When I was a little girl I was a girl scout.  I was a daisy, a browie, and girl scout.  I sold tons of cookies, camped, earned my badges, sang songs, and made many friends.   I love girl scout cookies.  As I was leaving the store yesterday they were outside selling cookies.   I wanted to buy some and eat every one of them!!   But instead I asked if I could just donate some money since I was on a diet.  The woman taking the money said sure but if I would prefer they could send 3 boxes to soldiers in Iraq in care packages.  Yes!!!! I gave them the money and walked away with a big smile.  My heart swelled with delight of not only resisting the temptation to eat cookies but to help a great organization and bring some happiness to some soldiers in Iraq.   It made me think of the little song I learned in Brownies.  

I've got something in my pocket, it belongs across my face.
I keep it very close at hand, in a most convienient place.
I'm sure you couldn't guess it if you guessed a long, long while.
So I'll take it out and put it on, it's a Great Big Brownie Smile!

After I left the store I headed to buy a pair of new jeans, a dress, and a new top.   The pants and the shirt were one size smaller and the dress was two sizes smaller.   Tommy and I went to the movies and saw True Grit.  It was a great movie.   I thought a very worthy re-make.  Tommy and I were in Sams and I we were getting cat food and Tommy said, "Wait, hold this." and he handed me the cat food bag.  "This is how much weight you have lost.  I was stunned to feel how heavy it was and how big!!  Was I really carrying all that around?  YIKES.   I had him take a picture and it is my first weight loss picture on this site.   I am so glad to have that wieght off me.  Then he pointed to the 40lb bag.  "Soon we will need to take a pciture of you with this one!!!"  That felt so good!!!  Thank you Tommy!!  Thank you for helping me put things in perspective.  When I looked at it, that big 20lb bag I realized what a big step I have made.  I am 1/4 of the way there.   I am so excited.   After Sams we were to my brothers to give Marsha her birthday gift.  Daniel bought her a tredmill.  She was so excited.  Daniel gave us thier wedding invitation.  Daniel wrote his own poem for it.  I am so proud of my brother and so happy he has found his soul mate.   Music at Duncans was great and we saw Damon and his wife and Sonny and Lisa.   Life is good.  I've got a great big browie smile!!!

Three is a magic number,
Yes it is, it's a magic number.
Somewhere in the ancient, mystic trinity
You get three as a magic number.
The past and the present and the future.
Faith and Hope and Charity,
The heart and the brain and the body
Give you three as a magic number.
 It takes three legs to make a tri-pod
Or to make a table stand.
It takes three wheels to make a ve-hicle
Called a tricycle. Every triangle has three corners,
Every triangle has three sides,
No more, no less.
You don't have to guess.
When it's three you can see
It's a magic number.
 3-6-9, 12-15-18, 21-24-27, 30.
3-6-9, 12-15-18, 21-24-27, 30.
Multiply backwards from three times ten: Three time ten is (30), three times nine is (27),
Three times eight is (24), three times seven is (21),
Three times six is (18), three times five is (15),
Three times four is twelve,
And three times three is nine, and three times two is six,
And three times one is three of course. Now take the pattern once more:
Three! . . .3-6-9
Twelve! . . .12-15-18
Twenty-one!. . .21-24-27. . .30 Now multiply from 10 backwards:
Three time ten is (30 - Keep going), three times nine is (27),
Three times eight is (24), three times seven is (21),
Three times six is (18), three times five is (15),
Three times four is twelve,
And three times three is nine, and three times two is six,
And three times one...
What is it?!
Three!
Yeah, That's a magic number.



If you can't tell I lost three pounds at my weigh-in today.  20 pounds total!!!!

 








I must admit I am guilty of weighing throughout the week.  I know it is better not to.  Sometimes I hate what I see and sometimes I LOVE what I see.  Well this is one of those days I am glad I weighed and took a peek.  I saw a number on the scale I had not seen in over 2 years.  I was thrilled.  I felt like jumping in the air!   I even wieghed myself a few times to make sure it was right.  But it was. It was right and I am very excited.  Looks like I may hit 3 more pounds this weigh-in on Friday and might make it to 20lbs lost.  WOOO HOOOOOO!!!!

"Hey Mr Grump Gills
You know what you gotta do when life gets you down?
Just keep swimming
Just keep swimming
Just keep swimming swimming swimming
What do we do we swim, swim, swim
OH HO HO How I love to swim
When you WAAAAAANNTTT to swim you want to swim."

You have to forgive me for the Finding Nemo reference but I do have a five year old.   This little song is from the movie.  I have found myself saying it to myself as I prepare for my review and in my weight loss journey.  Just keep swimming.  Just keep moving.  Just keep working.  Just keep away from that candy and those fried foods.  It can be so tempting to stop or to quit but you just have to keep going.   I hope whatever your goals are you can keep swimming too!

I was getting ready to go out last night and I was trying things on.  Clothes are looser, things that were too tight to wear are more wearable.  This includes two of my favorite black dresses.  I put them on and spinned around in them.  It felt good but I found myself trying to put on bigger clothes.  I tried to put back on a dress I bought a few months ago at my heaviest.  Tommy saw me with it on and said, "Honey that is really too big for you."  So I followed his advice and put on one of my favorite little black dresses I call my Audrey Hepburn Dress.  It felt good to hear that.  It was so tempting to put on something bigger.  I wanted to...I was afraid to put something on that was more form fitting.  But in the end I was glad I wore it and felt good in it.   Tommy and I had a wonderful Saturday.  We made a stop at Creatures of Habbit for the Masked Ball at Duncans.  We then jetted over to Maiden Alley to see My Blue Valentine.  The movie was amazing but very raw.  It really can be summed up by the song in the tailer.  "You always hurt the ones you love."  Why do we do that?  So often we do.  After the movie we headed to the Punk Show with Dan and Carla and enjoyed some great music.   Then afterwards Tommy and I went to Duncans for dinner and music at the Masked Ball.  I had one of thier amazing chicken sandwiches, guilt free and amazing!!   They pulled me into the mask contest.  There was a very well built lady in the line up and ofcoure she won.  But as I was leaving I smiled at Tommy and said, "Next year, that's going to be me."  :)  Next year I will have a new little black dress and a new body.  

 









Today was my weekly weigh-in and I lost two more pounds.  I have lost 17 pounds total.  I am so excited about the next coming weeks and hitting 20 pounds.  I am going to try to loose three pounds this week next week.  I have added yoga in the mornings and plan to do some walking.  I am excited ... I am pumped to be so close to 20.  20lbs and I will be 1/4 of the way there.  I feel good, my clothes are starting to get very loose.  I see a shopping trip in the not so distant future.   Tommy has been very dedicated as well and has lost 20 pounds.  I am so glad we are doing this together.  His support and support from friends, family, and co-workers has made all the difference.  I usally update my blog more than once a week be as have the last few weeks this week has been very busy.  I have spent most all of my time getting ready for my review.  In the past I would have eaten my way through the stress but this time I have been very careful not to turn to food for comfort.  Instead I have simply continued to work hard to get through this.  What a novel idea?  But for me it is life changing.  Not depending on food like I have in the past is turning a big corner.  I am so looking foward to the weekend.  I can't wait to spend some time resting and just enjoying the weekend.  Tommy and I are going to see Blue Valentine Saturday at Maiden Alley.  I am very excited!