Update & What's Next

So J and I and a friend ran the Palmetto Health Race for Life 5K a couple of weeks ago.  I was actually really fun, okay maybe not so much fun at the start, but after the running crowds thinned out, it was fun.  The best part of it was this HUGE hill at the very end that we ran down.  Boy howdy did we really pick up some crazy speed!  And of course it helps your time!  HA!  We all did a great job and had personal bests.  So thankful for good weather and good pals to run with.
So what's next, well we're not signed up for any other races right now.  There are a couple the end of the year and one next year that we might consider, but for now, we're just working on extending our mileage and bettering our times, and have some couple time together.  I think that we both appreciate that we can do this together and be healthy as an added benefit.
The last couple of weeks have been kind of crazy.  Just goofy things that happen.  Sometimes you just have to shake your head and let it go.  We did get to spend little time with our oldest niece who was "home" from California.  Oh, how I love that girl.  She's actually only 15 years younger than I am since my sister is 12 years older than I am.  Let me break it down, my sister was 27 when she had my niece, I was 15.  So I guess you could say that I'm more like an older sister to her in a way.  I've always been close with her since I babysat her about 3-4 nights a week when she was little.  We'd play and have a big time.  Those are some of the most precious memories I have.  They grow up so fast!  And she's all the way across the country now!!  But she's happy and doing well there and secretly I'm a bit jealous that I didn't have the courage to do anything that big, like moving that far from home.  Bottom line, I love that blond haired, green eyed baby girl of mine!
So that's what's been up around here lately.  The next outing is this coming weekend.  My sister, youngest niece and I are taking my Mom to Charlotte for a shopping weekend for her birthday.  We started this a couple of years ago and my Mom just loves having all her "girls" with her.  Mainly waiting on her hand and foot for a couple of days, but I'm just sayin.

Blessings & Stuff,
Magnolia

Sunday - A few Updates

Oh my how time flies!  Ok, so the big news from the last couple of weeks is that J and I ran our first 5K together.  I have wanted to do one for a while but knew that the time wasn't right, and I wasn't
"there" yet with my running.  But a 5k can along and God was heavy on my heart to do it.  So we did the "Run for our Troops" on 9/11.  With J in the military I couldn't think of a better one to start with.  We did great, great in being that we finished and had a decent time.  I'm not much on the competition end of running, just the fun and charity of it.  In fact, I have decided that any "race" that I do, I want it to mean something, not just to enter and run.  I've got buddies that enter just about every race out there, but God is not leading me down that path at this time.  Our next 5K is the Palmetto Health, Race for Life, which benefits breast cancer.  I was thinking about it for a while and a friend wanted to do it but didn't have anyone to run with, so J and I agreed to do it with her.  God works in weird ways.  Sometimes you just need that extra hint that he throws you.

Okay other than that, we're running, working and doing the norm around here.  Nothing excited, thank goodness.  On thing, please say a quick prayer for a friend from my running circle that broke her femur and had surgery 2 weeks ago, three pins and a whole lot of waiting for it to heal.  I feel guilty when I go run knowing that she can't but she's been very supportive of all her running buddies.  Now if we can just keep her out of her running shoes long enough for her to heal completely.

 And just so that you know, I'm going to throw some of these "Reasons to be fit" at you from time to time.  They are actually pretty darn inspiring.  And remind me of what I'm capable of, or something to strive towards.








Blessings,
Magnolia

Thursday - Oh My - That's A Lot!

Had to post this quickly before I forgot.  This is just crazy, see why I've just given up on McDonald's altogether!
http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/slideshow/2012/09/13/mcdonald-calorie-surprises/?intcmp=features#slide=1

Sunday - Good Week!

J and I have had a really good week with our running.  I think that it's just about time, but I'll let you know more about that in about a week or so.

I was so excited to have my hubby back, especially yesterday, so that I don't have to run all by myself.  But I actually realized something yesterday..... I don't mind running alone.  It's actually kind of nice from time to time.  I seem to be able to pace myself better when he's not running ahead of me.  But I'll get to a point that it won't matter and I'll be able to run at my own pace, I know that I have to be patient.     What I am glad of is that he was home and I got to spend some time with him just running around doing stuff!  And what stuff are you asking......

