snap.scrap.share: Thursdays w/ Katie Stories - September 2014

Hello and thank you so much for stopping by today!  Katie and I took a little break from snap.scrap.share last month, but we are back in the swing of things this month and I am so excited to have her back!

I don't know about you, but I am in a bit of a scrapping rut.  I desperately need to finish a  wedding album that I am working on for a former co-worker, and hopefully Katie's post will help to get me moving in the right direction.

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Hi everyone!

We took a little break from snap.scrap.share last month, but I'm back here at Julie's, and I'm so happy to be here!

I've been working on an engagement scrapbook for a long time, but when I was putting together my chronological "regular" scrapbook albums, I was sad that I didn't have anything engagement related in them. All of those layouts were in my engagement album, and I felt like something major was missing as I flipped through those albums.

So I decided to make new versions of layouts covering the same events to put in those albums.

This was my first layout. I used a divided page protector, and pictures of my rings that I took right after we got them.

For my new layout, I decided to use the same big picture strip of all of the rings that I tried on. This was important for me to use again, because trying on all the rings was a really big part of ring shopping for me.

But I also wanted to add my all time favorite picture of our rings, which I hadn't taken yet when I made this layout! So I was pretty happy to be able to add it into my scrapbook :)

I also borrowed the same journaling that I used in the original layout for my second layout. I was making this new page about 18 months after the fact, and I thought my "old" journaling was better than what I could have written this past June! But I figured it is the same story, I just wanted it in two different places!

It was really fun to re-create this layout. Its not something I usually do, and doing it with my engagement album was the first time I ever re-scrapped something that was already "done".

Have you ever gone back and re-done an event in a new page?

Fitness Friday: 09.05.14

Happy Friday!  For a short week it sure did feel like a long one....bring on the weekend! 

Here I am for the third Friday in a row linking up with Aubrey Leigh for Fitness Friday.  I have had a pretty good week.  My eating was far from perfect, but was quite the improvement from the last few weeks....I will take that as a small victory.

I haven't been posting scale stats for two reasons....first and foremost - I am so not brave enough to throw that big number out on the internets and I think that you will more likely see pictures before I post that scary number!  Secondly, I don't weigh that often.  When I don't see the numbers that I think I deserve, it seriously bums me out and I don't want those numbers to derail me - plain and simple.  I do know that changes are taking place.  I can see it in the mirror and I can tell by how my clothes are fitting.  Not to mention the fabulous blood work results that I got a couple of weeks ago from the doctor.  High five for non-scale victories!!!! My workouts were pretty much just as I scheduled: Friday - I guess I started out with an OOPS on Friday.  I was supposed to do weights, but I ended up with  a rest day and spent time with my son.  I was really tired.  I made the weights up Saturday morning before boot camp. Saturday - Boot camp and weights Sunday - 6 mile walk River Legacy Monday - Boot camp and weights Tuesday - Boot camp and weights I have the VERY BEST boot camp instructor ever.... #sorrynotsorry if I sound like a broken record. Heather offered to follow me to my gym after boot camp on Tuesday to help me with form on my weights.  She is beyond inspirational and such a great positive motivator!  I really believe that I would not have made the progress that I have so far without her.

Heather...I call her Fearless Leader and I

Yes, I know the picture is a little cheesy, but you can actually see a little progress in those arms!

Wednesday - Scheduled rest day

Thursday - Circuit Crazy class and weights at the gym

Looking forward to the next week I hope to stick to my scheduled workouts and make more improvements in my food.

Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by!

Fitness Friday:08.29.14

How has a week flown by already???  True to my world (at least for this week) I am here linking up with ALG Uninterrupted for ....  

