Arrived safe and sound in Vegas.  I’m all unpacked.   And now there is a machine down stairs calling my name! I’m pretty sure it said it want’s to give me money! 

When I tell people I see at work about my Channel 10 Half Year Challenge I sometimes get tips or idea’s.  Like the hint from Patsy.  She toned up and slimmed down using a weighted Hula Hoop!! Okay first Patsy looks amazing! Second WHO KNEW there was such a thing?!?  I seriously had no idea!  Welllllll I’m all for trying something new and fun.  So I ordered myself one.  I’m hoping it arrives before my Vegas trip!!  

It’s completely portable.   It would be a great item to slip into my suitcase.  SEE???  I could exercise on vacation!!!  (‘Course……will it really come out of the suitcase?  In VEGAS?! VEGAS?!?!  Well, ummmm we’ll see… )

As in I beat DH in bowling!  I have the new high score on the wii Resort BOWLING!! 

On the flip side of that I have a charlie horse in my thigh!!! (Okay not so much my thigh but more bit higher up….)  that REALLY HURTS!!!                                                                     

But (I made a funny!) so worth it!  I have high score! 

I had every intention of getting that Apple Fritter this morning…. UNTIL I pulled out a pair of pants that I haven’t had on in YEARS!  I actually started to put them away before even trying them on because I just ‘knew they wouldn’t fit’ but not only did they fit… they fit GREAT!!  They fit SO great that the Apple Fritter didn’t sound QUITE as good as it did yesterday.

I walked with Kaki, I paid attention to what and how much I ate, which is a constant battle!  Do you think it ever gets easier??  For instance today I wanted an Apple Fritter!!!  (Well, that and whole lot of other foods that aren’t good choices)  Stupid diet!!  (I mean life style change!) I want an apple fritter!!  But I resisted for today.  I settled for a frosty Diet Dr. Pepper and a frozen Yoplait Whip. Now I’m headed to a bubble bath………. a magazine and maybe a full 8 hour sleep??   See how good I am!??! 

Aaaaahhh who are we kidding?  I’m getting an apple fritter tomorrow!  Just don’t tell anyone!

My son Zachary called and said “I’m sitting here looking at somebody famous”  I said “Ohhh who do you have over there?”  “No, Mom YOU! You are on the tv!!” 

That’s REALLY COOL!!  I’m in a Channel 10 commercial!!  WOO HOOO!!   I wonder where my paparazzi are hiding??  

Nothing else to report today.  Pretty uneventful actually.  Walked with Kaki.  Work was busy. I ate healthy.  And watched Channel 10 just to see if I could see myself on TV.  (HEY!!  A girl has to have hobbies!!!)

Okay, here is the weekly blah blah blah update!   I lost one pound for the week.  Which puts my weight-loss at minus 16!!  Only (ha ha ha! I made a funny I used ONLY) 14 pounds to go!!   WOOOO HOOOO!!  I walked with Kaki all week.  Added another half pound weight to the weight vest.  Played the wii (ya’all remember the whining about the sore achey muscles….) I even made good food choices all week…. even on my cheat day (Wednesdays after I weigh in!)  I didn’t MEAN to make good food choices today but DH RH (ROTTEN husband as he shall now be called!) took me to breakfast…….. I was looking forward to my ‘usual’ eggs, bacon, hashbrowns.  UMMMMMM.  DH  sorry RH says “I thought you were going to cut out all the potatoes.  I’m ordering fresh fruit instead of hashbrowns myself”      UGH!!  ARE YA KIDDIN’ me?!?!?  Bacon & eggs without hashbrowns is just not natural!!  But OKAY!  FINE!! I order fresh fruit(ewww if only you could only hear the sarcasm dripping from those 2 words! NOT to mention the FACE I’m making!!) So the order arrives…. eggs, english muffin, fresh fruit.  I’m staring at the plate confused cause the whole fruit thing has thrown the balance of the entire plate off…. it looks ODD.  It looks empty and??  RH says “what’s wrong?”  “What’s wrong is ….HEY!! Wait!!  There’s no BACON!”   RH: “You didn’t order bacon.  I thought that was odd but I thought you decided to be extra good”    HELLO!??! DO you NOT UNDERSTAND the whole concept of A CHEAT DAY!?!?!?!?!? Sooooo I ate healthy alllll week. (BUT NOT on purpose!!)  

