I think people get to a point in a weight-loss journey where things are going good, and there isn't much to talk about, but at the same time, some pretty profound things are happening.

Take this morning for instance...

1. Wake up to a smiling baby...finally after two days of non-stop night screaming.
2. Do the morning ritual.
3. Step on the scale.
4. Step off and do a happy dance.
5. Get dressed, find out skinny jeans are ummm..LOOSE!

There are times when significant things happen that deserve celebration and praise, but I think that the most important things are the small changes. The subtle things that often go unnoticed. Like being able to chase after your toddler in the park, and not get winded. Standing for a long period of time without looking for somewhere to sit. Taking a second glance in the mirror to admire your new jawline.

It is things like this that keep me moving, keep me motivated. I may not shrink 5 sizes in 2 months, but I am doing this the right way, the healthy way!

In retrospect, I also just started the bible study Made to Crave. Being a Jesus girl has helped so much in this journey, but I am ready for more. I am ready for more of God and his blessings. I am ready to stop eating for comfort and to rely more on Him.

If you are wondering where to start...I totally recommend this book/study. In just the three days I have been reading, I have learned so much about why I ate the way I did, and what I can do to fix it. Believe me, it is NOT a diet plan, but a total mind transformation.

Today's Meal Plan

Breakfast- 296 calories

Thomas Everything Bagel Thin
1 slice of bacon
1 egg, over easy
Dannon Light and Fit Strawberry Banana Yogurt

Lunch- 450 calories

1/2 cup spaghetti style pasta
1/4 cup tomato meat sauce
salad (1 cup fresh baby spinach, 4 medium strawberries sliced, 1 oz cinnamon covered almonds (crushed), 2 tbsp reduced fat raspberry vinegrette)
90 calorie snack Quaker mini delights

Dinner- 307 calories

Broiled tilapia with Tony's, 1 fillet
Broccoli (steamed with minced garlic and crushed red pepper)
Sweet potato, baked with (Smart Balance, Smart Balance Omega Plus Buttery Spread, 1 Tbsp, Granulated Sugar, 1 tsp, and 1 tsp of cinnamon)

Snacks- 221 calories

Pink Lady Apple (YUM!)- after lunch
Skinny Cow Ice cream sandwich- after dinner

Total Calories- 1275 with all of my carb, protein and fat levels met.


I have lost 18lbs in 8.5weeks, and I am so proud of myself.

I did a little happy dance in my bathroom. I ran to give my husband a hug. I smiled all day! There is just something about setting goals and meeting them that makes a person feel strong, empowered.

When I stepped on the scale, I wasn't expecting a big drop. I knew I was eating in my calorie range and was working out plenty, but I also knew that my body was not in the habit of letting go. The excitement of seeing that 1 in front instead of the 2 was exhilarating!

So, goodbye 200s and hello 100s!

My reward? A full pedicure. :)

Want your body to change? Push it.

I have been working out and eating right for exactly one month now. In that month, I have lost 4 inches off my waist, 1 inch off my hips, and 9 lbs off my body. I feel great, and have so much more energy. A week ago, I reached a plateau. My weight was not moving, and my inches hadn't changed for two weeks. Did that get me down? NO! It got me motivated.

I started biking every morning for 30 minutes. That enabled my body, and I lost another lb in 2 days. So knowing this, I stepped it up tonight and added a 30 minute aerobic dance video to my routine. I could feel my body burning. I could feel my muscles moving, and it hurt. But, BUT!!! I was having fun. I knew that this was helping. Truly, what else was I going to do, sit on the couch and watch another episode off the DVR? LAME!

Here is moving, grooving, and losing!!!

Today, while packing snacks to come to work I had an epiphany.

On Wednesdays (yesterday), Caleb and I eat at church before service. The ladies there prepare awesome meals, including dessert. It takes us a while to get seated b/c we have the carseat and then Brayden's booster seat, etc. By the time I am sitting and eating, I am starving! As I eat, I am savoring and making sure to enjoy all of the flavors, and then it hit me...I was full. So, naturally I pushed my bowl away and started focusing on getting Brayden to eat "just one more bite, and then you can have your cupcake".

It wasn't until this morning that I realized what I had done. I had turned down more food. I became full before devouring an entire plate of delicious food. People this is HUGE! I am now able to listen to my body and to take heed it's cues.

After being on a two week plateau, I weighed myself this morning. 8.9lbs down! I am 1.1 lbs away from my first goal!!! What kind of reward should I give myself??

