Fantabulous!

That is how I felt today when I looked down at the scale - 3.5lbs!!!!! I guess my body is just catching up with the past couple of weeks of 1lbers:) So, I am only 3lbs from my 2nd goal, which is 20lbs. I can't remember what my "reward" is when I reach 20lbs, so I need to go and look at my original post. I'm really nervous about this long weekend with my family. We are going to be eating at the Blue Bayou and Rainforest Cafe and probably lots of snacks and junk at Disneyland. I have to stay strong, because I have yet to have a week when I gained or didn't lose anything and I'd like to keep it that way. I've been trying to eat lighter this week so that I have a few extra calories saved up. At this rate, I might even reach my goal of losing 30lbs by my birthday. That would rock and make my 28th birthay extra special. I got this $10 "The Biggest Loser 2" exercise dvd at WalMart the other day and used it for the first time on Monday. I love it! It is totally exercise I like to do AND there are like 9 workouts to choose from, so you can customize your workout. On the menu you add the workouts to your list and then it plays them in that order. Isn't that cool? You don't have to keep going back to the menu and starting over. I thought it was a great deal for $10. I went to aerobics yesterday at the church, so I'd like to do my video again today. That would put me at 3 workouts -which is my goal for the week - and I still have 3 more days when I could possibly get in a 4th.

Now, onto other matters. I am so mad! I am reading this great book called The Memory Keeper's Daughter and I am half way through it and it is due at the library today! Man! I tried to renew it online, but there is a hold on it, so I can't keep it. If my family weren't coming I would just keep it through the weekend and pay the $.25 a day fine and finish it. However, I know I won't have much time to read, which means I won't finish it, so it's not worth the fine. I already waited 2 months for the book and I hope I don't have to wait another 2 months to get it back. You must read it, if you haven't. I have like 5 books from the library that I need to read and I know they'll have to go back before I have to time to read them. I did finish River of Secrets - one of the sequels to Goose Girl. I have the other sequel, which actually comes before River, but I wanted to read it 2nd, so now I am out of order and pretty much know what happens in Enna Burning, so I don't know whether to read it or not. My friend said she didn't like Enna as much as the other two, so I am tempted to skip it for now and go onto the other books I've got. Two of them are these vampire books written by an LDS author and my sister said they were really good. She's usually a great picker of good books. She is the one that suggested I read Phantom by Susan Kay - the story of where the Phantom of the Opera comes to be - and I loved it. I just found the titles. They are Twilight and New Moon by Stephenie Meyer. I'll let you know what I think of them. However, I am still depressed about the unfinished book that I must return to the library today. ::sigh::

What Do You Mean 1 lb?

That's all I had to show this week, but hey, it's a loss. I've renewed myself to eating better on the weekends and getting in 3 workouts a week. Since I got back from Utah I have been using all of my Flex Points up on the weekend, chalking it up to good clean bonding with the hubby. However, there is no need for it and I promise this weekend will be better. I have already gotten in 2 good workouts this week, so I have today or tomorow to get one more in and I will have met my goal for the week. I am hoping this extra fortitude will earn me at least a 2lb loss next week. My family comes into town on Thursday for 2 days of fun at Disneyland and a Saturday of the beach. I already know we are eating at the Blue Bayou and the Rainforest Cafe, so need to be frugal M-W so that I can splurge a little, not too much, and still get a loss when I step on the scale two weeks from now. I can do it. I found a fun little blinkie that I want to add to the side bar if I can figure it out. I did on my family blog, so we'll see if I can get it on here too. I hope your fitness and weight loss goals are coming along. It's a war, but I am winning battles! Oh! Let me tell you, Valentine's Day was no walk in the park. I made 4 dozen sugar cookies and frosting for Mutual and I didn't eat any! I don't even think I ate a piece of candy that day. Phew! My hubby and little boy got me flowers and I thought it was very sweet. I gave my hubby a bag of Valentine treats, so he was happy because he likes treats, but mad because I tempted him:) Ha! Have a great weekend and stay strong!

He Did It!

And I screamed when he did:) He's starting to walk. Not just the 'lean, forward and grab onto to mom before I hit the ground' steps, real steps. And not just 1 or 2, 6 or 7. It is so exciting and I can't believe it happened so quickly. I taped it with my camcorder, but by the time I got my regular camera out to take a short clip, he was done with walking for the evening. His daddy didn't get to see it in person because he was still at work when The Boy went to sleep tonight. I did send him a video clip from my cell phone and that was good enough for today. I hope The Boy wakes up before he goes to work tomorrow so that he can see it in real life.

