Do we all have spring fever, or what?

Friday thoughts.

Yes, I like inspiring images just like the rest of you. Yes, I love DIY projects for my own home, yes, I enjoy the friends I have met virtually through blogs and letting my design personna loose via blog writing, and you must know, I'm obsessed with decorating, but...

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after all the blog pictures, inspiration from looking at rooms galore, fabrics, pretty" things" and endless hours of online virtual shopping, getting my own  home "portfolio ready" (which may never happen 100%), and working with clients, there if LIFE.  There are  these people, 

(yes I made them dress up in matching shirts over Christmas, and they will kill me if they see this on the internet) and others near and dear to me that I sometimes don't have time for.  Why not? What is more precious?

Spending time with my husband more than time on the computer, that's more important, or going to the gym with my daughter or doing non-business outings with she and her husband, or visiting my son two hours away (that Ive only done once in 8 months).  Have you ever found that hours on the computer (reading blogs) leads to difficulty "turning it all" off and getting REAL sleep? It happens to me quite frequently.  My husband had to remind me of this.

I've written drafts of posts many times like this and never published them.  Did I think you wouldn't understand or that you only wanted to hear about decorating? Well, all of us have lives outside of our blogs, and the snippets of those lives and letting outsiders "in" is what makes us gravitate towards certain others who do the same. Anyone can post a picture of an inspiring room, but how we relate to the person writing the blog is what I am looking for.  I don't want to be part of a clique, or get caught in the cross fire of people not wanting to be my 'virtual' friend because they didn't like an opinion we shared. Isn't it about being kind to one another and sharing beautiful ideas and images and trying to be original and offer inspiration and not loosing ourselves in the meantime? Be true to yourself, phew---easier said than done.

I love this outlet of blogging and finding like-minded design crazy and artistic people to get to know. There are bumps and bruises along the way I'm finding, and now that we are starting our third year of blogging, we are trying to find balance in all things important to us, personally and in business. 

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Spring is almost here and a wonderful time for renewal and some bright and fresh change. I think we are all a little bored with the rough winter we've had weather-wise.

Tell me, do you want to hear about bloggers personal lives, or just keep it all on 'the surface'? How much should we all share? I for one feel a need to keep it light- but often real life is much heavier than that.  I like 'short and sweet' to read, but that can seem so 'fake'.  What do you think?

Have a great weekend and good luck to Bethany and her Seamus in the dogshow this weekend!

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5 month diet update

Hiya kids, TGIF!  I am a big fan of sharing a little bit inside your world on your blog, so with that, I bring you the third installment of my diet update.  As of last Friday, I officially hit 60 pounds down and I am feeling good!  I'm one step closer to my waxed coat dreams and I just bought a few pairs of pants at The Gap the other day -- a milestone I had been looking forward to for the last few months.  I have a wedding, a vacation and the holidays right around the corner, so a new wardrobe would be great.  But the downside is that I have about 70 more EL BEES to lose before I'm done, so no shopping spree in my immediate future.  My wardrobe is going to be pretty sad for the remainder of the year, but my dreams of a Barbour coat, Patagonia fleece, new jeans and new bras will have to carry me through.  Next year, though, it's on.

PS - thank you to each and every one of you who have written me personal emails or offered encouraging words. My blog friends are arguably as supportive as my real lifers, if not more!  And I can't thank you enough for helping me through some dark and challenging times.  I'm happy to report, I feel like I can do just about anything now!

Diet Update and Daydreaming

I have had years to ponder all of the things I would like to own if I could actually fit my toosh into them.  Years of envying bikinis at the beach, matchstick pants that fit perfectly and even tailored outdoor-wear!  I haven't been able to fit in things from regular stores for such a long time that I've had plenty of time to daydream about the things I would buy if I could.  

And now that I'm 50 pounds down, I am beginning to think I may actually be able to own these things one day! I still have a lot to go, but just being able to fit into jeans from stores other than Lane Bryant is such an incredible boost to my morale!

