holy smokes. I'm going into week 3 of a 21 day fix by beach body. to say i am sore is definitely an understatement!! if you don't know much about this program, you should definitely check it out, especially if you have extra weight that has been stubborn in coming off! i have more than a few pounds to loose, so i am going to be doing this a few times. usually at this point (2 weeks) of a diet/eating plan/whatever, i am totally over it. thankfully the only thing that i am really struggling with/missing is sweets. lets be real, if you follow me on social media, you know that i am a hobby baker...it even pays sometimes. its not helpful though when there is little to no room for sugar in my diet. even my coffee has had to change! so, quickly, this plan is all about eating the correct portions of the right foods and pairing that with adequate water in take and at least 30 min of exercise. lucky for me, the plan included several 30 min workout videos (it even tells you which days to do which workouts). to maximize your results, they suggest upping the workouts to two a days at week two. i have started doing that (thankful that my mother in law has been in town so that i can actually work out during the day and not wait until 8pm) and let me tell ya, they pack some serious workout into those short 30 min!!! i love it! well, i hate the workout during those 30 mins bc i have sweat dripping into my eyes, i can't breathe, and every muscles is shaking from exhaustion, but the feeling after is great! and seeing the numbers drops on the scale and my pants getting loose is worth every minute of pain! if you are interested, click the link. if you have more questions, let me know! i will be starting another 21 day challenge Nov. 3...just before thanksgiving.
a little more background. i used to intern at a church in naples, florida where i met Lauren (Nolton) Smith. lauren is now married and mom to cutie, elliot. lauren started posting last month here and there about her challenge and her results. she also posted her husbands progress. both have been athletic and in shape, but with jobs and baby and life, each had gained just a few extra pounds. when i saw that lauren had lost several pounds and even more inches, i was intrigued. then i kept hearing of others who had done a challenge and had great results. i have 25 pounds that i would like to loose by the girls 2nd birthday and thought this would be a great thing to try to get things going. the first week of my challenge was hard for me. i am/was COMPLETELY out of shape and WAY over eating. my body had to go through withdrawal and shock for a few days. now, i am feeling so much better!! its crazy!! i feel kinda weird carrying my colored containers into restaurants but it works!!! plus, i am still eating real food, including carbs, so i don't feel deprived!
i have nothing to gain here...i am not a rep, or trying to sell you, etc. just wanted you to know what I'm doing and tell you something that is super helpful for me. if you do want to start let me know, i would love the support/accountability and you will need it to as you get started! :) if you are on it or have done a challenge, send me some recipes!!!
i can't wait to post before and after pics!!
here is a pic of each girl from yesterday. annabel is in a serious teething funk so she hasn't been in the mood for pictures this week. claire, well, she is just as animated as ever...per usual! :) they both keep me on my toes!!!
Annabel, just before she started crying...again! :(
Claire tried feeding this fake dog. so cute!!!
thanks Little Eclectic House for letting us snap (try to snap) a few pictures!!!
circles...dark ones...they are showing up under my eyes!! anyone have any tricks/good products/etc?? i mean, i know that they are not going away any time soon, so...whatever. :) in all reality, things are going pretty good! since my last post both of the girls have gotten sick, we have had several of my siblings here from michigan, and my legs still itch!
annabel and claire got some congestion from someone and then annabel somehow got an ear infection...at 5 weeks old! what the heck??!!?? poor baby!! the ear infection then led to thrush because of the antibiotic (that seems backwards to me, btw). so, two antibiotics also leads to seriously messed up poop. that led to our first blowout diaper. of course we were out at a softball game. in case you are wondering, bleachers are just wide enough to change my babies!! lol. through it all, the girls have continued to be very good babies!! they rarely cry unless they are hungry or needing a diaper change. they have each been sleeping pretty good. their sleeping is good but mine is still lacking...only because i am up feeding two separately. at night, i am up for about 35 min with each baby, that adds up pretty quickly. i am usually able to do the night feedings alone, giving peter a chance to sleep as much as possible, after all, he cant take a nap mid afternoon. i rarely nap, but its the knowing i usually can if needed. but, all of that is contributing to my dark circles. while i am gaining circles, i am loosing weight. i am 6 pounds less than when i got pregnant!! my skin is still loose across my belly and my belly is shaped differently now and lets not even discuss the stretch marks. but its nice to say that i lost all my pregnancy weight within the first month and continue to loose! now, most of that is due to forgetting to eat, but whatever!! lol.
