Weight Loss Update

Well, folks. I said yesterday morning that I had gained a half a pound. Since I made that post, I have actually lost FIVE pounds.

But, a stomach virus is not going to be high on my list of weight loss recommendations. Somewhere around 3am, I was pretty sure that was the end of me.

I'm here, but fragile.

How Much Do Contact Lenses Weigh?

I gained a half a pound.

And here is why I'm discouraged. I did so much better this week. I swam almost every day. Lap after lap. I drank water.... gulp. gulp. gulp. I ate grilled fish and went to the movies and ate a Special K bar instead of popcorn! I skipped Cinnabon and ate an apple at the mall. All week, I did so well.

Until yesterday. The weight I gained is probably ice cream cake sitting on my right hip. Pool party dessert that I brought because I couldn't think of anything else. Well, I certainly wasn't thinking of my lack of willpower when I made it! I ate some at the party and then I ate some when I brought it home.

BUT... surely that one lapse in will power wouldn't have caused me to gain weight? And, to the person whose blog I commented on that their gain must have been muscle weight? I apologize! :-) My husband told me that this morning and I wanted to bite his head off. It might very well be since I've been exercising...but that is certainly not going to motivate me to exercise on a hot summer day in Georgia.

OK, this week I will journal faithfully-- even though we are going on vacation and my diet will be tested beyond limits.

But I will keep going.

**by the way, if there is anyone else out there who has seriously considered how much contact lenses weigh... get in touch with me and I'll send you your "Welcome to the Freak Club" kit. I'm President and I would welcome the company. :-)

Reassurance

Yowwwwwwwwwww! I shivered frantically as the icy water splashed around me. Half of my body now immersed into our neighbborhood swimming pool, my son stood at the top of the steps--not quite as brave as, and probably much smarter than, me.

"Is it cold, Mommy?"

"Um, yes...brrrr...but, c'mon in...it'll warm up, I promise." Of course, I sounded confident but had still had not mustered the courage to dip below the water's frigid surface.

"OK," he stammered... lip quivering in anticipation..."1---2---3!" He lept into my arms and squealed in delight as the water splashed on his already tanned little body.

"Hold me, Mommy. Hold me tight!" I still love hearing him say those words. There are times when his fierce independence makes him seem much older than his five years. So, when he shows even a tad of vunerability and "clinginess" I secretly eat it up.

We waded through the water letting ourselves aclimate our bodies to the cold temperature. His chin rested squarely on my shoulder and his arms were wrapped tightly around my neck as we glided along.

Finally, I urged him to swim on his own with me close behind. "Ok, Mommy...but will you hold my hand for a little while?" he asked. "Of course I will. I won't leave you...I'll be right here," I reassured him.

"You'll always be here for me, won't you Mommy?"

You'd better believe it, my sweet boy.

I Walked On By...

There it was. Starbuck's and the sign advertising my newest temptation--the Iced Orange Mocha. I wanted one so badly that I could taste it on my lips. I could imagine its icy, smooth, orangey sweetness quenching the thirst I had built up during my whirlwind shopping excursion.

Then it hit me. I have to weigh in Tuesday morning. And the cookout with our church group is tomorrow night with a bounty of yummy food guaranteed. How bad do I want that drink?

Pretty bad.

What's one little iced orange mocha gonna matter? Alot, I concluded.

So, I walked on by. A small victory...but a victory indeed.

Friday's Feast: May 25, 2007

(click the logo above to check out the Friday's Feast website.
If you'd like to visit other feasts, click on the comments
section and follow their name link!)


Appetizer: Name a sound you like to hear.
Thunder! It means a storm is approaching...

Soup: What is your favorite kind of cheese?
It's a tie between cheddar and cream cheese. They are both equally yummy!

Salad: Do you sleep late on Saturday mornings? Why or why not?
Not usually. I wish I could, but my body clock seems to think it's still a week day.

