See you later 27!

 Another birthday has come and gone and another year has been added to my age. I typically dislike my birthdays, no actualy hate or loath my birthdays is a more appropriate word. I have been known to lock myself in a room or a closet and cry for a period of time. This birthday I vowed to be no different than the others. Everyone cries on their acutal birth day and I like to keep it up for traditions sake. Yet as I celebrated my birthday I decided maybe not to put on as big of pitty party and enjoy it. Take pride in what I have accomplished this past year and all the places I have been. So here is a tribute to 27. You were good to me and I am going to miss you dearly.

My new home in Aberdeen Idaho.

Playing in the leaves.

Perfecting my pizza making skills.

Dabbling with cupcake recipes. These were to die for. Chocolate cupcake with peanut butter frosting!

My attempt at my very own Thanksgiving day dinner. It was pretty amazing.

Survived the first huge snow fall. We were stuck in our house for 6 days as the roads were closed. Cabin fever is a real thing!!

Making graham cracker houses, the cheaper version of gingerbread houses.

Well all the food making had finally caught up to me so I started the flat belly diet. I lost a total of 5 inches, but quickly found them several months later.

This was valentines day. Taresa left for work before I even got up and when we saw eachother at school this is what we saw. Great minds think alike!

Taresa and I were suppose to go cross country skiing. I chickened out, but Taresa was brave and followed through with her word.

Spring break! We were visiting family in California and having lunch at In N Out. I love that place! At least 3 inches were found on this trip!

Having cupcakes in Ladera Ranch at our favorite place Cinnimon productions. I loved this place when I lived there; and have gotten everyone else to love it too. Lily especially loves their hello kitty cupcake.

Donkey Ball. They literally play basketball on donkey's. I feel like this pretty much sums it up.

Enrichment. I was in charge and decided to do cupcakes. Everyone was suppose to decorate a cupcake of themselves. I am on the right and Taresa is on the left if you couldn't tell.

Fenesa's Bridal shower. These are the amazing cupcakes that we got at Bernices Bakery. It is located in Missoula, MT. They were amazing! Especailly the red velvet with cream cheese frosting that was dipped in chocolate.

Sisters!

All the girls together on the McDonald side. Wish my mom was there, I know she was in spirit. Love my family.

Bridgette's baby shower, and attempt at cake decorating.

Went home for the summer and here we are playing at the park with Lily. Good thing no one was there to document me going down the slide. I remember I was reluctant to go down and Lily yelled from the bottom of the slide "What are you waiting for? Get down here NOW!" When I said I was scared she said "Ok I come show you!" What a great little teacher she is.

Dustin's birthday.

Playing at the science center.

More playing at the science center.

Still playing.

We played so much at the science center Lily fell asleep during our picuture opp.

She is one tired girl.

What an amazing year it has been. I have really high expectations for 28. Hopefully it can live up to them.

Running in the rain...

The other night Taresa comes in to the room and says she is going on a run. I begrudgingly say well I need to go for a walk. Taresa decides to hang up her running shoes for the night and come walking with me. Before we go I see that it is a little bit cloudy out and ask "is it raining outside?" Of course Taresa replied with a "Oh no." So off we went. It was a beautiful night and as we reached the top of the first hill I saw lightning off in the distance and a slow drizzle began. We concluded that it felt nice and their was no need to turn around. As we started down the hill the light sprinkle turned into bigger drops. But still nothing to worry about. Before we both knew it, the skies opened and rained down there furry upon us. For the first time in a long time I did something completely out of character. I ran, I ran like I had never run before; in the rain that is. As we rounded the bend and headed down the road a car pulled up beside me as Taresa was a little ways ahead and a young gentlemen asked if I needed a ride. At this point I new I wasn't to far off from home and politely declined. I was flattered that chivalry wasn't dead but I had to make sure that I stuck to my feminine roots. I knew I wasn't sugar therefor I wasn't going to melt. I made it to the hill that lies right before our house. It is a killer I did my best to run up it but at that point I was already drenched so I walked some of it as well. By the time I got home it felt as though I had just jumped into a pool fully clothed. Taresa said it was a run I would never forget, and so that is why we took pictures and I am documenting it to ensure that I never forget. It looks like rain tonight, maybe I will risk it one more time.

Nothing like running in the rain. To bad I was so out of breath I could have been singing in the rain as well.

Proud I made it back alive. I didn't even slip, trip or fall. GLORIOUS!

Hiking the 'M' in Missoula

While in Missoula for trip #2 I thought it would be a good, no GREAT idea to hike to the 'M' on the mountain. I hadn't done it since I was kid and thought it would be a good experience to relieve some of my childhood memories.





This is me before I got onto the trail. Looking up at it as if itwas no problem to hike. Also I was really proud of my tie dye shirt. I did it myself and I was really impressed with it.



Here I am walking the trail, ALOT more difficult then I ever remember it being.



This is where I wanted to stop. The view was good enough for me. I felt like I saw all that I needed to and I was fine to head down the trail.

Yet my sister who like always was there to push me along and to help me keep going up the trail. With reluctance I pushed on. I am only smiling becuase I wanted to make for a good picutre.



The top at LAST. I did it, I didn't think I was going to be able to but I did it.

I actually really ended up enjoying hiking the 'M'. It not only brought back great childhood memories but it also taught me a valuable lesson and that is this: There are going to be adventures that we embark on that we are excited for and fully embrace. Just like me with hiking the 'M', but once we start we realize how difficult it is going to be. We find resting points along the way that when we look out we see the beauty and we think this is good enough. Just as I  thought half way up "this is good enough". Yet if we keep pushing ourselves there is such a better view at the top. Not only do we get to feel the such great sense of accomplishment but we get such a better picture. And along our way there are going to be things that discourage us, people who were twice my age were passing me. At one point I thought I was going backwards. Yet through perservance and a little help and motivation from my sister I made it to the top. What an amazing view it was.