so, we have also had lots of family visiting the last two weeks. my sister, olivia, and her 2 year old, zoe, came to visit for a long weekend. liv was a HUGE help while she was here. i loved having zoe here too! she is so smart and was super sweet with annabelclaire (yes, they are one person in her mind). liv and i did some shopping, we all went for frozen yogurt (several times), we went to the park and used the moby wraps for the first time, and had some great sister time! i hope that annabel and claire grow up having an awesome relationship with each other. liv and i are finally becoming close, and i love it! right after i dropped olivia and zoe off at the airport i got a call from my brother jonathan that he and his wife and his best friend were coming down the following day for a few days. WHAT??!!?? ok! my bro (whom i call paco) is very quiet and not open about anything. him calling to say he wanted to visit meant the world to me. it was so great having paco, whitney, and beal here. we ate out (thanks, paco), whitney and i had fun girl time while the boys went to a million gun shops, and we took advantage of the media room. i really miss my family and loved having them here! this week some of peter's family comes on thursday..his sis laura and dad carl. we have had a ton of out of town company...we are so blessed!
yep, legs still itch. i went to see dr. todd for my follow up and he has no idea what it is. he told me to go see a dermatologist. i had an appointment, but i was having a rough day and needed to cancel. so, i still itch, like crazy!! i have little raised bumps from my knees down. i work very hard not to scratch, but i cant help it sometimes...ugh!!!
i of course think my girls are sweet and totally adorable, so here are a few pics!! :)
on our way to church
aunt livvy and the girls. annabel in pink, claire in blue
momma and her babies
i love this pic!!
daddy holding claire in the moby wrap at the park! :)
momma and annabel. we both love to swing!
all of out to dinner!
Liv and Zoe at menchie's for fro yo
some of the many faces of claire..all within 45 seconds!! lol
Uncle Paco and Claire. she wasnt too sure about him!! lol
pics while out to dinner. top left: Claire. top right: Peter and Beal. bottom left: Paco, me, and Whitney. bottom right: Annabel
the girls fell asleep while i blow dried my hair this morning! so sweet
Claire all dressed up to meet daddy's coworkers today.
Annabel liked wearing her Easter dress again!
precious!!
i am a momma in love, even with the dark circles! i have things i could complain about (and sometimes i do), but i am choosing to be grateful!
today was a good day. the worst part was the wait before the appointment, but i totally felt the prayers, encouragement, and support from so many people. thanks!!
my ultrasound showed several good follicles on my left side. they didnt see any on the right side, but i dont know if that is normal or abnormal since my left side was so good. either way, because we had some good ones, i got the hcg injection. actually, it was two shots because there is so much hormone to administer...it doesnt all fit in one syringe! so my love handles are feeling a little tender. the upside to having love handles is that i didnt feel them administering the shots! :) i have more than an inch to pinch. but please look at this picture. this is the box that my shot came in...check out the name of the medicine...
is that a joke? you just shot me up with gonads???!!!??? oh my word! dr. todd tried to reassure me that this was not the full name...apparently it didnt all fit on the label. but why would they abbreviate the last word and not the first word? i am confused. i am already more man than woman...this makes me nervous!! it did bring a few laughs, which was awesome!
