The boys 8th birthday

This year the boys decided to have .. THE SAME THEME .. they even wanted the same cakes as last year .. but I said how about having something different .. and they thought that was a good idea

Cameron’s cake

Michael’s cake

my BiPolar Personality

my BiPolar Personality.

This is such a fantastic blog post .. and so much of it rings true to how I feel .. thank you for expressing what I find so hard to put down :-)

Week 10

Da da dah dah ..

A 1kg loss .. holy heck - how did that happen ...

Well lets look back at the week ..

... Walked - 4/7 days - Tues, Wed, Fri and Sun .. averaging 1 & 1/4 or 1 & 1/2 hours each .. all up 26 points of exercise - 6/7 points each time ..

... Sat on my bottom Thurs .. time out - and chillin' after a yuck day ;-p

... Went out for dinner with the girls on Friday night .. didn't over indulge but had a delicious meal and great fun chatting away ..had a beer .. but factored it into my points .. 

Soooo ...

I'm lovin' the fact that I went out .. ate without being hungry and exercised and with this I was able to lose 1 kg ..

So I'm down to 74.1 kg ...

Yehhaaa !!

Week 9 - a maintain really ..

I lost 200g (so at 75.1kg).. which is as good as a maintain to me ..

For the next few weeks we have full on social stuff going on (what is with that !!!) .. but I'm not drinking the next 2 weeks ..lol

Miss is loving school .. and the first thought as soon as I've dropped her at class is how long/far I should walk :-)

Usually around 8km (at least) but depending on what jobs I have to do .. it is 8km in the morning and 5km in the afternoon .. and I feel fantastic ..

I've just brought the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred DVD too .. will see how keen I am doing that .. more for if it's raining .. and I have the Wii Fit/EA Sports Active as a back up also ..

All good ..

I measured myself this month and have lost 2cm off my bazookas .. and 2cm off my hips .. and my waist .. well not sure but I think 8cm ??? which I'm really not sure about ..

Must do a progress photo shortly too .. being 100g off my 2nd goal :-)

ETA: Progress shots .. .urghhh here they are ..

 

Start at 80.3 (15th Jan) .. at 77.5kgs (31st Jan) .. and now at 75.1 kgs

... and side views (hate hate hate my arms!!)

 

.. at 77.5kgs (31st Jan) .. and now at 75.1kgs

.. just looking and I think these were the same jeans .. lol

A complete reset ..

I've been thinking and I've been living to long in the shadow of my last few times losing weight .. so .. I deleted all my history on my WW online account .. and have started at the beginning of this weight loss journey .. ie as at the start of Jan
It makes me feel better not being able to see how much I had lost and then put back on due to bits and pieces .. for the past 3 years ..
Things are getting a bit more under control here for me .. as my daughter started school last week and the first thing I did coming home after dropping her off was go for my 8km walk .. and even managed a 13km walk on Thursday :-)
These two last weeks have been interesting due to a close friend's hen's party last weekend and her wedding this weekend just gone .. where (out of the ordinary for me) the alcohol intake got a little out of control .. so this week back on track .. last week I lost 300g even after the hens party .. and so will be interesting to see what the scales show tomorrow .. and if it is a gain .. well onwards I go .. as I know the reason .. (and I had a great time) .. and I know that getting back in to my walking will get it back down ..
.. my head space seems so much better now too with the walking - sort of like my own natural anti-depressant ..lol ..
So here's to a complete reset for this weight loss journey ..

Some new books to enjoy

I found a new authors to enjoy .. and have at this moment ordered a sh*tload of books from the library .. my Kobo sh*t itself last week and a replacement one is coming so it's back to the old page turning I go :-)

Kelley Armstrong

 

Otherworld Novels


Bitten
Stolen
Dime Store Magic
Industrial Magic
Haunted


Broken
No Humans Involved
Personal Demon
Living with the Dead
Frostbitten


Waking the Witch
Spell Bound

Otherworld Novellas & Anthologies


Men of the Otherworld
Tales of the Otherworld
Chaotic
Angelic


Counterfeit Magic
Becoming

Darkest Powers


The Summoning
The Awakening
The Reckoning
The Gathering

Nadia Stafford


Exit Strategy
Made to be Broken

Amanda Ashley

Series

Vampire
1. Shades of Gray (1998)
2. After Sundown (2003)
3. Desire After Dark (2006)



Night
1. Night's Kiss (2005)
2. Night's Touch (2007)
3. Night's Master (2008)
4. Night's Pleasure (2009)



Everlasting
1. Everlasting Kiss (2010)



