Bedazzled Belly Buttons, and Blingy Finger Rings

Hey ya'll! Happy freaking Monday (in my most sarcastic voice EVER). Oh how I loath Monday's. They always come way to soon and are filled with problems I have no control over. I wish I could skip Monday's and just jump right on into Tuesday's.

Well today is my second (feels like my first since I missed a week) session with J. The last time we meet he asked me if I had my belly button pierced. Ummm...Hello...The last time I seen my belly button without standing in front of a mirror nekkid (I do NOT recommend this) was when I was 12. Back then only sex fens, and strippers did that. He said a lot of his clients do that, after they have reached there goal weight, he said they feel good about showing it off. I told him not to worry about that, I would never bedazzle my belly button, no matter how much weight I lost. *shivers* just the thought of that creeps me out. I couldn't imagine the guy at the piercing shop if I would show up requesting that service. He would never be the same again.

I am looking forward to getting on a schedule and keeping it. Last week I started the Couch to 5K program. I did Week 1 day 1 on Friday. I almost made it all the way through. I was having some major cramps so I stopped and just moved on to the bike to finish my 40 mins. I will try the same day again tomorrow. According to the website, the program will take you from sitting on your couch to running a 5k in 9 weeks. Now we all know I am NOT a runner, but I have been enjoying sprinting on the treadmill this past week. I long to be as graceful, as a runner. I have done three 5K's in the past year, and I am always in awe of the runners. They look like butterflies floating past me to the finish line. I would love to be able to float like that, even if it is just for quick spurts. So in honor of me trying I bought myself a new pair of running shoes. I am hoping that with these, and J I will be able to complete my next 5K on October 30 with a better time than my last one. My current time for a 5K is 59:58. I know that sucks, but I am working on making it better.

Well I have taken up a new obsession. I have a pretty big collection of big, bulky, shiny, cocktail rings. Last week I dug them out and started wearing them. I just ADORE them. Well in my down time last week I wandered on over to EBay and OMG...can I tell you I am in heaven? My mail man is going to LOVE me in the next couple of weeks. Here are just a few goodies that I have picked up this past week.

That's not even half of them! I can't wait to get them and start showing them off. Okay people. Wish me luck tonight. I would like NOT to puke, and NOT to pass out....Hey a girl can dream.

Cheap Therapy

Hey there peeps! How was your weekend? Mine was very uneventful...just how I like it. David was on call this weekend and when he is, we usually don't stray far from home. I was able to get a little cleaning done(very little..but who's keeping score here). So I had plenty of time for what I love most.

Art Journaling

I was turned onto this form of expressing myself about a year ago. I have always loved to devour galleries full of this type of art, but had never found myself wanting to do it. That was until I completed my first page. WOW! It was so therapeutic! Think of it as putting your feelings to paper...without many words. For me, I can look at an object and connect with it. I can 'see' a story in it. I can then take that object and tell my story with it. Since I started I have created about 15 pages. Each one telling a story of something that had some sort of meaning to my life at the time. Some of them, the story is very clear. Some of them not.

I love every aspect of this hobby. From having a moment, then taking that moment and running with it. I love gathering the things that will go into my page, and moving things around until I think they look just right. And the finally when its all finished, saving it and feeling like it is complete. Some pages come quick, everything seems to fall into place, some pages take longer because I have ONE idea that I can't covey so I dig and poke until I figure out a way to lay it out.

I plan on making a book with these when I have enough, but I love them so much to just put them in a book. So I have started getting them printed and framing them. They make me so happy to look at. I have a wall in my living room that is filling up quite nicely. I am already looking for a second wall to take over.

Enough about that...lordy I can get carried away can't I? LOL I got a text from my PT yesterday that he had to cancel all his sessions this week, that he was under the weather. Although I totally understand, and I hope he feels better soon, I am really bumbed. I think I will have the first work out jitters by the time we meet again next week. I have been to AF every day, except Saturday and Sunday since I hired him. I have been working that treadmill to death. I am feeling pretty comfortable jogging/and walking every night. And now that I have McGyvered up my IPhone so that my head phones work, I have something else to look forward too. Listening to an audiobook while I am on the treadmill. That made a WORLD of difference last night. I went .24 miles farther than I have been, because I was wrapped up in my book! Hell yeah! After working out last night I went to dinner with my girls, Anna and Kathy. I am so blessed to have 2 AWESOME friends to do this with. I really cherish my time with them and am always looking forward until the next time we get together. My WL journey has been 1344234% better with them along for the ride!

