12 Days of Wedding

Since I kind of lost track of the Holidays this year I thought I could celebrate the 12 days till my wedding instead!
Let's see...the dress is fitting! Hopefully the stress of the next 12 days doesn't play a backwards effect on that effort. I am loving my new workout routine. M-W-S I work out with my trainer Laurie for an hour each. T-Th-Su I get on the treadmill for a 2-3 mile run. It isn't a lot of time, but with everything else going on it works perfect for me. I am starting to see major results in my arms and back. My mid section is still my trouble spot, hopefully by keeping this up I will see results soon.
Family starts to pour in from around the country next week and we are so excited to see everyone. I was hoping to have more of my meetings/organizing done before they started to arrive but it was unavoidable. Luckily work has been amazing with my wedding schedule and I will technically be "off" starting this Wednesday-January 19! That seems like forever!
I can't believe how quick the wedding is coming. I will definitely try to post pics ASAP and maybe even post once while I am off work to let you all know how everything turned out.
I hope everyone has an amazing Holiday surrounded by family and friends.

The coughing bride...

So I had my bachlorette party last weekend (Dec. 5-7) and I came down with...Bronchitis. I can't stop coughing. I took 3 days off from work last week to rest up but the cough is still bad and deep. I think I might need to go back in if it isn't gone by this weekend. Can you imagine me saying my vows "I *cough* take you *cough* Derek *Cough, Cough, Cough* ...not so cute!

The wedding is less then 3 weeks away. As of Friday I was still missing over 90 RSVPs, I rounded up some help and am now missing about 23.

For the most part everything is planned. I have a lot of little projects I need to finish up by New Years though, including programs, table cards, and name tents.

I will go in for my dress fitting this week. The scale has been creeping down, and my measurements where looking really good, trying the dress on will be a true test though.

I will post pictures as soon as I have them. This might be my last post before the new year, I will be stopping by to check up though.

Happy holidays everyone!

Wedding Blues...I mean News

The wedding is (dun, dun, dun) exactly ONE month away! I am very excited, but the stress of everything is starting to run me down.

* Invites are out and I have already received about 50 of 160 back. It is exciting to get so much mail!

* The bachlorette party is this weekend! Yay! A little relaxation and fun...can't wait.

* All the large vendors are on the books and details are for the most part figured out.

* The dress...well, it is being fitted right now for length (it was about 5-6 inches too long). I go in on 12/16/08 to get fitted around the stomach/chest. So far the scale is not down, I am on plan though and getting plenty of work-outs in. Hopefully it won't take much to get me into that thing.

The biggest hold up right now is the fact that my future sister-in-law is not talking to the family. Long story short they don't approve of her boyfriend and she is upset about it. The problem is...she is a bridesmaid. She has her dress but it hasn't been fitted yet. I told Derek he needs to call his mom and figure out if she is going to be in the wedding or not...I need to plan either way.

I have 10 lbs to loose...

Before that dress is going to fit!

I entered the Mary Lou's Weigh Platform Giveaway!
Check out Roni’s Weight Loss Blog for more information.

How cool is this, I came across this contest on Roni's page. It couldn't come at a better time, I am a little less then 10 lbs away from my goal wedding weight.

Saving Second Base...

(We had t-shirts printed for the walk, here is a close-up of the back)
(Here we are at opening ceremonies)

It all began on a chilly, overcast Friday morning at Del Mar Fairgrounds. The 20.1-mile route featured many memorable highlights, including lunch in Kellogg Park at La Jolla Shores, the pink balloon arch at La Jolla Shores Hotel, the seals at The Children's Pool and of course the San Jose bike cops! After a long day of walking, we settled in to camp at Crown Point Shores in Mission Bay Park.

(Here we are on Day 2, still happy to be walking)

Saturday's 19.6-mile day also started out foggy and chilly, but it couldn't dampen our spirits. The beauty of the Pacific Ocean along Sunset Cliffs was inspiring. There was lots of community support throughout the weekend, including the South Beach Bar and Grill handing out water and soda, Clowns for the Cure, Pink Panther, friends, family and many locals. Bonita Cove was a beautiful spot for lunch, and we were greeted by Miss Teen USA. The UC Davis band gave a great show to keep us walking!

(Day 3 ended with Margaritas at the local pizza joint)

Sunday's 14.3-mile route skirted through Mission Bay, with beautiful, sunny weather. Bustin Out Billy kept us laughing. A friendly Mexican restaurant in Old Town handed out snacks to fuel our climb up the Juan Street Hill, and the National Charity League of Moms and Daughters cheered us up the whole way. It all ended with a celebatory Closing Ceremony at Petco Park.

Panic Attack...

Ever have so much on your plate it keeps you up at night, writing mental lists, constantly re-counting, re-organizing in fear you forgot something? Stress builds up inside of you until you can't breathe and half of your body goes numb? That's how I have been feeling for the past 3 weeks. I can't even begin to explain everything going through my head.
I leave for the 3-Day walk tomorrow. I should be excited to get away for a weekend to somewhere warm...I'm feeling like I should be here though, working on wedding stuff and cleaning the house. I'm trying my hardest to take a break from everything this weekend though, I need this break and I need to get my stress level back to a healthy range.
I haven't been sleeping much lately, I just can't stop thinking long enough to fall asleep...hopefully all the walking will wear me out. The only thing keeping me going right now is my scheduled work-outs, I just love the tone I'm seeing in my arms and legs. Plus the rush I get after an hour long workout is indescribable.
I will be in San Diego until next Monday but promise to bring back some pictures and stories from the 3-Day! Remember to wear your pink this weekend...your thoughts and prayers are treasured!

A little late...

I thought I had posted some Halloween pictures already but I guess I must have forgot too. Rosie went as a Princess this year, here she is showing of for the camera!

Stress?

"It's not like I am under any stress lately" was my response to Derek when he asked me to go to the doctor on Saturday. I have been extremely tired lately...to the point I can't even get myself off the couch to go to the bathroom or eat. The weekend was the worst of it, Derek was certain I most be coming down with Mono, luckily my energy seems to be coming back though and I have made it to work and the gym this week.

The scale was up this morning, TOM is visiting and I had a tough 1 hour workout with my trainer last night...might be playing a role in the number. I'm trying to stay off the scale as I don't think I can count on the accuracy right now.

We leave for San Diego in two weeks from tomorrow! I honestly don't think I am ready for 60 miles, but I will do my best and I cannot wait for the experience.

WEDDING...it's less then 2 months away now. ***SCREAM*** I have so much to do. I think the invites are ready to be addressed and stamped. They turned out beautiful. I need to try to take some pictures of them.

I received this picture from my Aunt, this is what she is proposing for the centerpiece.

What do you think? It's not exactly what I had envisioned, but I think I like them. They fall in my price range, they are simple yet elegant. Plus, it's one less decision or task I can cross off the list.

I can't even put my arms around the list of things I need to do still. It honestly feels like everyone involved is working against me. Seriously.

Babysitter...

Steph, this is just for you...Rosie has offered to help out whenever you need it :)

Evil vs. Good

The story of my life these days is seeing the good in the bad, or the good over the bad, or however you want to look at it.
The new project at work is interesting. The team is great and the experience I will get from this project will definitely get me going in the direction I want. The 3 hour drive each day, not so great. Luckily My salary was increases slightly and I will receive mileage reimbursement for 132 miles a day. Hopefully this covers my gas and the extra loan I had to take out to purchase my lease.
The wedding is only 2 months away, and I have so much to get done. The good thing is that when it is all over I will get away to Hawaii for 2 weeks, the bad is that I am running myself crazy trying to get everything done.
The walk is 3 weeks away. It's sneaking up quick and I haven't been getting much walking in lately. We did however reach our fundraising goal for the year, which feels amazing.
The weight front...well, the scale is hoovering at about 128-130. I'm not sure what will get it moving again. The workouts must be paying off though because my dress is fitting better and I can definitely see a difference in my arms and thighs. I'm staying on plan and eating well balanced meals/snacks...That's what is important to me right now.
I don't have much new going on lately, there is no time for new! I did get my hair chopped off on Friday and then Saturday Derek and I went to a Halloween party at some friends house. I had a great time and didn't worry too much about my stomach flab. I was irritated most of the night with one of the girls there. She had her stomach stapled about a year ago and it was all she talked about. I am glad that she lost the weight and all, but she was treating me like I didn't understand what it was like to be "bigger" and the emotions that go along with losing the weight. Some people just need to open their minds.

