Recipes and Weekly Wind Down

Good morning!! TGIF, right? I am so looking forward to Sweet Tomatoes with Kim tonight...they have tomato soup tonight and I am all over it! :)

I thought I would try and start posting healthy recipes from time to time. Here's one of my favorites for today:

Layered Mexican Chicken Casserole

1 serving olive oil cooking spray (5 one-second sprays)
2 pound uncooked chicken breast, boneless and skinless
30 oz canned black beans, rinsed and drained
3 cup fat-free sour cream
2 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterrey Jack cheese, or Mexican-style cheese blend
8 oz chopped green chilies, two 4-oz cans
2 tsp ground cumin1/2 tsp black pepper12 medium corn tortilla(s), cut into 2-inch strips
1 cup salsa, mild, medium or hot

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a lasagna pan with cooking spray.Place chicken in medium saucepan and fill with enough cold water just to cover chicken. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes; drain. When chicken is cool enough to handle, cut into 1-inch pieces.Transfer chicken to a large bowl and add beans, sour cream, 1 cup of shredded cheese, chilies, cumin, and pepper; mix well and set aside.Arrange half of tortillas in bottom of prepared lasagna pan, overlapping pieces to cover surface. Top tortillas with half of chicken mixture, layer with remaining tortillas and then top with remaining chicken mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese.Bake until filling is bubbly and cheese is melted, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing into 12 pieces. Serve with salsa on the side.

If you follow Weight Watchers, this is 12 servings and is 6pt/serving. I ALWAYS cut this recipe in half because it makes a LOT!! It's really good comfort food and isn't hard to make. David and I always enjoy this so much!

So this weekend, I am doing homework. ALL weekend! I have quite a bit that's due next week, and also an Algebra test (gulp!) so I need to get that stuff out of the way. And Sunday is the Oscars!! We always have our special brie and chicken nachos, so that will be my big cheat meal this week. BTW, I am getting up in the morning, going to the gym, and then going to WW. I need to get back into this routine before a few gained pounds becomes a lot of extra pounds.

I hope everyone has a great Friday! It looks like beautiful weather today!!

Feeling Weary

I am glad the weekend is close...I am tired! It's been a busy week at work, and I have had plenty of homework to do. David has been travelling and will be home on Sunday, so I have lots of time to get homework done before he gets home.

I had to decide to drop choir this semester. It was a fun thing, not for a grade, and I just feel like I have taken on too much since I am taking 12 hours on top of a full time job. I hate to do it, but I think I need to. It's not forever! Just for the semester.

My eating has been better this week. We won't call it perfect, but it is definitely better, and this is a good thing. I'm really trying to get back on track. I am going to the gym after work today. I've just been so tired that mornings have been nearly impossible, but I'm going this afternoon. I haven't been doing as well with the exercise, and that is key for me. So following in my "Rome wasn't built in a day" theme, I'm laying brick number four today. It's going to happen, just one brick at a time. :0)

I don't have much news...just waiting for the weekend. I'm having dinner with Kim on Friday...I can't wait for dinner at Sweet Tomatoes! She ordered Girl Scout cookies from my niece, so I am delivering them and we thought it was a good excuse to visit the best salad place ever!

I hope everyone has a great Thursday!

Looking For Calm

Yesterday ended up being a tough day for me. While I am fine, I am watching sadness and heartbreak all around me. My co-worker and friend, Ron, lost his father-in-law yesterday morning. While it wasn't unexpected, it was heartbreaking just the same. Then I spoke with my mother who let me know that my grandfather's wife is doing better (that's great news!) and was being moved to a rehab facility to help her get her strength back. Why is this difficult? Because she was being moved to the place that my Gran was staying when she passed away. It's difficult because I cannot ever imagine walking through those doors again. I know it is just a building, but not to me. However, mother did let me know that the powers that be in the insurance world decided that Ann was too well to go there, and she is now home and will be visited by cardiac rehab nurses. This is good news, but it didn't come until last night. I am so grateful!

Then mom told me some very heartbreaking news. Their precious kitty, Maddie, is missing. She hasn't been home since Saturday, and this is really not like her. She is such a little angel, and we are all so heartbroken. We are hoping someone might have thought she was a stray and took her in, so mom and dad will be posting signs in their neighborhood. In our family, pets aren't just pets, they're one of us. This is so hard for us all, so please pray for Maddie's safety and that she will make it home to us. We love her so much, and this is just devastating for our family.

I am praying for peace today. Peace for Ron's family and for my family. I am praying for continued wellness for my Grampa's wife...she's just so positive and determined to get her strength back. She is such a lovely lady, and we are fortunate to have her in our family.

I think the sun will be shining today, and I know I need it. The dreariness of the weather yesterday just compounded all the sadness I was feeling, so I am looking forward to sunshine. The weather this weekend looks like it will be very nice...I want to make the most of it!

I think WW is going better today. I have been unfocused and honestly, just lazy and I stepped on the scale yesterday and saw what all that got me and I didn't like it. I mentioned to my blog friend Kim that Rome wasn't built in a day, and that I was going to have to get myself back on track one brick at a time. I laid my first brick yesterday, and I'm laying the second one today. It's slow, but who would I be racing anyhow?

I hope everyone has a beautiful Tuesday!

The Weekend In A Nutshell

Whew! It was a busy one, but a good one! Friday night, I went with my parents to go see my Grampa and take him some dinner. Mom had made meatloaf and I made mashed potatoes. We enjoyed a great meal with him, and then we stopped by the hospital to see Ann. That woman is amazing! Her color is great, and her attitude is incredible...we should all live with such positivity! Her faith is strong, and before we left, we prayed together for her continued healing. She will most likely be moved to a rehab facility this week to build up her strength, and then she can go home. I know she misses being with Grampa at home, and he misses her, too. :)

After I got home, Chris called and they were in town so I hopped in the car and headed over! We had wine and visited until close to 2am!! The next morning we got up and went to the 3-Day meeting. Now, we were both very gung-ho to do the 3-Day for breast cancer, but I think we're not going to do it. You have to raise $2300 each, and if you don't hit the mark before the event, you have to provide a credit card to guarantee the remainder of what you didn't fund-raise. Neither of us can do that, and with the economy still on the mend, we think we're going to funnel our efforts into the 5K Race for the Cure. And also, if we do the 5K, more friends can be part of it and the more the merrier. So after all that, we hit the mall. Oh boy, did we hit the mall! Dillard's was having a big sale, so I ended up with a couple pairs of shoes, and a bunch of new shirts and sweaters. This is a miracle of sorts, because I never find anything there!! After that? Lunch and then on to Target where we proceeded to do more damage. Honestly, I spent quite a bit on clothes for her girls since their birthdays are coming up. I also bought for my friend Christy's daughter since her first birthday is coming up, too. Oh, and then I bought a couple of handbags. So yeah, there was a lot of fun shopping going on !

We were going to go out to dinner and bring the hubbies, but poor Chris managed to get sick with some sort of stomach issue, so dinner was a no-go. David and I ended up going to Texas Roadhouse for dinner and had a good time. Sunday was spent having lunch with Sandra and helping her shop for something to wear to a wedding. After that? Homework city! I have a test this week in Sociology, and I think it's going to be a challenging one.

So now it's a rainy Monday. I didn't get to the gym this morning, but I am going to try and go after school tonight. I know I always say I will do that, but the gym bag is in the car and I don't even have to go home first. I am really going to try and make that happen. I need to for sure!

Try to stay dry today, everyone!

The Wrap Up

TGIF everyone!! I thought Friday wasn't ever going to get here. It's been a week full of meetings at work, and lots of homework and a sprinkle of drama. But all is well. Highlights for the week include the Dean's List reception at school on Tuesday...always awesome! Let's see...got my hair done and very happy with the results (as always!), and had a great dinner with Kim on Wednesday. It's been a good week!

Chris and her hubby and darling twin girls are in town tonight, and I have been counting the days! We are working out in the morning, and then going to the info meeting on the 3-Day. After that? Lunch and shopping! We're taking our hubbies out on the town Saturday night, so that should be lots of fun...not to mention her twin girls are way too cute for words!

The drama this week has been my step-grandmother. She had an episode of congestive heart failure, but she is really doing quite well. She's got a great attitude and is eager to build her strength back up and get home! I worry about the stress on my dear Grampa. He's 90 and this has to be tough, but he is wonderful and I think he's doing ok. Mom and I are making dinner to take to him, so I am looking forward to hugging him.

We booked our hotel for the Paris leg of our December vacation! Found a great deal in a little hotel by the Eiffel Tower! I wanted to stay in the same hotel Kim and I stayed in 5 years ago, but they must have decided to renovate the rooms in 14 karat gold. They wanted close to 300 Euro/night, and we're not paying that. So we found a great little place for $107, and it gets good reviews from other travellers. I think we found a gem! (I'll let you know in December!) Now we just have to book our London hotel, which we're using Hilton points to cover the room, and one night in Munich. (The Munich stop is so we can tour the world's oldest beer brewery before we head to Paris! Cool!)

