Did you see that????

It was 2009 & it passed at the speed of light! hahaha Really, where'd it go?

So, I'm just under 2 months from my wedding & stressing a bit. I know it'll fall into place (so they keep telling me) but I have ALOT to do. Most of it revolves around packing up my house & moving it to Kevin's. I have managed to sell all the furniture that needs to go. I'll donate the dining room table & toss the bed when the time comes.

I plan to move the cat over to Kevin's about 2 weeks prior to the wedding so he can adapt before we run off to Vegas! Some of you may wonder why we aren't living together already. I mean we aren't teenagers, right?!? I had a very odd conversation with my Mom about a month or so before she died. She pretty much gave me a laundry list of things to remember & one of them was to "not live with someone again before you get married." So that's why. We stay together most of the week but not full time.

I got my truck back all fixed but still need to take care of the door. It might have had an accident with the garage wall. Hmmmm. Yea. lol

We had a nice Christmas with Kevin's family. Ate lots of good eats for several days & are currently in detox before we start over again! NYE we have a VU men's b-ball game & are just grabbing a quick bite to eat before that. Then for my BIRTHDAY (New Year's Day) we are going to a brazilian steakhouse then hitting the boat (Blue Chip casino) for some gambling & fun! I'll be the big 3-8 & am feeling great about that! I'm considering stopping at 40 though! hahaha

On Saturday, we have another VU game & my family's Christmas too! The onslaught of food just won't stop until Monday & I say so be it! I'm still training, doing my cardio & eating well on the "off" party days. It's all that can be expected during the holidays! This is life right?

Who's ready for THE BIGGEST LOSER??? Don't forget they start again on Tuesday!!!!! I'll resume date night with my best friend then as well!

I think that's it for now. I *hope* to be better about blogging in the new year. I know things are becoming busy with the wedding, moving, etc so alot of it may turn into me bitching about something, venting or whatever but that's what this is for right? lol

While I'm at it...what are your GOALS for the new year? Not resolutions...we girl's set goals!!!! I think mine are self-explanatory! haha

Happy New Year to you all!!!!! Catch you in 2010! It's going to be a GREAT year ;)

When it rains, it pours!

I thought I better get in here before the hecklers start leaving random comments on my Facebook page! haha

The weekend was good! We got our grown up furniture delivered for our bedroom. It looks amazing! We still have the old bedding on there because I want to save our new bedding until we are married. Some think that's odd but it's what I want :) Some of our shower gifts have made their way to through the house like the downstairs bathroom decorations, some kitchen items (like our new dishes, mixing bowls, scrapers, glassware, etc) but things like the waffle iron & a few others will wait. We have to save some things for marriage right? ;)

A couple updates...

1) First & foremost, my cousin's little girl remains hospitalized in Atlanta. They are testing her for something called PTLD & they say that is the most serious condition that occurs post transplant. If that is what they find, then she'll likely be diagnosed with lymphoma. Our prayer is that it's just an infection. Did I mention that she's going to be 4 in January? She had a heart transplant when she was just a couple months old. Please continue praying for her!!!

2) I am still without my vehicle. The poor Blazer was in sad condition with no heat. Apparently, the heater core was just clogged & that was a "cheap" fix, however, it was discovered that the poor girl also had a leaky intake valve. Thankfully they found that before it blew (resulting in a cracked engine block) BUT that is a pricey fix. And it HAS to be fixed. So the grand total for repairs is $778!!! My Dad has been VERY generous giving me my Christmas present early & more than he'd given me otherwise. Just really bad timing for the repairs with Christmas coming & me needing to do stuff for the wedding!

In other news, I'm starting to feel a bit stressed about the wedding. I have alot to do just related to the wedding but also related to getting my house cleaned up. I think we have someone that will stay there so it's not sitting lonely but that's not a done deal yet. But regardless, I have to get stuff cleaned up & out of there! I listed a dining room set on Craigslist, sold the mini-fridge & probably the compact chest freezer. I also have a fair amount of Mary Kay stock that I want to get rid of! If anyone is interested, leave me a comment & I'll get with you! I'm just selling stuff at wholesale (my cost) along with shipping!

I guess that's all for now! Nothing much else going on other than getting ready for Christmas! Kevin's sister comes in next weekend & the madness will begin! Woot! Our last "non-married" Christmas.

Hope your week is off to a great start!!!

I heart....Netflix?!?

Oh yea, my recent addiction has become to Netflix. I signed us up after the local Blockbuster closed up shop. That left ONE video place on each side of town & as expected they are swamped! So that was our best option. Well, with that purchase, I've become addicted to Dexter, watched a few movies online & we've been getting our weekly movie via them too! It's so fun to be able to just watch it online. I started Bigger, Faster, Stronger yesterday afternoon & will finish it up today!

Last night we had a date night planned with some good friends but things happened & we only ended up having dinner, came home & vegged out. I think we were both out by 9pm! hahaha Party people! As a result though, I woke up around 430am, tried to fall back asleep, failed & got out of bed at 5am so Kevin could sleep. At the moment, I'm waiting for Indiana Furniture to deliver our bedroom suite.

On tap for the day is a VU men's b-ball game at 2pm then we are "pre-gaming" with friends before heading to a holiday/birthday party with Kevin's co-workers. Should be fun.

Today is my best friend's birthday & I truly thank God for every day she has been in my life. She saved me from some dark days after my Mom died. I know that. She's the one that I watch Biggest Loser with every week!

On another note, I am asking for prayers for my cousin's little girl, Hannah. She was born with a heart defect & as a result had a heart transplant when she was just a few months old. My cousin & his wife were informed yesterday that she has a spot on her lung. They are uncertain if it's an infection or cancer so they've taken her to the hospital where they did her transplant for further testing. My Mom was very fond of little Hannah & talked of her ALOT! When Mom died, all memorial contributions were given to Glenn & Krissy to help pay for Hannah's medical expenses. Mom wouldn't have had it any other way. So today, I'm heartbroken & asking for prayer for her little body. She is unable to battle colds or anything else like the rest of us so only God's strength can carry her through this. I suspect he has big plans for Hannah!

Finally, I wanted to share a picture that a high school friend posted on FB (some of you may have seen it already.) It's of my freshman pom squad....our parents actually. It was a holiday party for the squads (poms & cheerleaders) & our parents thought it would be funny to not only wear our uniforms but do one of our routines! So so fun & a memory we all cherish! My Mom is in the gold turtleneck & my lifelong friend's Dad is in the white wig. Both have now passed (within a year of each other) so we just cherish this memory of our parents being their usual goofy selves!

Enjoy your weekend friends & don't forget to count your blessings!!!

Random-ness!

Okay, I have some random thoughts swirling through my head so here they are in no particular order.

1) My truck has no heat. Great when it's 2 degrees with -19 windchill on the way to work. It's a safe bet that I've been in my long wool coat, scarf & hoodie all day long. My Dad & the other guy in the office spent half the day trying to fix it but with little success. They got it to warm only a bit but not enough to survive the winter. Cost to repair? About $1200. Not in the budget.

2) Why do food bloggers only seem to eat "clean" foods? I never seen anyone eat a Little Debbie. Am I the only one that has the Christmas ones in the freezer? lol I know it's a long list of ingredients, trans fat, sugar up the rear..but they are GOOD!!!
3) I don't like winter yet I continue to live in the Midwest. I even moved to Vegas but came back!

4) Did you know that people from the Chicago-land region have an apparent accent? We do but we do NOT sound like the Bears SuperFans from SNL. Close but not that bad.

5) The A&E show, Hoarders, makes me sick to my stomach & sad at the same time. I'm a tidy person with a little clutter but that show makes me look like a neat freak!

6) Our bedroom furniture is being delivered on Saturday! It's the first time that Kevin & I will have owned a full set (we both had pieces only.)

7) My Dad brought lunch today! He made a batch of cabbage, noodles & sausage (using Bob Evans breakfast sausage.) Soooooooo good!

8) I think that's all.......

Happy Almost Friday!!!!

Biggest Loser of All Time!

