Friday.

Highlight of my day so far.

We look like young little babies.

Being able to fit into and wear that shirt.  This picture was taken on Sean's graduation day from St. Thomas, four years ago.  This picture is bittersweet.  The next day, he moved to the east coast and our across the country long distance relationship began.  Thankfully, I see him every day now and we're getting married. 

I'm going to visit Travis, Becky, and Charlie in Winona.  What are you doing this weekend?

Weigh in Wednesday.

March 28, 2012: -.3 pounds, -37.7 pounds total

Story time.  On Monday night I weighed myself and I was over four pounds heavier than today's weight.  I'm happy I've lost a little bit of weight since the last weigh in Wednesday.  I've been eating really well the past few days.  Let's keep this train a-chugging along.

Happy Wednesday!

Optimism.

Optimism is a funny thing.  One second, it's there, and the next second I'm complaining about something else.  Me being cold, me not wanting to go to work, me not wanting to bike against the wind every direction I need to go, blah, blah, blah.

Enough is enough.  I've decided to try to be optimistic in most crappy situations.  Examples:

• People are annoying, but it is probably me that is annoyed and the situation, not the person.
• I want to slap people, but again that is me and the situation, not the person's fault.
• At work, the school next door is playing their band music super loud.  Eh, it could be worse.
• The people living above my apartment sound like they're coming through the floor.  Eh, it could be worse.
• It's cold outside.  No, actually it's not.  We've been spoiled this winter and spring.  This is above-average and abnormal. 

Attempting to be optimistic.  What have you been complaining about that you could look on the bright side of things?

Turning a new leaf.

I decided yesterday on my bike ride into work I am turning a new leaf with this weight loss lifestyle change.  The past few months of crappy eating and gaining and losing the same few pounds is behind me.  I'm starting fresh, as of yesterday.

With the weather getting nicer and the grass getting greener, I'm finding it is easier to exercise.  I am able to ride my bike to work and to other places, such as the library.  I'm finding myself wanting to be active more because the sun doesn't set quite so early and the temperature unseasonably warmer than it has been.  Now, if only the rain would hold off...

What are you most excited about with spring on it's way?

Sunken Garden at the Conservatory.

On Saturday morning, Christa and I walked over to Como Park Zoo & Conservatory.  Inside the Sunken Garden of the Conservatory, spring flowers were in full bloom.  It looked gorgeous and smelled even better than it looked. 

Hibiscus flowers.

The flower was huge!

View upon entering the garden. Ignore the random people.

Look at those hydrangeas!

I don't know what the pink flower was called, but it has so many layers.

My favorite flower.  If they were white, I would have been smitten.

I don't know what these pretty things are called.

More beautiful tulips.

They were huge, much like most of the flowers in the sunken garden.

Bleeding hearts.

  What did you do over the weekend?

Wine, crafts, and snacks.

I had an eventful Friday night. 

Christa and Katie came over to my apartment on Friday to help with some wedding crafts.  Specifically, they helped with centerpieces.

Katie with a pin stuck in through her finger. This was the worst of the pin sticks for her.

In addition to working on centerpiece flowers, we drank some wine and ate some snacks.

I feel like we got a lot accomplished.  Basically, most of the hydrangea poms for the gray vases are completed.  Side note.  What is the proper spelling of the color gray? 

From web design site, Sitepoint, found in Google search

Should it be gray or grey?  I've seen it both ways.  GreyorGray.com says "gray" is how it is spelt in America (uses US English) and "grey" is how it is spelled in England (uses UK English), but both are correct. 

Now, this portion of the centerpieces will be complete once all of the vases are spray painted to the proper gray.  That is a project for Sean and my father to do next time we are in Sleepy Eye.  And I need to get more yellow paper to punch out hydrangea flowers to finish the flowers for the gray vases.

Exhausted.

Tomorrow night Christa and Katie are coming over for wine and wedding crafts.  Becky, I'll bring more crafts along with next weekend!

