Week 17 - Tuesday - Great Weekend in Gatlinburg

Since school starts on the 14th we decided to take the kids for a last trip for the summer. We headed to Gatlinburg Thursday evening after Emily's Cheerleading practice. We stayed in Chattanooga for the night and the kids enjoyed that since we lived there for 3 years. We got up and headed to Cade's Cove on Friday morning. What a beautiful place. We picnic'd in the grass and Emily was not happy (see picture below) about having lunch with the bugs. Especially since a giant wolf spider joined us on the blanket. I thought she was going to have a heart attack. She did not enjoy the event.












We then went on to Gatlinburg and stayed in a really awesome cabin overlooking the mountains. We had such an awesome view. We met up with a friend of ours who has recently been hired as a National Park Ranger and he is stationed in the Smokey Mountains. He invited us to join him on a talk and hike the next day. Barry told him we'd love to come. Trevor said it was 2.2 miles round trip and a moderate walk. (I'm not sure who's standards they use for moderate, but I would not consider that a moderate walk!) We began the hike at over 3,000 feet up and then went up another 600 feet. THIS IS NOT MODERATE HIKING in my book! I got to the point where I was unable to take a deep breath. My legs would burn sometimes when we were going up a steep rocky slope, but other than that I was fine except for my breathing. Barry hung back and walked with me and I totally appreciated that! I was not about to let my kids see me quit. When we made it to the top (1 hour later- which Trevor says is actually really good time for that trail) we stopped at a waterfall which was very COLD. When you walked underneath it the spray felt heavenly. I have to say the walk down was much easier, but horrible on the bladder!!!! Later Trevor was telling us that the air quality got worse as you got higher due to acid rain, and pollution that is trapped in the mountains from all of the surrounding cities (yes, this includes Atlanta! - shame on us). He said I had done very well and it did not appear that I was having a hard time at all! This made me feel better.

Week - 15 - Saturday - Ladies Night Out

Good Morning everyone,

The men in our life group went to Promise Keepers last night and today so the wives decided to have a ladies night out. We had dinner at Olive Garden and then went to see The Devil Wears Prada. I enjoyed spending time with the ladies so much. It is so great to have friends to share with and just be with! We were able to relax and just enjoy ourselves. No husbands, no children. Man that felt good!

I've had a really good week with exercise and my eating, but I've only lost 3.5lbs in 2 weeks. I'm trying not to get frustrated because I have been losing that in a week. But never fear, I'm not giving up, even if I've slowed down a bit.

Week - 15 - Thursday - Leslie Pair

We had a great speaker tonight at our Tanner weekly meeting! Leslie is a personal trainer for Gold's Gym in Carrollton as well as does training from her home and in clients' homes.

The topic for tonight was "being STUCK!" Leslie was such an incredible motivator. She encouraged VARIETY, VARIETY, VARIETY and when you are stuck add a little more. She said if you were walking add interval training using the mailbox concept. When yhou get to a mailbox go a bit harder and when you get to the next go back to your normal pace. She asked each of us how we were working out and gave encouragement to everyone. She really encouraged me to keep going and not to give up, even when it seems nothing is going on. Make mini changes and it really can be effective.

GO GREEN TEAM - all of our team was there tonight listening to this motivation. Green Team - lets take this and run with it. Lets immediately use this high and lose some weight & inches for August 10th.

Time for Bed! 5:00 comes awfully early.

Week - 15 - Wednesday - Great Morning Walk

Hello everyone. So sorry I've been bad about the blog these past 2 weeks. I'm still on the wagon and all is going well.

Janine and I have been walking at least 3 or 4 mornings a week at 5:15am and that is going well. The one morning this week we did not walk I went to the gym instead! I am also still working out at the gym in the evenings as well. It was a great morning to walk today. It was finally a bit cool and it felt great!

My trainer David stopped me last night as I was starting my workout and was giving me a few pointers and ideas to change things up and I really appreciate that. He said he had noticed weekly changes in me and that really made me feel good. His encouragement was exactly what I needed to hear last night. Thanks David! It is amazing how everytime I'm a bit frustrated or discouraged God throws someone in my path to keep me going! Thanks God! I really had a good workout last night and it felt good! What a stress reliever.

Don't forget to check out the Tanner Website (link to the right) and see all of the contestants month 3 reports. We are all doing well and each one of us has already won. I enjoy going to the meetings to see the changes in each person. It is amazing and exciting and it inspires me to keep going.

Week 14 - Tuesday - Warm Swim

Well, I decided to ditch the gym tonight and go swimming with Emily. She has been wanting to go for a while and we have not had time so I promised her we'd go. We had a good time racing across the pool, giggling, hearing all about cheerleading. She can almost do her back handspring on the floor and they are learning to do aerials. She said it is tons of fun. I am worn out now after having Em hang all over me at the pool. We had a good time.

