Happy Birthday, Daddy!

What can I say?

What can I do?

But offer this heart O God

Completely to You

My dad would have turned 58 today.  What wouldn't I give to celebrate with him today?

As I sit here and try to think of the right words to say, all I can think of is the lyrics to 'The Stand' by Hillsong.  (It's funny that would come to mind since my mom had told me the other day that if she had to pick a word for the year, it would be just that - stand.  I didn't even know the title of that song until I just looked it up to reference it.)  What is there to say?  What is there to do?  But to surrender it all.  To trust God's divine plan.  I don't understand it.  I don't always like it.  But I have to trust it.

Lisa Price Photography

I am grateful for 25 wonderful years with a dad who loved me and his family with his whole heart.  He put us first - always - even in the very end.  I am thankful for a father who made me laugh and gave me my sense of humor.  I am thankful for a father who rain or shine, always came through in a time of need.  His wisdom and guidance has helped to mold and shape me into the person that I am today - and for that, I am grateful.

No one ever thinks it's going to be their last birthday or their last Christmas.  Love the ones you are with.  Let them know how much you love them.  Hug them close and enjoy the small moments - those are the ones you miss the most.  It's not good-bye, it's so-long for now.  One day, we'll embrace again.  

'The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.' Psalm 34:18

Envelope #1

I got to open my first envelope this week for losing 5 pounds!  Whoop, whoop!  My reward was $25 to Panera and Barnes and Noble.  They were gift card I already had that I put up for my first reward.  So tonight, my mom, husband, and I got to enjoy a Panera dinner and a trip to the book store.  Maybe my next reward should have been a camera!  I'll have to be sure to start using my husband's good one. J

While at the bookstore, my mom and I happened upon this 100 Calorie Snacks & More cookbook.  It had some really great recipes in it - all for under 100 calories!  I can't wait to try some out and post them.  I don't know about you, but I have a major sweet tooth...if I can satiate it for less than 100 calories, I'll be on my way to opening my next envelope in no time. 



SKINNY Muffins

Looking for a delicious and sweet treat?  How about one that is FAT FREE and only 90 calories?!  I tried this recipe for strawberry banana muffins tonight and they were superb!  How can you beat a  muffin that has whole chunks of strawberries and bananas in them?  This recipe was simple to make and only takes 15 minutes to bake.  This one is a keeper.

I found the recipe at Sally's Baking Addiction.  She has some other great recipes on here that are low calorie.  I can't wait to try the Skinny Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffins!



Spin It Out

My big Christmas present this year was a spin bike.  I always enjoyed going to spin classes at the Y, so I thought it would be great to have my own bike.  I don't know about you, but after all day at work it's really hard to want to stop at the gym.  So having the bike has been a great way to make sure I get a workout in.

I am always impressed at those who are good at making up their own spin workouts.  However, I am not experienced enough to make my own, so after much searching, I found an app called Cycle Coach.  It makes it more like being in an actual spin class.  There are multiple workouts to choose from based on time and level.  You can also choose to use the music provided or input your own music.  The good thing about spin workouts is that you control your own pace and resistance, so the same workout can be used over and over - just increase your pace and resistance.  I also like it because it gives you an estimate of how many calories you burn in each workout and shows you what's coming up so you are able to pace yourself.  What's your favorite way to burn some calories??

Get MOTIVATED!

I don't know about you, but I don't just think exercise and eating right is a ball of fun.  I need motivation, or there's no way I'm going stick to it.  Yes - eating right needs to be a lifestyle change, not just a "fad" diet.  But who doesn't enjoy making weight loss more like a game?  

I saw this idea on Pinterest a few different times and decided to give it a try.  While I was at Target, I picked up some of these marble-like vase fillers and 2 mini-buckets from the dollar section.  I wrote on the buckets with a chalk marker "Pounds LOST" and "Pounds TO GO." 

I filled the "Pounds TO GO" bucket with marbles to represent the amount of  pounds I want to lose.  I placed them by  my scale and will move a marble over to "Pounds LOST" for each  pound I lose.  As small and trivial as it may seem, I am excited about moving those marbles! 

My husband suggested that maybe I pay myself for working out.  I like it!  I picked up an extra bucket at Target and am using the leftover marbles to keep track of the money I earn for working out.  I get a $1.00 per day that I workout.  When I've saved up a sufficient amount, I'll get to use my reward money on something that I will enjoy!  A movie?  Shoes?

Another idea I am trying is to have some reward envelopes ready for when I lose 5 pound increments of weight.  I took some time and really tried to pick some incentives that motivate me.  We just had Christmas, so I went through my wallet and decided to use some gift cards I already have.  

-5 pounds = Panera Lunch & Book Date! 

-10 pounds = New MAKEUP! 

-15 pounds = Manicure & Pedicure

-20 pounds = Shopping Spree! (Giftcards for Limited, JCrew, & Victoria's Secret!!)

What motivates you?  A new outfit?  A new hairdo?  A trip?  When deciding how to reward myself, I had to keep in mind that rewarding myself with food would defeat the purpose. (I have always heard the saying - you are not a dog! Don't reward yourself with treats!)

How do you get motivated?

Picking Up the Pieces

It's hard to believe, but it's already been a little over three months since I got married to the love of my life. 

Lisa Price Photography

A few weeks before the wedding, I had a wedding dress crisis.  I went in for my final fitting, and the whole back of the dress wasn't right.  It didn't fit to my back and was bunched up.  This is definitely not what you want to have happen when your wedding date is quickly approaching.  Oh, how hard I had worked to fit in that beautiful dress.  So the manager over alterations dedicated about 4 hours of her time to fixing my dress.  She'd sew, then I'd try it on again...and again, and again.  Finally, after that sweet lady had done all she could do, my choices were to take the dress or get a new one.  My mom and I agreed that she had gotten it to a good point and that in the grand scheme of things, it wouldn't matter.  The manager hugged me and then gave me a little speech about how when it came to my big day, that something would go wrong - that I just needed to remember that at the end of the day I would be married.  She had no idea how true her words would become.

Lisa Price Photography

In May, my dad found out he had pancreatic cancer.  Cancer.  It's still hard for me to believe.  My dad ended being in the hospital a few days before the wedding.  His physicians had every hope of getting him to the wedding, but it just wasn't meant to be. 

Thanks to the help of a wonderful hospital staff at Tennova, our phenomenal family and friends, and my amazing dad - we moved the wedding to the hospital.  It was an emotional day.  It was a beautiful day. Through God's grace, my dad found the strength to walk me down the aisle.  I was commended for moving the wedding to the hospital, but I'll tell you - I commend my dad for what he did for me.  My cup runneth over.  Our prayer that day was that someone in that hospital would see God's love.  

Lisa Price Photography - Thanks for capturing this moment.

Regrettably, my dad passed away 4 days later.  One weekend was a wedding and the next a funeral.  After 5 courageous months of battling this terrible disease, my father went to be with Christ.  We prayed for a miracle, and we got one - just not in the form we had hoped.  I'll never forget what my dad did for me that day and the unconditional love he demonstrated for his family.

It's been a little over 3 months since I gained a husband, but lost my dad.  I can tell you that I do not even know how to pick up the pieces.  My heart is broken.  I don't even really have the words.  I do know that somehow, someway God will get me through until I see him again someday.

In 3 months time, I've allowed myself to get off the bandwagon with healthy eating and exercise.  I ate whatever I wanted, and I won't lie - I enjoyed it.  But I don't enjoy not fitting into my pants.  Having zero energy.  Feeling bad about myself.  It's not worth it - so it's time to get back on track.  It's not going to be easy, but I need to do it.  So... let the journey begin!