These two pages were done with them in my thoughts.

It's Friday Yall!

Happy Happy Friday! What is it about Friday that brings out the best in everyone? Your day can be going to crappy until someone reminds you that it is Friday and you are suddenly like...who cares if you lost my paper work. It's no big deal that you crashed my computer. Of course I don't mind working late today.......*screeeeach* okay let's not get too carried away here. Today is my favorite day of the week. I love knowing that if I can make it through today, I will be rewarded with 2 days where I don't have to answer to anyone but myself. You know how much I love to be rewarded.

Well how about dem Saints?! It's was a nail biter for sure. But it felt really good to win that one. Kinda like last year wasn't a fluke and we showed up to play again. For real. Can we take a moment for Shockey. *shivers* Okay yeah that done it.

Yesterday I wasn't feeling too hot. I had an upset tummy for most of the day. I had talked myself right out of going to the gym. Then Anna texted me and said that she was out of water and that if I was heading that way could I bring her a bottle. Well I can't let my girl go thirsty! So I put my big girl panties on (we won't discuss how BIG), and headed over. She was rockin' it on the elliptical, I hopped on the one next to her and lasted all of 3 minutes. Okay I have no idea how people do that. So I went to the treadmill instead. Still feeling the high from yesterday when I actually ran, I thought what the hell! I warmed up for a few minutes then cranked it up to 4.5 and ran! I only lasted about 45 seconds at first, then I slowed and let my heart rate recover and did it again. I did that for the next 20 minutes and ran a whole mile. Oh yeah I did that. When I finished all I wanted to do is admire the treadmill. But then I thought the guy running next to me was starting to get creeped out so I left. I am pretty sure I have slept with this stupid grin (yeah I'm grinning now) on my face all night. Today I am a little sore, not too much, but I am loving how I feeling besides that.

My girls (Kathy, Anna, Ashely) are going to do a 5K October 20th. This will make my 4th one. I am hoping that I can keep the pace with Anna and Kathy this time. I hope that by then I will have the stamina to complete it and not feel like I have just been hit by a freaking semi. I will let you know how that goes.

Thanks for all the support you guys. I love my friends and family, and I don't think I could ask for a stronger support group.

Have a happy Friday! I know I will.

And remember....If nothing changes....NOTHING changes.

My, My Some things never change.

Hey there peeps. Did you forget about me? It seems like it's been forever. And if you think about it, it's been almost a year. Holy Batman that is a long time. Well in the past year a lot of things have happened.

Let's see......
David had to have surgery (AGAIN)
Someone broke into our home (Stole my camera 2 weeks before graduation)
Kayla graduated (OMG I know!)
Vacation (Of a life time)
We Moved (same great town another area)
My brother in law had brain surgery (He is doing WONDERFUL)
I lost my drive (But I have recently found it again).

It has been a crazy year for sure. But things are def looking up. David is now healthier than he has been in years. He is even gaining some weight (so freaking cool).

Some JERK FACE came into our home while David and I were at work and helped himself to my camera. I didn't notice until we were walking out the door for graduation. It totally sucked. On top of the mini breakdown I had 30 minutes before the biggest day of my daughters life, I wasn't able to take photos like I wanted too. Thankfully I was able to get my camera back, but a little too late. Now I don't trust ANYONE...not even the cat.

Kayla is working full time now. In January she will be working (at the same place) for a year. What a HUGE accomplishment for a young adult. She will start nursing school hopefully in January as well.

Our Vacation of a lifetime was amazing. We took a 7 Day cruise. Our ports of call were Cayman Island, Jamaica, and Cozumel. It was AWESOME. We did everything from swim with giant stingrays, driving across Cozumel in a dune buggy! We snorkeled and meet the most wonderful people ever.

We have lived in the same house for the past 3 years since we moved to Morgan City. I loved the neighborhood, but the price kept going up, while the house kept going down. We stumbled across this house almost by accident and 6 days later we were moved. It was NUTSO. But we like it here alot. The house is super cute, AND we are saving over $400 a month. HELLO!