I think that's about it for now. Have a fantastic Friday, everyone!! I know on Sunday I will be burying myself in homework, so I'll come up for air on Monday, and hopefully have fun pics to post from the weekend!

Sleepy!!

I am a sleepy gal today! I had such a great evening yesterday...Christy did an awesome job with my hair, and then I met Kim at Victory Tavern for a VERY yummy dinner! I took the train there and back, so I got home around 10, but then David and I were silly and sat up and talked for a while. When we went to bed it was almost midnight! But you know, I'll take being sleepy today for all the fun I had yesterday evening! :)

I am still a big congested, but I am definitely on the mend, and I am very relieved about that. However, I am asking for your prayers again. It's for my Grampa's wife, Ann. She had been doing well since she had a small heart attack a few weeks ago, but she had another one yesterday and is back in the hospital. They plan to keep her there for a few days and then move her to a rehab facility to help her gain her strength back. I worry for both her and Grampa. So please, when you say your prayers, please think of Grampa and Ann...I love them both so very much!

I think I'll end there today. I hope you are all feeling blessed and loved! Have a beautiful Thursday!

Monday Again?

Ugh...I really could use one more day in my weekend. (I usually feel that way, though.) It's just been exhausting. I am still feeling icky thanks to my allergies. I feel like somehow the weekend got away from me. I spent the better part of my day yesterday doing homework, and that usually takes up a chunk of the day. Hey, at least it's done.

We bought a new vehicle this weekend, so that was exciting. We replaced David's Jeep so he is a very happy camper. It will be another year before I get anything new, so I'll just have to wait. My little Civic and I get along just fine! :)

My 15-year-old cousin spent the night with us Saturday night. She was in town for a cheer leading competition and she had dinner with us, which is always fun. She's a great girl and I love spending time with her. I always wish we had more time!

Chris and her husband and kiddos are coming to town on Friday, and I am VERY excited! I haven't seen her since Christmas, so we have some catching up to do! Actually, we're in constant contact, so rather than catching up I guess we're really just getting together to be silly. We're going to work out, going to the meeting for the 3-Day, then going shopping! She and her husband are excited because her Dad is watching their girls so the four of us get to go out for the evening and we are a very excited bunch!

I am also having dinner with Kim this week to celebrate her birthday. (Yes, it was a week ago!) I'm looking forward to getting to enjoy an evening with her. :) I haven't gotten to hang out with her in a while, so this is going to be fun! (Wow, I am going to have a really good week!!)

So I think that's it...I need to get my day started. Let's get this Monday over with!!

Thank You, Mountain Cedar

Because the air is full of allergens, I am all congested and stuffed up. And not having much fun with that! It's not getting worse, but it's not really improving. My nose is stuffed up, I am sneezing and have watery eyes...ugh!!! I hate this! And even though I go to bed at a decent time, I am waking up tired and I look craptastic. Lovely.

But on a positive note, our tax return was deposited today and that was some great news! This means tomorrow I get to put my car in the shop for all the little maintenance things that it's time to do. As much as I hate spending money on that stuff, it's just necessary. I'd much rather buy shoes or lip gloss, but that's just not how it works. :)

We are looking forward to having my cousin Ashley over this weekend! She's 15, and lots of fun to hang out with, and always love having her with us. She is so sweet and well-mannered, and lots of fun for us to take out. She lives with her mother in south Texas, so having her with us is a treat! We'll have to think of somewhere special to take her for dinner.

I think that's it for today. TGIF everyone!!

The Stress Fog Is Lifting

In my psych class last night, we were due to get our tests back from last week. While I felt like I had done fine, I am always a little nervous when it comes to getting my grades. (Are we all clear on how OCD I am about my grades?) Anyhow, my professor decided to throw out the test because he thinks the material is more important than the tests. He gave us all an A on the test, and from here on out we just have to write 1 page summaries for each chapter. This is a piece of cake for me! Seriously, this removes a LOT of stress, because now I will only have tests in my algebra and sociology classes. YAY!!!! I think this semester is going to be okay after all! And even after bombing my last algebra test I still have an 87 average, so all will be fine! :)

The bummer about today is that I woke up feeling very congested. I am hoping not to get sick and will be eating lots of oranges and taking my vitamins. Cross your fingers!

On a final note, our tax return is deposited on Friday!!!!! I am so excited! This means we will be buying our airfare for our vacation in December! (Tickets to Europe are not cheap!!!)

I hope you all have a great Wednesday!!!

Best. Husband. Ever.

So I get home after school last night and David is walking over to me across the parking lot. What did he have in his arms? A foot bath and a bag of foot goodies from Bath and Body Works. That's right, I got a pedicure from my husband last night!! And it was awesome! My feet look lovely and are so nice and soft!! This was a wonderful treat!

He also picked up sushi for us for dinner from our favorite little sushi place, so I was a very happy girl. I guess this is my reward for birthday week! :) So it was a lovely evening and I feel like a princess today.

Yes, I think I have the best hubby in the world!

No big news for today...school tonight and then home work when I get home. Chris isn't coming to town this weekend because we didn't realize that the 3-Day Get Started meeting requires an RSVP, and it's full, so next weekend she'll be here. I can't wait!!! :)

Have a great Tuesday everyone!

Catching Up

Whew! It's been a very busy week! It started out with 3 tests, one of which was my Algebra test. We'll just say it wasn't my best grade and thank goodness the lowest one gets dropped! My Sociology test was fine, and my psych test went fine, too. I don't have my grades on those yet, but I don't expect any surprises. On Wednesday I left for San Antonio to sing with the Texas All-State Alumni Ensemble. We performed Thursday morning, and right after we finished I headed right back home to make sure there weren't any weather issues. I couldn't believe all the snow!! I didn't have to work on Friday, so we had an epic snowball fight and went for a walk. And I learned that you shouldn't make snow angels because you'll get your jeans wet and your booty will get cold!! Friday night we went to Fireside Pies for dinner, then on to the Tap In for drinks and just hanging out. We had a great time!!

Saturday morning we went and had brunch at Mimi's, which seems to have become a ritual for us. We have the same waiter every time, and he's a really cool guy named Justin, so if you go to Mimi's in Grapevine, be sure to ask for him...great service! Anyhow, after brunch we headed over to Central Market. I don't usually like going on Saturdays because of the crowds, but it was the chocolate festival, and I had to go! Surprisingly, I didn't eat much chocolate...nibbled a little bit, but mostly enjoyed the shopping. David had a custom floral bouquet made for me, which was very special! (And incredibly gorgeous!) Saturday night we made homemade chicken tacos (my recipe? a few chicken breasts and salsa in the crock pot until the chicken falls apart...about 4-5 hours). I found some whole wheat taco shells which were AWESOME, so we had healthy chicken tacos, fat-free spicy beans, and for dessert? Strawberries and chocolate and wine!!! :)

Sunday was lovely. We went to yoga, which was awesome! Came home and David began getting things ready to grill. I spent a few hours doing homework while he grilled, and when dinner was ready, David made me the best ribs and mashed potatoes ever! It's our traditional Valentines meal...I don't know why, but it is. And it is A.MA.ZING!!! And then we had a little bit of heart-shaped cheesecake with strawberries...YUMMY! We watched Star Trek (not the typical Valentines movie, but we both like it!), and then went to bed. It's been a wonderful weekend!

So how is WW going? Not well this week, for sure. But we are getting back on it. We didn't work out this morning since we went to bed so late, but we WILL be there tomorrow and sweating off some of this food. We've eaten so poorly, but it's been delicious. Now it's time to get serious again, and so we will! I'm looking forward to this weekend, as my friend Chris is coming into town. I think she and I are having a girls' night Saturday night, and I can't wait! Sunday we're going to a meeting to learn about doing the 3-Day. We're not sure about doing it yet, but we're going to check it out. :)

One last and very important note...Happy Birthday to my dear friend Kim!! You are thirty-fabulous, so enjoy your day, dahhhling!! We'll celebrate together soon!

Everyone have a wonderful week!

Rainy Monday

It very blah outside. Just perfect for my mood this week...although I am not so much blah as I am stressed. Three tests. Three of them! And a quick trip to San Antonio to sing with the All-State Alumni Choir. Seriously, I am worried about getting through the week with my sanity intact.

So much to do and so little time seems to be my motto. However, I am slowing it down this weekend. David is making our traditional Valentine's meal of ribs and Dave's Creamy Dreamy Mashed Potatoes. WW friendly? Nope. But it's a special day and I am planning ahead, so it will be okay. This week I am determined to do well, and I think I can. I made lots of healthy WW recipe snacks for the big game yesterday (And here's a shout out to the Who Dat Nation!) and so I think I did fine. Oh, except that my friend Alma made homemade queso. REALLY good stuff! But I didn't eat it by the bowlful...however I think I could have!