Oh, just these two dresses that I found on sale at Belks!  Yeah me!  I actually liked them better on than the one from last week that I tried.  I also got a good deal on some tank tops at the Gap!  I love me some tanks!















Blessings & Running & New Dresses!
Magnolia

Saturday - Another "solo" Run

I ran my last solo run today.  And it was another good run.  I'm running further and faster and not taking but about 3 "walk" breaks.  And when I say "walk" breaks, I mean about 30 seconds of not running.  So completely thrilled that these last two weeks that I didn't chicken out with J being gone.  God gets all the glory for getting me up out of the bed and dressed!  And I even got out there before 7am and I didn't have anywhere to really be until noon!  Yeah me.  It also kept me from worrying so much with J on the road driving home.  God knows best!

I do have a prayer request this week.  A friend of mine, from grade school, her mother has cancer and has been going through chemo treatments, but her white blood cell count was not where it needed to be for the next round so they've had to stop treatment for now until they can get it back up.  I've been told that the cancer at this point is in-operable. That is all I know right now, but please say prayers for her and her mother.  They are special people.

And not to let you go without a "good" thing this week.....

This dress is super duper cute!  I tried it on today at Belk's.  It really does look better in person.  The only thing is that it is quite klingy, so if you've got a bump or two it's not going to look to hot.  The only reason that it didn't come home with me is that it wasn't on sale!  Oh how I can't wait until it does.  I think that I might have to wait a while since it's part of the Fall Collection!










Blessings & Hubby's Home!
Magnolia

Saturday - On My Own

Today was my first solo run.  J is out of town for work, so I decided that I'd go solo.  And I'm really proud of myself.  I could have chickened out, considering that I had to get out there about an hour earlier than normal since I had a hair appointment at 10am.  But I was determined that I could do this solo.  I'm so glad that I could prove myself right, at least every once in a while.  My run went better than I ever expected.  One reason is that last Sunday the sermon really struck a cord with me and J.  It  was about "AND".  You done "X".... "AND"?  It really makes you think about a lot of things that you could really do.  And that's really when I decided that if I were ever going to run the Cooper River Bridge run that I had to get serious about my running.  I mean, serious, running further and faster.  Have good runs and not just runs that were okay.  So I decided that I had to push myself, and not listen to that little voice that tells us "I'm tired" or "I think my legs are starting to hurt", I had to take the attitude "Mind over matter" and trust God like never before.  And then I got to thinking, okay "And" why am I going to do this, was it just for the Bidge Run??? And then it hit me, there are lots of charities out there that have 5K or 10K runs that are so worthwhile.  So that is the goal, run some of those for charity.  And for now that's my "AND" Goal.  So please pray that I stay focused and committed and not chicken out and definitely not listen to that voice in my head.  

And yes, my hair does look GREAT!  Thank goodness, it was really starting to get on my nerves something terrible.  And not to mention after a 4 miler today, I needed to chill out and it helped pass the time since J was gone.  The weekends are the worst.  And if I might mention, I ended up at Talbots and bought 2 belts for a total of $22!  And a "S" at that, I never thought on any planet that I would ever wear a small!!!  God is Good my friends.

Blessings & "AND",
Magnolia

Saturday - Touch Run

J and I went for our weekly dam run, and boy was it tough today.  The temps were in the low 80's and the humidity was at 90%, and that was at 7:30am this morning!  Oh the joys of living in the south.  I'm looking forward to winter when it's in the 40's and it's snowing up north!  HA!  I should be careful for what I wish for, might just snow here, and then we'd be stuck.  Anyways, I had a really good 1st mile, but it was pretty slow going the end of the 2nd mile.  I just felt drained at about 3 miles, but had to keep pushing.  Like I said, TOUGH!  So enough of my whining!
After getting cooled off and showered, J and I went to Zesto's here in town.  It's been in business for like 40 years and I've never been.  So today we ventured the 7 miles from our house to try it.  Well all I can say is that I won't be going back for their chicken strips again, not very tasty.  But we will be going back for the icecream.  My small chocolate dipped vanilla cone was outstanding!  Just what I wanted after our run this morning.  You know, sometimes you just have to splurge!  And then off to EarthFare we went to check out the organic wares.  We ended up getting some handmade ravioli for lunch tomorrow.  Can't wait to try those.  J also picked up some granola to eat with his yogurt in the mornings and I picked up some nutrition bars so that I can start eating something when I first get up.  I'm particularly bad about not eating early when I get up.  I usually wait about 4-5 hours before my first meal, which I know messes up my metabolism.  Not to mention, I need to eat more calories on a daily basis.  Wow, that is something that never thought that I'd say.  But there you go.  I'm burning way more than I'm eating right now.  So we'll see how they work out!  Well that's about it right now.  Have a great rest of the day/weekend.

