julie2001joe

With work getting busier and busier, it seems I have less time to read everyone’s blogs these days.  I hope you are all doing well and having a wonderful week.  Weather has been really nasty here lately…50 degrees one day, and then 80 the next…argh!  Probably why I have been sick all week.  We had 4 tornadoes touch down in my general area this week…thank goodness none of them were close enough to us to do much serious damage, but I know many people were hurt and homes destroyed.  So, I’ll be saying a few extra prayers for the people who were affected by this awful weather.  Anyway, I should go and get some sleep…gotta work early in the morning.  I hope you all have a great week!

Hello all.  I just got back into town from a training seminar in Houston for work.  It was a nice trip, but I am so glad to be back.  I didn’t have access to the internet, so I have really missed being online.  I got online tonight, and read some of your blogs.  I just want to say, Chrisie…what lovely pics you have posted.  Welcome back.  I am keeping this short tonight…gotta be at work bright and early in the morning.  I hope you all have a fabulous week!!

How is everyone?  I hope you are all having a wonderful week.  Well, I was getting dressed for work this morning, and I have noticed that my jeans are fitting a little more loosely around my waist.  I have been wearing a belt all this week, just so I don’t have to pull them up so much.  Out of curiosity, I jumped on the scale ( I don’t usually weigh in until Friday or Saturday).  It said 235.  That’s 6 pounds less than I weighed last week!  I know that weight loss is the goal, but isn’t 6 pounds in one week really too much?  I have been under 1200 cals everyday, and staying away from soda pop (replaced with diet pepsi).  I do go to the gym 3-4 days a week, and work out at home at least 2 days a week. I remember when I lost all my weight before that I lost it pretty fast…(111 pounds in 13 months), but I don’t think I have ever lost that much in a single week.  I thought it was a mistake, so I stopped at my mother in-law’s house on my way to work and got on her scale and it said 235 too.  Don’t get me wrong…I am thrilled about the weight loss, but I must admit I’m a little concerned that I seem to be losing so much this fast.  I won’t post my weight loss until Saturday night for the Wild Cats weigh in, but is this normal?  Has anyone else experienced this?

What a difference a weekend makes!  I got to spend some time with my family, and since the weather was beautiful we spent most of our time outside.  We live close to a nature trail and we take walks down there.  It’s a great way to unwind from the stressors of the previous week.  I am staying pretty much on track, although, I do sometimes find myself facing a craving that I struggle with.  Sometimes, I win the fight, but even when I lose…I only eat 1/2 the candy bar or whatever it is that’s tempting me.  My kids love this 1/2 rule, because they get to finish the junk food  I should never have bought.  My puppy is already 3 months old and the vet is recommending that we neuter him.  I have an appointment to take him in next week.  My husband says we shouldn’t do it…he says he feels bad for the dog.  Truth be told, I kinda do too, but it will make him live a longer and healthier life…and I don’t want anymore puppies!!  My rot (Roxie) is not fixed, so getting Bo fixed is a must.  Okay…enough rambling.  I hope you all had a very good weekend, and a great week!!

“God will not permit any troubles to come upon us, unless He has a specific plan by which great blessing can come out of the difficulty.”  I found this quote today, and it struck  a cord with me.  During the difficult times, when it is so easy to be angry and resentful…I have to remember that I am not alone.  I need to trust God more every day and have faith that whatever I am going through is part of his plan for me.  During my families recent struggles, my husband found me praying and asking the Lord for guidance. The next day, my husband suggested that he start attending church with me.  Well, I have to tell you that I was shocked.  I have asked many times before, but it was always out of the question.  We will be going as a family to church this coming Sunday and I know that this was all part of God’s plan for me to minister to my husband.  This is truly a blessing in my family.  God is so good!  Wishing you all a very blessed week!

Well, I finally went bought a couple of workout DVDs for me to use when I can’t make it to the gym.  I rationalized that the Jillian Micheals one would probably be the easiest to start with…not really sure why.  That was the hardest workout I have done in years!  I feel great because with the exception of 1 exercise I was able to complete the whole thing, but it hurt like I could have never imagined.  This just gives me that much more motivation to do it everyday until I can do it and still breath afterwards :)  I hope you are all well.  Have a great week!

Hello all!  I first want to say how much I truly appreciate all of your words of encouragement and support.  They have meant a lot to me over the last few days.  Well, with everything going on I found myself falling into old habits and eating things that I should not be eating.  I am feeling better today, and Jay is doing well.  I have him enrolled in a home bound learning program for the rest of the school year and I started him in a youth baseball league at our church.  My thinking is that if I can keep him busy with healthy activities he will have less time to find trouble.  Hopefully, this will also help him to cope better in social situations.  I have stayed on plan today with my eating, and I plan to workout tonight.  Now that the dust is starting to settle, hopefully we can get back in a semi-normal routine.  Again, thank you all so much for your support in this very difficult time.  I hope you are all having a wonderful week.

Well, I was having a really good day, until I got a call at work from my son’s school.  My son is almost 14, but he has a disablity that according to all the doctors puts him at about the develpment of an average 11 year old.  This has caused him to have a lot of trouble in school with other kids in social situations and makes him a target for bullies.  There is one kid in particular that has really been mean to my son repeatedly.  I have been to the school many times, but nothing ever seems to be done about the situation.  So, yesterday when I got home from work, my son told me that this kid had threatned to “beat his face in” today at school.  I told Jay (my son) to stay away from the kid and I would call the school this morning to make them aware of the threat…which I did.  I thought everything had been taken care of, but I guess not.  Apparently, when my son got up from his chair in one of his classes, a pocket knife fell out of his pocket.  I don’t even know where he got it, since we don’t have anything like that in the house.  He told the principal that he was scared and had brought it for protection from this other kid.  Obviously, my son was expelled from school for the rest of the year.  I am so angry at his total lack of judgement that I don’t know what to do.  Jay has never been in any trouble before in his whole life.  I want him to know that I love him, no matter what he does.  I also want him to know how reckless and dangerous his choices were, but how do I communicate that to him.  If anyone has any suggestions, I would welcome them.  Thanks.

Hello all!  I hope everyone is well.  I took the kids out today and we had great time.  We get to spend so little time together, due to work and school.  My daughter and I went and had our spa day…we got manicures, pedicures, and facials.  Since my son wanted no part of this, he stayed home.  When we got finished, I picked him  up and took them to a 50’s theme restaurant in town and then to see Iron Man at the theatre.  Now…I’m exhausted, but what a fun day.  Plus, I lost another 4 pounds this week!  I have set a goal of 50 pounds…when I hit that, I am going to buy myself a digital camera and post my pic on the site holding a pair of the very large jeans I have been wearing for far too long.  I hope you all have a fabulous Sunday…:)

I am so glad this week is finally over!!  I am planning a really fun and relaxing weekend with my kids.  My daughter and I are going to get manicures and pedicures tomorrow.  Then I am taking both kids to the movies, shopping, and out for dinner.  My husband is out of town working, so it’s a good time to spend some quality time with just the kids and I.  I hope you all enjoy your weekend too!  Talk to you soon