Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Change.................

I don't do very well with change, I never have! When I was little I would go hide behind a tree when my mother would get a haircut! I think I felt if she "changed", she would not be my "mom".
I still have those "feelings" sometimes! That catch in my heart! Lots of changes these last months!




Some changes are WONDERFUL! I love being thinner, having more energy, and wearing smaller clothes!!!!


I am really missing my daughter and her family today! They are making wonderful changes as they go forward in their lives! This morning I actually cried, and have to fix my mascara before I go out!!!!










The house is so empty. I know this is a good change....... but I really miss those boys! It does help when I call and one of them is screaming!



The house is VERY quiet. I am going to set up their apartment for business and it will be wonderful. Until I do it, there are just empty echoing rooms......






What next......... I've been so busy that I really shouldn't be taking the time to do this blog post! Sharing is important though......... and life is wonderful! So I hold on......... and look forward to the next adventure!

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Then and Now

Finally... the fat pictures! Sometimes it's imperative to look back at where we have been to truly understand where we are now. I'm grateful for all of the learning experiences in my life, but I'm also grateful that I've been able to overcome them to be where I am now!

That was then...
This picture is from 1995




One of the most striking things about this picture is how happy I'm not. My daughter told me in an email that: "Just so you know, you've always looked fantastic! I think You can see in some of the pictures that you're happy, but not totally, and you can tell that you seem self-conscious. Although there was nothing wrong with the way you looked or felt, it wasn't as right as it could be. You hadn't realized your full potential. You've set such a good example as I've seen you change and grow.. . even if some of that growing was shrinking ;)"

You can see that I was making progress, shedding the pounds...

And this is ... today!

I'm happy, I'm healthy, I have more energy, I weigh less than I did in high school, and I'm keeping it off! I'm so glad I get to share such wonderful experiences with so many fantastic people across the world as they too achieve success with my program!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

The BEST of Me..........

BoldI've been thinking a lot about a number of things! No surprise really, my brain often goes a zillion miles a minute! I'm sure if I was in school now there would be a name for it!


I've been thinking a LOT as I will be.....
I could say "halfway through my 50's", or other things I'd rather not say right now!




I was thinking this morning as I was attempting to put on nail polish... about what I'm good at, and not so good at! My BIG "NOTS" would be hair cutting, cake decorating, and putting on fingernail polish.......

I'm really, really good at lots of things! Bread is one of them!


I also think I've done a fairly good job as a mom.......... my kids are wonderful and amazingly talented! Mother's Day is such a special day, and a great time to realize what matters MOST


















Once again my daughter really hit the nail on the head! She said I've always used symbolism for so much...... PAYBACK!

It was really wonderful, profound, and I can't wait to use it!
This is what life is, rich and full and often unexpected.
I hit a "milestone" today with my health stuff....... I'm 58 lbs down, and had to take my dress pants in because I can't keep them up! (No, I'm not ready for a 6!)

I don't need Diet Mt. Dew anymore. I lived on it for decades; but no more!
My latest addiction continues to be my Vanilla Creme water I guzzle daily! (It is my nearly 3year old grandson's favorite "grandma water" flavor!) Natural and healthy....... all good!








I've been "smelling" things instead of eating them. I'm not missing out, not giving anything up! Went to a wedding the other night and didn't eat at the cookie bar, the cheesecake, or anything else.
My choice! I'll go get a cookie when I'm ready, I'll go get the best cheesecake when I choose!

I'm on the way to 55 and the best of me!
Life is good, life is rich, life is AMAZING! I'm not giving up anything...... I've feeling better than I have for so long; and health and happiness is worth any short term "sacrifice".

Business continues to grow by leaps and bounds, I'm getting to know wonderful people from all over! LUCKY ME to experience them.

So here I am........ off to eat my 3.5 ounces of chicken and cabbage, or maybe just an apple! Oh yes........... LUCKY ME!
So what is the "BEST" of me? I can't wait to see!

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Greater Expectations..



I love strawberries.......... I mean, I really, really LOVE them! In 1988 I actually had 2 strawberry pies for my birthday! My visiting teacher got me one , and a friend got me one. I have never forgotten that birthday.

My wonderful husband brought me 3 flats of strawberries the other day. We want to freeze them, preserve them, etc. so we can enjoy them longer.

They were some of the best strawberries I'd had for a LONG time. Naturally sweet, didn't even need any of my Sweetleaf Vanilla Creme stevia drops to taste amazing.
I had strawberries for my "legal fruit" as I was cleaning them and preparing for freezing.

