Beaching on

Im still South Beaching. Friday will be 3 weeks and this is totally doable. Love it. I have tried to do a walking video 1-2 times a week but hope to find time to do more. I do laps at work with friends and my other coworkers do lunges. My next goal is to 10,000 steps a day. I'm lucky that my work provided awesome pedometers that actually downloads it to a website.

So if you have any favorite no carb recipes or favorite exercises or videos let me know. I'm always looking for books to read as well or movies too.


Feel free to leave any suggestions!!

Rock on!

phase 1 not ending quite yet

So technically phase 1 is over and I can start bringing back carbs one at a time. After reading words from the South Beach author, I may stay on a bit longer. He says those with a high BMI can and should stay on for an additional week or 2! we will see

13 pounds is what I have lost since starting the diet 2 weeks ago. This might be the time that I lose all this weight..Could it be? I love the discipline that has gone with it..

Phase 1 almost over

Phase 1 of South Beach will be over tomorrow which means Fri I can start to have good carbs.. Im not sure I want to because I feel comfortable on this part of the diet..But I know the weight loss will stop if I do. LynnMarie and I went to the zoo and had a packed lunch today. I had turkey wrapped around string cheese..


I wanted to share a website with you. I used it when I was on WW and they have info on any diet including message boards and diet recipes..Head over to www.3fatchicks.com and prepare to hang out for a while.

Carb free 9 days later

The scale showed a 10 pound loss today and I am loving that. Not that I can feel it yet, because I cant but because I have been disciplined for almost 10 days. This could work. And I haven't reached phase 2 of the diet yet. Next Friday I will be having a sweet potato. Staying away from then bad carbs but adding one a day I think!!

Work gave us pedometers and an opportunity to track our steps online which is awesome. Lots of us are competing for the most steps. Oh I have a long way to go!

Carb Free 7 days later

You know what that means? That means in 7 days I can start slowly having carbs. I'm thinking we will start with a sweet potato.

All in all, this has not been bad. But I can not wait to eat healthy carbs. I have done the Leslie Sansone Walking video twice and it was fun!!

Tomorrow, I am hoping I will be awake enough to go to the park with LynnMarie!

What have I been eating? Lots of eggs, cheese and meat at breakfast. Ive had turkey burgers and veggies for lunch and tonight I had squash and a breadless burger for dinner. I find that cheese and nuts are the best snack for me right now. I love string cheese and the Lite Mini-Cow wedges!!

So thats my update. currently 8 pounds lighter!

Amy

Day 5

Yesterday included eggs and bacon for breakfast and left over chicken and beans for lunch. Snacks included cheese, nuts and sugar free desserts.

Last night we did the Sweet Tomato thing and it was great..had a great salad, a sugar free mouse and a bake potato without the potato. I just mixed the toppings which fixed that craving.

Today I made a ham, cheese, egg, mushroom omelets and hope to drink lots of water today.
I also bought a great walking DVD and hope to try that out during LM's nap time!

Amy

Day 3

Well today is day 3 of no carbs and so far so good. Yesterday, LynnMarie and I hit the grocery store for some staples like cottage cheese, chicken, hamburgers veggies, tomato sauce and stuff.

Dinner last night was green beans, chicken breast sprinkled with taco seasoning, and then added mozzarella cheese and salsa..Ok that was good and then dessert, oh dessert!

I would not have believed this was diet food. I melted a sugar free fudgsicle for 10 seconds and the added 2 tbsp p butter ( the kind thats just peanuts and oil) and 2 tbsp and FF Cool Whip (you do got 100 cal of free carbs)..This was sooooo good.

This morning, we had scrambled eggs with cheese and bacon and will have left overs for lunch and then back to work.

I will weigh on Friday and am hoping for at least a 5 pound loss. We will see!

Wow

Has it really been 2 months since I have posted? Crazy! Its now Spring in Atlanta, everyone is healthy at the time and I have thankful for that.

Not much has been going on. Still working night, still married to my Michael and still in love with the sweetest 2yo ever!!!

