MY first Examiner.com article... WOOO HOOOO!

I am SOOOO excited to share my very first Examiner.com article with you!  I have spent this week learning the difference between "blog" writing (as I do here) and the writing I will be doing for Examiner.com.  (I have already broken 3 Examiner.com rules so far in this post... :-)

 My regular column will focus on the issues I explore here on "Becoming My Husband's Girlfriend," just in a different format.  My first piece is an introduction to the journey we are taking here.  I hope you like it and I WOULD LOVE your comments and ask that you please:

1.  Subscribe to my Examiner.com page... simply push the "subscribe" button next to my photo and add your email address.

2.  Share the article with your family/friends on Facebook.  The more the merrier!

Thank you so much for your support and all of the wonderful comments and emails that you send my way!  Make it a FANTASTIC day, everyone!

Secret REVEALED and Lean On Me...

My sweet husband has supported our family since Anna was born.

He made it possible for me to stay home...

... to care for Anna from the day she came home from the hospital and raise 3 great kids...

... to be home to care for him when he was diagnosed with cancer... surgery... chemo... recovery...

... made it possible for me to spend the time to become a scrapbook designer... internationally published... and teacher...

... and let me dive into my weight loss journey, training, and now follow my passion for triathlons and other races...

Jeff is AMAZING!  Yes, there are MANY REASONS that I want to be Jeff's Girlfriend, Again... and there are many different ways that I can accomplish that goal!  Times are tough, and Jeff has been holding the weight of this family on his shoulders for 7 years now.  We have had good times and bad times, but the ENTIRE TIME, Jeff was the pillar and let us all Lean on Him.  It is time that he can Lean on Me.  In marriage, we LEAN ON EACH OTHER... you know the song I'm talking about... Bill Withers', "Lean On Me." (find it over to the right)

This is the PERFECT SEGUE into my exciting news!  I have always LOVED to write and have been trying to find a way to make a living doing exactly that... and I have accomplished the first step in that journey!  I am the new "San Diego Love and Marriage Examiner" for Examiner.com.  I will be writing a column several times a week on topics relating to my journey here on "Becoming My Husband's Girlfriend."  If you have been following this blog, you know how much I have to say. :-)  My ultimate goal is to earn a living writing about this topic that I am SO PASSIONATE about!  I know I have many rungs to climb on this ladder, but as with my weight loss journey, I will take it ONE day, ONE opportunity at a time!

I've NEVER worked so hard for 1 POUND... PHOTOS!

SERIOUSLY!!!  HOLY COW!  We were on spring break this past week and although I only lost 1 pound, if I wasn't doing this blog, I surely would have put on 5 (or more) pounds!  I knew I wasn't going to be working out as much as I would have liked, so I had to watch EVERYTHING that I ate... and drank... come on... it was VACATION! 

218 pounds



217 pounds























We took our bikes and went on a 15 mile bike ride one day.  And another day I woke up at 5AM (yes, that is 5 in the morning... ON VACATION), then drove 40 miles (each way... no, there wasn't any snow and it wasn't uphill both ways...) to meet my triathlon buddy, Dave, for an early morning swim... 2,500 meters for me... and 25 meter sprints at 19, 19, 19 and 18 seconds!!! 

I've been on a seesaw plateau for the past 3 weeks and although I can't wait to get under the obese marker (214 pounds), I... AM... SO... PROUD of this ONE POUND!  I know this is a long journey and it is soooo working!

I must also mention that although I've been on a plateau, my body is changing.  I am pulling clothes out of my closet that I haven't worn in YEARS... and they fit perfectly!  I am two weeks away from doing my measurements again and I am very curious to see those numbers!

Make it a FANTASTIC DAY and, SORRY, but you have to wait one more day until I can share my exciting news with you... ;-)

I have some EXCITING NEWS!

We just got home from our Spring Break vacation and I RAN to my computer to check my email.

I was HOPING for an exciting message (I couldn't remember my password while out of town and had to wait to check until we got home...)

AND... IT CAME!!!  IT CAME!!!

... and you are going to have to wait until tomorrow!   I KNOW!  WHAT A TEASE!  However, I have to confirm that I am accepting "the news" before I can share it with you.  WOOOOO HOOOOO!!

