Thursday, July 29, 2010

Frenzy!

This is a super short post...it's crazy right now! But I have started blogging for Woman's Day now for the Slimdown Challenge...follow my posts here:

http://www.womansday.com/slimdown

I'll update more soon, I promise!!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Overwhelmed!

Wow...I am getting a crash course in home buying. I had no idea what all was involved in buying a house, but it's a LOT! I am trying hard to schedule our home inspection, but having to coordinate my schedule, David's schedule, the inspector's schedule and our realtor's schedule is a challenge. I spent time last night starting to pack things. We have a lot of stuff, and that's just in the kitchen!!! The rest of the apartment is going to take a while. We have a lot of work ahead of us. All good, though! Hopefully there won't be any snags or major problems with the house. Those could be deal breakers. I am reacting differently to the stress...I don't have much of an appetite and my stomach has been twisted in knots. It's all good, but I'm going to be glad to get moved and settled.

I am also getting ramped up for the national magazine weight loss challenge I have been selected for. There is a LOT happening right now! Once my first blog posts on their website I will post a link so you can follow me there, too. I'll be posting several times a week for them about my weight loss experiences. I am going to be following a new weight loss plan, which seems like a really good one. We'll see...the diet part begins August 16th, which is the week we close. STRESS!!!

Please pray for us...we have a lot on our plate!!

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Big News

So I am finally able to reveal my big news...David and I about to be home owners!!!!! We put in an offer on Monday and after a counter offer that was pretty good, we ironed out some final details and now we are under contract on a house! And yes, I think it might just be the house we've always wanted! :) I am so excited I can hardly stand it! There is much to do, and we currently have a closing date of August 20th. (Hopefully that won't change!) We will actually get the house on Sunday August 22 at 6pm, as the seller asked for an additional 48 hours after closing. And of course, that's not a problem. So now we will be living here:



Yup! Our own little oasis! This is such an exciting and very stressful time for us, but we couldn't be more excited! What a big year this is for us...who knew? Please pray for us as we start the next chapter in our lives!

So that's what's up in my world. Nothing much, right? LOL!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Wow!

So I lost 3 pounds at WW last week! So far, this week is off to a shaky start, but it's going to be a good one. :) It's a little stressful right now with school and stuff, but it's all good. Three more weeks of class. And then a quick break, and then the fall semester begins...sigh. At least there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

We got some bad news about David's Uncle Jerry. We thought he had beaten his cancer, but it is coming back with a vengeance, and the prognosis is not good. We're very glad we were out there last month to celebrate his 50th wedding anniversary with Aunt Jane. It was a special time and we all had such a good visit. I think David took the news a little hard, and of course I did too. They are lovely people. I can't imagine what they must be going through together right now.

We have other news on the horizon but we don't want to jinx it. I'll share soon, but I would like to ask for prayers of wisdom and good decision making. (Don't worry...this is going to be good, but we're not ready to go totally public yet. And just to quell any rumors, no one is pregnant.) This is good stuff, but like I said, we just don't want to jinx anything. :)

So prayers, please! I'll disclose this week, I promise!

Have a wonderful evening, all!

Friday, July 16, 2010

Carrie Bradshaw's Wisdom

In the SATC episode "A Woman's Right to Shoes," Carrie ends the episode by saying "It's really hard to walk in a single woman's shoes -- that's why you sometimes need really special ones." And having been that single girl, I couldn't agree more. But in this instance, and I am going to take out the word "single" and substitute "fabulous" because today, I feel fabulous! (And as far as I'm concerned, every woman I know should feel fabulous, too!) I did an early morning session with my trainer, and I feel great! I have made some good food choices, I'm working hard to get myself in the right direction, and now I feel like I'm well on my way...so yes, I feel fabulous! Which will now parlay itself into a new pair of shoes I think.

I have a long journey ahead of me...shouldn't my feet look as fabulous as I feel? :)

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Holy Cow!

