April Accomplishments Update

At the beginning of April, I posted a list of 10 things I wanted to do before the month was over. Here's how I did...

1) Read 3 books
I only finished Ready Player One and just started Devil in the Details a few days ago.

2) Lose 8 pounds
That didn't happen.

3) Celebrate my mom's 50th birthday
We ate at Texas Roadhouse with our family. My sister and I are still trying to figure out what symphony performance to take her to.

4) Sign up for a swap
Yes! I sent my package off to Taylor on Monday. I can't wait to receive my package from her! There will be a post about this on May 7.

The inside is more exciting, but I can't ruin the surprise!

5) Try a new restaurant
On Saturday, my sister and I tried a new place called Thai Ocha in Denton. It was good, but there is one in Frisco that we like a lot better.

6) See a movie at the theater
Mallory and I also went to the movies on Saturday. We saw The Place Beyond the Pines. The movie has rave reviews, but I didn't like it. I thought surely I couldn't go wrong seeing a movie with Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper. Definitely not one I will be watching again.

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7) Register for a Color Run
No, it just didn't work out to be in my budget this month.

8) Get my eyebrows threaded or waxed
This was supposed to be my 10 pound weight loss reward, and I still haven't done it. My regular lady, Mary, has been in the hospital for a long time, and I don't trust anyone but her. I'm in denial about needing to find a new person to do them.

9) Stay off Facebook for one week
This one was a lot easier than I thought it would be. After that week was finished and I got back on it, I realized I'm not as addicted to it as I used to be. Now I don't check it multiple times a day, and I don't read every single thing that each of my friends has posted. Maybe I'm not as nosy as I thought! ;-)

10) Go to a hockey game
Mallory had been wanting to go to a Dallas Stars game all season, so I finally told her I would go with her if she still wanted to. Of course, she did. I think watching hockey on TV is extremely boring, but seeing it live was so much fun! I'm not a violent person, but I liked seeing the players punch each other and push each other against the glass. That's part of the hockey experience, right? The season is over now, but we're going to go back next season.

Go Stars!

Never Ever Ever

Today I'm doing a one day link-up with Neely from A Complete Waste of Makeup. These are 10 things you will NEVER EVER EVER hear me say. Seriously, never...

#1: I love when my dogs become a gang of Cujos every time the doorbell rings.

#2: I want bigger boobs.

#3: I'm giving up chips and salsa forever.

#4: I love doing the laundry. It's my favorite.

#5: No, I don't think I want to go on a vacation this summer.

#6: I'm more of a cat person.

#7: I'm a good driver.

#8: I love the smell of mothballs.

#9: I like beards.

#10: It just doesn't get hot enough in Texas during the summer.

Clueless About Cars

I love my car. It's a white 2003 Toyota Corolla. It gets me where I need to go and isn't a gas guzzler. I love it so much that I'm sure when I buy a new car I will stick with Toyota. Specifically, an FJ Cruiser.

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 Anyway, what I'm here to talk about today is that I'm the stereotypical girl that knows nothing about cars. I can lock it, put gas in it, start it, and drive it. That's pretty much it.

The other day I was driving to my sister's, and the 'check engine' light came on. I had to pull over to the nearest gas station, and look up in the manual what the light meant. Then, I called my sister to make sure it was okay to drive. She said it was, and I did make it there safe and sound. I'm still not sure exactly why it came on. My mom said something to do with emissions. All I know is my stepdad made it go away.

Just this past year I realized that the arrow under the fuel gauge shows you what side of the car the gas tank is on. I have always looked in my rearview mirror to make sure I had my car on the right side of the gas pump.

And I kid you not, when I was driving home from my sister's, I had on a sapphire ring. It hit the sunlight in just the right way that it shimmered in my car. I seriously thought, "What does that blue light mean that is flashing on my car? I've never seen that before." I quickly realized it was my ring, and I felt totally ridiculous.

Oh, and this happened when I tried to pull in to my sister's garage. I've never said I was a good driver.

So, what's the moral of this story? I need to find a man to do all these car things for me! Hahaha, but really, I want to learn for myself how to change a tire and how to jump start a car. Hopefully, I would never need to put those skills to use, but it'd be nice to know how to do it.

Maybe I should add this to my list of reading material...