I don't have much news. The blogging will be sparse this week, as I am going to be bogged down with trying to get everything done. Please keep praying for my Grampa's wife...she is still in the hospital and we don't have any more info than when she went in.

Stay warm and dry, my friends!

Can We get Some Spring Weather Please?

I don't know about anyone else, but I am ready for some 72 degrees and sunshine! All this dreariness and rain has got to go. I left Seattle for a reason! Anyhow, hopefully it will be nicer than it's been...I'm tired of the hem of my pants being damp from all the puddles!

My knee is much better, so I think I can get back to my grind. I have not done well this week at all with the food or the working out. This will change tomorrow. Tomorrow is homework/workout day, and I am very serious about that. I am taking a tip from a friend and Saturdays and Sundays are known from here on as "1000 Calorie Days". Not because I will be ingesting tons of food, but because I am going to try and get 1000 calories burned each day. Right now, this isn't as hard as one might think. That's about 2 hours of good working out. I can burn almost 600 walking for an hour, so I figure the 9:45am water aerobics class and then an hour of walking should do what I need on Saturday. Sundays will include an hour of walking and an hour of yoga. The hour of walking may need to turn into an hour and a half, but we'll see. I have a heart rate monitor that lets me know what I've burned off, so it's all good.

I am really looking forward to WW tomorrow. I will tell you now that I am not stepping on the scale tomorrow. Tomorrow is for getting myself BACK on track..again. But that's okay...I'm doing what I need to do, and it's going to be a good week.

Please pray for my Grampa's lovely wife! She is in the hospital with a bowel obstruction. While we are told it isn't life threatening, it is still serious. Ann is in her mid-80s, and Grampa is 90. I know this is worrisome for them both, and I just ask that you pray for God to provide comfort to them and to take care of them as he always does. God truly is good all the time, and I trust in that completely.

On a different and far more frivolous note, I had to post this picture from David's dinner last weekend...

Is it okay for me to love this picture? I look smaller! :)

So that's it for Friday...everyone have a great weekend! Go Saints!!

My List Of Things To Complain About Today

Hold on to your hats, folks. I am a bit whiny today. My stomach is feeling icky this morning. This is wholly due to what I ate for dinner last night. Go me. I ate nachos and I am now paying the price. Ugh. I would like very much to get on the treadmill to make the nacho damage go away, but I woke up this morning with my knee feeling a little wonky so I opted to rest it today. Let me be clear, I am not limping or in pain, but it feels a little tight like there might be some fluid buildup on my knee. So I have my gym bag packed and will be working out in the pool tonight. Yeah, I'm not letting my knee get the best of me. Also, I am super tired. I can't seem to get my fabulous self into bed at a decent time. Or if I do, then I am reading some textbook in efforts to be working on getting studying done. So much to do, so little time.

Okay, I think I am done with the bitching this morning. It really is going to be a good day! I am having dinner with the family tonight. David is out of town but will be home tomorrow, so there is yet another good thing. :) See? Today is shaping up already! I don't think I am going to be awesome on the scale Saturday morning at Weight Watchers, but that's okay. I am working my way where I need to go, and as long as I am staying focused, it will all be fine.

So now I am going to use some of my time to work on Algebra some more. Why do I have to be 37 years old and taking Algebra?? Ugh!!

It Has Been Decided

The next 5K on the agenda is the Dash Down Greenville on March 13th. It benefits the North Texas Food Bank, which is a group I really love. The Food Bank does so much here in North Texas, and I am happy to participate to give back. Anyhow, this is the open invitation to anyone who wants to do a 5K to come and join me and my girl Kim. Afterwards we are going to clean up and enjoy all the St. Paddy's fun at the parade. I think this will be a blast! So anyone who is interested, here's the link:

http://www.dashdowngreenville.com/

I hope you will come and participate! The Food Bank really needs to the help right now!

On another note, school is really going well this semester. I was telling Kim this morning that I think I am really managing my homework time and class time really well. So far, I don't feel too stressed out, although I do have a Sociology test next on the 10th. However, I should be fine. I have a psych test next week, but I am really not sweating that, so it's all good. :) I am enjoying all my classes. Okay, I am not enjoying Algebra, but it's not horrible. My friend Sheila is good at math/science, so after class tonight we are meeting so she can work with me on some of the Algebra that isn't clicking in my head. I think I'll get it, it's just been a LONG time since I was in a math class of any kind! But you know what? I still feel confident that I am going to do well this semester! David promised me a Coach bag if I stay on the Dean's List, and I already have the bag picked out! However I have to say that when it comes down to it, with all we are trying to do this year I don't know if I can actually go through with buying one. They are so expensive, and we're already going to Europe in December and trying to buy a house this year. A bag doesn't seem like a smart purchase. However, maybe one of those cute wristlets might be okay...there is one on the Coach site I love and it's $69 I think...that seems like a good reward to me! Even a couple new lip glosses would be a treat! So I think I am going to tell David that as much as I would LOVE a Coach bag, I just can't let him spend that. It's just too much money! I'd rather save it to put toward a refrigerator or some All-Clad cookware!! (Now I know I'm growing up!!!)

So I guess that's it for today. Feeling good after my early workout this morning!! I just need to kick it up this week! Have a great day, friends!

Weekend In Review

I'm going to be fairly brief, as I am so very sleepy this morning! It was a great weekend, and thanks to all who helped make it great! David was surprised Friday when we went to Buca di Beppo in Dallas for dinner. There were about 29 of us, with all the family and some of David's closest friends there to celebrate. The food was great, and the cake I got from Society Bakery was A-Ma-Zing!! Good stuff! Afterwards Dave and I went and had a celebratory drink to cap off the night. Good stuff!

Saturday we went out for breakfast and then did some shopping in Southlake at the Town Center. I dropped David off at The Boardroom, which is a men's day spa. He got a hand/foot grooming treatment (mani/pedi to us girls) and he loved it!! I love that my husband likes to take such good care of himself! And seriously, he has the softest, nicest looking feet you've ever seen on a man! Saturday night we met our friends Anne and Jason and their 2 kiddos for an evening of bowling, and let me tell you, we had a BLAST!!

Sunday was more subdued...brunch at Fearing's in the Ritz-Carlton in Dallas. If you've not eaten there, you absolutely must. (Save your pennies, though...not cheap!!) We'd been there before and loved it, so this time we met both sets of parents there for the birthday weekend wrap-up. It was such an incredible dining experience!

So now birthday week has come to a close. I hope David can come back down to earth after his week of Rock Star treatment! I was ready to make dinner at home last night to kick back and relax, but apparently my stove/oven decided to quit working. (Not happy about this!) So we reheated leftovers from Friday night's dinner. I left the apartment complex a terse message. They have a history of not acting on maintenance requests in a timely manner. (I called one in on August 27th because the master bath linoleum is coming up and I either trip on it or it hurts if I accidentally forget to step over where it's coming up. Still not fixed and it's February 1st??) Hopefully they will get to that quickly. I guess we'll see!

Tonight is my English class. I need to spend my lunch hour finishing up reading for class tonight...I was just too tired to finish the reading last night!!

Happy Monday everyone!

Happy Birthday David!

David is 40 today!! I'm taking him out to dinner, but I'm not telling him where. I think he's going to like it! I gave him his special birthday shirt this morning. He's a good sport and put it on right away. It's a baseball-style shirt with the number 40 on it, and it says "Birthday Boy" on the back. :) Yeah, I'm silly like that! We've got fun stuff planned for tomorrow, and brunch on Sunday, so I think he's had a good birthday week. :)


Today two of my co-workers and I are going to fill in for our customer service team for about 4 hours. One of their colleagues passed away Tuesday (she had pancreatic cancer) and the services are this morning. So three of us who came from the customer service team here are going back to fill in so that the team can all go to the funeral. I'm not really looking forward to it, but it seemed like the right thing to do. I've got good friends over there, and I think they need to go and get some closure and say farewell to a good friend. I know it will be a tough day for them.


Dreary weather today, huh? I wish it wasn't so cold and rainy, but it won't be ruining the birthday fun! I hope everyone has a wonderful Friday!

Already A Great Day!

I'm having another one of those days where God is making sure that I know I am loved and encouraged. I've had two separate people take the time to tell me I am looking great and to keep up the good work. I wonder if these people know when they take a moment to encourage me just how much of a difference it makes in my life? I think I need to take time to tell them. (One is a co-worker who is a very cool gal, and the other is a really nice security attendant here in my office building. Both are beautiful women with the most cheerful personalities!) I feel so honored that they take the time to notice my progress.

