The Jen Spot

Happy new year!

2012-01-19T22:59:00.001-06:00

70 pounds down now! I'd say that's a good start! Still plugging away at school but I graduate in May and I'm really excited about that!

Job? It still sucks. But it's a means to an end. The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter!!!

The End of 2011

2011-12-31T18:08:00.001-06:00

It's been, well, not my favorite year. But I'm hopeful for 2012. I'm going to try and do better for 2012 with blogging. So check back over the next week for a summary of 2011 and my hopes for 2012.

Happy new year to you all!

December Already?

2011-12-05T10:51:00.001-06:00

I've done a poor job of keeping up with the blog. It's been a really busy few months with school but I'm done with the semester now! Hopefully I can catch you up...weight loss, trip to Mexico...it's been good! So look for a more detailed update later this week!!!

So Much For Being On Top of Things!

2011-10-04T10:53:00.003-05:00

Yeah, it's been crazy. And when I say crazy, I really mean it! School and work and my volunteer work is filling up my time. Couple that with David's insane schedule, and we are luck to get to see each other at all. It's tough, but I'm in the home stretch with school! I am slated to graduate on May 11, 2012! (Barring my Genetics class doesn't kill me!) But I'm so close. My application for Spring graduation has been submitted, I've applied to the psychology honor society (cross your fingers!), and I think we're almost there. It's been a tough semester, but I'm going to make it, I think!

I've lost 54 pounds and started training for the half-marathon next March. Because I need one more thing on my plate, right? Ha! I need it to help me stay focused on the weight loss, so there you go. And I need to complete it before I am 40. It's on my "Before Forty" list. And I don't have that much time left! LOL!

I actually do have a Before Forty list. It's not long, and it's not devastating if I don't get it all done...I'll just move it to the Before Fifty list. But I'm On track for some big stuff, and I'm proud!

So I think overall, life is good! Busy, but good! David and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary, and I was reminded again how much I love him and what a really wonderful person he is. He couldn't be here on our anniversary, but he sent some very thoughtful and special flowers. And Sunday we went to Taverna for dinner. It was truly a very romantic evening.

Even though we're living in a state of chaos, I wouldn't trade it for anything. My happiness level is through the roof!

I'm Still Here!

2011-09-06T10:50:00.001-05:00

Jus tpopping in VERY briefly to say that I'm still here! I'll update soon, but hope all is well with you!

Catching Up

2011-08-09T09:59:00.002-05:00

Catching up...it seems like I find myself trying to do a lot of that lately. The summer semester is almost finished! I am writing my research paper this week, and on Saturday morning David and I head to San Francisco for our annual trip to visit the cooler weather. (Much appreciated this year, too!)

Last week was hectic...lots of school work, Hospice stuff, SafeHaven stuff, and family stuff. We made a quick trip to Houston because an elderly cousin passed away. It was good to see family, but it's hard to make road trips like that.

I'm going to Puerta Vallarta in November, and I am really looking forward to that. I'll be meeting David's cousins down there for a week of relaxing. (David has to work, so that's the bummer part of the trip.) After that, the next trip will be December 2012 for our next Cruisemas! Yay!

Speaking of travel, 2013 will bring wonderful things! I will be doing a study abroad trip to London for a couple of weeks to work on some master's level coursework. David is going to fly over for part of it, and on a weekend we're going to venture over to the Isle of Man!! Now, to know me means you need to understand that I am a large percentage Manx. (That's what they call the people from the Isle of Man.) We have very strong family ties there, and I am going to fulfill a dream of seeing where I come from!!! (Thank you to my wonderful husband!) We can fly there from London in about an hour and spend the night. I want to visit Kirkmichael, which is the village my family lived in/lives in. Yes, I still have family there! (I don't know them, though...perhaps I should try and send a letter to introduce myself?) So while a trip to London all by itself is wonderful, getting to visit my roots is off the charts amazing! This is absolutely the trip of a lifetime for me. I cannot believe how lucky I am to have the opportunities that I have had, and will have in the future. Trust me, I don't take them for granted.

So I have so much to look forward to over the next couple of years! And to cap it off, I'll almost be halfway finished with grad school by the time I go!

So things are really going well for me, and life is good. Am I loving my job? Nope. But I am doing the best I can because it gives me the chance to get to do what I love. And that's worth something!

Happy July!

2011-07-06T08:37:00.002-05:00

I'm always amazed at how fast the time goes. We're over halfway done with the year now! Lots has happened...it's been a busy year. School is still going well, and I am enjoying my Hospice work. David and I couldn't be happier in our home, and we're really enjoying the pool this summer. (I have a great tan!)

I've started my early morning workouts again this week, and so far, it's really going well. It helps me control my work stress, so that's a very good thing. However, I do feel sleepy. I need to get to bed earlier.

I'm looking forward to a week in California next month. We'll be spending time with David's cousins and Aunt out there, and I love visiting them. They are so much fun and it's such a nice change of pace for us. I have to come back a couple days before David because of school starting up, but that's ok. It gives me time to recoup. I usually need a day or two after a trip to readjust.

Not much else to tell right now. David travels often and I have lots going on with summer school and Hospice, so things are busy, but good. I had a lovely birthday and it was nice to be surrounded by friends to celebrate. :)

Hope all is well for you, too!

Welcome, Summer!

2011-06-09T07:41:00.002-05:00

I may be one of the few people excited for triple digit temperatures, but it's only because we have a pool. And we are getting good use out of it! I have a tropical looking tan, and I'm totally loving that I can go float around my pool after work!

I'm looking forward to our first full summer of pool fun. I think I need some new floats to lay on, so I'll be hitting up Overstock.com! How are you keeping cool this summer?

I really have very little news. Summer school began this week, so I am excited about moving forward. May 11, 2012 is my graduation date, so every day gets me closer to my goal. Where do I go from there? Graduate school!! :)

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far! Have a good Thursday...and GO MAVS!!

Where Have I Been?

2011-05-29T08:41:00.002-05:00

Wow, time flies!

The semester ended successfuly, and I am thankful! And after all my celebrating no summer schoo, I decided to take a social psych class anyhow. I graduate next May, and doing this will lighten my load in my graduating semester, so it just makes sense. I'll take a summer off after graduate school!

Things are okay...I really dislike my job, but it pays the bills so I'll hang in there until I graduate. But at least it's summertime and the pool is heating up and I can get in there and swim my stresses away!

I don't have a lot to report other than all that. I've just been so busy with work and school that I think that's all I do.

Hope everyone is well! I promise to blog again soon!

Focus

2011-04-02T18:38:00.002-05:00

It's hard to concentrate...there is just so much on my plate right now, and I'm exhausted. School is closing in on a month left (yay!) but I have projects due. I am trying to do one of them now, but you can see that I'd rather blog than do it. I just feel tired. Work isn't my favorite...started my new position this past week, and as predicted, I don't love it. But I can suck it up and get myself done with school. Which actually brings a joy - Spring 2012 classes posted online and everything I need to graduate is there, so I am DEFINITELY graduating in May of 2012!! (And then right on to grad school!) My Christmas gift this year is going to be my college ring. And I am VERY excited about that. So good things are going on. I just feel so busy all the time! I did get to have dinner with Kim last night, and that was great! We ate and then went to the MAC store, so I got a couple new eye shadows and a lip gloss. Hey, a girl needs treats! I am restarting my workouts tomorrow. A week off after the relay is plenty. Time to get back to it. I went to the store this week and found myself buying up lots of vegetarian frozen meals for lunch. Not sure why I'm on a no-meat kick, but I'm just going to roll with it. I did pretty well this week, so I'm really trying to refocus. I've been having protein shakes for breakfast and they really are filling and seem to stick with me all morning, so I'll keep that up. It's all good! So I guess that's about it. I really need to get my economics project done. I just have to focus!!

Digging Deep

2011-03-29T12:49:00.002-05:00

I spent my Sunday doing something I was sure I couldn't do right now. Kim and I did the Dallas Rock n Roll Half Marathon Relay. Kim took the first leg, which was 7.1 miles, and she totally rocked it! But I was really anxious about my part. I had 6 miles in front of me, and when Kim and I exchanged the baton, I took off at turtle speed. I knew I couldn't run it. I wasn't even sure if I could walk it. At each mile marker it still felt like an eternity away. Wasn't the end ever going go arrive? I plodded along with people passing me the whole way. But here's what's really cool: People would walk with me a short ways and encourage me. They would tell me I could finish, and they would share their weight loss stories with me. It was amazing! And even though my calves were cramping and I was exhausted, it was the encouragement of others that kept me going. That and my desire to finish, which only grew strong with each step. By the time the finish line was in sight, I called my parents so that they could encourage me over the finish line. And then there were the tears...so I was sobbing, listening to my parents tell me how proud they were, and lumbering across the finish line. It wasn't pretty to see, but I don't care. I did it! I actually did it! I was so scared when I set out, but I really finished it! And Kim and I cried together when we found each other. She knows how hard that was for me. But she knew I could do it. It's so awesome to have so many people believe in you! This was physically the hardest thing I have ever done. But I did it, and I am proud! I ordered my finish line photo, so I will post it here when I get it. Next year? I just might do the whole thing myself! With friends along side me and family at the finish line. That would be the best ever!

The Merits of Grief

2011-03-11T10:24:00.002-06:00

People sometimes think that some types of loss are more important than other kinds. I don't think that way. As a future grief counselor, I see all kinds of grief as valid and important. This comes to mind because today is a particularly sad day for two friends, and while each loss is different, they are both equally heartbreaking to me. If you don't agree, that's okay, but I would ask that you withhold that particular opinion. I normally wouldn't say that, but today I would ask that my friends' heartbreaks be respected.

My friend Christie (not my Matron of Honor, but another friend I've known since high school) unexpectedly lost her husband, Antonio, yesterday after a routine shoulder surgery. He left behind his lovely wife of 15 years and two children ages 13 and 11. He was her soul mate, and I cannot even pretend to know what that pain must feel like for her.

The other heartbreak belongs to my very dear friend, Kim. Her sweet kitty, Simon, went to the Rainbow Bridge this morning. He had been fighting cancer for a little while now, and this morning he joined my precious Cleo in Heaven. Letting your furbaby go is a very difficult thing to do, and Kim was selfless and brave and loving.

If you add in the devastation in Japan this morning, it just feels like a terrible day, and I am looking to God today for comfort for everyone. Please know that to all my friends and family, I love you all and will be thinking of each of you especially...I hope you feel the hugs I am sending out!

Back in The Saddle Again

2011-03-04T14:22:00.002-06:00

Okay...now that my blogging time for Woman's Day Magazine has come to an end, here I am trying to get back in the groove of my own blog. It has been a total whirlwind since January. While my job is changing, I am spared from being laid off. I interviewed today and feel like it went well, but I won't know for sure until I get (or don't get) an offer. I am optimistic, though, so I am hoping for the best. If I don't get exactly what I want, I will be very glad to at least still have a job.

School is keeping me busy. And by busy I mean that I feel as if I am hanging halfway out of a tornado. It's crazy! But I am getting through. What I love is that I am doing an internship with Hospice, and I just finished my training. Now I will get to start visiting patients and families, and my hope is to be able to help bring comfort to those who need it. It's my first step toward being in a helping profession, and I am excited. I am surrounded by people who are encouraging and uplifting, so I think I am in the right place.

Things at home a great! We are still loving our house so much! I'm ready for warm weather so we can enjoy our pool! Still doing the half-marathon relay at the end of the month with Kim, but I tell you...I am going to have to work hard to even be close to ready for that! One day I'll complete one on my own...someday.

So that's about it in a nutshell. It's been a busy first quarter of the year, and I am ready for the semester to end. As soon as it does, David is taking me to Las Vegas for a short vacation before summer school. I can hardly wait!

BRRRRR!!!

2011-02-02T09:43:00.002-06:00

Okay, it's really cold here! Much colder than what I experienced in Europe! I've been home from work the last two days, and if things don't thaw, which they won't, I doubt I'll go tomorrow. The roads in my neck of the woods are a thick sheet of ice. Ugh!

However, I don't mind not going to work. While I have a job, it's not one I want. I should be careful of what I put out there, but it's true. But it will do until I graduate next year. Perhaps it will help me stay motivated with school.

I don't have much to share. It was supposed to be an exciting week here in DFW with the Super Bowl, but the winter storm has squashed that. We're going to try and go downtown to enjoy the excitement Saturday night, though. It's going to be a celebration on David's birthday, even though it's a week late. I was sick to my stomach on his birthday and couldn't eat, so we'll make up for it this weekend. The ice should all be melted by then. I hope!

Everyone stay warm! It's cold out there!!

A Lot on My Plate

2011-01-24T20:22:00.002-06:00

Wow...my classes are going to be tough this semester. But I am most looking forward to starting my Hospice training tomorrow night. I think it's a good start for me since I will be getting my masters in counseling. I'm a little nervous, but I'm not afraid. David has expressed concern about how I will handle it emotionally, but I think I'll be okay. There is something about knowing that your job is purely to be there for someone and to help them and their family deal with end of life issues. I was there when both of my grandmothers passed away, and death isn't frightening to me. It's part of life, and since it's going to happen, I want to be there to help make it peaceful for others.

