The best there is

"I don't want soccer to be over! I want to win more games!"

She thinks for a moment.

"Not that I want the other team to lose, I just like getting better and better. I want to be the best there is!"

~Sophie Clark, 2012

Eli fights fires

Eli is famous. For today. It's fire week everyone! Eli's class got a visit from the fire department today. Eli's words tonight are: "Firefighter. BAAAAD. Hot. Ouchie ouchie ouchie." He's got it down.

Check this out: www.beautifulbeginnings.info

Or for when the link is no more....here he is.

Like two milk jugs

When I used to work post cath patients, we'd tell them not to carry anything over ten pounds. We likened it to carrying two full milk jugs. Don't carry anything heavier than two full milk jugs.

In poundage, I've lost two full milk jugs my friends. The big 10.

Last time I compared my weight to hamburger, but I don't think I've ever bought 10 lbs. of hamburger at once. We're more of a 3 lb. family.

Anyway, my clothes fit nicely now and my jeans are a little baggy. This is a nice place to be, but I think I'll keep going?

I've got 4 more milk jugs to lose by this time next year.

Experiment: let's see how the holidays go. What will Livestrong.com do if I type in "candycane cookies" for every meal?

I'll let you know.

Olivia writes about Fall

Olivia's been featured in this week's newsletter from her 4th grade class! She wrote about Fall. Here it is:

Explode the Moment
Fall Fitness Walk – October 3rd
By Olivia

The leaves sparkled as their colors are hit by the sun, it
amazed me. The leaves were like a shower as they
landed in Mrs. Cooper’s (her teacher) hair! The leaves rustle in the wind
like flying spaceships gliding through space. Feel the wind
blow mildly on your face. Hear the wind chimes cling
together. Touch the cool grasses. See the leaves scattered
in yards with bright colored pumpkins waiting to be full of
light. I listen to the birds chirping with excitement like I do. I
felt like I would die if we didn’t have another day like this.

8

It's funny.....the only key broken on my keyboard is 8. That probably doesn't count as reason for a new laptop does it? No. It doesn't, Mel. It doesn't.

8 is the number of pounds I've lost this month! Wahooooooo!!! This leaves 22 lbs. left of my goal to lose 30 lbs. in my 30th year.

I chose a pound a week as my goal and have surpassed that so far. That being said, I've worked hard to lose weight many many times in my life. What makes this time any different? What DOES make this time any different? I ask myself this every day.

I'm still formulating the answer actually. I don't really know. But I think it has something to do with setting attainable goals. Like not choosing 80 lbs. in two months as my goal, as I may have set in previous years prior to a wedding or something. There's that pesky 8 again.

Yes, so far:

1. Attainable goals. 

Failure does not happen overnight. The sun rises on a new day. So, if I ate pizza last night, this does not mean my whole life is over the next day and my whole plan goes out the window and all my weight is back. Nope. It doesn't. I'm paying attention to my mind and my body this time.

2. Livestrong.com. 

I'm tracking my calories and fitness throughout each day. It tells me exactly where I'm at for the day and what else I can have for the remainder of the day. And I get more if I work out more. Deal! Plus, as I've mentioned before, that site is F-R-E-E.

3. Stop drinking 500 calorie coffee drinks at Panera. 

Booohooohoooohooohoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Tears flow like wine on this one.

This one hurts. But I have been making some sweet concoctions at home with a little almond milk and a dash of creamer and a bit of rediwhip. WAMBAM! 1/4 of the calories and only a little sorrow of what was lost. 

 Ok, I'm not listing these things up here because I'm now a weight loss guru er something. Oh my, no waaaay. I'm listing them to remind myself come this Thanksgiving what my plan was and how to get back on track. Attainable goals, Mel. Attainable goals.

Anyway, 8 lbs. I'm excited. That's a lot of hamburger. (That's the only thing I regularly buy in pounds).

Go September!!!!