My first day back to school went pretty well. I saw a bunch of friends before randomly so that was nice. I got to class and within a few min the fire alarm went off so we had to evecuate. After about an hour they let us back in. Apparently someone popped their popcorn a little too long and it set off the smoke detector to the largest building on campus, over 1000 people were evacuated. We finally got back in and got our schedule for the class. The sad yet cool part is because of the budget cuts some of this class is going to be online. There was one soccer and baseball thing for the kids that overlapped and we weren't sure what we were going to do. Luckily that one day is one of my cancelled classes becasue of the cuts.
Diet wise I was really busy yesterday so I actually had a hard time getting my points for the day. I ate in the morning but then between w.w. meeting and our new washer delivered, kids homework, and me going to school I ended up eating dinner at 10pm. I am going to be working on not making that a habit.
I am off to another class tonight. I have heard mixed reviews on the teacher. I get the idea that he is good but a hard grader. Either way I am not too worried.
Well off to deal with the day.
Ali

I weighed in this morning thinking that 3-4 pounds would be awesome as a first weeks lose. Well I didn't lose 3-4 pounds I lost 7.2 !!!!! I was kind of floored because I ate like crazy and still lost. The meetings to me are the key. I don't weigh myslef all week and it's like the big reveal of how I have been doing.
This weekend was fun and interesting. We had Cody's soccer game on Sat. and my in laws came to watch. The team did awesome and won. After soccer we had an open house for a good friend and I ate but was so careful. I felt kind of deprived because they had all these yummy looking cookies. I got a cup and filled it with fresh fruit. It was so good and I felt awesome that I didn't give in and eat the cookie. Sat. night we went to church so that Sun we could sleep in.
Sunday I spent almost the entire day shopping for a new washing machine. We bought a new washer 2 years ago but it broke and the part to repair it with labor was more then a new machine. I am a bargain shopped and ended up with a $599 machine for $424 after price matching and talking them into free delivery since we bought our old machine from them. I just about gave up on getting a new washer but finally got all that I wanted in one place at the right price. Whoohoo.
Well I am off to get ready for my first evening back to school. I am not thrilled with the idea of going back to school but I am sure I will be fine once I get into the swing of it.
Have a good Monday,
Ali

Good Friday Everyone,
Well I have made it through 5 days of W.W. and so far so good. I had a major sugar need yesterday so I ate a fun size Snickers and then realized that it wasn't as good as I thought it would be in my mind. I would have much rather had an entire bag of kettle corn for the 2 points. I feel so much more energetic during the day when I am eating healthy. When sleepy time comes I sleep so much better. I don't feel like I am losing yet so I am hoping that the scale moves when I weigh in on Monday. The true test will be the weekend and then weighing in Monday at 9am.
So funny story for the day
We took all of the boys to get haircuts last night. It was the first time I didn't just tell the lady what they wanted. Garrett found the haircut books and picked a short spiky look that is pretty much what he already had his entire like but spiked a little differently. Pj went with the typical bowl cut that Shawn loves on him. No Cody was a mess. Me looked at the book for am hour. He wanted a mullet, no. Next he wanted blond and purple highlights that you have to use a hair iron to get the look. He cried because we would let him do what he wanted. He finally found a long spiky, messy look that we all agreed on. This morning he realized that they cut off his long hair. How he didn't realize last night when he saw her cutting the hair is beyond me. All in all it was an eventful night. Lesson - next time you go to the salon take a look at the mens hair cut books, they are hilarious. Shawn and I laughed at the guys for an hour. So bad!.
Have a great weekend and I will post after my weigh in on Monday.
Ali

I have made it through 2 days of W.W.
I decided to make dinner at 4 again yesterday so that is was ready when we all got home from baseball. When we got home Shawn gave me a look. I made broccoli beef stir fry with rice. Lets just say that it wasn't good at all after sitting. The meat got tough and the veggies fell apart. We threw it away and went to In n Out. I stuck on plan and was able to have a hamburger without spread and 1/2 of an order of fries. Yummy.
All in all the diet is going really well. I went to the market and picked up a few things I might not normally get. I found cranberry almond popcorn that is super yummy and preportioned in 2 pt. bags. I bought a ton of yogurt to make sure I am getting my milk in. I am trying to be smart and do this diet without eating "diet" food, If I am going to make this a lifetime then I have to eat foods I like.
I think I am going to redo the design of the website today. I need something a little more upbeat when I sign on at 6am.
Have a really good day,
Ali