On a different note, I discovered that we're going to owe the IRS this year. UGH! I'm not happy about this, but I should have seen it coming since we took money from my 401K to put the down payment on the house. Oh well...it happens. Next year will be much better!

That's about it for me. I've got a Skype date with Chris...she and I are talking about recipes so I don't want to miss it!

Coming Up For Air

2011-01-19T22:59:00.002-06:00

Wow! So I have been a busy gal! School is back in session, so I have classes, one of which is a counseling internship. This is really neat! I'm going to be working with Hospice doing home and inpatient visits, as well as learning to lead bereavement groups. It's not an easy job, but I am excited about taking a step in the direction I want to go. I think that while it's going to be a very busy semester, it's going to be very rewarding.

Still in limbo with my job. I'll be interviewing next week for a new position, so I hope it works out. Otherwise I will be employed until March 31st and then on to 5 months of severance. Seriously, I'm just feeling okay about all of this. I know that the right thing will happen, so as soon as I know about my current job, I can start to move forward however I need to. It's all good. :)

David's travel began again today, so after being together for a long time, it was hard to let him head out today. But he's back on Saturday, and I'm excited about that.

In his absence I am filling my time with family dinners and a Friday night date with Kim. :) Dinner and a movie are always a good night out with her! I had to cancel last weekend because I was feeling crummy, but I am back to good health and ready for some girl time.

I think that's about it for today. I'm still blogging for Woman's Day, and check out the spread in the February issue...I'm in there! (They have it on their website, too! www.womansday.com)

A New Year Is Coming!

2010-12-30T10:33:00.002-06:00

Whew...after a 17 day tour of Europe, I am beat. Still having trouble with jet lag, but I think it's getting better. (Lord, I hope so!) I went back to work yesterday to find out that my team has been eliminated. Yup...If I don't find something else within the company, I'll be out of a job on March 31, 2011. I'll have a good severance package, too. This news stung a bit, even though I was kind of prepared for it. The good news is that I have a fair amount of time to prepare, and there are a few things within the company that I plan to apply for, and I think i have a good shot at. So while I am a bit stressed about this, I also feel like things will be okay. I'm not panicking yet. :) So any prayers you can spare will be greatly appreciated.

Our trip was amazing! I saw small Austrian and German towns that looked like they came right off a Christmas Card, and of course I was so happy to be back in Paris! It was wonderful! I swear, I just love that city! As I walked around I would think to myself about how Kim and I were here before. I told Kim we need a girls' trip to Paris again. Even for a long weekend...she and I just seemed to fit right in there!

London was lovely, but by the time we got there I was feeling a little homesick, so when the day came to come home, we were happy to head over the pond. Our precious kitties seem to need to keep us in their sights at all times...I love those little babies! They keep bringing David their toys and putting them in his shoes. It's VERY cute!

So I hope you had a beautiful and blessed Christmas, and that you will have a safe New Years! 2011 is going to be a great year!

MIA Again?

2010-12-21T15:33:00.001-06:00

I know, long time no blog! However, I am currently on vacation and out of the country! If you want to follow my travels, go to www.schmoopiesabroad.blogspot.com. We've been running around Europe, and are currently in Paris. By the end of the week we'll be in London, but this is all following a week of Austria and Germany, so check it out! I've not been able to post pictures as I wanted, but I'll be doing lots of that when we get home.

I'll be back to blogging here in January! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Long Time No Blog!

2010-12-01T22:56:00.002-06:00

If that tells you anything...it's been crazy busy! Work is a mess (going through yet another reorg...hoping to come out of it with a job I can at least stomach until I graduate!), school is frying my brain (finals next week!), and so much to do to get ready for our trip it's not even funny. I don't know how we're going to get it all in, but somehow we will. And somewhere in all this, I have to get packed for our trip. I haven't even had time to get excited about that! However, I was watching Christmas in Europe on PBS last night, and they showed a BUNCH of the places we're going and I did get pretty pumped up about that. :)

Right now I am supposed to be writing a paper that is due tomorrow. I am having trouble with that so I thought it might be nice to get caught up here. Thankfully the days of papers and tests and homework are coming to a temporary close. But the break will be nice!

We leave on vacation December 10th, and I'll post the link to our travel blog then. We're going to a lot of wonderful places, and I am excited to share them with you!

Be well, friends!

Thank You

2010-11-11T08:23:00.002-06:00

This is just a quick post, but I want to thank all of our veterans. (My Dad especially!) What all of you do or have done has made sure that I get to have the freedoms that I do now. I am so thankful that there are women and men who are willing to go out there and fight for those in other places who need help. We are a very lucky country, and we often take that for granted.

So thank you to all those who have served in our military. God bless America!

Inspired

2010-11-09T08:32:00.002-06:00

So I am working hard to feel renewed and energized. One of my fellow Slimdown bloggers suggested a Couch to 5K program to help me prep to conquer another 5K, and I'm going to put it into action this week. I'm feeling inspired by others around me, and this is good. :)

Kim and I have decided to do the half marathon next March as a relay. She'll do the 7.1 mile leg and I'll do the 6 mile leg. I think this makes the most sense with my fitness level right now, and it sure feels more manageable. Once we get that under our belts we'll look at a 13.1 mile journey together. For right now, this is going to be good. Besides, she's been the one to do most of the 5Ks with me, so it really feels like our thing, you know? So we'll be the two rock stars getting our groove on. I love it!

The house is good. We had our housewarming a couple of weeks ago, so now we're taking it easy. Our new dining table and buffet are due to arrive the day before Thanksgiving, which is good since we're hosting my family!

Also, if you haven't picked up the November 17th issue of Woman's Day magazine, you should! I'm in there on page 104. It's just a short interview about my weight loss, but hey, I made a national publication!

Have a great Tuesday, friends!

Nothing Like Feeling Less Than A Person

2010-10-29T09:44:00.003-05:00

I don't know if many of you have read the recent blog post on the Marie Claire magazine website. There is a good chance you've heard about it. The blogger wrote a whole post about how disgusted she is by overweight people. I'm not linking to the article here because I don't care to ...just take my word, it's a mean article. It's great to find out that my mere presence in a room physically disgusts people, simply based upon the fact that I am not a size 4. Did I let this ONE PERSON bring me to tears? Yes I did. It hurts. It's painful enough to deal with being overweight, and it doesn't help to be reminded by outsiders who are unable to see a person for who they are. While I know she wasn't writing it about me specifically, I'm part of the population who is set in her target. And while I celebrate free speech and believe we are all entitled to an opinion, when is it okay to just flat out be so blatantly ugly to other humans?

I won't give her the satisfaction of saying how I'll show her and get the weight off. I'm already doing that on my own, she didn't light that fire. But she did open my eyes to the fact that size-ism is the last acceptable prejudice allowed. I'm losing weight because I want to do it for me. I agree that obesity is an epidemic, and it's unhealthy. I'm not arguing that point at all. But some people are completely happy at a larger size. I am all about loving ourselves for who we are, and no one has the right to take that away from us. This particular blogger must not love herself very much to be able to thoughtlessly spew that kind of venom out on her fellow man. So perhaps instead of being angry at her or being hurt by her words, I need to take a different avenue and pray for her. Maybe I need to show the compassion she wasn't able to show. If I don't, I am no better than she is.

So my point is this: Whenever we run across people who have no filter and feel free to say hateful things to others, no matter what it is, we need to show what love and forgiveness look like. Let's be the change we want to see. I'm tired of living in a mean world where people take others for granted and forget that people have feelings. Have I shed tears over this article? You bet I have. But I refuse to hate her. I'm angry about her words, but I am going to breathe deep and let go. And put good and healing thoughts out into the universe for that author. Because at the end of the day, if I carry a grudge I am only hurting myself.

And this girl is all about trying to enjoy her inner happiness. :)

It's The Little Things

2010-10-14T08:17:00.002-05:00

I got a treat in the mail yesterday! I had ordered a new knit cap for winter (you know, the ones that keep your head warm when it's cold!) and it arrived yesterday!!! I love it because it's knit to look like a pink cupcake! LOL! Yes, I have a sickness when it comes to anything cupcake related. And no, I don't sit around and wonder why I have weight to lose! (I know why!) I got one for my friend Diane who is going with us to Europe in December. It will be a surprise for her...she loves cupcakes like I do, and I thought we'd have some funny pictures of us in our cupcake hats all over Europe! I can't wait to give it to her. :)

Tis the season for one of my favorite treats...honeycrisp apples!!! They've been on sale at Target for $1.50/pound, and they are delicious! Sweeter and jucier than regular apples, so if it's a healthy treat you're craving, grab one of these babies! They're delicious! (No, this is not a paid endorsement. I just love apples!)

I'm dying to decorate our house for Halloween except that we're having a housewarming party and I seem to be spending money on all the things for that. I have to finish ripping out wallpaper this weekend, and get the guest bathroom painted. It's halfway done (the wallpaper part) but I need to get to it. I'll work on that this weekend. I still need to pick out paint, but I think I want a new shower curtain first. I saw one at Bed Bath and Beyond that I like, so I will probably go pick it up Friday and get some paint matched up with it. Once I get that bathroom finished, I will be cleaning like a madwoman this week! With all these people coming over, I need to look a little more like Suzy Homemaker and get my laundry up off the floor in the bedroom!

I think that's about it for now. I have to finish a paper that's due tonight that I couldn't seem to finish last night. I had some major writers block, and I sat staring at my laptop trying everything I could to get inspired! Some days it just comes easier than others. *Sigh*

Have a great Thursday, friends!

Hello!

2010-10-12T10:03:00.003-05:00

No, I didn't fall off the planet. I have just been swamped! Between work, school, and house, I don't have a lot of extra time. I am midway through the semester, and classes are good! I have all A's right now, so I am pleased. I am in the running for Psi Chi, which is the psychology honor society. If I'm not eligible this semester, I absolutely will be next. So I am happy! My official graduation date will be May of 2012, and I can't wait! I have all my courses planned out from now until graduation, and I am VERY excited that I do not have to go to summer school next year!! A whole summer off...my first one in a while, and my last one in a while, too. Grad school is year round, so for another 2.5 years after I graduate I will be a year round student, but at least I'll be working on my Master's Degree and then I get to pursue what I want to do...counseling!!!

The Woman's Day Slimdown challenge is going well. I wish I was losing weight faster, but I'm doing the best I can. At least I'm losing weight, right?

I have been going nuts working on the house. We have a gathering coming up soon, and I want the house to look great! We've been painting, hanging curtains and pictures, and cleaning. We still need a little more furniture, but that is just going to have to wait a little longer. (And I need that money tree to start growing!) But I am loving the house. I had something closely resembling an anxiety attack the day I paid our first house payment, coupled with the new and increased electric bill, cable bill...etc...not that we can't afford it, it's just more money than I am used to seeing flying out the window. But it's all good! We're going to have our credit cards paid off very soon, and that will put us in a VERY good spot, so I am very pleased. We have been using that Home Depot card, and now I'm ready to put it away!

So that's about it. I hope all is well for you all! We're gearing up for our big trip to Europe in December, so look out Europe! Here come the Willises!

Welcome Fall!

2010-09-28T07:58:00.002-05:00

I am loving the fall weather! I'm sorry that pool season is ending and I have to say goodbye to my lovely suntan, but it's going to be much nicer getting out and going for walks. :)

David and celebrate our 3rd anniversary tomorrow! We're keeping it low key since we celebrated with Chris and Charlie over the weekend. Tomorrow we're grilling steaks and enjoying our beautiful new home. Two people couldn't be happier!

I am still going strong with the Slimdown Challenge. Are you following me? http://wdslimdown.typepad.com/wdslimdown/jennifer/ Feel free to comment...I need all the help I can get!

I have to keep this post short today...lots to do here at work and I need to prep my blog for Woman's Day. I hope everyone has a great day!!!

Whew!

2010-09-13T20:11:00.002-05:00

It's been crazy lately! Between moving, car accidents (I'm fine!), school, and everything else, time has gotten away from me! The house is looking good, and we are almost unpacked. I'm finishing up painting but it will take me a little time to get to it with homework and school. It's been great having a pool to go jump into to cool off in the evenings. This may be the first time I have been happy for the hot weather...it keeps the pool water warm! (The solar cover we bought helps, too)

I'm finally getting back into my routine. The commute is longer and a little more difficult, but it's worth it to me. At least I have a new car that makes it a little easier! (I got an Altima with the 3.5 liter V6 engine...this baby has some get up and go!) Anyhow, things are well and I am happy.

The Slimdown Challenge has been that - challenging. I've been working to stay on track with all the chaos and while it was tough, I'm doing pretty well. It will be nice to be lighter when we go to Europe in December! I've also begun training for the half marathon. Since I couldn't get to Chicago, I am registered (along with some friends) for the Dallas one in March. Sandra and I began our daily workouts at lunch today and I was glad we did it. Shanna is going to start joining us, too, so we're going to get our fitness on and rock it!!

I think that's it for now. I know I should post pictures of the house, and I will...I just have a little down time and I'm going to take advantage of it!

Have a great evening, all!