What a great day!!  Netta and Krystin you are both SO VERY SWEET!!!!  Netta made me a ‘Weight Watcher portion size’ bowl.  It’s the perfect shade of orange!  It holds the prefect single serving portion!  I love this BOWL!!!!   (But.. is it bad that I want to see how many M&M’s or how much peanut butter it will hold??    I mean … REALLY.. shouldn’t you KNOW what a portion of peanut butter really looks like??  Not to mention exactly how many M&M’s are in a portion??)

(I just wish I could get a better picture! One that shows just how CUTE this bowl is!!!!  Thank you Netta & Krystin!!! You made my day!!)

       Wii Resort is a GAME!!!  A fun GAME!!  You aren’t supposed to be sore playing a video game!!  Maybe get a thumb cramp!   Not your arms, buns, shoulders, legs… well, you get the idea… HOLY MOLY I’m sore in muscles I didn’t know I had!                                   

 The Carlsbad Marathon may very well kill me!! 

As in wii Resort that is.  DH and I played for 4 hours!!   In that 4 hours I realized I can’t handle a sword very well (as in not at ALL!).  Canoeing is great if you don’t give me a paddle cause I’m a right turner and I cause the canoe to go in circles. Wake-boarding …. well, I can’t swim anyway so REALLY why do I want to jump around on a board??  Golfing is good if you like the sand….. and the tree’s…. Table tennis… Ummmm stupid paddle I think mine has a hole in it. Bowling?  Okay NOW we’re talkin’.  At least I gave DH a little competition during that game. I am a little sore already!  That was a fun workout! (Except the part where DH is hollering “JUST pick a side to paddle on and STAY there!!”  WHAT?? Like going in a circle isn’t FUN!?!?!?)

I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the Carlsbad Marathon.  Lot’s of different thoughts actually. 

I could just hold a fund raiser…. get Selena back her $75.00 entry fee. 

I could  hire a stunt double that looks like me… and will whine and complain the whole route…

Then it dawned on me…. the Half Year Challenge blog will be over by race time I can say “I’m going to do it!!  FOR ME!!”  Everyone will be impressed and proud of me…..  but and NO ONE WOULD know if I chickened out!!  Wait… forget this last part.  Let’s just go back to everyone being sooooo impressed!!! 

So… I’d like to share this email from my darling daughter Selena (You know… the one we will from now on refer to as the INSANE ONE!!  I love you Selena! But you are NUTS!!)       

                                                                                                                                                                           Mom, Guess what you and Dan are doing together in January??   Yep, I bought my running slot a long time ago and thought I would be good for it by now but it looks like I won’t be.  Better get training.  It will be a ridiculously rewarding achievement.

My first, second, third and FOURTH reactions is a RESOUNDING NO!!!  No, thank you.  No way.  NO!!  NOT gonna do it!!   After a visit with  Selena, she assures me I do NOT have to RUN the entire thing.  I can walk/jog it.  So my fifth reaction is ummm I dunno..(no!)… I’ll think about it.  Ohhhhh wait!!  I think that’s the weekend I have the flu!!!

Today was a much better day.  I had a great motivating phone call with Tyler at WellStrong Fitness.  That combined with the messages, comments and emails from everyone reading I’m feeling much better. I thank you all so much for the pep talks!!  You guys are all AWESOME!!!   

It’s amazing how much better compliments will make you feel!  People I haven’t seen in a while have noticed the weight loss…. that’s a great boost…. that and presents.  Presents always good! Especially jewelry!! My dear friend Nanci sent me a beautiful pearl necklace.  She is an amazing jewelry designer. Handmade with Aloha    So between the compliments on the new hair do…. my weight loss … I’m sportin’ new jewelry!  How can you NOT have a good day??? 

I can NOT get a good shot of my new necklace.  It’s just the softest shades of pink, blues and cream.  It’s just beautiful!!!  Thank you NAN!!!

