Ten Things Thursday

Ten Things Thursday............created by Laura at Beer, Dogs and Getting Healthier.

1. I had a busy and great weekend.  Waco Saturday.  I got to meet lots of wonderful ladies!  So much fun.  I can not wait to do it again!  Then, our high school played a playoff game at Baylor stadium.  Sunday, we had Hannah's birthday party at the park.  I set up Minute To Win It style games.  I think all the kids had a blast!  That is something I definitely would not have done before losing weight.  That would have been way to much activity.
2. Tonight I have a PTO meeting and the 4th grade musical program.  I will be serving juice and cookies to the little singers.
3. I have eaten tons of chocolate due to PMS.  I thought the scale would punish me but it hasn't.  I just have to make sure to keep in my calorie count for the day.  I am ready for this TOM to disappear.
4. Tomorrow I have an appointment with my surgeon.  I am pretty sure I need a small tweak.  I am thinking maybe .25.  I am really hungry between meals.  I am satisfied for maybe an hour.  I hope he agrees because Thanksgiving may be brutal without a fill.
5. This is a huge secret............we are leaving Sunday for Orlando.  The kids do not know it but we are going to Disney World.  It will be a huge surprise (they think we are going to visit family).
6. I have tons of packing and cleaning to do before our trip.  Those are two of my least favorite things to do.........ever!
7. It was ice cold this morning for my walk.  35 degrees.  But, I still did it!  That is huge for me because I really wanted to stay in my warm bed.
8. I am going up to the school in an hour to have a Thanksgiving feast with my youngest daughter.  I think I may just take a coffee.  I don't want the cafeteria food that is laced with sodium.
9. My sister and her husband are coming next week for Thanksgiving.  We are flying back Thanksgiving day and will stop at my parents to eat.  Then, my sis and I usually do some black Friday shopping at the crack of dawn.  Watch out Walmart!
10. I haven't even started Christmas shopping.  I know I need to but I have to get through Thanksgiving first.  I am just not in the holiday spirit yet.

That is it!  Have a great Thursday!

What Is Your Secret Passion?

As usual, I am a day late but Ronnie posted the question yesterday, "What is your secret (or not-so-secret) passion?"

 

I am addicted to thrift stores.  Like seriously addicted.

 

I think it is because I was a Fashion Merchandising major in college and worked retail for so long.  I REFUSE to pay full price for anything.  And I must say, I can find the BEST deals on the most amazing quality clothing.  I am not just saying that!  Case in point........

 

Yesterday, I found a 100% cashmere v-neck black sweater and black and white wool tweed Ann Taylor fully lined pants both for..........wait for it................$3.25 a piece at one of my favorite thrifts.

 

Last week, instead of going to Rack Room shoes, I hit another of my favorite thrifts and found BRAND NEW black leather waterproof boots with the tags still attached (the long kind with the side zip) for $10.00.

 

Another week, I found I gorgeous faux suede and shearling hooded winter coat that looked brand new for $4.50.  When I got home the tag was still in the coat pocket.........it was a $200 coat.

 

And I the list could go on, and on, and on......................

 

I used to have an E-bay store but due to my newly elected PTO position, that requires full time participation, I had to close it for now.  It is what kept me and my kids in a rotation of nice clothing.

 

So, I guess you could say, what started as a small thrifting habit has become a passion.

 

Now you know!!!

 

Oh, and for those of you that will see me tomorrow in Waco........head to to thrift clothes.  No lie.

 

10 Things Thursday

Today is Thursday which means..........................10 Things Thursday!  This Thursday tradition was started by Laura at Beer, Dogs and Getting Healthier.

1.  I have just gotten home from running errands.  I have been gone since 8:30 a.m. this morning.  Between home stuff, kid stuff, husband stuff and PTO stuff I am beat!  I am turning off the cell phone and cleaning my house tomorrow.  In peace, in my jammies and with loud music.

2.  I just remembered I have a conference in the morning with my daughter's principal.  It seems a boy in her class has been calling her profane names, shooting her birds and tearing holes in her $80.00 Adidas.  I am going to make sure he no longer sits next to her in any classes.  I am sure the school would much rather move him than have me sit between them the whole day (yes, I have threatened to go back to 5th grade).

3.  This past Saturday while on our morning walk up the hill a bobcat walked about 100 yds. in front of us.  It was about as tall as my waist.  It stopped looked at us and crossed the road.  This is not an unpopulated area.  And it was not scared.......at all!  I guess we will have to start carrying a rifle or handgun on our walks.  This is Texas, so a concealed weapon is not out of the question :)  Too bad I don't own any firearms.

4.  I will NEVER take a stool softener, drink coffee and go on a walk again.  I am glad I can laugh at myself because accidents do occasionally happen.  Enough said.

