Belt

This past weekend I actually had to go out and purchase a belt!I haven't owned a belt since sometime in the 80's when it was fashionable to wear huge, oversized ones on the outside of an equally oversized sweater.

The reason for this purchase?To hold my pants up of course! My hard work is paying off.(Albeit still a lot slower than I anticipated, but whatever.) My problem is that I haven't lost enough in the right places to warrant going down a size but it is just enough that my pants feel like they are dragging on the ground like those ever so charming "skater" pants.It drives me crazy.I can't imagine it looks ummmm... shall we say pleasant, watching me take two steps and then hike them up,take two steps,hike them up,repeat. And really ,I don't particularly enjoy the sight of other peoples underwear (thong or otherwise),so what would make me think that others would enjoy it!

My only issue with this otherwise functional piece is when you really,really have to go to the bathroom.Its just one extra step between you and the porcelain throne. Not exactly my idea of fun.Oh well hopefully this will be a short phase and I will be able to go down to the next size.Here's hopin' anyway.

February

I'll bet you can't guess what I've been dreaming of lately?! Well I will let you in on a little secret...It sure isn't snow and cold and ice, thats for sure.Spring is on my mind these days.Despite my every effort I just can't seem to love this horribly long month of February.I must admit, I did manage to make it through January reasonably unscathed this time around.But the moment February hit, all bets were off.The never ending days of fog and gloominess did me in.To the point that I just wanted to stay bundled up and sleep the rest of this month away.It didn't help that I attended my cousins funeral and then throw in the 2nd anniversary of my mom's death on top of that.I'm sorry winter lovers I just can't do it.
I am thankful that the days are getting longer.But hurry up calender,let's turn the page.There is so much to look forward to."Pumpkin's" second birthday,the warm sun on my face,green things appearing,the "new" smell,the first rainfall.These things make me smile.*sigh*

For now we just have to deal with February and a little bit of this......

Going Down

I have definitely been getting a lot out of my Christmas gift this year. My Wii fit plus has been my constant companion since the day I hooked it up (ok hubby hooked it up).I have not missed a day yet! I'm not losing weight as quickly as I would like and there have been a few times i've wondered, "why am I doing this?" But I keep going.Partially I don't want to let my family down.They invested a lot of money to buy this for me.The biggest part and more importantly I think,is for me.My weight kept ballooning with each pregnancy and then again when I was taking anti-depressants.(my body really does not like them).The heavier I got, the more depressed I got.You see the cycle happening?I guess I just finally got to that point where something had to give.

I must admit I hate all forms of exercise .It is booooring.I have just never found anything that I enjoyed until now.The first time I came in contact with one of these Wii things was at DH sisters' place.I loved it. It was fun and you burned calories at the same time with out realizing your actually doing "exercise".I like it because I don't have to go anywhere except to my living room.I don't have to feel bad in front of others,I don't have to wait for equipment,I can go at my own pace and I can mix things up until my hearts content.I can do a good work out with the aerobics,yoga and strength training or we can just have fun playing games!

As I mentioned before I haven't been losing weight as quickly as I would like.But you also have to take into account that I am an instant gratification type person.So what is to slow for me is actually about right.I have lost nearly 6lbs in 4 weeks and the inches have been coming off all over the place.My stomach, which perpetually looked as if I was 6months pregnant (2 years after the fact) has now been reduced to something less. The clothes I have are starting to fit a lot better.(I've been trying to squeeze myself into the clothes I had because I just couldn't bear to go up another size)Even that lovely "flab" that hangs from the bottom of my arms is starting to shrink.

All in all it has been a positive experience.I just need to keep going and not give in to those little "voices" that tell me "you've never stuck with anything through to the end before.What makes you think you can do it now?" or "Its so much easier just to give up and blame your problem on someone or something else".Maybe one day I will be brave and post a picture.For now I'm just going to keep my focus on the goal I set.

Many Projects

So....Remember when I said I had a million little projects I wanted to accomplish sometime this year?I thought I would just share a FEW of them(other wise we would be here until NEXT year).

This charming fabric I picked up at Walmart before Christmas.I got it for no other reason than it was pretty.I didn't have a clue what I was actually going to do with it.



(OK I admit, I cheated. I actually managed to accomplish One of the things on my list)
I made these two little skirts from the fabric.They turned out pretty good.In fact I even let the girls go out in public with them!

Then there is my bathroom. See the window? It is completely naked except for some little hand tinted photographs of flowers that once belonged to Grandma and a little candle holder.I have had the fabric to make curtains for this window for over a year now.I think its about time I did something about it.




Next there is this little chair.I picked it up at a garage sale for $2.00.I loved it.It reminds me of something they use it the decorating magazines that I adore so much.I know it doesn't look very pretty right now.But you see, that is my point.I have been intending on painting it and reupholster it.But here it sits , a couple years later,exactly as it was



In my kitchen is a little pantry that I made all by myself (puff out chest).But I have never liked the door.It is plain and flat and well....ugly.So my plan is to put on some moulding and fill in the center with chalkboard paint (another idea from my decorating magazines).I have the moulding,I have the paint now I just have to do it!




And last but certainly not least is my fire place mantel.Right now it screams unorganized mess!I want to do something with it to draw your eye to it.Im just not sure what I want to do with it yet.I have to be careul what I put there.Because a certain small person climbs the back of the chair to perch herself on it.So it definately can not be anything that I would be devastated if it fell.



There are so many more things, but I'll try to keep you posted if I actually manage to get anything done!

Four

I realize that I am a few days late with this post.After all "Monkey's" birthday was on the 27th. The point I am trying to make is.... who gave her permission to turn 4?It certainly wasn't me.I have given her strict instructions (which she ALWAYS follows to the letter *ahem*)that she was to stop growing older !But being the independent little person she is,she completely ignored me. Some how I was able to deal with her turning 1,2 and 3.Those years are full of exciting changes.You know,walking talking,getting a personality.Those things.But for some reason 4 makes me want to pull back on the reigns.Because 4 leads to 20!Yes I know thats a little bit dramatic but.... (I have no rational answer to give). This past year has had its moments of frustration and complete awe."Monkey" is strong willed and hard headed but on the flip side of the coin she continues to amaze me every day with her capacity for learning.She is a little sponge.I have had many people comment on how smart she is for her age.( just a little bit of pride here).Building,numbers,writing letters are her things and every day she moves just a little bit closer to reading.She can sound out a few short words on her own.I get the feeling she understands a lot more than she lets on.But I don't push her.She doesn't like being told what to do.So she does it when she feels like it. Some of her favorites over this past year have been Disney's "Little Einsteins",her Othello game(she can't really play it but she loves to manipulate the pieces),the computer,dinosaurs, helping to make cookies and the "Blue" store(AKA Walmart).Me thinks she has a little bit of her father in her.

I look forward to seeing who she will blossom into.But does she have to get older?????