14 Goals for 2014

As 2013 comes to a close in the next few hours, I've spent the last few days thinking about what I would like to accomplish in the new year. I don't consider these resolutions exactly...just goals to strive for in the coming year.

1. Complete a 5K.

Mallory and I have found one that we are going to register for, and I'm really excited and nervous about it! 

2. Give blood.

3. Read more than 10 books in one year.

I only read 10 books this year from start to finish. That is pitiful. If I spent as much time reading as I do playing around on my iPad, I could have read 100 books this year. Seriously!

4. Find a church to call home.

5. Throw a bridal shower for Emily.

After talking with Emily a couple of days ago, this may come sooner than expected! :-D

6. See a movie at least once a month.

Mallory and I saw Catching Fire last night after a long period of not going to the movie theater, and I forgot how much I love the whole experience! Definitely want to see more movies in 2014!

7. Walk/jog at least 1,000 miles this year.

8. Go to a Zumba class.

9. Go to a Painting with a Twist class.

10. Do a Breaking Bad tour in Albuquerque.

Via Pinterest

11. Lose 30 pounds.

That's about what I lost this year, so I'm hoping I can lose that much in 2014 (maybe more!).

12. Keep a gratitude box.

13. Volunteer for the animal shelter.

14. Start and finish Daily Steps for God Chicks: The 90-Day Devotional for Real Women.

Find it here on Amazon!

I ordered this book from Amazon and should be getting it on Thursday. I can't wait to start it!

Christmas 2013: "Favorite Things"

I have been wanting to post about this for a few weeks now, but I knew that my cousin and sister read my blog, which meant if I posted about it before Christmas I would spoil their gifts!

Me, Mal, and Em on Christmas Day

Last year, the three of us started a tradition of giving each other things that we had tried and fell in love with throughout the year. Think Oprah's Favorite Things...just not to the extremes of us buying each other cars...

Anyway, I thought I would share with you what we gave each other, and maybe you would like to start this tradition next year with your sisters, cousins, family, or friends!

First off, Mallory (for those who don't know, she's my sister) and I opened Emily's bag of goodies, and here's what we found:

I ordered a devotional from Amazon that has questions you answer to go with each day, so I think I'm going to use the journal Emily got me for that. I'm looking forward to trying the Spark, and I tried the protein bar today. It was really good!

Next up was Mallory's box of treats:

I love the owl page markers, and I could always use more Baby Lips (bonus that I don't have the peppermint flavor already!) Also, aren't the little birdies on the mug so cute? I think it's funny we all gave each other mugs.

Last, but not least, Mallory and Emily opened their boxes from me. Here's what I gave them:

Pretty self-explanatory...That raisin nut bread from Braum's is so yummy! It's what I ate for breakfast most days throughout the year along with a cup of coffee. 

We all started Breaking Bad this year, so I knew I had to include it somehow. I got the Merry Christmas photo and the 'blue meth' candy from a store on Etsy called Breaking Rad. Lindsey, the shop owner, provides amazing customer service if you ever need something for the Breaking Bad fan in your life!

I also made both of them a gratitude box for 2014. Each day in 2014, they will think of something that made them happy, that they were thankful for, etc., write it down on a slip of paper, and put it in their box. On December 31, they will open their box and read all the things they were thankful for in 2014.

I covered the box in brown paper and left the bottom of it uncovered, so when they read them in December, they can open the bottom of the box and start with the beginning of the year. I painted a monogram for each of them, stuck some gemstones on the monogram, and hot glued it to the box. I also included a chevron burlap ribbon along the bottom of the front of the box.

I cut a small hole in the back of the box to put their paper in each day and hot glued an envelope to the back of the box. The envelope holds the blank strips of paper.

I really hope they use these throughout the year and take a few minutes at the end of the day to think of at least one positive thing that happened. 

So, I'm sure we all have our favorite Christmas traditions that we do with our families each year. This is one I'm hoping sticks around for a long time.

Weekly Weigh-In #33

This Week: -1.4 lb

Total Loss: -31.8 lbs

Starting Weight: 251.2 lbs

Current Weight: 219.4 lbs

Does anyone else feel like this week has dragged on and on? There have been so many times this week where I forgot what day it was! Today, for instance, I had to weigh in after breakfast because when I woke up I thought it was Thursday instead of Friday. My sister posted this on Twitter today, and it made me laugh out loud.

