Shoes

Last night my crocs broke--I am so sad.
The sling part that holds the strap on has stripped out and can't be fix---

Yes I think Crocs are ugly, but man I love them! The only thing mine are NOT good for is--lots of mud-deep snow and rain--they come in through the holes on the side, oh and really rocky area's--But I did buy my used and most of the sole had been wore away, so maybe if I got a new pair I wouldn't feel the rocks as much----

Fast forward to today--I have now spent 1/2 hour looking at shoes that
1. I can't afford
2. Would never wear (because where would I wear them too?)
3. Don't even know if they would fit

BUT...

I really like shoes--maybe if I kept better care of my feet I would want to wear really cute shoes, but with dirt, mud, and lack of pavement in my area, sturdy good shoes work the best.

I looked up heeled ankle boots--I just don't know if I like them or not---or even what to wear them with---PLUS I don't think I am "fierce" enough to wear them.

Early Mothers Day Gift

I asked Lucas for a sewing machine for Mothers day!
Yeah!!

I couldn't wait--I went right out to Wal-mart (gasp! Wal-Mart--yes I know many of you dislike it Wal-mart--but it was either that or the other store where the cheapest machine is easy over $150.00) and got a Singer-the very basic one, but I don't need anything high tech!

I also had to "celebrate" by getting some fabric to break in the sewing machine--I will be posting pictures of my new purchase soon! With the machine, some extra do-dads like needles and bobbins, thread, bias tape, and the fabric I am really to start sewing--well I will be ready as soon I return the sewing machine I borrowed months (a year) ago from a friend--then I will be ready!
yeah!



(Yes Angie--I should be paying off debt, but I am weak--I REALLY gotta work on that! I thought of what you would say the whole time I paid for it!)

How I met your Father...

Lots of women are posting how they met their spouse so I thought it would be fun....



I am sure I have way more to type up so this might be a two--three--or even four part post.



First part---



I need to tell you a little about my "dating" history.



I didn't do it. I went to your dances, proms, homecoming, and I went on group dates, but when it came to one-on-one dating, it just didn't happen for me.

I was too awkward--too busy--and honestly too scared to date much.

The only guy I went on steady dates with was a Handicap guy that would ask me so we went. Always dinner and a movie---it was fun. Also there was no expectations of course so I could be totally free to be myself.

With anyone else I always felt like I had to be all prim and proper. It is funny to look back on now--I had some amazing guy friends who would have been great to date, but alas--I missed out. I think I "went out" as in going steady, with three or four guys and rarely held hands even. I think I have kissed (romantically) maybe 4 guys before I met Lucas. (Being in a theater group we would hug, kiss, and hold hands like you would with a brother or sister, nothing romantic at all-kind of like kissing your parents--normal for my crowd, a sore spot with Lucas, we don't talk about it much.-so I have kissed maybe 10 guys total.) I wasn't prude, I just didn't want to be one of those girls who had to have a guy all the time, so I was on the opposite end--never have a guy around.


BUT...I was fine with it at the time, and still am fine with my dating history.


so fast forward to college.

There were lots of cute guys, but if any one in my group (we had a good group of girls) liked the same guy I did I always told her to "go for him-you too would be cute" or "I like him, but I am not as interested as you--go for it!".

So our group got in the habit of going over the Institute building (the Institute building is a place where we take religion classes-not part of the college, but very important in our religion-no smoking, no drinking, just good kids having clean fun), to play pool or just hang out. One night I walked in and saw a guy who liked me, and I didn't like back AT ALL. I thought "great--this is going to be a long night".
But when I walked into the room where the pool table was I stopped in my tracks when I saw this amazingly goodlooking guy sitting in the corner. I litterally stopped walking and just stared for a few seconds.
He was leaning back in the chair he was in. He had on blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and I think a baseball cap. His facial hair was a little scruffy, but not unkept.
His friend (the guy who liked me), started introducing all of us to his friends. Daniel, Micah, and Lucas. Lucas was the hot one!
I thought--"great friends with C____ this guy is going to be a total idoit."
We stayed and played pool with all of them for quite a while. I totally fell for Lucas. He was smart, funny, charming, and so hot.
On the way home-of course we were talking about the guys--and one of my friends said-"did you notice how cute Lucas is?"
to which I answered "BACK OFF - HE IS MINE!" I was totally serious too. My friends all looked at me--this was NOT the normal Amy answer.

