Quasi-Mom

Sabado Pequeno

Yep certainly not Gigante! I am still in my pj's and it is 6:33PM I am even going to cook in my pj's! I have been working on VBS stuff and 13th b-day stuff simultaneously - I am that good. Chris took Ceeje to get fitted for his costume for his upcoming role as the MadHatter this morning, we are going to Fr. Wonderful's for church tomorrow and I had no where else I needed to be. I definitely took advantage of this gift I had been given because starting tomorrow I will be out of this house everyday (some days all day) for the next 15 or so days! Josie hung with me this morning which was a rare treat for both of us we watched movies- I made name tags and made lists and worked on my canvas for her very special 13th birthday and she folded clothes and read her book and kept her ankle on ice and elevated (she sprained it the other day - it's doing fine no need to worry granny).

Chris bless his heart is fighting a sinus infection and trying to ward off bronchitis. He has been sleeping this afternoon and will wake up hungry - so I best make this quick so I can go cook!

Wanted to share some pictures from this last week just everyday stuff and to say hey! I blogged pretty darn regularly this last week - yeah me! Enjoy;


thank goodness they didn't go with this reminded me of the toy soldiers in Babes in Toyland...
ahhh that's better, eh?

and this girl, this girl is really growing up before my eyes-

and this is her painting-
nothing says teenager like a black canvas with glow in the dark splatter across it! I still have a few little collagie(my own word) to add to it and then she can hang it in her room...

OK peeps I best get that spaghetti on!

Be nice. Choose love. Let go. Balance.

peace~Lisa

Guess What?

I figured something out. I cannot do this weight/exercise thing on my own! I suck at it. I hope that is because I have much to learn( and not that I cannot do it). I have been on this diet for 10 months, 10 months and the last 2 I have made hell. Yes I say I have because I am skewing my thinking, I am making the choices consciously ! I opted not to weigh or go in this past week claiming I needed a break - although I do believe I needed a break from the scale - I need that support and I chose not to get it. As much as I think I am over all this I am not. I need to get back in the game. I cannot do it without 3 things - God, support, and exercise - I have been neglecting all 3. I need to look at this differently and just do what I know works - why is that so difficult, ya know to accept these things that are just the way they are supposed to be?

 

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

Reinhold Niebhur

Today is a "free" day as in - I don't have any thing on my calendar "to do"! So I'm working on something for my baby girl's birthday, VBS stuff(never ending) and laundry because it just multiplies! I am also working on a couple of life lists that I am thinking I will put up here. Also some much needed photo taking time maybe even a movie-maybe!

Be nice, choose love. Let go of anger towards yourself today, you are a great you! Balance some stuff that will ease some pressure!

peace~Lisa

*photos from our uberfab 4th celebration at our friends mothers house!*

Keeping On...

*Hey make sure to bookmark this- our own Dr. Lamberts is podcasting! - Housecalldoctor *

OY! I need to exercise! I am back at the whole food plan - now I am working to get back to exercise - it's as hard as the getting back to the food plan. VBS meeting from 10:30 to 3:30 so exercise will have to be after that. I'm thinking it better be the Jillian Michael's 20 minutes of intense torture -- but it will be worth it 30 days from now ;0)

Last week I tried a chicken in the crockpot for dinner with the cousins because I knew I wouldn't feel like cooking after a full day of VBS, it was pretty fantastic. This week I am trying a nice beef roast with cream of mushroom soup - supposed to be delish! I knwo about crockpot cooking but I think I need to do it more often.

I am so in need of an eyebrow waxing I look like Hairy Monster above the eyes! Michelle I hope your back from vacay!

 Let me end with this - if you want to watch a great short movie with your teenagers try out Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog - you can find it online or you can rent it - so so good. Through the whole thing I thought man this reminds me of the Buffy musical episode - duh Joss Whedon - did both! What a great mind that man has - if you can find the Buffy episode it is also worth viewing - masterpieces!

*photos of the OHS band practicing through my parents neighborhood one morning while we visited - embarassed a couple of cousins who were in it by all of us coming out on the lawn to watch! Fun fun fun...*

Time to get on with the day - be nice, choose love, let go and balance it all!

