Sell yourself: How your job search is like running a business

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.cbdr.com/artieimages/j5/ar5f4w96yn4h8s7w9gj5.gif?time=3/8/2011%205:55:52%20pm" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://emj.cbdr.com/artieimages/j5/ar5f4w96yn4h8s7w9gj5.gif?time=3/8/2011%205:55:52%20pm" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">There are many factors that contribute to a business's performance, but, for the most part, success or failure comes down to one thing: How well the company sells a product or service to its customers.</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Try approaching your job search the same way. Are you doing an effective job of selling your product (you!) to your customers -- namely hiring managers?</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Following are tips you can use to become <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/CEO/" style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">CEO</a> of your job search and run it like a successful business:</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Deliver a clear message</b></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">What does this business do? That's often the first question customers ask when selecting a service provider.</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Hiring managers ask themselves a similar question when evaluating job candidates. They want to know your story -- what skills and experience you have, what your areas of expertise are and what can you bring to the table.</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Ask a friend or colleague to review your résumé, then without looking at the document, briefly summarize the key points. If he or she struggles to articulate the main themes, you may need to make some revisions.</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Many job candidates put too much information in their résumés, whether it's a laundry list of routine duties performed in past positions or after-work interests. Take an objective look at your résumé and remove items that don't relate either to your professional abilities or the needs of the company.</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Highlight your selling points</b></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">In order to stand out, a company needs to play up what makes it better than its competitors.</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">In this job market, you're in competition with numerous other applicants. Therefore, you need to describe for hiring managers what makes you unique. Do you have in-demand expertise? Years of experience? A proven ability to cut costs or drive revenue?</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Look closely at the job ad, as well as the company's website and other materials, to see if you can get a sense of its mission, both for the open job and for the business overall. The better you can explain how your skills will help the firm achieve its mission, the better your chances of being asked to interview there.</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Exude professionalism</b></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">If you walked into a <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/law+firm/" style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">law firm</a> and saw employees playing video games and foosball in the lobby instead of tending to their clients, you'd probably have doubts about hiring them to represent you. The bottom line: Customers want to deal with a business that behaves professionally.</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The same is true of hiring managers. Use your application materials to demonstrate your professionalism. One of the easiest ways to do so: Submit documents that are free of grammatical or spelling errors. It's also important to arrive early and dress appropriately for your interview, and to treat every employee you encounter at the interview with the same level of respect.</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Protect your reputation</b></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">A company that doesn't properly respond to criticism risks damage to its brand, possibly resulting in lost business. That's why more and more organizations are using <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/social+media/" style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">social media</a> to respond directly to consumers, correct service issues and protect the company's reputation.</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">You can use social media to influence your reputation, as well. But be careful. Depending upon how you use it, you might actually harm your reputation. That's why you should always think twice before posting controversial comments to Facebook, blogs or any other public website. Many hiring managers search for information about job candidates online, and you don't want them to find anything that will make them think twice about hiring you.</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Of course, social media and other online tools allow you to strengthen your reputation if used correctly. Adding insightful comments to blog posts, following industry experts on Facebook and Twitter, and actively participating in LinkedIn groups are all good ways to distinguish yourself among your peers.</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Rely on multiple resources</b></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">If a company wants to introduce a new product, it won't rely on a single person to do it. People from several departments throughout the organization need to collaborate to develop the product so it has the best chance to succeed in the marketplace.</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Similarly, you shouldn't limit yourself to just one or two resources when job hunting. In addition to relying on job boards, also spread the word about your search within your professional network. In fact, tell everyone you know, unless your job search is confidential. You can also have someone conduct your job search for you. By registering with a <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/staffing+firm/" style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">staffing firm</a>, an expert recruiter can look for opportunities that match your skill set and ensure your résumé is seen by hiring managers.</div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i></i></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Robert Half International is the world's first and largest specialized staffing firm with a global network of more than 350 offices worldwide. For more information about our professional services, please visit <a href="http://www.roberthalf.com/" style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">www.roberthalf.com</a>. For additional career advice, follow us on Twitter at<a href="http://www.twitter.com/roberthalf" style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">www.twitter.com/roberthalf</a>.</i></div>

Sell yourself: How your job search is like running a business

There are many factors that contribute to a business's performance, but, for the most part, success or failure comes down to one thing: ...

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Social media can kill your career -- but not the way you think Why to avoid being overexposed in a digital world

<div class="ArticleHeadline" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-top: -30px;"><div class="cbmsnArticleImage" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/d6/ar5m6546dp6qhy4bnrd6.gif" /></div><div class="hdr_org_bld" style="color: #ff6600; font: normal normal bold 18px/normal arial, helvetica;"><h1 id="articleHeadline" style="color: #ff7700; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br /></h1></div><b><span id="cbArticle_lblByLine">Rachel Farrell, Special to CareerBuilder.com</span></b></div><div class="ArticleContent" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Social media has become the norm, both as a part of everyday life and as an integral part of your success or failure during your job search. You hear all the time about how to utilize social media as an essential part of your job search or about social media as one of the many ways you can get fired -- or not hired.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Usually when we talk about social media as a firing or non-hiring mechanism, it's in the context of your digital footprint: not posting inappropriate photos, racial slurs or nasty comments about your boss and colleagues, for example.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">But now there's a new piece of the puzzle to consider: if an employer sees that you're overly active on social media -- they might question your professional commitment.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"If you are very active on social media an employer should question how your online activity is contributing to the company's mission and achievement of your individual goals," says Michael R. Neece, president and COO of JobTacToe.com<b>.</b> "An employer would certainly ask what is not getting done by you spending so much time socializing on social media sites."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">There is the possibility that your social media activity is being mistaken for personal use when really, you're using it for professional reasons. If that's the case and you're still lucky enough to get an interview, address the issue verbally, says Ginny Clarke, president and CEO, Talent Optimization Partners.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"You might indicate that you were in active job seeking mode – presuming the overexposure was in terms of frequency, not questionable content," she says.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">So what's the happy medium between being visible on social media but not so much that it ruins your chances at finding a new job?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"Most employers are looking at social media sites to find qualified job candidates," Clarke says. "Your goal is to be visible for networking purposes and to have a professional and personal profile that are up-to-date and descriptive enough for someone to make an preliminary screening of your suitability for a potential opportunity."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Aljolynn Sperber, account executive and social media manager, Marketing Maven Public Relations, Inc., says that having at least a Facebook and/or Twitter profile on the Web will do the trick  --  you just have to be cautious about your privacy settings.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"Just be smart about what is posted and customize your privacy settings. Good rule of thumb, don't post anything on the Internet that you might regret later," she says.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Here are six tips to avoid social media overkill and manage your online presence effectively:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>1. Add to the conversation</b>"Use LinkedIn to post your résumé online, contribute to industry- and occupation-specific discussions," Neece says.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>2. Have more than one account</b>Have two social media accounts, Sperber says. "One that is geared toward your desired industry so employers can see that you're attempting to be active and another one for personal use." Be sure to protect your profiles so they aren't accessible to the public.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>3. Score face time</b>"Use online resources to get face-to-face or voice-to-voice with another person.  Each of us is most memorable and most influential in-person," Neece says.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>4. Just say no</b>If your social media profiles are protected and a potential employer requests to follow you, don't feel obligated to accept, Sperber says. "That's what your other 'professional' account is for."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>5. Stay positive</b>"Don't bad mouth any of the companies that you're applying to, especially if you feel the interview didn't go well," Sperber says. If you put something on the Internet, it's out there for anyone to see.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>6. Keep things to yourself</b>Don't publicize that you're going to an interview or just finished an interview at a company. Some companies do not like to have their recruiting process -- or that they're even having one -- publicized, Sperber says.</div></div>

Social media can kill your career -- but not the way you think Why to avoid being overexposed in a digital world

Rachel Farrell, Special to CareerBuilder.com Social media has become the norm, both as a part of everyday life and as an integral part of yo...

