God Save the Queen - August 2010

The biggest thing in August was the Ypsilanti Heritage Festival. Last year, if you recall, Emily was entered into the Ypsilanti Jaycee's Beautiful Baby contest and received Honorable Mention (it must have been close because there usually isn't an honorable mention). You basically submit a picture and collect votes.
I decided to step up our game a bit this year. I collected "votes" from people at work - each vote is $0.25 :) as well as promoted the hell out of it on Facebook (you could submit PayPal votes online). So basically, it's whatever child has the most money donated. It goes to a great cause, the Jaycees are a great local organization that do a lot for the community.
She once again got to ride in her decorated wagon for the parade. This year we went with Red, White and Black as a theme. It was raining unfortunately and we had balloons but they didn't want to float :(
After the parade, myself, Kurin, Emily, Mom and Dad, Gay, C and Edwin all had lunch at the Campfire restaurant in Milan. It was damp and gross outside but we had fun at lunch.
The following day, the winners were going to be announced down in Frog Island. My mom, Emily and I went down to the park to hear the winners announced. There is a King, Queen, Prince and Princess.
After the announcing of the Prince and Princess, the King and Queen were announced. I am pleased to say that my Bebe' was named Queen of the Beautiful Babies of Ypsilanti, Michigan! She was so cute in her little crown. She received a lot of gifts, full size Johnson and Johnson bath products, gift certificates to local businesses like Haab's, a crown, a bouquet of flowers and a $100 US savings bond (which I might add she JUST received about 2 weeks ago LOL). It was a very exciting day :)

It's Been Awhile..

It's been awhile. It's actually been way longer than I thought. First things first. I am still a devoted Weight Watcher. My progress is slow but I am still down (from the start) 20 lbs. I've definitely had my ups and downs but now that the weather is getting nicer, the downs will outnumber the ups.
For now, I think what I'm going to do is add a blog post regarding all of the major events/occurences that have happened since my last blog. Bear with me, this may take awhile!
Let's just say there are a few cool things I'm anxious to get my blog on about. Particularly the events of this past week!

Having a really hard time right now. Feels like the olden days. I'm very nervous, I have gut rot. I can hardly form a sentence I'm so nervous and upset.

I can't get control over it. I don't mean to write this here but I don't know what else to do right now.

It's nothing life threatening or anything, it's just the same things happen every few years and I'm on edge like I haven't been in so long.

Ma Ma and LOST

I am behind and did not post a weight update last week..sorry! Not only that, for some reason they have been off by 0.2 lbs for the last couple of months so who knows what it is anymore. I'll figure it out this evening and post after today's weigh.

In other news, the show that meant the most to me in the last several years ended last night. Most of you know that would be L O S T (just in case you've been living under a rock or on an island somewhere ;)
I'm not a good writer, obviously so it's probably pointless to get into it; perhaps I will at a different time but as stupid as it sounds, I am emotionally drained after the show. I had a hard time accepting the ending. I liked it. I wasn't disappointed, I think that knowing it was the end and realizing how much everyone has invested into this show, it's silly but it was very hard to let go of it. I cried so hard afterward. I couldn't sleep. It doesn't help that I've been quite down for awhile now also so I was a big old mess.

Moving on from L O S T, I have made small steps of progress in my scrapbooking (yay!), I'm headed to Kentucky this weekend (well, for 2 days...lame) and most importantly: Bebe' finally knows to say Ma Ma when asked about me and Da Da for my husband. Woo Hoo! Randomly on Thursday evening, my mom pointed at me and asked Emily "who's this?" and Emily said "Ma Ma" as if she says it everyday! I was so shocked that I was like "what???" so we repeated it and she did it again! Later that night before bedtime, I pointed to Kurin and said, "who's this?" and she said "Da Da". OMG, HOW COOL!

Well...off to work. Actually, I've been at work since 6:30 am. The husband had to be at the airport at 5:45 am so this is going to be a great early day. I even got my walk in already this morning! Now that makes me happy :)

My Bridesmaids Dress is GINORMOUS!

This week I received the dress I ordered for the wedding that I'm standing up in. True, they order your size based on your largest measurement but HOLY MOLY...the dress will barely stay up on me! I've only lost about 6 lbs or so since ordering it but I would rather have it huge than try to have to slim down super quick. :) I'm very excited to have it taken in everywhere!
Yay! Not too shabby considering I didn't get all of the walking in that I wanted to or anticipated doing. I did try to eat better so I'm hoping that counteracted anything in the "moving" area that I didn't accomplish :)

This week: -0.8 lbs

Total to Date: -21 lbs

Phew!

Thank God for small favors!

Weigh In Monday: -/+ 0 lbs

Total Loss to Date: -20.2 lbs

A little late...

From April 26, 2010...

Weigh In: +0.4 lbs

Total to Date: -20.2 lbs

I honestly think I would have been even if I had just peed before I weighed in LOL :D

As for tonight's weigh-in, I'm not so sure. It was a hard week and it was hard for me to make the best choices while on a road trip and then a Tigers game. I dread the outcome but tomorrow is a fresh start.

Oh, Happy 100 posts to me!

H-I-J-K-L-M

It's been awhile since I have thought about the Encyclopedia of Me project but things have been hectic and I have a few minutes so I thought I'd grab a couple of letters and work on them. *I reserve the right to edit this! :)*
I'm a little stuck on some of these but I hope to have a nice list before the summer gets in gear and I can work on this album!

H
Hawaii
Hotels
Heather
Hello Kitty
Handbags
Hilfiger
Harlan, KY
Harris, Charlaine

I
iPod
Iced Cappuccinos

J
Jokes
Journaling

K
Kindle
Kurin
Kentucky

L
Lambert
Lincoln
Louisiana

M
Memphis Belle
Momma
Michele(s) (plural)
Marching Bands
Music
Moore, Christopher
Middle-East

Yes!

