My Weekend ...

I don't know about where anyone else lives, but in the DFW area and even north of here - this time of year means a 5K or some type of marathon every.single.weekend!!!  You have to be careful exactly where you're driving around because there may be streets closed and traffic diverted because some organization is having a 5K to raise money for whatever charitable foundation they are supporting.  And next year, I'm even considering participating in some of them!! I'm not quite ready to do that this year - but I'm getting there.

Even though I'm not quite ready for the 5K - there was 1 mile Fun Run/Walk this weekend that I was super excited to participate in!!  If you have been following my blog, you read a post back in November about my friend's dad who passed away from lung cancer.  He was from my hometown and he was an employee of the school district there before he passed away - and everyone who knew him, loved him ... and it seems pretty much everyone knew him!  So this past weekend, my hometown had a Fun Run/Walk and 5K along with a silent auction to raise money for the American Cancer Society and for a memorial scholarship in JP's memory.  It was a pretty awesome tribute to this man and his memory as well as to his family and what they mean to our small town.    We wore shirts that his grandkids helped create that had little hand prints on them that said "Together We Never Surrender." Nearly 200 people were there Saturday to walk, run and bid on items that local businesses had contributed to help raise money for the cause.  While this isn't the first year the town has had the 5K (it's part their yearly health fair) - this year there were twice the number of participants as well as much more money raised.  It makes me very proud of my little hometown and how much they care about the people in it.

Anyway ... that was my weekend - doing a Fun Run/Walk with my mom in my hometown in memory of a really great man who left this life way too soon.  The guy who runs the local newspaper put together a video highlighting some of the fun that was going on through the morning - and mom and I made an appearance in it! I thought I'd share with you so you can watch how much fun we had - and how silly my mom is!!!

Happy 60th to my dad!

This past weekend we celebrated my dad's 60th birthday with family and friends ... it was a blast!  Yes, I thought my sisters & I were going to lose our minds getting everything ready the morning of the party (and I thought my brothers-in-law were going to kill us all!) ... but we got everything decorated, ourselves ready and the party was a success.  Lots of my dad's side of the family were able to be there and even some of my mom's side ... and lots of friends from church were there to celebrate with him as well.

One of the things we did with decorations were banners of lots and lots of old pictures and a slideshow of nearly 400 photos that played through the party.  It was fun to go back and look at all those pictures - it was also kind of eye opening for me.  I watched through the years as my battle with my weight went up and down.  I can say that I didn't like my size at the end of high school, I am kinda happy with how I looked in my early 20s ... and then at about 24/25 (when I moved back to Dallas), it all went downhill.  (oh and of course I wish I was as tiny as I was at the age of 7!!  my arms were like twigs!!!)  Anyway ... I used some of those pictures as my new inspiration - and enjoyed realizing that I've already lost a good bit that I need to in order to look like many of those pictures!

I didn't get a whole of pictures ... but here are a couple from the party - I love the one of me and my sister!! :)

Progress Report via Photo ...

While I am still a really horrible judge of myself - by looking in the mirror - and seeing my weight loss results, I know I'm getting smaller.  My jeans that I was so excited to get into a few months ago are now almost too big for me!! yay!!  So apparently, progress is happening! :)  So - sticking with the same outfit I've been wearing all my update photos - here is the current progress report.  (by the way, I don't think this tank top is really helping my ability to see the changes!!! lol - but I can tell a little!)

And another progress report ... I'm 2 days into my Squat Challenge ... and oh my goodness, my thighs are killing me!!! lol  I'm making it though ... and I decided to throw in the same number of crunches each evening as I do squats every morning - so I'm definitely getting my working out in now!  And the Saturday after next, I'm going to be doing a 1 mile fun walk to help raise money for the American Cancer Society in the name of my friend's dad who passed away last fall from lung cancer. They're also raising money for a scholarship fund in his memory as well.  Super good cause and a great reason for me to get up and move - even if it's just for a little while!!

Challenge to Myself ...

