Saturday - Almost 2012

Have you made any resolutions? I'm still thinking of things I want to do, need to do, continue doing or need to stop doing, so in a nutshell, I haven't decided about any resolutions. I'm not exactly the kind of person that makes goals or resolutions. I suppose that I've always been scared of not fulfilling those goals. No goals, no failure. So I really need to think long & hard about what I need to do or not to do. One thing that I can say is that tomorrow, all of the junk food from Christmas is going in the trash can. I can't stand that stuff anymore, I've eaten enough and seriously don't want to see that stuff anymore. I suppose that's a start. And I think that I'll let God fill in the rest of the blanks. I'm sure that he's got plans for me this coming year, I'm not sure what they are, but I trust him. So cheers to 2011 and I'll see you next year.

Blessings & Resolutions,

Magnolia

Wednesday - Grace

Just when I was starting to get ticked about buying presents/baking/etc. God has a way of reminding me just what Christmas is about....

http://purposedriven.com/blogs/dailyhope/index.html?contentid=9695

Blessings & God's Grace,
Magnolia

Thursday - something personal

I was asked today how much weight I've lost. I had to say that I didn't know. The fact is that I don't weigh myself. Never have. Never will. Why? Bottom line for me that weight is a number and that number does not define who I am or what I've accomplished. And I don't want to become obsessed with what a scale says. If you're someone who weighs themselves. I can only say from experience that it can be very disheartening. Just a thought for today.

Blessings,
Magnolia

Tuesday - still No Candy

Yep, that's right a whole month and still no candy at work. I'm so proud of myself. And yes it's okay to be proud of yourself. All of my red hots & skittles in my desk drawer are probably wondering what happened. Oh well I guess they'll just have to wonder. Other than that j and I have been busy with debutante balls and Christmas shopping. The ball is done and I've only got one more gift. Thank goodness. So how are things in your neck of the woods??

Blessings,
Magnolia

Tuesday - That Day

There's always that day at Christmas time when J and I have to stop & remember what this time of the year is all about. Today was that day. It's not about the decorations or the presents or the food. It's about Christ's birth and what that birth did for us. No Christ no salvation. It's pretty simple for me. That birth allows me to be able to see my grandmother and dad again. So when things get to be too much stop and remember what the season is all about and say a heartfelt thank you. I know I did.

Blessings,
Magnolia

Just Because

Monday - Oh My Gosh!

Another week/day with no candy at work. I can't explain the why or how. God works in mysterious ways. That's all I'm saying. Not to mention since no candy and tracking my calories & fitness for the last 4 weeks I down almost another pants size. Not planned might I add. I was perfectly content with the size I was. Oh well I guess I'll have to buys some more new pants. There could be lots of worst things. So I'm thankful. For whatever God does, I'm thankful. So what's been going on in your neck of the woods?

Blessings,
Magnolia

Wednesday - The little voice

You know the little voice that tells you to slow down when you're driving or reminds you to turn off the coffee pot in the morning, that little voice is God. So next time he whispers to you, listen. It could help.

Blessings,
Magnolia

Tuesday - Still Crazy

I've found that the only good thing about crazy days is that they go by quickly. Thank the good Lord. I was up to my eyeballs today with lots. But I am thankful every day that I have a job that I love. And when I'm busy I don't even think about eating candy. That's right folks, another day without candy at work! And a weird workout. I het a little thrown off when I can't get on my favorite treadmill. So I ended up on the elliptical for 10, running the track for 15 and then on the treadmill for 20. Like I said kinda crazy!! But again, I'm so very thankful to be able to exercise. I guess what I'm saying is that even though it's been a crazy day I'm still grateful for it!!!

Blessings & Thanks,
Magnolia

Monday - Crazy Monday

Just back from Thanksgiving break and I'm covering for 2 other supervisors. Talk about a bit of crazy!! But I did get some much needed relief in the gym. Oh how I missed my treadmill. I felt so much better when o got home. And yet another day with no candy at work!! Yeah me! So did all of you get back on your schedule after eating too much this Thanksgiving? Of not there's always tomorrow.

Blessings,
Magnolia

Thanksgiving

I am very thankful today. Thankful that I ate too much, that means that we had a place to be and food to eat. Thankful that my husband irritates me. That means I have someone in my life I love and who loves me. Thankful that I have to slow down and wait on my Mom. That means that a year after her stroke my Mom can walk and talk. God has given me so very much. Much more than I deserve. Thank you Lord all the wonders in my life. May I never take them for granted.

Blessings & Thankful,
Magnolia

Sunday - Cookies & Cleaning

Cleaning the house for Thanksgiving and baking cookies for J to take to work. All that and church, lunch out and the grocery store. I think that's a pretty full day. But I thank God for every minute!!

Blessings,
Magnolia

Saturday - Nice Day

Ok, just to update you....I didn't eat candy at work all week long! I know right!!! Am I sick? Nope, just busy and that led to a "can I do it everyday" type of challenge. Which is good I think. Challenging yourself with small things can be such a confidence booster. So, I'm very proud of myself. Now onto what we did today. Not a whole lot, just some eyebrow waxing and grocery buying. Except for the desserts that we indulged in (mine was a red velvet cupcake). And no I'm not going to eat the whole thing in one sitting!!! Or at least I don't think that I will. I guess we'll just have to see won't we!

Blessings & Challenges,

Magnolia

Thursday - 3 Whole Days

That's right. 3 whole days with no candy at work!!! And I changed my workout tonight so that I'm not struggling so much and work from that point. Needless to say my workout was way more enjoyable tonight. My lesson for the week (or month) is if you're struggling then just dial it back a little. You need to enjoy what you're doing.

Blessings & 3 Days,
Magnolia

Wednesday - still no candy

Woo Hoo! Yeah me. Another day with no candy eating at work. I'm afraid that one of these days I'm just going to go nuts. So please pray that I don't. So there is a lesson here. If I can do it you can too!

Blessings,
Magnolia

Tuesday - not too bad

So my first day back at work after a couple of days off - wasn't so bad. Busy but things were mostly like I left them. I even left work on time and did a little workout. And best thing today was that I didn't eat any candy at work today!! That might not sound like a lot to you but it's a major milestone for me. You see I'm a candy freak. Red hots, jelly beans, chewy spree I love them all!! So yeah me. Hopefully tomorrow I can keep the candy drawer closed.

Blessings & no candy,
Magnolia

Monday - good start

So I'm off to a good start this week. All except for I'm blogging from my cell phone since my computer decided to die. Oh well if that's the worst of it then I guess things aren't so bad right!?!?! I did have today off and j and I went to the gym and didn't end up eating out which is a good thing. So hopefully this good start will end in well also.

Blessings & Endings,
Magnolia

Friday - Stuff

Severals things lately...

• First and foremost, Happy Veterans Day to all the past and present members of our military! Especially my dad and my hubby! I love you both more than you know.


• My hair is back in shape after a trip to my hair girl this afternoon! Yeah me! I feel much better now!


• Thank you to my sweet baby doggy Sam, she found another snake in our back yard! The problem was this time it was still alive. I'm more than sure that my neighbors thought that I was Norman Bates' mother from the movie Psycho! Except with a shovel! That makes 2 in the last 2 weeks! Oh yeah!

So that is pretty much it lately. I did struggle with my workout yesterday. I had a raging headache when I went in the gym and thought maybe if I did my workout, it would calm down and go away. Well it did calm down for about an hour and came right back. So pray that I don't have any more any time soon. It's hard to workout with your head pounding, even harder when you're trying to run with it pounding.

