Life, Love, and Critters – of course!
Weight Watchers Weekly Weigh-in #4!
My FOURTH full week in the Core Program. I rock, I hit THE number on the scale today – one that I haven’t seen in SIX YEARS. WAHOOOO!!!
It seems like forever since I just chatted and caught up with everyone. Maybe it’s just the summer – maybe it’s that I’ve been really focused on work, but I’ve gotta make more time to stay connected with the people I care about. I keep thinking “next week…” and “when the kids go back to school…” well, how about now? Now’s good. Now works for me.
I’ve got some things to share first, tags from friends who I hope don’t feel neglected (I do reply in e-mail, I swear it) and they deserve some blog linkin’ love.
A whole bunch of stuff to read here….
Weight Watchers Weekly Weigh-in #3!
My third full week in the Core Program was okay. I say “okay” like I failed, and I need to get my head out of that gear. I did lose. I ate out twice last week, too – so losing is a great thing. I’m just such a stubborn over-achiever, that’s all.
Back to work for me – I have a ton of projects in queue! Did you know I’m booked out through the end of September now?! WoOt! I love being busy.
Weight Watchers Weekly Weigh-in #2!
That’s an awful lot of W’s, don’tchya think?
Today marks the completion of the second full week I’ve been on the Core Plan and attending the meetings for some accountability. The results? Staggering, considering Auntie Flo is on her way for a visit.
Second week: -4.2 lbs.
Total to date: -8.8 lbs.
I got a cute little 5 pound sticker at the meeting today to mark the occasion, and the leader was all giddy and stuff. 🙂
It’s been surprisingly easy, actually. I eat a lot of bowls of mixed fruits (cantaloupe, watermelon, grapes, pineapple), I eat a few fresh veggies, usually steamed (broccoli, cauliflower, corn, beets, asparagus) and I eat a lot of teriyaki marinaded chicken breasts, eggbeaters and cottage cheese. I even ate at McDonald’s this week – but I chose the grilled chicken Caesar salad with no toppings or dressing (I have a fat free dressing here at home). I found my sweet tooth satisfier – it’s on the core food list, too. Blue Bunny Fat Free Frozen Yogurt. YUM. Oh yeah. The Strawberry Cheesecake actually tastes a bit like Godiva white chocolate raspberry. (And a few of you know how seriously I take my Godiva. Very.)
We mixed it up lastnight and I tried my hand at grilling salmon and asparagus – and they were both amazing. I’m a happy girl, whose clothes are starting to loosen up quite a bit!
In other news, I’ll be very busy again this week – completing paintings, launching a new design project for an EWebcsapes client, and a new gallery/portfolio for myself that I’ve been working on for a while. I have 13 projects on my to-do list right now, so things are hoppin’ over here which is just how I like it.
I’ve also recently completed designs for ItalyInstructions.com and ToddlerDaddy, if you want to check those out, too!
I’ve joined the cult. Holy heck there’s some peppiness going on at them there Weight Watchers meetings! I’m on the second day of my second week – and so far, so good.
After a few years of battling with the same %^&*@! five to ten pounds and so far away from my goal weight I consider liposuction on a daily basis, I decided it was time to make myself accountable for what I eat every moment of every day. There are a few Very Important People in my life who are having wonderful successes with Weight Watchers and quite honestly, I’ve given myself the “you lazy bum, what are you waiting for?!” speech too many times to count. It was time.
Yes, there was a specific moment that drove me over the edge and pushed me to sign on the dotted line and step on the scale for the first time last week. Someone very special happened to glance at my bicep-slash-waddle. Some jiggling was involved, and I detected a flash of “wow” in a pair of eyes that I hold in high regard.
Sometimes, that’s all it takes.
I’m doing the Core Plan, not the Flex Points. I’m not big into counting beans or anything else – so if it requires a calculator, count me out. The Core Plan allows me to eat whatever is on the Core Food List, and for the most part, that’s all we’ve got stocked in the fridge anyway.
I also bought a pedometer to count my steps. At the end of the first day (last Monday), I was ashamed. I didn’t even hit 5,000 steps in a day. Ouch! So I bought a bike, and now we all go for a family bike ride every day, as well as a walk. I’m up to about 10,000 steps a day, and “officially” down 4.6 pounds in my first week.