So I got an email I've been hoping for...a national magazine has selected me to be one of their participants in a weight loss challenge!! It's not a competition or contest, just a very cool thing to be part of! I'll be getting my own personal weight loss coach that I'll be on contact with weekly, I'll be responsible for blogging weekly on their magazine website, and I'll be getting a personalized nutritional plan for me to follow. I don't know how many other people are part of this, but I am VERY excited! This process began back in May I think...it's been a while. But it all worked out and now I have a unique and wonderful opportunity to work hard and make this happen. My trainer just about passed out excitement! I emailed her and I got a call back with her in tears of joy...it feels good to know she believes in me!

So I am about to embark on a very exciting and very public journey. The hard part is knowing the weight number they will be publishing. But that's ok. I'm going to suck it up and be brave...maybe there's a girl out there just like me who needs to know she's not alone. I hope maybe my journey can give someone else just the courage they need to get themselves healthy, too.

So wish me luck! It all begins mid-August!!

Hanging On To My Sanity

Well, I'm trying anyhow. It feels so crazy right now, and I am so tired. Between work, school, and just life in general I am beat. Poor David and his back...he's on the mend, but it's taking some time and I won't let him lift anything. Or bend over to do things like scoop the litter box. So basically keeping the house in order in falling solely on me. Which is okay, but I am just so tired right now. School is going well, but I am working really hard at it. Just so you know, I hear myself whining about the same things all the time. I know how repetitive I sound. But it's just true. I'm exhausted. When the semester ends on August 12th, I am going to cherish the short time between semesters dearly! We're going to go up to the lake house and meet Chris and Charlie and the babies to celebrate, and I am really looking forward to that. :)

I am still waiting to hear about my participation in the magazine weight loss challenge. I hope no news is good news! I really do want this to work out, and so I am crossing my fingers. I've been doing okay back on WW...slow week last week and this week has been really tough because I have been so stressed out. But it's coming together, it just takes time. I've had many conversations with my friend Chris about this. She and I have shared the very same weight struggles since we were young. We met when we were 12, and even then we both struggled with weight. We've shared success and failure, and this time we're both determined to make this happen. But we both agree that weight loss is difficult and can be such a frustrating and often daunting task to take on. She and I share high blood pressure and wacky thyroid, too, so we're hoping to at least knock out the blood pressure meds. Although both of us have parents who had it so it may hereditary. But Chris is wanting to get pregnant again, so that is helping fuel her desire to get healthy, too. For me, I want to fight off the possibility of diabetes. See? It's more than just looking good, it's about being healthy. So I am a lucky girl to have a community of friends who support me. :)

So I have WW on Saturday, but I don't know how it will go. I've done okay but eaten foods with higher sodium, and we all know what that means...water retention. Ugh. So that may show up on the scale this week. Either way, I'm going and facing the music. I'm all about taking this head-on, so I'll report in on Saturday and let you know!

Have a good Thursday!

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Talking Turkey

So I made turkey tacos last night and they were wonderful! I simply used very lean ground turkey rather than ground beef, and ta-da! Healthier tacos! And I totally enjoyed them! I dearly love Tex-Mex and this was so tasty!! I highly recommend it!

I've been working like crazy to get my first psych paper finished. I am happy to report that I just sent it off to my professor. Now to study for tomorrow's quiz! (a student's work is never done!) I also need to drive David out to show him where to go for jury duty tomorrow. Poor guy...his back is a mess! He is having trouble with his sciatic nerve, and could hardly walk yesterday. He went to the doctor and got a massage and is doing much better today. However, his pain pills knock him out so I am going to call him sleeping beauty! :)

Not much else to report. Things are good, just very hectic with school. I have decided to lighten my fall load from 14 hours to 11. I need to keep my sanity! While I wanted to keep what I had registered for, I figured State and Local Government could wait until the spring.

I hope everyone had a good Tuesday!

Friday, July 09, 2010

Stress!!!!

So I started my next class last night. lots of papers to write and my fair share of quizzes. I honestly feel like I am having to work really hard to tread water right now. I think I will really enjoy the week I get between summer school and the regular semester at the end of August. Tonight, rather than getting to spend time with David or do something fun, I will eat dinner and then get to work on my first paper. It hardly seems fair. But it's the price I am paying to get this d@mn education. (Which I am grateful for and really want...I'm just tired right now.)

