Wow 10 weeks already!

I can't believe that 10 weeks of my life has gone by and the changes that have been made in our family lifestyle. It went so much smoother than I even expected it to. I thought there would be much more grumbling and complaining about the changes, and not just food either. There has been more activity that requires physical activity. But everyone has been very supportive of me and it has made this so much easier than other times that I have tried to lose the weight and get healthier! In the past I have usually thought it wasn't fair of me to "inflict" my issues on the kids and Frank. After all they don't have a weight issue and they shouldn't be deprived of the goodies that mommy bakes or buys. This time however, I had done a little more research. The changes that I was to make to my lifestyle was just as good for all of them too. And I don't deprive them of all goodies but there certainly are a lot less of them and better choices of snacks in the house. And they don't even mind :) I am so proud of us all! It has also been a HUGE help to have friends on this journey with me. My BFF Devon, my sister Bev, Sam, and Kelly and my dear blogging friend Lisa have been so supportive and working on this right along side me. They know the struggles that I face and their encouragement has made a world of difference this time too.

Ok, so down to business... I lost another 1.5lbs this week!! I was hoping for a little more, but I also know that this the best way to lost it and my body is working it all out. I am staying with the Wii fit and have added in my belly dancing video. I have asked Frank for a new workout video for Mother's Day, so we will see if I get that or not ;) I don't get on the treadmill as much since I am walking outside more. But working my abs, arms and butt a little bit more seem to be keeping my heart rate right up while I am circuit training!

So, that's where we are at! Making changes and accepting them and loving being active outside!

22.5lbs down and more to go but really enjoying this journey!

Bountiful Blessings!

What an amazing week I had and it is hard to really pinpoint just five highlights but these are the definite top 5 blessings of my week:

~ Beautiful sunshine and warmer temps to heat my soul! There is nothing that I like better than getting my kids outside and enjoying the outdoors with them!

~ Unexpected cards in the mail just to say hi and to thank me for little things that I didn't even know that someone had noticed :)

~ A day at the beach with my children! It was such a God-thing kinda day. I needed to really relax and do some letting go, and it was the perfect day to get that done!

~ The teens at FEFC! I was fortunate to be a part of the 30 hr famine that they participated in, and what a great group of kids! They went without food for 30 hrs to raise money for World Hunger and they were awesome:) I was so blessed to be a part of it all!

~ An afternoon walk/hike with my family, enjoying the great outdoors together. We went out and hiked around Colby College this afternoon and it was a wonderful time of togetherness and fun. Walking hand in hand with Frank, watching our kids explorer this area was a moment in time, I won't soon forget!

Hope you had a great weekend as well! Enjoy this beautiful week that we have coming and look for something exciting to happen, you just never know!!!

Hugs!!

Back on track!

Much better Monday today than last week! I was able to get in full workouts Monday through Friday last week and even some variations of my workouts over the weekend, and it paid off!!! I weighed in this morning for a grand total of 21 lbs lost (I don't ever want to find them either, lol). I feel so great and it is so rewarding to be able to fit into clothes that I haven't been able to wear for a few years now. I even need to go buy some new panties (oh man, hehehe). 

One of the things that I notice the most now though, is that my muscle tone is changing. Things are firming up and my shape is different, in a good way. This is exciting to me and making me want to workout more to see what differences I might see in the next couple of days or so. Its really fun! I still do the Wii fit daily and have moved onto mostly advance moves, woot!! I also circuit train 3 days a week and have started walking outside a couple of days or evenings a week as time permits. I feel so good when I get to move :)

I have been trying lots of new recipes too. I have been cooking low fat/low calorie meals and having lots of fun trying new spices and oils. I am so glad that I am not afraid to try new things in the kitchen. My sweetie and 4 blessings love the new foods too! I can't wait to try some things on the grill. We are getting a new grill in the next couple of weeks and I can't wait to try some new recipes on that, we love to grill! 

Thanks again for all your kind words and encouragement. It made a world of difference last week when I was feeling down and out. You all are the best and I love you all :)

Have a good week!

My favorite moments of this week....

