We are progressing well on our new room for Amy. The sheet rock is going up today. I have been to Home Depot more in the last 2 weeks than I have been in the last 2 years!! We are beginning to see the finish line!!

The weather is absolutely beautiful! I love this time of year...late fall. Takes me back to when I was a kid.

I have discovered though, that when you lose a large amount of weight, you also lose a large amount of insulation. I'm experiencing a problem I've never really had before. I'm chilly....alot. Its funny now because I have added several sweaters to my wardrobe!!

I posted to the other blog today too.

Fall Happenings

• First of all, I have to apologize for all the spelling errors in my previous post. It seems I have been in some denial about aging and because of denial and fear, I chose not to get bifocals at my last Eye appointment. So, I can see distances great with my new glasses but in order to read, I have to take them off...to see things at a distance of 1-2 feet, I have to wear my old glasses. The last post I was at the library and had forgotten my old glasses....the computer monitor was too far to see without my glasses and too close to see with them....hence the errors!

Cliff & I have been busy cleaning out our attic, garage, and gardening shed. He has been working overtime re-building our little gardening shed that was once a chicken coop. The walls had seen better days. He's replaced one side and put on a new roof.
We are also in the process of a project that we have talked about for years. We have split our garage in half and are making one half a room for Amy. Everything is framed and rewired and ready for insulation and sheetrock. It's turning out so nice! We could never have even got the job started without a good friend from church who is teaching Cliff how to do all these home-improvement jobs. We are hoping to have Amy all move in by Thanksgiving.

I'm still on my weight loss. Hit the 55 pound mark this week. I decided to start a new blog dedicated to my weight loss journey. I'm not sure how long I'll keep it going but for now I have all these thoughts and just wanted and outlet for them. You can find it here

The Rest of the Story

I have waited until now the post anything further about my weight-loss journey because I had to give a speech about it last weekend at our Women's retreat and I didn't want to give all the info our beforehand.

I have come to realize that the weight battle is 90% mental and 10% at the scale. Meaning, I have fought so much of it in my mind. Its totally the reason I have been overeating my entire adult life...and its a viscous cycle. You feel bad about yourself or your situations and to deal with it, you eat some fatty or sugary something to numb the pain and then you feel bad you ate it and back and forth and back and forth it goes. To go into specifics would be far too lengthy and complicated for any one blog post but lets just say that lies have been fed into my head by the author of lies and I have believed them...and society, friends and even well-meaning family members continually confirmed the lies. So much of it has been my perception because when you buy into lies, you view the world through the filter of lies so that it all looks like truth.

For me, the answer to exposing the dealing with the lies has come through God's Word, His healing grace and several books that have dealt with spiritual, emotional, and physical issues. I also found inspiration in a Television show called, Ruby, who once weighed over 700 pounds and has lost almost 400. I figured if she could do it without surgery or weird diets, I could do. I also connected with the struggles that she faces within her weight loss journey. I also have another friend who lost some weight and looked 10 years younger and I wanted to look younger too....and I wanted my life back!!!!!

I knew a diet was an important part. Once again, I had given up on all diets. I know myself and I know that I need an organized approach to eating...a good, healthy plan with some fairly quick results...I mean let's face it, at some point, you do need to see results on the scale.

While browsing through the "new book" section at the library, a title jumped out at me...."The 17 Day Diet." I wasn't looking for a diet book but the 17 day thing intrigued me. Once I read it, it made so much sense and I knew this was exactly what I was looking for. I felt it was something I could follow long-term because lets be honest here....once a dieter, always a dieter....I will ALWAYS have to pay attention to the food I am putting in my mouth. I decided the only way to know if this eating plan really worked the way it said it would was to follow it to the letter. I did and I'm thrilled to say it has worked out better than I could have imagined. I'm exercising (walking) almost every day and my life has gone from sedentary to active.

To date, I have lost 51 pounds and 22 inches without much of a struggle....and I have my life back and I feel better about myself than I have in years. I have received inspiration from people like Ruby and my friend, Robin and in turn I hope and think I'm inspiring others. At least 5 of my friends have started the 17-Day Diet and I wish them nothing but success!!

