What I'm Loving Wednesday 7.31

Linking up with Jamie today for What I'm Loving Wednesday!

I'm LOVING the show Under the Dome on CBS. It's been on a few weeks, but I just now got all caught up on it. I really wish I had read the book before I watched the show, but I will definitely be adding it to my 'to be read' list now. If you have Amazon Prime, you can watch the episodes free with their Instant Video Player!

Via

I'm LOVING Bath and Body Works Coconut Lime Breeze shower gel. I'm not sure if this is a seasonal scent or not. If it is, I need to go stock up before it goes away for the summer!

Via

I'm LOVING that I can sit out on the deck in my backyard and listen to the locusts in the trees. To me, that is one of the signature sounds of summer.

I'm LOVING taking this little girlie on daily walks around the neighborhood.

I'm LOVING that Emily just texted me to tell me she has decided on colors for the wedding! Light pink, cream, and tan...I think it will be so pretty! Now I can really start looking at bridesmaids dresses! ;-)

Via

What are you LOVING this week?

What's the Coolest Thing You've Ever Done?

A few months ago, my sister and I were at Target, and our cashier asked us this question.

Cashier: What's the coolest thing you've ever done?

Mallory & I: *blank stares* Uuuuuummmmmm............

We couldn't come up with a single 'cool' thing we've done! Well, thanks to our excursion in Grand Cayman, we have an answer to that if anyone ever happens to ask again!

Sea Trek in Grand Cayman!

Below is the description of the excursion from Carnival's website.

On this excursion you will:

• Take a fun, educational and interactive tour of Grand Cayman’s reef ecosystem.
• Experience a zero gravity stroll undersea wearing the specially designed Sea Trek underwater helmet.
• Keep your hair dry and breathe comfortably without the use of a regulator or mouthpiece. Have air pumped to your helmet from a compressor system located at the site.
• Be guided through an undersea garden pathway while observing the ecosystem around you.
• Enjoy exceptional underwater visibility and colorful coral gardens.
• See a vast variety of tropical marine life, including Jacks, Sergeant Majors, Grouper and the occasional turtle or stingray.

Once we got off the Magic, it was a short walk to the boat that would be taking us to where we would go underwater. The Sea Trek excursion is made for small groups of people, so we had 10 in our group plus our guide, Kurt. It was nice having a small group excursion instead of one with lots of people.

Kurt (in the red shirt) and a few members of our group

On the ride out, Kurt went over all the safety issues and other pertinent information we needed to know.

Kurt said the scariest part would be the descent 30 feet down because of having to pop your ears. He was right! I would stop every two or three steps and pop my ears each time. I had a minor stressful moment towards the bottom because my mouth was getting dry, and it was hard to swallow and make my ears pop. If I ever do this excursion again, I will be sure to take some gum with me to chew. I think that would really help!

After we made it down, all my fears disappeared. The view was amazing, and seeing the variety of sea life that lives in those waters was an unforgettable experience!

We saw several types of fish, and we had the opportunity to hold a shrimp and a sea urchin. The sea urchin would grasp onto your hand, and then you could turn your hand upside down, and the sea urchin would hang out there for a few seconds. So neat! Thankfully, we didn't come across any hungry sharks!

Holding the sea urchin

Look closely, and you can see the shrimp in Mal's hand

Mallory feeding the fish

I'm not sure how long we were down there, but I could have stayed all day! After we finished, Mallory and I could not stop talking about how much fun we had and how ready we are to do it again!

If you ever have the opportunity to go on a Sea Trek, absolutely go for it!

More Than Just a Number

Via

Is your weight really just a number? For me, it's not. It hasn't been for a long time. My weight is what I've let define myself for years, and that's not a good thing.

My earliest memory of this is probably the dreaded visit to the nurse in elementary school when you have to stand on the scale and be weighed in front of all the other girls in your class. If you're anything like I was, you're pleading with the nurse (inside your own head, of course) to not say your weight out loud for all the 'skinny' girls to hear and later share with their friends. "Do you know how much Katy weighs?!!?" That's how I saw it: me in one corner and 'skinny' girls in the other. It's taken me a long time to realize that it's much better to be healthy than it is to be skinny.

Via

I've tried to keep my weight a secret from everyone my entire life...family, friends, strangers. I hate filling out any paperwork that requires it because I feel like that is the only thing that is being looked at on the entire form. My weight is the main reason I won't go to the doctor because I have such a feeling of being judged when they move those scales over and over and over again until it balances out. And the DMV? Oh my word! Last time I was there (which was probably 10 years ago), the woman at the counter asked for my weight right in front of my dad! I spit out some low number nowhere close to reality, all the while being completely mortified about the whole situation.

You may have noticed that I have never shared my weight with all of you...only how much weight I've lost. Well, I'm tired of hiding behind this number. I'm sick of thinking that the only thing people notice about me is my weight. I knew at some point I would let you all in on how much I currently weigh and how much I weighed at my heaviest. Funny thing is, I thought it would be way farther down the line before I felt comfortable doing that.