Blessings & Stuff,

Magnolia

Monday - Typical

Typical Monday today. You think that you're ready for the work week and something pops up and throws your whole day off. Yep, you guessed it, it happened today and unfortunately will continue into tomorrow. Thank goodness I'm taking a couple of days off the end of the week. I'm thinking that I might need it after all this. The good thing was that I had a good workout, my running is becoming less stressful this week, hopefully that will continue. The only not so good thing was I'm pretty sure that I ate way too many pumpkins left over from Halloween. Okay, so I did eat too many, I admit it. I paid for it after my workout though, with a little acid reflux. Guess you could say that I'm just trying to keep the makers of Pepcid in business. I'm feeling a bit better not after my turkey sandwich though. So now that you know about my day, how was yours??

Blessings & Mondays,
Magnolia

Sunday - Realizations

So where have I been you ask, well the answer is no where and everywhere. I don't have a good excuse for not blogging, well that was until I realized something.....when I blog it makes me accountable to someone other than myself. I suppose I just didn't want to feel accountable to anyone. Then I realized that maybe I needed to be. It makes me determined to do what's right and what God really wants me to do. I know that might sound scattered so stay with me a minute here....
#1. If I don't blog then I don't have to explain myself to anyone.
#2. If I don't explain myself I don't have to feel guilty about some of the things that I've done or not done that day/week.
#3. If I don't explain things I seem more "super" human or grand (which I'm not).

So you see where I'm going here. I recently had to pray for God to "re-program" my brain. I'd begun not feeling so good about myself and what I had been doing. I guess you could say that I was becoming complacent about my routine and not very motivated. Dont' freak out, God was definately looking out for me, he kept me going with my routine until I finally decided to ask for help. So I did. And what a relief. I'm slowly getting back to my old self and felling better about myself and why I started all of this in the first place. So my suggestion for today is stop and have a heart-to-heart with God, ask him to keep you on track and "in the zone".

Blessings & Realizations,
Magnolia

Saturday - Being Sick Stinks!

I have to say that being sick (coughing) stinks! I've done some runs this week that were good, but I have to say that it's no picnic. I had to call time on the workouts Friday. I was just plain tired. Tired of coughing, tired of running, just tired. It probably sounds whimpy, but that's about how I've felt this whole week. WHIMPY! Let us all hope that I can shake this "mess" very, very soon or I'm going to loose my mind! On a happier note, J and I got new cell phones yesterday (upgrade time). We decided on iPhones, and I'm in love with mine!! I even didn't go shopping today so that I could stay home and watch football and play with my new toy! I'm such a geek sometimes!!

Blessings and NO MORE COUGHING!,
Magnolia

Just Because

Update on my "Cancer" friends

Just a quick update, MC's Mom is doing well, but finally decided to shave her head since her hair was falling out by the handfuls. My co-worker got through surgery with great results and will have some radiation treatments in the coming weeks. Please still be in prayer for these wonderful women.

Thanks & Blessings,
Magnolia

Monday - Oh My Goodness!

Thank heavens I feel better. Being sick stinks, big time. Starting last Saturday before going to a Carolina home game I started coughing and feeling yucky. And it just got worse from there. Sunday I did absolutely nothing, laid on the couch and just wallered in my own sickness. Glad that I had taken a vacation day on Monday. I was still feeling not-so-hot, but I did get up and go for a walk with J. It felt great to get outside. But after that, I was coughing up my lungs for the rest of the week, so no gym for me. So today was the first day that I was back in the gym. And it felt so good to get in some cardio, even though I coughed quite a bit for the first few minutes. But still a good workout. I changed my intervals so that I could get through my normal 45 minutes and it seemed to work out great. So let's hope that this cough stuff goes away quickly (although I know that it'll be at least another week or so, I usually keep a cough for at least 2 weeks). So wish me luck this week!

Blessings,
Magnolia

Wednesday - Sore Thighs, Cancer & Prayer

Sore Thighs - I started to bump up my workout so that I'm running longer amounts of time at a slower pace and I can tell you that my thighs are SCREAMING at me!! I don't mean a little "woo hoo" but a full blown "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!" Now I'm not the type of person that prescribes to the "no pain, no gain" philosophy, so I've have popped the Aleve to day so that maybe I can run a little tomorrow.

Cancer & Prayer - Two people recently have been diagnosed with breast cancer. One young woman who I read her blog - Mandy. She has started chemo and will have 12 weeks of treatment and then surgery. And one older woman, who I work with. She had surgery today and will have radiation treatments to kill any remaining cancerous cells. Please pray with me for these two beautiful woman, that they make a full recovery.

Thanks so much for your prayers and I'm going to try and do better updating this blog more regularly. I've fallen down on my job here lately, but I would like to think that I've got a good excuse, but I'll tell you all about that another day. Time to go take a bath and look in the mirror at my beautiful hair Taylor just colored tonight!! (High maintenance remember, somethings never change!)

Blessings & No Sore Thighs,
Magnolia

No Words

There are no real words about what I felt today 10 years on from the 9/11 attacks. My thoughts are muddled at best. I know that what happened 10 years ago changed my life. J and I were living a rather mundane life, you see J is an Army reservist. We knew that things would change, but neither one of us knew just how much. It wasn't until we dropped the first bombs on the Taliban that it came to me full well that my husband might/would be called to duty. And he was. Since 9/11, J has been on active duty 6 of the last 10 years or 2 three year tours. I had to learn to live months on end without a husband, I had to learn how to deal with my own issues without a sounding board, since the last thing he wanted to hear was junk about my day. I know that through the last 10 years I have become stronger and more independent, but also more understanding of people's feelings and situations. As I watched the ceremonies today, I cried for those that have lost a loved one because of what happened that day. So today as I walked around our National Cemetary I stopped to thank those who have sacrificed all and pray for their families and also to thank God for the many gifts he has given to J and I.

Always Remember,
Magnolia

Sunday - Remembering

I am sitting here watching a National Geographic show about 9/11. After 10 years, it is still unbelievable and heart wrenching. I've seen the videos on 9/11 before and I don't think that I'll ever be able to wrap my heart or heart around what happened that day. I wasn't there, all I could do was watch the news and pray for those in New York that day. No correction, I will never be able to understand, I wasn't there, I didn't loose anyone in those attacks, I didn't know anyone who was there. Many of us Americans will never understand the fear, dread, or heartache of that day. All I know to do is pray, even today for those who were personally affected on that day. Please join me in the days to come, reflecting and praying.

Blessings and God Bless America,
Magnolia

Sunday - When you fall off the horse.....

So even the most dedicated can falter. I had an incredibly bad week as far as my diet was concerned. And when I mean bad, I mean I ate junk for all but 2 days this past week. I fell of the horse and stayed down, which is unlike me, but I suppose that it happens to the best of us. I decided yesterday that this week was going to be better and so far so good. And I prayed, prayed for help, prayed for forgiveness and for faith. Help to get back on track, forgiveness for not listening and faith that I would take care of what I needed to and God would take care of the rest. Oh, and my really great hair guru had a migraine Saturday morning so I didn't get my "relaxation" time this weekend! UGGGGGGG! So how was your week?!?!?

