Took me by SURPRISE!

When I was home I had to stop at the grocery store to get some lemons for my mother. While at the check out, the only magazine there was Family Circle. It was the August issue. At the beginning of July. So I flipped through and there I was. On page 142. I could not help myself but throw it in my husband's face and shout "It's me!" The people behind us in line could not believe it (maybe because of my huge belly now). So I bought 5 copies and then gave them to the family that came over that day and finally got myseld a copy yesterday. My 15 seconds of semi-fame. Check it out next time you are at the store.

IN OTHER NEWS....
Hubby and I went to a childbirth preparedness class all day yesterday. Some good info, some funny stuff, lots of videos and posters. Here is my favorite. The other folks in class did not laugh, just me. I wonder why?

Tools for labor? Fear, tension and pain. Sounds like a winner. And seriously? It looks like it was created in the 60s. I hope the tools used during labor are a little more advanced and impressive. Especially the pain meds.


Enjoy what is left of your weekend!!

On a serious note....

So just to be clear, in the first two pictures, I am the fat one. The first pic I have no recollection of, therefor I cannot give you a date. I assume about 2 years ago. I love the second pic only because I look like I am about to eat one of the babies. The third pic I took today at work.

I feel I maybe boring you all with my photo stroll down memory lane. I think I will stop posting pictures for now (although there are more....and more).

Silliness aside, here is the serious part of my post. I know you all are into exercise. One of the best exercises you can do is walking. Lots of you do admirable walks for charity. My mom braved the 60 mile walk for breast cancer research a few years ago. My sister-in-law works for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Team in Training and my mother-in-law completed a 10K on Mother's Day for the cause. What do I do?

Well, funny you should ask. Each year I participate in a charity walk that used to be called Walk for the Whisper. Someone soooooo dear to me lost a loved one WAY too young to ovarian cancer because it went misdiagnosed for so long. This person brought to my attention how much research still needs to be done about this disease. Please don't think that we are saying people should not support the breast cancer research walks. But this was called walk for the whisper because it is a silent killer. More needs to be known about it so more can be done to help prevent it (just like has happened with breast cancer research). The NOCC does the walk every year here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Click here to visit the website. I encourage you to please look in your area to see if there is a walk you can do to support this cause. Every little bit helps (just like with our weight loss). Thanks for letting me be serious for a moment (and you know this is serious to me when I am willing to miss a turbo kickboxing class in order to participate).

I hope you all find yourselves in good health and have a happy day!

We call this one baby hippo

Flattering, I know. Can you see why we call this baby hippo? These are from last summer. I do not have any fair comparison pics so I am only posting old pics today. Oh, there are more. So many more. I will post old and new tomorrow. The hideousness just keeps on coming.

The Mother Load

Ask and ye shall receive. Best bud sent me LOTS of hideous pics (and some more recent ones). So here is the next photo installment. The first picture is October 2006. It was best bud's bachelorette party in NYC and we were taking a carriage ride. The second picture is from Saturday night at the park with the two cutest, sweetest girls ever! Stay tuned for more pics this week. Oh yes, they get worse, much worse.

Bitch Fest

I love photos on your blogs so I thought I would share some more with you. The first picture is me in December 2007 but it looks more like the Stay Puffed Marshmallowman. The second picture is form the end of July 2009. I know it is not a true comparison shot but it does have one of the cutest girls (and one of my FAVORITE people on the planet) in it. I do not have children. She belongs to best bud and is one of my god daughters. Hopefully I will be lucky enough to have a kid this sweet and cute (my other god daughter is quite a prize too). Love them!!!

Today I realized something. I weigh 55 pounds less than the day I got married. So, I tried on the dress again. What a tent! Can I get a do over? My wedding was a blast but I would make a much prettier bride now. I also realized that I am the same weight as when I moved here 9 years ago. The difference is the last time I was 194, I was a size 16. This time I am a size 12. Man, what a difference exercise makes.

I am having fun posting hideous pics of myself. I will search my files and see if I can find more to post for entertainment purposes (mine and yours). Best bud probably has a ton. I know for sure there are some bathing suit photos that would make you (and me) cringe.

Okay on to my bitch fest! I am (for the most part) a law abiding, upstanding citizen. Back on August 14th, after a long day of teaching 1st graders, I left work and headed to the gym. I got a little excited at the end of the street and gunned it from a stop sign. It may (or may not have) been slightly less than a complete stop. Of course, a cop follows me, pulls me over and tickets me. I say nothing to try and get out of it because (a) I am pissed that I will now be late for my workout and may say something sarcastic to get me in more trouble and (b) how much can this ticket actually be? $60? I also think I may have been pulled over due to my race. Enough said.

You have 30 days to pay the ticket or fight it. So I began to think the other day, man I should find out how much that is and see what I need to do to fight it. How much? $235!!! Stupid asshats!! Do they have any idea how many books I could have bought for my poor kids in my classroom with that money all because I was a little excited to get to the gym? To fight it, I would have to take off work (which would cost money), make sub plans (HUGE pain in the ass) and if you lose, you have to pay for the ticket and court costs.

Seriously? Can't the popo find real crimes to solve? So now I am just pissed and waiting til the last minute to pay it.

Alright. I feel better. If you are a police officer, sorry some asshats are giving your profession a bad name. Ta-ta for now.

More Pictures

I know you all may be sick of me posting pictures but I found this comparison funny. I am a teacher and at the beginning and end of each year I take a picture with my class and add it to a slide show for awards day. Now the first picture (in blue) is from May 2008. The second picture (in pink) is from today - May 2009. I gotta say, I like the second pic better.

I look at last year's pic and think a few things:

1. Worst picture of me I have ever seen. Ever.
2. Enormous oompa loompa on the loose - ready to eat your children.
3. How did I breath when I sat down?
4. No wonder I was always hot and sweaty.

I look at this year's pic and think:

1. Wow. I have worked hard.
2. I can now see better what others tell me they see.
3. I think I am standing with more pride.
4. I would like to lose about 50 more pounds. I wonder where they will come from?

Anywho, hope all is well with the rest of you. I have 2 very busy weeks left of school. I will update scale numbers this weekend.

It's Been a Year....(with pics)

May 2008 is the first photo (I am in a black jacket), May 2009 is the second photo (I am in brown with swirly dots).

It's been a year....since I went to the last book signing of a great author's book tour. Her name is Jen Lancaster and she is the author of four hilarious memoirs, including Such a Pretty Fat. She is contracted to write two more books in the next two years. I read Such a Pretty Fat about three times before I decided that maybe I should try and get a personal trainer as she did in the book (she also examines different types of diets and tries a few in an attempt to lose about 50 pounds).

This year, she is far more poplar and I had to wait a long time to get my book signed and get my photo with her. I really wanted that photo so I could see the difference since last year. The photos don't show much because of the way I am standing (or squatting) in the second picture. But I am including them for you because I do not post pics that often and I love when you all post pics.

Sorry I am so bad at how I post pics. Maybe someday I will learn a better way. Anywho, I am tired and bloated but must drag my arse out to run with the dogs. Enjoy your day!