HFH Fat ticker Friday

Hello all! Did you miss me? I had a fabuloso time in the Poconos! My weight didn't, but I did! We even walked 2 days, and I tried to watch what I ate (thanks Christa for being the food nazi LOL). Alas, I gained a pound. *sigh* It's ok. At least I am still almost 2 pounds down from my original! Gotta look at that glass half full right?

I have been putting the couch 2 5k program off (http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml) because of procrastination and fear. I AM starting Monday. No excuses, no exceptions! I'm gonna try to talk Monica into doing it with me (Ooooooooooooh Moooooonica....that's your fair warning!). C25K is basically a plan to get you , well, off the couch and running about 3 miles by the end of 2 months. You must understand, I need about 6 sports bras on at one time to run. LOL It gives you a schedule to ease into it, and combines running and walking together for about 20 min 3x's a week. I'll report back next week.

Still trying to up my water intake, and the efforts double today on that.

The question this week was to post a photo shoot of something/someone dressed up. We don't celebrate Halloween, so I will forgo that this week. Sorry if you are disappointed, but I choose to give glory to God!

Have a blessed week!
Steph

Simple woman's daybook

FOR TODAY 10/20/2008

Outside My Window...The sun is setting and it is leaving a golden glow across the field. Across the street, the trees are many colors of greens, reds, and oranges. The golden sun is reflecting off them and making them glow. Gorgeous....or in my house it would be beautimus. (My own creation of beautiful, glorious, wonderful etc all wrapped into one LOL)

I am thinking...of all the things that need to be done and wrapped up before the scrapbooking retreat on Thursday (sorry Lisa....we'll miss you!)

I am thankful for...Crisp autumn days of no humidity to enjoy the outdoors for a bit.

From the kitchen...Chicken with shake-n-bake topping, noodles and corn for dinner. Maybe I'll toss in some rolls too.

I am wearing...Hello? Jeans! Are you noticing a trend here? A red short sleeve top with a white lining at the bodice, and my brown clogs.

I am creating...more bucket covers. Some to be put up on ebay next week, some to give away to my ladies! (hmmmmmm anyone in suspense over this fact?)

I am going...on my scrapbooking retreat with 10 other ladies to the beautiful Pocono mountains in the height of fall.

I am reading...Karen Kingsbury's someday

I am hoping...To be able to get everything done here at the house before I leave. Also, to get lots done on retreat.

I am hearing...My darling husband coming in the door and chastising the dog for not greeting him at the door.

Around the house...Cleaning, organizing, and packing. That about sums it up.

One of my favorite things...My daughter's inquisitive nature. She asked us yesterday what happens to babies that die after just being born. Do they go to heaven? Out of the mouths of babes comes the hardest questions to answer. My husband's answer was very good!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Well, I hate to seem like I repeat myself, but did I tell you I was going on retreat?! LOL My friend Christa is coming up from TX and this will be the first time we've met IRL after being friends for 8 years. How exciting is that?

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Yes, it's a picture of me, taking pictures. This should give you a sense of my husbands sense of humor. He was catching me unawares at Longwood gardens last week. I took 3 rolls of film in about 4 hours. hehehe

If you want to participate along with us, go here: http://thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/2008/04/join-simple-womans-daybook.html

hfh: Fat ticker Friday-ugh

Here we are again. I'm noticing a trend. It's not a good trend, mind you. It's a downward spiraling, upward gasping for air kind of trend. One week I do excellent, the next well, not so much. I didn't exercise one iota this week. Totally laziness, as I had the time to do it. Ok, I shouldn't say that because we went to Longwood gardens and strolled for 4+ hours last Friday, and Sunday strolled for a few hours at the lake. No sweating my butt off, cardio pumping exercise. The scale showed it. Up almost a pound.

I am NOT making any goals next week except to drink my water and try to exercise. I know, it's a lame thing to do, and total avoidance. I am going away with my girlfriends next week, and know that we eat horribly and sit on our butts scrapbooking all day. I will make a concerted effort not to eat too much chocolate *grin*.

On to the question of the week:

What I'd like to know is, when you think about your body, which part do you want to "refine" during this process? And think about or find out what exercises you have to do to make that happen.

The 2 parts I'd like to refine would be my stomach and my chest *giggle*. I'd like to be able to wear a pair of pants that doesn't fall off because the only thing it fits is my waist. I'd also like to be able to wear a pair of pants that doesn't make my tummy a gross looking muffin top. As for exercises....cardio and sit ups are about it I guess. When it comes to my chest, well, let's just say it needs to be smaller. WAY smaller. This is a challenge exercise wise because I don't want to build muscle, just tone. The only thing I got for that would be pushups. Can you say ewwww?

