More Reading

I want to see how many *adult* books I read this year.. So I figured if I list them here then I will know! Also then if I want to share good reads then I will actually remember what I read!

So to start the year:

1/7/11 Losing It- Valerie Bertanelli

Interesting read.. not life shattering but interesting and not too heavy

1/13/11 Without Pity- Ann Rule

This only took me 3.75 years to read.. Granted 3.5 of that the book was lodged in the bottom of the basement couch and we only just found it a few weeks back. Since I already paid the library for this lost book I figured I might as well read it.. Ann Rule writes real life crime stories... I devoured her books when I was still a kid in school.. Now I need to see if she has any current writing...

1/18/11- Eat Pray Love- Elizabeth Gilbert

I have heard great things about this book and of course the movie is supposed to be good. I really wanted to read the book before I saw the film. The book is really good. It makes you wonder if you would have the gumption to throw it all to the wind to really truly find yourself... Will definitely have to look at what other writings she has done.

1/20/11- I'm a Stranger Here myself- Bill Bryson

This book bored me to tears about half way through. This guy is an American and lived in England 20+ years.. Brings his family back to USA and writes a column pretty much about what he observes.. I bet this was much more interesting say... back in 1999 when it was newer..

1/22/11 Look Again- Lisa Scottoline

I seriously started this book at bedtime on a Friday night and woke up to finish it the next morning. MUST check out her other writings.. Single woman adopts an ill child abandoned at local hospital. 2+ years later she swears that the child on the *have you seen me* flier in the mail is HER child.. She puts her newspaper reporter skills to work and figures out her child WAS kidnapped and abandoned... Many twist and turns in this story! Worth the read

And to finish out the month...

1/28/11 Mennonite in a little black dress- Rhoda Janzen

This is a memoir of a woman who has left her family's Mennonite lifestyle and lived a *secular* life for many years.. After back to back health crisis and her husband leaving her she goes home to be with her parents for an extended visit.

1/30/11 Still Missing- Chevy Stevens

OH MY GOODNESS! Thank you to the random lady at the library who suggested this book.. I hope she likes the one I forwarded her way.. Another book I started one night and finished the next day.. This is the authors first novel.. I will definitely be on the look out for more of her writing.

The Ups and the Downs

Yesterday I weighed myself to have a Monday to Monday comparison... *Officially* in that 7 day span I lost 2.4 lbs. Not the 4lbs+ that Saturday tried to convince me but still a justifiable and healthy loss.

I will take it!

Last night was CMOMC meeting and my goal was to not eat the dessert. Which is actually pretty easy.. I have everyone get food and then I start the meeting! The problem is after the meeting it is so easy to go pick at the snacks and chat.. A few things helped.. I do not like cream chicken sammies so NO worry there! I don't like snack meatballs so much either so easy there.

Thank you to Lori and David who unknowingly helped me avoid the table!

This morning I weighed myself.. I know it is not the best habi to weigh in everyday but I prefer to see the little changes for self motivation..

This morning shows a 1.6 drop from yesterday.. To believe or not believe.....That is the question..

I will check daily for my own personal interest but only count the Monday numbers across the board for actual loss...

SO the Funny......

This morning we are on the way to the bus and I ask Maddie if she remembered the shoes to change into from her boots.. She did not of course.. So I go to run back to the house...

Holding my scrubby track pants waistband the entire time.. Then I realize.. my underwear are falling down and that was making it really hard to keep going.. I had to lift my coat, dig in grab my skivvies and pull them up to keep on running!

Good thing these pants are falling apart.. I hate waste and will not feel guilt at all when I finally toss these aside!

And reality is.....lol

Today I am right back to where I was on Friday.. Obviously yesterdays scale was off..Oh well... It was a nice thought.

And still a motivator!!

Sooooo excited!!!

SO this morning as my usual I went to the bathroom when I woke and then went to the kitchen to weigh myself. When I glanced down to see the number I laughed because I KNEW I must have fidgeted too much.. That number was just too low compared to yesterday..

