New Do for a New Me

I don't know whether I should call my hair a blessing or a curse.  Oh, please don't miss understand.  I love my hair for only one feature - that it is curly.  I am definitely not like most people I know with curly hair.  I don't want it to be straight.  I actually straightened it once and I thought Johnny was going to flip.

The main problem with my hair is that it is VERY thick.  I swear some of the headaches I get is from where it is so thick.  Also, the longer it gets, it becomes heavier and thicker.  So, when I try to grow out my hair for my hubby, who loves long hair, it drives me crazy!!!

Thankfully though, I have a WONDERFUL hairdresser and I love her to death.  I know I can trust Christie with my hair and not be disappointed.  She is the only one who has ever cut my hair that I did not go home immediately to try and "fix" it.  

So today, Christie assisted me in getting a new do for the soon to be new me!  It is not too short (like Johnny hates).  However, it is short enough that I feel like 10 pounds has been cut off my head.  Also, it is a great cut for my curls.  

So, what haircut did I get today?  I got my first reverse bob and I love it!!

 

So, thank you Christie for the great cut today!!  I appreciate you more than you know!!

Have a great evening everyone!!

Weigh In Numeral Uno

You know, when you are on a diet, I guess your brain just expects great things to happen.  Or it might be the fact that you have worked so hard, you want to see big results.  I am not completely sure which category I fall into of the above.  However, I guess I should count any loss as a step in the right direction.  

Wednesday is my weigh in day.  I have no idea why Wednesday.  However, it is the day I picked and I guess it will stick.  Now, I wasn't expecting a 10 pound loss but I was hoping for a little more than I saw on the scale.

I have officially lost 1.5lbs in the first week.  I know, I know.  That is pretty good.  Again, any loss is better than gaining weight.  I just figured as much water as I have drunk plus how semi-well I have been eating, it would have been a little more.  

Also, I have to be honest with you and myself.  Some of my dinner choices may not have been the greatest.  Yes, I do great with breakfast and lunch.  However, dinner not so much.  That is definitely a goal I will have to work on this next week.  

Second, I have yet to begin exercising again.  Again, I know.  So, that is the second goal for the coming week - exercise more.  

I am excited to say though I am buying something tomorrow to help with the second goal.  I have came to find out that Walmart sells the workout DVD I have been wanting to purchase.  So, guess who is making a trip to Walmart tomorrow?  This girl!

What DVD is she talking about you might ask??  Well, here it is!!

Oh, yeah!  I love "Sweating to the Oldies".  I use to own it on VHS but it disappeared many moons ago.  That is why I am heading to Walmart to purchase it tomorrow.  YIPPEE!!

Have a great night everyone!!

The Funny Thing About Losing Weight

To celebrate my first weigh in tomorrow,

I thought I would share some of the 

cute cartoons I love about weight loss.

Some of these have been around the block.

Some of these are new even to me.

However, they are hilarious and make

laugh.

PS - Keep your fingers crossed about my

weigh in tomorrow!  I know it has only been a 

week but I am hoping for a good number!

source

source

source

source

source

Have a great tomorrow everyone!!

My Love Of Photography and Instagram

Pictures in my opinion are simply priceless!

I would hate to even guess how many

pictures I have taken in my 39 years.

It is probably close to the half million mark

and that would not be an exaggeration.

I even took a photography class in college.

Not because I had too for my degree.

I took it simply because I love to take pictures.

That is why when I found the Instagram app

a few months ago, I was in heaven.

Finally, I could share my pictures and

use special effects when I want to play around.

It is used A LOT and I do mean a lot. 

My family is my main subjects but

I am starting to branch out.

That is due, in part, to the "Picture A Day"

lists individuals post on Facebook, etc.

Those lists make it interesting and make

my branch out.

Speaking of family, my poor son

hates to have his picture taken 

anymore do to his mother's picture

obsession.  He sees a camera

and he hides his face or runs most times.

It makes me laugh because I eventually

get his picture one way or another.

So, to share my love of photography

and now Instagram, I thought I would

start sharing some of my pictures weekly.

These will be pictures that have appeared on

my Instagram the previous week.

This week thought I would pick out seven

pictures from the past month to share.

I hope you enjoy!

Picture #1 - My beloved son!  I love that smile.

Picture #2 - Fun in the pool!

Picture #3 - Collage from the night we were playing

with glow sticks.  Yeah, that is how we roll -- LOL!!

Picture #4 - Collage from family game night.  Jenga

Max was a lot of fun!!

Picture #5 - Picture of dinner last night.

It was SO GOOD!!

Have a blessed day everyone!!

Garden Medley/Pressure Cooker Green Beans (Dinner 7/27-Part 1)

OOPIES!!  I made a mistake!
If you came here looking for
Garden Medley/Pressure Cooker
Green Beans (Dinner 7/27 - Part 1),
I am sorry!  I accidentally posted
my cooking blog post here by mistake!

Never fear though!  If you click here,
it will take you straight to the recipes!

I have been wondering when I was
going to make this mistake.
Well guess what?  It finally happened!
I can only laugh at myself - LOL!!