Tomorrow we've got aerobics, Wednesday is mutual, Thursday aerobics, and nothing is planned for the weekend. Maybe we'll get to go out for V-day this weekend because I know we won't be able to go out on Wednesday. We usually got out the day after anyway because it's less crowded. I hate fighting crowds. I'm trying to get the house in order this week so that next week will be less stressful. I will try and get a video with the camera tomorrow so you can all see how much the little guy is growing up.

More words he says:

soft
vrrroom (as in "what does a car say?")
boo (as in "what does a cow say?")
ruff (as in "what does a dog say?")
Oww!
peas

Hello!

So, I lost 1.5lbs last week. I forgot to post because it wasn't that exciting:) I want to lose at least 2lbs a week and so I wasn't too thrilled. However, I was happy that I lost and didn't gain. I've been really munchy this past week because of AF and so I hope this week I at least lose and not gain. I will be sure to post on Thursday with the good news.

This week I've got the Mia Maids and the Laurels for YW. I was going to dip chocolates if it was just the Laurels, but I don't want to undertake that with all of the girls. I only have 4 Laurels, but there are about 10 Mia Maids and about 1/2 come to Mutual on any given Wednesday. We'll see what I feel like on Wednesday. I have all the supplies, so I'll keep it in mind. My SIL called me today and said she is coming on Wednesday for a surprise. I am picking her up on Wednesday afternoon and it will be fun to see my MIL's face when we get home.

Rock On:)

I finally weighed in today - after a one week hiatus due to being away from my scale - and the news was awesome! I lost 5 lbs in two weeks! That puts me down 11 lbs and I've hit my first goal and so I get a movie date reward with my husband. I am so excited!!!!

I am still trying to figure out how I know Jason Celaya from "Grease: You're the One that I Want". I've emailed my BYU friends, but so far none of them know him or what I am talking about. So, if any of you (if there are any) blog readers out there know this guys, let me know.

After A Very Indulgent Weekend

Well, after a very indulgent weekend (stuffed spinach and cheese chicken, wedding cake, macadamia nut chicken, creme brulee, chimichanga, chips and salsa - phew!) I only lost 1.5lbs this week. However, I am still thrilled that I ate terribly, but still lost weight. Wahoo! I am only 4 lbs from being able to go to a movie with my husband. The real test is yet to come, because now I am in Utah for 11 days visiting my parents. I have no excuse to exercise because my dad has a treadmill, Bowflex, stairmachine, and free weights in the basement and so I am going to get in 4 workouts this week if it kills me. Last week I only got in 3;( so I didn't reach my goal of 4, but this week will be different. Oh, I ate so poorly because we had a wedding reception which our friend catered and I had to try the food, that night we went to dinner as a family because Junior and I were leaving for Utah, and Sunday our cousins had us over for dinner and games and it was so tasty!!! I have stayed on track since coming to Utah yesterday, so I have high hopes. I even got in a 2 mile run/walk, weights, and abs today. No more indulgent weekends for awhile - that's for sure!

Wahoo!!!!

I lost 4.5 lbs this week! I am just so excited and I have nothing else to report, but I just wanted to share the AWESOME news!

Saboteur!!!!!!

That's what The Boy is:) I swear that every week that I plan to get up before mi esposo leaves for work and go to the gym, The Boy sabotages my efforts. This morning when my 15 minute warning alarm went off, so did The Boy - at 5:15am!!! I put him in bed with us, but he never really went to sleep. When mi esposo got up at 6ish for his shower he took The Boy with him and I stayed asleep - lazy, I know.

I'm just blaming The Boy, but I really didn't want to get up:) However, if I want to make my goal of 15 activity points, then I need to exercise the rest of the days this week. I am really hoping that when I weigh in on Wednesday that I am down 5 lbs. Puh-lease!!!!