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Hungry Girl Cooking: Caramel Pumpkin Pudding Cupcakes

Another <a href="http://www.hungry-girl.com/">Hungry Girl</a> exclusive!  I made these cupcakes a few weeks ago when Joel & I met up with friends for a movie and dinner at their apartment.  If you like caramel and vanilla pudding, then you will love LOVE these cupcakes!  Just the smell of them coming out of the oven is mouth watering.  I had to make them again and so here they are:<br /><br /><blockquote><b><a href="http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/hungry-girls-caramel-pumpkin-pudding-cupcakes/">Caramel Pumpkin Pudding Cupcakes</a></b> <i><b>- 3 Points+</b></i><br /><br /><i><b>Ingredients</b></i><br />For cupcakes:<br />    * 2 cups moist-style yellow cake mix (1/2 of an 18.25-ounce box)<br />    * 1 cup canned pure pumpkin<br />    * 1/3 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute<br />    * 2 tablespoons sugar-free maple syrup <i>(I used light pancake syrup)</i><br />    * 2 teaspoons cinnamon<br />    * 2 teaspoons Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated) <i>(I used 2 tsp worth of Sweet 'n Low packets)</i><br />    * 1/8 teaspoon salt<br />    <br />For topping:<br />    * 3 cubes (about 1 ounce) chewy caramel <i>(like the kind by Kraft)</i><br />    * 2 teaspoons light vanilla soy milk<br /><br />Yields: Makes 12 servings<br /><br /><i><b>Preparation</b></i><br />Preheat the oven to 350ºF.<br /><br />Combine all cupcake ingredients in a mixing bowl with 1⁄3 cup of water. Whip with a whisk or fork for 2 minutes until well blended.<br /><br />Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with baking cups. Evenly spoon batter into muffin cups. Place pan in the oven and cook for about 12 minutes (until cupcakes have puffed up but still appear a little gooey on top). Once cupcakes are cool enough to handle, arrange them closely on a plate so that the edges are touching.<br /><br />Place caramel and soymilk in a tall microwave-safe glass or dish (mixture will bubble and rise when heated).<br /><br />Microwave at medium power for 1½ minutes. Stir mixture vigorously until smooth and thoroughly blended. (Return to microwave for 30 seconds at medium heat if caramel has not fully melted.) Immediately drizzle caramel sauce over cupcakes.</blockquote><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGViT2yJocTJp3fxGS2R-nzg2w34Y-G61RPHQWwyEfSEaoLXEFQ26QzJh1izoPdSbZlFAb8I9i6DSWSbm0jTJOWRMCq7lzJhoMiKrHaaOra8jc5koi3ZIEK-Y03fjhYbGMEa2A0otJh4/s1600/Blog+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGViT2yJocTJp3fxGS2R-nzg2w34Y-G61RPHQWwyEfSEaoLXEFQ26QzJh1izoPdSbZlFAb8I9i6DSWSbm0jTJOWRMCq7lzJhoMiKrHaaOra8jc5koi3ZIEK-Y03fjhYbGMEa2A0otJh4/s320/Blog+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Melts in your mouth, not in your hand :)</td></tr></tbody></table>The thing I like about cupcakes is that they are essentially a personal cake just for you.  By thinking of it that way, it helps me not to consume 3, or really, who am I kidding, at least half the batch in one sitting.  I've had total self control over these fine ladies since they were baked on Tuesday and I'm very proud of that!

Weight Watcher Recipes Hungry Girl Cooking: Caramel Pumpkin Pudding Cupcakes

Another Hungry Girl exclusive!  I made these cupcakes a few weeks ago when Joel & I met up with friends for a movie and dinner at their...

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Learning to love....myself

Since I didn't feel very good this morning, I decided to stay home from work today. Instead, I curled up in front of the TV where I discovered Ruby on Netflix. I had a Ruby marathon. I've never watched her show. I spent three hours watching Ruby and her weight struggles, and reading weight loss blogs.  It was a perfect day.<br /><br />Around 3pm I decided I'd better go to the gym. Watching Ruby kind of scared me. Ruby and I have too much in common. I can see how I could easily slip into my old lifestyle, eating poorly and not exercising daily.<br /><br />After the gym I went to Barnes and Noble. I had to have the 4HB book right now. 4HB is <span class="h3color tiny"></span>The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman. I know, silly title, but a few people have recommended it and it seems to be working for them. I thought maybe something new would work for me since I've been struggling for the last several months.<br /><br />The 4HB book is a huge hardback, very thick and very large. I glanced through it, looking at the graphs and charts, skimming through the book, reading a few sentences here and there. Then I stood there and stared at all those weight loss books. There are several shelves of this type of book, each one promising a miracle. I recognized several of them since I already own them, some I've read, some I've started but never finished. <br /><br />As I held the 4HB book in my hands, I thought, do I really need this? Is this the book that will fix me? I didn't like some of the things I read. It sounded really restrictive, with a cheat day. I've never been good with a cheat day. I just don't like the idea of throwing away a week's worth of work to cheat on one day. <br /><br />Then a book caught my eye. "A Course In Weight Loss". Then I saw the author's name and almost didn't even pull the book off the shelf. It's by Marianne Williamson. I saw her years ago on Oprah. I had an immediate dislike for her new age religion mumbo jumbo. Actually, I often have a dislike for someone that Oprah gushes over and promotes. I'm sure Oprah is a nice person in real life, but honestly, sometimes she annoys me on her TV show.<br /><br />I opened the book and realized I had looked at it before, and didn't purchase it because of the author. I flipped the book open to page 93 and read the following:<br /><br /><i>Lesson 7:  Love Your Body </i><br /><i><br /></i><br /><i>Love, and love only, produces miracles. Your primary work in doing this course is to identify where there is a lack of love in your life, and be willing to address it.</i><br /><i><br /></i><br /><i>That includes your love of self, and your body is part of who you are If you love your body when you're thin but hate it when you're not, then you love yourself conditionally, which is not love at all. If you can't love your body, you can't really love yourself.</i><br /><i><br /></i><br /><i>"But how can I love my body when I hate the way it looks?" you might ask.</i><br /><i><br /></i><br /><i>Begin by asking yourself:  What are you hating your body for?  For being overweight? It didn't do this to you; you did this to it! You haven't been abused by your body; your body has been abused by you. And yet, unlike you, it has continued to hold up its side of the relationship. It has continued to function as best it can, even though you have made it harder. It has borne excess pounds, even though it has been a burden to do so. And it has continued to support you, even though you have often failed to support it. </i><br /><br /><i>Is it your body you hate, or its size? And since all negative emotions derive from fear, if you hate your body, you must fear something. What is that? Do you fear ridicule? Or is your deeper fear--one that overrides your fear of being overweight--a fear that you'll be punished if you try to "play big" in life? Again, what are you afraid of?</i><br /><br />I was hooked. It was like she was speaking directly to me. I know I need to learn how to love myself right now. Not when I lose another thirty or forty pounds, but right now, as I am this very moment. I need to get over the constant hate of myself. What I've been doing isn't working for me. It's not the life I want to live. I want to learn how to love...starting with me.

Learning to love....myself

Since I didn't feel very good this morning, I decided to stay home from work today. Instead, I curled up in front of the TV where I disc...

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31 weeks

<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApZ5UH0Cnk3SGQv1l6X24xWBn_HzNUcROF-zvbWSBSbXqaezSzKCPHqasabRJmDhpdR2aXR9wL-xUejmhAaBoyMJoyIdoApbpUy7LViGEx1BsiPAEzzux1K13gff8zz0VcADghLBMBhZr/s1600-h/31%20weeks%20-%204.20.11%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="31 weeks - 4.20.11" border="0" height="537" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVx7L147ozu0ph1XP85H59rMpOSKxQCcMrgnesilrGl7EBskZe2Hz1jpVIuESLsM53E2krqbn_JVCdn9x7rxIUQhIHmqaNZ_ygVrW3uWKKScp0WmJXld5fpIV6MLaSbnbF5EnBdcg3bFtt/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="31 weeks - 4.20.11" width="404"></a> </p> <p><strong>How Far Along:</strong> 31 Weeks, 6 days….Thursday is the 32 week mark! <p><strong>Size of baby:</strong> Baby Bangert is the weight of 4 navel oranges, about 3.3 pounds, and over 16 inches long from head to heel. <p><strong>Maternity Clothes:</strong> I wear maternity jeans, pants, and I’ve recently started wearing a few shirts I got from my sister. I’m still squeezing into a few regular things though, like the tee in my picture again this week! My regular shirts are getting much shorter though! <p><strong>Gender:</strong> It’s a girl!!! We’re still working on names…I sure hope we can get one picked out soon! <p><strong>Movement: </strong>She is a busy little girl! I feel her moving around all throughout the day. I love it though…there is a tiny little life inside me! <p><strong></strong><strong>Sleep:</strong> Eh, it’s progressively getting harder to get to sleep & stay asleep! I’m not the best side sleeper and I wake up on my back quite a bit. Plus a few bathroom runs! <p><strong>What I miss:</strong> Sleeping on my stomach, a bigger selection of clothes, and buying regular clothes (the maternity section needs to expand)! <p><strong>Cravings:</strong> No major cravings this week. I am quickly finding out the bigger she gets the less I eat…I get full SO fast! <p><strong>Symptoms:</strong> Feeling well for the most part, just very achy & tired by the end of the the day. <p><strong>Best Moment this week:</strong> Friday I spent the evening with family! Almost 20 people = good family fun! My cousin from WI came down to visit for the weekend. She is expecting her 2nd boy due August 27th. We enjoyed all things “baby” talk! Unfortunately I didn’t take any pictures that night. :( <p>Kyle and I also had our first prenatal class this week. We learned lots of great information, maybe a little too much for Kyle’s liking! ;)</p>

31 weeks

How Far Along: 31 Weeks, 6 days….Thursday is the 32 week mark! Size of baby: Baby Bangert is the weight of 4 navel oranges, about 3.3 p...

