How I lost Weight and why I should Keep it off

I recently saw someone that I hadn't seen in 3 years and they didn't even recognize me. I think it is because I used to be 40 pounds heavier. About 2 1/2 years ago I was fed up with being overweight. Also, my father had just had a massive heart attack at the age of 52 even though he was as skinny as could be. Diabetes is on both sides of my family. The risks are high in my genes so I knew it was time to lose weight and to become fit and healthy. Here are a few before pictures. I almost can't believe I am putting these on my blog. It is hard to believe that I ever looked like this.
This picture was taken just a few months after I had met my goal to lose 40 pounds. Actually my original goal was 30, but I kept losing and was happy with the 40 lb loss.
This silly picture was taken a few months back at rehearsals for the Tribute concert. It was one of the only full body pictures I could find.
How did I lose all the weight. I found a free web site call Sparkpeople.com. The great thing about the site is it just teaches you how to be HEALTHY. There was no crash dieting, just good old fashioned exercise and eating right. It has wonderful trackers to keep you..well..on track. My biggest problem was that I was eating way more than I needed. Your body will lose weight if you eat less calories than what you are burning. Now that said. There is a healthy range of calories. You should never go too low or your body won't lose anything. It will just hold onto everything because it will think you are going to starve.

It taught me healthy habits and got me excited to take care of myself. Now with all of that said...I have been giving in more and more to unhealthy foods recently and I have decided that has got to stop. No more snacking 5 times after dinner. I need to be healthier not only to maintain my weight loss, but to prolong my life and keep myself around longer for my family. I wasn't kidding when I said that there are a lot of health problems in my genes. I am bound to beat the odds and I know I can if I can by healthy.

Lydia's First Day of School

Lydia's first day of school was Monday. She is now in 4th grade! Wow she is growing up. She already loves her new teacher. The second day of school she came home with a can of soda from her teacher that had a little saying taped to it. It said "You CAN do it". What kid doesn't love free soda, especially when you don't get it at home. She really hasn't been coming home with homework either. The teacher gave her a link to a website to practice typing and to play math games. She LOVES that! I haven't figured out yet if it is required homework or optional. I'll have to ask her when parent teacher conferences come up. Lydia's best friend, Carly, isn't in the same class this year, but they have a special meeting place at recesses so they can see each other. She is having hot lunch again this year. Every day she lets me know if she had a fruit and vegetable (it is required). Of course she always chooses chocolate milk :) How I love my girl!

Lydia has started reading again like CRAZY. She has started reading "Inkheart" again by Cornelia Funke. She has already read the book before, but it is one of her favorites. I would recommend the story myself. We also have started reading "Little Women" together. She understands the book and is really enjoying it. I recently finished the book on my own and it has become one of my all time favorites. I hope she enjoys it as well.

With school starting that means fall is right around the corner. Drat! Summer is my favorite season. It also means less time in the evening for family exercising.

Growing Things

Adelle received some Sunflower seeds from her Sunbeam Teacher earlier in the year. We planted them a few months back and she has eagerly been watching their progress. She was really excited when her first Sunflower bloomed. It is now taller than her as well. We just had to take pictures.

My Decision about Auditions..

I was sitting in church on Sunday, Relief Society to be more specific and was enjoying listening to the lesson. Some thoughts came to my mind that I really shouldn't audition at this time. I confirmed this answer through prayer. In fact I haven't felt this good about a decision in a long time. It came very clearly that I need to focus on my family. I want to especially be a support for Wes as he is working to start his own legal practice. This will also give me more time to be with my girls who I love so much. I haven't been sad at all about the decision. I thought I might be, but instead it has been replaced by a calm assurance that I am doing that which is right. It is interesting though... I have been praying for a long time that things will go well with our business and that things will start moving. Yesterday things seemed to pick up immensely. Wes was having problems getting his site finished because the software he was using kept freezing or locking up. Yesterday he found a way to fix the problem and everything is moving much quicker. It looks likely that his site will be finished this week! Yeah! From there our goal is to finish his logo and get business cards printed. He also has a meeting in the next couple of weeks with a potential client. I am excited and hope our business flourishes so we can reach our dreams! It makes me wonder...was my Heavenly Father blessing me for following his will? The day after I choose this path everything seems to be falling into place. It is probably too early to tell how things are going to go, but trust me I'm not complaining.


