Goals

Recently I've been thinking a lot about goals for myself. All the weight loss has triggered me thinking about things I want to accomplish. The first have to do with fitness. I want to run a 5K by the end of the year and Lindsey has invited me to run with her in December. I can't wait! I think it's going to be tons of fun. Then following that accomplishment I want to run a 10K, a half marathon and a full marathon. I know it's going to be a lot of work to do that, but I'm willing to do it so I can say I accomplished my goals. I don't have a timeframe, just sometime in my life I want to do it. Yesterday I was talking with my doctor about it and she was really happy with my goals. She told me something that was very inspirational and which I will probably thinking about while I'm running. She said if you can run 3 miles then you can run 26 miles. It's all mental.

So the other goal is also related to fitness and one which I just thought about this morning. I was talking with Barbara about the Yosemite debacle and we discussed going with our families while the scouts were there for scout camp. She told me she had talked to Heidi about the Half Dome hike and she mentioned she wanted to do it, but didn't have anyone to do it with. Well Heidi, if you are reading this, we're going to hike Half Dome next year! I really want to do it and make it all the way. I know it's going to be a lot of work, but I'm willing and I really want to accomplish it.

In high school my class went their for the senior class trip. I didn't even bother signing up because I knew I was so out of shape I couldn't make it. But I'm determined now more than ever to get in shape and get some goals accomplished.

Anyway, there's my ramblings about goals. What are yours? (Oh and one more, I'm going to finish that darn quilt by Wednesday even if I have to stay up for 3 days straight, so there's another one!)

4th of July

I'm writing this post because if I post of Facebook I'll get a bunch of lame responses and that's not what I'm in the mood for. I know only a handful of people read this blog and I just had to write this morning so I can get it off my chest and get to work.

4th of July has long since been my all time favorite holiday (Halloween a very close second). I love everything about it. I love the music, I love the bbq's, I love the fireworks, I love summer, I love sandals, I love shorts, I love summer fruit. I think you get the idea. What more could you ask for? So I have made no effort to try and hide my love of the 4th. I even have Flag-tees from Old Navy dating back every year since 1999 (one day I'll be making a quilt with them).

So let me just say how disappointed I am with yesterday. There was no pancake breakfast-sucks, spent most of the day in front of the tv wishing I was swimming-sucks, actually had a great bbq-awesome, Jared pissy about having to stop playing video games to go to the bbq-sucks, missed the fireworks show-major sucks, had to watch it on tv-sucks, listened to the neighbors blow off illegal fireworks till 2 in the morning-sucks. So as you can gather the only great thing about the day was the bbq, of which I couldn't stuff my face because of surgery.

My plan for next year...pay for a good show, or find one of the smallest towns ever that has a show and go, like Kingman, AZ. We had such a great time last year because it was a small town, no crowds and a really cute 20 minute firework show. Just the kind of fun I like. Those are really the moments I wish that I lived in a small town. Anyway, thanks for letting me get that off my chest. I'll be more prepared next time and ready to hang out with people who really want to see fireworks instead of fart around all day long and do nothing to celebrate our nations birth. Hope yours was better than mine.

Week 24 and a 5K. I'm all about the numbers!

So today is 24 weeks since surgery. I've tapered off a bit and are currently hovering between 231 and 233. I need to change up my workouts and am looking for a treadmill. We have the elliptical but I just don't like it. I may have to use it though while I save money for the treadmill. But all the same I'm enjoying this new me :) Something great happened at Walmart last Saturday. We were at the front of the store and Elise had to go peepee. It was at the back of the store so we ran from the front to the back. I didn't have to stop and I wasn't even breathing heavy. I was kinda in shock. I'm glad my body is working better. I even got some great test results back from the lab about cholesterol and fasting blood sugar. My blood pressure also has been down and I'm hoping this next visit with the doctor they will be able to take me all the way off it. Fingers crossed!

This morning we did a 5K at work. I was anxious as I've never done one, but then got to thinking back a few years ago Michelle and I used to walk at the Rose Bowl almost everyday and that's basically the same distance as a 5K. I jogged it once the whole way and never did it again. Today was great though. I walked the whole thing, but I'm feeling great. My legs were a little sore at first, but they are fine now. I'm ready to start training for the running of a 5K. I can already tell this is going to be a good, addicting behavior and hobby for me. I've always aspired to be a runner, but never really knew what the heck I was doing. I just saw a book today on the proper techniques that I might have to buy and read. So all you runners out there... if you are looking to coach or train just give me a call :)

In other news Jared hit the big 4-0 this week. We went to dinner with the Burr's to Kabuki for some sushi on Saturday night. It was so much fun. We had a great time celebrating. He's been a good sport too about me teasing him. I know I'll get there soon enough, but I'm not worried :) 40 is the new 30, right? For his birthday I bought the numismatic a set of gold plated state and territory coins. He got it yesterday (the mail was slow) and he loved it. His eyes lit up!

Erik is off to South Dakota for a few more weeks. I hope he's having a great time with his mom and enjoying the great outdoors. He said they would be going camping and fishing. That sounds like so much fun! I love fishing.

