The Biggest Loser

So for the past 6 weeks, Dan and I had a challenge to see who could lose more weight, but the winner was determined by pounds lost divided by the beginning weight. Yesterday the winner was crowned. . .and it wasn't me. (We were close, our final percentages were 3.85% and 3.64%) Even though I didn't technically win, I still feel good about losing almost 5 pounds and I'm proud of us for starting to lead a healthier lifestyle. I know we still have a lot more we could do to be healthier and it is definitely something I struggle with. I mean who doesn't love going out to eat and getting a nice big cheeseburger (the mac n cheese burger from the Cheesecake Factory comes to mind). I think we have been doing a lot better about not eating out so frequently and I have not been snacking as much (I miss my popcorn). I have been trying to add black beans and brown rice into our weekly meals and more whole wheat items (pasta, bread, tortillas, flour) instead of plain. One of our household favorite "healthier" meals is chicken salad sandwiches, but I make it with avocado instead of putting any mayonnaise in it. I also add some lemon juice, salt, pepper, and chili powder. I think it tastes really good and isn't loaded down with the heaviness of mayo. Our next goal is to start smaller challenges (without an end prize) to continue to track how we are doing. Now I just need to work more on the exercise portion of the healthier lifestyle.

Wake Up

Well today was a little scary. On my way home from work, I was in a minor fender bender accident. Our cars were worse for wear but we were thankfully both okay. It's moments like those that remind you how real life is. I'm not saying that I saw my life flash before my eyes or anything, but I definitely do not take lightly what happened today. I'm so blessed to be okay physically; emotionally, however, I'm a little drained. In the moment, I felt surprisingly calm and way less shaken up then after the police report had been filed and the insurance call had been made. Then I think it all hit me and I was pretty much a wreck. Everyone be extra careful out there, especially on the wet roads!


xox

2013

Well I can't believe it, another year has come and gone. Last year was a particularly important year for me. I got married, moved out on my own, moved to a new state, and Daniel started grad school. As of right now, 2013 is a wide open canvas, a blank slate just waiting to be filled. I don't want to get stuck in a rut, I mean routines are nice but I want to live my life with new found excitement every day. I don't want to wake up on January 1, 2014 and wonder where the past year went. The new year is always filled with resolutions and people who are so dedicated and determined, but that energy quickly fades. This year, I have not made any formal resolutions, but there are some things I would like to try and make a better habit of doing in my daily life. 1.) I need to focus on reading the bible more, my mom reads the bible every day and she spends time journaling and praying. I need to train myself to follow in her example. 2.) Exercise and eat healthier, these are important to me because at 23 years old I should be able to walk up 3 flights of steps and not be winded, I need to keep my body healthy so that I can have many years with Daniel. 3.) Talk to Daniel often and about the future. Today we had a really great conversation about what kind of house we want someday and what we should do after PA school. I know we cannot always live in the future, but it is good to have some ideas and it's really important to me to talk. Not always about deep topics but just to talk. And not forget to let the other person know they really matter to you. Daniel, if you are reading this, you really matter to me and I appreciate all the hard work you do! 4.) Document my life better. Not that my day to day activities are super important but my memory is not the greatest and I would like to have some sort of record to show my children someday. Also I need to cultivate some hobbies other than watching loads of tv.

Here is a quote on a daily calendar that really stuck out to me: The best way to get something done is to begin. You can't accomplish anything without taking that first step. So to those people that have started their resolutions, you have begun, just don't give up.

xox

Waiting for the Rain

Hurricane Sandy is the impending doom that is coming towards us. Or so everyone thinks. Storms are always over hyped and people naturally freak out and go bananas. All the empty shelves at Target that once held bottled water are proof of how much people go crazy. I wouldn't say I overreact like some, but I was definitely beginning to get a little nervous about this storm. It was giving me some anxiety. Daniel had went out to the store yesterday to get essentials (bottled water and toilet paper, wouldn't wanna be without those) And today we started talking about what we could eat if we lose power. Daniel thinks that power loss is expected and that we should treat the situation as such. So we went back to our local Target and bought some more essentials. Like a jumbo sized container of peanut butter and nutella. We also have 2 loaves of bread and a lot of cereal choices, trail mix, breakfast wafers, and applesauce. If we do lose power, we'll have some odd meals the next few days, but we'll survive. I guess one reason this is hard(er) for me is it's the first major natural disaster that I have faced away from my family. And I am just feeling a little homesick for them right now. I know they have everything they need to survive so I wouldn't mind crashing there and having them take care of me too. Daniel and I will both be off tomorrow, his school was cancelled for the next 2 days and my first day of orientation at the new job was moved til Thursday. It's definitely a relief to know that if the weather is bad, neither of us have to travel out into it. We moved all of our storage unit items in the basement on top of our plastic totes so that hopefully nothing gets wet and ruined (ac units). So now I'm just waiting.  Wondering when this beastly storm will hit and how badly we will be affected. I need to keep reminding myself that my God is bigger than any storm and he is fully and 100% in control of this situation. In the meantime, I'm watching Gilmore Girls (which makes me miss my sister) and snacking a lot, which is bad news and I need to stop so I don't eat through our emergency food! So far not a drop of moisture, just ominous dark clouds waiting for the right moment to unleash their fury. The pastor at a church we visited today said that Hurricane Sandy was too nice of a name. It should be named Hurricane Thor. I'm just praying that it's not as bad as they say it should be.

xox

Christmas is coming!