I'm still tired and need to catch up on my sleep. Barry gave me a bed time of 9:30 wich is in 24 minutes and I've got to go get all my stuff together for tomorrow. Janine and I are walking in the morning.

Week - 14 - Monday - Sleepy

Good Morning!

Janine and I continued our 5:15am walking this morning after a break over the weekend. I did not get into the bed last night till after 11 so I'm a bit tired. I worked on my house for 4 hours on Saturday and then probably 1.5 hours yesterday and I feel like I've made little progress. It is incredibly frustrating trying to get it all done, be an attentive mom, wife, focus on my weight loss, keep my house in barely function order, wash clothes (which I might add I did not have time for yet this weekend), yard work and workout. It can be very overwhelming!!!! How do people do it well and still have time left over without paying someone to help? I feel like I have 3 full time jobs right now and I am not rating well on any of them. I get so overwhelmed I don't want to do any of it! I am so tired today- Mentally and physically.

Enough feeling sorry for myself! I actually was able to shop yesterday while Emily was at a birthday party at the mall. I bought a pair of slacks (2 sizes smaller), 2 shirts and a sleeveless sweater all for $50.29. I was pretty proud of that. I've even already gotten a compliment on my shirt this morning and it is only 8:19am.

Week 13 - Thursday - Weigh-in #3 (HALF WAY)

Last night we had weigh-in #3. I was really nervous because I wanted to do well and it has been a long month with Barry travelling 2 of the weeks which meant less exercise for me. I was certain I had lost very few inches too and I did not want to disappoint anyone.

Before we found many inches we had lost we each had to put on the Fat Vest. In the vest they added the weight we had already lost. I was amazed (pictures hopefully coming soon - I forgot my camera) at what an increditble difference it was. No wonder I feel better! That was a huge motivator to keep me going and to show me how far I've come. It was so heavy I pulled my ankle a bit and almost cried from the difference it really made. Thanks Kelly - what an awesome idea!

Then we had to do a team challenge. We had to do a wall squat and stay there. The team to go the longest won. I have to admit I was the first one down. Let me know I've still got a long way to go!

First number is for this month next number is total the for 3 months.

Weight Lost

10.40 lbs - 29.00 lbs

Inches Lost:
Bust 2.00 - 6.00
Waist 4.50 - 8.00
Hips 3.00 - 5.50
Thigh .25 - 3.25
Bicep 1.00 - 1.50
TOTAL 10.75 - 24.25

Percentage Weight Lost
3.96% - 11.06%
Percentage Inches Lost
5.91% - 12.81%
Total Percentage Lost
9.87% - 23.87%

Week -13 - Wednesday - Early Morning Walk

I finally did something this morning that I have been wanting to do for a while. I got up at 5:00AM and went for a walk with Raven. Of course, the only reason I actually got out of bed was because I met Janine at the driveway to walk. Had I not committed to her I would have been still snoozing and calling and waking up her house was not an option! I'm glad I had her to hold me accountable! It is so much easier having someone walk with you. We talked and walked for 40 minutes solid! I had no idea it was that hot that early in the morning and we were back home before I knew it. I was hot, sticky and out of breath, but I would have been happy to keep on going. I've also had a great day so far too. I've been very productive and happy. A bit sleepy too!

Just one day till weigh-in~ OH MY!

Week 13 - Tuesday - Friends

Have I told ya'll lately how much I appreciated you? You guys put up with me talking about workouts, worrying about weigh-ins, listen to me talk about what I am eating and put up with me every day when I show you how loose my pants are getting. I could not do this without ya'll. Thank you very much!

I have been concentrating on the outside for 3 months now and I had a 4 year old boy this week at church make me a picture and his mom told me he made it for the prettiest lady he knew with the gold hair. I was incredibly flattered! I knew he was sincere and children do not focus as much on the outside like we do. He really made me feel great! It also reminded me how much children do pay attention to those around them, even those people that they only see a few minutes each week! Watch out - you may be influencing a child! Ooops - back to the subject - I don't want to be so focused on the outside that I forget about the in.

I'm excited, Janine and I are going walking in the morning at 5:15 am! I usually start my day alone until I get to work so it will be nice to spend time with a friend, exercise and laugh a bit! Of course I may be calling someone on the way home tomorrow to keep me awake since it is now 10:15pm. I suppose I should head to bed! Good Night!

Oh yeah - Tammy - congrats on the car. You are going to love it!

Week 12 - Wednesday - BOOOM!

We had a great time last night shooting off fireworks with Janine & Kurt. I had no idea grown men could giggle like little girls until I saw them with those fireworks. It was great to see. The kids absolutely loved it.

I promised pictures of Maris - What a cutie she is!














This is neice number 3 for me!

If ya'll have not tried the Margaritaville products you are missing out. The shrimp is awesome and tonight we had the BBQ Chicken and it was outstanding! I really enjoyed it! Yum yum.