I’m having such a hard time this week.  It’s one of those turning point weeks where I would say “ya know what?  I’m done!”   I am so grateful I was chosen to be part of the Channel 10 Half Year Challenge because this blog and this Challenge is the only reason I don’t  throw up my hands and say “AHHHH the heck with it!  15 pounds is good enough!”   I feel like the obstinate child….  having a little temper tantrum. I don’t know what triggered this little pity party …..bad mood….. I can’t even think of what to call it.. I’m unmotivated…. I’m moody.  (OHHH woe is me.  I can hear the violins now!)  

Anyway, here is the blah blah blah part, my weekly progress report.  I stayed exactly the same.   I am happy I didn’t gain. And pouty that I couldn’t have at least lost a half pound, that would have been nice.  (ohhhh don’t I sound like a spoiled little kid?!?!  Well, phffffffttttt!!  I soooo should have lost at least that!!!)

I didn’t do any evening exercising.  I did walk with Kaki in the mornings.  I weighed myself with my vest on today and  it weighs in at 28 pounds!  It’s amazing to me that at one time I carried that much weight around and then some!!  

Okay I’ve giving my self tonight to finish playing pouty girl…..

Tomorrow starts a whole new week.  Complete with no more whining!   (Okay I mean like no whining tomorrow!  Not never.  Cause really?  HELLO!!?!  That’s asking for an awful lot!!)

My vacation count down has begun….. 14 days to go….  after this week it can’t come fast ENOUGH!!  WAIT A MINUTE!!  Today is only TUESDAY!?!?!?!? 

I’m proud of myself though, the last 2 hectic days didn’t send me diving head first into a bowl of candy (Truthfully, only because A. I don’t have any and B. I’m too lazy to go anywhere and buy some) that goes for alcohol….. peanut butter……..donuts… wait…. this is NOT helping!   

Now that I’m thinking of all that great junk food I forgot where I was going with this blog…. ohhh look over there… shiny! 

(I don’t know why you think I get distracted easily?!?)

It’s 9:30 at night and I’m so hungry…….. so what do I do???  I pick the worst show to watch from my DVR list!!   Rachael Ray. OHMYGOSH everything she fixed today looked sooooo amazingly GOOD!!!!  But, I resisted temptation…. I grabbed a handful of raw almonds and Yoplait Frozen Whip and enjoyed every single bite.  LOOK at how smart I AM!!  I didn’t un-do a perfect diet day!!!   

Gracie on the other hand…. enjoyed a gift from Dr. Louie and didn’t worry about her diet.  Dr. Louie and Barbara keep Gracie well supplied in peanut butter jars. Tonight it was tempting to keep that jar because MY peanut butter is still MIA!!!                                    

I know that DH doesn’t think I know where the cooking place is in our house…. but I do.   I even know what that thingy is that has fire!!  Tonight, I used 2 of ‘em!!  AT THE SAME TIME!!  

I made my version of Weight Watchers zero point soup.  The soup is really filling and mostly vegetables. In a very large pot add: 1 pound of stew meat (I chop those pieces into smaller pieces, I want more vegetable than meat)  Add a head of fresh cauliflower & one of broccoli, carrots, onions, zucchini, mushrooms, 1 can stewed tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of beef bouillon, 2 cups of water (or more) depending on whether you want stew or soup.   After the veggies are tender I take about 1 cup out and put that in the blender, add back to the soup to make the soup a little thicker and give it a nice rich flavor.  Let simmer about another 30 minutes.  Then serve or do what I do and divide the soup into containers.  I put 5 containers in the freezer.  1 container in the fridge.  One for my lunch tomorrow.   (For the true Weight Watchers Zero Point soup skip the meat & bouillon)

The best part is I don’t have to back to that scary room again for at least a week…. maybe 4.  Wait… when is Thanksgiving?? 

I’m sure that Brunswick will be contacting me soon to sign on with them for the 2010 Pro Bowler Tour.  Yup…. I’m that good.  Okay fine.  Maybe not.  But I haven’t touched a bowling ball in 6 years and I still wound up with a 125 average.  Not too bad.  The boss showed everybody up with a 237.   (Ohhh I wish I could say the staff let him win… but this group is way too competitive for that)

Bowling really is a fun way to get your exercise in for the day.  I don’t know why I don’t bowl more often.

