I spin you right round, baby right round

Well I had a horrible, horrible eating weekend!! pms struck me hard & nobody dared to get in between me & chocolate this weekend!! (trust me! I would have hurt somebody if they had even tried!) But at last today is Monday and I am back on the wagon again, striving for clean eating and I added a spin class today so............ Drumroll please .........I will be taking spin 5 days a week now!!! (dunt, dunt, Dah!!!!) (don't you just love "implied" sound effects!) So we shall see if I am still able to walk on Friday. (this has been about a month and half process to work up to). Definitely whining all the way!!

I have added step class back into my routine, and will be blogging about the low down of step class tomorrow. Now that is some fun stuff!

I am going to try to eat clean and step up my work outs for the next few weeks, I have set a "target date" to see what I can accomplish by that date of October 14th. (I have an annual party to attend on the 15th so I am going to use that as a source of motivation to keep me, keeping on. Hey! I have been on a diet since January you really have to set either different weight loss goals and/or event motivators to kick you in the bootie to kick it up a notch!). So much of this weight loss journey that I am on all starts in the mind!!! And for a large part 50% of it is fought and success is determined in the mind! What is my decision today? Will I make good eating choices today? Will I move my body today?


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Perfect pairing Genesis 1:14

Then God said, “Let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. Let them be signs to mark the seasons, days, and years. (Genesis 1:14 NLT)
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Perfect pairing 2 Timothy 4:7,8

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:7, 8 NLT)


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Lonely, far away

Have you ever heard of the "no parcel" club? It's a nickname given to soldiers who serve in our armed forces in far off countries who do not receive mail or parcel. Men & women who are fighting for my freedom, and serve our country proudly who have no one willing to write them or send care packages filled with such basic goodies that it brings tears to my eyes at how blessed I am.






God laid this burden on my heart. I am a simple stay at home mom. I can't go to forgein lands to love others for Christ. However I can send a letter and a care package once a month to soldiers.

I get my addresses and names from the website. www.anysoldier.com. Sometimes I receive a letter back from a soldier sometimes I don't. That's ok, I know they are busy. However, I know that they feel appreciated, that a stranger cared enough to take some time to send a care package.

Military mom blog has some great ideas for packages her blog is: http://militarymomathome.blogspot.com/2009/01/care-package-ideas.html?m=1

Check it out, for some wonderful ideas! The main thing I have learned is not to mix hygiene products with food items. The website anysoldier.com says at temperatures at 110 no matter how well sealed cookies are if sent with deodorant it will taste like that. (ugh! Who would want to eat deodorant chocolate chip cookies!)

Well if this touches your heart and you have some time to put together a package and write a letter I would encourage you to do so.

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Diet updates (photos)

Here I am on New Year's Eve 2011. (weighing in at 249.5)




Here I am weighing in at 222.5. ( I was hoping this time i just might be able to loose this weight. Being overweight is exhausting!)



Here I am below weighing in at 202 pounds, I have now added in exercise to the weight loss equation. Not just focusing on my diet.



Here I am below (pictured with my momma, one of my cheerleaders!). Weighing in at 198.4. (yeah! I had broke into the 100's!!)



Below is a picture of me today. (I had just won the spirit contest at spin class - you might not be able to make out the rub on tattoo on the side of my face but I am pretty sure that is why I won the contest. Go Cowboys!). Here I am weighing in at 189.2 (woo HOO!! 60 pounds down) I have crossed the half way point and am very excited to knock out the next 40 pounds until I can hit maintenance phase. It is hard to be on a diet for 9 months and counting, but I am so glad that I have gotten started and I am getting stronger, healthier everyday not just for myself but also for my family)




Here I am holding a goodie filled box for winning the spirit competition for my spin class. (it is filled with a shirt, backpack, & 3 coupon for smoothies there at Sky Gym-where I have meet so many people who offer me daily encouragement on my weight loss journey!! I am going to have to blog about them in the upcoming weeks!). You never can make a successful journey on your own you need a support system!!!

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Woo HOO!!!!!

You know what size of jeans I am in above????



Ahhh! A size 13/14!!! I can't believe it! If you remember I started in January at a size 24, now I am a 13/14. (which was my dream size, I could not even imagine & I still have 40 pounds to go!! Woo HOO!!!!!!!??

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I hit 60 pound down

I hit 60 pounds down.
WHOO HOO!!!!!!!

I am in the 180's!!!!!
(barely, I am 189.4 But hey, I am putting my flag in it & claiming it!!!!!!). I will post some pictures later in the day!


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Right choices

Hum.. I am redhead who is pretty outgoing, a talker, and yes even a quick temper. So at the age of 41 God has started to work on my actions or how I choose to word my opinion when I get angry.

