DOUBLE DIGITS.

That’s an accomplishment, eh?

Health + Wellness

208.3 Well, this is just funny.

But, alas, the opportunity for some perspective was presented to me while walking outside, in 19 degrees by the way, today.

If you haven’t gathered already, I have been ‘working’ on losing weight for quite some time.

Decades as a matter of fact.

I have more than a few daily planners with starting weights in them. In March, on another crusade, I started with the app Noom. Maybe you’ve seen it all over every social media outlet imaginable. Good marketing dollars spent this time of year for sure.

I actually loved it and it worked, for a while.

Since I started it up again this January, I was able to keep all of my historical data over 2018. While I was walking today, still annoyed with the number that was staring up at me from the scale this morning, I realized I had this data and I looked it up a few minutes ago.

233.0 on March 19th, 2018

Do you know how thrilled I would have been to see 208.3 on that scale then? Since March 2018 I have lost 24.7 lbs, only trying a little bit.

How’s that for a dose of perspective?

And, I bet there are people out there that only wish to be 233, just like I only wish to be X while someone who is already there is wishing to be x – 20 lbs, x – 50, and so on.

It’s all relative people.

How quickly we forget where we were and how far we’ve come. Progress is progress, no matter the time it takes. I’ll try to remember that tomorrow morning.

House + Home

Still clean if you can believe it. I am pumped to try a new Honey Mustard Chicken Salad recipe tonight. It’s the little things in life.

Update: I did make the salad and it was super good, however, I chose to use chicken thighs…DO NOT DO THIS. Stick with the safe, boneless, skinless chicken breasts. But the dressing/marinade is delicious.

Debt + Finances

The only thing I can say here is that I saved $13 on a $60 bill at the grocery store today. Plus, I didn’t buy wine so add $21 to the savings. Yay me.

Parenthood + Relationships

After I got off the scale this morning, I voiced my frustration to my husband. He, of course, assured me that I will see results soon and I’m doing a good job, bless his heart. (I probably don’t tell him enough how much I appreciate his support.)

I made him get on the scale to make sure it wasn’t broken. I was convinced it was going to give him 208.3 too.

It didn’t.

I also received just about the nicest email from a dear friend. She has showered me with these notes before more than motivating me to keep going. I cried as I read it. I am so grateful to her for taking the time and energy to write it out. She certainly didn’t have to do it and I know she’s got a plate full too.

You know who you are; thank you for the time you took out of your day to tell me things I so badly needed to be reminded of. xoxo. It’s so hard to see yourself the way others see you. If we can all just get out of our head for one freakin’ minute, we can do anything.

Travel + Staycations

Let’s move on from staycations for a while and talk about real travel. A few days ago, on that cold, blistery January day, I texted Dale that I wanted to go on vacation for our anniversary, just the two of us. Since then I’ve been searching and talking to friends about where we should go.

Some ideas have been Napa Valley, maybe a mountain lodge and of course, somewhere warm and beachy.

But, for the past few years I have wanted to go to Hawaii and, of course, it’s always been too expensive, too far, too long to be away from home, work, kids, animals, etc. But, here’s the thing, we have 10 months to save money, prepare for childcare and line up our ducks at work. And life is too short not to go.

I think it’s time to throw out these excuses too.

The epiphany for today has actually come and gone a few times over the last few years. I wrote a long article about it last fall and it holds truer today than it ever has.

It has to do with being ok with walking, not running.