Week 6

I’m tired. 

I’m tired of counting calories, planning every meal in advance, thinking about what I should or shouldn’t be eating, and worrying about food in general.  It’s exhausting.  It feels especially exhausting when I’m trying so hard and have a very small loss, like I did this week.  Dieting messes with your brain. 

I simultaneously feel close to my goal and like it’s completely unreachable.  I keep reminding myself that the biggest secret to losing weight is that there is no secret.  It’s a combination of willpower, perseverance, commitment, and work.  Emphasis on work.  I just need a minute to gripe, then I’ll shake it off.  (Maybe two minutes.)

• Week 6: –0.6 lbs
• Week 5: –1.2 lbs
• Week 4: –3.6 lbs
• Week 3: +0.8 lbs
• Week 2: –1.8 lbs
• Week 1: –2.2 lbs

Total weight loss: 8.6 lbs

That’s a lot of 6’s this week.  Spooky.

Running, Running, Running

Huh.  (That’s a statement, not a question.)

I ran 8 miles on Saturday.  The last time I ran that far was in 2009.  I’m 5 years older now, had a baby, and my hips are a little squirrely. 

But I did it.  I ran through the hills of West Salem, which is even more astounding.  I feel pretty darn good about the accomplishment. 

This old mare still has some life left in her after all. 

Easter Dress

You can’t have a little girl and not dress her up for Easter.  I’m pretty sure it’s a requirement to get into Heaven.  Eva was so cute on Easter I just wanted to kiss her all day.

Just so we’re clear, this is not her Easter outfit.  These are pajamas. 

THIS is her Easter dress.  I don’t know why I look like such a freak in this picture.  Maybe because I’m a freak.

And another shot.

And another.  The frog was a gift from my parents.  Eva loves it.  She drags that thing around all day.  See what I mean about being cute?  I can’t stand it!

On a sentimental note, Eva had her first week in Nursery at church on Easter.  At 18 months, the kids can start going to Nursery.  They play with toys and sing songs and eat snacks while the parents go to Sunday School class.  It’s both liberating and terribly sad.

My baby is 18 months old AND I’ve lost my excuse for skipping Sunday School.

Terribly, terribly sad.

Week 5

Oh, Easter, how I love thee.  I love your Reese’s peanut butter eggs, your jelly beans, your delicious pastel-wrapped Kit Kats, and your Cadbury Mini Eggs.  Hmmm…I suppose that’s not loving Easter. 

Let me start over.  Oh, Easter Candy, how I love thee.

Eva went to an Easter egg hunt on Saturday and she came away with a basket full of candy.  A toddler doesn’t need all that sugar so naturally I pilfered everything.  I stuffed my gob with candy all day on Saturday and had a belly-ache by the time I went to bed.  Oh, Easter Candy, how I hate that you made me bloated.  I probably skewed my success with the binge, but hey, Easter only comes once a year.

• Week 5: –1.2 lbs
• Week 4: –3.6 lbs
• Week 3: +0.8 lbs
• Week 2: –1.8 lbs
• Week 1: –2.2 lbs

Total weight loss: 8.0 lbs

Are we there yet?

Short-Changed on Genetics

It was such a beautiful day that Eva and I were soaking up the sunshine while drawing on the driveway with chalk.  She instantly started gnawing on the chalk when I handed it to her.  She gets that urge from her Aunt Patty.  30 years old and Patty still likes a stick every now and then.

Every time Eva bent down I was assaulted by her crack.  She gets that from her father.  37 years old and Michael still likes to stick out his crack every now and then.   

Poor girl.  She should have chosen her family more wisely.

Week 4

4 weeks already?  That seems crazy to me.  So – Michael and I spent the day in the yard on Saturday.  We had big plans to lay some edging around our flower beds, put down weed paper, and plant some bulbs. 

It was only supposed to be a few hours.  That was until we found a buried stump in the front flower bed that was right in the way of where the edging was to go.  We had all the stumps in our yard ground last week.  This one was hiding and went unnoticed.  I was ticked to find that baby. 

Long story, short…we had to dig out the stump in order to proceed.  It took 2 hours.  It was exhausting.  We didn’t finish all that we had planned to do and we had hamburgers for dinner.  Let me rephrase that.  We had bacon cheeseburgers, fries, and ice cream for dinner.  I justified it because of all our hard work.

Thankfully, the scale was still nice to me this week.  In fact, it was my biggest loss so far, proving that it’s all about balance.  Eat a cheeseburger, dig out a stump for 2 hours.  It’s basic logic.

• Week 4: –3.6 lbs (yee-haw!)
• Week 3: +0.8 lbs
• Week 2: –1.8 lbs
• Week 1: –2.2 lbs

Total weight loss: 6.8 lbs

Not too shabby. 

Cabinetry

Remember when I told you about my Grandpa’s death and the money he left me?  If not, refresh your memory here: http://booneybabbles.blogspot.com/2014/01/thank-you-grandpa.html

Well…the cabinets my Grandpa bought me are finally finished.  I love them!  I mean, I really love them.  It is such a relief to have more storage.  I no longer have to unstack a hundred things to get to the one I want and pans aren’t falling out when I open the cupboards anymore.  It’s wonderful.  Some photos for your viewing pleasure:

Before it was just an empty nook in the dining room.

 

Now it’s dreamy.  Beautiful cabinets and lots of extra storage space. 

We also sprang for a bigger and better constructed popcorn machine.  Ours was slowing breaking into pieces after using it every night for the last 547 days.  That number is not an exaggeration.

I’m looking forward to stocking the cabinets with food storage and soda.  Do you realize how much soda I can store now?  It’s exciting.  The cabinets match perfectly what is already in the kitchen.  The cabinet shop we worked with was so great that I was a little sad when the project was over.  I grew a little bit attached.   I am very pleased with the results.  

Now…won’t you please come over for popcorn and a soda?  I have plenty.   

Rip Van Eva

Falling asleep while reading?

Looks like she’s ready for bifocals, a subscription to The Wall Street Journal, and a Barcalounger.

Week 3

I knew my weigh-in this morning would show a gain.  I’ve been watching the scale climb all week despite my efforts.  I was really frustrated by Saturday.  Did I throw a fit?  Absolutely.  Did I consider quitting?  You bet.  Did I kick Michael in the head out of frustration?  I had to.

But, with high hopes for this week, onward I go.  I still haven’t dismissed the plan to chop off one of my arms if necessary.  Limbs really weigh me down.  Stats:

• Week 3: +0.8 lbs
• Week 2: –1.8 lbs
• Week 1: –2.2 lbs

Total weight loss: 3.2 lbs

You are now welcome to throw stones at me.  Or pies.  I could use a pie.

Supermodel

I usually text Michael a picture of Eva in the morning a few times a week.  He always leaves for work before she’s awake and I feel bad that he misses out on seeing her when she’s the happiest.  Lately, Eva has been posing for the camera.  I wonder if this means I’m overdoing it.  Here’s her newest pose:

Tyra Banks always said on “America’s Next Top Model” to smile with your eyes. 

Looks like Eva is a natural.