The final product

As promised my before and after pictures.  I must forewarn you that the before is awful!  I'm embarrassed to even put it on here, but to appreciate the after, it must be done.

 So there you go....Oh, I never did say how much I lost.  This week I was down 5 pounds.  That's a toatl of 36.5 pounds!!!!

A Very Happy Birthday!

I wanted to get a card for an awesome friend of mine but I never made it to the store.  So this is my gift to her.

Steph.  Wow.  we've known each other for a long time.  There are so many memories of us together.  Right now my mind is in a puddle and can't conjure up many of them.  But I know there's a ton.  I do know you introduced me to my husband.  So thank you very much!!  I have always admired you.  You're extremely smart and wise.  I am so thankful I was able to room with you in college. I pray we get to see each other more!  I'm looking forward to see where the years will take you and Josh!  I love you my dear dear friend!! Happy Happy Birthday!

Just team Lean!

I bet you look forward to Thursdays.  I know I do.  For each one that passes is another week closer to being at the end of Team Lean.  Guess what!!  I only have one more weigh-in left.  This week I was down 2.5 pounds!  I had to work hard for those pounds.  I worked about twice Monday-Wednesday.  Man,  I'm going to work so hard this last week.  Matthew and I agreed on eating only salads until Thursday.  So Here's what my eating plan will look like:  Breakfast is a fiber bar, Lunch is Slim Fast, and Dinner is a Salad.  With three snacks thrown in there somewhere.  This is going to be a hard week but I know I can finish super strong! I have lost 31.5 pounds!  That's 18.8 percent!!  I want to be over 20 percent.  I know I can do it!  That would be 4 pounds. 

Thank you Daddy for helping me get this far!  I could not have done it without you!  Help me through this last week.  Holy Spirit help me with my self-control and keep my desire strong! 

Week 7 and some ponderings

My seventh weigh in was today.  I only lost 1.5 pounds.  yes I hate to admit it, but I'm a little disappointed. I wanted to lose more, but I was unable to work out this morning.  I had gotten Johnathan out of a bed covered in "spit up" (as Alyssa calls it).  After I cleaned it up my stomach started to feel queasy.  (hey if you play scrabble just add qu to easy and you get queasy....)I thought it was just in my head and went to work out anyway.  I got on the treadmill and about passed out.  So no exercise today.  My stomach has been queasy on and off all day. Blech!

Now, onto my pondering.  I read a book called "The bluebird and the sparrow" by Janette Oke.  It's about two sister, One is beautiful and bubbly.  The older sister is plain and dependable. The older sister always felt that her sister was her mom's favorite.  That got me thinking about my sister and I.  We are very different.  She's shorter, has great olive skin, and these BIG blue eyes.  Me, I'm taller, have white skin, and have green eyes.  Our hair is the only thing that matches.  But the difference doesn't stop there.  She walks into a room and demands attention.  I walk into a room and blend into the wall.  She is extremely smart but lacks common sense.  I'm smart but can cover what I don't know with common sense. She bubbly and laughs a lot.  I'm more serious.  Those are some ways that we're different.  Growing up I tried to feel accepted by my sister. But I always felt like I fell short from having her accept me.  But a while back I realized that I didn't need her acceptance. I know she loves me.  But I'm not willing to change who I am just to please her.  It's painful to watch my mom and her's relationship.  I know that my mom favors her over me.  But it's more that my mom has to work so hard to gain my sister's approval.  So she has to give my sister more attention.  But it doesn't bother me one bit.  It did at one time,  but I know that I'm special to my mom.  I'm her dependable one. It's so nice to look back and know that I didn't allow my circumstances to define me.  I didn't have a horrible childhood.  I have rather fond memories.  But looking back as an adult I can see where I could have become someone completely different than I am now.  I thank God and praise Him for protecting me from those things growing up.  Growing up I always felt God's hand on me and guiding me.  I pray that all of my children feel the same thing.  I want them to have assurance that no matter what God will always love them and he created them to be who they are.

hotel bathrooms

Okay,  I have watched HGTV for years now.  And I love design shows.  But there is one thing I don't think I will ever understand.... Why would anyone want their bathoom/bedroom to look like a hotel?  I find that hotels tend to be cold and not very comfortable.  I've spent my share of time in hotels.  Some nice and some not so nice.  I want my bathroom to feel warm and inviting.  I want my bedroom to feel cozy and soft.  Not sterile and cold.   I have stayed at some bed & breakfast's,  they're nice but nothing I'd want my house to feel like.  I have never stayed at any 5 star hotel, but are the that much better that I want to model my house to feel like them?  I may just be crazy....what do you think?

I know I know...only 3 more weeks left of Team Lean!

So I have lost 2.5 pounds this week.  My routine on Thursday is this : get up, eat a fiber bar, get kiddos ready, go to gym, weigh-in, and then eat chick-fil-a and I have fries!!  So, Matthew and I were figuring it out.  If I can lose 9 more pounds I will lose close 22%...which would be more than any woman or man since team lean started two years ago.  I didn't start this thinking I could win individually,  I thought our team had a chance to be in the top 20%.  But having Matthew doing this with me helps. And I think I can do it!!  I would be my lowest weight since college! I know God's help me to lose this weight.  It seems silly to admit that I was praying God would help me and Matthew do this.  But he has been faithful.  I honestly don't think I would be doing this well if He was blessing me.  For example:  Yesterday I got on the scale at the Y and was the same weight I was last week.  I go this morning and I'm down 2.5!  Only God to melt it off like that.  I know everyone on my team will be blessed with the money they receive from winning.  I want my effort to bless them.  Also, I told Alyssa that mommy and daddy were on a diet so we can go to the beach.  She tells anyone that asks her all about it.  It's pretty funny!

A better day

Today has been so wonderful.  It wasn't without it's hard parts but I enjoyed my day!  It's been a long time since I've enjoyed my day.  The kiddos were good.  I was able to control my emotions.  And it was a beautiful day outside.

What made the difference?  I gave my day totally to God,.  If I felt myself losing control,  I'd give my day over again.  So, I pray that I can continue to do that.  It's amazing how having God in control can gave things so much faster than if I did it on my own!