Weight loss!

Any one want to talk about weight loss?  Or weight issues?  I could talk about this subject for hours.  It was on my 27 before 28 list and in a post here.  It is something that I have been struggling with my whole adult life.  And most of my teen years for that matter.  I can't even begin to tell you how many programs I have tried and failed at.  I finally got to the point that I decided that I was just suppose to be overweight.  

Then Nicco told Lola that he doesn't want me to be fat.  He used that word!  That little 3 letter word that I hate more than anything but referred to myself as on a weekly (probably daily) basis.  When I talked to him about what he said he told me that he doesn't want me to be fat because he loves me.  I wanted to crawl in a hole and die.  He knows that being overweight causes serious health issues.  He wants me to be healthy.  He asked me why I am overweight.  I told him that it is because I don't eat healthy enough and I don't exercise enough.  I was real with him!  We then talked about what foods are healthy and which are not.  It was an eye opening experience for me.  I need to be a better example for my family.  I need to be better about my choices so that I don't leave them earlier than I should.  I want to be healthy.  I want to be able to take my grandkids to Disneyland.  Those things aren't going to happen unless something changes right now!

So I have started making changes.  I am much more calm about the whole thing.  In the past I felt like I was starting something knowing I would fail.  I would get frustrated that I wouldn't lose the weight overnight.  This time feels very different.  I have come to terms with the fact that it has taken me 28 years to get this way and it will take a bit of time to get it off.  And that I may have set backs and difficult moments (or months) but it will all be worth it in the end.  So far I have lost 8.8 pounds.  Don't tell anyone but I need to lose about 110 more.  It has gotten out of hand!  Obviously.  Lets give you all a visual of where I am starting!      

I will be posting weekly about my weight loss.  I am thinking that maybe I will even wear the same shirt in each picture to get a real idea of what the difference is.  I am not positive how it is all going to go down yet.  For anyone interested in how I am doing it I am using the Lose it! app on my android.  Really all it is is counting calories.  It calculates exactly how many calories a day you need according to how many pounds a week you want to lose.  It can also track your nutrient intake.  If anyone is using the same app- lets be friends!  I am set up under foxandsparrow1@gmail dot com.

This post was difficult for me to write.  I feel very vulnerable and ashamed right now.  But also hopeful!  Please keep that in mind if you decide to comment.  Please be kind!  Thank you!

Link A Day

I have been MIA the last couple weeks and I have loved every second of it.  We have been outside a whole lot and living up the summer.  I realized that this is an actual summer vacation!  The boy starts school this August.  We are officially a school going family.  So we have to make the most of the time left.  We went to the Hogle Zoo to check out the new rocky shore exhibit which was awesome!  Nicco had a date with his Nana so she could buy him a new outfit before he starts kindergarten as is the tradition in our family.  Lola and Nicholas went on a daddy/daughter date to Noodles and Company and she loved it!  Good times and now some good links!  

If I had money to burn I would buy one of these play rugs for the kiddos.  They are so so fantastic!  

This is a fantastic way to update a boring pair of shoes!  I love the faux ankle strap!

This list of 30 practical tips about raising kids was funny and so so true!

Why hello beautiful earrings!  I think I may have a great new home for you.

Wouldn't this blanket be lovely with black and gold stars? 

Did you know that I happen to love skulls and skeletons?  Well I do so so much!  This dainty bracelet is just about the most! 

Need some 600 film?  In crazy bright colors?  Um yes?!

Happy Birthday Nicco!

We celebrated this boys 5th birthday this last weekend.  OH my gosh I can't believe that he is 5 already!  It is so cliche to say but the time has flown by.  He was a little baby just yesterday and now he is about to start kindergarten.  I can't say enough about how sweet and wonderful Nicco is.  He has turned into a polite, sweet and funny boy.  I am not sure how we ended up with such a good kid.  We are blessed!  Nicco loves his baby sister so much and defends her.  He is her champion!  He is kind and wants to be friends with everyone.  He is hilarious! 

Nicco is a notorious thumb sucker.  He came out the womb with his thumb firmly in his mouth.  Earlier today I pulled his thumb out of his mouth for the 70th time.  I then told him that he needs to stop because he will mess up his beautiful teeth.  He precedes to tell me that he just can't control himself!  I laughed and let him stick his thumb back in.  I am a push over mom!  I guess I better start saving now for his braces.

I am in love with this boy!  I am bursting with pride over the person he is becoming! 

Happy Birthday boy!!   

July's Alteration

One of my 28 before 29 goals is to alter at least one piece of clothing a month.  I actually did that this month!  I am hoping to squeeze in another actually.  It was so fun and easy that I am starting to think that no piece of clothing is safe!  The original idea is from Cotton and Curls but I can't for the life of me find the actual tutorial!!  But head over there anyway because it is an awesome blog.

                                                                           

Pretty much all I did was cut the back out of t-shirt and add in a piece of a thrifted sheet.  I did pleat the piece of fabric as well.  It only took about an hour or so total.  The freaking pleats took probably a half hour of that time.  Damn pleats!  If I had known that pleats were such a pain I probably would have bagged them.  But I am glad I stuck with them because I really like the end result.

                                    

I would love to show you the front but alas all the pictures taken from that angle are even more scary than these ones and won't be shown for your own sake!  No good!  Time to get on the treadmill I think! 

Sunday Songs

K so this isn't actually a song written by the kooks.  It is a good version though!

Link A Day

Another week in paradise.  We have been avoiding the hot weather as much as possible.  Which of course means we are suffering big time cabin fever!  Even I am getting sick of being inside and I hate the hot hot heat.  And I am uninspired to do anything.  I need to break out of my funk!  How about some linky's?  Yeah....


