PLxSU Trio Challenge #15

We are back with another PLxSU Trio Challenge! This week, the Trio challenges you to use a date or calendar on your Project Life page. I had a big day to celebrate last week so I was anxious to create this page:

Ok, so that little calendar is so cute, right?  Why have I not used these more on my scrapbook pages?! I enjoyed making this page. It's not very often that I scrapbook about me, but this was a big deal! I've been making better food choices, walking regularly, and taking Plexus products to improve my health. I feel so much better and I wanted to document my accomplishment. As I continue on this journey I'll be posting more about it (I added a weight loss journey page) on my blog.  I'm anxious to reach my next and final goal of 20 more pounds. I think I can, I think I can...

We'd love to see how you use a calendar or date on your pages.  You can post them on our PLxSU Trio Challenge Facebook Page.  Also, make sure and stop by Amber and Holly's blogs to see what they've created.

Thanks for visiting and have a great week!

Oh my grout...

Thank you blog followers for the sweet comments on my first weight loss journey blog post.  It really means a lot that y'all took the time to not only read my craziness, but also leave me a little love. I'm glad I'm not alone in this journey. Thanks for the encouragement.  xoxo

Well, it wasn't easy but I hit that "publish" button on that first weight loss post. It took awhile but now it's out there. Actually, I hit publish, got a notification that someone tweeted it, and then panicked and hit "revert to draft".  I think I published and removed it a few times before I finally let it be and was at peace with it. I was scared to post it because what if I failed {again} for all to see? Well you know what? I'm not going to because I'm finally making progress! First, let me start from where I last left off…

We are home from our cruise and the kids are back to school. I met a group of friends for lunch and enjoyed hearing about everyone's spring break. A few of us began talking about walking now that spring is here. One of my friends told another friend that they should get together and walk sometime. Um, hello? I'm sitting right here. Then I realized that maybe they assume since I'm a little on the squishy side that I wouldn't want to walk?! :(

This sounds caddy of me I know and I'm not sure why that upset me so much. But, it did which thankfully lit a fire under my behind. I was determined to start walking regularly and if I lost some weight in the process than that would be an extra bonus. Then, the next day my ankle started hurting. I had no idea what I did to it but there was no way I could start exercising. It was swollen and I was hobbling around. A friend of mine asked me if I thought I had gout (ok, really she said "grout" and we had a good laugh over that one). So I started doing some research and while I don't think it was "grout", I did find some interesting information about inflammation and your diet. For several days, I iced and rested my ankle and did more reading. I was so intrigued about inflammation, gut health, weight loss, depression and metabolism. I thought maybe I should try a cleanse/whole food type diet. Maybe this would help reset my metabolism and boost my weight loss efforts. I started looking at food lists and sample menus -- and then thought about our summer plans. We had two out of state baseball tournaments, family members coming to visit for a couple of weeks, basketball camp, baseball practices, driver's ed... The timing to try a restrictive diet was awful and I figured I'd just have to wait until things settled down. Then, I saw my friend's Facebook post about a probiotic and a gentle cleanse/magnesium supplement from this company called Plexus.

So, April 20th, 2015, my Plexus journey began…

to be continued...

And my weight loss journey begins {again}

Why in the world would I want to discuss my weight issues on my {crafty} blog for anyone and everyone to see?  Call me crazy.  But maybe the journaling aspect of it will help me break through the barriers. Maybe it will help to hold myself accountable.  And just maybe, this will resonate with a reader out there and help them along their journey to a healthier lifestyle. (And am I 100% sure I'm going to hit that "publish" button? No. It's kind of scary...)

On January 1st, 2015, I stepped onto the scale weighing more than when I was 9 months pregnant. I wanted to cry. I knew it was time to do something. My husband and I made our usual New Year's resolution to get healthy, exercise and lose weight. This was going to be our year…

Most of my "fat" pictures have been deleted or cropped and filtered.  {tell me I'm not the only one that has done this} But I found this unedited photo from 2014 to share:

Look at that handsome boy.  Do I want to be an unhealthy, tired, inactive mom for him?  Well I had become just that and not the role model I wanted to be.  :(

My hubby and I started out doing pretty well in the new year. We made healthier food choices. We made a conscious effort to eat out less. We tracked what we ate in the My Fitness Pal app. And, I got a gym membership. I'd lose a couple of pounds and then gain a pound back. It was a vicious cycle and not a very encouraging one. What little progress I made was impossible to keep off. I'd track what I ate on the "good" days and intentionally "forget" on the bad days. Oh and that gym membership had yet to be used. Fast forward a few months to spring break in April. We took the family on a cruise. (You know, I was going to be minus 20 pounds by now!) We had a great vacation and the boys loved it. But I sure didn't feel good in a bathing suit or even in sleeveless sundresses for that matter. I was too self-conscious to participate in water sports. And got winded going up more than a couple flights of stairs. And then there was this:

Seriously though, I know it's not about body parts and physical appearance but I was a mess. I was diagnosed with hypothyroid 10 years ago and had sluggish adrenals. I'd been working closely with my physician to get my thyroid levels under control but still felt exhausted, puffy, moody and unable to lose weight.