So, I am not sure when I will be ON the stage again but I don't really fret. I know I will find it again someday. My home will be my stage :) I want to wish everyone good luck that will be auditioning this Saturday! Break a Leg! Also, I hope the opening for Suessical goes well at the Empress! Hopefully my family will be able to see it. We would go see shows all the time if money wasn't a concern.

Visit to Timpanogos Cave

Friday after work Wes, Adelle and I decided to hike up to Timpanogos Cave. Lydia is currently spending time with her dad, Jared, so she didn't come with us. We missed her. We had a wonderfully fun time climbing up the the cave and then going through. It is a very physical hike because you ascend 1100 feet in about 1.5 miles. Adelle did a great job though and stayed right with us the whole time. It is about 3 miles round trip.Adelle all ready to go up. She really wanted to bring her baby so we strapped her onto Adelle's back. Wes with all of his gear. We were lucky that a big group cancelled and we were able to start hiking not long after we arrived. They only allow a limited amount of people at a time. The American Fork Canyon was just beautiful. Adelle had to hold my hand or Wes' hand the whole time. We didn't want her to go off the edge of the cliff.

Adelle and I.

After we got to the top we ate healthy snacks. Our bodies really needed nourishment.

Adelle trying to hide. The entrance to the cave. Doesn't this remind you of something out of medieval times.
Wes and Adelle inside the caves.

The "heart" of the cave.

We had a really wonderful time and enjoyed getting some exercise. We arrived home pretty tired, but we are so glad that we went!

I can be googled???

So I have been watching my feed for my blog and I have realized that some people are coming to my blog through Google. Honestly that makes me a little nervous to know that I can be googled! Yikes! Perhaps I will be changing my blog address soon. I don't really think I will go private but I may change my blog address so it doesn't contain my name. Leave me a comment and let me know if you are a regular reader and if you would like my new blog address once I change it. I will be changing it very soon :)

Should I Audition?

The Empress Theatre is holding auditions August 30 for Wait Until Dark. If any of you have ever seen the movie it is just wonderful. It is an older one with Audrey Hepburn (who I just adore). If you are not familiar with the story you can read about it here http://www.empresstheatre.com/dark.html . The main character, Susy, is blind and is put into a dangerous situation. It is a straight play with a very small cast. In fact there is only one female role except for a part for a little girl.

So I am debating whether or not I should audition. The first thing, it is hard to say if I would even make it. There is only ONE role that women my age can even try out for. There have been more and more people auditioning for shows at the Empress. The word has gotten out about the little theatre, which I think is wonderful, but it can really narrow the chances. I guess you never know unless you try. For auditions it looks like there are just going to be cold readings. No prepared monologues which lends you to wonder how you can adequately prepare for the audition. I wish I could find a script somewhere to just read through the actual play and get a better feel for everything.

Second point, with this show I would be away from my family (unless Lydia was able to be in the role of the little girl). Granted, Wes says that they love to come and watch me in the shows. He says that theatre for me is like putting a fish in water, which is very generous and sweet! I have only done the one show this year (7 Brides for 7 Brothers) and our whole family was involved in that one. The theatre is only about 3 minutes from our home which makes it convenient. I may take a break from theatre for awhile if my family is able to reach our goals as far as Wes' business goes. It is hard to say when we will reach that goal though. So part of me thinks "One more show before I pass on the stage for a long time". Like I said though, it is hard to say when we will reach our goals. I hope soon.

Another point, the part of Susy would be a wonderfully fun and challenging! I always love a challenge, especially an acting challenge. Can you imagine trying to play a blind woman? Wow!

Well there are a few of my thoughts on the subject. I need to make up my mind soon. I will be thinking about it and I will need to pray about it. Why am I putting this out there? Well blog readers I would like your thoughts on the subject. What do you think? Should I audition? Please post a comment and give me a few of your thoughts. I'll be looking forward to hearing from you.

Why is it so hard to work some days..and informal book reviews

So I am finding it entirely too difficult to work today! Really...I wish I could just blog hop and not have to judge people's phone calls. Oh, speaking of blog hopping I stumbled across a wonderful blog by a very impressive photograpther. It is called the "Squid Bus Project". I have added a link in my blog list. Anyway..If any of you are not aware, for my day job I listen to recorded customer service calls and judge the agents. I score their calls and tell them where they need to improve or let them know how great they are doing. My official title is "auditor". I am sure the agents just hate getting their calls back each month. Anyway, I digress, I am just not in the mood. I know in a moment I will buckle down and get some hard work accomplished, but for now I will take advantage of the moment and ramble.