Blessings & Prayers for less Humidity!
Magnolia

Saturday - Another Good "Dam" Run

J and I have been really making a commitment to run the dam every Saturday morning.  I don't even mind getting up early.  I just know God is wanting me to do this with J, so I'm listening Lord!  And we had another good run this morning.  The humidity was terrible, but there was a slight breeze thank goodness.  And I'm getting a little better each run.  I really am so excited about running outside.  Hopefully there is a 5K in my near future and I can't wait!  And my headaches are not so much of an issue any longer.  I'm drinking water with my coffee before we run and taking a couple of Advil afterwards, that seems to be doing the trick for now.  Hopefully no more headaches after outside runs.  And for anyone who prayed for my headaches -- thank you, I appreciate it and I know that your prayers had a huge part in reducing/eliminating them.

Blessings & Keep Moving,
Magnolia

Thursday - kinda sore

Sore Achilles, sore knee, sore hip! But I've been having some great little 3 mile runs. God is good my friends! Maybe the soreness is to remind me I'm human!

Blessings,
Magnolia

Saturday - DId it Again & Some Good Things

So J and I ran the dam again and my time keeps getting better a little at a time.  It's just a whole different animal than running on a treadmill.  But, so far, so good.  A far cry from where I started almost 2 years ago when I could hardly do a mile in 25 minutes.  I can't even begin to thank God enough for what he's done in my like and with my body.

Now on to some of my "Good Things" that I've come across recently......

I'm loving this liquid eyeliner.  I've alway been more of a pencil type girl but I have a smudge line half way through the day on my eyelid from it. That about drove me crazy.  I've tried other liquid and gel liners that you put on with a brush but I hated having to clean the brush everytime I used it.  So I asked the nice salespeople at the new Sephora here in town and they recommended several pen liquid liners and I decided on this one.  And it's been really great so far.  I just have to keep working on my application so that the line doesn't get to thick!!!

These capris by the Gap are my all time favorite so far.  I love the yoga pants that have this foldover waist so I decided to try the capris.  I now have two pair and plan on buying a few more.  They are comfy and don't slide even when I'm running or lifting weights.  They also wash well and don't shrink in the dryer!  Great buy if you can get them on sale, which I did this past week.  Even if they aren't on sale, they are way cheaper than some other brands at the sporting goods store.

Well that's it for now.

Blessings and Great Things,
Magnolia

Saturday - Another "Dam" Run

So J and I went and ran the dam near our house this past Monday for his birthday (3.6 miles).  And I was scared to death, of what I'm not sure, no confidence in my ability or just the unknown, but I made it though the run.  In fact when we were done J asked if I might want to do this on a regular basis, and I shocked the mess out of him by saying, I think that maybe we should try it once a week.  So today started our once a week "dam" run.  And I was still a little nervous, I mean there were tons more people out there today that Monday.  But I (with the Lord's help), actually ran a better time than Monday.  And that's after 3 other treadmill runs this week, so that totals 5 workouts this week!  WOW!  And to think that I might actually be looking forward to doing it again next week!  I think I'm officially CRAZY!  Oh well, I guess I'll be healthy and CRAZY!

Blessings and Keep Going,
Magnolia

Sunday - Explanation

So as you could tell, God finally said YES!  I ran my best on Friday (with the Lord's help).  So what's next, keep running of course.  In fact, J wants to go run the dam tomorrow morning for his birthday.  I must really love him or I'm crazy!  Probably a little bit of both!  Ha!  It's actually kind of exciting but I'm a lot scared too, so hopefully the adrenaline will help.

