2 Saturday Cell Phone Mosiac-Memorial Weekend Edition

From 2010-05-30

Hope everyone had a great Saturday!  It was sunny and hot here, started the day off doing some work getting the pond ready and ended the day with a graduation.  Have a Graduation party today and then plan on chilling the next few days that I have off and doing some more cleaning around the house.  Click on the above photo and check out how my day went.

Have a great Memorial Day everyone, remember all of those soldiers who have fought and continue to fight for the United States.  Praying for those who are away from there families for a safe return home!

27 You capture-Sky

The flowers drink up the sun that shines down from the bright blue sky.  

The birds fly high above doing a sort of wind dance with the smoothest of movements 

against the thin fluffy clouds.

Old, cold steel seems just a little more beautiful against a clear blue sky.

The variation of blues fade away and are reflected in the waters below, 

only seperated by the green of the grass across the way.

Sometimes its not the sky that takes your breathe away, 

its the way the sky surrounds everything else that you see.

11 Weigh-In Wednesday

It's Wednesday already? Wow what a quick week it has been.  Unlike last week when I almost wanted to vomit and thru my scale out the window, I felt good this morning as I stepped on the scale.  Sure my fingers were crossed and I peaked thru one squinted eye but I was more confident with how I handled my food choices this week.

I'm down 1.2 lbs this week.  That's 8% of my summer goal of losing 15 lbs!

High five!  A step in the right direction...finally.  I started walking on Monday and will do another 2 miles tonight, wanted to start C25K but once I started walking, I had to be realistic with myself.  I'm not ready to start running just yet, even if it's only for 30 seconds at a time.  I'd rather walk for a few weeks, get my stamina up and then start C25K.   I am not setting myself up for failure this time.

A new challenge is underway over at Shrinking Jeans...go check it out and join us if you need some extra motivation this summer!

3 Bring it on

Ever have someone say something to you that lights a fire under you and makes you want to push even harder to prove them wrong?  Well the fire has been lit my friends, and it only fuels the hunger to get back on track that I found last week.

It's time to get reacquainted with a few friends that I have been neglecting the past few months. Hello friends!  Thanks for being so patient with me! 

I walked 2 miles last night, sure my legs are tight this morning and I make a grunting noise when I get up from my chair, but I did it..  It feels good.  That pride, as self-centered as it sounds, is what keeps me going.

So to those who are lighting my fire...I say bring it on.  It's only going to push me closer to my goal!

3 Saturday Cell Phone Mosiac

Happy Saturday friends!  It was a relaxing day, after a busy wedding last weekend, I feel like it's been 2 weeks since I had a few days off.  It was supposed to be a beautiful day but we had some pop-up showers which kept us indoors until evening.  But that's ok, got alot done and I'm sitting in a clean house as I type this post.
My husbands best friend came down to visit so I'm sure we are probably going to hang out and watch a movie in a bit.  I've had a few glasses of wine so I actually could probably fall asleep in about thirty minutes, but I'll do my best to stay up and hang for a bit.  I'm such a fuddy dud already in my old age!

From 2010-05-22

Click on the photo to browse thru images. Hope you all had a great weekend.  Stop over and see what everyone else was up to this weekend at If You Think Round is Funny.

5 A Nice Day for a White Wedding

My dear friend Amber got married last Saturday.  The whole week before was rainy and cold, but when we woke up to beautiful blue skies and 60 degree temperatures, we knew it was going to be a beautiful day filled with love, family and friends.

We met at a local hotel where we had Mimosas and chocolate covered strawberries while the wedding party got their hair and makeup done.  We then went to the church and finished getting dressed in the parlor and waited patiently, enjoying her last hour as a single woman.

There were laughter and tears as we sat and waited for the guests to fill the church.  Smiles for the wonderful life she was about to begin with her true love.  Tears for the father she had lost less then 2 years ago who wouldn't be able to walk his oldest daughter down the isle.  His best friend did the honor of giving her away and I know her father was smiling down on both of them the whole day just grinning and saying thank you and I love you.

After the wedding, we made our way to the reception where we had the best chicken ever and enjoyed some yummy champagne as the brother of the groom and sister of the bride gave their heartfelt toasts.  The cake was amazing, it had an almond filling!  Each table had their own cake that was filled with raspberry!  Yum! It was a dancing crowd, so it didn't take long for the dance floor to fill up.  Somehow I missed The Cupid Shuffle, but made it out and shook my money maker for a bit.  Fun times!