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Why I'm so hard on myself

<i>Originally, the comments were off on this post, but I seriously hate it when someone posts something and I have something to say and can't. Makes me just a bit crazy. So I turned the comments back on, in case there are other nut cases out there like me. :) </i><br /><br />I've been thinking about writing this post for a very long time, probably years.<br /><br />Almost weekly I get a comment on my blog that's basically the same thing, asking me the same questions:  Diana, why are you so hard on yourself? Why don't you love yourself for who you are now?<br /><br />I get these same comments in my real world too. Well meaning friends often ask me why I'm so negative about myself, why I'm continually putting myself down, beating myself up over my weight as well as many other things. Even when I had lunch with Grace and Roxie in March, Roxie said the same thing to me (said with compassion). <br /><br />I know these comments and questions about how I don't value myself are said from the heart and meant to help me. For some reason that I can't explain, I find them hurtful. I usually immediately get defensive and almost always want to cry because I know it's true. I know it's really stupid to feel hurt, and it doesn't make any sense to anyone except to me.<br /><br />It's feels like in addition to being fat, stupid, and ugly, now I have a personality flaw:  I don't value myself. <br /><br />I realize that people who say these things to me don't really mean it as an insult, they're merely trying to help me and boost my self-confidence. I hold nothing against anyone who has made these types of comments or asked these questions. If anything, I know you're compassionate and caring.<br /><br />I really wish I knew why I feel this way about myself. I guess I just don't see what other people see. I look at pictures of myself or look in the mirror or even look at my soul. I don't see anyone worthwhile or attractive or even healthy. I see a fat, middle-aged woman barely hanging on. <br /><br />I know this is something I need to work on, just not today.

Why I'm so hard on myself

Originally, the comments were off on this post, but I seriously hate it when someone posts something and I have something to say and can'...

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Staying Busy...

I recently started reading this <a href="http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/fordieters/devotional-for-dieters-4-or-20-553008.html">Daily Devotional for Dieters</a>.  What I like about this devotional is that it's short, sweet and to the point.  I also like the "Today's Thought".  I know that the only way this weight is going to come off once and for all is if I put my <i>full </i>faith in God.  Obviously relying on just myself and my own "know-it-all" mentality has gotten me no where, so really Hilary, let's try something different for a change.  <br /><br />Today's thought was this: <i>"The busier I keep myself, the thinner I get!"</i><br /><br />I don't know about you, but I've definitely found myself eating on more than SEVERAL occasions simply out of boredom!  And I don't mean just grazing the food cabinets here and there.  I mean "Hey, I've got nothing goin' on - let's go out to lunch/dinner!".  <i>(If Joel finds himself reading this particular post, I'm sure you would agree with me!)</i> <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZoVYu5HZyDui2RTriTpO5EJh98rN9bPG5C9l96r8yN9o3Hscf_WRXNxXhCbEgROmXNQkzZJflAirURcxc5zH2DAqox3y2KoHCszGA5V7wHO0A_EbvGVGOqLF3YdrTWqZwBEKj61OFso/s1600/garfield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZoVYu5HZyDui2RTriTpO5EJh98rN9bPG5C9l96r8yN9o3Hscf_WRXNxXhCbEgROmXNQkzZJflAirURcxc5zH2DAqox3y2KoHCszGA5V7wHO0A_EbvGVGOqLF3YdrTWqZwBEKj61OFso/s1600/garfield.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy of <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://lizrios.com/photos/i_dont_have_time_to_be_this_busy.jpg&imgrefurl=http://lizrios.com/2005/04/&usg=__Vc6VAGrw0T1XWjn1z0ELDZViykA=&h=338&w=450&sz=26&hl=en&start=30&sig2=pjL27Fd-JGDSo6DTtUwbXw&zoom=1&tbnid=_gXzfW5PCj9oCM:&tbnh=95&tbnw=127&ei=LgevTaqeGubs0gGb14GfCw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbusy%2Bpeople%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1680%26bih%3D847%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3Disch0%2C342&itbs=1&biw=1680&bih=847">here</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />This same idea rings true for me at work.  I don't often have a lot going on from day to day, and as a result, I find myself eating when I'm not really hungry.  It has not been an uncommon practice for me to have eaten nearly all of my PointsPlus values before I even leave work for the day!  Which then probably begs the question, "how is that even possible?"  I tend to bring probably WAY more snacks than what I really need to get me through the work day.  But that's another issue for another time :).<br /><br />On the, sadly, more <i>rare </i>occasion that I do have a busy work day, I find that I can go almost until lunchtime before I've ever even taken a bite of food!  I wake up at 5 AM people - that's a LONG time without eating!  And this <i>has </i>happened to me before, not as often as the situation described above, but it has happened several times.  It's an amazing feeling to discover that "Hey - it's now 12 PM and I haven't eaten a single thing all day."  And, what has happened in the past, and not always but it has been known to happen, is that I will go hog wild and think that I can start shoveling food in my face to make up for the lack of eating in the morning.  Even if I'm not starving to begin with.  Even IF I was starving by noon, but ate a sensible lunch and felt satisfied - hey, I still have all those PointsPlus from the morning that I haven't yet consumed - I need to make up for it!  Nevermind the fact that I could actually listen to my body and ask myself "Are you actually still hungry? Do you need more fuel?"  This is why it's good for me to eat breakfast everyday, I'd venture to say, even if I'm NOT hungry.  That way foolishness doesn't take place later!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFzqKuDgZNiAi5wdXThSYnsRc02I81CR2mLjjmU4fNSeSAh3E9xjgY7KZdq3SnjK18zFaUrNBLOr5Yliz4FA2h2XuWziEsUNoAMBvTeQu-x_BYvDebR1rLNYRJkhlMj6ZQQCyzC4PUyv4/s1600/fishing+boredom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFzqKuDgZNiAi5wdXThSYnsRc02I81CR2mLjjmU4fNSeSAh3E9xjgY7KZdq3SnjK18zFaUrNBLOr5Yliz4FA2h2XuWziEsUNoAMBvTeQu-x_BYvDebR1rLNYRJkhlMj6ZQQCyzC4PUyv4/s320/fishing+boredom.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is an inside joke, but still fitting.  Courtesy of <a href="http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/archives/2003/Aug/">here</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table>The bottom line is this - I don't like feeling 'hungry'... I don't like that uncomfortable, stomach rumbling feeling.  I panic at the mere thought of it.  Why?  Because I'm afraid what might happen if I'm struck with those hunger pains and I have no 'good' snack options around. Then I just might decide to say "screw it" and find the nearest fast food joint.  <br /><br />Also, this very "thought" was what inspired me to sign up for <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/search/label/5K">so many 5K's</a>.  It has given me something to focus on both leading up to the event and the day of the event.  It keeps me busy and it keeps me focused on the Goal. Otherwise, I'd be sitting in my bedroom on the weekends, most likely eating, wasting energy, and wrestling with the thoughts of: how much I hate living in this town, how much I wish that nursing school could be over and I could start working as an RN, how much I wish I could lose this weight, and how much I just want to find the perfect place to live, with the perfect house and yard and husband (aka Joel), etc etc etc.  You know, the American Dream.    <br /><br />I hate long posts and I just exceeded my limit!  Share your thoughts with me...

Inspiration Staying Busy...

I recently started reading this Daily Devotional for Dieters .  What I like about this devotional is that it's short, sweet and to the p...

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Hungry Girl Cooking: Blueberry Apple Pancake Shake-Up

