Playing Along

Jana has a tag on her blog. Upload the fourth photo in the fourth folder of your photos. Here's mine:

It's from when I was playing along with Ali Edwards "daily something". I can't believe it's been a whole year since I sold my scrapbooking stuff. I also can't believe that I've started buying stuff again. I'm crazy.

For those of you waiting... I'll eventually get around to sharing our trip to San Diego. It was super fun and now we're trying to recuperate. Any ideas for cheap dinners?

Enjoy the journey!

Optimal Experience

I fizzed on my cardio workout this morning. B & I were up until after midnight last night and I got up at 5:45 a.m. for the gym. This schedule seems to be a re-occuring theme for me, and while it's not great I've still been able to push through to have a great workout. Today that just didn't happen. I am so physically exhausted. I got half way through and honestly thought I was going to pass out. I backed down to a walk until I felt like I had it under control and then tried to finish up strong. I just couldn't make myself do it. Could I have physically done it? Probably, I think our bodies are stronger than we think. I am all around spent. In a way I think I took the easy out. In a way I think I have honestly run out of gas. I could have kept pushing this morning, but would that have ruined my day? I am just going to feel good about what I did accomplish and enjoy the insight I had while sitting on my front porch "meditating". Here's my daily something that resulted...

I will not beat myself up for today. I am still going to give myself a gold star!

Enjoy the Journey!

I {heart} Hand-Me-Downs

Really, I do love hand-me-downs. Such a blessing. I have been horrified at the thought of the women in my book group coming to my house and thinking that we're white trash. I realize that I'm probably overly sensitive. I jump to assumptions way to soon and make up people's minds for them. I do know that maybe one of them would understand what we've been through. One other actually knows. The rest... married in school, graduated to white collar jobs, moved into big houses. I want everyone to love my house in all of it's imperfect, unfinished, white-trash'ish glory! REALLY! It has such potential.

So, Greg Abbott (of the white Christmas lights house accross the street) mentioned to Aunt Lill that on occasion he would have nice furniture that his clients didn't want anymore, so if she knew anyone who needed furniture he was usually always looking to give some away. When Lill told me that I immediately raised my hand, "Oh, pick me! Pick me!" I bit down my pride and called him. He had a couch! It isn't the couch of my dreams, but it's 1,000,000+ times better than what we currently have on display. What we have has great bones. I still want to try to recover them in fabric that I love, but for now... they have seen their day and performed well beyond what anyone could expect. So, Yeah for us! We've got a new couch!

I was interrupted in the middle of my writing by a phone call. B's afternoon break. Can I just tell you how much I hate money? Honestly! Why does everything in the world come back to money? I was just having fun dreaming and then...BAM! Money. Yep, I hate it. Can't I even dream? What a total bummer.

Trying to remember to enjoy the Journey!

Craziness

This is my attempt to fill you in after this crazy weekend. REALLY crazy! I need to go to Norm & Lill's and take a picture of our great neighbors. They deserve a minute in the spotlight. They have done so much for us. Today Lill washed, dried, and folded two loads of our dirty laundry. That is true service. She called me up the minute I walked in the door from a typical VERY busy Tuesday morning. Really, what great neighbors and friends. Maybe tomorrow I can tell you a little more about the weekend and what Lillian has done for me lately.

Enjoy the Journey!

Search for the U-Haul

As I watched the U-Haul pull away from our house this morning I realized that the moment had to be documented. I couldn't believe I didn't think of it sooner. I grabbed my camera, grateful that K & M needed to stop for gas. But they weren't where I thought they were going. So I did a round town checking at the more convenient gas stations... nothing! Sadly, I had to settle for this photo from Flickr. Oh well, it's the story that matters, right? And what can I say, really? I can't even begin to... They moved here in a time I really needed them. Saved me from myself. I'll be forever grateful that we have gotten to know this family so well. They are so much more that family. They are real friends. I know, that sounds a little backwards! I guess that what I mean is that they aren't just B's family. Now they are mine too. Yes, I think that says it better. So, here's to changes and moving and going forward.

Enjoy your journey and have a safe one!

Loving It

This was the sight that greeted me this morning! What a way to start my day off.

I ran out of shakes last night so I've officially switched over to a "South Beach'ish" menu for my last 2 1/2 weeks. I can't believe how fast this is all going by. I've also kicked up my workouts and honestly... I am sore all over! My upper body hurts from doing chin-up's (assisted of course), and my lower body hurts from doing weighted lunges. WOW! I am going to make my photo shoot appointment tomorrow and find a tanning place. I think the sunless was working but I don't have that kind of patience and dedication! At least not for a tan (I'll see what I think after laying in a tanning bed thinking about the cancer that is starting to grow!)

I just realized the date is wrong on that journaling art! I wonder how I'm going to fix that!

Enjoy the journey!

Nursery Rhymes

As the music lady in Primary I have the opportunity to go and sing with the Nursery children weekly (if I remember them). Today we learned, "The Wise Man and The Foolish Man" and sang it with some other favorites. At home my own little Nursery man has been singing, "the rains came up and the floods came down, the rains came up and the floods came down, it wasn't really so but it seemed to be, popcorn popping on the apricot tree." He is so cute. It makes it all worth it! Here is the page I had to do!