A Recovering Couch Potato

Yep, that's me, a recovering Couch Potato....making a lifestyle switch from sedentary to healthy....from eating a diet rich in fat & sugar to a diet rich in lean proteins & vegetables.
It's been a long road to this point. Without knowing what I was doing, I took a road that led to what author Bob Greene calls a Holistic Approach to weight loss. An approach that doesn't just focus on diet and exercise but healing within the emotional, psychological, and spiritual.

Is it working? YES!! To date, I've lost 37 pounds. (a weight I haven't seen since 1999) Its work there's no other way to put it. I walk 5-6 days per week and do a core workout 2 days per week. BUT, I feel better than I have in YEARS both physically and mentally. No more back or knee pain. I feel as though I've turned back the hands of time a bit.

I've got a long way to go but I think I'm off to an incredible start.

Almost Back

We are heading to Newton/Wichita this weekend for a much needed break. I can hardly wait!! We've never been able to spend time there with Josh when he hasn't been on some sort of a tight schedule.

I'll be back regularly posting after that. I've got lots to say (as usual). And also as usual, there are lots of ideas swirling around in my head.

Have a great Labor Day Weekend!!

Summer 2011 and Stuff.....

It's been a hot, quiet summer around here. Not too much going on other than trying to stay cool!! Just a quick update on everyone:

* Cliff is doing GREAT since his epidural injections....little to no back pain. He will have 1 more injection in 2 weeks and that should last him the better part of a year. He's been back to work since the beginning of May with no problems!
*Josh has made a life for himself in Newton. He's found a good job that will allow him the opportunity to travel for up-coming grad school auditions. He's got 5-6 schools lined up. It's going to take him a while to prepare for these auditions as he's going after a fellowship....which will basically cover the cost of all his schooling expenses. They are tough and competition is stiff. His auditions need to be flawless.
*Amy has registered at the local community college to continue her education. She will be taking classes in their culinary institute for baking & pastry.
*Jacob will also be attending the local community college. He's taking almost a full course load with a major in music. He's been working out all summer in the hopes of making the track team for shot put.
*Emily spent the bulk of this summer with her two cousins from GA and had a great time with them. She has been focusing on math homework that has to be completed before school so she can enter the honors math class.
*Me...well, I'm finding my way through my ever-changing household again....adjusting to kids leaving and growing. It's hard but good for everyone. This past weekend, Cliff & I had the opportunity to just get away for the night and meet up with some of our dearest friends. It was so good!!

I've been away from my blog for a while because, frankly, I have felt like I haven't had much to say. To be honest, I don't want my blog to be a daily "Christmas letter." So I'm going to step away for a few more weeks.....probably until after labor day. I have a few ideas but I'm not concrete on anything yet. Plus, we have alot going in the next few weeks. Getting ready for school and a Labor Day trip to spend some time with Josh.

So, thank you so much for your interest. I'll be back in a few weeks.
Have a Great finish to the summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Show & Tell Friday - Revisited

**I thought I would re-post some favorite "Show & Tell" Friday posts for a while. They were lots of fun and its something I'm thinking about picking up again in the future. In the meantime, I'm enjoying these memories.

One of the things I always loved and admired at my grandparent's house was this shelf of my grandmother's that housed her teacup collection. There was just something about it that captured my attention and I just loved to stand there and look at it. One of the last times I was at their home, I went around and took pictures of some things that said "this is my grandparent's house" to me. Things that had been there for years. Things that I kind of always counted on seeing when I was there or things that evoked some very wonderful memories of my childhood times there. Of course, I took some pictures of this shelf.

About 1 1/2 years ago, I was browsing through Goodwill with my mom and guess what I found? A shelf just like my grandmother's. I snatched it up, not even caring about the price. That shelf was coming home with me. (I think it ended up being 4 or 5 dollars!) I hung it in my dining room on a large blank wall. It now houses two of my collections. One is a collection of little houses that Cliff collected for me one Christmas about 15 years ago. (has was so proud of himself!!) And a little collection of 1940-1950 looking children. On top, I have two "Gone With the Wind" figurines my mom gave me. Why? Because my grandmother had these same figurines on the top of hers. Yesterday while I was dusting it, I thought of my grandmother. These are the kinds of things I love having in my home. Things that evoke pleasant memories. Things that make us think those we love.

Thanks for stopping by today!