'twas the Weekend after Christmas

And in my craft place,
I saw all my presents with a smile on my face.

The Bind- It All, new camera & printer, the papers, the adhesives and such.
It pretty soon added, to almost too much.

My craft room was crowded, I thought with a frown,
My shopping spree nature, I had to tone down.

My husband was right, I had too much crap.
I resolved then and there, to work with my scraps.

No more would I hurry to the store for a coup
With the stock I have now, I would have to make do.

So look to my blog, in the new scrapping year
I'm using leftovers without shedding a tear!

Project: Holiday Treat Bags

Holiday S'more Treat Bags

2 marshmellow Peeps

4 graham cracker squares

2 mini hershey bars



I have bee nmaking alot of s'more treat bags this year. 
They are very easy to do, and the kids love the gooey chocolate mess.

Weeky Project: Snowman Tic Tac Covers

Weekly Project: Snowmen covers for candy bars

The really idle man gets nowhere.The perpetually busy man does not get much further.

We sometimes feel overwhelmed by the demands of time.  Our calendar is stuffed with meetings, lunches, parties, activities and other obligations.  Just looking at my calendar can make you feel anxious and exhausted.

I tend to spend too much time on things that neither make me happy nor advance me towards my goals.  And too little time on things that enhance my life and brings me closer to what I want.

With the Holiday season starting, I can simplify my schedule, canceling some of those events that aren't as essential as I thought when I penciled them in.

What can you cancel this week?
What can you do that adds delight to your week or day?

Tell It Like it is By Jillian Michaels

Listen, getting in shape is all about setting goals. Losing weight, building muscle, and getting rid of the unhealthy eating habits take guts and perseverance. You're dealing with something big here. When you decide what you want, make it specific and concrete. For example, don't just say that you want to lose weight. Ask yourself some questions: How much weight? And is weight really the most important thing? Or is it more important that you climb your front steps with ease or lower your body-fat ratio?

Think hard about what you want, and use your Fitness Diary to keep track . Once you've figured out where you want to go, here's how you're going to get there:

Learn how to make decisions you can stick with. Remember, you're not just going on a diet, you're establishing a pattern of health that will enhance the quality of your life. Think big, but choose small, attainable goals — lose five pounds to start or fit into pants one size smaller — and build on those goals as you reach each one.

Allow yourself room for setbacks. One setback is only one setback — it's not the end of the world, nor is it the end of your journey toward a better you. You don't have to give up. Just get back on the bandwagon and keep going.

Walk the line between self-denial and self-indulgence. It's the middle ground between the two that will offer you the best foundation for building your new life. Maintain your discipline by allowing yourself little pleasures every now and again.

Understand that there are no mistakes. The things you used to think of as mistakes are now just learning experiences, so don't waste time beating yourself up. You'll encounter small failures — everyone does. But you'll achieve success too. Just remember, every pound you gain can be lost.
Keep in mind that faith in yourself and your work is what will keep you striving for the best. Now, get in the zone and push as hard as you can!

Project: Fabric Seequin Hair Bow

I need to create some hairbows for the UHS Cheer and Dance Teams, so have been fiddling around with sequined fabric.

Project: RHinestone Hair Bows made with I-Rock Rhinestones

Project: Halloween S'Mores

Don't you love it when the kids come home and say, .........
"Oh yeah Mom, I am suppose to bring today's after game treat.  And it needs to be a halloween theme.  Told them you would make something cool."

So I made a very quick Hallloween treat bag, and stuffed 30 of these in an hour.
Very simple, but the kids loved them.

 The bags are Wiltons, 5x10 treat bags.  then filled with Marshmellow Peeps, 2 mini hershey bars and four graham cracker squares.   I folded a 5 x 4 piece of black cardstock in half and then wrapped a ribbon around it.

Luckly, I had the basics in the house, just had to purchase the marshmellow peeps.  

Week One: on the Low Carb Diet

Well I have had two cheat days this week, one on Wednesday and the other is today. 
I have lost a total of  9 pounds this week.  It will be interesting to see what the scale says tomorrow after today's cheat day.

We had a snow day this week, where Missy and I made a double chocolate cake and I had one 4x4 piece.   And today is a potluck at work.  Although there will be healthy foods available, I am sure I am going to want a piece of dessert.