Weekly Weigh-In #14

This Week: -3.2 lbs

Total Loss: -15.0 lbs

I am shocked that I had such a high loss this week. On Saturday I ate out with my family for my mom's birthday, on Sunday my sister and I ate out after the baby shower we attended, and on Monday my mom and I went to lunch for her actual birthday. I guess it helped that I made better choices than I would have made in the past.

For example, on Saturday we ate at Texas Roadhouse. Normally I would order fried chicken strips, mashed potatoes, salad, sweet tea, and gobble down two or three of their amazing rolls they serve before your meal. Instead I ordered grilled shrimp with rice, fresh vegetables (broccoli and carrots), salad, unsweet tea, and limited myself to one roll before my meal. It was so good! I left feeling satisfied, and I didn't feel yucky after eating it.

The really big reason I'm surprised I lost weight? I did not work out AT ALL this week! My weekend was so busy, and I didn't make time to do it. Then, my mom was off on Monday for her birthday, so we were shopping all day. Again, I made no time for it. Then, I had sub jobs on Tuesday and Wednesday. I was on my feet all day long those two days. The last thing I wanted to do was come home and work out. On Wednesday, my throat started to feel itchy, so I've now been fighting off a cold the past two days. Ack! I need to get back on a good workout schedule!

Sunday Currently 4.21

CURRENTLY

Reading Ready Player One by Ernest Cline...I am almost finished reading this book with a little less than 100 pages left. It started out slow at first, but I'm really curious to see how it turns out.

Writing this blog post, and that's pretty much it at the moment

Listening to Iron Chef All-Stars...it's the round where the judges are the contestants...I love these episodes

Thinking that I need more electrical outlets in my room...nowhere to plug a Scentsy!

Smelling some kind of air freshener that my mom sprayed

Wishing for more consistent weather days...cold and rainy one day, sunny and warm the next

Hoping this week goes smoothly at school...I'm helping with the STAAR test!

Wearing one of my most comfortable t-shirts that I bought at a thrift store and shorts

Loving that my mom is off tomorrow for her birthday, and we're going to go shopping and out to eat

Wanting this annoying fan to stop making noise

Needing a good workout

Feeling happy...I had a great weekend!

Clicking on the story about Reese Witherspoon...I couldn't believe it when I saw it! I'm sure she doesn't care what I think, but I'm disappointed in her.

**This link-up comes to y'all from Lauren.**

The last thing I want to do is share some pictures from the weekend.

The large picture is Mallory and me ready for the baby shower today.

Top Right: Cute cupcakes from Cailey's party yesterday

Center Right: Luggage Mallory bought our mom for her birthday

Bottom Right: Cailey's birthday gift

Love my sweet baby girl!

Trying to do a different pose than usual

I LOVE this dress! I bought it at Ross for $15.

Weekly Weigh-In #13

On Monday, I told y'all that my weekly weigh-in was moving to Fridays. Here it is!

This Week: -0.4 lbs

Total Loss: -11.8 lbs

I know y'all are probably thinking, "A week and a half since her last weigh-in, and she's only lost that much??!?" Well, let's just say if I had posted my numbers on Monday, there would have been a plus sign for this week, and the number after it would be crazy high.

After eating junk last Friday through Sunday, I learned the hard way with a huge gain on Monday. I don't think I was out of control with my eating calorie-wise, but I discovered how much weight I can put on after eating lots of foods high in sodium. Oh boy, I never want to see that happen again!

I've noticed that I'm losing the most weight during the weeks I eat a lot of salads for supper. This week I'm going to try to eat more salads. I love loading them up with a variety of veggies and either some kind of meat or beans for protein. I think when I eat these salads, they keep me full longer than other things I eat.

My workout schedule was horrible this week...

Workouts for the Week

Tuesday - 3.1 miles on the treadmill

Wednesday - 3.1 miles on the treadmill

Total Miles: 6.2

Looking forward to my cousin's 2nd birthday party, my mom's 50th, and a friend's baby shower on Sunday! Enjoy your weekend y'all! Spend some time with your family and friends.

Thursday Thoughts

I'm linking up with Jennifer today for Thursday Thoughts!

~I am subbing in a kindergarten class today! They are so much fun, but they sure can wear me out. Being a sub this past year has really brought me out of my comfort zone of needing to know exactly what is going to happen before I enter a situation. I'm kinda, sorta learning how to go with the flow!

~After my sub job today, I am going shopping! I have some events this weekend that I need to pick up some things for, which leads me to...

