{Recent Pic}

Excuse the sideways camera angle LOL I usually end up taking pics of myself..by myself.  And it's hard to get a full body pic by yourself lol

This was taken on Mother's Day.  I wore a really cute dress to church and I was going to take a picture in that, but then in my rush to change out of my church clothes and get dinner and the evening rush I completely forgot....but I promised I'd get a recent pic up.....so I'm putting it up here too.  This is me now.  :-)

{Amped Up...}

Morning Weight: 136.FOUR! & 135.8!!! After My Workout! TOTALLY COUNTING IT!  haha
Today's Activities: Day8....22 more to go!!

We got up a little later this morning than usual.....it's been a long week.  Most of us haven't been feeling very well.  I've been doing my best to keep working out though.  I've missed a few days....but keep trucking it through!  I was reading a gal's blog Amber's, the other day over here....that's where I got the nifty Shredder button.....and I'm not sure why or where she got the idea, but she is doing the 30Day Shred (for 90 days! yikes!) in intervals......so I thought that was a great idea.....I've always thought that intervals are a great way to really loose weight and burn those calories!  And I've done them in the past, just during the same workout.  So why not with the 30Day Shred too?!?
Besides, while I was doing Level1....I noticed that I wasn't getting as much out of it as I was the first time....so I had already made the decision to ampe it up and possibley to the Level2 and up to Level3 much faster than I had the first time I did the workouts.....I never even did get to Level3 the first time...haha
SO I had started Level2 the other day and was pretty suprised at myself....lol...and today I did Level3!!!
Yikes!  It wasn't as scary as I thought it would be....BUT it wasn't easy either that's for SURE!  I'll do Level2 tomorrow....I don't know if I'll go back to Level1....maybe on days that I'm sick or not feeling well...but I'll definately be going back and forth between 2 & 3 from now on!  :-D 

And I'm SOOO excited that I hit another one of my goals!!!  :-D  YAY!!!  :-D

Luvs! <3

{Feeling Girly...}

Lately I have been Feeling Pretty Girly....if you know me.....this isn't too much of a far stretch.....I just go on and off of doing things like this.  Well, I was on youtube not too long ago....I go on there often looking around and learning all sorts of new girly things.  I learned how to do my poofy pinup bangs on there and how to do my liquid eyeliner on there to make that look pinupy too....like I said all sorts of things really lol  I've also watched a few videos to try and cut my boys' hair (that didn't turn out too well lol)

But anywhoo.....I was watching these videos on nail designs! This girl here is the one that I always end up watching.  She also does videos on make up ect but it's not really my style.  And I don't go out and buy the exact polishes that she uses either, I just use the ones that I already have that are closes enough...(and I definately have enough polishes lol).....or if I really want one, I love the Sally Hansen's Hard as Nails that you can get at WalMart for $2.50!

I tend to do most of the more detailed designs on my toes.....lol.....I clean too much with my hands and so the polish starts to chip off and I just don't want to put much work into my finger nails for them to be chipping off the next day after I clean my kitchen or bathroom lol  So this one I just did myself.....no big deal really....black with aqua dots on it....I really like it though.....and I did a black french tip on my fingers with the same aqua dots.  :-D

Candy Canes

The tutorial for these are here I just did it on my toes.  :-)

She does her designs on her finger nails, but like I said.....I just clean too much....and I love it when I wear my peep toe heels!  hehe I did these for Christmas time.....LOVED IT!  lol And I did a red french tip with a silver line below it on my finger nails.  :-)

I also did the Christmas Lights that she here did for Christmas Day dinner with my family....with a purple french tip and silver line below it on my finger nails.....because I was wearing a purple dress....lol

Here's the Twisted Dots that she does here .....this was the first one I actually tried on my fingers.  I really like the look of them.....I like the look of all the designs on her fingers....She did hers with pink and white.....They started chipping the next morning after I loaded the dishwasher and cleared and wiped down the kitchen counters......eh....you win some you loose some.  LOL

I have definately had a blast doing all these and know that I will keep it up.  It makes me feel girly again.....like I'm taking time for ME....and I need to be doing that.  It's not even about finding time to do it.....I do this while I'm vegging on the couch with Hubby watching tv....lol....not too far of a stretch there huh.  And it doesn't take too much creativity or thinking because I've gotten my ideas from this amazing girl already.  And if you don't like the ideas she has.....or would like something a little more detailed....there are many, many more woman on youtube doing many more videos showing you how to do them too!  :-D

Have a wonderful night Feeling Girly!!!