I have decided to go South Beach. Seriously, I am going to try. I have A LOT of fatness to lose and I want to be here for a very long time so I need to get my act together. This day 1.5 for me and I am still doing research to make sure I am doing what I should. My problem is I get too hungry and then I fail. Just had a handful of almonds so hopefully that will last.

DO you have any good carb free meals that you want to share? I just eliminated 200 blogs from my bloglines but I am ready to start reading again so if you have a blog that you update frequently, share it with me or share a blog that is a must read! So that's if for today. I am hoping some of my new readers will also be on the weight loss journey and can help me feel accountable

Today we woke up late so we literally skipped breakfast but for lunch I had a large amount of cooked broccoli and sliced turkey! I have had cheese and almonds for snacks and for dinner (I'm working night shift) I will have a Cobb Salad that my husband bought me!!!

Book Review- Double Trouble

I had another wonderful opportunity to read another book by Susan Warren, Double Trouble!!!

This book is another chapter in the life of PJ, a wonderful, interesting character who seems to have her own way of doing things, but it always seems to work out. PJ struggles with trusting God, like most of us, which is another way that I can relate to her! Another great read by Susan!!! Im loving these books!!! You never know what PJ is going to get into or where she is headed. PJ is misunderstood by many but really does have good intentions.

Click on the button above for information regarding the book, the book tour and a great contest by the author!! She loves to keep her readers up to date. Have any of you read a Susan Warren book? Let me know!!!

About Double Trouble:
With one solved case under her belt, PJ Sugar is ready to dive into her career as a private investigator. Or at least a PI's assistant until she can prove herself to Jeremy Kane, her new boss. Suddenly PJ's seeing crime everywhere. But is it just in her head, or can she trust her instincts? When she takes on her first official case-house-sitting for a witness in protective custody-Jeremy assures her there's no danger involved. But it soon becomes clear that there is someone after the witness . . . and now they're after PJ, too.

About Susan:
Susan May Warren is the RITA award-winning author of twenty-four novels with Tyndale, Barbour and Steeple Hill. A four-time Christy award finalist, a two-time RITA Finalist, she’s also a multi-winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice award, and the ACFW Book of the Year. Her larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice. Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!) A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at: www.susanmaywarren.com

Book Tour Info

Join in on the fun and read other reviews! Here's the link!
*

Blog Tour Schedule! http://www.litfusegroup.com/Blog-Tours/troubles-back-double-trouble-by-susan-may-warren.html

Here's some info on the contest
Be sure to enter the Double Trouble Prize Package Giveaway by clicking on the ‘Double the Sass” button (code for button is above)! Susan’s giving away an iPod prize package that is anything but troubling! Check it out!



Prize Details



Double Trouble, the brand new PJ Sugar novel by Susan May Warren, is in stores now! To celebrate the release, we’re running a HUMDINGER of a contest!!



One Grand Prize winner will receive a $150 SUPER SLEUTH prize package that includes:



* A brand new iPod Shuffle (perfect for those all-night stakeouts)

* A $10 iTunes gift card (we recommend the ALIAS soundtrack)

* A $10 Amazon gift card (why yes, they do sell spy pens)

* A $10 Starbucks gift card (for fuel, obviously)

* A pair of designer sunglasses (be stealthy AND super chic)

* A gorgeous scarf from World Market (can also be used as a blindfold, and/or for tying up bad guys)

* AND signed copies of both Nothing But Trouble & Double Trouble. (romance! danger! intrigue! sooo much better than Surveillance for Dummies!)

Also, I would love to give away my book so just leave a comment by telling my what book you are reading and I will draw a name next Monday!

Fire

This Wed as I was walking into work, I got a call from my sister telling me to call her ASAP but that everyone was ok. I called her back only to hear that my parents home was on fire! Horrible phone call. We are thankful the fire damaged the house and not my family nor their spirits. Wow. I sit here in Atlanta, unable to go home, but am thankful for the family that is helping.

God is wonderful. Had my mom stayed in the home 5 more minutes, she would have died. Had she picked up the grandkids earlier, I cant even fathom. My parents are starting over. Its a very surreal thing to sit and type this. They are tearing down and building up. My parents emotionally sound wonderful. But God is God and he knew about this fire long ago. All of my moms family lives in Edgewater. I am so thankful that my Grandma had so many kids, as so many of them have helped from the time of the accident.