~My weekend plans! My cousin's daughter is having her 2nd birthday party on Saturday afternoon. Then on Saturday night, my family is going out to celebrate my mom's 50th birthday! She doesn't want a big party or anything, so we're keeping it low-key. My sister and I have been asking her for months what she wants for her birthday. She finally told us she wants to go to the symphony and singing tenors need to be a part of it. We're working on that. Lastly on Sunday afternoon, my sister and I are going to a baby shower for one of our friends. Looking forward to a fun-filled weekend!

~I had a dream the other night that I had to travel around with Justin Bieber. I remember he tweeted a picture of us, which made me think, "Oh great...now I'm gonna get death threats from Beliebers." I demand a dream do over. Let's replace the Biebs with Channing Tatum.

What are your thoughts this Thursday? Link up with Jennifer, and let us know!

Moving the Weekly Weigh-In

I thought about changing the day of my weekly weigh-in a few weeks ago, but I decided to keep using Monday instead of making the change. Today I've chosen to change my day to weigh-in from Mondays to Fridays.

I think Fridays will work better for me than Mondays do. I weighed this morning, but I'm going to wait until Friday, weigh again, and share my results from last Monday to this Friday. Then, from this Friday on, it will be weekly updates as usual.

That's all for today. Super short post, but I just wanted to let you know in case you're a loyal follower looking for my weigh-in post! :-)

Make 'Em Laugh!

Did you know that April is National Humor Month? No? Me neither (until now)! So, to get into the spirit of things, I thought I would share some Pinterest finds and YouTube videos that make me smile, laugh, and generally put me in a happier mood.

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Is that not the weirdest thing?

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This episode of Friends has always been funny to me. After having the experience of helping my sister move, which included pushing/lifting/hoisting a washer, dryer, recliner, and mattresses up a flight of stairs? Well, that makes it hilarious!

This always puts on a smile on my face! Jimmy Fallon always looks like he is having fun no matter what he's doing!

I love this commercial! 

There are a lot of these videos where Amy goes into a store and only talks using song lyrics. I want to do it!

I've asked this question a time or two! I wish my dogs would tell on each other!

This is my favorite Bazinga moment from Sheldon! 

I hope something here has brought a smile to your face or made you laugh! It was fun to share these!

Friend Makin' Monday: Movies, TV, & Me

Last night I was checking out some of the blogs that linked up for Sunday Social, and I stumbled upon one that had participated in a link-up called Friend Makin' Monday. FMM, hosted by Kenlie at All the Weigh, consists of 10 different questions each week. You answer them, and then leave a link to your post in her comments.

This week's questions are all about movies and TV. Since I'm obsessed with both, I thought it would be fun to join in.

1. If you could be a recurring star on a show that is currently on TV, which show would you choose? Well, if you've been reading my blog for some time now, you probably have an idea of what I'm gonna say. The Walking Dead! I love Daryl Dixon, and Michonne needs a best friend to talk to!

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2. Name the movie that you are most embarrassed to admit that you love. I was trying to think of one, and then it hit me. I haven't watched it in FOREVER, but it's gotta be Crossroads. Remember? The one with Britney Spears? I can't believe I'm even admitting that, but I've been a fan of Britney ever since her 'Baby One More Time' days.

3. Name one show that you've never seen and would love to watch. I pretty much watch any TV show I want, so I can't really think of one. Kenlie answered with a Broadway show she would love to watch, so I'm going to do the same. I really want to see The Lion King! It's coming to Dallas in October, and I would love to go!

4. Do you ever go to the movies alone? I don't like going anywhere alone if I don't have to, so no, I've never been to the movies alone.

5. If you could only watch one TV show for the next year, which show would you choose and why? I think we all know the answer to this. I've loved zombie movies ever since I was a kid, so I was very excited when The Walking Dead started. If you don't watch because of the zombies, the show involves so much more than that! In my opinion, it's less about zombies and more about the relationships between the humans and how they are dealing with life in a post-apocalyptic world. Okay, that's the last time you'll hear me go on and on about The Walking Dead today!

6. If you could star in one reality show, which one would it be and why? Dancing with the Stars! I don't watch every season, but I would love to be on it! The costumes would be so fun to wear, and the stars always lose weight doing it! Who would be my partner? Tristan MacManus

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7. If someone rented a billboard for you, what would it say? I don't know, but I would want it to be something funny. I think everybody could use a good laugh every now and then.

8. Who is the most famous person with whom you have been in the same room? I went to a Twilight convention in 2009, and I met Peter Facinelli. I should write a post about that entire weekend...