Whirlwind

2010-08-31T06:59:00.002-05:00

It has been crazy! We're moved into the house and I love it! Still have to go back to the apartment one last time today to finish up, but it's all good. For all the happy stuff going on, I did find my negative thing to balance it. I was on my way to school yesterday and got into a car accident (a guy slammed into the side of my car on the freeway) and naturally this jerk had no insurance. Oh, and he's not here in the country legally. Today I am a bit stiff and sore, but I'm ok. My car is going to need some TLC, though. *sigh*

But overall, things are really good. I just wanted to check in and say hello. I'll post more later this week.

Have a great week, friends!

I'm A Homeowner!

2010-08-24T08:31:00.002-05:00

Yes, the house is now ours! (And the bank's, too) It's been exicitng buying paint, ordering furniture, and starting some projects at the house. We'll actually be moving in on Friday, but today I am doing some work at the house and having the carpets cleaned. Hopefully the yard guy will call back and then come out and mow and edge the yard...it needs it! It's been sad because David had to travel on business so he hasn't gotten to be at the house yet. I know it's hard for him during such an exciting time, but he'll be home Thursday and we'll go jump in the pool and open the champagne we've been saving for this. :)

That's my short update for today...thre is much to be done and I need to get going!

Today Is The Day!

2010-08-20T08:50:00.003-05:00

We're closing on our house at 2:30 this afternoon! This is really exciting, and I can hardly wait. We couldn't sleep last night...it's like Christmas!

I had my first weigh in for my challenge. After only 4 days on the plan, I've lost 2 pounds. However, it's frustrating because David has already lost 4.5, and my BFF has already lost 4. So while I know I should be proud, I just feel somehow like I failed, which is dumb because I didn't at all. One of the other bloggers says she's lost 6 pounds. *sigh* I'm doing my best, and that's all I can do.

So I am focusing on the house today. I'm so ready to get moved!! The boxes are making me miserable!!!

Taking A Break!

2010-08-13T08:19:00.002-05:00

I finished my second summer class yesterday, and got an A on my research paper! (Which means I got an A in the class...yay!) It was a tough four weeks, but it's over now. But I have a lot coming up...we're heading up to the lake house this weekend to see Chris and her family, and I can't wait! We should probably be home packing, but we need a break so badly! I also start the official Slimdown Challenge on Monday, and we close on the house a week from today. Whew! That feels like a lot! But I'll manage just fine. :)

I registered yesterday for the Dallas Rock n Roll Half Marathon. Since I didn't get to go to Chicago, I am going to do this one on March 27th of next year. I started training this morning...I got up and was at the gym in my office at 6:30 and did 30 minutes on the treadmill. I know, 30 minutes might not be considered training for many of you, but for me it's a start. I've not been faithful about getting on the treadmill, but that's all changing. And now I have to make sure to get my cardio in so that I can be successful with the weight loss challenge! So it's really two-fold.

I am getting so excited about the house! I'm ready to move in and get settled...and it will be our own little place in the world!! I have so many ideas and plans, and I can't wait to get a paintbrush on those walls! I'll be posting pictures as I go...I'll be steaming wallpaper off and painting as soon as I can get in there! So I am excited to share all of that here with you in the blog. :)

And please don't forget to follow me at www.womansday.com/slimdown!

Have a wonderful Friday, everyone!

Two Weeks and Counting

2010-08-06T07:36:00.002-05:00

We close on the new house 2 weeks from today! It's just surreal...and I am so excited! I've picked out paint, planned to rip out wall paper, carpet cleaners are scheduled, utilities set to be turned on...it's really happening! I'll be posting pictures as we move in...the week before the movers come I will be getting the kitchen done and taking some things over a little at a time. It's exciting! Sadly, I am starting the fall semester that same week. I wish I could have a little more time before school starts for fall, but that's just how it goes. I still have to finish my research paper due next Thursday. I'll be glad to have this class wrapped up. While it is important to understand the history of psychology, it's not exactly riveting stuff.

My big plans this weekend? David and I are packing. We have to get a lot done because next weekend we are going to up the lake house to meet up with Chris and Charlie for a quick break. We've had this on the books for a while, and I'm looking forward to it. So we have to make a good bit of progress this weekend...and we have plenty to do! But we're having fun packing together and cleaning things out. It's really not so bad!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Try to stay cool, friends...it's HOT outside!

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

2010-08-01T07:45:00.000-05:00

41 years is something to be proud of...and I am proud that you guys are my parents. I love you both so much!

Here's to another 41!

Frenzy!

2010-07-29T10:49:00.001-05:00

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!!

Overwhelmed!

2010-07-24T09:16:00.002-05:00

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!!

Big News

2010-07-21T13:43:00.004-05:00

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!

Wow!

2010-07-19T22:07:00.002-05:00

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!

Carrie Bradshaw's Wisdom

2010-07-16T10:00:00.002-05:00

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? :)

Holy Cow!

2010-07-15T19:26:00.003-05:00

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

2010-07-15T09:53:00.002-05:00

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!

Talking Turkey

2010-07-13T19:15:00.002-05:00

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!

Stress!!!!

2010-07-09T07:26:00.002-05:00

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!

Done!

2010-07-08T07:30:00.003-05:00

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!

No More Pigs, Please

2010-07-07T12:30:00.002-05:00

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!!

It's Been A While!

2010-07-05T20:39:00.002-05:00

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?)

Quick Update

2010-06-30T10:20:00.002-05:00

Hope everyone is well! I'm pretty much just poking my head in to say hello. California was absolutely wonderful - we had a great time! I am busy getting my Biology homework done before we leave town again Friday to head up to the lake house to meet Chris and Charlie and the girls, and tonight I am hanging out with David's BFF, Brian. His gf is meeting some friends for dinner, and since Brian had his accident and can't do much for himself at the moment, I volunteered to come and hang out with him. I don't mind at all...it's nice to be there when friends need help, and this isn't just any friend, it's David's best friend and he's a good friend to me, too. I know if I needed something I could count on him. Well, if he could walk! (LOL!) But seriously, I don't mind one bit.

Tomorrow night's lab is pig dissection. I am REALLY dreading this lab, but it's the last one and I'm going to be brave and get it over with. But I am really having to work to get all my lecture stuff done before we leave...I'll be doing that during my lunches the next two days and definitely before and after going to Brian's. But it will get done!! (It has to...there's no choice about it!)

So I hope everyone is hanging in there...I am a finalist in the magazine weight loss challenge, so hopefully I'll know something next week. Cross your fingers!

Good News and a Birthday Recap

2010-06-23T11:02:00.002-05:00

So I got a notification yesterday that I am a finalist for the magazine weight loss challenge! This is cool stuff! So I've spent my morning filling out the questionnaire and writing what would be my first blog post for them. (I would blog 3-4 times each week.) So I am hopeful. I have to submit it and 4 pictures of myself by July 1st, so it will be a little longer before I know anything for sure. But this is very exciting!

I had an awesome birthday yesterday! David gave me a Sony Reader, and now I can join Kim in the world of e-books! I am already addicted to this thing...and I think he wants one too. I bought three books already for it, and already have a 4th I want to download. This will be perfect on the plane to California on Friday!

I am so ready to have a mini-vacation this weekend! I love David's California family...they are tons of fun! So I am looking forward to spending time in 75 degree weather. I'll be taking my walking shoes and enjoying the weather immensely!

I think that's it for now. My eating has been good except for the 2 pieces of cake I ate yesterday. But it was my birthday and I'm not sorry I ate it!!

Working On Myself

2010-06-19T12:36:00.002-05:00

I did it! Iwent back to WW this morning AND I got on the scale. It was ugly. Really ugly. But you know what? I was brave and I did it. I and I have a lot of work to do, but I feel ready for it. I'm tired of the food free-for-all, the feeling full, the feeling heavy...I am done! I'm ready to feel energized and healthy and proud! So I finally did what I wish I had done years ago: I am stopping the madness. Empowerment is a good thing, and I am feeling very empowered right now.

So that's my big news of the day. Mom's eye is healing well from her surgery, and she is seeing a difference already! Yay!!

I hope everyone has a good weekend and a wonderful Father's Day!

Buried

2010-06-17T07:13:00.002-05:00

I feel like I am buried up to my neck...homework, laundry, you name it. It's piling up! But I did get to celebrate Mom's birthday yesterday! :) And I am so glad...we had a lot of fun. We ate dinner, Mom opened her gifts, and we ate cake. Oh, and then we watched the new Betty White sitcom, Hot in Cleveland. That has got to be my new favorite show! All the actresses on there are hilarious, and I hope this show is a big success! At least it was with me...I was laughing like a crazy woman!

I am so tired this morning. This week hasn't been good sleeping for me. I've been up way too late every night, and feeling like I'm just not getting anything done. I hate that feeling.

Oh, and I am dragging my sorry tail to WW on Saturday. I haven't been going. I've wanted to go, but I've had a horrible mental block against going. So I decided to try a totally different meeting location so it feels like a fresh start. My dear friend Wendy is coming, too, so now I have a buddy to go with and she WON'T let me weasel out of going on those days when I don't want to. This is a good thing, trust me. So while I already know I won't like what the scale says, after Saturday it will only get better. Of course, for the two following Saturdays I will be out of town, but that's okay. I'm ready to start and I didn't want to wait until I got back. So here we go again...sucking it up and going to face the scale. But it's not the scale that's my enemy. I'm not sure what really IS my enemy, but I'm going to figure it out. The scale is just the messenger, and we all know we're not supposed to shoot the messenger, right? So now I need to sort out why this is so hard for me. Weight loss is very mental for me...and I'm going to figure all this out somehow.

So here we go. Again.

Biology...the Ruiner of Summertime Fun

2010-06-14T22:02:00.001-05:00

So I didn't do as well as I would have liked on my test. Didn't bomb it but I wish I had done better. It was HARD!! Next time I know I'll need to be prepared with way more detail. But it's done, and I've done some extra credit work, so hopefully that will help. And I'm doing well in my lab, and that's 30% of my grade as well, so I am thinking it will all balance out.

So now I am hungry and it's bedtime. This means a fruit smoothie for dinner and then on to bed.

Wow...what a fun summer I'm having!!

Long Day

2010-06-11T07:31:00.002-05:00

Mom had her eye surgery today. (Corneal transplant) I didn't realize how worried I was until I started getting antsy about not having heard from Dad. While Mom's surgery is not uncommon, it's still not necessarily the norm and I was ready to know she was good. Now we wait for a few months to really know if it took. (For those who do not know, my mother has Fuch's Dystrophy...it's worth Googling just to get a better idea of what it is...too much info for me to go into here.) She's had one eye done already, and we are hoping this one does well. The surgeon says things went well. She has a follow up this morning, so I am praying that the result is good so far. We are also praying for the family of the person who donated the corneal tissue. While we celebrate my mother's sight improving, another family is feeling the pain of losing a loved one. But that is part of the beauty of organ/tissue donation...someone you love can continue to give selflessly even after they are gone. I have a good friend who was a quadruple organ donation recipient. Someones loss and selfless act saved Robbyn's life. I will always be grateful to that family, too.

I also had an eye appointment yesterday to get more contact lenses. It's nice to not be wearing my glasses again! I had been out of contacts for a few weeks, and I am glad to have them again. I always put off going to the eye doctor because it just doesn't cross my mind. That, and it takes a while. But it's good to check your eye health, everyone!

I am so glad it's Friday, although I will be spending the weekend studying again. Why am I working this hard for a 4-hour class? Between the lecture and the lab, I am swamped! The second half of summer will feel like a vacation even though it's going to be a senior level psychology class! I'm looking forward to that one, too. Anne and I are both taking it online and will be getting together a lot to make sure we are successful in there. Oh, and I will officially be a senior at the end of my Biology class, so I am almost there!!! Yay!

I think that's it for now. I hope everyone has a great Friday!!

Choices

2010-06-09T19:41:00.003-05:00

I thought a lot about choices tonight. About how the choices we make affect more than we think they do. What made me think this? Watching "Losing It With Jillian Michaels" tonight. I should already know all this, but I got a great reminder this evening about how the decisions we make can make long term changes. I've chosen to go to school and work and these are choices I am glad I made. I have also chosen (in the past) to be lazy and eat things that have been terrible choices. Well here I am making new choices. I am choosing to be more active and to eat healthy. I am choosing to be a new me...one who isn't afraid to try things that seem scary (insert 1/2 marathon here). But most importantly, I am choosing the me I really want to be. I want to be the girl whose friends think she's off her rocker for trying to finish a race, or to one day climb a rock wall on a cruise ship or go rollerblading. I've never done any of those things. (Mostly because being overweight makes them very difficult.) But I'm going to do them!

But I also have to take this one step at a time. I have heard some dialogue in my head lately that I need to clean out. Somewhere I had decided that the only success in this 1/2 marathon is if I cross the finish line. I don't think that's so true any more. I think the success is stepping on the starting line and giving it my best. My best may run out at about 6 miles, but guess what? That's going to be okay. It means that I tried my hardest and 6 miles is what I could give. But trust me, I am going to be digging deep to try and finish. I really want to be able to cross that finish line and know I completed it. But if I don't I will know that I can try again next time. And be stronger and maybe even a little faster!