"being in the marching band is just like football, except backwards and while doing something complex in a weird uniform"  unknown

peace~Lisa

Trying to make sense of it all

OK feeling the feelings I want to suppress. I am not giving up. I want to be at 189 lbs. by July 31st. I can only get there by following my diet and exercising madly. I am going to work hard at letting go of everyone's ideas on exercise - if I don't like or seriously cannot do something - I am not going to feel guilt. (man the smart thing here would to be to start letting go of all this guilt for such stupid things). I lost or maybe just squashed my strength a little - things for the most are good for me and that is the problem - how can good things happen for me? I need to be saying good things happen to me! Where did I learn this? I know I am not the only that feels this way - where does it come from, what is it doing for me by thinking this way? Giving me an excuse that is what it does. Excuses have to be out the door. Back to the plan. Back to the better me. I will do this.

I cannot believe in a little over a month Ceeje will be back to school. So I am just going to push that thought aside. He is giving me a run for my money this summer - lately tho things have calmed down and he's not testing the waters so much.

Josie thank goodness will be 13 in 6 days. I will be happy next Thursday - hopefully she won't start talking about when she turns 16 until she's 15. I just know that will be next thing. OY! She is moodier than ever, and she drives me crazy - I love her but she is definitely crazy! um yeah that's what Chris says about me...

Chris is working hard and working to be a stronger man, husband, and dad every day. It shows in so many wonderful ways.(another one of those how can this good thing be happening to me after all this time--ugh get over myself already ya know??)

*the above photos are from the "Tractorcade" in Iowa ( a long line of tractors parading on the highway)- I snapped these pics as my cousin and I were driving back from dropping off the expectant parents in CR*

Listen to the mustn'ts child.
Listen to the don'ts.
Listen to the shouldn't haves, the impossibles, the won'ts.
Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me.
Anything can happen child.
Anything can be.

Shel Silverstein

Be nice. Choose love. Let go. Balance stuff on your head.

peace~Lisa

I don't know why...

I just want to eat and eat and eat - and my tummy is showing the effects. Something is bothering me but I do not want to dig deep to find out what it is. I have an idea because something keeps rising to the surface and I keep shoving it down. I don't want to deal with it - it is capable of a breakdown this girl has never seen and perhaps if I figure out how to deal with it  - oh gosh I know I just have to deal, but not today not today I want to have fun and eat my emotions into submission - I will deal tomorrow after I spend some time with Jesus at mass.

Happy 4th!

Be nice to yourself - you deserve the best. Choose love when you are trying to get through a tough time. Let go of the things you simply cannot change. Balance the things you can change.

peace~Lisa

Home.

Home. Funny word when you think about it. What about that saying, "home is where your heart is", - well right about now my heart is in about 5 different places - 4 different states and another country. I guess I will just say home is wherever my body is?!

I hopped on the scale today and I am totally going to marry it! I was thinking perhaps I had gained about 6 pounds - SURPRISE! only 3 pounds and I pretty much stayed off the plan! I did keep up with the water until the last day, I am sure that made a difference. Back on it today - adding the ol exercise manana.

I have been going no stop today I finally got home at 6:30 and promptly removed the brassiere and called it a day. Now I am just vegging with 20 hours of DVR'd shows! Tori and Dean are on in all their glory gosh I love that Tori...

If all goes well I will not travel again until next year - January, Houston with Josie --- can hardly wait.

I cannot believe it is the end of June already! Wow it went fast.

Enjoy your weekend. Be nice. Choose love. Let go. Balance your life.

peace~Lisa

Stuff...

Iowa has been the blast I imagined. There were moments that weren't so blast like but my hubby was here and kept me in check. He left Monday morning. I miss him terribly. But I did go to the pool in a bathing suit yesterday to cool off - it seems we brought the Georgia heat with us!
The food has been so delish - much work to do when I get back. My big brother was quick to point out that I would definitely not gain 52 pounds while I was here. My little brother added that I will probably jump start some big weight loss because I have shook up my regular menu. My brothers rock. And the food has been so delish - maybe I mentioned that...
We head home tomorrow morning,me and 2.98 teens(it is driving that girl nuts that I will not admit she is 13(because she isn't) --- 2 1/2 weeks away) I am pretty darn sure the boys are ready to get back - you know their WOW time has been cut off, XBox just isn't the same! And the Princess is missing her girlfriends back home - her best friend will be home from camp the day after we get back and she is so excited she gets to ride with her mom to go pick her up!
Me I am actually ready to get into the thick of things for VBS and for RE - actually excited!
I am going to go and enjoy my last full day here - it has finally cooled down(the heat wants to arrive back in Georgia ahead of us I'm sure)...