This is going to be very short - as I should actually be getting ready for work!!!  I just wanted to post here that I started a 30 Day Challenge with myself today ... 30 Days of Squats.  I found this on another blog (shrinkingjeans.net) and I've decided I may have to use some of their other work-outs once I survive this one!!!  They have some great personal challenges.  I am determined to get up every single morning for at least the next 30 days and follow this challenge ... Day 1, complete.  It wasn't easy!!  I HATE squats ... but I did it ... and I'm going to keep doing it!!!  Wish me luck!!  (and anyone else who wants to do this with me - join in!  I've got co-workers doing it and some friends on Facebook have joined in as well!!)

And now we're just past 5 months ....

I just had a follow-up appointment today ... and I am officially down 60 lbs!!!!  WOOOOOHOOOOO! When I got on the scale and saw that number ... I totally freaked out! I honestly cannot remember the last time I weighed this and it feels great.  But as excited I was to get to this weight ... now I cannot weight to the next big milestone weight.  I love that my newest pair of "skinny" jeans are getting too big for me ... and while on vacation last week, I bought a hoodie sweatshirt in size "L" so that I can wear it next fall/winter.  I don't remember the last time that I bought a piece of clothing with just one letter size!! haha ... I also don't remember the last time my "number" sized clothes didn't start with a "2" and NOW that number isn't in my closet at all.  Again, I'll say, this was the best decision I have ever made in my life.

Anyway, I'm terrible at updating this thing - clearly! But I can catch myself up just a little!  This past week was Spring Break in much of Texas and so my mom was out of school ... so - she, my dad & I took a week's long vacation to the East Coast.  We stayed at a resort on the teeny tiny island of Edisto in South Carolina.  It is still technically the off-season there, so the island was very winterized still with very few places open and not too many people milling around.  So, we didn't spend quite as much time there as we had thought we would ... and what we thought was going to be a very slow-paced, very relaxing vacation - did not turn out to be quite what we expected!!  It was great though.  We were very close to Charleston so we did lots there.  We were there quite a few days of the vacation and I fell in love with the city.  I love the history, the charm of the old southern homes and I LOVED walking around all over the place.  Now, my feet didn't love that part too much the day that I didn't use my brain and wore cheap rubber flip flops while we walked around for blocks and blocks!!! lol ... but otherwise, I loved it.  (by the way, 6 months ago ... I would have NEVER been able to walk that much and enjoy myself nearly as much as I can now!!  and I LOVE that)  Anyway ... we also spent a day in Savannah, GA because that wasn't too far away and I shopped in Paula Deen's store next to her restaurant The Lady & Sons.  We didn't eat at the restaurant ... I'm not quite sure there would have been to much on her menu I could eat seeing as she is a true lover of butter!!! ... but I want to go back now and do that as well.  In both Charleston & Savannah we toured lots of homes that were built a couple of centuries ago and I have just decided I was totally born in the wrong century.  I am not sure how I would have handled the no electricity and scarce availability of running water - but I LOVE the homes and the clothes and the architecture from back then.  Anyway ... I've posted TONS of pictures on my Facebook page of our trip - so I won't do that again here, but here are just a couple.  The first is us on the beach at Edisto Island watching the sunset and the other is me & mom just before we headed out on a carriage ride tour of Charleston.

Almost 4 months in ...

A week from today will be 4 months post-surgery ... that just seems crazy to me!!  It was 10 months ago that I first made the decision to go down this road and I'm now 49 lbs smaller than what I was when I first started!  I knew I'd lose weight and my goal is a hefty one - but to be this far into it after what is truly such a short amount of time - is so exciting to me!!  I'm excited when my new jeans are already starting to get a little big on me and nearly all of my shirts are way too big now.  I've bought a few new tops - two sizes smaller than I was normally buying - but I know that as the weather gets warmer I'm probably going to need to buy some more.  One of my cousins told me about a resale shop that is near me that sales adult style clothes that are all brand name, new fashions ... so I'm probably going to make a trip there in the very near future.  I still don't want to spend too much money on clothes since I don't wear them for too terribly long - but some items are necessary.  One of the things I had mentioned a while back on here was that I'd be giving my "too big" clothes to a co-worker who had the gastric bypass surgery in December ... well I'd like to just take the time to say that I'm extremely glad that that surgery was not the one I chose.  I know that some people have had success with it - in fact most people lose quite a bit of weight just as soon as they have the surgery - but the problems that I have seen with this procedure truly seem to outweigh the positives.  This co-worker has still not been able return to work due to complications from her surgery and even though I've been told that she is down nearly 80 lbs already - she has spent more time than not in the emergency room.  When I get discouraged that I have yet to quite hit my 50 lb mark - I remember again that it took a long time to put all this weight on in the first place - and that I don't have to lose it all in just a few months.  I'm much happier losing it slowly and through eating correctly and exercising than risking the chance of spending so much time sick and in the hospital.  I hope that my co-worker is able to come back to work soon and I hope that she's going to be okay in the long run - but it has not been an easy journey for her in these nearly 2 months since her surgery.