I believe sharing my weight with all of you will take away some of the shame I've felt for so long. A sense of relief will wash over me in knowing I don't have to hide it anymore. Most importantly, I will feel empowered to begin looking at myself for who I truly am and what genuinely defines me.

 And for me, that's more than just a number.

Heaviest Weight (January 2012): 271 pounds

Starting Weight (January 2013): 251.2 pounds

Current Weight (July 29, 2013): 228.2 pounds

Sunday Currently 7.28

CURRENTLY

READING - The Mind at Night: The New Science of How and Why We Dream by Andrea Rock...I am fascinated with the process of dreaming and the meaning behind our dreams. My sister surprised me with this book from my Amazon wish list, and it's really interesting so far!

WRITING - Besides this blog, I'm not really much of a writer. I am always making lists though, so I guess that counts.

LISTENING - To my mom talking about an old picture she found of her and my stepdad...it's pretty funny!

THINKING - That I don't want to run and that I need more coffee!

SMELLING - My mug of coffee on the nightstand...I wish I could smell my Bath & Body Works Pineapple Mango plug-in...It's not as strong as the last scent I bought.

WISHING - For a great interview on August 24th, which I will be sharing more info about soon!

HOPING - For a 2-lb. weight loss this week!

WEARING - Black cut-off leggings from Old Navy and my McKinney Lions swim shirt that I got at a thrift store

LOVING - My little missy-moo Eva Lou that is cuddled up beside me

WANTING - Another cup of coffee

NEEDING - My current job prospect to work out! :-)

FEELING - Happy, Optimistic, and Hopeful!

CLICKING - Pin It, Pin It, Pin It on any bridal things I think Emily might like!

Me and My Mom

{This link-up comes to y'all from Lauren. Join in on the fun!}

Weekly Weigh-In #23

This Week: +0.2 lbs

Total Loss: -23.0 lbs

Workouts for the Week

Wednesday - 2.06 miles on treadmill

Thursday - 0.68 mile morning dog walk, 2.00 miles on treadmill, 0.68 evening dog walk

Total Miles: 5.42 miles

A small gain this week, bummer. Besides not exercising enough and eating too much chocolate, it's been my time of the month this week. Has anyone that's lost a significant amount of weight had problems with keeping your cycle regular? I feel like mine has been all out of whack the past few months.

I think I need to set some goals for this week to help get me back on track. Here's what I hope to accomplish by next Friday.

1) No chocolate all week!

I'm usually not a chocolate addict, but these past two weeks have been awful!

2) Lose 2 pounds

If I lose exactly 2 pounds, then I will be at 25 pounds lost since January!

3) Work out at least 30 minutes every day

It doesn't have to be an "OMG, I'm gonna die!" workout every time. I just want to get more active EVERY DAY of the week instead of having rest days.

4) Eat my last meal by 7 PM every night

Snacking at night while I'm watching TV is becoming a problem again...

Those are my four MAIN goals for the week. I'll give an update next Friday on how everything goes!

I found a new app for running that I'm about to go try out. It's free for the first four sessions, so I'm gonna test it and see if it's something I want to pay for to get the full app. It's called 5K Runner if you want to check it out!

Tomorrow my sister and I are having lunch with a friend we haven't seen in two years! Very excited! 

Have a fabulous weekend y'all!

Emily's Engaged!

I'm sure I've talked about Emily before on the blog. She's my one and only cousin on my mom's side, and my sister and I think of her as a sister and best friend. We pretty much spent our entire summers together at Nan and Papa's when we were little. 

One of my favorite pictures of when we were young

Two weeks ago, her boyfriend, Kelby, asked her to marry him! And she said YES! I'm so excited and happy for her and Kelby! I can't wait to see where life leads the two of them.

The Happy Couple!

After our cruise, we had already planned to get together with Emily for a girls' day, so I knew I had to give her something to congratulate her on her engagement! I scoured Pinterest looking for ideas, and I pulled together a few of the things I saw, put my own spin on it, and made her a bride-to-be box of goodies. Here's how I did it!

Everything that's included in the box is from Amazon and Target. If I bought it from Amazon, I'll include a link to the product.

#1: Bridal Magazine

#2: Post-its (to mark her favorite things!)

#3:"I Do" Stickers (to put on the bottom of her shoes on the day of the wedding)

#4: Essie Nail Polish (Pink Diamonds)

#5: Magnetic Letter "B" (the initial of her future last name!)

#6: Ring Holder

#7: Jewelry Cleaner

#8: Bic Velocity Pens

#9: The Knot Book of Wedding Lists

I looked around Target for some kind of container to put everything in, and I finally decided on one of those fabric bins that you can put inside a shelf. I also bought purple tissue paper and a card. I arranged everything nicely in the box and put it in the trunk of my car for the ride to my sister's. It was so hard to keep it a secret that it was back there!

We got to my sister's apartment, and I acted like I had forgotten something for Mallory in my car. When I came back up with the box, Emily was so surprised! She loves everything in it, and I'm so glad!