It's just one of those days where I woke up feeling strong. I got a good workout in at the gym this morning, and am ready to take on the day. I have school tonight, and then dinner with my friend Kim Hightower. She is the mastermind behind the whole 1/2 marathon idea. She's a friend from WAAAAYYY back in high school choir days, and we reconnected on Facebook. She has really been a big cheerleader for me, as she understands the struggles of weight loss. She's lost 120 pounds and now regularly runs marathons and leads a very active, healthy life. One of these days, someone will say the same about me! :) Anyhow, she is in town on business and this will be the first time I have seen her since high school! Pretty cool!

Last night we celebrated day 2 of Birthday Week for David. I got him a gift card to Home Depot, and we had strawberries and champagne. I originally wanted to do cupcakes, but then I reigned myself back in and remembered David is really one who enjoys fruit more than most desserts. I'm afraid I'm the bad influence there, so I did good and got some very delicious fresh strawberries. We had fat-free Reddi-Whip that I decorated the plate with, and little "Happy Birthday" picks that I stuck in the berries to make it extra festive. It was very delicious and guilt-free! Tonight's treat is very low-key, and he'll get his little surprise when I get home tonight. I love doing this for him! He's a wonderful husband and my best friend. I couldn't ask for more.

So that's about it. Everyone have a great day!

David's Birthday Week Begins!

So today is the official start of "Birthday Week" in our home. I think birthdays are a very big deal, so I like to make a fuss. And especially since this is a landmark birthday, I really wanted to make the most of it! It wasn't supposed to start until today, but I opted to start it last night. David has had to work all weekend, and when we weren't working, we did family stuff, so the weekend was gone in the blink of an eye. So I gave him his first present last night, which was an iPod shuffle. It's a blue one with a special note engraved on it for him. I think he loved it! It's perfect for working out. He was tired of having to use his iPhone at the gym, so this is much lighter and better suited for gyms and half marathons. :) I'll tell you about tonight's birthday activities tomorrow...I don't want to let the cat out of the bag!

Tonight is also my first night of my English class, which is actually a writing class. We'll be learning about writing grants, proposals, and a bunch of other stuff. I don't have to rush since class begins at 6pm, so that's nice. I am finding that I am having a lot of homework already, so I am a little worried about balancing everything, but I'll get it figured out. Hopefully my English professor will have a little mercy!

And on a very frivolous note, GO SAINTS! What a great game yesterday! I had to watch it alone since hubby was working, but as I folded laundry I got to cheer on Drew Brees and the rest of the Saints in a very exciting game! I am looking forward to the Super Bowl!

That's about it today. I need to cut up my grapefruit and have a little breakfast so I can start my day. I hope everyone's Monday is manageable!

Proof That I Have My Act Together

Let me recap the week with regards to focusing on being back on track:

I worked out every morning at 5am, except for Friday. Friday I was tired, so I slept a little later and David and I walked for 3.2 miles that evening. Still a victory! Got up this morning and worked out, too! I was pretty good with what I ate this week, but there were a good handful of questionable choices in there. So how did I imagine my weigh in going this morning? Honestly, I thought I would maintain, maybe even gain a little bit. But my body chose to reward me for making a better effort than in weeks past - I lost 4.2 pounds this week! So I now only need lose a couple more to have the holiday pounds off forever. This is a very good thing!! I am feeling really victorious about this, and I think this only serves to motivate me further.

I mapped out a 3.2 mile walking path for myself, so we tackled it last night. One of my socks wore out so I got a little blister on the side of my left foot, but I didn't let it deter me at all. However, I will be going to Dick's Sporting Goods today to get some different socks, for sure! Kim has only told me about these a few times and encouraged me to pick some up. I listened! I just never got around to it...now I will!! Blisters aside, I feel great and am planning to tackle the path again in the morning before I go to Yoga.

I have spent a good part of my day working on Algebra. I am getting it, but got frustrated with one problem and have had to walk away for a bit. I'd love to go shopping, but I think I will stay in since it's rainy outside. I am waiting for David to get home from the Market Center in Dallas so we can get ready for a busy evening of family stuff. :)

I also have a special dinner with a friend this week. My friend Kim H. from Houston is in town and we are meeting up after I get out of class on Tuesday. She has also been a very special cheerleader, and she is the one who planted the 1/2 marathon seed. She's part of my support system going to Chicago, so it's going to be fun to have dinner. After all, we haven't been face to face since my senior year of high school!!

I have to wrap up now...Algebra awaits, and I also need to wrap some birthday presents. Have a wonderful Saturday, friends!

4:20am Was A No-Go

When the alarm went off this morning, I absolutely couldn't do it. My body is tired from adjusting to my morning routine, and I needed the extra sleep, so that's what I did. The trade off? When I come home from work I am changing clothes and going for a walk. A nice long one, too. It's going to be nice to get outside and enjoy the fresh air. Besides, this will be good for my training. :)

So how will my weigh in go tomorrow? Not sure yet. I am retaining water, and have had some stumbles in my eating this week. I'll get on the scale at the gym when I go for my "Last Chance" workout in the morning before WW, but right now I just don't know. The good news in this is that I really have done better this week, and I am proud of the activity I have gotten in. So it's baby steps for me right now. But you know what? I'll get there!

Next Monday begins "Birthday Week" for David, and I am excited! I have daily treats/activities planned to celebrate...it's his 40th!! His birthday is actually the 29th, but I am making it a week long event. :) Good wife? I think so! I'll be taking lots of pictures and will be posting here. Look out for all the birthday fun! Each day has it's own theme tied to a treat, gift, or fun thing we'll be doing. I've really been planning this and I can't wait to spoil him!! (Hey, this man spoils me so I am excited to return the favor!)

I think that's about it for today. I hope everyone has a great day! Just a quick thought...although it's important to remember those in Haiti right now, please don't forget that we have so many people here that go hungry every day here in our own hometowns. If you can, please make a donation to the North Texas Food Bank. They do so much for people here, and the recession has really affected donations.

Have an awesome day everyone!!

Whoa Nelly!!

So three of my four classes began yesterday, two of which are online. My Foundations of Psychology was great, of course. My favorite professor is teaching, so it will be a good class. My online Algebra class is scaring me just a bit, but I need to stop and breathe and it will be okay. My online Sociology class is going to be a good one, I think. All of my professors seems good, and I have gotten welcome emails from my online profs and they seem very accessible and easy to communicate with. This is going to be a very difficult semester, but I think it will be a good one. Just as a side note, I get to go be extra nerdy and buy a graphing calculator. I think I will treat myself to a new notebook, too!

I am totally back in my workout groove now, as evidenced by the fact that even with David out of town I was able to get out of bed and get to the gym this morning! I am working hard to get back on the losing track, and with the 1/2 marathon coming, I have a lot of work to do. I spoke at length today with my friend Knox at the gym. (He's my cheerleader there, and he says good morning to me and David all the time...we love this guy!) We talked about motivation and encouragement, and he told me he is really looking to see great things from me this year. I love knowing people have faith in me! It makes me want to work harder! So it's going to be a good week and I am celebrating my recommitment to the 5am workout!

I am looking forward to dinner with Christy tonight. We haven't had dinner since...um...I think it was before the holidays so we are overdue! She is my only friend who will go to Red Lobster for dinner (and vice versa) so we are looking forward to dinner together! :)

That's it for now...I need to cut up some strawberries for a snack. Have a GREAT day, friends!

Everything Back In Full Swing

So today is the day that everything starts again! I am back to my early morning workouts, school starts today, and David hits the road again. It's a busy day! I am so ready to get back to class, though. I like the feeling of moving forward and working toward my degree, and as much as I love the winter break, I love getting back to the classroom. Yeah, I'm a nerd. It's all good!

Cool thing of the day? Yeah, it's 8:47am as I write this and the best thing of the day has already happened. There is a gentleman at my gym with whom David and I have become friends. He used to play pro football many years ago, and now teaches at the community college. We met back in the summer when he came up to me and told me he saw how much progress I was making with my weight loss and told me he'd be rooting for me. Since then, he has told me that in one of his classes where he talks about goal setting and motivation, he uses me as an example. So his class knows about me and my progress, which makes me feel a little like a celebrity. :) So today, since I haven't been working out in the mornings since the end of last semester, he tells me he has a card signed by his class for me! This might be the coolest thing ever! He's going to bring it tomorrow and I can hardly wait to get it. This is my new piece of motivation. A bunch of people who don't know me and never met me want me to succeed. Aside from feeling so good about this, it reminds me how great people can be. For any time I might feel discouraged, there might be someone sending me good thoughts and wondering how I'm doing. I'm pretty sure I'll be thinking of these people somewhere along the 13.1 mile 1/2 marathon in August! I'm so honored and flattered. And most importantly, I am humbled. It really takes a village to do something big, and I couldn't go on this journey alone. I need that community of people in the gym in the mornings, my friends, family, and co-workers. I am supported by people everywhere I turn, and I am proud that they believe in me. So next time I feel like I am struggling and alone, I need to remember that I'm not. I stand on the shoulders of all those people who believe I can, and most of all, I believe in me. I know I can do this.