Main Course: When was the last time you forgot something?
What was it, and how long did it take to remember it?
MMmmmm, my purse. It was still under the chair at the church where Daniel had his preschool graduation Tuesday night. My hubby didn't remember me bringing it in and, I knew I didn't take it to the restaurant. When we go thome, it was too late to go to the school/church so I waited until I took him the next morning. Thankfully, my keys were at the house and yes, it was there under my chair in the auditorium. (ok, Brady--feel free to chastise me profusely now. :-)

Dessert: I notice ____________ when _____________.
I notice that I feel more relaxed when summertime rolls around.

Fluffy things.

Puppies. Cottonballs. Dandelions blowing in the breeze.... Cotton candy on a stick... the tail of a rabbit sticking out of the front of my favorite children's book....

OK, I'm just trying to lighten the mood here....

I knew I shoulda just posted an American Idol recap! :-)

Whoa Nelly.

I do feel I need to clarify something lest there be any misunderstanding. The opinion I posted yesterday was written based on the interview that I heard as I was cleaning my house. I stopped to watch because it was about fertility and that is something I have struggled with.

The mother that I saw (and AGAIN--it was simply MY interpretation) spoke only about women's rights and not about any other reason for having those babies. If I go re-read any parts I missed on a transcript then I might feel differently; however, I was making a comment-- not so much about her age --as I was her motive. I ended by simply stating that I pray, for the sake of those kids, that her intentions were well-meaning.

I did not judge her appearance or health--because I myself am not in much of a position to do so. To me, she looked great and I applaud her for taking care of herself. Do I think that she consciously made a decision that will result in those twins going through the loss of a parent at an earlier-than-necessary age? Yes, I do. And yes, it hurts any time you lose a mother... but, the main point of my post was that this woman seemed to be, in her own words, "going through all this" to prove a point. If there are parts about siblings, etc. that I missed, I might have had a different opinion. I was not trying to play God by sharing my feelings on the subject--I'm only human (and very much so at that).

Trying to be a mother at 35, 40, 45 and even 50 is (to me) different than at 60 years old. If it weren't, then she wouldn't have made headlines.

On My Soapbox

OK, it's not often that I hop up on my soapbox (at least not on my blog). But a clip I just watched on the Today Show all but pushed me up here.

A woman who is making headlines for being a 60-year-old mother of twins was just interviewed. She was sitting in the hospital (looking "fabbbbbbulous" according to Meredith Viera) and it was apparent that she felt the need to defend her decision. But, instead of arguing that her strong desire to nurture or mother another child--or in this case, two children--led her to want to do this....she jumped up on her own soapbox ranting about women's rights. But, it was one comment that really got me: "I just want women to know they can do this, too. That's the reason I went through with this." Huh? So, was this pregnancy born out of love and a maternal desire to nurture or was it simply a campaign to get attention for a cause?

Yes, I have never been able to get pregnant...but that does not color my opinion here in the least. I just felt sorry for those babies...knowing their mother will be 70 years old before they hit middle school... high school graduation? She'll be nearing 80. She could live to 90 and they'd still only be 30 years old. I lost my Mom at 33 and I can tell you it hurts.

I guess it's really none of my business. I just pray she did it for the right reasons and those kiddos will grow up with a mother that is actively involved in their lives. 'Nuff said.

Works for Me Wednesday!

This one is pretty simple...but, that's the point of Works for Me Wednesdays, right? Giving return address labels as a gift. HUH? It's very easy and makes for a wonderful, personalized addition to any gift (or, it could even serve as a small gift itself).

Last year, I included 6 or 7 pages of customized labels for my friend Cindy as part of her Christmas gift. It really was an afterthought...but she LOVED them. On each page (usually there are 30 labels per sheet) I did their name and address with a different piece of clip art and a different font. It was fun getting to design new ones for different purposes. Some pages were just plain cute (a house with a more casual font) while others were seasonal (Christmas, snowflakes, etc...) And then, I actually used a small picture of she and her husband to do a page of labels as well.

