getting there

I know I never post any more. But jsut in case any one is wondering how it is going, I thought I would go ahead and do a recap. : ) I am feeling so good! I am absolutely NOT where I thought I would be after a full year of working out. But I am SO MUCH better than I was a year ago! I started out 14 months ago weighing over 158 pounds. Couldn't blame it on the baby any more. I thought I would lose 20 pounds easy as pie, then have a few more to work off. BOY was I WRONG. It took about 3 months to even lose 5 lbs! It was pretty frustrating at the beginning, and there were alot of times that I jsut wanted to give up. But I haven't. I have built a pretty solid routine of going to the gym, and change tiny parts of my eating habits. And now 14 months later I am down to 135lbs. I WAS 133 before the holidays but with all the hustle and bustle my works out took a time out. I actually was pretty happy with only gaining 2 lbs when I didn't work out for over a MONTH! My goal for January is to get back to my regular schedule of going to the gym AT LEAST 4 days a week (hopefully 5, but hard to find time) ANd to get into the 120s. It sounds so easy, all I have to do is lose 6 lbs this month, but I had been at 133 since Sept and didn't go down! LOL. SO I am taking this whole month to really concentrate on me and what *I* need. I am so excited about the next leg of this journey. I mean, hello, I lost 25 lbs last year, If I lose 15 more, I will be a thin 120lbs! And I don't expect to do it quickly. I mean, shoot, If I am 35 years old and 120 pounds I am happy with that. I don't need to stress myself, and make myself think it all has to be done in a month. It is about building habits that I can live with. Not losing the weight quickly and having to FIGHT to keep it off. Don't get me wrong, My HOPE is to lose it by March ( I mean, come on, it is FIVE FREAKIN pounds a month, totally doable) But if I don't I won't beat myself up about it. I will end this with couple of pics. The first of me, about a year ago feeling yucky and fat. and the second a little more recent feeling a little bit better about myself. : )

Giving

I have been strongly convicted recently, that the theme of our family Christmas needs to be "giving." We are incredibly blessed to be a family of six, on a single, stable income. Of course we struggle here and there. But it is never the kind of struggle where we have to ask "should we pay the electric bill, or the insurance this month?" Our struggle is more of us not putting money away for the kids future, and not keeping a 6 month reserve in the savings account. But other than that, we do ok. And our children have SO MUCH! There are some things they do without, but not because we can't afford them, but because we choose not to spend our money on those particular things. I can't even imagine the thought of my children not having enough to eat, or not having warm clothes when it gets cold. We are very blessed. And it is hard for me to imagine that there are families RIGHT HERE that DO worry about those things. And I realize that if it is hard for ME to grasp, my children surely can't understand it. The kids know that we donate alot of stuff to charities, but I don't think they actually know, or understand where that stuff goes, or who gets it. I have thought alot about how to teach my kids about giving this year. I want something a little bit closer to home. Even the angel tree, they just drop the stuff off at the mall, and don't have any idea what happens to it after that. SO this year, I have contacted The kids school and asked if they have any specific families that are in need. Even I was a little surprised when they said they have many! It hurts my heart to think that kids, THEIR FRIENDS, have to go to school hungry, because they can't afford enough food. We will not know the name of the family, and will give anonymously. But I think it is good for the kids to know the things we are giving are going to someone who really needs them, and that they go to their school. Hunger, and poverty are not far away. I tend to think everyone is like us. They struggle a little, but can always make it work. But that is not the case. There are people, in our own backyards, struggling to feed and clothe their children. And kids who don't get to go home and play on the computer, or eat snacks twice a day, or have a safe car to get to school in. I don't want my kids to grow up thinking they are entitled to their things. I want them to appreciate them. Also, and more importantly I want my children to have a spirit of giving... of KNOWING how lucky they are and wanting to pass blessings on to others, with a joyful heart. This will not only be a good lesson for the kids, but for me as well. Sometimes I get so caught up in what my kids "need" that I forget they have MORE than they will ever NEED. I am praying for my family this year to not worry so much about what we get, or what we want. But to be able to focus more on what others need.

practical motivation

Here is a quick little bit of practical motivation. Today, I added 8 minutes of the stairmaster to my 45 minute cardio routine. What can 8 minutes do??? Well, in 8 minutes I burn about 100 calories. I know that on my body, burning 800 calories equals about -1lb! SOOOO... by adding only 8 minutes to 4 of my work outs a week (and what's 53 minutes compared to 45??) then every month I will lose and extra 2 lbs! So instead of losing 6 lbs this month I will lose 8! And 8 puts me half way to my remaining goal of 15lbs! 8 minutes guys! : )

Motivation

here is my new motivation...

Update

So, here is a quick update on how I have been doing. I seem to get stuck on certain #s right now I am stuck on 141... My goal was to be 139 by the end of June... Then I stretched it to July, and here it is the middle of August and I am still that same weight. I am ok with it, because at least the # isn't going up. And I know it is totally my fault. The last several weeks I haven't been on any type of schedule. I get to the gym when I can, but I haven't gone out of my way to make time.. And that is what you HAVE to do. I have to make myself go, even when I am busy, even when the kids are grouchy. I HAVE to go. I am pretty surprised at alot of the every day changes I have made that I am completely comfortable with now. I don't even miss my coke anymore. We don't buy regular chips.. only baked or cheerios snack mix. We don't eat a restaurants hardly EVER. Even a restaurants "healthy menu" is FAR from low fat. When I do eat fast food, it is almost always Subway or quiznos (no cheese, and fat free dressing) And I always try to eat a banana before lunch.. That sounds silly, but they are surprisingly filling, and I like em. : ) I have gotten back on track this week, gone every day but Wed, and feel great. I think the last couple of those 140lbs will come off soon and get me to the 130s. That always gives me new motivation. SO be expecting a post soon that I am FINALLY in the 130s. : )

short and to the point! : )

SINGLE DIGIT!!!

The 4th

We always have such a blast on the 4th of July! We have started a new tradition of the kids staying at the Hilton Hotel in Southlake with Grandma. We load everything up to watch the fireworks out there. Then spend the whole afternoon playing in the pool. The kids LOVE the pool. And we don't have one near us where they can wear their floaties, and play with all the water toys. It is nice now, because except for Easton, the kids are pretty self-sufficient in the pool. Thain still wears a life jacket, Ava swims really well with her arm floaties, and Makenzie is a great swimmer. Easton's favorite part of swimming was jumping off the side of the pool and walking on the steps. She is surprisingly brave in the water. We were out at the pool for over FOUR hours! And luckily, not a single sunburn! I think this year the kids might have been more excited about the GIANT bathtub in Grandma's hotel room! When we first went to the room, we told them this was where we were going swimming, and they were actually ok with it! LOL

Here they all are, getting ready to go swimming and playing in the tub!

Grandma really enjoys the new tradition she started!

Me and my girls!

My sweet Thain and pretty Easton!

Thain loves his sister! Ava loves him too, but was very sleepy!

So after the pool we walked around the Town center for a little while, then we were off t our fantastic seats to watch the Works. Ava was a little freaked out, but Easton loved them! She sat in Grandma's lap and pointed at each one. I was too busy trying to get the settings on my camera just right to take pics of the fireworks, to pay attention to the kids. LOL But I got a couple of really good shots, and I was really excited about them! After the fireworks we took the kids up to the room, they all took another "bath" in the bathtub. Then we made a nice big bed on the floor for all of them. They passed out right away! Rick and I left with Easton. It was such a fun night. The kids really look forward to it every year!