Halloween Costumes

As Bryan and I approach our 3rd Halloween as husband and wife, I have to look back and celebrate our costumes for year 1 and 2.

Every Halloween we do the "Trunk 'r Treat" at our Church's Fall Festival.  If you're in the League City/Friendswood area, you should come out and join us!

Our First Halloween, we realized that our small group was going to be involved.  I'm not sure how... but Bryan and I twiddled our thumbs till the last minute and then scrambled to get our costumes together.  I'm not going to lie... we were really proud of this one!

 

 

Year 2, I planned ahead.  I had my idea early.  I again, waited until the night before to start making these.  However, we had just moved into our house the weekend before this, so things were a little crazy.  But it sure was convenient having a bunch of boxes around...

 

 

I have my idea for this year... but what a surprise, I haven't started! I'll be sure to post pictures though! :)

 

 

Lessons learned on the cleanse

Lessons learned on the cleanse:

• We like our dessert.
• Big gulps when swallowing pills.
• Eating healthy is not that hard.
• We should try new things more often.
• I couldn't have done this without Bryan's support.
• There is more to life than food.
• Stay off Pinterest when you can't have sweets or fatty foods.
• Paco got jipped on his birthday cause we didn't even have cake.
• We shouldn't agree to make brownies for a get together.  Do you know how hard it is to make brownies and not lick the spoon?
• Maintaining this diet after all of this is over is not unrealistic--We can include many of the different recipes and habits in our life and slowing include things like milk and cheese. 
• Almond Milk is gross to drink on it's own, but it makes protein shakes a little better.
• My Cousin's are funny and like Almond Milk.
• When you plan ahead and are prepared for your meals during the day, it is easy to stay on the diet.
• When you plan ahead and are prepared for your meals, you don't spend all day day-dreaming about what you are going to eat.
• I ate mindlessly before and didn't even realize it.  There were several times when I was "going through the motions" and then would get a plate full of food and realized I can't eat any of this.
• We found that whole grain pasta is delicious. We thought it tasted just like regular pasta.  Brown rice isn't too bad, it's different than white, but still good.  Whole wheat bread/tortillas should be used to clean up oil spills in the gulf... That's about all they're good for!! 

My cousins sure did give me grief about not liking Almond Milk.  However, I have found that I can bake with it, and it is yummy!

 

Things like this turn out tasting just as yummy!

Day 25 of the Advocare 24 Day Challenge

So What did day 25 look like? Heaven!

I started morning 25 with a kolache and donut. It was so good.  But I also realized that it was only good, not great.  It is something that I will not avoid like the plague in the future, but I also will not seek it out.  I can have a healthy breakfast and have the same benefit.  I had cheese-its for my snack... those are so yummy!  That might have been one of the things I missed the most.

For lunch, I had my standard salad with the home made salad dressing (olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil and minced garlic) a clementine and apple.  When I got home, for a snack I had one of those brownies I made on Sunday and couldn't have....

For dinner, Bryan took me to La Brisa's!  We went there because it usually is the fastest restaurant in the world and it is so yummy.  We had plans for later in the evening, so it was important we got in and out quickly.  However, for some reason La Brisa's decided to take their sweet time.  We got our fajitias and queso.  I enjoyed every minute of it, but I am proud to say that both Bryan and I didn't eat nearly as much as we would have before all of this.

After dinner Bryan went to play golf with the boys in our small group, and the girls went and got pedicures! (I know I should have checked Bryan's outfit before he left... but I ran out of time.  What can you do?)

 

Fantastic ending to my day of celebrating!

 

Our plan from here on out is that we will make better choices with out eating habits.  We feel like winners! We can continue to be successful.  I really thinking that we will find a balance from here.  We will still eat things like pizza or hot wings, but we will eat the in moderation and it will not be the only type of food that we eat.  Moderation is key.  Portion size is key.  Life is fun!  Veggies are good (Okay... they are decent).

 

Here's to the beginning of the next chapter! 



I finished!!

So I have finished Advocare's 24 day challenge!  Here are the before and after pictures, like I promised!  I do have to say that it wasn't as hard as I thought.  The Cleanse was more challenging than the Max Phase.  By the time I got to the Max Phase... I was sort of in a routine.

 

I am proud to say that in 24 days, I lost 8.5 lbs.  I sleep much better. I breathe much easier.  I have to use the little girls room all the time (you drink a lot of water...).  And the best part is that my clothes are fitting much better. 