I followed the guideline of eating 30 grams of protein within 30 mins of waking.   I just had a protein drink, as I am not much of an eater when I first wake up.   Then just ate something every 2-3 hrs to keep up the energy.  I tended to eat the same meals overand over again, and was able to keep under 20 grams of carbs a day.  One day I was even under  10 grams.   I am finding that most of my carbs are coming from vegetables.

Low Carb Diet: Tips

Food:

You can have all meats, eggs, cheeses and some nuts/seeds in limited quantities, some low carb high fiber vegetables in moderate amounts and salads. The amount of vegetables and salads you can eat depends on what your daily carb limit is. Initially one starts off with very small quantities of vegetables and salads to keep their level UNDER 20 CARBS PER DAY, then after a few weeks, the amount of low carb vegetables such as green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, turnips, spinach, asparagus is increased. Salads are also increased as the weeks go on. Each person has to find that level of daily carb intake that is just right for them. That's the amount you can eat a day without stalling and still lose weight. Some people can eat 50 to 100 carbs a day and still lose weight, others have to keep under 20 or 30. See the Official Atkins Acceptable Low Carb Foods List here for more details on what you can have to eat.

You can get more detailed information on Atkins or other Low Carb Diet Plans by picking up one of the many Low Carb Diet Books available. You can find the Atkins Rules of Induction at their website as well.

A very good book for starting a low carb lifestyle is Jonny Bowden's book "Living the Low Carb Life: Atkins to the Zone, Choosing the Diet that's Right for You". You can find out more about it and pick up your copy at Amazon. Just click the book to the left or the text link above.

The foods you have to AVOID are all things with SUGAR, CORN SYRUP, FLOUR and anything that ends in "OSE" like Fructose, Sucrose, Dextrose etc.. In addition you can't eat any fruit (at least not at the beginning), no pasta, no bread of any kind, no grains, no rice, no potatoes, no corn and nothing that is breaded.

The words "Sugar-Free" on product labels do not necessarily mean that the product is low carb. It could contain food starch, white flour or fruit with natural sugars. Be aware also that the FDA allows manufacturers to claim 0 carbs per serving if the manufacturer can get the actual carb count under 1. "Rounding-down" is a popular practice. You may be ingesting .9 carbs per serving instead of the "zero" you imagine. So count all zero carb servings as "1" carb unless you are absolutely certain the food has 0 carbs such as most meats.

Also many products contain sugar-alcohols like Malitol and Glycerin. These have a low impact on blood sugar levels but some people are sensitive to these things and can stall or have carb cravings. You should read the ingredients on the label and if you are still unsure, calculate up the actual carb count using this formula:

Carb Grams times 4 + Fat Grams times 9 + Protein Grams times 4. Take this total and subtract it from the Calories listed on the label per serving. The result should then be divided by 4. Whatever number you get is the number of carbs which are coming from sugar-alcohols or fiber that are not being declared on the label. Alternately you can use this "Hidden Carb Calculator".

Finding your CCL (Critical Carb Level):

Basically you can eat all the meat, eggs and cheese you want to (pigging out is not recommended, just eat when you are hungry until you are not hungry anymore) and then restrict your veggies and salads to no more than 1 cup of regular veggies a day and 1 or 2 small salads a day for the first 2 or 3 weeks. Then increase the amount by a 1/2 cup a week for the next several weeks and stop increasing the amount when you see you are no longer losing weight. Then go back to the level where you were still losing weight and eat at that level from there on out. When you have lost what you need to, then increase your veggies and salads to your maintenance level to maintain your weight loss. If you go back to eating high carb foods you will regain all your weight and more. This is a way of life, not a diet. It requires a full time commitment to maintain your weight just like any other way of eating (be it low fat, vegetarianism, low calorie etc..).

Water:

You must drink at least 64 ounces of water per day plus and extra 8 ounces of water for each 25 pounds you are overweight. Water is necessary to keep your kidney's flushed out and to remove toxins from your body which are released from your fat cells since fat traps various toxins over the years. Water is also a necessary component of lypolysis (the breaking apart of fat cells). Without water your body can not effectively metabolize fat and your weight loss will crawl. Drink till you float.

Supplements:

Many people find it helpful to take fat metabolizing supplements like CLA, Chromium Picolinate, Carnitine, Sellenium, B-Complex and others. Flax Seed Oil is high in Omega 3 which is a thermogenic compound that helps your body burn fat. By sipping a few tablespoons of flaxseed oil each day you will also be helping your body burn fat. This is why low carbers say to "Eat Meat, Drink Water, Sip Oil and Keep moving". Exercise is always important and will help raise your metabolism. Try to do as much as you can do. Check out my own comprehensive listing of the best Low Carb Diet Supplements.