So tonight I have decided to choose something different...I choose to be positive when I talk to myself. I choose to allow myself to celebrate whatever my very best looks like...be it 6 miles, or only 1 pound this week, or whatever shape or form it is. My best IS good enough. And I know whatever I do, I will make sure I give my very best.

Maybe This Time...

2010-06-08T07:32:00.001-05:00

So after so many posts about how I'm all refocused and on track, I think this time it's really happening. I've worked out hard, eaten carefully, and I'm down 4 pounds since Friday! All of this is good news! Now, it's 4 pounds I had put back on, so I am working to get back to where I was. But I'm not worried about that...I think I'm going to get there! :)

So I had to take off from the gym yesterday because my muscles were so fatigued. I've given them a good beating, and they just needed a break. Wise choice, as I woke up today feeling much better and ready to hit the treadmill again. I love it when I make smart decisions!

So I don't have any news today...Biology lab tonight. Meh.

Everyone have a great Tuesday!

Happy National Doughnut Day!

2010-06-04T07:07:00.002-05:00

How will I be celebrating? With an orange. No doughnuts here...trying to do better. :) I challenge you to do the same. I'm sure in each of our workplaces doughnuts will make an appearance, but be strong! Take courage, and rebel against the mainstream and pass the doughnuts by!! We can do it! :)

I am looking forward to a nice weekend. It's not going to be packed with super fun stuff...just a Saturday full of Biology. I think it may be a little more challenging than I thought, but that's not a bad thing. It just means I need to apply myself and focus. But it's going to be just fine. My lab is going okay. I worked in a group last night and hopefully they didn't think I was the old lady who is a big dork. It's possible, but hopefully not!

David comes home tomorrow night, but it will be kind of late...around 9:00pm. I'm going to make my WW cheesy chicken enchiladas, which I haven't made in a while. That, or perhaps my Mexican Layered Chicken Casserole. (Also a WW recipe) Evidently I am craving Mexican food! I like both, but the casserole seems to reheat much better, so that will probably be what I make. Yum! I need to go to the store tonight and get the stuff.

This weekend is the WW Walk-It Challenge. So Sunday morning I will be getting up and doing a 5K on my own. That's the challenge - to do a 5K either formally or mapping out your own and doing. I didn't find one to enter so I have my own mapped out and will be doing it. If it's too humid and gross, I can do it on the treadmill, but I am hoping to do it outdoors...much better scenery.

Happy Friday everyone! Please remember to drive carefully everywhere you go, and hug the ones you love!!

Thoughts

2010-06-03T08:39:00.002-05:00

So I was reading a question posted by Kathy Lee and Hoda from the Today show this morning (on Facebook). They wanted to know if it was okay to date shorter men. My first thought was that it shouldn't matter...we should date who we're interested in! Is it discriminatory to have preferences? I'm not a skinny girl, and I'm pretty sure that there are men who didn't want to date me for that reason. (which is fine...again, I sure understand that we are attracted to people for different reasons, or not attracted for other reasons.) I guess I wonder where the line is between discrimination and attraction on something like this. I mean, honestly, I love that my husband is taller than me. I like that I can wear high heels and he's still taller. Is that wrong of me? The flip side of that is that I love David so much that I suspect his height wouldn't have mattered to me. I can't say for sure because it's just not the case. But as much as I liked him from the start, I think we'd be together even if he was 5'6". Just saying. :)

But again, people are attracted to others for different reasons, and I'm not sure we should be condemning others because of what they are or aren't into. People on FB were so quick to flame other commenters, but I think it's okay to have preferences. It's certainly NOT okay to be mean about it or degrading about it, though. What do you all think? Am I glossing something over that I shouldn't? Just curious about what others think. God asks us to love our neighbors and not to judge. I agree...but I also think God made us all different shapes and sizes and that ultimately there is someone for everyone. Someone who will love us regardless of height, weight, scars, birthmarks, eye color, food preferences, you name it. As long as we treat everyone with kindness and respect, I think it's okay to have preferences. Again, just be kind about it.

I guess other than that, it's a quiet day. Brian was discharged yesterday and we helped to finish getting him moved. He was happy to be home and in excellent spirits. We are working on ways to turn his chest brace into Iron Man. I spoke with my friend Andy who had some excellent ideas, so I'll be setting to work on that soon. :) Hey, if you're going to have to wear it, it might as well be fun, right?

Happy Thursday, everyone!!

Summer School Has Begun

2010-06-02T08:33:00.002-05:00

Yesterday began the first summer session. I am taking Biology, which is not a favorite of mine, but I already enjoy far more than Algebra. I am really going to have a lot of reading to do, and I also have lab twice a week from 7:40-10:20. While I am not excited about that, it only lasts 5 weeks so I know I can get through it. Except that we'll be dissecting a fetal pig at the end of the term in the lab. Honestly, I have no idea how I will get through that.

Our friend Brian is being discharged from the hospital today! We were helping to get his apartment moved last night so now he is downstairs from where he was. It was a fairly easy move, but we worked up a big sweat last night for sure. It's so hot and humid out!

My Sunburn from Monday is already starting to fade into a nice tan. Thank goodness...I was pretty pink Monday night/yesterday! It was nice to have a 3 day weekend, although we were so busy and so stressed. That's okay...three weeks from Friday we head out to California for along weekend to enjoy time with the California Willis bunch. That's a fun bunch! :) It will be a little like taking a birthday trip...except I am forbidding mention of my birthday out there because we'll be celebrating David's Aunt Jane and Uncle Jerry's 50th wedding anniversary, and it should be all about them. I'm only celebrating 38 years...their party TOTALLY trumps mine, and I'm very okay with that! (Jerry and Jane are awesome! I hope I'm as sassy and spunky as Jane is when I'm their age!)

I think that's it for today. Happy "hump" day everyone! :)

Fragility Of Life

2010-06-01T07:26:00.000-05:00

I got a frightening reminder of how fragile we all are. David's best friend, Brian, was in a horrific car accident on Friday morning. I'm not exaggerating. It was awful. It is nothing short of a miracle that he is alive. His accident was a result of his lead foot, and he was rushing to get somewhere when his car it a bump in the road. While I am not clear on the exact details, I can tell you that it ended with his car bursting into flames. Thankfully, moments before that happened he was able to pull himself from the car. Not sure how, since he has ultimately crushed one of his ankles and had compression fractures in two of his lumbar vertebrae. He is lucky to be alive. Had he been knocked unconscious, he might not have been able to get himself out of his car. We have been spending a great deal of time at the hospital, and were excited that he was finally moved from ICU into a regular room yesterday. He's in a great deal of pain, and has a very long road ahead of him, including being confined to a wheelchair for the next few months. We are helping move him out of his second floor apartment this week in anticipation of his release, but I think he will most likely move to a step-down rehab facility before going home. He still needs ankle surgery (which has been postponed due to all the swelling), so I think a rehab facility is a good idea.

All of this to say, it has been a grave reminder of how quickly things can change. I've seen first hand what happens when you drive too fast, so I am begging everyone to slow down and take your time when you're behind the wheel. Brian's story has a good ending, but it could have easily been very different. Please be safe, everyone. I couldn't bear to lose any of you.

Trying My Best

2010-05-25T07:56:00.002-05:00

I must admit, I have not done well with my 5K Every Day initiative. I've been tired and have let that get the best of me. Actually, let's call it what it is: LAZY. I've been lazy. Seriously, what's wrong with me that I'm so unmotivated? Ugh...that has to change and I am going to try and change that today. But on a positive note, I have done well with breakfast today! I tried the new Smart Ones ham and egg scramble and I liked it! And I don't much care for eggs! It's just eggs, cheese, and potatoes, but it's very tasty! I had a half of a large banana and a cup of coffee, and it's really filled me up. I needed something different for breakfast...I get tired of the same things. So in order to beat the boredom I went out on a limb and it was worth it! I have another one in the freezer at home. I thought I would have it for breakfast on Friday. That way I space it out and don't get sick of it. I have to be so careful...I burn out pretty easy on stuff and i like variety in my diet. David could eat the same thing every day, but not me!!

I'm so sleepy this morning. I don't know why because I got plenty of sleep last night. I think just knowing a holiday weekend is on the horizon may have something to do with it! We weren't going to do anything for Memorial day, but last night I got a call from my father in-law (FIL) who personally invited us over for grilling and swimming, and how can I turn down my FIL? I couldn't, so we'll be over there for the day. Which is fun, don't get me wrong! David I had thought it might be nice to stay home that day and grill, but we both agreed seeing the family would be nice, especially since we're going to be out of town on the July 4th weekend. (We're going to Lake Eufaula to spend the holiday weekend with the Dries family at their lovely lake house!!) We're even going to head out early and spend the night at the Choctaw Casino. David hasn't been but Mom and I had a girls weekend there and it was fun! They have a great pool area that looks very tropical and "resorty" and I think it would be a blast! So we're going to kick off the vacation there and then head out to the lake. :)

I'm also excited because Chris and her family are coming down for Father's Day weekend, which translates into an early birthday visit from her for me! We're going to be in San Francisco the weekend after my b-day, so it will be fun to celebrate a little early with Chris. She sent me pictures of her precious girls...two-year-old twins that are the cutest handfuls ever! It's so neat for me to watch Chris being a mother. It's something we never thought would be possible for her, and how joyful that she and her super-awesome hubby have twins!! They're such good parents, and I am so proud to get to be part of their lives. It's fun for me to be Aunt Jen! And trust me, I spoil these little monkeys!! Isn't that my job?? :)

Anyhow, it's going to be a long day, but a good day. I brought a yummy lunch of WW french bread pizza and fruit, and I will be pumping myself full of coffee. Tonight I am going to mom and dad's to see the newest kitty addition to the family. His name is Bear, and he is a solid black 4 month old kitty. I'll be taking lots of pictures!!

Have a great day everyone!!

I'd Rather Be Sleeping!

2010-05-24T08:06:00.002-05:00

After a rather quiet evening, my Sunday was crazy! We'll get to that...

Friday was lovely! I made my homemade pizza, which was very healthy and very tasty, and had a glass of red wine. I watched my favorite chick flicks, and then got a wonderful night's sleep. Perfect! Saturday I had breakfast with my parents and spent the day doing much less than I had planned. I was going to have my closet cleaned out and the second bedroom organized, but no such luck. Instead I vegged and I'm not one bit sorry!!

David came home Saturday night and we went to Uncle Julio's for dinner. After that we came home and watched the season finale of Gray's Anatomy. Okay, that was an awesome show! Sometimes the writing lacks something, but that was a great episode! (In spite of all the things that would have happened differently in a real hospital!)

Sunday we caught up with all the shows on the DVR, and then we went out with David's friend and his GF to a comedy club. We laughed all evening long, and then afterwards went and did karaoke until about midnight. MUCH too late, but I didn't have my watch on or my phone with me, so I wasn't watching the clock. I am so paying for it today, but we had such a good time and I haven't laughed so hard in ages! So while I am tired today, I'm glad we got out and had such a good time. Maybe we can do that on a Saturday night next time!

So that was it in a nutshell. This is my last week of relaxation. Next week summer school begins and that's going to require a good deal of focus. I wish I could have a summer like everyone else, but at the same time, I am always glad to knock out a class in 5 weeks as opposed to 16!!

And in other news, Mom and Dad adopted a second sweet little kitty. After the initial hissing, I have a feeling it's going to be a good thing. The two babies will be able to play together and entertain one another. Have two kitties is so much fun, and I am glad Mom and Dad decided to do it!

Have a good Monday everyone!

Having A Good Day!

2010-05-21T10:37:00.002-05:00

It's hard for it to not be a bad day when it's Friday, I realize this. However, today seems exceptionally good! First, I got some high praise from my manager, which made me feel like a million bucks. I made her look good while she was visiting one of our member hospitals, so naturally she is loving me today. :) Truthfully, the stars managed to line up right and I could get what she needed right away, but I'll take the compliments!

What else is good....OH! I got A-Ma-Zing seats to Lady Gaga! That's right, feel free to hate me just a little...I understand. :) Kevin found the pre-sale info for Citi cardholders, so he bought tickets for David, me, and Kevin and his wife so we are all heading out to see the show! The down side? We have to wait for the March 14th show. Next year. Boo. But that's okay...I'll be smaller and can buy something fabulous to wear! (What am I? 16 years old now?) Anyhow, I haven't been to a concert in ages and this is one I have been really wanting to see. Yes, I know Gaga is a little crazy, but I love her style and I think her music is fun. So this is super exciting for me! And even David is pumped...how great is my hubby? Yeah, pretty great!

So that's my news. It's a great day, and it's not even noon yet!! Tonight I am having some "me" time. Making myself dinner, maybe watching a movie, and then cleaning out my closet. All of this happens after I work out, so it's going to be a productive evening. But I'm looking forward to it. My poor closet needs a good cleaning, for sure! David comes home tomorrow and that is something I am really looking forward to.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Friday!