tomorrow we are all set and scheduled to go ahead with the IUI. peter and i have to be there at 9am. peter will have to give his sample, we will wait anywhere from 45 min to an hour and half for it to get "washed down", then we will go see dr. todd and i will get turkey basted. we will then wait 30 minutes or so. hopefully we will be home by noon, but that is me being optimistic! :) either way...this could be the day we get pregnant again!!! the beginning of a dream come true for us. we are already celebrating...believing it will happen! i have made 60 cupcakes! some for the nurses and doctors tomorrow and some for our friends that are bringing lunch when we get home. they are not frosted yet, so i will show you a picture tomorrow. i made almond funfetti from scratch! i also bought really cute liners...everything is bright, fun, celebratory!
speaking of cupcakes...another awesome moment at the doctors office today...my nurse said i looked smaller than when i was there 10 days ago, so she thought i should weigh in. i was so glad that she noticed how hard i have been working!! i was down just over 5 pounds! i weigh 15 pounds less than i did when i got pregnant with Charlotte, and i weigh 7 pounds less than i did when i got married! i guess that is good motivation not to sample too many of my baking creations and keep doing the shakes and work outs!! getting ready to be pregnant!!!
so, my prayer for tomorrow is simple. Lord, open my womb! Lord, allow us to conceive a healthy baby!
Romans 5:13 May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace in your faith; that by the power of the Holy Spirit, your whole life and outlook may be radiant with hope.
i have been a garth brooks fan since i was in about middle school. garth is one of those artists that has so many awesome songs that i cant pick my favorite song...depends on the day, sometimes the situation or who i am with. i will always remember my mom and i jammin and singing at the top of our lungs during car rides. her favorite might be "beer run"...lol!! i also have a friend that said "the thunder rolls" is a scary song. we were on our way to see miranda lambert and garth came on whatever we were listening to. she was singing along and messing up a few words, but about half way through she said "this is a really scary song"...our whole car of girls cracked up. :)
i have about 16 weeks to come up with a favorite, or at least learn every word to every one of his songs. in 16 weeks i get to see garth in concert...in LAS VEGAS!!!!! ahhhhhhhh!!! pure excitement!!! in 16 weeks i turn 30...the dirty 30! my mom and i decided this would be a fantastic "reason" to head out to vegas to meet garth. so, on october 27th my mom and aunt sally, my cousin alex and i will be there...dressed in cowgirl boots, singing along, and loving every minute of it.
this is my first visit to vegas. the concert is at the wynn, but we are still deciding on where to stay. if you have any suggestions, let me know! :)
i wish i could really show you how excited i am...this is seriously going to be one of the best birthday presents ever!!! thanks, mom! cant wait to see you, garth brooks!!!
do you have a favorite garth song??
blessings, ALo
ps. my goal is to loose my last 25 pounds before we get there. that will put me at my goal weight. this trip will be a HUGE incentive!
i am just about to go to bed, but i wanted to let you know that everything is fine. i have been off the radar for a little bit...i just wanted to see what it was like to process some things with out blogging. the verdict is in...i dont like it! i really dont care how many people read this, it is helpful for me just to type it out sometimes.
the last few weeks have been busy and this week is going to be the most crazy, busy, tiring week for months to come! this week we are going to beach camp!!!!! this is the week that i have been working towards since i started my job at the church. i am excited, nervous, apprehensive, ready, blessed, praying, and believing. we are taking 166 people to camp...135 of those are middle school students. AHHHH!!! we are staying at a beach resort with furnished condos, we have planned out rec time and free time and best of all we are expecting God to do some awesome things in the hearts of our students through our times of worship. my job (other than putting together a few things tomorrow and getting everyone to camp on thursday) is done. now, i have to hope and pray that everything that we have planned is going to happen (the food, the buses, the bon fires, etc.). please be praying for me this week! we leave thursday morning and come back monday afternoon. peter is going too! he will be with a condo full of 8th graders and he is also in charge of all the tech for our worship times. God bless my husband...willing to use 3 vacation days to minister to middle schoolers!! God bless all of our volunteer leaders! so awesome!!