So introduce us to your favorite part, and hey, if you want to add pictures to your essay then feel free to do that too!

Ok, sorry, no pictures, but one thing I like about my body is my calves and ankles. This is why it was sooooooo upsetting to me when my ankles started swelling because of my medication the other week. I've already had some of my friends tell me "well, at least you have girly legs". Yes, I'm pretty sure it was a compliment. :)

So, how did you do this week? Sound off!

Steph

My daybook

For Today 10/13/2008...

Outside my Window...Sunshine filtering through the acorn tree (Oak?) that is blowing in a crisp autumn wind.

I am thinking...Of the different perspectives that God gives each one of us through his Holy Spirit, our own life experiences, and education. He truly did make each one of us to fulfill our own little purposes here on earth.

I am thankful for...My family who is not afraid to speak the truth in love to get me to examine myself and my opinions. I'm also thankful for the extra time God has given me with my husband and daughter this past weekend. I love you guys!

From the kitchen...Hopefully some homemade vegetable soup in a little bit for dinner.

I am wearing...Jeans! (is there anything else?) and a grass green short sleeve top with a bit of lace at the top. For once, I don't have bedhead today! LOL

I am reading...Zechariah, and Sisterchicks on the loose.

I am hoping...To be able to pull off this missions tea on Saturday for church. I'm feeling good about everything at the moment, but talk to me Thursday LOL.

I am hearing...Fox news network about this voter fraud with Acorn. What a mess! One person signed 75 times, and didn't think there was anything wrong with that. They were just helping out the person because they get paid per signature. Yeah, ok!

Around the house...chores, lists of things to do, dog to bathe after being in the Lake yesterday, getting ready to go away for a ladies weekend next week.

One of my favorite things...listening to my daughter talk about things rattling around in her head.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...getting my flower beds cleaned out a bit, and readying for the tea this weekend. (Can you say one track mind?)

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Jessica playing queen bee at Longwood Gardens. Prim and proper isn't she?

Hey, want to play along? Go to Peggy's site at http://thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/ and link to your own daybook. Have fun!

Steph

HFH: Fat ticker friday

Ok! Not too bad! I'll take it! I started out the week sick as a dog. 102 degree fever, body ached all over. I had 2 or 3 days when I did nothing but drink (well, sip really) soda and hot tea, and maybe a piece of toast or so. Then I kicked it into high gear with my exercise and came in losing! Whoo hoo! Ok, so I don't know exactly how to report this because last week I didn't report in till Saturday and had gained a pound. I lost that one, and one more! Yippee!

The question of the week was about motivation. I am going to have to say that my biggest motivation has to that looming 200 pound mark that I REFUSE to go past, and the show the biggest loser. I keep telling myself that if these people that are OVER that 200 pound mark can do it, so can I! I have to stop making excuses, and evaluate the choices that I make minute by minute. Of course, God has been helping me with the choice thing, as I am noticing so many things about choices right now. So, today I choose to keep going strong! If I only lose a pound a week, I will be down 9-10 pounds by Christmas which puts me well below that 200. Fantastic I say!

So, how did you do?

Steph

The Shema

Deut 6:4-8 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Those of you that know me IRL know that I am of Jewish descent. That is such a rich heritage. I attended Hebrew school till fifth grade. I hold my heritage very dear to me, and I try to learn as much about it as possible. One opportunity to do that was at our church's VBS this past summer. We went back to the bible times and did Jerusalem marketplace. It was such a great program. We have done it the past 2 years. I got the opportunity to play the part of the Rabbi (yes, they are normally male LOL). This was really very exciting for me, as I got to share my excitement about my heritage with the children of our church. We even did a seder (the Jewish passover meal). One of the songs we learned there was the Shema, which is a Jewish prayer from Deut 6. We learned about the mezzuza, which is what the Jewish people use to have them on the doorposts and gates of their houses. We also learned about the Tefillin which are little boxes for the forehead and upper arm with scriptures inside. If your kids ever get a chance to go to a Jerulem marketplace VBS, go for it! It is so enriching for them. It makes the bible come alive.

When you think back about bible times, you imagine all the storytelling done by memory. They depended on the bible stories being passed from generation to generation by telling stories. One of my favorite bible stories is the story of Esther. It always has been. Purim was my favorite holiday because we got to dress up as one of the characters (I had an Esther mask), and make lots of noise to drown out the bad guy from the story. We even got to eat his hat in the form of hamentashen cookies filled with prune or other assorted fillings.

