green with envy

Green shirts......there is just something about them. No matter what the size or material, I still somehow am drawn to them. As far as coloring goes, the color does seem to be good on me......as far as sizing goes, I seem to not make such wise decisions.
You all are aware of the flabilicious green shirt, which I have now owned for many, many, months. I must now admit that there is also another green shirt. It was a trip out of town, and the realization that I hadn't packed as well as I thought.
The family dropped me off at the doors of the evil big-box store and I ran in to grab a shirt to get me through the weekend. I scanned the aisles quickly, and my eyes rested on that green color that I just can't get enough of. Great!
I even grabbed a size larger than what I thought I needed, just to be safe. It was only $7.

Lessons learned:
Cheaper is not always better. In fact, despite my love affair with the dollar store, it usually is not better.
Make sure I am buying Women's sizes- not Juniors
Never, ever buy something that has a tag advertising (or is it warning?) "accentuates curves."
Never, ever buy a blouse that includes any percentage of spandex- even under 5%.
Spandex is a strange combination of the greatest invention known to the fashion world and the greatest tragedy. Stretch jeans? Yes. Stretch shirts? No, no, no.

I think this new green shirt was "accidentally" left at the relatives' home. Hopefully, they will consider it a donation of love or something like that.

So back to the original. I look forward to these days of posting my picture like I look forward to eating brussel sprouts.

The original, a long while back:



A month-ish ago:



Today:



See.....even un-motivated, lazy moms of 3 can make a difference. I even wore the shirt in public.
Sort of. I wore the shirt in the car to take my son to pre-school. And, I had a jacket on. BUT, I did leave my house in it. I did get out of the car to walk him up to the door too. I am sure that the one other mother that saw me was totally thinking about how I should lose a few more pounds in order to wear that. Ok, I know that she didn't think that, she was thinking about how amazingly cute her little girl with amazingly curly hair is, but whatever.
I know the shirt doesn't look fantastic yet, but it doesn't look quite as atrocious as before. Now, it just looks like maybe I should have bought a size larger. Before, it looked like I was trying to squeeze all of my glory into my 2-year-old's shirt. Someday, soon I hope, maybe it will hang loosely around me- and then you won't even see the wrinkles of fabric stretching against their will around me.

So, do you want to know my big secret for making more progress? The key to almost mastering my muffin top......

Fright.

I am afraid to go into a grocery store with all 3 of my children. I have a habit of avoiding confrontation, and now that my baby is mobile and likes to be entertained, grocery trips have become few and far between. I don't mind shopping when all the kids are contained. I hate shopping if any of them are walking alongside the cart. We all know that no child really walks alongside the cart. The big stores have the mammoth carts where 2 can be in the seats, and then the baby in the actual cart- but seriously?! I can't even park my husbands full-sized truck. Do you really think I can navigate those things around crowds and precariously stacked boxes of fruit juices? To those of you who can....jealousy.

The change in my eating habits has a lot less to do with will power and motivation, and alot more to do with a lack of options. Regardless of the reasons, having less junk food (or food in general) around the house has resulted in far less calories. Go figure.

In conclusion, may I just say: spandex..... can't live with it, can't live without it. And, mothers who have to, get to, shop with 3 or more children should have fast check out lanes all to themselves. Can you imagine that? The heavens are singing. I am turning this idea in to Google so that I can win a million dollars. Check-out lanes for frantic, frazzled, mothers....in too-tight green shirts. It gives me shivers......good shivers. Or- it might be lack of warmth this spandex-laced shirt gives me. I gotta go change.
Now.

flab to fab and a cupcake

To make a very long story about my procrastination habits short, I need help!

Do you have any idea how to combine a princess birthday party and bowling in to one?

This little lady will be mighty dissapointed if I don't figure this one out.

As far as flab to fab goes, well....... I went to the grocery store the other day. The Halloween candy is out.

I bought.

I ate.

All of it.

I enjoyed.

I think I am going jogging tonight to justify it.

Next week is the 1 month mark again, so I will have to post another green shirt picture.

No more trips to the grocery store.

I am feeding my family corn on the cob from the garden and zucchini for a week............uh, after the birthday party of course.

Really- anyone have ideas? If not, I would love to know what your favorite, can't resist it, candy is.

Project Flabilicious.....Reality Check

In just a mere 2 days, I will be partying it up at my high school reunion. Well, as much as a mom who doesn't drink, with 3 small kids traveling by herself to a high school reunion can party it up.....bring on the apple juice!

While packing my bags, there was much debate with my body vs. my brain.

Finally, I settled on bringing an extra $20, counting on Grandma's babysitting services and crossing my fingers on finding a great deal on a great shirt.

My good friend Holly, from college, whose body type is identical to mine, will be joining me. She hasn't aged quite as "gracefully" as me though. She has always worked out, but the basic body shape is the same- mine is just hidden under some extra layers. Her reunion is in a week. We are going to hopefully find the perfect summer shirt, with sleeves (no flapping wings for me), and that magically makes me look 10 lbs. lighter. Any good shopping ideas out there?

I know, I know, last week I told you all that I don't care what others thing too much....... And really, I couldn't name off any people that I feel like I have to look good for, but I do want to feel cute. I will have a better time and enjoy myself more if I feel better about myself. That being said, I will hopefully not end up being a complete hypocrite, and spend hours primping just so I look great for my old boyfriends......except that I didn't have any serious boyfriends in high school- so yea for me, that takes care of that!

Anyhow- on to the reality check portion of the day:

I was so excited, ready to let you all know about my progress so far. I have only been really committed for a few weeks now to getting back in shape, and according to my scale at home, I have been doing quite well. Key words: according to my scale at home.

After traveling cross-state today, I climbed aboard this "vintage" scale from Grandma's house, ready to reaffirm what I already knew, success.

Apparently the saying "They don't make 'em like they used to," also includes scales.

Apparently my scale at home is off by 10 lbs. I made a frantic phone call to my husband at home with an affirmed, "Yes, I knew that our scale was off by 10 lbs."

Apparently you need to spend more than $10 at the local discount store to have an accurate scale.

I should have never weighed myself to begin with. I would have been a much happier girl. And that is why my friends, my scale is now going in the garbage, I will not be buying a new one and will try to be satisfied knowing that I am starting to feel better. I have been proud of my efforts so far- nothing dramatic; just lots of walking and a lot more water.

Apparently, it would have been a good idea to have really taken this lesson to heart weeks ago, but it is the seemingly apparent lessons that are sometimes the hardest to grasp.

Oh- and if you happen to be at my high school reunion, please don't imagine the belly photos I posted while talking to me. Thanks.