so, all i need to do now is pack! i did go bathing suit shopping again today..ugh! i tweeted earlier today that bathing suit shopping is one of those things that does NOT get better with age. i hate it more and more each time i have to do it! if you know me, then you know (regardless of how much i weigh) i have huge "girls". im not kidding! bathing suits are not made for my girls to be covered appropriately for me to be going to beach camp as a leader with students. so, i have been looking online, i have lost more weight, and even resigned myself to getting a "grandma" bathing suit if needed. well, today was the last day i could actually go shopping before camp. i came home after a few hot flashes, a couple (almost) curse words in the dressing rooms, and a face that is all broken out (just like my middle school students) with a bathing suit in hand! no, it is not my first choice, but i will get great use out of it for both middle school and high school camp (that is 6 days after we get back from this camp!!) and maybe even a few trips to the pool this summer.
i didnt end up getting all the way to my weight loss goal before camp, but considering i was on vacation last week (not good for a diet) and been running myself ragged with home hair and work, i am ok with where i am this week, even after bathing suit shopping. i have set a new goal of an additional 12 pounds by our anniversary (8/12). that will put me very close to where i want to be over all. i keep praying that by loosing all this weight, we are getting more prepared to have a baby. i guess we will find out at camp if we are pregnant or not. if not, i have an appointment on 6/22 for a follicle search and will begin hcg injections. praying so hard we do not have to do that, but we are trusting God to lead us where He wants us!
ok, i know this was long. this is why i need to blog regularly!! :)
blessings, ALo
ps. i got to see Thatcher today! man is he ever a cute little guy!! please continue to pray for him and for his parents! if you are friends with them on facebook, please send them some love and encouragement!!
so, i have read all the magazines, seen the commercials/ads, and watched plenty of workout dvds. i want to know why i think that those ladies are normal! ok, so i know that (as previously posted) i am mostly man, but i sweat SO MUCH!! like buckets! i am sweating just thinking about sweating (thank you hormones!). ok, but for real. when i work out i look nothing like the ladies that are in the media ads, etc. they all have perfect hair, mine stands on end. they have perfectly matching and pressed outfits, i am lucky if there arent stains from hair color on my shirt. they are perfectly poised while working out, i am hunched over panting. there is maybe a slight glisten on their forehead, i look like i jumped in a pool with my clothes on! but, somehow, i think i might be the more normal one. when i look in the mirror after a hard work out, i hope to see very rosy cheeks, dripping hair, a wet tshirt, and a smile because i know that i just killed it! so, here are so "encouragement photos" these are after only a 30 min. elliptical work out with my friend, becca. imagine what it is like on a hard day!
holy sweaty! my face is still read after almost 30 min!
even butt crack sweat...yep!
shouldn't this be an ad??!! :)
i would like you to meet my new friend, becca. we met a few months back, but just started getting to know each other more recently. becca is funny (like hysterical!), loves to have fun, sweet, and loves middle schoolers (crazy, right? we have so much in common). becca is a school teacher and a fantabulous volunteer for our youth ministry. becca and i met at the gym yesterday to have a chat about the body by vi challenge (what a great place to meet to talk about weight loss!) while we were there, i asked becca a little bit about her amazing story. short version of the story is that becca has lost 120 pounds in less than 2 years! holy smokes! if you ask her how she did, she will say it was all about changing her eating habits. yes, she does work out. in fact, she usually does 2 a days in the gym (starting with a 5 am workout), but the work outs were not the biggest reason for her weight loss. becca's story and determination was so encouraging and inspiring to me!! she is a real life biggest loser! she uses her life story to encourage her students, her friends, and her family to live life to the fullest with no excuses. becca writes about her journey on her blog...check it out, send her some encouragement. becca will be starting the body by vi challenge next week...i cant wait to see how that works for her! :)
this is becca's before and after so far. AMAZING!!! yes, that is the same shirt!