Bound
1. Bound by Twilight (2011)
2. Bound by Night (2011)

Novels

Embrace the Night (1995)
Deeper Than the Night (1996)
A Darker Dream (1997)
The Captive (2000)
Midnight Embrace (2002)
A Whisper of Eternity (2004)
Dead Sexy (2007)
Dead Perfect (2008)
Immortal Sins (2009)
Everlasting Desire (2010)

Lina Gardiner“GRAVE ILLUSIONS” (Book 1) – Back Cover Blurb
New York City is in the grasp of a deadly, unseen enemy. At least unseen by normal society.
Lieutenant Jess Vandermire, New York City police officer, is uniquely specialized
to recognize and fight this threat. It’s her job to forge a black ops team, an assortment of men and women who wouldn’t be considered for the job under normal circumstances.
But these aren’t normal circumstances. The team has to be tough, and if need be,
they have to be expendable. Jess understands what she’s fighting and what’s at stake. For her, it’s all about retribution until ex-cop John Brittain is recruited to her team.
Suddenly, her priorities aren’t quite so easily definable. John Brittain has a chip on
his shoulder and is as tough as they come. But is he ready for the whole truth?
That combating “super” vampires whose primal need for blood and the addictive
drug “Sunshine” is only the beginning of their problems? And when Jess tells him
the truth about herself, will he stay and fight or will he turn against her and not only
threaten their lives but destroy the fragile relationship developing between them?

“BEYOND THE GRAVE” (Book 2) Back Cover Blurb:
Vampire Police Captain Jess Vandermire is hunting a serial killer vampire. The trouble is, Jess is experiencing blackouts, and every time she does, another woman turns up dead. Has she slipped over the dangerous slope into full vampirism? Is she the serial killer she’s hunting?
Lieutenant John Brittain makes it his job to find the killer and prove Jess innocent, but it’s hard to be human in a world of super-strong, super-fast vampires. His best weapon is his tough-cop intellect and he’s using it for all he’s worth. Yes, Jess is a vampire, and yes, she’s capable of killing. He knows, however, that she hasn’t committed these crimes, and he has the horrible feeling that if doesn’t catch the killer soon Jess will be the final victim.
As Jess and Britt wage war against this evil vampire, it becomes a battle for the last vestiges of Jess’s own humanity. Soon the question becomes, who will draw first blood?

GRAVE NEW DAY (Book 3)– Back Cover Blurb
Jess Vandermire, female vampire and NYC Police Black Ops Captain has to come to terms with the possibility of becoming human again and what that’ll mean to her and to others — especially since she’s up against the most deadly foe yet. She needs her vampire speed and strength, and being human just won’t cut it. Ensnared in a plan that might go terribly wrong, she has little choice. As a human she can’t fight the ancient enemy. When a mysterious stranger shows up and offers to help, she’s not sure if he’s really on her side. She finds out her whole existence has been leading up to the challenge ahead. A challenge that might be insurmountable, and if she doesn’t win, every human on the planet loses

This article previously debuted on www.paranormalityuniverse.blogspot.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And I must note somewhere this website:

http://www.vampirelibrary.com/

which has a full list of vamp books .. and site links .. just huge :-)

Week 8

Well blow me down with a feather I lost 300g .. not sure where .. but just shows me as long as I do my exercise and eat properly during the week .. the odd full on weekend will not completely put me off track .. I would have been happy just to maintain ..

Have a wedding next weekend .. and are going to ENJOY myself :-)

If it's a gain I'll know why .. if not .. well all good

Missy's 5th Birthday cakes

For her playgroup morning tea

..and for her birthday party on the Saturday

 

..and for her afternoon tea with her Nana and Grandad

.. and me with my girl :-)

Getting there :-)

Updating my achievements so far ..
ULTIMATE GOALS FOR THE SCALES
* Lose 2.5 kgs (77.5 kgs) - yay!! – 31/1/2011
* BMI change to Overweight (76 kgs) - yay!! 28/2/2011
ULTIMATE FITNESS GOALS
* Complete a 5k walk again (I know I can do this!) - yay!!
* Walk 5 kms at least 4 times a week / or at least 30 mins of exercise 5 times a week – yay!!
* Complete a 7.5km walk again (I also know I can do this!) - yay!!
* Get on the bike I brought! (before Christmas and have only ridden around the house on!) - yay!!
OTHER GOALS
* Fit my Size 14 jeans comfortably - yay!!
* Fit my Size 16 jeans comfortably
* Have hubby be able to pick me up - yay!! (he wanted to without me even asking – reckoned I was looking skinnier -lol)
WEIGHT GOALS – aims for the next 6 months
* Lose 2.5 kgs (77.5 kgs) - yay!! – 31/1/2011
* Leave the BMI of Obesity – such a horrible word that ‘obese’ depicts! I don’t want it to describe me .. I don’t want it to define me and the way I feel – BMI weight change to overweight (76 kgs) - yay!! 28/2/2011
* Lose 5 kgs (75kgs)
FITNESS GOALS – in the next 3 months
* Complete a 5k walk again (I know I can do this!) - yay!!
* Walk 5 kms at least 4 times a week / or at least 30 mins of exercise 5 times a week - yay!!
* Complete a 7.5km walk again (I also know I can do this!) and keep this up. - yay!!