Luvs! <3

*Edit to post I had origianlly only put the link to the gal's youtube page but later went in and also put in the link to the actual videos that I used.  :-D  Hope ya'll enjoy!

{Sore Enough....}

Morning Weight: 137
Today's Activities: Day4....26 to go..

A good workout makes you sore....lol....just sore enough that you don't like it...but not sore enough that you CAN'T workout the next time.  So sore is a GOOD thing, but you have to be careful not to over do it so that you can keep going.
This is usually how I feel when I'm doing this workout.....it really....REALLY kicks my butt....and I am SORE...I mean I don't want to walk up the stairs or lift up my arms to stir dinner or even push the shopping cart sore.....I don't even hollar at the kiddos as much because my abs are just too sore LOL .......BUT I find that I'm still able to turn on that dvd (as much as I detest seeing Jillian and her cheerful smile) and keep on trucking through it again and again......thinking "it's only 30 seconds....it's only 30 seconds" lol

So since I've noticed that I am actually at least in better shape that I was when I did this workout the first time.....I'm so happy to feel that too! .....So I'll be doing Day5 and I'm going to do Day6 on Level2....not just Level1b which is the harder part of Level1....but all the way up to Level2.....which when I finished the 30Day Shred I was working out at Level2b......so we'll so how long it takes me to get there.  :-D
I'm really hoping to get some really good results.....I'd understand if I don't the same results as I did last time....I had a lot more weight to loose and a lot more fat to get off....I am more toning right now.....but I still have a lot to get where I would like to be.  :-)

And I want to be SORE ENOUGH!  :-D

Luvs! <3

{Silver Lining....}

Morning Weight: 136
Today's Activities: Getting Caught Up After Sick Baby...

I use to be really good at always being able to find the silver lining in most situations......and I really do mean most situations.  And I was able to do this in not only my friend's situations, which is sometimes easier to do for some people.....but it was also pretty easy for me to do in  my life too. 

Well the past (more than) few years have been pretty rough on me.....and I've recently noticed that I haven't been doing this.....well I've done it a hand full of times....like in the past three or four years....and that's pretty sad.  I really do believe that when God closes a door that He opens a window somewhere....and that if we have our eyes, hearts and ears open that we can hear the wind whipsering as to which way the window is.

I also believe that during hard time if we take the time to focus on the positive and take a hard look at the things that we are thankful and greatful for that we will see how truely blessed we are.  I have had to do this on many occasions....especially when my Hubby was deployed there were times when he wasn't able to call or communicate...yes, I was scared, but I was also upset and angry....so I would make a list....a list of things I was greatful of why I loved him and what an amazing father he was ect.....I did this every night....5 things every night so that my heart wouldn't harden towards him when he didn't have much choice but to pull away from us in a difficult situation......silver lining.....

I was reading some on my blog posts and realized that yes.....I have been going through some really lame things in my life lately.....and I'm not saying that I shouldn't be able to write about them or to share them.....I'm am choosing to see those silver linings again......to focus positivly on myself again.....to not only see those silver linings in my life, but to be able to see them in me again. 
I am choosing not to write such negative things because that is really just throwing negative things out and about.....and there is already enough of that in this world.......it is time in my life again that I be positive, no matter how long it has been negative, no matter how long it took me to get here.....I AM HERE.....I am doing my best to take one step forward at a time......and this step has taken me to my sliver lining......

I wanted to thank anyone that does read this blog for putting up with my negative spewing......I have really appreicated any support and prayers that have been brought my way :-)
Luvs! <3

{Tanning...}

Morning Weight: 137
Today's Activities: Day3 down....27 to go...