In the spirit of keeping things real...there isn't any sugar coating going on here,  I am going to recap the week just as it happened.  My exercising was more on point than it has been in a couple of months and for that I am proud.  On the flip side, there was also a fair amount of "eating like a fat girl".  It was not entire days of eating bad, but meals here and there that were not, shall we say "nutrition forward".  Definitely not conducive to weight loss!  
Here is last week's workout recap:
Friday:  Cardio warm up, strength training, a little more cardio
Saturday: Cardio warm up, strength training, 5K with the  Camp Miss Fit ladies

August Gusto 5K - River Legacy Park

Sunday:  Cardio warm up, strength training, 6 mile walk at River Legacy

Survived weights...heading to the park

Monday: 4 miles at River Legacy, 2 rounds of strength training
Tuesday: boot camp, strength training

A little Shakeology after a really LONG day

It was also apparently National Dog Day - whatever the h@ll that means...but LAWD, isn't she cute?????

Wednesday:  Hallelujah - REST DAY!!!!!
Thursday:  boot camp, strength training
I know, I know...you guys are probably thinking that I have lost my mind on the crazy strength training schedule, but there IS a method to my madness. The program calls for 4 days a week - M, T, TH, F.  I found the program on a Wednesday and instead of waiting until Monday to start, I was all gung ho and wanted to start on Friday.  After my double work out on Monday I was caught up and am now on the recommended schedule.  I promise that I will post in more detail about the program next week
That about wraps it up....the good, the bad and the ugly.  If you read this post yesterday, then you know that my workouts are pretty much scheduled for the whole month of September.  My hope is to stick to that next week as well as improve on those fat girl eating tendencies.

Have a safe and wonderful Labor Day...enjoy that extra day if you are lucky enough to have it off. Here's to the weekend and thanks so much for stopping by!

Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail

If like me, you are on the "get healthy" bandwagon you probably already know that if you ask the same "get healthy" question to 4 different people, chances are, you will get 4 pretty different answers.  It is beyond frustrating.  Why can't there just be one straight forward answer that will get your body moving in the right direction????
One saying I have heard from all walks of fitness life is this one:
Fail to plan, plan to fail.
As a self proclaimed procrastinator this one is HARD for me.  Hmmmmm.....perhaps that is why I am losing weight at a snail's pace.  My fabulous boot camp instructor (and friend) has been telling me and the whole class to plan our workouts for the week....don't wait til the day of to decide - plan out a week at a time and stick to it.  I may or may NOT have been kind of listening to this.  I was recording my workouts in my planner but more like the next morning.  Probably not near as effective, but I could get a picture of what I was (or wasn't) accomplishing.  
Up until the last week or so, I would say that August has been a challenge for me.  Workouts are in pink - please excuse all the other stuff - bills, appointments, social stuff.  This planner is the best $9.99 I have spent in a really long time...just sayin'.  On a side note, I am participating in a 1500 minutes of exercise challenge this month and even with my sporadic workouts I am only 140 minutes shy of the goal with 4 workout days to go #noexcuses #1500in31

Today at lunch I busted out my calendar for September.  I have started a 12 week weight training program that I will talk about in another post, but will tell you that since starting to exercise in March my rear has never been more sore...I digress.  Boot camp as well as my strength training days have been added to my September calendar as well as cardio days.  The only thing that I have to focus on is what the specific cardio will be.  For me, this is an aggressive schedule.  Will I be able to keep it up? Only time will tell, but I am going to do my best to stick to it.  I will listen to my body and if I need an additional rest day during the week, I won't hesitate to take it.  I KNOW that it is not all about the number on the scale, but I am determined to get it moving at least a little bit.  I am still way too heavy for it to stop moving...trust me on that! 