ok, so in case you are not on instagram here are a few pics from easter, but i am also showing you a pic from morgan's wedding and christmas...can you tell a difference? ps. i started another challenge this week and i am down another 3 pounds!
good thing you cant see my waist, oh wait, there isnt one, just several chins!
this is our christmas pic, i thought it was great. i was at my biggest...just over 215 pounds and wearing maternity clothes all the time, even though i was not pregnant! at least my hair was trying to cover my chins!
my sweet friend, robin. love her. and me in a bright sweater on easter sunday!
saturday night easter service with my hubs and "fake sis" maggie!! both this navy dress and the floral dress above are the ones i bought 2 years ago and can finally wear again.
splurged on tex mex! love these people so much!
ok...go get sweaty!! in fact, come to my house and help lay sod grass today (friday 4/13, oh my its friday the 13th!!)...its going to be a GREAT workout!!
so, i bought two really cute dresses 2 years ago for easter/weddings/whatever. they are both cute and classic, so when i bought them i thought "awesome, i will be able to wear these for a long time." well, then i got pregnant. then i got fat. i have not been able to wear either of them more than twice. UNTIL NOW! i tried both of them on this morning and they both fit! probably even a little better than when i first bought them!
after trying on the dresses, i knew that it was time to pull the trigger on something i had been debating on. i decided it was time to become a distributor for body by vi. if you have been following my blog at all, you know that i have been doing the 90 day challenge. i drink 2 shakes a day and eat a sensible meal. in the beginning i was also working out a lot, but i have had a major mental set back in the gym. anyway, over the last (just over) 3 months, i have lost 30 pounds! WHAT???!!!?? i was skeptical in the beginning with body by vi, but it really is as simple as following the directions.
i dont ever want to be a crazy sales person, but i am proof that this works. not only that, but my doctors are encouraging me to continue. if you want more information, please contact me. you can also go to my page Aimeeloeser.myvi.net. i can help you get started any time. if you would like to try it first, just let me know! :)
guess i need to take a picture this weekend in my dresses...be looking for those! maybe i will go buy myself a new pair of shoes as a reward! :)
as of 6:30 this morning, i have lost 20 pounds since november! when i came on staff at cof, i started working out at a local la fitness with some of the "young people". i saw some change in the beginning, but not a HUGE difference. i knew that the biggest issue was what i was eating. with the holidays right around the corner, i made a very small effort to change my eating and kinda slacked on my workouts but still lost a few pounds. as of january 2, i really started to change things up and work out really hard! i started doing a 90 day challenge with "body by vi" a shake/meal replacement system. i traded out breakfast and lunch for shakes, started drinking a TON of water, taking multi vitamin supplements, and trying to eat a more sensible dinner. sometimes i have opted to eat lunch and drink a shake at dinner...either way, 2 shakes and a meal. i have cut out snacks for the most part and i try very hard to just drink water. there are days when a diet coke really hits the spot...a total necessity! :) anyway. in 30 days, i have lost 8 inches!! i hate to say it is just because of body by vi, because i have been working hard in the gym, but i also know that i would not have seen this much change with out the shakes. i am so excited! i feel so much better. i actually do not despise the workouts as much and my clothes, especially a particular pair of jeans, are fitting so differently. i have another 60 days to go...hopefully i will continue to stick to it! i could be where i was when i got married in no time...only this time be way more toned! my ultimate goal is still 40 pounds away. if i am not pregnant, i would love to see that number by may!
thanks for the encouragement! i guess i should have taken a picture...i will get on that...i still havent said/posted anything about my new hair either. ok, i promise to do that this weekend! :)
day 7 and i am thankful for elliptical machines and stationary bikes...and the team of people that kick my butt in the gym!! i know, this is not a normal thing to be thankful for, but i am. i started working out three weeks ago and cutting back on my portions...i am now down 6.5 pounds!!! i am so excited! knowing that there is a group of girls waiting for me, expecting me to show up, helps me get out of bed every day. i have always needed help in pushing myself with cardio...they know how to do it. the tradeoff is that i am able to help push them while doing weight training...soon they will be out pressing those boys!! :)
i dont love getting up at 6:30am to go get sweaty, but it sure does feel good after! and that number on the scale makes me feel much better...well, better than it did 3 weeks ago.