Ever get those envelopes with all those different coupons that most of us don't use?  You know the ones....for things like siding, and yard work, and DishNetwork, gyms, dentists,spas of all sorts....you get the idea....things like that.....sometimes there's a coupon for the hair cutting place down the street that we use and a couple other's that I like....and I'm always looking for a bargain, so I thimb through it seeing what's in it each month (I think that's how often they come in the mail).
Well, this month there was a coupon for one of the tanning places.....now this is not abnormal mind you....but there was this offer for TWO WEEKS UNLIMITED FREE TANNING..... with NO gimmicks....so I went down there.....there was actually one really close to our house....and checked our the hours, and they worked really well with Hubby's work schedule.  The only thing that they require is that you have the eye goggles that you wear when you go tanning in a tanning bed.  They don't require that you even buy them there.....although it is of course easier to just buy them there......so a little under $10 got me 2 weeks unlimited tanning (I used to have a pair of those, but I doubt I have them anymore lol)
Since we've been back in Washington and all the stress that I have been dealing with my seasonal depression has hit me really hard this year.....last year wasn't great but this year has been really bad.  So my therapist suggested tanning since the light therapy lights are so expensive......and when I saw this I jumped at it!!  :-D
Not only did this help in the past.....and I do know that this is not the 'right'.....I'll tell you why I do it.

1.  Even thoough it is a tigh fit in our schedule it gives me time away from the house and the kids that is just for me....and only me.  It is not grocery shopping (although that IS nice without the kiddos) or errands that need to be done....just for ME.
2.  The warmth feels so great!
3.  Laying there with absolutely NOTHING to do and no chance of getting up for 'X' amout of time....and know that it's really not that long of time.....I think about not much and try to focus on things other than the kiddos, or Hubby, or anything that has to do with the house, or errands, or even things that I need to get done.
4.  This is time for ME....time to just RELAX.....and I don't feel guilty about it because it's only about 40mins from the time I walk out the door to the time I walk back in.  :-D

Luvs! <3

{I found IT!!!}

Today's Activities: Day2 of the 30Day Shred!!!

After yesterdays loverlyness of Level2......I searched for my copy of the 30Day Shred lol Yes I know what you are thinking.....And YES...I am THAT much of a whimp.....
Man!  I remember being sore....but WOW!  And TODAY.....Goodness!!!  So I did my workout at Level1a.....yes, this is the lowest level you can workout at on this dvd.....hush....I will work my way back to where I was at.....even if it takes me the full 30 days!  lol  After taking my measurments I wasn't as bad as I could have been....that's for sure....but I have definately lost a lot of my endurance and strength...but like I've said....I haven't worked out since October (I have to keep reminding myself of this)....I don't say this as an excuse, but as a reminder that it will take a little bit....and if I keep this up it will be a LITTLE bit of time to get back the strength and endurance.  lol  I am excited to be on this stretch of my journey.....even if it took me this long to finally start it.....the point is that I did start it.  :-D 
That's all that matters.....one step at a time.....one foot in front of the other......one small choice at a time......
Luvs! <3

{Once Again.....Day1!}

Morning Weight: 137
Today's Activities: DAY1!!!

It definatley took longer than I would have like....BUT....I finally did Day1 of the 30Day Shred again today!  Yay Me!!!  lol 
Of course...no where to be found was my copy of 30Day Shred....so I had to turn to OnDemand....and what is my luck??.....that after MONTHS....yes, MONTHS of not working out.....they only have Level2....yes you heard me correctly....LEVEL TWO.....of the 30Day Shred.
Okay, now this wouldn't have bothered me too much had it been back in October....see, that's what I was working out in....I do not say this to boast.....I say this to tell you how TOTALLY how of shape I have gotten myself into.....I was working out at the top part of Level2 of this workout video *sigh* .....this afternoon.....as I huff and puff my way through not even barely the lower part of this Level I wasn't even able to complete the whole 20mins!!!  Yes, I admit it.....I wasn't able to complete the workout..... *hang my head in shame*  I WILL be trying again tomorrow though!!!  Muwahahahahah!!!! (insert my crazy face while listening to my crazy laughter) You have not won over MEEEE 30day Shred!!!!  *shakes fist*
Anywhoo......Soooo.....I have done MUCH better with keeping track of what I'm eating and making somewhat better food choices lol And I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will gladly be on here tomorrow saying that I was able to complete my work out.  :-D