Blessings & Good Eats,
Magnolia

Thursday - Weird Mood

So I've been in a weird mood the last couple of days. Don't know for what reason, I haven't done anything differently, just one of those moods I guess. I do have them from time to time, but then again, I think that everyone does. So now that I've gotten that off my chest. I do have to tell you that I am very proud of myself, my time and distance are getting much, much better on the treadmill. I'm hoping that I can get to a point in the spring that I can run a 5K in about 30 minutes, or at least come real close. I think that I will more than likely do one of the Alzheimer's Walks this fall, of course, I am really excited about that. I've been wanting to get involved with them in some way for a while, so what better way than to join one of the walks. So how are you guys doing with your exercising? Oh, and I found out that Bisquik isn't that ladden in fat & calories, so therefore, I made J and I some Drop Biscuits with Bisquik. Really easy, 2 cups of Bisquik & 1 cup of 1% milk, mix and drop onto an ungreased cookie sheet, bake at 450' for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. My mother used to make these quite a bit when I was young and I LOVE them! And they are better for you than traditional rolled biscuits that are made with lard (although I love these too). So next time you get a craving for homemade biscuits make these, just remember not to eat all of them.

Blessings & Biscuits,
Magnolia

Wednesday - Home Cooked Dinner

So the last several Wednesday nights I've cooked dinner, which I haven't been doing much of since I started/changed my lifestyle/eating habits. I kind of felt bad for my hubby since he really does like my home cook'in. So instead of having date nights out, we've been having date nights in. Not to mention, I think that both of us actually eat less when we eat at home, or at least I know that I do. So here's the recipe for tonight's main dish.

Hamburger & Baked Bean Casserole
1lbs ground beef browned & drained (chuck or lean or grounded turkey would be fine too)
1 large can Bush's Original Baked beans
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 cup mild cheddar cheese
3/4 cup barbeque sauce (original)
2 tsp worchestershire sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tube of 10 count biscuits

After browning the hamburger mix with all ingredients (only use 1/2 of the cheese) together in large bowl. Put mixture in pyrex dish, place rest of cheese on top. Slice biscuits in half and place them on top of casserole. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 375'.

Just this recipe is super easy and really not that bad for you. I made broccoli to go with mine, to get in something green. Great dish to take with you to someone's house as well, especially if they are making wings or grilled chicken.

Blessings & What did you make for supper?
Magnolia

Wednesday - Did you Watch?!?!?

So did you watch Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition Monday? It was a really good one. It definately was a "real life" type experience/episode. I mean how many of us start something and "real life" gets in the way? Even something as big as weight loss or as small as washing the dishes. The lesson that I took away from this episode is that, there's always a do-over or a start again when life throws you a curve ball and you forget what you're really doing. And you have to have FAITH, in what you're doing and FAITH in God that he will take care of the things that you can't. So along with the blog today I'm attaching a devotional for the day (I get them everyday from Purpose Driven and love them), that goes along with the blog. And I couldn't agree more that you have to do what God tells you to do and if you do those things, he will take care of the rest (living proof right here -- 14 to 4).

http://profile.purposedriven.com/dailyhope/post.html?contentid=7255

Blessings & FAITH,
Magnolia

Saturday - Irritating

The article that I've posted below is just irritating. I have a hard time thinking that someone could even want to be the fattest woman on the planet. It's completely disturbing to me that she charges people to watch her eat. That is just kind of gross, lack of a better way to put it. I also have a problem with the fact that she wants to do this to herself and she has a 4 year old daughter. Does she not realize that she could possibly leave her daughter with no mother, no one to take care of her. She obviously doesn't care about her family. And I have a to believe God does not want this for her. Anyway, I felt the need to post this story and if it doesn't motivate you to get up and move and eat healthier, I'm not sure what will.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2014731/Donna-Simpson-Mother-aiming-worlds-fattest-woman-earns-90k-year.html

Blessings,
Magnolia

Thursday - Had to Share

I had to share this article with you guys. She is so right about the change in personality. Especially the part when she talks about see other people eat. So, why did I post the article, so that you can know what to expect or not expect. My personality has definately changed since loosing weight, and sometimes not in a good way. But, as far as J is concerned, I was very upfront with him about what I was or was not going to cook/eat. I told him that I was not going back to eating fattening foods and eating out a whole lot, and he accepted that. And secretly I think that he's glad too, since he's also lost some weight. Of course I know that he misses home cooked meals every night. So anyway, read the article and learn from it, learn to be open and honest about what you're doing and what you're not doing. And just my opinion, she is a little excessive in her eating habits, according to this article. There are ways to eat healthy and have great stuff (Skinny Girl, remember).

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2014528/How-losing-weight-change-personality--better.html

Blessings,
Magnolia

Monday - Extreme Weightloss Makeover

I LOVE ABC's Extreme Makeover - Weight Loss Addition. And it's back on tonight. If any show can inspire, this is one that can. These people do not do anything crazy like drugs or surgery. They do it the old fashion way, eat right & exercise! LOVE IT! It's inspirational to me, even after loosing all the weight that I have. It's almost like a reminder. And Chris the host is the BOMB, he let's them have it when they need it and doesn't let up. And that's exactly what they need. Someone to stay with them and keep them going in the right direction. Great job Chris. And not to mention, a lot of the people on the show say that they could not have done any of it without God! That's the best. Even I could not do it every day without his help, that's for darn sure, I'd still be a size 14 and floundering without God's guidance. So don't forget to either set your DVRs or tune in live tonight!!!

Blessings & Weight Lose Extremes,
Magnolia

Sunday - Being Humble

So our message at church was on being humble. You know the Lord knows what you need to hear and when you need to hear it. Being humble is not something that I'm overly good at sometimes. Not necessarily outwardly, but some of the things that I think are not very humble sometimes. I have a feeling that a lot of people have that same issue. So I have decided to set some other goals for myself (other than the physical ones that I mostly discuss). This week, I'm going to try and be more humble (not proud, arrogant / modest). And every week I'll work on building a better me, inside & out.
Talking about the outside, I did go to the gym today, which I usually do not do on the weekends. I missed a couple of days this past week so thought I'd make up some gym time. It was kind of refreshing and I got my head cleared before the work week starts again. So until later.

Blessings & Being Humble,
Magnolia

Birthday Saturday!

Nope not my birthday. It's my wonderful hubby's birthday. So what did I get him? I actually cooked his favorite meal for supper tonight. Some people might think that's a cop out, but since I don't cook anymore, for him, it's a real treat. He was completely thrilled.

So......

Happy Happy Birthday Babes!!!

Thursday - Oh My!

I have to blog about this before I forget. I just read an article about the obesity rates in the US. Every state but Colorado has an obesity rate above 20%. That means 20 people out of every 100 is obese (has a BMI over 30). That is outstanding for me to comprehend. The states with the worst rates are here in the South. Mississippi had the worst with Alabama, West Virginia, Tennessee and Louisiana right behind them. And the excuses are "We live in an area of the country where eating is one of the things we do, and we eat a lot of fried foods", well, not in my book. I live in the South and I know that eating good fried foods is a way of life down here, but there is also a thing called portion control and not eating if you're not hungry. Believe me, I know, I lived that way for years and years and years! And that's what needs to change if any state/person wants to be healthier. Yes you can have fried chicken, but not a whole platter full of it. Yes you can have pecan pie, but not the whole darn thing! That's what I mean. And don't just eat because everyone else is. If you're not hungry and everyone else is eating apple pie a la mode, then just go in the next room or outside with a giant glass of water. Oh MY!!! Okay, now I've said my piece, I've gotten this off my chest. Thanks for listening!