5.  I am so looking forward to Saturday!  I get to meet some fellow Texas bloggers in Waco for lunch.  I can not wait! 

6.  Tomorrow is haircut day.  I really wanted to bob it off but hubby said he loves it long.  He told me it is like having a hot new wife with long hair and a better body.  I guess I can't argue with that!

7.  So many of you have motivated me to do this..... I  began to run this week!  That is so crazy to me.  I am doing the C25K training.  Tomorrow will be my 3rd day this week.  You know what?  I LOVE it!  I never thought that I would say those words.  I like to run.

8.  I keep thinking I am coming down with a cold but I have made myself keep working out.  I think I am sweating out the germs.  Is that possible?

9.  My mind is jello right now.  I can't think.  I am that tired.

10.  Oh, the puppies have their eyes open and are starting to get mobile.  They will be ready for new homes soon..........thank you Jesus!

That's it!  Have a great night!

What's Luck Got To Do With It?!

Yesterday, when I logged my new weight on my fitness pal someone commented that they wish they could be "lucky" like me and have a good weight loss.  I am here to say...............

What's luck got to do with it?

I exercise and eat under my calorie count.  I work hard.  Most of us are working VERY hard to lose this weight.  Luck has nothing to do with it.

When you comment that we are "lucky", you are negating all the work, sweat and tears that have went into our weight loss.  You are writing off the hours, days, weeks, months and years of dedication on our part.

So, luck?  Yeah, it has nothing to do with it.  We aren't lucky, we are just motivated.

Don't sit back waiting for luck to find you.  I am someone who knows from experience.......it won't.  You will be waiting a long time and then you will realize this:  I can create my own luck.  I can change the outcome of my life.  I am the key to my own happiness.

I will leave you today with a useless movie quote:
Cameron in Ferris Buellers Day Off:
I am not going to sit on my ass as the events that affect me unfold to determine the course of my life.

Onederland Part 2

I seriously must be okay with myself because I NEVER would have posted a picture of myself before without wearing makeup.  I love makeup.  Like LOVE makeup.  I worked in the cosmetic industry for over 10 yrs. before becoming a stay at home mom.  When I say I have enough makeup to last me a lifetime......I am not lying!!!!

Anyway, size 14 Levis.  Regular 14.  No plus sizes for me!  I can shop anywhere now.

I honestly have not thought about being smaller than a 14.  I haven't been a 14 in over 15 yrs.  I guess I need to start stocking up on 12's though.........it is only a matter of time.



Onederland

Yesterday morning I hit onederland.........199.7 to be exact.  This morning the scale read 199.1 (see below picture). 



I don't know what to say. Other than, I need to clean the hairspray residue off my scale.  YUK!

 It is very surreal to me.  I guess I am going to be in a very quiet reflective mood today.  How very un-Brenda-like!!!

BYOC

BYOC – Bring Your Own Crazy. A couple questions we answer to get to know each other better and to give our blogging brains a break. Copy and paste to your own blog if you wish! Enjoy!

Let’s do another themed BYOC…..this one will be called “What’s In/On Your….?”

1. What’s on your desk between your monitor and keyboard? (if it’s a laptop – what’s on your desk in general)

Crap!  The kids crap to be exact.  A birthday party invitation.  Clothes that my daughter was trying on.  Paint, toys, etc.  I could go on and on.  Nothing of mine!

2. What’s on your mind right at this moment?

That I have to be at the school at 2 to run some copies.  My life is thrilling. :)

3. What’s in or on your nightstand on your side of the bed?

A graveyard of empty water bottles that I need to clean up.  Earplugs, because my hubby saws logs.  A stack of books that I have read.  My oriental blue and white lamp from Pier 1...it is gorgeous!

4. What’s on YOUR Christmas wish list (let’s assume you’d get what was on it)?

Really, nothing comes to mind.  I did ask for some cowboy boots.  Since losing weight I can fit my no longer fat ankles in some boots!  HEE HAW!!

5. Repeat question: Summarize your week in real life and in blog land.

In real life, this is one of the busiest weeks of the whole year.  Between Halloween and Hannah's birthday it is crazy!  Today I have finally had a break to sweep and vacuum my floors.

In blog land...........the same.  CrAzY!  I barely have had time to post until last night.  I need to catch up on my reading and commenting over the weekend.

Ten Things Thursday

Today is Thursday, which means.....................10 Thing Thursday, brought to us by Laura at Beer, Dogs and Getting Healthier.

1.  It was cold this morning.  Like a bone chilling 40 degrees with the wind at whipping at 35mph.  I still walked.....in the cold, bundled up.  I call that loyalty!

