Just for Lisa!

Howdy, Sis,

Here's the stuff I bought and a description of each. The description follows the item. Price included, plus tax. Enjoy! I had fun shopping and got a few cute things for myself. xoxo C

Kit the kids can put together. 15" tall as the package says. $1.00

This "Noel" hangs by a red ribbon. Not including the ribbon it is about 7" wide, 3.5" tall. $2.00

This "Joy" sits on a surface. Is 6" wide, 4.5" tall. $3.00

Ok, I think this is a salt shaker, but it was a very cute thing to set out, too. 3" at its widest, 4" tall. $1.50

Gold tapers, 10" tall. $2.00

Puffy Christmas tree to sit on table/shelf, 6" at its widest, 11" tall. $3.00

4 ornaments. I bought 4 for myself and am going to string them from a doorway on ribbon. Cute, no? 4.5" diameter, $1.00 each

Set of candles - 1 santa, 1 gingerbread man, 1 snowman. Santa is about 4" tall. $4.50

Cute glittery gift tags. Package of 52, $1.50

1 silly plate, melamine, regular size, $1.00. Note the 4 characters on this plate (Santa, snowman, penguin). I bought 4 heavy plastic placemats @ $1.00 each. No picture - same motif. Very cute!

One more melamine plate, regular size, $1.00. Maybe 1 for mom, 1 for dad, then the snowman ones (see below) for the kids?? Just wondering. They only had these 2, so I bought them in case you would want them.

Penguin plates, melamine, 9" tall. $1.00 each. I bought 6 just in case you wanted one for each person.

Paper plates (regular size, 2 packs of 10 @ $1.50 each), matching regular size napkins (2 packs of 20 @ $1.00 each)

Wall clings. 1 set $3.00. Not pictured are 2 more sets of clings - various wintery things - trees, snowmen, etc. $1.00 each set.

Surprise!

3 ideas for our blog:

1) To use this like we used to do postcards for prayer requests! They can be even more immediate this way, and we'll have a record of requests and answers.

2) To keep going with our health stuff - eating better, exercising (when we can get it in!)

3) To give each other encouragement, ideas, and keep each other accountable on house goals. 

Let's not give up! Love you, C

Tasty Challenge

Hi dear friend! I am reminded in our fun conversation how much I miss you! Too much. It's almost unbearable that we don't get to hang out. Anyway, thank you so much for encouraging me to go to the Indian buffet. I was brave and sampled every dish! The flavors were popping in my mouth and extremely satisfying. Different and appealing. So I just thought to myself in our diet efforts, why don't we only put in our mouths for the next week or so what is REALLY appealing to us. Like flavorful foods, or the sweetest fruit. What I'm getting at (for me at least) is eliminating the mindless munching that does nothing to satisfy hunger or taste buds. I do so much of that throughout the day, that I might as well be eating cardboard. Also, I continue eating even after the inital food has lost it's interest and appeal to me. Could my body be telling me to back off, I'm full, eat a little less? What do you think? love you!

Saturday afternoon

Ok, so I didn't exactly write down everything I ate, but I meant to!! I'll try again this coming week. I did do something amazing today, though. Ready? Hold your breath...

...I walked for almost 1 1/4 hours - 4.4 miles!!! I could hardly believe it. At the beginning of the walk my right knee hurt, my plantar faciitis hurt (left foot), even my Morton's neuroma on the bottom of my right foot hurt. I kept going, though, and they all sort of dissipated. Well, my knee still hurt some, and I had to walk a little gingerly, but I did it. 

A friend and I are going to walk the Boulder Boulder on Memorial day. It is a 10k, and most people run, but we're going to walk. You just have to be able to do it in under 2 hours. After today's walk, I'm certain I can do that!

I was so excited. I'll have to see how my ailments feel tonight and tomorrow, but at least now I know I am physically able. Tim told me I was, and he was right. This has also given me renewed motivation to get in better shape before that event. If I walk a couple of times a week, that will help a lot. If I get on my bike and ride some, too - even better! If I say "no!" to French fries for a week, I'll really be on my way! I think I'm feeling better today. 

If I can walk for over an hour, maybe this weight loss thing can really be done after all!

Monday's food (hold your breath)

Can I make excuses? Ok, so my head basically exploded off my neck, and I seemed to lose all control!! To make that worse, I had to drive around trying to get Phil's laptop to connect to WiFi I knew was there so I could e-file my taxes. I got the Carl's Jr. while doing that. Needless to say, I gave up on the taxes. Tim will just have to do it today. I'll eat better today...

b'fast

1 pc bread w/ butter

1 1/2 c. milk with Ovaltine

lunch

part of Carl's Jr. taco salad

part of Carl's Jr. grilled chicken sand

1 order of fried zucchini

snack

1 c grapes

dinner

2 guac, veg, lettuce wraps in tortillas

1 big cookie

My Love, my All

I was very moved in a pre Easter service at church today. We were "experiencing the cross", and part of the process was to reflect on our sins (many!) and nail them to the cross before communion and then praise & celebration. So one of my big ones, the biggest I'd say, is gluttony and I believe it has contributed so much to my weight gain. During the praise time, they played the song Wonderous Cross, and the final lines of the song SCREAMED out at me (don't you love it when that happens?), b/c of what Jesus did on the cross, it "demands my soul, my love, my all". I thought to myself, I gave my soul already. But how shallow and sad that I don't always give my love and my all (or even an effort, come on Julie!) to address the sin that I still allow in my life. I was so moved and inspired! I really hope to remember this as a banner when the Lord got my attention and personalized my sin for me where I could see it, and be ready to repent. Does this make any sense to you? Maybe it was just my day at church....

One day

Yes! I started yesterday with a bowl of cereal, thinking about what I would eat the rest of the day. I wrote it in my food tracker. Ok, so I ate too many cookies at a meeting we attended, and didn't get in quite enough fruit, but I had one good day! I'm totally going to count that as a win! Yeah!!!