I need this for the 3-Day walk!!

I entered the Gracie Gear Giveaway!
Check out Roni’s Weight Loss Blog for more information.

Seat Assignments

I just received our seat assignments for Hawaii!!! I cannot wait to leave on our honeymoon...a little less then 3 months away! Our seats are pretty good, we have a window and a middle seat...I am so nervous for the long flight though! Eeek!
We leave for San Diego in 5 weeks. Our walk is Nov. 21-23, I think I am ready for it to be over. I am so busy with the wedding and work that training is whatever I can fit in. Usually it's about an hour a day, that's not too bad. I can't wait to get out there and just get going. It is the last "big" event I have before the wedding.
Training with Laurie is going well. I enjoy getting my workout over and done with early in the morning at least 2 days a week and I think I am starting to notice a small difference. I think that by the walk I will be noticing it a lot more. The dress is starting to fit better too. We were able to zip it up on Saturday, it's tight but it zipped.
My sister hosted my first wedding shower on Saturday, it was so nice to see all my family and friends and BOY did I get a lot of awesome stuff for the house. My grandparents bought us knives and my parents got us new pans....I love everything!
Derek's family also came in for the shower. I cold have done without that but at least it was just a weekend. I love his Mom and Step-Dad to death, they are great and so down-to-earth. His Dad and Step Mom on the other hand...crazy. It was like the whole weekend they were trying to put on a production and impress everyone...drives me nuts! I pretended to be sick on Sunday just so I wouldn't have to go down and converse with them. Bitch, right?
I finally met his oldest sister, Mia who is in the wedding. I love her, she is soooo outgoing and fun. I felt like I could tell her everything. Plus I think it is so cool that even though she doesn't know me or any of my friends she totally joined in when we went to try on the dress and what not. She just is so excited to be part of it all.
Last but not least, Rosie got her dress and she is so adorable in it. She was so excited to put it on she could barely stand still. Once she had it on she twirled around in it and called herself Cinderella. She was hilarious! I put mine on and she told EVERYONE about her matching dress. It was so cute! Our friend Erik came over later in the afternoon and she was calling him "Prince Erik"...too funny. I will post pictures as soon as I get them.

Making changes.

I've tried to write this post 5 or 6 times now and every time I get busy doing something else. Well, I officially accepted the promotion and project in St. Cloud. So far I have loved the new team and really the 1.5 hour drive to work isn't as bad as it sounds. Hopefully I will have a hands-free thing for my phone by next week and I will actually get in some return phone calls during the drive.
Things are crazy at home. I finally decided to start tearing apart the upstairs rooms to decorate but Derek's parents are coming to stay with us on Friday and we don't have anything put back together. I took Thursday and Friday off to clean, decorate and relax. Derek and I both have massage appointments on Friday. It is our treat to each other. I can't wait.
Saturday is my first wedding shower!! I can't believe the wedding is less then 3 months away. Eek, I have a lot to do!
The weight front is okay. The dress is starting to fit better, we can get it zipped but it is extremely tight. I am getting in 2 hour long strength/cardio routines a week plus 2-3 days of cardio. I have been too busy to be hungry so that always helps too. The scale dropped another lb. last week and hopefully I start seeing a difference in my inches the next couple of weeks.

Making it my lifestyle.

I've been struggling a lot in the last month with my depression. The weather is starting to turn cold and it is usually dark by the time I get home these days. Work is crazy, trying to wrap up my project and get used to a new team and project at the same time. I start my new project on Monday :( I am scared!
The good news is that I am starting to come to a realization that healthy living has become a lifestyle for me. I don't dread getting on the treadmill in the mornings, rather miss it when I don't get it in. I don't think about what I am cooking or eating, but trust that I am making "healthy" choices for my body. By all means this does not mean that I haven't splurged. I just think that I don't give myself enough credit for where I am.
The scale has been down, I am not checking it a lot these days but trying to get on at least every Friday to see if I am at least on the right track. I have started working with a personal trainer. Since I received a promotion this month, I felt like I needed to treat myself. Instead of celebrating at the table I decided to treat myself to a personal trainer. I meet with her twice a week for an hour each time. I have 24 sessions with her so my last day will be the Monday before my wedding! I love the workouts and I wish I could afford to have a personal trainer for life!

It's my Friday...

Today is my Friday, I am leaving at noon today and won't be back to work until Monday! I am so ready for a couple days off. Unfortunately I'm not going to be getting any rest and relaxation done. In fact, I plan on getting about 10 APs a day! My fellow walkers and I are having a HUGE fundraiser sale at my house and there is a ton to be done. We still have about $1000 to raise before November.
I have been so stressed out with this work stuff that I haven't been sleeping well. I'm going to do a lot of thinking, planning and talking this weekend and hopefully I will feel better about the situation by Monday. I am very excited about the promotion it is just too bad the drive almost outweighs that.
Work-outs are going okay this week. I haven't been getting up early most mornings but have managed to get a run in almost every afternoon. The scale was down yesterday but I had a late dinner last night and didn't want to get on this morning. I will have my official WI tomorrow morning and we will see where I am at.

I think I need a wife...

Seriously, work is crazy right now and therefore so is life. I got thinking this morning while running on the treadmill...even though Derek and I share most of the responsibilities, I am still the one that kind of runs the house. I schedule the calendar, I pick whats for dinner, I usually make the move to start dinner or pack lunches or start cleaning...even if Derek does help out I don't think they would get done if I wasn't taking the lead. I guess that seems pretty normal though, I mean usually it is the women in the house that does that sort of stuff, regardless if both partners work...it's just in our nature. Anyways, I got thinking how great it would be to have a wife. I know it sounds horrible and I don't mean it in a gender biased way at all. I just can't imagine not having to worry about what's for dinner, when is cleaning going to get done, what chores are there to do, etc...
What got me thinking about this? Well, I got some news at work, good and bad news. The good news is...I'm getting my promotion, FINALLY! The bad news is that my next project is in St. Cloud, MN...70 miles from my house. I will be in the car 3 hours a day, 5 days a week. That's 140 miles a day, 700 miles a week! Have I mentioned to you all how much I HATE to drive. Yeah, what am I getting into? Business is slow though and at least I have a job and at least I will be compensated for the driving.
Needless to say though, I am stressed out. I have a billion things on my plate right now and all I keep thinking about is "who is going to run the house". Derek takes care of his stuff and he is great at keeping up on the lawn, trash, bills, etc... but if he was left to run the house I'm pretty sure he would only clean about once a month and his idea of a good dinner is sitting down with a bag of chips and a jar of salsa. We have some major changes ahead of us. I can say that along with my nerves I have excitement. It will be a great project and an awesome team. I'm just not so sure about that drive!
I have to run, but I promise to update more later this week. The weight front is going well. The scale started to move in the right direction this week so hopefully I can record a loss this week!!!

Trying not to blame myself

I've been really focused on eating within my points, getting in plenty of exercise and cutting down on soda, but the scale is just not having it. It will drop for a day or two but by the time Wednesday rolls around for WI, it's back up. I am trying hard to get out more and not sit on the sofa every night, but it's my down time. I work all day so that I can come home to that sofa and get in an hour or so of quiet relaxation.
I'm just not sure what to do right now, I'm at that point where nothing seems to be working. My girlfriend thinks it's just a plateau and that if I stick to what I am doing the pounds will start to shed. I had this problem last summer, I shot up a few pounds and nothing seemed to take it off. Then October and November something clicked and the pounds began to shed off. I really, really hope the scale starts to drop. I can't tell you how upset I am going to be if that dress doesn't fit.