They really were a hit and are a practical gift that shows how much thought you put into customizing labels for their taste/needs. (I even did some for myself, too!)

Works for me! Also, if you would like to check out other WFMW ideas, head on over to Shannon's place...

*note: if you would like a copy of the template I used to get started, I would be happy to send it by email... I have a generic one done so that I can customize it for other families. Just send an email to ktbodiford@bellsouth.net If you will, just put "Return Label Request" in the subject line.

I Oughta' Own Stock...

I have one five year old boy. How many bandages could we possibly need?

LOTS.

Check out Five Minutes for Mom if you'd like to win a year's supply of bandages. Summer is almost here. I'd better stock up. :-)

It's Miraculous...

(click icon above to visit
Tales from the Scales)

...that I did not gain 5 pounds this week. Ab.so.lute.ly miraculous. Whoda' thunk I'd have to sneak back-to-back funeral and weddings in during my weight loss challenge?

I'll set the scene: Mother-in-law's house. Thursday - Saturday. A platter of fresh, warm, chewy brownies sitting under a glass dome....mocking me. All but shouting "Katie! Katie! What's one, little brownie gonna hurt?" So, I had one little brownie. Then, a little while later...another. Then a couple more after dinner. Yep, you see where I'm going with this, don't you?

Oh, but it didn't stop with the brownies...some sort of apple thingie made by my sister-in-law that was a rectangular pan of dough-y goodness. (I had to try a little bit lest she get offended. Good try, huh?) Then there was the punch bowl fruity, cake concoction that contained every kind of fruit under the sun. Fruit? It's good for me. Must. eat. fruit. Nevermind the layer upon layer of moist, dense pound cake and cool whip tucked in between. Sigh....

Lunch was a buffet of dressing, casseroles...then, the wedding cake that afternoon. I should have to say no more.

Of course, I'm disappointed I didn't lose at least a pound. BUT--I did not gain, either. Now, many of you taking the challenge are probably celebrating will power from having abstained from this type of temptation. Well, I'm not there yet.

I did, however, walk this week. Once. But, hey, I got out there and did it. Oh, and I drank a good bit of water this week, too. Celebrate small victories in life, right?

Bottom line: 0 pounds lost.... o pounds gained! A miracle indeed.

Cousins

(above) Daniel, Anna and Walker ~ Rocky Hill, AL

(above) Daniel and "Baby Alden" ~ Dahlonega, GA

(above) Cousins Nathan, Noah and Jonathan of Knoxville, TN


Though our families may live many miles apart
You will never be too far away from my heart . . .

Photo Contest

I'm entering a photo contest sponsored by An Island Life. We're submitting photos taken by us at our favorite vacation spot. Voting begins tomorrow! Now, there are many other bloggers with a much bigger readership contending for the vote so I really have no hopes of winning. But it's still fun to participate! Here's my pic:

"Paradise Found" ~ St. George Island, Florida
October 2005


Paradise for me
Is anywhere I can survey
The wonder of God's creation

Camera in hand
I sat in a beach chair
One breezy October afternoon

As I looked out over the water
I shook my head in awe
A perfect end...to a perfect day.

Voting will take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday here. Take a look and, if you get a chance, vote! Thanks so much!

W-O-W

I just read this (on Beth Moore's blog) and it felt like God smacked me up side the head (in a loving way, of course!) Click HERE to read it. Wow.

Works for Me Wednesday!

OK, this this is my first venture into the realm of "Works for Me Wednesday!" Basically, this idea forum is hosted by the wonderful Shannon of Rocks in My Dryer. Everyone shares something simple that "works for them" in their life...the topics are endless!

