Babies

Last night my husband and I were talking about holiday plans and I mentioned to him that my mom invited us to come to Disneyland with them over Christmas. It's what we did two years ago, and I'm excited about the mini vacation. I also mentioned that my mom invited us to go to Florida with them over the summer after my sister graduates from college.

And he says, "Is that a good idea? Won't it be hot? And you said you didn't want to be hot when you are pregnant?"

It kind of hit me like a ton of bricks. We might be pregnant this time next year. In terms of kids I've been telling him that I wanted to get started on #1 before I turned 30. Next year (well, in like another four months) I turn 29. So according to logical math, that would mean that this time next year, I could be knocked up (in the good way of course).

And though I don't really admit it, I had a slight case of baby fever. It's mild really. But with so many people getting pregnant and popping about babies, I can't help but think about it too. But then I think about all the practical stuff, like babies being expensive, income, and blah blah blah.

The timing thing kind of snuck up on me. I didn't think we were that close to starting to try. Although, then my husband says, "Well then this means you just gave me an extra year." Maybe so. Maybe not. Weird thing about growing up. It's exciting and terrifying all at the same time.

Halloween

This month has flown by and I almost can't believe that Halloween is so soon. I'm not a huge Halloween fan, except for the candy component, but I saw this floating about the Internet and wanted to share. These pumpkins are pretty hilarious!

Have a fun and safe Halloween weekend!

Turbo Fire: One Month Update

So, I've been doing Turbo Fire for the last four weeks.

And while the results have not been drastic in the first 30 days, I have lost about 3lbs and 5 inches overall. To be totally honest, I was hoping for more. I figured that being on WW coupled with intense workouts would lead to faster weightloss, when in fact, I feel like I'm more stuck at a certain weight. And I'm thinking that I shouldn't have hit a plateau....yet.

However, I think it also has to do with my nutrition plan. I haven't been quite as vigilant as I should be. I have been tracking everything, so I know that I fall under the calorie goal, but I've also allowed myself to rationalize certain choices because I have worked out. The wonderful thing (and what makes it worth it) about Turbo Fire is that the average 45 minute workout burns about 800 calories. which. is. awesome.

But, it's super frustrating to not see the number on the scale go down. I guess I'm more frustrated because I feel like I was consistently losing more weight (or consistently losing weight each week) while on WW (which I'm doing through at least the end of the month), but now I'm not. And I know that it's probably attributed to gaining muscle, but I'm a numbers kind of girl, and the scale going down definitely motivates me more. AND, I'm thisssss close to 10lbs down. I keep teetering at 8-9lbs....

I'm still hoping to be down another 10lbs by Christmas, and I know that I need to step up my nutrition game if I'm going to lose more weight. But I'm not giving up. I know that it would be easy to give in after the first 30 days, but no, this program will be over by December 11.... I CAN DO THIS!!

One Day Bathrooms

One day, I will have a bathroom with a clawfoot tub.

I don't know when, but one day I will.

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What home item do you dream of having one day?

Starting Turbo Fire on Monday...

So to add in a little more oomph to my daily routine, I'm starting Turbo Fire on Monday. I joined a group started by a friend of mine to keep each other accountable and to encourage each other. And not let each other quit.

I'm both excited and slightly terrified.

Seriously. But I'm DETERMINED.

I'm determined to make a difference. I hope to continue on this streak of losing pounds, and now also building more muscle. I lost another pound last week, even with my family in town and throwing my eating habits out of whack. Thankfully, it's really all about being conscious of what I eat, so when we went to Chick-Fil-A, I had determined what I could eat and did not go over that.

Self control is HUGE.

And for the the next 90 days, WILL POWER will also be HUGE.

This program is going to take commitment.
This program is going to take determination.
This program is going to take pure will.

And to help track my progress, I took BEFORE photos. Let me just say, that is definitely a special kind of torture. And a definite reality check. I don't think I have the traditional body dysmorphic disorder, where the person is usually really skinny and they think they are overweight. I am overweight, but I don't think I know how big I really am. Taking these photos let me see that undeniable truth.

The program is set to end right before Christmas, where I hope to be able to buy a new pair of jeans in a smaller size. That's the goal! By my birthday in February, I hope to have a new outfit!

In fact, I started a whole new pinboard on Pinterest to pick out looks I'd one day like to be able to wear. When I have my waist back. You can check out the board here.

And if you have any interest in doing Turbo Fire, let me know! It's not available in stores, but I am a Beachbody Coach and can order it for you. 