<h2 style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">To continue on with my <a href="http://prittygoodbooks.blogspot.com/2011/04/hungry-girl-cooking-eggamuffin-101.html">cookbook challenge</a>, this week's breakfast is another one taken from <a href="http://www.hungry-girl.com/books/1">Hungry Girl's first cookbook</a>.</span></span></h2><h2 style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u></u></span></h2><blockquote><h2 style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Blueberry Apple Pancake Shake-Up</u> - <i>6 PointsPlus</i> <br /><i style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />Ingredients:</span></i></span></h2><ul><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient" style="font-weight: normal;"><span itemprop="name">1/3 c regular oats</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient" style="font-weight: normal;"><span itemprop="name">2 T dry pancake mix <i>(I used Fiber One pancake mix)</i></span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient" style="font-weight: normal;"><span itemprop="name">1/3 c peeled & finely chopped apple</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient" style="font-weight: normal;"><span itemprop="name">1/4 c blueberries</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient" style="font-weight: normal;"><span itemprop="name">1/4 c egg substitute</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient" style="font-weight: normal;"><span itemprop="name">1 T fat free cottage cheese <i>(this is too sour for me, so I used 1%)</i></span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient" style="font-weight: normal;"><span itemprop="name">1/4 t vanilla extract</span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient" style="font-weight: normal;"><span itemprop="name">1 T Splenda <i>(I initially used 11 packets of Sweet 'n Low to equal 1 Tbsp - more on this later!)</i></span></span></span></li></ul><div id="ingredients"><span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"> </span> </div><i>Directions: </i><br />Place all ingredients except for the blueberries and apples in a medium bowl. Add 3 T of water and stir until thoroughly mixed.<br /><br />Gently fold in apples and blueberries.<br /><br />Over medium heat, in a large pan sprayed with nonstick spray, evenly pour batter to form 3 pancakes. Once pancakes begin to look solid (after about 3 minutes), gently flip.<br /><br />Cook for 3 additional minutes, or until both sides are lightly browned and insides are cooked through. now plate your pancakes and enjoy.<br /><br />Number of Servings: 1</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdtxw_Cd1PGDOoaOuPJe-uvcm1n5o8vX7oucFvg2nnEDs6XBGsbPTG9BoCyLbXNIQB7alQiSUbUjXBYFM5pPbzW-_hkJgdP1Ds34FeAmyBsqQXf3-1O_K4Z5fZ4RFTyTN0YYOVRoFddpk/s1600/blueberry+pancakes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdtxw_Cd1PGDOoaOuPJe-uvcm1n5o8vX7oucFvg2nnEDs6XBGsbPTG9BoCyLbXNIQB7alQiSUbUjXBYFM5pPbzW-_hkJgdP1Ds34FeAmyBsqQXf3-1O_K4Z5fZ4RFTyTN0YYOVRoFddpk/s320/blueberry+pancakes.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><i><br /></i><span class="black13B"></span><br />Since Splenda upsets my stomach, I use the cuter pink packets :).  <b>However, I'm not sure that 1 Tbsp of Splenda granules would equal 1 Tbsp <i>worth </i>of Splenda packets.  Do you know?</b>  I did, in fact, use that method for the Sweet 'n Low packets, and it took me 11 packets to make 1 Tbsp.  Folks, don't try this at home!  It was WAY too sweet and had too much of a fake sugar taste.  Fortunately I realized this after the first batch and so I cut the packets down to 9, which was still not enough elimination.  Next time I'll try just 6 packets and see how that fairs.  Other than that mishap, the pancakes were delicious and very filling.  I poured just a little bit of light pancake syrup over top because they are still dry like a regular pancake.  <br /><span class="black13B"></span>

Weight Watcher Recipes Hungry Girl Cooking: Blueberry Apple Pancake Shake-Up

To continue on with my cookbook challenge , this week's breakfast is another one taken from Hungry Girl's first cookbook . Blueberry...

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I want to write a good post, I really do

I had a plan for a thoughtful post tonight, based around a really kind and sweet comment I received yesterday (thank you Rebecca!).<br /><br />I had an exhausting two days sitting in a training class where I was bored out of my mind. For some reason, that just wore me out and now I just want to sleep.<br /><br />In addition, my lower back and is killing me, and it's because of a new exercise I tried yesterday. The inch worm. It looked simple in the book. Just stand up, feet flat on the floor, shoulder width, and bend over from your waist. Put your palms flat on the floor in front of your feet. Don't bend your knees. Walk out your hands (right, left, right, etc.), until you're in a full pushup position but walk your hands out even further out i front of you, then walk your hands back until you're bent at the waist again. Sounds really easy, right? <br /><br />The guy in the video isn't really doing it correctly because he's bending his knees, they're suppose to be straight, but you get the idea. I only did six reps but thought I was going to die. It's suppose to be for your abs, so I must have been doing it wrong because it's my back that hurts.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kLP8ECOfxNE" title="YouTube video player" width="480"></iframe><br /><br />My lower back is in total agony from this exercise. I just want to curl up in a ball and cry. I guess I pulled something or used a muscle I didn't know I had back there. Anyway, I don't think I like this exercise. <br /><br />I'm going to do some stretches, take a couple aspirin and go to bed. Thoughtful post tomorrow. :)

I want to write a good post, I really do

I had a plan for a thoughtful post tonight, based around a really kind and sweet comment I received yesterday (thank you Rebecca!). I had an...

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Drawing Inspiration From Places Other Than the Scale

With the <a href="http://www.kittanningpaper.com/2010/11/09/obit-clara-mabel-clawson-shelocta/12010">death of my grandmother last November</a>, it became very apparent to me that life is so short, and the importance of living a healthy lifestyle is absolutely essential to a long <b>AND</b> happy life. <br /><br />My grandmother suffered from many illnesses, including diabetes, Parkinson's, and ultimately cancer.  She was on countless medications.  Aside from all of the illnesses she dealt with, obesity was probably the single disease that she could have controlled on her own that may have helped eliminate some of her other medical issues, but we will never know.  I can remember as a child and into my adult years always having the 'weight' conversation with my grandma.  I think I had a special connection with her because of it.  I'm the youngest of her only three granddaughters, and the only one who has dealt with being overweight.  She, too, seemed to struggled with it for most of her life.  There was a period of time where she joined <a href="http://www.tops.org/default.aspx">TOPS - Take Off Pounds Sensibly</a>.  Grandma seemed rather successful with this, though I currently do not have the photos to share of her moments of triumph, receiving awards and trophies for reaching her weight loss goals.  Still, like so many of us do, life and food got the best of her, and she put that weight back on.   <br /><br />After spending the last few days of her life by her side in the hospital, I knew that I had to stop going down the self-sabotaging road I was headed.  While there are days when I think otherwise, I'm still a young woman at a fresh 27 years of age, and I still have time to change my life for the better. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZvclhriP3EUoWKtkI30FNDiKKfIg4bYgSxd_Nxj36hKjlmrumDtMKH6K1y8sAkBRXf99ras-vy-JtbPW_avtDApNCWRWEI35YFq5mfNTTD8Nt72D1TeNRZF5XLQaziY68wXheTre_TKE/s1600/exercise-busy-schedule.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZvclhriP3EUoWKtkI30FNDiKKfIg4bYgSxd_Nxj36hKjlmrumDtMKH6K1y8sAkBRXf99ras-vy-JtbPW_avtDApNCWRWEI35YFq5mfNTTD8Nt72D1TeNRZF5XLQaziY68wXheTre_TKE/s320/exercise-busy-schedule.bmp" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy of <a href="http://promotehealth.info/?p=277">here</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />After my final visit with Grandma, I made the drive back from Pittsburgh with a heavy heart, but knowing that it was finally time to change my life.  That week, I signed up for a membership at the local gym.  I am proud to say that I have been going to that gym every single week for at least 4 days/week since I signed up.   And while my progress isn't showing on the scale, it's important to count successes elsewhere.<br /><br />Though despite all I shared above, that's not to say that I still do not have days like these:  <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQY1_zS7lJOpUdSgKIqnnv4MbsDIRIeLE-qIasrMh4WH8ZR8cAkoXPO2CuH69by769MDoC2XfbKETATT6jvbmjxjkiW1ic5Bpjui7d7BN33yISEVIbEv3FL6__Q-q4AgC8c1d2D56bVuw/s1600/exercise-cartoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQY1_zS7lJOpUdSgKIqnnv4MbsDIRIeLE-qIasrMh4WH8ZR8cAkoXPO2CuH69by769MDoC2XfbKETATT6jvbmjxjkiW1ic5Bpjui7d7BN33yISEVIbEv3FL6__Q-q4AgC8c1d2D56bVuw/s320/exercise-cartoon.jpg" width="221" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy of <a href="http://carharttsandcoachbags.wordpress.com/2011/02/02/there-are-lots-of-cartoons-in-this-post-because-exercising-is-funny-to-me/">here</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table>Still, we must keep on keepin' on... because as they say: <span class="messageBody"> </span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><blockquote><blockquote><i><span class="messageBody">"When it is darkest, you can see the stars....."</span></i></blockquote></blockquote></div>

Inspiration Success Drawing Inspiration From Places Other Than the Scale

With the death of my grandmother last November , it became very apparent to me that life is so short, and the importance of living a healthy...

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Friend Making Mondays: The Grocery Store