Good things to happen this week:

• I have a garden plot
• Sean is employed

I prepped food for tomorrow night and have cleaned the apartment.  I'm exhausted.  I think an early bed time is in order this evening.

Good night world.

Weigh in Wednesday... Whoopsie.

I completely forgot it was Wednesday until I got to work.  That means I forgot to weigh in pre-shower and pre-breakfast, but post-bathroom usage.

Lame.

Perfect topper

Sean and I have a cake topper for our wedding cake and it's perfect. 

Barbie and Ken Wedding Day keepsake ornaments

I found the idea for the Barbie figurines from Weddingbee, a wedding blog that I love.  One of the bloggers had posted her idea about the Barbie ornaments in the beginning of March.  Once I saw her post, I immediately knew that this needed to be our cake topper as well.

As my family can attest to, I was a Barbie freak.  I loved everything Barbie and still played with them long after my friends stopped.  My dad built me an amazing Barbie house when I was five.  Once I have room for it, I will move it into my home and set up the original furniture and everything.  Boots will probably hide in it. 

Off to Ebay I went and I found the set right away.  I need to take the screws out of the tops of the bride and groom's head, but that is a minor detail. 

Apparently the hook things (very technical term) can be removed

They will also be doing double duty.  They will hang on our Christmas tree as ornaments - their original purpose - as well. 

Do you think I should paint the bow tie and cumberbun gray or yellow?

Aren't they perfect?

Great news!

I received some excellent news via email this morning.  The subject of the message said, "Congratulations You Have a Plot." 

I have a garden plot in a community garden!

(Insert excited squeals here.)

Once I find out how the size of the plot, I can decide what to plant.  For sure, tomatoes and peppers.  Who's excited?!

What should I grow?

So....

...this happened.  To see more info or to follow me on Daily Mile, click here.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I know, I'm a day early.  I didn't want to forget.  Sean and I may be going to the St. Patrick's Day Parade in downtown Saint Paul tomorrow.  I need to find some green to wear that isn't a Minnesota Wild shirt...

Happy Friday!

Weigh in Wednesday

Today is Wednesday.  You know what that means.

March 14, 2012: +.9 pounds, -37.4 pounds total

Yes, I gain a little under one pound.  I blame it on the fact that I am eating like a horse this week out of the month.  I wonder how much weight a person would lose if they took a good poop?  Too much information?  Okay, sorry about that.  I'm awkward.

Anyway, I'm not upset about this.  I'm becoming a biking fool in the gorgeous spring weather, so I know I'll be on the losing side of things from here on out.  The sun is shining and I've got a smile on my face.

Be prepared for exciting things, people!

Did you weigh in today?  How did it go?

First Bike Ride of 2012

My route from Daily Mile

My bike and I went for a spin yesterday, a 3.47 mile spin.  Sean was there, too, on his own bike of course.

Sean finished giving Lenny a spring tune up when we got home from Sleepy Eye yesterday.  It was so gorgeous and the paths and roads were dry, so I was practically begging to go. 
While biking, muscles that are used to propel the bike forward were burning.  My quads definitely didn't hurt as much as they did when I first got the bike last fall, but they were being worked yesterday.  It's raining today, but as soon as the roads are dry you better believe I will be biking to work.  Hopefully tomorrow, but definitely Wednesday.  Woo!
How did you enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend?

Last Night's Run

Last night's run was a major mental battle for me.  Maybe it was partly physical, I don't know, but I know it was a struggle mentally. 

As I was running on the treadmill wanting to die, things like this would flash through my mind:

Found on Pinterest, couldn't find the original posting of it.

And this:

Also on Pinterest, uploaded by user so no link.

And lastly this:

From Pinterest, originally from here.

During the run I wanted to give up so incredibly badly.  Today I'm glad I didn't give up.  Today I am happy I stuck it out.  I think I'm most proud of completing that run.

