Finally

Finally tax season is over and I can relax for a little while! It has been a fun but stress filled 3-4 months! Here comes spring cleaning and job hunting!
We are moving into a different apartment this summer so I want to be extra organized for easy packing.

What are your tips/tricks to getting organized? and what are some tips/tricks you have for moving? We are just moving about 5 mins down the road :)

We really need to re decorate as well when we move into our new place. I'm really tired of having the same 'ol stuff. I need something more exciting! Anyone know where to find stylish somewhat traditional/modern I like a mix. I like straight lines more so than abstract type of things.

I'm thinking Pier One but they are a little on the pricey side :)


What are you decorating secrets??

Knitting :)

September 2007 my husband(then fiance) left for a 15 month deployment to Iraq. I had to find some kind of craft to keep myself busy, I was unable to find a job at that time, had some friends over who happened to have started up knitting. A friend taught me that night, and I didn't get very far after that, but I continued to work with it until I found a job working for H&R Block in December, that took up most of my time so knitting got set aside along with just about everything else except for wedding ideas.
Fast forward to about 2 months ago, I'm cleaning my closets out(well attempting to anyways) and randomly I find a ball of yarn with knitting needles stuck in them, my hands were trying to do the right steps but I had to look for some help. I found that a good friend(Rox) was very much into knitting, she taught me some things introduced me to a fab site(www.ravelry.com) where I could find free patterns, and lots of people to help me! I also found videos online etc to expand my knitting!

I can now actually read a pattern, somewhat. And can do other stitches rather than just garter(knitting only).

So that is my latest hobby, I very much enjoy it, it's very relaxing for me, and since I'm trying to lose weight, this is something that I can do while watching tv etc and not want to eat since my hands are already busy!
So far I have made 6 scarves, 1 cowl, 1 baby hat, and a heandband/ear warmer and I am currently working on a baby blanket!

Here are some pictures of some of my finished projects!

I should really get an award

really, I should, for being the worst blogger EVER.
A lot has changed since the last blog.

I've taken up knitting again, and am actually pretty darn good at it! I will get some pictures up as soon as I find my USB cord for my camera.
I've lost 20lbs so far and have decided to do the Music City 1/2 Marathon in April, and by then I hope to have lost a total of 70-75 lbs! So about 50lbs to go!

Josh is back in school now, for his second semester and he's getting used to it now. I also have started working at H&R Block again for tax season, this year I will officially be preparing taxes. Last year, I was qualified to do them, but chose not to do that, I was a big chicken :P
Obviously, since I'm in Indiana now, and not TN I am working at a different office than in the past, I really like it so far! The people are very very nice and so helpful.

I will back to update more shortly and show off some of my knitting projects!

Biggest Loser!

Tracy is finally off the show!! While I'm sure she is a nice person in her regular life, on the show she seemed to be a bit nuts. She has since lost a lot more weight and looks fantastic, no matter who you are that is a big accomplishment, so good for her.

I am still a little sad Abby is gone, although I'm sure she is doing great things, I think she is now publicly speaking to various groups about her tragedy. For those of you who don't know, Abby was a contestant on BL who lost her husband, 2 week old son, and 5 year old daughter in a car crash 5 miles from their home, the person who hit them was going over 100 miles an hour.
After all this she is one of THE most positive people I have ever seen. She is so inspiring for me. Abby was also on Ellen today and said "Even in your darkest hour, there is always hope" What an awesome person!


On another note, Thanksgiving is just around the corner, hopefully by then I will be down a total of 20lbs(or more) so that's about 7 more pounds in about 3 1/2 weeks. Then hopefully by Christmas I will be 40-50lbs down. I know that is A LOT, but in the next few weeks I'm hoping to really push myself and watch my food intake. Even though I have not made a huge dent in the scale I can definitely feel a difference in my body, in the way I feel and the way my clothes fit. I just feel so much more confident, like I can anything I set my mind to.


Well, its off to bed for me. Cleaning tomorrow. Also, going to try and sit down and make a menu for our next 2 weeks-just for dinner though not all meals, since usually Josh and I aren't together during the day throughout the week since he has school.

1 month and 13lbs down.

I have decided to make a difference in my own life. I have spent most of mine doing things for other people, making sure they were happy, but now its my turn. I get to focus on me!