I just recently started following <a href="http://alltheweigh2009.blogspot.com/">All the Weigh</a>, a weight loss blog written by a woman from NYC. I love her stories and I also love her idea regarding "Friend Making Mondays".  You simply answer the questions below and <a href="http://alltheweigh2009.blogspot.com/2011/04/friend-makin-mondays-grocery-store.html">go back to her blog</a> and post a link to your answers.... read a few of the participants blogs and comment on theirs and then hopefully you've made a few friends!  Here's my first shot at it, and it's about our habits when going to the grocery store:<br /><br />1. <b>Do you make a list when you go grocery shopping? Do you stick to it?</b>  I agree with Kenlie on this one!  I do make lists but I hardly ever stick to them.  I always buy what's on my list, sure, but then I buy more!  I especially make lists when I'm making a recipe.<br /><br />2.<b> Do you buy more groceries when you're hungry?</b>   I cannot recall going grocery shopping while hungry, so I would say no to this.<br /><br />3. <b>Coupons. Use 'em? </b> Do I use coupons?! Heck yes!  Joel calls me the "Coupon Queen".  I have 3 coupon organizers, divided into food and non-food coupons.. and categorized within each one!<br /><br />4. <b>Have you ever complained to the manager of your grocery store?</b>  I have not, but have thought about it on MORE than one occasion!<br /><br />5. <b>Do you like to buy groceries at huge chain stores like Wal-Mart and Target?</b> <b>Or do you shop exclusively at food stores?</b>  I prefer Wal-Mart/Target for grocery shopping.  The food prices there are almost always cheaper.  Though because I live in a place where my Wal-Mart is not a SuperCenter, I get what I can at Wal-Mart/Target and hit up Giant/Bloom/Safeway for the remainder. Our Target recently got a makeover and now carries some produce though - score!  <br /><br />6. <b>How much time do you spend reading labels in the grocery store?</b>  I do not spend a lot of time reading labels because I do buy a lot of the same things over and over.  The only time I read labels are when I don't know the PointsPlus value of something because I've never had it before.<br /><br />7. <b>Do you push your own grocery cart to the car and return it?</b> Yes I do and I ALWAYS return it.  I intentionally park my car very far from the store so people don't ignorantly hit it with their car doors and so a cart-return is never close by.  However, I return it because it's a way to add more steps into your day and also, most importantly, it's the right thing to do!<br /><br />8. <b>What is the one food item you always buy at the grocery store that you must have in the kitchen?</b> Milk<br /><br />9. <b>Do you enjoy grocery shopping?</b> I do when I'm back home in the Motherland and can go to the far less crowded grocery stores there.  I also enjoy it back home because I can typically go to one place and will be able to find everything I need (my hometown Walmart SC) instead of having to run to 3, seriously 3!, grocery stores until I can get everything I need.<br /><br />10. <b>How often do you shop for groceries?</b> I try to limit it to once a week but sometimes it ends up being more..

Friend Making Mondays Friend Making Mondays: The Grocery Store

I just recently started following All the Weigh , a weight loss blog written by a woman from NYC. I love her stories and I also love her ide...

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16th Annual Run/Walk for Hospice of St Mary's

Saturday I participated in the <a href="http://www.runforhospice.org/">5K for Hospice of St Mary's County</a>.  The forecast for the day was rain and thunderstorms, and fortunately both held off for the duration it took me to finish the race.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVdcIYp2WYAd5ttO1CM04HKNI85g4lvw_IncCy3xYNehMqQStZx6eeQFBPlSIhq2CFz3ORUJCsPVJnqVMkAPZPZeMqI3PLwHSsww2C-TUD-cG_kU9UrYfMHhEwNnbM13BaYvfhgHjWso/s1600/run_for_hospice_logo_500px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVdcIYp2WYAd5ttO1CM04HKNI85g4lvw_IncCy3xYNehMqQStZx6eeQFBPlSIhq2CFz3ORUJCsPVJnqVMkAPZPZeMqI3PLwHSsww2C-TUD-cG_kU9UrYfMHhEwNnbM13BaYvfhgHjWso/s320/run_for_hospice_logo_500px.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><br /><br />This race went a lot better than <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/04/1st-annual-peter-mahon-memorial-trail.html">last week's 5K</a>.  For starters, this took place all on paved streets.  I was able to jog for roughly half of the race as a result (off and on).  This was so well organized and fun and I'll definitely do it again next year.<br /><br />I'll have the weekend off for 5Ks this upcoming weekend, so I'm thinking about <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/04/bloooower.html">going back</a> to the <a href="http://www.charlescounty.org/pf/parks_rec/parks/trails.jsp">Indian Head Rail Trail</a> and riding a little further this time.  <br /><br />My next 5K is on Sunday, May 1 and it will be for the March of Dimes! If you'd like to donate please click on the link below - I'm soooo excited to participate in this 5K, as it will be the first one I've ever raised money for.<br /><br /><br /><center><script language="javascript" src="http://www.marchforbabies.org/includes/badge_2011_vert_js.asp?w=4786860&u=hilaryjp248&bt=2" type="text/javascript"></script></center>

5K 16th Annual Run/Walk for Hospice of St Mary's

Saturday I participated in the 5K for Hospice of St Mary's County .  The forecast for the day was rain and thunderstorms, and fortunatel...

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Bloooower

This was the first week I had tracked ALL week and <b>every </b>single thing I ate in a very looooonnggg time. I was so proud of myself for doing it after so many failed attempts. I participated in a 5K on Saturday and I was active all week long - making it to the gym everyday, adding on an extra 5 minutes to my cardio routine and even incorporating weight lifting into it all. Let's just say the scale did not reveal my hard work! I gained over 3 lbs! After all that, <u>ALL THAT</u>, and I had a gain?! This is not at all what I expected. I know you have weeks where you know you derailed big time and a gain is inevitable, but this week was not one of those weeks for me.<br /><br />I've heard and read many, many times that I should be focusing on the other achievements I had this week, such as tracking and fitness, but I am doing both of those things to achieve weight loss after all.  And when the scale does not show a loss, it's hard to see the light in those other things! <br /><br />I wish I could say I came back with a vengence for the upcoming week, but no. Even though I don't want to have this mentality, I couldn't help but think all weekend "why bother, the hardwork doesn't pay off anyhow!" and the eating pattern sure did reflect that attitude.<br /><br />Saturday I did another 5K (more on that later) and then Sunday I took an 8 mile bike ride with Joel's mom.<br /><br />The bike ride was great! I have not been on my bike in almost 5 years.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5epcHE1gMKeAa8KVXYN6v_YfdR4g06-E6boI1NnwuXa8fx8ib6KiY5hI1GOrLXHRehoMHwNyNwhOaIGtQ8oEPdOcP1XkMnpZlI1PIgwIxnFzbWghowO4ymi4YI-GBsc0bjJugeGIJsM/s1600/Me+Indian+Head.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5epcHE1gMKeAa8KVXYN6v_YfdR4g06-E6boI1NnwuXa8fx8ib6KiY5hI1GOrLXHRehoMHwNyNwhOaIGtQ8oEPdOcP1XkMnpZlI1PIgwIxnFzbWghowO4ymi4YI-GBsc0bjJugeGIJsM/s400/Me+Indian+Head.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br />Other than the issues I had with the seat not staying in position, it felt great to get out and do something other than my normal walk/jog. The trail was AWESOME - both scenic and flat - and I will definitely be going to that place again!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii383rqVkUiVAfi4iyNLOT_Oh6UIkjcwe8498yMqYikH0ehzLllecRNLXjBHfeBkLDhHUIK_Uermeol16BvJnApqZPvJrdMF2bv8NrVOYTgdL4UwXpsUts3YnKuzSn_AygxJ4XdsJI5p4/s1600/bike+weathervane.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii383rqVkUiVAfi4iyNLOT_Oh6UIkjcwe8498yMqYikH0ehzLllecRNLXjBHfeBkLDhHUIK_Uermeol16BvJnApqZPvJrdMF2bv8NrVOYTgdL4UwXpsUts3YnKuzSn_AygxJ4XdsJI5p4/s400/bike+weathervane.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cute weather vane, nice bathrooms!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4h_acRpHsRnOTXqcwsPMVYLdzmvOWrrYKzo7weOlP5aU3taxgXmMv5QL-tgBSfxrENbIUg8u_-ncjQW3pqPRbRVDNQStBjYd8KmlRxeFnUFEiDQCufo7ySqKSDtWGVw4SipxvjJa3JdA/s1600/laurie+indianhead.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4h_acRpHsRnOTXqcwsPMVYLdzmvOWrrYKzo7weOlP5aU3taxgXmMv5QL-tgBSfxrENbIUg8u_-ncjQW3pqPRbRVDNQStBjYd8KmlRxeFnUFEiDQCufo7ySqKSDtWGVw4SipxvjJa3JdA/s400/laurie+indianhead.JPG" width="398" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">they did a great job with this trail</td></tr></tbody></table>

5K Gain Bloooower

This was the first week I had tracked ALL week and every single thing I ate in a very looooonnggg time. I was so proud of myself for doing ...