Oh yeah, I am down 25.5 lbs according to my scale at home. Yippeee

Week 11 - New Addition - Maris Bria Hopper

My sister finally had her daughter this morning at 3:30am! She weighed in at 8lbs 9.5oz. What a sweety she is too. We went up this afternoon to see her and she is doing great and Becky & Kevin are proud parents. I took a few pictures that I will post later. Emily was especially fascinated with her and would have held her all day if we had let her, even though I knew her arms were getting tired.

Week 11 - Saturday - He's Back

Yeah, Barry is back from all of his traveling. I'm happy that he is home!

I also met with the Dietician, Melissa, this week. It was exciting to hear her say I was doing well. She encouraged me to choose a wider variety of foods as well as not to be afraid to try something new. She changed my protein from 160 perday to 140 and my carbs from 120 to 140. Hopefully all will be well and I'll continue to lose weight.

Week 11 - Sunday - Lazy Sunday

Happy Sunday everyone! It is raining outside and what a lazy day. Church was great today and I enjoyed lunch with Justin and Elizabeth and getting to know them as well. They are going to be a great addition to our church staff.

My plans for today are to be lazy. Curl up on the couch with the TV, a blanket and maybe take a nap. It sounds wonderful! Barry should be back on Wednewsday and things can become normal around here. I'm looking forward to that!!

Week 10 - Friday - Unexpected Call

As I was leaving work today I got a surprise phone call from Gold's Gym. As I look at the caller ID I'm thinking did I leave something at the gym. It was Tracey. She is so sweet to me everytime she sees me at the gym. She called to check on me and to see how I was doing. That made me feel so good that she would take her time to call me and tell me I was doing good. I think God knows I need the encouragement and he has sent folks to me continuously to keep me going. Thank you Tracey for caring! I'd never had folks at the gym actually take an interest in what I was doing before I it really makes a difference! Keep up the good work. You can make a big difference in people by showing that you care!

Week 10 - Thursday - Mall Walking

I had a good day today. It is good because Barry is home! I went to Gold's on my way home and did as much of my weights as I could before I headed to the mall for our weekly meeting. They are not required, but I enjoy going and giving as well as receiving motivation from the other folks. We were suppose to meet at the Park, but it was raining so we decided on the mall instead. Kelley, Dana, Dot and I headed out into the mall and walked for 45 minutes. We went upstairs and down. It was over before I knew it. I really enjoyed myself and got 45 minutes of cardio in at the same time. Thanks Kelley and Dana!

Week 10 - Wednesday - Better Day

Today Devin and I set up his first e-mail address. I did not even know what e-mail was when I was 11. Our kids have access to so much information (good and bad) that we did not. Technology is so cool.

I had a good day today. It was better than yesterday for sure. My sinus' are driving me crazy and I've had a headache, but I've been in a better mood. I know my kids are happy about that! Barry will be home tomorrow and I will be happy too!

I'm ready for our days to get back to normal.

Week 10 - Tuesday - Lonely

For all the single parents out there - I do not know how you do it on a regular basis! I take for granted when Barry is here (he is in Las Vegas for work) and how much he helps me. I'm not just talking about house-work either. He helps me so much coordinate with the kids and run them here and there. I've already had to leave work early twice this week and it is only Tuesday. It is rather stressful to deal with it all. Not only do I miss his help, I also miss his company. Barry is my best friend and even when he is gone a few days I miss him. I know it sounds corny, but I do. For those of you reading this that may not be married, remember to marry your best friend! I also have to admit I do not sleep well when he is gone. I think it is because he makes me feel safe and when he is not here I have to be the protector and I don't do it as well as he does. What a wimp I'm being tonight!

I was ready to kill the puppy today. She scratched my face pretty good under my eye. Emily was so sweet she told me I was bleeding and then asked if she could doctor me. Of course I said yes. I enjoy my daughters company. She is so sweet!

I'm exhausted today too. I do believe it is because I've not been eating enough food. I'm not getting enough protein, carbs or fat. I've neglected myself this week and I sure can tell the difference. My energy level is gone and I don't seem to be able to focus and I'm pretty grumpy too. I wanted so much to get my room cleaned, my bathroom cleaned, all the clothes washed and a start on doing a purge on Emily's room (she is growing up way to fast!). I've cleaned the kitchen and washed 1.5 loads of clothes.

I'm not sure I'll get much more done tomorrow. I pick the kids up from Kids Camp at the church then I've got to figure out dinner and time to workout too. The kids want to do the rock wall again so at least they won't mind going. Oh yes, did I mention Becky is in labor too! Or at least she thinks she is.

Yes, I'm overwhelmed today. I think I need to go talk to God and ask for some help. Usually that is what I am forgetting when I get so busy and frustrated. Why is it that we forget the one person who can make it all better or at least give us the strength to do what we need to do? GOD ~ HELP! Please settle my heart and mind and give me the strength I need to continue through my week. Help me make good eating choices and make it easy for me to exercise. AMEN

GOOD NIGHT Everyone!