Stuff and Things

2010-05-20T07:48:00.002-05:00

Things I am wanting right now:

a mattifying lotion for my skin. I am VERY oily, and warmer temperatures are not helpful. I am basically shiny all the time, and I would like not to be.
a really great maxi dress. I found the one I want...now I just need to go buy it.
a new pair of New Balance. I found the ones I want, but they're not in my budget this week. I think these will be the shoes that carry me 13.1 miles in Chicago!
a few days off work with nothing to do. Seriously, I want to just do nothing for a while. Not happening, though. Saturday is cleaning day, but you can trust that I'll sleep in! Oh, except not too late since I will be doing a 5K on the treadmill that morning. (Must keep personal commitments!)
fun new shoes. I have a few pair in mind (and yes, they are Born shoes!), but I can't be greedy. I wonder if I can finagle a new pair from my hubby...?
a house. I have one in mind, we're just getting ourselves financially ready for it.
here's my biggie: I want my friend Lonna to have a full recovery from her double mastectomy/reconstruction surgery she had yesterday. That prayer is on its way to being answered, so I am happy about that want!

So there's my random list of things I want. Like you wanted to know all that. But I wanted to put it out into the universe. I tend to think that if we put things out there we have a much better chance of making them a reality. So that was me putting it all out there. :)

I went to bed early last night but I am sleepy this morning. I need to shake it off so I can be productive today!

5K Every Day

2010-05-19T15:17:00.002-05:00

This is my new goal: a 5K every day. So what does this mean and how do I plan to do this? Good question! What this means is that every day I work out, I will do a 5K. 3.1 miles on a treadmill or outside. (At least!) So I have to make sure that five days a week I am doing a 5K. And how exactly do I plan to make this happen? This is going to be the hardest part for me. I'm going to either have to get up early, do it at the gym at lunch, or right after I get off work. But there has to be a 5K at least five days a week. So when will this madness begin? Tomorrow. It MUST start tomorrow. And right now, I am saying it will happen after work. I am going to go right to the gym, no going home beforehand. And a 5K will happen. I'll promise to report in and give my time. After after two weeks of this guess what gets added in? 10K Tuesdays! Yup! 6 miles on Tuesdays, but we're going to get into the habit of the 5K every day first. :)

So that's my new goal. I am begging you, friends, to ask me about this and help me stay honest. I won't lie to you...I'll tell you if it doesn't happen, but I know if I suspect you might be checking to see if I did it that I don't want to say I didn't. So I'll do it.

And with each step I get closer to the 13.1 mile finish line in Chicago. My Dad has come to all the 5Ks I've done so far, and he always waits for me close to the finish line and walks me in. It's a cool thing when you're tired and you think you can't go any farther, and then you see your Dad. I remember my first 5K, coming up over a hill and feeling like I could just give up. And there he was, waiting for me and cheering for me. My Dad always makes sure I know he believes in me, and I'm going to need that. I'll miss him in Chicago, but I'll be using my iPhone for my music so perhaps I'll call my Dad and have him get me across that finish line. It's a father-daughter thing, you know? So Dad, on August 1st, you'll probably be getting that phone call from me. I need you to help me finish the climb. I already know I'll want to hear you tell me I can do it, and that will help me stay strong and focused. (Love you, Dad!)

Monday Got Here Fast!

2010-05-17T07:38:00.002-05:00

Seriously, where did the weekend go? It was so nice to get a chance to do fun things instead of having my nose in a book all weekend. Although true to myself, I opened up my Biology book and perused it some. Class starts in two weeks and I guess wanted to see what was coming. I will probably begin reading the first chapter next week so I can at least start ahead of things. Wow...I really am a school nerd. *sigh* But what did you expect? I want an A in both of my summer school classes. If I do that and then do well in the fall, there is a good shot at making Psi Chi, which is the psychology honor society. That is a HUGE goal of mine! It's nice to have it getting closer. :) I'm also hoping that I won't have to go to summer school next year, but if they offer something I need, then so be it. I'm getting to close now...I'm very ready to get into grad school and get to the meat of what I want to do.

I'm sitting here at work and really wishing I was anywhere but here. It's not the job, I just don't feel like being here today. (Well, it might be the job...I'm bored and it's just not what I want to do with my life.) But I am just not into it today. I'll live. Besides, we have a three day weekend in the not-so-distant future. I can hang in there for that!

Have a good Monday everyone!

Time To Breathe!

2010-05-13T12:17:00.002-05:00

Now that I have time to breathe, I am happy to really focus on getting healthy. That's my main weight loss goal...to be healthy. Now, I'd be a liar if I told you that smaller sizes didn't matter, because I want to shop in "regular" stores. I also want to feel prettier, but honest-to-God, my main focus is on my health. Today I feel like something good has taken over in my head. It's that old, very focused me who plans ahead and sticks with that plan. Like tonight...I already know we're grilling dinner, and I know I am bringing my lunch to work tomorrow. Mom and I are going to do some menu planning together on Saturday, and that way I know what the plan is and I can stick with it much easier. All of this spells out good things for me, and I really want to stick to it.

I worked out with my trainer this morning, and I had a great session. I am able to push myself to do more and I feel so much stronger already! I really have to get the walking into place because August 1st will be here soon, and I want very badly to cross that finish line. I want to look back at those 13.1 miles and know I did it all. I can do this, but I have a lot of preparing ahead of me.

So I am having a good day. I feel good and I can see a bright future for myself. You know I love to envision? Me, graduating from TWU next year...walking across that stage in a cap and gown, but being much smaller than I am now. I love that mental picture, and I want to make it my reality. Because my reward for all that? I'm buying some killer shoes to walk that stage in!! :)

I Made It Through!

2010-05-12T12:53:00.002-05:00

So the good news is that finals are finished! The bad news? There is no bad news! The grades are great and I am feeling so happy! I have 2 1/2 weeks before summer school, but that's ok by me. I will love this time with no homework! It will probably take me the whole time to clean the very neglected apartment. But I don't mind...it will be nice to not worry about the inverse of a matrix, the sum of a sequence, or logarithms! Ahhh...I am at peace!

I also have good news on the weight loss challenge front. Remember a few posts ago I mentioned that I might get to be part of a weight loss challenge in a national magazine? Well I don't have definite news yet, but I have gotten word that the magazine people really like my story and have a lot of interest. So please keep those prayers coming! I think being part of that could help me reinforce all those things I know I need to do. I'll reach my goal no matter what, but what a cool way to do it!! Oh, and I found a walking class I can take for 1 hour of credit (I need one last hour of electives...problem solved!) which will also help with that. Getting fit AND getting credit for it! Love it!

So yeah, I'm having a good day. I am tired as can be - I couldn't unwind very easily last night after that bear of an algebra final - but I am happy. A huge weight is lifted off me and I'm ready to have some time to recharge. I am excited to get a facial this weekend! I thank you package from the dealership when we got our new SUV, and it had lots of coupons, one for a facial at a very nice Southlake salon, so I am redeeming it Saturday morning! I might even treat myself to something new afterwards...maybe some lotion or other wonderful bath product...I love stuff like that!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful day! I know it's muggy out, but enjoy a little sunshine today...it's good for us!

The Middle Of Exam Hell

2010-05-10T23:22:00.003-05:00

Yes, I am swamped. I'll post more when exams are finished. Did my oral presentation for my writing class tonight, and tomorrow night is the dreaded algebra. (sigh) Wednesday night is Sociology and then I am finished. Friday night is dinner with Kim to celebrate being done with this mess, too! :)

So that's what is going on. I hope everyone is well! I'll catch up soon!

Why My Parents Are Awesome

2010-05-08T15:28:00.003-05:00

Because my Dad brought me a new battery for my mouse since I was working hard and didn't want to leave the apartment. Oh, and he brought me a strawberry snow cone. :)

My parents are awesome because they are so supportive, and they understand that me turning down an invite to lunch was only because I am working on homework like a crazy woman.

I really couldn't do any of this without them. I know tomorrow is Mother's Day, but I want to say thanks to both of you! I love you!

Quick Hello!

2010-05-04T11:38:00.001-05:00

It's a busy day and I sure have plenty to do, but found this awesome recipe and had to share. I haven't made it...yet...but it looks like a good summertime drink! (And easy to make non-alcoholic if you prefer!)

Pink Lemonade Margaritas

Ingredients
1/4 cup tequila
2 tablespoons orange liqueur
2 tablespoons frozen pink lemonade concentrate
3/4 cup ice
2 tablespoons carbonated lemon-lime beverage
sliced lemon, for garnish

Directions
1 Combine the first 3 ingredients in a cocktail shaker with 3/4 cup ice and shake vigorously.
2 Pour into glass.
3 Top with lemon-lime beverage, and garnish with lemon.

Yum! Bring on the warmer weather! (Not the hot stuff, just the warmer stuff!!)

Anyhow, back to work for me!

Weekend Wrap-Up

2010-05-03T08:12:00.003-05:00

What a fun weekend! Mom and I headed down to Austin to meet up with David, who was already there on business. Saturday was my friend Bryan's doctoral recital, and what a treat that was! His voice is so beautiful. We met way back in junior high when we were in choir together, and this man has ALWAYS been talented. (Not to mention a good friend, too!) I will always be grateful to Facebook for helping us reconnect! We drove home yesterday and after a day on the road I dove right in to the homework. Next week is finals, so there is much to wrap up.

It's going to be a busy day here at work...lots of projects begin today and that's a good thing. Being busy makes the day go by so much faster! I got to bed a little late, but I got a really good night's sleep. Nothing like my own bed!! Next weekend looks busy, but at least I get to stay home! Saturday, I'm helping Mom with some things around the house, and then on to celebrate my niece's First Communion. I'm happy to celebrate that with Rosemary! It's a big deal, and even though I am not Catholic I can sure appreciate the significance!! Now I need to figure out what to get her! Anyone have any ideas??

So that's it for this morning. After a weekend of really bad eating, I think I am on track to do well this week. I packed a healthy lunch and David is grilling for dinner, so we should do well. Now I need to squeeze my workout in!!

Have a good day everyone!!

Hooray For Friday!

2010-04-30T14:26:00.002-05:00

Worked out with the trainer today, but I felt weak today. Not sure why. I am going to start taking a multi-vitamin to try and help combat that. That's okay...I'll be strong and ready next week! After work, Mom and I are heading down to Austin. David is already there for work, and we're going to hear my friend Bryan do his DMA vocal recital on the UT campus tomorrow. I can't wait!

My eating has gone downhill this week. It started out very well and just tanked. But I'll do better starting this weekend. I am needing to get it under control, and I can do this. Just need to stop eating the crap food. Ugh!

Oh, this is cool...I found this on Paula Deen's website:

A wonderful exfoliant and full body moisturizer for use in the shower. Leave a jar near your outdoor shower at the beach to add a healthy glow to dull dry skin.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sea salt
1/2 cup sweet almond oil (can substitute light olive oil or vegetable oil)
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon orange zest

Directions:
In a medium dry bowl, combine all ingredients making sure to not let any water touch them as it will dissolve the salt. Pour mixture into an airtight container and store in a cool dry place.
To use: Just before showering, swirl ingredients together with your fingertips to mix. Clean body completely and just before exiting shower, apply Citrus Salt Body Scrub to body in a firm circular scrubbing motion with hands or a soft washcloth. Rinse off the mixture and pat body dry with a clean towel.

I love body scrubs, so I am totally going to make this. If I like it, you all may be getting it for birthdays/Christmas!! Besides, it's easy and wouldn't be expensive to make. Go check out Paula's website for the Corrie's Kitchen Spa (http://www.pauladeen.com/index.php/tier_2/view/corries_kitchen_spa/) - it's her niece's recipes for different spa treatments. What a great idea for those of us who don't want to break the bank buying up fancy products! I think I might go buy some small mason jars for the scrub...it just seems like a good idea with Mother's Day coming up!

Anyhow, I hope everyone has a lovely weekend! Austin, here I come!

Putting It Into The Universe

2010-04-27T09:22:00.003-05:00

So I have a unique (possible) opportunity ahead of me. Last week I got an email from one of the people that works with Joy Bauer Nutrition. (Remember my Today Show experience?) Evidently, Joy writes a monthly column for a national women's magazine, and they are putting together a group of 10-20 women to follow from September through New Years Day through their weight loss journey. Joy's assistant emailed me and said I was the first person they thought of and wanted to know if I would be interested in submitting for that! Now, I have a lot of weight to lose, so I don't know that I would be someone they want to follow. I am betting they want people who could be at their goal weight by then and honestly, I don't think that's possible for me. But I have submitted all my info and should know something by the end of May. I'm not getting my hopes up, but it's fun to think that they would even want to consider me! I had to submit a couple of pictures and a bio, as well as my numbers. Yup. My starting weight and my current weight. Not too proud of either, quite frankly. My biggest anxiety about all of this is seeing my weight in print for everyone to see. Those numbers, both then and now, aren't very pretty and are really embarrassing. But I think it will be okay if they select me. My friend Bryan reminded me that we never see articles like this in magazines (Allure has done this many times) and have been disgusted and horrified by the women profiled. We are always encouraged and supportive. All of this is true, but I've never even told my husband my weight. We both know I'm not 130, so it's not like it will be a shock for him to find out I'm overweight, but that is such a personal thing for me, and it will be the hardest part. But if this works out, I know it's for a reason.