Before everyone starts telling me that nutrition is the MOST important....I am working on that as well.  Trust me, I know - it is by far my biggest struggle.  Hi, my name is Julie, and I am addicted to food!  It is a CONSTANT battle for me.  It does not help that I am not a great cook and pretty much detest every aspect of it.  If I could afford a personal chef, life would be GOLDEN!  On a positive note, I do make a pretty yummy salad.....eat all the raw veggies!!!!!!!  That definitely needs to be my next hurdle....seriously planning out my meals and being aware and accountable for everything I eat....did I mention I stink at food journaling?   
The weight WILL come off...maybe not as quickly as I would like, but mark my word, IT WILL HAPPEN.  I will once again get into that huge tub of clothes in my garage that is currently too small!  I know it may not show up so well, but that big red circle on the calendar above.....yep, it does say Luke Bryan and yep, I am so excited I just may pee my pants...it seems like I have been waiting FOREVER!!!!
Although, the author of this quote is unknown - something very similar comes out of Heather's mouth on a weekly basis at boot camp and it is SOOOO true:
Your Fitness is 100% MENTAL! Your body WON'T GO, where your MIND doesn't PUSH IT!
What about you?  Do you plan workouts and meals?  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Fitness Friday: A Link Up

There has been a jumble of a mess churning in my head lately regarding the future of this blog and what it will look like, but for now I will let you know that one direction I am leaning is towards primarily focusing on my weight loss/fitness journey.  If I am being honest that is what is consuming me these days and so it really seems like the logical choice.  For the few of you that even check in here anymore I hope that possibility won't send you running for the hills, but if that is how things pan out and it is not your cup of tea (or vodka, or vino) there are no hard feelings!
I don't recall ever doing a fitness link up, but the times they are a changin' and there is a first time for everything.  I guess at this point I should confess.....I am a ALG Uninterrupted lurker.  Have been for a few months.  I can't be the only one guilty of this (CRICKETS)....ok, maybe I am.  Anyway, Aubrey Leigh is inspirational!  Her journey is similar to mine....baby steps, some weeks up, some weeks down, some weeks the eating is great, sometimes not so much.  THAT is why I like her blog, her journey is SOOOO relatable...oh yeah, she is also BEAUTIFUL and has a lot on her plate and she is still gettin' it done.  Now, I am fairly certain she thinks I am not only a lurker but a crazy stalker as well.  I hope she knows I am completely harmless...REALLY!!!!
 

This time around, I have been at this fitness thing since March.  I jumped in feet first, attending boot camp 3 days a week, gave up soda (Diet Coke was my CRACK) and made a concerted effort to be way more aware and careful of what was going into my piehole.  For a girl that is addicted to food, that is a hard step to take.  I was also doing weight training at the gym once a week as well as cardio.  In may I tackled the 21 Day Fix as well as kept up my boot camp and weight training....I am not going to lie, 21 days with no rest and double workouts is no joke, and it took it's toll on me both mentally and physically.  I believe with my whole heart that the program is awesome, but my next round I think that I will tackle it differently....stay tuned for more on that.

Lately, I have been off the weight training except for what we do at boot camp.  I know that I have to get back to it. So tonight, I am starting a 12 week, 4 x a week strength training program....continuing my boot camp classes and sticking with my 8 mile walk on Sundays.  After I completed the 21 Day Fix, I will admit that I was super burned out.  I have yet to get my workout schedule back to where it was and that along with my food struggles have kept me from really progressing past my 25 lb weight loss so far....give or take a few pounds and I am holding steady.  But with 55 lbs. still to go, I have to kick things back into high gear if I hope to get things moving again.  I am hoping that this time next week, I will be able to link up with a positive (full) work out week as well as excellent food choices.  I think knowing that I am going to be writing it all down and posting it on the blogosphere may be just the boost I need to get my a## back on track....I am all about the accountability!

Thank you so much for stopping by and Aubrey Leigh if you are reading this, please don't be scared....I REALLY AM QUITE A COOL CHICK!!!!!!  Til next time.....

Friday Fluff: Nerky Said It Best

My latest blog slump is no big secret, and if you guys were hoping that when I finally posted again it was going to be some epic post outlining what I have been eating (or not eating) and my workout routine that has led to my 25 lb (so far) weight loss, you are going to be disappointed.