Have a great evening everyone!

Get Ready World!

Yes, get ready world!  I am on a mission!

Now, I know I have wrote about my weight 

issues several times over the past year and a half.

However, now is the time for change and I am

not backing down!!

Monday, July 22, 2013 started my new journey

and so far, I haven't done to shabby.

I have had NO soda since Sunday.

I have had NO bread since last week.

I have NOT had any sweets (ie cake, cookies) since last week.

Has it been hard?  ABSOLUTELY!

Is it worth it?  ABSOLUTELY!

Do I know it is going to be a daily struggle?  ABSOLUTELY!

However, I also want to start feeling better about myself again.

I am tired of having negative body image issues.

Now, I also am a realist in several facts.

#1.  I am never going to be 120 pounds again.

Yes, it would be wonderful but I doubt that

will ever happen again.

#2.  I know I am going to be tempted everyday.

However, I am praying everyday and just

relying on my faith to get through those

temptations!

#3.  I will want to cheat.  Hey, I am only human!

So to get through this, I have devised this plan.

One day each week, for dinner ONLY, I will 

allow myself to have one cheat meal.

Last night was that night for this week.  Let me

just say that MARGARITA was the best

one I have ever had along with a wonderful

burrito.  I can tell though I am eating

a little less because I could not finish the

burrito as I would have previously.

#4.  I know that I can not do this alone.

Thankfully, I have had a wonderful offer from

a wonderful woman to help me.  I have prayed about

her offer and I am taking the first step this coming week.

She is a Professional Health Coach and Fitness Instructor.

I can't wait to begin working with her.

#5.  Finally, tracking my progress through

My Fitness Pal, keeps me honest.

Having to journal everything that enters

my mouth is eye opening.  But I am going to

be honest and enter it all everyday.

So, what is my goal?  Really, I don't 

have a specific weight goal.  I would like to try

and get back to this Sissy from about 16 years ago.

I was around 170 in these pictures.  I know

still overweight by standards; however, I felt

good in standards of health and self image.

(BTW, that is my fabulous sister Stacey with

me in these pics.)

What I don't want is to look in the mirror and see

this anymore.

Yea, I felt pretty in this picture.

However, I don't want to be this weight anymore!

Therefore, get ready world, I am on

a mission!  I hope you will enjoy

the ride with me.

Have a great day everyone!

A Time to Dance, A Time to Mourn

I think the Byrds hit the nail right on the head

with their song "Turn, Turn, Turn." which 

was adapted the book of Ecclesiastes (3:1).

However, I think in the case of what has been

happening lately, I would change the words

around to "a time to mourn, a time to dance."

Because we have definitely being in mourning, but

now is the time to dance (celebrate) with a start of

a beloved project.

It has taken me a while to write about this subject.

It has been a long and very difficult past month.

I just did not have the words to write about 

this before now.  However, after seeing

what happened yesterday, I think it is time to

share this story.

On June 24, 2013, the world of the Appleton family, 

the Kanawha Salines Church and the Malden

Volunteer Fire Department were turned upside down.

While responding to a call in Sissonville, WV,

Rev. John T. Appleton lost his life in the line of duty.

Sadly, John passed away from a cardiac arrest at the scene.

It was a very difficult week saying goodbye

not only to my pastor, a beloved firefighter but

also my friend.  

My heart is still very heavy.

Not with grief for John because I have no doubt

where he is now.  However, my heart still hurts

for his wife and one of my best friends, Cathy.

My heart still hurts for his family.

My heart still hurts for our church.

And my heart still hurts for the Malden VFD.

The healing process is a long one no matter 

the circumstances.  However, when it happens

so suddenly and without any warning, it seems

to make the healing process just a little longer.

Though I know God has a plan for everyone 

and everyone has only a certain number of

days on this Earth, it is still hard.  

I know though they we have all 

gained a very special guardian angel in Heaven

now and John will always be with us.

I also believe the healing process also got a 

little jolt yesterday from a wonderful project coming

to light.  Before John passed away, he was

working within the community to begin a Farmer's Market

in the town of Malden.  John wanted to bring the community

together not only for the purpose of getting to know your

neighbor but also living a healthier lifestyle.

The market was suppose to open the week John passed away.

Sadly, the opening had to be delayed while all the ins and outs

were figured out after losing our sheperd. 

However, through a lot of love and hard work through

our beloved church members Cathy, Danny and Chris

Proctor, John's dream opened yesterday!

It made my heart a little less heavier yesterday pulling on the 

parking lot and seeing the produce being displayed.

It made my heart a little less heavier when I watched 

customers coming into the market and buying produce.

It made my heart a little less heavier when I heard/read

that we sold out of almost EVERYTHING!!

God truly blessed us yesterday and I know John

was smiling down on us yesterday!

So yes, I believe there is always "A time to dance,

a time to mourn."  

Have a blessed day everyone!

**NOTE**

The market will be opened on Thursdays from 2-7pm

at the Kanawha Salines Presbyterian Church.

We hope to have more and more produce every week.

We will also be offering baked home goodies as well.

We would love to have you come out and see

everything that is being offered weekly.