I'm Watching Little Miss Magic...

Ahhhhhh... we are out of town for a little spring break vacation.  We are spending several days of uninterrupted fun and relaxing time at "The Lot..." a vacation home that my grandfather built 50 years ago just outside Ojai... 1 acre of fenced in property... green grass... 50 year old pepper trees... and the cozy house that I enjoyed as a child... now enjoyed by my husband and children... total bliss! 

I must admit that as I prepare to write my MUSIC DAY posts each week, I usually have no idea what I am going to write about until I sit down at the computer.  I have been sitting here for about an hour trying to find the perfect song and story for today.  Totally stumped, I started watching what was going on outside...

... Jeff is playing Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" on the boom box outside...

...Abby, our dog, is running around... HUGE smile on her face... tongue bouncing to the left as she runs... and her rear legs flying up behind her as her backside runs faster than her front (it is QUITE the sight!)...

... the sky that has been overcast all day just opened... and the sun is now spilling through the tall pepper tree branches...

... and Jeff has Anna on her brand new bike... he is holding onto the back of her seat and running next to her... she has a death grip on the handlebars, pink and white streamers floating in the wind... and she is learning to ride her bike.

One of the reasons that I want to become my husband's girlfriend again is to play.  I want to lose weight and have the energy and confidence and spunk to get out there and play with Jeff and play with Anna and not just sit here giving excuses.  After three months, 20 pounds, changing the soundtrack in my head and starting to flirt again, I can tell you that I need to wrap this up and GET OUT AND PLAY WITH MY FAMILY! 


Now Jeff is pulling Anna around the property in the tractor... in the same
trailer that my grandfather built to pull my sister and me around in
when we were kids... TIME TO GO PLAY WITH MY FAMILY!



GOTTA RUN!

Oh.... sorry... it is music day... just as Jeff made a special CD of music for me, he also made one for Anna... songs that he wanted to share with her or that they share for special reasons.  One of the songs that makes Jeff think of Anna is Jimmy Buffett's, "Little Miss Magic."  The song and lyrics are posted over to the right... check it out... and try not to tear up like I do every time I hear the song! :-)

It's PHOTO DAY!

I have stumbled into my first plateau... 2 weeks ago I gained 1.8 pounds... last week I lost 1.4 pounds... and now I'm up 1 pound again.  I know that this is part of the normal, long term, healthy way to lose weight, but it is still frustrating!  Still, I am down 19 pounds since I started this journey and 31 pounds down from my heaviest last summer! WOOOOO HOOOOO!

217 pounds

218 pounds



I am wearing clothes that I haven't seen in YEARS!  I feel like I am SHOPPING in my own closet and THAT is a GREAT feeling!

HAPPY SPRING BREAK, Everyone!  I'll see you here, tomorrow, for MUSIC DAY!!!

The next generation... becoming GREAT Girlfriends...

Today, I had to share a cute story... my son Chris' girlfriend, Kendra, put together the CUTEST PLAN to ask Chris to Prom.  Now, you have to know that Chris is one of the star football players at OGHS... and Kendra is one of the Varsity Cheerleaders at SPHS... OGHS and SPHS are CROSS TOWN RIVALS... They have been dating for most of this school year and have had fun teasing each other...

Kendra asked Chris to Homecoming... while she was cheering at a SPHS football game... and Chris and the whole OGHS football team was watching the game, because they were playing SPHS the following week. 

Chris escorted Kendra along with her family on SPHS jersey night...

in his OGHS LETTERMAN'S JACKET. 

http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=10150145722869169&comments

And, most recently, Chris asked Kendra to the OGHS Prom during his performance at the OGHS Talent Show...SO... DARN... CUTE!  What you don't see on the video is Kendra, jumping up and down in the stands next to us... yelling, "YES, YES, YES!"

  

Now Kendra's prom is coming up and she had a GREAT PLAN to ask Chris! 

Here is the photo journey of the "proposal..."

In front of our house, was this pizza and a note that said,
"I know I can be cheezy..."
and a trail of hearts leading to the next clue...

  

"And I can be such a Nerd"
(His favorite "Nerd" candy is in the bag)

  

"But I've been fishing for a date"
The tackle box is full of gummy worms,
sour worms and Swedish Fish.  They have been spent several
weekends with Kendra's family fishing at a local campground
and lake... Vail Lake (one of our favorites, too!)



