Etched By An Angel

January

2012-01-24T18:15:00.000-08:00

I can't believe January is almost over! What a whirlwind month it has been. First, we enjoyed 3 days in Salt Lake City. It snowed one day! We got to visit Crystal, Richard, and baby W. My Dad got to see his grandbaby for the first time! So special! We also got to attend an amazing business and personal development seminar! Priceless!

Then, the following weekend, we took our fifth wheel out to Fort Bragg, CA for my brother's Eagle Court of Honor! Sherry and Tony flew in, too! This was a special event that will be remembered forever.

The down side to all the travel is that my back had a flare up and my eating has been poor. I rested last week, to let my back calm down. Yesterday I started working out again. Even though I was dreading it, I love the way I feel just two days in! Yesterday was strength training and today was cardio via dog jogging! We went 2.5 miles in 45 minutes. About an 18 minute mile. I know that is slow, but for me that is HUGE! In the past my back wouldn't allow me to go faster than about 22 minutes/mile. 4 minutes off that time is amazing and I am super excited!

Cameron and I are reading a book called 21 Success Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires and I wanted to share with you my dreams and goals. The book talks about dreaming BIG and writing down your goals as though they already happened. So, enjoy my dreams and goals (if you want).

Dreams: I have an amazing, beautiful home that I get to stay home and keep clean and welcoming! I enjoy training and rehabilitating dogs. I have close friends and family who visit often and are always welcome. I love cooking in my gourmet kitchen and creating wonderful memories in our home. I love celebrating others' lives through pictures and a written note! Oh, there is soooo much more!

Goals: In 2012 I...
1. This year I quit my regular career to focus on more meaningful and fulfilling activities.
2. This year I read more than 12 books!
3. This year I went to the temple with my brother.
4. This year I learned more about myself and became a better person.
5. This year I achieved my goal weight and size!
6. This year we saved 50% of the money we need to buy property.
7. This year we made $10,000 a month!

Again, there are many more!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T08:21:00.000-08:00

Here's to a new me!
Stats:
                  Dec. 1, 2011          Jan. 1, 2012
Weight:        219                          211.2
Chest           51                             49
Waist           44.8                          43
Hips            46.5                           45

Also, I lost a total of 0.7 inches in my upper arms and 1.5 inches in my mid thighs.

Yes, I gained weight from last Sunday, but looking back a month I am happy with an 8 pound loss. That's good.

My goal for this month is to see 199.9 on Feb. 1, 2012! I'm going to have to work extra hard, but I can do it!

Here are some comparison pics. I can't wait till the pic where I actually have a neck! :)

Addiction - Full Swing

2011-12-30T09:27:00.000-08:00

This is a long post, so if you don't want to read the whole story, skip to the bottom (where the colored text is) because that is the real message here.
**********************************************************************************

After 7 or so weeks of no sugar/wheat, except for the special occasions that I planned for, all was going great! I am SOOOO in control of this addiction.

NOT! Oh man, this week has been AWFUL! I have not been able to get back to it after spending Christmas without a care! I'm eating too much and I'm eating sugar and floury stuff. The worst part is that I don't even want to do better right now! I keep thinking, what's the point? Two more days of eating this way or not isn't going to change the fact that I will have gained weight from last week. I'll just start over again on January 1st.

This box of See's chocolates that I am hiding from the rest of the people in the house keeps calling my name. Each time I walk by the hiding place, I take a piece! It's good. Sweet, decedent, but somehow unsatisfying. UG. Maybe the next chocolate will be better. I can't wait to find the raspberry filled truffle! Or the caramel one! Maybe this one is it! Nope. The next one.

Each new chocolate just makes me more sad because I feel like I am throwing away all of the hard work I've done for the past two months, but they are so yummy! Really two more days and then I'll do better again. I'll check my email and then continue reading this book. Login, answer a few emails.

*Bing* It's my sister, Crystal, saying good morning and asking how I am. I tell her, embarrassed about it more and more each letter I type.

She types: " But you can fight that. Don't let those darn addictions come back. They made you angry before when you realized you had them, use that to fuel you today into eating better

You can do it"

We go back and forth for a while and I tell her all my feelings and that I am really discouraged. I tell her I just hope that when I take my measurements this Sunday that I hope they will show positive results since the scale won't. I have not measured in four weeks. Crystal is encouraging and says that I'll be surprised by the results. (I hope so, but am not too sure). We chat some more and she encourages me to get back on track today so the weight doesn't go even higher than it may already. But those chocolates are so good and they are all mine! We keep talking about how good it feels when people have complimented me because they are beginning to see the difference. We talk about how good I've felt for the past 8 weeks. We talk about how great it is going to feel to meet my goals.

"Alright, I just took my chocolate stash out and put it on the counter (up for grabs now). Maybe I'll cut each one in half and just have half of the ones I want....?", I type.

Crystal: That's better than eating the whole thing.

Me: Still not great though, right?

Crystal: How many do you want? How many of those chocolates are your favorite?

Me: me: I don't know. I haven't cut into them.

Crystal: lol

me: I really want a raspberry one and a caramel one if they are in there.

Crystal: Well then cut some up and see if you can find those. Then (and this is what I would do, you don't have to) then keep those two for you, cut them in half and throughout the day when you want some have a half of one of those and just eat those two for the day. That will let you have the chocolate you want and still be pretty good.

Then I complain some more. Because how can I justify doing that when I already ate a bunch yesterday and two this morning. She politely tells me to forget about the past and move forward. I complain about how hard it is and why can't I be like those girls who eat anything and everything but still look great. Or my husband even? We sort of banter back and forth about this a little (and as I'm typing now, I think, yeah, but those girls wouldn't stand a chance against me in a strength or endurance challenge when I'm through)!

Me: I know. So, I just cut into all of them and there isn't even a raspberry or caramel one! I would have eaten the whole box and been completely unsatisfied!!!

There is a brown sugar one and a marshmallow one that look really good though.

I think I'll eat those right now and then get right back on track now.

Crystal: SEE!!! It's a good thing you cut into all of them!Sounds good.

me: I should have done that from the start. Lame! Now they are open on the counter and I'll throw the box away at the end of the day no matter how many people didn't eat.

She says great, good idea. I thank her for her support and walking me through this. Then we chat about our to do lists.

Me: I'm blogging my thoughts from this week. Who knows maybe one day it will help somebody else.

***********************************************************************************

Who knows, maybe one day it will help somebody else.....

To those of you who have been supportive and encouraging (friends and family), to those of you who have told me I've inspired you, to those who ask my mom how I'm doing, to those struggling at the gym but encouraged by my progress thus far....I'm sorry.

I'm sorry I've faltered and let you down. I know that you know this is a war, not a battle. Time, patience, and consistency. Hard work and dedication. Stay with me! I'm getting to the finish line this time. I'll make you proud. I'd be so happy to have you there with me as well!

To those of you who opened my eyes to the reality of the problem (Sherry); I can't thank you enough. I didn't realize what was happening to me and your thoughts about an addiction made perfect sense and made me ANGRY! Crystal, keep reminding me of that so I can use it to fuel my progress. Thank you! Thank you mom for sharing my story with people at the gym! Thank you Cameron for supporting me and keeping bad food out of the house! Thank you for telling me you are proud of me. Thank you; all of you. I love you!

As of 9:25 a.m. December 30, 2011 -- I'm back!

If you think somebody you know could be encouraged by this, please send them the link and let me know. It helps me keep moving forward and wanting to share my journey.

Update - Dec. 27, 2011

2011-12-27T11:37:00.000-08:00

I weighed in Saturday morning before we left to visit my Dad. I had lost another 2.2 pounds! Nice!

Started out the weekend with a workout, then drove 4 hours to visit my dad and grandparents. Spent two days there completely abandoning my new life style (including eating habits) and man do I feel it today! I am lethargic, irritable, crampy, etc., etc. UG. AND I'm sure I put on a few pounds of food! Yuck. So, today I am back with vengeance. I weigh, measure, and take pictures on Sunday (can't believe its been a month already) and there is NO WAY I am seeing a plus on the scale this week! No Way. Double workouts everyday this week and super strict eating should do it. Get enough calories and nutrition for my needs and workout like a mad woman. Cross your fingers for me. I'm nervous.

Nemesis 1 - Defeated

2011-12-18T08:22:00.000-08:00

My first nemesis: 210, has gone down! 210 has been beating me for over six years; today, I triumphed! I am now 209.6 pounds!!!!! Take that 210!

Now I am ready to crush my 12 year nemesis and be in "one"derland! I can do this!

Total loss in 7 weeks: 15.6 pounds!
Total loss from my heaviest: 26.4 pounds

And my sugar/grain addiction? Still there, but I am winning the battle daily. Only once in the past seven weeks did I miss not being able to dive into a box of chocolates with reckless abandon.

I don't miss; however, the way I felt before! I don't miss the feeling of constant fatigue. I don't miss feeling weak. I don't miss feeling defeated.

I am excited about how far I've come and where I am going. I am grateful to my family for their support, candidness, and love. I am so grateful for their encouragement and celebrations with me! Thank you!

Dec. 11 - 6 weeks down

2011-12-11T07:59:00.001-08:00

I lost 6.8 pounds over the last two weeks!
Overall - 13 pounds gone in six weeks! AND yesterday I was able to do 2 pushups on my toes for the first time in my life! Previously my back was too weak from my injury and I couldn't push back up. I am so excited!

I usually have been weighing every two weeks, but I am only 2.2 pounds away from my first goal, so I think I'll weigh again next Sunday.

Also, this puts me 24 pounds under my heaviest weight.

December 1 - Stats

2011-12-03T13:47:00.001-08:00

Ok, on December 1st I measured myself and took pictures. I am embarrassed by the numbers and the pictures, but I've got to write them down somewhere. I took four pictures (one each: front, left side, back, and right side) but I'll only put two here.