I love the holidays, I love it for the family gatherings, the decorations, having a break from school/work, relaxing. . .and also presents are nice. As October draws to a close, I am beginning to realize how soon the big holidays will be upon us. This is both exciting and scary at the same time. You see, I love buying presents for people, and I don't usually stick to a budget, I just spend, spend, spend and this year I can't really do that. Being a one income household and not living under the umbrella of my parents, I need to watch myself and not get into debt. My sister is doing the smart thing and making presents, (check out her sweet blog) which I would do if that crafty gene had been blessed to me, but right now, I have not discovered my trade. (Unless you count baking, but baked goods will not wrap nicely or hold up over a long period of time and they might make people fat) I will be so tempted to buy lots this year, especially when it comes to decorations because who wants to have a naked Christmas tree in the living room. Not this girl. I've always had a safety net of money and never understood those people who lived paycheck to paycheck or say stuff like I just spent my last $20. Thankfully I don't (and still have that safety net) know what that feels like. The holidays are so much more than presents but it is still nice to be able to give people you love something that makes them happy or that they really want. I am itching to start buying gifts for people but the frugal part of me is telling myself to wait for a sale or look for a coupon. Not that I am a crazy couponer. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy getting coupons in the mail, but I limit myself to only cutting out the ones that I would buy even if I didn't have the coupon. And I don't like the ones where you have to buy like 3 items to get $1 off. That's lame. I could just buy one item and save the money from the other two and it would be worth more than a dollar. So here I am, what to buy, how much, should I start now, what do they want, oh the questions are endless. At least I am only working at the mall one more day and then I won't have to gaze longingly at Macy's and their beautiful red Christmas balls hanging from the ceiling, with their white snowflakes, and cinnamon spicy smell. . . I'm getting carried away. Off to browse the internet for inspiration on good presents. Perhaps I'll start with pintrest.

xox

Life is fleeting

Life is unexpected. You cannot know what each day brings or when you might see someone for the last time. Today I was saddened to read about someone's father passing away and a teenage girl who was bullied committed suicide. The hardest deaths are the ones that come without any warning and the ones that are taken before their time. You are left with a feeling of loose ends and goodbyes that you will never get to say. Every day is sacred and should never be taken for granted. Cherish the times you share with the people you are blessed to have in your life. Only God knows what tomorrow or even the next hour holds, so live a life you can be proud of and be confident that God is in control of the circumstances. Praying for peace and comfort for the families that lost their loved ones.

October Already??

I cannot believe how quickly this year is going by. So much has already happened in 2012 for me. I find it unreal that in 6 days, Daniel and I will already have been married for half a year! I am so blessed that I was able to marry my best friend this year. I love exploring life with him and figuring out the future as we go along. We have already moved twice this year, our first little apartment was only our home for three and a half months before we moved across the state line to our third floor apartment in PA. I am enjoying this place a lot more because we have more space and more windows to let in the beautiful sunshine. I am enjoying my new journey as a wife and I am so happy to have Daniel by my side. He is working so hard in school to be able to work as a physician assistant in 2 years and I am honored to stand by his side and support him during this time. I saw my sister graduate from high school and now get to hear her stories from college, this seems completely unreal to me because it seems like just yesterday we were playing playmobile and making leaf houses in the backyard. It is very hard to be separated from family and friends, even though the distance is not far, not seeing them daily is a reminder that I am growing (grown?) up. Next weekend I have the honor of being in my college roommate's wedding. I am very excited about this because weddings are a fun time of celebrating the couple and their new endeavor of exploring life together on their own. And having an opportunity to be in someone's wedding is such a privilege and I am very glad to be a part of the big day. I am looking forward to the holidays and starting my own traditions, I can't wait to decorate for Christmas and bake lots of pies for Thanksgiving. I want Daniel and I to enjoy these holidays both on our own and with our families. I think there is importance in both aspects. I am also eagerly awaiting the holiday season so that I can host my first game night in my own place! Game night has been a tradition of mine for the past few years and I love getting my friends together to enjoy a night of good food and funny games. I am very excited to see how these last 3 months of 2012 unfold :)


xox