Fight the Good Fight

I was so strong all week with my points. I would have a very light lunch so that I would have a good helping of points for the end of the day. That way if anything comes up with the esposo or I feel like having a bit more at dinner, then I can and not feel bad. Then, mi esposo is home all day today and so I kind of threw my rules out the window. Big mistake! Can you believe I had chips with nacho cheese for lunch? I am feeling it now and realizing it just isn't worth it. I have felt really good all week because I've been eating really well and I did exercise 3 times. I know, I know, it's not 5 times, but I'm on my way to 5. I wanted to go on a walk again today, but at 2pm we realized we had a baptism to go to and so it threw the schedule I had planned totally off. Anywho, I went over by 8 points!!!! After the baptism we were invited over to the home for some yummy filipino food. I only had a little sampling of a few things, but they aren't great for you. I estimated a little on the high side for some of the dishes, but I'd rather use up the flex points than think I still had more. Tomorrow I am staying strong - even if the esposo his home - and staying in my points allowance, no flex points. I want to lose 5 lbs by my weigh in on Wednesday and so that is going to take some serious concentration. The good thing is that we got invited to dinner tomorrow, but it fell through, so that will make it easier to stay on the straight and narrow path of weight loss.

Also, my personal goal for the week is to exercise 4 times during the week. It's easy to do 2 because I go to aerobics/cardio at church. I did three this week, so I want to up it 4. The esposo has promised to get me up on Monday to go to the gym before he leaves for work, so that will take me down to only having to get one more workout in on my own.

On a totally different topic, I read The Goose Girl - which I started 6 monhts ago - over the holidays and it was so great! I have checked out her other three books to read and I just started Princess Academy. I'm anxious to see how it turns out. I was bummed because I got a call from the library over break that I book I had been waiting 3 months was in. I waited too long to go in and they had already sent it back to the lending library for another patron. Now I'm 27th on the list again. Yuck!

Oops

Well, I've broken two of my guidelines: 1) I will not eat after The Boy goes to bed (2) I will exercise 5 days a week. ::sigh:: I should feel pretty good, because I have been sticking to my daily points without dipping into the flex points. ::pat on the back:: I didn't exercise Monday because mi esposo was home and I treated it as part of the weekend. I did go to aerobics on Tuesday and it kicked my butt - literally. We did all these squats and my gluteus maximus is feeling it. Yesterday I wanted to go for a walk, but I just kept putting it off and then once I started prepping dinner for us and my SIL that just had a baby, I ran out of time. Last night I ate after The Boy had gone to bed because I still had a few points left and I had made homemade bread and I wanted to taste it. It was yummy, but then I felt bad because I had broken one of my rules.

I am going to aerobics today and if I exercise on Friday and Saturday then I will get 4 days in. I am not going to beat myself up over it, because if I do, then I will give up. That's been my problem over the past year. I get really excited and start something, but then when I don't do it perfectly I say, "What's the point?" and go back to life as usual. Not this time!!! I am really liking the points thing because I like to obsess over things (blogs, lists, calendars) so it is perfect because I can obsess over it and it keeps me on track.

The Boy is hollering for his breakfast, so I better go. Oh! One thing. I said I wouln't eat sweets, except for the weekends. However, at the time I made that rule I wasn't doing the points. I was thinking of doing more of the Body for Life program. It's actually going to help me, because I won't waste my daily points on sweet stuff. It does mean that I will still have to be careful on the weekends because I will still only have so many points for the day and I don't want to blow them all on a donut or candy bar. Hopefully it will help to kill my killer sweet tooth!

One Day Down

I made it through my first day on the WW points system. I got a little hungry around 2:00, but I powered through because I didn't want to use my points on a snack if we were going to have a fun dinner. It proved to be a wise choice because we went out to Pei Wei's as a family night dinner before the esposo starts busy season. It was so nice and I used all my points, plus 4 - good thing for the flex points!!!! I went conservative when I calculated how many points I got, because nursing moms are supposed to receive 10 more points than a regular woman, but because I am in the process of weaning, I didn't want to get used to having the points. I went to aerobics today and so I'm feeling good. I'm goin to weigh in tomorrow. I wanted it to be in the middle of week, rather than a Monday or Friday, so we'll see how that works out for me. Stay strong. We can do it!!!!

My New Yer's Resolution - In Writing

Well, I've been trying to kick this baby weight for far too long and have become frustrated. Then, I realized that I hadn't ever actually put my goals and the plan to reach those goals in writing. So, I decided that may be the key to my success and so today I sat down and penned the motivational words that are going to keep me on track. After I wrote them in red pen in my "notebook of all trades", I decided that posting them here on my blog would be a great idea because then my blogger friends (ho, Melissa!) could share in my journey and success. I will periodically, probably when I reach each milestone, let you know how I am doing and also record the frustrations that are sure to come along. I started this journey once before - about the same time of year 8 years ago. I had resolved that before my 20th birthday I wanted to lose weight and feel good about myself again. I did it. I lost about 70 pounds in 7 months and kept the weight off for about 5 years. Then, I let the exercise slip and the nutrition slip and then I got pregnant. That did not make for a recipe for success. So, here I am again - 8 years older and a little less spry - but willing to work hard to reach my goals.