My trainer and I will bump up to an hour twice a week and my own workouts will increase as well. I have a plan in case they pick me, but I have been thinking that maybe if they don't I should be brave and start my own "article" here. I could be brave and put it all out there and really make this blog more about that journey. Not sure about that yet...we'll see what happens next month. But it's scary to think about all that. I think I would do well...I'd have to follow Joy Bauer's diet program and blog on the magazine's website. I can do those things. Heck, I blog here all the time...that's easy enough. But I keep going back to my weight numbers...I know of one very brave blogger who does that, and I know I have never felt anything but admiration and encouragement! (Yes, Kim Who Chases Rabbits, I mean you!) So maybe it will be okay. I might not even have to worry about it at all, but who knows. I'm not going to be sad if it doesn't work out. Somehow, God really does open a window when he closes a door. It all happens for a reason!

Have a wonderful Tuesday, friends!

Weekend Recap

2010-04-26T09:11:00.002-05:00

It's been a busy end of last week/weekend! Thursday I spent time volunteering with Homeless Connect, and that was a really amazing experience. I came away knowing that I am blessed, and I need to make sure that I don't forget that. Friday I attended Joseph's mother's funeral. I love Joseph dearly, and that was tough. He's dealing with a lot of family drama, and some of it manifested itself at the funeral. I was glad I was there to stand by him. He's a wonderful person and I wish things were different for him. But he's dealing with the hand he was dealt, and doing it very graciously. I have such respect for him.

After that, I headed out to Lake Eufuala in Oklahoma to spend the weekend with Chris and her hubby and twin daughters. We had a blast! We just relaxed and played games and laughed ourselves silly! It was wonderful! I hated to leave on Sunday, but we'll see each other next month at some point I'm sure. We're good about planning to get together monthly. :)

So now it's Monday, and I wish I had a little more time at home. The semester is winding down, and there is much to be done with school. Tonight I don't have to go to class, but I still have homework to email the professor. Ugh!

So I hope everyone is having a good Monday! The weather sure is nice right now, and I am going to work out after work. A walk outside sounds so good!!

S.H.I.T.*

2010-04-22T05:31:00.002-05:00

(*Sure Happy It's Thursday! What did you think that meant?)

It's been a good week. It started out with me a funk, but it's looking up! :) I've had a lot going on with school, but the semester is only 3 weeks long now, so I can make it! Then I get a couple of weeks off and it's right back to it. But hey, each semester is only 5 weeks long, and with only one class each time I can focus on just the subject at hand. That's a nice thought!

I've had a unique opportunity come my way this week. Nothing is a sure deal yet, but I am keeping it close to the vest until I know something. Until then, I would ask for you to pray for courage for me. It's a cool deal, but I'm going to have to be a little brave and a lot focused for this to happen. Don't worry...I'll be sharing more in the future. :)

Today is going to be very awesome. I am going to be doing volunteer work with the Homeless Connect project. Mom and I are both doing this, and I don't know what all we'll be doing today, but I'm excited to be doing something for others.

Tomorrow is a mix of sad and happy. Joseph's mother passed away earlier this week and I will be going to the funeral tomorrow morning. He is such a dear friend and he was there for me when my Gran passed away five years ago. I wouldn't miss the opportunity to support him in his difficult time...he has always been there when I needed him.

After the funeral I am heading up to OK to spend the weekend with Chris and her family. I can't wait!! Her twin girls are WAY too cute and her hubby is such a nice guy! We're all going to their lake house for the weekend...ahhh! Peace! David has to fly to Portland this morning and won't be back until Sunday, so he'll be missing everything this weekend, which he is really hating right now. But it can't be helped...it's the nature of the shoe biz!

So that's it in a nutshell. I hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

Can I Just Feel Human Again?

2010-04-19T07:09:00.002-05:00

I am so tired this morning. I slept horribly, feel grumpy this morning, and would just like to go back to bed and not come out from under the sheets. I think the end of semester rush to get things done is getting to me. I really need some sort of break...the two weeks in between the spring semester and summer school will hopefully help. I am driving up to Chris' this weekend in Union City. I think this is going to be a good break, but I have to make sure I have all my homework done BEFORE I go up there because I doubt I will want to do it when I get home Sunday night. I talked with Chris last night and I think we're going to spend the weekend at their lake house...this will be good stuff!

I was going to do the 5K Saturday, but we got out there and it really started raining hard. I've done a 5K in the rain, and I HATE it. I don't like being soaking wet and walking in wet, squishy socks and shoes. So back home we went. I ended up doing my 5K on the treadmill, but it doesn't have that same personal satisfaction. Oh well. So I feel like a letdown there. We were supposed to have friends over Sunday, but David came home Saturday night feeling worn down and with the rain and some last minute projects that got piled on him for work, cooking out and having friends over just wasn't going to work out for him. So I feel like nothing that was supposed to happen this weekend got to happen. I spent my day working on homework instead. Which is a good use of time, but it wasn't what I wanted to do. Oh well...I guess I don't get things to go my way all the time.

So today I just feel blah. I'd rather not interact with people and I want to just pull the covers over my head and not come out. I just feel that way today, and that's all there is to that. I know...I'm a grumpus and I think for today I'm going to just stay in my cube and do what I need to do. I have school tonight so I'll finally get to call it a day around 8:30 after I get home. I think I'll just take a bath and go to bed. It might be safer for everyone if I just keep to myself.

So while nothing bad has happened, I am in a crummy mood. It might be nice if it passed soon. I'll try and be more cheery tomorrow. Ugh.

What A Week!

2010-04-16T14:21:00.002-05:00

Whew! It's been a long, difficult week. Hello, PMS! Yeah, I was a beast for most of this week. David gets kudos for putting up with me in all my bitchy glory. Yeah, there just isn't a nice way to put that. I was unpleasant. But I am MUCH better now, and very glad it's Friday!

Tomorrow is the 5K at the zoo! Kim and I will hopefully finish before any bad weather heads our way...everyone pray that the rain holds off for a while! I hate doing these 5Ks in the rain. Done that before and didn't like it! But while I don't expect a personal best tomorrow, I am really looking forward to doing it. It's practice for the 13.1 miles I am doing on August 1st. Man, that date keeps getting closer!

I didn't do great on my algebra test, but I passed. I'm going to take that and just be okay with it. Honestly I am just ready to be done with this class. I have statistics in the fall, but that will be for psych majors and I'll actually be in the classroom for that. I think it will be much better!

I think that may be about it. I just finished with my trainer and I'm tired!!! Have a good Friday, all!

Landmarks

2010-04-12T07:24:00.002-05:00

It's funny how we tie ourselves emotionally to certain things. I watched the demolition of Texas Stadium Sunday morning (from the comfort of my own bed), and as we watched it happen, David and I help hands and didn't even speak. I felt a lump well up in my throat, and my eyes welled up a bit, although neither of us cried...outwardly. It was sad to watch an iconic building reduced to rubble in 60 seconds. I've seen countless concerts there, the last one being the Dave Matthews band with my friend Karen, who passed away about six years ago. I always thought of her when I drove by there and remembered how being at that concert with her was the last time I got to spend with her before she died unexpectedly. I've been to corporate team buildings there, and stood proudly on that star in the middle of the field. You look up at that massive ceiling and felt so small because everything else there was so big! Somewhere I have a picture of that...I just have to find it.

While I never went to a Cowboys game there, I saw my share of high school playoffs. (Go THS Trojans!) And the legends that walked the field...Staubach, Lilly, Aikman, and most importantly Tom Landry. None will ever be forgotten.

So the Cowboys will play on in the House That Jerry Built. It's lovely. I know, I've been there a few times. But I will always have fond memories of Texas Stadium. Nothing replaces the original!

(And on a completely different note, this posting is my 800th blog entry!! Is that crazy? 800!! Stay tuned and see what happens during the next 800!)

Finally! Friday Has Arrived!

2010-04-09T07:39:00.002-05:00

I am so glad it's Friday, and I bet you are, too! I am looking forward to relaxing tonight. Well, I'll be making myself dinner and doing homework. I guess that isn't really relaxing, but I don't mind. In high school the idea of being home on a Friday night doing homework was awful! I guess being 37 and staying home to do homework simply makes me responsible, right? :)

I work out with Susan again today. My arms are sore from yesterday but my legs aren't too bad. I suspect they will be after today! We're going to try dips today. We'll see how that goes! LOL!

Tomorrow morning I am going to get up and go for a 3.2 mile walk/jog. I'm looking forward to it since the weather will be nice. I want to get it done early to that I have more time to do homework. Yes, I plan to be doing it tomorrow, too. But I'm also getting my hair done in the morning and since color will be involved I have to get my exercise in beforehand. I can't wash my hair for 24 hours after its colored so if I plan to burn any calories it needs to happen around 7am. And yes, for me that really is sleeping in!

This upcoming week I am going to challenge myself to take a class at the gym. I don't know what it will be, but that will be my big challenge for the week. I'll be looking at the schedule today so I'll commit to it here and you'll know about it. And then you can help me be accountable!

I think that's about it for today. David will be home Saturday night, but I'll be out so I won't see him until after I get home. However, we have Sunday together, and he doesn't leave town again until next Friday. He'll only be gone one night, so that's not too bad. But a week from tomorrow is my 5K with Kim and I am looking forward to it. :)

Stay strong and focused, friends! Whatever your goals are, keep your eye on the prize!

Fun Fact

2010-04-08T15:28:00.001-05:00

Just as a silly side note, today is my 5 year blog anniversary! Who knew I would ever have 5 years of things to say? I know it hasn't always been important or even interesting, but I'm glad you stop by to read. :)

So happy anniversary to my blog!

Challenge Yourself

2010-04-08T14:40:00.002-05:00

So what exercise did I do last night? Mom and I walked at the mall. Probably didn't get my heart rate up as much as I should have, but we did get out and move, which is what I needed. Today I worked with Susan and I did 3 sets of 9 push ups! (Last week it was 3 sets of 8!) And these were hard...push ups on a bar laid over a Bosu ball...tough stuff!! So yeah, feeling good about that!

Tomorrow I work with Susan again, and I am going to try something new. I want to use the machine that you do dips on. I don't know what it's called, but maybe I can find out tomorrow. I've never tried it, and I want to push and stretch the boundaries of what I could do before. This is the new me, and I'm rockin' it! I weighed myself today, and after a week of doing just okay (Easter foods, some fast food thrown in for good measure) I maintained this week. I'm okay with that! But only for this week...this girl wants to make the scale move! I've started weighing myself weekly (Thursdays) in the gym here at work and I like the accountability.

The 24 Hour Fitness website has a section you can click on to find new ways to challenge your workouts. I'm doing 2 this week: I signed up for a 5K and I am trying a new machine in the gym. You should go to www.24hourfitness.com and check it out! It's not groundbreaking or anything, but it's fun to see what they suggest you try. I think this helps me. I like goals and challenges, so this is a fresh way for me to keep it interesting.

What will you try? How will you challenge yourself? Pick one thing. Just one. (Unless you're up for more than that.) But it only takes one small thing to make a big difference. And you can do this! How do I know? Because I can do this. More importantly, WE can do this. Whatever your struggle, you're not alone. That's the biggest lesson I have learned so far...no one can do this alone. No one should have to, either. I know I said a lot of this yesterday, but I think it bears repeating. We are all wonderfully made and we should celebrate that! Give yourself permission to be the person you want to be. And make mistakes or eat something cheesy or chocolaty and don't feel bad! Because guess what? As long as we are breathing we have the chance to pick up and move on to our next victory. And we need to see our lives as a series of victories. Sure, in between I know I have tough times, but I can look back and truthfully say that my victories are that much sweeter because of my tough times.

So celebrate how fabulous you are and make a decision right now...what one thing will you decide to challenge yourself with this week? Whatever it is, you can do this and you aren't alone!

5K Days Are Here Again

2010-04-07T10:40:00.002-05:00

So I have signed up for the 5K at the Ft Worth Zoo! I am so excited! Kim and I are going to do it together, so that makes it even more fun! (Oh, and we get a free ticket to the zoo for participating!) I am really looking forward to getting back to doing these 5Ks. They were good for me and kept me moving and competitive. My competition was always my last best time. I've not done one in quite a while, so I doubt I can best my last time, but that's okay...I'm going to start training hard, even though I only have a week and a half. I don't mind...no matter what I am excited to be back and doing these again! I need to start looking for the next one now. My half marathon is 16 weeks from this Sunday. I would be a liar if I didn't say I am scared. 13.1 miles is a long way, and when you're not a thin person, that's a lot of weight to carry with you. But you know what? I'm going to give it everything I have. I may or may not finish, but I really hope I do! I'll be doing everything I can to drag myself across that line in under 3 1/2 hours. (You have to finish in 3.5 hours...they close the course after that!) Basically this means I need to be at about a 15 minute mile. Sounds easy for most people, but I had been at about a 17.5 minute mile. (Let's remember I am more of a walk/jog kind of gal.) So I have to step it up. That scares me a little bit, but I have time if I really focus. So I have my trainer to help with my strength building, and I have me for the distance/time training. I have a lot of work ahead of me! I'm going to start by walking daily. I can pick one day a week to rest, which will most likely be Fridays since I will have worked with Susan on Wednesdays and Thursdays. I need that one day to let my muscles rest, but Saturdays and Sundays HAVE to be hardcore days from now on. When I say hardcore I mean that I need to burn 1000 calories on those days. This is going to have to include a lot of cardio (aka speed walking and jogging) and maybe even a SET class at 24 hour. This feels intense and I am excited about getting hardcore...scared, but excited! I'm going to start fueling my body with mots of lean proteins and veggies, and really monitor what goes in. I need to learn to think of myself as an athlete. I know, you wouldn't think that if you saw me, but I want to have that visual. If I can see it, I can make it happen. I always know something is attainable if I can imagine myself in the moment. I need to work on visualizing myself at that finish line in Chicago.