Week 9 - Wednesday - I'm ready for bed!

I had a good morning and most of my afternoon was good, but busy. Right before I left for work it got ugly. WHAT Fun. At least when I got to the gym I had plenty of energy to burn off! I did weights and a little cardio and had a good workout. When I got home I think my whole house was grumpy. I figured since everyone was grumpy I'd go ahead and just put them to work. The kids folded clothes (while grumbling loudly) and put them up while I cleaned the kitchen. I'd been letting them do it, but it needed to be cleaned properly. They seem to forget that wiping off counters and the table are part of the job. I remember my mom fussing about the same things. Then they watched me sort and fold all of the socks (large basket full) while we discussed why people get married and then decide they don't want to stay that way and they could not understand why someone would do that. A hard subject for them to grasp. But I was glad they felt comfortable talking with me about it. Barry was at the store and then went up and seranaded us with his banjo. He is getting really good. I'm so tired right now I don't know if what I'm writing makes sense so ya'll forgive my distracted mind. It is time for a shower and then bed.

Sweet Dreams!

Week 9 - Tuesday - Cow Taunting

I could just see the Chick-fil-A cows taunting me this morning. We have chicken biscuits delivered every Tuesday at work and they were calling my name this morning. Those cows were encouraging me to just eat one! I had to avoid the breakarea all morning so that I would not give into temptation! I finally decided that if I was going to cheat it would have to be for something better than a biscuit. An Oreo Blizzard, McDonalds french fries, Olive Garden whatever, I really could pig today.

I did have someone who actually did not know I was doing this notice I was losing weight today. It was also the one person I figured would never even acknowledge it. I was really surprised and pleased. It made me feel good that someone finally can tell! YEAH!!!!! Maybe God knew I needed to hear something positive to keep my hands out of the cookie jar so to speak!

Week 9 - Monday - Good Workout

I had a good day today. Work was pretty good and I met with my trainer, Dave, tonight. I showed him my sheet with my progress and he was very impressed. He said I was doing very well. He also said that doing both cardio and weights would make a difference in losing weight. He said those women who only do cardio and get down to their correct weight have no muscle mass left and have to starve themselves to keep that weight, but if you build your muscles and lose their weight they can sustain their weight in a normal manner. Hopefully this is true! We will find out eventually.

I had an extremely good workout and added weight to most everything except my arms. My arms are apparently pretty weak. I hopefully will be able to build the muscle. My left arm and shoulder are wimpy. I guess day by day is the only way.

Week 9 - Sunday - What a Sleepy Day!

It is 95 degrees outside and it is a very sleepy day!

I finally got out of the bed at 7:45 this morning after listening to Raven whine to get out of her crate for 30 minutes. I had a protein shake for breakfast and a was able to take my time this morning getting dressed for church. We went to see Megan Roberts dedicated to God by her parents Tammy and David this morning. I was really proud of them. It was great to see them so happy and I really enjoyed getting to hear David play the drums. He was really good! Ms. Megan was a sweetie too. She really liked Emily. I'll share pictures if I can get Tammy to share one or two with me. I forgot my camera.

We then decided on Ted's for lunch. I had buffalo Pot Roast. It was yummy and very high in protein! Then we took a small detour to Kohl's and then home. I've been washing clothes and picking up most of the afternoon. I did download my scrapbook software this afternoon so that I can put together some cool pages on the computer. Maybe I can create my scrapbooks this way. At least it does not make as big of a mess!!!! Anything that keeps my hands busy keeps me out of the food! I was even so busy I forgot to eat my afternoon snack. That part is not good, but at least I am no longer focusing on what I'm going to eat next and focusing on other things.

The pressure is now on to do really good this month since I did well last month!!! I want to lose 12lbs so I can be on track for 30lbs halfway through. That means lots of gym time and I've got some tapes at home. I always find excuses at home though. You guys stay on me to workout as much as possible. Another 10 inches and I'll have to buy some new clothes for certain! I've been able to dig deep into my closet and find a few things but too much more and those will not work either. I like this problem though!

I hope everyone had a great Sunday!

Week - 8 - Friday - Weigh - In #2

Weigh-in #2 took place last night! And the results are:

First number is for this month next number is total for 2 months.

Weight Lost
7.30 lbs - 18.60 lbs

Inches Lost:
Bust 2.50 - 4.00
Waist 3.00 - 3.50
Hips 2.50 - 2.50
Thigh 2.50 - 3.00
Bicep 0.00 - 0.50
TOTAL 10.50 - 13.50

Percentage Weight Lost
2.78% - 7.09%
Percentage Inches Lost
5.37% - 8.15%
Total Percentage Lost
8.15% - 14.00%

I was pretty proud of this! I really wanted a weight loss of 20lbs for the past 2 months, but I was really close. Maybe I can make this up next month and be at 30lbs lost. I think that should be my goal for next month.