I am going to refer to this as my Friday Fluff post....nothing earth shattering, but kind of fun none the less.  Unless you are living under a rock, you have at least heard about,  if not watched, the super hyped 50 Shades of Grey trailer.  I am not going to go on and on about how I think that there is a bit of a casting problem with the Christian character....been there done that.  BUT, for the record Charlie Hunnam WOULD HAVE KILLED IT! (Isn't that right Heather, Holli and Megan?)  What is done is done.  I am just going to embrace it and for once in my life look forward to to that devil of a holiday St. Valentine's Day....just this once!

On more than one occasion, I have heard people (men and women) say that it is horribly written...why in the world would you waste your time reading that garbage, all the while, E.L James is laughing all the way to the bank.  Ummmm, hello!  It is isn't supposed to be rocket science, people.....sex - sex sells!!!!  I could attempt to write something even a quarter as witty as Nerky did to explain it OR I can do you all a favor and just send you over to her Frisky Friday post.  It is dead on and written in her dry, deadpan style that makes her blog a must read for me.  I guess now would be a good time to admit that I am more of a stalker because I rarely comment, but I am there for each and every post.  Not only is she funny but she has lost a sh*t ton of weight...yep, she's a rockstar!!!
If you are one of those people that is wondering what all the hype is about...click this link....go ahead....I couldn't have said it better myself!!!!!!! And just because I am feeling feisty today, I am linking up with Whitney for the first time ever...yep I'm a #backthatazzup virgin:  

Laters, Baby!  Have a great weekend!

snap.scrap.share: Thursdays w/ Katie Stories - July 2015

I think I have hit a new blog low...Katie has now officially done my last two posts.  I refuse to make excuses, it is what it is.  There has been a lot going on in my world and I am going to attempt to carve some time out this weekend to get a post or two done...I hope that you will bare with me!

Katie NEVER lets me down...she remembers her post even when it is not even on my radar.  Yes, she is THAT good!  So without further ado, here is Katie for the July edition of "snap.scrap.share"....

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Happy Thursday everyone!

Even though I've been really into making traditional layouts lately, I still think I create more Project Life layouts than anything, because there is always a new week to create a page for!

Some weeks end up having more going on {and consequently, more pictures and journaling!} than others. This was a particularly busy week. School ended + we went on road trip + we visited Atlanta for the first time, so there were a lot of things to document!

Week 23 | June 2 - June 8, 2014

I used the left side of this layout to show everything not vacation related, including the end of the school year things {presents from my students + saying goodbye to my coworkers} and sending back a heart monitor that I had to wear (fortunately, everything is okay)

The right side I filled with pictures + journaling about Harbor Island, South Carolina, our road trip's destination.

But in between the last day of school and getting to Harbor Island, we drove all the way there and stopped in Atlanta! So I used an insert for those pictures. I like that the insert is between the two pages so it stays in chronological order!

Do you like to keep your pictures + layouts in chronological order, or do you prefer to jump around?

snap.scrap.share Thursdays w/ Katie Stories: June 2014

It's that time again....Katie is here to share a super fun layout from her husband's bachelor party last fall.  I could tell you how much fun this paper line is, but then I would be stealing Katie's thunder and I would never want to do that!

Speaking of stealing thunder, I am currently working on some layouts with this same paper line for a coworker. I am going to share a couple of them at the end of this post.  Because of previous wedding memory keeping that she had done, I was convinced that I had to use this line as well, at least for some of the layouts.  And before you think I'm a contributor post crasher, yes, I did get Katie's blessing...she is cool like that!

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Hi everyone!

It's time for the first summer edition of snap.scrap.share. This week I'm sharing a layout from last summer. Well, the layout is from this summer, but the event is from last summer.

A few months ago, I made a bachelor party layout about my husband's party in New Orleans. I used a picture I kind of liked, but I couldn't find the one I really wanted. Of course, I found the picture immediately after I finished the layout.

And, of course, I couldn't remove the other picture and pop this one in there because they were opposite orientations.