Enjoy the Journey!

I Am Okay!

Yes, yesterday was a hard one for me. But... I will not take that lying down. I e-mailed Mike Harris and explained what I'd been doing did he have any ideas. He wrote back (which of course prompted a "daily something") and told me I'm okay. 15 lbs in an entire challenge is nothing to "sniff" at, so what if I lost it all the first 6 weeks. Then he gave me hope again. One of the featured challengers from the 2nd round said her most dramatic changes happened her last week. Mike had inside info on her last few weeks diet wise and he e-mailed them to me. Something that she did was dropping the starchy carbs in week 10 and cutting out fruits in week 11. Plus she increased her water consumption. Mike said that is a strategy long used by professional bodybuilders and fitness competitors. That it really helps to drive out the last few pounds of fat and water between the skin and abs. I don't really know where I am at realistically, but I love the hope he shared. So... Next week no more starches for 2 weeks! Hmm...do you think if I started that now? Maybe pull in a little SouthBeach Phase 1 for the last 3 1/2 weeks? I think I might! Here is my need to document the awesome support that is available (for free even!) in the BFL program:

And so... that is it. I'm just going to keep working my tail off! Cut out even more "stuff" and free days? What's that? Ha Ha Ha! (I know, I'm insane... 3 1/2 more weeks!) Enjoy the Journey!

Daily Something

Can I just tell you how much I am loving doing the Daily Somethings that Ali shared? It has turned into my quick/ no mess creative outlet. When I need to think of something good I find something, take a picture (or use a past one) and journal about it. This is what I did today: I needed something to smile about... I'm feeling a little rebuked right now. On the BFL guestbook there is a woman named Tara & she isn't seeing the results that she would like to and she's in the same place I am. Anyway, I shared some of the things I've found. An example being: I read @ hussman fitness that some of the past champions have lost weight prior to starting their challenge to put themselves more in a position to have the results they were looking for. I shared that with her and said something to the effect that we just keep working and waiting and if it doesn't happen this time, well then we'd be primed and ready for the next challenge. Well, today Mike Harris did his blog about the whole subject. That if we aren't seeing the results we want it's because we haven't truly given it our all. That we would be able to look back and see where we went wrong. I pulled this from the blog: "I know that everyone in their own mind thinks they are doing this the very best they can. But often those who are seeing little or no results will have the presence of mind to really go back and examine their program from top to bottom, and will see that they are not really being that careful or stringent." What really hit me hard though was this comment: Tracy HOUSTON, TX-- It’s ironic how you blogged this today. I was pondering about this after reading some posts from the GB yesterday regarding some challengers not seeing better results. Thanks for putting into perspective that we won’t witness the "8 week miracle" that we all so desire if it is not earned..." Sorry that I'm complaining... I seriously feel hurt. I think I have earned this! What could I have done more? Is this stalling period a result of stacking my weights? I just need to keep going. Even if I don't lose another pound I will finish this challenge! So grateful that I have two beautiful boys who love me anyway! Have I told you that my oldest understands that I don't eat anything with sugar? He thinks I have an allergy! So cute! enjoy the journey!

De-Junking

This is what we did today. I had a list of things I wanted to get done & B had his. Unfortunately, his to-do list turned into my "have-to" do list because, sadly, his big dreams of de-junking the junk room meant I had to go through all of the stuff... it is after all, mine. So, I thought I'd catalog all of my stuff and keep it "continually before my face" so as not to forget what's there and what needs to be done. Plus, an added bonus... I realized something really great... IT'S ALMOST AUTUMN! I love autumn. The air gets cool, I can wear long sleeved t's, the leaves on our trees turn red. Plus, autumn means Halloween & Thanksgiving (and my Birthday!) I l-o-v-e, love pumpkin pie spice. Pumpkin pie too for that matter! So, the day wasn't a total loss. I have fun pictures of all of my fun things! Enjoy the Journey! *Please keep in mind this is just a small sampling of what is in the junk room. This is, in general, my AUTUMN collection only.

In That Place Again...

I hate this place. The one where the hole isn't deep enough and there are too many people/ things around... I feel like a pathetic loser in this place. As a side bonus, my house is a disaster and I am not nice. That makes me look like a pathetic loser too! However, I had an epiphany on my way home from the gym. It had a little to do with some things B said to me last night and a lot to do with past experiences. Things I have forgotten. Basically, though it isn't anything new or profound, it reached into my hole this morning. Here it is: FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT. I know, I know. Sounds like a bunch of B.S! The truth of it is that I can either be a pathetic loser just because I feel like one, or I can pretend like I've got life together and have at least some of the pressure off. Besides, in trying to fake like I have it together I'll be keeping my mind off the fact that i'm in this deep dark place again. Does that make any sense at all? So, the two questions I really had to ask myself this morning:

1. What does the greatest mom in the world do that makes her the greatest?
2. What does the greatest housekeeper in the world do that makes her the greatest?

Those are my two biggest questions for now. The two biggest changes that need to be made. My first official act as the most together woman of the day is to limit my computer time to 15 min to document this. I have four minutes left so I'll share one more thing. I put together this collage yesterday for my "daily something" that Ali has challenged. Things that I found inspiring and happy...

Enjoy the Journey!