THE GREAT PURGE

I'm a little bit of a pack rat.

That's an understatement.

I'm somewhere between a pack rat and a hoarder.  I have lots of stuff, but no dead cats under my couch. I also have a pretty small apartment, so things were getting kind of cramped.

I had a beautiful bridal shower and I received beautiful things for my home.  As I was unpacking and putting away my gifts, I realized I have TOO MUCH STUFF.  So, in April the GREAT PURGE began.  I started in the kitchen, boxing up mismatched dishes, glasses emblazoned with various beer logos, and plastic handled silverware. I threw out *stuff* that should have been thrown out long ago.

As I moved through the house, I got rid of broken Christmas decorations, cracked laundry baskets, dried up pens. I gave away books and magazines.  I trashed a huge collection of gift bags (why was I holding on to those?).  I've donated a ridiculous amount of shoes, and tossed flops that have lost their flip into the dumpster.

I have clothes ranging from size 4-26 in my bedroom.  Clothes were everywhere.  Some things I gave to family members.  Some things went to Purple Heart, others went to a St. Jude donation box.  A box of nice dress pants is riding around in my car, waiting to be mailed to North Carolina. Now, everything fits into slightly overflowing drawers, or my closet.  I still have some work to do.  I have a HUGE reusable shopping bag that I'm keeping near the dryer, and filling up with clothing that no longer fits or I like.  When the bag fills up, I donate.

When I first started THE GREAT PURGE, getting rid of things left me nervous and anxious. After a few weeks, getting rid of things made me feel like a huge weight was lifted off of me.  It's so much easier to keep an uncluttered space tidy.  I'm going to continue working on this through the summer - I'm hoping that it will keep getting easier.

'Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful'. - William Morris

Current Obsessions

Stuff I like right now, in no particular order.

• Summer vacation
• Victoria's Secret Love Bitten
• Sally Hanson Salon Effects
• St. Ives Firming Body Lotion
• French braids
• Sundresses
• Lemonade
• Tervis tumblers
• Swimming pools
• Strawberries
• Sweet thank you notes from students and their families
• Bikinis
• Flip flops
• My Princess Kate inspired ring from my hubs
• Not being around children unless I choose to be
• The beach
• Girlfriend time
• Fat free French Vanilla Coffee Creamer
• Redbox

Wow!

So life is crazy!  Where have I been?  Well..

My friends threw me an amazing bridal shower!

I had a ridiculously fun bachelorette party.

I married the love of my life!

Had an amazing honeymoon in Maui!

Best week of my life!

Love my hubs!

Ran my first half marathon!

AND finished the two classes I took this semester.  No pics of that!

     It's been a very fun, very busy few months. Looking forward to settling into married life, and finishing off this school year!  Summer!  I'm coming for you!

Farewell

You left but didn't close the door. 
And so we wanted to have more.
 But what we got was less of you, 
the one we loved, the one we knew. 
This bid farewell has lasted years.
So yes, it's sad and we've shed tears.
But now at last you've gone to rest, 
and found your peace. It's for the best. 
In heaven, it's a brand new day. 
There is no more fog to block the way. 
You're once again all that you were, 
and in the light - of that we're sure. 
Though gone, you're with us everyday. 
You're in our hearts, and there you'll stay. 
For no disease or death can still, 
what love recalls and always will.


-Author Unknown

One year ago today...

One year ago today, I spent my Grandaddy's last day on Earth with him.  I rubbed his legs, sang him songs, and tried to encourage him to drink.  That evening, his sick body couldn't take anymore, and he passed on from this world to the next.

I read this at his funeral.

I can't really write anything else.  I just do my best every day to make him as proud of me as I was of him.

So much happening!

I've always been one to have a jam-packed schedule.  In high school, I was in a zillion clubs and after school activities.  I worked full time while going to college.  Now, I've set myself up for an interesting few months.

I'm working, of course, doing the teacher thing, and I'm one of the yearbook club sponsors.  This is the time of year for yearbook to be in full swing!

I just started taking classes again - because being an awesome teacher is important to me!  I'm taking 6 credits this semester.  One is a traditional, meet in the classroom type of class, and the other is online.  Both have pretty heavy workloads.

I've hit my goal weight, but sticking with the activities and routines that got me here. That includes weekly boot camps, kickboxing, and yoga sessions.

I'm also scheduled to run a half-marathon on my 32nd birthday - May 7th.  Training has begun.. mostly.  More on that in a bit.

In the Most. Exciting. News. Ever! I am marrying the love of my life on April 16.  Ummm... 2011.  As in.. 76 days. Yes, I am certifiable. On Christmas, Mike promised my parents we would get married this year.  April 16th is the first Saturday of my Spring Break - which of course leaves the next week open for an aaaaaaamazing honeymoon. :)

Mike and I are both extremely laid back, and we very rarely fight. So, as wedding planning reached a fever pitch - it was surprising that we were arguing more and more.  We weren't even speaking to each other for a few days.  Yikes! We both made some compromises - so our wedding is going to be very small.  Immediate family only.  I am a little disappointed, because I have fabulous girlfriends that are a huge part of my life.. but starting a marriage on the right note is important to me.  I'm adjusting to the idea. :)

"There are no small marriages, only small weddings."  I just made that up.  Small does not equal any less amazing though.  I went dress shopping and to lunch with my ladies last weekend, and ordered a BEAUTIFUL dress that I never ever would have picked out 70+ pounds ago.  Sexy!  Mike better watch out!  I have some special things planned, so I know that the day will be one that we look back on with happiness for years to come.

The stress and my amount of busy are impacting my appetite.. as in - I have none.  My goal weight was pretty close to the low end of healthy weights for me - and I lost 3 more pounds this week.  My plan? MORE CHEESE! Hahaha.

Quick note.. half mary training not going so well.  Lots of snow and ice outside (I won't even get into the freezing cold temps!) have made it impossible to get outside, and I am not just a treadmill girl.  I have an attention span comprable to that of a ladybug.  Example:  My bank card was missing for 3 days.  I found it last night in a bag of chips.  I'm not stressing tooo much about it yet.  I'm doing the best I can!

So - work, school, wedding, half!  It's going to be an interesting Spring!

Are you like me - one who thrives off of being ultra busy?  Or are you better off with spread out excitement?

The soon to be Mr. and Mrs.!

My Family Gets It...

Jacket, socks, shoes, Under Armour, Garmin.. my family GETS IT.

Naturally I had to run last night to test all of this out.  My fiancé said "Call me if you get cold and need a pick up."  Later, he told me he was happy I had a hobby that made me so happy and healthy.

What a year it has been!

Merry Christmas or happy Chinese food and movie day to you!

Weight loss... in pictures!

A picture is worth a thousand words. Here's a few thou for ya!

Before. Obviously.  Size 22.  June 2008

After! Size 6, post reindeer race 11/10! 65 pounds gone!

Nice little side by side comparison after 45 pound loss.

If I'm funny.. no one will notice that I'm fat.

Donated this swimsuit yesterday!  Isn't that an oddly placed roll?
It's gone!

He has ALWAYS made me feel beautiful, no matter my size!

Size 12, getting there!  I felt so good about myself when this was taken!
June 2010

Size 10/12, midsummer 2010

Size 10 jeans! August 2010

Size 8/10, October 2010.  Never would I EVER have worn leggings!

New me.. so happy!

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air. Up, up the long delirious, burning blue, I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace Where never lark, or even eagle flew - And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod The high untresspassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee No 412 squadron, RCAF Killed 11 December 1941