Here's mine (it's pretty basic):

Whenever I'm cleaning/straightening the house, I get very frustrated trying to pick-up things that don't belong in a certain room and get them to their right place. We happen to have a lot of stairs in our house, too which makes multiple trips up and down precarious.To save time (and the little precious energy I have), I go into each room and compile everything that belongs somewhere else. I place it in a basket that has two handles on it that I call the "Stuff Bus." Each room I enter, I drop off the things that go in there and pick up what doesn't. It has become a pretty efficient way of transporting objects through the house and, if I get sidetracked, I have a basket of things to distribute at a later time (instead of still having them strown about the house).

"Next stop...Master Bedroom!" Hey, it may sound silly, but it sure works for me on Wednesdays-- and every other day!

Katie Needs...

OK, so this has been going around the blog world, so I thought I'd give it a try... (of course, I'm never one to cave to peer pressure or anything!)

So, all you do is type your first name followed by the word "needs" into Google and see what you come back with. For example, I typed in "Katie needs" and this...um...is apparently what I need:

• Katie needs to use the litter pan more on her own (hey--I'm trying...a girl has to work up to these things)
• Katie needs to rest, recover from having her baby (hmm?)
• Katie needs a family that is familiar with big dogs
• Katie needs a running partner (hey-- this Katie needs a WALKING partner first!)
• Katie needs to be isolated (you have no idea...)
• Katie needs help with set-up/representing ASA at 3pm. (not sure what it is...but I'll be there)
• Katie needs to be Katie again (I couldn't agree more)
• Katie needs an escape plan (yup. Italy and a massage therapist named Marcello)
• Katie needs a blood transfusion (I thought it was just a cold...)
• Katie needs to use her disposable income wisely (OK, someone has been paying attention)
• Katie needs a blog (finally! one I can check off the list...)

OK, your turn...give it a try.

The Tale from My Scale

Well, I knew it would happen. Tuesday would roll around again. And, with this being the first weigh-in for our May Day Weight Loss Challenge, I dreaded it. BECAUSE, my dear friends, I did a bad thing. I jumped on the scales frequently this week. Slap my hand, please. Thank you. And, what frustrates me is at one point duirng the week, I had lost 6 pounds. SIX. As I am sitting here today, I watched that darn scale bounce up and down like someone was jumping on it. Sigh................

The bottom line is, as of this morning, I'm two pounds lighter than I was last Tuesday...but I've lost four pounds since April 30-- which was before the challenge so I can't really count it but I secretly do. :-) But, I shall only calculate from day 1 of the challenge, so here's my week's recap:

• Did not get out and purposefully exercise (other than yardwork)


• Started drinking water YESTERDAY (not good enough)


• Got on the scales too much


• Didn't plan out my meals
  
  Goal for this week:


• Walk EVERY day!


• Drink (5) of my big cups of water every day


• STAY OFF THE SCALE (putting it up in my closet!)


• Stock fridge with healthy snacks

So, that's it, ya'll. Not too bad...but coulda' done better. Thanks for caring enough to get to the end of this post. Maybe I'll have some more exciting progress next week!

Motherhood

Although I know she meant well, a friend of mine in church was telling our group of fourth grade girls (as they worked on a homemade Mother's day gift) that "Ms. Katie doesn't have a mother. Her Mom died a few years ago."

You know, the comment really didn't sink in until a little while later. Doesn't have a mother? I guess she's right. But, not really.

I do have a mother. Of course she's in heaven right now pain-free and having the time of her life...or, well, her eternal life. Anyway, you know what I mean. Then there's my stepmother. Different than my Mom in so many ways, but possessing her own special qualities...great cook, friend to many, horse-lover, sharp business skills... And, I can't forget about my mother-in-law. Again, vastly different than my own mother but her life experience has made her into a unique and wonderful person. Having lost her own mother as a teenager, she struggled to help raise her brothers and sisters--acting as a surrogate mother to them. She is a humble and simple woman who's greatest accomplishment to me was raising the fine young man that I eventually married. His faith and strength are something that I thank her for in my heart every day. One last woman whom I consider to be a role model in my life is my own sister. Yes, I'm the "older" sister to her...but she is the closest thing to my Mom on this earth. Her mannerisms, emotions, humor...they so closely resemble Mom that, even four years after her death, I have yet to feel like I am completely without that woman in my life.