If you're anything like me, you're scrambling around trying to get everything ready for Christmas. I have multiple boxes that are just sitting at the UPS warehouse because of the ice storm we had two weeks ago. They keep saying everyone will get their packages before Christmas Day. I hope so! 

I know the importance of Christmas isn't about the presents, but there is something special about giving someone a gift on Christmas Day while you're celebrating with all your family. I'm afraid I will be giving three people their gifts on December 30 if my packages don't get here. Oh well!

That's all I've got for today. I'm gonna go wrap some of the presents that I do have. Have a good weekend everybody!

Sunday Social: Holiday Fun

Hey y'all! Hope you're having a wonderful Sunday! It is a beautiful day here in Texas, which is much needed after all the ice and cold we've been having.

Today I'm linking up with Ashley and Neely for Sunday Social. The last time I linked up we were talking about summer fun, so it's been far too long between Sunday Social posts!

1. What are your favorite holiday movies/TV specials?

Two of my favorite holiday movies are National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and The Holiday. My favorite TV special is when TBS shows A Christmas Story for 24 hours straight from Christmas Eve into Christmas Day. While I have seen the whole movie from start to finish, I don't think I ever have when I watch it on TBS. My sister and I always catch a different part of it at different times of the day!

2. Do you do any volunteering during the holidays? If so, what? 

Yes! My sister and I usually pack shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child, but we were unable to do that this year because of our dad being in the hospital. However, a couple of weeks ago, we went shopping for some angels from the Salvation Army Angel Tree. We've been doing that for a few years, and I love it!

3. What is your favorite toy you received as a child for the holidays?

One year my sister and I got a skee-ball game from our grandparents. We thought it was so cool because we had only ever seen them and played them at the arcade. My dad still has it at his house.

4. What was your must have item in high school for the holidays?

Hmmm, I can't really remember what I asked for when I was a teenager...probably clothes and music.

5. What do you do on Christmas Eve?

On Christmas Eve, my sister and I always celebrate Christmas with our dad's side of the family. It's always so much fun!

Me with my sister and cousins

Now it's your turn to answer the questions and link up! :-)

Weekly Weigh-In #32

This Week: -0.2 lb

Total Loss: -30.4 lbs

Starting Weight: 251.2 lbs

Current Weight: 220.8 lbs

Technically, I lost weight, but anything under a pound pretty much just annoys me. I only worked out one time this week though, which was the day I posted the new circuit workout I did. I need to get my heart and my head back in the weight loss game!

We had the ice storm hit last Thursday, and we still have ice on the ground! It's crazy! Usually, here in Texas, it will snow and/or ice one day, which better be the day you play in it because the next day it will be completely melted.

Tonight it is cold and rainy. I'm about to wrap a gift for my sister that my mom bought for her. I can't say what it is because my sister reads my blog sometimes twice a year. ;-) I never know when she might pop in to catch up!

This feels like a good night to watch Muriel's Wedding. Toni Collette plays Muriel, and her best friend, Rhonda, is played by Rachel Griffiths. I love them both in this. I could probably quote the movie word for word. It's one of my favorites!

 
 

Elf for Health Challenge

At the end of November, I signed up for Lindsay and Elle's Elf for Health Holiday Challenge. I was late to the game and didn't join in time for the first half, but I am all ready for the second half of the challenge.

Quick rundown of how it works...Everybody that signed up received an elf (AKA another person that has joined the challenge) to support them in achieving their holiday goals and the daily challenges.

Anyway, today's challenge was to do a circuit workout, so I did what I always do when I want a new circuit workout and headed to Pinterest. Of course, I found one pretty quickly!

Via

Oh my gosh...why, when I plank, does every muscle in my body shake like crazy? It took me about 25 minutes to complete the whole workout twice. Someone more athletic than me could probably do it in 15 minutes. ;-)

I'll keep y'all updated on how these next two weeks go.

#2014BloggerChallenge

The other day I somehow stumbled upon Gaby's blog, Another Girly Blog. I was looking through her posts and saw that she will be hosting a blogger challenge in 2014.

The challenge will consist of writing a blog post twice a month about different topics. The posts will go live during the 1st and 3rd weeks of each month. All participants will receive emails from Gaby about what the post topics will be. 

Everyone is encouraged to join...no matter what your blog niche may be!

I signed up to join the challenge and added the button to my blog. I think it will be a lot of fun and something new for me to try! If you would like to join us, click here and leave a comment on her post, or you can email Gaby at anothergirlyblg@gmail.com with your blog URL, email address, and name to be added to the list of participants.