Yay! I've been very good this week and it obviously shows :)

This week: -2.8 lbs

Total to date: -20.6 lbs

Every Day is a Fresh Start

Well, I didn't do so hot last night. Not as bad as I thought but I really need to step up my game.
I have started chewing gum again recently. I know it sounds like a lame thing but it seriously helps me not want to chew everything in sight. (Just don't tell anyone at my job...I do a good job hiding it and I shouldn't chew it in the lab - which I usually don't but just in case..haha).

This Week: + 0.8 lbs

Total to Date: -17.8 lbs

Every day is a fresh start. I have really taken that on as my motto. If I don't do well one day, I have to try harder the next.
My goal this week is -1.2 lbs

Slowly but Surely...

Slowly but surely, I'm losing....

This week: -0.4 lbs

Total to date: -18.6 lbs

Trying

I'm really trying to stay on track. I'm down this week again. I'm glad. I hope to continue. going down. I didn't have much opportunity to exercise and I see that is definitely a factor.
The weather is absolutely phenomenal this week so I should be able to get my walks in - no problem :)

This week: -0.4 lbs

Total to date: -18.2 lbs

Suck It!

I sucked big time. Absolutely no surprise. I was very lazy about what I was doing and didn't seem to care this past week.

This week: +2.8 lbs

Total to Date: -17.6 lbs

In good news, Bite Me: A Love Story by Christopher Moore is out today, I have Friday off to take bebe' for her 18 month pictures and a scrapbooking event at the township rec center, and Thursday is lunch at Pita Pita day with Michelle and Hussein. Yippee!

Now, I'm going to say "Suck It Fat...I'm gonna get you!"

D-E-F-G

D
Deaton
Dogs
Daddy
Duke, Patty
Dixie Chicks

E
Emily
EMU

F

G
Granny
Goonies
Gregory, Philippa

NOLA

Just for sh!ts and giggles, I made a trip on Travelocity to New Orleans in April from a Tuesday to Saturday. Non-stop flight, hotel in the French Quarter for 2 for $1000. Hmmmm...*sigh* Just wishful thinking I suppose. I wouldn't even be satisfied with that at this point. I need to GO. Somewhere. Immediately.

Shoes

Bebe's favorite word to try and say is "shoes." It comes out sshhhooes but it's so cute. I say where are your shoes and she looks at her feet!

In other shoe news, with my new Skechers Shape-Ups (which I LOVE!) that I received for my birthday, I have been walking about a mile or more a day. Yippee!

I'm back on track..

This week: -0.8 lbs

Total to Date: -20.4 lbs

A -B-C

A
Analysis
Annie
Animals
Aunts
Astin, Sean
action figures

B
BFF
Brenda
Books
Barbie

C
Coke
Crider
Christmas
Collections
Computer
College
Crafts
Chinese Food

Encyclopedia of Me

I was recently invited to join in a scrapbooking night in my community by a former high school classmate that I've reconnected with because we are both bridesmaids in our friend's wedding. How cool is it that I have a new scrapping friend? She is amazing! So creative and makes my easy layouts look like the white-trash of scrapbooking LOL She has even attended CKU (that's Creating Keepsakes University)! Whoa!
She showed me the projects she was working on and I fell in love! I'm not that creative but I am hoping to give it a shot. She showed me her "Encyclopedia of Me" album that she is working on. The basic layout of the album is to set it up like and Encyclopedia. You feature journaling regarding several things for each letter of the alphabet that makes up you. Each letter also features two pictures of two of those items. Say you have 5 entries for the letter "A", you would only have 2 pictures though. You can also do cross-referencing so that you can feature more things by using different letters. Erica, oh wise scrapbooking goddess, shared with me the formulas and write-ups of how to assemble this album. For example you could do a feature on "B" titled "Best Friend" but then I would put "see also Danielle" and also have an entry about Danielle under "D". It sounds confusing but if you saw the instructions and such, it would probably make more sense.
I don't typically do albums like this. I usually do yearly albums featuring the major events of the year. Your standard Christmas, Halloween, Birthdays, Vacations type albums. More of a chronological style. I still like that but I think this "Encyclopedia of Me" could be an additional project.
I first need to determine my entries for each letter. I know I am very lazy regarding this blog but I truly am trying to be better. I'll give it a rough start and add to it as we go.
Wish me luck!

Bite Me – The Widget

Bite Me – The Widget

Have I ever told you how much I love Christopher Moore's books? I do. I didn't know I would, but I do. I especially love his Bloodsucking Fiends books. Book one being Bloodsucking Fiends and book two being You Suck. I listened to these on audio although I do own You Suck. Well, the third book is coming out later this month and OMG, I'm so excited. They are wicked funny and the audio versions are a blast. The girl who narrates them is the best narrator I've ever listened to and she's hilarious. I'm not sure I would have liked the books quite as much as I did the audio. Anyway, I'm looking forward to receiving my signed copy of Bite Me. I've ordered a signed, personalized copy from a San Diego bookstore which is doing that for people who are not going to be able to see Christopher Moore on this book tour. Unfortunately, the closest he is coming is either Columbus, OH or Chicago, IL. Boo. Oh well. I cannot wait!

Walking

I have taken to walking about 1.5 miles every day (or every other day). Looks like it has helped a little bit. I am also wearing my pimped out Skechers Shape-Ups. They're awesome and I do like that I feel like I'm working a little harder with them.

Lost: -0.4 lbs

Total To Date: -19.6 lbs