So I am going to start reporting daily what I did to train. We'll take this a step at a time, and I will be training for the 5K. My goal for the 5K? I'd love to say 45 minutes but I am a realist. Let's shoot for 52 minutes on that one. No matter what, I am going to give it my all.

So tomorrow's post will include a summary of today's training. If you don't see it, call me out on it!! (Trust me, you'll see it!)

What will YOU do to challenge yourself? It doesn't have to be running related. Maybe it's a small step toward a bigger goal. Maybe today you go the whole day without a soda. Or one less soda. Share your goals here...I want to cheer for you!

Whirlwind!!

2010-04-06T08:48:00.002-05:00

Wow, what a busy weekend! Friday night David and I actually got to have a date. We saw Clash of the Titans and then went to our favorite sushi place. They know us there, and I love that! They have the best sushi, and I love getting to support a local business.

Saturday was crazy. We were going to get up and walk, but we had to hit the ground running. David was smoking a brisket and I had to run to the store, and ended up going to about 4 places to get all the stuff I needed. We cleaned house and had our friends over that we're going to Europe with in December. We hadn't seen them in ages, and we try to make sure we're making the rounds and getting to see everyone at some point! The brisket was amazing, and it was a lovely evening.

Sunday was Easter, and we we got up early and went to church with my parents and grandfather and his wife, Ann. (She's so lovely, it makes it sound like I don't have a bond with her but I just can't call her my grandmother out of respect for my Gran.) We had lunch at Buca di Beppo, and I made some pretty good choices! We shared a very thin crust margherita pizza and some salad. YUM!! Then it was home long enough to change and then head to the other side of the world (Allen) for Easter dinner with David's family. We got home at a decent time, which is nice because I got to go to bed at 9:30! (Remember when that was a bad thing? Going to bed early?)

Yesterday feels a bit like a blur between a full day at work and then school. When I got home from school, my wonderful hubby had made dinner (baked chicken with cous cous - a WW favorite of mine!) and I even have leftovers for tonight!! After dinner it was more homework, and I finally got to tuck myself in at about 11pm. David wasn't too far behind...he'd been up working on reports. Mondays are so busy for him, especially right now. He's already on his way to New Orleans for the week and won't be home until Saturday night. However, I think his travel is light next week. (I hope!)

Just a month left of this semester, and lots of homework projects to work on. I will really be spending the bulk of my day Saturday doing homework so that I can spend Sunday with David, uninterrupted. It's going to be a good week, though. School tonight, dinner with the family tomorrow night, Thursday is my walking day with my new friend Debra, and Friday...well, not sure about Friday yet, but I may try and keep that one just for me. :)

Wednesday and Thursday at 10 I meet with my trainer, Susan. I think today after school I am going to go to the gym and try and get 30 minutes of cardio in. She and I do heavy duty weights together, and I need the cardio balance. I've had a rough time getting up in the mornings, so the AM workouts aren't really happening, and I need to find that balance again. But working out with Susan is my step in the right direction. I have all the confidence that this will help me move in the right direction.

So everyone have a great Tuesday! I'm still plugging along one step at a time, and I'm going to get there. I hope whatever you're working is getting you where you need to be, too! Remember, no matter what your struggle, I promise you someone else is sharing your burden. Be sure to lean on those around you when you need it. Asking for help will give you what you need to keep going!

Easter Baskets

2010-04-02T09:22:00.002-05:00

My dear friend Kim and I were talking about Easter baskets the other day. It was so fun to get one when I was little...hunting for all the Easter goodies, coloring eggs, and eating the ears off the chocolate bunnies.

Easter is different when you're grown up. You understand just what it's about, and suddenly the chocolate bunnies and the eggs don't mean so much. As a Christian, this is an incredibly important day. And I am so thankful to God for everything that it means.

One question: Even though I love the true meaning of Easter with all my heart, does it mean I can't still want a basket? Honestly, I would love to spend the evening tonight coloring eggs and making treats. I have little Easter treats for all the nieces and nephews, but I can't help but think it would be cool to have one, too. I guess I'll always feel like a little kid inside. I think that's a good thing. :)

So what would my basket have in it this year if I could have my way? Hmm...a little bit of chocolate, maybe some gum, cute pencils, a pair of fun earrings...silly stuff! Hey, a girl can dream!

All the silliness aside, I hope you have a most blessed Easter weekend. And remember, He is risen! (He is risen indeed!)

The Pain of Success

2010-04-01T13:32:00.002-05:00

After round 2 with Susan today, I am officially sore all over. She worked me HARD today! There was a point that I thought I might actually barf on her, but happily that moment passed. She really is channeling that inner Jillian Michaels...which is a good thing for me. She had me doing all kinds of stuff today, and as tough as it was, I powered through and did it all! I'm really proud of myself. Tonight I am meeting my walking buddy, Debra, at 5pm and we'll walk for a couple of miles. (She's the one I met through my Today Show experience.) After that I really want to go get my nails done. Not to be too girly, but this is becoming a necessity!

I ordered a few new things from Old Navy Online yesterday. The skirt I wore was too big and it was getting on my nerves, so I ordered a new one and a couple of tops. I am going to wash and press the skirt and take it, along with some other things, to First HAND in For Worth so that I can donate it to people who need clothes. I have heard that larger women's clothing is always in demand, and I have lots of nice things that could use a good home. I'd like to think they will get a new life with someone who might really enjoy them.

Food choices today have been good! I am reaping the rewards of bringing my lunch every day, both health-wise and money-wise! I've decided it's safer for me to bring my lunch to work. It's all stuff I put together, and I bring lots of fruits and veggies for snacks. I think that's been my saving grace...I pack for a whole day. I bring breakfast, lunch, and two snacks to keep me going. And it's stuff like Wheat Thins, or cherry tomatoes, or strawberries (which are awesome at Kroger right now!). So I am still on a roll!

I think that's it for today. Everyone have a great Thursday!

I Think My Arms Are Going To Fall Off

2010-03-31T11:41:00.002-05:00

I started back with my trainer, Susan, today. I asked her to channel her inner Jillian Michaels, and she was good on her word! Now my arms are killing me! But that's OK...it feels good to work that hard in the gym again! It's also nice to have a gym with a trainer here at work...it solves the dilemma of not being able to get up so early right now. However, I still need to get back in the gym on the days I don't work out with Susan, but it's all coming together.

I got a wonderful night's sleep last night, so I am ready to take on the world! I opted to take my sociology test tonight so I could be well-rested. I'm having dinner at Grampa's tonight but will be coming home around 7:30 to get my test done. It's going to be a busy evening, but I think this was the best way for me to go.

Also, I think my food choices are falling back in line! I've been a good girl and brought my lunch all last week and this week, and it's really helping. It's also a money saver, so there's an extra bonus! Getting healthy and saving money? Yeah, that's good stuff!

I think that's it today...have a great Wednesday everyone!

Exhausted

2010-03-30T11:28:00.002-05:00

I am bone-tired today. After an evening with a rough headache and a night with no sleep, I am beat today. And of course it's a long day with school and then a sociology test after I get home, so no going to bed early. Right now it's hard...full time work, full time school, and then a summer full of summer school again, and then on to another 12 hour semester. It's hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel right now. I know it's there, it's just far away. And without much of a break anywhere in there either. Somewhere in all this, we want to buy a house, too. I don't know how all that will come together. I think there are more moments in my future where I will need to lean on those around me again. It's hard...doing all of this and trying to find time to work out and lose weight. I think I am supposed to be some kind of superwoman, but I'm not feeling very super right now. I just feel like I am bearing a lot of responsibility and I am tired.

I'm okay, just tired. Mentally exhausted might even be appropriate here. But I'll keep on pushing. The semester is almost over and I'll at least have a week or two before summer school starts. Who really needs more than that, anyhow? (did you catch the sarcasm?)

Putting It Out There

2010-03-29T11:19:00.002-05:00

So I haven't had much time to write in my journal at home, and since I promised I would follow Joy Bauer's suggestions, I am going to take some time to journal here. After all, what else is this silly blog for?

Yesterday was a good day. I ate french toast for breakfast, but I didn't go overboard and I ate healthy all day after that. I didn't get any exercise in, but I had a lot of homework and housecleaning to do and those things have been ignored this week. So far today has been good. Drank a breakfast shake this morning and I am being a good girl and brought a healthy lunch. I'm set for success! Dinner might be dangerous...I am picking up Taco Bueno for dinner since I have school and David is swamped with work. However, if I order 2 chicken tacos with no cheese and a toastada with no cheese, I get plenty full and have kept within my points for the day. It's not my first choice, but it's not a bad choice.

Tomorrow during lunch I am finally going to go get my brows waxed. All my maintenance has fallen to the wayside and I am a bona fide mess! After I get home from school tomorrow I have to take a Sociology test, and Wednesday I am going to Grampa's for dinner and to work on his computer. Thursday is finally a free day for me, so I am going to get my nails done that night. (Also long overdue, and my nails look AWFUL!) Maybe I can talk David into getting a manicure with me...hey, I have a hubby who enjoys personal grooming, so I bet I can. :)

It's Easter weekend so I need to put little baskets together for the nieces and nephews. We'll be seeing them Sunday! Friday night is one of my favorite church services...Tennebrae. AKA the service of darkness. It's emotional, and I appreciate the reminder of the ultimate sacrifice made for all of us. It makes Sunday morning's service that much more joyous!

So it's a busy week, and in all this I will have homework to do. I'll need to be super careful about not stress eating...we all know that's a problem for me. So I'm going to pray for balance for myself...balance, strength, and peace. (But I always pray for peace for us all!)

Have a good one, everyone!

Wait...Where Did The Weekend Go?

2010-03-28T18:57:00.003-05:00

Wow...time sure flies! It was a good weekend. Friday night David came home and we made a yummy dinner and just hung out. We haven't gotten to do that in a while and it was great! Saturday Chris was supposed to come to town, but she and her family are all sick, so it was a no-go. Instead we ran errands and then ran by David's friend Fred's house that they renovated and are flipping. it looks great! After that we had a quiet dinner date at Houston's. We got a gift card at Christmas so we finally used it and had a very nice dinner.

Today has been lazy...slept in, went to brunch at Le Peep's, and then came home and did homework and cleaned house. Next weekend will be a little busier. It's Easter weekend and we have plenty of family to see!

I hope you all had a good weekend! I start back with my trainer, Susan, on Thursday. And she promised to channel Jillian Michaels. I think I might be a little scared...

Great Day!

2010-03-25T18:09:00.003-05:00

So I met up with someone who saw me on the Today Show and we're going to be walking buddies! She's a retired lady who is really nice and I really enjoyed meeting up with her. We're going to be walking a couple of times a week as time permits, and I'm looking forward to it!

I feel good today...like I'm really getting it together, you know?

That's about all my news today. I'm going to make a healthy dinner and then do homework. Have a great evening!

Just Another Ordinary Day

2010-03-24T08:24:00.002-05:00

Back to reality this morning. I don't feel famous today...boo! Oh well. (Hee hee!) But I had such a fun day yesterday! I think I forgot to mention that during the sound check Al Roker joked with me a little and that was cool, too! So after a very exciting morning, here I am in my cube at work doing my thing. But you know what? I got an email forwarded by the Today Show from another woman in Bedford who wants a walking buddy. She has 100+ pounds to lose, so I emailed her last night. I can't help but wonder how I got to be so blessed! I mean, think about it...I'm just a regular girl battling weight. I don't have a special job or anything incredibly remarkable about what I do or who I am. And yet things like this fall into my lap! I find that when I need help and I finally decide to actually seek help with things like weight loss that God sends me what I need in abundance. I think he waits for me to ask so that I learn the value of being humble and asking for help. And each time I am rewarded in wonderful ways.

So now I find myself wondering if maybe this is an area I should think of specializing in when I am a therapist. Weight related issues and self esteem are things I know all about. I'm going to ponder that one for a while.

Tonight I am having dinner with the family and then going to work out. Yes, it's a later workout but I am glad to be going. And the best part? My parents are going to the gym, too! (Yay! We ALL need it!)

Everyone have a great Wednesday!