i am still thankful for oreos...we are just on a break from each other! i missed out on the orange and black ones this year :(
i dont really know how to describe how i have felt the past week. i think it is frustration. not anger, so much, or jealousy...some confusion, some disappointment but for sure plenty of frustration. from the start of our journey with Charlotte, i knew the that probability of her growing to full term was (according to the specialist) about 3%...pretty low. we prepared ourselves for the worst (as well as we could, but nothing really prepares you). we prayed for a miracle...that she would in fact go to term so that we could see her alive, even just for 5 minutes. as you know, that did not happen. i have been pretty open with my feelings and my grief from the beginning. that openness has helped me process each stage of grief and then move on to the next phase. some emotions have been easier than others, but i cant seem to get over this issue that i have been carrying around for the last almost 2 weeks. i am hoping that getting it out in the open will help me process. of course, God has already started working on me through the message at church this week (we went last night).
so, i am frustrated that i am not pregnant yet. we have been trying the last few months. i know that this sounds bratty...im sorry. i didnt have to "try" to have Charlotte, it happened the first month. i thought that maybe because Charlotte was born early (not at term like we were praying) that we would get pregnant right away, otherwise, why did she have to be taken from us so early? why didnt i get to see her alive for just a few moments? when i wasnt pregnant by her due date i was REALLY frustrated. peter and i want to be parents so badly. it seems to happen for others so easily...why are we being asked to continue with this grief without a positive to cling to? i know that this is not really the case, but that is what i am thinking lately. yes, i know that it will happen when it is supposed to. i "get" that God is in control, but when do i get to start dreaming again? well, i am dreaming, but not the dreams that i like having.
ok, so, last night at church we were in week 10 of 11 on a study of the book of james. when we got to church i was already emotional after spending the day around a lot of little babies at my "fake sister" maggie's grad party. when we pulled out of the driveway to go to church i looked at peter...that was all...he knew exactly what i was thinking...he was thinking it too...we just want to have our own family. so, again, i was already emotional when i went into church. before the sermon, we had communion and i prayed about all that i was feeling...knowing that i was allowing some of my frustration to keep me from being real with God. at the end of communion we sang hillsong's "you hold me now" (see bottom of post for the song). i totally lost it! i know that Charlotte is now perfect in the presence of God and that He is holding her close. THAT IS WHERE I WANT TO BE! at that moment that was all i could think of...Jesus, just come back now, please, i am ready! i was so sad...while i am so glad that Charlotte is not in pain and is perfect, i want her here. i want my baby! i want my family! james 5:7-12 is all about having patience in suffering. of course that was the passage for the sermon...of course! please...if you are going through any type of trial in your life or any type of suffering, listen to the whole sermon (titled macrothumos). i had so many notes that i cant type them all. but one of the biggest things that i came away with is "God does not get distracted." suffering does not happen because God wasnt paying attention, or because he was distracted (i.e. God isnt texting while driving). God is always in control, nothing gets past Him. God never makes a mistake! do i know this? yes. did i need a reminder? YES! God knew what He was doing when He called Charlotte home at 22 weeks. He hasnt forgotten about me, even if it feels that way. He is still there, giving me His full attention.
i was also reminded how much i suck in the patience department. in the passage we see that the farmers are patient with uncontrollable situations, prophets were patient with unchangeable situations, and job was patient with unexplainable situations...and me, i am not patient with anything. verse 11 says that i will be blessed if i persevere in my suffering with patience. i know that i will still face fears and insecurities. i know that i cant control God's will in my life (good thing, i would not be good at that!). i do know that God loves me, that He did not mess up and that He has good things in store for me. everything that happens here on earth is as bad as it will ever get for me...thankfully! i am so thankful for the reminder this weekend!