Blessings. They come in so many ways to me these days. Sometimes I don't even know they are there until I get the chance to step back and realize that it happened. Sometimes in the middle of it all, I don't even realize that I am being blessed until the moment has passed and then I get it :) Anyway here is my list for the week. I am so grateful for so much in my life, but these one's stand out the most for this week:

• Clothes that fit a little looser than before my lifestyle changes. Some that I couldn't wear last year :) Very good encourager!!! God knows I need visual as well as audio reminders that I can do this!
• Proverbs 31 Ministries! What a blessing these women have on my life and they don't even know me.
• Group hugs from the kids in our Children's department at Faith! I love these kids so much and pray for them daily! They are my blessings every Sunday morning :)
• Laughter! My dear friend Laurie knows just what to do when I don't think I can handle one more thing... she makes me laugh and that is just what I need at that moment! Thanks Laurie, God gave you that gift just for me, I know it!!
• Sunshine.... this week the sun was bright and warm here in Maine, and what a difference it made in my attitude and dispostion. I was more energetic, happier in general, and just more relaxed! God knows just the things to get me out of my "funk" LOL!

Have a great week my friends! Remember that God loves you so much that He gave his only Son for YOU! You are so special to me, and I do thank God for what each of you brings into my life!

Hugs!

Ok, I just have to be honest....

As part of this lifestyle change I agreed to be honest and accountable.... so here I sit writing with my head down and bummed!! I was so excited last week to have reached the 20lb mark and I got a little to careless over the last four days and ate food I shouldn't have and more than I usually do. Also, I didn't get to work out as much either. So, here is the confession, the Wii fit tells me I gained 3lbs... UGH!!! I can't say that I was super surprised but hoping for the best just the same. Oh, and I am getting ready to start my monthly ritual as well so I am feeling bloated and yuck too and there is chocolate in the house!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Just the same, I stayed on my workout, sweat a little bit more this morning and banished all chocolate treats to the cupboards out of sight :)

Here's to a better week next week!!! Lots of salads and fresh fruit this week :)

Weekly blessings....

Wow, what a great week this was! It was super busy and slightly out of control but great just the same! Here's a quick recap and my blessings listed for you to share in....

• Celebrating my risen Savior with my family and my Faith Kidz. It was a day that I will remember for the rest of my life :)
• My girl got her permit this week. I feel so blessed to have her as a daughter and I am so excited to be here to share this milestone with her.
• Special people that God has "knitted" into my life to help with wounds that still need to be healed.
• New relationships and friendships that I am forming. I love getting to know new people and I am so glad that I am getting this opportunity.
• My sweetie. It seems I list him almost weekly, but I have to tell you, weekly this man rescues me either from myself, or from overwhelming circumstances. He is always there to take care of me and help me and I don't know what I would ever do without him, I love you babe!

I am hoping that some things settle down for me this week and I get the chance to really look around, get outside and look for more of God's blessings this week. Hope you get the chance too!

Hugs!

It's official, she isn't a little girl anymore!

No matter how hard I have tried to deny it and fool myself into thinking it just can't be true, there is nothing else for me to do but accept the facts. My baby girl is not a little girl anymore :( She is growing up so fast and changing into such a beautiful lady. Yesterday, another one of her milestones happened, she got her learner's permit!!! I am so happy for her and am excited to see her venture into this new area of her journey of life. 

Good job baby, uh hm, Kendra! Mom is so proud of you!!!

Our ways are not Your ways!

Ok, so I was reminded again today that my plans are hardly ever what God has planned for me! I got up a little extra early this morning, knowing that I had a busier day than usual planned ahead of me. I "needed" to work out, make my list of things to do,  shower and get ready to go into church to work. Then once at work, I had a whole other list of things to get done today. Normally I work until 4:30 or 5:00pm, but today was leaving at 2:00pm to spend some time with two of my favorite little girls who were being babysat at my house for the day :) 

Anyway, off to work I go (HiHo,HiHo, hehehe). I get there and I am ready to get right to it. Well, God had a much different and might I add better plan for me today. I was able to be used as God's vessel to shop for and provide clothing and necessities to some very needed children today. I was used again to be a shoulder to cry on and pray with a very heart broken friend.  I was able to snuggle with my little nieces and be told. " I love you Auntie". And last but not least, God allowed me to be in the right place at the right time to talk to someone about Faith (our church) and what we offered for Easter services, and I am pretty sure that she and her family are coming on Sunday, Yipee!!!

At different times today, I was thinking, "this is not getting my list any shorter" but low and behold, my heart was getting fuller as I was able to help more and more people along the way.

