They are talking about coming over here in the next week or two, to spend time and hang out.

Alrighty, I think I heard the dryer buzz, saying that my bed sheets are dry!

Love you all! I'm out!

<3 Jess

Almost a month away... Sorry!

Ok, so the past month has been crazy... here are the, umm... HIGHLIGHTS... haha

* Still working on World Championships for the American Taekwondo Association. It all comes to an end on Sunday, June 27, 2009, THANK GOD! Then I'll actually get some days off.

* Been reading the Harry Potter series again, in preparation for the next movie coming out in July. I'm on book 5, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I've been reading for two weeks haha... Prisoner of Azkaban is probably my favorite.

* A couple weeks ago, we went to Sears and took family photos. They turned out great. If you want to see them, go to: www.facebook.com/jessica.hinz, and click on my photos. They are GREAT!!!

* Tom left for 5 days starting on June 15th. He went to help our friends move from Blytheville, AR to Jacksonville, AR. He was wiped by the time he got home Friday night.

*While Tom was away, I cleaned the entire house. (with the slight exception of my craft room... I just didn't get to it, and it wasn't high on the priority list.)

*Again, while Tom was away, I didn't get on the computer much. Cleaning took up most of my time, also I moped around the house a lot, since I was alone.

* We've been making lots of plans for the rest of the summer, since I haven't been able to take off ANY time since March:
1. Going camping
2. Going to see Harry Potter
3. Going camping again... (maybe?)
4. Climbing Pinnacle Mtn. (Should be an adventure)
5. Getting back on our diet (starting Monday)
6. Going camping again... (maybe?)

Haha!

Oh, I got to feel SUPER geeky today! I got to install a new hard drive into my desktop computer. I was very surprised at how easy it was!! I did have my sexy IT guy help me with it. hehe! He watched over me while I did the work. Too bad the harddrive was corrupt or something. It wouldn't work and wouldn't let me format it. Bummer! Oh well, I was able to take out the slave drive without real supervision.
After working on the computer, Tom and I played in the office on our computers. Which is a big deal, since we've basically used this room as STORAGE for the past 6 months... we haven't been able to get in here and use it. (Part of my super cleaning I did this week.) Tom seems really happy with it. His laptop doesn't work really well, so to have a computer that actually works, he's pleased.
Around noon, we headed out to Downtown Little Rock, and hit up the Whole Hog Cafe (we have seriously broken our diet this weekend...) we got pulled pork stuffed baked potatoes and a brownie!! yummy!! Too bad I ate WAY WAY WAY too much... oh well..
After lunch, Tom and I came home and took abt an hour and a half nap... well, part of it was nap... haha!
Anyway, after the nap, we went to my parents house and swam for a couple of hours in their pool with my neice and nephews, sis, bro-in-law, and one of my sister's friend's kids. We did dinner with them. Then headed home.
I've been playing on facebook a lot... stupid Farm Town application... what the heck? Oh well, it's cute, and something that Tom and I can do together.

I'm so glad he's home!!

I'm off to go back to facebook, then to bed... I'm tired!

<3 Jess