I am going to WW tomorrow morning. If we can all think back, I joined back on 19, but haven't been able to get to a meeting because I have been out of town every weekend since then. I am going to step on the scale at the gym here in a few minutes...not sure how its going to go. But you know what? I am happy to go tomorrow. I like the meetings. They really help. And I get to spend some time with my friend Wendy at the meeting, so it's all good! After that I am headed out of town overnight (yes, again). Oh, and that half marathon? Yeah, its coming up and I'm really not ready. I don't think I'll be able to finish, but I'm going to give it my very best effort. That's what counts, right? Of course, both ways on the plane I will have to be working on homework. I can't begin to tell you how ready I am to get through school. I'm just exhausted right now.

But over all, things are really good. I know I'm whining about being tired and all, but it will pass. This degree is something I want, and I am glad to have a chance to get an education. I just want a break, too!!

Have a good Friday, everyone!

Thursday, July 08, 2010

Done!

I finished my Biology class last night and made a B for the semester. I am perfectly fine with this! I'm just happy to have it completed. This also means that I am now a senior! (Yay!!) I thought I was going to have a homework-free weekend, but my professor for my History and Systems of Psychology class has already posted everything online for Monday's class, and with all there is to do it would just be advantageous to get started now. *sigh* So Anne is coming over tonight (she's taking it as well) and we're going to get moving on this stuff. Only four more weeks and I'll have this knocked out, too. :)

Monday was kind of a bittersweet day. It marked the one year anniversary of sending my precious Cleo to the Rainbow Bridge. We got home from the lake and I walked over to her little box on the mantle and just cried. I don't think there could ever be another cat like her, and I still think of her almost every day. I know many of you might think I'm a little crazy, but she was such a wonderful companion. She road tripped with me, so flew to Seattle when I moved up there, and during the loneliest days she was my best friend. She saw me through breakups and when she met David, that grumpy old girl loved him immediately. It was so hard to say goodbye to her, but I know it was her time.


So that's it for today. Just thinking about my girl, Cleo. If there is a warm fuzzy friend in your life, be sure to hug them every day. They bring a special kind of joy to our lives and they're so much more than just a "pet".

Have a good Thursday, friends!

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

No More Pigs, Please

So in my lab practical last night, my professor brought out the dissected pigs and we had to label the parts for our test. Did I mention I ate pork ribs before going to lab? Yeah, that was nasty. I may be off pork for a little while.

Tonight is my lecture final. I was excited to have a homework-free weekend ahead of me, but my psych professor has already posted assignments online and it's going to be a busy 4 weeks. No better time than now to get started. So I am meeting Anne at the TWU library tomorrow after work to get started. I want an A in this class, and I'm going to get it! (Also, the extra credit assignments are already posted, so I'm going to knock that out now!)

I am having a rough day. My head is killing me in spite of the Tylenol I have taken. I think looking at my monitor all day isn't helping, either. I may try and go home early...we'll see. Everything else is okay...just feeling under the weather.

That's it for now. Feel free to send good vibes for my lecture exam tonight!!

Monday, July 05, 2010

It's Been A While!

Whew! It's been busy! I managed to get through the pig dissection, which was really gross. Thankfully I had a deer hunter as a lab partner and he had no problem doing all the cutting. After lab David and I met our friends Brian and Kristin out for Eclipse. I enjoyed it! The movies keep getting better, and that was lots of fun.

Friday morning we headed out to Lake Eufaula to meet up with Chris and Charlie and the twins for a wonderful weekend! We had a blast, and spent all day on the 4th out on the boat. Yes, I got some sun! We grilled out each night, lit sparklers and just had a riot! We watched silly movies and just giggled ourselves silly. It was much needed!

This week, I have an exam tomorrow in my lab, an exam on Wednesday in my lecture class, and then I am done for the 1st half of summer! Summer 2 begins on the 12th, and that's my online History and Systems of Psychology class. Anne and I are both doing it online so we'll be meeting weekly to hold our own class to study together. I think it's a really good idea, and it should help us do well. We always do well when we study together. :)

So that's it in a nutshell. Now that I am home from the lake I need to hit the books! (sad, isn't it?)