Blessings & Keep Going,
Magnolia

Friday - Yes!!

Today God said YES!!

Blessings & Grateful,
Magnolia

Sunday - Clarification

I know that Friday's blog entry was a little cryptic.  As you all know, I do a "little" running about 4 days a week.  I run to better my distance in a certain amount of time and I've gotten so close lately to a certain mileage, but it's not time for me to get there yet.  So God said no, right now.  And I'll keep doing what he's been telling me to do here and he'll answer it, in his time, not mine.

So this weekend was HOT!  109 degrees was way too hot for any human being.  So J and I spent a lot of time in doors.  I turned into Duncan Hines and baked my first, from scratch, chocolate sheet cake.  I'm proud to say that it tastes just like my Mom's!  I'm getting better with the baking thing, although, I don't eat it after that first bite.  I just like to bake and then take a small taste to make sure that it's edible.  Oh well, more for J and my co-workers.  Today was one of those normal, church, Publix & laundry days.  Nothing too exciting except the thunderstorms that just rolled through.

So how was your weekend?

Blessings,
Magnolia

PS.  Remember that just because you don't know, people are noticing what you're doing.  A couple of sisters that go to our church started talking to us at the grocery store today and wanted to know about how I lost all my weight....opportunity presented.....my honest answer was watching what I eat, exercise and lots and lots of prayer.  Always remember someone might be watching!

Friday - not today

God didn't say yes, he just said not today. And you know what??? I'm good with that. We have one awesome God!

Blessings,
Magnolia

Wacky Wednesday!

I thought I'd talk about a couple of things that I like.  Random things.

Facial Wipes - I prefer the ones from Wal-Mart made by Equate

These wipes are great at removing the bulk of your makeup and not leaving some crazy residue on your face.  And for about $6 per two pack, they are a great price.






Thermal Protectant for Your Hair - TIGI S Factor Flat Iron Shine Spray

This stuff is the BOMB!  I keeps your hair shiny without weighing it down and protects it from the flat iron's heat.  It's not cheap at about $30 a bottle, but the bottle will last a while, on average about 4-5 months for me and I use it every morning!  So over time the upfront investment isn't so bad.












And with Summer coming on in a hurry...

Foundation - Merle Norman Lasting Foundation

I've been using Merle Norman for a while now, especially their foundation.  I love this foundation, you can't beat it in the summer when it's hot out and it seems the first things to run are your foundation and mascara.  This foundation is light but has great coverage and when they say lasting they mean it.  And the best thing is that I don't have to touch it all day, not even for a powder touch up!  And this small tube will last a good 4-5 months at least!  Great stuff.  And as far as price goes I think it's around $30 - $35.





So that's it for your Wacky Wednesday.  I think I might do this every week!

Blessings,
Magnolia

Sunday - Weekend Recap

After several more weeks of "crazy", I think that I've finally gotten back into a grove of sorts.  I did have to re-arrange my workouts last week for my hair appointment, but that's not a huge deal.  So what's been up lately, Memorial Day, a funeral, niece in from California, and a business trip.  I think that's it in a nutshell.  I have decided to try and do better with updating my blog though (how many times have a say that ;)).  I'm going to try a different format this week, and if anyone other than myself is reading, I hope that you like it....So........

Here's the weekend recap.  Since I moved my hair appointment to Thursday, J and I had the whole day Saturday to do whatever we wanted.  So we took a little drive to the country, okay, maybe not the country, but close.  We drove out to Batesburg-Leesville for some barbeque from our favorite place.  I'd been exceptionally good this week with my diet and exercise, so it was a treat for me and J.  Yummy pulled pork barbeque, cream corn, rice and sweet milk gravy......ah....makes my mouth water just thinking about it again.  Of course, it was the only thing that we both ate yesterday.  I mean I couldn't hardly breathe when I left, I was that full!  We then headed back through the country to civilization and ran some errands.  The grocery store, the sporting goods store and Sonic for a cool drink.  Sunday was a pretty typical day for J and I.  Church, Publix, lunch, laundry and movies.  And so here I am, finally updating the blog.  Hopefully I can get back into the habit.