Be nice. Choose love. Let go.

peace~Lisa

1 Month Into His 17th Year and 1 1/2 Weeks Into Summer

This Man/Boy of ours.... whoa is me. The time is here. He is busting to get out of the gate and into adulthood. His idea of adulthood. No responsibility , no interaction with the parents, as little contact as possible with his younger sister, up until all hours and sleeping until 11 or 12 or 1 if he can keep the parents at bay. HA! That isn't happening because the parents are as one. United in our quest to keep these kids from becoming veggies this summer. He has always been such a wonderful delight from morning to night - until shortly after he celebrated 16  years on this planet, (which he should remember I, with help from God and my MIL brought him into!), the tides have changed and I am beginning to lose site of the man/boy I knew before May 4th, 2009.
God put someone in my life just prior to that date to help ease the growing pains. A best friend I had being praying for - one who loved me for me and the fact that I was changing and was willing to change together after so many years of stubbornness. One who has always been in my life but never truly my best friend. God opened my eyes and my heart just at the right time to see that Chris was beside me -a nurturer, a confidant, a supporter, an ally, a lover, a soft spot to rest - all of these things and more at the same time allowing me to be the same things for him.
So I am letting go(yeah it sure is my word of the year!) of the little boy and embracing the young man who entered our house with some help from my truly loving husband. His time is coming and I do not want strife and angst to be in our way as he begins the journey that ultimately will lead him from us in many ways and bring him closer in many others. Chris assures me that the best gifts we have given our son are the gifts of communication and unyielding love - it will not be lost as he chooses his own path. We have raised a fine young man who will one day be a fine man. Thank you Heavenly Father for every gift you have bestowed upon us, especially our children.

Be nice. Choose love. Let go.

Your son at five is your master, at ten your slave, at fifteen your double, and after that, your friend or your foe, depending on his bringing up.  ~Author Unknown

peace~Lisa

I Realized Something This Morning

it has been almost (short a week or two) one year since that infamous photo that started this whole weight loss journey(I've been on a healthy diet since September 12, 2008). This morning I weighed one pound less - 52 pounds gone baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!

um...   WOW!

I'm HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks to myself for sticking with it to get this whole thing back to where it needs to be. The thing that has really helped is writing out my menu 3 days in advance and then sticking to it because I know the menu has everything that I am allowed. The whole Jillian Michaels kick butt workout every day is helping - now I know what real exercise is!

Be nice to all people big and small -respect should be for everyone. Choose love when you really feel you don't have to. Let go of guilt it can mess ya up. Balance the good and the bad it's worth it.

Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside of them was superior to circumstance.  ~Bruce Barton

Peace~Lisa

ETA* I AM 1/2 WAY TO MY GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pushing Myself

Well I finally moved passed 50 pound loss to 51 pounds off of me. I am focused again on making and eating healthy choices. I was really getting frustrated and I knew it was my own mental stuff and when the time came I embraced it and moved forward. Having Chris begin working out with me has helped in ways I cannot explain. He is focused on his health more than any other time in the 23 years I have known him. This is so very brilliant for US. When he works out we are learning we have to modify some things right now because of that annoying chronic pain - but the point is he is willing to modify his workout in any way - yeah! He has been away this week and working hard hours in a factory so we figure that's a good workout for him. Tomorrow we continue work on the garage without the kids.

This delights the two of them to no end! They will be spending the day at a retreat for the Post Modern Opera Job! Yes Josie will start singing in the Opera tomorrow! Anyone in the area who wishes to hear and see can come to the open rehearsal at Crossbridge Baptist Church on Skinner Mill Road from 12 to 2PM - there is a wonderful amount of talent there - from the now 19 piece orchestra to the 20 singers, Don Harris and his wife Suzanne have created a beautiful opera about Job - free quality entertainment-FREE!

This morning I started a new workout for myself - Jillian Michaels(from The Biggest Loser show)30 Day Shred. It is kick A! She keeps you moving through strength, cardio, and abs for 20 minutes - no down time - she means it when she says you are moving for 20 minutes. I did level 1 and kept up pretty good more than I would have even 4 months ago and it makes you hurt - in good ways of course. It is something I have been thinking of doing for awhile because it is forcing me to push myself places I just wouldn't had I not re-focused!

Pilates is next on the bill for both Chris and I, I'll let you know how it goes...

I ahve work work to get to and finish today, some pre-garage stuff - oh and keeping those kids from spending their entire summer in front of that durn computer!

Later-----

Be nice. Choose love. Let go. Balance

"Unless You Puke, Faint or Die, Keep Going!"  Jillian Michaels

peace~Lisa