Life

Hello again my friends,

Well I have had my three days off...boy does it go fast!! Happy Labor Day!! I will start another set of 12's tomorrow not looking forward to it, but at least I do love what I do and they will be over before I know it.

We have had a good weekend, enjoyed seeing my Ambee and beating her and Courtney at phase 10...hahahah It was sooo much fun!! Amber and I went and got our hair did, and our eyebrows waxed it has been forever since I had done either one, so it was very fun, and my hair needed the ends cut something terrible, it feels so much better.

We went out to eat and just enjoyed each other today...Really didn't get in any exercise today, but I know its coming...and my dear friend Kathy J asked “what about the weigh day that you were going to do with Sean?” Well as it turns out, I haven't had a chance to go and do that yet, cause they are not open on the weekends where we have to go and weigh so....I will have to go before work this week...I am hoping its good!! I took some more pics today of the girls and I just having fun...

.

So it was a very GREAT day ....want to leave you with a little something....

myspace glitters

Life Encourages

Life encourages us to take every Step in Life with Meaningful Intentions, Considerate, Purposeful & Responsible Actions

It is L I F E we L I V E for

Learning; Inspiring; Fulfilling; Expectations -

A Meaningful Vision of Peace, Faith, Hope, Love, Wisdom, Principles, Values, Ideals & The Very Finest of Virtues

L- for Learning
I- for Inspiring
F- for Fulfilling
E- for Expectations

L for Learning *

Learning meaningful values that will make it impossible to fail learning from the past of why we are the way we are and how to fine tune ourselves to become anything we want to be...that power is available and we can learn how to use it and once and for all become free...

I for Inspiring *

Inspiring one another to achieve and accomplish meaningful objectives, such as loosing weight and giving hope along the way that you are not alone my friend you are not alone and together we can DO THIS!!

F for Fulfilling *

Fulfilling our higher purpose of Life, seeking to fullfill the enter self and get to the root of all that is bad and corrupt and leave it behind...to full fill all that this life as to offer..

E for Expectations *

Expectations of the very Best for all People all across the World; expecting the best in ones self and to grow and learn from mistakes of the past and let go of all the mental garbage that holds you back and keeps you from being what you dream to become..

The above is a very brief prelude specifying a few of the salient aspects that encompasses a multitude of happiness and joy for one and all to go through this life full of joy and happiness...happiness in ones self and excited about the future.

It is L I F E we LI V E for;A L I F E of Meaningful, do make the best of each day and accomplish all we can along the way...LIFE is to short to be inhappy and unsatisfied with your life...We only get one chance to make it the best we possibly can make it...

Vision – A Meaningful, reasonable Vision for Life is Extremely Essential & Important to accomplishing your goal.

The meaningful vision, purposeful and responsible vision for one;s life; the road map; the strategic plan; the mind map; the life map of one’s life where each step gets you closer and closer to your goal and the number one reason is consistently

Cheers to new beginnings,
Irene

Making Lemonade

Hello again my friends,

Wow it feels like forever since I have posted...I have missed everyone and now just trying to catch up...I have been so busy 51 hours in 4 days and I am beat...gosh the things we have to go through just to get a weekend off...lol

Well My 12's are over for a few days I will return to them on Monday, but for now I have the weekend...YEAH and Labor day weekend at that...I did make some plans, but some of them fell through, but I guess that is just life, you plan and plan and sometimes nothing works out the exact way you wanted it to. I had planned for Sean and I to have this evening for ourselves but he had a 8hr rehearsal to do instead and now it is midnight and he is on his way home from another town that they ended up in. We are going to salvage what we have left of our evening, He was going to be home at 11 and now it will be after one in the morning, so not sure what we are going to do, but I hope its fun!!

Amber is in town and her and Courtney had plans tonight too, so it has just been some time for me tonight, which hasn't been bad, I have just missed everyone so bad with this schedule I have been on , that I was disappointed about how things went, and tomorrow Sean will be gone all day in Stillwater watching the OSU game so the girls and I are going to go do some shopping and garage selling it will be fun and then movies and playing games...Sunday will be the day we finally get to come together as a family and spend some time before Amber leaves again on Tuesday, because Monday I will be back to the 12's....


Well my week at work was so tiring and miserable working long hours with no sleep and then getting sick on top of that and you need sleep to help get you well and none comes...Thursday was really bad cause I was up for 30 hours with work and meetings all day...But feeling so much better loaded up on the vitamin C , the cough syrup, and sinus medicine.

Life sometimes don't go as planned so you gotta plan something else....
Kind of like the old saying...life throws you lemons...Well it makes a good drink...