Blessings,
Magnolia

Friday, Friday, Friday!

Good day at work, good workout! And I'm on royal news overload!!! Don't remember if I've ever mentioned it before, but I have this crazy interest in history and royalty especially. So with Will & Kate in Canada, Albert & Charlene getting married and assorted other royal news, I am crazy looked at my "royal" blog website. Is suppose that every little girl wants to be a princess, and if I wasn't so old and married, I'd go after Harry in a heartbeat. He's pretty darn hot! And just my opinion, Pippa Middleton needs to snag George Percy (her ex that she's extremely good friends with) if nothing more than he's heir to a dukedom & a fortune (talking hundreds of millions here). I mean who wouldn't want to be a Duchess with a virtually unlimited bank account. Ok I digress. Back to the topic. Can't wait to see Princess Charlene of Monaco's wedding dress tomorrow. Should be interesting.

Blessings & Dukes
Magnolia

Tuesday - Go Jump in a Lake

Ever have those days that someone has gotten on your last nerve and you want to say "Go Jump In A Lake!". Even christians have those days, we are only human. On days like this I try to stop and pray. Pray for what, usually the person that is bugging me and then for me to either be able to let it go or respond in a way that is pleasing to God. I have to admit that I'm not always successful, at that point I pray for forgiveness. My point, we're all only human and fall short of the glory of God. Thankfully God understands and has patience and love in abondance.
So yes, I had one of those days today, that's what prompted me to write this post today. How did I deal with it??? Lots of prayer and a good workout, and not I feel normal again and not edgy and upset. So my remedy for a yuck day, lots of pray & sweat!

Blessings & Sweaty Prayers,
Magnolia

Monday - Blessed & More

So how come I'm blessed on a Monday of all days. Well, good day at work, good workout, eating healthy and .... I got my necklace that I ordered last week from ETSY (thanks Kelly from Kelly's Korner, love the site and now I'll be BROKE!). Of course I ordered one with my last inital and a pearl dangle, but it's this necklace GREAT! Love it so much. And not to mention it was a great price and the seller shipped it the day after I ordered it and I got it all the way from California today! I mean how great is that!!!

And of course, I am blessed because of my Lord, Jesus Christ. I mean, who knows better what you need when you need it. What a wonderful God we serve. I so needed a pick me up today. I'd not been feeling my normal self, mainly because my workout schedule & diet have been so off lately and I just felt like I was letting myself and God down. So today was a new start. I have the feeling that there will be lots of new starts in teh years to come, and I see that as a blessing. Who else let's you start over and over and over but God. After today, I can't wait to see what the rest of week has to bring.

Blessings & Surprises,

Magnolia

Sunday - Not So Good

So what was not so good today??? The new restaurant that J and I decided to venture out to after church. J and I are adventurous when it comes to trying new things especially new delis, pubs or locally owned places. So today, we went to the English Bulldog Pub. I mean who doesn't like a good pub meal (without the ale of course) every now and again. Well I for one can do without it now. I got an appetizer for my meal (theoretically less calories). It was called sausage balls. The description called for saussage baked in a pastry dough. I mean how could I go wrong, pork sausage & dough baked together. Well when the dough is a type of phylo dough and is overcooked (almost burnt) and it looked more like a link sausage wrapped in dough and fried/baked, not good. So how was J's meal? It started out okay, he ordered the fish & chips, again how can you do wrong with fried fish and fries. Like I said it started out okay or at least the first piece was, the second piece, not so much. I wasn't cooked all the way through. Yuck! I guess we should have gotten some sort of hint when we were the first ones in the place and it had been open for several hours by this point since they open for breakfast. And to add insult to injury, no one got up to seat us, they all just sat in the back. Just so happens that the chef walked in right after us and did the honors. All I can say is that we'll not be back, I didn't eat but 1/3 of the meal and picked at some of the fries after that. Total waste of calories for the day. Oh well, at least one of our adventures turned out well this weekend.

Another thing that I did want to talk about. As you can probably tell, I do talk alot about eating healthy, but you can also tell that J adn I go splurge every so often. I am well aware during the week of what I'm eating and give or take what the calorie count is, but I don't take out a calculator and add them up. I know when I don't eat well or eat what I'm suppose to. My body tells me what it needs, I just need to listen. So why am I telling you this. J and I made a trip to the grocery store for some things, apples, bread, turkey -- you know normal stuff. J noticed this thin(ish) woman who was taking out a calculator and adding up everything she picked up. For one, who has time for that, and two if you can't read the label and decide if it's a good choice or not, then put it back, no calculator required. So just an opinion/advise, do your homework at home, there are tons of sites out there that can help you with good choices. Don't stress over calories, if you eat a healthy diet with normal portions, your body will take care of the rest. Also, don't forget to ask the Lord for lots of help with this, he's all ears and listening.

Blessings & Calories,
Magnolia

Saturday - I Love My Hair Chica!

Have I ever told you how much I LOVE my hair stylist. Well probably, but I'll tell you again. She is the BOMB! She just so gets me. She gets when I need a BIG change or a small one. Well yesterday I decided that I needed a Medium sized change, so I found some photos on the web and messaged her so that she could be thinking about it. And can I just tell you what a great job she did with my hair! It looks pretty dang good if I do say so myself. So relaxing and just starts the day off great. And just to add to my wonderful day, J and I had brunch at a new place (new to us that is) and we'll definately be back. I mean, great food and a unique atmosphere, down to earth, yet eclectic. I had the best biscuits & gravy (and yes I know that's not on the healthy eating plan, but we can all have those days). And inexpensive too. We'll be going back no doubt, especially since they are open for breakfast. Then I decided that I needed to get my nails done, you know, to go with my GREAT looking hair and all, so off I went to the nail salon and my nail lady had me looking good in no time. What a day! I love days like this (remember high maintenance and all). I feel so much better with my grays all covered, my eyebrows done and nails all polished up.

Blessings & Maintenance,
Magnolia

Friday, Friday, Friday! Woo Hoo!

I know, I know, I have been quite lazy about posting. So here goes. Other than being sick from a stomach bug last week, nothing has been going on. Life is slowly getting back to normal. Healthy eating and exercise, what a lovely thing. You know when you're busy on vacation you start to miss the everyday things you do at home. Like going to the gym on a regular basis, what a wonderful thing. And I definately missed going to church. I miss our church when we're not in town, so very much. You can't even imagine. And just because I haven't posted a picture in a while.....

What a great building right on Main Street in the city. Many of the buildings are pre-civil war and just gorgeous!









One other thing I need to ask. Please pray for the Dean family from Michigan. Have lost their 3 year old daughter Lindsay this week unexpectedly. Lindsay suffered from the same CHD (HPLS) as Annabelle. Pray for their peace and understanding in this terrible time. And thank you in advance.

Blessings & More,
Magnolia

Prayer Request

I almost forgot, please pray for Mary Clare (see blog on the right). She is having seizures and they've tried several medications to "tame" them and they don't seem to be working real well. Oh, and not to mention she's had 3 open heart surgeries for her CHD. MC is a tough little girl, but even us "tough girls" need prayer.

Thank you so much!!
Magnolia

Monday - Back to Normal (for now)

So I did not fall off the face of the Earth, but I was out of town and then had "company" at the house for a week. So here's a short little recap of the last two weeks.

• Graduation for our niece out of town


• Trip with my whole family to Charleston after said graduation


• Drove from SC to MD to see step-son graduate


• Brought step-son back with us for a week


• Put step-son back on plane to MD


• The End - thank goodness!

