Next Goal Please.

So this is me @ a rehersal dinner for a wedding in South Carolina I attended with the boyfriend a little over a month ago. And I post it to tell you my next goal. We're attending another wedding in July, his brothers, and I've set a goal to lose 20 more lbs between now and then. I'm 1 week in and down 2 lbs...so 18 to go. Hoping saying that here will keep me on track especially with Cinco de Mayo tonight and I love mexican food. : ] I'll post updates from time to time here on the blog.

18 pounds and 85 days to go.

Love,

B

Hospitality.

With Mother's Day fast approaching, I was thinking about my own sweet Mommy yesterday. I took her present to the post office on lunch and mailed it to her in Indiana (since I won't be able to be with her on the special day). I was thinking about what a great Mom she is and it got me thinking about what things I inherited from her.

See those of you who know my family AT ALL know that not only am I the spitting image of my Dad in looks but most of my personality and maybe even a few of my quirks come from him. I catch myself frequently saying 'oh my gosh, I am so my Dad right now' when I do exactly what he would in a given circumstance...usually things I said 'I'll never do that when I grow up' as a kid. Yeah, those things.

My sweeter, quieter Mom, I'm sad to say I inherited less of my traits from though admittedly she has so many great quality it's a shame. But as I was pondering the things I get from her I was struck by the idea that I get my gift of hospitality from my Mom. My Dad is the life of the party but my Mom has a way of making anyone feel at home. She's an amazing cook, she keeps the house so clean you could eat off the floor in any room (don't try this in my home), and when people are over or in town she shines.

I think I got my gift of hospitality and my love for welcoming people into my own home from her. It kicked in a little later in life for me. While I always loved being around people in our crazy house were company abounded, I didn't start enjoying being the one to cook and clean for them until recently (though admittedly I still whine that you have to clean before they come AND after...what's up with that?). Some of that is that I've only actually had my own home for a year and a half now and I never felt quite as at home in rentals.

I feel grateful on a daily basis for the Lord's provision and hand of favor in my journey to home ownership. I've shared before that it was always my dream to own a home while I was young and single and not wait til it was time to 'have a family. I've really sought since then to be the kind of person who keeps a revolving door, always welcome someone who just needs to come take a load off. I love to cook a friend dinner or work our way through the Tivo. I love to toss in a workout video and awkwardly try to keep up with them or throw a pot of coffee on and just catch up.

As with all gifts it's about how you use and develop them. I'm working on that now but in the last year or so I've loved hosting bible study on a weekly basis, having friends over for pool days, and throwing the occasional party - like we'll be doing tomorrow. The roomie, Bekah, has been in town less than a week and we're about to get our mexican themed pitch in on for Cinco de Mayo tomorrow. Expect pictures and tales galour afterwards.

Thankful this week for so many things about my wonderful Mother and for the fact that I have a little more of her in me that I realized.

Love,
B

Reflection & Exciting News.

As I was deleting an e-mail from Lane Bryant about their most recent sale the other morning I thought, wow, remember when I was plus sized? Having just passed the 1 year mark of the beginning of my weight loss journey I know I'm not done yet but man have I come a long way. So thankful for the support along the way and excited to cross that finish line (hopefully soon).

That being said I have some exciting news to share. Yours truly will be making an appearance on Daytime TV to share my weight loss journey and enjoy a free makeover courtesy of their team of specialists! I couldn't be more excited for the opportunity to be mine. Along with 3 others, I will be lucky enough to have my hair, makeup, and clothes madeover! I go into the studio next Thursday for 4ish hours and I can't wait to share with you all my experience!

I swore off TV appearances after making a fool of myself during a Christmas special on NFL families my family agreed to do years ago. I was so nervous. My voice sounded weird. I hit my head on the camera while they were trying to video over my shoulder. It was just a hot mess...

BUT for the makeover and to hopefully inspire others in the Tampa area who need to take their health seriously, I will be breaking my own TV rule.

Thanks for sharing in the exciting news with me.

Love,
B

In the Groove.

As someone who pretty much had the perfect groove as a single, I've been a little off my a-game these past few months since meeting T. It's truly been the best couple of months yet, but I admit my discipline has gotten a little lax. Less workouts. More staying up late. More eating out. Less weight loss. More movies, less reading. You get the idea.

Since he had a busy week last week I decided it was time to get back in a groove of some sort. I'm actually quite glad that will look a little different now than it ever has before. I'm having the time of life and honestly, I needed a little more fun and a little less...schedule. Once I find some balance and keep enough discipline still there, I think I will be the best I've been as well.

I felt great last week as I dominated 5 workouts, read 2 books, cooked 2 new meals, and managed to get my bills and some cards out. I still got to hang with the boyfriend a fair amount and my life wasn't totally disordered. I even got to catch up on some sleep I think has been sorely lacking for 2 months now. Whew.

So now it's time to do both. Find a way to have it all by doing it all. Still working through just what that looks like for me but what I've already figured out is, it can't just mean sleeping less hours every night.

Working on balance, organization, and knowing when to just be.

Love,
B

Looks I Love #7.

I love black and white stripes and this outfit is darling...but, I'd probably go red shoes - you know me. Love, B

Water for Elephants.

In 2009 I read Water for Elephants with my book club which I've since had to take a long break from with my schedule just being too much to allow me to make the monthly meetings. First I had bible study on the same night. Then I moved it but I took on a little extra work for those nights. And later I just realized that fighting traffic for an hour up to the side of town it meets just wasn't working for me...so book club continues without me but for the time I was there this was one of my favorite reads. I was totally in love with the book.

That of course made me a little nervous about seeing the movie, since we all know the movies are never as good as the books. That held true for this one, although my love for Reese Witherspoon really gave it a fight chance of nearing my love for the book. However, I did really enjoy the movie. I hit it up with Lindsay and Zach on Wednesday night after a grueling workout (lucky for you all, you didn't have to smell me the whole movie).

I will say that similar to my feelings on Country Strong, the movie was dark. It didn't have a feel good, happy ending vibe. At all. The book brought you full circle and was able to take you from the tough, sad part into a happier time before tieing it up with a neat bow at the end, the movie failed to do the same.

It wasn't the best flick of the year but I enjoyed it and would watch it again (but not pay another 10 dollars to see it in theatres a second time).

Love,
B

Picture Challenge - Day Twenty-eight.

Me and Jess.