60's Tomorrow

This weekend it is supposed to be in the 60's. In fact, tomorrow after we will not be below 60. Thank You Lord!!

I do not know HOW you people Red River and up handle so much cold. I just can't do it. Despite the fact that I have worked a grand total of 4 days so far this month thanks to the cold weather, I am ready to walk out my door tomorrow and make it to my car without losing feeling in my hands and nose.

In fact I am ready to for the beach!

But I shouldn't get too far ahead of myself.

New Years Resolve Kept

You know you are not doing well when you attempt the resolve you made on January 1st on February 3rd, but better late than never: I am finally posting!

I'm going to kick off blogging again by reviewing the first New Year's Resolution I have ever kept a whole year through. Again, kinda late being that it is February and all. But, if you are starting to waiver in your resolution, perhaps this will inspire you.

My new year's resolution last year was the same as most Americans: lose weight! Normally I have always been kinda chubby, but last year I was REALLY chunky. Even my fat pants were tight. I couldn't bare to weigh myself, but I started running on my lunch breaks at work.

In three months of hard work, I was finally able to

get into my jeans without muffin topping...a lot of work, but I have never been one to lose wait easily, so I was proud of myself. I even bought a scale from Ikea and weighed.

169 lbs

I couldn't believe it. At 5' 8" that is not good. Three months of working out, and I was still the heaviest I had ever weighed myself. So, it was time to take the next step.

I chose the Eat Right 4 Your Type diet for two reasons: 1) I didn't have to buy anything special or subscribe to anything, and 2) supposably a couple weeks after you start you would be hooked. The diet bases what you eat off of your blood type. I'm type O, so that meant NO flour, potato, or corn products of any kind (among other things). This may sound kind of strict, but what I could eat I didn't regulate-I ATE! (happy for me this included chocolate)

Sure enough, after two weeks the donuts at work where not the least bit tempting. But beyond that, I was shedding pounds for the first time in my life. Over the next 4 and a half months I lost 29 pounds making it to my ultimate goal wait of 140 lbs!!

But turns out that wasn't the end. Without trying (i.e. a pitifully spotty workout regime) I lost another 5 pounds.

Currently I am 135 lbs

And now, I am proud to present my Before and After!

{before}

{AFTER!!}

Note that my "before" was after nearly two months of running 4-5 days a week. I'm not really trying to lose weight now, but I am trying to weight lift and get toned...ugh, we'll see how that goes. Also, if anyone is interested in the Eat Right 4 Your type diet, just let me know. I would love to help you out :).

I love friends. I especially love friends who make really cool tags. You see, I'm a paper product girl: I love cards (I have a huge box of nothing but cards), I love cute envelopes, I love stationeries, and now I love these tags!

The last time I met Sarah, I think, we where passing each other on a staircase at college...maybe...its been so long since I've actually seen her. And, that is why I'm so thankful for facebook! Thanks to facebook, no matter what crazy different directions life takes us, a friend can still tell me when she is making awesome tags.

{Terrific Teal Tag}

{Happy Hope Tag}

{Polka Dot Party Tag}

Check out her blog at http://piecefuljoy.wordpress.com/

And also see her etsy shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/piecefuljoy

Panther Creek

This weekend {August 21st} my family is opening up a shop called Panther Creek! We will be selling all kinds of wonderful items including antiques, home made soaps {thank you Erin!}, and....Puppies!!!

My little Beowulf is a daddy, and his pups are absolutely adorable! Before you think on stopping by and picking up a lil guy for your one bedroom apartment, let me warn you that that they can get up to 150 lbs or more being that their mama is a Great Pyrenees and their papa is an Anatolian Shepherd. But they are supper sweet and will love and protect any human and animal they are raised with.

Here are few of the antiques we will be selling. There will be a whole lot more on the day of the sell.

I LOVE this rocking horse!!! If I had any room in my apartment at all, I would buy that before any of you could come out and see it, haha!

Please come and have a look around; my parents property is a lovely place. I also think Erin is bringing fresh cut flowers , jalapeno sea salt, and some veggies {I'm pretty excited for her soap!}.

Home School Graduation 2010!

My goodness, I have a lot to catch up on! The graduation was all the way back in May! Well, here are some highlights for you :)

I met Mrs. Lunsford, the director of the NThen graduation, through my cousin Ricky last year. She is a marvelously organized women. She takes all these families who have never met, and in a matter of months make their high schoolers friends in a single graduating class. The ceremony itself consists of speaker, song, cake, and student tables where the students can strut their stuff.

This year one of the families, the Meltons, wanted a mini-session right before graduation. Personally, I think this kid could go into modeling. Here's one of my favorites :)

Here is this years graduating class!

Thank you Mrs. Lunsford for all your hard work in putting this together.

Confessions

Wow! I can't believe how long it's been since I last posted! I would like to say that it was because I was sooo busy that I just couldn't find the time...but I have a confession: truth is I'm a terrible procrastinator. But I am trying to form good habits this summer! I've been running, practicing my guitar (which I'm terrible at), and now I will be blogging.

While I'm at it, I'll get a few other confessions off my chest....

{confession #2}

I spent a year sleeping on am Ikea couch

Last May (that would be May 2009) I brought my cat from my parents house to my new apartment. While I'm sure he was delighted to be re-united with me, he was unhappy with the change in environment. He communicated his displeasure by peeing on my bed. Thus being the poor chick that I am, I waited for this year's income tax return to buy a real bed.

Here is my brand new bed in all it's glory!

{confession#3}

I LOVE to cook! ...but I hate to clean up afterwards.

I cook all my meals, and I'm not too bad at it. I cook Mexican, Asian, American, and even some Mediterranean. Baked, fried or steamed, it doesn't matter. What's not so great is the mess I make...Here's another habit I'm trying to form this summer-cleaning up after myself! Don't get me wrong, I love laundry, and I can straighten a living room like no bodies business. But I hate cleaning the kitchen.

Here's a little mess in the making: 100% oat pancake with sausage

{confession #4}
Video games give me nightmares

Okay, not all! I love Super Mario, Castle Crashers, and Fable II. But make me play Modern Warfare and I'll about have a heart attack! The first time I played Left for Dead with my roommate, I had a zombie nightmare...In fact I've had three since. I've gotten better; that is, in my dreams I can shoot the zombies and find the safe room.

This is more my speed!

{Confession #5}

I LOVE flowers! If only I wouldn't forget to water them.

My rosebush is surviving, but I've about killed my wildflower pots. My Cilantro is long gone. I wish I could blame the Texas heat (and I do), but really a little water here and there would solve the problem.

My surprisingly hardy rose bush

Thanks for reading! Next week, I will post some more senior stuff like I promised.

Waiting

Despite my allergies (which are killing me at the moment), I LOVE spring! I love flowers and fresh green leaves, the warm sun and cool air, leaving my windows open-I could go on :)

Spring is here...That's for sure, but I'm still waiting on my flowers. I see other's have their rose bush blooming, but I'm still waiting for mine. My Cilantro and wild flowers are all sprouted, but when oh when will they finally flower?!

{my dad's puppy, Clyde..He looks like he's waiting too}

{The wild flowers in my pot}

I have one tiny little bud on my rose bush, and I'm so excited! I planted it middle of last month and it has gown so fast...and now I have a rose bud!

{a tiny little bitty rose bud on my rose bush}

I hope I will be able to post some flow pictures soon!