I am a horse-girl, I need a good Barbour waxed coat.  I had a Barbour quilted jacket about 10 years ago, but only because the men's sizes fit me.  I'd like a Patagonia puffy vest. I also want a decent pair of skinnies.  Gap would be just fine.  But the wash is key.  Being heavy, I've steered away from washes other than dark dark to smooth out my lower half!  I need a good shift for summer, a chunky sweater for winter and definitely some tall boots.  I couldn't do a chunky knit or a puffer before, because I just didn't want to draw any more attention to myself.  Lastly, I could use a sweet nighttime romper.  Nothing too out-there.  I see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Better get to work to afford a new wardrobe!

My next goal is to get 50 more pounds off by the winter. I've been hitting the gym and trying to stay on track, but I can tell my steadfastitude is wearing thin. Fingers crossed 'cuz I want that Barbour!

Diet Update

We finished our 12 step week program!  

I can't believe how quickly it flew by.  I am down 44 pounds from when we started on March 19th, and my husband is down 50 pounds!  We both lost between 16 and 20 inches off of our bodies.  And ERmerGHerd, where does that stuff even go?! I have dropped four pants sizes and let me tell you how incredibly good it felt to buy jeans in a normal store after all this time!

Seamus and I at our show last weekend in Charlottesville, VA.

I am feeling seriously energizing but also anxious about the remainder of weight I have to lose. Because of the strict accountability and structure of the program, I'm feeling a bit nervous off leash.  We're considering signing up for the continuation of the program, if I can scrape up some more buckeroos, so that we can still attend the lectures and exercise classes. Something about seeing those faces every week and making ourselves get up and go to 'fat class', as we appropriately dubbed it, really kept us on track.  Mom, hubster and I have since joined a gym and have been happily attending classes like Step, Yoga, Pilates and Zumba.  I even look forward to relieving some stress after work (who am I??).

You may find me penning more entries about this journey now that I am on my own with it.  As I've said before, I need all the help I can get and this process has taken a village.  A village of supporters who tried not to eat donuts in front of us, who excused us from parties because of our temporary impairment,  who served Crystal Lite in wine goblets to make us feel at ease, who offered encouraging words regarding the decreasing size of my neck rolls, and those who just kept checking in on our progress.  To all of you who have helped us, thank you.  Mind over matter is not an easy thing!

Diet Update

I thought it was time to give a quick update on my diet. I say this with my tail between my legs.  It's not an easy thing to talk about - a total admission that you have a problem.  My hope is by putting this out there it will help me be accountable through the remainder of my journey.  It will be a long one, for sure.

I'm not calling it a life change....yet.  I did this kicking and screaming.  And it takes months to make something a habit. So currently, it's still a diet. I am hoping my life will change and I will view food differently.

Here was me at 23 lbs down.

Here I am before our client visit on Sunday (32 lbs down).

I have lost 32 lbs so far.  My hubby has lost 42. We feel so much better, already!  My plantar fascitis stopped throbbing.  My hips don't hurt.  My pants don't fit - in a good way! The first month we did a liquid-only diet (regulated and monitored by a doctor) and now we're back to real food and couldn't be happier.

I know this is going to sound silly, but Gwyneth's new book 'It's All Good' has been pretty revolutionary in our house.

She was put on an elimination diet by her doctor, and the things she eats now are very similar to the things we are eating on our meal plan. Whether you follow Paleo, or gluten-free living, these principles seem to ring true to us carb-o-holics. So what if she's not a doctor, she looks great and I need healthy recipes for our meal plan - so I'm a believer.

When I decided to throw away all of our regular flour and pasta and the stores of reserves in our pantry, and opted to buy coconut flour, almond meal, millet and brown rice flour - my pocket book was hurting from that shopping trip.  But we just feel so much better!  And look at Gwyneth.  If she can do book-signings and photo shoots sans hair & makeup, I am gonna give this a whirl.

Some of the recipes from her new book that we are loving are the "Candy Bars" and the Grilled Salmon with Grilled Lemon Vinaigrette.

More soon.  As I said, this will be a long journey.  And thank you to so many of you who have reached out via email.  I am so happy to have a big ole group of supporters in my corner. :)