Picking up the house now that the boys are back in school is helping alot, and I've been organizing different things too....getting different thigns done here and there around the house.....I should prolly take some pics lol and blog about them lol  My brain is just everywhere and I end up just doing a little bit here and there that most things are in the middle lol We'll see.  :-D

Luvs! <3

{Pictures...Measurements...}

Let me explain.......

This morning I had my therapy scheduled.....so Hubby & I set the alarm to sleep in.....mine was set for a little after 7 (weird I know, but that's just how I roll....I can't just set it for a 'normal' time....don't know why) & Hubby said he was turning off his alarms.
SOOO....Hubby's imagine MY surprize when Hubby's alarm went off this morning!!!  He rolled over and turnded it off.....I was thinking that he must have set his for about 7 also.....okay so I lay there thinking that mine must being going off in a few mins then since I knew mine was set for 7:04 (yes, I know this is strange, as I already mentioned above).....I lay there for a while thinking about how I was awake and that I didn't think it was 7 yet, and what I'd like to do if it was actually 6 like I thought it was because that's what time Hubby's alarm is supposed to be set for.....hmmmmm.....maybe I should get up and do the 30Day Shred.....I'm actually awake.....I slept okay.....I don't have anything to do for the next hour.....I need to get on a workout outfit.....weigh myself (LOVE those morning weigh-ins!).....take my measurements......and gets those Day1 picutures......now those pictures are gonna be the tricky part.  See our #3 little boy tends to crawl into bed with us sometimes and usually when I'm really tired I kick him onto the couch in our room.....BUT....since I was cleaning our room yesterday and Hubby didn't get to all of his clothes they ended up on the couch and so #3 was actually in bed with Hubby.....yupp, I said it....lame huh....This doesn't happen too often, but it happened to happen last night.  So......I trucked it downstairs to figure out where to take my picutres.  I finally figured it all out and then my batteries started to DIE and it was making it all difficult!!!!  AAAHHHHH........so yah longer story some what shorter.....lol.....I ended up not having time to workout this morning.....BUT I did get all my pictures taken, & my measurments taken and my weight....so now I am hoping that I can get up bright & early in the morning and start my loverly workout!  :-D
Wish me skinny!  haha  Just joking! 
Wish me good sleep though so I can get up in the morning!  :-D
Luvs! <3

{SWEETS...from my Sweet...}

Why is it that when My Sweet is being sweet he can be SOO sweet & yet be not sweet at the same time?!  lol
My Hunny picked up some things for me at the store...."because I was thinking of you"......isn't that the sweetest?!  :-D  So of course he knows that not only have I been trying this last year to loose weight, but that these past few months I've been having a hard time with this.....so what does My Sweet bring me?

• Some General Tso's to make for the family for a dinner....very nice so that I don't have to make dinner since this is also something that I've been struggling with.
• Some SmartOnes meals so that I don't have to think about making 'bad food choices' I have something quick & easy to turn to....LURVE it!
• Some Reduced Fat Pringles....he knows how much I llurve these.....squeeze!!!
• Some YUMMY double churned chocolate ice cream....this is the best kind of ice cream if you are on a diet....there are a few different flavors, some with less points, but if you like ice cream it is a great treat for not so many points!!!......AWESOME!......DOUBLE SQUEEZE!!!
• ........the not sweet (not goot for my diet) stuff.....my very own box of my favorite box chocolate donuts....I am a name brand person with these!!  HOSTESS ALL THE WAY BA-BY!!!
• & a HUGE box of jalopeno poppers!!!  Yes I have been craving these.....BUT I haven't gotten them....now I have a HUGE box of them!  LOL

