At the House of the Friendly Neighbors

Photo compliments of victorialodging.com

Today I'm sharing some Thanksgiving memories over at The Mama Dramalogues. Grab a slice of pumpkin pie and come and share with us!

So Here's How It's Going

(Me and SweetPea finishing up the last ab section on Level 3 of Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred DVD)

I can't believe it's been two and a half months since I started working out regularly again...and trying to lose weight. I've been a kind of (really) bad about posting updates on my progress because...well, I've been working out a lot...and had been getting ready for Halloween...then Thanksgiving...and now making Christmas presents...and so on. Pretty good excuses, huh?

Today...I vowed to give you the "big update"...or maybe not so big. In 75 days, I've managed to lose 6.5 pounds and between an inch and an inch and a half all over my body...except for my hips where I've lost over two. I've revived my love for yoga and Pilates...I've begun running again and am back to being able to run 5K again. I'm eating better (though, I could be eating even better than I am) and snacking less. All around, I feel better, I'm trimming down, and my back has been hurting a lot less (I have sciatica that flares up from time to time). Even better, SweetPea has noticed how Mommy and Daddy are exercising a lot now and asked "Mommy...why do we exercise?" I explained to her that we exercise to make us strong and healthy (I make a point not to talk about losing weight or "being skinnier" since I don't want her to be weight conscious at three years old)...and now when we go for long walks, she asks to get out of the stroller and run so she can "be heal-fy". Lil Buddy likes to join her...because, well let's face it, he just wants an excuse to run around.

I still have 5.5 pounds to lose if I'm to hit my goal of 12 lbs lost by New Years day...which means I really need to kick my butt in gear...and be really good through the holidays. SIGH.

On the down side...all of the extra running and impact on my crummy ankles (I have weak ankles and I underpronate when I run) has taken a toll. About a month into my program, my right ankle started to hurt. I ignored it for a while...then started taking anti-inflammatories for it...then icing it. Eventually I got an ankle brace from the pharmacy section at the grocery store. When the pain didn't go away, I broke down and made an appointment with a Sports Medicine doctor. I was afraid I might have a stress fracture in my foot. Luckily...no breaks...but it turns out my ankle tendons are in some pretty sad shape and now I have resistance band exercises I need to do everyday to strengthen the tendons...oh, and I get to run with these lovelies on:

...and I need to invest some serious moolah into buying stabilizing running shoes...and I have to wear shoes all the time...even in the house, to keep my ankles from turning out incorrectly. The good news is...with the braces my ankles are already feeling better.

I'm nearing the home stretch...my goal is in sight...and now...I need the willpower to make it over the finish line!

Flashback Friday: The Big Sister

This is my first baby. Well...make that my second...her older brother is in doggy heaven. Long before we had unfurry babies...there was Sissy, our Golden Retriever. We got her when we were stationed at Minot AFB in 1996 and she's been all over the country with us...from North Dakota to Texas to Massachusetts and back to Texas. She's the best big, furry sister two kids could have.

In this picture, I was almost 6 months pregnant with SweetPea and we decided to dress up for our apartment complex's first annual Halloween party. Is it me, or is Sissy just oozing with excitement? I'm sure she was probably contemplating her best payback for dressing her in that fairy princess costume. I should probably mention that I'd been wearing the cat costume all day at work. Can you tell that I really like Halloween??? I think that was the last year we dressed poor Sissy up...not because she was replaced by the kids...no, she'd crested the 10 year mark the following year and it was about time to give her dignity back.

Now is the time to share YOUR flashback photo. Check out my friend Tia's blog and read all about how you can join in the fun!

An Early Christmas Giveaway!

Yes, yes...the turkeys haven't even been carved yet and I'm already talking Christmas. I wanted to kick things off early with a little giveaway. How would you like to take this lovely Christmas Hostess Wrap Around Half Apron home with you...just in time for hosting a family get together or maybe a slick holiday party at your house?

I fell in love with this Moda fabric when I found myself lost (on purpose that is) in a sweet little quilting fabric shop in a very cool little boutique area near home called Old Town Spring. The shop is a converted old Victorian home...one that has probably been in the area since the 1920's, if I had to guess. Every corner of the house is filled with bolts of fabric in every color, style and print you could even imagine. When I finally decided that I wanted to make something "Christmasy", I wanted it to be pretty...but not too cliche or corny. I adored the prints I picked up as soon as I saw them...and like usual, really just wanted to keep them for myself! Of course, I hardly want to end up like one of those sad souls on Hoarders...buried under two tons of fabric strewn all over my house...so I let them go...and made this adorable (if I do say so myself) apron.

Sorry to say, I didn't have any other adults around to model the apron for me...but I got a very cute volunteer who was perfectly willing to be my model:


You'll have to trust me when I tell you, it won't be quite so long on you when you wear it!

OK, now for the nitty gritty...how do you win? Leave me a comment...tell me about your most cherished holiday memory. Was it picking out a special tree (sorry, is that too Charlie Brown?)...or a gift you didn't expect? Don't forget to tell me how to contact you, so I can let you know if you won! I will randomly select the winner on Friday, December 4th (I want to make sure you have it in your hands in time for Christmas). Want extra chances to win? If you Tweet and/or post this giveaway on your Facebook page, post a link to it (on a separate comment) and you'll get an additional entry for each "shout out".

Let's get in the spirit...you just might get something out of it!!!

Wordless Wednesday: What I Miss

Strike A Pose

No Vogueing though...please :) Am I creating a monster...a camera hound-zilla? Check out my post over at The Mama Dramalogues to decide for yourself!

Flashback Friday: The Bride

It's hard to believe it's been 14 years since we took this picture...and well, got married! I have so many great memories of this day, but one of the things that always pops in my head when I look at the pictures from my wedding day was how lovely it looked...and that we did it on a budget of less than $800. I'm talking the hair, the dress, the flowers, the buffet that served as our reception...the whole enchilada.

Understand...it was a very, very...very small wedding. Even counting the two of us there were fewer than 15 people there...and that was including the pastor and his wife (who were family friends). My dress...was a winter formal that I found on sale at the Mall for $45.00. The flowers in my hair...were roses that came from my mom and dad's garden. The gardens where we did the ceremony is the oldest botanical garden in Hawaii and a state park, so we only had to pay the cost of entrance into the park for each person...which was $12 a head back in 1995. Probably the priciest thing from that day was the buffet at John Dominis in Honolulu, which my dad was nice enough cover for us. If you're ever in Hawaii and have a chance to go to the buffet they have every Sunday, it is amazing. The food is unbeatable and I have yet to see another restaurant that serves such a huge, fresh buffet selection.

I know so many people who spend months...or years stressing over big and fancy weddings. To this day I'm still very happy that we kept it small, intimate and personal...a day for being with family and enjoying the day...and not freaking out about photographers (we just asked everyone to bring their cameras and to take a lot of pictures), wedding halls, limousines or who might sit next to someone they didn't like at the reception.

So...now it's your turn. Do you have any flashback pics that you want to share? Check out my blogging buddy Tia's blog and join in her Flashback Friday meme...you'll have a fun time doing it!!!