Zumba, Zumba!!!

Be careful what you pray for! The Zumba instructor that I thought was wimpy 3 weeks ago, kicked my butt today. It takes so long to get fit, and it takes 3 weeks to lose it:( I can't believe how difficult the workout was today compared to when I felt strong and fit. Yikes! Is this a lesson?
There's a saying from somewhere...."me thinks you think too much". I wonder if that is some of the problem on this weight loss journey. Instead of slow and steady, constant tweaks never really give you a chance to see if it will work? 10 different Dr.'s/nutritionists/weight loss specialists/ will tell you 10 different things. That is strictly just my opinion, but whatever works for us, is what we should continue to do. Instant weight loss is just simply a fantasy. Again, my humble opinion. Whether it is BFC, Fast Track, WW, whatever, you can't say it doesn't work, if you aren't doing it the way it is designed. Slow and steady will win the race. What takes so long to lose, comes back quickly. Reality:( Whatever we do has to be something that we can live with for the REST of our lives. Knowledge is king, but who is giving you the knowledge? Mostly people trying to make a buck with the newest "easiest" weight loss program. It isn't easy!!! But it is worth it.
There, that is my rant for the day. And with that, I bid you good evening. I have watched over 15 episodes of the Tudors over the last few days:) Your majesty!

Happy Memorial Day!

I hope everyone has taken time to say thank you and pay respect to all of our incredible past/present military men/women. We are a truly incredible Country. I had mentioned travismills.org earlier in a post. He lost both arms and legs in Afghanistan recently. You just have to go to his page and look at the incredible progress he has made. There are a couple of new videos that will totally warm your heart and make you smile.
We went to visit my Dad's grave today. I don't really like to go there, I don't feel like he is there, and I had almost convinced myself not to go, when my husband drove there anyway. He always knows what I really need and puts up with my yes/no, yes/no on every decision. We were able to buy a beautiful flower bowl and I got to sit with my Dad for a bit. He was such an amazing fun, funny, successful man:) I like to think that we have the same personality, but then I am patting myself on the back...and that's not good right? ;) He loved to laugh as much as I do.

I see Baby Jesus in His manger, do you see it too?

I have been a carb overloader lately and I also have not done Zumba for almost 2 weeks. I am actually excited to go back on Wednesday and have the instructor that is "wimpy" because I will need wimpy after sitting for 2 weeks:) The beauty of the BFC is that I can jump right back in and I never feel bummed that I have to cut back. I feel happy when I start back up. We had pizza and garlic bread last night, go figure the scale was up this morning:) And I did pile all the toppings on a couple of pieces, but it was a large pizza, and I ate my weight in garlic bread! Dipped in ranch...Yikes!!! That's OK, that's alright, stay in there and FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT! Oh brother...that was dumb:)
Have a great week, believe you can succeed, and may all of your hopes and dreams come true! And like Jeri said, I wish you JOY:)
Blessings and happy scales!

134.5:) Happy!

24 inches!

About 30 inch bust?

My sweet friends, that dress must have looked way bigger than it is! I have a 29 inch waist, to wear the dress I would need a 24 inch waist! I also have a 34DD bust and this dress is made for a much smaller bust line! It truly shows how much bodies in general have changed over the years. My mom would have worn this dress in her early 20's after having 2 kids. There are very few 20 year olds that could probably fit in it now. I think we are getting bigger!
 Minichick's blog made me think, (scary) and my true opinion is that kids are simply too sedentary. Not enough recess, not enough outside play, not enough walking blocks/miles to your friends house. When I was young I would leave with a packed lunch in the morning and come home "before dark". We could never let our children do that now, it would be too dangerous. I also shared how I know of families that "do" buy sugar cereal or treats for their kids to be eaten out of house and home by kids that come over to play just to eat treats! Are they wrong to let the kids eat them? Have you ever told anyone visiting that they can't have something? We can't expect other's to police our children! We have to give them tools and knowledge. When kids are told no, if there is a will, there is a way, unless you have total control over them 24 hours a day. Home schooling I know you would have more control, but there is a big- big world out there. We always want what we can't have. There has to be balance!
On that note, maybe it is good that I have a 55 year old bladder and drink tons of water! I walk 10,000 steps a day to go potty:)
I am open to your thoughts on this, I am actually curious if you think I am way off the mark?

It's home, where it will be used!

On the home front, yesterday brought even more interesting conversations with my mother. She swears she told me several times the dates of the estate sale. Wrong! And even if she did, we should have been allowed to walk through after things were priced and pick things. She called to say that she had heard that I had gotten the Christmas china and would I still be interested in buying her dining room set? I had advised her on how she would get pennies on the dollar for her treasures and before she gave the dining room set away, I would buy it. She kindly refused! Well, she didn't sell it because the estate dealer had it all covered up and you couldn't see how beautiful it was, or that it was Drexel Heritage and did not have a mark or ding from use. Perfect, pristine condition. It also has 2 leaves and a custom made pad to go over the top. Well, since it didn't sell, she took me up on my offer. So it is here! Now my kids can have Christmas on the dining room table that they had used until 2 years ago, and with the Christmas china that they had used until 2 years ago. We NEVER missed Christmas at my mom's house for their entire lives, until 2 years ago.
My husband is the BEST, because as much as I wanted the table, my first reaction was to say no. He supported me in deciding to say yes. He's a great guy:) And he puts up with me and my "yes" "no" that constantly runs in my head. Decisions are difficult for me! Ugh!!! AGE?
So happy day! On the BFC front, I feel powerful! I have this! I will stay here! I eat spinach!!! Who would have thought???
Blessings and happy scales!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