My favorite part of all of this? She wants my sister and me to be her bridesmaids! Yay! She also said, "You don't know how involved you're going to be in this wedding!" Ha! Maybe I can add 'wedding planner' to my resume by the time we're done! :-)

Cruisin' on the Carnival Magic

I'm finally posting about the cruise I took with my sister on the Carnival Magic. This was our second cruise with Carnival, and we had an amazing time! I guess this post will make up for all the ones that don't have pictures because this one will have lots. :-)

This first group of pictures are the ones we had professionally done on the ship. If you've never been on a cruise, each night there are 8-10 photographers set up around the ship with different backgrounds ready to take your picture. Getting your picture taken is absolutely free! The next day you can go look at them in the photo gallery and decide which ones you want to buy.

The next group of pictures are from the first two days on the ship. On our first full day, we ate at the RedFrog Pub on the ship. I tried conch fritters. I don't think I'm a fan of conch. The drinks were really good though! The picture of the ocean is the view we had on the balcony in front of our room.

This group is just kind of a random set of pictures that didn't really fit anywhere else.

This group of pictures are from the day we stopped in Cozumel. We didn't book an excursion this year since we had already visited here on our last cruise, which worked out really well because it ended up raining all morning! After the rain, we took advantage of the pool and the Serenity area since nobody was on the ship!

This next group of pictures are from our last full day on the cruise, which was a day at sea. You can tell from the pictures how windy it was out on the open decks!

Our last pictures are of the only sunset I was able to take a picture of all week and our sad faces because our cruise is over! 

I LOVE cruising! Our excursions in Grand Cayman and Jamaica will have their own posts, and I'm hoping to have both of those up some time in the next week. Hope you enjoyed looking at our pics!

Weekly Weigh-In #22

This Week: -0.6 lbs

Total Loss: -23.2 lbs

Workouts for the Week
Monday - Day 6 of 30 Day Shred

It's been a month since my last 'official' weigh-in, so it doesn't look like I've lost a lot of weight. But, since last week, I've lost 6 pounds! Too bad I didn't update it last week. Oh well! So, officially, my weight is the lowest it has been so far in this journey. Here's to hoping I can keep it up!

I had a job interview yesterday and possibly another one for next week. My interview yesterday was for an HR job, but if I get an interview for next week, it would be for one of my DREAM jobs! If it all worked out, I would be working on a cruise ship with the kids that come on board! That would combine three of my favorite things: cruising, the ocean, and working with kids!

I've got a busy weekend coming up. My sister, cousin, and I are getting together tomorrow for a girls' day, and on Sunday, all the family will be together to celebrate my nan and papa's anniversary. 51 years together!

My cousin, Emily, just got engaged, so I can't wait to see her ring in person! Also, I'm putting together a little surprise for her that I will post about after I give it to her. She sometimes reads my blog, so I don't want to spoil the fun!

Have a great weekend everyone!

I'm Back!

Oh my goodness! It has been a month far too long since I last posted! One of those weeks I went on vacation, and since I got back, I've kinda been in a slump. I didn't really feel like blogging about anything...not even my vacation! Well, that slump has passed, and I'm jumping back in.

I'm going to start things off with Kenlie's link-up, Friend Makin' Monday, but first I have a couple of things to address.

1) I will be blogging about my vacation probably some time this week. I think it will be split into three different posts: happenings on the ship and excursions in Jamaica and Grand Cayman. So much fun to share! Here's a sneak peek of our excursion in Grand Cayman...

2) I'm going to start weekly weigh-ins back up on Friday. I've been weighing in during the time that I haven't blogged, but I'm going to pick right up where I left off with the last weigh-in. So, I will see how much I've lost or gained based on my last weigh-in post, not the last time I physically weighed in. I hope that makes sense.

Now, on to Friend Makin' Monday, and it's all about food! My favorite! :-D

1. Do you make grocery lists? I do, and even though I remember to bring them in with me, I always forget a pen to cross off what I get.

2. Do you have a routine when shopping in your favorite grocery store? Yes, I always go to the deli first, then produce, and then up and down all the other aisles that I need.

3. What is your favorite seasoning? garlic powder

4. What is the healthiest food in your fridge right now? Lots of fresh fruit...watermelon, grapes, pineapple, and apples

5. What is the most unhealthy food in your fridge now? Banquet Chicken Pot Pie...my stepdad's, not mine

6. What is the most exotic produce you've ever had? Not one of the more exotic fruits or veggies you can find, but I've tried jicama. I'm not a fan...

7. Tell us about your favorite local restaurant. Kathleen's Kitchen...Kathleen makes everything herself...fresh breads, soups, salads, sandwiches, desserts...The spinach and strawberry salad and the bread pudding are so yummy!

Kathleen's Kitchen on Facebook

8. What kind of pasta do you prefer (regular, whole wheat, etc.)? I prefer regular, but if I'm eating it, I'll usually go with whole-grain because it's a healthier option.

9. If you could make one food calorie-free for an entire week, which food would you choose? Chips and salsa, and change an entire week to an entire lifetime. :-)

10. If you had to choose, would you rather give up french fries or chocolate? Probably chocolate...I LOVE french fries, and I can get my sweet fix from other sources.

I encourage you to join the link-up, answer the questions on your blog, and share the link in Kenlie's comments!