Blessings,
Magnolia

Getting back in the grove

After two weeks of a crazy schedule I'm finally back to a fairly normal routine. Thank goodness. Anyone who knows me knows that I like things to be scheduled and when a thunderstorm or unexpected death happens I get really antsy. Why because my schedule is way off. I think God does this to remind us who's in charge. And that I'm okay with. My schedule is his schedule. And I have to remind myself that from time to time. Or I have God to remind me.

Blessings,
Magnolia

Sunday - Some of My Favorite Things

I have said in the past that I would not list my "diet", but from time to time I have thrown out some items that I like.  So here are some more of my favorite things that are low in calories, healthy and delicious.

 The Cracker Chips keep me from craving chips that are high in fat and calories.  I actually eat the Sea Salt variety of these but you can choose the flavor that you like.  And 27-30 chips per serving is more than plenty to keep you from craving nachos or Doritos.

 I'm not much of a canned soup eater.  Mostly because I've never been able to find one that is as good as home made.  Until now.  I'm a huge fan of the Vegetable Beef and Pot Roast.  I do add a little Onion Salt and hot sauce to these, but they are really good and with only around 250 calories per can, they can keep the calorie count down at lunch or dinner.  But be careful with canned soups if you have to watch your sodium intake.

So these are a few of my favorite things.  I eat the chips just about every night with a sandwich and the soup I eat about once or twice a week.  

Blessings & Favorites,

Magnolia

Sunday - Inspiration

J mentioned something to me the other day and it's taken a while for it to sink in.  He said that I had inspired people to lose weight and/or be healthier.  I can't even imagine myself inspiring anyone, I just live my life and try my best to do what God would have me to do.  Sometimes I think that I succeed, sometimes I think I fall short.  But I keep going and pray.  Pray for guidance, forgiveness and strength.  I am definitely not praying so that I can inspire someone else.  Although, now that I've thought about it, maybe I should be.  Just what we've done Lord so that it can help/inspire others.  And unknowingly, I inspire myself to keep going, to keep doing what God wants me to do, not necessarily what I want to do.  So my prayer tonight is Lord, please give me guidance and strength so that through your will, we can inspire others to achieve their fitness goals.  And forgive me my shortcomings, when I fall sort of your will for my life.  
So when you think that someone is not looking, think again.  You just could be that person's inspiration.  Or they could be yours.

Blessings & Inspiration,
Magnolia

Tuesday - Portion Control

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/thumbnails/0,,20405321,00.html

Great article for anyone not just diabetics. And portion size is the key to eating healthy. I'll admit when I finally realized what correct portion sizes were I was shocked. Gives you something to really think about.

Blessings,
Magnolia

Monday - Better

The old hips are better today. Did my usual run and then some biking. There were a couple of minutes that I thought they might start hurting. But I made it. Of course there was a lot of prayer going on. And I'm back to my normal weekly diet. Thank goodness. My salad at lunch tasted so good!!! I'm hopeful that I can get in another run tomorrow without pain. Pray for me!

Blessings & Old Hips,
Magnolia

Sunday - Birthdays

I am now 365 days away from 40! Yep 40! It will probably take about that long for it to sink in. Some days I still think that I'm in my 20s. Friday was not one of those days. I pushed myself so that the week of my birthday I could be proud of myself and say that I did 20+ miles this week. But my body showed it's age and about 3/4 of the way through Friday's run, my hip sort of "snapped" and started to ache. I can say that I finished my run, but only because God stepped in and kept me going. Needless to say I took some drugs and have been nursing it the entire weekend. It's been normal today, so hopefully I'll be able to get back at the workouts tomorrow. At least I hope so considering all the birthday cake etc. I've eaten the last couple of days. Oh well, you only have one a year and I heard somewhere that calories don't count on your birthday (ha! I wish!). So Happy (Almost 40) Birthday to me!

Blessings,

Magnolia

Easter Sunday

I LOVE Easter! I love what it means, love the traditions, love the time of year....I love everything about it. This is one holiday that has not been over commercialized (relative to Christmas that is). J and I started out the weekend with doing some errands on Friday and then hit the gym, Saturday, we did the grocery store thing, ate at a wonderful mom & pop pizza place that was new for us, and watched a movie. Today was church, Easter lunch and a long walk at River Front Park. The weather has been amazing!