100 things you may or may not know about me!

Amanda inspired me to write this. It took a while, but it was fun to do...hope you learn a little bit more about me!

1. I was born January 17, 1983
2. My mom and my dad are happily married
3. My mom is legally blind and was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis before I was born
4. My Dad is the best, he worked his butt off out of college and now is the managing partner of an accounting firm.
5. I have one sister, she is 2.5 years older then me.
6. My sister and I are best friends
7. My sister and I work for the same company.
8. The company we work for was formed by my grandfather and his brothers.
9. I never dreamed I would be working for the family company when I was a kid.
10. I decided after 2 weeks working here that I would make my future in Construction.
11. I graduated from University of St. Thomas in Entrepreneurship the spring of 2005.
12. Immediately out of college I applied for my graduates degree in Construction of the University of MN.
13. I have taken several chances with advancing at my job.
14. Most of those chances have payed off.
15. I will complete my first large commercial project in September 2008.
16. I have been working on this project for the past 3 years.
17. I office out of a construction trailer, it's totally not glamorous.
18. I wear a hard hat at work, but I have never lifted a hammer.
19. I call the construction crews "my guys" ; most of them have been with me on this project form day #1.
20. I have over 10 pictures of Rosie on my desk not including a digital frame that plays my entire collection.
21. I have wanted to be an Auntie since the day my sister got married.
22. I was the first person my sister told when she was pregnant, even before her husband (shhh! he doesn't know).
23. I don't have much respect for my brother-in-law, I try to give him a chance but he constantly gives me a bad vibe.
24. I never thought I would find love.
25. I dated my first boyfriend from age 16-19.
26. He had bad anger problems and things got really bad between us.
27. I dropped almost 85 lbs when we dated, at my lowest I was down to 97/98 pounds.
28. It took me 1.5 years to leave him, I knew I wasn't in love with him but I was afraid of how he would react to me dumping him.
29. I left him in Colorado. We drove there on a vacation and I got a plane ticket halfway through the trip (my 20th birthday) and left him there.
30. I dated my second boyfriend from age 20-22.
31. He was the son of a co-worker.
32. We moved way to fast in our relationship. I regret it to this day.
33. We bought 2 dogs together. Both beagles; Cody and Mason.
34. He sold Cody after I left him for beer money.
35. I almost got myself into a lot of debt because of him.
36. He got his second DWI while we were dating.
37. I bailed him out of jail twice.
38. I finally left him the day I graduated from college, I found out he was cheating on me.
39. I took Mason to live with me but my cousin ended up taking him to live on their farm.
40. I feel like my family still thinks of me as a failure because of this relationship.
41. I met Derek at the MN State Fair.
42. I was Drunk when we met, but I had a blast that day.
43. My friend and I met up with them 2 more days that weekend.
44. We danced in the street the first day we met.
45. Derek and I officially started dating on Halloween, 2005.
46. Derek was dressed up as God and I was an angel.
47. We broke up several times our first year together (long distance relationships are hard).
48. I bought my first townhouse in February 2006. I loved my townhouse and wish it was big enough to grow in.
49. My Dads, dad passed away in February of 2007. I miss him to this day.
50. His passing started my WW journey. He always saw me for who I was inside and I knew he wanted others to see that beauty on the outside.
51. It took me until November of 2007 to meet my WW goal.
52. I had emergency gall bladder removal in February of 2008.
53. Since my surgery I have gained about 6-8 lbs. and I cannot seem to keep it off.
54. I still cry when I think about my surgery and the details surrounding it.
55. I still don't know who dressed me after surgery...I mean I was naked when I went in and I was clothed when I woke up...explain that!
56. I wanted to keep my gall bladder but they needed to test it.
57. One of the many complications I have had from surgery is the fact that I cannot eat red meat. I get the worst stomach ache and usually end up in the bathroom for hours.
58. Lettuce is starting to give me stomach aches. I can eat about a handful, anymore then that my stomach bloats up and I get horrible gas.
59. I don't drink much, my dad is a big drinker and I have always feared addiction.
60. I have never taken any drugs.
61. I once tried to become a smoker. It lasted about a day and I never once inhaled.
62. I didn't play sports in high school.
63. I always wished that I was a softball player and did try-out a few times.
64. Part of me blames my parents for not getting me involved in sports. I didn't even know what a team sport was until I was in 8th grade.
65. I'm not sure I want children.
66. Derek comes from a large family, he would like 2-3 kids.
67. Pregnancy scares me, it looks painful and I am a wuss.
68. Derek and I have already picked out names if we do have children.
69. I am pro-life. There is not a single circumstance you could give me to end the life of a child.
70. I was raised catholic.
71. I still practice my religion, Derek and I go to my childhood church and we will be married there.
72. I believe in miracles, angels and most of all God.
73. I also believe that my loved ones are in heaven and can hear and see everything I am doing.
74. I have totally weirded myself out with #73.
75. I know that my grandfather is proud of me, getting married without him there will be one of the hardest days of my life.
76. My Mom's mom is very ill.
78. Grandma was the most vibrant social women I knew. She has met almost every President and both the Popes in her lifetime. She has the same group of friends she had since high school.
79. I fear that I do not show her how much she means to me.
80. I laugh at everything. Seriously, even when I don't get a joke, I laugh.
81. I don't smile enough. I try to but I find myself with a scowl too often.
82. Derek proposed to me at the finish line of the Breast Cancer 3-Day last August.
83. My ring is 2.7 Karats but I want an upgrade.
84. I love diamonds, seriously I am with Amanda on this one...give me my bling!
85. If I could afford it I would buy a diamond necklace.
86. I have a weird obsession with snowflakes. I even buy Derek boxers with snowflakes on them. Ha!
87. I don't have many friends.
88. I feel like even the people I consider "my closest friends" only consider me just a friend.
89. I only have about 3 friends from college.
90. I don't talk to anyone from high school anymore.
91. I went to an all girls preparatory high school from 7th grade - 11th grade.
92. I graduated from a public high school, my choice.
93. I almost got kicked out of my first high school.
94. I was hospitalized my junior year for attempting to commit suicide.
95. I would never dream of taking my life now.
96. I have met some of the coolest down to earth people on Blogger. So cool that if I ever visited their states I would definitely try to meet them in person.
97. I drive an orange car. I hate it but it is really good on gas mileage and we have 3 more years of the lease.
98. I want a boob job.
99. I can't talk about sex. I get really embarrassed and shy.
100. I can't wait for my wedding!

Wow, I can't believe I finished that. If you are still reading, sorry my list turned into more of a story!

Too busy being good.

I would like to say perfect, but that would be an exaggeration. I have been on plan for 2 weeks now and it feels amazing. I have been doing a lot of cooking at home, and trying out a lot of new recipes. My workouts have been fairly consistent, short runs in the morning and long runs in the afternoon. The scale isn't budging much, but my stomach is starting to feel tight again.
I am going to try measuring this afternoon to see where I am at that way. Hopefully the inches are starting to come off. I will try my dress on again in about 3 weeks.

End of the week recap.

