Oh it get's worse....

In my search for "pear shaped bodies" here is what I ran across... now that could boost your self esteem couldn't it? Oh Lord, help me please.

WAY TO GO KiKi Carlee!

(march 2008 and july 2008)

This girl rocks! She hit a huge goal today and I am SO PROUD of her! She hit her 50 lb mark and I am just amazed at her strength, persistance and energy to keep going! You are almost to goal girl! WHOO WHOO! Way to go Carlee! I love ya!
Darla

"fruity" body image

I have never had the best personal body image, self esteem, whatever you call it. Mostly because I have always been heavy. Sad, but true. Since I have started to lose weight though, it has improved in a lot of ways. It is cool, as things change, how you see yourself. Sometimes, however, it is NOT so cool. Like today.
** Let me just say, this is more of a personal journaling type of therapy session for myself so if you are not the least bit interested in my pea-brained thoughts, well, you could stop reading now. Consider yourself warned.**
So, today I am out running, jogging, trotting, whatever you call it - I LIKE to say running because it sounds oh so athletic and macho! LOL Anyway, I was out, moving my body - ok?
Let's back up. Recently my sisters talked me into getting some new workout clothes and let's just say they are not my baggy sweats and oversized 3x t-shirts. Oh no. We are talking shorty-shorts (the cool running ones like they wore in the 70's and 80's with the stripes down the sides...remember those?) and some matching racer-back tanks to match, with the coolest most supportive built in sports bras - oh baby! Well, let's just say the shorts are all good, a little short, but cute, no cheeks hanging out or anything.Thank goodness, right? The tanks, well, they are good too, really, I like them a lot, they are extra long and snug but not too tight. Sometimes I like to wear closer fitting clothes bc they show me how much wieght I have lost up top... these tanks fit in that catagory. I don't look like a total stuffed sausage in them but they are snuggy. OK. (If you are with me still, bless you.)
So, I get up and go to the gym this a.m. and it was still quite cold out so I wore a pair of my old workout capri's and then one of the new tanks with a t-shirt over it. I finally decide to take off the tee bc I was roasting hot and what is the point? All good. I finish my workout and feel ok about being exposed in this tank top thing. Now we are back to the running. So, I go out for my run, have my MP3 player jammin' my fave tunes, I am all pumped up, jogging along feeling pretty good and then the sun comes out in front of me and HOLY BEGEEZERS my world was changed. In one instance I suddenly realized that self image is one thing, destructive. The sun comes up, the shadow comes out. Are you with me here??? So, there I am, all in my running mo-jo happiness and someone might as well have hit me over the head with a freakin' baseball bat. I about barfed. MY SHADOW WAS HORRIFIC!
I, to put it lightly, looked like a literal peice of fruit - a pear. My cute little top, all snug and adoreable and then whooooah baby my big ol' gut and but ballooned out a mile around me! It was absolutely horrifying. I was all alone, not even a car driving past and I wanted to shrivel up and hide. Ick! Ack! This is so not goooood! So now, I am feeling a bit fruity and thinking a big fat shadow of even proportions - let's say, a whale? is much better than a peice of fruit. Time to pull those 3x tee's back out baby! This is the part of "big" wieght loss that sucks.

- oh - and my "other" fave 3 Doors Down song...

Love this song way much too! It is so good! I really am rather happy that Chris' CD got stuck in my CD player in the minivan! (shhhh don't tell him that!)

Let Me Be Myself Lyrics

we have a lot of "stuff"

I should have known better - I should have.
I started packing "non essentials" today - all gung ho and happy to move into our beautiful new place.
Ahead of the game.
On my plan.
OMGosh we have a ton of stuff.
Not some, not quite a bit, but a LOT of stuff.
However, I have made a very small dent in it all and I feel somewhat accomplished for the day. :O) Yeah me.
Now the rest of the house has suffered and needs a tidy up - LOL - go figure!

Darla

Holy Wednesday Batman!!!!!