But the most important thing today is that we are all renewed. Meaning that when Jesus died on the cross, we all get a "do over". I know that might sound trivial, but it's the best way to describe what happened. Of course, we get the ultimate "do over". And I am so incredibly grateful that we do. All of us have reasons to need forgiveness. I need it every single day, and it took me a really long time to realize that. I also, realized I need God's grace and mercy and help every single day and because Jesus died on the cross for me, I can go to him every single day and know that his forgiveness, grace and mercy is there, always.

Blessings & Happy Easter,

Magnolia

Sunday - Praying for others

I talked about how upset I get when I see obese people. Well today I was In a Starbucks out of town and this cute woman walked in. She was talking loudly and I overheard her say she was 32. Way too young to be as big as she was. Standing there waiting on J I almost walked over to her and said "I was you 1 1/2 years ago." But I'm pretty sure that might not have been a good thing. So instead I prayed. Prayed that God would give her inspiration to become healthy. And for God to also give her patience and courage. I'm thinking the later of the two options may get more results. So for now that's what I've decided to do when I start getting irritated about stuff.

Sunday - Confession

I have a confession....I get really upset when I see overweight /obese people, especially young people. I really just want to scream at them, and tell them what they are doing is just awful. For example, I was out shopping at lunch the other day and saw a couple with their little girl that was probably no older than about 3 and both parents were obese. All I could think was that the little girl had no chance. She was surely destined to have terrible eating habits. Last weekend, I saw an obese woman eating at a buffet, she was eating when J and I got there and was still eating when we left, and I mean that each plate was just as full as the last one. The worst thing was that her husband and son were normal sized. I wanted to ask her if she wanted to be around for them in 10 years. I know that it may not be very Christian of me to think this way but most times I can't stop myself. I think it mostly comes from knowing that it can be done, loosing weight and changing your life style. You have to make some decisions that are not easy. Changing eating habits, exercising, none of it is easy or sometimes enjoyable, but so very rewarding. And I also think it might be God's way of reminding me how far he and I have come in this journey and how much further I have to go. So I have decided that each time I get upset, I'll pray for that person and myself...so that I can continue to do what God wants me to to and he can do what I can't......

Blessings & Confessions,

Magnolia

Wednesday - so upsetting

Just watched the Dr Oz show on proana. See these women who are anorexic is scary and sad. It is very irritating. Please if you are so consumed by what you eat and how thin you are seek help.

Magnolia

Thursday - Some common sense!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2108360/Yes-CAN-think-thinner-.html

This to me sounds much more logical that pumping you body full of pills! But I will tell you from experience, this route will take tremendous patience and dedication.

Blessings & Common Sense,
Magnolia

Monday - A Favor

Please do me a favor and before you try any diet supplements or weight loss drinks, do your research. I'm not telling you what to do, but I will tell you that I am so not a supporter of these types of weight loss programs. If you are taking vitamins or minerals that's one thing. I take, B-12, E, C and Omega 3 vitamins everyday. If a program offers weight loss with no changes to your diet or exercise program, please be very skeptical. Also, fasting is something that scares me. Answer this, how can a body function for a period of time on lemon juice, water and pepper? Let me answer that for you -- it can't. These 21 day fasting diets for me are a big NO! There are just so many other ways/diets/better eating habits that are more healthy for you. And as much as I hate to tell you this, exercise, exercise, exercise. It's so important. So please do me a favor before you start taking pills for weight loss, do your research.

Thanks for listening to me rant today!

Blessings,

Magnolia

Sunday - 3 Years Ago Today

Exactly 3 years ago today, about 10 minutes ago, my sister called to tell me that my Dad went home to be with the Lord. I fell to my knees and cried for a few minutes, picked myself up and started to pack my things. The 2 1/2 hour trip seemed like a dream and the several hours after we arrived were heart wrenching. I remember it like it was yesterday. But along with those memories, the good memories of my Dad have slowly come back into full focus for me. The little things that he did and said. Those are the memories I cherish and I am beyond grateful that God has given them back to me. So today I am celebrating my Dad's meeting the Lord and my memories of a man that I love beyond measure.