My prize dress:)

My Dad's book

My greatest treasure:)

Thank you to everyone for your kind words yesterday. I was so stunned, and had to share with someone. I am happy to report good news today! I got the dress I had asked my mom for (she chose not to give it to me), it cost me 10.00 because it was considered "vintage". I had worn it in my senior follies in H.S. I can't believe looking at it, that I EVER fit in it. I found one of my Dad's text books with his actual hand written notes inside! That made me cry big time when I got it home. I also put a bid on my mom's extensive collection of Niko's Christmas china for my daughter, and I won!!! So now I have a treasure to give her someday. It is a serving for 12 with every serving piece you could imagine. I am HAPPY!!! I can pass something down! My oldest son also went there today and bought all of my mom's original art that she had painted. I was touched by that, that he would want it. They also bought a mirror that I almost bought yesterday, and some miscellaneous Christmas decorations that he remembered. Realistically we had only been at my mom's for Christmas and Halloween for many years. She couldn't afford to feed all of us was her excuse, even though we always bring things. He also brought me some things that I missed yesterday that had my kids pictures in them. She had left them behind! I'm sure the estate guy was wondering what kind of family we had, with not even knowing about the sale! Did I mention that I had gone to college with him and I think deep down he knew how important the China was to me and my bid won? Maybe that isn't true, but I think he understood my feelings yesterday. So today is a happy, happy day! I also gave my son and daughter in law several of the things that we didn't sell in our garage sale that they decided to take. I think they may sell them at their garage sale, but I gave them to them. I did not charge them money!!!
My Dad had his doctorate in Philosophy and was a student teacher supervisor for a local state university. He was only 49 when he died of colon cancer. He touched a lot of lives in a short amount of time and I miss him every day!
So...have a wonderful weekend! Thank you for letting me share:)
I am off to another wedding shower for my school friends daughter. I am going with one of my favorite friends, so it will be a good day!
Woot!!!

My Mom's estate sale:(

http://www.homesbynichols.com/The_Estate_Co/page_1974417.html
I don't know if you can see this post or not, but it is my mother's estate sale that she doesn't want me to know about. I read it in the paper. No my mother isn't dead, she's quite alive, and she didn't want to "just give" things to her kids, she wants us to pay for them. The estate dealer will take 30% of her earnings, so the 30.00 sale to us, she will get about 20.00. That was more worth it to her than sharing things that were my Dad's too. Please God don't ever let me be like her. Sorry to post this, it is just so unbelievable. I have no problem paying her for her items, don't get me wrong, but could we have been told in advance? Maybe had a private look through before other people? Could we have had the opportunity to retrieve things that were my Dad's who has been gone for 30+ years and I have his football referee jacket and a leather belt? I hope her piddly dollars she will make on this sale keep it warm and happy.
Sorry for the post, maybe I will delete it in awhile, I had to write it somewhere or my head would explode.

Quick note:)

I just wanted to share a couple of things....I love my husband! I can't say that enough, he puts up with me and that is pretty darn amazing! But that isn't what I was going to say...I was looking at my blog from May of last year and I had lost about 14 lbs. It was fun to go through and see my emotional self and what I was thinking. I am so glad that I have been able to stick with the BFC. I am now at 135 lbs pretty consistently. I don't know if I want to work hard enough to get back down to my low of 132.9 (I think) I have stayed this weight since about October of last year. That is 7 months of maintenance and I am proud of that.
Another thing....I have to relearn lessons over and over. I had diet Dr. Pepper 3x last weekend when we were out and about. I had such a BAD upset tummy last night and I know it was the darn soda. I will not be drinking diet soda again anytime soon. Yikes! My system does not appreciate the chemicals.
Thank you for the compliments on my Mother's Day picture! Full disclosure.....my son is 6'4 and about 240 lbs, so it is easy to look small next to him.
Lastly, I made a yummy dinner tonight. We had scrambled eggs with ham, spinach, tomatoes and monteray jack cheese. I love how when I have really bad days, I can jump right back in. Happy:)
We all can do it, if we wrap our heads around it.
Blessings:)

Happy Mother's Day:) Matth

Matthew and me!

It was a great surprise to get an invitation to lunch with my twins. They even brought me flowers! Taryn would not take a picture with us, no matter how much begging and bugging we did. Matthew wanted to show off his arms! He is working at a Snap fitness franchise and is getting quite buff. He makes me look small!!! They both seem happy, which is all we ever want for our kids, right?
We had a garage sale yesterday and I sold my beautiful Red Reeka, pictured at the bottom of my blog. She went to a 21 year old who was beyond excited. It truly was a beautiful bike and I am glad that it now has a home with someone who will actually use it! We did sell some furniture and I sold all of my old "too big" clothes. It is still a LOT of work for not that much money. I am happy and relieved that it is over!
My weight continues to stay the same even though I have been a VERY  bad girl. I am pleased, don't get me wrong, but I worry that I will get over confidant and instantly gain and then have to start over again! Moderation K, moderation! I am staying away from sugar, but those darn carbs, bad carbs, french bread carbs, call to me endlessly!
Our weather is beautiful and I am excited for a quiet day to sit in the sun and catch up on my reading. Many of you are busy every day and it is a part of your lives, I have not been busy for a very long time and having days in a row of activities, really messes up my slugdom! Being a slug does have its benefits!
My daughter in Alabama spent Mother's day at Chuckee Cheese. She said the place was empty so they were going to do it every year. Funny. I love Chuckee Cheese breadsticks!
Have a wonderful day:)