A long-awaited NSV and kind of surprised...

Last night Dennis and I had date night thanks to some wonderful friends who not only got us a gift card to Maggiano's, but also watched Lucia and Liam (that was part of the deal they told us!)...  So we went out to the mall and dinner, and one of my Christmas Presents that Dennis got for me was finally ready to pick up. This is the NSV... I am now getting to wear my wedding band and engagement ring for the first time in over 2 1/2 years!!!  They were a size 9-9.5... I had to get them resized to a size 7!  WHOO HOOO!  It feels so good to have them back on my hand - like long lost friends...  what a wonderful thing!

On the surprised front, I spent a good amount of time looking through all the blogs I follow, and I was really surprised... NO, SHOCKED is a better word at just how many people haven't blogged in 5 months, 7 months, over a year.  WOW.  I am kind of saddened by it too...  But I understand life completely, and how things change that maybe preclude you from wanting to blog about it.  I wonder where those folks are in their band-process.  Are they successful?  Or have they fallen back into old ways?  Are they happy?  I hope if any of you are reading this, that you are doing alright with life in general.  And it made me realize that (a) I definitely need to get back into a habit of BAND blogging (especially since we started a family blog), and also need to connect with some new (to-me) bandsters and relive that vicarious energy of being in the first month or two, or year of being banded!

On one band-related fun thing, I have tentatively lined up my roomie for BOOBS 3.0 in September!  I am still not 100% sure that I am going but baring any major issues that keep me away, I really want to come and use it as part of my tool kit to getting back on the bandwagon (pun intended)!

On a personal note, Lucia rode in her first official horse show today and placed 5th.  She did a really good job... you can see pics and/or read more about that here.

Happy New Year ya'll... here is to a 2012 that is even more positive and successful for all of us!

Time to change some behaviors...

I am not a fan of New Year's Resolutions - I rarely keep them, but I do know that it is time to change some of my behavior and get this tool working again!  My doctor's office offers time with a nutritionist and trainer, so I met with her earlier in the week and got a good, core-based workout.  Lucia came with me, and she showed her how to do the exercises too so we could do them together, which I am excited about!  Lu even said she'd get up at 5AM with me to do them (I won't do that to her)...  With that, and getting back to more concious choices of what I am eating, I am hoping to kick-start the weight loss.  For example, I stop every morning at WaWa and get coffee... but for the last month, I've gotten a large English Toffee cappucino instead.  Um, hello - difference of about 300 calories?!?!?!?  Easy change right there...

This morning I was at 218.2, which given the amount of food and drink that has been around my house, isn't too bad at all.  I am quite content with that.  However, I would really like to be able to get back into the large tub of pants I have from pre-pregnancy that are far more cute and fashionable (I think) than the plain black trousers I am wearing now... so that is motivation as well!

On the non-band side, I decided to start a family blog (http://foglerfamilyfour.blogspot.com) because with Liam joining us, I figured that would be a good, and easier way combined with Facebook to keep our friends and family updated.  We'll see how that goes!

Happy New Year to all... I'm already thinking about BOOBS 3.0 in Chicago in September, and have penciled it into my new calendar... Hoorray!

Holy Christmas!

What a crazy month December has been... Where on earth did 2011 go?!?!?  Suffice it to say, I've been absolutely bonkers between work and home and haven't had much time to blog - my apologies!  We went to Key West for a family wedding in mid-December and had a blast... a beautiful wedding, beautiful weather and an all-around good time had by all.  I wish I could figure out a way to win MegaMillions and live permanently in the tropics!

On the "rest-of-my-life" front, it is busy!  I am about done with my Christmas shopping which makes me happy.  Just a few more small things and it'll be complete.  Lucia is up in NJ with my parents having a "winter camp", and although I miss her terribly, it is nice to be able to wrap presents without little eyes peeking around the corner!  My family is coming down here for the holiday.  Our Christmas day plans are looking wonderfully for the better as we are looking at having between 13-18 people here for brunch to include drama-free-family, and great friends! 

It's been a bit of an emotional month for me since pre-Thanksgiving, but all in all I am grateful for some unexpected-non-monetary-gifts of true insight brought on by behavior of other people.  I am realizing that it truly IS a gift to know where you stand (or don't stand) in the eyes of other people so that you can adjust your behavior accordingly (or in my case, adjust my willingness to open myself up to being hurt) .  It really IS a blessing to have that insight!

On the band front, not much movement... I really HAVE to start exercising again... it is a mind-game thing right now, and a physical fight with not getting a lot of sleep (baby-with-a-cold-keeping-us-up-at-night vs. a REALLY warm cozy bed) and not a lot of motivation...  I know I need to change that!  And am slowly working toward that... (sigh)

I wish all of you the Merriest of Christmases (or whatever holiday you celebrate)... I don't think I'll be posting a whole lot more before year-end... just too much happening!  But I am following so many of your blogs, and wish you a healthy and happy end to the year! 

Here are a few more pictures from our trip to Key West...

The requisite Key West tourist picture

Liam - 6 months old...

My Beautiful Lucia...

Santa magic and Key West dreams...

We took Liam to meet Santa for the first time this past weekend, and he was great!  No fussing, HUGE grins (of course AFTER I took the picture)...  Lucia was very intent on making sure she told him what she wanted and what Liam wanted... good big sister that she is!

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This weekend we are heading down to Key West for a "family" wedding, which I am really excited about.  I definitely am looking forward to the mini-vacation and warm weather, and introducing Lucia to all the awesomeness that is Key West!

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I had a slight unfill right before Thanksgiving... I was thinking I was too tight - my PA suggested that I was actually right where I should be, but agreed to "tweak" me... I should have listened to her, because 1/2 a cc made a difference and now I feel like I am a bit more "loose" than I should be.  Maybe I had forgotten what being truly filled correctly felt like... I am going back mid-January and will ask her to put that "tweak" back in, because I am seeing a bit of a stall on the weightloss right now.  Of course, the time of year doesn't help that a whole lot!  I had lost 7 pounds between the last visits, but am just holding steady right now, and need to get myself moving back down in the right direction!  

39 Birthday goals...

Yesterday was my birthday, and it was a wonderfully simple day.  I turned 39. 
And it might sound silly, but I am actually looking forward to being 40!  Not that I want the year to fly by, but somehow I feel like I am ready for whatever "40" means...  There was nothing out of the ordinary or extra-special yesterday, but it was just a nice day...  Lucia woke up in a good mood (which is worth her weight in gold to me lately), Liam greeted me with a huge-mostly-toothless-grin and drooly kiss, and Dennis had piping hot, fresh coffee waiting... doesn't start much better!  Last Friday night, Dennis and I went to dinner and a show with some friends which was our gift to each other (his birthday is the day before mine) and with Christmas just around the corner, we decided that was enough...

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I was thinking about what my goal should be for the next year... I had put out before, that I wanted to run 40 miles before I turned 40... I'm not so sure that I am interested in that anymore...  could I do it?  Sure... but I think I need something that I could be more excited and focused on.  And so, I've decided that my goal is to lose about 40 more pounds before I get to 40.  It is acheivable?  Yup... with focus, some running (!), etc...  And reaching that would put me right around 178...  which would be great!  I have 20 more to lose to get to my "pre-Liam" weight, and then with another 20 past that I would really be thrilled.

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So there is my challenge to myself... 

40 pounds in 52 weeks. 

Game on!