My Boys

Here's a bit of what the boys have been up to.

 A few weekends Danny, Tristen and I headed to Russell for a show. Jacob had to stay behind to work.  Tristen had a wonderful day and was awarded BOB in both shows, both with rabbits he had bred and raised. Below he is pictured with Judge Conall Addison, and Judge Tonna Thomas.

I love the pictures of Tristen and Judge Addison. Conall is judge from here in Kansas, and has even came to judge our county fair chickens and rabbits several times. He meets lots of people, yet always  remembers us and asks about people we know, and he ALWAYS remembers Tristen is shy, and likes to try to get him to talk to him. In the picture above where he's looking at Tristen, he's teasing him, telling him he sure hopes he can handle all the attention. ;)

*I would also like to add that Danny and I had  OUR FIRST Best of Breed Mini Rex in open in one of the shows with a lilac buck named Gizmo. We also went on to win breed in Standard Chins too, up against a couple of guys who have bred them for years, and the judge who judged them was a chin breeder.  We were PUMPED!  Keep in mind these chins have been bred and raised by Jacob. He  played with the breed to learn about them, and then we inherited them when he was done. I didn't have the guts to tell the guys that the bun that beat them were had been bred by teenager!  =) *

Tristen is deep in track at the moment. They've only had 2 meets now, due to bad weather and meets being canceled, rescheduled, canceled again. EVERYONE is sick of the weather this spring.
He is REALLY enjoying long jump, and hit a personal record Thursday with a jump of 13-3 1/2.  I'm not sure if he placed at the meet or not, but his coach told me he was 2nd for our school, and was pleased with his progress he's made this year.

*Tristen had another meet last night, and hit another personal, jumping 13-4 1/2, and placed in all his events.* =)








Jacob is keeping busy with golf and absolutely loves it. We've gotten to go to 2 of his meets now and I think I may even understand about 75% of it now.

 

 

 

 

Hope everyone has a wonderful week. The weather is has been warm, so we are hoping to get outside---because we are suppose to have a chance for snow Thursday!! CRAZY!!!

Week 7--The Dreaded Plateau

I KNEW it would happen, but that sure doesn't make hitting a plateau any less frustrating.  I've pretty much stayed the same weight..with in a pound..for about 2 weeks now. I'm hoping this ends soon. I read a story about a girl whose scale didn't move for 6 months, during a 120 lb weight loss. I'm pretty sure that would send me into a cheese cake induced coma I'm changing up my food and exercise a bit to see if that will move me back in the right direction. 

Other than that, things are great. My husband told me the other morning my snoring has improved. I am certain I have..er..had?...sleep apnea. I just haven't wanted to spend the money on a study for them to tell me I snore like a truck driver.  I KNEW it was my weight. I'm glad it seems I was right.  He says I am still snoring a little, but it's no longer at the level he fears for his hearing.  ;)  I am sleeping much better. Some nights, sleeping all night without even waking up once. That hasn't happened for a long time, and one of those things I didn't realize was affecting my life until it improved.

Most days I am so proud of what I have done to date. Today, though, finds me a bit frustrated with how far I NEED TO GO yet.  So, this quote spoke to me this morning.

Take pride in how far you have come and have faith in how far you can go.

Off to a track meet today!! I have a post of pictures I'd like to share of my boys..my teenagerS, since Tristen turned 13 yesterday. Maybe I'll get that done in the next day or two.  Have a wonderful day. The weather is FINALLY beautiful here!

Weeks 5 and 6 Half Way There!

Ahhh! Halfway!!  I didn't get to post last week because, well, I just didn't sit down to post it!

Halfway.

Pounds lost to date: 21! =D =D =D

Sunday I put on and ZIPPED a pair of jeans I've never been able to wear. (Bought in a hurry without trying them on and too far away to return, so there they have sat on my closet.)   I asked Danny if he thought my butt looked smaller. Poor guy got the deer in the head light look and then said Hey..yeah! It IS!


I will say I am 100% positive getting off the soda before trying this has made this successful. I am also quite sure I was a sugar addict.  I have almost NO cravings at all this time around, where before I had always craved sugar loaded foods and carbs.   It makes eating better so much easier when your not foaming at the mouth looking for a fix!

This past Saturday we were out of town at a show. We had gotten up at 4 am,  I did not do well at getting my water in, but had packed a nutritious lunch. I hadn't had time to make and eat my normal breakfast, so by 9 I was STARVING so I went and got a half an order of biscuits and gravy. Not ideal, but thought it was something at least. Ate a good lunch that I had packed.  On the way home around 3 the boys stopped at McDonalds, and T handed me a chicken nugget..ONE!..and I snatched a couple of french fries. Within 30 minutes I felt nauseous and tired and crabby and by the time we got home I had a full blown migraine.  I'm pretty sure I set my self up with lack of sleep, lack of water, and crappy food.  Lesson learned, body. Very sorry!