Josh has been so helpful with my training and change in food! We try hard not to have any temptations for me in the house, luckily he's a very healthy eater!
So far I'm down 13lbs! It hasn't been nearly as difficult as I thought it would be, the hardest part for me has been the working out regularly.
I've gotten into a routine now, so I just go and feel great while I'm there and afterwords.

My goal is to lose around 75-100 pounds. And to walk the Country Music 1/2 Marathon in Nashville,TN-(http://nashville.competitor.com/) which is in April! I am very excited to add this to my list of accomplishments, its something I've always wanted to do, but honestly never had the confidence.

I log everything on www.sparkpeople.com which is a free site where you can enter your goals, join teams, get great information, and it also has a free recipe database. It's AWESOME! I don't know what I would do without it!

I am also reading "Secrets of a Former Fat Girl" by Lisa Delaney




This is one fantastic book! Lisa gives some great advice on how to become a former fat girl!

My favorite is:
INO-Its not an option. When I want to stop the treadmill, when I want to eat a big fat cheeseburger, I just tell myself-INO, ITS NOT AN OPTION!

Here's to becoming a former fat girl!

Old or maybe just old fashioned

When did everything get so complicated? When did life turn into this never ending contest to keep up with someone else. "Keeping up with the Jones' " kind of attitude.
When did people start judging you for not having the latest trends?-either clothes, cars, jewelry, hair, even down to the decor in your own home.
When did everyone start caring SO much about what other people think, even if it makes them completely miserable?
When did what someone else was doing become any of our business?

I feel like sometimes that this world has been turned upside down. People have no morals, no self respect, no regard for anyone else but themselves.

When did it become a crime to try and help someone? People get so defensive, when all your trying to do is be a nice person and help them.
When did it become completely acceptable to flick someone off for the slightest things?
When did a text message become more important than a LIFE?

So many questions with no answers.

I know times, they are a changin, I get it-but sometimes it disgusts me.


Call me old fashioned, but I still believe in smiling at people I pass, men holding the doors open for women-hell anyone holding a door open for anyone else; I still believe that elders should be respected-when I say respected I don't mean we should feel sorry for them, I mean respected-for the hardships they have had in their lives, for their wisdom, for their honesty-I also still believe that we should SHOW respect-you remember that whole ma'am and sir thing?
I still believe that women should cross their legs, I believe GOD should be kept in our lives, in our schools and on our money

I believe that EVERYONE should remove their hats, shut the hell up and put their hands over their hearts for the Star Spangled Banner.

I believe in GOD.
I believe in prayer.

I believe in love at first sight.

I believe in supporting our military at home or away.

I believe that once in a while-we need to be taken down a notch-some a few notches....


The purpose of this is not to piss anyone off, or change anyone's mind.

I was just thinking about a lot of things, and maybe you agree maybe you don't-that's your choice. Either way, I felt it needed to be shared.

Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you're right." -- HENRY FORD

I have decided to make a life change. I want to lose weight, I want to get healthy! I read a book that really changed the way I viewed food (Skinny Bitch is the book) it states some truths, and some I'm not so sure about-but the point is it really made me think differently. It's true you are what you eat.

The point of the book is to help women lose weight and also become vegan- it basically "leaks" dirt little secrets-however it's not gonna stop me from eating meat or dairy-sorry I'm sure it's healthy and great, but it's just not for me. But I have decided to make some changes.

I really do not like all the hormones and pesticides that are put in/on the things that we put into our bodies-I really think it totally and completely effects our body chemistry and possibly in a negative way.

So Josh and I have made a somewhat mutual decision(mostly me) to eat as organically as possible. It is VERY expensive to buy organic meat, but I at least want to try or buy locally and not some big chain. Having grown up around farms and personally knowing many farmers my whole life-I feel that it is very important to support our local economy and support those who depend on their farms for their livelihood. We have already started scouting out places in Indiana(where we are moving to next week) such as farmer's markets, natural food stores etc..

We went grocery shopping last night and we couldnt afford the organic eggs-so we got the cage free ones they are only about 60 cents more than the regular eggs we buy and they honestly taste better. I know that no one regulates "natural" or "cage free" like the gov't does "organic" but I felt like it was a better choice-plus the "organic" eggs were almost $5. We bought a lot of fruit and veggies that were organic they were no more than the canned ones and we got more for our money!

I just wanted to share my first step to a healthier hopefully skinnier me.
I think I can, I think I can.