Weight Watchers: The First Month

Every time that I step on the scale and the number has gone down, I kind of can't believe my eyes.

And I just get SO excited.

 I'm at the one month mark, and so far, I have lost 6lbs.

 6 POUNDS! And while that might not seem like a lot, it is a huge stride for me. It's the first time that I've weighed what I do since I put the weight on about eighteen months ago.

Through all the things I've tried, P90X, 4 Hour Body, and counting calories, I've never lost weight consistently, and I've never stuck to it.

So I'm excited.

It all started like this. I lost a few pounds prior to our wedding. We were in the honeymoon phase, eating out all the time, eating whatever we wanted, and unlike my husband, who seems to have the metabolism of a bumble bee, I do not. And the weight started to creep up. And up. AND UP, to the point of the highest weight I've ever seen. It was horrifying.

And I said "Enough is enough." Seriously.

Of course, it took me almost two years to gain all this weight and because it was gradual, I guess I didn't really notice it. Or I ignored it. Probably a perfectly mixed concoction of the two. That was probably the kicker.

So I finally decided that I couldn't just be complacent anymore. I couldn't continue to make excuses because I'd never lose the weight that way. Last month I saw the promotion to join Weight Watchers online for free with a prepaid 3-month membership. And I figured that if Jennifer Hudson could do it, so could I.

I was a little skeptical at first, but when after the first week a pound came off, I thought, "Well maybe this is working." Then the following week another two pounds came off, and by the third week another pound!

Just by tracking my food and doing some exercise has been great in enabling the pounds to come off slowly and safely. I plan to continue steady with this, and the best thing is that I haven't had to sacrifice anything, I haven't had to eat only certain foods, I just have to keep track of what I'm eating. Obviously, I can't eat a quart of ice cream, but I can have the allotted serving size of 1/2 a cup. Which, when I'm craving something sweet is just perfect.

If I'm on track with my weightloss, I'm hoping to hit 10lbs lost by the end of the month. Which is just SO EXCITING! Thank you Weight Watchers.

And eventually, I'll have a waist again. Goodbye muffin top!

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Office, please.

Oh the office.

Okay, so I have an office, but it's just not living up to it's potential. Of course, that's entirely on me, and sometimes I wish that I had that innate interior decorating talent and could just whip up an amazing space in no time. But I'm no Jane-of-all-trades, so I digress.

I found some of these pretty office spaces and I'm just dreaming about what I could turn my space into. The thing is that I don't have a whole bedroom to work with. Instead, it's more of a small space that's like a large walk in closet. I'm not really sure what it used to be...I believe the previous owners of our house remodeled, which included my office being created.

So I've been looking for examples of great small office spaces. I really want to get a cubby-bookshelf, the Expedit from Ikea, and just finish painting the walls. Yes, I've been complacent with half painted walls.

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What does your ideal office look like?

Weight Watchers: Week 3

I signed up for Weight Watchers the day before their "Sign up for $1" promo ended. This is what I told myself, "If Jennifer Hudson can do it, so can I." Granted she also has access to personal trainers and probably a nutritionist, but still I thought I would give Weight Watchers a shot. I joined the online only program and have been tracking my points for the last three weeks.

Well, I'm ecstatic to report that I've lost 4.5 pounds so far! All without depriving myself and eating foods I like. This is the most weight I've lost on a program, in a slow and steady manner, which is great. I know that it's not much different from just counting calories, but there's something about paying for a program that makes you stick to it.

I'm a member of SparkPeople.com which is a great website for tracking your nutrition and workouts and it has so many amazing resources and articles for losing weight. Every which way you browse there's a great success story. And it's FREE! That's probably the best incentive. However, for me, I think because it is free and I know that it'll always be there, I took it for granted. Actually, the when I first joined SparkPeople, I followed the meal and calorie plans and tracked all my food. I think I lost about 10lbs. Awesome, right?! Then I became complacent and lazy...

Now I'm at a point where changes must happen. We're starting to think about having kids and I don't want to have any complications due to my weight. So I'm taking the steps to change it. And since I've paid for three months up front, I know that I'll stick with it for at least that long. Longer, really. If I'm being totally honest, I have about 60lbs to lose to get to my first goal weight. This is just the beginning.

Someday. A Dog.

Oh, I have totally been thinking about dogs lately. I really want to get one. But there's a partial commito-phobe in me that is worried about getting a dog! But Having grown up with two dachshunds, I know that it would be awesome. I'd love to have a little companion to hang out with all day!

