Me again...

...I know who else would you be expecting on my blog, but my creativeness for a title was just not working. So there ya have it.

So, I think at some point I must have mentioned that I joined and began going to Curves mid February. I must say I absolutely love it. The 30 minute workouts are perfect and there are no excuses for me to not fit it in 3 times a week. Even weeks like the one coming up, I will have to get up and go at 5:30 on Wednesday morning because I have a busy week in the evenings, but I am dedicated to a new me.

I started this blog in hopes of becoming "Fabulous by Forty". I lost my way somewhere along that road and eventually even changed the name of the blog because every time I came here it was taunting me. I did manage to maintain a 15 pound loss for 2008 but it was by extreme struggle the last 2 months during the holidays. Then the new year started and well it seemed like no matter what I did I could not drop a single pound. I was getting very discouraged and aggravated. I believe that I had shut down my metabolism with all of the yo yo dieting. Lose 10, gain 7, lose 6, gain 10, it was constant for about 2 years, up and down, up and down. Once I made up my mind to at least counteract the food with exercise it became clear to me that even though I was exercising I was not seeing results because I was still eating all I wanted and whatever I wanted. Another friend joined Curves the same time I did and she also began their weight management program. I did not because at that point I knew I was leaving for a cruise in just a few short weeks and didn't feel like yoyoing again.

On the cruise, I was particular not to eat continually and we walked a lot and used the stairs OFTEN. It was not that bad and when I returned I knew I had to face the scale and measurements at Curves in just 3 days time. Praise the Lord, I accomplished what I saw as impossible, I had only gained 1 pound and actually had lost a total of 4.5". This sparked my interest in finally doing something different about my eating. If I could see some result without changing my eating what would it mean to change my eating along with the exercise.

I bought the book on weight management from Curves and I began Phase 1 of the program 2 weeks ago. I just finished day 7 of Phase 2 and I feel better than I have felt in 2 years. I am excited about my next weight/measurement day. Can't wait to report on my progress....I weigh on the 5th of each month but that is on Sunday (they are closed), so I'm not sure if they'll do it on Friday or Monday...but I'll keep you posted......

More Birthday Pictures...

Bailey's Irish Cream Cake

from

That Special Touch

Between Hobby Lobby and Sal & Phil's we went to the

reservoir just to take some pictures!

I was a happy girl...can you tell?

Forgot these....

The only professional pictures I bought on the cruise:

He's as handsome today as the day I married him, 17 years ago!

SURPRISE! SURPRISE! SURPRISE!!!

They got me and they know they did!!

I was one of those people that did not believe

they could be surprised.

I have been proven WRONG!!

These pictures are the proof!

Dawn, Dawn & Wendy - thank you will never be words enough

for how this made me feel!

3 hours in a Lexus Stretch Limo

Water in the pretty champagne glass.

They sent me on a scavenger hunt, the goal was to

retrieve something at each location (all places I love to go) to put

in my scrapbook.

Began at Bop's, my favorite dairy dessert.....

Then to Curves, where I work out 3 times a week......

Then to High Street Shell Station where I get my cappuccino's!

Then to Mazzio's where Rocky's entire staff sang Happy Birthday.....

The next clue sent us to Hobby Lobby where I had $20 to spend...

I don't have pictures of this stop yet...(coming soon).

These are us in the limo!!

Dawn, Wendy & Lydia waiting on Dawn to get me to

the church to see my LIMO and head out for

a great girls night out!!!!

Love you guys sooo much!!!!!!

Special Surprises!!

To my surprise this is what our cabin looked like

when we walked in it the first time!

Thank you Sis & Wendy for helping

me to start my birthday celebration

even earlier than normal!

Another pleasant surprise was sent to our dining

room table to celebrate our 17th Anniversary!

Thank you so much Dawn & Jeff!

You all made our cruise even more special than it already was...

to bad you couldn't all be with us!

Cozumel Pictures

We didn't do much in Cozumel so these are the only pictures I took. It was a beautiful little courtyard garden and the ships were in the background. Seemed like a good photo op.

Grand Cayman Pictures

"Town of Hell"

Behind us is a limestone formation that the

islanders imagined is what hell looks like.

That is where the town got its name.

The sun burned my cross into my chest, ha! I guess that's

what I get for visiting Hell.
Iguanas roaming free at the Turtle Farm.

Visit to the Turtle Farm

Smallest 5 Star Hotel on Grand Cayman

"The Check In"

All of their cemeteries are on the beach because

you can't dig farther than 4 foot anywhere else

and not hit solid rock.

Oldest home on the island. They call it the gingerbread house.

Governor's House.

Pictures from the Galley

Very talented fruit carving.

Pegasus Ice Sculpture

WARM MELTING CHOCOLATE CAKES!!!!

Bread Slicer

Got Milk?

Cereal!