So say the least it's been tough to stay eating healthy and still get in some exercise, but somehow I think that I actually lost weight (or at least J said so) while we were on vacation. I tried not to over analyze what we were eating but just stayed mindful of what and how much and when we were eating. I think that I did a good job. I have decided that I am a trailmix type of gal, raisins, M&Ms & nuts, I mean how much better can you get. So that was my last two weeks and I'm back to the "normal" stuff. Had a great workout today and was so thankful for it!!! So how was your day?!?!??!

Blessings & More,

Magnolia

Sunday - Great Day - Great Message

Have you ever been listening to something and then you start thinking of how this same message would be a great blog message. I was sitting in church listening to the pastor and then it hit me that I needed to tell my story here as it related to the pastor's message. The message today was about how BIG our God is. How we have to do what we can and let God take care of the rest. Well when I started eating healthier, working out and loosing weight I knew that this was not something that I could do alone. I knew I had to pray, so pray I did and that's when I started do what I needed to do and relied on God to do the rest. And I can not even begin to tell you about the miracles in my body and mind he has performed. I think & act differently than I could have ever imagined. But still I need help everyday, there are some days that I just don't want to keep up my end or I fall short and eat things that I shouldn't. But God knows that I am only human and that's when he does the things that can't. He gives me renewed determination and knowledge to do what I need to do. So if you think that what is going on in your life is unsermountable, just remember that with YOU + GOD, anything is possible.

And just to prove my point, I was in Atlanta (Alpharetta to be exact) for business this past week and there was a Cheesecake Factory just right down the road, Oh how I thought about making a big piece of cheesecake my dinner, I mean I did go to the gym earlier. But somehow, some way, God sure kept me from even going in. Thank goodness I don't think that my willpower would have held up with a display case of gorgeous cheesecakes! I ended up with my usual from Panera, a half tukey sandwich and cup of black bean soup. And a whole lot less guilt, God definately knows best.

Blessings & Faith,
Magnolia

Monday - Again

Okay, so I've finally found something new and amazing! And healthy!
Blue Bunny Strawberry Banana Frozen Yogurt. 100 calories per serving and 2 fat grams. (serving size is 1/2 cup) Can I just tell you how amazingly good this stuff is. And if you want to be a little adventurous, you can add some chocolate syrup (100 calories per serving). Great stuff.
And how was your weekend??? Mine was about normal all except for the running water sound that J and I heard just about the whole weekend. Come to find out there was a pinhole puncture in a pipe under the house and the plumbing company came out today. It's so quiet now, no more running water. Thank goodness for home owners warrantys. Other than that, just a little maintenance, you know nails, toes & eyebrows. Can't looking like Sasquatch now can I! HA!
So what new things have you discovered??

Blessings & Frozen Yogurt,
Maganolia

Wednesday - CRAZY WEATHER

Hopefully everyone that was in the path of the storms yesterday are okay. We had some wild rain, lightning & wind. Thank goodness that we were on the western edge of the storm and the electricity stayed on. The thunder did wake me up at about 2am and sleepily I looked at the weather app on my phone and then fell back to sleep. Which is saying something, because I am the world's worst scaredy cat when it comes to storms, especially lightning. I won't even come close to walking out side is I know that there's lightning in the area. So for me to go back to sleep with a massive "light show" going on outside was nothing short of a miracle.
So on to the other stuff, I'm still working on the 5K training schedule and making progress with how far I'm running. Some days are still better than others, but forward progress is the goal and I'm very pleased with my progress this far. Who knows, I might just be running a 5K next year in about 30 minutes or less. Lofty goal but if I keep at it, nothing's impossible with a lot of help from the "man upstairs". I haven't really been adventurous with my diet lately, so no new foods to report on. Of course, I am hooked on Boer's Head Maple Glazed Turkey (I've been eating it for a while now). It's just a little sweet, which makes a great sandwich with a touch of mustard! So try it you might just like it!
Well for now that's it.

Blessings & Maple Glazed Turkey,
Magnolia

Monday - Weekend Recap

Friday - A Right Royal Wedding. One small (okay maybe not small) interest of mine is European history, especially, European royalty. Not just TRH The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge (William & Catherine), all royalty and their history all across Europe. I often think about it now that I should have been a History Major in college! I had a great time watching all the reports and I even got up a little earlier than usual to watch them say I do.
Saturday - J and I went for a walk down Main St and I decided I wanted to stop into the gift shop at the Marriott hotel. On the way in I noticed a long white limo and a photographer, and as I was walking in throught the revolving door, Kenny G was walking through at the same time heading out of the hotel! You know Kenny G the saxaphone player! I was trying to be totally cool about it since the band members were sitting in the lobby. And no, I did not run after him to take his picture or get an autograph.
Sunday - After watching Kent & Vixen get kicked off the Amazing Race (YEAH!), we turn on the news and saw that Usama bin Laden had been killed. All I can say about that is that, I'm very proud & grateful to all of our men & women in uniform. Let us all pray about what will happen next.
So you could say that I had a busy "news" weedend! The only "bad" thing was the HUGE calzone that J and I consumed. But oh my goodness was it good. But today, it was back to eating well and exercising. So how was your weekend?!?!?

Blessings & New Beginnings,
Magnolia

Tuesday - Hair Day

Hair Day?!?!? Yep, hair day. That's the day that I get to go relax and get my hair colored/cut/washed/blowdried. What a wonderful day that is. I love being pampered (high maintenance remember) and my time in the salon is relaxing and fun. I love my stylist and my hair always looks great when I leave. And of course today was no exception. So no gym today, but I'll be back in there tomorrow. I'm still working on the 5K training schedule and it's coming along nicely, or at least I think so. I mean, I'm not going out to run a race any time soon but I still want to get there regardless.
I do want to request that you all say a small prayer for all those who have had terrible weather (tornadoes, flooding etc) lately. This weather has been something else and there have been people killed and homes lost. So please pray for all those who have been effected this spring. Thank you in advance.

Blessings & Beautiful Hair!
Magnolia

Monday #2 - New Shoes etc.

Almost for got to show you some great things that I've found lately....

These shoes are great! Cool color, cool design & they're Dr. Scholls! Believe that! I liked them so much I bought them in black too.

I also bought this dress in black from Coldwater Creek..

I've also found some great tops on sale at The Gap and a couple of Calvin Klein dresses at TJ Maxx! Anyway.........

Happy Shopping,

Magnolia

Monday - New Day, New Week

Thank goodness Birthday/Easter is done. I've been having a terrible time not eating tons of birthday cake & Easter candy. And not to mention, we've been going out to eat every time I turn around for something or other. I am back on track this week, I even passed on cake today at work (co-workers birthday). To be honest, I just didn't want any, I've had enough of my own. Yet again, even though I've eaten healthy for months & months, I still have times when I just crash and eat junk, mainly just because I can. At least I didn't stop going to the gym, so hopefully the damage will end up being minimal.
So onto happier things, EASTER! I love Easter, it's my favorite holiday, not only because my birthday fall around this great holiday every year, but for what my Savior did for me on the Cross. Because of his death, I will get to see my Dad again, because of his death I will get to live eternally in his Kingdom (mansions, streets of gold, can you imagine??). What a promise, what I gift. I can only live with that in mind every day for the rest of my earthly life. Thank you Lord for what you've done and continue to do in my life.