Sign-ups close on December 9th, so don't wait around and miss out on this opportunity!

Weekly Weigh-In #31

This Week: -1.0 lb

Total Loss: -30.2 lbs

Starting Weight: 251.2 lbs

Current Weight: 221.0 lbs

Hopefully, this post is the first of many in my comeback to the blogging world. I wonder if anyone still follows my blog! I wasn't going to do a weigh-in today, but I figured I should go ahead and get the ball rolling again with my weight loss.

I haven't worked out since my dad had his whole health scare, and I've been sick since Thanksgiving. Surprisingly to me, I've been able to keep off all the weight I've lost. I think I'm on the tail end of whatever is making me sick, so I'm hoping I can really start getting back into an exercise routine next week.

Here's a before and during picture...beginning of weight loss in January and Thanksgiving Day. I can't believe it will be a year since I started all of this in January!

We are in the middle of an ice storm here in Texas, so I'll probably be staying at home all weekend. I know this looks like snow, but it is all sleet and ice! Temperatures are expected to fall into the single digits tonight!

As you can tell by Eva's face, she is so over it! I have to pick her up and carry her outside to use the bathroom. She is a warm weather dog for sure!

I've got a list of blog posts I want to write, and this weekend will probably be a good time to crank some out. Look for one tomorrow about a 2014 blog challenge I'm participating in, and I'll let you know how to get involved also!

Sunday Currently 11.24

I'm back! Quick update on my dad: He came home from the hospital two weeks ago tomorrow. He is doing so much better. He has a doctor's appointment on Tuesday, and I'm anxious to see how that goes. Hopefully, they will send the recommendation for him to begin cardiac rehab, and he can get started on that after Thanksgiving.

It is currently sleeting outside with no chance of it stopping until some time tomorrow afternoon. So, obviously, it's cold out there. All the dogs are burrowed under blankets except for Roxy, so I managed to snap a picture of her, which isn't easy to do!

Now, on to the Sunday Currently link-up with Lauren. I haven't participated in this for a while, so I thought it would be a good way to jump back into blogging.

CURRENTLY

READING - Dark Places by Gillian Flynn...This has been a slow read for me. It's good so far; I just haven't gotten into it like I did with Gone Girl. I'm planning on reading some more of it after I finish this post.

WRITING - A list of possible Christmas gift ideas for family...it will be here before I know it!

LISTENING - To the rotation of the fan and the faint sound of the TV in the living room

THINKING - That I need some winter clothes!

SMELLING - Farm House Cider Sprinkles from Pink Zebra...such a yummy smell!

WISHING - For a positive phone call this week

HOPING - My swap partners are announced soon

WEARING - Black exercise pants, comfy blue t-shirt, and zebra print slippers

LOVING - The time I got to spend with Mallory and Emily yesterday at lunch and Color Me Mine (more details about that AFTER Christmas)

WANTING - Lunch...I'm hungry

NEEDING - A new charger for my phone...I left mine plugged into the wall, and it melted the part you stick in the phone!

FEELING - Thankful. I know I should feel thankful all year round (and I do!), but something about the holidays makes me think about everything I love and am thankful for. Things that can't be bought with money. Things you sometimes don't really appreciate until they're gone. Things you take for granted every single day.

CLICKING - On Amazon Wish Lists and Pinterest for gift ideas

That's all I've got for today! I think I'll be posting again before Thanksgiving, but if not, I hope you all have a wonderful time with your family and friends.

Thankful Thursday

Through the month of November, I think I'll write a Thankful Thursday post each week in anticipation of Thanksgiving on the 27th. I'm still at the hospital with my dad, so I'm using my iPad to write my posts. I can't get pictures to load in my posts using my iPad, so they will be picture free for awhile. Sorry about that.

*I'm thankful for...the thoughtful comments and emails I got from some of you about my dad. He had his heart surgery yesterday. He needed 5 bypasses. He is in recovery now. He's in lots of pain and is very sore, which is to be expected. His doctor says he is doing very well. He's just been told he's about to take a walk, which he's not too happy about. ;-)

*I'm thankful for...my dad's incredible doctor. He is one of the best surgeons in our area, and I couldn't have asked for a better experience with him. I completely trusted that he would take great care of my dad.

*I'm thankful that...my dad went to the doctor when he did. Although he had a mild heart attack to get him there, it could have been much worse.