I didn't plan on reaching over 345lbs- but had I not I wouldn't have gotten to know any of you; I wouldn't have gotten to know myself and my desires, I wouldn't know what all of you are going through without experiencing it on my own...I have come along way from that shy girl I used to be I am more out going and fun. I can do things I couldn't do before and the lower I go the more I will do. I want to feel free and alive, I have been dead for to many years and just living through the motions of living...No MORE, I want more!!

I didn't plan on being 37 with so much left unaccomplished- but I'm not dead yet, I have a lot of living left to do and a lot of bright things in my future still to come. When you are little you dream big, and as you get older you seem to forget how, I am dreaming big again and what ever my future holds it is going to be great!! I have accomplished a lot I am a wife of 20 years a mother to the most precious girls in the world I have a great job that I love and have worked my way up from nothing to only 2 people above me...

I didn't plan on this being so hard- because it doesn't have to be it is a way of living a change of life and one I have to make, am making, I want this for me... I have put everyone first and let myself go and I am grabbing myself... holding on to me...I cannot lose myself again I don't want to because in the end all I have is me and if I don't love me, How can anyone else really love me? I have hated myself for far to long and I am just starting to love myself again. Yes I have lost weight, 142lbs but its so much deeper than that. When you have felt ugly for so long like I have it takes time to get that back....it is coming but one day at a time....


I didn't plan on this taking so long to get to my goal- Of course that is my mind saying that, I have never had a gain I have stayed the same but, I am doing it natural and honest and day to day the same thing 1500 calories or less and most days exercising my butt off, it hasn't been fast but it has been consistent and I am pleased with the time it is taking, of course we do get impatient and sometimes I just grab my fat belly and say go away already!!! But then I say it didn't get there overnight and so its not going away overnight it does take time and I know in the end if I keep doing what I am doing it will be done...


Well my lemon drink should be home any minute and we are going to go cause some trouble, paint the town, or what ever, there is no plan we are just going to go enjoy one another....Miss my baby, my buddy, my best friend

Cheers to new beginnings,
Irene

Stranger In My House

Hello friends,

Gosh I miss you all, it has been a crazy week!! all the 12's seeing family I ha vent seen in a while and my dad in the hospital, haven't even gotten a chance to go see him, only talk to him. he went in with pneumonia and congested heart failure a couple days ago. He is doing a whole lot better now and is in his own room. it is so hard it seems to get just a minute in these days to do what you need to do.

I had to post and tell everyone that I am doing well haven't forgot you and haven't went anywhere...still hanging in there not eating the way I should been so busy...who has time...lol Amber will be in on Friday I cannot wait to see her, it will be nice to have her back home even if it is for a short weekend!!

I also had to say somethings about Sean's post....first of all he got an AMAZING role in what is sure to be an AMAZING play for one because he is in it...lol and I am so very proud of him for going after the things he has always wanted to do!!
Secondly, my sisters reaction....I completely understand, I know its so hard for him to see,but the changes in him are so different sometimes I think there is a stranger in my house....The old Sean will be missed I look at his old pictures and know I will never see him again. The face I fell in love with, the sense of humor he has, had is still there, but somehow different, it is really hard to explain and very deep and I am sure I will write more about it later in other posts. Its not that I love the "NEW" Sean any less...I love him more and more everyday, and sometimes I have to pinch myself that he is one in the same but different, better, the "NEW" improved Sean....He is happier and healthier and everything I have always wanted him to be...I look at the old Sean and he will be missed,But when I look at the "OLD" Sean I see how miserable he was and self confidence was low, and like he said he felt dead and just going through the motions of living...and now the "NEW" Sean will make sure he is alive and able to do all the things he ever wanted to do!!

About this play....HE HAS TO SHAVE....not happy about this....lol

Cheers to new beginnings,
Irene

When I Think Of Butterflies, I Think Of Freedom

Hello again my friends,

I have started the 12's so I will try to post, and comment when I can...cannot wait for them to be over, I will miss you all like CRAZY, but after these I will have 6 days off, so its a pretty good trade I think...Today was a good day in every department...

CALORIE DEPARTMENT:
Woke up to AMAZING steak my favorite food of ALL time, my buddy loves me and loves cooking on the grill. Had some mashed potatoes and little ear of corn. At work we have a man who owns a restaurant in Kansas and comes to the casino to do some gambling, well when he comes he always brings fried rice and egg rolls to us. So I did have a little fried rice and chicken and then when I got home this morning, and still had a steak waiting for me. So well under my calories for the day.

EXERCISE DEPARTMENT:
Well today exercise was GREAT, Sean and I went to the gym and did some more weight training so sore from that, my right arm is soooo much stronger then my left, so it will take some work to get it caught up....Sean was so funny with the weights...below is some weight training pics...ALSO I whipped him all over the place on the racket ball court. He may try to tell you different on this but DON'T believe him..K?