Check out the team pictures from last night. Can you tell we have all lost weight! It is really exciting and to see everyone succeed, it is awesome! Every one of us is a winner!

The Green team has lost a total of 64 lbs



The orange team has lost a total of 60 lbs and they were down 1 team member. Looks like my team needs to work harder!!!!





We had a sports pyscologist from Tanner come in and talk to us about the mental benefits of exercise. It was really interesting and we all really enjoyed it.

At the end of the meeting they announced the biggest loser for the month with the monthly total percentage lost and that person would win an exercise matt, Jillian's (from Biggest Loser) Kickboxing DVD and Tube weight resistance system. Guess who won? GUESS GUESS GUESS

ME!

I was extremely surprised! I am not out to win prizes. I'm out to win me back! The prizes are an added benefit! It really made me feel good and I think it will be a continued motivator to keep up with my exercising and work even harder next month. I want to see the 30 lb mark! And if I won that means every single person that has encouraged me and been there for me also wins as well! Thank you to everyone and please keep pushing me, asking me and don't let me slack off at all!

Week 8 - Thursday - Body Pump

Kim Reed convinced me that I should come join her body pump class last night. Kim recently had a sweet little boy and is already back teaching classes. That is most impressive to me. So, I figured if she can do it right after having a baby I can at least make it through the class. I made it on time and Kim had another lady help me get set up with a bench and weights. I have to say that I was intimidated. I was also the largest person in the class. Needless to say I stood as close to the back wall as I could get! I actually made it through the entire class. I was able to do 95% of the movements and I was pleased with that! I may add this class to my weekly schedule. I had a good time and it is hard to be a whimp when others are around you. I got a really good workout!!! I have to admit that I am a bit sore this morning and I think it will get worse before it gets better!

Tonight is our second weigh-in! Yes, I'm nervous. It is always scary to see if my scale matches theirs. I really hope to have done well this month. I'm excited to see how many inches I've lost. I only lost 3 last month and that was very disappointing since I'd lost 11 lbs. Hopefully it will be better. It has to. I'm safety pinning my pants now. Hopefully my next post will be filled with lots of good news.

Week 8 - Tuesday - Pool Fun

I came straight home tonight with the intentions of taking a long walk while Barry took Devin to Flag Football practice. However, Emily asked if we could go swimming instead. We hurried up and did the dishes and went to the pool. We had a really good time racing each other across the pool and being silly. Those of you with children don't let times like these pass by. Spending a few quality minutes with your child can make all the difference in the world in them and you. We had a great time. It was not a long walk, but hopefully I got enough exercise anyway. It was fun to do something different!

Week 8 - Tuesday - 19lbs and Shrinking

Well, according to the scale this morning I am now down 19lbs. If I could lose at least one more before Thursday's weigh-in I'll be happy. I'm really excited to also see how many inches I've lost. I am now safety pinning most of my pants to keep them up so I've got to have lost some inches.

I was not able to workout with my trainer yesterday due to taking dad for an endoscopy at Crawford Long yesterday so I was a little disappointed with that, but I did go and do my weights anyway. Kim Reed saw me at the gym and wants me to try her Body Pump class she is teaching on Monday & Wednesday's. She promised me she would pretend like she does not know me and would not laugh when I was totally uncoordinated. I'm considering trying it Wednesday evening.

All of the contestants are in the Chapel Hills News and Views so it was pretty interesting on Sunday when people would ask me about it. I also had a good friend, Brenda, e-mail me yesterday and say she saw me in the magazine too. She also works out at Gold's and we may try and workout together. I would really enjoy that!

So how many other people are having a hard time breathing this week? Everyone I talked to is having allergy problems including me. I feel horrible. I've not really wanted to eat and trying to exercise when you feel bad is difficult. Hopefully this will pass quickly!

Everyone pray that Kelly and I have a great weigh-in on Thursday night! Your support and encouragement are more important than you can realize!

Thanks everyone!

Week 7 - Wednesday - Homeward

Week 7 - Tuesday - Universal & IOA

Week 7 - Monday - Universal & IOA

Week 7 - Sunday - Islands of Adventure

Once again we got up early and swapped hotels. This time for good. We stayed in the Portofino Bay Resort at Universal. This is a really awesome resort. It is so peaceful and really takes you away. We take a short boat trip to City Walk and walk over to IOA. First stop was the Hulk! Last time we went I was unable to ride because I was too wide for the seats. This time I could have ridden had I chosen to because I FIT INTO THE SEAT! I was very excited.

Next stop was Spiderman which bounches and spins you around. Barry almost did not make it off the ride without being sick. Unfortunately, this is his favorite ride and it got the better of him. The kids thought it was pretty funny.

From there we headed to Suess Landing. I love this section of the park. I think I've found my christmas card picture this year. What do you think?

So do I look any smaller yet? I have to say that I feel much better. I was actually able to really enjoy myself this time and was not so exhausted I could not have fun. It gave me lots of encouragement.