Well today is the last day of my 5 week challenge to fit into that dress! According to the scale I am down a little more then 1 lb. I am very happy with this, I hope it continues to move like this. Although I won't be down to were I was hoping to be I know that I am building and toning muscles that I hadn't before. This past week I "tracked" a total of 15 AP's. I only track my runs so it would probably be a bit higher if I counted walks and dancing. I still have 25 flex points left in the bank, I will probably use some of these up tonight though.
I was surprised when I was looking over the past week to see that I have been taking in only about 13-16 points a day. I know this is a little lower then it should be so I am going to try to add in a glass of milk at night and maybe another snack in the afternoons. I have been so busy at work lately that a lunch break doesn't really happen, this leaves me with a 2-3 point lunch during the day and I know my body needs more then that.
Tonight I am going to the Journey concert with some clients. I only know a few of their bigger hits but I am looking forward to the night out. I am not too worried about over doing it since I will be busy entertaining clients!
I'll be back tomorrow with the official W/IN!!

Is it really Monday.

Wow, this weekend flew by. I guess I had more planned then I thought. The good news is I got almost everything in that I wanted to. We had rainy cold weather all weekend so that helped with getting stuff done around the house.
I got in a lot of walking even though I was stuck on the treadmill instead of our planned routes. We have re-scheduled for next weekend when it is supposed to be in the low 70's and sunny. My eating was good, not perfect as the wedding proved to be a hard one. I couldn't eat the main meal so I was stuck with a roll and sides (pasta salads and baked beans). I took small portions, but I am sure that it still adds up to more then my daily allowance... thank goodness for flex points! I drank one diet coke and then water so no extra points there and then I shared a small piece of bundt cake with Derek. I was still hungry when we got home but I was also exhausted so I went up to bed!
I woke up early today to get in a 2 mile run and then jumped on the scale. So far the scale isn't budging but I know that I am making the right moves and even if it isn't going down I am sure that I am burning fat.

I'm Doing it.

I got my tape measure out last night and took a starting measurement. When I ordered my dress I was 27 inches around my midsection, Wednesday night I was 34...last night, I was 30.5! I still have some work to do, but it some of it was definitely water/bloat.
Yesterday was a good day though, I ran a total of 5.5 miles. My food intake was around 16 points. I drank tons of water (about 100 oz.), and no soda! I did have soup for lunch which is high in sodium, but I think the rest of my choices balanced that out. The scale was down 1 lb. this morning (total of 2 for the week so far).
I woke up early again this morning and got in a 2 mile run. My caffeine headache was so bad that I gave in and bought a Diet Coke at lunch. I will try to stay away from anything carbonated for the weekend and should be back to all water by Monday.
What does the weekend have in store?? Well, I planned a 10 mile walk tomorrow morning. I am very excited to get out for this walk, it might be one of the last long walks I will get to do outside this year. Saturday night we have a wedding. I am always a bit nervous about what I can eat. I know that they are serving roasted pig and since I can't eat red meat still I might be stuck eating sides. Hopefully they have a good salad or veggies that I can fill up on. I might try eating a late lunch so I am not tempted by the high fat sides that are usually served. The DJ for this wedding is the same guy who will be at my wedding so I am very excited to see how he does. We will definitely stay for some dancing (AP's)!!!
Sunday I have yet another long walk planned. So far we have 8 miles mapped out, I might do 2 more at home though. I'm going to take advantage of Sunday afternoon and plan out meals for the week.
Well, that's it...hope you all have a great, and I mean GREAT weekend!!

Please don't judge me...

What's that????

That's what the treadmill read...this morning...at 5:45 AM. That's right, I woke up an hour early to get a 2 mile run in, but why?

Well, that's a whole other story, you see I picked something special up last night. Do you want to know what it was???

Okay, take a peek...

My dress!!! It's finally here, after 8 months of waiting it came in yesterday and I went to pick it up last night. I was so excited to get it and even more excited to put it on again... only problem was that it didn't fit! Yeah! Believe it, doesn't even come close to closing. The lady at the dress shop took out my old measurements and measured me again, I am 6, SIX inches bigger around the midsection. My chest and hips are the same as they were though. I was in tears, how did I let this happen?
Well, I let it go and brought my dress to my parents house. I gave it a lot of thought and really there is a lot going on with my body right now. Aunt Flow is around the corner (today or tomorrow), I have been stressed out at work so I am turning to quick and easy foods like chips and salsa (my dinner 4 days in a row) which are full of sodium. And most of all, surgery. I can't put it all on that of course, but where I am carrying the weight is right where I was sliced open 5 times, my muscles are still weak there and I still swell up when I eat/drink the wrong things. I don't know if it is normal to get heavy swelling even 7 months after surgery, but it's not unlikely either...right?
Maybe I am just making excuses for myself. I know I haven't been tracking lately and the scale has been up around 128 lately, but I really don't feel like I am that much bigger then I was 7 months ago.
Needless to say I need to kick these couple extra pounds/inches so starting today I am running twice a day once in the morning (short) and once at night (long) followed by crunches and stretching. Hopefully I will fit this in at least 4 days a week and then a long walk on the weekends. I am tracking my foods again. I am thinking I will do flex this week (my weeks start on Wednesday) and then move back to Core next week to ease my way into this. I am going to hit it hard for 5 weeks (that's my goal) and see where I am at. If I am not making the progress I need to be making I will start attending meetings and maybe see about meeting with a personal trainer.

Come on Smile!!!

I have been waiting for the day I could put her hair up in piggy tails, I just think it is the cutest thing ever!!!

Having some me time.

This weekend was all about me, I hate to say it but I went all out. Friday night I went out for a few beers with co-workers and it was a blast. Then Derek and I met up with the "Bride" and her husband for dinner. I really do enjoy her company...sometimes. This was one of those times. We shared and appetizer and dessert and had a great conversation.
Saturday morning I headed out for a 7 mile walk. The weather was perfect, sunny but cool. I stopped in at my parents house to catch up with them and then headed home to meet my sister and Rosie. Rosie is getting so big. I will post a pic this week, she finally can wear pig tails and it is sooooo cute!!! We ran some wedding errands and grabbed a quick lunch. While Rosie napped, my sister and I started working on the guest favors. We need to stamp about 400 gift bags with snowflakes and we made it through more then half in the 3 hours we worked on them. It feels really good to make some progress there! Saturday night Derek and I went to a birthday party for a friend, I didn't eat or drink much of anything because I was busy talking to friends I haven't seen in a while.
Sunday was a lazy day. I slept in until 10!! That NEVER happens. We lounged around the house for a few hours and then ran to the grocery store. I made a light lunch, took a nap (yes, crazy I know) and then I did some housework. We have a lot of small projects to get done around the house so we just tried to knock some of those off the list. I baked a whole chicken for dinner and some potatoes. It was fairly easy and delicious. I have a ton of leftovers so I think I will make some soup tonight!
Work is so busy that I have been writing this since 6:00 AM and it is almost 3:30 now. I'm going to end here and I'll try to update on everything else tomorrow!

A real update!

I know I haven't been posting much lately, things are truly crazy here. I will try to sum it up as best I can:

* I am 3 weeks away from turning over the Hospital to the Owners. Things are really coming together here, but there is just so much to be done. The health, building and fire inspectors will walk through the building starting next week so keep your fingers crossed!

* My manager hasn't made any attempt to get me extra help during this crazy time. I have made it clear I could use it but it doesn't seem to do anything. Also I have no place to go after this project is turned over. It's a bit scary with the wedding right around the corner. I know there is an open job in St. Cloud...that would be an hour commute to work though.

* The wedding is less then 4 months away. I sent out Save The Dates a few weeks ago and the responses just about made me pee my pants. I can't wait to hear back after the real invites go out! That is if they ever get printed! I designed them, bought the paper, made everything simple and my girlfriend wanted to print them. She keeps putting it off. I finally had to email her and give her an absolute deadline.

Small details are slowly coming together. We picked out the tuxedos, and ordered all the girls dresses. My dress should be here next week! I cannot wait to see it. I'm having an awful time deciding on what I want for flowers and food though. What I really want is to serve Belgium waffles and set the table with all the yummy toppings. I am meeting with the chef in 2 weeks and I haven't given up on this yet!! Flowers are the worst. I had everything picked out and then the rental company called and said "there has been a mix up" ... figures!! Luckily work has been so busy I haven't given much thought to how upset this makes me!