*I'm thankful for...my sister. She's been here with me this whole time. She is the best sister ever, but I knew that before all of this. ;-)

*I'm thankful for...warm showers and a good night's rest. Those have been few and far between for the past week.

I'll keep y'all updated, and I have a few posts rattling around in my head that I need to write.

Not What I Expected

Well, I'm back, and no, there isn't a weight loss update to accompany this. 

It's crazy how much your life can change in such a short amount of time.

I'm writing this post on my iPad in my dad's hospital room where he is currently waiting to have triple bypass surgery.

He was admitted to a general hospital on Wednesday and was transferred today to the heart hospital. 

Truthfully, I don't think any of us thought it would come to this. Worst case scenario, we thought he might have a stent, stay one or two days, and go home.

We're all doing okay right now, but I'm sure our nerves will all be on edge the day of the surgery. 

He's a tough guy, and he's at one of the best hospitals in our area, so I'm sure everything will go smoothly. 

I'm going to keep this post short. Any prayers or good thoughts for my dad in the next few days would be greatly appreciated!

I'm sure I'll pop in now and then through the week. I'll need something to keep me occupied through the long waiting times!

Taking a Break

I've decided to take a short break from the blog for a little while. When I started this weight loss journey, I wasn't doing it for other people, for a blog community, or for a job. I was doing it for myself.

I'm going to take the rest of October to regroup and put my focus back into losing weight because *I* want to lose the weight and not be doing it for someone or something else.

I do have two accountability partners for the next three weeks. Shout out to Mallory and Emily!

I will continue to read all the blogs I regularly follow. I will be back on November 1 with my next weigh-in. Good or bad results, I will be posting!

I'm Still Here!

I know I've been missing the past couple of Fridays for my weigh-in posts. I was really busy on my birthday and didn't get around to posting. This week, I've been staying with my sister at her apartment, and she doesn't have a scale! I plan on being back home tomorrow, and my weekly weigh-in posts will resume on Friday.

Hope you all have a good weekend! I'm going to a hockey game with my sister, and it's finally starting to feel like fall around here!

Birthday Recap

This is the last time y'all will have to hear about my birthday for at least a year. Well, I might bring it up one more time because my family is getting together Friday night to celebrate it as well as Darla (my aunt) and Nan's birthdays. :-)

I posted a before and after picture on Facebook and told my friends and family that this is the happiest and healthiest I have felt in a long time, which helped to make this one of the best birthdays I have had in my 20s. The 'before' picture is from Christmas Eve 2011 when I weighed 271 pounds. The 'after' picture is from Friday, which shows the 50 pound weight loss I've achieved. 

I hate that I can't find many full body pictures from my heaviest days because I never wanted my picture taken back then. I liked being in control of the pictures and being able to tell my sister, 'Just the shoulders and up!' Lord knows, she heard that plenty of times! One piece of advice I can give to people starting their weight loss journey is to take lots of pictures...up close and full body. You will love to do comparison pictures once the weight drops! Trust me!!

Moving on to the presents I got! Before my birthday, I wrote about five things I had on my wish list. I am happy to say that I got two of those things along with a few surprises! 

My mom bought me the Sperrys I wanted, and I think the saying on their box seemed fitting for me. ;-) 

My stepdad got me the Polar heart rate monitor! I can't wait to try it out tomorrow. I've got it programmed with all my information, and it's ready to go!

My sister surprised me with tickets to a Dallas Stars hockey game! We are going on Saturday. It's gonna be so much fun! Also, while all my other cards I received were sentimental, this is the card my sister got me. 

I love it!

Friday night, Mallory, Emily, and I went to a Pink Zebra party that my cousin, Amanda, invited us to. To me, Pink Zebra seems like a new and improved Scentsy. There are lots of shades to put over your wax burner that are perfect for fall! My favorite scents were Stone Washed Denim and Farm House Cider. I'll probably wait until pay day to place an order, but once I do, my room will smell amazing!

How cute is this turkey shade to put over your burner?

After the party, we went to Applebee's for dinner. I ordered the Grilled Jalapeno-Lime Shrimp that is on their 'Under 550 Calories' section. It is one of the tastiest things on their menu, and I'm sure I would order it even if I wasn't trying to eat healthier. It's also something that I could probably try and recreate at home.

Nom Nom Nom!

Overall, it was a great birthday, and I'm looking forward to what the next year will bring!

