45 Things; I like this woman.

Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry..
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come...
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Wedding Talk

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTAY! So, the wedding day is creeping up, someday's it feels like it will take forever, other days 5.5 months seems just around the corner. I got my wedding dress last week =D I was very excited. So not this past Monday but the Monday before, my mom and I decided to go to Charlotte's just to look around, we were originally planning on going to Utard to find a dress in Feb. I started to try some on and there were three that I absolutely fell in love with! I knew that my dress was in one of those three, I just had to pick which one. So needless to say I found my dress and I am VERY excited about it. One step closer! Rowdy and I went with our moms to cake test at Thriftway and Beaverton Bakery and Beaverton Bakery won by a long shot! Today Jane put the payment down for our cake, which is one more thing checked off my list along with the flowers that my Aunt Dianne is going to do for us and the location of the ring ceremony and reception, which is the Vial Farm (my dream wedding coming true!). Now it's bridesmaids and their dresses, decorations, groomsmen and budget ish, oh the never ending list.

Another Sub-ject of wedding is getting into better shape! I have been working with a personal trainer for about 2 weeks now, trying to eat better and be more active. I'm tired of looking how I do when I know I've looked better and I've never look this "bad" before. My main things are bread and sweets, oh man do I LOVE those things. I love whole wheat bread, but it's rolls and French bread that I struggle passing up. And then my sugar fix, I adore sweets, so it has been a huge challenge for me to reduce my sugar intake. Lucky for me though, I love fruits and veggies and I always have, I'm just trying to eat less meat and sweets and "white" things like white flour, sugar and salt. My inspiration has been my friends; Gen Toki and Tiff Johansen. If I could look like Tiff by my wedding, life would be good, but chances are I never will because we have diff. body types so what ever I look like by my wedding, I hope I'm happy with it.

The wedding has also helped inspire others to join me in my "get my butt into shape" endeavor. My mom, my dad, Jane and Lacey have all joined in on eating healthier and exercising more and so far everyone has lost weight! Except me, but I'm trying not to get down and think positively. I can come a long way in 5.5 months, I just wish I had a little bit of some instant gratification. On a good note, two weeks ago running a mile was about all I could do at a max speed of 6.0 on the treadmill, now I can run at 6.4 speed at a 1.0 incline (which apparently is the incline equivalent to running outside, not 0.0) for 2.4 miles! WOO HOO. My stomach is looking flatter, my back muscles are toning as well, but nothing is fitting differently and I do not weigh any less=frustration. But i'm not giving up. Maybe someday I can get Rowdy on board with me and that will make it even easier because then there will be no one eating tempting things around me! But until then, I have to find some self control.... great, now where do I find that again?

Gratitude

Ok, so I've decided that I am going to try and write down/blog a few times a month what I am grateful for. I'm going to try and be specific to things that pertain to that week/month/day etc.

Today I am grateful for:

• The church, so many blessings. It's saved my life.
• Good food, this changing how I eat thing is hard but it is getting easier because I can make some good healthy food.
• 6 more months, I have 6 months and 3 days until I "seal the deal" with Rowdy and let me tell you.... I cannot wait!
• Family, mine and Rowdy's both.
• My Friends
• My job, I have a steady paycheck and a flexible job that I enjoy and will benefit me for the rest of my life.

So, that's my gratitude at this moment in my life.

Workout Mode

So I've been working out everyday and eating according to what I have read in the book my friend, Gen gave me called "Eat to Live". I've done the workout my friend Anna made for me, it kicks my butt! I have yet to weigh myself.... I'm very curious. But I can't until Sunday, ugh 4 more days. I gained 5 lbs when we went back to S.C. for Christmas, no bueno!!!! I've been parking further away so I walk longer to where ever I'm going and I make myself a different dinner than the kids (Because they aren't huge fans of whole wheat pasta and lots of veggies) and it has worked out so far. The only time I remember hurting this much though was the start of basketball season in 8th grade, I can hardly walk! My mom and I are going to Utard next month to look at wedding dresses, hopefully I've lost a desirable amount by then so I'm not too overwhelmed. I figure if I keep doing what I'm doing for the 6 months leading up to my wedding I will be in tip top shape and I plan on maintaining that shape afterwards as well. Not going to lie, it is very hard not to eat a piece of pizza or food that contains "white" ingredients like sugar, flour etc. My mom has also started to workout with a friend of hers and she has also adapted her cooking to the same as what I have been doing. I'm very proud of her for taking the steps to get herself where she feels good. It is a continuous journey but we're on it!