* Training is going alright. I have a really good week and then I will have a week that I barely get 15 miles in. I'm trying to get out as much as possible though and we are moving the treadmill upstairs so that as it cools off I have another choice.

*Eating. I know this is going to sound horrible but I have totally stopped tracking. I am not over doing it and I am still getting in a ton of the good stuff I just needed to let myself trust that I can make good decisions. And with that I haven't stepped on the scale either. I won't say that I am not going to try to loose a little bit more weight, but for now there is too much else going on to worry about measuring out every last thing. Also, I feel great. My jeans are fitting loose, I'm not starving all the time and that is a great feeling.

Last but not least, I am checking in with everyone daily. If I'm not posting it's not because I'm not around, I just don't have words right now!!!

The Bride is now the Wife!

Some of you might remember me mention The Bride?!? Well, the wedding was this weekend and let me tell you...I am so happy it is over!!

I am swamped at work so here are some pictures...enjoy!

I can't believe I'm posting this...

Okay, a while back (almost a year now) I posted about being VERY overweight in high school. A few people didn't think it was possible!! Well, I finally came across a picture of me in 8th grade that a friend (or should I say an x-friend) posted on Facebook. Are you ready????











There I am on the far left! All I can say is "Eeek"! Look at that chubby face! I don't have any uploaded pictures from High school, but let me tell you the scale only moved up from 8-10th grade!

Happy Hump Day!

I could use an afternoon in the sun!

A year ago today!

Can you believe it, a year ago today I was completing my 60 mile walk through St. Paul! I can't believe how fast time goes by. That also means that I have been engaged for 1 year today...WOW, I should have a lot more accomplished by now!
Anyways, things are crazy around here. I have 4 weeks left of my current project. We are having our wood floors re-finished at the house so we are living at my parents house. I am struggling to find time to get my training walks/runs in and as far as eating goes...I'm totally out of routine. Part of that is because we have so much going on, weddings, bachelor/ette parties, birthday dinners, work socials...I can't wait for things to settle down so I can get back into my normal routine.

I haven't stepped on the scale since the beginning of August and to be honest I am scared to face it. I need a few days of routine back before I can get the courage to step on.

The picture above is Rosie and I at the cabin. She loves to put her feet up on the table and kick back!! I think it looks silly!!

Playing in the Sand!

What a week.

Truly I needed some time off, from work, from stress, from a hectic schedule...I thought that is what was in store last week, boy was I wrong! The first weekend we spent with some family up North where a country music festival was taking place. I completely enjoyed the music, but the food made me sick and small quarters got everyone on each others nerves.
Following the 3 days of music and beer my sister and I joined up with my parents and Rosie to spend a week at the cabin. The weather was okay, but not great. We spent several hours working on wedding stuff, but not too much time just relaxing. My sister and her husband had a big fight which kind of set the mood for the week. On Friday we headed out to a family wedding. After 8 days of sleeping on an air mattress or cabin bunk the hotel seemed inviting and comfortable. Unfortunately my dad came down with Strep, Rosie had and ear infection and my sister a sinus infection. We made it through the wedding weekend though and finally headed home Sunday morning. It felt so great to get home, I really missed my routine.
Speaking of my routine, WOW am I off of it. I really haven't been home much since I have been back and my 9 o'clock bedtime is looking more like 10 o'clock these days. The house is a disaster and I am trying to throw together a shower at my house this weekend. Arghh!!! I have a meeting after work tonight, hopefully I can sneak out early and get a little organized at home.
As far as workouts and eating goes, I haven't stepped into the gym or on the scale since I have been home. I need a chance to get things back to normal before I hit myself with that reality!

My Friday

It's my Friday today, tomorrow morning we head off to the cabin for 3 days of concerts, 6 days of cabin and 2 days of wedding, lots of family, lots of sun, LOTS OF ROSIE, and hopefully not too much junk food! I am not going to obsess this week over what goes into my mouth, I am however going to make an effort to eat healthy options when I can and portion the treats and beverages! I am planning on doing a lot of walking and swimming while at the cabin and of course playing with Rosie so hopefully staying active will keep things balanced.
I spent last night in the kitchen baking homemade Carmel corn, cracker mix and banana bread...it was a crazy kitchen. Even though these are not the "healthiest" options they beat eating out. There will be about 12 people there so it should all go pretty fast.
Oh, I almost forgot...WI this morning went better then expected I am down another lb. so that is an average of 1 lb./week over the last 3 weeks! Core seems to be working out alright and I will definitely get back to it when I return home! Until then, have a wonderful week I'll be catching up with everyone in a week!

A short blog and a pic for Steph!

Rosie had her "2 year old" pictures on Saturday. They turned out so cute, she looks so grown up! Lately when I am with her she will point at herself and say "Aunties Peanut" with a huge smile on her face...she already knows she has me wrapped around her little finger!
This week I am focusing on getting ahead at work. I take off on Wednesday for a family reunion and then a week at the cabin...7 days off from work! I can't wait.
The workout front is great. I logged 25 miles last week and hope to get something close to that this week. My legs are definitely getting used to the longer runs and walks which feels great.
The eating front is good also. We had a wedding on Saturday and I was pretty limited when it came to options, I took small portions of everything but salad and did a lot of dancing and mingling.
The scale is still down from last week so hopefully I will have a super WI on Wednesday before we head out of town.

Event I...Successful!

My sister and I had the "taste-testing" at the reception hall last night. They served all the beef/chicken and vegetarian meal options buffet style as well as desserts and wine. I ate small meals throughout the day to make sure I didn't go there with an empty stomach.
I started out with a small glass of white wine (had to make sure it was something I liked) and a few strawberries. For the dinner options I filled half my plate with lettuce and just a dab of the house dressing (vinaigrette). My sister tried most of the beef plates (I don't eat red meat) and I tried the vegetarian (portabello mushroom with red pepper and mozzarella cheese) and chicken (lemon chicken with wild rice). We shared a taste of the desserts and then I walked around and looked at all the table and linen options. I ate small portions of everything and I only ate until I was satisfied...I wasn't stuffed at all. I spent the rest of the night playing and chasing Rosie around the house.
The best part is.... The scale was down AGAIN this morning!!! We have a wedding on Saturday so I need to do the same thing. Hopefully the DJ or band will be good and I can get some APs on the dance floor! Ha!

I CAN do this!

I can do this, I know I can. I started my week out strong even though I got home late and wasn't able to cook a "good" dinner. I don't think I have mentioned that I have been following Core for a few weeks now. I am and I love it. I hate counting and I hate measuring so it seemed like an easy choice. The first week was tuff, I found myself spending more time preparing a second meal for lunch. I found an easy solution that works for us though, I cook 4-5 servings at dinner time and bring leftovers (and send some with Derek). It seems to work out most of the time and when it doesn't I find myself making a big salad or steaming some chicken quick. The biggest downfall for me...$money$...I am going to the store twice a week for fresh veggies and fruit. I love having them, but if it is this expensive in the summer I can't imagine my bills this winter.
For now I am sticking with it, my body feels great, I am happy with the choices I have and tracking seems like much less work.
The work-out front is going really good. I am spending more time walking outside and only spending 2-3 nights in the gym. When you live in MN you need to get out and enjoy what sun you get! I have also been wearing a pedometer to work, I sit for most of my day but it motivates me to get up and get some steps in (I don't track these, just do it for the heck of it).
The wedding is 5 months away! I have a lot on my plate there, I can't put into words how stressed out I feel from trying to plan everything there. I will spend a week up North with my sister and Rosie and I am hoping that I have time to get a bit more organized.

Looking forward.