After bowling, I was ready to pig out on pizza,  cake and ice cream.   But sometimes the fates are watching out for me.  No pizza, no cake, no ice cream.  Kathy made some amazing cupcakes, I had only one.  Then I resisted the urge to grab the whole container and run to my car. 

So great night, great company, great cupcake and I’m still on track with my diet.   WOOO HOOO!!

I can best describe the last couple of days & especially nights as ………

          With all the tossing and turning and NOT sleeping ……… I’m starting to get a little (LOT) grumpy and short tempered.  I could REALLY use a WHOLE nights sleep!!  PLEASE!??!?!?!?!?!?!?  Otherwise SOMEONE is going to get hurt!  And since it’s just DH and myself in the house GUESS WHO I PICK!??!?!?!?? 

I’m going to miss summer.  It’s so much easier for me to eat healthy.  Number 1 it’s too hot to really over eat (who am I kidding?!?  I could over eat in an oven!  But in my fantasy blog saying it’s too hot to eat sounds so much better!)  Number 2 I love fresh fruit.  Green grapes, white meat peaches and watermelon.  I know I KNOW! I live in California where I can get all that year around but I like it when it’s more $$reasonably$$ priced!!  (that’s just nice way to say I’m really cheap!)

I did really good today.  I ate smart.  I exercised this morning for 45 minutes with Kaki.  But tonight I feel bloated like I just went on a candy free-for-all…. WHY!?!?  WHY??!?!  That’s not fair.  I WAS GOOD!!  EVEN when no one was LOOKING I was good!!!  What’s UP WITH THAT!??!  Is it because I said I was going to cheat later this month?  My body just said…… fine… we’ll show you!?!?   Or is it this stupid menopause thing?!  It would be nice if the hot flashes and night sweats at least burned fat!  It’s the least they could do!!   (ohhhh someone is a LITTLE testy tonight aren’t I??!!  Good thing DH went to work already.  HEY!!! wait a minute …. is that why he left early?!?!)

I am so excited to report -2 pounds this week!  So that makes 15 pounds GONE BABY GONE!!   As of today I am half way to my goal.  Hot diggity! YEA MEEE!!!   Ohhhh hold the phone…. I think I better count how many weeks I have left for the Half Year Resolution!!  (I crack myself up!!! I was GOING to say ’cause I may have to step it up a little in weight-loss…….. yea…….. we all know I don’t have that  much willpower!!! So nevermind)  Okay here comes the blah blah part.  I walked with my weighted vest every weekday morning.  I even added another 5 pounds to the weighted vest.  I used the wii fit on the weekends.  Did the Jillian Michaels DVD 1 time.  I’ve made really good food choices this week.  If this week was on a report card I would get an A++.

All that said I have some major challenges coming up!  This weekend is the bosses birthday party.  Pizza and bowling.  I love pizza.  I put pizza right up there with M&M’s and peanut butter (added the M&M’s just for Dr. Louie).  Then the end of the month I have a Las Vegas trip.  Ohhh I think I better check how many weeks I have left with the Challenge!!  Cause that will for sure tell me how much I can cheat this weekend and at the end of the month.  (wait…. that’s VERY wrong!  I should  NOT do that….shhhh don’t tell cause I’m doing it anyway…. but at least I KNOW it’s wrong!)

This is Dan (aka the Talent!)   Dan is my darling daughter Selena’s boyfriend.  Dan who works for Jenny Craig, was chosen to be in the new Jenny Craig work out videos. 

I need ya’all to go out and buy this dvd set so Dan can afford to buy Selena an engagement ring I need a GRANDBABY that lives close to me PEOPLE!!!!!  I’m not gettin’ any younger!!  (I’m soooo gonna hear about this post!) 

Dr. Louie wants to know what it is with me and M&M’s.  My answer to her is…. ”Don’t you keep up on what is healthy?”  Experts say you should fill your plate with colors!               