Week 7 - another loss .. and closer to my next goal :-)

Another loss this week .. down to 75.6kg (900g loss)

I'm hoping if I keep on keeping on I can have between a 500 - 750g loss when I work hard at it .. but will be happy with a 500g loss a week :-)

I have a hen's party this weekend coming up .. so I may not see much of a loss on the scales .. as usually if I look at alcohol it goes straight on my hips :-)

Back to it

.. woke up feeling sooo much better today ..  the Pro-Biotics I took definitely worked I think :-)
So today the treadmill beckoned ... and I climbed abroad the exercise express .. OK it was only 30mins .. but in this heat the sweat was pouring off me afte 10 mins let alone 30 mins .. but thats all good..
I earned 2 activitiy points .. but I'm hoping to just use these when I need to and see how this affects the weight loss .. ie helps or hinders it ..
Anyhoo .. feeling very happy that I've done it .. and hoping to get in at least 4-5 days of AT LEAST 30mins exercise .. and then add to it by using the Wii Fit .. either step .. or jogging ..
Would love to get the EA Sports Active .. so will save the $$ and see next month
.. so onwards and upwards and feeling confident ..
.. also a plan is to not weigh myself every morning as I do .. but will wean slowly ... lol :-)

Week 6 - Some progress

So WI was 76.5 .. yay .. I followed the program pretty well .. did my exercise .. and whalla .. it works ..

Strange that .. lol

I sort of know too .. if I over-indulge .. I make it up with extra exercise .. I don't want to completely change my life .. and still want to be able to have treats .. when I earn them :-))

A thought ..

I just read the most fantastic post this morning on a blog I read: http://www.facebook.com/alreadypretty

Pre-requisites for Beauty

You do not have to be tall to be beautiful.
You do not have to be thin or long-limbed.
You do not have to have long, straight, shiny hair.
You do not have to be an hourglass or a string bean or a pear.
You do not have to be blemish-free, without freckles, scars, or tattoos.
You do not have to fit or demolish certain physical paradigms.
You do not have to be buxom to be beautiful.
You do not have to possess va-va-voom curves or full lips.
You do not have to resemble a movie star, or a lingerie model, or a porn star.
You do not have to sexualize your exterior to be beautiful.
You do not have to neuter your exterior to be beautiful.
You do not have to wear makeup to be beautiful.
You do not have to wear skirts and heels.
You do not have to cover your grays or disguise your cellulite.
You do not have to shun or accept practices of dressing or personal presentation.
Beauty is not definite, it is relative.
Beauty is not exclusive, it is infinite.
Beauty is not for others, it is for you.
And to be beautiful, all you have to be is you, you, you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Week 5 - a loss well OK sort of

Soooo I fell off the wagon .. it ran over me .. and dragged me all the way to binge-ville over the weekend ..
.. somehow .. though I weighed 200g less ..
.. I call it a false loss in my head ..
Taking the good out of it .. I exercised 5 out of the 7 days .. and 2 of those were 5 km walks and another was 8 km (1 & a half hours) .. which were great for clearing my head .. and enjoying the outdoors ..
Over the weekend the boys had a friend over for the whole weekend .. and my points counting went out the window .. esp with the treats I'd brought for the boys ..
This week I'm focussed .. and tracking everyday .. along with choices that are within my Daily points :-0
I have a dinner out on the Friday night but haven't used any of my Weekly Pro-Points allowance so if I WANT to splurge I may be able to .. but in fact are just looking forward to my friends company .. and the food will be a bonus :-)