And do you know what's really bad?  I'm a registered dietitian.  Yep, I have a Master's degree in Nutrition.  I worked for years counseling clients and teaching nutrition classes.  I helped people lose weight, eat healthy and follow special diets for specific disease states.  And here I found myself in my mid-40's, 40 pounds overweight, unhappy about it and I couldn't even help myself.

We came home from our cruise and booked another one for next year. This time, I will get healthy for me before I step foot on that cruise ship. I have a year. I can do it.

To be continued...

PLxSU Trio Challenge #14

Happy Monday!  This week the Trio is back with another challenge - with a twist.  Combine two previous challenges together on a Project Life page.  I looked over the past 13 weeks of challenges and kept it pretty simple -- I used stripes and arrows on my page:

I did a digital page using the Happiness Is and Everyday Adventure Project Life downloads.  :)

Here is a list of the previous challenges for you to choose from:

1) 3/23 - Use one photo in multiple pockets

2) 3/30 - Use a list

3) 4/6 - Stamp on a photo

4) 4/13 - Use arrows

5) 4/20 - Banner/Flags

6) 4/27 - Selfie

7) 5/4 - Sketch

8) 5/11 - Create a Card

9) 5/18 - What are you working on?

10) 5/25 - Black & White photo

11) 6/1 - Use Memorabilia

12) 6/8 - Use stripes

13) 6/15 - About Dad

Make sure and check out Holly & Amber's blogs and see which two challenges they used this week.  And stop by the PLxSU Trio Challenge Facebook page and upload your pages.  We can't wait to see what you create!!

Thanks for visiting and have a great week!

PLxSU Trio Challenge #13

Happy Monday!  It's time for another PLxSU Trio Challenge!  This week, we challenge you to do a Project Life layout about dad.  It can be your dad, his dad, her dad or some type of father figure!  I was in a time crunch this week (and out of daylight to get a good photo) so I did a digi Project Life page using the Playground kit.

This page was easy peasy -- but I'm happy to finally have Father's Day 2013 documented!!

Make sure and stop by Amber and Holly's blogs and see their cute pages!!  And then stop by our PLxSU Trio Challenge Facebook Page, check out the other pages, and upload your creation!!  

Thanks for visiting!!

PLxSU Trio Challenge #12

You know how some pages just come together so easily?  That's what happened this week with my layout for the PLxSU Trio Challenge.  Challenge #12 is to use stripes on your Project Life layout.  I had big plans to emboss stripes, cut out strips for stripes, draw stripes... but once I started working on last week's photos, that didn't happen.  The new Moments Like These Card Collection had some great "stripy" cards that worked perfectly! Here's the 2-page layout side-by-side.

Left Side:

Right Side:

Products Used:

Moments Like These Project Life Card Collection 

Project Life Journaling Pen

Cricut - Alphalicious Cartridge

Collect App & My Selphy :)

Can I just tell you how much I LOVE this new Project Life kit?!  There are sooo many awesome cards!!  The colors are great to go with any photos.  love. love. love.

Ok, funny story about the journaling pens.  They come two in a pack.  Did you know that they're different?!  One is fine point and one is not.  I had no clue.  I'm a fine point girl myself.  But of course I opened the other one first to use.  Months and month later, I pull out the other one and surprise - it's fine point and it's perfect!!  Obviously, I didn't read the product description when I ordered these!  lol!

Thanks for stopping by!  Make sure and visit our PLxSU Trio Challenge Facebook page where you can play along with our weekly challenges.  We love seeing your pages!!

I'm anxious to see what Holly and Amber do with this challenge!  Follow the links to their blogs to see!

Have a great week!

PLxSU Trio Challenge #11

Happy Monday!  It's time for another PLxSU Trio Challenge.  This week we're challenging you to use some type of Memorabilia on your Project Life page.  I chose to use some stubs from the Aqua Park on our spring break cruise:

I can't believe I didn't even use one Project Life card here! Does that still qualify for a Project Life page? lol. Once I used all of my photos I ran out of pockets! I did use a Project Life page protector, stamps, journaling pens and accessories!  

I am happy with how this turned out and I love these fun photos.  And guess what?  Yesterday I finished all of my photos from our Spring Break cruise!!  I'm so super excited and love how quickly I can get our memories documented with Project Life!

Make sure and check out Amber and Holly's blogs for their pages this week!  I know you'll love them!!  And make sure and stop by our PLxSU Trio Facebook Page.  You can upload your pages and check out the other inspiring posts!!

Thanks for visiting and have a fabulous week!!