2.  I also went to the gym.  I swear the two a day workouts may kill me.  My husband may like that since I am insured.  I am probably worth more dead than alive.

3.  I have refused to step on the scale all week.  Friday is my weigh in day.  I am hoping that the scale will go below 200 BUT....I am not holding my breath.  With birthday and Halloween at the beginning of the week, I will actually be happy if the scale didn't budge.

4.  DO NOT BUY CANDY CORN M & M'S.  They are as addictive as crack.  I am lovingly sending the rest of the bag to my one of my besties.  She is 5 foot tall and weighs a whopping 105 lbs. soaking wet.  I will gladly give her the empty calories.

5.  I went to my youngest daughter's school skate night tonight.  I sat there wondering why people I know were walking right by me.  Then a mom I have known for awhile, stopped and said she kept wondering if it was me.  She didn't recognize me.  That is a NSV if there ever was one!

6.  I squeezed myself into a 14 this week.  Not really squeezed either.  14's are definitely fitting better than 16's now.  Oh my poor checkbook!

7.  The puppies are really getting mobile now.  Their eyes are still shut but they are squirming around like little worms. 

8.  Christmas is coming up pretty soon and I don't have a clue what to get the kids.  Plus, I am really not in the holiday mood.  Shouldn't we celebrate Thanksgiving before the Christmas decorations go up?  This decorating before Halloween is ridiculous!!!

9.  My tennis shoes have holes in them.  I have NEVER in my life worn through a pair of shoes.  I am proudly going to bronze them.... holes and all. :)  Maybe, I will display them in a special cabinet that I will have built just for them.  Don't laugh.  I am serious.

10.  I am thinking of cutting my hair off.  I am bored with my long hair.  It goes in a ponytail almost every day.  I was thinking of this cut. 

I am even considering the color which is very close to my natural hair color.  I guess I just want something different.  New body, new hair.  Anyway, I have a hair appointment next Friday. 

Well, that is it!  Have a great night!

Memories Of Food

I am a firm believer that mental health and food go hand in hand.  Just ask most dieters.  They will probably tell you that they eat when they are anxious, upset, mad or sad.  Most of us are emotional eaters.  We associate a feeling with most food. 

  I guess I am at a place in my journey that I am trying to crack the code on why I chose to stuff down my feelings with food.  The other day, it had me thinking of the first real memory I had of food.  Negative or positive. 

I was in 6th grade.  I guess you could say I was a bit chunky for my age. 

My Nana told me I needed to go on a diet.  Now mind you, I was not an obese child by any standard.  I just had a little baby fat that some girls hold onto before they hit puberty. 

I remember her telling me to put my fork down.  I didn't need to eat that (I can't recall what what it was).  I remember being so upset that I stormed outside and sat down on a stump and cried in the neighbors yard.

Of course my Nana followed me.  To check and make sure I was okay.  But, I wasn't.  I felt humiliated and defeated.  I remember her telling me that I needed to follow the Slim-Fast diet.  That I didn't want to be the heavy girl.  That I was too pretty to be heavy.

Then she made me a deal.  Lose the weight and she would treat me to my favorite restaurant.....Mexican food.

Really?  Can anyone else see the irony here?  Lose the weight and I will reward you with what????  FOOD!  Not a cute top, not jeans, not shoes or a handbag.............food.  No wonder I have a love/hate relationship with food.  It has been ingrained in my brain since childhood.

You see, my Nana was a wonderful grandmother but she grew up in another era.  The relationship with food and feelings would have never occurred to her.  That is just how she was raised.  You eat to survive (she grew up in the Great Depression).  Food was a special treat to be savored on special occasions.  Everyday abuse of food would have been gluttonous.

Fast food didn't exist in her world.  A bag of chips?  I really can not remember her having them except on a special occasion.  That whole generation treated food differently than we do.  People actually sat down to meals that were lovingly prepared.  "Made from scratch" was not some marketing gimmick to make you think the frozen dinner did not taste like cardboard.  My Nana's  generation thought about food much differently than we do today. 

What I am realizing is that while I could easily blame my eating habits on how I grew up, I need to be an adult and own up to the fact that I treated food poorly.  It was me that used food as my drug of choice.  No one held a gun to my head and made me eat.  I did it. 

For me that is a huge step in cracking the food code.... the acceptance of responsibility for my actions.  That while my first food memory is not really a pleasant one, it is in the past.  And the past is just that......the past.   

And while the past reveals where I have been in my food journey, it does not dictate my future.  That is up to me.  Everyday is a new opportunity to chart a new course.....to create a new "food map" of sorts to get me to my destination.

Next stop....................lap-band surgery, twoderville, 275, 225, onederland.