SO there it is.....SWEETS from my Sweet  :-D
Luvs! <3

I LOVE YOU MY SWEET!!!  MUAH  :-*

{So Far...}

Yesterday I was able to get quite a lot done around the house.....BUT I was still finding myself stuffing my face without even realizing it when I wasn't even hungry.....not such a good feeling.  Even when I've gotten so much done around the house.  I'm thinking that I must be on a 'high'...especially being excited with the kids being back in school & wanting to get the house in some sort of order after they were home for so long.  Because not only did I get a lot done yesterday.....but I was ALL over the place....doing something over here, cleaning this over here, picking this up over this way, doing a little project in here....it was like I had ADD or something....I just couldn't concentrate on anything for long so when you look around my house you can't really tell that much got done when it really did.....and then last night I when I was getting ready for bed I still wasn't able to get my brain to calm down.  I went to bed so late.....And I made myself go to bed at that.....my brain was still just going everywhere.

I didn't do an actually workout yesterday.  Although like I said I was doing things almost non-stop.....I think I only stopped to blog, and to take a shower, sit down to eat dinner.....OH!  I sat down when I was taping up my cricut lol and then when I went to bed....man!  lol  So yah.....still working on it though.....Did notice quite a bit thought that my tummy isn't as tone as it used to me..... :-S  REALLY not liking that.  Trying really hard not to sink into that whole self hate depression of emotinal eating circle that I usually do that just makes my tummy bigger.......SO I this morning when I took my meds I took them with water.....which honestly I havne't even been doing that in a long time.....and I've pulled out my food journal finally...my goal isn't really to stay in my points range today with it, but to see REALLY where I'm at and what I'm doing to myself with my points on a regualr basis.....and to be able to go and adjust from there.  I think that the choices I've been making lately it would just be too much a a drastic difference to go to where I'm supposed to be lol UGH That's really bad!  I've been making such BAD food choices!!!  That's okay though....each choice is a choice, and I can only make the next choice a GOOD CHOICE......

Luvs! <3

{Wrong BandWagon.....}

Morning Weight: 141
Today's Activites:  Cleaned Down Stairs Bathroom, Picked Up Coat Closet & Started Re-Organizing It, Continuing Fixing Table for Scrap Area, Dishes, Cleaned Kitchen, Cleaned Entry, Continued Laundry...


Okay....well I have offcially been on America's "Holiday/Christmas" BandWagon....& I am am officially saying that I am now SICK of it!!!  As I was stuffing my mouth with yet again another cookie while I was getting ready to finally take a shower....I realized that I wasn't even hungry......I had started to emotinally eat again, and not even a little bit....A LOT.  This is not a good thing for me.  When I get into a rut with emotinally eating, and when I'm doing it without even noticing it.....not such a fun thing to get out of it.  And I haven't been working out for months now either.....which means I'm basically starting over from square one!  UGH!  I hate this spot!  But I've got to do it!  I don't want to be where I was last year!  Not only did I get rid of my fat clothes, so I don't even have clothes to wear if I start gaining all this weight back, but I'm fianlly starting to work on my self hate.....which isn't nearly as easy for me to do while I'm so over weight!  UGH UGH UGH
I hate the winter months!  And with everything that has been going on at home......this winter has been even harder than in the past....I'm sure living in Washington this year which I'm just not used to to be honest isn't helping either.  Not that I don't like living here, it's just that I'm not used to it anymore.....I really did love the mellow winters of North Carolina. 

Hubby started working the day shift again this week, so we're adjusting to that.  We think that will be a good thing, it's just adjusting to it all.  I am now stuck at home during the day with no vehicle....which really is the biggest negative to it all.  Most of it is pretty positive.....he'll be home on the weekends and he'll be able to go to all of his appointments without a problem now.  :-D
So I've been getting up in the mornings with him to make him breakfast & spend a little time with him before he leaves for work.  And of course there's not enough time to go back to bed (lol) before the boys need to get up to get ready for school.  So I'm adjusting to the schedule with him.  I'm hoping to be able to have the energy here soon to put that time to use.  I've been getting some household things done so far.....thankfully the boys haven't adjusted to school quite yet so I don't have them up yet.  lol  But I'm not adjusted yet to getting up so early so I'm not ready to be working out that early yet either lol We'll see.....I'd like to be doing that soon though.....cuz I'm WAY too tired from getting up so early to do it at nap time too!  And I'm stuck at UGH again!