My sisters hubby found out he had a tumor that was impacting the base of his skull. It was effecting his hearing, and causing partial paralyse in his face. I am happy to report by the grace of god he is doing wonderful! He still has a long road ahead of him, but he concord the hard part. Now it's just the frosting on the cake.

So in all that I have lost ME some where. I didn't totally give up, I just moved myself to the back burner for a while. Well now its time to start back on me. I am moving me back to the front of the line. Working on me. And doing for me. David and I have been talking for a while, about me hiring a personal trainer. I have been wanting to so bad, but the funds haven't been exactly right for it. Since we moved and were able to save some money that way he finally gave me the green light. :) :)

I have a really good friend Anna, whom I am pretty sure I have mentioned before that has been working with one and I have been living vicariously through her for a while. Well when she found out that I wanted to start, she talked to him and he said he would be willing to work with me at Anytime Fitness. So I had a consolation with him. After about 10 minutes I felt like I could totally trust him with my health and fitness well being. I signed up on the spot. I will be working with him twice a week. He has also designed an eating plan for me that will help me, along with working out, reach my weight loss goals. On our first meeting we really didn't work out (or at least he says we didn't) He just wanted to get some base readings. Like how many push up's I could do in a minute (16). How long I could hold the plank position (7.1 seconds). How many set ups I could do in a minute (44..not too shabby there). And how long I could hold the the Wall Set (25 seconds). After wards we talked about food and set some goals. Well actually he set one for me and I couldn't be happier. Thanksgiving, November 25, 2010 is when I have to reach my goal. He is not really big on weight goals, so we picked a size goal. I will be a size 22 by 11/25/10!

Last night was my first official work out. Oy! Boy was I scared all day. He told me to warm up on the treadmill before he got there in the evenings. So I walked about 1/2 mile by the time he got there. Then is when the fun started (NOT). We started interval training. I was walking 3.5 mph base with an incline of 3, and about every 3 minutes he would crank it up to 5 for 30-60 seconds. Holy Batman that was crazy. Let me be perfectly clear people I DON'T RUN! Well that is until last night at least. I couldn't believe it. I was kinda proud too. That lasted about 20 minutes or so and we moved into the workout room. In there I got to toss around a few balls, some big...some small...some really heavy...some really bouncy...Well you get the picture. (OUT OF THE GUTTER PLEASE). Rounded that off with some resistance bands and I was DONE. I almost wasn't able to lift my arms to unlock the car door. Words can not describe how I felt when I left tho. I feel like maybe there is a chance for me. I am looking forward to what will happen next.

So I ask you, would you like to Watch Me Loose It? For Real this time? If so stay tuned. I will...yes I said it...I WILL WILL WILL post at least once a day. Even if it's to say OMG HELP ME. But I plan on using this to document everything. I even have some before pics that I will add. I will also add my measurements *cough kill me cough*.

Anyone with me still?

Blech

Today I feel like crap. Kathy and I have started working out twice a day (yeah we are total freaks). I totally love it. I feel so good and I don't even think about it any more. I just do it. Well last week at WW I gained a pound. WTH?? I chalked that up to not tracking. Swore I would get my butt back in gear and put my nose down, and I did. I have tracked every bite, even pre-planned some of my meals. Every single day I have watched the scale climb higher and higher. Today was the last straw, the scale is now up to what I weighed THREE WEEKS AGO. How is this possible? Excuse me mister that sucker is moving the WRONG WAY! I know I shouldn't be on the damn thing every day, but its in the bathroom. It SCREAMS my name. I promised myself I wouldn't go near it until weigh in, but of course my stupid ass had to step on it this morning. So I cried all the way home from Curves at 6:00 am this morning. Blech.

Today is Micheal's 13th Birthday. Yup, I am officially a mother of TWO teenagers. That scares the bejeebers outta me I tell you. Let me just give you a peek into who my son is. Last week we told him we would take him any where he wanted for his birthday dinner. I joked and said I just know you will want Sushi tho. (he doesn't care for it much) He laughed and said Noooo. And that was the end of it. So this morning I rushed home to catch him before he left for school so I could tell him Happy Birthday. And I asked him where he wanted to eat tonight his choice. He asked me if that place with the green pea's had other food too. I said the sushi place? He said yeah, and told him that he could get all sorts of other things, and so he said that's where I want to go, and I asked him why and he was like because that's your favorite place to eat mom. You can't see me but I am smiling ear to ear and every time I think about it, I get a lump in my throat and my eyes start to well up. I could not be prouder to be his mom.

