Gesture Drawing

This is my latest addiction!  They take anywhere from 30 seconds to 11 minutes, definitely helping me with drawing people lol.

Tangle Challenge #86 Break Free

Woo!  This one was all about playing outside the box...my favorite pastime hehe.  Tangles I used:  Tra-la-la, Sanibelle, and 3 others that I can't remember at the moment lol.

Little Victories

Sometimes, the little things keep you going when you are trying to get in shape.  Here are some of the ones I have achieved.  I have set mini-goals at 10 lb losses, my main goal being 150, most importantly doing it healthy!

1) I can do crunches!
2) I can do pushups!
3) Dropped below 190
4) I LIKE veggies lol
5) A big one, happened today - I can button my jeans without sucking in my stomach :D

Tangle Challenge #84 - Blind String

Closed my eyes, drew a string that I thought filled the tile.  Opened my eyes.  Boy, was I wrong LOL!  I ended up with half a filled tile, and small spaces to fill.  I'm not sure how I feel about it, but it's alright overall :)

I used Cruffle, which is becoming one of my favorites, Bumps, and a bit of Betweed.  Critiques welcome :)

Back to the routine

Taking a weekend off from working out is rough!  Especially since it was a really long, stress filled weekend.  Starting to get back on track though.  Did my 2 mile walk this morning, and I can tell it has been a while!  Ready for a nap now.  My weight really dropped over the weekend, but it has come back up.  The fluctuations are getting smaller thankfully, and it is still more to the losing side :)  It's when I get to munch that it swings more, so all of my munchies are outta here!!  Still missing my doggie...I think I will have to look for another.  Two dogs seem to be better than one, especially for them.  Chumlee isn't quite sure what's going on. 

Had a rough weekend :(  My 15yo aussie passed away *cry*  She was such a good and silly dog, she will be missed greatly...love you puppy...hope you are at peace now

Warm again :)

Our odd little cool spell is over, and it is back to August in the Dakotas - hot and humid!  I don't mind, I get to walk in the morning before the world wakes up, and I don't need a jacket yet.  I'm not sure what I'm going to do over the winter...probably spend a lot of time with Ivan the Elliptical...ugh.  My all time favorite food is now on the no-go list :/  I love pizza, the perfect food to me.  Now I have to eliminate it completely or cut back dramatically.  When you can see what it does and does quickly... *cry* Two pounds up since the start of the week :(   Oh well...back on track I guess.

Only Good Things

You know how mama said "If you can't say anything good, say nothing at all?"  Well, apply that to yourself.  It will do wonders for your outlook.  I am trying to do that, no more "I look fat" or "I hate how I look in these jeans"...instead, I told myself "Look!  I don't have to hold my shirt out when the wind blows to hide my muffin top!!"  Little wins :)

I have a friend that got me hooked on Instagram!  OMG...no such thing as taking a bad picture!  It is so fun, and I love all of the ones I've played with!  Here are a few...

And how many times have you had to alter your walk due to aircraft? LOL!  I didn't notice the bird in the pic until I went to edit it...surprised I caught it, swallows are so fast.

Lack of Motivation

Some days are much harder to get started than others.  I still got my walk in this morning, but it was a struggle.  I don't know what to do on days like this.  I usually get a sense of accomplishment when I get my workout in, one would think even more so when I don't feel like it.  I think part of it may be that I looked back through my log and I've only lost 3.5 pounds in the last month, even though I have been very diligent.  *note to self - don't look back :)*  It feels like it should be so much more.  So now I need to talk myself into "it's just a number...muscle weighs more than fat."  It needs to work faster hehe.  I hit 200 over the winter, and was very excited to step on the scale this morning and see 185.  I hope it is gone for good.  Now...the rest had better watch out!!

Diva challenge #82 - Brayd

I had a hard time with this one...not sure why,  but once I got started, it flowed much better.  I needed a spur hehe

I tried to edit the photo...takes forever for me to see the edited version...so sorry if it it weird and big lol

Still going!

It makes me feel better when I post here.  For some reason, logging my workouts makes me feel like I'm getting something accomplished, and it keeps me motivated to continue.  I'm up to half hour workouts, which to some may not be a big deal, but it is huge to me.  The first time I completed 10 pushups, I felt like I could take on the world!

A different view today...I love those rust colored plants.  They are probably weeds, but I still love the color

It's working!!

I'm not losing weight as fast as I had hoped, but I am losing.  I'm also starting to see changes in me - my clothes are starting to fit better, muffin top is not as muffiny lol, and I think I see biceps!!!  Yay pushups!!  I'm just thrilled!  If I can do it, anyone can...and if you want to do it...DO IT!  Just do it, even if you suck.  You are lapping everyone on the couch :)

Elemental Moons

Trying my hand at the Diva's weekly challenge #81.  This one is Elemental Moons...do the elements stand out?

Gorgeous Skies!

Oh how I love South Dakota skies!  This was the glorious view I had this morning...

And it was so nice and cool outside.  The temps are supposed to drop to bearable this weekend *YAHOO*  I'm dreading winter.  Kind of hard to get out and do laps in a foot of snow, dragging big ol' boots through the drifts.  It will mean more time spent with Ivan...  *sigh*

CraaaAAAaavings!!

Oh good grief!  What do you do when that craving hits...you know what I mean!!  That urge for something ooey-gooey, caramel-filled, triple chocolate dipped and cheesecake laced...the one that will destroy all you have been working on over the last week.  I just made it through one, mostly.  I was walking around the lot at work and found a cool rock.  This is what I did with it...