The list will still be here tomorrow morning when I wake up, but the opportunities that I had today won't be... 

We'll see what tomorrow holds :)

A little piece of heaven!

Tonight, when I was headed into the twins room to tuck them in and pray with them, the lights were off already and so they could only see my silhouette as I walked into the room. As I walked closer to Cams bed, he quietly asked, "  is that an angel walking in my room? No, its just my mommy!"  My heart melted! 

I think I just heard you all say in unison... AWWWWW!

Weekly Health Update

Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the 'Titanic' who waved off the dessert cart. ~ Erma Bombeck

This quote seriously made me chuckle but there is some truth in it as well. While I have been watching closely what I put into my body these days and making sure that it is for fueling purposes as opposed to just eat for the sake of eating, I have found that I can be a tad bit obsessive about counting calories and such. I think I needed to get to that point to break myself of some really bad habits and some of them are easier to break still than others, but I also know that I can allow myself to have a treat here and there and enjoy it without it really affecting me. 

So, this week was better for me than last. I lost 4 lbs this week!!! WOOT!! I reached 20lbs and I feel so great! The only thing that I can think of is that I started circuit training a little bit this week. By that I mean, walking/running on the treadmill, getting off, doing crunches, or triceps dips and then hopping back on the treadmill and going again. I think this may have moved things along. I am really starting to notice it in my clothes and my belly is certainly shrinking!!! I really am beginning to notice a difference and I like it. My energy levels are high and that makes me really HAPPY! It really was my main reason for changing the way I do things, so that is awesome.

Thank you all for your kind and encouraging words! Have some ice cream this week and enjoy it without guilt, just have enough to satisfy and walk away proud of yourself for stopping when you have had enough!

Hugs!!

Weekly blessings...

God is good, all the time! 

This week I had to hesitate in writing about my weekly blessings. It was a tough week for me. As a mom, a friend, a Children's Ministry Director of our church, and as a daughter. If you read my previous post, you know that a young mother from our church was killed in an auto accident this past week and really rocked my world. I found myself asking God why and questioning His ways. After some really silent time just listening to Him and seeking what He has for me concerning this situation, I am finally able to re think about His blessings upon me this past week and can finally write them down. 

• Our vehicle needed to be looked at. It was making some weird noise in the rear wheel area. Praise God it was completely covered by the warranty and I walked out paying nothing for the repair!
• How during times of heartache and troubles, God knits us together and uses women of Faith to encourage each other and offer their shoulders and their own tears.
• A husband that once again, lets me deal with things in my own way, knowing me better than I know myself and letting me work out things for myself; still knowing that he is right there beside me when I am ready to reach out for him.
• Being a volunteer at our local worship radio station!! I had a blast answering phones during their spring pledge drive. Doing just that little thing for the benefit of God's Kingdom, made me so happy and content, and I met and hung out with some really great people :)
• Watching my teen girl make JV softball, swing Varsity as a freshman!!! She has been playing since she was 4, playing T-ball and finally all her hard work and dedication is paying off! Kendra, I am so proud of your persistence and dedication, I love you!

So, still praying for this grieving family and thankful to all who are thinking of me and praying for me. I know that God is in control and so glad that this pain here on earth is only temporary and we have something so much better for us in the future!

Hugs! 

Just the need to write my thoughts.....

Exactly that, I just need to write my thoughts. I can be extremely internal at times like this wondering in my head and searching for answers that I probably will never have this side of heaven. I know in my heart that God is gracious and wondrous and good, but at times like this I find myself wondering about His plans and asking to see the big picture of this lifetime. Today, a young mother from our church was killed in an auto accident leaving behind three precious boys, one of which is only a month old. My very human heart and head and my spiritual heart and head are in battle over this internally. I know that God has a plan and that there is a purpose to everything under heaven, however, I can't even begin to fathom why this would happen to three innocent children. 

As I listen to the rain falling outside, I have this image of God crying from heaven as the pain that this family is feeling this evening must be all but unbearable. I pray that this family feels the arms of God as a comfort around them and that through all this that He would make Himself and His presence known to all that are involved either from inside the family or us as outsiders watching things from a distance. 

I could never even guess what this family is feeling. The pain I feel for them is horrible and I can only cling tonight to God's promises and claim them.

As a very close and important man in my life recently has said:

God is good even when he is mysterious.

Hugs and prayers~