Yesterday morning I was looking on the W.W. website and was trying to decide between online or going to meetings. I happened to look at when and where the meetings were and the closest one started in 30 min. I jumped up, threw on clothes, no makeup, got PJ dressed and ran out the door. I am signed up for 2 months of w.w. prepaid. I got all the new books and learned the new plan. I am excited with going to meeting and seeing how I do. The bad news is my meeting is Monday at 9am so no weekend oops.
So yesterday went well. I made dinner at 4pm so that when we got home from baseball and soccer it was ready in the oven. We got home at 7:30 and ate as a family at the table. Normally when we are on the run after practice we stop and grab food on the way home. It was a nice ending to the day.
I love the program because you can eat. I ate my popcorn and granola bars. Yummy but a nono on low carb. So 1st day went well.
I am going to weigh in each Monday so I will post here either Monday or Tues. Yesterday at my meeting fully clothes with shoes I was 198. Ouch! The good thing is I am already lighter today. Have a good rest of the day,
Ali

Good Morning everyone.
I'm back!!!
I have spent the last few months as me time. I took time to reorganize my house (which had gotten out of control while I was in school full time), spent time setting up routines (bedtime, bible study, clean ups before bed), getting myself and my house prepared for another round of school. We are in church full time, baseball, soccer, life is just full time non stop. I figure is I can't lose weight now then at no time will I be able to lose weight.
Everytime I go on a diet I get frusterated that it goes so slowely. I usually go to my old reliable weight loss plan of lose quickly and can't keep it off. I am ready this time to take time and do it right. I am going to do weight watchers yet again but this time I am going to stick with the points I should be having not less to lose faster. I am at 25 points a day. I am going to work on making better lifelong livable choices rather than quick and not lifelong. I am signing up for weight watchers but I am thinking about signing up for the online version instead of $14 a week it is $65 for 4 months. I figure if I pay for 4 months I will commit for that long. 4 months also happens to get me within a few weeks of my 32 birthday. Ouch 32!!!
With all that said I weighed in at 194. back up to where I was before I lost all the weight for my graduation. I just can't keep going up and down like I have been, it has got to be hard on my body not only physically but mentally. I am ready for a change and this time I am going to make it slow and steady. I am not going to aim for 4 pounds a week I will be thrilled with 1-2 if I still get to eat like a human and not a carnivore.
So if you have any Weight watcher advice of recipies I would love to hear them. Thanks for all the continued support.
Ali

I have been very frusterated the last few weeks with school. I was upset that it was going to take me two years to finish. Funny thing is I kept praying about if teaching is what I am supposed to be doing and feeling frusterated because I felt like I wasn't getting any answers. I had a heart to heart with Shawn last night and he was laughing at me. He explained that he was a little upset at first because of the extra expense but how now he is ok with it all. He explained that I just wasn't seeing what God was trying to show me. Here I am trying to figure out my future when God is saying "Ali I have given you everything you have asked for. You get to go to school while being a Mom. You don't have to put PJ in daycare fulltime because you won't be working full time until he is in 1st grade". I was upset about not passing part of my cset and said well maybe God doesn't want me to teach and this is a sign. Now I know that is was because if I had passed none of his plans would have worked out. Funny how once it is put into perspecive for you, you begin to see how obvious it is that he was listenening all along, even before you were talking to him about it.
I still feel that there is a bigger picture for Shawn and I and I would love to see where he is going to take us. I am looking at our home Bible study as a springboard for much bigger things he has in store.
I know that I am not ready to hear God's audible voice, that would really freak me out. I am however really going to work on not seeing things as coincidence. Everything will fall into place.
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
So true, Have a great day,
Ali

I owe you all a HUGE apology. I was supposed to post on the first and I didn't and for that I am sorry.
I have had the last few weeks from Hell. 2 weeks ago my Sister who was 4 months pregnant had a miscarriage and it has been very hard on her family. We have been being supportive but there is only so much you can do in the situation.
I have spent the last 2 weeks getting everything figured out for school. I finally got accepted and registered forclasses and thought I was ready to go. It has taken me many trips to school to sit and wait for them to get their stuff together. Lets just say they are terrible at what they do. On Monday I got a letter saying I was unable to take one of the classes I need Blah, blah, blah let's just say that instead of doing credentials in 1 year like I have planned on I am now being forced to do them in 2 years. Stinks because we bought our house with the plan of me working in 5 years and now it won't be for 6 years so it just messes things up. Anyways life is hard right now and full of undecided ends and I am not sure what to do.
Other then that life is crazy busy and I so need a vacation even though summer just is coming to an end.
The great news with everything is I have time to be a great Mom to my boys for the next year and time to get my house and life in order while going to school only at night.
Ali