Wow, pretty big title?!? Well, Danny was a pretty big man. Here's the full recap scoop from People Magazine. You really just want to know my thoughts though don't you? ;)

Where to start??? How about the "at-home" players? Well, I have to say that did a good job of dragging out the show for 2 hours. I was excited to see Antoine looking fine as ever! And hurray for his engagement. Very very cool! I really thought he had the prize but then Julio stepped up. Very shocked because he was such a slacker on the ranch....whiney too. My friend & I thought he looked cuter heavy but now just looks a bit creepy! lol Moving on. I have to admit that as much as I did NOT care for Tracy this season, I felt she looked the best of the girls. She had some muscle on her & yes she had sunken face but we all know that they follow contest prep diets the week leading up to the finale. She'll fill back out. Rebecca takes the at-home prize though. Not a fan of her hair AT ALL & I felt that she was just too thin. Anyone find it odd that she barely spoke? And are her & Daniel still together? Overall, everyone did amazing & it was nice to see they continued their journey!

Next up....of course, I was pulling for Amanda. Her journey has been similar to mine but I knew she didn't stand a chance against Rudy & Danny! It was amazing to see her follow through from finale to finale though. She's such a beautiful girl & I hope she starts living life! The boys looked amazing as well & I'm so floored by Danny's results. He lost HALF of himself! I did that once myself. From my heaviest to show day #1. I dropped exactly half of myself. That was not sustainable of course but it was fun to do anyway :)

Let's not forget the most generous & amazing offer made to Shay by Subway! I really feel for her having lost her Mother. That goes without saying but I'm so proud that she's continued with what she was doing. It takes more guts to press on in my opinion & that's just what she's done.

And then Abby who met her goal of losing 100 pounds. But in reality she gained so much more back in the process. She has a sparkle in her eyes again & just seems as if the weight of the world has been lifted. I cannot fathom going through what she did but know from my own experiences that you just lose yourself...even when you don't realize it's happening.

It was a great finale & while I didn't get as excited about this season as I've done in the past, I watched every single episode. It's such an amazing reminder for me to keep going, keep living & really stay focused on why I do what I do!

Life is for living people!

What have you done today to make you feel proud?

And ps...I know I use that pic alot but it seems so fitting! Are you waiting for tomorrow? Why???????

It's heeeerrrrreeeeee!!!!

Tonight's the BIG night. The Biggest Loser finale!!! I cannot believe how fast this season went! I was not as into it as I've been most seasons but I have to admit that the progress this season has far outweighed (no pun intended) the previous seasons!

Who are you pulling for? Me? Amanda, of course. I see pieces of myself in her. Did you vote? I did..all 10 just for her! I am not a fan of Liz!

Back tomorrow with a recap of my thoughts on tonight's show! Can't wait to see how everyone has done!!!!!

ps..did you catch the "where are they now" special a couple weeks ago?

Blinded by the lights...

The picture is a tribute to the super tacky holiday decorations we saw on our way to the Butler game on Saturday. I swear this year it just looks like Christmas threw up on some house! Not even remotely matching..just a hodge podge of...well, everything!

This weekend we had a nice time in Indianapolis where we headed for a super fast trip (basically overnight) so we could catch the Valparaiso University men's b-ball team play their conference rivals...the Butler Bulldogs. It was a spankfest as expected (Butler is nationally ranked) but we led for a bit. Always exciting at Hinkle Fieldhouse! Lots of history in there!

We hit the game, grabbed some dinner downtown afterwards & headed back to the hotel for bed. We slept in the old fashioned style of Luci & Desi with separate beds. They were soooo small that we could spread out & be hanging over the side! It was funny but we slept better not being smashed in like sardines. Sunday, we hit the Fashion Mall where I intended to grab a piece of Cheesecake Factory's Peppermint cheesecake. Would you believe they are sold out already!?! I just got the email Tuesday they were available! So I nabbed a piece of the Red Velvet kind & stuck it in my freezer. A few bites here & there is all I need. Shopped Trader Joe's & headed home.

Last night we watched The Proposal & LOVED it! I'm a huge fan of Sandra Bullock & was not let down!

Back to the grind today & that started off with a training session & some intense cardio! Good times! It's snowing & cold here so yay for that. *sarcasm*

I hope you survived your weekend! I cannot believe Christmas is coming so fast which also means so is my birthday! Times flying....

Happy Monday!

I know, I know.

Yes, I'm a super slacktastic lazy blogger! Sometimes it's just that I have so much to say & don't know where to start, others I have nothing to say or don't feel like sharing & then those off chances where I'm just 100% lazy thus don't feel like typing!

So I'm feeling well enough & started training again this week. The whole cardio bunny thing was not fun but at least it was moving. I'm soooooo extremely sore this week from the workouts though & I've been walking funny for days! I think I need to start taking something to help aid recovery. Glutamine or something? Any thoughts on that? Do you guys take anything to help muscle recovery?

Thanksgiving was a great day! My Dad & his lady friend (lol) came to dinner at Kevin's parents. It was so great for them to have time to get better acquainted again. They met at the shower & we had dinner that night but this was more personal so it was awesome. Everyone had a great time & our families will mesh very well together. I'm really blessed with that & I know alot of people don't get that.

That Saturday Kevin's little niece (who's now 5 months) was baptized. It was such a beautiful ceremony & she was so good! We had dinner at a pizza place afterwards & had fun! We took family pictures & in typical fashion for Kevin's family this is the first take...

My hilarious FIL-to-be said something really funny & a tad inappropriate thus we all busted out laughing! It's just what you'd expect from this group! lol

On the wedding front, we are just under 3 months away & I'm really shocked that it's coming so fast! I'm not ready in the least bit with so much to still be done but I'm soooo ready to be Kevin's wife! I need to get shoes & have them for my first fitting next month. Coordinate the cocktail party after the wedding, figure out favors for the at home reception, invitations for the reception, etc. All of the reception stuff will have to be mostly done before we leave for the wedding too! AND we'll have a tasting for the reception in the next month or so where we'll also make decisions on the cake! YIKES! I think that's enough because I'm freaking myself out! hahaha

Anyone still watching Biggest Loser? Totally blown away that Danny dropped 59 pounds in 60 days! Still having some newbie effect going on there. It's not the most healthy way to do it but I think he's amazing for pressing on. They have to be exhausted!!! Big FINALE this week! Can't wait!

One last picture for your entertainment. It was taken at dinner the night of my shower. My aunt was being a goof so I just played along! lol More soon.....

Getting there.

Finally, I'm feeling the mojo again! I just was busy then sick then nothing to say. It's just not like me!!! But I'm starting to feel human again though not 100% just yet. My first round of antibiotics are just about in my system (2 more days) then I debated starting round 2. Why? Because I wanted to have wine on Thanksgiving! lol BUT I would RATHER hold my sweet soon-to-be niece instead. She's almost 5 months old & I do not want to give her my cooties. Soooooo, I'll put on my big girl panties, love on baby Emma & just have one glass of wine!

My progress had come to screeching halt in the last few weeks. First was my shower & weekend with family along with all that entails (really really good food!), monthly cycle (held a TON of water this month), our "buffer" wedding (which btw just means they were our buffer before marriage. It was them first, then us, then other friends.) THEN I got sick. I am not like most people who drop when they are sick. I gain or maintain. Why? Because I'm barely hungry but know that 1) medicine makes me sick & 2) my blood sugar will bottom if I don't eat. So I force down whatever I want. I nursed a frozen pizza for 3 days, had a lot of cranberry juice (thank you UTI) & lots of fruit. As of this morning, I'm only up 1.5 from where I was at my lowest before the shower. No biggie though....I've totally had fun :) Well, minus the post wedding hangover (hahahahaha.) I also had not been to the gym for a full week (yes, it killed me but I was a smart sick girl this time.) I just went back & have done LIGHT cardio the last few days.

