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Been a little quiet

 I've been a little quiet lately. I feel bad because I should be updating my blog. I have spent every morning of the last week at the community center... walking the track and taking any fitness class I feel I my body will finish. I didn't lose weight this week but at least I broke even. Getting serious has begun. I want to lose 20 pounds in the next 9 weeks... that is roughly 2.25 pounds per week. If I can lose 2.6 pounds per week I could finally get back to where I was after I lost 35 pounds. It would make me very happy.

On the knit and crochet front, I finally finished my February knit square after 26 days. This one bored me to tears so it took much longer than necessary.

 

I finally sent off a surprise gift of booties and hats for my new baby nephew, Noah. He was born 1/13 and has long feet, so his Christmas gift booties were a little snug. 

When we were snowed in February 9th -11th I spent one day crocheting a "one skein" shawl that was way too small for anyone to even consider using. I am not sure if it is because I used Naturally Caron Country instead of Spa.

And I started a scrap blanket.

Flasback Friday: Sisters

My parent's divorce was finalized when I was in 5th grade.. my dad met my step-mom when I was in 6th grade. She had a daughter who was just over 3 months older than me and my twin sister, Kari. My dad and step-mom, Marilee, got married when I was in 7th grade. People always thought that Debbie, Kari and I were triplets. We look very similar and we were very close. Today is Debbie's birthday! She will be the first person I see when I go back home for my first visit in 6.5 years in May. I cannot wait to see her and hug her. Below is a picture of Debbie and Kari with Debbie's son Xander. Kari is holding Xander.

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Turning a gift into a gift...

A few weeks ago I won a giveaway over at Paula's Blog. My prize was a skein of Dark Blue Bernat Softee Chunky and a skein of Lion Boucle in Lime Blue. I also received some (how old do they have to be to be considered vintage?) crochet magazine! One of them is only 5 years younger than I am.

It took me a while to decide what I was going to use the yarn for. I still haven't decided on the Lion Boucle. I did, however, make a pretty neck warmer with the Softee Chunky for my sister's birthday gift! Tomorrow is her birthday. Photo time! Enjoy.

Health Update

I did it! I made the decision to cancel my Curves membership and sign up at our local community center where I can get fitness classes with actual trainers! During out big snow event last week (we got 7 inches and were snowed in for 3 days) Jeff and I did some research and found that we could both go to the community center for less than I was paying at Curves. So we made the move on Friday and I couldn't be happier.

I have taken 2 Zumba classes and walked more than 2 miles on the track since Friday. This morning I took an Abs and Arms class... ooohweee! I am still shaking.. it makes it tough to type. I never felt like this at Curves. I think I have made the best choice for me and my family. I am enjoying it and can get 7 days of fitness! Tomorrow I will either take a body toning class or I will just walk a mile on the track... I guess I will see how much my body hates me in the morning!

Flashback Friday: 7 years

Isn't is strange how quickly time passes? It moves so fast you hardly even realize it is gone. I am almost 27 years old and I find it amazing and strange all at the same time that I have been married to Jeff for 7 years. We married young and we had a very rough start. We both came from very different places. I learned very well how to spend money as a young adult and he learned very well how to save money... we fought about this constantly as well as the cleanliness of our apartment. We also fought about everything else.

I have told you all before that I believe God has a plan for everyone... even me. I believe this is true because living this live was never in my plans! I never imagined that two weeks after the wedding, I would call up my mom and tell her I had gotten married and that it wasn't working. I never wanted to be a divorcee... especially at 19. I packed my belongings and went to a hotel while I waited for my mom to arrive to take me 2000 miles back home. However, I was home for a week when I realized I loved Jeff and wanted to make it work. So 5.5 months later I came back home to Arkansas where I have been for the last 6.5 years. That time apart was what we needed to learn to talk and communicate with each other. He learned to be a better husband and I learned to be a better wife... we learned to support each other and be friends.

I am still amazed some days that I am a Sunday School Teacher and a soon to be Preacher's Wife. I am very proud of my husband for following God's will in his life and for being the spiritual leader in our family that God calls him to be. I love him more today than I did 7 years ago.

We received about 6-7 inches of snow on Wednesday and we were snowed in. I have not been to work since Tuesday and I can tell you I have enjoyed this time with my husband. I work late hours so I don't have the ability to be the wife I enjoy being... the wife that has dinner ready when he comes in from work... not so much the wife that cleans but the wife that cooks and cares for her husband.

I have a college degree in Restaurant Management and I love to cook... I miss watching Jeff take that first bite of his dinner and watching him enjoy the food. I got to experience that this week with meals made from scratch. I promise, I will make a nice meal on Saturdays from now on! Anyhow, here is a photo from our wedding... its not very good quality but I love it just the same!

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Happy Birthday, Brother!

Today is a special day... not just because it snowed and I didn't have to go to work (thanks Jeff!) but because it is my little brother, Jacob's, birthday! Today, Jacob is 12. I was 14 and thought it was so cool my mom was going to have a baby... I was going to have a new brother!

And then he was born! Oooh! You know how those babies are... they need lots of attention and sleep. Babies don't sleep well when teenagers are being loud. I say teenagers because my twin sister and I were 14 and my older brother was 16... we also had a 10 year old brother. We were always being loud. And we weren't used to giving our "mom time" to other people. My parents divorced when I was in 5th grade and Jacob is technically my half brother... I say technically because I love him fully. My mom had weekend visitation and some time in the summer as well. it was just a strange and new situation... and being 14... I wanted it to be about me.

Jacob quickly grew and captured all of our hearts. I held and loved him while he was sick... letting him sleep on my chest when he had fevers (babies put off a lot of heat!) We have been through a lot with this little man... broken legs, custody fights, temper tantrums... and most of all... he has grown up with out me around. I moved to Arkansas when he was 4 years old. I saw him in December 2004 just as he was about to turn 5. I finally got to see him again last summer when my mom brought him down to visit during my vacation. It seemed as if he had grown 3 feet... and he probably had. I will get to see him again in May when I finally make a trip back home... first time in 6 years. Jeff will finally meet the rest of my family.

So now that you know what kind of special place Jacob holds in my heart... I thought I would share some of my favorite photos of him.

 Most  of the time when children try to kiss the camera it doesn't really work out too well. And while this photo is very blurry, I think it is perfect. Jacob was probably less than 2 when this was taken.

Jacob was probably two when this was taken. This was Halloween and he was a butterfly. I love this photo for two reasons... 1... he was a butterfly! and 2... he looks so cute and innocent!

 This is the first picture I took of Jacob when he arrived last summer. We shared the backseat of my car on the way from the air port to Carino's Italian Grill for dinner. He cried when I jumped out of the car to greet him with a hug... and he cried when he woke up the morning he was supposed to leave. My little brother is amazing... and growing up too fast!

Happy Birthday, Jacob. I love you!

P.S. 86 days!

Weight Update

In my post 2011 Goals I put get serious as one of my goals. I want to get serious about my weight. There are several reasons for this.

1. I plan to try and start a family with my husband later this year and losing weight will make that easier.
2. I want to be an active mom. I want to play with my children and run around and chase them. I want to be a fun mom!
3. I want to be healthy so I can live a long life with my husband and family.

So mostly, I guess its for my future and my family's future. Last week I had my first loss since a week before Christmas... it was only 0.6 pounds but it was a loss. This week... and past weeks I am having a love affair with the vending machines at work. So today, I will be leaving my cash at home... so I cannot spend it! I have also ditched the microwave "healthy" dinners. I have decided to start cooking my own meals at home so I can control my salt and the other foods I am eating.

So, what do my readers think about one post a week dedicated to my weight loss?