I flipped on the light, reset the scale and stepped on again and did not move.... and I waited..

THE SAME NUMBER POPPED UP!!!!!!!!!!!

I did the math(which was easy) and realized I supposedly lost 4.2 pounds since yesterday.. HUH?

Is that even possible?

Yesterday I ate a new cereal for breakfast.. All Bran.., I ate what felt like a HUGE lunch... I shoveled the entire driveway of the snow that was out there already... I ate a good dinner with the kids.. I even ate a big enough helping of dessert I felt sick... ( sugar free pudding, banana, vanilla wafer and real freshly made whipped cream)

How does this compute? I was just hoping to not gain...

Oh well I figure I will enjoy that loss today and tomorrow when I show a gain of 3lbs I will get a good laugh...

Later on after kids were settled playing I got bundled up and headed out to shovel the new accumulation of snow.. While I was shoveling I realized today was January 8. That caused me to stop and pause for a moment...

December 8th was when we made the choice to make all these changes... December 8th was the day we decided to work together to fight this battle, lower portions, eat less carb, to better ourselves..

It has been 1 month.. It has been 1 month and with todays starting weight...

I HAVE LOST TWENTY POUNDS!!!!!!!

What an awesome feeling that was.. Sure, I realistically expect to see this to be untrue in the morning.. But for today... For today I have lost 20lbs!

WOO-HOO.. that is such a motivator.. That is such a milestone number.. Sure maybe on some people it is a HUGE obvious change.. It is not that obvious (in my opinion) for me.. Unless you really knew what my boobs looked like.. because unfortunately.. The Boobs have left the building....

To be continued...

What I am reading this year...

I want to see how many *adult* books I read this year.. So I figured if I list them here then I will know! Also then if I want to share good reads then I will actually remember what I read!

So to start the year:

1/7/11 Losing It- Valerie Bertanelli

Interesting read.. not life shattering but interesting and not too heavy

1/13/11 Without Pity- Ann Rule

This only took me 3.75 years to read.. Granted 3.5 of that the book was lodged in the bottom of the basement couch and we only just found it a few weeks back. Since I already paid the library for this lost book I figured I might as well read it.. Ann Rule writes real life crime stories... I devoured her books when I was still a kid in school.. Now I need to see if she has any current writing...

My Madeline.. the Hypochondriac

We started back to school on Monday..

So far this week my daughter has complained -

"My hip hurts!... Both of them do..."

"My tongue hurts.. there is a bump on it"

"My throat hurts!"

"My head hurts here.. and here..."

"My tummy hurts"

If this is how K goes.. I will be so doomed once she hits the teen years...

Exciting!

Getting dressed for church this morning has proven to be an uplifting experience. This particular pair of pants fits looser then the last time I wore them!!! Up until now I have not noticed any change in my lower body.. Being able to button and zip these and have a little extra room is very exciting! The shirt I picked to go with it fits a little looser too.. but only b/c my boobs have shrunk!

Not excited about loosing the girls but I will take the small victories where ever they come!! WOOHOO!

Resolving to Reduce...in 2011

I never make resolutions, why would I, I would just ignore them like everyone else does theirs!

So this year I have one simple goal.. A very attainable goal..

Simply to Reduce....

A simple plan that can be achieved in many different areas..

Reduce my weight...

Reduce my stress...( LOL.. still not sure how to do THAT!)

Reduce clutter in this house

Reduce debt

Reduce(hopefully) costs... more careful spending to help with that debt reduction...

Mentally I am already cleaning the basement! I have piles sorted down there and I know which will go to the donation center at church(clothing with life still left )..

which items I will take to the Crisis Pregnancy Center(crib mattress, mattress covers, crib sheets),

which items I can drop at the local Head Start Center( some educational toys, lots of books etc)

Now if only I could reduce that Mini Van..... Need to keep posting that on Craigslist!