Do you ever just get sick of even worrying about it? I had a conversation with a friend yesterday about that. She's not lost the "last 10 pounds" after she had her son. She said she started to become really obsessive about it but finally realized that she's doing everything right...she's active (walks or does the elliptical almost daily), eats very well most days & enjoys her life. Soooo many people do not have that. Why? Is being thin worth all of that? When was the last time someone asked you how much you weighed or what size your jeans were? Even when doing the figure shows, yes, we tracked weight loss for progress but that was not always the best gauge of how you were doing. What was you ask? The MIRROR!!!! It was all about how you looked. I told my best friend the other night how much I weighed & she did not believe me! It just doesn't matter. Do you look good? Feel good? Are you healthy? Start thinking about that instead of the number on the scale!! That said, I will confess that I do get on the scale every morning. It's a gauge though it does tick me off sometimes but what I no longer let it do is send me into a downward spiral!

Think about how you live your life. Are you in control or letting something else affect your whole day? (yes, like the scale.) Are you enjoying the things you love the most? Have the darn apple fritter (wait, was that a confession?!? lol) if it's what you really want. It may save you from overdoing it on something you didn't really want later.

Whew, I'm getting a little rambly but you get the point.

And one last request as you finish reading. Please say a prayer for Candace's family as they say their final farewells today. My heart goes out to them & I just pray for God's comforting hand in their lives!

Enjoy your day!

ps...I just like that picture. It has nothhing to do with the blog :) lol

Quick note

I'm adding the link for Candace's obituary here. I know she touched alot of people & some are finding my blog by searching for her name. I hope this helps folks trying to get the information.

NWI Times Obituary

Just continue to be in prayer for her family. It seems that her passing has alot of us really remembering how grateful we are for each day.

More soon!

Be grateful!

Today's blog will not be very uplifting. A friend from high school lost her life this weekend in what will be a very bittersweet situation for her family. Candace Vargo died after complications from childbirth leaving behind a beautiful little boy & her husband. I just cannot imagine. Truly.

What hits me the hardest today is the thoughts from her best friend who was more like a sister. I sobbed this morning thinking of all the situations I've been through in the last few years knowing without a doubt I would not be where I am today with my best friend by my side.

I sent her an email first thing this morning to make sure she knows how much I love her & thanked her for keeping me from a dark place when my Mom died.

I have very few close friends. I keep my distance from people. I think alot of that has to do with dealing with the death of my brother at such a young age. I've hurt people I called friends too. Mostly because I get my feelings hurt then back away. It's not fair & everyone gets hurt but it's how I react.

I don't know where I'm going with all of this other than to remind you that life is precious. Tomorrow is never a promise. God gives us each day as a gift. What would you do if you knew tomorrow wasn't coming? Each day should be lived that way. Never forget to let those around you know how much you appreciate them, pray for your friends & family daily & I even pray for those I no longer speak with. Life goes on, babies are born & lives are lost. Take advantage of the moments in your life & never take them for granted!

And while your at it....say a prayer for Candace's family & friends. They will need them!

Cooties.

Yes, I said it. I have cooties. I am now medicated & not feeling any better at all. In fact, I think I feel a little worse than yesterday! My appetite has left the building & it was fine all week!

You can see what Alex & I did most of the day yesterday! I sucked it up & went to the doctor to find that I have a bad sinus infection (that will apparently take 2 rounds of antibiotics to kill) & also a UTI. Good times!

My face hurts (yes, Kevin loved hearing that last night.....) from the sinus pressure & I'm downing cranberry juice mixed in with my water!

I had to laugh at my doctor who knows me too well when he said "don't even think about going back to the gym until after the weekend." hahaha He was impressed I'd not been since Monday morning! Honestly, going up & down my stairs takes alot of energy so no worries there! I actually told Kevin that when I do go back it'll likely just be some easy cardio for a week. I do NOT want this to get any worse!

Oh & wedding news...my invitations are sitting on my desk!!!! Eep! Will post a picture of the non-essential portion when they go out!!!

Have a FAB weekend!

I'm around.

Hey guys. I'm so sorry for being absent. Just not feeling the whole writing thing at the moment. I'm still reading blogs daily even though not always commenting. I'll get my mojo back soon ;) Things are good though & moving right along with the wedding. We went to our "buffer" wedding on Friday night so that means we are next! Eeek!!! And I just got notice that our wedding invitations have shipped! Now I just need to order some for the reception that we'll have back here. I'll leave you with a picture from a wedding we attended (the "buffer" wedding.)


More soon.

Okay I give.

Here's a few shots from our engagement sitting. If you are on my Facebook page, you can view the slideshow. If I know you well enough (aka comments often, we email back & forth, etc,) I'd be happy to add you so you can see.

Lucky in Love

Life has finally settled a bit for the meantime. It was a whirlwind weekend with lots of family & friends around for the shower. And it continued just yesterday as we finally were able to have our portrait sitting for our engagement pics (will save a sneak peek of those for another day.) If you are on my Facebook page, you'll see them.

Where to begin??? How about with the theme?


Yes, they went with a Vegas theme. Fitting don't you think? Especially since in just 4 months (from yesterday) we will be married! The cake by the way was a super yummy banana with italian buttercreme frosting! The BEST cakes in the area!!!!

I started the day off pretty well with a great workout then busted out the pinot grigio while I got ready. It's never too early you know ;) lol

We did a little quiz where Kevin had answered questions (prior to the shower) that were sent to him by my best friend. You'll be proud to know that I got almost every single question right :) And my favorite one was "was there a defining moment when you knew Heather was the one." Kevin's response "not just one thing stands out but the more I got to know her & the more time we spent together, the more I fell in love with her." Sigh. Tear. I adore that answer :) I feel the same about him!

Everyone went around & talked about how they know me..it became tearful as you would imagine. I was very overwhelmed most of the day but it was a good feeling. Steph prayed over lunch (even more tearful) feeling that she needed to remind us all that my Mom was watching over. My Aunt Pam said she was in BIG trouble! lol

We ate, laughed some more & it was time for me to cut the cake.


Hahahaha! So me! What you need to know, however, is that the cake cutter was originally used by Kevin's grandparents (who are both deceased), his parents, his sister-in-law & his sister. All successful unions! We will use it at our wedding as well. I love traditions!

From there we moved on to opening presents. I have pictures of that if you really want to see but I didn't save them to the computer. I was really humbled by the generosity! We received all of the appliances (except the coffeemaker) along with alot of the kitchen stuff I wanted. Kevin was happy to have received a wall cabinet he wanted, the decor for the downstairs bathroom & a belgium waffle maker (that was a total want..not need.) Can't wait to try that out. My fun cousins were responsible for getting me some fun nighties from Victoria's Secret. And another fun gift was a really nice spice set from Penzey's. Can't wait to tap into that stuff too! Kevin's Mom also bought us the Dyson that we registered for! Only 2 duplicates were received & have been returned. All monetary gifts were used to purchase our bedding :)

Here's some pics you need to see...

My Dad & I


My Dad, Me, Paige (Kevin's niece) & Kevin (I like to call this me with my men & Kevin with his women)


My hostesses
Julie (Kevin's sister-in-law), Me, Stephanie (my matron of honor & BFF), Kelly (Kevin's sister) & Wilma (his Mom)


These ladies did such a fantastic job with my shower. I am truly blessed & humbled by the whole day. It's hard to believe it's over & now my only focus is on the wedding! It's just 4 months from yesterday that I become Mrs. B. I cannot wait. Things are falling into place & I just am so excited!!!!

Just a few more pics that are a little random but worth sharing!

Baby Emma with her "Vegas Baby" onsie


Granny & Emma


I probably left out something but if you want to know just ask. It was an amazing day & I was very touched by how the day went!!!!

Distracted.

Morning! I keep apologizing for not blogging as much but sometimes life just puts distractions in your way! I'm just a couple days away from my bridal shower & have been CONSUMED by anxiety! First though, isn't that cake the cutest? lol I've had some fun looking a different cakes online..both good, bad & downright sad!

I'm so so excited my shower & cannot believe I'll be married in a little over 4 months! But with that comes the fact that I'm facing this very exciting time in my life without my Mom. What woman dreams of her wedding & thinks "well, Mom might not be alive." Not to sound cold but it's true. I'm so anxious about how the day will go or really how I'll do without her there that it's driving me nuts. I'm not eating like I should be (not junk..just not enough) and I have a really hard time falling asleep. I don't mean to sound negative & take away from the fact that so many people that I care about will be there for me that day. It is hard though to think of the people that cannot make it. First & foremost is my Mom but also an aunt that I'm close with just isn't able to make it (she tried soooo hard too!) along with a few others.