1. I will keep a daily food journal for one month.

2. I will make a weekly meal plan.

3. I will exercise 5 days a week for at least 30 minutes.

4. I will not eat candy or sweets Monday - Friday.

5. I will not eat french fries at all until March 21st.

6. I will not eat after The Boy goes to bed.


When I lose:

10 lbs - a movie date with mi esposo

20 lbs - pedicure

30 lbs - a new pair of pants

40 lbs - facial

50 lbs - use my gift certificate to the spa

What Christmas Treet Ornament Are You?

You Are a Tree

You love every part of the holidays, down to the candy canes and stockings. And you're goofy enough to put a Christmas tree ornament on your tree!

What Christmas Ornament Are You?

Long Day

Today was a long day:) It was one of those day where I had a lot to do, but I didn't get it all done because JT was having a "mommy day". I did get some more laundry done and the bathroom scrubbed, but the kitchen is still a mess. We didn't have hot water until around 3:00 - due to the water heater breaking down yesterday - so my energy was spent by the time it came around. I did get in a good 3 mile run and we arrived at Mutual on time, but it was a long day. At Mutual JT wasn't up to having the YW hold him and he just cried for me. One of them asked, "Doesn't it make you feel good that he is crying for you?" On a long day - honestly - no. But I just smiled, because it was a cute question and I do love that little boy something awful.

Now it is 10:16 and JT has been in bed for about 30 minutes, I am watching Lost with JJ and then I think I am just going to go to bed. I still need to scrub down the kitchen, but it can wait until morning. I know that JT is going to wake me up around 7am and my parents won't get here until 8am, so I have time to get it in order before they come. We are leaving for Disneyland around 9am, so it's going to be another long day. However, I have a feeling that it's going to be fun in spite of it all.

Old Stomping Grounds

I recently went to Las Vegas with my parents so they could go with an old family friend to his temple sealing. We had some time to kill before the sealing, so we drove around Las Vegas visiting our old stomping grounds. We went to the house my mom lived in when she was in high school and the house my dad lived in as a kid and during part of his teenage years. We saw a couple of the old church buildings they attended and even their old high school. We also went to to my old neighborhood and saw the house I lived in when I was a little girl up until we moved to Iowa when I was 12 years old. As we drove down the street I was thinking to myself, "I'm so glad I didn't grow up here." The neighborhood wasn't that great anymore and the house I had loved so much was in disrepair. The pomegranite trees we had loved and harvested every year were overgrown and their rotting fruit lay strewn on the ground underneath. The grass was dead and the same old blinds hung in the windows. As we drove through Las Vegas and I saw how dirty and sad the city has become I thought on what I would have been or where I would be now if we had stayed in that same house and I had gone to high school at Eldorado. Scary!

I thought back to when my dad told us we would be moving to Iowa so that he could go back to school and what a terrible blow that was to me. I was so worried about leaving the only home I had ever known and going some place far away from everyone that I knew. It was uber-scary! Then I thought back on how wonderful Iowa was. I thought of all the wonderful people I met - the Halls, Baldwins, Bells, McFates, Naylors, Andreasens, and many, many more. I thought of the wonderful education I got. I thought of how my testimony grew due to the wonderful YW leaders I had. Many of the things that shaped my life happened in Iowa and I was suddenly so grateful to my parents to making a decision that I know was even harder for them.

My parents and I talked about how we were all grateful we had left almost 15 years ago. Then last night I was watching CSI with JJ and it was about these teenagers that participate in "fannysmackins" - which is when they beat up on people as a game. For those of you that don't know, CSI takes place in Las Vegas. They talked at the end of the show about how some of the kids were kids that had never caused any problems, but got caught up with the wrong crowd. It made me think a lot about my own Las Vegas roots and how my life is different because my parents listened to the still small voice that told them to move their family across the country. I text messaged my brother a few days later and we both agreed our lives are better for moving to Iowa. As Russell put it, "You've could have married a gang member."

Happy Reading

I stole this from my good friend Melissamerica and I thought it would be fun to share with those that might read my blog, however, I believe that Melissamerica is the only one that does!


1) One book that changed your life: Night by Elie Wiesel

2) One book that you have read more than once: The Ordinary Princess - an alltime favorite of mine and my 2nd grade classes.

3) One book you would want on a desert island: The Book of Mormon - maybe I'd receive some revelation on how to get off!