Here is me soaking in the all the beauty and my own awful stench. I was loving every minute of it.



Here is the M in all of it's glory.

Cake Decorating???

While in California my friend Bridgette was having a baby shower. She asked if I would be willing to make a cake for her. You know one of those fancy cakes you see on tv all the time. I was reluctant at first, I had only made one other cake in my life. This was a big project to take on. I decided as a gift to her I would attempt to make a cake. I figured if all else failed I could run to Target and pick out a cute outifit.  I knew I couldn't make this cake alone so I enslisted my sister-n-law to help me. That was probably the best decision I could have made. On the day of cake decorating  all the girls, Nicky, Taresa, Lily and I  jumped in to help. It was such a fun day minus the scare when Lily tried to put her hand through the cake. We were all proud of our finished product. And I am so glad that they were all there to help me complete this. It would have been impossible with out them. Here is a few pics of the finished product.

And after this cake I am officially retiring from the business. Twice is good enough for me.

Goodbye Butter!

I was up late last night making cinnimon rolls for church the next day. I went to go pull butter out of the freezer to use and realized it was my LAST stick. I not only like butter, but I would venture to say I LOVE butter. I love butter on toast, waffles, how it carmalizes onions, on rolls, and especially in and on anything to do with a potatoe. It's at it's best when it is whipped with honey. Since I have started this new lifestyle change, I haven't been really able to eat butter. And as I gave up that last stick of butter this song popped into my head that best summs up my feelings about butter. "At first I was afraid, I was petrified, Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side, But then I spent so many nights just thinking how you did me wrong And I grew strong And I learned how to get along." I WILL SURVIVE." If I have learned anything in these past four weeks it is that I can do anything. I am strong, I can survive the temptation of food and it's ridicoulous hold that it has had on my life for so many years. I am ready to leave it all in the past and start to look forward to an extremely bright future. Thank you to everyone so far for all of your love and support. You help me to keep going and stay on the right path. I know I will survive because I have such loving friends and family who may not taste as good as butter, but are much, much better!

In 4 weeks, I have  lost a grand TOTAL of 5inches off of my belly!!!! I ordered a pair of pants that was 2 sizes smaller than my original starting point. Can't wait for them to get here. Sometimes I just think that I am squeezing myself into a smaller pair, but then I look at my pictures and realize that it is real. I am really shrinking!!! Proof is in the photos.



Week 1





Week 4 (5 inches TOTAL)

AMAZING ISN"T IT?

I love lists!

I love lists. They are short and conciouse and always get straight to the point. You are able to read and understand a lot more in a short period of time. They don't seem to add in all the extra fluff. So here is my week in list form.
1) Completed week 3 of my diet.
2) Had my Martina McBride cd fall into the toaster and well it is toast. (pic below)
3) Went to Red Lobster on Friday. Was able to look up menu before hand so new what to order when I got there.
4) Car broke down.
5) Got AAA, got a tow truck and got the car fixed.
6) Broke my diet on Saturday at Butterburrs. Any resturant with the name BUTTER in it, is worth breaking your diet over.
7) Slipped and fell on the ice for the 3rd time in a month.
8) Found whole wheat pitas!!!
9) Found a great grocery store that carries health food!
10) Lost 1/2 inch this week. I am thinking Butterburrs had something to do with the other 1/2 inch I could have lost.
This week was semi stressful with the car breaking down and me feeling completely helpless on what to do. But if there is one lesson I have learned this week is we all slip and fall and we all get back up. Ice is very good and blending in and sometimes we don't see it coming, and before we know it we are either on our butts or on our face. Either way we get up, we brush yourselfs off and we keep on moving. That is what I learned to do this weekend. Yes the car broke down but luckily I was able to use my smarts pick myself back up and get it taken care of. Well since I am trying to live boldly I have decided to post my side shots this week. They are not pretty but they show results and I am proud of myself for that.



Week 1 (2 1/2 inches lost)




Week 3 (4' total)




Poor Martina Mcbride. Carrie Underwood also dropped in but I was able to save her.




I looked out the window and saw this strange cat sitting on my car. Not sure whether to think of it as a good sign or bad. I guess it depends on how you feel about cats. Bad most likely.



This Week...

1) I completed week 2 of my diet.
2) Completed 2 full weeks of excerise and phase one of "Last Chance Workout".
3) Lived through "Last Chance Workout". There were times where it was pretty touch and go.
4) Got pink eye.
5) Luckily have a friend who's mother is a doctor and they called in a prescription for me.
6) Got to take the day off because I had pink eye and went to Pocatello and bought groceries for the week.
7) Went to Idaho Falls this weekend to go shopping at the mall and target. (An hour and half drive)
8) Got new underwear at Victoria Sectrets semi annual sale.
9) Bought a new pair of pants that were 1 size smaller!!!
10) Went to church and resisted eating the chips at linger longer.
11) Got called as the 2nd counselor in the relief society.
12) Lost 1' off my belly this week to make a grand total of 3 1/2 inches.

It was quite an eventful week for me. I am doing things everyday that are bringing me closer to my goals. I keep in mind that each day is it's own unique challenge, and the choices that I make for that day are important. As I am growing and learning on this journey I continually look for and am able to see the Lord's hand in my life. I feel more blessed  and happy than I ever could have imagined feeling.
Here are a couple of pictures from this week.

                    

 I must say that I am really excited about my new jeans!!

Week 1 (2 1/2' lost)



Week 2 (1' lost)