These are the before pictures as promised.  Don't judge too much... it is sort of hard to put these pictures out there.

 

This is day 24.

 

 

Here are the side by sides.  The left is day 1, the right is day 24.  These are true honest pictures, no sticking out in the before or sucking in in the after pictures. 



 

 

 

I couldn't have done this with out Bryan's support.  We are eating better and have found that we like to ride our bikes together.  I love that. 

 

I do have a goal of loosing about 3 more lbs on my own and then I would like to maintain that weight, however, it is not about a number.  It is about being healthy.  Go team go!!

 



New embroidery success!

So I started working on Christmas things yesterday morning! How dangerous! But I figured out how to embroider on thin towels.  I'm slightly excited!! If you have any tips or tricks, feel free to share!! 

I'm wasn't sure how I wanted to finish it, but I am proud about this combination.

  

And yes, I was singing Christmas songs the entire time!  :)

James's bibs

So I know that I have only been posting about the cleanse, but I want you to know I've done other stuff too! 

This was an order from my mom for a co-worker.  It is also what I did when I was home alone.... Instead of eating things I shouldn't. :) 

We are also getting to where I am almost out of this material... so I won't have too many more sets like this.  Sorry for being boring, I just think they are too cute!

I actually have a funny story with the burp cloths for these.  I was out and needed more, so I went to Target and picked up 2 more packs (so I have 18 more burp cloths if you want to make an order). ;)  At Target, they are $16.99 for a pack of 10.  At the register, she rang me up and I didn't pay attention, I swiped for $18.35 and went on about my business.  Then the next morning I started to think about it, and some how made the realization that I only paid for 1 of the packs.  After talking with Bryan and praying about it, I decided the right thing to do was to go back and pay for them.  (Believe me, I thought about several other options: Maybe God wanted me to make the free pack and give it to those in need... but then I think God would make that possible without having to basically steal them.  What if I get that clerk in trouble for not ringing me up right, that's not my intention.  This way I'll make more money when I sell the burp cloths.... the clerk at Target is going to think I'm nuts.)  But I decided the right thing was to take them back.  In the back of my head I was expecting the people to just say that it was okay... and send me on my way or maybe give me a coupon or discount on the 2nd pack... something for doing the honest thing.  I walked in, and explained the situation.  The clerks response was "We need more honest people in the world, that will be $18.35."  I didn't get a discount or anything... but at least I know I did the right thing...

A few days later...

So tomorrow is the start of day 18 of 24.  Sorry that I have been MIA since day 12, but it was the middle of the school week.  It also didn't go as I envisioned either.

I stuck to the diet, following all of the rules that were outlined before me!  I tried to substitute some of the fruits that I was eating on the cleanse with more veggies as we were directed.  I didn't miss any of the pills (that I know of).  And most importantly, I didn't cheat.  I could have, but I didn't.  Sunday we even went to lunch with Bryan's family at Gringo's (Mexican food is my favorite) and I ordered a chicken salad.  I was so good... I even sent the salad back when it came out with the chicken in a mayo sauce.   I mean if I'm gonna cheat, it's not going to be on the chicken salad at a Mexican Restaurant.

However, everyday on the scale, I was seeing a different story.  For days 13, 14, and 15 I woke up weighing the exact same amount and then on day 16 I had gained 1/2 lb.  Talk about feeling defeated, I mean if I am going to gain weight, I might as well eat Mexican food!  I was ready to quit!!!!

I did spend some time praying about it and talking it through with my Savior.  He helped me see and understand that my main goal should be about being healthy, not some number on a scale.  Overall, my clothes are back to fitting better, I am sleeping like a rock, and I am making choices to the betterment of my body.  I am (trying) to practice self-control.  (The fruit of the Spirit's not an Apple... the Fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness and Self-Control... that became my prayer when I would get frustrated)  I have also felt a small amount of hunger throughout this.  It has made me aware of a feeling I don't like... and I only have to experience it because of a 24 day program.  There are people in the world that feel this everyday.

That is perspective.

And in coming to these conclusions, I am proud to say that at the beginning of day 17, I am down a total of 6.8 lbs.  I not only lost that 1/2 a lb I gained the day before, I am lower than I have been so far on this journey.

Tomorrow morning, if I wake up and the scale is off again... I will be okay.  I know my Jesus loves me and is proud of me! :)





I do want to send a shout out to those of you who have been so encouraging!  I have had a ton of Facebook and text messages, phone calls and pats on the back.  Thank you for being so supportive.  It truly does mean so much!