I couldn't decide if I wanted to try to add the picture to the other layout, or just let it go, or what to do. Until this week, when I decided to just make another one!

I used the Bella Blvd Engaged at Last line (just like I've been using for layouts of all of our pre-wedding parties!) I seriously love this line, and being able to play with it again definitely played into my decision to make another layout with this picture.

Do you have a favorite paper line? Have you ever made a layout just to have an excuse to use paper that you love?

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How cute is that layout???  Thank you so much Katie for sharing!  

OK her are my Bella Blvd Engaged At Last contributions.  I am working on a wedding album for a coworker/friend and these are from her bachelorette party.

I loved that little strip on the first layout, but kept thinking it needed something.  I glittered the tutu portion of the skirt and loved how it turned out.....

The lady that I was scrapping with suggested that I add a little bling to each element of the strip and we also added a little sparkle to the ring...

It was just what this layout needed to go with the shimmery silver paper that framed the bride to be!  Thank you so much for stopping by today! 

Blast From the Past: Sanibel Island Scrapbook

I have been dying to share something scrappy.  Unfortunately, A) much to my dismay, I haven't been scrapping much and B) one of the projects that I have been wanting to share hasn't been photographed yet.  
I could just say that I have been incredibly lazy, but that wouldn't exactly be the truth.  If you have been following me on Instagram, you know that I am all up in the middle of the Beachbody: 21 Day Fix.  I am not going to high-jack my crafty post with fitness, I will save that for another time, but I am truly hooked!
Back to scrapping!  I searched the archives and I don't believe that I have ever shared this album.  It is special....it is my very first true scrapbook.  My parents took Zach and I to Sanibel Island, FL for three vacations since 2006.  I can honestly say that this is one of my happy places.  Sanibel is so very laid back and not over run with touristy stuff.  The city has passed an ordinance that there can be no building over two stories...so no high rise condos!!  The beaches are beautiful and don't even get me started on shelling there....Sanibel is known for the "Sanibel stoop".  Shells that I have collected from our trips are some of my most treasured souvenirs.  My mom also vacationed there as a young girl, so to me that makes it even more special.  
Even though this is my first, it is still one of my favorites.  It was a Christmas gift to my parents, so I have to look at it when I am there....but I do secretly wish it stayed with me! : )

Click here to view these pictures larger

Just in case anyone was wondering.  The book is from K & Company and all paper and embellishments are from the Alix line from Anna Griffin.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

snap.scrap.share. Thursdays w/ Katie Stories: May 2014

This month, snap.scrap.share. snuck right up on us.  Katie and I came to the conclusion that it must be because May started with a Thursday.  Luckily for me, Katie was on top of it - as usual.  Even though yesterday was her birthday, she still managed to get her post to me in plenty of time....that my friends is dedication!

I am really excited for Katie's post today.  I doubt that many of you are like me, but the extent of what I can do myself on my blog stretches to actually typing a post and adding some pictures...anything more advanced than that, and I am calling for help!  With this easy to follow tutorial on watermarks, I can add another task to my "Yes, I can" list.  As a side note, Katie walked me through this months ago, but I am so glad to now have it all down in writing because I am fairly certain that I would struggle to conquer watermarks again without it!

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Happy Thursday!

Last month, I was not in a very crafty mood. And this month, I haven't been very much either. There's been a lot going on, and I just haven't had as much time to get into my scrap room. I'm hoping once I finish grading everything for the end of the year, I'll have more free time.

So, with nothing crafty going on around here, I was trying to think of something else important and fun that I could share. And recently, I changed a few things around on my blog, including my watermark. I love being able to change it so easily to match whatever is going on on my blog at the moment.

And that's how I ended up with this watermarking tutorial, so you can create your own personal watermark!

Step 1 | Getting started

Go to picmonkey.com and click on collage {blue arrow}. You won't actually be making one, so you can just collage with their pictures {yellow arrow}.