I feel better. I sleep better. I walk faster. Its sad when you just get used to feeling like garbage and don't know HOW bad you feel until you start making changes.

Its hard to describe when you lose weight but it seems to take your brain a bit longer to catch up. I still feel like I did 20 lbs ago. Like my clothes are getting bigger, I am not smaller.  SOMETIMES, though, I catch a glimpse of someone I used to know when I look in the mirror. She's coming back! 

I still struggle with the emotional urges to eat. The days when I feel the world is attacking me, or when I'm mad-sad-hurt. Those are still there, but I'm learning how to deal with them.

I am very proud of myself so far. I realize I have a long ways to go yet, but I have worked hard and fought for every.single.pound I have lost.


"Set goals, and then kick'em in the face!"

Wedding Rings

I broke my wedding ring.

A few months ago, I was opening our basement door and caught my wedding ring on the handle and I instinctively pulled back. A freak accident I would never be able to repeat, but it pulled the ring part from the setting, making my ring a U shape.
Recently I went out of town and was able to take it in to be repaired. Apparently, according to the lady who called me Tuesday, it has too extensive of damage and is unrepairable.

I'm sick. I cry when I think about it too much. Danny assures me we will take it to several jewelers just to be sure it really IS not able to be fixed.  Several people have mentioned melting it and having it re-made into something new.  The thought of that makes me super sad, but I guess it would still ,in a round about way, be my ring. And I have looked at other sets, which most girls would probably find exciting. I just felt sad and a bit like I was cheating on my ring. And I think it would feel strange to have a "fake" ring..a ring that had NO meaning or history on that finger. I could possible to over-thinking this entire thing too. ;)

I love my rings.  They are nothing fancy, with their little itty bitty diamonds, but they tell so many stories.  They were put on me when I put on that ridiculously huge white dress on that hot August day, and made the best decision I have ever made in my life. They tell of a time when ramen noodles were considered a feast,  and we sat with paychecks in hand and  tried to determine which bill was the most important bill we should pay--only having enough money to pay one.  They were slipped into the pocket of my husbands jeans while he waited on news from the operating room where I, and soon to be born, Jacob, had disappeared behind.  And  they were on my hand that held Danny's as our Tristen came into the world.  They have been with me as I stayed up all night long with sick babies.  My ring held the hand of my dying Grandmother, and sat on my worried hands while waiting on news from  my dad to come out of countless surgeries, while I thoughtlessly twirled them around and around on my finger.

 

The day after my Grandmother died, Mom and I were sitting at the table, digging through her jewelry box, trying to find the perfect jewelry for her to be buried in, when I found an old beat up tarnished gold band. Inside there was an inscription, so worn down you could barely read it, but it had the names of my grandparents inside with a date.  The beautiful fancy gold band she wore on her finger everyday was not her original wedding ring. It was like finding a buried treasure and my mom made sure my Grandmother was buried with both of her rings.

I've thought about that ring a lot the last couple of days. Did my grandfather surprise her with a new ring?   Did she WANT a new ring?  Would my grandchildren find my U shaped ring someday and wonder what the heck happened?  Will everyone know how much I loved that ring?

I'm still holding on to hope that my rings will be fixed and THINKING a bit about what I will do if they can't be. The fact that I have a 3 year old frame of mind right now, and don't want ANY other ring on my finger EXCEPT MY ring really isn't helping much.

And if I DO get a new ring, I think I'll probably need to get something made out of the same metal they make shot guns out of. Surely I wouldn't be able to destroy THAT.

Ladies.. I'm here to tell you--Love your wedding rings. Take them off, clean up them, and let them shine on your finger!  Its heartbreaking and sad when they are not there anymore!

Random Updates From Our House

This time of year I always find our family running in different directions. It will be this way until school is out, and I am ready to have my  guys home more, for sure! Thought I'd update everyone on our happenings around here.

Danny: Keeping busy with work, farm, Fair Board, and Extension Council. Recently sent pigs off to the processor (and they are by far the best pork we have EVER eaten.) He will turn 40 this month, though doesn't seem to like to be reminded, and sure as heck doesn't enjoy my "but its a milestone" comments. Planning the garden, and trying to keep track of the numerous honey do's his honey seems to find for him. Recently took a jog to Kansas City to pick up some bunnies for Jacob..long story...that were transported there from Wisconsin to Illinois to a breeder friend in KC. Enjoyed the day with Tristen, ate at a little BBQ place that was featured on Diners, Drive-In's and Dives, and went to Arrowhead Stadium. Participating in Walk Kansas and enjoying it!