I fully intend to have a glass of wine while I'm getting ready and that will happen after we get in a run or a good workout that morning! It's a necessary!!!! Kevin's Mom has also having wine served! LOL!! I'm not going to be crocked but the wine will help calm my nerves. Girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do right?!?

Soooooooooooooooooo. How about Biggest Loser? I will be completely honest. I'm just not feeling this season. I cannot pinpoint why but I'm not into it like I've been in the past. The players I'm most interested in are Shay (I feel for her with having lost her Mom & being fearful of repeating that fate), Abby (who lost her entire family) & Daniel (he's fighting for his life!) Otherwise, the rest are just lukewarm to me. Tracy? Meh, I guess she keeps things humorous! lol

My own progress continues! I ended up dropping another pound for my "actual" weekly check-in (Saturday) & have now dropped 8 pounds since the start of TBL. It may not sound like much but I didn't have a great deal to lose anyway. I'm VERY happy with my results & am feeling really good. Though tired this week for obvious reasons.

How is everyone doing? Spill it :)

And I promise for a proper shower recap & pictures sometime next week!

Take care!!!

ps...

10 days until my shower!

136 days until my wedding!

Huh?

That was pretty much the look on the faces of me & my friend last night when we realized what way the Biggest Loser vote was going to swing. Suffice it to say that we were floored.

Can we talk about Crazy Tracy for a second? What is the deal with that girl???? 1) How does she keep getting control? 2) Why is she so awful & mean? 3) Does she really think the others actually like her? 4) Has she had botox (discussion in my future SIL's FB page) 4) Perhaps she has some mental illness (diagnosed by my BFF.) Okay, I'll be nice now but something is really not right with her.

I can certainly understand the team realizing it's a game & doing what's necessary to stay in it. BUT really? I'm morphing into not nice again...stopping! lol

I'm not sure how I feel about this season to be honest. I'm not "feeling" it like I have in seasons past. Not sure why but I will certainly keep watching to see what happens! Aside from the Tracy drama, it was pretty uneventful again.

How was YOUR week? Are you meeting your goals? You set goals right?

I'm still right on track. I was the same on the scale as of Saturday (my check-in day with my coaches) but as of this morning I had another pound drop. Do you ever notice a pattern on the scale for you? My shifts occur on Saturdays & Wednesdays. Weird, huh? And typically I only loose every other week as well. That's been my pattern since I started working with Cathy Savage back in 2007!

So it's been a month since The Biggest Loser started. How have you done? I really do love hearing how everyone's doing each week! It's motivating for me to hear successes!

My month? I'm down 6 pounds since the start of the show! Realistically I'd love to drop 17 before the wedding but am NOT killing myself to get there! I'm checking in weekly with my coaches & utilizing the feedback they give me! I'm spot on with training & cardio but my eats are a bit off. Why? Because I'm not super hungry!

In the past, I'd stuff myself to the gills when I was stressed but when my Mom died, that shifted somehow & now when I'm stressed I just don't eat. Andi (one of my coaches) encouraged me to eat even if it's just a few bites. I know that it's best to eat smaller meals to keep the "fires burning." BUT if I'm not hungry, I'm not forcing food down the hatch. What I've been doing is having bigger meals as a result. I don't want my system to backfire as a result of not getting enough food especially when my activity level remains high (4 days of training & 5 days of cardio.) So.......

That's my story! Feeling good, pressing on. Trying to find rambles so that I can blog more!

I will be posting a "public service announcement" for Cathy Savage Fitness once I get the information. Cathy typcially sets up a summer shape-up program but this year is doing an holiday program as well for $99! You can email me for details (or leave a comment) & I'll forward the info (also will post it) once it comes! Cathy knows her stuff & you see many of her girls in the magazines! Lori Harder, Lindsey Messina, etc. Heck she got me to the stage too!!!

Have a GREAT day everyone!

Drive by!

Yea, I'm slacking hardcore. Well, just with the blogging. Life is going well :)

How about a little summary?

*TBL was not anything extraordinary to me this week. Tracy is icky & I'm not surprised Julio is gone. I do like that they covered the "eating out" thing but was floored that they acted like they had NO idea what was healthy!!!

*My own progress continues. I was actually down another pound this past week & am VERY happy with that since it was TOM. Good times! I have a goal in mind for my shower. It's nothing over the top but I'd like to drop 1 pound a week (that includes this week.) We'll see. No biggie if I dont meet it though since I'm on track!

*It's UBER cold here now. Summer is officially over. Fall is here & it's actually going to feel like winter this weekend with temps dropping into the upper 30's overnight!

*Chicago marathon is on Sunday. It gives me an itch when it comes. I feel like I want to still be out there but then I wake up :) lol My body doesnt like it anymore. But perhaps a half will be in our future ;)

That's all.

Short & sweet. I want to blog more but lately there's not been anything pressing that I MUST say. Heck I can't even keep up with all the blogs I love to read anymore. Bums me out but honestly there's just too many sometimes! lol

Have a FAB week & dont forget to tell me how YOU are doing :) I still want to know!

What is the deal with that girl?

Hi all! Sorry I've been totally slacking lately! It's how I roll! lol Let's just cut to the chase today & answer the question "what is the deal with that girl?" I'm referring to Tracy from The Biggest Loser!!!! Seriously, she was so "wah wah" last week about being behind & I totally felt for her after being hospitalized. I'm sure that was hard. She seemed completely motivated to work hard.

Then WHAM the challenges hit this week & she's all about the instant gratification! I mean honestly who's not when it comes to getting fit. But so many of us have been here (watching TBL along the way for a reminder) & know that there is no quick fix. And if you find one, it's only temporary! All of the sudden, this girl, was all about doing what she could to win. It somehow became about that rather than taking control over her life. She gave up her trainers (yes 2!) to only have to work for 2 pounds. And THEN she caves to temptation to control the game & determine who's loss will count.

Jillian's reaction was actually pretty priceless & pretty spot on if you ask me. Tracy is basically saying "I dont need you." In reality she did drop 11 pounds this week but as most of us know. Diet is key! You can train until you turn green but if your diet isn't ON then it won't matter. So all she had to do is follow her plan even with not being permitted to do alot of exercise yet. I think she was biking & doing overhead presses with DB's.

So that's the show rant. I feel like she was playing VERY dirty for so early on in the game. Is she really there to get healthy? Time will tell but I suspect it's just a game to her. It doesn't seem that her head is in it for the right reasons. Sadly, she'll take Coach Mo down with her.

By the way, Shay making her plea in the end had me in tears. I remember not loving myself, not caring about what happened & just not liking who I'd become. The fat was a safety net. She's going to blossom & she's not going to know who she is when that happens. It's such a scary thing but an equally amazing one too! I cannot wait to see who she becomes!

On the "me" front, things are good. I started my new plan on Sunday & it's going well. The program involves NO counting. It's just 5 meals with set portions. So while I'm still measuring/weighing my food, I am not worrying about "x" grams of protein & "x" grams of carbs. There are preferred food sources but it's nothing you wouldn't find in the Eat Clean book! It's funny to feel freedom again. Heck I made Chicken Parmesan on Sunday & it all fit into my plan! So yummy (will post that recipe later.)

My weight has been stable & no change from last week but that's fine. My cycle is a bit off so if I can hold steady through it that's a win in my book. Ultimately, I'm feeling great & seeing some things changing in the mirror. That's what it's all about folks! My workouts are now full body too & wow are they kicking our butt! Feels great though it's cutting into our running (my legs are sooooo sore!)

How'd you all do this week? I'm so slacking on the blogging but will pick it up again! Thanks for all the comments. I think someone asked to about how to keep at it when the scale isn't showing your progress. IGNORE IT!!!!! Yes, the scale is a great *tool* to monitor progress but it can never give you the whole story! Do measurements, see how your clothes fit, etc. Those things will show more than the scale! So never let it bring you down. What would you tell a teenager if she was obsessing about the scale? Tell that to yourself too!

