Christmas Eve

Started the morning off with 4.81 miles on the treadmill...had to start the day off right so I was ready for all the Christmas goodies!

And then it was time for family Christmas gatherings to begin!

Yup, I'm madly in love with him!

The cousins (minus one who wasn't there)

Kristen, Jennifer, Trisha, Megan, Clint, Wesley

The cousins...a few years earlier...

1984ish

Tad, Wesley, Trisha, Megan, Clint, Jennifer

 1993

Clint, Wesley,Tad, Trisha, Jennifer, Kristen, Megan

Week #46

Week 46 - December 21 - lost 3.8 for a total of 67.9

Start Weight: 250.4
Current Weight: 182.5

December Sunrise...

on the Trails! Enjoyed a 4 1/2 mile hike on this gorgeous Sunday morning in December!

Geese swimming at the side of Goose Neck Trail on the North Loop

Deer were just waking up as we hiked up to the Keebler Plateau.

Entertainment is good

A little entertainment while walking tonight — watching Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas while walking at Planet Fitness

Oh It's A Tiara!

This week is Spirit Week at IBES and today is Fancy Day, so I was I am a Princess!

Big Bang Theory had the best way of expressing my feelings of wearing a tiara...

Family Pictures

2015 Family Photo

2010 Family Photo

2009 Family Photo

2007 Family Photo

2006 Family Photo

Moods

I don't know what in the world is going on with me lately. I can only assume that with the weight loss has come hormone changes and with hormone changes the mood swings. Ugh, so annoying. I feel like I want to cry all the time, but I'm really trying not to. I've been off, moody, out of it. I almost feel like I'm depressed. Is that possible, that weight loss, something that makes me healthier and in the long run happier, can make me depressed?

I'm really working hard to lose the weight and I know I've come a long way, but when I look in the mirror, all I see is how far I still have to go...and it's such a long way. I want to look good and feel good about myself, but I don't feel like I ever really will. Clothes can only hide so much.

Either way, I will keep working at it and give this over to God, but I really wish I could stop feeling this way. I know that God is in control of all of this and that he will take care of me if I will just focus on my relationship with him and focus less on the me in the equation.

Week #40

Week 40 - lost 3.9 for a total of 60.1!
I officially hit my 2nd weight-loss goal and am now 75% of the way to hitting my final goal.
20 more lbs to go!!!

Starting Weight: 250.4
Current Weight: 190.3

Nov. 6 - Friday night I went to dinner at Crust Pizza in East Peoria and then to see Shaping Sound: Dance Reimagined with these girls! Had such a great time!!!

Even got our picture taken on the Red Carpet!

Best number from Friday night's show - Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody...even better in person than the video.


Nov. 7 - Saturday night we went to the Newsboys concert. It rocked!

#webelieve

The 4 Week Squat Plan

Anyone up for some Squats? Here's a link to The 4 Week Squat Plan

Happy Halloween Witches!

 A compilation of our Halloween pictures over the past 3 years...2013 was Super Heroes, 2014 was Pete the Cat, 2015 was Witches.

The Wicked Witch and her Flying Monkey!

A Quick Hike After Work

Ha! Nothing like an 8 mile hike squeezed in between work and picking the girls up from school.

Completed all of the South Loop: 116 Ravine, Meadow Bypass, Grotto, 5 Fingers of Fun, Eagle Ridge, and Edge of the World (3.5 miles) and then continued over to do the entire North Loop: Bob & Don's, Gary's Thicket, Serengeti, Z-Trail, Goose Neck, Cedar Ridge, Rocky Ridge, M&M, Malibu Trail, and Keebler before heading back to the cars (4.5 miles).

This is my favorite tree at Wildlife. Love, love, love it!

It greets me on my hikes along the North Loop and gives me a high five as I pass it.

On our hike today, I did a little decorating for Halloween...

do you ever feel like you're being watched while you're out hiking or biking?

Let's Go Take A Hike!

Week #37: lost 3.3 for a total of 55.7
It's' been a long month, but finally heading back in the right direction.

Starting Weight: 250.4
Current Weight: 194.7

3.95 mile hike late Saturday afternoon + 4.72 mile hike on Sunday afternoon + 4.5 mile hike on Monday morning = a great fall weekend!

Saturday = hike #1

A beautiful view of Kickapoo Creek from the Malibu Trail on the North Loop

Malibu Trail on the North Loop

M&M...fun as always!

Even the deer thought it was a great weekend for a hike along the Z-Trail!

Beautiful fall view in the woods.

Finished up Bob and Don's in time to enjoy the sun setting through the trees.

Found this baby snapping turtle sitting in the middle of the path on Bob & Don's as I was finishing my hike. It was a little too cold out for him and he wasn't moving at all. Thought maybe I could warm him up a bit in my hands while I finished the last quarter mile of my hike.

Found a place to put him at the edge of the lake.

Sunday = 2nd hike!

A beautiful fall view of Kickapoo Creek from the Malibu Trail.

Monday = Hike #3

Found this little guy sitting in the middle of the trail on Malibu...
decided to move him over so he didn't get squished.

Top of M&M heading toward Double Stuff

Springfield Marathon Weekend

Got up bright and early, well actually it wasn't bright out yet, so just really early on Saturday morning to help out at Mike's Stupid Race (otherwise known as the 3-6-9 Race).

Helped there as long as I could and then Mom and I headed to Springfield to pick up our race packets for Sunday.

Pre-Race Selfies

Walk, jog, repeat...at least I appear to be enjoying myself.

 Post-Race Selfies 

Official Finish Time: 3hrs 16min 53sec

12 minutes and 15 seconds faster than my time for the Quad Cities Marathon 2 weeks ago!

Quad Cities Marathon Weekend

Can't believe this weekend finally got here and that we survived it!

After getting checked in, we wandered around the Expo and even saw Mr. Peanut and the Peanut Mobile - so much cooler than the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile!

Saturday night we enjoyed dinner out at Red Robin and then dessert at Whitey's Ice Cream (White Tiger Paws (vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, and Oreos). Can you see the sparkle in my eyes...yummm!

Pre-race selfie

The Rock Island Aresenal National Cemetery - We passed this about 12 miles into the marathon.

Coming in to the finish and Lili decided to join me.

We did what we set out to do...we finished the race together!

Post race selfie.

Official 1/2 Marathon Finish Time: 3hrs 29min 8sec

On the way home we stopped for lunch at Cerno's in Kewanee - Pulled Pork Sandwich and Fries...delish!

What a great weekend!