This next month is going to be a challenge for me food wise. There are 2-3 "eating" events every week. The scale is starting to move down, but with weddings, dinner meetings, concerts and a week vacation planned I AM SCARED! I am trying to plan as much as I can, working out in the mornings to get some extra APs when I can, cooking meals and lunches at home so I don't waste any points, the hard part will be when I am faced with reception meals and wine and need to say "NO".
When I am not confronted with these challenges I am doing fine, I need to find a balance though. There will always be lunch with friends, dinner with clients, drinks and vacations. I need to learn to listen to what my body wants and what my body needs!

My Scary Night

I went to a Bachlorette party for a girlfriend on Saturday and I am freaked out. We went to a couple bars downtown Minneapolis and I had a total of three (3) beers. What's the big deal? I woke up Sunday morning more hung-over then I was on my 21st Birthday. I don't drink often, but I can handle my beer and 3 beers should not have put me in bed for a day and a half. Derek seems to think I may have gotten something dropped in one of my drinks. I did set my drink down a few times and there were a lot of creeps, but who knows! All I can be thankful for is I stayed with my group, and everyone went home safely.
The rest of the weekend was great. I got 2 long walks in and stayed OP. My night out with the girls did cost me nearly all of my WFPs, but I only have 2 more days this week. The scale is up since the party, I am retaining something! Hopefully a healthy few days of eating and drinking my water will get things back to normal!

Warning...INBOX full

This is the message I received when I turned my computer on this morning. I had all intentions of checking my email while I was up North but as luck would have it our dial up was not working. I have been at work for 6 hours and just now read through all my emails, it's going to be a long day. So here's a quick update:

* Eating - I am tracking, and pre-planning meals for the week.
* Weigh-in...I was down 1 lb. this week. It's small but it's progress.
*Wedding...we are putting invitations and centerpieces together this week. Next week I meet with the reception hall lady to coordinate the meal and set up. We are 5 months and a few days from the big day!
* Work-outs...I am staying on track, I don't know how I am fitting it in this year. I am at about 31 miles/week.

A birthday weekend

Guess what? It's Rosie is TWO! Can you believe it? Well since her birthday was this week and I have been feeling like crap lately I have been ordered to take some time off. Honestly, I don't know how I can relax knowing everything that is going on at work right now. My sister, Rosie and I are leaving for the cabin in the morning and we will be up there for 4 days! We are bringing the bikes and there are some great biking/running trails about 4 miles from the cabin. I can't wait to spend the time with Rosie.
I am going to try to catch up on everyone before I leave, you'll hear from me on Wednesday!

Working through the flu

I have had some sort of stomach flu since Monday, the Doctor said to try to take it easy for a day or two but I can't seem to get a break. Work is hectic and I haven't been to bed on time all week. I have been making progress everywhere though so it feels good.
On the weight front, I'm holding steady at 130 lbs. I would like to see that number start to drop but I know that I need to focus on getting healthy again. I got in about 2 hours of cardio on Monday and then 3.5 miles last night. I am planning to get to the gym tonight and tomorrow night but we'll see how it goes.
We got our engagement photos back on Monday, I think I look fat and I wish I would have worn a different shirt. Blah! If you want to view them click here. The password is snowflake (there is music to them, so turn it up if you can)!

I brought it...

I had to work late last night, the good kind of late though...aka...meeting that turned into dinner and drinks on the client! We went to an upscale restaurant downtown Minneapolis, the cheapest drink on the menu was $10. The food was AMAZING, it's specialties from all over the world and they serve it family style. Other then the 2 Mojitos I sipped down I don't think I did too bad. I stuck to grilled fruit, rice and chicken. I am counting points and since I didn't have NI I counted my entire meal as 12 points + 8 points for the cocktails...ouch! Thank goodness for flex points and APs right?!?

Well, by the time I was driving home (9:07 PM) Derek had already cleaned up the house and packed lunches for the morning, regardless I held to my grounds and picked a fight. What did I decide to get angry about??? His cellphone! He has a cellphone yet he never picks the darn thing up and when you do get a hold of him he doesn't listen...for instance...I called him before my meeting yesterday and asked him to please take out turkey to thaw for Thursday night...he never took it out, and he doesn't remember talking to me!!! How did we resolve the problem? When I call him on his cellphone he will turn the TV off or put his book down and concentrate on the call. If I ask him to do something I need to ask him to write it down or complete the task while we are on the phone. So in the end we each found a way to help mediate the problem and we are going to see how it works.

In other news, do you remember me telling you about the "Bride"? Well intending to be nice I offered to help out with anything she needed and somehow I am now in charge of planning her shower and bachlorette party! I don't really care because I love that sort of stuff, but, she left me a VM last night and I just about went over the ledge. In short she said that she was "a little upset" because I hadn't called anyone with plans yet and "why did I offer to help if I wasn't going to?". The truth of the matter is, I not only have reservations made, t-shirts ready to be printed, invitations designed, but I also helped Derek plan the entire bachlor party as well, so "EH!!!" We had a long conversation and I nicely told her not to worry about anything. I know it must be stressful with the wedding so close, but really?

Last but not least, I just got these uploaded. Connor is my cousins son, he is about 3 weeks younger then Rosie and he came for a visit from Texas a few weeks ago. Aren't they cute?

Life is her Vacation!!

This is for you Steph! Rosie and I say "hi", remember to keep cool, relax and enjoy every minute of your journey!!

BIG NEWS!!! Auntie and Rosie are spending the whole weekend together. Derek will be out of town and my sister is leaving on Friday for a quick weekend away. I am so nervous and excited! I love being and Auntie. Oh, and guess what??? My little picnic turns 2 next Thursday! Can you believe it. I will be taking pictures this weekend and posting next week. Rosie is working on Potty Training, her reward for #1 is Ice Cream after dinner and her reward for #2 is lunch with Auntie (how special is that?)!

It's on...Like Donkey Kong

Part of our preparation for marriage in the church includes counseling with another couple. The couple we are paired up with are very fascinating, the husband is a retired marine and the wife is a nurse. They lived most of their "younger" married life working opposite shifts, so when he retired and was home more they realized how distant their marriage had become. They started going to retreats and learning about marriage counseling. Today they counsel several couples preparing to enter marriage in the Catholic Church. Anyways one of the activities they have us do is start and resolve a conflict. How hard could that be? Well, the truth is, we haven't had a single thing to "fight" about this week and we need to have our assignment complete by tomorrow night. So, I am going to do what I have to do to get it done! Ha! Wish me luck!
My throat is killing me today, I hope this isn't a sign that I am getting sick. I can't afford to be anything but 100% for the next 2 months. Work is going to be hectic. We are in the final months of our 3 year project, it feels awesome to be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel, at the same time change is always difficult!

This is fun!

This tag also comes from Amanda!

1. I constantly compare myself to others. For instance when walking by windows I will look into them and compare my waist with other girls to measure how thin/fat I am. It's a horrible habit, but often I am surprised by what I see.

2. I hate being touched around my neck. Even if it is someone I trust completely I start to feel dizzy and can't breathe.

3. I love to read, I read at least 20 pages every night before I go to bed. My favorite author is Jodi Picoult. If you haven't read any of her books, pick one up and read it...you will be hooked. I recommend "The Pact".

4. I can't drive at night or in the rain. My vision gets very blurred and my perception is totally off. When I do need to go somewhere at night I always get a ride or carpool.

5. I wish I could repaint and redecorate my entire house. I would change nearly everything, including the silverware.

6. I really don't have any of the same friends I did in High School. I sometimes think I must make a bad friend because I don't keep in great contact with anyone.

The rules:Link to the person who tagged you.
Post the rules on your blog.
Write six random things about yourself.
Tag six people at the end of your post.
Let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

I tag...Michelle!

I've been tagged

and twice! So here goes the first one from Amanda:

Ten Years Ago:
1998! Well, this was the summer after my freshman year of high school...I was 15 years old and didn't have much of a life. This was my last summer without a car or a job, so I spent most days riding my bike or sitting at home. My best friend at the time was Jen, she lived 30 minutes away from me so I am sure I had to beg for rides A LOT! I also spent most of my weekends at the cabin, I miss having that sort of time.

