The Last 10 Years

As I was looking around on Facebook this morning and watching the videos from the time capsule, I am reminded of how much my life has changed in 10 years.

In the year 2000, I wasn't even dating my husband. In fact, I don't even think I was dating anyone and my husband was dating someone else at the time. He wasn't even in my mind as someone I mind be interested in dating. I was 23 years old and wasn't even thinking about who I was going to marry. I was working for my dad at his optical shop and pondering about what to do with school. I still lived in Oklahoma and our house was on Czech Hall Rd.

So what has happened in my life over the last 10 years?

I tried going back to school to work on my French Education degree. Unfortunately, it didn't quite work out due to moves, life changes, and goal changes. I have decided that I truely do want to be a nurse and maybe study French and Spanish as a minor.
In May 2001, Brendan and I started talking at the Tyler Young Speaker's Meeting. It was in that same month (at the end of the month) at the Washington Young Speaker's Meeting that I bought a bridal magazine because I knew that is who I was going to spend the rest of my life with.

September 2001, the World Trade Center bombing happened and it changed many people's lives forever. It was at that time that I told Brendan that I loved him and wanted to spend the rest of my life with him and that I was so thankful to have him in my life. December 2001, we welcomed Rebecca and Katrina into our family.

I got engaged in March 2002 and moved to Texas in August 2002.

I got married July 2003. Brendan graduated college in August 2003. We made the decision to start looking for jobs back in Oklahoma at the end of 2003.

We moved to Oklahoma in February 2004. Brendan got a wonderful job with Farmers Insurance. October 2004, I found out I was pregnant. December 2004, I miscarried.

April 2005, I found out I was pregnant again!!!! July 2005, we found out we were going to be having a little girl. December 8, 2005 Ashlynn Lauren Wallace was born.

March 2006, I had my very first surgery. September 2006, I watched one of my dearest and my oldest friend get married and become a member of the extended Butler family.

April 2007, I got to go and visit Brendan in Chicago while he was there for work. June 2007, my wonderful sister-in-law got married!! Brendan, Ashlynn, and I were all in the wedding. Ashlynn was the absolute cutest flower girl ever!!! October 2007, we welcomed another member into the family when my brother married Allysa. October 2007, we found out we were expecting again and Ashlynn was going to be a big sister.

June 11, 2008 Peyton Mackenzie Wallace was born. July 2008, my sister Jodi moved to Arkansas for school. September 2008, I quit working full time to be a SAHM.

2009 also had lots of memories!! I went to LA in January to visit Brendan while he was there for work. In March I drove to Tulsa to see the New Kids On The Block in concert (one the best ever). In May, Jodi moved back home (yay!!!) In August, Brendan turned 30!!

Now we are in the year 2010. What has happened so far?
Well, in March we found we were expecting another baby!!! In June, we found out we were having another little girl!!!

As you can see, most of my life is now focused on my family and trying to be the best mom I can. I love where my life is. It gets better and better every year. I have a wonderful family. I have a fantastic husband who is also a marvelous dad!!! I have awesome friends and have made new friendships over the last 10 years. I have no regrets. I know that all things happen for a reason and you shouldn't regret things because they help to make you who you are today.

Sorry for the long blog, but I felt compelled to journal what has been going on in the last 10 years.

The new me indeed!!!

I'm not a regular blogger, but I like to have it available for sharing life experiences and such.

When I started this it was to help keep me accountable for my weight loss. Well when I found out we were expecting our 3rd child, I realized that the weight loss adventure was going to be put on hold for at least 9 months!!

It is still a new me though. I will now become the mom of 3 little girls and try to figure out how to balance parenthood, being a wife, and overall being a Christian example to my family and my friends. So, the blog does have an appropriate name.

As of today, I am 20 weeks and 1 day into this pregnancy. On June 15th we found out we were having another girl and I couldn't be happier. Would a little boy been nice, of course, but I know how to do girls. The thought of having another child is just a wonderful thought to me. I can't wait to meet Miss Mason Nicole!!!

I am anxious to see how Peyton responds to having another little addition in the house. Ashlynn is very excited about her new baby sister.

Hmmm....

This is the end of the first week. I am not weighing in today because I have a visitor with me ;)

This tends to bring on bloating, water retention, and all-around blah feeling.