Step 2 |  Create a transparent background

Click on the pallet {red arrow}, then transparent background {purple arrow}. This is your transparent canvas now. Go to edit {blue arrow} to start making your watermark.

Step 3 | Create your watermark.

I usually just type for my watermarks {orange arrow}. Now is also the time to crop your canvas to fit your watermark {pink arrow}. When its ready, click on save {purple arrow}.

Step 4 | Save it

Make sure you save as a png to preserve the transparent background! After you save it, it will bring you back to your edit screen. I usually like to save a white version of my watermark too (just change the color of the font) because sometimes white works best with your photos, sometimes black does!

Step 5 | Open your picture



Open the picture you want to watermark {green arrow}, click on the pretty butterfly {purple arrow} and choose your own {pink arrow}. Open up your watermark (from wherever you saved it).

Step 6 |  Watermark it

Drag your watermark to wherever you want it {orange arrow}. I like to put it at 50% fade so it blends in {blue arrow}. Now share your picture wherever you want!

Do you like to create your own blog updates - headers, watermarks, buttons? What is your favorite way to make them?

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Thank you so much, Katie!  I feel quite sure that this tutorial will help others like me that have computer fright as far as their blogs go...OK, maybe that is only me?!?!?  If you are new to snap.scrap.share. and would like to see Katie's crafty goodness - Project Life, scrapbooking and crafts, not to mention yummy recipes, be sure to visit her blog Katie Stories.  Thanks for stopping by today! 

Baby, Get Your SHINE On

I figured that is was probably time for me to share where I have been lately (other than here, because we all know that I have been majorly MIA).  Get comfy, cause this may be a long one.  Also you have been warned...you may learn way more about me than you ever cared to know.  For more of my life than not, I have been a "fat girl".  For those of you in my shoes, please don't take offense at my choice of terms.  There have been times when I have more than embraced my curves...and to hell with anyone that didn't like them.  But if I can be truly honest here, there is always that little voice in the back of mind reminding me that my weight isn't healthy and there is better and stronger version of me dying to "SHINE" through (we will talk more about SHINE later).
If I am going to tell the whole story then I should also include that in 2005 shortly before I separated from my now ex-husband, I lost a whopping 70 pounds in just over 5 months.  I did it right - I was in the gym 5-6 days a week and I was eating like a champ.  I was also working out with a trainer 3 days a week.  When I hit the 70 lb mark, I was on top of the world.  I felt stronger than I had in years and I had confidence again.  Fast forward about 6 months and my life pretty much blew up....things were turned upside down and the pounds slowly started to creep back.  In short I ended up gaining back all but about 10 pounds of what I had worked so hard to lose.
I have an unhealthy relationship with food....bottom line.  And sadly there is very seldom gray area for me.  I am either totally in beast mode or totally out of control.  I am an emotional eater...I eat when I am upset, I eat when I think I am bored (which in my crazy life should be never) I eat to celebrate...in short, I love to eat and frequently, it has been all the wrong things.
Sometime around the beginning of the year some of the ladies at my office started a 90 day weight loss challenge and I jumped on the wagon.  One thing I do know about myself 100%....I can't jump start myself to tackle something as huge as my weight loss based on someone else's time frame no matter how much I try to convince myself otherwise.  I did not get my mind right until about a week before the final weigh in.....welcome to the party sister....yes, I am talking to myself.  In my defense, I joined a gym in February.  Of course it wasn't scheduled to open until the first week of March...which actually became the middle of March....grrrrr!!!  As I was not so patiently waiting for the gym to be completed, I reached out to be dear friend Megan and asked her about her SIL's fitness program and how I might get in touch with her.  
Being the horrible procrastinator that I am, I didn't contact her right away...I let things simmer.  I finally spoke with her, got signed up and have been going strong ever since...going on 10 weeks now. Heather Martinez is the master mind behind Camp Miss Fit....a women only fitness camp.  I can honestly say that Heather is helping me change my life...she is truly amazing.  One of the many things that I love about her is that she knows first hand what it is like to be overweight.  At her heaviest she was 326 lbs.  She has lost 175 lbs and kept it off for 8+ years.  In my mind that makes her totally relatable.  She has been there, she knows what I, and the rest of the ladies are going through and obstacles we face on a daily basis.  And we talk about it all...the good, the bad, the ugly.  She addresses it all and helps us with solutions every step of the way.  She only asks that we come to class and give it our all.  She is always positive and motivating...each and every class.  She makes me want to be a better version of myself and most importantly she believes in all of us and what each one of us is capable of...not just today but in the future.  In my eyes, the support and motivation is priceless.  If you happen to be in the Arlington/Mansfield area and are interested in giving Camp Miss Fit a try contact me or Heather on her Facebook page here for more information. She has both morning and evening classes during the week as well as Saturday morning.
I guess I got a little carried away...sorry!  In addition to Camp Miss Fit  three days a week, I am also at the gym 2-3 days a week for strength training and cardio.  I want to be totally honest, my progress has been slow and it has been beyond frustrating....I still have a really long way to go and I still struggle with food on a pretty much daily basis.  But it IS getting easier.  I have not had a Diet Coke or any other soft drink for that matter for 10 weeks now.  It is getting easier to make better = healthier choices.  I still slip, but instead of letting it completely derail me I get back up, dust myself off and get right back on the wagon.  I am human after all.  As of last Saturday I have lost just over 15 lbs and 10.5".  

