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First Day of School

Today was the first day of the school year and this summer went by very quickly! The day started out a little stressfully but as I told the story to a couple of co-workers, I couldn't help but laugh. Brad almost got out the door without his backpack containing all his school supplies, Drew sent me a txt message about 10 minutes after he got to school that said, "I forgot my schedule. Can you txt it to me?" And I... accidentally set my toaster oven on fire! I popped an english muffin into the toaster and by the time it completed toasting, I walked over to the counter and saw flames coming out of the appliance!

My initial thought was, "Where's my phone?! I need to take a facebook picture of this." Then I thought, "I need to throw water on these flames!" But then I thought, "Wait. If I throw water on the flames, it'll ruin the toaster!" I ended up just letting it smolder itself out. Apparently something had fallen from a previous use and I didn't see it before I put the muffin in the toaster. Anyway, mess fixed, boys off to school and everyone had a wonderful day. Can't wait to see how this year unfolds!

Summer's Almost Over

And I have returned from my blog hiatus. It'ss been a ridiculously busy summer. I have worked non stop and spent a lot of time with the boys. We've gone to water parks, movies, grandma's house, great-grandma's house... it's been a wonderful summer and I've even enjoyed all 17+ days of triple digit heat! The boys go back to school on Monday so we've been working hard to get back onto a regular sleep schedule. Truthfully, I'm happy to be back into the swing of things. I have a lot to look forward to in the coming months and I especially love to see how the school year is going to unfold!

It's Summertime!

Well, Friday. The boys are out of school Friday and we're already on the go all the time. My parents are taking them to Iowa next week to visit our family and I'm a little upset that I don't get to go but c'est la vie. I have to work. I don't really have much of interest to say. I've done nothing but work. I am still alive and kickin, workin out a lot and just livin life. Thanks for your patience at my lack of blogging, readers. Soon I will post updated pictures (I'm going to Austin Friday).

I'm Still Here

Summer is on its way. I have been really busy. I've been working out quite a bit and have some amazing motivation for the first time in a long time! The boys are almost finished with school for another year; I will officially have an 8th grader and a 2nd grader. Where does the time go? Trying to plan a QUICK trip to Seattle for the wedding of one of my oldest friends (July 17). My parents and the boys are heading to Iowa next month to visit the fam and I'll have to miss out b/c I can't take the time off work. Not much else has been going on. I am working a lot. Still loving the job. Anyway, that's all I have for now. Sorry, boring post but I am still here.

Updates

I'm a little late in posting these pictures and this video but better late than never. Drew turned 13 at the end of March and... being the completely "wonderful" mother that I am, we took him to Hooters to celebrate. I know, I know. But hey, the girls aren't naked, he wasn't drinking beer and we had a really good time! I can't believe my oldest "baby" is 13. Time is going by way too quickly.






Also, Brad was baptized about a month ago. He accepted Christ as his Savior about a year ago after an extensive discussion about Heaven and love for Jesus. I will never forget the way he told me that he'd professed his love for our Savior. He'd been playing a video game and all of a sudden, came to me and said, "Mama, I quietly asked Jesus into my heart." Here's the youtube video of his baptism.

I Can't Sleep

I'll admit I've slept really, really well for the last two nights and gotten up early to enjoy the day. This morning, however, I am still awake at 3. What is that? I guess I've just had a lot on my mind lately. Mostly daydreams and thoughts of things I want to do with my life but every day goings on as well which I will not discuss on this blog.

*My weight's been on my mind a lot lately. A lot. I have stopped my figure training and put that dream on the back burner. Not because I don't think I can do it--I know I can. There are just so many factors that have made it an impossibility at this time in my life. It makes me really upset because I've been dying to do it for the last 2-3 years now. I am not eating right when I do decide to eat and it's a vicious cycle of bingeing (binging?). I have completely warped my body by not eating at all or over-eating. I hate what I see when I look in the mirror and there are times when I don't look at myself in the mirror at all. Sometimes I wish that cutting the fat off my body were as easy as cutting the fat off meat. It's a daily, sometimes hourly frustration for me.