My first thought when I walked out of my second meeting with such a great loss? “Cool! Now I can go to Hardee’s!”
Somebody slap me.
No, I didn’t go to Hardee’s, but I tell you what – those are the demons in my head. I hate them. They have kept me where I am for far too long, know what I mean? I’d really like to see a nice Grilled Chicken Breast versus Fast Food Demon smackdown in my head. Actually, I already do. heh. Strange things happen in my head, eh?
Ok back to work I go, hi-ho, hi-ho!
Some people think I’m crazy for having a fear of bridges. I live just a few miles away from three bridges spanning the Mississippi River, and I only feel safe on one of them – and that’s only relative to my fear of them.
This is why I am afraid of bridges. Holy moly, here’s a video of it happening.
This is such a horrifying event, I can’t even imagine the thoughts and fear that these people experienced as they were just driving along on the bridge thinking everything was just fine. Many worlds collapsed yesterday and will never be the same, and those people are in my thoughts and prayers as they heal from the shock of the ordeal.
I also have a fear of heights, and getting on and off escalators. Yes, escalators. To my credit, I once fell from a pine tree like a pinball in a pinball machine – and my fear of escalators was confirmed when, while shopping with Lisa, it bit a chunk out of her leg. So there. Totally substantiated.
Tell me, do you have any fears that people thought were silly – and later on you had that “see?! This is EXACTLY WHY” moment?
And also, tell me if you know anyone affected by this tragic bridge collapse. I have confirmed that the few people that I know live in the area are okay, but it’s a small world – everyone knows someone who was affected by it.
My butt went numb from driving. I annoyed the bejeesus out of my little sister (who drove this backseat driving ohshithandle gripping passenger from Mom’s house downtown), we circled the “W” so many times we lost count before we finally found it. I was welcomed with hugs and giggles with Lisa and proceed to Navy Pier to dilly dally and find the nearest Starbucks. I bought stuff – mainly shoes, because I’m an idiot and wore a new pair that caused a wicked line of blisters across the tops of my feet. I ended up with four pair of shoes in my bag that night – and I’m sure Lisa is still shaking her head and waving her pointy nurse finger at me about always wearing comfortable broken in shoes when you’re going to be walking a lot.
We put our hair down for the cocktail party and I sought out Kim (aka MommaK) who, with that head of hair, was not hard to find. Yes, she’s gorgeous and sweet and wonderful in person – just like she is on her blog. Lisa, Kim and I had some cocktails, chatted and ran into some other bloggers on the rooftop of the Navy Pier. The three of us cabbed back to the hotel and had some good food and a couple more good drinks, we chatted about the conferences and blogging and it was all really comfortable.
I didn’t attend the conference and as I understand it – most everything is covered over at ProBlogger, retold by a woman to women so there’s some mushy gushiness for serious (and seriousLY) female bloggers. I just went for the friends, the drinks and the limo ride – the flip flops were a bonus. It was also really nice to see a different side of the City. Having grown up nearby, I steered clear because of the crime and ick – but from the top of the Navy Pier – Chicago is a true melting pot filled with beautiful elements and a nice breeze off of Lake Michigan. The water is clear, the gulls and purple martins were wonderful to watch, and the smell of freshly baked churros made walking on the Pier really enjoyable for as many people as were there.
It was a short afternoon full of flip-flop shopping, blisters and friends – and I went away from it feeling blessed to know some very sweet people and also a bit like a schmuck for not saying thank you enough, interrupting too much during conversation and overall feeling like I act just like I live in the middle of this here cornfield.
I hope you had a good weekend, and thank you to everyone who volunteered to beta test for me! You guys are awesome, and I have a lot of work to do!!
Just a few things for you and I’m going to dig in and try to get as much accomplished today as possible:
That, my friends, is all I got. I know – but next week promises to be more creatively entertaining, since I couldn’t put finishing touches on any of my projects this week. Once I wrap up these next few, I’ll be painting a few custom portraits – so I’m gearing up to be in the studio with my brushes again very soon!
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday TO you,
Happy BIRTHday dear Catyyybuuuuuggggg,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
Here’s to another year of learning, loving your friends, family and God, growing in knowledge and faith, and being an all-around amazing young woman. We couldn’t be more proud to have such a gentle, wonderful and intelligent girl in our lives.
Everybody who knows you.