Becky: Anxiously waiting for the warm weather that STAYS,  and much enjoying the longer daylight. Planning and day dreaming about the garden and flowers, and probably , once again, ordered way to many seeds. Was blessed recently to go with Michelle and Tarquin to a sonogram, where we learned a beautiful, SQUIRMY, little boy will be arriving later this summer.  Trying to wrap mind around the fact in a few weeks that I will be the mom of teenagerS and wondering how this happened. Have been off soda for 16 weeks and 2 days, but who is counting??  Thinks its one of the best and hardest things I have ever done for myself, and am positive it has made all the difference in losing weight.  

Jacob: Turned 15 Thursday. (Wahhhh) Taller than his dad, much taller than his mother. Is participating in golf this year instead of track and LOVES it. Manages school and golf and holding down a part time job that he much enjoys. Gets up every morning and runs to the farm to feed this years 4-H animals. (His heifer Charlie gave birth to adorable little bull calf he's named Reese. She had him a couple of  hours after he checked on her and went to school, declaring "nothing was happening." We are hoping he's more attentive when he has a wife in labor. ;) )  LOVES junk food, Whips yogurt, (eating 2 at a time several times a day!) driving, and his phone.
 

Baby Reese. I think he's adorable. Jacob's first words when he saw him were "What the HECK is WRONG with his head."

Side note: Jacob's birthday present caused quite a bit of fuss this year. I ordered his gift, and am too cheap to pay for the "good" shipping, so he had been checking it every day for over a week, anxious for it to arrive. Well, it did. He was at school, so I opened it up, and all there was was a empty box inside. *insert nausea here* Apparently, the person who packed the box is a thug and swiped it, closed up the box, put it inside the shipping box, and sent it on its way.  I called the company and  not only did they replace with no questions asked, they overnight-ed another pair.  They arrived and all is well.  Mean people stink. =(


Tristen: is busy with track and his running hurdles and doing long jump again this year. Requires a MASSIVE amount of food packed for meets, will be a teenager in 18 days,  is convinced he will NEVER grow taller, has a wicked sense of humor and a kind heart and I hope he never grows out of either.  LOVES Duck Dynasty, Mom's cinnamon rolls, and his I-Pod.


Bunny News:  Its been a rough show season for us. Life has happened and we've been unable to hit some of our favorite shows, and have to accept some years are just going to be like this.  The last show we did go to the boys' stuff was either just going out of condition or too young to compete well. So..they've been sitting at home growing up and there is plenty to be excited about out there. We hope to hit a show very soon!  I'm hoping to get some good weather and gets some pictures. Some of them make me squeal with excitement!


Hope the rest of the weekend treats you well and have a wonderful week!!

Week 4

I've had an amazing week as far as weight loss goes. It has made up for my frustrations from last week. ;)

I have learned this week:

When you lose weight, you will still fall back to old habits. Its the recognition of those habits and your willingness to accept and try to change them. Such as,  I had my feelings hurt Thursday and things were said  that made me very angry. The next thing I knew I was in the kitchen peeking into the cabinets. I caught myself, and then put on my tennis shoes and went for a walk.  Well, stomped may be a better word..I'm pretty sure I left dents in the road.  Danny and I are constantly timing our walks, in hopes to beat our times, and I beat our record by 3 minutes. He was impressed. 

I've also learned I am competitive, and very impatient. ;) These two things can be a blessing and a curse while trying to change.

I challenged myself to walk every day this week and I met that goal. =) I realize life will happen and this won't always be possible, but it sure is fun to met those little goals you make for your self. This is making this challenge of mine much easier to look at as I look back at the baby steps and not the entire stair case.

I am trying to learn not to let a number on the scale determine my success, but it so hard when it doesn't just shed off as fast as you think it should.  BUT--I AM seeing small successes..the muffin top is disappearing, and my jeans are FINALLY fitting like they should, I am sleeping SO much better, I'm walking faster, and I am staying up later.  I used to be so exhausted I would crawl to bed around 7:30 or 8, just to lay in bed and watch tv or read, but I'm finding myself looking at the clock at 9-9:30, and wondering how it got to be so late without noticing.  I'm not sure if all these are from the actual weight loss, or the food I've been eating, but what ever it from, its fantastic!

"It take time--NEVER FORGET THAT."