*I wish I could travel. I wish I didn't have to stay in one place all the time. I could die happy a year from now if it meant I could travel the world. There are so many places I want to see and I have wanderlust like you wouldn't believe. My personality is such that I get bored easily with everything. There are very few things I've done in life (I don't like admitting) that I have actually followed through with. The best way I can explain it is this--once I've gotten all I can out of an experience and once I've learned all I can, I know it's time to move on. I don't mean that to sound like I'm a bitch, it's just the way I'm wired. Always moving on. Do I really want to live in TX for the rest of my life? Will I be content not having been able to do what I want or see the places I want? No. I have to see the following places in the US: Boston and Salem, Mass; Portland, OR; NYC, Maine, Nantucket Island, Seattle (again), Washington DC and I want to see the following places in the world: Vienna, Germany, England, Scotland, Ireland, Poland, and Bavaria.

*I really like the person I am at 30. The 30-year-old Marissa is headstrong, (somewhat) confident and doesn't need to be around anyone 24/7 to be happy. I understand that I need time with friends, time for myself, definitely time with the family and I am smart enough to know that I cannot and will not make any one person my entire life; I don't want to be anyone's entire life either. I am through asking for permission to live my life. I have one shot at this whole existence and I don't want to wake up tomorrow, 50 years old and with regrets. That being said, do I regret anything to date? No. Every challenge I have faced has been an enormous opportunity for mental and spiritual growth. We live and learn every single day and I am. I have. Sometimes I get a little disheartened because I have such a zest for life--I want to live my life as an exclamation rather than an explanation and right now I just don't feel like I'm reaching my potential. Talk about an epic frustration! There's no worse feeling knowing you want something but you can't reach out and grab it.

Anyway, that's what's going on in my full and racing brain lately. So much thinking, so little action being taken...

You Can Fly

I'm so happy I've had time to blog a lot lately! I haven't had much of anything to say, but it's nice to be able to unload random thoughts and events that are swimming around in my head. I've mentioned before that I love when I fly in my dreams. Last night I had one of the coolest flying dreams I've ever had. I don't read much into these dreams but there's such a sense of freedom associated with the flight. There's no fear and such an exhilaration; those dreams make me so happy.

In the dream, my parents and I were on a ride at an amusement park and it was a very, very high ride. We were on this wooden beam that was completely open and our only security was a leather belt that we fastened around our waists. We straddled this beam and fastened the belts and as soon as the ride began to move, we were airborne on this beam and the sky turned dark like night. The stars were so bright and it felt like we were high enough up to be able to touch them. We dipped all over the sky and I saw some wonderful things. Large sculptures, brightly lit in vibrant colors--purples, hot pinks, yellows and deep greens. One of them was a large arch with flowers and vines carved into it. When we came upon that archway, the beam dipped low over a black body of water. We were low enough for me to be able to lean back and look up at the stars while skimming my fingertips through the cool water.

The dream ended with us back on solid ground in a room like a movie theatre. It was if we had been in a virtual reality movie. I don't share my dreams often but I love to share my flying dreams.

Morning Time Motherhood=Epic Fail.

Well, maybe not epic fail but fail nonetheless. I'm a little embarrassed to admit this but I don't make my boys' lunches. I don't make breakfast. In fact, I don't get up in the mornings because Mama will sacrifice anything in the world except sleep. Robert normally takes care of the morning routine and he worked an overnight shift last night so it fell on me today to get the boys ready for school.

I was so overwhelmed this morning that I literally stood in front of the pantry for 15 minutes trying to determine what to do first. I didn't even know where to start. Sandwich? Chips? Drink? What else? Poor Drew. He fixed himself a bowl of cereal and I asked him to fix one for Brad as well which didn't bode well for the 7-year-old. When I finally got it under control and had their lunches fixed 40 minutes later--yes, 40 minutes later--I asked Brad if he needed a snack for school.

"Yes."
"Does it go in your lunchbag?"
"No, Mama."
(exasperated) "Mama, are you gonna be making our lunches from now on...?"

This morning's dealings made me realize one very.important.thing. I am a mother first and foremost every day of the year... but not before 9 am! ;-)

A Conversation With My 7-Year-Old

Tonight my 7-year-old came into my room and we saw two commercials for that movie Kick-Ass. He was telling me how much Drew wants to see that movie and here's what happened.

Brad: "Drew really wants to see that movie."
Me: "Drew will NOT be seeing that movie."
Brad: "Oh, right. Probably because it's rated R."
Me: "I don't think it's rated R but I'm not sure."
Brad: "Oh. Probably because it has a bad name he can't see it."