So the next night we went back to the Institute building. All day I had been thinking of Lucas and hoping he would show up again tonight....And he did!
We all played pool again and stayed up way to late. It was so fun hanging out with him. He wore a white shirt and blue jeans again, but he had shaved. still super goodlooking! and just as fun as the night before.

The next night I was so excited to see him--but he wasn't there--infact he didn't come back to the Institute Building for a week!

To be Continued.....

Garden Time---NOT!

I am SO excited because I have just let myself off the hook from doing a garden this year.

I know--where I live that is huge! A garden is a good sign of a Mormon women--well guess what--NOT this Mormon Mommy---not this year. I told Lucas that and he was 100% fine with it---but I am going to buy the food I would normally can and still can--infact, without a garden I will have more time to can more food--so I am REALLY going to try to can 2 years worth of some foods (green beans, carrots, ham chunks, turkey chunks, ground beef, tomatoes, corn, pickles, salsa, and more)--I am so excited!

I am devoted to getting my yard cleaned and with any extra money (Lucas's truck will official be all ours next week--and we will use it to pay down the debt we now have thanks to it, and other things--car/school) that we happen upon I am going to get my yard the way I want it.

I have NEVER really cleaned up my yard in the 5 years we have lived here so it is going to be a big job. The weather has been wonderful the past two weeks (when it is not snowing) so I have tried to work on it some daily, but I have maybe gotten 1/100 of it done. I have already filled 9 black trash bags full of yard trash--leaves, sticks, sawdust, and all that stuff. I haven't even started on the messy parts of the yard. YUG!

I have two huge burn piles I will have to burn just a little at a time--one great thing about living in the country!

I am working on a yard plan--I will fill you all in when it is done!

Lucky you

I have gotten some awesome books at the library lately! Yeah!! Last night I read 1 yard wonders--or things to make with just one yard of fabric! Love it!

BUT---I read a while ago ...

The Lucky Shopping Manual---

WOW. It had a lot of good "I should have known that-but didn't" information.

I will be going over my clothes section by section with accordance to this book.


The books has 14 Chapters...

1. skirts
2. t-shirts
3. tops
4. dresses
5. sweaters
6. jeans
7. pants
8. suits
9. bags
10. shoes
11. jackets
12. undergarments
13. swimwear
14. outwear


... and then special sections--
-Like packing for a weekend (which was great, but rarely am I gone for three days--normally I am gone a week or more!)
-Streamline your wardrobe!
-20 classic pieces to invest in.
-taking care of your clothes
-Lucky rules of shopping



So I will blog on each of these sections and what I have learned.



If you are NOT pear shaped--sorry you will have to read it yourself in order to find out more for you.


I was going to add a few tips I already learned, but I can't find my notebook---so you will just have to wait!

Good Feelings

I have good feelings about today--

BUT I HAVE TO SAY---I have bad feelings because I totally ignored Annie---I didn't mean to--I honestly was home for MAYBE 1/2 hour (and most of that was spent on the phone with Annie!) this whole day! Until after 9:00--SO other than a good day---that part STANK!

I was Super Busy, but was able to feel like I accomplished alot today. Those are good days.

I also like days where I get alot done at the house.

...Yes--I will brag a bit and add in EVERY detail I can inorder to make myself look the best as possible!

...But today I--

0. made Oatmeal for breakfast (instant--but still it wasn't cereal!)
1. Picked up the neighbor and took her and Sedona to school.
2. Came home -got all the trash PLUS my dirty, ripped up high chair out to the trash and cleaned up a bit.
3. Met with the Principle at Sanford to find out some information about Sedona. (nothing bad!)
4. Ran home, talked with Annie, made phone calls to get the Bob Keck dinner more organized.
5. Went to Lois's house (she is this AWESOME older women who has gone blind in her old age), and helped with her family history.
6. Went to Headstart--pulled out, and set up all the tables and many of the chairs.
7. Helped organize the items on the table for the groupings to be auctioned off.
8. Went to get Sedona from school
9. Went to return movies
10. Took the girls out to eat (it was yummy!)
11. Went back to Headstart---finished organizing the auction groupings
12. Took Pepper to a Friends
13. Help "run" the auction--I took names and amounts on the items won--I didn't RUN the auction.
14. Help put tables away (thank goodness someone else did the chairs--THANKS!)
15. Picked Pepper Up
16. Sweep the floor in the whole Gym
17. Drove a friend home
18. Went home--fed the girls a snack
19. Got them ready for bed
20. Blogged about it!

Ranting Again!