I am also blessed with a number of friends who serve to fill the gap in my "motherless" world. There are friends that keep me on the straight and narrow, who challenge my decisions, who listen, empathize and laugh with me. Both local and long distance, these women provide companionship and confidence, comfort and compassion...

Happy Mother's Day to all the "mothers" in my life.

Alive

If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in a field has power to move you, if the simple things of nature have a message that you understand... rejoice, for your soul is alive.

~Eleonora Duse

Almondy goodness

Well, temptation had to happen sooner or later.

Three days into my weight loss challenge and I have to contend with almond creme cake. I opened the pantry...completely forgetting the almond cake that I had bought for company a few nights before sat on the shelf beckoning me...taunting me with it's luscious layers of almondy goodness.

Temporarily relieved thinking it would probably be stale, I soon discovered (by holding it ever so closely to my nose) that it had only gotten more moist. The flavor wafting out nearly drove me insane and the aroma of nutty, sugar glazed sweetness nearly got the best of me as I quickly strolled (more like sprinted) to the garbage can.

Open lid. Dump cake in. Close lid.

Whew. Crisis averted.

7 Weird Things About Me

OK, so I was tagged to list seven things that are weird about me. Only seven? Good grief, I could fill a month's worth of blogs...wait, not a bad idea. Anyway, here you go:

1] I can't be pinned down. That's right, any dreams of a wrestling career are wasted on me. When I was a young tot, I pulled a heavy deacon's bench over onto myself and severed my face from one side of my mouth to the other just above my lipline. My Mom rushed me to the hospital where they had no time to sedate me before stitching me up. So....they had to strap me to this "papoose" board to do it. To this day, I FREAK if you try to hold me down.

2] I have an irrational fear of lightning. and balloons. OK, the lightning is pretty normal but I do notice that most people don't react the same way I do in open spaces if a bolt of lightning pops. I'm talkin' some serious freaking on my part. I'll be walking through a parking lot and, if lightning occurs, I startle like a wild horse and break out into a full-on run. Marathon-speed, folks. It's got to be a pretty funny sight. Now, the balloon thing is because I am just plain afraid of anything that booms, pops, explodes. Makes me shutter just thinkin about it.

3] Dirty Dish Stacking Game. I can have a sink load of dirty dishes but, to me, it's OK as long as they are stacked neatly with the utensils all standing up in a glass. I'm all about compartmentalization, you know. As long as it's organized, I can cope with pretty much anything. To my dear hubby, though...not so much. Dirty dishes are still dirty dishes. Talk about taking all the fun out of it!

4] I'm a Tupperware-a-holic. Really just containers, in general. I use the term "Tupperware" like folks use "coke" for any carbonated beverage. I once (what is this? therapy?) even numbered my tupperware pieces to match the numbers on the lids so I could always pair them up. Fortunately, I did seek counseling and have worked through that unfortunate incident.

5] Doodling. I can't NOT doodle. It's what keeps me sane. Most frequently doodled objects: pens, flowerpots, coke bottles and lamps. I've got this cylindrical issue we'll discuss later.

6]"Sing me a song, you're the piano man..." I know almost every word to every song ever written. Well, maybe that's a SLIGHT exaggeration. But, once I was riding in a car and my friends kept turning the station just to test me and I didn't even notice. I just kept on singing...and knew every word to all the songs that kept coming on. Fortunately, I have passed this trait on to my child so I'm not the only music freak in the family.

7] I love cleaning other people's houses. Just not my own.

On Your Mark...Get Set...