Happy Birthday Buddy, I love you so much.

It's a Bird....It's a Plane

.....It's Super Bad Blogger. Good Lord has it been that long? Sunny Beaches. Well you all will be pleased to know that I am STILL on the right track!! I know right, previous attempts would have found me eating a Whopper with Cheese, Xtra Pickles, Xtra Mayo around week 5. (I said that like I was a pro huh). Well I am happy to report that I have NOT done that. And just wait to found out how much I have lost total. Are you ready for this? Are you sitting down. 29.4 lbs! I am so close to 30 lbs down I can almost taste it. I know I will make it this following week. I know I could not have made it as far as I have now, without Kathy. It has been so much FUN being on this journey with her. When I have a crappy day, she is there, when I have a great day, she is there. I hope that I inspire her, and carry her on her down days too. That reminds me, I finally did it. I twisted her arm until she joined Curves with me. Yippie! Now we have become freaks. We work out 6 days a week. OMG! Did I just type that, I think I did. Who would have every thought that I would go that far. I really enjoy it. I look forward to it every single day. And I even go on those days when I would rather been ANYWHERE in the world than there. I enjoy chatting with the other ladies and laughing and cutting up. It truly is a Girl Power Half Hour.

This week is close out and we have been doing the 5:30 AM session. Yeah, its official I have lost my ever loving mind. As of today I've only slept 8 of the last 72. And it's only Tuesday. For the love of biscuits!

Thursday David has to go back into the hospital for another procedure. They are going to fill his tummy with air and then go in endoscopiclly (yeah that's what it sounds like) and see what is causing his bleeding. When he spent a week in the hospital a month ago for the same think they never could find the source. It went away until yesterday. I feel so bad for him. He HATES that he is not able to do every day things that he is used too. He tightened the belts on Kayla's car last week and was in pain for 2 days. I think he feels like his man hood is slipping away from him. That has gotta suck.

This year for Thanksgiving we have decided to go 'home' and spend it with our families. We will spent half the day with David's sister and her family, then drop by mom's and see what they are going to be up too. I really missed 'family' last year. I just put in for a couple of day's vacation, I plan on cooking up a storm before we go. I want to make sure there are plenty of healthy choices for me. Anyone know how to make a fried turkey fat free? I need to figure that one out.
Okay I need to go for now. I promise to be keep this up a little better. Now that I figured out how to post from my email it should be a little easier, I can just write and click send, and it just magically shows up here. How cool is that? I still haven't taken and photos, I will try and get some this weekend, I am DYING to see a side by side so far. My work pants are falling off of me. So it's gotta be some what noticeable. I can't personally see it, but David and the kids say they do. (I don't think they really count tho).

In other news Facebook has totally taken over my life. Remember back in the day when I would say oh I don't have time for that? Well I was do freaking right, between the plowing and the cooking and running my own amusement park, I am tapped for time. (if you don't have a clue what I'm talking about..you might be lucky) If you want to add me to your Facebook by all means go ahead. rachel.donald08@gmail.com.

Oh I almost forgot! Look what David ordered for me. Isn't it beautiful!!! My current set is one that I bought for myself. My original ring was lost in a house fire many moons ago, and I just picked this one up a few years back. But he picked his out all my himself and everything. I can't wait to put it on my finger. It means so much to me that he picked this out. After 18 years I love him more and more every single day.

Quote for the Day:Failure is not important unless it's the last time you try.

Sushi, Pizza, and Toilet Paper

Happy Friday everyone. Hope you're week went by smoothly. Mine was just GREAT! Last Sunday Kayla and I had the pleasure of spending the day with Kathy and her beautiful daughter Liz. We started off the day with a sushi lunch (OMG I love that stuff), after that we went to the movies. We seen that movie All about Steve. It was pretty good, I'm not sure what was more funny, the movie itself, or the lady that was sitting behind us, she was REALLY enjoying the movie. Her laugh reminded me of Nancy. So loud and full of life. Kayla and I cracked up the whole movie. After the movie we headed to Sam's. I have been there once when I was in Indiana getting ready for a camping trip (the BEST vacation I have ever had). Wow the place is HUGE. This was Kayla's first time there and she was FREAKING out over the huge box's of candy and stuff. She would walk down the isle and say OMG I could sell this stuff! She was hooked. I think we are going to get a membership for us. They have so much MORE than food there. And there produce was really pretty and very reasonably priced.

