SOME EXCITING NEWS

It has been awhile since I wrote on here and to be honest I am not sure why.  I think its cause I worry to much about what people think.  I also have not really lost much more weight but I have lost inches for sure.  I did decide to write on here today to give you an update on my weight lose situation and share some exciting news.

First of all, I am down 12 pounds!  Yeah Me!  BUT I am totally down in sizes, shape and up in my ability to exercise!  I am most excited about my work outs.  I am still doing My Fitness Coach and Dance 4, but I also have started using my treadmill more regularly.  I walk at 3.0/3.5 and run at 4.0/4.5 for shorter times.  I realized when I put on a show I like the time flies.  I love watching WEEDS!  So, when I want a change I go on the treadmill and 30 minutes fly by!  I put on another show and boom, another 30 minutes and then I realize I have just walked for one hour.

My eating habits have really changed as well.  I am eating healthier, and having no snacks!  When I feel the urge to eat, I leave the house and go visit my brother.  He buys nothing good for his place, which in turn helps me ;)  I have learned that a bag of chips is not single serving and to be honest I really have not eaten them much, and don't miss them.

My exciting news is that I AM GOING TO OPRAH!!!  An old friend as able to help me score some tickets, and then another friend scored me some more, so I was able to spread the love with some wonderful friends.  I can't wait!  I will blog about my experience on Wednesday night for sure.  Oprah has been a lifelong dream of mine.  When the kids were younger and filled out an info page about their Mommy, all three of them listed my favourite show as Oprah!  They know their Mommy for sure.  Just to near her, will be a dream come true!  To say thank you to someone who helped make this come true seems so little.  Just know Shannan you rock and so does Jay!

Well, I am off to work out.  I keep telling myself that the scale doesn't matter but holy shit does it ever to me.  I will go and do it, feel better after, then get to scrubbing the toilets.  I think the second half really sucks!  Take care and good luck with your healthy lifestyle changes, and for those of you who love Oprah and are going.......WOOHOO!!!

WEIGHT LOSS UPDATE

EVERYONE PLEASE STAND AND CHEER, I LOST 10 POUNDS!  FOR SOME THIS IS NO BIG DEAL FOR ME ITS HUGE.  IT'S HUGE BECAUSE I WAS GETTING FRUSTRATED.  I WORK OUT AND BURN A LOT OF CALORIES AND I FOLLOW MY FOOD DIARY AND YET.....ITS BEEN SLOW.   I EAT WITHIN MY CALORIE INTAKE DAILY WITH THE OCCASIONAL STEP OVER.  WE EVEN WENT AWAY AND I LOST.  I THINK THAT I HAVE RUN INTO AN "ISSUES".

THE ISSUE IS THAT I HAVE BEEN BATTLING A CYST ON MY OVARY.  MY TUMMY SWEELS REALLY BADLY AND I AM BLOATED AND VERY SORE.  I NOTICED THAT MY WEIGHT WILL GO UP 1-3 POUNDS WHEN I AM OVULATING AND HAVING THIS CYST PAIN.  I THINK THAT IT HAS BEEN A FACTOR--OR AT LEAST THAT IS WHAT I AM TELLING MYSELF.  I CAN SEE A DIFFERENCE IN MY CLOTHES AND IN MY WORK OUTS.  I SEE A DIFFERENCE IN NOT ONLY MY STAMINA BUT IN THE TONE AND SHAPE OF MY BODY THANKS TO MY WORK OUTS.  BUT THIS CYST THING HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR AWHILE AND BECAUSE I AM TRACKING EVERYTHING, THE LAST 2 MONTHS FOR ALMOST 2 WEEKS (ONE FOR THE DAMN PERIOD AND ONE FOR THIS CRAP) I AM UP 3 PDS, ON AVERAGE.   ANYWAYS, I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY GYNO AT THE END OF MARCH AND I AM TOTALLY HOPING THAT THIS STUPID THING GOES AWAY AND GETS DELT WITH.  I AM ALSO THINKING THIS WAS WAY TO MUCH INFORMATION. LOL

I HAVE BEEN WATCHING THE BIGGEST LOSER FOR MANY YEARS AND THEY REALLY ARE INSPIRATIONS TO ME.  I USE TO WATCH THE SHOW AND EAT CHIPS NOW I JUST WATCH AND REALLY LISTEN TO THE SHOW.  I FIGURE IF THERE ARE WEEKS WHERE THEY ARE LOSING 3 POUNDS AND HAVE BEEN IN THE GYM 4 HOURS A DAY FOR A WEEK, I AM GOOD WITH THE 1 POUND I LOSE HERE.  I ALSO WATCHED A SHOW ON TV THE OTHER NIGHT CALLED "MY 600LBD LIFE".  SEEING THESE PEOPLE STRUGGLE WAS SAD.  I USE TO THINK, WTF IF I WAS THAT BIG I WOULD DO ANYTHING TO LOSE IT.  THE "SAD" PART IS I JUST REALIZED HOW QUICK THE WEIGHT CAN GO ON AND HOW SLOW IT CAN BE TO TAKE OFF.  I SEE THEM AS HERO'S.  GASTRIC BY-PASS IS INSANE.  THE IDEA OF NOT BEING PHYSICALLY ABLE TO EAT ANYTHING AND THEN DEALING WITH THE CRAVINGS AND WITHDRAWAL AND ADJUSTING WHAT AND WHEN YOU EAT, HAS TO BE CRAZY ASS HARD.  PROPS TO THE PEOPLE I KNOW THAT HAVE DONE THIS AND HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL!

IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING WITH YOUR WEIGHT OR ANY NEW YEARS RESOLUTION JUST KNOW ITS ALL GOOD.  IT WILL WORK OUT.  TRY AGAIN, TRY HARDER, LEAN ON A FRIEND, OR HUBBY/WIFE.  EVEN OUR KIDS ARE GREAT MOTIVATORS.  I LOVE WHEN MINE ARE CHEERING ME ON WHILE I PLAY THE Wii, OR RUN ON THE TREADMILL.

AT THE END OF THE DAY I AM EXTREMELY HAPPY AND REALIZE THAT I WILL REACH MY GOAL AND IF IT TAKES MORE TIME I WILL HAVE TO BE COOL WITH THAT.  YOU SHOULD BE TOO.  HAVE A HAPPY, HEALTHY, AND LOVED FILL REST OF DAY.

THE SCALE

Ok, so I have been working out, eating better, and loving myfitnesspal.com.  I have had success, I have lost 8 pounds.  I am so excited, BUT I want it to be more.  I somehow feel that it should be more.  I hate the 1/2 pd here, etc.  I know I should be happy, and I know I said that I did not care what the scale said but I find I am becoming a slave to the scale every Wednesday which I did not want.  I am so frustrated.  I find that dealing with the fun woman stuff screws me up.  I am either on my period, getting my period or just flat out bloated.  Men, do not have these issues and it sucks!  However, on a high note my husband has lost 20 pounds.  He has been following the myfitnesspal.com since August 2012.  He started a more regular exercise routine closer to September and October.  He did not input everything over the holiday season and still lost 10 pounds.  The second 10 pounds have come off since Feb 2,2013 when we started together.  I am very proud of him, but I will admit I am jealous too!  I am jealous cause he does not whine and dine like me!  He does not get frustrated as much or sad.  Again, I think that is the whole women being mentally screwed up with weight issues!  He has really taken to Spinning.  He burns a shit load of calories while I dance, work out or do the treadmill.  I promised myself I would try the spin bike again in another couple of months hoping it won't hurt my arse and girly parts!  LOL  I do recommend "My fitness Coach" by the Wii.  It is a great program.  You have to input your weight, measurements, and goals.  It comes up with a program that incorporates some home gym equipment if you have it.  It asks if you have a step, a balance ball, or free weights.  I have all of them so my workouts use them.  I love it.  I say try it!  Let me know if you will like it.
Anyways, I just wanted to see how everyone else was doing with their new years resolutions.  If its not a healthy living/weight lose program, what is it and are you still trying to do it?  Thanks for listening!

A Birthday Wish

This weekend I was thrilled to be running a children's scrapbook birthday party.  I have done 4 birthday parties (not including my own children), and they are amazing.  The girls work so hard and are so focused that the parties are quiet.  I love hearing about their stories, what they are scrapping about and just actually talking to the girls.  There was 9 girls at this party and I had my older daughter there to help.  She does a pretty good job, she talks most of the time, but she is usually pretty good with little ones.  Just as the party was wrapping up I discovered this little girl had told her parents that she wanted to give up receiving any gifts from her friends and ask for gently used shoes instead.  She wanted to donate them to Soles 4 Souls.  Check out their website http://www.soles4soulscanada.com/  My heart melted right there on the spot!  I was so proud of this little person to do something so unselfish at 10!  She asked for the shoes and she got an overwhelming amount of support from her friends and their families.  One of her friends even went door to door to collect even more.  Sadly, I did not know about this heart warming request, so I came home and went through my shoes and found some.  I posted on Facebook a request and a couple of people said they would bring some shoes to me.  Now, I am asking one more time, to you my faithful readers.  I ask you to spread the love, spread the blog, spread the story.  Even one extra pair is still one less person that goes without.  Any size, gently used shoe will do.  Feel free to contact me to arrange a drop off of these shoes.  Funny how a 10 year old can make you go home completely satisfied with the world!  Here is a picture of the wonderful little girl surrounded by her shoe collection.

The old New Year's Resolution -- be Healthy

Ok, so like everyone else in the world, this is the year!  This is the year, I lose weight, eat healthy, and work out everyday!  I swear to God, this will be the damn year!  I am 41 and hate the fact that I have wasted every new year with the same damn resolution.  I hate the fact that I have wasted so much of my life on my body.  I hate the fact that I use to hide, be totally self conscious and get really sad about the size of my ass.  Now, I honestly just don't give a shit!  I want to be healthy.  That is all.  I don't give a rats ass about the scale, or numbers over all.  That being said I am weighing myself once a week.  Why?  You may ask would I do that??? I am not a total hypocrite.  I am weighing myself to help monitor my health, at least that is what I keep yelling at the damn thing!