Any journey starts with a determined goal in mind, whether it is specific or not is the question. What specifically do I want to get out of my lifestyle change? What are my short-term and long-term goals? How and I going to get there? So many times I have started to "diet" and then quit a few days later, or I have worked out for a couple of days and then "got too tired, was too sore, had no time, etc...).

What is the difference now, and how have I determined to stay on track? The difference now is that when I look in the mirror I do not see Deidre. I see a large distortion of what I could be. I see the me underneath all of this weight and the person that is screaming to get out. The person that is tired of drowning in fat and processed foods.

My long-term goals in all of this are to 1) Get to the point where making healthy choices is no longer a choice, it's a habit 2) Be able to chase my son around without getting winded or asking for a timeout 3)Feel great in a size 8 little black dress. In the short-term range, I want to 1)get under 200lbs, 2)drink at least 8cups of water a day and 3) workout everyday.

In order to obtain these goals, I am going to have to be determined. I am going to have to workout EVERY.DAY.NO.MATTER.WHAT. I am going to have to track my calorie intake and make sure it stays under an acceptable level. This is not rocket science, but it also is not going to be easy.

What I want to pull out of this is to know without a doubt I am setting my children up to making healthy choices for the rest of their lives. That they can know that their mom WILL NOT be a statistic in the obese world.

Always remember:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference

...Robert Frost

I am now halfway into my second week of diet and exercise. I can't say that I haven't cheated, and I can't say that I haven't thought about quitting. The thing that has truly kept me going is knowing that my 10 year class reunion is coming up at the end of this year!!! (EEK!!) My goal weight is only 60lbs away, and I have 9 months to achieve it.

I can do this!
I CAN do this!
I CAN DO this!
I CAN DO THIS!!

So far: 1 inch loss in my waist, 1 inch loss in my hips, and 6.8 lbs down!

Here I am 6 days into my new lifestyle change, and I feel great. Not only do I have tons more energy, but I am able to see how horribly I was eating before. I have not gotten over 1600 calories a day this week, and have worked out at least 20 minutes a day.

The deal for me was that I was wincing and anticipating the hardships that I would have to go through to get to where I wanted to be. Now that I am here and doing it, I would say that it is pretty easy! I am not hungry because I am eating just as much quantity as I was before, but it is food that is so much better in quality.

Here is what is on the menu today for Breakfast and Lunch:

Breakfast
1 cup of Frosted Shredded Wheat
1 cup fat free milk
1 medium banana
1 6oz container of Yoplait Light Strawberry Yogurt

Lunch
1 serving Oscar Myer fat free Turkey Breast
1 slice swiss cheese
1/2 cup of whole leaf spinach
1 tsp mustard
1 100% whole wheat sandwich round
10 baby carrots
1 1oz bag of Sunchips (original)

This totals only 900 calories, which leaves me 700 calories for a snack and dinner. Crazy, huh?

Now, for the best news of all. I am now 5lbs lighter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am embarking on a new journey. Weight loss and fitness here I come! After being asked when I was due (you know...with a baby)when I am 5 months postpartum, I have decided that I am determined to lose some poundage. Though, the last time I did this I got 20 lbs lost and then some loser knocked me up...Nice eh? :)

Pretty much, I will be highlight the highs and lows right here. woot!

Today, I am sore. Mostly my back muscles and my abs (oh what! they do exist!). Jillian totally kicked my butt, but it wasn't as hard as I initially planned it to be. Though, I will definitely need to invest in a yoga mat because doing push ups on your knees on a hard wood floor is not cool.

As for my diet, I am strictly following the Sparkpeople.com menu plan. It is there and I have to follow it. It counts my calories for me and does all the hard work so I don't have to.

In the end, I want to lose 50 lbs and look great in a little black dress. Not much to ask right? We shall see...

I am obsessed to the point of almost stalking this poor girl's blog! Kathleen over at Grosgrain Fabulous is my sewing icon.

Here are a few of my favorites that I hope to recreate after having Elijah and losing the baby lbs.

Cherry Pop


Social Darling


8oclock frock

Grosgrain: Mohito Refashion Frock Tutorial and Giveaway

Grosgrain: Spicey Designs GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Kathleen at Grosgrain Fabulous is leading a totally fabulous redo on old beat up flats this week.

I don't have any old, worn-out flats, but I am sure I could find some at one of my local thrift shops for cheap! I can't wait to get started!!

I haven't posted in what a year? Goodness, what a horrible blogger I am, though I read at least 10 a day. It's like sipping coffee and reading the newspaper for me...lol.