Here are my beginning stats:
Weight 2008: 236
Weight Nov. 27, 2011: 219
Chest: 51
Waist: 44.8
Hips: 46.5
Arms: 14.2, 14.5
Thighs: 23.5, 24

How many pullups I can do: 0
How many pushups I can do: 0

Shirt Size: XL or 1X
Pant Size: 18

I will weigh every two weeks and remeasure the first of every month. Check back to see my progress. Not sure what I was looking at in the first picture. The best part of these pictures is my wonderful Zorro in the background!

Set Backs

2011-11-23T20:11:00.001-08:00

So, I don't weigh again until this Sunday (27th) but I do NOT have high hopes. I did really well with Cameron's birthday, then I got sick. I haven't been able to work out in three days and my nutrition hasn't been consistent. I am hoping that I can work out tomorrow (Thanksgiving) first thing in the morning. I'll be consistent Friday and Saturday. We'll see.

I'm also going to measure and take pics on Dec. 1. That way I can have more than just weight to go off of. I'll weigh every two weeks and measure/take pics every month.

Even though I may not get the results I wanted during these two weeks, I'll keep moving forward. I'm sticking with it and not letting this addiction control me.

Halloween and Cameron's Birthday

2011-11-19T14:45:00.001-08:00

On the day of Halloween the lady staff at my work dressed up as 80s girls. I found out on Sunday the night before so I had to work with what I currently own....

We celebrated Cameron's birthday with dinner out at Jalisco Grill (Mexican; my favorite) and cupcakes of his choice. He chose carrot cake. Now, when I began my addiction kicking eating style, I knew this day was coming fast. So, I decided that I would eat dinner (Mexican is my absolute FAVORITE), but only eat 1/4 of what ever I ordered. If I got hungry later, I could have veggies at home. I also decided to have one cupcake to celebrate with him. (That's why I made cupcakes and not a full size cake; portion control!)

How did it go? Awesome! I cut my food into fourths and boxed the remaining three quarters BEFORE I started eating. It was just right. I felt satisfied, satiated, not over stuffed, and didn't get hungry later because my food had protein and rice in it. Then, those at home enjoyed the rest of that dinner for lunches! Score for them, too! And the cupcake??? A. M. A. Z. I. N. G.!!! I really enjoyed the control I felt and being able to celebrate with my hubby.

The only downside is that the rest of the week was extremely difficult! I was craving sugar and wheat like I haven't in a LONG time. Not quite rid of that addiction, yet. The success is that I did NOT give in! I stuck to it the remainder of the week. Even wanting to work out was hard for the two days afterwards; I still did though. Today I worked out and actually wanted to again! YES!

Next challenge.....Thanskgiving.

Holiday Cards

2011-11-17T13:23:00.001-08:00

I started selling greeting cards and gifts in January! I have loved every minute of it and the holidays are the perfect time to share my system with others. Another exciting part of joining is that you get a kick butt contact manager! Think Rolodex on Steriods!

I also have two family members who sell through SendOutCards as well. There is no membership fee! You can start sending cards the minute you sign up! Choose a monthly subscription or pay as you go!

Click here to send your cards through me.

Click here to send your cards through my mom (Debbie).

Click here to send your cards through my brother, David.

Week 2 Menu

2011-11-13T08:22:00.001-08:00

After thirteen days of a new diet (I'm not dieting, I have a new diet) and consistent workouts, I weighed. I haven't been on the scale since. That was hard. I found that not only am I addicted to sugar/flour, but also the scale. The results? I lost 2.84%! I am actually looking forward to the next two weeks.

With Cameron's birthday and Thanksgiving, I've got my work cut out for me. I've already decided that for Cameron's birthday I will be making cupcakes instead of a cake and he choose carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. I'll have one cupcake on Monday night, so I'll do extra cardio on Tuesday. Then on thanksgiving, I'm going to eat super strict the day before and the morning of and I'll have a tiny serving of everything for dinner. I'll just savor every bite.

Some of you have said that you really appreciated the menu I posted last week, so I'm posting this weeks menu.

Breakfasts:
   Protein Shake w/frozen fruit
     Omelet
     Protein Shake w/frozen fruit
     Eggs & Bacon
     Protein Shake w/frozen fruit
     Ham & Country Potatoes
     Protein Shake w/frozen Fruit
     Protein Shake w/frozen Fruit

Lunches:
     Baked Potato w/cheese & broccoli
     Tuna in Salad & Spaghetti Squash
     Soup & Salad
     Frittata & Grapes
     Turkey Burger (protein style) & Grapes
     Hummus (homemade) w/veggies, cheese, and chicken
     Left overs
     Chef's Salad

Dinners:
     Tomato Soup & Lettuce Wrapped Sandwich
     Chicken & Sweet Potato Mash
     Ham & Veggie Frittata
     Turkey Burgers (Protein style)
     Taco Salad
     Meatballs (homemade w/o bread crumbs) w/ homemade sauce and Steamed veggies
     Chicken & Potatoes w/steamed veggies
     Cameron's Birthday Dinner

Snacks/Desserts:
     Carrots, Nuts, Vanilla Greek Yogurt & Banana
     Nuts, Yogurt & Apple
     Pickle
     Yogurt & Applesauce w/cinnamon
     Carrots, Yogurt & Grapes
     Nuts, Carrots, Yogurt & Banana
     Pickle, Yogurt & Applesauce
     Apple & Peanut Butter
     Carrot Cake Cupcake (for Cameron's Birthday - not on the sugar/wheat/flour free list)

What to Eat

2011-11-09T17:52:00.000-08:00

After talking to multiple people about my frustration with not being in control of my food, we came to the conclusion that I have/had a sugar/wheat addiction. So, I got mad because I don't want ANY addiction to control me. I decided to go cold turkey for a month before I start slowly adding in a little bit at a time. But, what do you eat when you can't have anything with wheat (flour) or added sugar?

My sister(s) are also doing this and frustrated with planning meals, so I said I would post mine on my blog.
Here is my menu for last week (Oct. 31-Nov. 6):

My favorites are bold & italicized.

Breakfasts: Protein Shake w/ Banana
                    Eggs & Bacon
                    Protein Shake w/ frozen fruit
                    Veggie Omelet
                    Protein Shake w/ frozen fruit
                    Pan seared sliced turkey with cheese and mushrooms
                    Protein Shake w/ frozen fruit

Lunch: Chili and Salad
             Tuna in a Salad
             Lettuce wrap: turkey, cheese, tomato, mustard, pickle
             Chicken, Squash, Pear
             "Spaghetti" w/meat sauce (homemade)*
             Tuna in a Salad
             Taco Salad

Dinner: Chicken Burger w/o the bun (wrapped in lettuce, with tomato, cheese, mustard, pickle) and frozen veggies
               Baked Potato w/plain yogurt (instead of sour cream) and frozen veggies
               Chicken & Squash
               "Spaghetti" w/ homemade meat sauce*
              Fajitas w/o the tortilla
              Chicken, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Salad
              Pot Roast, Frozen Veggies

Snacks/Dessert: Apple, Carrots
                            Pickles; Vanilla Greek Yogurt with No Sugar Added Applesauce & Cinnamon
                            Carrots; Pear
                            Broccoli & Nuts; Grapes
                            Nuts; Pear
                            Pickles; Yogurt w/applesauce & cinnamon
                            Carrots; Banana

*"Spaghetti": I cooked spaghetti squash and used that in place of pasta. I like it!

Side Note

2011-11-01T11:46:00.001-07:00

Those wanting to make the cinnamon rolls. Heads up.
It calls for 3 Cups of flour. My dough was extremely liquidy still. So, I added flour 1/8 c. at a time while it was kneading, until it looked more like dough.

Cute & Delicious

2011-10-30T11:04:00.000-07:00

I love when I find them in cute moments like this!

Delicious New Recipe

(NOT figure friendly! But, once in a while is fine, right?)

"Cinnabon" Cinnamon Rolls - adapted from this site:

http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/Cinnabon-Cinnamon-Rolls-Recipe.html

Rolls

Combine 3 Cups of flour, 1/4 C. sugar, 3/4 tsp. salt, 3/4 tsp. yeast, and 1/8 tsp. baking soda in mixer

Add 2 eggs, 1 C. water, and 1 TBS Buttermilk (I used reg. milk this time) until blended

Then, add 1/4 C. softened butter

Knead for 15 minutes with dough hook

Wrap and refrigerate overnight

Roll out to 17x20 rectangle

Filling

Spread 1/4 C. softened butter over rolled out dough

Mix together 1 C. firmly packed dark brown sugar, 2 TBS. Cinnamon (I'll use more next time) and sprinkle evenly over the butter. (Leave one inch at the end not covered with butter or sugar mix). Use a little water to wet the uncovered inch of dough so it will seal.

Roll the dough and cut, using a serrated knife, the ends off, then cut the remaining roll into 8 equal parts.

Place on top of parchment paper in a baking dish. Set in warm place for 1 hr. until full size.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

While baking, mix frosting.

Frost immediately after rolls are removed from oven.

Frosting

1/4 C. softened butter

4 oz. cream cheese

3/4 C. powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 drops of lemon extract (I used orange extract this time)

Using mixer, blend together and whisk for 10 minutes.

From the Past

2011-10-19T18:03:00.001-07:00

1995

From the Past

2011-10-18T17:21:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite pictures of David. This was May 1996 at Disneyland! I love it!

Favorites

2011-10-13T11:22:00.001-07:00

New Business

2011-09-28T11:04:00.000-07:00

Please let people know! I'm hoping this will be a great way to earn a bit of money while getting ahead for my dream job!