Ran.

I ran.  A very slow mile.  But I did it.

Weigh in Wednesday

Weigh in Wednesday!

March 7, 2012: -1.6 pounds, -38.3 pounds total

Woo!

Centerpieces and Pew Decorations

I have figured it out.  It being the reception table centerpieces and pew decorations at the church.

Tutorial found at Pizzazzerie

I have two different sized Martha Stewart hydrangea punches that I've been using to punch flowers out of two types of paper in different shades of yellow. 

Imagine this in yellow

I've made two different sized pomanders to go on a wire stem that will sit in the vases we picked up from IKEA.  So far, I'm really digging how it looks, but each pomander is tedious.  I've found that if the two hydrangea flowers that are layered together for each blossom are glued together first before pinning into the Styrofoam ball works a lot better.  Also, instead of using corsage pins like pictured above, on the smaller pomanders for the centerpieces I used quilting pins because they're yellow.  I think if I use quilting pins for the large pomanders, it may look kind of goofy.  The head of the quilting pin is going to be too small I think.  Maybe I'll find some yellow corsage pins online that have a larger plastic head.

If anyone needs to get their craft fix, how does gluing and pinning flowers to a Styrofoam ball sound?  That reminds me... I need to pick up some more yellow paper and pins for the pomanders from Michael's.  Good thing I've got a stash full of Michael's coupons!

Photographer booked!

I forgot to mention a photographer has been booked for the wedding!  A couple weekends ago when Sean and I were visiting my parents we met with two photographers.

Both photographers had really nice work and we would have been happy with either.  Ultimately, it came down to price, at least in my mind.  I called her last week and Mary Woitas, from Sleepy Eye, is booked as our photographer.  She offers exactly what are looking for: no prints to buy and images on a disc.  Also, as an added bonus we're getting two photographers.

I'm so happy and relieved that is done!  I feel like a weight has been lifted. 

Oh!  Save the dates were mailed out last week too.  I'm crossing things off my wedding to-do list left and right.

Getting comfortable and not caring.

I've been wanting to write this post for a while now.  While I have lost 36.7 pounds since beginning this lifestyle change on July 28, 2011, it is nowhere near my goal weight of 160 pounds. 

I know the reason why I haven't been losing more weight.  I'm getting comfortable at my weight right now.  I'm at the weight I was in college and my clothes that were too small are fitting again.  It feels great to be able to wear jeans I haven't worn in over a year.  I thought I was being silly when last spring I moved a bunch of clothes that were too small. 

On Saturday, while doing laundry I needed a pair of jeans to wear out of the apartment.  The only jeans I had are way too big.  I could pull them down with them buttoned and zipped.  I slid a belt on and kept those suckers on. 

I'm proud of how far I've come, but I am not happy with my weight right now.  I have a beautiful wedding dress to slim down one size to fit into.  I had a dream last night I recieved a phone call from the bridal shop letting me know my dress was in and I needed to come in for my first fitting.  I woke up terrified and immediately checked my phone to see if that was indeed true.  Thankfully, it is not.  But.  I still need to lose more weight to fit into that gorgeous white dress.  I really can't wait to wear it.  My mom will agree, it's pretty damn awesome.

I know what it takes to lose weight.  I just need to do it.  It's a motivation issue.  I wish I could slap the picture of my wedding dress all over to keep reminding me that if I don't work on the weight loss, it is not going to fit.  Every morning in my half sleep daze of turning my alarms on my cell phone off, I look at the pictures my mom took of me in the dress.  Every.  Single.  Morning.  I can't have pictures of my wedding dress laying around my apartment though, so not posting it everywhere.  I definitely do not want Sean to see it. 

Any motivation tips?

P.S.  Sean we're working out tonight.  I might be running...

Happy Thursday!

I'm jacked up on coffee.  Today is a good day.  Watch this video.  It's my all-time favorite song.  It's hard to be in a bad mood when I hear this song.