Monster socks?!  I want them in woman's sizes!

10 things not to do when taking pictures.  I need to print this up and put in our camera bag.  

If you need a laugh check out this video!  Emma Stone dance dare.  OH my gosh it is hilarious!

Do you have a stash of vintage sheets?  Yeah I do.  Here is 10 awesome DIY to use up some of them.

This list of 25 indoor activities was written for the winter months but it is perfect for the sweltering heat that is happening right now! 

Ham featherbeads!  This is a lovely idea for breakfast or dinner or anywhere in between.

This is sweet and lovely!  I love retro looking bows and DIY. 

XBOX... a Haiku

I have a little bit of a confession.  I am nuts.  I swear that the XBOX kinect sensors spy on us.  Is that totally weird?  Maybe a little paranoid?  Yeah well all I can say is that when I walk in to my bedroom wrapped up in a towel and that bad boy scans me from top to bottom and back again I feel nervous.  Like grab my clothes and run back to the bathroom to get dressed in there nervous.  Really just having that naked moving picture box of myself in the corner is enough for me to be scarred for life, run for cover and need a baby ruth.  I know that everyone thinks I am crazy!  But you just watch one day they will have all kinds of pictures and video of us that we don't want them to have.  Who is the they I speak of?  Well.... I don't know really but someone.  Guess who they won't have videos of?  ME!  Our sensor is in the off position at all freaking times.  Feel bad for my poor husband.  

XBOX 

Xbox kinect spies 

I totally think so peeps

Maybe I'm crazy

I have obviously thought way too much about this.  I have also thought too much about a Baby Ruth.  SO sue me!

Link A Day

It has been a super loverly week this week!  We celebrated the fourth of July as usual.  We went to a neighborhood pancake breakfast and parade down at our church.  We decorated the kids scooters the night before so they could ride in the parade behind a fire truck.  Nicco rode the whole way with Nick skateboarding behind him.  I am so proud of him!  That is by far the farthest he has ridden his scooter.  Lola decided she had enough of falling on her scooter and hopped into the firetruck to ride.  Right after the parade the kids had a water fight with the fire hoses.  They loved it!  Even Lola got wet!  That is awesome.  Girl loves her swimming suit but is not a fan of actually getting wet.  That night we went to the Sugarhouse Park fireworks extravaganza.  We went down with one of my sisters.  And my brother and sister in law and their family.  The kids had fun.  We had tons of treats and glowsticks.  The kids loved the fireworks!  They both repeatedly yelled how beautiful they were.  Lola also kept yelling holy crap!  Over and over.  At least it wasn't holy sh*t!  I hope you all had a safe and fun holiday!  Shall we get our link on?

These sound lovely.  Pumpkin is more of a fall thing to me but I am craving it! 

This fortune cookie necklace is super rad!  You can customize your fortune even.

One of my favorite New Years resolutions was to customize the kids and my space.  I have been working a little bit on it every month.  And I now have my next project!  This white deer mount looks amazing!  I might have to go a little gaudy and tacky and make mine gold though. 

This hike has made it on my bucket list.  I am no where near experienced enough right now but I want to get to a point where I can sooner than later!

This space.  OH this space!  I love gardens and this one is fantastic! I have been dreaming about it.  It is lovely and I feel like it extends their living space outdoors.  Which is a fantastic thing!

This is a crazy amazing idea!  This blogger spent her birthday doing acts of kindness.  UM awesome!!  She has some amazing ideas for service that I hadn't ever thought about.  Check it out!

We have birds attacking my mothers strawberry plants and my tomato plants in the backyard.  It has got  me hating birds all the more!  I have read that if you have stuff that moves- the movement scares them and they back off.  I am going to make a million billion of these mobiles and hang them everywhere!

Lets all go and kick this weekend in the pants!

Fill In The Blank Friday

photo taken by my hubs

"If I could get away for the day, I would go....."

Up to the mountains.  At least the ones that aren't on fire right now!  I love the cool mountain air.  Heading up the canyons can make the difference of about 15 degrees sometimes.  I love the drive up any of them!  With the windows down you can feel the temperature drop as you head higher.  Heaven!  Needless to say it has been a very hot and dry summer here.  And I HATE it.  Summer nights are great.  Don't get me wrong!  I love that the days are longer but man oh man the heat during the day is about more than I can take.

Not too mention all the beauty in the mountains!  I never really appreciated the beauty of Utah when I was a kid.  As an adult I am in love.  There are a lot of hikes and nature walks that are within 15 minutes from pretty much anywhere in the state.  There are also plenty of rivers, creeks and lakes.  And it is all free (mostly)!  Even camping isn't too expensive as long as you have the equipment.  That is fantastic for us and our limited cash flow.  As well as for our new desire to be healthier.  We have no excuse!  This is an easy place to be active.   

linking with Lauren at the little things we do!     

My Pants.... A Haiku

I wrote a haiku.  I haven't written a haiku for years.  Years and years even.  As a matter of fact I am not sure I have ever written one.  I had to look it up on the world wide web to find out what a haiku was actually.  Now I know- and knowing is half the battle!  In case you are interested it is a Japanese poem consisting of 17 syllables.  Line one is 5 syllables, the second is 7 syllables followed by a third that is again 5 syllables.  They are usually about nature apparently but I was inspired by the girl baby.  She says some interesting things.  Funny girl!  

My Pants

written by me

My pants are stupid

I will wear my underwear

and that is it today

We are cutting edge all up in this hizouse! 

Sunday Songs

I am so having a love affair with Coconut Records as of late.