Elise is as fun as ever. She is so cute. We have a few plants that are on the verge of dying and we watered them and she said to the little one "you gonna be ok." So cute!! She's also trying my patience at bedtime. Since she gets a nap at daycare she wants to stay up later and later. Some nights it's nearly 10pm before she goes to bed. I can't blame her. I like staying up too.

So that's the update for the past few weeks. I should add some pics, but I'll have to next time.

A year of miracles

So the weight loss is steadily creeping down. This morning I weighed in at 232. As of last Thursday I was 20 weeks out since surgery. So that's a total of 86 since my highest almost a year ago and 64 since surgery. Yay! The miracle though is that over the weekend I bought a size 18 pair of shorts and actually fit into them. I can't believe I've made it back into the teens!!! This is truly a miracle indeed! I honestly can't remember the last time I was wearing a size 18 but I assume it was about 10 years ago. I had been on Weight Watchers and when I started was at 248 and got down to 223, so I would assume that was the last time. I think that was in 2003 or 4 so maybe not quite 10 years ago.

I'm feeling great. I love my new look and love that people have noticed that I'm shrinking :) My next goals are to get a decent treadmill so I can start running because I want to do a 5K and eventually a 10K and I'm working my way down to the blessed 199 mark. It would be great to say goodbye to 200 forever :) Well I'm on my way to get some new tires for my bike so I can start doing that again. Oh I need to have Jared teach me how to roller blade. I've never done that and it's something I've always wanted to learn. Wish me luck!

Picture this....

More fun Elise and mommy pics to upload - Dad and Erik don't like being in pics. Hopefully I can figure it out so it works correctly. Enjoy! (I'm sure I'll cut it off again).


Easter Sunday. Aren't we cute?

She just had to jump on the tricycle.


In front of the Princess Castle with cousin Isabelle.


Riding horses on the carousel.

Cousin Isabelle and Elise trying to pull out the sword.

Birthday girl got balloons and a crown from her teacher.


Yummy birthday cake made by mommy!!

Happy Birthday to my beautiful little princess!!

It's taken weeks...

to finally get past my 242 month long pause. I'm down to 239. Yay! With my goal of 169 I only have 70 more pounds to go. That sounds like a lot but it's better than saying 150 more pounds to go. I'm feeling great, especially after going to Disneyland yesterday and not feeling self conscious about riding rides and not fitting (except for the Rockets, those things are tight!). I also didn't feel like the fattest person there so that was really nice. Anyway, I forgot to bring my camera to work so I could download the pics, but hopefully tomorrow and I'll post some cute ones of Elise enjoying herself at The Happiest Place on Earth.

Blessed

I don't have any weight related things to talk about now (been at 242 for almost a month!) and I don't have any wonderful mother's day experiences (just the same as pretty much every other day). So instead I wanted to write about how truly blessed I feel. I am so blessed to have such a great family. We have our ups and downs and our little craziness, but we don't have any serious issues. Erik is a typical teenager with typical teen problems/attitudes, but overall is a really good kid and that makes me really happy. He isn't into drugs or girls, but spends most of his time either reading or playing video games. I know video games aren't great, but like I said, no drinking, drugs or girls, so I'll take that.

Elise is a blessing too (at least most days). She's bright and funny and even though drives me so crazy sometimes she is totally in love with me and me with her. I love to watch how she gets so excited over the smallest things. I love that she wants to play outside and ride her tricycle for hours. I love that she's not addicted to food (well maybe candy) and can stop eating when she's full, a lesson I have come to learn only after surgery. I love that she wants me to put her to bed every night and read to her and wash her hair in the bath tub. I love that she sings little songs. She is so adorable and I feel so blessed to be her mommy.

And Jared is a blessing too, even if I complain constantly about him. He fixed my brakes the other day just because they were rattling a bit. He went and bought the manual for my car and looked up how to fix it. I love that he doesn't care that I want to go hang out with my friends for a movie or dinner and watch the kids because he knows I need a break and when I get back I'm usually a lot nicer to him. I'm am so very happy and grateful he has a job. It may not be one that he likes and I know he won't stay there for the rest of his career, but at least he has a paycheck and we can afford to live in our house and pay our bills.

I feel so blessed to have a job. Not just one that I work at everyday, but one that I like to do and feel that I'm pretty good at doing. I may not enjoy the people everyday and I don't like waking up early, but I feel blessed to have a job that is in my book challenging, and simple and I actually get paid a pretty decent amount for doing.

I think most of all I feel really blessed to hear other peoples problems and know that they aren't mine. That sounds kinda funny writing, but over that past few months I've heard of some pretty bad problems with people and I feel so blessed that it's not me. I guess the Lord knows what I can handle and I'm not sure I could handle those other problems. I do my fair share of complaining about my own problems, but in contrast I also do my fair share of researching and getting to work to fix whatever problems I do have instead of just spouting about it and wishing my life were different.

So there you have it, my life is blessed. Sorry you can't have it (although you may not want it). Just like I don't want yours. Now that really did sound terrible, but hey at least I'm honest, right? But most of all very, very, very blessed.