Heather and I after a Saturday morning class

I feel like I am working really hard and my natural instinct is to beat myself up that things are not progressing as quickly as they were when I did this eight years ago, but let's face it - I am no Spring chicken...I am well into in my 40's.  My metabolism is different.....it is going to take extra effort to get where I want to be.  Where is that exactly, you may ask....well I am not sure.  I am taking this whole thing in baby steps....trying to celebrate each little hurdle I conquer.  But honestly at this point I am not sure what the ultimate goal is....I just know that I am striving to get there - to that better, healthier version of me.
Finally, since I learned a couple years ago about the One Little Word craze I have been intrigued,  In 2013 I chose Document.  This was directly related to my scrapbooking and getting more pictures out of storage and into completed albums.  I did not do as well as I wanted, but I did make a small dent.  I digress...for 2014, I silently chose my word.  I didn't shout it from the rooftops or even announce it anywhere.  My One Little Word for 2014 is SHINE and I know that announcing it 4+ months into the year is pretty chicken sh#t, but let's be honest.  I was scared to put it out there and risk publicly letting myself down once again, announcing that I wanted/needed time to take care of myself which in turn I hope is going to not only make me a better me, but a better and stronger mom to my amazing son.  I deserve that and Heaven knows he deserves it.  So yes, 2014 is my year to SHINE...I am taking the time to invest in me (and yes, that means being away from my son more than I would like), but the end result promises to be worth each and every precious minute I spend on my quest to SHINE.
I warned you this was going to take awhile.  If you made it to the end, thank you so much for sticking with it.  I wanted to let everyone know what was taking up so much of my time recently.  Although my little slice of the blog world is not going to be primarily focused on my weight loss journey, I do hope to check in every few weeks with an update on how things are going.  Thank you so much for stopping by!

In the Spotlight

I found Mary and Capturing Magical Memories through a Texas Women Bloggers link up and was just in awe of all her fun digital Disney layouts.  I just happened to be working on my one and only Disney album at the time.  Even though I am a traditional scrapper, I linked up one of my Disney layouts for her Memory Keeping Monday link up.  Much to my surprise, Mary not only commented, but also asked if I would be interested in being spotlighted one Monday.  I was a little ok a whole lot intimidated, but went outside my comfort zone and answered the questions.  Today is my day and I would love it if you would stop by Capturing Magical Memories,  and check out my interview!   I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and a blessed Easter!  In case you missed my Friday afternoon post singing the praises of Dear Harper Design, you can find it below.