Since dieting affects the thyroid's ability to create sufficient hormone to support your metabolic needs you should have your thyroid function checked regularly. It's just a simple blood test. As many as 25 million Americans have hypothyroidism and of that number only half know they have it! That half usually finds out about it when they try to go on a diet. No one really knows why Americans have hypothyroidism, some suspect food additives which attack the thyroid, others blame enviromental toxins. The bottom line is that most doctors know little about the symptoms and even fewer diagnose it. In any event, it's a good idea to take a Thyroid Health Supplement of natural vitamins and herbs which are well known for supporting proper thyroid function. The thyroid controls your metabolism, regulates your sex drive and stablizes your moods. If you are having problems with weight (despite good diet and exercise), problems with sex and or depression you may have a thyroid problem.

Potassium:

Some people find they get tired very easy and have leg or muscle cramps the first week or two. This is due to the loss of potassium because it is flushed from the body with the initial water loss that comes from switching to low carb. To avoid this, take a Potassium supplement (99mg three times a day) for the first several weeks. If you take any type of potassium sparing "water pill" for blood pressure, check with your Dr first as this may not be compatible with the blood pressure medicine. If you aren't taking any BP meds then it's safe to take the potassium.

Carb Withdrawal:

During the first 3 or 4 days you will experience severe carb withdrawal which consists of fatigue, headaches, irritability, intense cravings for sweets or starches, some intestinal disturbances, mild queasiness and an increase in hunger. These will pass. Drink tons of water, eat mostly meat, cheeses and eggs whenever you are hungry and try to rest. You can take 1000 mg of L-Glutamine (an amino acid available at GNC and other health food stores) to help with the cravings for carby foods. By the 4th or 5th day the worst will be past and as you start the second week, you will feel an increase in energy, mood and your appetite will be suppressed due to ketosis.

Ketosis:

Once withdrawn from carbohydrates the body will switch over to burning fat for fuel. When the intake of fat and protein is not sufficient it will break open the fat stored in your fat cells for fuel and this is why you need lots of water and fat metabolizing enzymes. You can measure your ketosis by buying test strips from your pharmacy. Just ask for Ketostix and check your urine with them at the same time each day. Any shade from light pink to dark purple is good. Darker is not better. Depth of reading is usually due to the fat content you've eaten or the lack of water in your system making the ketones read higher. The test strips do not differentiate between fat burned from eaten foods and fat burned from stored fat. So long as it's not beige you are doing good. NOTE: some people never reach ketosis and still lose weight fine on low carb so don't obsess. It's just another tool to help you on your journey.

Weighing:

Don't weigh everyday unless you can handle it. Scale weight measures water and waste in the body as well as fat so there can be several pounds of fluctuation from day to day especially in women. Weekly or monthly weighing is more recommended. Measuring is the tool of preference as muscle and fat weigh the same. But since muscle takes up less space than fat you can show a loss in inches while never seeing the scale change. So this is why it's recommended that one pick a pair of pants to use as a measure. Preferably a pair that is a size or two small so that you can see the progress as the weeks go on an eventually the pants will fit perfectly. Sometimes women only see a weight loss on the scales during one week of the month. Women lose weight at half the rate men do and generally they lose it in spurts separated by long plateaus. If you know this going into the program it makes it a lot easier. There is always an initial Whoosh of weight loss during the first 2 or 3 weeks and then after that it either plateaus for a few weeks or it slows to a crawl and then does another mini-whoosh. Many people get discouraged during the first plateau or think they are doing something wrong. This is normal. It's just the body readjusting itself and trying to find it's new metabolic setpoint. This plateau time varies depending on an individual's body and past dieting experiences. The body NEVER FORGETS. It's very common to plateau for long periods of time at any weight you previously spent a lot of time at during some other weight loss period. This is a form of metabolic setpoint memory. Eventually with exercise and proper nutrition you can get your body back on track and losing weight each time you hit these mini-stalls. Understanding why it's happening is half the battle.