Thirty by 30 Revamp

So, as most of you know, my birthday is tomorrow, and I will be turning 28! That means I have exactly two years to complete my Thirty by 30 list I wrote about way back in March. This isn't a post to update you on what I have accomplished because NONE of them have been finished completely!

I'm writing this post because I want to tweak a couple of the items on my list and totally change 5 of them. At first, I didn't think I should change any of it, but if I've lost interest in something on the list or I don't see it meshing well with what's currently happening in my life, it would be best to go another direction.

My tab at the top will also be updated with my changes if you want to check out the whole list.

Original #1: Run a 5K.

Tweak: Complete a 5K in public.

I don't know if I will ever be able to run a whole 5K at one time, but I do know I want to finish one in public, more importantly, away from the comfort zone of my treadmill.

Original #4: Audition for a community theatre play or musical.

Change: Take a dance class.

I don't really have any interest in acting in a play or musical anymore, so I changed it to taking a dance class. I would love to learn some Latin ballroom dances!

Original #5: Get a teaching job.

Tweak: Get a full-time job.

I'm so close to being able to cross this one off my list! I don't want to jinx myself though, so I'll probably wait until I am able to step foot on the ship before I cross it off.

Original #10: Get my master's degree.

Change: Go skydiving.

Two completely different things! I feel like if I return to the classroom at some point, then it will be a good idea to get my master's degree. Until that happens, I changed it to skydiving.

Original #13: Go on a cruise with my mom and sister.

Change: Have a bachelorette party for Emily.

My mom seems to have no interest in going on a cruise, so I'm changing it to a bachelorette party for Emily. Nothing crazy or anything, but I was thinking about a weekend trip somewhere for us girls.

Original #18: Buy a new car.

Change: Buy myself a 'real' piece of jewelry.

Sure, a new car would be nice, but I don't need (or want) to buy one when my Corolla works just fine. *knock on wood* All my jewelry is cheap costume stuff that I've bought from department stores, so I want to buy myself a 'real' piece of jewelry that I would LOVE to pass down to a daughter or granddaughter one day.

Original #21: Pass additional certification tests for teaching.

Change: Host a Pinterest party.

Again, since I'm not currently teaching in the classroom, I figured this should be put on hold when and if that happens. I think hosting a Pinterest party would be so much fun!

Two years to go...I better get busy!

I've Got Sunshine!

Last week I got a comment from the lovely Sarah over at Sweet Happenings that she had nominated me for the Sunshine Award. You should definitely check out Sarah's blog, and read about the time she became BFFs with Bradley Cooper (yes, THAT Bradley Cooper). I am so excited about this nomination, and I love participating in these and then passing on the love! Thank you Sarah!

The idea of the award is to nominate 10 bloggers whose posts brighten your day.

The Rules

1. Include the award logo in your post.

2. Link to the person who nominated you - Sweet Happenings

3. Answer 10 questions about yourself.

4. Nominate 10 bloggers to receive the award. Link the nominees to your post and notify them!

Sarah's Questions for Me

1) What's one city you visited that you DIDN'T like, and why?

I don't think there has been a city I totally didn't like, but for some reason, Santa Fe is the least memorable city I've visited. Maybe it's because it was a short trip, maybe it's because we went so long ago, but I can't remember anything we did there!

2) What's your favorite clothing store?

Oh, I have a few! I love Belk, Target, and Dillard's for cute dresses, and Old Navy is my go-to store for basics like tank tops, camis, and shorts. As I'm losing more weight, I am able to shop at more stores, and I love it!

3) If I gave you $500.00 right now, what would you go buy? 

Hmm, I would probably put it towards my CPR class and my medical for Carnival. Nothing fun or exciting, but it is practical!

4) What's the population of the city you currently live in?

3,811

5) What's your favorite scent?

Right now, it's anything cinnamon...I love the scents of fall!

6) Would you prefer to live in the city or suburbs?

I've never lived in a big city, but I love living in the suburbs. It's nice to be able to visit the city, and then get back home where it's quiet and laid back.

7) Are you a morning person or a night owl?

Hoot hoot! Definitely a night owl! I'm pretty sure I growl every morning I have to wake up with an alarm clock, which is basically every morning since my dog has figured out what time he needs to wake up to get his insulin shot. 6:00 AM every single day...

8) What was your favorite childhood show that you can remember?

Saved by the Bell! Gosh, I watched that show way back when Miss Bliss was their teacher all the way through to Zack and Kelly's wedding. I wonder if this is on Netflix. If it's not, it should be!