I have decided to take a turnaround and start using this blog as a promotion bit/ sales floor for some girly products I will be hand making. The process will be slow, and honestly I am doing this for fun and as a time filler since my husband gets home late and the little monkey is in bed by 8pm.

So, be looking for new items here at Fairy Dust Creations!

As I have gotten older, I have come to the conclusion that it is ok to be me. I am wierd I admit it. I eat plain noodles with grated parmesan cheese, I actually like to mow the lawn, and you would be really surprised to hear my thoughts when someone is having a seroius conversation with me. Have you ever back tracked your thoughts and wondered how you ever got to the thought of ice skating rabbits? Yeah, that's me.

Throughout high school and most of college, I would take offense to those faces that would look at me strangely after I made an off the wall comment, but now...not so much. It amazes me how much I have changed since last stepping foot on Bronco ground (my old high school mascot). How much more will I start liking myself in the years to come?

All I know is that I love me, and I wouldnt want to be anyone else!

I think I am at a point in my life that I am ready to get rid the negative aspects of it. After beating myself up for so long over things that I had no control over, it really is time for me to just let go. Just sitting here looking at my little boy playing at my feet makes me think about all the things I want to change about myself. I surely do not want him growing up feeling insecure or guilty.

God is truly SO good, and has given me so much that I am grateful for! And I know, that with Him I can fix my wrongs.

Thank you Lord for watching over me even when I wasn't watching You.

There are quite a few things that will gross out your parents. However, there is one thing that is beyond apalling, and will come as a shock to your mommy and daddy if done correctly. So, I am here to give you the best tutorial possible in order to help you thoroughly disgust your parent.


Step One: Learn fine motor skills. Specifically the Pincer Grasp. It will seriously come in handy.

Step Two: Learn to be quiet after waking from a nap. None of that whiny business. This task must be done in silence.

Step Three: Wiggle and squirm during a diaper change so that your parent is too annoyed to put clothes on you.

Step Four: Make your parent very happy by taking a long nap. One to two hours is the standard.

Step Five: While sleeping, or immediately after, use that lovely diaper to deposit a nice stinky present (you know which one I am talking about :wink:).

Step Six: Use step one to open the diaper and "explore" your findings.

Step Seven: Be gracious and share your finding with your toes, hair, privates, oh, and even your bed and paci!

Step Eight: Grin and giggle as your mommy or daddy walks in. Pay special attention to thier shocked face!!!

Note: This mission and accomplishment of it will bring you ample bathtime!!!











Yes, this is what happened to me today. I am still recovering.......

My little monkey was dropped off at my sister's house this morning. I was telling her about his diaper rash and how to put a cloth wipe inbetween his bum and the cloth diaper after putting the diaper cream. I showed her his snacks, and which he should have with lunch and which after he wakes from a nap.

I turned to give him a hug and he had already scampered off to play. I smiled, and said, "bye bye baby!" He looked up at me, said, "bye," went back to playing, and my heart broke just a little.

How did this little baby become so independant so quickly?

We have been house sitting for my Aunt this past week, and I can tell you that nothing beats coming home. I can sit in my chair that feels so comfy and soft, and I can organize everything unnecessarily, and find the pots and pans that I need when I need them. We made good use of the pool and little Monkey loved having a big "Bap" everyday...lol.

So, now I am back sitting in my chair and DH sitting at the desk, each on their own computer. I really do love this time, because it's not like we are ignoring each other b/c if he sees a crazy video on youtube he will show it to me, and I will talk to him about a blog I read.

I love how we are so comfortable in silence. The best way to explain it is that we dont HAVE to talk unless there is something to talk about. I dont feel an incessant need to make conversation, nor does he.

Right now, I am taking a break from facebook and organizing a copious amount of pics. I really do need to get all of Monkey's newborn pics from my mom, because right now I have a few of his birth and then none until 2 months old, which is when we came back home. I love looking through pics, and like any good OCD gal, I also love organizing...lol.

In this moment, I hope that Monky sleeps through the night so that DH and I can have a few hours to zone out.

So, this is the time where I claim to be a horrible blogger, and bow down to all my 9 followers and ask for mercy. There....done..

Where have I been you might ask? I have been existing and that is about all. It really is as sad as it sounds. After hearing a wonderful message on faith and healing, I came away from church yesterday feeling invigorated and refreshed. I truly think that I have had PPD (Post-pardum Depression) these last few months, and have been trying vehementantly to deny the heck out of it. Why? I don't really know. Will I just pop out of it suddenly and go back to the happy go luck woman and mother that I once was, no. It will be a long and trying process.