I'm Back

2011-09-21T09:27:00.000-07:00

I'm back to working out.
My ankle is slowly healing, but now that I am done traveling for a while I can focus on working out again. It's going to be slow for a few weeks while my ankle continues to heal, but I've been cleared to start exercising! Yahoo!
I'm back to cleaning.
I know that isn't something most people get happy about! I, however, love being a homemaker. I don't necessarily enjoy cleaning, but I love the results. So, when I have time and get to clean, I love it!
I'm back from Utah.

I was sad to leave Crystal, Richard, and William. I am so happy to have spent a week with them and freeze some meals for them. I love each of them so much. I also got to take some super cute portraits of the little guy while I was there!

I'm back to sending out appreciation, and love!
There isn't a better feeling than making a difference in somebody's life. Now that I am done traveling for a while, I get to focus on sending out love, appreciation, and warm thoughts to those I care about. Sharing this with people always helps me refocus, re-energize, and cheers me up!

Welcome William

2011-09-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

William Frost

7lbs. 1 oz.

20 inches

Sept. 8: 3:10am

Journaling

2011-09-07T09:41:00.000-07:00

First, thank you all for leaving comments! It makes my day!

I thought about doing themes, but I just don't know if I could remember to post everyday...

Anyway, today is journaling day. This past weekend was crazy! We left at midnight Friday morning and drove down to Southern California. Melanie and I spent the day at Downtown Disney and Cameron worked from his office.

Mel and I had a totally disappointing breakfast. I wanted a warm, gooey cinnamon roll; so, I thought bakery! They will definitely have one! NOPE! Ug. I ended up with a danish and a fruit cup. The danish tasted store bought and the fruit tasted funny. Melanies' french toast wasn't all that great either, but her one and half strawberries were pretty good. These little birdies were just waiting for food to be left, dropped, or thrown.

Then, we walked around, saw "The Smurfs" (much better than we expected it to be), got Melanie's race packet and t-shirt, ate lunch at Tortilla Joe's (THAT was satisfying!) and went to the hotel.

Saturday morning, we got up early to support Melanie in the Disneyland 5k. It was a fun, busy, quick weekend!

The BEST PB Cookie Recipe Ever

2011-08-31T11:38:00.000-07:00

This recipe comes from a super old cookbook! It is so old the pages have all fallen out and I keep it in a gallon sized ziploc bag! My goal is to go through the cookbook, make the recipes, and put the ones I love into a file on my computer. Well, this is one that I often make and so it seemed like the perfect one to start with. These PB cookies are SO yummy, and soft! Delicious! Be careful, they go fast!

Peanut Butter Crisscrosses

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F
Makes 5 Dozen 1 inch cookies

1. Thoroughly cream together:
   1 C. shortening
     1 C. Granulated sugar
     1 C. Brown sugar - lightly packed
     2 eggs
     1 tsp. vanilla

2. Stir in:
     1 C. Peanut Butter

3. Mix in dry ingredients: (the recipe actually says to sift in the ingredients, but I don't)
     2 C. Flour
     2 tsp. baking soda
     1/2 tsp. salt

Roll into one-inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press each cookie with back of fork to make crisscross. Bake at 350 for about 9 minutes or until light brown.

God Is Our Father

2011-08-29T08:51:00.000-07:00

Under Construction

2011-08-26T15:33:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I got two responses both saying to rejoin the blogging world. So, I'm gonna give it a trial run! If you want me to keep blogging; interact! Leave comments when you read. At least a smiley face. Let me know.

I am trying to figure out just what I want to do on this blog. Right now, I am thinking a different topic per day of the week. What do you think?

Topics that I have in mind are: Family/Journal, Photography, Food, Religion, Music, Dreams/Goals....

What would you like to read about, look at, etc.? Do you have any ideas? Let me know!

To Blog or Not

2011-08-16T18:56:00.000-07:00

So, now that I don't have a super short commute to work I have find I want to blog again. (My short commute was 121 miles one way, and I did it every day). However, I don't know if anybody out there will read it. So, challenge. If you think I should start blogging again, say so (leave a comment).

Love you!

Fort Bragg in August

2010-08-11T17:08:00.000-07:00

Had a great time out at Fort Bragg. We went to the tide pools and found lots of fun things. I picked up a pretty shell and found a crab! I quickly put it back; Dad picked it up so I could get a picture. We climbed the rocks near the shore.

One second, one wave, one rock.

Can you find the deer?

My new shirt (for church and work).

Past Week

2010-07-22T10:16:00.000-07:00

Call cousins doing a play for FHE entertainment.

My cute nephew!

After we told her to stop licking her foot (she has a sore). We thought it was funny and good timing.

Tahoe Getaway

2010-07-18T11:19:00.000-07:00

On Thursday night, we drove up to Tahoe. We stayed at the Embassy Suites and in one of the four balcony suites. It was SO nice. We have decided that it is nice to splurge once in a while.

The amenities in the room included: toothbrushes, combs, toothpaste, razor, shaving cream, Scope mouthwash, mens and womens deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, body wash, and a loofa!

A panoramic view from our balcony. Just beyond the trees is the Lake and mountains.

We ordered Creme Brulee and shared it out on our balcony that night. It was the most delicious creme brulee I have ever had!

Friday morning we walked around town and saw Sorcerer's Apprentice. We both really liked the movie.

We took a picture of this bench for my sister, Melanie, who loves wolves.

Here are our tickets for the Rascal Flatts concert!

Standing at our seats. We had GREAT seats, too! We were in row 12 just to the right of the stage. It was great!

Chris Young was the first opener. His two hits right now are Man I Want to Be and Getting You Home.

The second opener was Kellie Pickler.

This guy had made a cowboy hat out of a box for a pack of beer. It was pretty cool!

Rascal Flatts celebrating 10 years on the "Nothing Like This" tour.

The spotlights took out the detail in this picture, but from our seats we were even able to see facial expressions. Rascal Flatts put on a great concert. They were very into the audience and everybody had a great time.

Thought I would finish this up with what we get to come home to. Our wonderful dogs. We missed them and wished they could come with us, but this weekend was just for us. We are glad to be home but missing the beautiful weather of Tahoe.

Been too long

2010-07-02T12:57:00.000-07:00

It has been too long since I have posted. I'm on summer break! YeeHaw! Anyway.
I spent time with these cuties taking portraits. I love them!

Reading Rater

2010-03-13T14:56:00.000-08:00

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Theif

I wish I could have read this faster, but my schedule did not allow me to do so. It was entertaining and SO much better than the movie.

Sex/Romance: None
Language: Mild: loser, shut up, etc.
Violence/Gore: Moderate: Percy is trying to stop a war so naturally there is some violence. The Gods and Titans fighting is never a good thing. Percy sees his mom "killed" and there are other descriptions of violent scenes.

Recommendation: I originally thought this book was appropriate for an 8+ audience. After reading it, I would not recommend it to children under 13. I just don't think the violence is appropriate for the young ones. Sure you could talk about Greek Mythology and War and how that all fits in, but the reality is that this 12 year old character goes through some really intense things.

Natural Hair

2010-02-21T12:04:00.001-08:00

Here is my new do just natural. I was afraid that the short length would cause the curls to get really frizzy, but I think it is ok. I took one picture and Cameron took the other. What do you like better? Flat-ironed or Natural?

February 2010

2010-02-20T15:21:00.000-08:00

February has been a good month. We celebrated our 9th anniversary on the 9th! Time flies and it does not feel like it has been 9 years. We are so happy together. We continued the celebration over the weekend (13-15th) since we had the 15th off work. On the 13th, Cameron took me to see Disney on Ice Worlds of Fantasy at Arco Arena. I enjoyed it more than he did, but we had a great time. I wish there were more pictures, but the camera battery died. At least I got the cars!

On Sunday, the 14th, Cameron gave me a puppy! I named him Cupid! Cameron had trained him to hold a de-thorned rose in his mouth and he brought it to me! Super cute! He is so soft, too!

We enjoyed the 15th off together. We went to dinner and just hung out (something we don't get to do too often).

I have been debating on getting my hair cut because my long commute is torture on my time to get ready. My hair was always in a pony tail and looked awful because it needs work to look decent. I realized I did not have time to keep the length. I LOVE the length, but hopefully I'll get a job closer to home and be able to grow it out again. Cameron does NOT like it. I think it will be a lot easier and is kinda spunky. Hopefully it won't frizz too bad without being able to flat iron it like it is in this picture.
Here is a picture of our "puppies". We love them so much and cannot believe that Zorro just turned 7! We can't imagine life without them. They bring us so much joy and help me stay happy. They are wonderful friends and companions. It is funny when they look straight at the camera because her eyes glow blue and his green. I got a good one of him not looking though.

Reading Rater

2010-02-01T12:05:00.000-08:00

Christmas Jars Reunion by Jason F. Wright

Another heart-warming story by Jason F. Wright. The book has a good message and leaves the reader feeling satisfied. This book does deal with some adult issues.

Relationships: Familial, friendly, one on-again off-again relationship is clean and adds humor and depth to the story.
Language: Zero swear words, no slander
Violence: A man falls down icy stairs and shatters his leg. He ends up with metal pins after surgery. No gorey details.
Drugs/Alcohol: Just pain killers-used correctly
Other: issues dealing with death and greiving-
The story starts of at the funeral of a loved one.
A child is suffering from congenital heart disease and will die without a transplant

Audience: Readability-young adult
Appropriateness-all(with parental guidance to discuss issues as needed)

Movie Review

2010-01-30T08:22:00.001-08:00

Just saw "Leap Year".

Super cute! The only language I remember was the "h-word" about 4 times. No sex scenes, but you do see her in underwear and in a towel after a shower. The rest was fun, clean, and it is one I will surely want to own. I LOVED it!

Reading Rater

2010-01-23T13:02:00.000-08:00

Tempted - A House of Night Novel: Language: less than previous books, but still containing more than five F-words, and many other swear words. Sex: No actual sex, but descriptions of physical passionate feelings. Violence/Gore: Middle of a war, lots of blood and pain. Many deaths. Drugs/Alcohol: One character is given a sedative under supervision. Suggested reader: Adult

My review: The best of the series yet. I try to skip over the language. Storyline includes an unexpected twist; I am frustrated that the next one (the "to be continued...") isn't out until May!