"And there is no one in the lake I'd rather take..."



You can read this one...
... the funny thing is that she decorated his WHOLE ROOM
with blue and gold... SPHS colors!

Chris getting home and finding the pizza... and the hearts...



Of course, he said, "YES!"

Kendra is a DOLL and it is so much fun to watch these two together.  It reminds me of the young love and fun that I am working to re-ignite by Becoming my Husband's Girlfriend, Again! 

So here is a FUN WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT... do something little... something fun... something unexpected to remind your husband how much you love him!  Remember that every little thing you do for him, will be repaid... with a smile... a kiss... with love.  And THAT, my friends, is what this is all about! 

Make it a MOST WONDERFUL weekend!!!

"Signed, Sealed, Delivered..." MUSIC DAY!

Some time ago, I shared with you one of the best gifts that my husband, Jeff,  ever gave me.  For my 40th birthday, he put together a CD of songs that were special to us... songs that made us smile... and songs that had a message that he wanted to share with me.  I have yet to get through the whole CD without crying my eyes out at least once... both hysterically laughing tears and "I love you so much" tears!

Today, I'm sharing Track #20 from that CD... a song that I recently added to my workout playlist because it makes me smile and has a great beat for heavy tension, climbing up a hill on the spin bike!  From the one and only,

Mr. Stevie Wonder...

"Sign, Sealed, Delivered... I'M YOURS!"

I LOVE YOU, my sweet husband! 

Make it a FANTASTIC DAY, everyone! :-)

... And after 3 months... PHOTOS!



237 pounds



217 pounds

I'VE LOST 20 POUNDS

IN THE PAST 12 WEEKS!

So, getting under the elusive obese ceiling will take a bit longer,

but that is my MAIN GOAL this week...

get to 214 and no longer in the "O" category!!!

WOOOOO HOOOOO!!

Foodie Friday is back... with CROCK POT PORK CHOPS!

The OTHER white meat... and THIS is one of our FAVORITE meals!  I love it because it is SO EASY to make... and the family loves it because it is soooooo YUMMY! 

Let's start with the recipe... (makes 6 servings!)

1 can cranberry sauce
1/3 cup Catalina salad dressing
1 sweet onion, diced finely
4 boneless pork steaks (we use the pork tenderloin steaks from Costco)
1 can sauerkraut (drain)

Mix the cranberry sauce, dressing and onion together.  Place pork in a LARGE crock pot and cover with sauce mixture.  Cook on low for about 6 hours or on high for about 4 hours, until the pork is tender and breaks apart with a fork.  The LAST HOUR, add the sauerkraut to the crock pot.  Push sauerkraut into the sauce.  Serve with potato or pasta.

Let's get into the nutrition info... for the purposes of the nutritional information, I will be listing the calories for 1 serving... now, there is so much sauce/sauerkraut that it is never all eaten, but I feel I need to share the total amount of calories PER SERVING, just in case you actually eat all of the sauce/sauerkraut...

1/4 cup cranberry sauce (approx. 1/6th of can)... 110 calories, 0 fat grams, 0 dietary fiber = 2 points
1 TBSP Catalina dressing... 45 calories, 3 fat grams, 0 dietary fiber = 1 point
1/6 sweet onion... around 10 calories, 0 fat grams, 0 dietary fiber = 0 points
4 TBSP sauerkraut... 10 calories, 0 fat grams, 0 dietary fiber = 0 points
1 4 oz boneless pork tenderloin... 120 calories, 2.5 fat grams, 0 dietary fiber = 3 points

So, for 6 points, 295 calories, 5.5 fat grams and 0 dietary fiber grams, you can have this melt in your mouth dinner... add in some potato and steamed vegi and you have an INCREDBILY tasty meal... sweet, tangy and filling... YUM!

My new FAVORITE QUOTE...

I'm not sweating...

... my fat cells are CRYING!

Thanks to deployed friend, Jocelyn, for my NEW FAVORITE QUOTE!!!  I decided that it needed a special photo to go with it, so I took my camera to the gym (my gym family at the Palomar YMCA) and had one of my trainers take this shot of me... my "crying fat cells" running down my face and pooled on the floor! 