Blessings & I LOVE EASTER!
Magnolia

Monday - Miss Me??

So did you miss me? Sorry I've been away, needless to say, I've been busy and exhausted when I get home. J and I had a crazy week, everything from getting my licsence renewed to my Aunt's funeral to my birthday. And throw in 4 trips to the gym on top of that and you see why I've been tired. So let me start at the beginning, I had to get my drivers liscence renewed since my birthday was the end of last week, so on Tuesday I headed to the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) over need where I work. God was certainly looking after me since I was the only person in there and it took twice as long to get to the building than it did to get everything done. On Wednesday, we drove to my hometown (at the crack of dawn) to be at my Aunt's funeral (my Dad's brother's wife). I'm just going to say that it was different. Took Mom to lunch, when to my Aunt's sister's house for a "celebration of life" party and then we drove home. And then Friday was my birthday. To say that my week of a little hectic is an understatement. I was just glad to calm things down a little this weekend, just a 2 year old birthday party next door and Easter dress shopping. If you can consider that calm. Hopefully I won't be so tired this week. Blessings & More, Magnolia

Monday - Strawberry Limeade BAD!

So why is Strawberry Limeade bad?? Well here's my story from the weekend. Yesterday I decided that it was to gorgeous outside to hang around the house, so I went out after church to see if I could find a new dress that I could wear to a funeral. After finding said dress (black Calvin Klein at TJ Maxx with new scarf from Target), I decided that I was thirsty and didn't really want a green tea limonade from Starbucks I wanted something from Sonic. Now I normally get a slushy but I thought that I would try something else. Strawberry Limeade sounded like it would his the spot, so that's what I ordered. Well it took me about 2 sips to determine that it had some sort of carbination in it. Now keep in mind that I haven't had any sort of carbonated drink in 2 years. So what happened next you ask, well not to be gross but I belched all the way back to the house and then about 30 minutes later I felt like I'd swallowed a watermelon. I was so blown up it was unreal. And it's taken me about 24 hours to get that feeling out of my system. So from now on, when I get lazy and think that I'm going to Sonic, I'll think again. For one, no more carbination and two, I saw the nutritional value of some of their drinks and about freaked out. I mean one of those medium drinks has more calories that my whole lunch! Bad choice. So my recommendation for the day is if you are a Sonic fan, try not drinking them for about a week and see how much slimmer & less bloated you feel. Blessings & No More Sonic! Magnolia

Saturday - NEW SHOES!

I got new shoes, new shoes, new shoes! Can you tell that I'm excited. I finally got down to the running store that I love and splurged on a new pair of Mizuno Running Shoes. I might have put them on this afternoon and run up and down the street but we are under a tornado watch & thunderstorm watch, so I thought that I would wait until tomorrow. Happy Birthday to me (it's this coming Friday if you're interested). So why did I splurge since the shoes that I have aren't that old, well I have a tendancy to get shin splints so I really needed a shoe that would help with the rotation of my foot so that I don't get them. I've been running more and more lately so I figured that this would be a great present to myself and a great motivation for me to use them everyday! On another note, Weight Watchers Strawberry frozen yogurt bars are the BOMB! 60 calaories = a great sweet snack before bedtime! Try them, delicious! Blessings & NEW SHOES! Magnolia

Tuesday - another good day

Tuesday was another great day. Healthy food & a great workout. Good day at work. But one thing that I am going to ask is that you pray for my neighbors. We had a terrible thunderstorm last night with winds up to 80 mph. 2 of our neighbors right across the street both had trees on their homes this morning. Especially pray for our neighbor D, he has two tween boys that he's raising as a single parent and the tree happen to fall when they were home and it really shook up his boys. Thank you in advance for you words of prayer for them. Blessings & No More Bad Thunderstorms, Magnolia

Sunday - Way Tired!

Sorry I've been away, but it's been crazy and I'm pooped. 5K schedule is still going great. But that's not way I'm way tired. Busy, busy weekend. 1st I had to make sure that I got my sister a great gift for her 50th birthday, then we had to go out of town for that and my youngest niece's final prom. So after shopping I finally found the right gift and then had to pack and make sure that everything was okay at the house. Then J and I hit the road, after lunch with Mom, doing eye makeup and pictures at the fountain, Mom and I went shopping, then to the grocery store. I was beat by the time we got back. Then today, it was up and church with Mom and lunch. We finally headed home. I was so glad to get back to house and have a cup of coffee and relax a little. Now a long week ahead. And honestly I can't wait to get back to the gym tomorrow. I missed the stress relief a good run can bring. I really need to remember my running shoes the next trip. Blessings & Road Trips, Magnolia

Wednesday - Is It Friday Yet?!?!?

Nope sure ain't! And that's all I'm say'in about that. I finally got my mojo back yesterday, I think that it was just a 24 hour funk that I was in. Let's just hope that it doesn't come back soon. I do have a prayer request for a sweet little girl name Mary Clare. She has a CHD is having her 3rd heart surgery today. Thank you all in advance for the prayers. Blessings & a Healed Heart, Magnolia

Monday - Off, Just Off

Do you ever have days that aren't bad and they aren't good either, they're just days that seem "off". Like you just can't get your mojo going. That was me today. I was just off and my mojo didn't show up today. And it lasted all day, even through my workout. And to top it all off tonight, I feel like a train hit me. So this is it for me. I'm taking my happy rearend to bed. Blessings & An "On" Day Tomorrow, Magnolia

Friday - CRAZY Day

Ok, I have to admit I don't "overexert" myself on Fridays at work. After a long week, I just really want to do mindless tasks on Fridays. Well today turned out to not be one of those days. From lunch with the supervisors to advertorials to contracts worth 10s of thousands of dollars. Yep that's how my day went. So I was so glad then 4pm rolled around and I got to the gym so that I could leave the work week behind and start my weekend. On a happier note, my workout week as really good, over 13 miles logged and over 200 situps. I'm thinking that I'm "THE BOMB" this week and pretty darn proud of myself. But on a more serious note I thank God for the opportunity, courage, determination to get it done and for him "Doing what I can't". That's been a mantra of mine for a while now.....FAITH=Doing what you can and letting God do what you can't. Just think about that for the next the next several hundred years! Good motto to have I think.
Ok so onto something that's not quite so heavy. Boar's Head Maple Glazed Turkey! My new favorite in the deli. I'm a huge fan of maple glazed deli meats (always fresh cut not packaged). So next time you're near the deli at your local grocery store try some. I guarantee that you'll love it.
So for now....

Blessings & Faith,
Magnolia

Thursday - Back on the Program

So I'm back on the program today after a break for our anniversary. The 5K schedule is still going well and I'm pleased with my results. But of course only time will tell if this helps with my endurance. I will say this walk/run schedule makes the time go by faster! And yes, I did my dreaded situps tonight. And back to the healthy eating today as well. Not that I did bad yesterday, I actually didn't go back for seconds and only ate half of the small fried pork chop! I was a nice wife and left it for my hubby to take to work today for lunch. Not to mention I didn't really need to eat it anyway.
So I decided to try another flavor of the greek yogurt. I choose blueberry this time and I have to say that it's better than the peach. I'm not a huge blueberry fan (unless it's cobbler), so for me to like this over peach is pretty amazing. So we'll have to see about the other flavors soon. Well that's it for tonight.

Blessings & Blueberrys,
Magnolia

PS. Did I tell you our power was out this morning when J got up to go to work! Can you imagine putting on makeup with a flashlight?!?!? Well I did this morning! Mascara & all!