0:15 of Fame

2010-03-23T08:59:00.003-05:00

So I did my teeny little Today Show spot this morning! It was fun, but I was nervous...I was live on national TV! I was nervous, but it was fun and I'm glad I did it. Joy Bauer was really nice, and I think when I get to goal I might get to be part of her Joy Fit Club for people who lose more than 100 pounds. I have a ways to go (and more than 100 pounds to lose so I'd qualify!) but I think this might have been good motivation. She offered some good mental advice...I need to take this in much smaller chunks...set 5 pound goals and remember to reward myself. And I need to journal not just what I eat, but how I'm feeling and document my journey. I think these are easy to do and I promised myself I would follow Joy's advice, so I'm going to do it. I think this blog is part of it, so you may start really getting more blogs about the daily struggles and victories. But that means YOU are part of this journey, so come along! I need the support and encouragement, so if you have any thoughts or encouragement to share, I welcome it!

Have a wonderful Tuesday, dear friends!!

UPDATE: Here's the link to the Diet SOS segment! http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/36000195#36000195

Back To Monday

2010-03-22T10:54:00.003-05:00

Where do the weekends go? Does time somehow speed up?? I don't understand! But this one flew by. Friday night I had dinner with Kim at Fireside Pies. It was so nice to kick back and enjoy some very yummy food! After dinner we tried out this place in Grapevine called Chill. I think we're going to call it Lame. Nuff said.

Saturday I went to WinStar casino with Sandra and Patti. Can I just say that I thought I was a rock star because I was up $100? I'm not a big gambler but I have fun going. Sandra and Patti are more hard core than me, but I had so much fun hanging out with them! Oh, and Patti hit a jackpot on a slot machine!!! It was the coolest thing to get to see that happen to someone I know! AND she's a nice person, so it's even better! (It would have really been cool if it had been me, but I'm happy it happened to her!) So that was awesome! We got home super late because we didn't leave there until after midnight and we drove home cautiously in the snow. Honestly, I am so over all this snow! I live in Texas!! Can I please break out my capri pants and flip flops now?

Sunday David was home so we went to brunch and then to Central Market. We got to enjoy relaxing and just hanging out. I'm sorry spring break is over now, but it's back to the grind and moving toward the end of the semester!

Have a good week everyone!

Today Show!!

2010-03-19T13:15:00.003-05:00

So everyone be sure to tune in to the Today Show next Tuesday the 23rd! I'm a call-in guest for Joy's Diet SOS segment! Now just to be clear, I am calling in with a single question, I'm not being interviewed or anything like that...I just sent in a question I wanted to ask and I was one of a few people who got picked. It's pretty cool! Anyhow, I just got off the phone with the Today Show producer and she ran over the details and let me know how it works. They'll be calling me, and then I get to ask my question. When I'm done, I just hang up and that's it. So really this is only 15 seconds of my 15 minutes of fame. I still have time left to be a star! LOL!

All this to say, it's still pretty cool. I'm just a little nervous because I don't want to stumble over my words. I'm going to write my question out and that way I don't have any stray "ums" or "uhs". Of for "How I Met Your Mother" fans, "but, um..."

Anyhow, I'm excited! Hopefully it will be posted online and I can post the link afterwards. While I'm calling in, I did have to send a picture for them to post on the screen while I'm talking. So it's kind of like being on TV!!

Enjoy your Friday everyone! It's nice today, but crappy tomorrow! (And I'm headed right for it...going to Winstar with Sandra and Patti!)

Better

2010-03-18T21:41:00.002-05:00

So after starting out the day in such a rocky way, I am better now. Evidently I had so much pent up frustration with myself that it just erupted. I'm glad I was with two good friends who care a lot about me. (Thanks, Sandra and Shanna!) They shed tears with me and talked about their own weight frustrations. I love them both so much...they are beautiful women and I am so grateful. And then Kim came through for me via email...she sent funny pictures and encouraging words. She is another beautiful and wonderful friend who means the world to me. I am a very lucky girl to be surrounded by so much unconditional love. :)

I haven't done much this evening. And that's okay. I gave myself permission to veg out. Tomorrow is Friday, and I am so glad about that!!! I'm looking forward to going to WW Saturday morning. I need the meeting.

Have a good evening everyone! I am sending you all big hugs through the universe!

Warning: Not A Chipper Post

2010-03-18T10:00:00.004-05:00

I am not in a happy feel good mood today. As a matter of fact, I am feeling pretty rotten. I think I am so frustrated with myself over not being able to get myself back on track with WW that it finally came to a boil this morning. My two work BFFs invited me to go up to the break room for a beverage, and I just burst into tears and told them I was too fat to go upstairs. What is wrong with me? I think I've just gotten to that point where I am so fed up with being angry at myself that I just exploded. I feel angry because I'd like very much to feel normal and not have to fight this so hard. Why was it so much easier (not easy, but easier) a few months ago? What happened to make me just fall overboard like this? I know I am stressed out with school, and honestly I don't love my job (I don't hate it, but it's not what I want to do forever) and that creates stress, but shouldn't everything else create some balance? Perhaps not. Needless to say, my co-workers were wonderfully sympathetic and very kind. I love them dearly and I don't know how I would have handled this if they hadn't been there.

Anyhow, this too shall pass. I think I just needed to get this out. I think I might be feeling marginally better now. As for my "Rome wasn't built in a day" metaphor several posts ago, I think I knocked some bricks off my wall. I guess I need to pick them up and try again. *sigh* And again...and again...

Pictures

2010-03-17T22:14:00.003-05:00

Here we are on our trip to Choctaw Casino...

Oh, and here's me at the Dean's List reception last month...

Precious

2010-03-17T09:07:00.003-05:00

So Mom came over last night and we watched the movie "Precious". I hadn't seen it yet, and I thought it was really good. It's a heavy film to watch, but well worth it. Mo'Nique really did earn her award. I even thought Mariah Carey was good in her small role. Honestly, lots of impressive performances.

Today is St. Paddy's Day. No big drink fest for me. Just not that kind of girl I guess. One of the bar/restaurants by me is doing a big party with a live band which sounds fun in theory, but I know I'd be miserable in the big middle of it if I went. Not a big fan of large drunk crowds. I guess that's the 37 year old in me. Going to go to Grampa's with the parents instead for dinner.

Really, I have no other news. It's a slow day. I am working on a project at work that involves endless data entry of line items off of invoices for a hospital pricing study. This is a total beat-down. I think I am going to have to get out at lunch to get away from it! UGH!!

Be sure to wear green today or you might get pinched!!

Can I Please Have My Hour Back?

2010-03-16T13:06:00.002-05:00

Oh my goodnes, I am SO SLEEPY! This time change is a really tough one for me. I am glad it's spring break so I don't have to worry too much about school right now, although I have plenty of homework to take care of.

David is off on the road again. I miss him already...this trip is a longer one. He won't be home until Saturday night. To pass the time, though, I am going to Winstar Saturday with my friend Sandra and her friend Patti. They invited me to go with them for the day, and it should be a blast. I'm not a big gambler, but I do enjoy the people watching, so this will be a lot of fun for me. :)

I walked down the street for lunch today and ran into my old boss. The one that was mean and tacky to everyone. Anyhow, it wasn't awkward or anything, but it was kind of funny. I'm really glad she's moved on. She decided to be a stay at home mom, which really is a cool thing. It's good for her kids that she can do that, so I am all for it. The bonus was that she wouldn't be at my office any more, and that my friends is a wonderful thing. So it was a win-win for all! She looked happy, and even though she isn't my most favorite person, I do wish her well.

I still have pics from mother-daughter weekend to post...perhaps I will try and get to that tonight. Guess what else I am going to try and do? Get my tushie to the gym! I am not doing well at getting there in the mornings, so I am going to try for this evening. And I am going to do something different. I am going to the gym with the pool. I like swimming so maybe that will be a fun way to get back to it. There is also a SET class tonight, but seeing that I haven't been a good girl and lifted weights, I think it might just kill me. Maybe next week. I also have Jillian Michael's new DVD Yoga Meltdown. It's a 30 minute intense workout incorporating Yoga, so I can do that, too. Lots of options, so I need to pick one and do it. I promise to report in tomorrow about what activity I did. If you don't see it on here, call me out on Facebook!!

I am cooking for myself tonight, so I am also going to search the WW site for something new to make. I love to try new things, so I figure that might help light the fire under me! (And give me some healthy leftovers for lunch tomorrow!) I am swearing not to eat out for dinner this week. No fast food, no junk food...just yummy stuff I make at home. This is step one this week of getting back on track. (How many times is one girl going to have to get back on track? As many as it takes!)

My blog-friend Kim posted several lists of things to eat/not eat that she got from Alton Brown. Great lists!! I think tonight I am going to sit down and make my own list. It's going to be the grocery list that gets me back where I need to be, and I'm ready!! I think I've eaten enough crap food now, and my body is ready to get it together. Besides, I am still doing that 1/2 marathon, and I need to get my act together now. Seriously, I am going to WW on Saturday. Haven't been in a long time, but I'm going. And no, I'm not getting on the scale. But I'm going to get that much-needed support. Clearly I need that and the best place to get it is at my meeting. I guess I am the equivalent of an alcoholic. I am always going to need to go to those meetings. I can't do it alone, and people there really know my struggle. So I'll check in on Saturday morning and let everyone know that I went.

Honestly, I think the well has run dry now. I hope everyone has a great day! Remember, one week from today is my 15 seconds of fame as a call-in person on the Today Show! I'll post the deets again when it closer to time!!!

Girls Weekend Was Awesome!

2010-03-15T08:42:00.001-05:00

On Friday afternoon, Mom and I packed the car and headed north to the Choctaw Casino for some fun! :) We really enjoyed ourselves and didn't lose much money, either! Mom broke even and I only lost $10, so I call that a win! We played a slot machine called "Glitter Kitty" because the name made us laugh so hard! Sandra, I think it's the equivalent of going "Hog Wild"!! Anyhow, we had so much fun, and let me tell you, this casino was really nice! Great customer service, great room, and delicious food! We splurged one night and ate at their fancy steak house, and it was absolutely delicious!! The pool area at this resort is incredible, and David and I are going to have to go during the summer. It was lit up at night with tiki torches, and it's so tropical looking! It has little water features everywhere, cabanas, and lots of landscaping. I bet you could forget you are in Oklahoma pretty quick!

Anyhow, after getting home yesterday, Dave and I headed over to Joe T Garcia's for lunch/dinner. We enjoyed strawberry margaritas and fajitas, and came home stuffed! I finished up my homework and called it a night. I'm excited that it's spring break! Not that I'm going anywhere...I just get a break from going to school at night this week!

So here we are on Monday morning. I hate this time change, but I'll adjust. Have a good one!

Friday Finally Makes It's Appearance!

2010-03-12T08:34:00.002-06:00

TGIF, friends! It's been a busy week, and now I am ready to start the weekend...just have to get through the work day first! :) Mom and I are heading out for a fun weekend tonight! Look out, casino...here we come! Not that we're wild gamblers, but we're just ready for something different so we can cut loose!!

I took my second Algebra test last night and did marginally better. I made a 75, which for other people might be low, but for me is pretty darn good. While I make A's in other classes, math is a tough subject for me. I am maintaining a B average in there right now because my homework scores are good. Just about 6 more weeks and I am done with this semester, so as long as I can keep this up, I'll be okay. My other classes are going well, but I am going to be glad when the semester is over. Summer is going to be tough, though...I'm going to summer school again. All summer. I'm taking Biology and hopefully History and Systems of Psychology. I'm going to have to beg and plead my way into that one, but since there are so few choices for fall for psych majors, I think they'll let me. This one is being offered online in summer school, so cross your fingers! I don't think this is how I really want to take this class, but I need to take what's offered when it's offered at a time that works for me. It's going to be a busy summer!!

So that's it for today. Everyone have a great weekend!!!

Cool Stuff Alert!!

2010-03-11T14:48:00.002-06:00

Okay, so in my efforts to reach out for help when it's needed, I emailed the Today Show's Joy Bauer (Nutritionist) a weight loss question. Guess what? I am now scheduled to be a call in guest on March 23rd at 8am!! Now, understand that this is me calling in with one specific question, so it's not an interview or anything like that, but they will be showing my picture while I get to ask my question! I'm still super excited, so be sure to watch the Today Show on Tuesday March 23rd at 8am Central time for the Diet SOS segment!! :)

That's about it for today...it's been pretty exciting working with the producer of the Today Show getting this all ironed out this morning!!! You'll have to tune in to the show to hear my question!!

Slow News Week

2010-03-10T08:31:00.003-06:00

Not much is going on this week. Lots of homework and school, but nothing too noteworthy. I am fighting a scheduling battle at school because for some reason they decided not to schedule any upper-level psychology courses for the fall during evening hours, and this is a real problem for me. So I have been spearheading a movement within the psych department to get more classes on the schedule for 4:30 or later. Cross your fingers! I don't know if I can do anything for fall, but I am sure they will make some changes for spring!

We saw Alice last night...good movie! The makeup and costumes alone were worth it! It was a nice treat to get to go to the movies last night. We hadn't been in forever! Since I will be out of town this weekend, it was our little date for the week.

Speaking of being out of town...Mom and I head out for our girl's weekend on Friday! Look out casinos...here we come! Not that we're big spenders or anything, we're just two gals out and about and ready to relax!

So that's really about it for today! I'll be going home and studying...algebra test tomorrow. Ugh.