I also would rather be reading. I have really enjoyed listening to "Little Women" at work when I haven't been listening to a call. I find it a wonderfully, uplifting story. I love the March Sisters and enjoy listening to their progress to improve themselves as they face their own trials. It is a little funny how I listen to books when I am working. I will listen for a few minutes and then have to pause the story while I listen to a recorded call and then go back to my story for a few more minutes. I hear everything in small snippets, unless I am doing other type of work. My husband has told me that it would drive him crazy to listen to a story this way. My memory is usually able to remember just where I have left off though and it can make my 9 hour day go faster.

I also am tempted to slip down to the fitness room and read Breaking Dawn while I peddle my legs off on the exercise bike. I would consider it. We are all entitled to breaks but I have probably wasted too much time today as it is. Speaking of Breaking Dawn, I am not quite sure what to think of the "Twilight" series. I just don't think that Stephanie Meyer is an especially wonderful writer. Now before half of the female population starts throwing things at me, give me just a moment to explain. Her stories are innovative and they peak your interest. For some strange reason I have found that I just have to find out what happens to the character's in the story. I don't like how she writes sometimes though. Her main character "Bella" has often grated on my nerves. I really did like her at first, but after a while her dramatic frailness and incessant self loathing and at the same time selfishness has driven me a little batty. Sure, who doesn't like the idea of a young woman falling in love with a dashing Vampire and he in turn falling for her...but do we have to make it so...well so...lustful. It isn't even the lusting. I was once a teenage girl and I can appreciate the longing and the excitement of a first love (throwing in a vampire to make it even more exciting), but do we always have to hear how Bella's heart rushes every time he kisses her. At other times we hear about her passing out or suddenly passionately unable to keep her hands of her perfectly formed, man.

Then of course she makes things even more interesting by throwing in a Werewolf..yes that's right I said werewolf. Bella of course finds that somehow she is also in love with her ever growing furry friend. It of course makes the plot interesting when she finds that she needs to choose between her two unlikely loves.

Why do I keep reading it you ask...that is the question that I keep asking myself. It all comes to finding the story interesting and just having to know how it ends. I guess I will continue to moan out load when I read certain parts that I find so ...well frustrating as a reader. I think "Why in heavens sakes is Bella doing that?", or "This character is so unbelievable". At least I have been spared inappropriate, offensive love making scenes, probably due to the fact that the author is a BYU graduate. Thank heavens for that! Nothing ruins a book faster than graphic details of people's romantic relationships!

Even with all of the above comments I have still watched myself buy every one of the books because I was unable to get them at the Library. I have spent probably $45 dollars on all 4 books, which is nothing to shrug off on our small budget. Last night I stayed up until 12:30 because I was hoping to get to a certain point in the story before I put the book down. By the way, I haven't reached it yet. Oh...that is another thing...it seems to lake a LONG time to get somewhere in the book sometimes. So the author has still made money on my reading the book even if I feel somewhat dissatisfied with my reading experience. There is something about her books that makes you have to keep reading.

Sorry again my friends who ADORE the books. I hope I will not be an outcast now :) Remember I am only human.

Ohh...one more note. I think one reason why women adore the idea of the human-vampire relationship is the danger, seduction and also the possibility of being able to live with your love forever with eternal youth and beauty. If you really think about it though, isn't that what the church offers us, minus the danger of course. But isn't that what we are promised if we are married in the temple and keep our covenants...an eternity with the one we love in a perfect physical state?? Something to thinking about.

Well that is probably enough rambling for the day. I really should get back to work. Thanks again for letting me share my random thoughts.

Favorite Pictures from Seven Brides

So the picture CD that Erica gave to the cast contains 916 photos!!! Wow! I thought I would select a few of my favorites to share with everyone. I wish I had some more photos of Wes, Lydia and Adelle. Most of the photos were taken on preview night, the night Lydia was at Mill Hollow! **Sigh** Well enjoy!! Hopefully you aren't sick of photos from the show. These will probably be the last ones.