Good morning my friends! I can’t believe that it is already
Wednesday and yet, it seems like it’s been non-stop activity for the past
couple of days. I am going to need a vacation to recover from my vacation!!!! I’m getting weary, but having a great time,
although I have yet to stay awake long enough to see it get dark at night; nor
have I made it to a campfire YET! This
former party girl is getting old! J
Yesterday was a busy day because it was my day to cook for
the gang. I was up very early and had the ham in the crock pot and the pancakes
ready to hit the griddle before 6 a.m. so that I could take a short bike ride before
I started flipping them. The blueberry ones were a big hit…and there were a lot
of empty plates and smiling faces at the end of breakfast. The smiles might
have been because the sun was starting to shine, but hey, I’ll take a smile for
whatever reason.
After breakfast, we did a couple of craft projects.
Typically, each of the adult women in the family plan some sort of project or
activity that the adults can do as well as the kids. We have a batch of really
young ones (under 5) right now so there will be games and fun for them later in
the week when the rest of the little ones arrive. I am, however, having a GREAT
time playing with the 3 little ones that are here now. I’ve always been one that loved doing stuff
with the kids (hence my 18 years in elementary religious ed) but when my life
was really difficult and rocky (2003-2011), I wasn’t physically able to play with the kids like I wanted. Most of
that time was spent sitting in a walker/chair and watching the family have
fun. I missed out on so much with the
nieces, nephews, and cousins that are in the 10-18 year old bracket now. Ironically, the things I am able to do with
the littlest ones now are the same things I did…and loved to do….with their
parents when they were little! It’s
great to be alive….and able to play and be like a child again! Use that for motivation if you are in need of
some. What child/ren in your life are
you missing out on because of weight, addiction, depression, broken
relationships….whatever? Life is really
short and kids grow up really fast. I
encourage you today to do whatever you need to do so that you can make a
difference in the lives of the little ones that God has placed in your life…..whether
they are YOURS or someone else’s!
I spent a good portion of the afternoon yesterday getting
things ready for dinner, but all went well.
I even made homemade chunky applesauce for the first time in my life. I
never realized how easy it is to peel and core a bag or two of apples, toss
them in a crock pot with a little water, cinnamon, and Splenda and just let
them cook. I thought they might be a good side to go with the pork loin that my
brother was grilling and I also wanted to make sure there was something that I could
eat without guilt, especially since I was also cooking up garlic/onion roasted
potatoes and baked beans, and there were a lot of other high-calorie things
served. The applesauce turned out great and I’ve already had some warmed up
this morning with a carton of vanilla Greek yogurt tossed on top of it. I know
it’s been a LONG time since I’ve had a piece of apple pie, but to me, it kind
of resembled a pie a-la-mode without the crust.
I thought it was a yummy treat. 
Yesterday afternoon was also a big “out of my comfort zone”
experience that I’ve written about many times before, but yesterday I actually
confronted my fear and went to the pool that is open to the association members
where I live. And…there were people
there that I didn’t know! For those that
missed the previous posts, I’ve been very self-conscious about going to the
pool due to the excess skin. I love the sun and the water and I have a 3 ½ foot
pool in my private backyard, but I had a terrible fear of going anywhere where I
might be seen by strangers. Ironically, I
spent almost every day at the same pool at 300 and 400+ pounds, and wasn’t at
all self-conscious, but I have not been there since I started the weight loss
journey. Last year, I made it as far as
the parking lot and chickened out and went home to my own pool. Even though I was very apprehensive and
uneasy, I faced my fear and pushed myself out of my comfort zone. I’m not sure I
will do it again anytime soon, but at least I can say that I faced my fear. It
is progress….even though it’s small. As
I’ve encouraged you all before….CELEBRATE the little victories…no matter how
small! We are ALL a work in progress and
little, baby steps are all that’s needed on this journey.
Today I am off to town for a hair appointment and a trip to
Menard’s for some supplies for a bird-feeding project that I’ve decided I want
to do, as well as some things for my parade float. The week is going by too
fast and there is still so much to do.
Cherish the moment….make the best of each situation….and be grateful for
all the blessings in life. Sometimes, however, you have to slow down long
enough to realize how incredibly blessed you are.
Keep on track….keep working toward your goal….Keep on smiling
and trying to be a better person today than you were yesterday!!!!
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