Literary Rating System

2010-01-14T12:44:00.000-08:00

For the longest time, I have thought there should be some sort of literary rating system. I can't stand picking up a book, reading the "trailer" on the back cover, checking it out or buying it because it sounds interesting, then getting into it to find out it has undesireable content. Language, violence, sex, etc. I wish I could know that stuff BEFORE I even read the hook.

I was recently talking to my school librarian who is running across the same issues as she tries to stock our library with books for the 7th & 8th graders which the school has not had in the past. The only thing books for their age group say, is Young Adult, but some of those even have questionable material or at least material that parents should have the ability to give/take permission to read.

I have searched the internet and no such system exists. My sisters and I have all started giving our ratings to each other on books we read. I am so frustrated and tired of not knowing that I thought maybe I should start my own! So, here are my latest reads and reviews.

House of Night Series: Not for young adults. For adults. The first book, Marked, had the most mature content. Excessive language. Moderate sexual references (not pornographic). No drug use; however there is talk of mixing human blood with wine. The following books have less language and sexual references. Violence - mild descriptions, but some due to a looming war. Still more than I would bargain for. These are not books that you will find in my personal library.

Christmas Jars and Christmas Jars Reunion: Language - none, Violence/Gore - none, Sex - none, content - appropriate for most (talk of a baby abandonded with a note explaining that the birth mom cannot raise this child in a home where the dad hits; death; financial/emotional need). Clean, easy read. I read the first one in half a day. There are some tear jerker moments. It is a good story line and the concept is fun to think about applying in your own life.

I don't know where this is going, but if you are like me and love books or reading, maybe I can shed some light on books I have looked at. Let me know if you find this useful - I'll continue. Let me know if you think this is silly. I just want opinions people! :)

What should I do?

2010-01-02T11:07:00.000-08:00

I am wondering what to do about blogging. I have had some viewers from very foreign places and am not so comfortable with that. This is a family (personal) blog, and I don't want just anybody to see our pictures and stuff. So please vote on the poll and if you have another suggestion, please leave a comment here. Thanks.

Super Long Post - Three in One

2009-11-24T20:44:00.001-08:00

I know it has been a while since I put up a new post. I never have time to do extra things right now. Since I have this week off, I decided to do an update post.

First, Cameron's Birthday. He turned 30! Crazy! Weird! We celebrated with a night of his favorites:

Figurines of Mickey Mouse statues that we had taken pictures next to at Disney's California Adventure Park.

His Favorite Dinner: My own recipe Chicken Thyme Turnovers
(I posted this recipe a while ago).

Pouring his favorite drink (Root Beer) into his favorite mug.

His favorite frozen dessert: Frozen Lemon Pie with a secret ingredient in the crust!

Happy Birthday, Boski! I love you!

My sister and I went to Disney on Ice Princess Classics.

We had fun! Thanks, Mel.

Here are some of my favorite shots of Crystal and Richard's Wedding so far.

Crystal's Day

2009-11-11T12:47:00.000-08:00

Crystal and Richard got sealed on Nov. 7, 2009. The day was incredible. The spirit was so strong and it was just a beautiful event. Everybody wants to see the pictures. These are unfinished images and only a small portion of the pictures we took. When they are finished, they will be even more stunning! What a fun day! So happy to share that with them. Enjoy.
Here they are as they exited the doors.

Doesn't she look like a real princess?

I was so happy to do her hair. She looked amazing!

Congratulations, Crystal and Richard!

The most disgusting bug ever!

2009-11-01T08:15:00.000-08:00

Imagine 20 6/7 year old children, 1 teacher (horribly grossed out and afraid of bugs), and a potato bug!

All of the students were sitting so nicely on the carpet while the teacher was engaging whole class instruction. One female student started not paying attention and it was contagious to the students around her. The teacher told them to settle down or they would need to pull a behavior card. The student promptly told the teacher, "But there's a bug." The teacher rolled her eyes as the rest of the class turned to see the bug. Then, in a mad rush and less then one second, all 20 students were screaming and running to the perimeter of the rug - just like oil spreads when a drop of dish washing liquid is dropped in the middle.

Then the teacher saw the bug! This wasn't a bug, it was a monster! Why are they so ugly? Why are they transparent? Why do they move so fast? Why does it only want to move toward me? Why is it in my classroom? Where did it come from? How am I going to get rid of it?

Luckily, there are some plastic cups in the classroom used for painting projects. The teacher grabbed one of the cups, all while the students were watching relentlessly, and covered the bug after trying to get behind it because it just kept turning and coming after her. She asked a student to get a piece of paper for her. She slid the paper underneath the cup and flipped it over. Heart rate pounding as she prayed it would not crawl out onto her, she took the cup outside and tossed it in the garbage. As she went back into the classroom, another student told the rest, "She threw it in the garbage!"

Well, what else was she going to do with it?!?

Then, the students began making up stories about where it came from including from a hole in one of the ceiling tiles. It was chaos! The teacher gathered her students and told them that it was over. She told them that she was nervous and scared because she does not like bugs, but that she was brave for the students. Now she needed them to get back on task. Luckily, they like her enough that they complied while their brains still thought about this disgusting bug!

The teacher? Me.
The bug? Uglier and more gross than ever.
Me? Glad it is over.

When I told my sister a few days later over the phone, we were both crying because it was so funny! It wasn't funny at the time, but the whole scene was hilarious later.

Weekend in Mendocino

2009-10-31T08:01:00.000-07:00

My dad moved to Mendocino and lives minutes from the coast. You can hear the waves crashing from his house. A little while ago, we stayed there over the weekend. We had a great time and the place is gorgeous. Here are some pictures of our time. The day was beautiful; the sky and water were SO blue! I love it!
There were old chains all along the coast where freight ships would dock in the bay to unload. Of course I had to make my trainer proud and get a workout while I was visiting my dad.

My dad found this rock and we had to take a picture! Love you, dad!
We were so lucky to see this cutie surface for about 1 minute. Then he got shy and dove under; we never saw him again.

My Mom, the Fitness Trainer

2009-10-24T09:29:00.000-07:00

Check out my mom's new blog! Start your "After" today!
She will be giving tips and monthly specials! Super cool!

"Coupon"-ing

2009-10-11T12:42:00.001-07:00

Cameron and I want to start coupon-ing. Any advice?

Chicken Thyme Turnovers

2009-10-09T21:22:00.001-07:00

Mom and Cameron wanted me to enter this recipe contest. I was going to, but they wanted a 100 word limit for the directions. I couldn't cut it down enough. Here is my recipe. It came from not going shopping and wondering what to have for dinner. I grabbed some stuff from the pantry. Cameron said, "What are you making." I said, "Chicken turnover thingys; hopefully. It may be a pizza night." He laughed and said ok. Long story short and lots of creativity later, these came out of the oven. He LOVED them! Sorry, no picture. Hope you enjoy.

Chicken Thyme Turnovers

Entrée

Serves 4

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 20-25 minutes at 425 degrees F

For the dough:

1 ½ C. all purpose flour

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. onion powder

¼ tsp. ground thyme

½ tsp. baking powder

3 TBS. shortening or butter

½ C. cool water

For the chicken:

½ TBS. extra virgin olive oil

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast tenders, thawed

To taste: salt, pepper, and thyme

For the sauce:

1 can low fat cream of mushroom soup

Milk – fill the soup can half way

½ tsp. each of the following: ground thyme, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder

½ TBS. chili powder

½ TBS Dijon style mustard

¼ C. low fat Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven.

Dough:

Mix dry ingredients together, cut in shortening, and slowly stir in water. Dough should not be sticky.
Roll out 1/8 inch thick; cut into four squares.

Sauce:

Place soup and milk in 2-qt. saucepan over low heat.
Stir in spices, mustard, cheese.

Chicken:

Heat olive oil in 10 – inch skillet over med. heat.

Season chicken with salt, pepper, thyme to taste.
Place seasoned side down in skillet; season other side.
Cook chicken for 7-10 minutes each side; shred.

Assemble:

Place 2 TBS. sauce, 1/8 chicken on each square.
Fold square over and press edges to seal.

Bake and Enjoy:

Spray 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray.
Place turnovers in baking pan.
Bake turnovers for 20 – 25 minutes, until dough is golden brown.
Place 1/8 shredded chicken on each serving plate.
Place cooked turnover on top of shredded chicken.
Pour 1/4C. Sauce over the turnover.
Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of turnovers.

"New" Car

2009-10-03T13:08:00.000-07:00

A long time ago, I said that I needed to post about our new car. That was four months ago. I finally had time to get to it. Here is our "new" car. It is a 2004 BMW 325i and I LOVE it!!!!

This is Beautiful!

2009-09-27T10:24:00.000-07:00

To all my family and friends: I LOVE YOU!

Finally

2009-09-26T11:57:00.001-07:00

Has it really been 2 weeks since my last post! Craziness! As you can tell, I have no time. Between commute time, work, working out, eating, and getting enough sleep, there is NO time left.

Anyway, I got on the scale this morning. I lost 5 pounds! I have been working with Ariel for 12 weeks and working on getting healthy for 15 weeks. My mom said that it takes 12 weeks for the body to regulate and stop freaking out about the changes and that I should start seeing increased differences. Well, today I got some serious results!!!! WAHOO!

So, in 15 weeks I have lost 12 pounds, over 10 inches, and about a percent of body fat! It pays off to keep going even when you don't want to continue.

Other Stuff

2009-09-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

My brother went to Alaska on Sept. 8. He arrived safely and we miss him like crazy! We love you, David.