I am using this FREE and most fantastic app called www.myfitnesspal.com, to help me track my calories.  I love it!  There is anything you can think of on and in it.  They even have Broadway Bar and Grill breakfast listed!  I find it easy to input my food, and to be honest it is making me really think before I stuff anything into my hole.  I started on Jan 2, 2013 and I have lost 7 pds.  Not bad, of course I think it should be 20 lbs but really what the hell do I know!  I am exercising which is what is really important.  I am by no means running a marathon, but I am addicted to the X-Box "Just dance 4" and the Wii "Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010".  I run on my treadmill as well.  I am trying to get my children involved more and participate in the "workouts" with me.  I have noticed my older and very cool 12 year gets right pissy when her Mama kicks her ass at "Just Dance 4"!  Hey whatever it takes to get them off their ass.

Anyways, I have always loved cooking and to be honest every time I cook I input the recipe and the calories and fat etc is always pretty good.  I know for me its the portion, snacking and lack of movement which has always been my issue.  I want to work on my issues and improve my lack of the above.  I tweak my recipes and watch how much I am putting on my plate.  For me the big thing is learning to have yummy food, and have a treat, and not completely binge eat.  For me a bag of chips, like the big one, is a single serving.  NOW, I have had chips in my house, upstairs, untouched for 2 weeks.  For me, THAT IS HUGE!

I still hate the damn scale, and the fact that I still think I am a fat sack of fat.  BUT, at least I am moving, and trying and at the end of the day, that is all that matters.  I have a beautiful husband you loves me, for me.  I will let you know how it goes as I go forward.  Don't assume that cause I have not said anything my ass has gone back to the sofa, just understand I may not want to talk about my old yet new New Year's Resolution.

FYI:  For dessert -- yeah its Friday and I want chocolate and yeah I am PMS'ing I made the most delicious and somewhat low calorie dessert.

S'Mores pudding

1 pack of fat free chocolate pudding
2 cups of 1% mile (or whatever milk you drink)
1 prepared graham cracker crust
1 cup of mini marshmallows.

Prepare the pudding, pour into crust, put in fridge to set.
Just before serving put in the oven, turn on the broil and put it in for 1-2 minutes, or until its toasty.

Serve immediately.  This will serve 10-12 people and be approximately 150 calories.
The best part of the dessert, is it reminds me of warm weather and camping!
Enjoy!

It's Been awhile, welcome 2013!

Happy New Year.  I know I am like 19 days late and I have not blogged for like ever, but I have been busy making cards over the last couple of weeks.  I have decided that I would be organized and make a couple of cards in advance, so that I had them here, and ready for the birthdays over the year.  We have a busy January for birthday's in our family so I have completed them and made extras.  The plan is to do make some cards at the beginning of very month.  I bought a new cartridge as well and its adorable!  We camp so I thought I would be using it for that for scrapbooking but......I made cards with it first!  It is called "Campin' Critters".  You can check it out www.cricut.com.  They have a couple of great ideas on their "idea" section as well.  I also love using the "Create a Critter" as well and you will notice lots of cards using this cartridge.

Anyways, check out the cards.  Most of the paper is CM but some is not.  I love the Creative Memories glue pen. http://ca.mycmsite.com/sites/soniapavone/Content/Shop/Product.aspx?pr=InspectOffering&s=630185&dpr=BrowseCategory&ds=/Hierarchy/Paper%20Scrapbooking/Tools/Photo%20Mounting  It works for all the little tiny jobs better than anything else I have found!!!  Be sure to let me know if you want to purchase it, or you can order online through my website.

Let me know what you think and be sure to add some of your cards to share your talent and wonderful ideas!

I promise to be on this more regularly and add more photos than last year.  I still worry about mistakes and grammar probably more than I should but hell its about the scrap/card/shit I have to say ;)

Enjoy!

I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

This weekend we decorated for the holidays.  We, well I, and very over the top for Christmas.  Most people have 1 tree, we have 2 artificial (1x8 foot and 1x6 foot) and 1 real one.  The children all have little trees in their rooms.  I have table top size ones in the basement and in and around the house.  We have a 12 foot Santa blow-up in our backyard and another boat load in the front.  So, it takes a lot of time!!  The inside takes about 12 hours with three adult hands and children (now able to help).  The outside takes my husband less time I would say 3/4 hours but he usually spreads it over a couple of days.  Anyways, while we decorate the music is blasting and we are dancing, yelling, and fighting of course cause that is just what happens at our house.  When I heard it, "I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" and a smile came over me.  I never remembering hearing this song as a kid.  the first time I heard it was when my eldest sang it at school about 6 years ago.  Since then, its my favourite song!  The blahs that have been bugging got pushed down, way down.  I hope they are gone for good.  I had a great weekend.  I had my family around me, and to be honest that is probably all I needed!

Be sure to turn up that radio when my Hippo songs comes on and think of me dancing around my kitchen smiling away!