9) Do you prefer swimming or skiing?

Swimming! I went on a ski trip once. I tried it for one day and ended up sitting inside the lodge for the rest of the trip reading and drinking hot chocolate. I actually do want to try it again though because I think I was a big chicken back then.

10) How long have you been blogging for?

I have been blogging since January of this year. One of the best decisions I've ever made!

Questions for My Nominees

1) What are 3 things you're thankful for?

2) What's the last movie you watched? Did you like it?

3) If you could have free, unlimited service from a chef, chauffeur, or masseuse, which would you choose?

4) What did you have for dinner yesterday?

5) Do you consider yourself young at heart or an old soul?

6) What was your first job?

7) Do you know anyone with the same birthday as you?

8) What is a super power you wish you had?

9) What does your current outfit look like?

10) What is the title of a book that you feel everyone should read?

My Nominees
 I kinda cheated and only listed 5 bloggers, but I'm opening the questions up to anyone that wants to answer them!
 1) Zainab @ Kicking Kilos

2) Jennifer @ It's Just Jennifer

3) Ally @ Ambitious in LA

4) Sarah @ Beautiful Disaster

5) Katie @ Katers Potaters

Monday Listicles: 10 Things I'm Looking Forward To

A couple of weeks ago, I happened to find this fun link-up from Stasha over at The Good Life. I am a lover of lists, so I thought I would join in this week for 10 things I am looking forward to.

10 Things I'm Looking Forward To

1) my birthday

Not only fun because it's my birthday, but my nan and aunt have their birthdays just days after mine, so all of the family gets together for a celebration, which is always one of my favorite things to do!

2) my new job

I'm so ready for everything to fall into place and have my paperwork approved, so I can get to sailing!

3) the State Fair of Texas

This is happening. My sister and I have already made plans. I will ride the Texas Star, even though it terrifies me (it's a tradition, after all), and I will be hunting down the Fried Nutella.

State Fair 2011

4) my ship assignment

Once my paperwork is all approved, I will receive information about what ship I will be sailing with. Not gonna lie, I have a few favorites in the fleet that I would LOVE to be on.

5) Emily and Kelby's wedding

Yay! Still planning, still excited!

6) Pink Zebra launch party

My cousin, Amanda, is having a launch party for Pink Zebra on Friday night, and I think it will be a lot of fun. Mallory and Emily are gonna go with me. 

7) the holidays

I don't know if I will be home for any of the major Fall/Winter holidays...Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, but even if I'm not, I'm looking forward to celebrating them. I've heard Christmas is a really cool time to be on a cruise ship. If I do leave before then, I'm making my family celebrate with me before I go.

8) a Dallas Stars game

I told my sister before I leave I want to go to a Stars game. I don't think I could have ever predicted I would be a hockey fan!

9) the Katybug Shuffle 5K

This will be my first ever 5K in front of other people, and the proceeds from the race benefit Katy and Brooke, two little girls that are battling cancer. I don't think there is a better cause to support than that. I need to get registered!

Katybug Shuffle Facebook Page

10) Fall TV

All my favorite shows return this week! Except for Supernatural and The Walking Dead...I have to wait 'til October? Really??

My 5 Favorites!

What are YOU looking forward to? Link-up and join the fun!

Weekly Weigh-In #30

This Week: -0.8 lb

Total Loss: -29.2 lbs
Starting Weight: 251.2 lbs
Current Weight: 222.0 lbs
Starting BMI: 36.0
Current BMI: 31.9

Workouts for the Week

Friday - Day 10 Squat Circuit Challenge (90 squats), 3.10 miles on treadmill (46:30)
Saturday - Day 11 Squat Circuit Challenge (125 squats)
Sunday - Day 12 Squat Circuit Challenge (Rest Day)
Wednesday - Day 13 Squat Circuit Challenge (140 squats)

Total Mileage: 3.10 miles
Total Squats: 355
Total Time: 46 minutes 

Considering that yesterday I said I would have a horrible weigh-in, I am actually very surprised I had a loss this week. Last week I said I was going to hide the scale all week...I didn't. So, I weighed every day, sometimes multiple times a day, which led me to believe I would have a gain today. This week I WILL be hiding the scale and will not get it out until next Friday, which happens to be my birthday! I have to get a loss on my birthday, right? Isn't that a law or something?? ;-)

LAST WEEK'S GOALS 

  

1) Make a workout plan for the week

I didn't STICK with my plan, but I did make one!