At this point, I don't want to commit to anything b/c we all know that I commit to things very flippantly and then quit a few months down the road. I want to be happy again, to wake up and want to be a mother and a wife to the two most amazing people I know.

I will be reading the book of James this week, and acutally studying it. Not reading it like a novel like I was prone to do before. Did you know the book of James was not written by the apostle James, but by James, Jesus' brother. It takes on a whole new meaning now, right? Imagine living under the shadow of the Son of God. Phew!

Will I promise to be a better blogger now? I don't think so, not promise, but I do not want to stay away. Feelings and emotions are so much better expressed than suppressed, so maybe I will use them here, to get them off my chest perhaps.

I am sorry to those that have been worried about me, especially Caleb and my mom.

Things are looking up. (And I mean that in a literal sense :-))

Ok, so don't throw beets at me, but after being four miles from our hotel on the way to Jazzfest, DH and I realized we forgot the camera on the bed. So, the jazzfest pics are all on his Microchip for his phone, and he has been getting home at 11pm everynight this week. I plan on getting those pics on Sunday and will update this thread when I get them done.

Now, forward ho'....lol

After much walking and sun from Jazzfest on Friday, DH and I decided to sleep in until right before check out on Saturday and then adventure around the French Quarter until our legs fell off or until sun down, which ever came first...lol. The entrance to the Riverwalk was a block from our hotel, so we did some shopping and caught lunch. It was so nice walking, holding hands, and talking. We would sit occasionally and just watch the boats and ships pass by. Around 1pm we arrived at the French Quarter, and being the woman that I am, I wanted to walked into every shop...well, except for the sports memorabilia one :). we were able to get some stuff for Christmas presents. I have to say, my favorite part about the French Quarter was the street vendors. I have never seen so much handmade items all at on place. It was like I was in heaven.

The atmosphere is so relaxed and calm. There is no one there that is in a hurry, and the vendors gladly let you peruse their things. The art is amazing and beautiful. All around the park fence, artists hang their work for sale, and they sit there painting while you walk around just looking. Horse drawn buggies are waiting in a line for you if you wish to take a ride. Around 2:30pm we popped into Cafe Du Monde for a snack and a very much needed potty break. We both decided to have Beignets (Ben-yays) and to share a Coke. They were DIVINE!!!! And really, they just made us even more hungry.

We walked down to the French Market, where you can just about find anything. We walked and walked all around the booths of Mardi gras masks, voodoo dolls, homemade home decor, books, jewelry, dresses, and so so much. We must have stayed there forever just shopping (and spending too much money...lol).

To cap off the night, we to the Market Cafe, which we went to before on our way to Georgia to evacuate from Hurricane Ike. We shared a seafood platter that had fried Jumbo Shrimp, Fried Oysters, and Fried Catfish all on top of fries. Oh, and a Louisiana Lemonade ;). It was seriously the best ever, and we were so full.

We trecked back to our car that was parked at the hotel 8 miles, and headed home. We had so much fun and enjoyed each others company so much. It was a much needed break, even though I miss Brayden tons.

When we got home, Brayden was sleeping, but I couldnt resist getting him out of his bed just to hold him while he slept. Around 11pm he woke up, and smile the beautifullest smile ever. It was as if to say, Mommy, I am so glad you are home. He stayed up for about 45 mins, and did not want to be with anyone else. I loved it.

Headed out to start our day
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The notorious Bourbon Street (not so crazy in the daylight hours mind you)
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An apartment in the French Quarter
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St. Luis Cathedral and Art
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St. Luis up close
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Pic of the Sanctuary (yes, I did sit on the floor to get this shot)
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Palm Reader
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Trombone Player
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Horsey!
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Cafe Du Monde Beignets (covered in powdered sugar)
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Num Num!
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Powder sugar fiend
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Pouting because My beignets somehow disappeared
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Tuck in a toy store!
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Wow!
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:-)
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Louisiana Lemonade
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yummy!
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Steamboat
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Street Vendors
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At my mom's house picking up Brayden, look at that smile!
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We came home to a hot house, so Dh and I stayed up waiting for our room to cool down (Brayden has a fan in his room that was going all weekend for some reason). I checked the kitties' water and food and went to unload the suitcase. When I went to turn out the lights to go to bed, this is what I saw.

Can you tell me which one is the piggy?
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