Until next time! Keep at it my friends!!!!!!

ps...where'd September go??? It's now 5 months until my wedding & just about 3 weeks until my shower! Eeeeeek!

Weightloss Wednesday?!?

Well, it's time. The weekly recap of not only The Biggest Loser but also how we've done as a "group" on meeting our goals this week! By the way, don't you just LOVE LOVE LOVE the Nike campaign? I cannot get enough of it!

Where to start? How about with the show....

I watched with my best friend as we've resumed our traditional date night. I should add that is much to the disagreement of her 3-year old who'd run around saying "No Heba" if you remember that season. Apparently, we must have complained about her alot! lol

The show was good & I was happy to see the one girl return from the hospital though am concerned that something is still wrong with her. She was indeed shaky on her feet still but thankfully smart doctors are still limiting her activities.

I was impressed with the challenge that tested teamwork rather than pure physical exertion! It was challenging yes because they had to maintain their balance on those beams, work as a group, etc but in the end they were not exhausted & spent. AND they got to call home. The one call that made Steph & I cry was the one girl that was talking about the butterflies on her call. Butterflies are something significant to both of us in losses in our families. Otherwise, there were no tearjerker moments.

Actually, in the grand scheme of shows, it was pretty uneventful. Shay complained alot about Julio who in the end pulled it off. Not sure he still gets it but we'll see.

The group weight loss goal seemed lofty too because we all know the curse of week 2 but they pushed hard this week & were able to pull of some interesting numbers. I think the pink team had realistic numbers. I think Week 3 will be the new Week 2 (hehehe.) They will certainly taper in their efforts so we'll see.

In the end of course, they easily met their 135 pound goal and would've easily met the original 150 pounds. It's nice to see no one be sent home but it's a game & I'm sure that will catch up with them along the way! What I just realized is that the show creators are doing well with creating challenges, twists & turns. I do not recall that anything to date has been repeated!

So that's that. A good show though nothing that really jumped out at me to be outstanding. Maybe something did for you though....do tell :)

As for my progress...I'm pleased that there's been a shift downward on the scale. I was talking with Kevin about it this morning & while I get excited, I'm guarded because I know it's been where it is before. I have now maintained within 5 pounds for almost 8 months. Yes, that is amazing & hard to do but I've tried to lose a little here & there though so do find myself a tad bit frustrated. Ultimately, I continue to train hard, do my cardio & eat well. A change is a-coming though. With the help of an old, dear friend, I will continue on my way to where I want to get back to. And to be perfectly honest, I don't really care what the scale says as long as I'm happy with what I see in the mirror. That's the honest truth but for now the scale is a tool in my arsenal!

And finally, I have to jump from the rooftops & say that my bridal shower invitations went out last night. The theme is a secret so we worked on them separately. Steph stuffed the envelopes then we labeled & stamped them. I dropped them at the post office on the way home! I'm soooo excited but today I need to review my registry one more time, make any changes (remove the bedskirt) & then stay away. I dont want to be registry stalking. It'll be a surprise to see what we (okay, I) get!!!!!

Make it another great week & I can't wait to hear how you all did!!!!

Have a fantastic day all!

Living the High Life!

Been slacking a bit!

The week has been a good one! I had a shift down on the scale since last Saturday though my "official" weigh day will be on Tuesday's with the Biggest Loser season! I also got a really amazing email today with a generous & exciting offer. I'll spill on that more another time but will say that it's a step in the right direction for me to be a hot bride ;)

Last night we just had a relaxing night, had some dinner, read some magazines at Barnes & Nobles then headed home to veg a bit before bed. Tonight's plans are with friends. Dinner & heading to the boat (Blue Chip Casino) to play, catch the UFC fights & meet this guy!



How fun is that? Wendell the High Life guy will be in our area! He's been in Valpo before but I was gone at Camp Savage at that time so I missed him. I think he's handing out beer too! Woot! lol

Tomorrow I'll head to church then am off to meet another online friend! I met Cindy on the Oxygen forum & she's in the South Bend area to see her brother so I'll meet her for lunch! Can't wait. I still need to upload pics from when I met my friend Stacia on vacation too!

Okay, that's it. Lame update for today but no news is good news right :)

Have a GREAT weekend, enjoy your loved ones & do something great for yourself!

ps...LOVE the comments from the last blog. I definitely want to address more about what Heather posted about the extreme challenges the contestants do! More on that soon with the help of Tom Venuto's blog!

Game on! (TBL spoilers included)

Yes, I've used that title before but for some reason this time feels different. Many of you know my story & struggles of being overweight pretty much my whole life. I got my head out of my rear, got healthy, ran marathons then decided to do a couple figure shows. So so fun! The dieting took it's toll on my body & it's taken well over a full year to get back to "normal." I've reached that place where all systems are go. I feel like my body is ready to try again. I tried last month but stayed about the same place.

What better time than the start of the new season of The Biggest Loser to make the change? Whether you have no weight to lose & just want to tighten things up or 100 pounds to drop, there's no time like the present to make that happen. Go for it. What are you afraid of? Join me along with a few friends that will post each Wednesday in the comments section with the good, bad & the ugly (hello candy corn) of how your previous week went.

I will also recap the show so be warned if you had to DVR & watch it later!

So let's talk about last night? SOBBING pretty much sums it up! I emailed my best friend (who I usually watch with) because I stayed home since I wasnt feeling well. There are a few that stand out to me.

Abby of course. Losing her husband, 5 year old daughter & infant son in a car accident in the blink of an eye. She was by God's grace not in the car & I think He just has big things in store for her. Humbling.

Next up is Shay. She weighs in at 476 pounds. She's the biggest contestant EVER to be on the show. (There's actually 4 or 5 of them in the 400's!) She talked about her story & when the doctor showed her physical age to be around 45, she cried, sharing that her Mom was just a few years old when she died. It was poor health that claimed her Mom's life. I want to hug her & tell her she does NOT have to repeat that fate. I know that story all too well.

Finally, Coach Mo. What's not to love? He's going to challenge those other contestants & be the one that works hard in the background. He'll shock them all!

I was sad to see Alexandria go home. She's a beautiful girl & got stuck with a partner (Julio) who I just dont think is ready yet. Anyway, she did great at home & has now lost 60 pounds. Not only that, she's encouraging her family to live better. So cute to see her prodding her Mom to work harder on the treadmill!

Those are the things that stood out to me most but I had tears just watching the promos! What a great, inspiring & motivational show. Will this be the season that encourages you to reach your goals?

So check your weight, take your measurements, hang up your skinny jeans, whatever it takes. Make today DAY 1 of your challenge. There are millions around the country who will be inspired this season. Will you be one of them?

What are you waiting for?

First things first! Have you visited the Lose-A-Palooza page today, tweeted or blogged about it or even "liked" a post about it on the Weight Watchers FB fan page? Any of the three will get money donated to help feed the hungry! It's super easy & a no brainer ;)

Next on the agenda is waiting. We do it all the darn time. We wait for things to happen, we wait for results, we wait for the weather to clear, we wait.... But some things won't happen if we wait. We have to take action. We have to continue trying even if results don't come at the pace WE want them to come. We have to keep our chins up & know that we are doing the best we can.

So what are you waiting for? I keep the "GAME ON" mentality most days & have stayed the course being back on Weight Watchers even though my results are not coming as fast as I'd like. My body is doing it's usual "drop, stay, gain, drop" phase & while I hate it, I know that I'm continuing to do all the right things. My body seems to have FINALLY regulated it's monthly cycle so that truly was the last piece to fall into place after all the contest prep madness.

What does that all mean? It's GAME ON. For real! I'm 6 weeks away from my bridal shower. Season 8 of The Biggest Loser starts TONIGHT! For me, that show means remembering how I felt at my biggest. I was well over 300 pounds at one point in my life. I still sit here over 100 pounds lighter. I cry with them remembering how shitty I felt, cry with them remember how amazing it felt to succeed even if it was a small success, etc. If they can get on national TV & show the world everything (and I do mean everything..weighing in in a sports bra over 300 pounds?!?) then I can do what I need to do to finally get back to my WW goal weight. It's ONLY 20 pounds. That may seem like a lot for some but it's a blip on my weight loss radar. That doesnt negate it by any means or make it a small goal. I've already seen that dropping this extra is tough & going to take dilligence & determination on my part. But I know I have the heart to make it.