I ate and I ate and I ate...... Lets just say I used "strawberries" as my fruit and veggies for the entire day! I had 3.5 oz of chicken for lunch, and 3.5 oz of chicken for dinner! The scale was my friend this morning, so my unplanned modification worked, this time.




I froze bags and bags of them, but had the fantastic idea that I wanted to dry some. I prepared the berries and filled my trays of the best dehydrator.
Such a beautiful sight!
Then the drying started! The house smelled FANTASTIC, just like strawberries.
This morning........ the end result!




Here are my dried strawberries......... they are "okay", not bad really.
But, come on, these are
STRAWBERRIES! They need to be fantastic! The amazing sweet flavor didn't carry through. I didn't add anything, I wanted all natural, only strawberries; just like I do my apples I'm addicted to!

Dried strawberries will never be an addiction. I adore fresh ones, frozen are good...... but there I draw the line!
I wanted to try, I did have great expectations. Instead I got a learning experience.

Often life does NOT go as we plan, even aspects of our daily life are not as we expect or work for! This is life,*
Life is what happens while we are making other plans*
You know, these are just strawberries and they will still be eaten and enjoyed. The harvest is still upon us so I will have more strawberry opportunities. I will not dry them.
I will savor them for the sweet fruit they are!

I will take each moment of my life, good, crazy good, not so good- and appreciate it!
This is what we get, this is our today and we only get to do it once!
So I will have greater expectations, and it's okay if I have my "dried strawberry days"

Monday, April 19, 2010

You "HAVE" to!

I just had an experience we have every day. My daughter made an amazing bruschetta and brought some to my hubby. Beautiful, perfect...... sweet cherry tomatoes, olive oil and MY BASIL! I had been smelling it all day. Alas, I knew it wasn't for me, because I have a goal.......
My sweet husband said; "Honey, you have to taste this".
We hear this all the time, the "have to". Bottom line......... we don't! I actually said "no I don't". This is true, we can make our individual choices. It is okay to say "no thank you" if you don't feel comfortable, or you don't want to do, taste, whatever.

(by the time I realized I wanted to take a picture, this is all that was left)

My daughter was not offended, she knows EXACTLY what I'm doing. She will make it again, and I can have some. I will choose to; and be ready!


Thursday, April 15, 2010

Define NORMAL

Today has been defining.................
My daughter has been spending much of her "extra" time the last couple of days helping me perfect my business stuff. I'm now ON FACEBOOK as Simply Total Health!

I've been talking to some wonderful people all around the country! I get to share my passion, loves; and I'm getting thanks from coast to coast!
I am humbled with the experiences I am having.....
I saw this at the grocery story when I was mailing some HCG and my "miracle supplement" to a new friend in New York! The other day it was Florida.....
But I couldn't resist the saying and had to snap the pic with my camera!
What is normal, what level of crazy do we allow in our lives before we decide it is "abnormal"? I love crazy, crazy is MY NORMAL and I wouldn't have it any other way.
I am passionate about sharing health and wellness information! I'm "crazy" excited about all of this.
On this note.......
Let's hear it for the exciting times we live in, and to the joys of "normal", but who needs to pretend anyway!

Look good~ Feel good~ Inside out

Monday, March 29, 2010

The "Why"... to run and not be weary, walk and not faint.......

I'm sitting waiting for a new tire! My darn car EATS tread. I'll get it all figured out, but we need to be safe in our drive to Portland and Pasco this weekend! I probably could have made it, but the tread is almost gone! (The steel belts really are steel colored!)
Details matter, safety matters......... HEALTHY matters!
I've talked about my "journey" and my reasons; but as I was running up my stairs the other day I realized I couldn't do that a few months ago! (Yes, these are MY stairs!) I rarely walk up them anymore.
I don't like altitude. I'm VERY sensitive to the high altitude here in Utah and it has been easy to blame any breathlessness or lethargy on that lack of OXYGEN!
I now have the ability to run up my stairs, walk all over in my Sketchers Shape Ups, and not feel winded!
Run and not be weary, Walk and NOT faint
I love the energy I have. This feels as good as fitting into my clothes again; this is the BEST! This is the reason I wanted to get rid of the 50 lbs.

Energy! It is what powers the universe! We use it, we need it........ we complain when we don't have it! I love this picture of the water, he force, the intensity! That is how I feel when I wake up in the morning....... Joy in the new day. (I don't always sleep well, but that is another entry!)

This journey is for ME , I am selfish.......... (I tell my hubby that ALL the time!) I want the energy to be there for children, care for grandchildren........ make bread to give away; to love, be loved.
I will share my discovery with anyone who asks me. I've been truly blessed to "meet" many new "friends" near and far.
I love life, love the energy!
Ah yes......... look good~feel good~inside out
Don't limit yourself!