Thursday Five

MannLand5 has some great meme's. I am joining in on another today. I am excited! Check her out!!



I am BLESSED to have such an amazing husband that works so hard so I can stay home with our children. He loves me for me and makes me feel sexy and beautiful no matter what I look like!

I am DELIGHTED that J is starting to say more words. She actually said "Up Please" today at the park when she wanted to get into the swing!!

I am JOYOUS that I am getting so much support in my weight loss adventure.

I am CHEERFUL that L is starting to take an interest in cooking and helping get things ready for dinner.

I am JOLLY that I got a full night's sleep last night. Oddly, I am even more tired today. Weird!

Have a great one!
With Love,
Theresa

The Video Says It All!

After my post on Tuesday, I have been trying to not play the comparison game, but unfortunately not with much success. I just can't help it. I've always thought I have a lot of self-confidence, but now I am not so sure. Not if I can't even make it through a 60 minute Body Pump class without comparing myself to all the women in the room, including the 15 year old in just the sports bra! Isn't there something wrong with that? It has been 15 years since I WAS 15, besides, I'm pretty sure I could NEVER pull off the lone sports bra look (and see, there I go again!). But this afternoon while searching around on different blogs while the kiddos were asleep, I came across the blog Formerly Hot. I figured out, that is how I feel, I feel formerly hot! To be honest, I'm not sure I was ever hot, but now I sure do formerly that way! Well, this wonderful blogger had a video on her blog. After watching it several times and laughing so hard (I was glad I was not drinking anything as I probably would have drenched and fried my already struggling computer!) I knew I HAD to repost it. I don't even know how to describe it! It was perfect. I'm not really a Lady Gaga fan (a post for another day), but am SO loving this parody! Check it out and then head over to Formerly Hot and see her too!



I have decided that I am Formerly Hot and working on becoming a MILF! Does that work?
Have a great day and a good laugh!
With Love,
Theresa

Why Do We Do It?

OK ladies...why do we do it? Seriously, why do we do it to ourselves? What am I talking about? I'm talking about comparing ourselves to others. Every woman does it. If you sit there and say that you don't, well, you are lying to everyone, even yourself. We all do it. We can be completely happy, and in the time it takes to watch a TV commercial or even take in a breath, we are comparing ourselves to the woman next to us, or the woman on that commercial. Where is this coming from you might be asking, well let me tell you.

I lost 2 pounds this week. I am EXTREMELY happy about it. I am. I have come to terms with the fact that the more weight I lose, the slower it will come off. I know that is a good thing and it means that the weight will hopefully stay off. So, I am happy with the loss, that was until I went to the gym. I didn't even get into the door before I did the comparison game. Another mom walked in at the same time I did with 3 little ones as well. Hers were a little older than mine, but that wasn't really the point. The point in my eyes was that this mom looked phenomenal!! I mean really great: very thin and muscular, tan and really pretty. She was all of those things that every mom wants to look like after having kids. Then during class I got to talking to a mom that has 2 girls the same age as mine and a little boy that is 4 months old. She looked great too! Seriously great. It just really made me start to get down on myself. Yeah, I've lost over 50 pounds, but still have so much to go. I don't look like that. My belly is not flat and doesn't seem to be shrinking. My arms are still big and since they are WAY muscley (yes, I make up words!) always will be. It just made me sad. Isn't that ridiculous? I should be so stinking proud of the work that I have put in and the results I have gotten. I should be shouting from the roof tops because as of this morning, I am the smallest that I have been since before E and I got married. I should be VERY proud. And, in some respects I am. But it is difficult because I don't see it. Obviously I know that I am smaller, I am in smaller clothes, therefore, I MUST be a smaller person. But I don't see it. I still see that fat woman that is 50 pounds heavier if not more. I don't see that my waist is really getting smaller and my curves are "bangin'". Why don't I see that?

Because I don't look like this:


Or This:


Or This:


(Yes, this is 2 months AFTER her son was born!)