So he and I continue talking and a different trailer for the movie comes on in which Kick-Ass is said about 4 times. He goes, "I'm leaving. I don't want to hear that bad word anymore."

Then he comes back in a couple of minutes later to tell me that Drew is grounded for a week and that his phone's been taken away. He said he watched his phone get hidden and he promised that he wouldn't tell Drew where it was. He then says, "I bet he got grounded for trying to download another game on his phone."

Brad has always been wise for his years. I hope he always, always has the integrity he carries with him right now. I hope that the world will not jade him out of his honesty. Those are noble qualities for any man to possess and they're very, very rare. I pray for both my boys every day that God will keep them in His care and that they'll both grow to be men of honor.

These Are Things That Make Me Happy

I LOVE...
thunderstorms during the day, road trips, football games, bright colored stripes, new office or art supplies, hazlenut hot chocolate, hot tea, glitter, beads, sequins, collages, art museums, nature walks, scented candles in shades of brown and cream, dark nail polish, a genuine belly laugh, black and white photographs, yearbooks, hand-written letters, my down comforter, deep red tulips, pretty gift bags, hand-made Christmas cards, small white twinkle lights, cobblestone streets, antique shops, english ivy plants, coffee table books, great hotels, black and white movies, house-hunting, triathlons, imax theatres, mom-n-pop diners, superbowl parties, harp lager and dos equis, margaritas, historic homes, concerts, good karaoke bars, the beach, tattoos, baseball caps, comfy jeans, flip flops, running, new running shoes, people watching, window shopping, calligraphy, strappy heels, singing, weddings, board games, song lyrics, i love having short hair, i love being outside when the weather is crisp but the sun is shining, watching texas sunsets, vintage t-shirts, catalogs, dancing when no one is watching, swinging on playground swings, exploring new places, browsing travel guides and books, running into old classmates/friends, reminiscing, hearing an old favorite song, beach glass, iowa state cyclones, dallas mavericks, celtic music, historic castles, laughing at myself, book stores, coffee houses....

Me

I've been trying to figure out how to start this post. It's been awhile since I've blogged. This post is about me. It's about getting older. It's about becoming wiser. Changing. Learning. Growing. There is a stirring in my soul and I cannot quell it. It's like waves on a beach; calm and subtle, slowly reaching the point of high tide--unruly and strong.

I love to see the changes in myself. A couple of years ago, I was meek and afraid to speak my mind. I was afraid of the idea of being alone for the rest of my life, not having any friends. A couple of years ago, I would have never dared believe that I'm a strong person and that I'm worthy of the dreams I carry. A couple of years ago, I was afraid of dying without ever really having lived. I cared what other people thought of me and I wanted everyone to like me.

Now, I don't think that way. I have begun to speak up more when something bothers me and if the truth hurts, hey, at least you know what's on my mind. I manage to do it tactfully but the point is, I'm learning that it's okay to not hold back. I am not afraid of doing things on my own anymore. My job has been a lifesaver for me because I have gotten to know some amazing people who I can 100% be myself around. There are no pretenses, there's no drama and all of us in "the circle" would do anything for the other. Moving away from Decatur has been such a positive thing for me. I am learning more and more about myself as the days go by and the best part is that I am growing as a woman and gaining a mental strength and clarity that I have never had before. It's me getting older and wiser. I am not 16 anymore; that girl is long gone and hasn't looked back. This is the feeling of believing in myself and loving myself for the first time in my life; I relish and it feels so good.

Just Thinking...

What are some of your favorite books from your childhood? I have several that are still in my collection from when I was a kid. Being that I work in a bookstore, I have the "honor" of suggesting books in our Staff Recommends bay. Two of the books I've suggested have always been favorites: Mother Goose (illustrated by Gyo Fujikawa) and The Random House Book of Fairy Tales. I can't explain why, but like songs, these books bring back such wonderful memories for me. They bring back a sense of comfort and here's a list of favorites.

Mother Goose (illustrations by Gyo Fujikawa)
The Random House Book of Fairy Tales
A Surprise for Your Eyes
Giorgio's Village (Tomie de Paola)
Superscope Storyteller fairy tales book and tape combos

Okay, this was a totally random post but I was just thinking about some of my favorites while reading to Brad tonight.

