We are only 13 days into 2012 and I am getting so annoyed with all of the exercising, weight loss, dieting crap that everyone is talking about.  It may be because I hate dieting, or that it makes me laugh when people say they have lost 20 pounds in 2 weeks. 

*sigh*

All I have to say to that is:

"CONGRATULATIONS, your kidney's and liver will be thanking you

if you keep heading down that path my friend."

Some people think that dieting means removing food from their life or exercising until they can't stand anymore.  Dieting is a lifestyle people.  It's making a point to not eat sweets and fried foods every single day, and adding in tons more fresh fruits and veggies, and getting off your rump and moving around.  You don't have to run 50 miles a day or lift 100 pound dumb bells, you just have to walk, bend, twist, just move!  Exercise is also cleaning, playing with your kids, folding laundry, shopping - the every day things that you do.  I love to put on my earbuds and listen to music while I clean.  Listening to music makes me dance, sing, and clean longer.

One of the most important things that I have learned whilel trying to lose weight is to not get bored.  When you get bored, your body tries to lie to you and tell you that you are hungry when you really aren't.  Here is some advice:  If you find yourself getting up to go to the kitchen for a little nibble, stop and ask yourself, "Am I hungry or am I just bored?"  Eating a piece of gum or drinking a cold glass of water will not add any fat to your hips or thighs.

Now, a healthy amount of weight to lose every 2 weeks is 0.5 to 2 pounds.  Don 't go nuts people, be wise.  It took you months/years to put that weight on and it will take you a while to take it off.  One thought is that every 1 pound is equal to 3500 calories, so if you eat a deficit of say, 500 calories a day for 7 days, you will lose 1 pound.  Yeah, totally wish I would have thought about that before I ate that cheesecake, birthday cake, bowl of ice cream, hamburger, fries, that second bowl of ice cream... I don't eat very healthy do I?  I am so good at not following my own advice.

Now, onto my 2012 plan, since 2009-2011 didn't quite pan out.  I want to lose 30 pounds before my cruise in October.  After some research, I found that if I stick to 1540 calories a day, I will lose 30 pounds by mid-October.

With dieting, I find it easier to have a reward, or to compete with my husband, which never works out because men suck!  Last time I tried a real diet with competition and reward was about 4 years ago.  I wanted to lose weight for a trip to Disney World.  My goal was to lose 25 pounds (down to 130), and my reward was a Swiss Army watch.   Unfortunately, I lost all but 3 pounds, so I didn't get the watch.   

This time, I want to lose 30 pounds, though I am starting from 10 pounds lighter than where I started last time.  My hope is that I will lose 30 pounds before October 2012 so I can get my new award,

 a tattoo! 

Now, I just need to go bake a cake for the hubs

Heartbreak

Have you ever felt the heartbreak of thinking that you are about to lose someone that you love?

It's that feeling you get when something terrible is happening and you fear for the live of someone that you just can't imagine being gone forever. 

You pray and beg God to keep that person safe.

I have had that feeling two times in my life.

Once was when my son had a severe case of croup and was sent in an ambulance to the ER.

The second time, was this past weekend. 

My husband and I took our 3 boys to the Indiana State Fair. We were going with some friends and their two boys and meeting my sister, who was going to see a concert. I was excited to hang out with my friends and see my sister and give her a big hug. Unfortunately, the traffic was bad and my sister didn't get their early enough to meet up.

Fast forward to 2 hours later and I was fearing for her life. 

During a storm/freak wind gust, the stage at the concert came down and landed on fans causing severe injuries and, in some cases, death.

All I can remember hearing from the voices around me was that the grandstand had fallen

and I remember my heart stopping.

"MY SISTER'S OVER THERE!" 

"OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD!"

"PLEASE GOD NO, PLEASE GOD NO!"

I didn't even think. I ran past everyone, out into the storm, to see what was going on. With every section of the Grandstand that came into view, I yelled "THANK YOU GOD!" I kept saying that until I saw each and every section still standing. I started calling and texting my sister, which went on for the next hour. Finally, when we reached our car, in the pouring rain, and piled 5 kids and 4 adults into our minivan, we finally got a hold of eachother. She was fine, safe, well.

Thank you God for keeping my sister safe.

The whole story of this tragedy is so hard to comprehend. I cannot imagine what the others are feeling. 

The ones who were injured.  The ones who's loved ones were hurt or killed. I can't imagine being one of them. Still feeling that heartbreak days after the tragedy.

Thank you God for giving those who have loved ones who were injured or lost their lives the strength and perseverence to get through this terrible time.

So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you;

seek, and you will find;

Knock, and it will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks receives,

And he who seeks finds,

And to him who knocks it will be opened.

Luke 11:9-10 NKJV

School "ROCKS!"



I remember the first day of school when I was little. It was always confusing, a little awkward and a whole lotta frightening. I hated the first day and dreaded every second of it. I was that awkward little girl sitting in the corner wishing that no one would look at her or even talk to her. I guess I am still that way, but now instead of feeling like someone will make fun of me or hurt my feelings, I just don't care.  Don't look at me, talk to me, because I just don't want to be bothered.  Let me do what I came to do and leave me alone LOL!  Guess you can see why my friend-base isn't so big :P

Since school wasn't the high point in my childhood, I wanted to make it a little less scary for my kids.  I don't want them to feel alone or scared because that was an awful feeling that I have never forgotten.  When C started school, I wanted to give him a reminder of me when he was at school so he wouldn't be scared, which reminded me of my first year of college. 

I went to Ball State University (GO CARDINALS!!!), which was only about an hour away from home, but I was in a new place with new people and had a new routine, and I hated new thing and I knew no one. The first time I saw my family after I was dropped off on that first day was on Labor Day. When the weekend was over, I did NOT want to go back, so, before I left I was talking to my dad in the driveway of our cabin. He bent down, picked up a rock and gave it to me telling me to not forget him. I don't think he meant it seriously. I think it was more of a joke, but it was very important to me. I took that rock, kept it all through college and I still have it today.  It's been about 15 years!

That gesture meant so much to me that since C started kindergarten, I have gone outside the night before the first day of school, picked a rock from our flowerbed, prayed over it and written "I <3 U" on it. 

The day of school, I explain that, through this little rock, I will always be with them and that I have prayed that God will be with them too.

(I also have them write their teacher's name and room number on a piece of paper, just in case :P )

I know it's kind of dorky, but I'm like that. I want the boys to know that I am always thinking about them and, if they get scared or nervous, they can reach into their pocket, feel that rock and know that there is someone who loves them very much. My hope is that they will always know that someone is always with them, in spirit.

As you can see C (L) was all for going to school...NOT!

Kinda smiling, but probably embarrased that mom is chasing him with a camera!

A with his first day smile :)

There they go :(

They're back and had a good first day!

P.S. I usually have my rock, but the kids have gotten a hold of it and I can't find it. I wish I could cause I would take a picture. I put "Labor Day '95" on it so I would remember the day and significance of that rock.  That rock just shows you how important the little random things that you do for people are :)