I noticed that I rant after meetings! I went to a meeting tonight and while there was a lot of things to discuss, but there is this one women who talks---and talks loud---and about HERSELF--and how hard she has it. I will agree 100% she has it tough!
She left an abusive relationship and moved out here where she knew one person and that person pretty much turned her back on her (according to her side of the story), so she has a little kid and is raising it by herself--no mom or dad for help, or any relatives, or anyone!
I don't think she is working, so I have no idea where she gets money (I am guessing her parents help her out--but I don't know).

Really nice women, but man or man! The meeting takes twice as long because of her---how do politly tell someone to SHUT UP! I tried to interup her (because she will go off for a while!), but that doesn't really work--

I feel the need to do something because she is wasting everyones (my) time! But it isn't really my place, but she has issues with the President, so we all just listen and talk when we can!

Any suggestions? Really just typing this is giving me a headache--so that is all I will type tonight



PS: I know my new "diet" starts soon so today I enjoyed a Whopper Jr! ok and part of a chicken sandwhich---I won't be eating those to often so I had to enjoy one last one (and since I am going to Alamosa at least once more this week---maybe I will have to enjoy one more!).

I am a loser--are you?

I want to play this game---my Friend Shelly is putting this on for herself and offered it to those of us who need it!!

So here are the details..right off of her blog...

Does anyone want to play "Biggest Loser" with me? I sound like a little kid trying to rally friends to play Red Rover or something. ("Come play at my house!!!") But I need my competitive streak to pull me through this stagnation I keep wallowing in.

The goal would be for us to track our calories (a minimum of 1200/day) and do some sort of daily exercise (aerobic and strength training combination). Then, each week we'll post our percentages lost.

So, here's the deal:

1. We start Sunday, so get yourself prepared.

2. Please let me know if you're interested so I don't feel like no one's playing with me (I hate being the loner kid on the playground). If you really aren't into it, that's cool. You can tell me that too.

3. We need to figure out what the Biggest Loser gets. The winner needs something. Right?

4. How long should we compete? Three months? More?

5. Take a before picture and at the end we'll do after pics. (You won't have to show them, but it will help us track our progress.)

Wanna do this??? Please???

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I WILL be taking a BEFORE picture in the privacy of my own home--on my digital Camera--where it will stay!

ONLY when I am happy with the END picture will I post it.

I have never been too shy about my weight (except to my husband)--so all you virtual real people out there......

this is my before picture--True Aprons make anyone look a little chubbier, but I thougth this one was a good show of how wide I have before.

According to my Wii as of 15 minutes ago....

23.18 is my BMI

and I weigh 139 (I actually fluctuate about 5 pounds through out the month!)--so I normally weigh closer to 142.

GOALS: By the End of the Body Challenge---I want--

+To weigh about 127 at my heaviest times of the month (remember my body changes alot through out the month).

+Fit into size six clothes (and squeeze into size 4's maybe!) and have my "skinny clothes" box out of the closet.

+Loose inches from my body---Arms, tummy, hips, thighs, neck (double chin).

+Have a BMI of about 22

How will I accomplish this goal?

+eat health meals---Get the reciepes and ingrediance each week so I don't have to think about it!

+work out---I have an OLD spinning bike---I need to clean it up and drag it in from the garage and use it. I have the elipicale sitting in my bedroom (yes with one shirt hanging on it). and I have my workout video's and the Wii...plus I learned if I find songs that have a fun dance to them ---Singles Ladies, Thriller, and so on---If I put them on Youtube and dance for 1/2 hour I am sweating and having fun! I have the opportunity to work out, I just need to do it! If I pay for classes, or if I am getting a grade I work out regularly---maybe I will keep a jar (with the lid glued on--and every time I work out I pay the jar ($2.00)--then when I reach my goal I can use that money to buy new clothes/or a spa day---would that motivate me? I don't know---it is worth a try!

A history of Me and My Body

In high school I had all the normal body issues, but didn't know I had a great body. I had a four pack stomach (thanks to weight/areobic class) and though I was quite chest-less---I was slender and mostly toned. My eatting habits were horrible. Mostly I think I was a binge eater. I wouldn't eat for a day or two and then sit down and eat and eat and eat! I loved fast food and had it at least once a day (but Sundays). My mom made us great dinners, but I would always stop for fast food somewhere. The amount of money I wasted of food is sad!

In college I did gain about 5 pounds. I eat better, since I didn't have money for fast food, but I still didn't make good food choices. When Lucas was on his mission I gained a little weight, but not alot. Right before Lucas came home from his mission I was in a spinning class, which was the PERFECT exercize for my body---it focused on aerobics, but it was mainly done with the lower body---which thanks to my Itailian heritage--I gain all my weight in tummy, butt, and hips! Lucas said I had the best legs at that time.