4) One book that made you laugh out loud: The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy - even though the real thing is no laughing matter!

5) One book that made you cry: Charlie by Jack Weyland - Oh the shame! But to my credit, it's not that hard to make me cry.

6) One book you wish had been written: I must go with Melissa, it's always been a dream to publish a bestselling children's picture book of my own.

7) One book you wish had never been written: House of Stairs - truly awful.

8) One book you are currently reading: Goose Girl and rereading Night for book club.

9) On book you have been meaning to read: Anna Karenina - I started it 2 summers ago and only got to page 331 before the school year started again and I had to abandon all pleasure reading for planning and grading papers. Maybe one day I will read the other 500 pages, but I fear that by the time I have time to read it again I will have forgotten what happened in the first 331 pages and I will have to start all over again!

He's Back!

Well, Morgan Spurlock is finally back with his new editions of "30 Days" and I am very excited. I watched the first episode today and was very moved by the content. They paired a border patrolling minuteman with a family of illegal immigrants. The minuteman was, himself, an immigrant from Cuba, however he came over legally. I understand both sides of the debate and I feel the emotion from both sides. The family shares their sadness with him about not being able to return to Mexico to visit family, so Frank goes to visit where they lived. It is nothing more than a shack and the well where they draw their water a swamp hole. They came for a better life and by the end of the 30 days Frank can't blame them. I can't either. This was an excellent pairing for the first episode and it really made me think. I wish there was a good solution for both sides.

It's Official

I love staying home! It has only been 2 weeks, but so far it is great. I feel like I get things done and I still get to play with my little guy. While I was working I worried that I had so many things to do around the house, for church and for work that I didn't have enough time to just enjoy him. That has all changed. He is probably getting tired of me hanging around and I know that he misses hanging out with his grandma and grandpa, but he is stuck with me. Being the over zealous person that I am, I've created a cleaning schedule for myself. It will give me something to accomplish each day - much like I had at school. I'm trying not to get to fanatical abou it, because I do that sometimes and then fizzle out when it becomes too much. However, things are great and I look forward to many mommy adventures.

What the Heck?

Can someone please explain to me what is up with men and killing their wives? It seems like it is the new trend. I don't like what you have to say, I'm done being married, or I've been living a lie all these years and bam - the wife is dead. First there was Scott Peterson who murdered his pregnant wife because he found a new woman and thought Laci was weighing him down. Then, Mark Hacking, who obviously had a mental disorder, murders his wife(who was also pregnant) because she found out that he had been lying about everything in his life. Now it is Jeremias Bins of Boston that killed his wife and her son because he didn't want her to be LDS. Hello? Men, are you listening? If you don't want to be married anymore - leave, go. There is no need to murder your wife. I told my husband that if he wants a new life or doesn't like what I have to say, please just walk away. He can even take everything we own. I'll just move home with my parents and start over. I know, I know, but it's the middle of nowhere. Hey, at least I'll be alive.

Whatever Happened . . .?

I was just thinking today about whatever happened to Morgan Spurlock and his show "30 Days". I looked forward to watching him try to live some sort of extreme situation or find some crazy person to live in a lifestyle that is totally opposite of their belief system. You had the ultra-christian that lived as a muslim in a predominantly muslim town. Or a NRA card totin' homophobic live in the Castro District of San Francisco with a gay man. I especially liked when Morgan tried to support himself and his girlfriend on nothing but minimum wage - OUCH! The one that I didn't get at all was the mother that wanted to teach her binge drinking daughter a lesson by becoming a binge drinker herself. That didn't make much sense to me at all. I wondered what I would be like if I lived in any of those situations. I don't think I would have a problem living as a muslim. I've always found other religions interesting and I like to learn about the beliefs of others - coming from a religion that has had its own share of persecution due to ignorance. I know what it is like to live on minimum wage because I was a college student and I ate my share of noodles and baked potatoes. Binge drinking? Just not going to happen. I also wondered if a reality show were to try and put me in a lifestyle that was the polar opposite to my own, what would it be like? Would I get all hot and bothered like the people on "Wife Swap" and "30 Days"? Or would I realize that I am only living this way for 14 or 30 days and what does it really matter? Why do I care what these people think? It's an interesting experiment with human emotions and behavior. Why do people get so vested in short-term situations that they know were contrived to get their goats? I don't know. Whatever the reasons may be, I look forward to another season of "30 Days" so I can watch another handful of people go nuts when they knowingly try to live in a Bizarro World of their own.