I went to another follow-up appointment on Thursday and I continue to lose weight.  I have not gained at all since two weeks before the surgery and even though I go sometimes and don't lose either - I'm very happy that I am not gaining.  I did ask them to do a "fill" at this visit.  They didn't put much in - only .5 cc - but I'm hoping it will give me back that little boost to lose a few more pounds.  I think it is possible to reach my 55 lb goal by next week - just maybe not by Sunday.

This week begins a month of birthday celebrating in my family ... all 3 of my nieces will celebrate their birthdays in the next 4 weeks.  Brooklyn will be 3 on Tuesday, Cailey will be 5 on the 18th and Madison will be 7 on March 2nd.  It seems so impossible to me that they are so grown-up ... I can so vividly remember the days that they were born and how exciting it was to hold those sweet little "baby burritos" ... now they are turning into little young ladies and their personalities have definitely begun to show.  I can't wait to see what this next year has in store for them ... and for me as well.  We're having a big birthday party for all 3 of the girls in a couple of weeks and I can't wait ... I'm sure I'll have some pictures to post then ... and maybe a new one of myself.  Hoping you are all doing well ... and that all my family in the north is staying warm and safe in all the crazy weather you guys have been having.  I think we have some ice and snow in our forecast for this week - starting today - but I've got my fingers crossed that it will be minimal!!!! ... until next time ...

A Little Off Topic ...

So really quick ... things are going great with my weight-loss.  I was afraid I really messed up while on my business trip last week.  We were treated by the company for basically every meal so there weren't a lot of choices that I was able to make as far as the types of food I was eating.  I did indulge on a few items ... and initially, I was very fearful that I had gained weight.  But after being on the scale yesterday morning - it appears that while I have not lost any weight, I didn't gain either.  I'm being very strict on myself this week - hopefully I can lose a little this week and really get back on track next week!

On another note ... I need a place to vent about an issue I believe I'm about to be experiencing at work.  I have an associate in my office who has been there for just over 2 years now.  She's a very sweet person and she and I get along really well.  Sadly, her work has definitely not been up to par at different times throughout the past 2 years.  She very much goes in ups and downs in doing her work as she is supposed to.  I have talked to her about it as a friend and lead and she's been talked to more than once in an official capacity by our supervisor.  She's been given multiple chances to get on track and stay there - and now, I think her time has run out.  Part of my job is tracking all of the associates productivity at the end of each month and preparing them for our supervisor to "grade" them on how they met the standards for our job.  Anyway ... I reviewed December's work today ... and I don't think associate met the grade for last month.  In fact, I have a very awful feeling that tomorrow this associate's employment is quite possibly going to be terminated.  I realize that this is her own doing - she has been given chance after chance to get her work on track and she continuously fails to meet our standards - but I hate this.  She will not be the first employee since I started with this job 4 years ago that had to be let go ... but I hate this one.  As I was working on her reports today, I kept wishing there was a way I could help her out ... but there was just no way.  She can't manage to do her job consistently - even though I know she is capable of it.  It is just disappointing to me when someone so capable won't do what she needs to in order to keep her job.  I fear tomorrow or the next day will be very difficult and I'm not looking forward to it.

This is definitely not the normal kind of post I'd make - but I needed to vent ... and I definitely could not do it on Facebook.  If anyone has any kind words of wisdom or advice - please feel free to share!!