+greens, + yellows, +reds  etc…..                             

I know it works!   I always feel better immediately.

Then my darling baby sister sent DH a way to keep me outta the peanut butter (that is if I could find the stupid jar!) She’s in trouble too!! 

The long weekend is coming to a close.  I did pretty good sticking to my healthy food choices.  I didn’t do a lot of exercising but I am getting on the wii to challenge DH as soon as I post this.  Kaki and I resume our morning walks tomorrow.  So I think I will be fine on Wednesday for weigh in day.  (But keep your fingers crossed for me just in case!!)

I hope everyone had a safe and happy Labor Day Weekend.

Well, I think I’ve pretty much established the fact that I have NO will power at all!   I just went to the kitchen for a scoop of peanut butter…… my dear sweet (and in SO VERY MUCH trouble) husband has hidden the peanut butter….. from ME!!  A grown woman …….. not kids (remember they are all grown and on their own)……. but from ME!!     I spent 20 minutes looking for that dang jar!  I even checked in the oatmeal box!!!  I settled for a frozen Yoplait Whip but it’s just not the same!   Now?  Now I want peanut butter more than when I went in there in the first place!!!   Someone is in BIG BIG trouble when he wakes up!!  (And all the searching?  I’m counting that as exercise!)

A nice quiet day to start off the long Labor Day weekend.  So far I’ve done very well,  I haven’t buried my face in the peanut butter jar even once!!  (But let’s face it… it’s only Saturday)   I made sure there is plenty of  fresh fruit in the fridge.  There are snack baggies with single servings of almonds in the cupboard.  Yoplait Whips in the freezer for that sweet fix.  I think I’ve got my bases covered.  I can get thru this weekend with out a gain!   Unless someone wants to drop off a bag of M&M’s… I’d have to accept them…. it’s rude not to accept a gift.  So?  When will you be here?  Soon? 

Del Mar horse races: WAY more fun when you #1. you WIN…. #2. You actually learn a little about how to bet…. did you know that just because a jockey wears your favorite color doesn’t mean that they will win?!?!? 

Also….. the last race is NOT the time to pick 6.

Woooo hoooo… happy dance…. HAPPY DANCE!!!

 I am down another TWO POUNDS!!!  For a total of 13 pounds.   I am so excited! 

Kaki and I walked again this morning.  Weighted vest (Extra weights added).  I’ve been careful with my carbs and sugar intake.  Slow but sure it’s comin’ off. 

Now the trick is…. not gain anything on the long weekend.  PLEASE!!!!!  I need to stay busy and not munch away my 2 pound loss.

So if you see me in public with food….. never mind…. I may bite you if it’s something I really REALLY want.  So never mind…… so for right now…. Happy DANCE!!

I know that Wednesdays are my blah blah blah weekly update day but Kaki has been on vacation all week….. so I slept in….. today I actually over slept and didn’t have time to weigh this morning.  (It’s ALL Kaki’s fault!  No walks….. sleeping in…….over sleeping…. Kaki is in SO MUCH trouble tomorrow morning!!)  But, I will do my update tomorrow.  

For now, I’m wondering why, when I KNOW I have an important event coming up (known for a year!) WHY WHY WHY do I wait till the last month before I decide “Okay seriously let’s POWER DIET now!  Cause I can loose 20 pounds this month….  rrrrighhhtt…. me that’s taken 8 weeks to loose 11 pounds!  Sure!!  Another 20 in half the time is SO DO-ABLE!!!  Heck! I’ll probably wake up skinny tomorrow!!  I’m really optimistic about the power of this 8 hour sleeping cycle that I feel skinnier already.  Yup yup….I feel pounds just snoring away…… by the way… I’ll be putting the Coronado Bridge on eBay tomorrow be sure and get your bids in early.

I thought I should share some numbers with you…… Today is September 1st.  Which means there are 84 days till Thanksgiving………..

85 days till Black Friday!!! (I love BLACK FRIDAY!!!) and 113 days till Christmas!  I thought you would like to know!  You are soooooooo WELCOME!!  I knew you would appreciate the information.