It's Been Awhile

Life is always busy. Work is great, life is great... I just have had no time to update! I guess the biggest news these days is that I'm gonna be an aunt. My brother's wife is pregnant and it's still fairly new (about 6 weeks). Sunday she's going to be at my grandma's for lunch and that's when she'll announce it. I doubt any of my family members read this blog anyway so I feel fairly safe divulging it here.

Drew's been away at his dad's all spring break and I haven't been in touch with him but not for lack of trying. I can't get him to answer his phone. His 13th birthday is coming up at the end of the month and I'm so excited! We're trying to figure out what to do for his milestone birthday but I have no clue. Any suggestions are welcome!

I gave up alcohol for Lent and it's been a huge success. Not that I was this massive lush to begin with BUT I've never followed through with one single Lent until now and I must say, it feels really good. Just a couple more weeks to go and I'll be able to say I accomplished my goal. My friends from work are pumped to take me out after Easter and pictures WILL be posted, haha.

Other than that, nothing much else has been going on. Work is work-which is wonderful-and I'm still really happy. I guess it's time to wrap this one up; headed to dinner with the 'rents. That's it for now, blog friends!

Mothering Two Different Types of Boys

I love my boys. There's nothing I wouldn't do for either of them. They are two totally different types of children, however. I was thinking about that tonight at dinner. There we were at the table--my mom, my dad, my husband, Brad and myself and we were talking about Drew and how he had to serve a detention for the 2nd time this week. Brad kept chiming in about what Drew had done and I could tell that the wheels in his head were turning, thinking about what not to do in the future. It's funny (odd) to think about their differences because they're literally like night and day.

Drew is impulsive like me. He does things without thinking them through. Brad is my analyzer. He has always been an observer and will think about things before he does them. Drew is not a high achiever when it comes to academics. He gets average grades and test scores but for him, school is a social call. Brad has friends at school but he's always been in love with learning. He will be testing for the gifted and talented program at his school and is a fantastic reader. Drew is a born entertainer--he played saxophone in the band last year, he is a great actor and singer and Brad is my athlete. Drew wants to be an actor or a model (he's a gorgeous child)and Brad wants to be in the football hall of fame.

I don't want much out of this life. I don't hope to live in a mansion and have gobs of money, I don't need to drive a luxury car to be happy. But I am so excited to watch these boys' lives unfold, supporting them every step of the way. I want to see what God has planned for them and how He will use them in the overall scheme of things. These are two very special boys who have so much ahead of them and I feel so blessed to be their mother.

A Thought to Ponder...

I saw this verse in a book tonight while I was at work. I love it and it really hit home with me.

"If there is something to desire, there will be something to regret. If there's something to regret, there will be something to recall. If there is something to recall, there was nothing to regret. If there was nothing to regret there, was nothing to desire."

What's the last thing you desired? Did it make you ache? Did it make you regret? What if the thing you desired most was something you could never have again? If you couldn't have it again, would it make you appreciate the final experience that much more or would it not mean that much to you?

15 Books

Rules: Don't take too long to think about it. List 15 books you've read that will always stick with you. They should be the first 15 you can recall in no more than 15 minutes. I'm interested in seeing what books my friends choose. Accept that my choice, and maybe yours too, would be different on any given day.

1. The Shack - William Young
2. Tara Road - Maeve Binchy
3. Summer Sisters - Judy Blume
4. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
5. The Brutal Telling - Louise Penny
6. Still She Haunts Me - Katie Roiphe
7. Ozma of Oz - L Frank Baum
8. Night - Elie Wiesel
9. Schindler's List - Thomas Keneally
10. Giorgio's Village - Tomie de Paola
11. The Notebook - Nicholas Sparks
12. Remember Me - Christopher Pike
13. You've Been Warned - James Patterson
14. The Birthday Present - Barbara Vine
15. Pre: The Story of America's Greatest Running Legend, Steve Prefontaine - Tom Jordan

In Honor of Valentine's Day

Yes, tomorrow is V-Day. I am not really a very mushy, lovey-dovey person but I read a quote in February's issue of Glamour magazine at work the other day talking about love. It reads: "It's okay to show up at a guy's house with a dozen roses and declare your undying affection. It's okay to have too much to drink and call your ex 20 times then be embarrassed when you realize your number must have shown up on his caller ID. It's okay because making a fool out of yourself for love is ultimately about YOU, how much you have to give and the distances you will travel to keep your heart wide open when everything around you makes you feel like slamming it shut and soldering it closed."