We all work out at different levels... based on our intensity and fitness level.  My time is soooo limited that when I am at the gym, I KICK MY OWN TUSH! 

No make-up...

no chit chatting with friends for an hour and spinning at a comfortable pace...

just pumping music...

sweat flying...

and fat cells that so far have let go of 20 pounds of tears! 

If you are just getting started, kick your tush with a 20 minute walk around the block... THAT is how I started!  I remember the day that I made it, walking, for a WHOLE MILE on the treadmill.  I was SO PROUD of myself and I couldn't believe that I did it... I remember the treadmill... I remember the location... it was one of those "moments in time" that I will never forget!  I've run so many miles since that day that I can't keep track, but that FIRST MILE is a framed photo moment in my head! 

GO GET 'EM...

every step...

every mile...

is not only making you stronger and healthier,

but it is bringing that confidence

and oh... can I say it...

YOUR SEXY BACK!! :-)

"STOP"... It's MUSIC DAY!

WARNING... the music chosen for this blog are of a very WIDE VARIETY of music genres and time periods and are chosen for very specific reasons.  One by one, we are changing the "Soundtrack In Our Head" from the negative soundtrack that saps our confidence to one that reminds us how to be fun and silly and romantic... music for a drive up the coast... music for a pumping workout... or, as we have today, music for an impromptu dance party with our daughters!!!

Andy, Simon, Nick, John and Roger... be still my heart!!!

You might not want to admit it... and you probably and most certainly don't want to post it in public, on say your blog, but there is "that group" or "that song" that your kids LOVED growing up that you would crank up and sing along with them because it was fun. 

When I was a kid, there were several 80's bands that Mom and Dad would allow us to put on the "tape player" in the car (boy am I dating myself..) and they would sing along... Thompson Twins, Culture Club... but, as a HUGE DURANIE, when "The Reflex" came on... Mom and Dad would groan a little bit, and then my Dad would sing, "The Re-fle-fle-fle-flex!"

Fast forward to the mid 1990's and there was ONE GROUP that all the kids... and most of the world... knew about... for better or worse... everyone knew who Baby, Scary, Posh, Sporty and Ginger were... THE SPICE GIRLS!  Yes, I know all the words to all of the songs from their first few albums and, YES, I took Jessica and Chris to see the Spice Girls in concert in 1998... and we HAD A BLAST!!! 


SPICE GIRLS DANCE PARTY!!!  WOOO HOOOOO!

Soooooooo, long story even LONGER... last weekend, Jessica (21) and Anna (6) pulled me into the bedroom for an impromptu Spice Girls Dance Party...

and we accessorized...

and we danced...

and we SANG AT THE TOP OF OUR LUNGS! 

We haven't done that IN YEARS and we laughed and laughed and laughed... oh, and Jessica video taped us with her computer...here is a little clip of us... Jess and I still remembered the dance for this song... You can watch the real music video over on the right of the blog...

http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=10150204653710799&comments

I sure hope that I don't scare too many of you away by adding this song to the blog, but it has great memories for me and it makes me smile!  Make it a FANTASTIC evening and I will see you back here tomorrow... with a photo of me at the gym... along with my NEW FAVORITE SAYING...

I'm here... I'm here... with PHOTOS!

I know we have all had "one of THOSE weeks..."  This past week was TOTALLY one of them!  Crazy schedule, tons of stress, and not enough hours in the day, much less the week!!!  WHEW... last week is over and this week is looking GREAT! 

Let's jump right into the photos, shall we...


216.6 pounds



218.4 pounds

YEP... I went up 1.8 pounds this week... and am I worried, NOPE! 

I'm still down 18.6 pounds and fitting into clothes that I haven't worn in about 3 years!

AND... I... FEEL... GREAT! 

And, I know that YOU feel great, too!  To Melissa... 52 POUNDS!!!  WOOO HOOOO!  I'm following in your footsteps!!!  And Jodi... of COURSE I remember you, my scrapbook sister, you!  Send me the link to your new blog so we can do this together!!!

I have a FUN Music Day for tomorrow... with photos!  You don't want to miss it!! 

Have a FANTASTIC day, everyone!