5 Things on Today's To Do List
1. Go to the gym...running 4 miles!
2. Make dinner...chicken, corn and rice.
3. Shower before bed
4. Watch "The Tenth Circle" a movie I taped last week. I read the book last month and can't wait to see how the movie turned out.
5. Make a doctors appointment...I need my 3rd Gaurdasil shot this week!

Snacks I Enjoy:
Chips and Salsa, licorice and popcorn are a few of my favorites.

Things I would do if I was a millionaire:
1. Pay off all our bills
2. Travel to every country, just to see it...then spend time in a few working to help teach building and construction skills to the people.
3. Go back to school
4. Adopt

I get to tag someone now...I choose Tina!

It feels like I just had surgery.

So, my tender skin turned into a burn over the day. The stomach is the worst of it, this is the first time my surgery wounds have seen the sun and they are sooooo painful. I actually ended up switching into a pair of low rise shorts yesterday afternoon because the pain was so bad where my jeans came up. I did put a call into the doctor to make sure nothing was abnormal. Today I have ice packs for my stomach and burn lotion for my scars. Hopefully the pain subsides soon!
As for WI, I am officially down 3 lbs! Woo Hoo...I need to keep on track this weekend though and not blow all my hard work with mindless eating. We have our engagement photo session on Monday morning so I especially don't want to feel bloated for that! Maybe that will help keep me in line!
Well, I am trying to get all my work done today so that we can head up North as soon as my meeting is finished up tomorrow. Have a wonderful and safe 4th of July everyone!!!

Tender

I hate this feeling, my skin is so tender...not burnt, just tender. I think 2 more minutes in the sun and I would have been burnt. I have only been sunburned twice before and I remember feeling miserable. It's weird because my skin feels big and bulky right now, like it is puffy or something.
We had our first (successful) fundraiser this weekend for the 3-Day. We hosted a garage sale and raised almost $1000 for the Breast Cancer 3-Day!! Hooray, just $7,000 left to go. I had a blast working on the garage sale with my teammates and I cannot wait to get to San Diego for the walk.
I managed to make my goal of getting 15 miles in last week and I am shooting for 16 this week (baby steps). I am also planning to get in an hour of cross training, maybe I'll go swimming this weekend.
We are heading up to the cabin on Thursday afternoon. My parents and some friends are already there and the weather is supposed to be awesome. We are so excited to get out of town. I know that there will be a lot of temptations there (my favorite malt shop and Mexican restaurant). I am planning on staying active and eating a lot of healthy fruits and veggies. We are also bringing up turkey for hamburgers and some chicken breast so we can grill at the lake. Now I just hope the bugs aren't bad!
I have my official WI tomorrow morning so I will try to update that before heading out of town!

Feeling better.

I gave myself the weekend to really think about where I am at and where I am going with my lifestyle change. It was a healthy decision because it allowed me to recognize how far I have come, how much I truly have changed, and what I need to change.
Truthfully I do eat pretty good during the week. We rarely go out for dinner, and when we do I make better choices then I use to. I stopped drinking carbonated sodas as well as cut back almost all of the caffeine in my old diet. I get to the gym or go for a run 4-5 days a week, and I continually make healthy choices for my family. What did this mean to me? It means that even though I have gained a few pounds back, I am still living a healthy lifestyle, I am still actively working to make myself a better person.
On another note, my reflection also led to some other insights. First, TOM was on the way, so I was bloated last week, and the scale reflected that. I was down 3 lbs. by Saturday morning. Second, I am building muscle. I know it's not always the best thing to compare your current weight to your past by the way clothes fit, but the majority of my clothes fit the same or better then they did just 7 months ago. Third, my body is STILL not adjusted to my missing organ. The doctor is very concerned with my obsession with a number because studies show it takes about 1-1.5 years before your body adjusts. I am still having "bathroom" issues which most likely result in my body retaining water and supplements it may not have kept before.
All and all I am feeling better about everything. I am on track this week, and I plan to stay here until I see that 120 number on the scale again!!

Getting it all out.

It's Thursday and I got on the scale this morning to see a disappointing gain from last week. I had no intentions of writing a post today, in fact I thought about crawling into bed beating myself up over this. I met my goal of 120 lbs. this past November and today, only 7 months later I am back up to 130 lbs. What happened?
Well, surgery happened. Wedding planning. Stress. Moving. New routines. Most of all new confidence. Once I met goal I had a sort of confidence come over me, I could eat whatever I wanted because I knew I could gain control and loose the weight at any minute...HA!
I did maintain for quite a few months, up and down 119-124 lbs. and I was totally satisfied, but then the surgery happened. I stopped working out for a few months to recover and my weight crept up to 126. I promised myself I would not let it stay there (and I didn't), but somehow I am up to 130 today. I'm not stupid and I know that there are plenty of times I went a week or two without caring about what I ate, I pretty much left counting points up to my head. I just went with it.
Well, I guess it's time to buckle down, face the facts and get back down in my comfort zone. I tracked my points for yesterday (even though I snacked out of frustration) about 26 points, not bad for one day. I also got 3.5 miles in at the gym after work. Looking back in my books, I have been averaging about 13 miles a week. I know I need to double this by August if I want to stay on track for the 60 miles. This week I am hoping to get 15 miles in and work up from there.
I also need to get out after dinner. I usually go to the gym right after work, head home, shower, cook dinner and then stay pretty inactive for the last 2 hours before heading to bed. Sometimes I will have cleaning or something else, but usually you can find me sitting on the sofa with a book. I would love to start using this time to get out on the bike or go for a swim down the street. Even if I just got up and went to the mall, at least I would be moving and out of the snack cabinet!!
So there you have it. I am 130 lbs, man it feels great to get that off my chest and say it.

Here and There

I have been a very bad blogger lately, things are so hectic at work and I never feel like logging on when I get home. I have been working hard to get to the gym or get a run in almost everyday. I have been cooking meals at home, and trying hard to stay out of the snacks, but the scale is not budging. I stepped on last night to see a very disappointing number. I knew I should not have WI that late at night and right out of the shower, but just seeing the number got me upset. I didn't have time to WI this morning for my official number, I guess all I can do is try to get one tomorrow morning.
Derek seems to think I have been stressed out lately and that I am probably retaining water Because of the heat and increased work-outs. I'm not sure, I hope the numbers drop back down soon. I'll update once I get my official WI.

Really Quick

For those of you that haven't met her...meet Michelle an amazing women who has not only lost an amazing amount of weight with WW, but is also participating in her first Tri this Saturday. Stop by and wish her luck!

Official WI

I had my official WI this morning and I am down 3.2 lbs! I was very happy to see that low number on the scale again, it's nice to be back in that comfort zone. I would really like to see the scale move down another 10lbs before the wedding, this would put me just below my goal weight so I have room to "grow" during the wedding/honeymoon! Ha, good thinking!
I made it to the gym last night for a 40 minute run, I reset the treadmill before looking at my miles but I am guessing I got almost 4 miles in (I walked for 10 minutes and ran the rest). I made burgers for dinner, but somehow found myself munching on some M&Ms Derek left sitting out. I need to stop this snacking at night, I just wasn't satisfied though and I still feel hungry today.
I have a meeting tonight that goes till 8 so no work-out and possibly no dinner unless I stop somewhere on the way home. Yuck, what a day!

That wasn't hard.