That's all I have for now!
Luvs! <3

{PinUpMama Monique's 2010s Healthly Goals}

My ABSOLUTE #1 Goal for RIGHT NOW.....is that I need to get my punk self back into gear and get working out and paying attention to what I eat again!!!

I'm still working on my Goal list that I had periviously....

#4 is to reach my pre-pregnancy weight of 135
#5 is "healthy" BMI weight of 125

#6 is to go to Miss Indigo Blue's Academy of Burlesque
This is a new one for me.  The reason I would like to do this is because I have dealt with self hate for a very long time.  Not only hate of my body, which I reall think this will help with....but SELF HATE.  A lot of people deal with this....most hide it behind thinking they just need to lose weight and they think they will be 'happy'.....but I know this the hard why, at least for me....mine is self hate.....I won't go into too much detail in this post....maybe another time.....
So overall, I am hoping that this school will show me that I can love myself for who I am....body and all.

I'm going to be really thinking of some other goals to try and get me more motivated.....I really want to start the 30Day Shred again....I can tell that my muscle isn't as tone as it was a few months ago.....I can't believe it's BEEN a few months already!!! 
Luvs! <3

{"Resolutions" for 2010}

I've never really been big on resolutions for New Years.....but I do like fresh starts...lol....so here's some ideas that I would like to put into my life....and what a better way to start the calendat year huh?
So here goes......


Family/Spiritual

1. Family Binder
2. I Would Like to be More Involved in My Neice/Nephews Lives (even if this is a birthday card...I need to start somewhere-if I would like others' to be in our children's lives I need to do the same)
3. Re-do the Boys' Chore Charts & Their 'Consequences/Rewards'
4. Family Prayer & Scripture Reading in the Evenings
5. FHE More Regularly
6. Continue Going to Church More Often as a Family (now with Tommy working days will be a lot easier to accomplish)

HouseHold/Home Decor

1. Paint a Butt Load of Furniture in My House (most of this will be put on hold until we get into our new house)
2. We will be doing a lot of things to be getting ready to move out of our rental.....

Personal/Craft

1. Make Birthday Cards For Family Members
2. Learn To Sew
3. Learn How To Do Tatting (I want to make snowflakes)
4. Start Making Ukrainian Easter Eggs
5. Start a Christmas Gift List-Preferably Crafts & GET STARTED!!!
6. Re-Do Our Family Board

Organizational

1. Make Family Binder
2. UpDate My Family Address Binder (add pictures?)
3. Make Important Dates Pages to Include in My Adress Binder (which includes gathering birthdays & anniversaries to put into the pages lol)
4. Downsizing & Organizing My House (I will be going into more detail as I do this...)
5. Get My Meal Planning Under Control
6. Get My 'Chore Schedule' Settled

Financial

1. Pay Off BIG Bills (we have our details of this written down because there's a lot of it)
2. Buy A House
3. Start Saving More
   

Most of these as I complete them will prolly be posted on my craft blog....since that's where I post most of my crafty homey & prolly even organizational things.....& this is I write about my weight loss and my more personal stuff...& I like it that way....that's why I started the other one.  :-D

I know that these are posted a little late....but with the kiddos home from school my house and brain have been on the fritz lol Hoping to get things a little back on track here soon!
Luvs! <3

{New Years Eve 2009}

Normally we all don't do much for New Years Eve.....this year really wasn't too much different...lol...we just got to do it all together!  :-D  Besides when we were kiddos our selves I think this was the first New Years that My Seester and I have spent together as adults.

We hung out and ate some chips and dip....watch the guys play with the HDMI cables on the tv & ps3 *rolls eyes* lol watched a couple movies, ate some pizza.....and basically just enjoyed each other's company.  :-D

CAN'T FORGET THE KISSES AT MIDNIGHT!!!

Jon & Jeanette

Tommy & Monique

*PS-Yes I do know it's kinda weird how the pics look very similar!!  LOL  :-P

Luvs! <3