How lucky am I to be surrounded by so many good people? I am so grateful for all of you! I just want to say thanks to everyone who has ever sent me a kind thought, comment, or put good things out into the universe for me. Thank from the bottom of my heart. And now this journey kicks back into high gear and we're going to push forward and celebrate success together!

Weekend Wrap-Up

So it's been a rather quiet weekend...nothing big. My weigh-in was not great, but I'm working on that this week. I had the day off today for MLK day, and honestly have not done anything productive. I flipped through my algebra book for my class and now I am worried that I might be a little impaired because I closed that book as fast as I opened it. I hope it comes back to me!! Some of it looked like a foreign language. *sigh* I think this is going to be a tough semester.

So here I am, eating blackberries and pondering school. I really am ready for class tomorrow. I have my Foundations of Psychology tomorrow night, and both my online classes (Algebra and Sociology) start tomorrow, too. My writing class is on Mondays and starts next week. 12 hours...what was I thinking? Oh yeah...that I want to get this degree out of the way so I can move on to grad school! If all goes well, I am hoping to graduate in December of 2011...it just depends on the school offering stuff when I can take it. (Hello, Statistics!! Please start offering that when us working folk can take it!)

Tonight Angela is joining me and David for a Stars game. Hopefully they'll win!!

Have a good evening, everyone!

Determination

So after a less than stellar weigh in this morning (water retained from Chinese food, and honestly a little junk food in there for good measure), I hit the gym with a renewed fervor. I hit the treadmill hard and am feeling great for doing it. I will have a good week this week and get myself truly back on track. While I did better this week than in past weeks, I still made some choices I should have steered clear from. But guess what? I refuse to punish myself. Nope, instead I am being positive and affirming that I CAN do this. Because I really can! And besides, I have a 1/2 marathon in my future and I am going to finish it!

So it was a good day. Went to WW, worked out, cleaned up and then ran errands with my parents. Now I am having a hot date with myself. David is out with the boys having wings and watching football. I am making myself a health dinner and watching my Sex and the City DVDs and having a glass of wine. I am a content girl!

I hope everyone has a wonderful evening! I am looking forward to Yoga tomorrow, and then hopefully on to a Cowboys win! Go Cowboys!!

Tuesday's Pain Postponed Until Today

We were so beat from lifting weights on Monday that Tuesday's SET class didn't seem like a good idea. So rather than weenie-ing out and not going at all, we're going tonight. So I'll be lucky to be able to move tomorrow!! I'm still fairly sore, but I'm okay for class this evening. It really needs to happen! I also got up and had a good 5am workout yesterday, so this has been a much more successful workout week for me. I'm going to be glad to sweat tonight because I feel like I have had a higher salt intake than usual this week and I really need to sweat that water out!!

I am so glad it's almost Friday! It's been a long week and I am ready for the three day weekend! I don't want to wish it away, though! I think I might have to get my nails done, though. That will be my pampering treat for the weekend. :)

Truly, I have no news. It's a quiet day at work and I am ready to call it a day. I hope everyone has a good one!

Bring The Pain

David and I, after being a little sore from Yoga Sunday, lifted weights at the gym yesterday. Needless to say, I am a little more sore now. As if I didn't need more soreness, tonight we are going to SET class, so by tomorrow it will be a miracle if I can walk. All for a good cause...getting the weight off! Farewell, holiday pounds! :) I ended up gaining a few more pounds than I originally thought due to celebrations and, uh, some less than stellar food choices. So anyhow, two more pounds and I am back to pre-holiday weight and back to losing! My goal is to lose 25 more pounds by April 18th. That is my WW one-year anniversary and I would like to say I have 100 pounds gone by then. I think this is do-able, and I am going to give it my best. (However, it is important to say that I know my body does its' own thing even when I am at my best, so if I don't hit my mark it will be okay!)

Truly I am looking forward to going to the gym tonight. I really like what this class does for me. It works all the major muscle groups with weights and lunges. It's such a good class! When school starts next week I will have to go to the Saturday class, but that's okay...as long as I'm going I am good! When I get in better shape I want to venture out and maybe try kickboxing! That's down the road a bit, so we'll see!

School starts next week, and I am going school supply shopping this weekend. What this means is that I am probably going to buy a new spiral notebook. I don't need anything else. But I do love school supplies!! David is getting me a new pair of shoes, so that's all good! (The perks of being married to a footwear rep!) I picked out a fantastic pair of really fun teal colored strappy shoes that will be great for Spring! David says teal is going to be a hot color this Spring, so ladies get your teal shoes out!! (I didn't have any, but I will soon!!!)

I think that's about it for today. I hope everyone has a really great day! :)

If We Always Do What We Always Did...

...then we always get what we always got. I love this quote. I wish I knew who to give credit for it, but I don't. However, I got revelations in spades yesterday. I have been digging deep trying to rekindle the motivation I had last year before the holidays and was having terrible luck finding it. Guess what? I found it! And I found it by doing something different. The whole Yoga thing? It's giving me something I didn't know I really needed until now: a better sense of myself and a desire for more. I am blessed with so many wonderful people in my life, but the person I keep forgetting is me. I have spent a lot of time being a people-pleaser, but I am finding that I need to make myself more of a priority. Going to Yoga yesterday really gave me something that I needed. I felt more confident (and if you had been a fly on the wall watching, you'd probably wonder how I could look so ridiculous and end up feeling more confident, but I did!), more calm, and much more centered. These are things that I needed more than I realized. I am really looking forward to making this part of my Sunday routine. I look forward to the times when I can tell that I have become more flexible, and that's so cool...I'll be able to mark my own progress! My muscles are a little sore today, but it's a different sore...like I have lengthened my muscles and fed my soul. Yeah, this is what I was looking for. This will be instrumental in helping me stay centered and focused with school about to begin. I feel happy today! (And it's also really cool when your husband goes with you and enjoys it as much as you do!)

So it's Monday again. I am really happy that the weather is warming up, even if it's just to the mid-50s. It beats the teens! We got a VERY high electric bill and so we are in serious energy conservation mode in our home. I am welcoming warmer weather with open arms!! We turned the temperature down and covered up with blankets watching TV. We had friends over to watch the game Saturday night, and told them if the bill doesn't go down next month that it's going to be like Abe Lincoln's cabin and we'll all be enjoying each other's company by candle light!

So no big news today...just me feeling good and feeling like I am ready to have a successful week. Chris is doing WW too, but up in OK where she lives there is no meeting close to her. So I am copying recipes and materials and send her a WW packet each week. We were talking about how it's nice to really have a buddy to do this with. Too bad she's not closer and we could go to meetings together, but we found a way to do it across the miles, so it's all good. :)

I hope everyone has a wonderful week! Count your blessings...there are many!

New Habits

So one of the things David and I had decided to do was to go to Yoga on Sundays. Today was our first day, and I really liked it even though I am not graceful or very flexible. The instructor is wonderful! Very encouraging...I need that! Through my journey to become more fit I have learned that what is most important is that I do things for me. I used to worry about what people think of me when I walk in a gym, and this really prevented me from taking an enjoying classes. Now I know that I am the only person concerned with what I am doing, which makes things much more fun! So while it was a tough class and there were lots of things I couldn't really do without modification, there is a lot that I can do! And what will really be fun is to measure my progress as I become more able to do the poses more fully and smoothly. I think this is going to be very empowering!

So that's really it. Going to do laundry today and get ready for the week. It's been a weekend full of errands and chores and today is for resting and enjoying time with David. What a lovely day!

And I Thought Yesterday Was Cold...

Okay, TODAY is REALLY cold!! We got to wear jeans to work today, so I am in jeans, my toasty warm Born shearling boots, a turtleneck sweater, and a sweater over that. Hey, I am not interested in freezing! I am glad it will get above freezing tomorrow, but it will still be cold. I would like to go jogging outside, but my lungs don't like it when it's this cold out so I will have to wait a bit longer. However, I will be hitting the treadmill so it's going to be fine.

I bought a fun new cover for my iPhone. It's pink and sparkly and makes me very happy. :) It feels like it fits my personality. Is it stupid to get happy over something like that? I figure if I look for happiness in the little things then I should be finding myself happy all the time! (Not that I am sad or depressed, I just think it's also nice to sustain those little bursts of happy.)