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Learning from my past

Reading some of my old posts from when I started Weight Watchers in 2008 made me realize just how obsessed I was back then on getting to goal. There was no stopping me (so what the hell has happened?). <br /><br />In five short months I lost 60 pounds. On February 19, 2008 I weighed 239 and on July 7, 2008 I weighed 179. I was down 60 pounds. By February of 2009 I had lost a total of 84 pounds and weighed 154.6. I wasn't obese or even overweight, I had a normal BMI. For about five minutes as my weight starting bouncing up and down for the next two years.<br /><br />After reading some of my old posts from that first year I saw some huge differences in what I was doing then versus what I'm doing now.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">  <b>Tracking what I eat.</b></div><br />Then:  I was fanatical about tracking my food. I weighed and measure EVERYTHING and used the online eTools to keep track.<br /><br />Now:  I often start out the day with the best intentions to track every bite, but usually by late afternoon I quit tracking. I often don't tack anything after lunch ad get very sloppy about weighing and measuring my food. I guess on portion sizes, which is a huge mistake.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Exercise </b></div>Then:  I was a crazy woman about exercise.<br /><br />Now:  I'm still pretty crazy about exercise. Although reading about my workouts in 2008 versus my workouts now, I was really into trying different routines, new exercises. At the moment I'm in a bit of a rut. I work out on most days, but it's basically always the same routine.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Meetings</b><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Then:  I rarely missed a Weight Watcher meeting.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now: I seem to continually come up with excuses to skip meetings. I wasn't going to go yesterday (Saturday), but my husband asked me point blank, "why do you keep paying $40 a month and you hardly ever go to a meeting?". I went to the meeting, and I was one of the best meetings I've ever been too.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Blogging</b></div><br />Then:  I read a lot of blogs back then and left comments on those other logs. I had a lot more readers that left comments.. I remember how much so many people there helped me along my path. People were always encouraging and kind.<br /><br />I posted on my own blog almost every day.<br /><br />Now:  I have a few faithful folks out there that leave comments, but I haven't been returning the favor like I did in the past. I know how much I appreciate comments, so I'm pretty sure the rest of the bloggers feel the same way. In the blogging world what goes around comes around.<br /><br />I think about blogging every day, but I often go days without posting anything.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b> Enthusiasm</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>Then:  I had really high hopes for getting to my goal weight. I was excited, and I just knew I'd make it.<br /><br />Now:  Lately I've been overridden with guilt for gaining weight, and fear that I won't be able to stop the weight gain. My enthusiasm has dwindled to almost nothing.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Goal Setting </b></div><br />Then: I was always setting mini goals for myself and even though I didn't always make them, at least I tried.<br /><br />Now: I don't set goals, or if I do, I don't even try.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Health Eating Guidelines</b></div><br />Then:  I really paid attention to Weight Watchers Healthy Eating guidelines. I took them seriously.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Now:  I try halfheartedly, but since I don't keep track of my food, I'm obviously not keeping track of the healthy eating guidelines foods (ex. 2 teaspoons of healthy oil, three dairies etc). </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Posting my weekly weighins</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Then:  I posted my weight every week.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now: I almost can't remember the last time I posted an official Weight Watcher weighin.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>My self-assessment of where I am now</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The last several months I haven't really been trying to lose weight. I feel like I've barely been hanging on.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I know what to do and how to do it. I have a proven track record that shows I'm capable of losing weight. I say I want to lose weight, but I don't make the effort it takes to get there. I know that losing weight takes hard work. Just like most good things in life, you have to work for it. It doesn't just happen.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Basically, I have a lot of work to do. I need to address every one of the items above. Those are the things that worked for me in the past and they can work for me again.</div>

Learning from my past

Reading some of my old posts from when I started Weight Watchers in 2008 made me realize just how obsessed I was back then on getting to goa...

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Riding The Range On A Fine Spring Weekend

I drove into White Pine County listening to Ranger Doug’s Classic Cowboy Coral, feeling thankful for Sirius radio when the Spanish language cd’s have over taxed my brain. After awhile I had heard enough of Gene Autry and The Sons of the Pioneers, and switched to Andrea Bocelli singing Cor Te Partio and Jasha Heifetz. I take my musical vacillations as proof that we are made up of diverse subpersonalities. My subpersonalities have little appreciation for each other’s music. <br /><br />I arrived in plenty of time to check into the Hotel Nevada where they recognized me on the computer, if not by face, as a regular. Last time I was here, it was Halloween. Looking back at my blog posts, I seem not to have described the amazing bar scene at the Hotel Nevada that night. Right out of Star Wars. Incredible costumes on characters of all ages, many of whom would have been pretty colorful without costumes. Saturday afternoon in mid-April, things were more sedate.<br /><br />When I drove to St. Bart’s for Margaret Bath’s slide show presentation on her mission trip to Kenya with Melvin Stringer’s Kenya Keep project, the first thing I noticed was that there was nowhere to park for a long way around the church. The second thing I noticed was that the parish hall was packed with people. The third thing was that the people included young adults and children. This was Saturday night at church. And in Ely there are options.<br /><br />The slide show was splendid. It was not the old pity and guilt kind of thing we used to get on TV with Sally Struthers. We saw a lot of beauty and fascinating culture. We saw a land that is trying to get it right – protecting its environment, struggling unevenly toward democracy, working constructively with religious and cultural diversity. We also saw the Kibera slum, one of the world’s largest and poorest centers of urban blight with devastating impact on human lives. We saw the Emmanuel Clinic supported by Kenya Keep alleviating that suffering in Kibera. We saw schools where Episcopalians are sponsoring children for a better life. It was a presentation about poverty and affliction but surrounded by hope and an opportunity for us to make a difference. <br /><br />To my bishop’s eye, there was something else noteworthy about this – a shared mission between St. Bart’s, Ely and St. Tim’s, Henderson. A diocese is not a regulatory body. It is a partnership (koinonia) in God’s mission. A diocese does not exist in a static way. It is always becoming, forming anew, like fresh skin cells. Margaret’s trip with Kenya Keep was an occasion of our becoming a diocese anew.<br /><br />Breakfast at the Hotel Nevada. Generous portions. Good prices. Waitresses engaging in witticisms about people with bad altitudes needing altitude adjustments in the form of stiletto heels. I barely noticed the man sitting a stool away from me, but after he left my waitress told me he had bought my breakfast. What do such things mean? My guess is that I was the beneficiary of a gesture of thanks to God for some blessing in his life. Had he not done this, the waitress might not have asked my name and where I am from. She told me about a traveling preacher she knows who lives in Tonopah and also works in mine safety. “Oh, that would be Ken Curtis, I said. He’s sorta one of ours.” A grouchy mustached man sitting down the counter glowering over allegedly hard biscuits explained what Ken does at their mine. We all agreed that Ken is an exemplary person. Before long the waitress owned knowing Fr. Red and Paula Sims. I told her about the Kenya presentation by Margaret – of course, she knew Margaret and Tom, and said the former cook at Hotel Nevada went to St. Bart’s. I opined that “They are good folks over there.”<br />All I said. Evangelism – all starting with the generous gesture of an anonymous man – who, btw, was only there this morning because his coffee maker broke. Rare to find such generosity in a man with a broken coffee maker.<br /><br />It was a good Palm Sunday complete with receiving into the church a new young adult. We got the perfect photo of Fr. Red with a mother and baby for the planned billboard ad. Then we dashed to make a house call for a home communion, receiving another new member, and anointing a St. Bart’s veteran member for healing. He is facing a possible major surgery late in life. The new member was his daughter in law who was serving the Lord at home with the gathered family.<br /><br />Then off to Eureka to celebrate Palm Sunday with St. James. Along the way I listened to Hillbilly Jim’s Moonshine Matinee with included Whisperin’ Bill Anderson singing “The Tips Of My Fingers” and Baldomar Gomez Garza (aka Freddy Fender) singing “Wasted Days And Wasted Nights.” St. James is still a small gathering – 8 people this time – but we sang “the blood songs.” Fitting for the day.<br /><br />Then it was on to Austin for a working dinner with Frank Whitman, our Lay Chaplain to Miners and Energy Workers. We ate at the Toiyabe Café where I had my customary Ortega Burger. There is a lot of shifting of roles along the Highway 50 Corridor these days. Frank and I were strategizing how to respond to the coming molybdenum boom in Eureka, the geothermal and mining surge around Austin, and the challenge of population growth and social services reductions in Tonopah. A productive meeting. Things are exciting in Central Nevada these days.<br /><br />Then it was on to Tonopah. I am now safely ensconced at Tonopah Station. Tomorrow Deacon Clelia Garrity and I will sit in on a meeting of Attorney General Reps, county officials, and ecumenical leaders to discuss how this community can find ways to fend for itself as the population surges while state services are being withdrawn. I’m just here to listen, but it sounds like we need to do something.

Riding The Range On A Fine Spring Weekend

I drove into White Pine County listening to Ranger Doug’s Classic Cowboy Coral, feeling thankful for Sirius radio when the Spanish language ...