I've done this, blog friends. I am notorious for wearing my heart on my sleeve. Sometimes it's blown up in my face leaving me devastated and crushed and sometimes it's been wonderful. I guess love and loss is part of this amazing adventure called life.

Braggin' on Brad

I hope Drew doesn't read my blog one day and get jealous that I'm bragging on his little brother but tonight, I just have to. My baby has been nominated to test into the gifted/talented program at his school and I am one proud Mama. During his basketball game today (well, when he wasn't actively playing) I filled out the 3-page questionaire about him and it was really hard not to over hype him. My grandma and I have always considered Brad to be an "old soul" in a little body and while going through the questions, I couldn't help solidify that theory.

One of the questions asked for an example of how he shows compassion and caring for others around him and I had to tell the following story:

When we lived in Decatur, he and his brother, Drew had a friend named Drew who happened to be a black boy. One afternoon after school, they'd all been playing together and Brad came in to get a drink of water and he told me, "All the kids call both Drews 'White Drew' and 'Black Drew' but I don't. I always say, 'My brother, Drew' or 'Drew C.'" As a mother, for a 7-year-old child to have seen past race and just acknowledged Drew C. as a person rather than a color absolutely melted my heart. I have always, always done my best to ensure that my children understand that we're all different and we're all unique. That every single person has something to offer in this world. I get teary-eyed to think that he's already seeing past boundaries like that at such a young age... he and his brother both have such tolerant and accepting personalities and I like to think that I had something to do with that. I could not have asked for better children than those which I have.

Saturday's Random Thoughts

Hello, blog friends! Again I am at a loss for topics.

*I feel badly because I don't blog very often. I keep thinking maybe it's because nothing is going on in my life, but in reality, lots happens--it's just the same stuff, different day.

*I love singing. I do it all the time and have been at it for 20 years.

*I saw the new Mel Gibson movie and loved it. I don't care what people say about him being a nut or whatever, I think he's fantastic and he's been one of my favorite actors forever.

*Speaking of favorites, I love Rod Stewart. I've loved him since I was probably 7 years old. I think he's amazing.

*My workouts are going well! I have kind of stalled in that I don't go but maybe 3x a week rather than 5. I've lost 15 lbs and I can't imagine what would happen weight-wise if I went 5 or 6 days a week. I love it when I workout because the veins in my arms and a couple in my legs pop out; that's hot!

*My celebrity athlete crush is Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks.

*I hate it when I think I've done something wrong to someone. I am a people pleaser to a fault and if I think someone's mad at me, I'll do whatever it takes to fix the situation.

*I'm excited to announce that my youngest son, Brad has been selected for testing in his school's gifted/talented program. I hope he qualifies because he's such a hard worker and phenominal thinker. My grandma and I have always said that he's an old soul in a little body.

*American Idol has started again for another season. I always get a little irritated during the audition process because what they show on TV is nothing like it is in real life. I went to the Austin audition about 4-5 years ago, had a great time, and was glad that I hadn't given up everything and hinged all my hopes on AI.

*I hate it when things change but when things stay the same, I get bored.

Random Thoughts

I really have no topic to discuss today. It's a rare day off for me in that I've been home all day, lounging in my bathrobe. I need to hit the gym but before I go, here are my random thoughts for today.

*I saw The Lovely Bones after months of anticipation (and after reading the book at least 6x). The movie wasn't as good as the book and I ultimately decided that it would really suck to be murdered and never found.

*I wish I had money so I could travel the world. I don't want to do a whole lot with this life of mine but travel is definitely on my list. Places I must see are as follows: Germany, England, Scotland, Ireland, Poland, Austria, and Bavaria. In the US, I'd like to go to Boston and Salem, MA; Portland, OR; Seattle (again), NYC, Connecticut; Woodstock, VT in the winter and Washington DC again. It would be so awesome to be able to take my boys to all these places. I want them to see the world.

*I bought season 4 of Prison Break for Robert for Christmas because we missed the last half of the season when it aired. We have yet to watch it and I'm dying to find out how the series ended.

*Next month marks 51 years since the death of one of my all-time favorite musicians, Buddy Holly. I wish I was alive back then so I could have seen him live. He was so passionate about his craft AND he was a good ol' Texas boy.

*My hair is rapidly going grey. I find (and pull out) grey hairs right and left these days and it has nothing to do with stress.