Wednesday - Happy 9th Anniversary

Today J and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary! I can't believe that it's been 9 years, seems like just yesterday that I was getting ready to freak out when he wasn't at the church 20 minutes before the service was supposed to start. I think that I'm as white as a sheet of paper in just about all of the "before" pictures. I remember wanting to thrown up. But he finally got there and we said our "I do's". What a beautiful spring day, sunny and just a little cool outside. I couldn't have asked for a better day and I couldn't have asked God to bless me with a better husband.
So did we go out to dinner and celebrate. Nope, I actually cooked J's favorite supper tonight. You know, one of those southern dinners that contains pounds of butter and milk and something fried. Yep, one of those. More specifically, fried pork chops, sweet milk gravy & green bean casserole. Nothing healthy, but it was good and it's his favorite. And he really enjoyed and appreciated it. That's a feeling that you just can't get when you go out to some restaurant. Job accomplished. So for now...

Blessings & 90 more years (or more!!),
Magnolia

Tuesday - New Routine

So I said that I was starting a new running routine. I decided to start with a 5K running schedule and so far so good. Since I've already been running, I started on week 3 to be safe. I was sort of puzzled that I could run a slower pace on this schedule and still run the same distance. Needless to say I was pleased and I'm not getting antsy at 30 minutes. So, I'm pleased so far with the new schedule. So I'll keep you posted on my progress. Who knows, I might decided to run a 5K one of these days. Miracles happen everyday!
So my snack food of the week is

Applesauce
Low in Calories & fat
But be careful, it's a little high in sugar. Buy the single serving containers to be sure that our not getting too much. It's a great alternative to icecream.

Blessings & 5Ks,
Magnolia

Sunday & Confessions

No I'm not confessing to not goint to church (which I did), not confessing to overeating. Nope I'm confessing to detesting .... (wait for it).... yardwork! I've been allergic to rakes for as long as I can remember. I hate cutting the grass, raking, pulling weeds, you name it, I'm against it. But today, I did my once a year planting. One time a year I put out annuals & perenials in our flower beds. There are two beds at the end of our driveway that I always put annuals in to give the yard some spring color. So this year I went with a purple & yellow theme. I cleaned out the beds (pine straw comes from the Devil, I know that it does, God would not make such a hanous thing), and planted my new pretty plants. I also plant caladium bulbs in our long planter every year when I redo the beds. That also was accomplished today. Yeah me. Of course J threw in a twister this year and wanted to plant some gladiolas. Keep in mind that I have a black thumb. So we'll just have to see how that goes. But my once a year adventure in the yard is over and I won't have to step foot in the yard to work until this time next year -- WOO HOO!

Blessings & BIG OLE Caladiums!
Magnolia

Friday, Friday, Friday

Good day at work, great workout at the gym! And 200 sit ups this week (and that coming from someone who hates sit ups!), so if I can do it you can do it. So I've been thinking about changing up my workouts, actually setting a goal for myself. I have been doing some research on 5K running and training for those runs. I run an average of 12-15 miles a week, but I just feel like I need to have a goal other than beating my previous run time/distance. So I am going to start a 5K training program next week. It just feels like God has been leading me in that direction. Don't know why and I'm not questioning it. So, I'll hopefully post each day next week on how the training went on that day.
On to other things. I tried the greek yogurt that I mentioned in a previous post. I have not always liked yogurt, it's only in the last 5 or so years that I've aquired a taste for it. I'd never heard of greek yogurt before a couple of months ago, so when I saw it at the local "specialty" grocery store, I decided to give it a try. I knew that it was healthier than normal yogurt and full of protein, so what the heck. Well J and I gave it a try tonight. My verdict is that if you like yogurt and are fond of sour cream then you'll like it. Thank goodness I like both. I bought the peach flavored Chobina brand. All in all, it tasted good, but I could seriously only eat half of the single serving container. It's just that rich.
Well that's all for now.

Blessings & Dreams of 5k running,
Magnolia

Thursday - I'm Just Say'in

So no entry about eating or working out today. I'm more concerned about what happened on the Bachelor the other night. I knew that he was going to pick Emily (I read spoilers, HA!), but I was shocked by all the Emily haters that showed up on Tuesday. Boy howdy did she get some negative press. Can't blame the girl for not wanting to move to Austin right now either, I know I wouldn't with all the apparent issues they need to work on. And then I read about how the "real" Emily showed up on the After The Rose Show. Well, I have to guess that the producers of the show edited her to look a certain way (sweet, nice and very agreable) on the show. I don't think that they really showed the real Emily the whole season. I mean, I know some of the sweetest Southern ladies on this planet, and they aren't sweet all the time. So I'd have to say that the show really only showed one side of her all the time. So that's my rant for the night.

Blessings & Southern Sweetness,
Magnolia

PS. Bought some Greek yogurt to try. I'll let you know what it tastes like! & Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Tuesday & Sit-Ups

As you know I work out anywhere from 3-5 days a week. I usually shoot for 4. What I wanted to say today was this....
Do I love working out at the gym??? Yes. Are there are some days that are tougher than others. Sure, I'd be telling a fib if I said that everyday was easy. But is there one thing I do at the gym that I like a LOT less than others....there sure is .... SIT-UPS! I really don't like them, but I do them on the machine every time I set foot in the gym. Why? Because I know that they will do me more good in the long run. Flatter stomach, better fitting clothes and I feel better about myself. That's what I keep thinking when I'm doing my workouts. Just try and keep those things in mind when you are not liking a certain weight machine or a certain cardio machine. There are things that we do all the time that we don't necessarily love, laundry, dishes, whatever. Just remember the payoff in the end.

Blessings & Flat Stomachs,
Magnolia

Monday - Another Great Start

Well after gorging on Japanese Friday and turning into Betty Crocker yesterday (gave almost all of the sweets that I made away, and really don't want to eat them after I cooked them, thank goodness!), I'm back on track this week. And boy don't I feel better for it. But I thought that I would send you to another site today since I'm not the only person that gives tips & advise about healthy eating and weight loss.

So here you go....http://fitbottomedgirls.com/2010/01/12-tips-for-permanent-healthy-weight-loss/

Hopefully you can find some good advise from this site. I found it to be a good resource for myself and for you.

Blessings & Good Reading,
Magnolia

PS don't you love the name "Fit Bottomed Girls" -- LOVE IT!

Gorgeous Saturday

There are lots of lessons that I've learned in the last 8 months or so, but one that I apparently didn't learn was that when you loose a bunch of weight, along with other body part shrinking, your stomach shrinks too. I got a reminder last night. J and I went to a Japanese restaurant, since we both wanted sushi, and of course I decided that I wanted some Teriaki Chicken. Well that would have been fine except it was the "early bird" special which included soup, salad, sushi and the teriaki chicken dinner. I walked out of that place (or should I say waddled) feeling like a stuffed cow! Yes, it was all extremely good and no I didn't eat everything on my plate but I did eat some of everything, which led to my discomfort. I really thought that I was going to explode when we got home. Thank goodness for Pepto! Not that anything was unhealthy that we ate, but I just need to remember that I can't eat that much anymore.
As for today, J and I went to the home show, then took a little trip down to Five Points and then over to the Fresh Market. What I wonderful day to spend with my hunny!