OK so I am a dork - what's new? LOL It is Wed already, this week is cruisin' by fast! I am on this timeline of moving now and the days are already speeding past too quickly! LOL I *DID* go on a box hunt this a.m. and did pretty well. I got quite a few and enough for a good start today. I am going to really try hard to get ahead of the game so that come 2 days before the move I am not a total nightmare basketcase! We shall see...
I have had a MAHHHHHVALOUS morning so far and hey, it is not even 8:00 a.m. yet! How is that for rockin'?? I got up at 4:00 a.m. (yes, before the sun was up) and called babies mamma to wake her up and get her moving... she was here by 4:30 and then we were off to the gym! We worked out a good hour and both learned a few new things from each other (so cool to have a buddy there!) and then did a good, long, hard ellyptical session! I am almost back up to the 30 minutes on that sucker and WHEW it feels good! After that I came home and turned right back around and went out for a 2 mile walk/run! WHOO WHOO! I ran a bit over a mile of the distance and it felt really really energizing and invigorating! I am going to push super hard to get up to the 2 miles I *was* as a couple months ago and then start the megga push to the 3 miles so that I can do that 5K in Oct with confidence and ease (ha ha ha ok, not ease, but confidence)! I am sort of excited for the move bc I'll be able to work on my running in the grass more but I'll miss my old route around our neighborhood!
OK off to get things going around the house for the day and start packing!!

Darla

Love this song!

It's The Only One You've Got Lyrics

Three Doors Down is one of my newest fave bands and thier music is just amazing. Love the stories behind the lyrics - very cool!
Darla

Happy Tuesday

Having a busy morning here. Got Dani off to girls camp for Church, Chris off to work, Ed is at work and baby is sleeping. Tiff and Micheal are both still crashed out asleep too. Hmmm maybe *I* should go back to bed? LOL

So, today will be housework, laundry and a quest for boxes! I have got to start getting the little stuff packed up that I can do in advance and start getting a plan in place to make this move run smoooooth! I can't wait to move, but it is so much work! OYE!

Got a great veggie soup recipe from my sister Carlee - it is 0 or 1 weigh watchers point and just so yummy! I hope to maybe make some this weekend - we'll see? It is hearty and fillingn for sure!

Not much else going on - sorry - a bit boring this Tues morning.

Oh, one share. Oct 11th there is a 5k run here in Idaho Falls and my sisters and some extended family are all pushing to do it!
http://www.runwalkjog.com/pbp24/runforcure.htm
I am really wanting to get up to the full 3 miles to join in - so if you see me HERE online tell me to get my butt outside and go run! OK?? I am excited but want to run the whole race, not just walk and run like I did the other 2 earlier this year! So push me folks! OK??

Alrighty, that is about it for me for today.
Make it a good one!

Darla

It is OUR house now!

We just went and signed our new contract on this house and will be moving in the third week in August! HOORAY! I am one happy and relieved Momma! It is just beautiful and I can't wait! OMG I HAVE A TON TO DO NOW!!!!!!!!!!
Darla

**That little red sign at the bottom of the photo - it is GONE!**

Here ya go! The water play crazies!!

Just a glimpse of all the water fun we had yesterday! My nephews were the worst, the grown ones too! In the brown tee is my newest nephew in law, Jason, who is my niece Rebekah's hubby! He was a HOOT! All his brother in laws threw him IN the pool with the kids! Then my daughter Dani and her cousin Mindy dumped a whole pitcher of ice water over my nephew Travis' head! He loved that! LOL Then there is my lil' "buff" nephew Jeff drying out in the sun and my cousin Jimmy's little girl (in the red) all dripping wet and not loving it! Oh, and don't forget, I have neices and nephews my age and older ... I am the baby of 12 kids in our big ol' mixed up family!!! But I love it all!

Darla

It *IS* Monday.

Very much a Monday in every sense of the word. I am really tired and a bit sunburnt and basically just dragging my butt. Also poor Ed is sicker than a dog. Got some stomach bug going on, poor guy. Too much happening at work for him to take time off too - sucks for him, poor guy! Me? Lots to do today, Chris and Dani getting ready to head off to camp this week. Need to start packing. Going tonight to sign lease agreement with new landlords and get a better tour of the house. My home right now is in total dissaray. Lots to do.
I do have some fun new photos from our family reunion yesterday that I'll share later.
Hope your having a good start to the new week!
Darla

MUST SEE MOVIE!