Support:

Getting adequate support from both family and friends is essential but in the absence of that, you can find support and information on the internet by joining one or more of the great low carb message forums or E-mail mailing list groups. See my links to these on my resources page under the heading: "E-Mail Support" and "Message Boards". I run a Message Board Community of my own which you might find useful. Stop by and visit it when you are finished here. Just click this link: Low Carb for Life Message Board

Low Carb Diet: Foods to Consume

Meats & Eggs

You may eat LIBERALLY all the following low carb foods in the table below. Note there are a few restrictions on Organ Meats, Shellfish and Prepared Luncheon Meats or Bacon.

All Fish, including ...	All Fowl, including ...	All Shellfish, including ...	All Meat, including ...	All Eggs, including ...
tuna	chicken	oysters*	beef	scrambled
salmon	turkey	mussels*	pork	fried
sole	duck	lobster	lamb	poached
trout	goose	clams	bacon**	soft-boiled
flounder	Cornish hen	squid	veal	hard-boiled
sardines	quail	shrimp	ham**	deviled
herring	pheasant	crabmeat	venison	omelets

*Oysters and mussels are higher in carbs than other shellfish, so limit them to four ounces per day.

**Processed meats, such as ham, bacon, pepperoni, salami, hot dogs and other luncheon meats—and some fish—may be cured with added sugar and will contribute carbs. Try to avoid meat and fish products cured with nitrates, which are known carcinogens. Also beware of products that are not exclusively meat, fish or fowl, such as imitation fish, meatloaf and breaded foods. Finally, do not consume more than four ounces of organ meats a day.

BBQing meats is a great way to add extra flavor to the meat. Plus you don't get all the fat as it drips off the meat during cooking. You can baste the meats in different spices to add variety as well. I've really gotten spoiled with my Rotisserie, it's be best money I ever spent though. Click the banner below to find out more about RonCo's famous Showtime Rotisserie BBQ.

Cheese
You can consume three to four ounces daily of the following full-fat, firm, soft and semisoft aged cheeses*, including:

Cheddar Cow, sheep and goat cheese Cream cheese Gouda Mozzarella Roquefort and other Blue cheeses Swiss *All cheeses have some carbohydrate content. The quantity you eat should be governed by that knowledge. The rule of thumb is to count 1 ounce of cheese as equivalent to 1 gram of carbohydrate. Note that cottage cheese, farmer’s cheese and other fresh cheeses are not permitted during Induction. No "diet" cheese, cheese spreads or whey cheeses are permitted. Individuals with known yeast symptoms, dairy allergy or cheese intolerance must avoid cheese. Imitation cheese products are not allowed, except for soy or rice cheese—but check the carbohydrate content. Salad Vegetables You can have two to three cups per day of the vegetables listed below. These salad vegetables are high in phytonutrients and provide a good source of fiber. Alfalfa sprouts Daikon Mushrooms Arugula Endive Parsley Bok Choy Escarole Peppers Celery Fennel Radicchio Chicory Jicama Radishes Chives Iceberg Lettuce Romaine Lettuce Green Leaf Lettuce Boston Lettuce Bibb Lettuce Cucumber Mâche Sorrel Other Vegetables You can have one cup per day of these veggies if salad does not exceed two cups. If a vegetable, such as spinach or tomato, cooks down significantly, it must be measured raw so as not to underestimate its carb count. The following vegetables are slightly higher in carbohydrate content than the salad vegetables: Artichoke Celery Root Pumpkin Artichoke Hearts Rhubarb Asparagus Chard Sauerkraut Bamboo Shoots Eggplant Spinach Broccoli Hearts of Palm String or Wax Beans Broccoli Rabe Kale Brussell Sprouts Kohlrabi Tomato Leeks Turnips Cabbage Okra Water Chestnuts Cauliflower Onion Zucchini Collard Greens Scallions Dandelion Snow Peas Bean Sprouts Dandelion Greens Spaghetti Squash Summer Squash Beet Greens Salad Garnishes Crumbled Crisp Bacon Grated Cheese Minced Hard-Boiled Egg Sautéed Mushrooms Sour Cream Spices All spices to taste, but make sure none contain added sugar Herbs For salad dressing, use oil and vinegar (but not balsamic vinegar, which contains sugar) or lemon juice and herbs and spices. Prepared salad dressings without added sugar such as Ranch, Blue Cheese and Italian and no more than two carbs per tablespoon serving are also fine.  Basil Garlic Rosemary Cayenne Pepper Ginger Sage Cilantro Oregano Tarragon Dill Pepper Thyme Acceptable Fats and Oils Many fats, especially certain oils, are essential to good nutrition. Olive oil is particularly valuable. All other vegetable oils are allowed, the best being canola, walnut, soybean, grape seed, sesame, sunflower and safflower oils, especially if they are labeled "cold-pressed" or "expeller-pressed." Do not cook polyunsaturated oils, such as corn, soybean and sunflower oil, at high temperatures or allow to brown or smoke. Butter is allowed. Margarine should be avoided, not because of its carbohydrate content, but because it is usually made of trans fats (hydrogenated oils), which are a serious health hazard. (Some non-hydrogenated margarines are available in health-food stores.) You don't have to remove the skin and fat from meat or fowl. Salmon and other cold-water fish are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. Remember that trying to do a low-fat version of the Atkins Nutritional ApproachTM will interfere with fat burning and derail your weight loss. Artificial Sweeteners You must determine which artificial sweeteners agree with you, but the following are allowed: sucralose (marketed as Splenda™), saccharin, cyclamate and acesulfame-K. Natural sweeteners ending in the suffix "-ose," such as maltose, fructose, etc., should be avoided. However, certain sugar alcohols, such as maltitol, do not affect blood sugar and are acceptable. Saccharin has been extensively studied, and harmful effects were produced in the lab when fed to rats only in extremely high doses. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has removed saccharin from its list of carcinogens, basing its decision upon a thorough review of the medical literature and the National Institute of Science’s statement that there is "no clear association between saccharin and human cancer." It can be safely consumed in moderation, meaning no more than three packets a day. Saccharin is marketed as Sweet'n Low™. We discourage the use of aspartame (marketed as NutraSweet® and Equal®) because of clinical observations that it slows weight loss in certain individuals. The FDA has approved the herb stevia for use only as a supplement, not as a sweetener. This hasn't stopped thousands of low carbers though from using it as such. The Atkins preference is for sucralose (Splenda™), the only non-caloric sweetener made from sugar. Sucralose is safe, noncaloric and does not raise blood sugar. It has been used in Canada for years, and the FDA recently approved it after reviewing more than 100 studies conducted over the past 20 years. Note that each packet of sugar substitute contains about 1 gram of carbohydrate, so don’t forget to include the amount in your daily totals. You can get Sucralose in both packet and bulk granulated form just like sugar. Acceptable Beverages Be sure to drink a minimum of eight eight-ounce glasses of water each day, including: Filtered water Mineral water Spring water Tap water Additionally, you can have the following: Clear Broth/Bouillon (not all brands; read the label) Club Soda Cream, Heavy or Light (Limit to two to three tablespoons a day; note carbohydrate content) Decaffeinated Coffee or Tea* Diet Soda ( made with Sucralose/Splenda™. Be sure to count the carbs.) Essence-Flavored Seltzer (must say "no calories" and should not contain aspartame) Herb Tea (without barley or any fruit sugar added) Lemon Juice or Lime Juice (Note that each contains 2.8 grams carbohydrate per ounce. Limit to two or three tablespoons

Craft: Hair Bows for Poms



Makingthese for Missy's Poms/dance Team to wear at the league Competition in November.

Homecoming 2011: Candyland

The theme for Homecoming this year was "Candyland".  

When I designed the flowers for Missy and Matt,

I incorporated the Candyland pieces into the flowers.

Cheer Notebook

My friend Michelle, who coaches a local HS Cheer program, asked me to help design a few locker decorations for her team.    

This is a simple covered notebook using Cricut and it's All Sports cartridge.   There colors are navy and cardinal.

I covered a composition style notebook with gray paper.

Created the Cheerelader, megaphone and phrase using the Cricut All Sports Cartridge, cut at 5.5 inches.

Motivation

Everyone tells us to stay motivated. Our friends, our co-workers, our relatives say to keep going, don't quit. Sometimes, though, you ask, "Why? Why try my hardest when it ends in disappointment? Why go through something when it's going to hurt? Why?"

Because it's going to be different this time! Because you can't accomplish anything that you give up on. Disappointments and failures happen to everyone. The difference between those who reach their goals and those who don't is staying motivated. If you're motivated, you'll keep going. If you keep going, eventually you'll reach your goal.

Need more reasons? Here are 10 of our ‘hidden' reasons to stay motivated. Use one or all of them to keep the fire burning inside you.

1. Confidence

How did it feel after that first jog around the block? Or when you finally walked the stairs at work without losing your breath? The more you accomplish, the more you'll believe in yourself.