please pray that i will be more patient, especially with myself! please pray that i will not be frustrated by how things happen or do not happen, that i will be happy with where God has me right now!
i am writing this down and putting around the house as a reminder this week!
psalm 121
"I lift my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip, He who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you, the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm, He will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore!!!!"
i hate sweating, but i love the way i feel after working out. in the past i have always gone to jillian michaels 30 day shred video for a quick, but challenging, workout. however i get so tired of hearing her talk, even for just 25 minutes. i tried to put the dvd in my laptop and watch tv while i did the workout, but i missed parts because i was too enthralled with whatever i was watching...oops! :) so, this last week i have done this new cardio workout that i found on a blog (:(sorry, i cant remember what it was)...it totally kicks my butt! the nice thing is that i can watch tv while i do it! i get so bored when i workout which is usually why i end up not working out. this spring i have also mowed the grass...that is a workout!!! we have a decent sized yard and we use a push mower. i am pretty sure that there is something wrong with our self-propelling mechanism...even better for a workout! ok...here is the new cardio workout...mind you i did not make this up myself. i got it from a foodie blogger who is also a personal trainer...
Repeat 2-3x
~can substitute jump rope, jumping jacks, or 60 seconds wall sit for burpees or squat jumps if needed.
~can add sprints between sets if wanting an intense workout.
i have lost two pounds. that stinks. i was hoping it would be more, but deep down i knew that it would not be. no excuses, but i have not done my job. i have slacked on my eating plan and slacked on my exercise. i have eaten lots of dessert then last weekend peter and i also took a trip to houston, tx...not the best place to eat healthy when you are being shown the "highlights" of the city (mostly food places!) let's just say that i throughly enjoyed my trip!! but seriously...if you have never been to houston you should go...soon! we had a great time...thanks so much to my aunt sally and uncle bill for showing us a great time. i was able to be a part of my cousin alyson's senior prom (hair and make-up). she looked BEAUTIFUL and i had a blast. ok, anyway... i have started off this week pretty good. i am determined to not give up even though i was terrible last week! thanks for all the encouragement and ideas!!
ok, enough about that! the new season of the bachelorette started a few minutes ago....this is so awesome, mostly because lisa and i have already sent 15 text messages back and forth breaking it all down. i cant wait to chat it up girl style over this season with lisa...i know that there will be so many laughs. have you ever seen this show? the first night is so funny...all the first impressions are awkward and awesome!!! grant is watching it with me here at the house (peter is in the room but totally ignoring us!) and he is totally cracking on these guys. i just cant imagine putting myself through something like this. i mean...creepy, weird, not fun! why did one guy come in a mask??? :) oh my! dont be surprised if there are a few posts about this in the future!
i also wanted to share a cupcake recipe with you...i forgot to take pics, but they looked similar to this, but tasted even better!
the cupcake (and butterfly cake) pictured is from Charlotte's celebration (sorry it is blurry, my camera phone isnt that great). but this recipe is a classic that i pulled out for my friend, per request, after just having a baby. i made them chicken cordon bleu casserole, rolls, salad and chocolate chip cupcakes with buttercream frosting. it was all good! let me know if you really want the recipes and i will send them to you, but you really should try these cupcakes!!!
Darn Good Chocolate Cake/Cupcakes
1pkg plain devil's food or dark chocolate fudge cake mix
1 pkg (3.9oz) chocolate instant pudding mix
4 large eggs
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. warm water
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
preheat oven to 350 degrees. combine all ingredients (save the chocolate chips) until well combined. fold in chocolate chips. pour into cupcake liners. bake at 350 for 20-22 min or until cakes spring back. let cool completely before frosting. *if you are not making cupcakes let me know and i will let you know how to adapt this for bundt/layer/pan cakes.