Today is the official start of the Weight Loss Challenge sponsored by a fellow blogger at Tales From the Scales.net! I got a little excited and posted my goals early...they can be found here.

My hubby is doing this with me along with a couple of friends and my sis-in-law. Anyone else wanting to jump in can find more info by clicking on the icon below. Here we go!!!!

(click here to learn more)

Run Fern, Run!

I should never be allowed near plants.

I love them. I love having a house filled with living, growing plants and flowers.

But I kill 'em.

There should be a law--or, maybe they could have a green thumb license where you have to submit pictures of you watering your plants. Or, maybe do like we have to do with adoption...fill out a 25-page profile with tons of pictures with you and plants you've kept alive.

As for me, I buy 'em, I have the best of intentions...but they die.

I'm a horticultural Hindenburg.

Gotcha Day

Today is the 3-year anniversary of the day we adopted our son. And, as is custom, our Gotcha Day would not be complete without our pilgrimage to Chuck E. Cheese. We had a great time...

It was quite funny, though. All day today has been "Daniel Day" and he has taken full advantage. Quite the little salesman, we would be in a store and everything he picked up would be necessary for our Gotcha Day celebration. "Mommy, Daddy...." I would hear his little voice say. "These gummy worms would be great for GOTCHA DAY." We'd just grin and tell him to put them back. Next it was a certain kind of "Gotcha Day" cereal... or popsicles... we finally did give in on the cupcakes...two blue and one pink (for our familial gender breakdown, of course)

We try really hard to balance the marking of this important day without making a HUGE deal that it makes him "special" or "different" from many of his friends. It is simply our way of letting him know that the day he officially came into our family is VERY important to us.

Boy, is it ever. It's a day that changed our lives forever.

It's the day when a young male Russian judge sat high atop his post and grilled us on everything from our childcare plans to our affinity for college football. Translated conversations bounced around the room like a lost pinball as Keith and I stood at full attention-- afraid to move a muscle lest we appear to have something to hide. After approximately 30 minutes, we were asked to step outside and await the judge's verdict. It was grueling.

Here was a child that had been abandoned at 4 months of age and we were willing to give him a good home--yet we had to defend ourselves as if we had been caught committing a crime. In retrospect, I feel like they were simply making sure we were all that we said we were on paper...but, nonetheless, it was a pretty scary encounter. We waited in the dimly lit hallway for what seemed like an eternity stairing at the tall, weathered wooden doors... wondering what they were discussing that could prevent us from becoming this child's parents.

Finally, the doors were opened and we were brought back in the courtroom. After quite a few back-and-forth exchanges in Russian between the judge and our facilitator, the gavel went down and Daniel became our son forever.

Although it had happened in my heart many years before, that was the moment I officially became a Mom. Daniel's Mom. The best job in the world.

(click image to enlarge)

(click image to enlarge)

Friday's Feast: May 4, 2007

(click the logo above to check out the Friday's Feast website.
If you'd like to visit other feasts, click on the comments
section and follow their name link!)

Appetizer ~ Name something you would not want to own?
I don't think that I would like to own a bowling alley. Dealing with all those smelly shoes and the incessant sound of pins being knocked down. Nope, not a dream of mine.

Soup ~ Describe your hair...(texture,color,length...)?
Medium-to-short blonde hair...straight. layered. never been colored but would love to try something exotic. :-)

Salad ~ Finish this sentence: "I'll never forget ____________."
The sound of my son's cry as they brought him down the hall in the orphanage...I had watched his video so many times that I instantly recognized it. I think my heart lept out of my chest.

Main Course ~ Which famous person would you like to be for one day and why?
President of the United States...but only for one day. One of the days when I'd fly into town on Air Force One...they'd shut down all the roads within a 400-mile radius with one of those rolling roadblocks...I'd do a ribbon cutting at a kid's library, meet the latest American Idol cast-off, find out if there really are UFO parts that the government is hiding in the White House basement, call Kentucky Fried chicken to find out what exactly ARE the 11 herbs and spices...then I'd have a big state dinner with Tina Turner entertaining. Good thing I haven't thought this through.