We're going to a Stars game tonight. Honestly, I am not really into it but I'm going. I hope they win. I don't want to get out into the cold for a crummy game! (If they lose, I hope they put up a good fight! Can't be too mad about that!) I think we're going to eat at a restaurant I like over there that had a wonderful veggie plate. It's delicious and looks like art. Yum! I didn't sleep well last night and could really stand to go to bed early, but I don't think it's going to go that way. That's okay, though. The story of how we got the tickets is cool...we have friends that are season ticket holders and they gave us a voucher for free tickets to a game. When we went to go redeem it and pick up game tickets, they didn't have tickets for the game we wanted to we got 4 tickets for two different games! Pretty cool! So now we get to go to two games, and we're only out the parking! Love it! (And the seats are pretty good, too!!)

My textbooks have arrived in the mail. It's my reminder that my break is starting to wind down. School begins on the 19th, but I think I am ready. I like school and I like devoting myself to something that helps me feel like I am advancing myself. I have finally figured out my path and am excited to be on it. I also like being able to say that I graduate next year! Of course I will dive right in to grad school, but that's okay...this is getting me where I want to be. The idea of waking up one day and being excited to have a career rather than a job is priceless to me. I only wish I had it all figured out years ago! But it's okay...I'm doing it now and that's the only thing that matters. Somehow I know I am going to be doing what God has designed me to do. I really feel that strongly about it. I am meant to be in a helping profession, and I can't wait to be a licensed psychotherapist. I know not every day will bring a therapeutic breakthrough or an "a-ha" moment, but there will be days when they happen and I look forward to that. What will my job really be about? Helping people find their own empowerment. It's in all of us, we just don't always know how to find it. So that's what my purpose will be: to help others find strength within themselves to be empowered and healthy people making healthy decisions.

Hmm...I didn't know this post would go that direction! But I like it!

Stay warm, friends! It's going to get COLD tonight!!!

Brr!

It's cold out there! My office opened late this morning, which is lovely except that I go in early every day and didn't know this until I was dressed, in the car, and in the line at Starbucks. Oh well! I headed over to my parents' house and got to enjoy breakfast with them. What an unexpected treat!

It's quiet around here today...did everyone else stay home? Weird. I am looking forward to dinner with the girls tonight. After that I am going home, snuggling up with, well, my Snuggie, and watching some football. (Hook 'em Horns!!) I hope they fare better than TCU. I need Texas football to dominate! :)

No real news today. Just lots of cold weather and bundling up! Stay warm, friends!

Healthy Choices

So today I am scheduled for 20 minutes of walking according to my training schedule. So I am doing that this evening. I am also going to the SET class at the gym tonight, so I am going to use the walking as a warm-up. The SET class (Strength and Endurance Training) is a real killer, and will be good for strengthening my core. It's the class I was doing but haven't been in a few weeks. My SIL was teaching, but she does so many classes that it was just too much for her so she had to give it up. However, I still need it, so I am going. :) My body will surely be sore tomorrow!

Also tonight? Biggest Loser starts up again! I loved last season's cast so I hope these people are as wonderful and engaging. There are some folks with WAY more to lose than me, so it will be interesting to see what they go through on their journey. Besides, I am a big fan of Bob and Jillian!

So while I stayed within my points for yesterday, it is only because I have my extra WW points for the week. Today I am doing better. I ate a grapefruit for breakfast and have snacked on clementines throughout the morning. I have the munchies and I don't know why, but I am armed with lots of fruit, and I brought a healthy lunch today. And I have been journaling what I have eaten so it's all snapping back into place just as it should. In two week, I have to get back to my early workouts because school begins again. I like school, so I am looking forward to it. I need to go pick up a new notebook and calendar after work. (I love shopping for school supplies!) I got two of my textbooks in the mail yesterday...very exciting! I use a site called chegg.com and I rent my textbooks for a fraction of the cost! Seriously, big money saver!! It is costing my only half of what I would have spent otherwise, so it's a great deal! At the end of the semester, I just ship the books back and then order what I need for the following semester. Loves it!

So I guess that's about it. I have plenty to do here in the office this morning, so I suppose I ought to get to it. Happy Tuesday! :)

Officially In Training

So today is the first day of the training plan for the 1/2 marathon, and guess what? Mondays are a rest day for me! LOL! So no workout today, but definitely one tomorrow! (Fridays are also a rest day, so I am liking the schedule so far.) I brought my lunch and am ready to get back to my routine. I have enjoyed the holidays but I am ready to tackle the new year and all the good things it will bring.

However, it really was tough to get when the alarm went off this morning. We had friends over to watch the game, and as much as I love everyone, people love to stay late and visit. I guess no one else gets up early for work, so it was after 11 when I got to bed. 5:30 comes very early!! And it's cold out, too...ugh! What a whiner, right?

My dear friend Chris is going to do the 1/2 marathon in Chicago, too, so I am really pumped about that! We've been emailing back and forth to get things moving with room arrangements and stuff. Her hubby is coming, and I think he is participating but I am not sure. David is going but he runs more than I do (which is to say that I really don't run at all...I jog some, but I have to work on that!) so we agreed that I will just see him at the finish line. Along with a bunch of gals I knew from elementary school, junior high and high school, this is going to be a great trip! I try to envision what it will feel like to cross the finish line...I have to do it in under 3.5 hours, so I have my work cut out for me, but I can do this. I'm very glad to have the training plan to use as a road map!

Okay...I really need to get to work. It's going to be hard to have to work a full week this week! But that's okay...I'll appreciate my weekends that much more! School starts on the 19th, so I better enjoy it while I can!!

Have a good Monday, friends!

Welcome 2010!

This is going to be a wonderful year! I have many things I am looking forward to, and lots of goals to accomplish. I refuse to make resolutions. They never stick and somehow are never really taken as seriously as they should be. I am making goals. Really, I am continuing goals. I wanted this post to really reflect what I want to achieve this year, and I want to share it with you. Here goes...

1. I am going to really make a strong re-commitment to Weight Watchers. It works, and I feel much better when I step on that scale on Saturday mornings and feel great! So I am heading back tomorrow morning from a short hiatus. I am doing the no-weigh pass because I just ate salty Chinese food for dinner that won't make things look too good on the scale, but I am going. Also, BFF Chris is doing WW Online at home (from Oklahoma) and so she and I are in it together and working as a team. It helps to be accountable! (And Kim will ask me about it too, and I like to have good news to share with my fellow rock star!)

2. I am completing the 1/2 marathon August 1st. I have the training program printed out and ready to begin on Monday. Chris is joining me in Chicago, along with David and a growing group of gals from high school. This has become one of the most important events for me this year. It feels like a big undertaking, but I look forward to grabbing Chris' hand as we cross that finish line together. But I can't wait to cross that line and show myself I can do this!

3. Take better care of my mental health. This is a big deal because not only am I working full time, I will officially be going to school full time this year. And both sessions of summer school. It is going to be a busy year, and I tend to forget to keep my mental health in check and do things that help me relax. I am going to try and work on this in 2010, because otherwise I might go bonkers! By the way, this goal also includes asking for help when I need it. I am not always good at that, but I am going to work on it!

4. Becoming debt free!! This goal is almost met! We paid off a BUNCH of stuff Wednesday and we will be debt free by February at the latest! No more credit card debt, no more paying credit card bills, just putting money in savings!! This one is exciting and important, because it is a big step towards being ready to buy a home, which we will be doing this year. Nothing feels as good as having the household finances under control, and while we were never in much debt to begin with, we weren't getting rid of it, but more like just maintaining it. Now we are eliminating it, and loving the feeling!!


So those are my 2010 goals. All are attainable, all are reasonable, and all are continuations of things I was already doing for myself. They are goals I am proud of, and I know that by this time next year I will be able to look back and know that 2010 was a success.

I hope that you are setting goals for yourself. I would love for anyone who wants to share to leave them in the comments...when we share our goals, we increase our support base and who doesn't need more support in getting to where we want to be, no matter where that goal takes us?

Happy new year to you all! 2010 is going to be amazing!!

New Beginnings

I love New Years! I think January 1st is a fresh start and I always like the idea of a year full of promise and excitement. :) It's going to be a wonderful year and I certainly wish a safe a festive NYE to everyone!

I'll be blogging on January 1st with my 2010 goals. I hope you will all share some of your goals here with me.

Until then, please be safe and have a wonderful NYE! Love to you all!

Climbing Out Of A Hole

Yes, I am clawing my way out of the holiday food and calorie hole I have been residing in. I FINALLY got my tushie to the gym this morning and it felt great! And even better, I found that since Thanksgiving I have only gained 2.5 pounds! If you saw what I have eaten, you, too, would be in awe! So I can knock that off fast and get back to the business of getting healthy!

Kim and I are trying to find a worthy 5K for the early spring. (I am not a winter walker!) Our rule is that the 5K has to be for a good cause. If you know of one, let me know! Oh, and this is an open invitation for anyone who wants to come and do a 5K (Kim who is chasing rabbits, I am talking to you!!) to join in the fun! I am NOT a runner, so if you are a walker, come walk with me! I might try and jog some, but my endurance isn't there to do too much of that just yet. But set the goal and come and cross that finish line! It's like nothing you've experienced! I will post details when we've picked on and anyone who wants to come is VERY welcome! The more the merrier!