We had lunch at Mythos. This is for the 4th year running the number 1 Theme Park Restaurant in the world. It is heavenly! And they even had something just for me. Yeah. As you can see, we had a lot of fun. Emily was having fun taking pictures of Barry and I and she wanted a picture of us kissing, but it took her so long we were giggling pretty hard by the time she actually took the photo.



After doing all the fun things in the park we headed back to the hotel to change and then we had dinner at Bob Marley's in City Walk. Oh that was so yummy! and yes, I made good choices. But prior to that Emily got a hairwrap that she was oh soooo proud of. This was her reward for straight A's. Very good Em! I have to say that Devin also got straight A's but he did not want a hair wrap.



Yes, I will turn the pictures around when I get a minute!

After dinner we headed back to the resort. This time we walked. It is about a half a mile walk from City Walk and it was wonderful.

Week 6 - Saturday - Sea World

We got up bright and early Saturday morning and headed to Sea World after a really good breakfast at Cracker Barrell (yes, I was good).

Once we got to Orlando we waited forever to get in the parking lot. I decided while we waited to go ahead and have a snack so I had my protein shake. Not such a good idea when I realized a short time later it was going to take a good while and I had to go potty. This always makes for patient waiting! The lines to get in were even more crazy. Devin and I went ahead through the gates to get out of the way while Barry and Emily got her pass. As you can see from the picture, Devin got a bit impatient.

After we finally got into the park the first thing on the agenda was riding Kraken. This is one of the kids favorite roller coasters. I opted out to take pictures! If you look real close they are in the second row. I think the kids ended up riding at least 5 times, maybe more. The last 3 pictures was me cheating. They were the digital pictures you can buy and I just took a picture from the board. I thought they came out pretty well.




We had a great time seeing all the shows too. We saw the Believe Show (The new Shamu show) which debuted one of their new baby whales. This whale refused to go in the back like it was supposed to and delayed the show about 10 minutes. It was pretty neat I thought. We had faitas for lunch as it was the best choice I could find. Eating well at a theme park is rather challenging.


Did I mention how incredibly hot it was? It was in the mid 90's and there was not much shade unless you were watching a show. It started raining though around 5:00 and we were in the Dolphin viewing area which is underground. It was very cool and the kids sat on the floor in front of the tanks and watched to dolphins while listening to classical music. It was extremely relaxing. I really thought these pictures came out well.



By the time we left the parks at 9:45pm we were all exhausted! We went to the hotel, showered and were all asleep within a few minutes. What a great day we had!

Week 6 - Friday - Vacation Begins

The puppies got to go to their Grandparents while we were on vacation. When we told them, Sadie was sad and Raven hid under the bed (just kidding). I just thought these pictures were cute. Sadie is finally letting Raven get sort of close to her without growling. She is especially sensitive about her bed because Raven keeps using it like a litter box.



Well, I got to leave right at 3:00! Yippeeee. Barry and the kids had the car packed and picked me up at work. We were trying to save time, unfortunately, we got caught in a huge traffic jam and it took 1.25 hours to go what normally would have been 20 minutes. So we got off to a slow start, but it got better from there.

We stopped on the way down for dinner (Chick-fil-a) and ate in the car and got to Ocala around 9:30pm. Once in our room we played a really silly card game. We had to make up our own super heros and fight really dumb villians (Clicky Man is an example) using the cards we drew. The kids really enjoyed it.

Week 6 - I know, I know

I know I've been bad this week about posting anything. So sorry! I've been a bit busy with work and home. Please forgive me!

According to my scale at home, I've now lost 15 lbs! That is cool! I don't know about inches, but I did go and purchase a big box of safety pins to hold my pants up. This I know is a good problem to have, but I feel really funny in my clothes now. Most are too big and a few of my old ones are tight, but I can now wear them! That is pretty cool. Please don't hold it against me if you see me wearing the same things over and over again. I don't want to spend money until I have to on clothes, especially since I don't plan on wearing those long either!!!!!!!

I am still working out and have been able to get all of my workouts in during the week. Barry has been incredibly awesome and I could not make those afternoon workouts without him! He is having to take on more to help me and I know that can be stressful, but I really appreciate him for doing it! Thanks honey!!!!!

We are leaving for vacation this Friday so I'm a bit nervous about eating all my meals away and at an amusement park. We are going to Orlando and staying at the Portofino Bay Resort at Universal Studios. We plan on doing the parks, spending time at the pool and going to SeaWorld. One thing is for sure, I'll be doing tremendous walking so I hope that counts as workouts!!

I'm up for any suggestions anyone may have to help me while we are gone!!!!!