I just finished my third week of teaching first grade. I LOVE it! There are moments that I wish did not happen, but overall, it is amazing. I just got this new kid who did not attend kindergarten, though! This student cannot even hold a pencil! It has been frustrating.

Fitness progress - I am thrilled! I weighed, measured, and tested body fat % last Saturday. I had previously done all of this 6 weeks ago. Well, I did not loose ANY weight! UG! But, then I measured....I took 6 measurements. Chest, waist, hips, left bicep, left thigh, and left calf. Total inches lost from those 6 places is 10 1/4 inches!!!!! WAHOO!!! If I end up with a 28 inch waist, but don't loose weight, I'll still be happy. Fitness isn't only about weight. I also lost 0.4% body fat! Yes! Yes! Yes! Pretty soon, my body will realize that it doesn't need to hold onto that weight any more and it will start to come off so fast (so they say). Anyway, super excited and revved up for the next set of training sessions.

It's Been too Long

2009-09-12T18:41:00.000-07:00

I have not had time to blog lately, but I hope the four of you who read (or at least who comment) don't mind. School started for me and I am commuting. That makes for VERY long days and EARLY bedtime. Anyway, I have so much to blog about. Here is the list:

Disneyland 5k
Ruth's Chris Steakhouse
David goes to Alaska
School started
Fitness progress

Today - The 5k and Ruth's Chris. We (my husband, mom, sister, brother, Sean, Sean's sister, Sean's niece, and I) ran/walked the annual Disneyland 5k. See copyright images here: http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=47941&BIB=245&S=230&PWD=

I walked and Cameron stayed with me this time. I did not think I was going to make it, because before mile 1 my back spasmed really bad. The medic came over to check on me and told me that if I needed emergency they would be there very quick. I stretched and decided I was not going to quit. Even if I crawled across the finish. I made it though. Without crawling. I came in, with my sweet husband, an 1 hr. and 6 min. I know, slow. But, I did it.

That night we went to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. The atmosphere was great and the service was amazing! Cameron ordered the fillet, mashed potatoes, and asparagus. I ordered steamed broccoli, sauteed mushrooms, and potatoes. My meal was WAY over priced, but I did take a small bite of Cameron's steak and it was INCREDIBLE! I don't even like meat (all that much) and it was GOOD. We also ordered cheesecake for dessert and it, too was AWESOME! Maybe the best cheesecake we have had. We liked the decorations on the ceiling.

Update

2009-08-19T10:51:00.000-07:00

Since last Monday I have had two PT (personal training) sessions and worked out on my own twice. Last Wed. we did the same thing we did on Monday, but I was able to do more of it! On Thursday, I did the treadmill. On Friday, I went up to my school and classroom. It was a MESS! Worse than I expected. Luckily my sister, Melanie, was with me. We had to do a LOT of furniture moving (which wasn't good for my back). On Sat. I did the workout on my own and did GREAT! Monday, my back was tight, but I did the workout. During the workout, my back got worse. Yesterday, I couldn't do ANYTHING. I iced my back multiple times and tried to not use it too much.
So, today, I was nervous. I wanted to try my PT session, but did not know if I could. I did not take any Ibuprofen before the workout because I wanted to be able to feel what my body was telling me. Well, I didn't want to feel it, but you know. Hehe. Anyway, I talked to Ariel about it and she told me that we would adjust the workout depending on how my body did. She would watch very closely and I would pay attention to everything. We would communicate and only do what I could without hurting my back. She changed a few of the exercises, so they were not as stressful on the back. I also did not do as many repetitions on many of them. Afterward, I did more than I thought I would and still felt like I had an ok workout. Thank you, Ariel. You are wonderful!

CPT and Session 11

2009-08-10T15:55:00.000-07:00

My mom is officially a Certified Personal Trainer. She passed the test today! Congrats, mom!

Today, Ariel increased my workout. For the first four weeks we did stability and getting my muscles ready to strength train. Today, we started strength training! Today's workout had me sweating and breathing hard. I think I may be sore tomorrow.

Today I did:

3 sets of 15 lat pull
2 sets of step ups with a kick and "Rollup" ab workout in between.
2 sets of push ups (with both of my knees on the bosu ball) and planks in between.
2 sets of stability ball wall squats with heel raises and bosu ball plank in between (stepping one leg out to the side, bringing it back together, and alternating)
2 sets of bent row and crunches with legs on ball in between
2 sets of biceps with resistance band (reg. and hammer) and side crunches on the ball in between (I crunched a lot more than this guy is!)
2 sets of triceps dips with pullover crunches in between.
2 sets of hamstring workout on bosu ball (the picture shows one leg, I had both feet on the ball)

I felt like we did more than that, but I can't remember anything else. HMMM.

Pure Protein Shakes

2009-08-08T13:37:00.001-07:00

Remember this post? (why is the link not showing up? It is there so just click the sentence, "Remember this post?" that is right at the beginning). These protein shakes are amazing! I finally tried two different flavors. I have tried the Frosty Chocolate and Vanilla Cream. I liked the Vanilla Cream better. They have 35g of protein, 2-4g of carbs (1g sugar), 1g of fat, and are between 150-180 calories. They are a perfect pre- or post-workout supplement and can even be used as a snack. They help me get my 80g of required protein each day without eating a whole turkey! I am so excited to try the Cookies and Cream and the Strawberry Cream. Now I need to find a good deal on them. If you know of any please let me know.

My Very Clever and Funny Husband

2009-08-07T16:39:00.000-07:00

My mom recently send out a mass email of questions that puzzle. Cameron is riding a train to Utah today and decided to answer all of these rhetorical questions. His humor is wonderful and some of the answers were so funny to me because they are from personal experience (i.e. the toaster). Here is the list of "Questions that haunt me." His answers are in red.

QUESTIONS THAT HAUNT ME!

Can you cry under water?

Depends on whether it is salt water or fresh water, but I'm not telling which.

How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?

It isn't so much "important" as it is... well... there is a reason they call it ASSassinated. The good ones that are killed are called martyrs.

Why do you have to "put your two cents in"... but it's only "a penny for your thoughts"? Where's that extra penny going to?

This one should be obvious. Taxes, Pretty soon you will have to put your 3 cents in to help pay for universal health care.

Once you're in heaven, do you get stuck wearing the clothes you were buried in for eternity?

You get three sets. They're all the same, but don't worry; they're wrinkle free, and very breathable.

Why does a round pizza come in a square box?

Have you ever tried putting a SQUARE PIZZA in a ROUND BOX? Ask me again after you've tried this.

What disease did cured ham actually have?

This answer was unknown until recently. H1N1, more commonly known as Swine Flu.

How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?

It was mostly men working at that point. We can only concentrate on one thing at a time.

Why is it that people say they "slept like a baby" when babies wake up like every two hours?

They didn't want to offend you for making them sleep on that hide a bed. It is really just a nice way of telling you that they woke up every two hours crying for their mommy.

Why are you IN a movie, but you're ON TV?

Movie screens are flat, TVs are a box. Ever tried to be ON a curtain?

Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?

They are actually trying to see if anybody stepped on the gum that they spit out right before going up. I know, it's cruel, but you've done it. Don't lie.

Why do doctors leave the room while you change? They're going to see you naked anyway.

Doctors call what they do "practice." They leave to read the instruction book real quick so they don't look like a fool when they come back in.

Why is "bra" singular and "panties" plural?

With practice, men can remove a bra with one hand. Panties will always require two.

Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?

Eventually, your toaster will start to wear out. This setting will be the only one that will actually heat the bread. Except for the rare case when you are in a hurry and there is only one slice of bread left. At this point, your toaster will revert back to its original power and turn the bread completely black.

If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a stupid song about?

"Jimmy EATS corn and no one cares" just didn't make it big. Of course, I blame the chords, not the lyrics.

Can a hearse carrying a corpse drive in the carpool lane ?

Yes, but if the corpse is not buckled in, the "Click it or Ticket" fine far outweighs the time saved.

If the professor on Gilligan's Island can make a radio out of a coconut, why can't he fix a hole in a boat?

Do you go to radio shack and ask them to help you remodel your bathroom? No. That is the carpenter's job.

Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They're both dogs!

The name says it all. Goofy is... well... goofy! I heard that there was some animosity between Goofy and Mickey right after he adopted Pluto, but they worked it out.

If Wile E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that ACME crap, why didn't he just buy dinner?

Everybody knows that fresh is better. I still don't know why he wanted that roadrunner though; they're too gamey.

If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from?

I'll just say this. Ever seen a baby so cute that you just wanted to squeeze them? Well, don't squeeze too hard.

If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?

Nobody is really sure. They just knew that they couldn't put the morons and the electricity together.

Do the Alphabet Song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?

Yes, but I hope that you realize that the lyrics are different.

Why did you just try singing the two songs above?!

I wanted to make sure that I had the Alphabet song lyrics in the right order.

Why do they call it an asteroid when it's outside the hemisphere, but call it a hemorrhoid when it's in your butt?

This was simply to confuse those that either have their head up their butt or out in space.

Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?

You really may want to take a good look at your oral hygiene habits to find the answer to this question.

Do you ever wonder why you gave me your e-mail address in the first place?

I actually gave you the wrong one hoping you wouldn't find out. It's not my fault that you don't write things down!

Today's Workout

2009-08-05T12:30:00.001-07:00

Today, we did mostly the same with a few difficulty increases. Next week, we are changing the workout. The new difficulty was:

While squating (with stability ball) lift one heel, put it down, repeat with other heel, then stand. Makes the quads work longer and engages the calfs.
Holding a Gator skin Ball between my calf and hamstring during leg work.
During the "clam", straighten leg after knee raises to the ceiling.
New ab workout: Using a gator skin ball or stability ball. Lie on back with legs straight out and arms holding the ball over head. One vertebrae at a time, roll up (keeping legs/feet on the ground) till the ball is touching your toes or as far forward as possible. Then SLOWLY roll back down one vertebrae at a time. It really engages the core muscles. Slow is the key. And rolling. You have to really tuck your belly button to your back as you roll.