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Baseball - By Ken Burns

The week before baseball season began, I started to watch the Ken Burns documentary called <i>Baseball</i>. It traces the history of America's pastime from it's inception to 1994. Most of its history covers the Major Leagues, but it does also cover much of the Negro Leagues' history, and briefly covers other leagues from history.<br /><br />I enjoyed watching the documentary, but it did have a few spots that were sour for me. First, the good:<br /><br /><b>The Height of Baseball is Thoroughly Covered and Very Entertaining</b><br />Once the history of baseball reaches 1919 and the Black Sox scandal, the documentary finds its footing and takes off. The histories and recollections by historians and writers really helps you to understand all the sides of the stories that are heard. "Innings" 3-7 are the best innings by far to watch.<br /><b> </b><br /><b> Buck O'Neil is Fantastic</b><br />Much like Shelby Foote in Burn's other major documentary, <i>The Civil War</i>, Buck O'Neil is a man with very simple words that really keep you entertained. When he appeared on the screen, I was always tuning in a little better to see what he had to say. Not only were his insights interesting, he also had firsthand experience playing in the Negro Leagues in the 1930s and 40s. It was evident that he loved the game of baseball very much.<br /><b> </b><br /><b> Any Major Baseball Stories are Covered</b><br />You may have heard the phrase, "The Shot Heard 'Round the World," but do you actually know what even it refers to? Not only does Burns cover it, he really makes sure you understand the mindset of the fans involved.<br /><b> </b><br /><b> It Tells One of the Funniest Stories I Have Ever Heard</b><br />In 1962 the Mets were one of the worst teams in baseball. So much so that centerfielder Richie Ashburn and rightfielder Elio Chacon constantly were colliding in the outfield when they both tried to catch the same fly ball. So Chacon taught Ashburn how to say "I've got it" in Spanish: "Yo la Tengo." Ashburn repeated that phrase over and over again so he had it down. Finally the day came when a fly ball flew into the outfield, and Ashburn yelled "Yo la Tengo!" as loudly as he could. He was about to catch the ball...when leftfielder Frank Thomas crashed into him instead.<br /><br /><b>The History of Free Agency </b><br />I didn't even realize how detailed and lengthy the history of free agency was in baseball. The term "player reserve clause" kept popping up all over the documentary, and over and over the baseball team owners rejected it. Finally, after the formation of a player's union  and an arbitration court, free agency was born. That story was far more interesting than it should have been!<b> </b> <br /><br /><b>It Starts Each Episode with the National Anthem</b><br />Each National Anthem is not the same - there are tons of different variations that are heard throughout the documentary. The other commonly used song and variations are to "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." The other music used help to set the scene of the inning. At the beginning there is a lot of ragtime, in the 40s a lot of big band, and by the 70s and 80s there is tons of rock.<br /><b> </b><br /><b> He's Not David McCullough, but He's Good</b><br />The narrator this time around is John Chancellor, and he does a great job narrating. I was disappointed that in the sequel to this series, <i>The Tenth Inning</i>, he did not return to do the narration.<br /><b> </b><br /><b> </b>And now, some of the negative parts:<br /><br /><b>The First Part is very Dull</b><br />I understand that to start a documentary on baseball, you need to start at the beginning. But the beginning of baseball is made to seem very dull and boring. It took me a while to get into the documentary because of it. It took a bit to find its rhythm.<br /><b> </b><br /><b> The First Part Also is Parallel to <i>The Civil War</i></b><br />The pictures are the same, the music is the same, and even the voices are the same. I almost thought I had put in a <i>Civil War</i> DVD instead.<br /><b><i> </i></b><br /><b><i> </i>There is a Major New York Bias</b><br />Not until the second half of the documentary does is begin to talk about the woes of the Boston Red Sox, but the ups and down of the New York teams are never more than ten minutes away! I understand that a lot of baseball history was accomplished by the Giants, Dodgers, and Yankees back in the day, but there was so much <i>other</i> baseball history being made by other baseball teams outside of New York and some of that gets pushed by the wayside! Which brings me to my next point...<br /><br /><b>Where's the Tigers???</b><br />Ty Cobb was, at the same time, a bright spot and a stain on Detroit Tigers history. And unfortunately for us, he <b> </b>is the only Tiger to truly get screen time here. Aside from a brief two-minute discussion on Hank Greenberg and his impact on Jewish players in the League, that's it for the Tigers. No mention of their World Series wins in '35 or '45, nothing about their impact on the city of Detroit in '68, and nothing about their wire-to-wire dominance in '84. Heck, there wasn't even anything about Mark Fidrych, which shocked me! I spent so much time waiting for the Tigers to make some sort of dent in the documentary, and was left very disappointed.<br /><br />In 2009 Burns went back and filmed <i>The Tenth Inning</i>, which "covers" all the history between 1990 and 2009. I was very interested in hearing these events that I was familiar with as a current baseball fan, but this documentary was not very pleasing to me. Burns decided to have the entire four hours revolve around the career of Barry Bonds, someone that I have always disliked. There would be a few other stories, but eventually the story got back to Bonds in some way. I enjoyed hearing about the 1998 home run chase and the 2004 Red Sox World Series and the emergence of Ichiro Suzuki, but other stories that they chose to talk about, like a lengthy discussion over the Mitchell Report, and the Yankee "dominance". All other World Series championships of the past 20 years were largely ignored.<br /><br />I would recommend that any die-hard baseball fan make sure to watch <i>Baseball, </i>but the likes of <i>The Tenth Inning</i> could be ignored. The former did its best to combine one hundred years of baseball history into 18 hours, and also succeeded in revealing to me some of the best players in the game: Christy Mathewson, Babe Ruth, Buck O'Neil, Cy Young, John McGraw, Lou Gehrig, Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Bob Feller, and Sandy Koufax. These are great players that helped revolutionize the game with their talents and skills, and hopefully this documentary will help their efforts to not be forgotten.

Baseball - By Ken Burns

The week before baseball season began, I started to watch the Ken Burns documentary called Baseball . It traces the history of America's...

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The rock climbing experience

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1EN3jebLcCDNttdk7DY6a-fne3ChlvpLkp5Ge_2UfZIeWgmQAUxwxFoaT6s4mqdAvXnqyXMTbMNphP3pW-eG8ZWnZI62b9oVhoegR5-FQODEziCnBjfii8j0pyuiGGdjXgzdzOAFARlGK/s1600/P1020789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1EN3jebLcCDNttdk7DY6a-fne3ChlvpLkp5Ge_2UfZIeWgmQAUxwxFoaT6s4mqdAvXnqyXMTbMNphP3pW-eG8ZWnZI62b9oVhoegR5-FQODEziCnBjfii8j0pyuiGGdjXgzdzOAFARlGK/s640/P1020789.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Yes, that's me, climbing the wall today.</div><br />I have never gone back and read any of my old posts. Until tonight. I wanted to find the post from the last time I went rock climbing. It was February 6, 2009. Here's the blog <a href="http://diana1359.blogspot.com/2009/02/not-one-not-two-not-three-but-four.html">post</a>.<br /><br />It was on my "old" blog. If you don't know the history of my old blog it has to do with an online "fight" I had with a guy named Tony, the Anti-Jared. It was very ugly, and becasue of it, I shut down my blog. The entire incident reminds me of some of the online stuff I see these days between bloggers. Really stupid. Of course I immediately regretted my knee-jerk decision about shutting down my blog in February 2009, so I started a new blog, same title (this one).  <br /><br />As I was going through my old posts trying find the rock climbing one, I read several of them. I use to put a lot of thought into my posts. I was also very determined to lose weight and be healthy back then. As I read through my posts from 2009 I started wondering what happened to my spark. I was on fire back then and now I barely have an ember of enthusiasm left. I want to recapture that feeling.<br /><br />I've decided to go back to my very first post on May 13, 2008, and read my history. Maybe I can learn something about  myself. Maybe that girl that was so determined can help this girl that's feeling hopeless.<br /><br /><b>The Rock Climbing event today</b><br />It wasn't as fun as in 2009. Part of it was probably because I was exhausted from the last two weeks of working crazy hours and major stress, but a much larger part of it is my weight. When I did this in February 2009 I weighed 157 pounds (I posted that weight in the rock climbing post). Today I weighed 185 pounds. That's a difference of 28 pounds. The difference in how much harder it was today than it was in 2009 was huge, 28 pounds of huge.<br /><br />I only climbed one wall today. In 2009 I climbed four walls. It wasn't the toddler wall like in the video from my 2009 post, but it was one of the easier ones. The only things positive about it is that a.) I did get to the top and b) my butt isn't quite as gigantic as I have it pictured in my head. Although the difference in my body from 2009 as seen in the video on my old post, and today, as I saw in pictures of myself, is huge and not in a good way.<br /><br />Sadness<br />I'm not sure why, but for some reason I can't pinpoint I feel very sad tonight. Sad that I didn't get to my goal weight when I was so close to it in 2009, sad that I've regained 28 pounds from my February 2009 weight, and sad that I didn't really have a good time today because of my weight.<br /><br />Something I wrote in my 2009 rock climbing post keeps going through my head:<br /><br />"That's what it all boils down to: self-care. Do we care enough to take care of our body? Maybe it's just something fun, like climbing a rock wall or opening day at the pool with your kids or riding in a 100-mile bike ride and giving it your best. Or maybe it's some type of critical surgery that your life depends on. Will you be ready? Think about that the next time you want to throw this all out the window. The next time you want to say to hell with counting Points, to hell with the freaking treadmill, to hell with the whole thing. You might as well be saying to hell with your life."<br /><br />Why didn't I listen to myself back then? Maybe it's not too late. I can still take my own advice, right?

The rock climbing experience

 Yes, that's me, climbing the wall today. I have never gone back and read any of my old posts. Until tonight. I wanted to find the post ...