Week 4 - A huge loss of ...nil

Urrghhh .. was so looking forward to hopping on the scales this morning after 5 out of 7 days exercising and doing pretty well all week - except one day when I used the some of the Weekly Pro points allowance ..
.. and was very deflated so see a loss of nil ..
.. but looking on the positive side .. very happy that I met a few of my goals .. and really enjoying the variety of exercise instead of just walking .. or as in the past going on the treadmill and coming off exhausted and not looking forward to it ..
In the last week I've walked on the treadmill - using different programs - weight loss program (could feel that I'd exercised afterwards- lol ) .. uphill program .. and a random program .. for 30 mins each.. with varying levels of exhausted-ness (is that even a word - lol) .. cycled 5 km .. walked my 8 km walk from home .. used the Wii SpoRts Active program .. with lots of different exercises .. using both upper and lower body .. esp enjoying the cardio boxing and lots of exercises for my arms .. and legs (lunges that I used to hate . . but are enjoying) .. and even some jogging in amongst it (wii - jogging .. but still some for a few minutes) ..
So getting back to looking at the positives .. my first thought in the morning is how I'm going to fit things in around getting my exercise done .. not the other way around that it used to be .. how am I going to fit my exercise in around my usual day :-)
Another is that I'm not feeling hungry during the day .. and are finding that when I plan my meals in the morning for during the day .. I keep to my points ..
I took my measurements last week.. and even though the temptation is there to check them this week  .. I'm going to wait until next week .. or if I can manage it .. 3 weeks away (ie monthly measuring)
So as I said to my therapist today .. even though I was disappointed not to see a drop .. in myself I felt good as I knew that 6 out of the 7 days I had eaten healthily .. and 5 out of those 7 I had exercised .. and this has helped keep me in a positive frame of mind ..
.. if it happens next week .. I'll have to look at my measurements first .. and then look at the food I'm eating to see if this is what is the 'problem' so to speak ..
.. so onwards and upwards - ooops I mean "downwards" ..lol  :-)

Self - sabotage .. that hopefully is offset by my work this week..

This week I have done so well with exercise
Tues - 30 min treadmill and 30 min Wii Sports Active - killer lunges and bicep and tricep curls along with jogging ..
Wed - 30 min treadmill and 30 min Wii Sports Active
Thurs - 40 min treadmill and 40 min cycling (up a rather large hill too .. great going down .. coming back up - was tough work) ..
Today (Fri) - 70 min walk - with rolling hills (and the hill I biked up yesterday) .. and hopefully 30min Wii Sports Active .. :-)
Then unbelieveably .. I stayed up to watch TV as hubby had gone out and didn't go to bed until late and was reading in bed and was really really hungry .. I didn't have any fruit or veges left in the house - other than potato - which I had a serving of at dinner time (as grocery shopping was the next day)  ...
.. Soooo on my Online tracker I have 20 points of biscuits (11), jelly snakes (7) and Air Popped chips (2) that were after 11.30 at night!!!!!!
Lesson learned don't go to bed and read when hungry .. and keep the fruit and veges a bit better stocked with extras .. which I will give myself a little bit of slack on - as I'd brought lots of different types and the kids helped to eat through as they thought it was a novelty .. .. hopefully the exercise and 49 extra pro -points will level it out ..
.. Onwards and upwards .. brought lots of fruit and veges today .. and will make sure I re-stock half-way during the week :-)

Dark Hunter Series - Sherrilyn Kenyon

I've been reading this series for some time but wanted to share the titles .. I've only got 3 to go and I've read all of the released books .. :-)

I'm a serial series reader .. can't stop until I've read a whole series of books .. and hunt out all the possible books to read .. lol :-)

   

Fantasy Lover (Julian & Grace)
#1 Night Pleasures (Kyrian & Amanda)
#2 Night Embrace (Talon & Sunshine)
   

#3 Dance With The Devil (Zarek & Astrid)
#4 Kiss of the Night (Wulf & Cassandra)
#5 Night Play (Vane & Bride)
   

#6 Seize the Night (Valerius & Tabitha)
#7 Sins of the Night (Alexion & Danger) - reserved at library
#8 Unleash the Night (Wren & Maggie)
   

#9 Dark Side of the Moon (Ravyn & Susan
#10 The Dream-Hunter (Arik & Geary)
#11 Fear The Darkness (Nick)
   

#12 Upon the Midnight Clear (Aidan & Leta)
#13 Devil May Cry (Sin & Kat)
#14 Dream Chaser (Xypher & Simone)
   

#15 Acheron (Ash & Tory)
#16 One Silent Night (Stryker & Zephyra)
#17 Dream Warrior (Jericho & Delphine) - reserved at library
 

#18 Bad Moon Rising (Fang & Aimee)
#19 No Mercy (Dev & Sam) - reserved at library
 

#20 Redemption (Jess & Abby) - released - 8/2/2011

# Invincible - Chronicles of Nick -US Release: 2011-03-22