It was quite intense!  It refocused my thoughts on to the rock.  Zentangles can be tricky as it is...try it on something not flat!  I'm pretty happy with it, and the craving is mostly gone....mostly hehe

If anyone has good tips on curbing the cravings, I would LOVE to hear them!

Good morning!

Whew...another toasty July day, the last one this year.  August is normally our hot month - I'm completely dreading it!  Hooray for early morning walks hehe.  I had a plover that spent a lot of time with me this morning, running just ahead of me for quite a bit of the walk.  I tried to get a pic, but he was much faster than I lol *shock*  So since no good picture this morning, I'll share an older one of my kitchen windows iced up from this winter.  Frost is so glorious when the sunrise catches it!

Remember, be strong, and do it for YOU!!

What a beautiful day!

I just finished my walk - 25 min/1.7 miles :D - and it was so glorious outside that I felt like dancing the whole time!  The heat finally broke, and the humidity dropped of so it was just perfect!  Sadly,  a gorgeous blue sky with not a cloud in sight doesn't make for a very cool picture hehe.  So I will share another completed knitting project, on the off chance anyone actually looks at this blog besides me.  Here is Perry the Platypus *ta-da*  I made him for my grandson, who loves Phineas and Ferb (which is pretty good hehe)

Sabotage!!

I get so frustrated sometimes...

It's not like losing weight and getting fit is easy to begin with, but for every person I have cheering for me, there is someone that doesn't get it.  Ironically, it's the two people in my life that have had issues that are motivating me to get fit.  My husband had a heart attack in December of 2011, and the following March, I was with my Mom, who had a 95% blockage.  WAKE UP CALL!!  I was at least 50 pounds overweight, ate all the wrong foods, and on high blood pressure medication.

Are you trying to lose weight?

The dreaded question.  Yes, I am.

Why? You are fine as you are...

*to self...no, no I'm not.*

Why am I trying to lose weight? 1) I am so tired of being fat, and tired of being tired. I want to be comfortable in my own skin.  2)  See the info above hehe.  And for some reason, the "you are fine as you are" was always answered by "good, I'll have a hot fudge sundae then"

Are you trying to die healthy?

No...just trying not to die :)

And as for sabotage, please, I beg of you...don't bring Key Lime Cheesecake and DQ monster ice cream cakes to my house.  Don't bring deep fried Oreos, Snickers, or anything to my house.  I'm only so strong.  Want to make a sweet treat?  Okay, but it will be with healthy alternatives.  Why yes, I did find a healthy-ish version of chocolate chip cookie dough :D  Not in the mood for that and want a bag of Rolo's?  Fine, but for the love of all that is sacred, take it with you when you leave

My point is I would like support, not sabotage.  I really kind of crave it.  And here it is *drumroll* ....

The dreaded "before" picture, which is actually just 10 pounds more than the current me...*sigh*  I will get better.  I will keep going. 

New fun workout - Bellydancing!!

This is such a blast!  I found a set of dvd's from Fit Tv, the show is Shimmy.  It is a fun way to get up and get moving.  I love this vid.  I'll do this someday :D

Remember, NEVER EVER EVER GIVE UP!

Same sky, different day :)

Went for my morning walk, and it looks the same as the last time - overcast and ready to storm.  It hasn't rained yet, so no rainbow today.  It was 80 degrees out when I came in this morning - BLEH!  Supposed to hit 86-ish for a high this weekend...may need a parka lol.  Since I didn't feel like posting a pic of the same old grey sky with no rain, I'll post my Hobbes.  I learned to crochet just to make him, and he makes me silly happy :)

Got my walk in today!

It was a close one too!  There was a lovely storm that rolled through, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to walk.  It poured for about 15 minutes, then cleared long enough for me to walk, and then it started up again hehe.  Thank you Mother Nature!  She also gave me an incredible rainbow to watch while I walked :)

I've lost 10 pounds, and I finally feel like they are gone!  I have a lot to go, but I have a great support system out there.  Thanks to all my beloved friends that support me, give me good advice, and the encouragement to keep going!  You are all a blessing *hugs*

New Addiction

In addition to being highly addicted to Pinterest *hides*, I am hooked on tangling!  Someone had linked a tangle, which took me to the Zentangle website.  It's so much fun.  It reduces stress, and the possibilities are endless.  Check out their blog...they tangled a piano!!  Here is the one I finished this morning :)

I love throwing a little bit of color in some, some are just perfect in black and white! 

I suggest the kit if you can afford it, very high quality materials.  They can be done in 15 minutes, or more or less, depending on your mood.  How often do you get 15 minutes to relax? hehe

Woo Summer!!

I have finally gotten off of my fluffy butt and started working out!!  I eat better, and fit at least one 20 minute workout in every day.  I'll spare you the before pic...at least until I have a worthy after lol!  I decided to take a pic of the sky when I walk outside.  One marvelous thing about South Dakota, you can see it all...no silly hills or trees to get in the way hehe.  Here is the storm rolling in today...

Spring has sprung! Kind of....

We were spoiled by an amazingly warm March, only to be thrown into a cooler than normal April. I'm ready for warm, rainy days...mosquito free hehehe

Yup, Winter...

Happy New Year in the frigid north! It's -5 degrees outside...that is just wrong on so many levels. Makes me wonder why the hell I'm still here...