And if I need to put this on my fridge to help me get there then I will! hehehe

What are you willing to do to reach your goals? What will it take? What are you afraid of & what keeps you from succeeding? All questions I will be thinking about while I walk this evening!

I intend to devote Wednesdays on the blog to not only recapping what happened on TBL but also to how my week went with progress. I already update workouts & will continue to do that. Who's with me? Join me in the Wednesday comments section & update your week too! It's through friends & support that we reach our goals! I know that I would never be where I am today without it!

BRING IT ON!!!!!

Lose-A-Palooza!!!!

Some of you may be on the Weight Watchers program but if you aren't then you need to know that tomorrow is Lose-A-Palooza & Weight Watchers will be donating money for blog posts, tweets & FB comments in the Weight Watchers fan page!

WW is trying to feed the hungry so do your part if you are so inclined!!!!! It's easy, costs you nothing but a few moments & someone's life could be forever changed!

Sidelined.

So that pretty stuff I posted the other day has totally knocked me on my rear! I feel sick & it's just because of the running nose, sore throat, stuffy head, etc. I know it's just allergies but it sucks & sucks bad! I did train this morning & did a quick clip on the elliptical but that's it.

I will not be able to run like this tomorrow. Breathing would be atrocious! I just want to go home & crash for the night. Thankfully nothing new I want to watch starts tonight (that I'm aware of.)

BUT Biggest Loser starts tommorrow & I was supposed to resume "date night" with my best friend. I may hang close to home because I prefer to feel miserable there instead! Then I can crash if I really need to! Anyone been watching More to Love? It's finale is tomorrow & I'm totally curious to see who he picks. The beautiful girl from Israel or the former skinny girl who's now fat & thinks her poo doesnt stink? Oh, did that sound partial? lol

I'll be watching both for sure! More from me another day when I'm feeling better!

Happy Monday!!!!

My arch enemy... (duh duh duhhhhhhh)

See this stuff? Seems harmless doesnt it? Kinda pretty, nice shade of green, etc. Well, for those of us with fall allergies it's the devil! It's lovely ragweed & it's been my arch enemy since I was very young! My only reprieve was when I was living in Las Vegas where this stuff doesnt exist! I moved home from the desert in 2003 & that first fall it hit me, NO MORE HAYFEVER!!!!!! They started to progressively return over the years with this one being the worst yet! I felt like my head was going to explode & had it in fact happened...I'd at least have had some relief! Ah well, such is life!

This week has seemed to pass rather slowly. Doesnt that always happen when there's a short week? Tomorrow is the annual Popcorn Festival & for the second year I'm not running the Popcorn Panic (5 miler.) Kinda bummed about that but am excited to see my bestie's little man (who's 3) run his first ever Kernel Puff (it's the kids race!!) He's so excited & keeps asking when his race is! Then we'll wander the downtown area for all the neat stuff people are selling, grab some goodies (soooo hitting up the boyscouts for some FRESH from the kettle popcorn!!!!!!) then home to clean up. I'll probably meet my Dad & his girlfriend down there around 3ish for a concert then Kevin will come when he's off work. It's always a really great time!

Nothing much else planned for the weekend. I'm heading downtown on foot tomorrow (2miles there) so the walking will be my cardio. I'll easily clock 5-6 miles by the time I get home!

Have a fantastic weekend all!

Can I get a.....

.....no doze? Ah yes, we survived the Jay-Z Concert. It was friggin amazing. He did a fantastic mix of new & old stuff. Actually he saved the encore for a nice mix of all the old faves. AND closed with Encore which most of know mixed with Linkin Park's Numb! Very cool!

Back track, we arrived in the city in just about 45 minutes which was great since we weren't sure what the Oprah Kickoff party would do to traffic. We wandered a bit & made our way to her little shindig but couldnt see much.

Starving, we opted for some Grand Lux Cafe. For those not familiar, it's owned by Cheesecake Factory & there arent many around. Such great food & I opted once again for my Asian Nachos (Crispy Fried Wontons Covered with Chicken in a Sweet-Hot Peanut Sauce. Topped with Wasabi Cream and Melted Cheese.) They are soooooooooo good but really rich too with the peanut sauce. Totally yum!

We wandered a bit more while making our way to the House of Blues where we realized we were about to wait in line for 90 minutes to get in! Picture won't load

There were some very interesting characters there but an equally interesting mix of folks too. I am a total people watcher & this made me happy! hehehe *no pics of interesting people*

Finally we got inside, grabbed a beer & were ready to....wait..... For some reason, it seems the concert was delayed but it was fun people watching more since I had a new audience to select from. Kevin ran into a couple folks he knows at AT&T (an engineer & a big dog.) Thank you to Kevin (big dog) for the tickets!

The concert finally opened with his new song "I Run This Town." No Rhianna or Kanye but it was still great! What I love about Jay-Z & some other rappers is they tour with a FULL band. Not just a DJ playing the backtracks. A full on drumset, guitar playing, piano/keyboards playing band. It was friggin amazing!

I do have just a few pics but they wont load for some reason. They arent that great since I just had my phone but they are suitable nonetheless!

I'm really dragging today since we are the king & queen of the 10pm bedtime. We didnt get home until 1am! Not to mention all the high quality smoking going on in there! Whoa, I really dont think I've had that much of a contact high since Pink Floyd back in the early 90's!

So today I'm dragging, physically exhausted but am loving that I got to see a great artist in action. Oh & I should mention that Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat was in the house too!

The only downer was that we saw on the news that there was a stabbing at the show last night but it wasnt clear if it happened while Jay-Z was on stage or not.

I better get back to work. I have a couple things to get done & my Dad's commented already about me being "slow." lol I'm thinking a pumpkin latte will pick me up at lunchtime!

I'll post up the pics another time if blogger will let me!

Blog birthday?

Hey guys! I think it's my blogger birthday! I started this blog to a couple years ago allow friends & family to follow my contest prep journey but never kept up with it. So now I do it since I've vacated my former home (lol.)

I got some pics today from Kevin's BIL from our trip. I still haven't loaded my onto my laptop because we've not sat still for more than a second at a time! It's a busy time for us lately. This weekend will be no different but I'll try to work it in!

Anyway, as I mentioned before, our trip was really great. The drive was nice & while it was 9 hours, it didnt seem bad at all! We survived our first long roadtrip so that was a good thing. My only moment of being a little snippy was when I was hungry. I mean STARVING hungry but it was fine.

We shopped with Kevin's sister both days hitting up a couple GREAT malls along with the Nebraska Furniture Mart. Wow, that place is like Best Buy, Ashley Furniture & Hobby Lobby all smashed into one! Huge superstore!

On Friday night there, we had a FANTASTIC dinner at Jack Stack BBQ. It was phenomenal! We all got a 2 meat platter & mine included smoked sausage (which was just okay) & the beef brisket (AMAZING!) My sides included BBQ beans & also a corn casserole which was basically mac & cheese except it had corn instead of noodles. So yum! For dessert, we decided to try the "world famous" carrot cake. OMG, it was like nothing I've ever eaten & we are carrot cake fanatics! It was HOT cake with the frosting oozing down the sides with pecans. We were seriously in heaven! So YUM!

Uncle Kevin with Emma who will have him wrapped around her finger in no time!


Emma & her lovely Mommy


Uncle Kevin, Emma & soon-to-be Auntie Heather


The weekend was a good one. I think I mentioned the fresh candy corn (hehehehe) yesterday & it was really tasty! You know how fresh, whole foods just have that "clean" taste? Well, so does the candy corn! Plus, they have a huge meat market there with fantastic prices on everything (beef, chicken, buffalo, etc.) so we plan to head out there to stock up sometime!