Want to leave you with what has been on my mind since I posted on yesterday.

Sometimes do you feel that your life can change from “Cocoon to Butterfly”? Can you feel something within yourself going through a subtle gestation process? Where changes are occurring, perhaps a new direction your life-yet it is unseen? Do you feel trapped inside the cocoon and you cant seem to free yourself, alone and afraid of what the future holds for you? That you will never become the butterfly that you know you are deep inside?


The Cocoon

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly,
one day a small opening appeared, he sat
and watched the butterfly for hours, as it
struggled to force its body through that little
hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress.
It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could on its
own and could go no further



Then the man decided to help the butterfly, so he
took a pair of scissors and snipped off a remaining
bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily.
But it had a swollen body and small shriveled wings.



The man continued to watch the butterfly because he
expected that, at any moment , the wings would enlarge
and expand to be able to support the body, which would
contract in time, Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly
spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen
body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.



What the man in his kindness and haste did not
understand was that the restricting cocoon and the
struggle required for the butterfly to get through
the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid
from the body to the butterfly into its wings so
that it would be ready for the flight once it achieved
its freedom from the cocoon.




Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in
our life. If God allowed us to go through life without
any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not
be as strong as what we could have been when it is
time for us to fly. In your times of trial and tribulation
remember that the stronger you become, the further
and longer for a lifetime, you will fly......




Cheers to new beginnings,
Irene

A World Without "T"

Hello again my friends,

Thank you all for posting such wonderful comments on my page yesterday...all I can say is WOW your support means so very much to me. Sometimes it is hard to look at ones self and really be able to see, I always have seen myself as not very outgoing, shy, reserved and held back from being me. So it was so good to hear all these wonderful comments about my In progress pics. You my inspirations, inspire me everyday and so glad I have you to encourage and support me as well. So that is your new names cause that's what you do for me you inspire me. You make me want to keep going, you make me know I am not alone, and you make me know the feelings and struggles that I have are shared. Because we have a common thread that holds us a tie that bonds.

First Of all I want to thank Jo a New friend of mine but very dear to my heart all ready, she has made my day today and AMAZING is all I can say about her and that doesn't even begin to describe the impression she has left on my heart. When someone tells you that you have inspired them, It is one of the most incredible feelings in the world to know that you have touched someone in this way. I have only been bloging for less then two weeks about 10 days, but the joys I have gotten here are unbelievable it I would have known, If i would have believed, I would have started at birth...LOL But for real I am AMAZED that I am actually able to inspire anyone. So thank you so much Jo for making me someone who had the privilege of touching your life.

I had all these big plans for my blog last night, and the computer would not cooperate with any of it, so I tried to save it and lost that too. So this is starting over from scratch. Our schedules didn't mesh well at all last night Courtney was sick and left school early, Sean had weather coverage and didn't know how long he would be, so dinner was delayed and schedule was modified. We did finally get to eat, but not together and with the rain and storms we didn't get our 5K in so I opted for some good ole' around the house exercise which was fun and exhausting all at the same time, so it was good.

One of the things I look at the most on my blog is, “Whether you think you can, or think you can't you're right” That statement is so true. So many times we have said this is to hard, I cant do this, I don't want to try anymore. Then what you have done is created in your mind a reason “an excuse” not to, and you may not even realize what you have done. I have heard them with Sean, I have heard them with me, I have watched us give up by giving into what we tell ourselves we can not do.

The thing I have noticed is when I was 345 I had never been that high before, EVER. I always was between 200 and 250 . So even though I have dropped 142 pounds I am only where I have already been before, so I want to see myself at 150,140 ,130 somewhere that I have never been since high school. I have to see it I want to see, and I will. Where as Sean is already in a different place, a place he has never been in his whole adult life, In fact the face that looks back at me I have NEVER seen it is AMAZING and I want him to see the face he has never seen before in me. That is why I keep going that is why I am not done, that is why friends and family always notice such a difference in Sean and not in me, because I have been here before. Most of my adult life never getting below 200lbs this face and this skin I am is gonna change and I will become the butterfly that is locked up still.