I mentioned last time how I was just TIRED of chicken. Well I went to grab a book off of my book case and noticed that I OWN 4 Weight Watchers cookbooks! Hello new foods, good-bye boredom! One book that I have that I fell in love with is titled 5 Ingredient 15 Minute Cookbook. How much more easy could that get?? Okay the first recipe I tried was a HIT. EVERYONE liked it. Its nice to find something that we ALL can east rather than just making it for me and everyone else looking at me like I have a third eye.

Deep Dish Pizza Casserole

-1lb of ground round (I used the 95/5 ground)
-1 (15oz) Can of Italian style tomato sauce (I used the Italian style tomatoes and one can of paste)
-1 can of Refrigerated pizza crust dough
-1 1/2 cups pre-shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Brown meat (I added copped onions, etc and a shake of Tony's)
3. Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Press crust into bottom and halfway up sides of pan. Top bottom with meat mixture.
Here I added a layer of Turkey Pepperoni to give it an even pizza-ier taste)
4. Bake uncovered at 425 for 12 minutes. Top with cheese, and bake 5 minutes or until crust is browned and cheese melts. Cook 5 minutes before serving.
Cut into 6 servings. Points per serving 6.5 with the Pepperoni and 6 without.
It was so easy to make. 30 minutes from start to finish.
Kayla even liked it! Score, something I can make that is EASY and good for me too. And something that is NOT chicken. Even freaking better.

It is HomeComing at Morgan City High this week. And you can tell just by driving through the neighborhood. It's a big thing around here to TP houses of your fellow classmates. It's even a tradition believe it or not. Most parents even take part. I had no idea. Well that was until last night. There I was sitting on the couch watching Grey's, and I hear something outside. I run to the front door and swing it open to this.

And a mom at the mailbox saying 'SMILE RACHEL'. I have no clue who it was. So if this mom is reading this, please let me preview the photo before you put it anywhere. I'm sure I was looking at little funky for photos. I'm just saying, you could have warned me I would have posed or something. :) Kayla wasn't home when this happened. She was at the pep rally. When she came home you would have thought the child had won the lottery! She ran in the door screaming, 'I FINALLY GOT GOT! I FINALLY GOT GOT!'. Four years of high school, has brought us to this moment. THIS means you have arrived. So she asked if she could go back out and repay the favor. I'm thinking I may need to pick up some toilet paper before I go home tonight, just a hunch though.

Last night was weight in at Weight Watchers (you thought I forgot huh?). After last weeks .6 gain. (never ever ever eat boiled shrimp the night before weigh in). I was determined to get that off and get myself another 5lb star. I went to Curves Mon-Tue-Wen this week. This is the first time I have went 3 days in a row. And I have to admit I am totally lovin' it. I think my body is too. In other Curves new, Kathy is going to join Curves with me! Yeay!! I am so excited. I know she will love it as much as I do. And it will be nice to have someone that I know there when I am. Just know if we can talk to each other Kathy we are NOT working hard enough :) So I got to WW last night and weighed in *drum roll please* -3.4 Oh yeah! I was sooooooo excited! That brings my total to 20.8!!!!!! I am freaking amazed! I am so extremely proud of myself. This week totally renewed me. I know that I am doing what I should, even when I don't want to. I am NEVER going to give back this 20 lbs! NEVER. I also realized the shirt I wore to WW last night, should never been worn in public again. It's HUGE on me. I don't think I have ever been able to say that something is HUGE on me. It was a great night!

Oh I almost forgot (as I sit hear eating a Fiber One Bar...OMG so good). My sweet friend Kathy brought me the sweetest gift last night. She brought me one of those super cute Go Green bags so I could carry my grocery's back and forth to work in style, and inside was a pack of the 1 point hamburger buns that I have not been able to find ANYWHERE, a pack of yummy looking Egg Rolls (brought them for lunch today) and a couple Fiber One Bars. Thank you so much Kathy! I smiled and thought of you this morning packing my new bag. I totally love it and I can't wait for lunch!

Quote for the Day: If you want what you do not have, you must do what you have not done.