Those are what society tells us we moms should look like. Well, society, you have my apologies, but I don't look like that. Most likely, I never will. I don't have someone to cook and clean for me. I don't have someone to watch my kids for hours at a time so I can have a trainer work me out and help me get cut (before anyone comments yes, I take my kids to the gym for 90 minutes almost every day, but I think you get my meaning here, right?!?!). Society, THAT IS NOT THE NORM!!! Can we say it again? THAT IS NOT THE NORM!!!!! Every day women do NOT look like that. Should we feel bad about it? NO. We shouldn't. Do we? YES we do.

It is so frustrating to me. I WANT to be happy with what I see. I have 2 beautiful daughters that I want SO badly to grow up with a healthy body image. I have a son that I want to grow up to appreciate a REAL woman, not some plastic bimbo (I am not calling Jennifer Garner, Rebecca Romijn, or Heidi Klum plastic bimbos here. They are BEAUTIFUL women and I celebrate them for their accomplishments, I'm just saying again that they are not the norm.) that he has plastered up on his wall. I don't want my daughters thinking they have to look like Paris Hilton or Lindsey Lohan to get a boyfriend. I don't want M to think his woman has to look like ANY of these women. I want them all to respect themselves and the women around them. But, how do I do that when I have a difficult time doing it for myself?

I need to get over it. My body is strong. Those hips...yeah, they birthed 3 beautiful babies. Those legs...they walked many laps around the nursery and have ran after little ones running away in delight. Those arms...they have rocked 3 angels to sleep. That belly...well, it housed the 3 best things I have ever done. My body does what it is supposed to do. I should revel in the fact that it is healthy and not bring myself down for the fact that it doesn't look like any of those other women. E loves me for me, curves and all. I need to love me for me, because I AM THE NORM!!

OK, I'm done. I hope you all have a wonderful day. Celebrate yourself! You deserve it!
With love,
Theresa

Yellow Chicken?

That was the color of our dinner...bright yellow! It tasted really good though, so I am going to share the recipe with you!

Lemony Chicken
4-5 Chicken breasts
lemon juice
lemon pepper seasoning

Do NOT preheat your oven yet!!! Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Place your chicken breasts in it. Take a fork and stab the heck out of the chicken, both sides. Go on, get all your frustrations out on the poor bird! With the bottom sides of the breasts up, poor some lemon juice over them. Flip the breasts over and poor more lemon juice on top. I really didn't measure here, just eye it...you want some to pool in the bottom of the dish. I probably used 1/2-1 c. Then heavily sprinkle with lemon pepper seasoning. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until about 30-45 minutes before ready to eat. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 350 degrees and cook chicken until a thermometer reads at least 165 degrees. When done, pull out and let sit for 5 minutes (you should do this with most meats...it seals in the juiciness!). Serve. I found it even better once the chicken was cut to spoon a little of the leftover lemon juice in the pan over the pieces....YUM!!

My first weigh in for this contest is tomorrow...wish me luck!
With love,
Theresa

Getting To Know You...

I found this at a MannLand5, a blog I like to read. I hope you enjoy learning some more about me!



1. If a person has a booger in their nose. and you can see it, do you tell them?
It depends on who the person is. If it is someone I know, then yes. If it is a stranger, than probably not. I might try and do the discreet rub by nose and try and get them to realize it though!

2. What are you passionate about?
Well, my family of course. But other than that, Knitting. If you have read this blog at all, you probably already know that.

3. How long have you been blogging?
I really do not know the answer to that. I have had a website of sorts since 2005. I started this blog a year ago, but didn't do as much as I wanted until recently.

4. What is your favorite "summer" drink?
Beer or mojitos or lemonade.

5. What is your favorite type of music?
Country or Classic Rock. I really like just about anything except gangsta' rap. It is just so violent. Not my idea of good tunage!