Dessert ~ Write one sentence that includes one thing that is true about you and one thing that is not: I have an irrational fear of balloons and my first job out of college was as a delivery driver for a florist shop.

"Bicycle, Bicycle..."

Such were the lyrics by Queen that my son sang as he reached a pretty big milestone this evening...riding a bike without training wheels.

Decked out in his Cars (Lightning McQueen) bicycle helmet, Daniel jumped on his bike just as daylight began to fade away...dying to give it one last try before nightfall. His little legs wobbled to and fro--desperately trying to stabilize himself as he roared down the incline in the middle of our driveway.

"Bicycle! Bicycle!, I want to ride my bicycle..." he sang at the top of his lungs as he tried over and over to get the peddles spinning while keeping himself upright. The last drops of sunlight were illuminating the road as it happened. Our son, asking only for a "little push power, Mommy" took off toward his father...shirt tail flapping in the wind and his tiny legs peddling as fast as they could. Wobbly--yes. Irratic--yes. But, upright and all by himself. He did it.

My boy. My little man whose marks on the primitive growth chart on our utility room wall get higher and higher with each passing month. The boy who, a few years ago had never heard a drop of English...or had never seen a bicycle... this boy is writing his name and singing all the words to the Grease 2 soundtrack and, yes, just managed to ride a 2-wheeled bicycle around the full perimeter of our cul-de-sac.

Where does it go? Time, that is. It's only been three years since we've had him but now he's about to start kindergarten and...before we know it...one day we'll look beside us to find a grown young man standing there. His slightly darker hair and trademark brown eyes will be the only recognizable features of the scared young child we first saw that day... and, instead of a shiny red bicycle, it will be a car that he drives away in... hair blowing in the breeze... hand waving out the window, "Goodbye..."

OK. I have made myself cry.

Going to bed now.

It was a good day.

Gonna Give it a Go.....

OK... so another writer whose space I often visit in blogdom has issued a challenge!The May Day Weight Loss Challenge officially begins this coming Tuesday, May 8 and runs through September 18. You know me...I'm always up for a challenge. So, every Tuesday, I'll be reporting the losses (yay!) or gains (boo!) for the week. I'm so ready to FEEL better. If I think about it as soley a way to look better, then that won't be enough to motivate me. If it will give me more energy so that I won't be so out of breath every time I'm running behind my son as he learns to ride his bike... now THAT'S motivating!

My goals are as follows:

• Lose 25 pounds during the challenge
• Drink more H2O!
• Exercise at LEAST 3 days per week
• Bigger breakfasts/smaller dinners (sigh...don't. like. breakfast.)
• Fit into the green and black dress that has been hanging in my closet for the past 2 or 3 years with a tag on it cause I can't zip it up

OK...so there it is. I've put it out there on the beautiful world wide web for everyone to see. If that's not accountability, I don't know what is.

Also, I know there are several sites that I visit but never leave comments...feel free to leave comments on my Weight Loss Challenge (WLC) posts...I need all the encouragement I can get!
Go Katie Go! (OK, I think I need to go lie down for a minute. All this posting has really taken it outta me.) [grin]

This is a "scrapbook" of sorts of my recent trip to Banff
for our Mid-Year Conference... all the photos were taken with
a Panasonic Lumix digital camera.

(click to enlarge)

(click to enlarge)

(click to enlarge)

(click to enlarge)

Scenes from Banff

Each morning, the sunrise at 6:15 was a sight to behold~~
muted tones of pinks and oranges peeking out
over the snowy caps of the Canadian Rockies...

(click image to enlarge)

The hotel was majestic...a castle full of nooks and crannies
and mysterious marble staircases tucked here and there...

(click image to enlarge)

What a way to greet a new day...

(click image to enlarge)