Tonight again is the Jay-Z concert (sick of hearing about it yet?) It's going to be so fun! Although Oprah has part of the Mag Mile (Michigan Avenue) closed for her taping of her season premiere so it's going to be an interesting drive into the city. What typically takes us about 40 minutes may be longer as a result of road closures. But we'll get there, grab some dinner & be ready to rock :)

Have a GREAT night!

Labor Day!

Happy Labor Day! I hope your day is off to a great start! Ours began with Kevin's alarm clock going off at 5am because he forgot to turn it off. That typically only happens at my house :) We did fall back asleep until about 830ish though. We had a FANTASTIC run this morning too! It was cool out but the sun was brutal! But we knocked out 6 miles nonetheless. The scrawny high school cross country boys were out too! Actually, ALOT of people were out running, biking & walking. We happen to live in a pretty active community!

This weekend has been fun! We trekked to Amish country in Shipshewana, Indiana where we wandered. I bought a few things including some fresh pumpkin butter for me (which was FAB on my oat bran), huckleberry jam for Dad (who will also eat it on oat bran), low sugar dried pineapple (so yum) & finally some HOMEMADE FRESH candy corn! It's so yummy & has NO artificial taste to it. I was amazed!

Today we are just relaxing, watching a movie we never go to last night (got sucked into the TLC shows on obesity) & that's about it. I'm making traditional enchiladas for dinner & have the chicken cooking in the crock pot. Maybe tapping into a bottle of Shiraz as well.

Enjoy the last day of your weekend. Ours technically ends today but tomorrow we are off to see Jay-Z after work. Sooooooooooooooooooooooooo excited!!!!

I'm sucked into a marathon of Gangland on History Channel at the moment. Not something that seems typical of me but I worked with troubled youth for many years. Many were gang bangers that were in the treatment facility as their last chance before prison. I learned so much from those kids & am still inttrigued by their lifestyles. We even had the Chicago Gang Unit come to educate our staff on the syndicates.

Okay, the vacuum is staring at me & unfortunately is not going to run itself in my house so I better get to it!

Have a FAB day!

Pity party?

Ugh, so I'll confess that yesterday I was having a pity party for one. I've been working with my doctor to get my body ready for baby making (no worries..not until after the wedding.) So she's changed my pills to get my cycle going again. Well, I have the WORST cramps, boobs hurt like a mother & I found myself overindulging on some of my beloved candy corn the other night. It happens but I started falling into the "why can't I get my head out of my ass" moments that creep up.

Well, today I realized, I'm eating well daily & a goodie on occasion is totally acceptable. Hello.....living life remember? I couldn't fully enjoy my dinner at Red Robin as a result (got the totally yumm-o veggie burger) but guess what? I stopped when I was full. GASP. You mean you DIDNT keep eating anyway? Nope. Well, hello small miracle! In thinking about all of this, I realize that I'm actually morphed into that "normal" girl that I always wanted to be. Just eating what I want, in moderation & trying to lose a few. What human woman isn't living that way? So pity party ended as abruptly as it started. We all know it's totally hormone related anyway.

I found a super funny video on Facebook today. If you are my friend, check it out otherwise go to google & search for "surprise your man pole dance." I will warn that one site called it the "fat girl" dance but it is a big girl attempting this hilarity. It IS funny though.

I came across a blog that my old nutritionist(okay, she's my age but you know what I mean) is now keeping. She's onto new adventures & saying she is full of knowledge is an understatement. I swear I can still hear her voice in my head sometimes! It's a good thing trust me! So go check out Jodi Jones & you will LEARN! It's sensible, sane & logical nutrition without the "omg, I ate 5g too much of protein." I thin it's what most of us strive for in life!

Off for a fun-filled weekend which I blabbed about yesterday but what I dont think I shared is that we are going to see JAY-Z on Tuesday night in Chicago! I'm sooooo excited! His new stuff is on the radio now & it's fab. Kevin's hoping for an appearance by Beyonce but I'm holding out for Kanye! Woot!

Have a FAB weekend all! I'll leave you with this motivation. Just in case you forgot that being strong is okay....

Having a moment...

Well, it's almost the weekend again & while I had a long weekend away last week, I'm still uber ready for this one to come too! Kevin's off all weekend so that means fun stuff!

We are headed to Amish country here in Indiana to see if we can find some bedroom furniture for married life. Neither of us has a nice bedroom set (though I'm still rocking the dresser my Dad built me for my 16th birthday!) We saw a set at a store in KC that was Amish built & hope to find something similar locally. We are also having dinner made for us by Kevin's roommate's girlfriend then heading to the casino boat for some PLAY TIME! They have a super fun 80's band at one bar & the Region's very own Nicole Jamrose (of Nashville Star fame) is playing in the other. So that's all Saturday. Then Sunday we'll head to church, an open house & then veg out.

I also need to make a trip to South Bend (or we'll stop on the way to Shipshwana) to visit my "aunt" Debi. Her Mom collapsed & is currently in a coma though somewhat responsive by squeezing fingers when asked to do so. It takes me back to my own time spent with Mom in the hospital. I hate knowing how people feel in situations but equally am glad to be there for her. I plan to put together a bag of snacks. I lived on granola bars when Mom was in the hospital. I was never hungry but knew that I had to eat something so I hope to give her some of the things that kept me going too. So if you are the praying type, please shoot one up to the Big Guy for us!

I'm having some time of reflection in the last couple days too just about my own health & it's really helped me realize what's important! More on that later perhaps. It's probably nothing I've not babbled about before but sometimes it's a good thought process to have!

Okay, just about time for me to head out for the day.

GO BEARS!!!!!

Wake up? No thanks!

I'm soooooooooooooooooo sleepy today! I have not been feeling the greatest & am still not sure if it's a virus or just allergies. But I swigged some Nyquil before bed last night anyway! I slept like a baby but almost overslept & was a slug when we started running this morning. It was a short one because I was having some potty issues (sorry but it is what it is...) so it was only a 3 miler.

Today is Kevin's birthday. Most dont know this but he's a younger catch for me ;) He's 34 today & when he has a birthday it makes our age gap seem less. It's only 3 years but when I turn 38 in January it'll "appear" worse! lol So HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my sweetie! I was going to make enchiladas but his parents are taking us out instead! Red Robin here we come! Delish & oh so naughty but totally worth it! The Whiskey River BBQ Burger is my fave in case you wondered! haha I also made him some snickers brownie bites. He didnt want a big cake so that's what I managed instead! Perfect! And then Friday, I'm taking him to Outback for dinner! It's birthday WEEK you know ;) lol

I found out today that Cheesecake Factory now has Red Velvet Cheesecake. How on earth could 2 of my faves be on the same plate at once? Holy-food-explosion-please-get-in-my-mouth!!!! I will be going soon. Actually, maybe next Tuesday when we go into the city (Chicago) for the Jay-Z concert. Thinking......

Have a great afternoon!

Finally FALL!!!!

I've seen this on many blogs today but today marks the fall season. Not officially just yet but close enough with school back in session, signs of Halloween in the stores & a few of my other faves. It's going to be a busy fall season for us but it's going to be SO FUN!

Let's do a little photo montage, shall we?

Favorite fall treat?



It's so naughty with all it's HFCS goodness but coupled with some peanuts, it's my absolute FAVE!

Hometown festival!



Orville Redenbacher started the famous popcorn empire right here in Valparaiso! So each year we celebrate!

NFL!!!!!



Boiler Up!!!



My bridal shower (not the actual invitation since I dont know the theme)



Finally, we'll round out the fall with our friend's wedding.



By the time that is all over, we'll just be a few months from our own wedding!!!! Just a bit under 6 months for us to go! Time's flying by & it's hard to believe that fall is knocking on the door but I'll open it! I love this season, the cool temps & the beautiful colors that come with it!

Not in Kansas (city) anymore!

We've returned from our trip to visit Kevin's sister with a pitstop on the way home to see his brother. We got to meet little Emma who is beyond adorable! We had a great time & as we parted this morning for the day we both said "gah, it's over." It was a really relaxing & easy trip!

I also got to finally meet a friend I made through a fitness forum & that was excellent as well! It was a short visit but well worth the time we had to chat!