Ugh!!! This has been so hard for me!!! My oldest daughter came in crying a few weeks ago because a mother (yes, an adult & a friend of mine got upset with my daughter, based on what her daughter said.) Now I had already heard my daughter's side earlier in the day. Now as a 41 year old I know that there is always two sides to every story, and did I mention that the girls are 13! (oh, the drama!). I was very upset & disappointed that my friend decided to vent about my daughter since she is "friends" with several teens on Facebook and that we are from a small town. However I knew my daughter was watching to see how I would handle this. I took a deep breathe, said a quick prayer and remembered the verse that states:
"A gentle answer deflects anger,

but harsh words make tempers flare. "(Proverbs 15:1 NLT)


So I took another deep breathe and re examined the facts. 1) this mom was a friend of mine 2). It's tough being a mom and sometimes we are all guilty of reacting first. 3)If feelings were hurt I would apologize, however an apology does not mean my daughter's intentions were to hurt her daughters feelings. It simple means we were sorry that their feelings were hurt. 4) The wall of Facebook was not an appropriate place to have this conversation. 5). There is always 2 sides to every story.

By contacting the mom, making an apology it saved not only my friendship, but also kept the situation from escalating and kept our daughters friendship in tact as well.

Now is this how I "felt" Like responding -no! In my own flesh I wanted to let her know that I had a 13 year old who was now crying, and that we teach our children not to air their problems on Facebook, but I knew me being right or wrong was not going to solve this situation. I also knew just because this is how I felt, that this would not have been a right choice before God and my daughter's watchful eyes for me to do. Praise God that he is still shaping and molding me!


Have you ever gotten mad & handled a situation the right way or even an incorrect way?


Being a mom is so hard!!


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Perfect pairing Nahum 1:3

The Lord is slow to get angry, but his power is great,

and he never lets the guilty go unpunished.

He displays his power in the whirlwind and the storm.

The billowing clouds are the dust beneath his feet. (Nahum 1:3 NLT)


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Effort-ugh!!!!

This is my focus this week! I putting out the effort to work my body everyday, getting stronger and healthier. (can you tell that I stayed the same this week?).

I added a Tabata class this week, which is an interval class offered at Sky fitness gym in Tulsa. The trainers name is Linda, she is tough during class. Linda pushes you to do as much as you think you can, and then a little bit more. (ugh!! Yes, I am sore today!!). However she is friendly, very encouraging and nice-I love that in a trainer!!! It makes me feel like I have a team of people on my side on this weight loss journey.

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The low down about spin class

I really enjoy going to spin class!! However, I have learned a few things along the way that I really wish someone would have shared with me before I got started. So here is the low down about spin class if you are a newbie:








The first thing, is that the seat is not comfortable!! (you do start to get used to it, after awhile). Until then you have 3 options with dealing with the uncomfortable seat: 1) ignore it & soldier on (not my favorite option -I'm a wimp!) 2). Buy a pair of bike shorts. Bike shorts have extra padding built into them (however it may give the "appearance" that you may be wearing depends, if someone was not aware that you were indeed wearing bike shorts -yikes! No thank you) the 3rd option is my favorite. Invest in a padded seat cover for the bike seat. (see a picture of mine above) I carry mine back & forth from the gym. It is also a pretty inexpensive option $14.00 I believe I paid for it at Target. (worth every penny!!!)

Secondly, drink lots of water prior to class, during class & after class. (with that in mind make sure you use the restroom before class begins)

Lastly, for us females it is so, so very important that you keep your "nether" regions well groomed. During spin class you will be sliding off your seat & going into a standing position on the pedals often, then sliding back onto the seat. If you are not well groomed things could get umm.. Pulled or tugged which would make you very uncomfortable during class.
(which is what I am, as I can't believe I just blogged about this)

Last but not least, you can always modify- you are only competing with yourself. Pushing yourself to do your personal best! Not competing with your neighbor. My class is filled with people of all ages 20, 30, 40,50,60. All sizes itty bitty, to obese. As well as a triathlon competitor, regular 6 days a week bikers, to newbies. Spinning burns a lot of calories and is non impacting on your joints (knees). It is amazing how fast a class passes when you have a good trainer or instructor!

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Back to school house cleaning?

What's going on in my neck of the woods? Well....back to school cleaning.




Say what? What is back to school house cleaning? Well it's the time of year that kids go back to school again, and mom has the time to putt the house back together again. Doing all those little chores that I did not want to do while the kids were home...however my back to school cleaning also had some unexpected jobs. See the photo of the large vase above. Well who would have guessed that I would find: a pair of Childs size socks, a empty toilet paper roll, a girl's bracelet, and a hair Barrett all inside it. Who does that??!!!!
Well, apparently "not me" does that. A very suspicious character who wears my children's socks, & jewelry. Humm.....


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Down -58.7 pounds!

The scale has finally moved after being stuck since July 4th (ugh!). (can you sense my frustration?).

I am now down -58.7 pounds. The scale moved -2.4 pounds this week. Yeah!!! What did I do differently this week you might ask? Well, I added some different classes to my routine and switched up how I was exercising hoping to shock the muscles into burning some calories -yeah!

Well I am hoping to hit the 60 pounds weight loss next week. That would be wonderful for me mentally, as well as if I lose 1 more pound I will be in the 180's! (insert a small scream of delight here).

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

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