*I tend to take my parents for granted and I never realize it until I hear about old friends' parents' health problems or deaths. It doesn't ever really occur to me that my parents (and grandparents) will no longer be with us one day.

*When I find out that a particular favorite food of mine is high on calories, I will stop eating it cold turkey. For example--I used to LOVE the Peanut Butter Moo'd at Jamba Juice but when I found out that the large one had over 600 calories, I never touched it again and it's been over 2 years now.

*My oldest child will be 13 at the end of March. It does not seem possible that he'll be 13 but it sure has been an adventure watching him grow and become his own person.

*I always get sad when I lose contact with people who were once an important part of my life. Sometimes it makes me wish that I'd never met them at all.

The Workouts

I'm making nice progress but still not as fast as I'd like. I've been at this now for about a month (well, a little less than). I thought I'd give an example of the type of stuff I do. Sorry, I haven't bothered taking progress pictures yet. Something about my perfectionism gene won't let me do it yet. Call it vanity if you must. Anyway, my typical day at the gym takes up roughly 2-2.5 hours in the day, lifting 5 days/week and cardio 7. 45 minutes is spent on the treadmill where I end the session at a 12% incline for the last 5 minutes (the inclines gradually increase throughout ending at 12).

Today I'm working my back, biceps and chest where I will do the following lifts for the next 2 weeks before I change up the lifts to keep my muscles guessing. It goes like this:
wide-grip lat pulldown (3x15)
single-arm dumbbell row (3x15)
barbell curl (3x12)
hammer curl (3x12)
flat bench press (3x15)
incline dumbbell flye (3x12)

While I'm on the subject, I just have to mention that I fell off the diet wagon at dinner last night. I've been eating very well these last few weeks--down 12 lbs now. Blog friends, I felt incredibly guilty after I ate "bad". Perfectionism reared its ugly head again and I didn't enjoy falling off the diet wagon. I wonder how real body builders feel when they allow themselves a cheat meal? This has become something of a discipline to me and I love it. So why can I not enjoy letting myself eat "normally" every now and then? Oh well, no sense in going back over my love/hate relationship with food. We all know from previous posts how I feel about food. This is the ultimate goal for me. I don't know if one show will be enough now...

I Believe I Can Fly...

Have you ever had dreams where you can fly? I had one the other night and I always welcome flying dreams as crazy as that may sound. I always go to really cool places when I "fly" and the other night was no different. I think the best thing about those types of dreams is that for me, they seem so real. I started off surrounded by water somewhere in Florida and there were crocodiles and all types of fish in this murky water. The sun was shining and I was there with two friends, my husband and my children and we were there for my parents' vow renewal which was to take place the next day. Anyway, I was horrified by the idea of having to cross this moat which was filled with the crocs and fish so I told my friends, "Wanna see something cool that I can do?" I jumped into the air and all of a sudden, I was high above the moat and I was as light as air.

My friends discovered that they could fly as well as long as they were near me so we took it upon ourselves to head out on an adventure. We flew to a tiny town in Wyoming at night where we were surrounded by thousands of stars. We flew over a neighborhood and I specifically remember that a white clapboard house caught my eye. We flew over mountain ranges and the snow looked like white glitter when the moon shown on it. From there we were on a highway in Georgia where we were chased by police officers. We ended the trip in Montreal where we watched Olympic skiers practice their sport. I know it sounds totally strange but my flying dreams are the ones I always remember the best and I can't wait to share other adventures next time.

Happy New Year!

I have not fallen off the planet, blog readers! I am very much alive and well. Now that the holiday season is completely behind us, I have a little time to breathe! I am looking forward to all that 2010 has to offer with not only me but my family as well. This year, my children will be 13 (OMG!) and 8. This year, my parents will celebrate 34 years of marriage. This year, I'm working towards an NPC figure competition.

Speaking of figure, the workouts are progressing nicely. I love seeing the changes, I love that food now fuels me rather than defines me. I no longer eat for comfort. I no longer eat from boredom. I don't like not eating healthy. I live for asparagus, chicken, broccoli, ground turkey... and I feel so much better about myself already! I've lost 8 lbs in the span of about 3 weeks and i can fit into certain clothes that I haven't worn in months. I will post pictures once a month so get ready for January's shot in a couple of weeks!

2010 is gonna be a great year and I'm really looking forward to it!