Yes, I'm taller than him...story of my life...

9. If you were chosen to be a contestant on a TV game show, which show would you want to be on? The Amazing Race, with my sister as my partner

10. If there was a movie being made about you, which actor would you choose to play you? Reese Witherspoon...I think she is a great actress, and since she's brunette right now, it'd be perfect!

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That's it for today! Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Weekly Weigh-In #12

This Week: +0.6 lbs

Total Loss: -11.4 lbs

I'm not too discouraged about this week's gain because I was kind of expecting it. I felt heavy all week and like I was moving in slow motion. Maybe I was bloated? I don't really know how to explain it. I'm hoping it will be better this week.

I've lost 10 pounds since I did my measurements, so I measured today to see if there was a change. I thought I had talked about them in a previous post, but I can't find it anywhere. Oh well, here they are now!

Waist: 43" to 40.5"  -2.5"
Hips: 50.5" to 49.5"  -1.0"
Neck: 13.5" to 13.5" -0.0"
Bust: 49" to 47"  -2.0"

I'm glad to see the loss in inches except for my neck. What is up with that? I encourage you to track your own measurements because sometimes you can't see the results on the scale but your body is changing!

More happy news to report! This week I FINALLY met my goal of walking 15 miles!

Workouts for the Week

Tuesday - 5.25 miles on the treadmill

Wednesday - 3 miles on the treadmill
Friday - 3 miles on the treadmill

Saturday - 3 miles on the treadmill

Sunday - 2 miles on the treadmill

Total Miles: 16.25

My sister and I also went to the lake this weekend for a hike, and we ate lunch while we were there. It was a beautiful day for it! When we got on the trail though, it was pretty muddy because it had rained quite a bit earlier in the week. Here's some pictures from Saturday!

Our view from the picnic table at lunch

One of the views from the trail...I love that sailboat!

Muddy shoes from the trail :-(

Mallory scraping mud off her shoes

Just seconds after that last picture was taken, she stepped in tar! Luckily, we had a bottle of water in the car, so she used it to clean off her foot. She was laughing about it though, which made me glad to see she wasn't upset.

I'll be back later today with a post for a link-up I found last night that I want to participate in. I usually don't post twice in one day, but this link-up is too fun not to skip!

Sunday Social: Pinterest Picks

Good Sunday to you all! Hope your weekend is going great! It's been a while since I linked up with Neely and Ashley for Sunday Social. Today is all about your favorite Pinterest pins, so I thought it would be a good time to join back in!

#1: My Favorite Outfit Pin

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I love this outfit, especially the lace dress. I really want one to wear this spring.

#2: My Favorite Food Pin

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If you are looking for a super quick and easy meal that is so very delicious, you need to pin this recipe! I use skim milk, reduced fat crescent rolls, and Campbell's Healthy Request Cream of Chicken Soup to make it healthier. I calculated the calories to be less than 300 calories for one (I can't remember an exact number...maybe 276?), and I put it on top of a bed of baby spinach. This is a go-to meal at our house.

#3: My Favorite Wedding Pin

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I may be the only single girl in my 20s that doesn't have a wedding board on Pinterest. BUT, being a wannabe cake artist, I do have a cake board, and this is my favorite wedding cake I have pinned.

#4: My Favorite DIY/Craft Pin

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I really want to try this! She makes it look so easy!

#5: My Favorite Quote/Verse/Lyric Pin

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I couldn't agree more.

#6: One More Random Pin I Love

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I want to jump into this picture a la Blue's Clues. 'Blue skidoo, we can too!'  

Did I really just quote Blue's Clues? Sorry not sorry 

So, if you want to follow me on Pinterest, you can do that here.

Are you on Pinterest? Let me know in the comments!

Pamper Me Pretty Swap

Happy Friday everybody! I wanted to let you know about a swap I will be participating in. Pamper Me Pretty is a swap that is being hosted by Melissa at Dreams and Colour and Lacey at Charm and Sass.

This swap is all about getting pampered and feeling pretty! It is your job to find out what makes your swap partner feel pampered and pretty. It could be anything from a mani/pedi kit to a bubble bath to scented candles. Send a lovely package to your partner, and you'll get one in return!

You have until April 10th to sign up, so go check out all the details! You can click the button above, or click HERE to go straight to the swap post.