Blessings & Memories,

Magnolia

Friday - Thick-Headed

Yep, thick-headed, that's me. God has been telling me for 2 days that there are certain things that don't deserve me getting upset over. And I'm thick headed and didn't take the hint, well I did, but it didn't last long. So God being persistent, had to keep telling me over and over. Do I finally get it, I'm pretty sure that I did, or at least I hope so this last time.

So what else. Well I've been addicted to Smoked Gouda lately. 2 slices only has 100 calories and I usually eat it with my turkey sandwich at supper time. If you're a cheese freak like I am, try it, I tend to buy the Boar's Head fresh cut from the deli, but you can get it in precut slices. I know that you'll love it. That's it for now. Off to fix some soup tonight after a long workout today. Have a great weekend!

Blessings & Open Minds,

Magnolia

Sunday - Back at Last

Yes, I've been out of touch for a little while, but I'm back. Last week I was out of town on business, which completely wiped me out. Standing at a convention for hours on end, and then dinners with customers can wear you out. I did manage to workout once while I was away, which was no really as much as I wanted to. But on the good side, I didn't eat myself silly either, which would have been really easy with all the food they were serving at lunch and cocktail hour. Thank goodness for small miracles. I did get a bunch of "wow, you look great" and I tried to be humble, hopefully that is the feeling that came across. And when asked how I did it, well I had to tell the truth and say I prayed, a lot. Which by the way, I still do, daily - sometimes hourly! So I hope that in some way I gave God the glory that he so deserves in my "transformation".

So today, it has been back to reality, church, lunch, gym and laundry. I am so thankful for my everyday chores. And of course, I feel much better. My shins didn't bother me today, so maybe I was supposed to take it easy last week. Only God knows and I'm trusting him to let me know what to do.

So what have you been up to in the last couple of weeks?

Blessings & Glad to be Home,

Magnolia

Monday - Accountability

So I said that this blog made me accountable. So I'm going to tell you all that I had candy at work on Thursday of last week. Not a whole day full thank goodness, but some none the less. 4 o'clock rolled around and well what can I say but the Skittles were calling my name and resisting was not in the cards. So what have I done since well I picked myself up and got back on the horse. And prayed of course. So by no means am I perfect. And I just needed to be truthful.
Now onto other things. How about Tim Tebow!!! I love that guy. I love his faith and his ministry. So.....Go Broncos!!!

Blessings,
Magnolia

Wednesday - Back to Work

I've been back at work for the last couple of days and guess what.....you guessed it.....no candy. Yeah!! Praying that the trend that started last year continues this year.

Blessings
Magnolia

Just a Quick recipe

http://caloriecount.about.com/skinny-soup-recipe-r39790

I haven't tried this recipe yet but it looked pretty good. You could easily add some sliced chicken breasts to this with very little added calories.

Have Fun!

Magnolia

Monday - Much Better

I am feeling much better today. Just knowing that all the "bad" food is out of the house and that I haven't eaten it has taken a load off of my shoulders. Just to be clear, I was feeling really rotten about myself and my eating choices lately. I am one of those people that if food is in the house and close at hand, I'm going to eat it. Especially if it's really great bites sized goodies. You/I think that I can eat just one, but oh no, before I know it I've eaten half a dozen bite sized goodies. I will say that God looks out for the goofy (me) and keeps me on track, or should I say keeps my body on track. I know that I did not get back into my pants on my own. I know that it may sound strange to some, but God does work in mysterious and wonderful ways and I am so thankful that he does. So, I am feeling much better today. And just to add to that, I straightened my closet up and did a little time in the gym. Now back to work tomorrow after being off for about 1 1/2 weeks. Can't wait to see how many emails are waiting for me!

Blessings,

Magnolia

2012 - Out With the Old

Yes, out with the old. J and I threw out all of the "bad" stuff that has been hanging around since Christmas. Cookies, cake and leftover munchies. All gone. Thank goodness. We also started this year off with church, a run in the park and of course a trip to Starbucks for some Green Tea Lemonade. Not bad if you add that to J fixing my shower head and me doing 3 loads of laundry. Not so bad if you ask me and it's still early! Not even 7pm yet. Hopefully I can get another bit of energy and mark a couple more things off the "to do" list. Wish me luck!

Blessings & No More Bad Stuff,

Magnolia