I never thought I would say it, but making a healthier choice at a restaurant can be easy. Yesterday was my sisters birthday, so the entire family was going to dinner at Big Bowl (similar to PF Chang's). I knew starving myself all day wasn't going to work, so I packed healthy foods for the day (about 10 points worth) and then made sure to leave work on time to get to the gym. I ran for 30 minutes and earned 3 AP's. When we met at the restaurant I carefully scanned the menu, usually I would just order Kung Pao Chicken, my absolute favorite! Last night I ordered the Stir Fry, I choose my own vegetables (broccoli, onions, peppers, mushrooms, pea pods, carrots) added just a small scoop of grilled chicken and asked for the Teriyaki sauce ON THE SIDE! WW recommends doing this but I could never get myself to do it, I mean what good is Asian food without the sauce? DARN GOOD!
I shared my plate with Rosie and it was delicious, I definitely would order it over the fried Kung Pao chicken any day! Yum! And, it must have payed off because the scale is down another 1.2 lbs this morning. That means since Saturday morning I am down 3.2 lbs...I know a lot of it was just water weight, but it feels good to see the scale moving in that direction.
On another note, it has been 2 weeks since I gave up drinking soda. At first I was doing it just to see if I could, and honestly I never thought I would make it as long as this (horrible, I know). I really don't crave it though, and I am sleeping so much better. I wake up to my alarm and don't even feel the need to hit snooze, maybe it's all in my head, I don't know.
I am planning to go to the gym tonight for a run. I need to get 3-4 miles in tonight to stay on my training schedule. Hopefully we get some nice weather this weekend so I can get outside for my long run on Sunday!

Keeping the promise

I promised myself I would get back on track and that is exactly what I did. I made healthy choices, I prepared myself for the week, and I got moving. The scale is already showing a 2 lb. loss since Saturday morning, hopefully it will continue to move in that direction before Wednesdays WI.

We were exhausted this weekend from the traveling and family visits, but we still kept busy. Rosie spent the night with us on Saturday and Sunday we managed to get a ton done. We took two long walks Friday and Sunday, the weather is finally starting to warm up so it is nice to get outside some.

Saturday morning my sister, Rosie and I went to the dress shop to get Rosie measured for her dress. She was so excited to get that dress on, but I only managed to snap this quick photo before she was taking it off again (the joys of a 2 yr. old). She will make an adorable Snowflake Girl!

I am totally prepared for this week. We have birthday dinner for my sister tonight but I am not going to go overboard! I have 3 runs scheduled at the gym during the week and another 2 this coming weekend!

I'm here

It's been a while! A week I believe since I checked in. I was doing pretty good at the end of the week and also through the weekend and then Monday morning rolled around. We woke up to the phone ringing EARLY Monday morning (first sign the day is going to be bad). We have a had a lot of rain so I had assumed it was probably some water at my jobsite, it was Derek's mom, his grandmother had passed away Sunday evening. Derek was so unprepared for this and he is taking it so hard. We packed up on Monday to head down to South Dakota where the services would be held. This is my first full day at work all week.
We tried to be pretty reasonable on the road and living in a hotel for the past few days, but I know I could have done better. I did get on the treadmill for 3 miles on Monday and a 5K on Wednesday. I am hoping to make it over to the gym after work today as well. I am ready to get right back on track today though.

Day Three...

It's day three for me with no caffeine. I guess it was a combination of things that made me decide I needed to cut back, but reading Diet Coke and Zingers defeat made it seem possible. Although I had a cold little can of Diet Coke sitting in my lunch pail I didn't crack it open on Wednesday and I have since been avoiding all caffeine. I had the worst headache yesterday, I seriously felt like banging my head against a wall. Today it has been much better (so far). I guess I don't really miss the taste, I do miss the extra buzz it gives me in the mornings.
It is also the third day of tracking and eating OP. I am starving today, I usually have 2-3 servings of fruit packed in my lunch but we are COMPLETELY out! Can you believe that? We didn't make it to the market on Saturday because we were up North so our selection has been very slim. I did get all my servings in yesterday but today may end up being a bit of a stretch. I will have time to run to the store tonight or tomorrow to stock up though so I'm not worried.
I am going to the gym after work today and will find the time to get there on Sunday. I really hope to see a good loss next week.

Mmm...cake

Okay, it isn't the best photo but like I said I am stuck using my phone to post anything right now. This is the plate of cake we each had to taste. There are 6 flavors of cake (starting at 12:00) Classic, Fudge, Turtle, Mint Chocolate Chip, Baileys Irish Wedding and Cheese Cream Nirvana. As you can see I only took a small bit of each to get an idea of what I liked. By far my favorite is the Baileys Irish Wedding Cake. The picture I posted of Rosie yesterday was her watching me taste the cake. After I got this picture I gave her the plate and she managed to eat all the frosting!!! Talk about a sugar high!
Workouts are going pretty well this week. I played 2 hours of softball on Tuesday night. I took a hit right in my knee during one of the innings that I was catching. My knee is pretty bruised up but is starting to feel better. I got to the gym last night and ran 3 miles, I must not have stretched out very well though because my thighs are killing me today. I am going to the gym right after work tonight and will try to stretch them out a bit better.
It feels good to be on track this week, I have been retaining a lot of water (that time of the month) and my surgery scars are killing me. It seems like they always get really swollen and sore right before Aunt Flow comes to town, this week has been the worst. I am drinking water like crazy though trying to get that horrible feeling to go away.

It's been one of those days!

You don't pay me to write blogs?

Yes, I am still lurking, posting is difficult though because I have to connect through my Blackberry!

We made it to the cabin this past weekend, it was great to just get away and not have to worry about anything. We got home late on Sunday and played some softball before getting ready for the week.

The insurance claim went through just fine on the water damage. We ended up not having to pay a deductible because we mitigated the damage. That was a nice surprise! We will be out of the house for up to 2 weeks when they replace the wood floors.

Our trouble kitty is going to live on a farm tonight. I just couldn't deal with the smell and mess he was making everywhere. I tried everything the vet told me to try and nothing seemed to make things better. In fact this past week I have found nearly 20 spots where he has marked his territory. It is going to be hard to let him go, he is such a cool cat and I do love him.

Wedding planning is in FULL swing. We tried 6 flavors of wedding cake on Friday (small bites). We are going with an Irish Wedding Cake...chocolate cake with a Baileys Irish cream filling...it was to die for and perfect for winter. The cake design is GORGEOUS! Four tiers of round cake with white snowflakes falling in cascades down the side of the cake. The bridesmaids will order their dresses this weekend and hopefully I can decide on the final invitation design! I can't wait to be done.

I feel pretty comfortable with food. Summer is always a bit more work with sports and BBQs but I am keeping up with my work-outs and trying to limit my sweets. I haven't stepped on the scale in a while but possibly tomorrow.

RESTRICTED!

Ahhh! They restricted Blogger on our work network! I have been able to read and comment but it will not allow me to post :( What is a gal supposed to do?!?

Well, I found a way around it but it takes a bit more work and it is a much slower connection. Oh well.

I'll start with the ugly...

I have good news, ugly news and bad news, but I'll start with the ugly since it all gets better from there!

Sunday morning we came home to standing water in our master bathroom and kitchen...yuck. I am blaming the stupid cat (I love him, but he is stupid). He must have knocked the bathtub faucet on and the water drained over the tub all night long. We got it dried up as best we could and have the insurance company coming out later this week to estimate the damage. At best we will need all the ceilings and floors in the main floor replaced.

The bad, I stress ate! I needed to get out of the house and I did just that. We went out for breakfast and lunch on Sunday. Luckily I wasn't hungry after that though and just stuck to a small snack before bed. Monday wasn't much better but I did say "no" to a donut as well as ice cream.

And now, the good news...since the beginning of April I have taken over 5 minutes off my 5K time! In all the craziness that was this past weekend I managed to make it to the gym 1x and I decided to see where I was at since the May Exercise challenge is nearing completion and I made a personal goal to take off time. I am hoping to run another one later this week to see if I am still hitting the same time.

Today is a new day and things are looking bright. I already have 4 glasses of water down, and 2 hours of softball planned after work. Hopefully WI tomorrow reflects today more then the weekend!!!