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30 weeks

<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg232CPZOC-oinpIDB7rqetPIaFAnv0gy67M8-7C3k4DFY503Zn9bwH9df0FTnMGswjcoUWBvSNH56kAr-VHxnP5k10u8ButCht3SFMlzj_75mhQvHQxUIcAsBE-sD8WuQCuF6higJCeKTS/s1600-h/30%20weeks%20-%204.12.11%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="30 weeks - 4.12.11" border="0" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyx4eU1n-q6bK__tq2-PBR3XbDonFK8OBkm3djpMThLa2MDXcdlfbrMPTjWB5L6IrIKc0aF_fbkvtx7dNfwaGARgvJEfhWSlf0aMeb50o4PHM4VXU8oJ3JwZ6IyJJ7Tzm67c1uurN5BYY7/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="30 weeks - 4.12.11" width="354"></a> </p> <p><strong>How Far Along:</strong> 30 Weeks <p><strong>Size of baby:</strong> Baby Bangert is the size of a head of cabbage, almost 3 pounds, and a tad over 15.7 inches long from head to heel. <p><strong>Maternity Clothes:</strong> I wear maternity jeans, pants, and I’ve recently started wearing a few shirts I got from my sister. I’m still squeezing into a few regular things though, like the brown tee in my picture this week! <p><strong>Gender:</strong> It’s a girl!!! We’re still working on names…I sure hope we can get one picked out soon! <p><strong>Movement: </strong>She is a busy little girl! I feel her moving around all throughout the day. I love it though…there is a tiny little life inside me! <p><strong></strong><strong>Sleep:</strong> Eh, it’s been ok! I’m not the best side sleeper and I wake up on my back quite a bit. Plus a few bathroom runs! <p><strong>What I miss:</strong> Sleeping on my stomach, a bigger selection of clothes, and buying regular clothes (the maternity section needs to expand)! <p><strong>Cravings:</strong> Lately it’s been Lucky Charms…not sure why! I am quickly finding out the bigger she gets the less I eat…I get full SO fast! <p><strong>Symptoms:</strong> Really can’t complain! Feeling well for the most part, just stiff/achy & tired by the end of the the day. <p><strong>Best Moment this week:</strong> It’s been a pretty laid back week, but a fun one! I was at a work conference out of town the end of last week and did a little shopping for Baby Bangert! I got this outfit and it was 1/2 price!! I love the ruffles on the back of the pants!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi-Pr6RhJxk98faskS5hlQsJEdK43OyvFyrqQYhBpy5dkUCbyVaImLTvH7EjyFRvtRg_J7x0u77oESMR7einI660ZpIPBrfCgRJg7kZ4GRrpKoxb6yuK92xF5gMuEfm0iKzekacTbv-QO_/s1600-h/DSC09877%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC09877" border="0" height="471" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqcs7PbwDahwKRjRzjjv52bt6MWAlsoomQD0Zo_G8NW55TAJbTrX5dltFWjmrJQEuSY5mZYhd-vZWAS98t3Ca_fItz-1c9IkZoNE_LtGN9srO33FZDGieMhkyPdd95Ky8FrGuG-xBR1S43/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC09877" width="354"></a> <p>Friday was my friend, Sarah’s, baby shower. She is 3 weeks ahead of me and expecting a boy! We couldn’t resist a belly picture together! They live not too far from us and we joke that our kids will have an arranged marriage!<img alt="DSC09881" border="0" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcONfcDvp0xRFjeJoxcshVFHMXXzrA7oXldcHkvJyo-O05WcaIgF5AddLGhHs33pTI3FkpbS4HrSY6EhnWAFPnjrKOFGnnAGLV5Zs_TY5iB6y6Ogk_TVVsyg9N1on4aw6PPomYl36J628T/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC09881" width="404"> <p>On Saturday Kyle & I went to Target to get our registry done. He had to test out the stroller before we could add it to our list! ;) It was so fun picking out everything we needed for our baby girl!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYGUMVANaeVjj__L4Rfo96Jwqmuf_oMQrbdcPIrGFNme-iZ9g0zI2qwVxZg3k2VNJECY6PsgXYHCJOo5Qi3RWOsMTbNqQnyvCFw9UNNNpf_dforwFrtKlX4pIxptbSClJCZw6Fjtl8LJj/s1600-h/DSC09882%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC09882" border="0" height="471" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbr7sS2o9ugK9XSi8Wuowf7vcfRoyRhCJvAvx3YuPFYVi_8soN0ARfccNtf4tAKknCt_XPF9u4Mku8ds-2Ue8E9LcOSpRDTdvFg92Odh7CBhbjNPtO5CadPjSMDTNKpIPnVrQECZSut_m/?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="DSC09882" width="354"></a></p>

30 weeks

How Far Along: 30 Weeks Size of baby: Baby Bangert is the size of a head of cabbage, almost 3 pounds, and a tad over 15.7 inches long f...

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Pretty funny & Climbing the Rock

A comment left on my last post titled "Fewer candy bars, more vegetables":<br /><br />"On Wed, Apr 13, 2011 at 7:10 AM, hrgottlieb <span dir="ltr"><Inoreply-comment@blogger.com></span> wrote:<br /><a href="" target="_blank">hrgottlieb</a> has left a new comment on your post "<a href="" target="_blank">Fewer candy bars, more vegetables</a>": <br /><br />I wonder if your readers would benefit from a good resource for <a href="" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">candy fundraising ideas</a>? There are tons of different <a href="" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">candy fundraisers</a> to consider. But not all <a href="" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">candy fundraising</a> programs are the same."<br /><br />Can you imagine me with a couple cases of candy in my house, for "fundraising" purposes? Pretty freaking hysterical.<br /><br />Climbing the Rock<br />Remember my post from a couple years ago about my 25th anniversary with my company. Probably not. I can't even find the post, I think it was February 2009, so that's in my "old" blog (long story). I weighed 166. I always remember my weight. I chose rock climbing as my activity of choice for my team. So off we went to <a href="http://www.verticalworld.com/">Vertical World </a>in Seattle.<br /><br />So, here I am, 20 pounds heavier and my coworker celebrating his 20 years with the company today has chosen rock climbing for the team. Everyone had so much fun at mine that he wanted to do it again. Today I will be pulling my 185 body up a wall. I hope my arms can sustain this extra weight. I have my doubts but I'm going to give it my best try.<br /><br />Wish me luck!

Pretty funny & Climbing the Rock

A comment left on my last post titled "Fewer candy bars, more vegetables": "On Wed, Apr 13, 2011 at 7:10 AM, hrgottlieb <I...

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Rich Generosity

<div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Even after all this time, <br />The Sun never says to the Earth, <br />"You owe me." <br />Look what happens with <br />A love like that. <br />It lights the whole sky. </i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>~Hafiz of Persia </i></b> </div><br />A few amazing things happened over the last 24 hours.  I met both, not one, but <b>BOTH</b> of my goals for the March of Dimes and Cystic Fiborsis walks!  I am so pleased and thrilled with the generosity of my friends and family.  I know that for many people in this day and age, the need to make ends meet is a daily struggle.  But God wants us to be generous beings no matter what our situation.  In fact, in today's daily message from Joel Osteen it said:<br /><br /><blockquote><div style="color: #3f4f55; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 15px;"><i>“By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the one who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence”</i><b>  (2 Peter 1:3 NLT)</b></div></blockquote><br /><center><br /><a href="http://www.marchforbabies.org/personal_page.asp?w=4786860&u=hilaryjp248&bt=12"><img border="0" src="http://www.marchforbabies.org/includes/getaspirationalbadgenew.asp?id=4786860&s=contact_photo&f=&u=hilaryjp248" /></a></center><br /><br />What do you think?<br /><br />I'm so happy I got the 5K bug because raising money for causes like these makes a person feel really good. It is my hope that people continue giving even though I've reached both of my goals.  <br /><br />While I doubt that those who gave are reading this message right now, I still want to thank you for donating your hard earned dollars to two important foundations.  The people who are affected by Cystic Fibrosis and Premature Births are more grateful that I can adequately express here.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRB6PhLt3LO3JPIxOGq0b3rMZrh3GJDM7_-904UVZa5cnWs2G6aEqzzj6CCqp6tMB6HL8A5B1tcz8J0NluyrtU8-924hqJMBHwnnGBcCsjFXoADJXa5KUYgqRw2CYSM9DPL8BznBwgEZc/s1600/Cystic+Fibrosis+Goal+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="65" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRB6PhLt3LO3JPIxOGq0b3rMZrh3GJDM7_-904UVZa5cnWs2G6aEqzzj6CCqp6tMB6HL8A5B1tcz8J0NluyrtU8-924hqJMBHwnnGBcCsjFXoADJXa5KUYgqRw2CYSM9DPL8BznBwgEZc/s400/Cystic+Fibrosis+Goal+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See that? <b>110%</b>!</td></tr></tbody></table><blockquote><i><span class="versetext" id="2co9-11" style="display: inline;">"You will be made rich<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=4573828983660444179&postID=1392085567552652971" name="1"></a> in every way so that you can be generous<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=4573828983660444179&postID=1392085567552652971" name="2"></a> on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God." </span><span class="CurrentPassageTextLink">2 Corinthians 9:11</span></i></blockquote>

5K Rich Generosity

Even after all this time, The Sun never says to the Earth, "You owe me." Look what happens with A love like that. It lights the ...

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