Update

First of all, thank you for being so patient on my clear lack of posting as of late. I started a new, part-time job as a marketing coordinator for a nursing home/assisted living center and that keeps me busy three days a week. The other days, I'm trying to run the household and that can wear a person out! Plus there are Boy Scouts (Wanna buy some popcorn? Let me know.), piano lessons, book club, bowling, church ladies, music boosters, etc, etc, etc. I'm tired just thinking about it.

If it makes you feel any better, I've been neglecting my treadmill as well. I got on it this morning, the first time in about a month, and at minute 55, my left knee told me it was done. I made it keep going another five minutes and it feels fine now. I guess it was just out of shape! :)

Last week, I weighed in and had lost 30 pounds! The Commander told me he would take me back to New York City if I lost 30 pounds and I did! Now we will see if he holds up his end of the bargain.

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This is the newest and exciting-est thing going on here.

We bought this land behind our house and are filling it up. We've planted 50+ trees and have built The Boy a huge "Fort" in one corner. Now, we are getting a storage barn.

This is the area it will be erected (heheheheh).



And this is what thousands of dollars will get you.



Doesn't look like much, does it? I'll post photos as we go along so you can see my new skating rink in progress.

Sometimes things...

don't go according to plan.

When we moved up here to Iowa, I thought, "Good. Now I can finally lose weight. I won't be able to eat out at every lunch and I won't be sitting behind a desk for eight hours a day."

Let's take a moment to laugh at that.

I weight more now than I ever have. Sure, I don't eat out at lunch every day. Probably 95% of the time, I make something here at home. And because I don't work eight hours a day, I'm within walking distance to the kitchen 24/7 most days.

I also eat the majority of my suppers here at home. Our dining prospects are few and far between in this tiny town. Plus, I can make some pretty tasty meals.

When I stepped on the scale nine days ago, I said a few choice words and decided to buckle down.

I started my DIEt on a Friday. I didn't want to wait until Monday. Now, now, now. Something had to be done.

I started walking, eating less and not snacking.

I lost five pounds in one week.

Zoinks!

Then a Fireman friend suggested the Lose It! application for the iTouch. He and a bunch of his Fireman friends use it and it has been working for them. I downloaded that puppy and went to town! I put in my starting weight(I used the current weight, not the weight I was a week before.), my age and my goal and it gave me a suggested caloric intake. I have only used it three days, but I haven't gone over my calories yet.

It is SO hard! I have been able to treat myself with a small chocolate cone or a couple of Hershey's Kisses, but that has been fine for me. I don't want a large chocolate cone or the entire bag of Hershey's Kisses. (That's a lie. Of course I do. But I choose not to.)

This morning, I was down four more pounds. Nine pounds in nine days. I know that is way more than is recommended, but I don't feel like I am denying myself of food. I'm having a salad at least once a day. I'm having carbs and proteins. I've cut back to MAYBE one Pepsi a day. (Throwback Pepsi is 150 calories. I have to really want it.)

(I just had to go check that one can wasn't two servings which would have thrown me WAY off! It isn't. Whew.)

I went to my closet and tried on my capri pants this morning. I can tell they have loosened up!

I just hope I can stay with this change.

To have and to hold...

CAKE!

Don't weddings bring a little tear to your eye?



More cake tomorrow for Mom's birthday!

Our house.

Sometimes it is peaceful.



Sometimes it is odd.



Sometimes it is crazy!

She's a fine girl.

One of my friends in Oklahoma is pregnant and I'm not there!

She emailed me the other day and let me know. She always poo-pooed the idea that she would ever have a baby, but I always wished she would. And now she is!

I wish I could be there to pat her head and say Poor, Poor Bunny while she is feeling icky/tired/stoopid. I'm having to do it over the internet and it just isn't the same.

I pointed her in the direction of my favorite pregnancy book The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy: Or Everything Your Doctor Won't Tell You. She bought it right away.

She has already emailed some of us Fertile Myrtles and asked about nursing bras. Asking me about bras, pretty funny.

I wish her and her husband all of the best and I really wish I could be down there this fall to smell some new baby smell and nibble on some baby neck.

If it's a girl, I'm going to call her Brandy. What a good wife she would be.

Mercy, Kel. Who'd a thunk these two bozos would someday be parents?
(Bowling Alley Baby Shower? I might could make it.)


Kelli and Sherry, Clueless College Graduates, May 1991

Military Ball 2009

(The lighting in this place left a lot to be desired.)

I'm not always in a snit.

The Boy's birthday is tomorrow. Thus begins the tale of The Goodies.

Friday - Go to sprawlmart. Show them this photo from last year and ask, "Can you do it?"



I need to talk to manager. Leave photo with notes about how many (30), when needed (Tuesday afternoon) and phone numbers.

Saturday - Go to sprawlmart. Talk to manager. She hasn't seen photo. She takes a look and says it can be done, but she needs to talk to her manager about price. Will call me.

Sunday - Nothing

Monday - Nothing. Go to other store and buy substitute goodies.

Tuesday - Call from sprawlmart. Just checking to see if anyone called you?

We went ahead and told her to go ahead and make them because the price she quoted was not too bad and that's what he wanted.

SuperMom comes through again!

(From last year. See how excited he is about them?)


Guess I'll have to eat the backup goodies myself.

(Again from last year. The Commander enjoys them as well!)