I am able to hold my planks for about 30 seconds now! My calf muscles have some serious definition. I am excited for the next step in working out, but nervous also.

Weight Loss

2009-08-02T08:09:00.000-07:00

I weighed on Saturday. I lost 2 pounds and 0.4% body fat. I also measured in 5 places. I will weigh again in two weeks. I will measure in 4 weeks. I am happy with this week's results. Yea!!!

Session 7 and My own W.O.

2009-07-31T19:17:00.000-07:00

I apologize for not posting sooner. Cameron was working in Fresno through Wednesday so I did not have a good computer to use.

On Wednesday I had session 7 with Ariel. We worked hard (even attempting one leg wall squats)! The whole hour we talked about nutrition. She asked how much I weigh and did a calculation to figure out how much protein I need. We had determined that I DO NOT get enough, but how much was my deficit? I was roughly getting 30-35 grams each day. I need......

80 grams each day!

So, what does a girl who really doesn't like meat do? I don't like seafood, I cannot eat red meat without some serious physical pain and discomfort, so I am stuck with poultry. UG. Ok, ok, ok....to make a very long story short. Here were her suggestions:

Get some high quality protein bars (low sugar and fat). Yes, shameless plug. These are the best ones I have found so far and they taste pretty good. They come in a variety of flavors.
Purchase some protein shakes (again high quality). Waiting to try these. Very anxious.
Look for products that are enriched with protein or the ones that have the most protein of that item(she gave an example of whole wheat bread, check the labels and look for the one with the most protein)
Eat some protein every time I eat
Make fruit, milk, and protein powder smoothies (milk also has protein)
Pair fruit with protein to help the blood sugar use the fructose better and stave off hunger.
Remember that dairy products, eggs, and nuts are good sources of protein (beware of fat content)

Last night my mom surprised me with some protein products. Today I tried really hard to do better with protein consumption. Guess what?!? I made it! I had 84 grams of protein today with the help of a bar and a shake! Whew!

I am also supposed to limit my sweets and desserts to twice each week. So far so good. Today I did my workout on my own. I am feeling confident now that I could give myself great workouts. I am so grateful for Ariel!

My own W.O., weight, and Session 6

2009-07-27T09:50:00.000-07:00

I did my workout on my own for the second time this past Friday. Melanie did it with me. It was good; but, a little easy.

I checked my body fat % on Friday after the workout. It was 1% lower than I guessed it might be. Still way more than I want. I weighed on Saturday morning. I lost 1 pound. UG! Slow and steady I guess. I just want to loose 50 quickly so I can do something that is depending on that weight loss. It is so hard not loosing more than that.

Today, Ariel increased my workout. A lot. I am logging my exercise for me to refer back to later. This is what we did:

Warm-up 10 min. on treadmill at 2.6 mph. (good warm-up speed for me)

3 sets of 15 reps: lat pull downs - 50 pounds (reg., wide, and reverse grip)

" ": leg press - 95 pounds (reg., close, and reg. stance again)

" ": calf press - 75 pounds (in between leg press)

" ": bench press - with weighted bar (more difficult than 5 lb. free weight)

" ": pullover ab crunch - with weighted bar (more difficult than free weight and in between bench press.
floor leg work: front/back extension, inner thigh, and clam
planks in between floor leg work
front/side lateral raise - 5 lb. free 2s 15r(s=sets, r=reps)
my "favorite" ab workout after lateral raise
stability ball squats - 2s 15 r
lunges - (step forward, dip down, stand, and bring foot back; hold 5lb. 2s 10r)
ankle grab abs - crunch, then slide side to side reaching for your ankles (between lunge sets)
bicep curls - resistance band 2s 15r (reg. and hammer)
bosu ball crunch sets (center, right and left oblique; in between biceps)
tricep dips (on bench - 2s 10r)
stability ball crunch sets (same as on bosu ball; in between triceps)

Tough stuff, but I feel great!

Session 5 and Session 1

2009-07-22T10:08:00.000-07:00

I did the warm up on my own before the workout today. That gave us 10 minutes of extra workout time! Yipee! No really it was good. Today we did some variety on what we have done in the past. During the leg press, I did two regular sets and one set with my feet close together making sure to keep my knees in line with my toes. During planks, I had to hold a gator ball in between my ankles and squeeze. I also did a new ab workout where I had a five pound weight and held it with straight arms toward my knees as I crunched toward my toes. My legs were up on a ball. I did my "favorite" ab workout. I also did an oblique workout. Lay on the floor with knees up and feet close together. Crunch with arms parallel to the ground. Then squeeze the oblique to reach toward each ankle without dropping the crunch. I also was "able" to do some lunges since we had more time!

I am recovering much faster.

Cameron had his first session today. He said that he worked hard. The trainer stretched with him to make sure he did. From what he as told me, he did pull ups, push ups (elbows close to the body: go down slow, up fast, and do a side plank in between), lunges with one leg up on a bench, bent lats, moutain climbers, and crunches on a ball. That is about all I could get out of him.

SLC Temple Trip

2009-07-21T11:30:00.000-07:00

While in Utah for Cameron's work, we went to temple square with my Dad, sister, and brother-in-law. We toured the Visitor's center, listened to an organ concert (really cool), and walked the grounds. Here are some pictures taken with a camera phone. The quality is poor when it is enlarged due to that, but they are fun to have! Thanks for sending them my way Crystal!

Session 4

2009-07-20T11:27:00.000-07:00

More of the same. Today I had to do side planks as well as the regular ones. I also did biceps and triceps while sitting on the stability ball. For some strange reason that makes it a little more difficult. I also did a close grip on the lat pull down (which I have not done before). I am recovering faster now. The first session or two it took a few hours and today it was only about an hour for me to feel great afterward. Fun!

Weight Change

2009-07-18T08:53:00.000-07:00

I have worked my butt off and have nothing to show for it. That's right: nothing, nil, nix, nada, zip, zilch, and a big fat goose egg! Exactly 0.0 pounds of change. I know; I know, at least I did not gain weight and I am building muscle and all that jazz. My brain knows all of that. Somehow, it still does not make it better. It is very frustrating! I just have to try to make myself believe that next week I will see the results on the scale. This getting healthy thing is HARD!

Session 3 - No pics again. Sorry

2009-07-15T12:18:00.001-07:00

10 minute warm-up on the treadmill
3 sets of leg press (95 pounds, 15 reps) using a different machine. I like it better. Instead of pushing the chair I am sitting in up, I am pushing the platform on my feet down.
2 sets of calf press (75 pounds, 15 reps)
3 sets of lat pull (one with regular grip, one with reverse grip, and one with wide grip)
2 sets of free weight bench press doing overhead pullover and crunch sets in between
floor leg work (on hands and knees lift straight leg to the ceiling; then do the "doggy" leg up on the side; then what Ariel calls the clam: both legs bent together and raise top knee to ceiling while keeping feet touching)
2 planks on elbows.
2 sets of squats against a wall with a stability ball doing stability ball crunches in between.
2 sets of biceps with a resistance band.
2 sets of triceps dips (less reps because they are really hard).
Bosu ball crunches in between arm work.
Stretching

Feeling great three hours later.

Cameron met with a trainer today. He is going to help Cameron learn some ways to build muscle so he can do it on his own. He will be meeting once a week for five weeks.

Session 2

2009-07-13T13:21:00.000-07:00

Warning: no pics, sorry.

I was exhausted after today's workout! Then three hours later I felt incredible!
What did I do today?

10 minute warm-up on the treadmill
3 sets of leg press (95 pounds, 15 reps)
2 sets of calf press (75 pounds, 15 reps)
3 sets of lat pull (one with regular grip, one with reverse grip, and one with wide grip)
2 sets of free weight bench press doing overhead pullover and crunch sets in between
floor leg work (lay on my side and keep everything but my leg STILL while tracing circles both ways with my leg, then roll forward and lift the bottom leg to work the inner thigh, then both legs together and bent raise top knee to ceiling while keeping feet touching; this is a tough one)
2 planks on elbows. Ariel is amazing! Last time I was on my hands and had to go to my knees for the second plank because my back started to hurt at the end of the first one. This time I did both on my toes! The second plank was when I really gained a lot of trust in her. I was shaking like a leaf in a hurricane on both of them, but after a while on the second one I felt my muscles change from core to back and legs and half a second later she told me to rest. She asked how I felt and I told her what happened at the last split second. She smiled and said, "Yeah, I saw the shift in your muscles so that is all you needed to do." I was so happy! She is really watching and looking out for me.
2 sets of squats against a wall with a stability ball doing stability ball crunches in between. My legs felt like jello.
2 sets of biceps and triceps with a resistance band. My biceps felt like they were literally burning.
A new ab workout. For the abs, I sat with my knees at my chest and leaned back only as far as possible without having my toes come up. Holding a gator ball over my knees, then take the ball out to one side with the right arm, bring it back and give the left arm a turn. All without turning my abs. This was the most difficult exercise for abs I have ever done!

She said we worked out really hard and that I did a great job. She is so happy that I have been coming in for cardio every day and let me know that it is ok that I did not eat well yesterday. We talked about my weight loss and what to expect in the future. We talked about my fear of not being able to break a certain weight which has plagued me every time I have tried to lose weight in the past. Everytime I felt like I could not do even one more rep, she would say, "Ok, last one now." or "I know this is really tough and you are working hard, just two more." I had to push through for her and for me.

I was SO tired. I came home and stretched. I ate lunch. Now I feel amazing! (4 hours after working out)

Optimism is Good

2009-07-13T07:03:00.000-07:00

Wow! Thank you for all of your support and guesses. I am not, however, on the Biggest Loser. I am very HAPPY to report that I lost three pounds! That puts my total for four weeks to 5 lbs.! I am happy with those numbers and know that I am going in the right direction.