Take away the T and what you have is CAN

I cant do this today
I cant change my eating habits
I cant do this for life
I cant handle the stress
I cant get motivated
I cant stay motivated
I cant stop mood eating
I cant enjoy the foods i like
I cant handle a buffet
I cant get past my mind set
I cant eat just one
I cant resist temptation
I cant see my future changing
I cant see myself thin
I cant look people in the eye
I cant change myself
I cant picture things different
I cant dream
I cant I cant I cant I cant





Cheers to new beginnings,
Irene

New Pics And A Great Day

Hello again friends,

So good to be able to catch up some today, I have more to read and comment on, but I did get a lot done today. I am off the next two days but starting Friday, I will be doing 8 twelves in a row so it is gonna be hard to keep up, I will try but just in case you wonder where I went...LOL I will be working my butt off...and that is FOR REAL...LOL


Amber at www.amberisdroppingit.blogspot.com is back...YEAH have missed her posting. Sean at www.losingweighteveryday.blogspot.com has a new toy on his blog if you haven't gone to check it you soooo should he has an interview with the popular blogger Jack sh*t getting' fit at www.jackfit.blogspot.com Very funny stuff :-)

CALORIE DEPARTMENT:
Well today was a great day off with lots to do. I woke up with tacos, because my buddy loves me, two party tacos and one soft which was 500 calories and then for dinner I cooked some pork chops scalloped potatoes and had some green beans and that came in at about 310. I have had lots of water today and to much coffee, but coffee with the creamer I am still spending about 250 of my calorie budget for coffee....Not good!! Later on for my dinner I had a bacon sandwich with 50 calorie dressing and low calorie bread and so that checked in at about 300 with 4 pieces of bacon and lots of tomatoes....YUMMY it was so for the day so far I have had......1360 and so i might have a banana or a nutri-grain bar with one more cup of coffee before bed, but today was great in the calorie department. Right at the 1500 I give myself...

EXERCISE DEPARTMENT:
Well Sean and Courtney and myself decided that we were going to go to the gym tonight and get in some weight training, and boy are my arms already feeling it....we lifted weights and did about 6 reps in all and I even got in some crunches before we left after the cardio on the treadmill, it was a lot of fun wish my schedule let me do this with them all the time, I hate it that it don't and that I can't always go, but I love the times that I can....We usually do the 10K on Tuesday, but maybe we can tomorrow...or at least a 5K...I will let you know..I do want to go back to the gym though for some more weight training, gotta really work them muscles.

Thank you everyone for all the wonderful comments they REALLY do mean the world to me...nothing helps me stay focused more then YOU...So thank you...

well some people have said I need to add some body shots and I do mean pics...lol I have been taking some tonight and I hope you like them...still working on the reality show...lol

BEFORE:
WOW......


HATE THIS PIC!!!



NOT A FAN OF THIS ONE EITHER!!

IN PROGRESS:
I had a little toooo much fun doing this:-)

















So there you go....In progress pics....I hope you all like them!!!





Cheers to new beginnings,
irene

See The Signs

Hello again friends...

I have missed you all so so much...Feel so out of touch with everyone.. I did get to catch up on a few blog's, but still have so much more to catch up on. The last few days have been fine at work it all went smooth and stress free, unlike last weekend... it seemed to go by very fast too. Keeping busy just really makes the time go by.

Still been flying by in the calories and NO pop...Figuring out I can do this after all...getting plenty of exercise, not the sleep though, But did catch up a little today.

Amber says she misses everyone too...she will post again soon, she is just getting settled in and been taking time fixing up her room.


Tonight I thought I would share what has been on my mind all weekend...Cant seem to get all the signs out of my head...


There are so many telling you what to do and where to go.....


WHAT?

HUH?

MMMMM?

WHATEVER>>

DONT GET IT...

Sometimes it just gets so confusing.....

YOU JUST WANNA SAY.....


But there are those that just stand out that ARE crystal clear and make perfect sense...and that is what I've been doing a lot of thinking about the last few days....







This is my favorite and so true in the shape of a stop sign....because if you stop then you.....


So if you follow all the CLEAR signs and ignore all the things that don't make ANY sense then the only thing you have at the end of this journey is PURE JOY!!!


Just something I have been thinking about there may be a few......in the road......

But you can get through it and overcome ANYTHING and EVERYTHING you set your mind to!!!

Want to leave you with this...

SIGNS

.Signs are everywhere, Some say stop and some say go,
Some say the speed limit and some say go slow...

On this journey your journey, and mine
Not tomorrow today is the time,

.Try to always see the positive in every day,
There is gonna be so many along your way..

Your gonna notice things you couldn't do before,
things you have only dreamed of at your door,

Tie your shoe with ease and lay down and see your feet,
Droppin' the pounds, closer to your goal complete,

Your pants are getting baggy and soon they wont fit,
Changes in your body You've come to far to quit,

People will notice you as they ask what you have done,
All you need to say is I put me number one,

I loved myself enough to keep going and never quit,
A lot of things I had to go through to get trim and fit,

See the signs my friend and hold your head up high,
Even if you think you failed just give another try,

No speed you have to go, no U-Turn in this game,
Dead end or to stop will only cause you pain,

Take one last look at your past erase it from your mind,
Only positive signs on this journey yours and mine:
By IRENE ANDERSON


Cheers to new beginnings,
Irene