All I can say is the whole movie theater was full of smiling faces the WHOLE movie and I laughed and cried and laughed while I cried and cried while I laughed and it was SO good! Ed and I went and took our oldest son (17) Chris with us and we ALL loved it! Great funny happy love story with HYSTERICAL scenes! Must See! Darla

Hey all...

Happy Sat to ya! Have had a good but busy morning and plans for a fun afternoon with the kiddos!
Got up and went to the gym and for a walk/run and went for coffee with my sister. Got my laundry all caught up and am taking the kids swimming for a while this afternoon.
Also got some updates on friends family member. They finally got some answers from the Dr's and things look pretty good so if all is stable the rest of the day they'll let him go home. Prayers answered again. Thankful for that and hugs to them!
Well, that is about all from me for now....I'll check in later I guess.
Enjoy your weekend!
Darla

Friday

Not much going on. Ed has to work, Chris and Dani are both gone. Just me and the two little ones today. Thinking a trip to the park might be fun?!
Had a so-so weigh in this a.m. Down 1 lb 6 oz - I can deal with that. Wanted to be in the TEENS today but didn't happen. It is all good. I am down almost 65 lbs total from the start so that is good I think. Just not coming off real fast right now and sort of flustered but not too much as I am seeing the changes in my clothes and body and the scales are just ONE small measurement.
I visited with a trainer/nutritionist for a bit this week at the gym too - he reassured me in several areas as well. He told me that he could see in my face and skin tone that I am in pretty good physical condition - that made me feel good! (Despite the monster zit trying to grow on my nose?! HA!) So, I will just keep on keepin' on as they say.
Got a call from a friend this a.m. that a family member is sick and at the ER - hope the tests all come back good and they get a positive answer. Lots of prayers going that way.
That is about all now - I'll catch up more later. I did want to share a couple of pix from Carlee's last weekend. The kids swimming in the pool out back (Tiff and Micheal) and our purtypurty toenails we did Sunday night! (Carlee, Lisa and my neice Megan's toes!)

Darla

loved this today -- thanks Cindy for sharing

we all talk so much about loosing our baby fat -- ha ha ha I loved this one

slow morning

slow and lazy
baby is sick
have not had fun so far this morning
missed gym and running
slept in as much as I could with sickipoo boy
hope the rest of the day goes better
wish me luck!

later.....

This is the place!

Looks like as of the end of Aug this will be our new home sweet home! More later....

Darla

Must Read

I don't know if this is ok to post or not, but I'll give credit where credit is due. I read this in the Orthod office today in the Aug 08' Better Homes and Gardens mag and I LOVED IT! Going thru this beginner running thing at my age and watching my sisters and friends do it too, well, it was a perfect read for today. ENJOY! Darla

**Click on it to make it larger to read!**

whew!

Whew! Good workouts this a.m.! I am wiped!
Got up at 4:10 to get going, went to the gym
with baby Noah's mom, we did 45 minutes there
and had a good workout. I came home and headed
out agian for another 30 min run ... let's just
say I am wiped out!
Going to be a great day though!!!!!!!!
Darla

OK the photo journal begins....

Had a super fun weekend - first and foremost kudos to my 2 sisters who are going thru this rough ol' weight loss journey with me and keeping my chin above water! I have and OLD OLD photo, a NEWER OLD photo and then one from this weekend! The one outdoors by the trees is from Aug 2006 when I first started loosing. The goofy indoor one with the curtain behind us is from this past Feb when we all decided to go full blown on the wagon, then there is this new one from this weekend. Together the three of us have lost about 150 lbs -- AMAZING! Love you sisters!!! XOXO

Darla

I have a TON of photos to share...

a little bit later today. Sorry, busy busy right now!
Darla :O)

buh bye... buh bye... buh bye now...

Headed out. Going with the girls for a few days! Lisa and I are headed to Twin Falls to visit Carlee and have her show us how to REALLY work hard and loose weight! I will take lots of pix to share our fun AND our progress! This is where we started the first of March....


See ya Monday!
Darla

The girlie girls!