I hope everyone has had a great Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa, etc. It's been lovely for me, but I think I am ready for the new year. 2010 is full of promise, and I have lots I plan to achieve. I am setting goals, not making resolutions. On January 1, I am going to post my goals for the year. I hope you'll think of some for yourself and post them in the comments that day. Let's all make 2010 OUR year!!!

Love to everyone!

Where Is My Mojo?

My workout mojo is MIA. I haven't done anything and my eating? Well, it's been less than stellar. So I am pledging to do better today. Baby steps, people. I just came off vacation! But tomorrow I am off work, so I am getting my butt to the gym. This is a must for me if I am going to get myself back in the groove. (And believe me, I want to be back in my groove...it's a really good groove when I am in it!) So good food choices today and a good workout tomorrow. These are the two things I am promising myself.

Had a great time with my dearest friend, Christine (aka Chris) last night. After years of being out of touch, we have reconnected in a beautiful way and it's like having my sister back, even though I don't have a sister. Chris has always been the sister I didn't have, and it feels so wonderful to be back in each others' lives. :) This is the best Christmas gift I could hope for! She is living in OK with her husband and two twin baby girls, and she is down here to spend Christmas with her Dad. This has been wonderful! I wish we had more time together, but it's just such a busy time. I think once we get past all the holiday craziness we'll need to plan a get together. They bought and restored an old farmhouse outside of OKC, and I'd love to drive up and see it so maybe I'll have to do that before I get too deep into the semester. (You know once that semester gets going I will fall off the radar for a while!)

Anyhow, it's been a wonderful week and I am looking forward to tomorrow. David and I are going to do some baking together, and then dinner and church with Mom and Dad.

I hope everyone, no matter what your religion or how you choose to celebrate this season, has a wonderful Christmas! I hope you feel all the blessings of the season, and please know that you are all in my heart!

Getting Back In The Groove

It's so hard to get back into the swing of things when you've been on vacation! However, I am slowly getting there. I've been enjoying food a bit too much, so there's no telling how much damage I have done in that department. Getting my booty to the gym tonight for the SET class will help a lot. I had visions of working out on vacation, but it didn't happen. However, we did walk a LOT so I am hoping that helped out some.

I am finding that I don't want to be at work. The good news there is that I am here today and tomorrow, and then off until the 31st. Yay! Lots to do to get ready for Christmas, but it's all good stuff.

I had lunch with my very dear friend, Christine, yesterday. We met in 7th grade and had been BFFs for so many years. We had been out of touch for longer than I'd like to remember. She had been like a sister to me and practically grew up at my house. (Mom and Dad called her their other daughter!) And now here we are, older and wiser, and in wonderful places in our lives. Being back in touch is wonderful and I am so excited about so many things for her. She and her husband have twin daughters who are delightful, and they are a very happy family. We are going to meet for coffee tonight and soak up as much time as we can, as she is here for Christmas and then goes back home to Oklahoma on Saturday. So needless to say, I am excited to see her again tonight!

I am pretty much ready for Christmas. The shopping got finished up last night, and now i just have to wrap a few things and we are all set. We got some hot chocolate and looked at Christmas lights last night, and that was a lot of fun. I am going to miss all the holiday magic when things go back to normal after all the fun. And once Christmas passes, it's just a couple of weeks and school begins again!

Where does the time go?

What A Week!!

We got back yesterday afternoon, and although we had a wonderful trip it is so good to be home! Our kitties, Zak and Kaylee, seem very happy to have us home again, and we always miss those little furballs when we're gone. We got to the airport early yesterday and American got us on standby for a flight that was much earlier, so we got home before we were even supposed to leave Orlando, so that was a nice surprise.

Our cruise was great! We had two ports of call, Coco Cay and Nassau. Coco Cay is a private island owned by the cruise lines, and that was a great stop! It was just beach and little craft markets and food and drinks. We did a little shopping and then parked our silly selves on beach chairs and relaxed with a fruity drink. It was something called a coco loco, and it was yummy!

Next stop was Nassau. Leave it to me to find the MAC store...ah, I am truly a lip gloss junkie. Did I buy anything? I most certainly did!!

The beaches in Nassau are beautiful! We stayed for a while and got some sun and then headed back to the ship. It was a great stop, but Nassau is a lot like Jamaica in that you are reminded that there is a lot of poverty there. I hope we did our part to help the economy!

Our last day on the ship was windy and overcast, so I didn't get quite as much of a tan as I wanted, but it is way better than getting burned!! We encountered some incredibly rough seas, and I was so seasick I couldn't eat dinner. Poor David - I had to leave him to finish dinner alone. But laying down helped, and I was fine when I woke up the next morning. Not how I wanted to end the cruise, but we had so much fun that it's okay. (Apparently there were tornadoes out on the water, nowhere near us, but they probably contributed to the rough waters!)

What a great vacation!! Now we have to get ready for Christmas! Hope everyone's shopping is finished!!

Just a quick check in...Disney was amazing! We had the best time at Magic Kingdom and Downtown Disney. We are currently en route to Port Canaveral to board our ship and set sail for the Bahamas! We will be in Nassau for the day tomorrow, and plan to spend the day on Cable Beach with our toes in the sand and fruity drinks with umbrellas in our hands!!

We'll update as we can!

Recapping A Good Day

So I did much better yesterday. The food choices were better, and I got to the gym after work, which really needed to happen. I pounded out 30 minutes on the elliptical, and another 15 on the treadmill. I would like to have done more, but my legs are still beat from Tuesday's SET class at the gym. Hey, it's okay! I went and I got a great workout in! We were up late last night packing, so I didn't get up early this morning to work out, but we are going right after work today. I carpool, so I just have Leah drop me off at the gym and David meets me there. If I don't go home first, it all works out just fine! (Going home first just makes me want to stay there!)

We're packing our workout clothes for our vacation. Yes, we do plan to use them! We think we'll either hit the fitness center for jog the track on the top deck of the ship at least three times during the cruise. Will we work out every day? Probably not, but I think if we get three workouts in, we're doing good. :) Last year we didn't go food crazy on the cruise, and I think we'll be fine this time as well. I'm just happy for the chance to get away!

It's going to be a long day at work today. I'm ready to begin the Cruisemas fun!! We've had this planned since May, so it's been a long time coming. I'll post pictures when we return...hopefully we'll have lots of them! Somehow we never take as many pictures of each other as I'd like. Maybe we'll change that this time around! Being 75 pounds lighter makes me a little more interested in having my picture taken. :)

Everyone have a wonderful Friday! The weekend weather here looks like it will be great, so get out and enjoy!! (Kim, your race day looks like it's going to be perfect!! See? I told you I'd pray for good weather!)

Good Deeds

Last night David and I went shopping for our two Salvation Army angels. We picked out cute clothes and cool toys...a dollhouse for one and a very cool and girly looking Big Wheel type of thing. I think they'll have a good Christmas morning! (My hope is that they also remember the reason for the season!) I was stunned last Saturday when there were over 15,000 angels left to be adopted, but as of last night there were 6600. I am hopeful the good people of the DFW area will pull together and take care of all the angels. There are a lot of good people in this area!

In less than 48 hours from now, David and I will be well on our way to Florida to start Cruisemas '09! (Our annual Christmastime vacation!) We are very excited and will start packing tonight. We're going to be home tomorrow night, relaxing and having a glass of wine and celebrating the upcoming week of doing as little as possible. We're not even packing our snorkeling gear...we're just going to dig our toes in the sand and chill! I can hardly wait! And when we come back it will almost be Christmas!

We've already paid for Cruisemas '10...we're going to spend a couple weeks in Europe!! Starting out with a river cruise up the Danube from Vienna to Nuremberg. That's the first 8 days, and then the train to Paris for a few days, and then on Christmas eve he head to London and midnight mass at the Westminster Cathedral (being good Catholics for David). On Christmas day we will go to Westminster Abbey (to celebrate me being a good Protestant girl!) and then enjoy the city. We still have to figure out how long we'll be in London, but we're so excited about going! I am hoping to see snow somewhere along the way...I bet we will in Austria! Wow...I can't believe we're going!! It's a lot of saving money and planning, but it's something we've wanted to be able to do for a while now, and we're excited to make it happen!

But make no mistake, I am beside myself with happiness that we're spending next week in the Bahamas! Oh, and one more cool thing - one of my favorite restaurants used to be Bahama Breezes here in Las Colinas, but it closed a couple of years ago. BUT...there is one in Orlando!!! So Saturday night you can bet we'll be dining there, and I will be having my salmon tostada salad. YAY!!!

Everyone stay warm...it's another chilly day out there!