Blessings & Sushi,
Magnolia

Just Because

Almost Friday & What I'm Reading Now

Woo Hoo, it's almost Friday! I love Friday afternoons, when I leave work and go to the gym, I leave all my work stress for the entire weekend, that is a wonderful feeling. When I miss a Friday working out, I feel a little robbed and not quite relaxed. So if I had to recommend a day not to skip working out, it's Friday.
So you know that I read Bethanny Frankel's book, Skinny Girl. Which I might say is a really good read...very thought provoking without being overbearing. And not to mention, she's got a great sense of humor. Well worth the money spent. I would definately recommend reading it. But I also found a book called, French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano. I just started so we'll see what it's all about. Supposedly it's along the same lines as Bethanny's book, a non-diet kind of book. Since I'm anti-diet that's a good thing. And just to make things interesting, I'm also reading a Nora Roberts book too. I can't stand not to read. It's a nightly ritual with me. And to think that I used to hate reading in school and now I've read about every Jane Austin book out there and love them. Oh how times change.
So my advise for the rest of the week, buy Bethanny's book, read it and take it in, and work out tomorrow, you'll feel better all weekend because of it.

Blessings & Fridays,
Magnolia

Rainy Wednesday

So what are you giving anything up for Lent? This is a prime time to start thinking about a change. Just think about it, whether or not you observe Lent (I actually don't although I am Christian, us Baptist don't give up stuff), it's a good time to start a new way of thinking. Now you might be asking what I'm going to give up, well that's a good question, I've been thinking all day about that, and to be honest, I can't think of anything that I could/would give up. I don't eat chips, cookies or desserts on a regular basis. Unless of course it's Butter Pecan Frozen Yogurt. Which I actually vowed not to buy after finishing that last 1/2 gallon. My suggestion, start with one thing a week and add something else next week. By Easter you'll have several not so healthy items already gone. And I bet you won't miss them either. Maybe give up those potato chips, then cookies next week. There are always healthy alternatives to those chips & cookies, fat free saltines & rice krisy treats are what I prefer. Also, try adding something during this time, whether it's an apple, more veggies & less meat or more exercise. Just think about how much better you'll feel when Easter rolls around and you could by that dress you were eyeing in a smaller size! Well, that's all for today.

Blessings & Rain,
Magnolia

Monday - Another Week Started

It's Monday and I've started another week. No more Butter Pecan Frozen Yogurt and a great healthy day. Also, a really great day at the gym. I have to say this, and I hope that those reading don't think badly of me, but it's something that really bugs me....but if you are going to the gym to get into a swimsuit, prom dress or whatever for a special event, then just stop. The people that are regulars and are taking their health and bodies seriously think that that those of you that are there for a few weeks are lazy and slack. A few weeks of working out may get a size smaller or firm up a little fab, but what are you really doing to your body. You're actually doing more harm that good, since you'll go right back to the way you were after. If you want to get serious, get serious for life. And do it for the right reasons. How do I know, well I've been on both sides of the fence. I beg that you all do things for the right reasons, a healthy body & mind, not a swimsuit. If you start with the right reasons, please don't give up. It's hard, really hard and things come up or you get lazy, but don't give up, Satan's always at work. Just ask God to help you get through everyday.....One Day at a Time. That's my advise for today.

Blessings & True Grit,
Magnolia

Sunday - Butter Pecan Frozen Yogurt

So I changed the blog for now. I decided that since I had some Irish in me that I would "decorate" for St. Patty's Day. I mean, red hair, pale skin and blue eyes, can't really get a whole lot more Irish that that. Well, maybe if I had an accent like my Chicago friend Jim, but when you were born and raised outside of Dublin I suppose that you'd have that great Irish accent. So cheers to all the Irish (or part Irish) out there.
So what's up with Butter Pecan Frozen Yogurt. Well it's the best. But I won't be buying anymore anytime soon. It's hard to stop myself at just a small ramekin bowl full. I just don't want ot tempt myself like that again. So, that my be all of our lesson for the day. If you know you won't be able to control yourself, just don't buy it and keep it in your house. Especially in a half gallon container.

Blessings & No More Butter Pecan Frozen Yogurt!
Magnolia

Saturday - Time to Relax

As you can tell I try to do relaxing things on Saturday. Today was "hair" Saturday. I so look forward to getting my hair done on Saturday mornings. It's a time for me to relax and get a little pampered and I cherish that time. And not to mention, I've got a great stylist so it makes it that much better. I don't sit in the chair and worry about what my hair is going to look like after she's done. Been there, done that with other stylist and it's not very relaxing. So I'm very lucky to have T doing my hair. She really gets me and what I'll do and what I won't do with my hair. And she's a great colorist to boot. So this morning was spent getting a cup of Starbucks and a color and trim, what a great morning. (High maintenance, I've warned you guys before about that) This afternoon after lunch with J, I decided to go down to a discount store that carries some really nice brand named stuff for cheap. Well the day just got better from there, I picked up a pair of Carlos Santana shoes for $25 and a pair of Nine West for $25. Like I even needed more shoes, but I just can't help myself.
So how was your day?!?!?!?

Blessings & Great Shoes,
Magnolia

Friday - Woo Hoo!

I had another great day. Went to the gym after work and then took a spin around the mall, after exchanging a top I bought on Wednesday. What a wonderful way to end the week. I even got the jeans that I had to order in the mail today. Have to love the fact that The Gap hasn't gotten a shipment of jeans in about a month. Or at least not the ones I wanted so I had to get them to ship a pair from Independence, NC. I don't even think that I know where Independence, NC is, doesn't matter, they had my jeans and that's all that matters. They fit great and I now have 2 pair of jeans that fit well. I'm still torn about what I'm going to do with all the clothes that don't fit. I think that I'm going to keep them for a little while and then either have a yard sale or donate them to charity (which is what I usually do). We'll see, for now they are in a nice little pile in my guest bedroom, waiting patiently for me to by a rubbermaid container to put them in. Maybe I can get the container soon, real soon. So for now, have a great night!

Blessings & Good Fittin Jeans,
Magnolia

Tuesday - Other Stuff from the Last Couple of Days

Ok, so I didn't do a whole lot last night. So here goes. Just to let you know I actually had a really healthy weekend, which means that I didn't splurge on anything CRAZY. No buffets, no steak, nothing crazy, I'm actually really proud of myself since the weekend is the time that I usually blow it big time. And yesterday & today have been good days. It takes a while to get into a totally new routine, but after a while it just seems normal to me know. That is a great feeling. To be able to think about what I really want to eat, and how much I want to eat and making a good choice is a wonderful feeling. Probably better than finding a new dress or great pair of shoes half off, and that's saying a lot for me. Speaking of clothes, when you start this adventure, just remember that at some point and time, you might just have to fork over some cash for new clothes. In my case, that's saying it pretty mildly. I've only got 3 pairs of pants that fit now and 2 skirts, and considering that I have to get dressed up everyday, that's not a lot. So I've had to be creative with my wardrobe. So be warned, healthy eating and losing weight may take a chunk out of your pocketbook.
So what is my item that I can't live without today....
GOLDFISH, the kind you eat. I fill my little ramekin bowl up almost full at dinner almost everynight. I love those little cheesy crunchy fish. And they're not all that bad for you. It takes the place of a whole bunch of greasy, fat ladden potato chips.

So for today.....
Blessings & GOLDFISH,
Magnolia

Monday & No Power

Just got the internet back up. The power was out for about 2 hours here. I mean, No power, No Bachelor!! OH MY GOSH! How could this be. Since it's so late I'll post more tomorrow.

Blessings,
Magnolia