My real body problems started when....suprise....I got married! I was on depro-vera (sp?)---which was so bad for me. Not only did I have emotional/mental problems when I was on it, I gain 25 pounds in 3 months. That was a ton for me! I lost all energy and hated to even try to work out in Phoenix. That was a difficult time for me in life in general. Lucas and I kind of just ignor our 1st year of marrage. It was that bad!

When Sedona came along I didn't loose weight fast, but in about 2 years I was almost down to 130...then I got prego with Pepper....and I have stayed at 140 since--which is about 2 years. now.

My eatting habits still are horrible. I eat all the wrong kinds of food, and large emounts of it! I often out eat Lucas--I know!

Some of the hardest things about my weight is (um hum..my excuses--which I will have to kick in the bottom--) I am kind of a single mom during the week--so if I work out it has to be with my girls, or after they go to bed, and I am beat by that time. AND working out outside doesn't really work where I live---we have seasons--they are as follows...

1. Winter (which is most of the year)

2. Wind

3. Misquotes

4. 2 weeks of beautiful weather

5. Winter

Those 2 weeks of beatiful weather is during harvesting time for the garden---

I don't mind so much running in the wind or with the bugs, but the girls--it just doesn't work with them! They are either complaining the whole time or getting eatten alive!

PLUS---I dislike working out. I was raised in a household where my mom bad mouthed working out---she hates it too--and even would bad mouth people who took time to work out.

So it wasn't the best enviroment to learn to enjoy taking care of ones body by workign out.

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Eatting is hard for me. I LOVE to eat--that isn't hard, but eatting healthy is hard for me. I love my cream of mushroom/chicken and cheese, and pasta, and breads, and gooy foods--mostly all that stuff which isn't that great for you!

One of the problems we have in our house is the difference in Lucas and I eatting styles. Lucas has IBS--irritable Bowel syndrome--but instead of constipation his body gets ride of food too fast. His body doesn't have time to absorb the energy before the food is gone. He struggles with keeping weight, and gain weight (totally opposite of me). He was raised on milk from the cow--cream and all---and finds 2% milk drinkable, but not good.

So I try to cook high caleriey, high fat foods for him, and since I am not all that keen on cooking, I normally just eat right along with him. Yeah! Extra calories, extra fat---just what I need!!

So either I am going to have to start making two different meals---Which actually wouldn't be too often since he isn't home a ton---or just add stuff to his meal after I take my portion out.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I tried weigh watchers, but I am just not good at counting calories---Annie if you are still reading this will you tell me that website you use to count calories?

Anyone have any tips/tricks/websites on keeping track of calories?

Are you going to join me? If YES--do you mind if I include us with Shelly's group, or do you want to be seperate?

happy healthy body coming soon!!

A wonderful call!

I have just go off the phone with a friend whom I haven't talked with since last year (and haven't really talked to in YEARS!). She called me for some advice!

Let me tell you how nerve racking that was! I was so scared I was going to give her bad information, but once I called down and really thought about what she was going through and saying I was able to give her some good (ok in MY opinion) advice.

I am so thrilled that she was AWESOME enough to call me and felt like we were still good enough friends to call and help each other out!! That really makes me so happy!

This women is amazing! I am NOT going to tell you who she is, but here are some ways she is amazing!

She has overcome some big things in her life and has NOT let them taint her. She has a smile and a hug for everyone! She is an amazing listener and truly cares for people! I often feel because she is so caring people take advantage of her--she told me tonight "after my last relationship I don't want to be a doormat." She is SO COOL! It hurts to think of her lonely, or in pain of any kind. She has an amazing relationship with her mom and is a support to her family! She often carries them (but don't tell them I said that :) ) She deserves to live the life of a young women and not be burred with so many heavy things, but you won't hear her complain! She is totally open. She will tell you how it is, and leads her life with an open heart. She is not worried about the life she leads or about the life you lead and if it makes you different--she is open anyway! I so admire that quality!

I always felt at ease with her-and as a self-conscience awkward teenager that is saying something!)--I think my one regret in our friendship is that we didn't become closer friends--I was often to busy in high school to really take time to nurture friendships.

The one thing I think she needs to know is that she is a beautiful person who deserves ONLY the best! She is as gorgeous on the outside as she is on the inside!

I think if a desire to help others smelled like cookies---she would smell like the whole Mrs. Fields factory!