Day 30 - Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all those mom's out there. I've had a great day. Emily spent the night at Payton's last night so presents had to wait till after church. Barry left out very early so he could prepare for his drama performance at church. Devin and I got up and got ready, fed the ladies (dogs) and headed for church. Emily insisted on giving me my presents in the parking lot at church! They gave me beautiful watch, a USBdatastick for my laptop and Emily made a picture of a flower and a little note in a frame for me. I loved them all. We had lunch at Smoky Bones and then have had a quiet afternoon. It has really turned out to be VERY quiet. Emily and Devin are both playing with friends and Barry is buying groceries for us and he took my car so he could replace the headlight for me. THANKS HONEY! So I've been hanging out, washing clothes and playing with the dogs.

Barry is going to grill steaks and zucchini for dinner and I'm sure we will watch America's Funnies Videos and my favorite crying show - Extreme Home Makeover. What more can a mom ask for!

Day 27 - Weigh-in #1

We had our first weigh-in tonight at 6:30. All 12 of us were there as well as others from the Community Challenge. I weighed in and have officially lost 11 lbs and 3 inches. Unfortunately, half of the inches came from the top. My percentage weight lost is 4.31% and my percentage inches lost is 1.53% and the average lost is 2.92%. Not great overall, but gives me something to strive for!




I was also really proud of the other contestants. Everyone has been working hard and showed progress! The GREEN TEAM (my team) has lost a total of 37lbs and the orange team has lost 32lbs. KEEP UP THE HARD WORK GREEN TEAM! Kelly and Vickie together lost 15 inches! VERY IMPRESSIVE



Melissa (cannot remember her last name - Sorry) a Dietician for Tanner Health System came and did a cooking demonstration for us. She did a great job and really seemed to be enjoying her self. She also shared with us her own personal story of weight loss. We all think we are in this alone and we truly are not!




All Pictures were taken by my new photographer Emily. See her self portrait below.

Day 26 - Very Bad Day

Yesterday was a very BAD DAY. I can say that it was one of the worst days I've had in years. I had an issue at work that was very unpleasant and then to top it off I went to go home and someone had hit my car and it was raining. This was the icing on the cake! The person did not even bother to leave a note. HOW RUDE!

I will say that my workout went smashingly well. I increased weights on everything and successfully did 5 pull-ups! Yeah Me! My muscles were spent by the time I left the gym and I think I needed it. I also have to say that my normal reaction to a day like this would be to eat everything in site and then find more. I did not! I even sat at our reception desk for a little while with a bowl of candy and considered having a peppermint, but nothing more. I was pretty proud of this.

When I finally got home I was calm again and enjoyed an evening with my family. We watched Idol and Lost at the same time and before that I spotted Emily while she did handstands and watched Devin play with Raven.

Day 25 - Parking Garage

I just got back from walking our parking garage at work (10 floors). I was actually nodding at my desk. No, if you are wondering if I got lots of sleep last night. I had to get up and potty and then Emily had a leg cramp from cheerleading practice. However, Raven actually did much better!

I walked all the way up and then down and up for about 30 minutes and it was a little over 3,400 steps. I even used my handy dandy pedometer and made sure I had my heart rate up. Hopefully this has woken me up enough to make it through the rest of the day.

Now I'm having lunch. I'm eating a sirloin burger (no bun) Barry grilled for me last night and carrots. Yum Yum. I was okay with this until I walked by and saw someone with McDonalds and mine no longer looked good. Yes, I was bitter, but I can only blame myself! Carrots vs French Fries - hmmmm which would you choose? I closed my door so I could not smell them and chose the carrots. I've worked to hard to cheat!

Day 21 - My Weight Routine

I started my morning off with being asked to go get the donuts for work. Now if that is not rude nothing is. Of course the person had no idea what I'm working towards so I cannot blame him to much. I took Tammy with me so I would not be tempted to cheat. I was safer in numbers! We both overcame the temptation and all the donuts made it back to the office.

I met with Dave tonight and he presented me with a 3 part routine for weights. The first part consisted of machine support, the second with less machine and the 3rd with more free weights. We went through the first part and I was able to do 1 whole pull up (of course he had a 160lb counter weight on the machine). This was a bit discouraging, but Dave showed me another exercise on the pulley to improve my strength. I figure I'll shoot for 2 next time.

I was really surprised that I was not too sore when we were done. I went back and did another set of each before showering and heading to the Ladies Event at Crossroads. On the way I had a protein shake and got a chargrilled Chick-fil-a sandwich so I would not be tempted with all the yummy food and desserts they had. Man, 2 temptations in one day. How much can a girl take? Actually, I had several ladies indulge for me with instructions to eat very slowly, savor every bite and think of me while they ate it. The speaker was fabulous, the music was incredible and we had an outstanding time! We looked down and it was 11:15pm.

I got home around 11:45 and then Barry and stayed up till 1:30 watching Dog Whisperer. Pretty cool show. Raven got me up at 5:30 again and I got up at 6. She and I took a 30 minute walk and then pulled weeds in our flower bed for another 45 minutes while the rest of the house slept on. No nape was in store.