As requested, here is some information for you.

What to eat before a workout: something light, but nutritious. Include a good carbohydrate and protein (fruit and a piece of bread with Peanut Butter).

What to eat after a workout: protein, and complex carbohydrate (whole grain starches and a good source of protein). Vegetables are always good and "free" to eat.

What counts as cardio: any activity that makes you breath out 20-30 times per minute. So count your exhales for 30 seconds and double that number. I am trying to do 45-60 minutes of cardio every day. It does not have to be all in one session if you are unable to sustain it. You can break it into smaller segments.

Hope this gave you some information. Good luck and wish me some! I meet with Ariel again today.

How Much Weight...

2009-07-11T21:00:00.001-07:00

Did I lose this week?

Session 1

2009-07-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

5 minute warm up on the treadmill
Two sets each - leg press, calf press, lat pull, free weight bench press, triceps, biceps, floor leg work, squats with a stability ball

Lots of crunches: some on the workout bench, some on a Bosu Ball, and some on a stability ball.

Two planks
Stretching

Ariel is great! I would not be able to handle an aggressive, in your face trainer. Nor could I handle an overly spirited and enthusiastic trainer without wanting to slap them. Ariel is so calm and quietly supported/corrected everything I did. She really watched my form and muscles to adjust the workout as needed. We talked about what to eat before and after a workout. We talked about what types of workouts count for cardio. I am excited to work with her and know that it will give me a ton of knowledge and the ability to keep doing this on my own.

Photoshop Magic

2009-07-08T10:27:00.000-07:00

I decided to mess around in Photoshop and see how far I could take an image.

On the left you see the finished product. On the right is the image before manipulation.
It just goes to show you that you cannot trust what you see in magazines. What took me too many hours to admit to, only takes an expert a fraction of that time. What do you think?

Funny Video

2009-07-07T17:58:00.001-07:00

I am not the girl that could do something like this at my own wedding. I have also seen some that I think are just downright stupid. But this. If you have seen "The Evolution of Dance" man, here is a new twist. It is about 7 minutes and enjoy!

Here is another one; only this is the Bride/Father Dance.

My Personal Trainer - Ariel

2009-07-06T09:40:00.000-07:00

Today I met with Ariel. She does not look like this, but that was what I thought of when I found out her name.We met for 30 minutes so she could learn about me, do a quick evaluation, and start making a plan. We talked about food intake, water intake, injuries, likes/dislikes, health issues, and other background information. She wanted to know what weight I would like to be and I said that I had no idea what was appropriate. She asked what was the last weight I felt good at. I told her that the lowest weight I remember was when I was sixteen and still wasn't feeling great about myself. She asked how much weight I would like to lose and I said, "100 pounds; I think." She said that would be a healthy weight for me.

She asked me if there is anything I enjoy doing. I said, "I don't even know." She asked if there is anything I don't enjoy. I said, "working out". She laughed and said ok.

She had me do as many push-ups as I could. It was ok to do them on my knees due to my back injury and I did 10.

She had me do as many crunches as possible in 60 seconds. She wanted me to go up high enough to get my shoulders off the ground, but I couldn't do that. So, she said just to go up as far as I could. I did 45, but don't know if they all counted. Then she watched me from three different angles do squats.

She wants me to do 30-45 minutes of cardio tomorrow. We meet for our first session on Wednesday at 8:30 for one hour. She wants me to do cardio daily. She also has her degree in nutrition, so we talked about that and she said that if I wanted we could spend one session doing a nutrition evaluation and class.

California Family Fitness

2009-07-01T09:38:00.000-07:00

In trying to get healthy I have often thought, "I wish I had a pool; I wish I had a treadmill; I wish I had an elliptical trainer; etc." I despise the heat of summer so walking/running is out of the question. Yesterday, Cameron went to and signed us both up! Even better; I got 10 sessions with a personal trainer! Yikes! It is exactly what I wanted and need, but I am NERVOUS!

We're Back

2009-06-29T07:45:00.000-07:00

Bet you did not even know we were gone. Cameron had to work in Salt Lake City last week. So I tagged along (since they were paying for the hotel anyway). While we were there we surprised my Dad on Father's Day. He couldn't have been happier! It was great. We also saw the Draper, Jordan River, and Oquirrh Temples. The Moroni on the Oquirrh temple had been struck by lightning recently. Crystal and I got to hang out on Thursday. Then, that evening we went to Temple Square with my Dad, Crystal, and Richard (her husband). She has the photos from that so I am waiting for her to email them to me. She and Richard came home with us on Friday to surprise my Mom and to take our Kia back with them. Overall, it was a good week.

SYTYCD Top 18

2009-06-18T15:53:00.000-07:00

I know....I am totally into So You Think You Can Dance. Two of my favorite dances from last night were posted below but the user on youtube removed them. I really don't have a favorite dancer yet; but I have some opinions forming.

I can't stand Mary though. She is so annoying!

Computer

2009-06-18T12:48:00.000-07:00

About a month ago our trusty laptop computer went down. We shipped it to a place to have it fixed. When it got back it worked for 31 days, the warranty...30 days! YUP! So, we head to Cosco and Best Buy. We really can't afford a purchase that large, but we need a laptop for Cameron's work. Long story short - we got a new laptop. I am missing all of the software we had on the old one (because we have not loaded it yet). We also got the three year "anything happens" warranty. So it is highly possible that the laptop will have an accident on the 2 years 364th day!

Pet Diary

2009-06-14T15:48:00.000-07:00

You are all so wonderful! Thank you for your comments. I am so glad to be on summer break! Today I will give you the "Pet Diary". Somebody sent this to Cameron and I asked him to forward it to me. I think it is classic. I LOVE my dogs; my favorite thing!

Excerpts from a Dog's Diary......

8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 pm - Milk Bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

Excerpts from a Cat's Daily Diary...

Day 983 of my captivity...

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets.

Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.

The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a 'good little hunter' I am. meanies.

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of 'allergies.' I must learn what this means and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.

The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicating with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now ...

Pause

2009-06-07T19:50:00.000-07:00

I'll be back next week. School will be out! YeeeHaawwww! Wahoo! Yippee! Sa-weeeet!

In the meantime...ponder these three words:

computer
car
pet diary

Severe Weather

2009-06-05T08:14:00.000-07:00

On June 4, we had some CRAZY weather. A thunderstorm like no other moved in for a few hours. The lightning was literally non-stop with multiple strikes occurring simultaneously! At about 1 a.m. a huge strike hit that shook the windows. The dogs were not happy. If I had thought about something other than the fact that I wasn't sleeping and had a 17 hour day of work ahead of me, I might have video taped this myself. Luckily, other people were not as worried about lack of sleep so I found this. It really does not do justice to the storm, but was the best video I could find.

Tribute to my Dad

2009-05-31T11:40:00.000-07:00

I made the new blog background since June is the month of Father's Day. My dad loves to fish; so this is for him. Love you Dad!

End of Year

2009-05-30T09:30:00.000-07:00

Only 10 days left! YEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I not excited....

Cameron bought a gift for me for completing my first year of teaching. He had it hand made and came up with the idea on his own. It is super cute. I love the saying, "Teachers never lose their class." In the image I am still classy while I have clearly lost my class! Love it!

The artist is Jackie Aaron. For more examples of her work click here.

Mom's New Car

2009-05-26T17:05:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, May 17, we were headed down to Santa Rosa for my cousin's talk. He recently returned from his mission. We got about an hour into the drive when the car suddenly revved. Luckily Cameron was driving because my mom would not have known what to do and I would have freaked out. I have been driving a car that threw a rod, and another one where the transmission went out. Neither experience do I want to repeat. Anyway, we got off the freeway safely and coasted just off the off ramp. We called for Sean to get the truck to come rescue us. We called Danee (Cameron's sister) to call and find a car trailer from U-Haul. Only one place was open and thankfully they had a trailer. So, we sat and waited. Waited. Waited. All the while, the temperature was rising. There was no shade. About three hours later a highway patrolman drove by and offered to drive us to a restaurant to get something to cool us off. He ended up staying with us because help (Sean) was close. He pushed to car onto the trailer and watched us head off. It was HOT. 106 Degrees hot! Ug. Long story shortened: mom's car lost its transmission and isn't worth fixing.

Saturday, May 23rd, we went to get mom a car. We went to a car lot where a friend is a sales manager. He hooked us up! Mom walked away with a 2009 Honda Civic LX. She loves the color and how smooth it runs. She also has keyless entry, power everything, an iPod jack, and Lo-Jack. She has never had a brand new car before. She asked the sales guy, "What do I do about a license plate?" I laughed and he looked at here, with a confused look, and replied, "Nothing. The DMV will send them to you." He then explained that the registration was stuck to her windshield. She was so excited. Here she is holding up one finger to signify her first new car. So fun!

I Read Another Book

2009-05-24T21:06:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading a wonderful book:

Written for teens, I am sure, but sometimes it is just nice to read something easy and fun. It took me a few weeks to read because I only have a few minutes every few days now that I commute to work (2 hrs 15 min one way). But, I only have 14 days of driving left and hopefully the vehicle will last that long. 1,000 miles a week really takes its toll! The car is dying. UG.

Please leave a comment or at least just a smiley. I am feeling like this blog is just wasting my time so I have not posted since Mother's day. I posted some fun videos, but only one comment. I wonder if anybody is out there who would miss this blog. Probably not. My "old school" journal may be reuniting with me soon....

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T09:38:00.000-07:00

I love you, Mom!

We made an edible bouquet for our mom. She loved it!

Here are some other funny ones for the mom's out there. Or anybody who has ever spent more than a day with children.

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T20:09:00.000-07:00

What a great message this is! Happy Easter everybody!