This is from Ed's sister's and kids baptism a couple of weeks ago! There is Carla and Meagan(right side), Odessa and Kennedy(middle) and Darla and Tiffany(left side). Aren't we all so sweet?! Oh, and Tiff and I so did not even mean to match up in our polka-dots! Fun egh?

Darla

Love this guy !!!!!!

Yes, it is true, most days I love this guy. LOL Seriously, I do! He is a weirdo, quirky, silly, teasing poo sometimes but I still love him. He is too dang cute not to love, don't you think?
Darla

when life gives you lemons

forget lemonaid

go squirt some mean butthole in the eye with the juice

and with that, have a great day

SUPER SiStErS!!!!!

Hey hey people! I have to brag on my sisters today! They are both so amazing and awesome I just love them to death!
First off, today is Carlee's birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARLEE!!Secondly, Carlee is a monster crazy diet queen! Carlee not only hit her goal of losing a specific amount of weight by her B-day but BEAT it by an additional 10 lbs! This week alone, her 20th week into it, she lost another 2 lbs! WHOO WHOO SIS!
OK lil' miss Lisa May! Lisa is rockin' and rollin' too - she is down from size 16 pants to 10's and even some 8's now too! She lost almost 2 lbs this week and is just cruisin' right along, nippin' at Carlee's heels -- they are neck and neck on their weight and it is a hoot to hear each day how close they are! Way to go Lisa!
I am moving along myself, slow but sure. Sometimes it is a little disheartening that they are both so far ahead of me, but I also started way way higher than they did and had been working on my fitness for much longer too and my numbers have slowed down. That is all ok though, we are doing this together and we are all cheerleaders for one another no matter the good or bad days! Gotta love that!
Kind of a lazy day here, a couple errands to run but that is all - more later!

Darla

**EDITED!**
So, they BOTH went out and bought size 8 shorts today!!!!!!! WAY TO GO GIRLS!!

Here You Go...

A little rough I know, but the general idea is there. I have searched online and in the gym for info on this miracle machine and cannot find anything that matches up to share so I have broken down and given you a VERY basic idea of what this thing is!!!
Forgive my "artwork" but you get the idea! You put your feet up on the steps, your back against the 1/2 ball and your arms in the rests and grab onto the hand posts and then lean back against the ball and lift your legs UP! You can do straight legs out and up, knees up to chest, or side to side, any of them work your butt/abs like mad! I got up to a total of 25 knee to chest today and holy cow am I feelin' it!
So, there ya go! The official name on the peice of equipment was "BOSU Balance Trainer" but I could not find it online. Sorry!
Hope you all have a mahhhvalous day! I am busy busy today with visitors, taxi kids and a wedding reception - I'll check back later though!
Darla

Tight Abs or Flabby Flabs??

Well, I know, I can't really hope to have abs that look quite like THAT in this lifetime - but - I can work on it. LOL
Right? (dream on Darla...dream on...)
After having 4 babies, several abdominal surgeries and generally being a lazy woman for the majority of my adult life, well, I'll never have a truly "flat" tummy but it will not be for lack of trying!
You see, I discovered this killer machine at the gym last weekend. I call it "butts n gutts" but I have yet to find out the real name of what it is. Go figure. All I can say is WOW! This thing works me big time and I can feel my abs shrinking and tightening and strengthening by the second! Not to mention I cannot sit, stand, breath deep or laugh without massive pain right now! This baby is going to be my ticket to a better belly! I just know it! When I find out what it really is called I'll share, I have been browsing the co who makes it's website all day and cannot find it. When I go to the gym tonight I am searching that baby for a model number or something to get more info!
So, when I am wearin' a bikini at the beach you can all admire my flat belly (HA!) and be amazed! LOL Yea, I know, I know.... but hey, at least I am trying!!!!!!!

Darla :O)

Welcome Home Baby Girl!