Maybe it's just the love and romance that surrounds us women at weddings, but when the newlyweds danced their first dance as husband and wife.  I couldn't help but get tears in my eyes.  I tried to hold them back, as we were still sitting at the head table and all, but a few may have slipped down my cheek as I listed to the words to their song,  Lucky in Love by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat.  "You make it easy when life gets hard. I'm Lucky I'm in love with my best friend.  Lucky to have been where I have been."  Doesn't that say so much!  I sent my husband a text from the head table during that song, telling him that I loved him and he was my best friend. I couldn't wait to go be in his arms.  No matter what life throws at me and no matter how stressed I tend to be about things, my husband is always there to remind me that as long as we have each other, we will be fine.  We'll get thru it when and if the time comes, so stop stressing about it now.  I need to try to live that more often, I think we all do.  Just enjoy now and everything you are blessed with.

It was a beautiful day and I am so happy for my friend and her new husband.  I am blessed that I have so many good loving people in my life and that I got to spend such a special day with some of them.  Congratulations!

20 You Capture -DOF

Somethings are worth waiting for. All the rain has the peonies ready to bloom, and I can't wait to have some color in my flowerbeds again!

Stop over and check out the awesome DOF pics at You Capture this week.

16 Weigh-In Wednesday

We have reached the end of the 21 day challenge over at Shrinking Jeans.



Gulp...here we go....this isn't going to be pretty. I almost didn't write this, actually started and stopped a few times, feeling like a failure for what I am about to share.  But I guess that's why I am making myself do this.  I'm holding myself accountable.Cause and Effect baby...here is a perfect example.

I have gained 10 lbs since April 7th.  Oh, I need to say that a little louder?  
I have gained 10 lbs since April 7th. 

Seriously....did I really gain 10 lbs?  I knew I felt bigger and my clothes were getting tighter...but 10 lbs?  Yes, Little Ladybug....you are up10 lbs.  So much for being so close to that next decade...you have crossed into another one in the wrong direction!

There are a number of things I could say caused this gain over the past month.  Feeding the emotions of missing my Mom with sweets and an extra helping at dinner.  Bachlorette Parties and Weddings and get-togethers with friends.  Finding out that I am not pregnant like I so desperately was hoping I was. Feeling frustrated that I have slipped so far that I am higher then I was at the start of this year.  Blurgh.

Seeing this number on the scale made me realize, it all boils down to 3 things.
    *I have not exercised at all.  Unless you count the one mile I walked for Run a Mile days. My HRM thinks  I have disappeared off the face of the earth.
    *I am not counting calories/points in any way.  I'm guessing I have been regularly am eating over 2500 calories (like 50 WW pts) a day, sometimes probably double that.
    *I am not focusing on myself.  I need to take some time out of everyday to journal, blog or reflect on how my day went and what I plan on doing to make tomorrow a good day.

So I am starting a personal challenge, along with a dear friend of mine.  I am planning on going to Chicago to visit her in Mid-August.  I would love to lose 15 lbs by then. I have finally convinced myself that I deserve to take a vacation just for me, and I want to feel good while I am there.  So during the next few weeks, you will probably all get tired of seeing more weightloss related posts, but bear with me I NEED to do this to get back on my journey. Thank you all for your support, I have no excuses. 

21 You Capture-Yellow

The lillies in our koi pond are slowly starting to bloom as the weather gets warmer.
Beautiful yellow isn't it?

*Please ignore the helicopters that are surrounding the lillies, we have yet to take the net off.*

5 Day with the Twins

Saturday I spent time with my best friend and her twin girls who are almost 6 months old.  Aren't they the cutest!  They have gotten so big since I saw them last!  The older one who weighed 6 ounces more when she was born...is now the smaller one, weighing a few lbs less then her little sister!  They are so cute and definitely each have their own personality.

Being the "unofficial" auntie I almost constantly had one of them in my arms...I mean its so hard to put them down when they start fussing.  I know I know, this will change when I have have my own kid I'm sure.  But for that day, I treasured all the time I got to hold them.

My best friend rocks and I will be leaning on her for advice when I become a mother. I'm not sure how she does it, a full time job and 4 year old adorable son and twin girls!  Whew...she amazes me.  And for the record, yes my biological clock was ticking very loudly that day, I mean whose wouldn't!

1 Cell Phone Mosiac-Bachlorette Party Style

Better late then never right?  Here are some entertaining pics from the Bachlorette Party I went to last weekend...caution there may be shapes or items that may make your eyes burn if you aren't used to them.

Don't say I didn't warn ya!  Click on the photo to browse thru images.

From Bachlorette Party

From Bachlorette Party

4 Ready to Run...er maybe I should just start with a walk

May is Sisterhood Run Month to coincide with National Run Month! In less then a month, 15 of the sisters will be heading to San Diego to run in the San Diego Rock N Roll 1/2 Marathon.  I am soo proud of them.