2. Fit into that dress

It's been hanging up in your closet for two years now, just waiting to be thrown on for a night on the town. All it takes is for you to go that extra mile and stay on track. Before you know it, those two years will be ancient history.

3. Make the week easier

Ever felt like a week was taking forever? It feels like Friday, but it's only Tuesday? This happens when you're not working towards anything. When you have a goal in mind, you'll want to cook that healthy dinner or go to the gym. The week will not only go faster, but be more enjoyable.

4. Gives you purpose

Every once in a while, we need a good reason to get out of bed. Here it is, right in front of you. Eat the healthy breakfast that's going to jump start your day, go for your morning jog, or walk to the driveway and grab the newspaper. When you're motivated, you have a reason to do what you do.

5. For your kids

And your grandkids. And their kids, too. The healthier you are, the longer you'll be around to watch your kids grow and to spoil your grandchildren. They'll want you to be around as long as possible; consider this just another present.

6. Power of momentum

It's a scientific fact - something in motion tends to stay in motion. Momentum builds quickly and can lead to great results. Suddenly, you're not only working for the goal, but also to keep your streak alive. Even more reason to reach your goals.

7. The ‘wow' effect

Picture this: Walking into a restaurant, you run into someone from high school, and their eyes light up. They gasp, "Wow, you look great!" By sticking with your goals, this can happen. Watch the "wows" add up.

8. Spread the spark

When friends and family see how hard you're working, they'll wonder how they can reach their own goals. Guess who they're going to look to for help? By staying motivated, you'll not only help yourself, but others too.

9. Keep gaining experience

The more you do, the more you will learn and understand. You'll discover which tactics work best for you and which ones don't. It's like weeding out the garden - not the most enjoyable job in the world, but when you're done, all that's left are beautiful flowers. Keeping sticking with it and soon it will be all flowers for you.

Starting once again

Weight:  170 pounds

BMI:  27.44 (overweight)

Goal Weight:  135 lbs

Goal BMI:  21.8

Today was the first day of Work Out West's (WOW) Biggest Loser Challenge (BLC).

I actually got out of bed early and hit the gym, attending 3 classes today.

0715-0730:  5 laps around the track, 3 walking and 2 running, alternating to warm up slightly.

0730-0800:  The first class was "Sole Training."
This class was not what I expected.  We spent 30 minutes massaging and stretching our feet.  Although it felt very good, I did expect a little more exercise.

0800-0900:  Will Power and Grace
Described as a "sweaty, dynamic fussion of the most popular and effective group exercise workout.  All you need is your body weight and your bare feet.  A fussion of calisthenics, dance and functional training drills.  You will walk away sweaty, sculpted and stretched." --  I definetly walked away sweaty and stretched, with burning thighs and calves.  I think I did over 100 squats and lunges.  This leads me to believe that I need to work on stretching more and endurance.

0900-0945:  Treadmill
I walked the treadmill at a speed of 3 mph, at an incline of 4.

0945-1000:  Rest period

1000-1100: WOW BLC with Patti - Resistance Band workout
Resistance bands are an inexpensive, lightweight and portable way to perform strength training workouts in the gym, at home or on the road. They work by providing resistance and tension during both parts of an exercise: starting with the first exertion movement and then again while slowly, gently releasing the pose. The more the band is stretched, the more control that's needed to maintain the resistance level without snapping the bands. -- This is a great set of exercises that can be done anywhere, and easily while traveling.   I think this is something I might want to learn more about.  It was an interesting class, and I walkked away afterwards with a tinge in my arms and legs both.  From this I realize that I need to work on stretching exercises for my neck.

Nutrition:
probalby not as good as it should have been, but it takes time to adjust and create real change.  I did track which is benificial but tomorrow I need to make an actual change in diet.  Besdies increasing water intake, I need to increase my fruit and veggie intake, and my protein intake.

Mood: 
Listless, restless, tired.   Took a couple of ibuprofen to help with the soreness in the muscles.  But could not settle into any projects today.

Support: 
I think this will be the hardest part, as my husband likes to cook comfort foods and desserts.  And will have to slowly readjust to helathy desserts and snacks.  And encouraging him not to make so much food that there are tempting leftovers and to decrease the amount of sweets available. 

Helping Tools: 
I prepackaged servings into ziplock bags or plastic containers after shopping today.  Hopefully this will assist me with eating a portion and not a couple of handfuls, at a time.