I will do a proper update when I get more time & the photos loaded that we took. Here's one of Kevin & his niece Paige (who refers to him as her "buddy.")

Still engaged!

Sounds odd doesnt it? Well, maybe not for those that have endured the bridal registry process! lol Kevin was a trooper & I even let him scan the items we wanted! He did sneak one in there when I wasnt looking. I turned around at one point & he was zapping a martini shaker! lol Oddly enough, we'd use it & even found a better one to add to the other registry!

We were mostly practical but added our bedding & a Dyson vacuum which are pricey selections. But it's our wedding right? While we both maintain our own homes, it's the first (and ONLY) marriage for us both! So why not register just as a younger couple?!? For those that are FB friends, you can stalk the registries. We are set up at Macy's & also Bed, Bath & Beyond (who were BEYOND awesome!) Alot of our items will replace things that are worn out but some stuff we really need! It'll be fun to see what folks get us :) Just 8 weeks from today is my bridal shower! So so exciting!

The weekend was a good one overall. Aside from the registries, we did look at wedding bands. Mine is easy...white gold band with channel set princess cut diamonds (not all the way around though.) Kevin wants white gold or tungsten (really durable) but would like a little bling. He's uber picky though & a custom ring will be very pricey so he'll find something that still suits his style. He's a little more metro than most men ;)

This week is a short one for me! Actually today is my Wednesday as we prepare to head to visit Kevin's sister & FINALLY meet little Emma! She's grown so much already but still is so tiny! This is our only vacation for the year so we are looking forward to it!

I'm not busy at work either so I'm trying to catch up on blogs. I won't lie. I'm so so far behind! My apologies!!!

Have fantastic week all!

All things wedding!

Okay, so at this point in the game, it's going to be alot of wedding talk. Maybe more than there has been already. I guess that makes you warned! lol

Tonight, Kevin & I embark on the process of the bridal registry! We're off to Macy's tonight then Bed, Bath & Beyond tomorrow. We talked about Target but I hear their return policy, well, sucks for registries!

I am getting so excited with my shower coming up in a couple months. For some reason (I think I mentioned this,) it's all becoming more real now! We are just about 6 months away! I did a mock up of the reception invitations online & just need to show them to Kevin to get those ordered. It actually is more of an announcement with reception card & RSVP. I hope folks like it! I am getting those from Ann's Bridal Bargains. They were recommended by a good friend!

There's a couple blogs that I read too that are in the wedding planning process too. One is Jenn at Eating Bender & another is Mara at I Made Dinner. Check them out if you are interested in following their planning too! Mara's flowers for her bridesmaids are STUNNING! Anyway, check out those lovelies!

After the invitations, I get a bit of a lull until November when I call the Luxor to book for our cocktail hour after the wedding. Kevin's Mom is also working on a "meet & greet" dinner for Friday since we aren't having a formal rehearsal. Oddly enough, for the destination stuff, we can't book that stuff until a few months out!

Life in general has been good! I certainly have no complaints!

Have a FANTASTIC weekend & make today count!

Moscato & Taco dip!

It was a tasty night in my world! I met with my best friend & my soon-to-be MIL to discuss details for my bridal shower (okay, just saying that makes me giddy!) I think I mentioned yesterday that I want the theme to be a surprise. My bestie loved it & was excited to get started on the invites already! If she thought it would be a flop, she'd speak up so I'm excited!

We discussed the menu & are going to offer up 3 choices. Turkey schnitzel, turkey salad in a lettuce bowl or turkey salad on a croissant! I should comment about the restaurant. It's also where I will be having my reception. Can you guess what their specialty is???



I decided on banana cake too!! They have the BEST cakes along with tons of other pastries!

BTW, what's Moscato you ask? It's a really tasty sweet wine that has the bubbliness of champagne! Kevin's Mom & I tasted some at Olive Garden a while back & I happened to find it at the store. It's so so good! I might have also had some Pinot Grigio & Rosato too. The dip for the record was a 7 layer taco dip. Soooo tasty. And yes, that was dinner!

I'm just vegging out at the moment watching More To Love & will sack out here shortly! I finally got to open the upstairs windows again now that the humidity has lifted! It was brutal for several days there!

Hope you've all had a fab day where you are & my apologies for being so behind in blogs. My downtime lately at work has been consumed with all things wedding! Which makes me very very giddy!

Happy almost hump day!

Catch up time!!

Okay, are you tired of me disappearing? Ha! Well, how about a recap? Again....

Wedding
Things are moving right along. My bridal shower date is set & the venue booked. We are holding my shower at the same location as our reception. Yep, it's that good & they are just awesome! Kevin & I went registry shopping to see what we liked & found some great bedding that we'll register for. We've not officially done that yet but will in the next couple weeks before shower invitations go out. And the theme for the shower is already decided but I've told Kevin's Mom that I want that to be a surprise. It's the only surprise in the whole planning process that I get :) She said it's fun & will make me laugh but it's totally "us." Can't wait!

I spent 2 hours today working on the address lists for the reception & shower guest lists. Oyvay, why didnt anyone tell me that wouldn't be fun? We've also narrowed down wedding invitations & I found a reception invite online that we'd like to somewhat recreate for our needs. Gotta love having a printer that's a good friend of the groom ;)

I have to say that I had a TOTAL "I want my Mom" meltdown last week with the shower stuff. Kevin & his Mom (along with my friend) were AMAZING. They really allowed me to vent & let the worry go. The happiest time in my life is sometimes really sad too. It's inevitable.

But onward we go...just about 6 months until the big day!!!!

Fitness:
Spot on in this department! Workouts are ON, cardio is going well & I'm like Donkey Kong with my Weight Watchers program. I was down almost 5 pounds this past week but that was partly "monthly" bloat & partly the same few that I fluctuate. But it's okay, I just want it to be gone forever! I really advocate for the WW program. It's so easy, realistic & really sometime that you can do for a LIFETIME!

I think that covers it plus my laptop is acting wonky (pics wont upload either) so I need to reboot. Hope everyone is doing FAB & your week is off to a kickass start!

Running gadgets!

Are you a running in need of a gadget to hold your goodies on a run? Check this out:

Marathon Val's Spibelt Giveaway!

ps..I promise to blog for real..soon! lol

Giveaway!!!!!

Okay, I'm not doing one but I found a great one!!! I LOVE me some goat cheese!

Never had it? Check out I Made Dinner for Mara's giveaway!

There's a few ways to enter & win!

Fail!

Okay, so it's getting late & I realized that I never blogged today. I'm sitting here working on wedding stuff. Really just focused on a photographer. It's the last big piece & I think I'm going to end up with someone FAR more pricey that I anticipated but I was referred to this woman by a friend. Her pics are really edgy & different. So I'm really considering going with her. Check her out: Wendy Bunch Photography What did you gals pay for your photographer? I'm so curious...okay nosy :) lol

Today was a decent day. We trained this morning (old program still) & did a fast clip on the treadie. Food's been great but something seems to have well disrupted things internally (TMI?!?) I took some Phazyme & waiting for it to "pass." OMG, I crack myself up! Bwahahaha!

I was a the store at lunch & was finding myself being judgemental towards a man with his overweight daughter. She was picking out a bunch of crap food. I'm so not against an occasional yummy treat. I make no secret of my love of the HFCS-to-the-max candy corn so I'm not food snob. But this girl was clearly not in need of the 3 boxes of Poptarts jammed in the cart. I think more than anything it made me sad. I was a big kid but not because my parents let me eat that crap. Ah well..that's my beef of the day!

Anyone watching More to Love? Some of these girls are amazing, confident women yet some are just not ready to be comfortable with themselves yet. I'm all about self-love & confidence but gosh some of them are just NOT good examples of that. AND I just have to say that I'm finding Luke-ol-boy to be a bit of a playa playa! Anyone feel me?

I think that's it for the night. I'll leave you with a hot piece of, er, baseball player!



Yes, yes, I'm a Chicago girl & love me some White Sox baseball but who doesn't love a little Derek Jeter?!? Okay, you can't really tell that's who it is but it is...trust me! lol

Have a FANTASTIC night all & I'll see you on the flipside :)