Day 26: Don't Stop Believing!

I've always struggled with my weight.

The first struggle I remember is when I moved to New Jersey my freshman year of high school. We moved suddenly and had no home when we arrived. We stayed two months in a hotel before my parents found a house and we moved in. Two months in a hotel in a city where I knew literally no one and had no where to go. My brother Drew and I watched the same movies on HBO twenty times. When volleyball tryouts started I found I had gained 20 pounds. The hotel we were staying out had a fabulous gym and hours of volleyball practice got me back in shape quickly. I remember how shocked I was that I gained so much weight in such a short amount of time without realizing it until it had already happened.

When I moved to Utah my Sophomore year my depression made my weight an every day battle. My pant sizes fluctuated from size 3 to size 9. I became obsessive about it at times and would not go to bed until my abs, butt and thighs hurt from workouts.

After high school it got really out of control. I gained about 60 pounds in less than a year. It wasn't until my first marriage ended that I lost most of the weight. 50 pounds! I moved in with a really good friend who had a whole workout room in her house. I used the treadmill every work day before she got home from work and eventually stole some of her exercise ball DVDs.

I kept it up until my string of panic attacks last year. I literally let anxiety take 100% control of my body, my mind and my desires like an Exorcist movie. I was lucky that I was still able to fit into my wedding dress! Since last year I have gained back every single pound that I lost two years ago.

I've done it before and I'm going to do it again. This week I started my weight loss routine again. I'll start out by doing what I did last time - working the treadmill 20 minutes a day until I get my endurance up and can do more. I've been able to burn at least 150 calories a day (the amount of calories in the Dr. Pepper taunting me in the fridge) and not stop until I walked a mile. I say that's a good start.

Other tips to remember that help:

• Listening to some fabulous tunes and dance like a freak
• Being poor - we can't afford Dr. Pepper and Wendy's
• I love, love taking ice cold showers when I'm gross and sweaty
• After the first 15 pounds I lose I get something awesome. I just haven't decided what yet.

I think it may be time to buy some new sneakers. My mom bought these for me 10 years ago when I was trying out for volleyball in New Jersey.


Let me know if you know of any good deals out there.

Day 14: The Color Purple

Today has been a long day but it seriously flew by.

Adam and I took a walk with Coco down the street to Lake Michigan. It was beautiful to see the beach so close to our home.


It was a cloudy day but a whole 50 degrees out. Beautiful!


180 degrees from the above shot - right over that hill is the street we live on.


Coco running around!


When we came back I watched two tutorials on stamping from my favorite scrapbooking site Two Peas in a Bucket. You can view the free tutorials here. I love learning new ways to use what I already have. I learned of a new tool that she used and next scrapbooking shopping trip I plan to get it!

Then we spent $600. All on stuff we needed for the house. A lawn mower, a hose, a sprinkler, a ladder, deck stain stuff, an extension cord, paint for inside, a large push broom... things like that. So it added up fast. As soon as we got home I started painting the bathroom. Three hours later and 20 minutes ago, I had this masterpiece:



It still needs another coat or two but Adam and I think it looks so much better than before! I celebrated with a delicious Not-Hostess-But-Store-Brand Cupcake:


Off to make Adam give me a back rub (or at least crack my back) and then bed.

Day 6: Um...

Dude. I worked out. 30 whole minutes on the treadmill. 150 or something calories. I'm so proud! I'm gonna work off this weight so fast I won't even know it hit me.

I also found an awesome website. Askforit.com.

I didn't do anything interesting and it's frikken freezing outside so instead I will inspire you with a card I made last month for Adam's Dad's 50th birthday.

I wanted to make it masculine but I find that really difficult to do. I initially started to make a dark blue and orange card since he's a Bears fan, but it was turning out super tacky. I scrapped the card and started again. I started by hand cutting circles and aging them with ink.


Then die cut letters to spell out "happy birthday" and used some wood cutouts for "50" and aged them also with ink. Glued everything together.


Once I cut off the circles on the sides I was done.


The inside was a bit awkward but I didn't care, I liked it.


I find cards to be challenging - moreso than scrapbook pages. I love this lady. She makes minimalist cards and is so inspiring!