6. Something I do before I go to bed is......?
Play on my BlackBerry. I am a dork.

7. My Summer vacation plans are...?
Probably visit my parents a couple of times and go to see my BIL in tractor pulls. Nothing too exciting!

8. My favorite must have, can't live without, beauty product is?
Tinted moisturizer...if nothing else, I have to have that!!

Have a great Sunday!
With Love,
Theresa

Wednesday and Thursday Combined

I started to post yesterday, really I did, but the stupid computer decided that freezing up was such a better idea! So, I didn't get very far. I will make up for that today as I have both a book review and some fiber therapy for you! :)

I FINALLY finished Chasing Harry Winston, written by Lauren Weisberger. You can read a description here. I really enjoyed The Devil Wears Prada and Everyone Worth Knowing by this author, but I think this was my least favorite of the 3. Honestly, it was pretty predictable. The writing was very good and the plot had the potential to be great, but it just sort of fizzled out. It felt almost like her publisher told her she had went on too long and had to stop, and then she did. If you are really into Chick Lit like I am, then by all means, check it out. Maybe you will have a different opinion than I did. If so, let me know what you thought!

I started reading a book called Wicked which is a combination of two books, Witch and Curse. Unfortunately, I do not remember the author, honestly, I could only get through about the first 30 pages. I try to give any book the first 30 pages before I decide if I just can't read it. This one I just wasn't getting into. Odd, since I really enjoy the whole supernatural genre of literature, but apparently, not this one. Maybe I'll try it again some other time, but not right now. Instead, I switched to a book called, Dying To Be Thin by Kathryn Lilley. Here is a summary. It is pretty funny so far. With all the dieting and exercising I have been doing, it is fitting right into the theme of my life!

And now for a little Fiber Therapy...Presenting my ABSOLUTELY beautiful Norther Lights Shawl!!!




Isn't it GORGEOUS!?!?!? I love it. I have absolutely NO idea where I am going to wear it, but who cares! Everyone needs a little glamour in their life, don't they. I just wish the people at WalMart would properly appreciate it!

I am almost done with my MIL's scarf too! I am very excited...I feel like I have been knitting on it FOREVER! I hope to have pictures next week. I made myself promise that I wouldn't start anything new until I finished it, so I can't wait to get it done!

I hope that you have a wonderful day! See you tomorrow!
With Love,
Theresa

Weight Loss Contest Take 2

Today is the start of my second Biggest Loser Contest a friend of mine runs. I am really excited about it! I am hoping to lose at least 20 pounds this time around. As of right now, I am over 50 pounds less than when I started this journey on January 26th. That's right, you read 50 POUNDS!!! To be honest, I feel fantastic! I am in a lot smaller clothes than when I started, I feel better, I have more energy (well, as much energy as one can have with a 7 month old that doesn't sleep!). I am stronger and more fit. I feel like I can chase the kiddos around a little easier. I just overall just feel better! So, my goal for the contest is 20 pounds, but overall I think I would like to lose a total of 30 more. That would put me at minus 80 pounds which would really be kick ass! I can't even imagine how good I would look and feel if I were to hit that!

I was able to try something new at the gym too. I have REALLY bad knees (2 knee surgeries and arthritis at 30...it sucks) so I have never been really good at Stairmasters. But, I thought, that I am 50 pounds lighter, I would give it a try on Sunday. I only did it for 15 minutes just in case my knees exploded on Monday. It felt really great! I am excited! I can add something else to my workouts. I don't want to get bored. I have to keep adding/trying new things. I tend to plateau really easily and doing different things usually helps keep those at bay! So, tomorrow, going to try for 20 minutes on the Stair climber machine. Today I went up in weight at Body Pump. Probably not the best idea seeing as I am REALLY tired, but it still felt great! There is just something very satisfying about upping the weight and feeling that good tired feeling. Plus, I LOVE doing bicep curls...instant gratification, especially now that I am getting trimmer, those biceps really pop!!

I really missed writing last week and over the weekend. I'm anxious to get back into the swing of things!

With Love,
Theresa