They put the challenge out to everyone to out in at least one mile between May 6-8.  Just one mile.  We all probably do that throughout the day anyway, now let's just do it all at one time.  I would love to start C25K training again like I started last July.  I felt so good when I had gotten to the point of running 3 minutes at a time...I know I can do it again.  So I am signing up to be a miler.  I will be wearing my "You don't have to go fast...just go" shirt I won from the Sisterhood last fall.

I will run again...but for now I have to at least walk. Will you join me?

*Stop over here for a chance to win some awesome New Balance shoes...just like the San Diego Runners are wearing!

6 Take a deeper look

Lately I have been focusing on all the stuff I am not happy with when I look in the mirror.  But what do I see that I do like?

I see pretty blue eyes that can't hide much of anything, shiny blondish hair that continues to shine no matter how many times I straight iron it, and a warm smile that often appears for no reason at all.

But my favorite feature has to be my dimple.  It just makes me feel cuter!

What do you like about yourself? Inquiring sisters want to know!

19 You Capture - Spring Koi

Spring is starting to make an appearance all around our pond.  The lily pads are abundant and almost need trimmed back already.  I captured the first lily popping up yesterday, and today it was opened up when I got home.

The fish are starting to swim everywhere.  We have about a dozen of the reddish/orange standard koi. A few white ones and some combos.  We also have a black butterfly, but he's pretty hard to get a picture of.

Let me introduce you to some of the more colorful characters:

This is Sylvester. He is the blueish butterfly koi in the middle. I named him Sylvester because his mouth kinda curves to one side like Rocky.

This little guy is named Goldie. You can probably figure out how I came up with that name.

This is currently our largest koi..and I actually don't have a name for this one...just call him big guy.

This one we call Zinger....Lemon Zinger. He has gotten so big over winter and is getting more silver every year!

We are hoping to get a few more colorful koi this year to add to our pond. It is so relaxing to watch them swim around.  Now we want to put a small pond out back so we can sit on the patio and enjoy them all Spring and Summer long!

7 Weigh-In Wednesday

Time for a WI over at Shrinking Jeans and boy was this one going to hurt! I had a bachlorette party, actually day long event, this weekend (really late cell phone mosiac to follow this afternoon) and you all know how girltime can get.

So I'm bummed to say that I am up 2 lbs this week.  Thanks Margaritas and Melting Pot...oh the Melting Pot.  Good thing it's pricey or I would go there often.  Not surprised at the gain and surprisingly, I don't feel bad about it.  It was a great time this weekend, and not something I do all the time.

Here are the things I was going to focus on for 21 days and how this week went.
1) Taking my vitamins everyday. Missed the weekend but otherwise doing well.

2) Drinking at least 2 liters of water everyday. Again missed the weekend but filling up all other days. 

3) NO sneaking food.  Only did this once, and it was with a WW fudge bar.  I did eat alot this weekend, but did not sneak any of it. 

How did you do this week...have good news to share or anything you need to get off your chest? Stop over and share with the sisterhood.

7 Random Monday Thoughts

I have so much in my head to share, so here it goes. This may or may not lead to future posts with or without pictures.

First....I made a button! Finally after trying for so long, figured it out and tada...there it is!
<----------------See? Feel free to spread the love and stick it on your blog...I'm going to be updating my sidebar with those of you that I love soon so if I don't have yours, don't worry I will doon!

• Bachlorette Party this weekend...oh my was it fun!(fun here being spa, melting pot, comedy club, stripper) However I did feel like crap last night and this morning from all the "fun"! (this fun includes  margaritas, jello shots, toquitos, and a strawberry martini). (Gin is the work of the devil...I am sure of it)

• HUGE tree is getting trimmed/topped whatever in our front yard tomorrow.  It literally is more than twice as tall as our house and leans horribly and makes us really nervous in windstorms.  However right now I am fearful that during trimming something will fall onto our house leading us to wishing we wouldn't have done anything to said tree. Company has liability insurance and has xx yrs of service but still...it makes me REALLY nervous.

• Wedding I'm in is in 2 weeks and my arms are not nearly as toned as I would have hoped they would have been.  Or really at all for that matter.  

• Not sure how I will do my hair for said wedding...thinking half up and half down...thoughts?

• My google reader thinks I dropped off the face of the earth....how will I ever catch up??

• A friend lent me 2 zoom lenses so I'm going to be taking some fun shots this week for You Capture...at least that's my plan!

• Dishes, laundry and basic clutter has overtaken my house...and I need to do something about it tonight.

• I am beginning to think my husband has an addiction to vinyl.  As in records.  Yes I'm serious.  So if anyone has any they are wanting to get rid of let me know and I might just pass you a little cash to ship them my way...he got a huge box for like $30 at a garage sale a few weeks ago and is so proud his collection is growing!  LOL.

Ok enough, rambling for now...I just wanted to get these out in hopes they would motivate to write more about one or more of them this week.  Hope everyone had a great weekend!