Workouts and Cookies

So we'll start with cookies...the cookie exchange was fun. I ate six cookies, which isn't necessarily a total train wreck, but it wasn't smart. However, they were awesome and I loved every bite. And what did I do to balance this? I went to my SET class at the gym last night. I am very sore today, but I feel good and I am glad I went. I am going to the gym when I get home tonight because I was sleepy and didn't make it this morning. We've been getting to bed late which has made me very sleepy in the mornings. Yes, this pretty much means my workouts have been slacking off. No more...gotta get back to it. So I am going to suck it up and go to bed early to start getting up at 4:30 again. I felt better when I was doing that, and I felt more in control. I need to really keep myself in check and get back on the ball. This 1/2 marathon won't go well if I don't.

I've been pondering this 1/2 marathon. I still find myself feeling so nervous about it, but it's something I really want to accomplish. I can't jog for long at all, and I worry that even with walking it will be tough to finish, but I am determined to do this. This is one of those things that's just for me. I'm not trying to win, but for me winning will be crossing that finish line. Now, it may be after everyone else has gone home, but I'm doing this!

So I think that's it for today. Stay warm...it's really cold out this morning!!

Today Will Be A Challenge

We are having a cookie exchange here at work. Not wanting to be the girl that didn't participate, I made S'mores Bark to bring. I chose this because I am the weirdo that doesn't like marshmallows. It's melted chocolate chips mixed with mini marshmallows and then sprinkled with graham cracker crumbs. Not anything I am into, but I am worried about what is coming my way. I have decided that I am not bringing any cookies home, but I have to figure out how to get rid of what I end up with. I think I am going to give them to other co-workers. I just hope no one is offended! It's been a rough enough time with the food, and I don't need any help getting off track...I do that well enough on my own. So all will be fine, I just have to be gracious about this. Maybe I can politely decline accepting any cookies...after all, people know I've lost 75 pounds and I think they'll understand.

I have been lazy with the workouts. However, that changes tonight. I have the 24 SET class (Strength Endurance Training) tonight at the gym. And yes, I am going! My SIL teaches it, so she is expecting me to be there. It's good to be accountable to others! So I am going to class, coming home to clean up, and then I am going shopping for the two Salvation Army angels I picked. David and I don't exchange gifts because we're going on our vacation next week, so since we have been blessed this year and are able to do so, we are taking care of two little Angels who aren't as fortunate as we are. I hope they have very Merry Christmases...we'll do our part to help!

I got the first of my grades posted, and I made an "A" in Crisis Intervention! Now I am waiting for my Humanities and History grades. I should get an "A" in Humanities, and History might be a "B". If it's 2 A's and a B, I am still on the Dean's List, and that will be just wonderful! :)

Everyone have a great day!! Stay warm, friends!!

Chicken Recipe

Okay, just a quick share...

This is a recipe for very easy and VERY tasty chicken, courtesy of my dear friend Sandra:

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp light olive oil
1 packet ranch dressing mix
4 chicken breasts

Mix the vinegar, oil, and dressing mix together in a large Ziploc bag. Then add the chicken and toss around in the bag to coat. Put the whole bag in the fridge and let it marinate for about 30 minutes. Then put the chicken in a baking dish and set under the broiler for 7 minutes, then flip it and let it go for another 7 minutes. Voila! Tasty, easy, and quick chicken!! And healthy, too! About 5 WW point per chicken breast! Pair with a salad and some green beans and you're in for a healthy meal!!

Had to share...this is my new favorite way to enjoy chicken breasts!!

Paying It Forward

I have been so very blessed with all the support I have from friends and family through all the weight loss stuff. Some time back I randomly stumbled onto a blog written by a woman like me, who is dealing with weight struggles. She's a great writer and has a wonderful blog. Anyhow, I finally decided to post a comment on her blog. (I hadn't before because I didn't want her to think I was a psycho stalker!) Anyhow, I thought it was time for me to try and encourage others the way that so many people encourage me. She has a desire to do a 5K, and I remember how I felt when I was preparing for my first one. (And here I am training for a 1/2 marathon!) Anyhow, I left her an encouraging post, and she has posted a very nice thank you on her blog, so I am glad she felt the support! I responded, and then noticed that when I signed my name at the end of my comment, I misspelled it. Yes, I misspelled my own name. Yeah, I rock.

Anyhow, it feels good to send some positive energy to others. Losing weight is difficult, and sometimes we need someone to give us a little something to help us keep going. I am blessed in that I get that from the people in my life. I just needed to share some of that love!

I am drained today. It's that drained feeling you get after you're passed something stressful, so it's a good drained. I am having dinner with my personal cheerleader, Kim, who is a rock star in her own right. She is doing a relay race a week from Sunday. I am bummed that I cannot be there to cheer her on, but I think she knows my heart is with her each step she takes. :) We're going to sushi at my very favorite place tonight, and she's going to come see our Christmas decorations. She's the first person I get to show them off to! Thankfully I have time before she comes over to get all my shoes out of the living room and wash my coffee mug in the sink!

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

Finals, Concerts, and Struggles

Tonight is my Crisis Intervention final, followed by the TCC Community Choir concert in which I have a tiny solo. First, I am hoping that when I get in to take my final all the studying I have done doesn't leave my head. That's a fear of mine, you know. I just need a 75 on the test to make an A in the class. This should be easy enough.

The choir concert tonight is something I am looking forward to, but I would be a liar if I said I wasn't nervous. I haven't had a solo in years, and although it is 8 little measures, I just want to do well. *insert prayers for courage and strength here, please*

And lastly, I am yet again struggling with the food. I've been feeding my stress all week, and none of it has been very good. Oh, and I haven't made it to the gym in a few days. All this usually spells disaster, but not today. I've done okay today, and I'm going to push through. It seems that I have really had my share of tough WW weeks, but with 75 pounds gone, I'm going to keep moving forward. It's just what I do! :)

So it's been a tough week. I've written 2 Humanities papers, I have a final and a concert tonight, and then my online History final to complete before Sunday night. I can do this. After all...in 9 days I am on my way to the Bahamas with the Best Husband Ever and we're going to relax!!

Breaking News...

SNOW! In Texas! This is so great! Too bad I have to work. But it isn't sticking, so I suppose it's not such a big deal. But it looks like a snow globe out there!

Good day to be home with hot chocolate!

That's it. No big news...just trying to keep my head above water during finals week. Ugh!

Photos I Love

Napa Valley through David's photographic eye. He's such a good photographer!

My neices and nephews (minus Ben and Rosemary...not sure where they were!)

Zak and Kaylee snuggling. This warms my heart!

Finishing the Komen!

Time Flies!

I didn't realize it had been so long since I blogged! The end of the semester is quickly approaching, and I am a busy gal. I finally uploaded the Komen pics to my laptop, but I am blogging from work and don't have my laptop. One of these days...

Anyhow, things are good! I've lost 71 pounds now, but have really been struggling. I took last week off from following the plan, and although I gained 3 pounds, I feel much better and I am ready to get on it. I've had a great week so far, and I expect that to continue. This is a good time of year to feel empowered! I'm serious when I say that I am NOT gaining weight this holiday season!

School is going well. Finals are in two weeks, and I have a number of papers to write. I'm going to be busy for the next week! (Everything is due before Thanksgiving!) But I can spend my holidays not worrying about homework, which is worth all the work I am going to have to do over the next week. My choir concert is the 3rd, and I have a very small solo that I am excited about. :) Dad is going to record the concert, so I will have to see if I can find a way to post part of that here. No promises...that's more technology than I know what to do with.

We're counting down to our cruise! We leave for Orlando on the 12th and our cruise heads out on the 14th. We'll be spending the week in the Bahamas, and I can't wait! It will be a nice reward for finishing the semester. We're packing our workout stuff and I honestly have plans to work out on the ship. You may think it won't happen, but it will! I might skip one day, but I am going to keep on losing weight, cruise or not! Besides...the view over the ocean from the treadmill has got to make it all worthwhile!

I think that's about it for now. I have a lot of work to do this morning and I need to get it done.

Enjoy the day!

Quick Update

Okay...thought I would just bullet point the highlights of what's been going on:

• I've lost 70.6 pounds now
• David survived a tornado in Shreveport. That was scary for both of us!
• I think I am going to pull off making the Dean's List again this semester, but it's going to be work!
• Paid off my car
• We put off looking for a house because we simply have no time. That's just sad.
• We are looking forward to going to the Bahamas the week before Christmas. It's how I get to recover from a very busy semester!
• I have registered for 12 hours in the Spring. This means I will work full time and go to school full time. And clearly I am full-time crazy, too.

I think that's about it. I have promised Komen pictures, but I haven't had time to upload them. One day...

Ugh!

Between school, work, homework, and just life in general, I am behind on the updates. I promise I am trying to get to that! I am hoping to sit down and post this weekend, most likely Sunday. Until then, be well!!