Best Buttercream (not too "crusty")
1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. butter (softened)
1 teas. vanilla (clear vanilla if you want very white buttercream)
4 c. powdered sugar
3 tbls. milk (more if needed)
cream together shortening and butter. add sugar and vanilla. mix well. add milk until smooth and creamy, until it is the consistency that you like. i like mine a little thicker for piping.
so good!! but, i guess cupcakes are out for me for a little while..at least a cupcake every night like last week!! cant wait to hear what you think about the bachelorette!!
i started tivo-ing oprah's farewell season in the fall and as the season draws to an end the episodes have been pretty good. today was all about weight loss. now, if you have ever seen more than two pics of oprah, let alone follow her show, then you know that she has always struggled with her weight fluctuation. today's show was all about weight loss...specifically highlighting fans that have lost over 100 pounds each. every person interviewed did their weight loss (or so they say) the right way...meaning they did diet/portion control and exercise. there was also an 11 year old little girl that lost 50lbs after her mom ran a marathon...so inspiring!! bob green (oprah's personal fitness trainer/nutritionist/friend) sat down with her and they talked about 3 questions that you have to be honest about if you ever want to loose weight. i started listening. you see, i have a weight problem. i came to my senses this past weekend while in georgia for my 10 year class reunion. i have to be real about it if i want to change...so here it is...i have gained 50 pounds in 10 years. i am 5'4" and weigh 202lbs. ouch! more than ouch!! i have heard my whole life that i dont look like what i really weigh...this time it is not true, and worse than that i feel it! bob green gave 3 questions to think about. he said that if you can answer them then you are on your way to beginning the hard journey.
1. why are you overweight?
there are a lot of reasons, but never seem like good enough excuses. i know that i am an emotional eater, and the last few months have not been an exception at all. just like oprah said, i am not stressed because i eat!! i am overweight because for a long time i told myself it wasnt that bad. i told myself that i am built differently and wont ever be "skinny". like i said there are all kinds of excuses, but it really comes down to me not liking myself or the circumstances in my life. i punish myself ultimately by rewarding myself with treats or overeating when something good or bad happens.
2. why do you want to loose weight?
first of all, i dont want to diet. i want to change. i want to loose weight to be healthy. i want to loose weight to fit into my clothes. i want to loose weight to be attractive to Peter (he has NEVER said anything to me, EVER, but i dont want things to change between us because of my weight, which would be my fault!!) i want to loose weight to be a healthy, active, "there" mom for my kids. if this is not a diet than this is a long term goal...not a fad or a right now thing.
3. why have you been unsuccessful to date?
plain and simple, denial. i lie to myself. i tell myself it is not the number on the scale, or that as i get older its ok if the number goes up a little bit...i have told myself everything under the sun to make it better/ok. partly, too, it has never been this bad and i have never felt this desperate about my life and weight. if this does not happen this time it may never happen and will only get worse...that terrifies me!!
so, there it is! i "know"what i am supposed to do. i know "how" to do that, but it is those first few steps that are really hard! i need to remember that the weight did not come on over night so it wont come off over night (even though that would be AWESOME). the goal is to loose the 50lbs, slowly but consistently so that it stays off. it will be interesting if/when peter and i get pregnant again, but we will just cross that bridge when it comes...i cant keep putting this off!!
look out jamaica...i will be there in september...lookin much better than i do tonight! sorry houston, you wont be as lucky next week! :(
please encourage me! keep me accountable!! so scary that you all know about this now, but i need a good swift kick in the rear...do it!! i will post a weigh in result each monday. thanks, friends!!
blessings, ALo
ps. the other "interesting" thing said on today's show (a repeat from a dr. oz segment a few years back)...for every 35 pounds a man looses, he gains an inch "down there". that one guys attention and he lost 104 pounds. he and his wife both said it was true...i was just cracking up!! :)
first and most important I am a child of God, loved unconditionally and saved by His grace. I have been married to my best friend, Peter, since 2006. We are blessed beyond belief! Life is crazy and super short, so why not share it with everyone...we can laugh and learn together!!
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