Un-Pinked

2009-04-06T07:56:00.000-07:00

Officially my RIF notice was rescinded. What that means is I have a position next year (the same one I have now). The reason we are smiling is because we can breathe now knowing that if I cannot find something close to home, I still have a paying position. Wish me luck in the job search so I don't have to travel as much next year.

Temples

2009-03-29T20:29:00.000-07:00

Her dress came!

2009-03-28T08:39:00.000-07:00

Melanie and I went looking at rings for her wedding last weekend. We went to Lincoln Jewelers and they are wonderful. Her dress came on Wednesday! It is perfect for her. I can't wait to take pictures of her! We are so excited!

Help Wanted

2009-03-14T08:59:00.000-07:00

Please take a second to cast your vote for the saying that will go in our laundry room. Picture will be up when it is finished.

Here Comes The Bride

2009-03-10T19:34:00.000-07:00

My sister, Melanie, is getting MARRIED! We are so excited for her.
Congratulations Melanie and Matt!

RIF, Pink Slip, Layoff

2009-03-08T12:16:00.001-07:00

It is official, but I wanted it to actually be pink. It is called a pink slip for goodness sake!

I was actually waiting for this to happen. Being a first year teacher, it is always expected. Schools always layoff and then most of the time rehire. My district is closing a school though, so they went 5 years up the seniority list in the first round of RIF notices. What is a RIF notice? Yeah, I had to look it up.
Click on the picture below to view the entire comic strip.

RIF: Reduction In Force
In other words, our Jedi strength will be decreased next year!
The district is hoping to save all but 10 to 15 positions. Of course, that is taken with a grain of salt until I have it in writing. Job search, here I come! Maybe this year I can get a job closer to home! Yipee!!!! I can't wait!

Family Time

2009-03-05T19:39:00.000-08:00

I love this. Super Cute.

Heavenly Father and Two, Too Cute

2009-03-01T12:31:00.000-08:00

I have been meaning to write about this experience for a while; but have not gotten to it. A few weeks ago I had a book due at our library. I had not even finished reading it, but had misplaced it a few days after I checked it out. For two weeks we looked. We looked EVERYWHERE! We asked others to look in their cars, rooms, etc. (even though there was no reason for it to be there). We gave up looking for it but I was sad that we would be "purchasing" this book for the library and I had not even read it! About a week after giving up, and the night before it was due, my husband and I were coming home from a date and having a wonderful conversation. As we pulled into the driveway I thought, "I should look under the seat." I had no reason to think such a thing. I had not thought of the book for over a week and we were not talking about it, about reading, about libraries, about schools, or anything that would have lead to that thought. My next thought was, "Why? That is a weird thought.....maybe Heavenly Father is trying to tell me something." So, I got out of the car, looked under the seat, and saw nothing. Hmmm. Weird. But I was determined to figure out why I thought to look there. I unlocked the back door, opened it, looked under the seat from the back and saw something glimmer once. I reached under (without being able to see what my hand was touching because my arm was in the way) and grabbed what I thought caused the glimmer. As I pulled my arm back out from under the seat I slowly realized that it was a book and it was the library book! I was so touched that my Heavenly Father was thinking of me even when I had dismissed the book all together. He was blessing me even when I had not asked for help! Cameron and I had both checked under the seats more than once and we both thought it was amazing. I guess the book had shifted to a place where I would see the glimmer and God wanted me to know. I am so grateful that I followed the thought even when I thought it was strange. I am thankful for a loving Father in Heaven who is always blessing my life and guiding me.

Now for the Two, too cute part of the post. My family was working in our backyard yesterday. We had the side gate open to have quicker access to the front. Normally the dogs are outside when we are, but with the gate open they had to stay in. At one point, I happened to look toward the yard and saw my two pups longing to be a part of the "pack". I just could not pass up the photo opportunity. I did have to wait for quite a while to get a shot since they are both very conscience about everything I do. Every time I moved, they had to make sure I was ok and not going somewhere. It payed off and I love these shots. I love my "babies" and that my family was able to help out in the yard.

CREATE!

2009-02-26T17:45:00.000-08:00

I LOVE this! It is wonderful!

Have courage to CREATE something!

Disneyland Part 2

2009-02-22T12:01:00.001-08:00

We got the chance to ride the Finding Nemo Submarine. Cameron had never in his life been on the submarines! When the ride was over, I told him that this ride was MUCH cooler than the old ride. The special effects are amazing! We both loved it! We went straight to the ride one morning, so we did not even have to wait that long.

In DCA, the pier looks very different because they are building and planning a new water spectacular show! We can't wait for that to be ready!

While waiting for Space Mountain we found this hidden Mickey. Whenever we find hidden Mickeys we always get a picture.

EXTRA! EXTRA!!

2009-02-21T08:39:00.000-08:00

I am so glad I finally found out about this that I had to share it with the world.

The CORRECT way to weigh yourself!

No wonder I have been so disappointed all these years!

Disneyland Part 1

2009-02-17T09:15:00.001-08:00

For Valentine's Day weekend, and to celebrate our 8th anniversary, we went to Disneyland! We had a great time and would like to share some of it with you. Let me preface this by saying that we tried out our new camera during this trip....more on that after these posts are done.

Here we are waiting to go into Innoventions and see the new Dream House.

In the afternoon, we checked into our hotel. We stayed at the Embassy Suites. It was so nice. The next morning, we had our complimentary made-to-order breakfast in the gorgeous atrium. These pictures just don't do justice to the beauty.

Good Ol' Teacher Humor

2009-02-07T07:20:00.000-08:00

We who have taught, or love children who have been taught, know this is funny!

From the diary of a Pre-School Teacher...

My five-year old students are learning to read.

Yesterday one of them pointed at a picture in a zoo book

and said,

"Look at this! It's a frickin' elephant!"

I took a deep breath, then asked..."What did you call it?"

"It's a frickin' elephant! It says so on the picture!"

And so it does...

" African Elephant "

NOW THAT'S FUNNY, I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE, THAT'S FUNNY! ! ! !

Seeking New Name

2009-02-01T11:06:00.000-08:00

To all my loyal readers (all three of you), and anybody else who stops by, this blog is in serious need of a new name. I throw this out to you. Please let me know of your ideas for a new blog name, bonus points if it includes something with angel. I can't wait to see all of your wonderful ideas.

P.S. I gained a pound this week. Oh well, I am not giving up!

ZERO

2009-01-25T11:56:00.000-08:00

I am so disappointed; when I weighed this morning I was exactly (to the tenth) the same weight as I was last Sunday! WHY? I ate well and exercised. UG! Just keep trying, right?

Speaking of exercise, I LOVE my Wii Fit! I played for an hour yesterday and got in some good cardio! Too bad I don't have that with me up at the apartment. Anyway, good luck to all of you who are trying to regain your health. Keep it up; we can do this together. The important thing is the changes we are making to live longer and with higher quality; in the end it will pay off!

I pledged to loose 25 pounds for the pound for pound Challenge. Please sign up and use your efforts to help others as well. Just click on the logo to the left.

Stairs, Stairs, and more Stairs

2009-01-22T18:30:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, Cameron and I climbed up and down our apartment stairway for a total of 10 minutes. No, these are not our stairs, but I thought a picture would be nice to look at!

Would it be great if these were the stairs we climbed!?

Or how about these?

The slide would have made coming down so much more fun! And the double staircase would have helped me not get dizzy as I turned around for the 100th time to climb the stairs again.

Enough about my stairway dreams! HEHE! I am so SORE! I am excited that I could do 10 minutes because it was not as hard as I had imagined. Did I mention that I am sore? I just want to slide down our stairs on my bum like I used to as a kid, instead of walking down them because...OWWWWWW! Feel the burn! It's good, right?

On the weight loss venue, wasn't The Biggest Loser episode 2 so sad?!? I can't believe Joelle is still there! UG! I can't stand her!

ONE

2009-01-18T17:14:00.000-08:00

This past week I lost one (as in solo, uno, lonely, etc) pound! ONE! Ug!

It just goes to show you that the second week is never as good as the first! What caused this? No money to buy healthy foods like fruits and veggies! My husband had not gotten his second check of the month yet. Now, we are fine, but that was hard to try to eat healthy without the proper food.

At least it is a pound in the right direction, right? Here's to a new week!

Update and Recipe

2009-01-11T16:37:00.001-08:00

I had my first weekly weigh in today. On Friday, I noticed that my clothes were just a little more comfortable than normal. Well, this morning I found out why. We have been eating well, maintaining our blood sugar levels naturally and in 10 days I lost 8 and 1/2 pounds! What?!? I am so excited! I just want to shout it to all I know that eating well does not mean you have to choke down tiny portions of food you don't like! I have learned so much and feel like we are going to be successful. My reasons for doing this were to increase my energy (done), stop shaking between meals (done), not get Type 2 Diabetes (which runs in my family), and help my body maintain appropriate levels of sugars and hormones. I was not, in any way, thinking this would help me lose weight! I feel like I actually eat more than I was before; but I guess it is the quality of what we are eating. I am not complaining.

Last night we had an amazing meal! Here is the recipe.
********** Chicken Pesto Pizza **********
1 TBSP cornmeal
1 tube (10 ounces) refrigerated pizza dough **or make your own**
1/3 C. low fat prepared pesto **or make your own**
1/4 pound cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small strips
1 roasted red pepper, cut into small strips
1/2 C. rinsed and drained water-packed canned artichoke hearts, patted dry and quartered
1/2 C. (2 oz.) crumbled low fat goat cheese or shredded low fat Jarlsberg cheese

Preheat oven to 450F. Coat a large round pizza pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle with cornmeal.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll into a 12" circle and place on the prepared pan. Spread with the pesto, leaving a 1/4" border. Arrange the chicken, peppers, and artichokes over the top. Dot with the goat cheese or sprinkle with the Jarlsberg. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

Makes 8 servings
SO YUMMY!!!!!!!