Tomorrow will be the day!!! I can't wait to see where I am.

My goals for this coming week:
Maintain weight loss
Lose at least a pound
Start working out
Drink my water diligently

Do we reward ourselves when we achieve our short-term goals? Or do we wait and reward ourselves when we hit a more long-term goal? Your thoughts on this.

Day 4 (again)

I am definitely more focused this time around. I can feel it.

I know that yesterday's weight loss is not normal, but it did help. Being sick though is not a healthy way to lose weight.

I am much better today thank goodness. I am making healthier choices. It even started when I was leaving Target. I really wanted to do the lazy thing and grab something for the girls and I when I headed home, but I talked myself out of it. Ashlynn is usually happy with a pb&j sandwich. Peyton is good with chicken nuggets. I'm glad that they are not picky eaters. It helps me to stay encouraged knowing that I can always feed my girls at home and don't need to go out. With that being said, I didn't even drive my car the way I would to go to a fast food place. I brought the girls home, made them lunch and fixed myself a couple pieces of blackened parmesan crusted tilapia. It was very yummy and filling. I'm very glad for not giving into my bad food want and coming home and eating sensible.

A website I frequently visit is Sparkpeople. It is a great site full of wonderful advice, recipes, and people all working on the same goals. I love this site. I am on the Daily weigh-in team. One of my teammates sent me an email with some encouraging words. I may have been kidding myself with some of my goals. She gave me some food for thought. I am going to reevaluate my goals and see if I can't make them more realistic.

As of today I am down 3.6 lbs. A good start!! Here's to the new me!!!

Starting Over

I have an issue with not staying motivated and keeping with my goals. I goofed off the first month instead of being focused and keeping my eye on the prize (so to speak).

February 1st is my new start date. I weighed in and decided to give myself a goal of 8-10 pounds a month. It's totally doable. I hope thatI'm not being unrealistic.

I know that people say not to weigh in daily, but weighing in on a daily basis helps me to stay focused. I have noticed that when I only weigh once a week, I forfeit my hard work during the week and just go crazy on the weekend.

I am serious this time. It is something I have focused on and meditated about. I really do want to be healthy. I want to be thinner, not just for my husband and my kids, but for me. I want to be able to play with my children and not get tired after a few minutes. I want to take aerobics classes at the gym and make it throughout the class w/minimal stopping. I want to workout on the elliptical for 30 minutes w/o stopping. I want to be able to wear some of the clothes that I bought whenever I lost weight before having Peyton. I want to be the size I was when Brendan and I started dating. I want to wake up in the morning and get out of bed and the heels of my feet not ache. Shouldnt' be too much to ask for. I just need to stay focused. I also need to rely on God to help keep my strong and just remember that all things are possible with Him.

This journey will be a long one, but a lasting one.

Day 5

Well I have not quite been as diligent the past couple of days, but I'm not going to lose my focus. I have been doing well with the eating, but not exercising like I know I should be. The first few weeks for me is always the hardest.

Wednesday:
Breakfast: 3 pack of chicken minis from Chic-fil-a
Lunch: tuna fish sandwich and noodles
dinner: chili (yummy)

Thursday:
Breakfast: I was bad and failed to eat breakfast
Lunch: Parmesan crusted blackened tilapia and rice
Dinner: Spaghetti

Friday:
Breakfast: Also bad and didn't eat breakfast
Lunch: potato soup
dinner: chicken noodle soup

I know that my last few days have not been good with my meal choices (or lack there of), but I am going through withdrawals of eating junk. I hate this part of starting a new lifestyle. Hopefully my weigh-in on Monday will show some progress. Here's to the new me!!!!

Day 2

Let's see, day 1 went well. I started my workout routine and I am just going to build up time. I did 10 minutes (nonstop) on the elliptical. Baby steps is how I see it. I plan to build up my time to 30 minutes.

Food for 1/4/09:
Breakfast casserole (low-fat)
homemade pizza w/ham and pineapple (2 small pieces)
chicken lo mein (homemade)

1/5/09:
Breakfast casserole
Egg roll (I know this isn't the best lunch, but time got away from me and I knew I had to eat something)
Smoked porkchops and 1/2 baked potato