Tomorrow's Goals:
WOW Classes:  at least two - women's conditioning, turbo kick, WOW BLC with James
Drink at least 100 ounces of water
5 servings of fruit and vegetables
100 gms of protein

Here we go again!!

I began WW in January of 2008 at 220 lbs, with a goal of 155. Which would put me at a BMI of 25%. Just sitting on the fence of being healthy vs over wieght, but my Doc thought that was a good goal to start with.

I continued with the program until I reach 180 pounds, and then I just fizzled out. No interest, no energy. Working alot of hours, and trying to take care of everyone but myself. I looked better but was still overweight and not really happy with how I looked, but didn't really care enough to continue to make the changes needed.

On April 9, 2009: I got on the scale at the Doc's office, I was at 180.5 pounds, in 7 months, I had only gained 0.5 pounds. But I looked like I weighed alot more. I also felt older and dragged out. So I made a promise to myself, to dedicate at least an hour a day to myself. Though I have to work hard at learning to say "no", I am a much happier person.

In May of 2010, I met and surpassed my goal, reaching 145 pounds.   It felt good, getting on the plane to Germany to see Stephan, knowing the success i had achieved.

Upon my return from Germany, I just couldn't get back into the swing of things.   And over the 16 months have gained 30 pounds back.  

Once again, it is time to dedicate myself to getting back into shape,  Into recomitting to those life changes. 

These next few months are going to be rough, as I will be switching  back to healthy life changes, and I know that that has been a trouble area for me in the past.

So I want to thank everyone in advance for your support and patience with me. And if I whine to much, please reach through your computer and slap me.

It's really hard to explain.  You think there's some big drama, or some big secret or something.  But it is all much more subtle then that.  You have spent the majority of your adult life looking after others, your husband, your children, your parents. 

 

 

And part of what you feel is that there is nothing else to do now that it is done, or almost completed.  Apart from waiting around for someone to ask for something to be done.  You love them all so much, but find yourself on the other side, the outside. 

 

 

You know you could have been more, so much more.  there is frustration, resentment, thwarted and maybe anger. There is guilt and you feel stupid about it, as you take it out on others, without anyone understanding why.

 

 

 Part of you feels that there is no appreciation of the person you were, or are, or the one one you might have been. 

 

 

You feel one dimensional, and you suddenly realize that it might not have been, or will ever be, enough.

 

 

You think of the life you have lived, what could have been, and cope with the feeling that you didn't live it the way you truely wanted to.

Cards: Football Fan

Journaling Starters: A list of words to get you thinking and writing.

listening:
eating:
drinking:
wearing:
feeling:
weather:
wanting:
needing:
thinking:
enjoying:
wondering:

Project: Gift Boxes

Missy wanted to create a small gift box for her friends on the Dance Team to celebrate the first day of school.  Although the Girls started last week, today is the All School Pep Rally, where the Team will be performing for the first time. 

Using our Cricut Imagine and Flower Shoppe Cartridge, we printed out the flower design that she had choosen for the top of the boxes.

The Tags were cut using the Cricut CTMH Art Philosophy Cartridge, and then decorated with CTMH stamp sets and water color pencils.

Missy wanted each box to be different, so we used different pieces of 12x12 cards stock and Cricut's CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge to cut out the boxes. 

The boxes were filled with candy, sealed and then the tag and flower placed on top.

What can you create with Duct Tape and a Paint Can?

This is my daughter Missy and her friend, Hope.   They are "Spirit Sisters" this year with their cheer and dance program at school.   So through out the year, they do different things, just to remind each other that they are awesome and amazing individuals.

Tomorrow is the All School Pep Rally at University High School and the two of them will be performing.  

Missy wanted to create something special for Hope.   So with a little bit of duct tape, a paint can and some maribo.  And Glitter, lots of Glitter!!!!!

Missy created a storage bin for Hope for some of her treasures. 

Inside Missy placed a pair of psychodelic soffee shorts (every cheerleader wears Soffee!!), a pair of paw socks in the school colors, a rainbow Hair bow that Missy made and a pair of sunglasses.  One day when the girls are together, they will create a paint splatter tank to wear with the shorts.  Missy will also throw some candy in there too!

And here is Hope with her Spirit Sister Gift.



Card: Back to School

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much - Scrapbook layout

Items Used:
Paper & Embellishment  from my Stash
Cricut CTMH Art Philosophy for the journaling spots