Tiffany is HOME! We missed her so much! This is a photo of her fishing with her cousins and Grama and Pappa last week -- what a pretty lil' girl she is! We love you Tiffers! XOXO

Mom

24 hr roadtrip

Sorry I went mia kids! We got news of Ed's grandmother yesterday and did a quickie 24 hr roadtrip to Boise to visit her. We literally got in the car and left! Our plan was not stay overnight but we did as it got late fast and everyone was tired and hungery after a long day. We did get a good visit with Granny and Ed got his goodbye's with her -- sadly she is in very bad health and she'll be called home soon. I am glad we got to go though.
On a happier note, we brought our daughter Tiffany home with us! She was staying with Odessa (Ed's lil' sis) and was so homesick and was supposed to stay one more week but wanted to come home with us so here she is! We missed her bunches!
So, that is about all to report -- oh, but one little thing. I started this new ab excersize and holy camoly my gutt is sore!! I could barely sit up off the bed this morning! LOLOL Guess I need to keep with that one it must be doing something for me! LOL No pain no gain egh???

Darla

Not so good today

Bad weigh in this morning (really bad)
Ed's Grandma is really not well (like we
will be traveling to Boise soon)
and
We found out last night that
we have to move AGAIN...

We spent most of today looking at rental
homes - our current owners will have to
sell this house because of financial
reasons and although it really sucks for
us there are also windows of opportunity
with this. However, for now, I am still
reeling in the thought of moving yet again.
Not having a good day. At all. To top it
off I burned my best friend and feel like
a peice of crap - now they are gone for
the weekend I feel even worse. I am so
so sorry Lisa!! (if you read this!)
I am going to go to the gym tonight and burn
off some anxiety, frustration and emotions
that are eating me up right now. Maybe I'll
feel a little better after that!

Hope for a better report tommorrow?! right?

Darla

OK more shares....

These photos are from the picinic on the 4th of July at our friends Blake and Lisa's house. We bbq'd, played slip n' slide, football, jumped on the trampolene and had a killer water fight too! The photos are mostly of the kids on the slip n' slide, but there are a couple of our oldest son Chris on the trampolene and playing ball, our friend Lisa visiting and then Blake "throwing" our nephew Brandon down the slide but he went with him! LOL Loved that! HA HA on you Blake! And no, no one got pix of me on the trampolene this time! YES!!!
Enjoy!
Darla

Two posts in one day!? WOW!

I hope you can keep up with me - I am on a roll today! LOL Actually, I was talking to my sister and we were doing the before/after comparison thing and I realized I had not done that with photos on here for a bit so - more for me than anyone, here goes! The "before" with my 2 sisters (who are now skinny too!)was when I decided to start this weight loss in Aug 2006 (I am in the green shirt) and the "after" was last week up in Yellowstone with my sis in law Carla and I am 63 lbs lighter!(I am in the light pink) Almost two whole years! OYE! I better step it up or I'll never reach my goal! LOL Darla

more photos for you

OK so this was our stop at Jenny Lake at the base of the Grand Tetons! It was AMAZING and beautiful! We had the kids all over the place and there were more photo ops than one mom could ever dream of! LOL We had the little girls all pose "Charlies' Angels" style but I missed that one but as you can see, we got one of Carla (Ed's sister) and I doing the pose too!(I am in the light pink) LOL There is also a pic there of Tiff (pink shirt)and one of Dani (blue shirt) and a gorgeous one of the lake and the mountains. This lake is from the glaciers that melt off the mountains - that day the water was about 45 degrees and the temp outdoors was in the high 80's to low 90's!!!! It was just way cool!

Happy Tuesday To YOU!

Hope your having a great morning everyone! I am up and going and feeling really good. I missed almost a whole week of workouts and I was dying to get to the gym! I did the gym AND went for a good run this morning and feel really energized! I have some new BIG goals for the next 2 weeks and I am pumped up to get there!!!

Wanted to share some more photos. These are from the fireworks on the 4th of July - I have mentioned in the past we have the largest fireworks display this side of the Mississippi and it is a big deal in our area. Thus all our family traveling from all over to come visit during the festivities! (and we thought they all just liked us the best??!!) LOL
So here are some of the kids and all the couples too! Enjoy! Top to bottom:
-Ed and Darla (red and green shirts)
-Odessa and Art (pink and red shirts) Ed's baby sister
-Carla and Rich (red and navy shirts) Ed's older sister
-Blake and Lisa (brown and white shirts) Our best friends
-ALMOST all the kids being crazy! (Chris, Dani and Brianna are not in the photo)
Darla