Yeah, We Was Cruisin...

{In the dirty old garage but I love this pic because her face is so sweet}

On Saturday morning Haylee picked up the horn and called my mother-in-law to let her know very matter of factly that she was "coming over, playing make-up and barbie dolls, I love you and bye."  Thankfully Donna didn't have plans for the day (or maybe she didn't have time to say she had them) so we got ourselves around and dropped Haylee off.

{Poor Donna had green and pink eyeshadow all over her face}

Haylee was so cute to watch while she worked on her grandma's face. She had her little pinky finger in the air and she was being so careful to do it just right.  Every time Donna would ask her "am I pretty yet?" Haylee would very disgustedly tell her no and then kept caking it on.

Since we knew Haylee would be tied up for the afternoon we decided to do something with the boys they normally wouldn't be able to do with her around.  Their first choice was Craig's Cruisers so Jon started heading in that direction, I'm guessing because it was lunch time and in addition to all the fun, he knew they have a kick ass buffet.

{22 pounds down and still with the double chin?}

As you can tell Ryan was pretty excited to get through his meal and get down to business, we took our pictures while eating in the same dining room last year so I couldn't pass up doing it again.  Looking back at one year ago, I can't believe how much we have all changed!

The boys had fun playing arcade games while they waited for their number to be called for laser tag, David rocked the jump rope game and is in love with the photo because he looks "ghost-like" you can see through him because of all the lights.

While I waited outside the room where laser tag was going on there was a live feed which showed who shot who and how many points each player was racking up.  I had to smile because Ryan was keeping time with his dad like a pro.  When it came down to the final score my four year old was right behind his dear old dad, like a boss...

We made our way then to the go-carts and I fully intended to ride double with Ryan but our card only had enough tokens on it for three so I stepped off to the side and took some pictures.

With all our tokens gone, we headed for the door.  All afternoon Ryan had been begging to play the Star Wars game but there was always a line, miraculously on our way out the stars aligned just perfectly and he jumped in the seat with fifty cents and walked out of the building one happy boy.

And so did Jon after seeing this monkey...

We went back for Haylee and found them getting ready to celebrate the dog's birthday.  Yes, you heard right...Betsy is nearly three years old so they celebrated with cupcakes that were of the most vibrant color ever.  I swear I will never understand how children miss the entire hole in their face...

{Exhibit A}

{Exhibit B}

I gotta thank my mother in law for taking Haylee for the afternoon, I know the boys had a great time ditching their little sis in order to run around like mad men, shooting to kill.

Tomorrow Never Comes.

I have said "tomorrow is the day" so many times over the past twenty years.  But just like everyone else in the free world, I'm in love with all things food so my tomorrow never came.  A year ago and for the first time in my adult life, I made a conscious effort to start dropping some of the excess baggage I have been carrying around since puberty and I won't lie, it hasn't been easy and I've fallen off the wagon multiple times.

At one point during my weight loss journey I wrote a post titled No(body) Is Perfect and in the post I talked about how happy I was with my body and how everyone should just love me for me but just one year after it was written...I had packed on another 18 pounds and I wasn't so happy.happy.joy.joy about my fat ass anymore.

In October I was one doughnut from 250 pounds when my friend Katie announced "today is the day".  We started tracking calories and lost some weight but just like in my previous attempts, I was soon to back pedal.  It was the holidays which brought goodies that sometimes I only see once a year!

{Image}

Well,  now here I am again and they say third time is a charm, right?  My motivator for the past thirty days has been my mother.   I mean no disrespect when I say that she also has been an unhealthy person for many years, just like most of the women in my family but for her to say "this is what we need to do to keep our family together" meant something more.  We were going to do something larger than today, because she was proposing to band together and turn our lives around.

{Rest in Peace Grandma ~ October 7, 2011}

My mom, sister and I have been following the Weight Watchers plan for one month now, which in turn inspired my aunt and cousin to jump on board,  and we developed our own little fat girl society called "The Chub Club." We share food tips, daily struggles/successes and we all have our own goals.  My mom and I want to wear a fancy dress to Alissa's wedding next year, not only wear one but look good in one.

I have researched the Weight Watchers method and it has worked for so many, you need to know that diet and exercise is the only way, there isn't any other way.  Hunger pains were very prevalent during the first two weeks but then subsided...and I hate to sound cliche but honestly if I can do it, anyone can do it.  This comes from somebody who ate out for lunch every single day and probably out for dinner two-three times per week with NO EXERCISE.  I was the poster child for Heart Diseases R' Us.

Okay people, without further ado...my check in after 30 days following the Weight Watchers plan.

 

Every pound that I have lost has inspired me to lose one more.  For the past month all I wanted was to get out of the 230's and I did that.  I haven't been in the 220's for as long as I can remember, but now I am and at the rate of 1-2 pounds per week I could be twenty pounds lighter by summer and that?  Unimaginable...BUT absolutely attainable.

So from somebody who pushed it off every day and would make excuses like:

• You can't start a diet in the middle of a week!  You can.
• I  can't control my sweet tooth during my period!  You can.
• It's my birthday, it's a holiday, my friend is in town!  So what.
• I don't make it to PF Chang's every day, so I'll spurge!  Butyouarestillafatass.

Tomorrow will never come, you won't let it.  Wake up feeling better tomorrow for what you did today and take it one day at a time.   You will never regret taking that walk after dinner so start small.  Start today and inspire somebody, I promise to do whatever I can to inspire you.

Weekend Recap.

{The Evil Mr. Box Head}

Not a whole lot of action this weekend in our household...which left me feeling a little out of sorts being my online class ended Friday night and I had no homework waiting on me for a change. I cleaned up the house and got a few loads of laundry done early Saturday morning while the boys were out getting haircuts and having breakfast so I basically sat around feeling like "now what?"

{I'll Get You Mr. Box Head...And Your Little Dog Too!}

Haylee and I headed to the mall looking for and Easter outfit for Ryan but after hitting all the stores, we came home empty handed.  I have had a peach and white dress for Haylee, a peach shirt and tie for David for about a month now, but when it comes to four year old boys?  No peach in the land...

We were supposed to have a babysitter on Saturday night, but she totally flaked last minute and that was disappointing.  When you think you're going to get out for some adult time and then the carpet gets yanked out from under you?  Disappointing, that's the only word I can come up with.

It worked out though we invited the neighbors to a Mexican restaurant downtown, the margarita took seven weight watcher's points but the drink made it easier to be in an awesome restaurant with four small children.  The food was amazing....thank God I had been saving up my points for date night.

{The Evil Daddy Took Down the Box Head}

Nap time for two days in a row?  Much needed...this afternoon we threw a ham in the crock pot and woke up with dinner nearly ready for eating.  We invited Jon's parents over to eat and be still my heart they showed up with peanut butter brownies.   I skipped the ham, potatoes and corn and instead had a salad and then more than twelve points worth of brownies.  Best. Meal. Ever.

{Evil Daddy Reigns}

Back to the grind tomorrow...I wish I had more excitement to share from the weekend but this family just laid back and chilled.  How about you?