I'm thinking about a dachshund or a corgi or a maltese. I've only ever had dachshunds, so they are definitely the front runner. I've been looking into rescuing a dachshund from one of the Dachshund Rescue Organizations in Dallas. There are tons!

And there are so many dogs that need good forever homes. I'm hoping that sometime next year we can get a dog. I found a few adorable photos of cute pooches on Pinterest. My heart melts.

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All Good Cowboys

I'm so excited for my cousin who just released her first album, All Good Cowboys.

You can listen online and purchase from the same website.

Happy Monday!

Prayer please...

On Tuesday, while I was getting my tire repaired and another replaced (I so hate car troubles!), I received some devastating news. I learned that a former co-worker and friend of mine was just diagnosed with lymphoma. Cancer. That's all I know for right now, I don't know what type, what stage, or what the prognosis is. It really came out of nowhere.

She's 27.
She exercises and eats healthy.
She has her life ahead of her.

And probably most challenging of all, she's been unemployed for about a year and has no health insurance. I can't even imagine the stress she could be going through on top of finding out that she is sick.

If you're the praying type, please pray. If you're the well wishes type, please send those.

I'm so heartbroken for my friend. I hope that they found it early...

Done with Lemons

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade, right? Well, this girl is totally over squeezing.

I know that this post could be really angry, but I don't want to go in that direction. I think I believe in karma too much. So, I don't want to wish ill things on others, but I am upset. I didn't get that job. But I think that the worse thing is that I know who did. It's like getting punched in the gut and then kicked in the face for good measure. And to top things off, an important potential client meeting was cancelled. That was supposed to be tomorrow.

I know I should learn from this and move on. But it all happened today. I feel like I got rained on. And then hailed on. I feel like I should run and take cover for fear of being struck by lightning next. I know that my not getting that job is nothing personal. But it totally is. That job was (at least it seemed to be) a great fit. A ten minute commute! A small office! And income to supplement things.

I guess it wasn't meant to be. Maybe God is saying, "There's something even better coming." I sure hope so, because I think I've become so accustomed to disappointments at this point that anything good would be welcome relief. And the thing is that I can't really talk about this anywhere else. Because while I'm sad that I didn't get that job, I am happy for the person who did (at least I will be in the future). But this isn't something I can talk about on my professional blog or on Facebook or Twitter. So I'm thankful I have this space. Even if no one reads it.

I'm just so discouraged. I know that tomorrow is another day and I will get through this, but I was so hopeful. I was feeling really encouraged. And now. Well crap. Darn it, I need to catch a break when it comes to these life altering moments. I need a "sign" of some sort that will let me see that, YES, I am moving in the right direction. It's moments like these that my faith is tested.

I'm thankful to have encouraging friends and family who support me and try to make me feel better. I'm thankful to be in good health. I'm thankful to have a roof over my head and food to eat. I'm so thankful. I'm looking for that silver lining while I spend the next couple of days wallowing. Don't mind me. 

101 in 1001 Coming Soon

I started a 101 in 1001 list a few years ago. And after a while I kind of just lost track. I think it might have been listed on an old blog that I don't write on anymore. I really want this blog to be the home of all the things that I don't blog about on my photography blog. While I do share bits of personal aspects of my life over there, I needed an outlet that would allow me complete freedom to write whatever I want.

With my twenties starting to come to a close (it's true I can no longer say "mid-twenties"), I thought it would be a perfect time to start a new 101 list. Stay tuned. I plan to keep to it. I think I'm also going to see if I can find my old 101 in 1001 list. Hmmm. I wonder where it is.

Chalkboard Ideas

So to get my mind off of the whole job thing, I thought I'd blog some of my favorite chalkboard ideas.

I have a wall in the house that is totally blank. It's right across from the kitchen and would be perfect for a chalkboard of some sort. Maybe for the week's menu, a weekly schedule, or maybe just a to do list. There's just something about chalkboard and the invention of chalkboard paint that is totally awesome!

It might even help up be more organized. I know I could totally use something that would help us stay on track for our weekly menus. Usually, I'm pretty good Monday and Tuesday...and then by Wednesday I lose steam. With a menu on the wall, I think we could stick to it. Or at least it would be pretty.

All images found via Pinterest. Check out my stream for more inspiration!

Waiting and Patience

Oh. It is so difficult to be patient. Seriously.

I also know that there's no point in worrying because everything will happen as it happens and there's nothing I can do about it. So really, I should just sit back, relax, and see how life unfolds.

Right.