2) Complete Days 10-16 of the Squat Circuit Challenge

3) Complete 4 5Ks, and improve my time with every one

4) Register for a 5K 

THIS WEEK'S GOALS

I think I'm going to pretty much stick to the same goals that I had last week since I failed miserably at almost all of them.

1) Complete Days 14-20 of the Squat Circuit Challenge

2) Complete 4 5Ks, and improve my time with every one

3) Register for a 5K

4) Do not step on the scale until next Friday

I want to share a before and after picture. Sometimes these pictures are more of a motivational tool for me than seeing the weight loss each week. The before picture was taken last summer in Galveston, and I probably weighed somewhere between 255-260. The after picture was taken last weekend, which shows about a 35 pound loss. What stands out most to me is how different the shirt fits me now than it did last year. It appears as if I've gained 2-3 inches of length in the shirt just by losing weight!

Birthday Wishes

My weigh-in tomorrow is going to be horrible. I haven't had a good workout since Friday, and I have eaten way too much candy. I'm disappointed and embarrassed, but I'm going to put that aside right now. 

A week from tomorrow, I will be celebrating my birthday! I needed something to put me in a better mood, so I am going to share with y'all some of the things on my birthday wish list!

I think this dress from Old Navy would be perfect paired with leggings, boots, and a pretty scarf!

I love the colors in this workout tank from ActivateApparel on Etsy.

I've heard good reviews on these non-slip headbands from Brady Bands. Elephants are one of my favorite animals, and I think this pattern is too cute!

I've wanted one of these heart rate monitors for a while now. I feel like it would give me a more accurate reading of my heart rate and calories burned as opposed to what the treadmill says.

I've had these shoes on my wish list since last September, and I still don't have a pair! Although last year, I really wanted the leopard pair, but I think these would go with more outfits. I've tried them on before, and they are super comfortable, which would be perfect for substitute teaching!

So, those are the top 5 things on my birthday wish list! Hint, hint, wink, wink, nudge, nudge to any of my family reading this ;-)

Saturday Shenanigans

{Linking up with Sami today for Weekend Shenanigans!}

I didn't really do much on Friday or Sunday, so this post is all about my Saturday I spent with these lovely ladies!

Mallory, Emily, and I started the morning at a festival in Sanger, TX where the city's public library was having their annual book sale. I found a few books that sounded interesting, and I only had to pay $5 for them all!

After the book sale, we walked around and browsed the different booths, but we didn't really find anything we had to have. While we were walking downtown, we saw a sign for a garage sale. We followed the signs and ended up at the Masonic Lodge where I found the best deal I've ever gotten at a garage sale...

Isn't she a beaut? I scooped this crock pot up as fast as I could! I was just telling my mom the other day that I needed one that had a removable inner pot. The older crock pots (if they're in good condition) work better than the newer ones with all the 'fancy schmancy' buttons. All you need is off, low, and high, and you're good to go!

Once we were finished shopping, we headed to Denton for lunch at Texas Roadhouse. We were seated by a big poster for Sharkarosa Wildlife Ranch in Pilot Point. My sister said, "Let's go there after lunch!" None of us ever do anything spur of the moment. We always have everything planned down to the last detail. Well, somehow, we ended up at the wildlife ranch, and it was a lot of fun!

We were loaded onto a safari tram and saw camels, emus, zebras, zorses, and zedonks. I love how that camel looks like it's ready to give someone a big ol' kiss!

There were also bears and snakes, but of all the animals, I was most scared of this pig! She kept rooting her nose against my leg, and I was afraid she was gonna try to grab a bite! :-D

The sweetest animal there was this white-tailed deer named JD. When he was a baby, a car hit him and shattered part of his skull and jaw. Before he was found by anyone, it had already healed wrong. After being seen by a vet, it was decided that a surgery was not necessary, so they didn't want to risk his life to try and fix it. They said he is in no pain and will live out his days at the ranch. He loved to be petted as you can see in the picture.

By the time we finished up at the ranch, it was pretty hot outside, so we headed to QT for drinks. Our papa loves the frozen cappucino from there, so we all got one of those (our 1st time) and texted him this pic of us drinking them. It was really yummy! I'm glad I don't live closer to a QT, or I would go there more often to get one of them!

So, that's how I spent my Saturday! It was fun and partly unexpected!