This is my first swap ever, so I'm pretty excited about it! Come join us! Maybe we'll end up swap partners!

The Book Chat: Children's Books

Today I am linking up with Jessica and Mia for The Book Chat. I found out about The Book Chat link-up from Mia, and today's theme is children's books. I knew I had to do it because 1) I love to read and 2) being a teacher, I've read A LOT of children's books.

Sweet Valley Kids series by Francine Pascal: I loved these books as a child! My summer afternoons were either spent at the pool or curled up on the couch at Nan's reading these books. I remember checking out 4-5 of them from the library at a time because I would read one a day.

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes: This is one of my favorite books to read at the beginning of the school year. Chrysanthemum thinks her name is absolutely perfect until she starts school and is teased by three of her classmates because of it. As the story progresses, her pregnant teacher tells the class that she is named after a flower too and that she is going to name her daughter Chrysanthemum. The students begin to accept Chrysanthemum, and she realizes that she is special no matter what others may think.

Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann: Kids love this book because of Gloria's crazy antics. This is a good book to read when teaching students how to stay safe.

The Forever Dog by Bill Cochran: I've never read this one to a class of students. When it showed up at my door from Amazon, I quickly opened it and read it. By the end, I was bawling like a big baby. Such a sweet story about a boy and his dog! I still tear up each time I read it.

The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco: Patricia Polacco is one of my favorite children's book authors, and my absolute favorite book of hers is this one. It is the true life story of her family that emigrated from Russia and the quilt crafted by her great-grandma that has been passed down from generation to generation.

What were some of your favorite books to read as a child? If you have children now, what are some of their favorites? I'm always on the lookout for new books to read!

Tuesday10: April Accomplishments

I haven't linked up with Mindy for Tuesday10 since February, so I thought I would today and share 10 things I would like to accomplish in April.

1) Read 3 books

2) Lose 8 pounds

3) Celebrate my mom's 50th birthday

4) Sign up for a swap

5) Try a new restaurant

6) See a movie at the theater

7) Register for a Color Run

8) Get my eyebrows threaded or waxed

9) Stay off Facebook for one week

10) Go to a hockey game

At the end of the month, I'll write an update, and let y'all know how I did. Feel free to make your own list, or tell me in the comments what you would like to accomplish this month. I would love to know!

Weekly Weigh-In #11: Mind Blown

This Week: -5.2 lbs!!!

Total Loss: -12.0 lbs

Unless my scale is playing a cruel April Fool's Day joke on me, then I lost 5.2 pounds this week! If the exclamation marks didn't give it away, I am beyond thrilled about my loss this week. I stopped snacking throughout the day, limited myself to one sweet treat a day, and worked out quite a bit more than I have been in weeks past.

I don't have my 10 pound difference picture ready yet, but I have another picture I would like to share. Yesterday I wore a dress for Easter that I had not worn since last May when my sister and I went on a cruise. I compared these two pictures, and I can see a difference in my arm, waist, and face. Not only that, but the dress is beginning to fit differently. The sleeves cover more of my arms, and it falls closer to my knees than before because there's less inches around to cover. Exciting things!

L: May 2012 R: Easter 2013

I worked hard all week to stay on track, so I knew when I went to Nan and Papa's for Easter, I didn't want to lose control and ruin all the workouts I had done. Below is a picture of what I had for lunch. 

Now, I'm no food blogger or photographer, but I wanted to show this because normally no part of my plate would be visible underneath and food is piled on. Also, I would graze the rest of the day, have another plate at supper, and take home extra. I did none of that this Easter except bring home some leftovers because we had so much left over from lunch.

Here's a few more pictures from yesterday.

Top: Me, Mallory, my cousin Emily, and her BF Kelby
Bottom Left: Mallory and my mom
Bottom Right: Me and Mallory

Top Left: My aunt Darla getting serious about the game and my mom's accidental duckface

Top Right: Mallory, the winner of the game!

Bottom: Loaded Questions brought lots of laughs

I still didn't hit my goal of walking 15 miles, but I'm gonna keep trying!

Workouts for the Week

Tuesday - 3 miles on the treadmill

Thursday - 3 miles on the treadmill

Friday - 3 miles on the treadmill

Saturday - 2 miles at the track

Total Miles: 11.0

The last thing I want to leave you with is a quote from Joyce Meyer that really inspired me this week.

"No matter what difficulty you encounter, maintaining the right attitude will be much easier than regaining the right attitude." -Joyce Meyer