Well, that job interview went really well, I know that my references were called, and I have a second interview on Tuesday. I think the thing that is killing me is that I (unfortunately) found out that I do have a contender for this job. I mean, I suppose that I thought I would, but today it was confirmed. So that means that I don't for sure have that job. I still need to knock it out of the park again. Great.

And if I'm being totally honest, this is the first time that I really, really, really want this job. I think it showed during the first interview. Now I just need to bring it again and show that my intentions are true and good and that I. WANT. THIS. JOB.

Oy. I know. I need to relax and chill out. Because, really? I can't do anything more than do my best. And as Tony Horton of P90X says, "Forget the rest."

So I'm just going to do what I know I need to do. Let go and leave it up to God. F'reals. That's the best bet.

The Job Interview

So it's been about five years since I've been on a real, live job interview. I had a few interviews in between, but they were all for internal positions, so the pressure was a lot less. A LOT LESS. And then when I moved I took a trip around in the world of self-employment. I love it. I really do. But, it's no joke that the pay can be sporadic and completely unpredictable, and we're at a point in our lives where we need a little more stability as we move into the next phase.

No, I'm not giving up photography. That's hardly the case. But yes, I am and have been applying for a full time job that would supplement our income while my business grows. I really didn't know what I was getting into starting my own business, but I love it 110% and wouldn't give it back for the world. However, there are realities, like paying bills and also having a little thing called fun. And money is required, of course.

All this to say that I had my first real interview in five years last week. It was actually the first time that I was really excited about the interview and I think I might just have aced it. If that's possible with interviews. I was able to talk about my passion, instead of keeping is swept under the rug, and I'd be able to talk photography in this job until I turn blue in the head. So, suffice to say, I'm super duper excited about this job prospect. I also have to mentally prepare myself for the idea that I may not get it. While I think I did well, I don't want to get all cocky and think that I'm in just yet.

However, the hiring manager asked me for some references, so I'm thinking that's a definite good sign. And now begins the waiting game. Patiently waiting for some good news via email or phone. Or the other type of news. But I'm staying positive and optimistic without getting overly excited. And praying. I'm definitely praying for this one. I don't think I've ever wanted a job as much as this one because it just blends my passions together nicely and it's just all kinds of good. Plus, the commute would only be 10 minutes! Seriously.

If you're reading this, please send your thoughts, vibes, and prayers. Thank you so much! I so appreciate it!

Weight Watchers

I saw a commercial last night, and not that it was very different from their other commercials, but something about it hit me. Maybe it was because I was watching TV with my husband. Maybe it was because I said, "Maybe I should try Weight Watchers," and he said, "Me too." I don't know. A friend of mine (who just had a baby) just started on Weight Watchers and she said it was very doable. So...I'm thinking about it. Seriously.

If anything, I might lose weight, and that certainly would not be a bad thing!

Has anyone else out there tried Weight Watchers? What did you think? How did you like it?

Happy Bastille Day!

To all my French friends and ex-pats living in France, bonne fete nationale! 

And if you're in Dallas, check out Bastille on Bishop in Oak Cliff!

Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead

This weekend I watched a documentary on Netflix on recommendation from a friend called Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. It's about Joe Cross' journey from being (aptly named) fat, sick, and nearly dead at 41, to going on a 60 vegetable-fruit juice fast and totally reversing his ailments, losing 90lbs, and feeling better than ever. The documentary also chronicles another man's journey, a truck driver that Joe Cross met on his cross-country drive who asked him for help. The truck driver went from fat, sick, and nearly dead at 42 and 429lbs, to becoming an advocate for eating real foods and losing over 200lbs!

My aunt had told me about the benefits of juicing a few years ago and I kind of just brushed it off. Probably because she's fit as a fiddle and didn't really have any weight to lose. But seeing the results of two men who started overweight and sickly and making progress over time, and making a LIFE CHANGE, was huge. It's worth a try, and goodness knows that I need more vegetables in my life. Maybe the juice form will make them much easier to eat!

You can check out the documentary website here and the movement here.

Has anyone ever gone on a juice fast? Has anyone ever juiced before?

After watching this documentary, I'm interested in trying out a juice fast for ten days. The least that would happen is that I'd be getting my vegetables. The best that could happen is that I drop a few pounds, which I really need to do!

Window Treatment, Anyone?

This window treatment is soooo amazing, and exactly what I'd want for a window in the kitchen or bathroom. Be sure to check out Brooklyn Limestone for the DIY Tutorial.

Photo via Brooklyn Limestone

Totally want to do this!