Sunday I surely was going to get a nap, but oh no. I went to Laverne Burts Jewelry party and stayed for a LONNNNNNNNG time. Laverne was probably ready to kick me out. I was really enjoying myself though. By the time I got home it was 5:00 and I'd not started any laundry and I still had tons of housework. I suppose one day at a time. Maybe I'll get some sleep this week.

Day 24 - Sleep Please!

My day started off with Raven waking up at 5:30 and wanting to go out. I was able to stall till 5:45. She is so full of life. She is funny and yet exasperating at the same time.

I had my second session with Dave this evening and it went great. I learned the 2nd part of the plan he has set up for me. I can now say that I've leaned against a wall with a large ball between me and the wall and my feet at shoulder width and at a 45 degree angle and then sank down into a sitting position. Man that hurt! I did all twelve and felt the burn with each. I also did some additional things with the pulleys and some really strange body crunches that made you hurt everywhere. I also used dumbbells today. I'm the woman! We started out with 5lbs for each hand. I hate to admit that I was dying by the time I was at 12. Once we were done with the new stuff we did the stuff from Friday again too, but added more weight this time. Once I was done I did the leg and back stretching machine and that hurt and felt good at the same time. Maybe I will be able to do half a split by 6 months? Oh yes, I did 2 pull ups today. Progress is being made!

When I got home, Barry was cooking fresh shrimp on the grill and it was so terrific! Yummy! Then we did a bit of homework with the kids and then Emily told me all about cheerleading practice and I spotted her doing handstand backbends and then I sent them off to bed. It is now10:05pm and I'm getting my first moments of quiet all day. I'm tired and ready for bed. It is a ton of work trying to balance everything. Barry has been awesome about making it possible for me to have time to workout, but I do feel a bit guilty because he is taking on most stuff at home. They keep telling me my energy level is going to rise ~ BUT WHEN??? I'm poooooooped.

I may be tired, but I'm not giving up! Weigh-in is Thursday. I'm nervous and hope I do myself and everyone proud.

Day 18 - 2 Mile Walk with a Friend

Barry is out of town this week, so it has been a bit more difficult for me to go to the gym. However, my friend Laverne picked up Emily for me on Monday night so I could meet with Dave - THANKS LAVERNE! and last night my friend and neighbor Janine went walking with me. It was a beautiful evening for walking! We walked 2 miles in about 45 minutes and when we were almost home we realized how quickly the time had past and we had such a good time catching up with each other! I wore my pedometer and we walked over 5,000 steps! Yeah us! We also checked our heart rate and I had my heart rate up to 142. I think that is good, but not sure. I've got to e-mail Kelly and ask. Thanks Janine for joining me! I really enjoyed the walk!

I have to say this week has been much tougher with Barry not being in town. He is a huge balance and support for me and not to mention an EXCELLENT cook! We've had some really good meals since I've started this. We had talapia, salmon, shrimp, steak, zuchinni and most of it grilled. Yummmmy! I suppose I should not write this blog when I'm hungry! :-)

We also got a puppy this weekend for my son Devin. Ravin is a black lab and she is beautiful. Not sure how old she is, but our guess is 3-4 months. With her around, there is no sitting and vegging on the couch. I think she goes potty every 15 minutes and both dogs have to go. Sadie just for moral support I think. Isn't she sweet?

Day 17 - Working Out at Gold's

I met with Dave Hansey last night and it was good. We discussed my medical history, what I want to accomplish and he also evaluated flexibility, muscle, etc... Dave recommends that I do the weight circuit in the gym until we met again as well as cardio at least 30-45 minutes 5 days a week and then he will have a specific training plan designed especially for me. I think it is really cool that he is not using a cookie cutter method and really designing something specific for me. Thanks Dave!!!!!

So after we met, I got on the treadmill for about 15 minutes and went up and started the weights. Dave told me if I did not know how much weight to use to do 1 rep and if I could barely lift then to take 70% of that for my weight amount. Very helpful!!! Before I was finished, Dave was finished with a training session with someone else and he came over and showed me how to do a 20 minute weight work out on a few machines if I was short on time. I really appreciated his time. Dave is genuine and really seems to want to help out. I'm looking forward to meeting with him on Friday.

Day 13 - Weekly Meeting 2 - Working in a Workout

Last Thursday we met and Kellie Grubbs presented "Working In a Workout: Tracking your daily steps. Kelly is the Exercise Specialist with Tanner Health Source. She has her Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) Primary Group Exercise Certification, American Council on Exxercise (ACE) personal Trainer Certification and a Bachelor of Sciene in Physical Education specializing in Health Promotion & Fitness from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In other words, she is a smart cookie when it comes to fitness.

Kelly taked about starting an exercise program, endurance exercises, exercise intensity, how to improve endurance and then they gave each of us a pedometer. Kelly explained the importance of walking 30 minutes a day and showed us how to use our new toy. We were all very excited. Our goal is to have 10,000 steps a day. Thank you Kelly!