Tonight was a really special night here. While we were sitting around a fire out back in our chiminea, we were telling stories. Jessie told us about the turtle and the hare. Then she asked me about Esther. She knows that this is my favorite story, and she seems to have a fascination with it too. She asked me to share the story again from memory. I did just that, with Shawn helping to keep everything straight and fill in the gaps. It was a really neat time.

When you are raising your kids in the fear of the Lord, talking about God just comes naturally. They have questions, you have answers...most of the time. They ask the darndest things too! I know the scriptures from Deut 6, but I never REALLY understood them till tonight. Children naturally love to hear stories. This is the best way to impress the word to them! It also will challenge you in your faith, to get the stories straight!

Glory to God in the highest! Until next time....

Steph

Halleluyah and a glory to God!

We are all mostly better to start! Whoooo hoooo! I don't know what hit us here, but it was nasty, nasty, nasty! Praise God for our good health :)

The Lord has been speaking to me about choices lately. I'm not real sure where he is going with it, but I'm along for the ride. Everything in life is a choice. We make choices pretty much constantly throughout our day. When we get up in the morning, we decide if we want to have quiet time, what we will have for breakfast, what we will wear, whether we will get a shower or not etc. That's all in the first hours after awakening. If we really stop to think about all the choices we make, it can be overwhelming. I always tell my daughter that anger is a choice. All of our emotions are a choice. We can choose to give in to them and let them rule over us, or we can hand them over to the Holy Spirit and let him handle them. Wow! That was a tangent *grin*

Needless to say, I have been evaluating some of the choices that I make in life. If anyone knows me at all, they know that I am habitually late. I have all the good intentions in the world, I just don't manage my time properly. One of my worst offenses has been the bible study that I lead. Yes, it's true...lead....late...really bad example. I have been on time the last three weeks! Weeeehoooo! Praise God for that!

Another choice I had to examine was the things that I put off to get healthy. Exercise and diet. Both really poor! I signed up over at spark people for my nutrition and tried to use their meal plans. They are a little too strict for me, so I am playing around using thier nutrient goals and have been doing pretty good. For the 2 days I have been on there. LOL (small victories here) I have also exercised 2 hours and 15 minutes the last 2 days.

Can you say back on wagon? YES! Hopefully the momentum keeps going! lol

The whole reason for my halleluyah post is to say that with God, all things are possible! Ask him for guidance today, and he will be sure to show himself faithful. He is the God of the big things and of the small. After all, he knows how many hairs are on my head, and he named every star. Give praise to him today!

Steph

The simple woman's daybook

FOR TODAY 10/06/2008

Outside My Window... Gloomy and very still. Reflects my life for the past few days as the whole house has been very ill, including me.

I am thinking...That I would love to feel normal and to be able to eat.

I am thankful for...Long days with my husband and child.

From the kitchen...Water boiling on the stove for another round of hot tea for everyone.

I am wearing...A nightshirt that says "I don't do mornings". So very true these last few days.

I am going...to the eye doctor....maybe. So far, I feel ok, and it's so hard to get into the eye doctor's office.

I am reading...A sisterchicks novel by Robin Jones Gunn. I love her books!

I am hoping...That Jessica can go back to school tomorrow and everyone is done with this evil illness.

I am hearing...The dog playing with her squeaky chicken. Also, the sounds coming from Jessica's game boy.

Around the house...a mess! There are blankets and pillows everywhere, and no one has had the energy to do the dishes. Thank God it's just basically tea mugs and spoons.

One of my favorite things...Advil lol! Do you know how much your body aches at 102 degrees?

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week.... REST! When I feel better, I plan to get back on track with my weight loss. The last day and a half consisted of sprite, and hot tea. I think maybe I lost a pound or two LOL.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

This is the blanket that we've all been fighting over. One of my bestest buds, Monica, made it for us for Christmas. It is a hand-tied fleece. Thanks Monica! Love ya!

Steph

HFH Fat ticker, well, Saturday

I could come up with all kinds of excuses this week. I'm not going to go there. I totally fell off the wagon and it was all my fault. The only thing I did well this week was drink my water. I am up a pound. I am hopping back on the wagon and doing so NOW!

My goals stay the same.

I will say I am on B.P. meds and my ankles look like elephant ankles. I am retaining water badly. I did go to the Dr to see what was up, and he switched my meds. Hopefully this will help. Cross your fingers! My ankles are already feeling better.

How are you doing on your weight loss journey? Sound off!

Steph

Wordless Wednesday: The last remnants of summer