Pray for them, the entire family. MOm lost her sister to cancer Christmas day, her oldest brother is in hospice care and her mom is suffering from dementia and is now is an assisted living home. satan is trying to stomp all over this family, but that's not gonna happen.

I'm sad. My dad tells me,it was just things. I was more concerned about my parents emotional health than the house. I still wonder if they havent had the "shock" of it all, or if God has just really poured a lot of peace all over them. I am thankful the family Bible was untouched but many pictures will have to be replaced. YOU see it was just a house, but it was my sense of comfort. I always felt at home there, that's just the kind of environment my parents built. and i know it will be built again with the new home.
I am sooo very thankful that everyone was okay.

Last night as I tried to sleep, I decided to get caught up on my Bible study which meant starting the book of Hebrews. I prayed as I always do, that I will hear His voice and learn something new and here is what I read last night


Hebrews 3
1Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. 2He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house. 3Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what would be said in the future. 6But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.

Yes it was just a house, but it was a home full of memories and love and my parents worked so hard to make it that way.

Music that encourages

I am really encouraged by music,c, any type, sometimes its just the mood I am in. This moment, now I am encouraged by Mandissa, whose single "He is With You" just reminds of the fellowship God desires with us. It also talks about joy that comes in the morning, after the darkness.

My family experienced darkness today. No one was hurt, but a tragedy none the less, that's effected be greater than I thought. We are okay and joy will come in the morning, but yet, my heart is still heavy.

Jimmy Buffet has encouraged me, other musicians encourage me although theses days I mostly listen to country and contemporary Christian. What artists, songs or lyrics encourage you?

I am also enjoying Toby Mac's City on Our Knees!

is anyone out there?

I am not even sure anyone still reads but, I like many others, spend a lot of time on facebook. Which is sad, because I loved this blog and the friends I have through it. Let me know if you are fb by the way.

I'm still adjusting to motherhood. My daughter is my joy. I am still working on weight loss, I climbed right back on the wagon and maybe I will use this blog as accountability.
We are gearing up for our daughters first birthday party in March along with her first cruise.

This world is a scary place. Each and every day I read and hear of more sadness and each day I pray that my friends and loved ones get to know Jesus!

I really want to know whats been going on with you. So if you are still reading, let me know how you are!!

ChristmasTime is here

Hopefully I am out of my blogging funk. Hey its Christmas time, no yucky attitudes around. Having a blast with LynnMarie. She has seen Santa Clause (check out www.thechristopherfamily.blogspot.com ) and is getting used to the Christmas tree in the house. She loves the stuffed Christmas toys that move and sing and just finds joy in everything.

One of the things I dreamed about while waiting to become a mom, was Christmas time and all the things that you can do and all the things that Christmas is about and sharing that with my child. It makes my heart smile to know our little girl is home this year and is going to be showered with love ( gonna get some presents too.

Just checking and thought I would ask a Christmas question?

What is your all time favorite Christmas movie? My husband might say Die Hard (ha) but feel free to get as cheesy as you can!

Christmas Traditions

I want to hear yours. I am a Christmas fanatic, although I have really been holding out on listening to Christmas music. But I want to hear your traditions to help us develop a few of our own. We really want to bring the real meaning of Christmas in our house and want our house to be full of memories for sweet girl!!

So bring em on!

this week

We are leaving next Tuesday evening for our trip to FL for Thanksgiving. This will be our first trip home for a holiday since we have been married, over 8 years ago. I am very excited and anticipating this wonderful experience with Michael and sweet LynnMarie!

Do you have any Thanksgiving traditions, what do you do leading up to CHristmas? I have to figure ours out. I have so many planned but would like to really simplify things as its not about all the things you do for the Holiday, but remembering what its all about and that is the one thing I want LynnMarie to remember!

Keep praying for us! LynnMarie has had a nasty cold/cough/congestion for 7 days now and Michael is sick as well!

catching up

I swore I would not get sucked into facebook and neglect my blog which is what has happened. Its so sad since I love blogging and getting to know bloggers and whats going on in their lives.
Nothing new to report here although if you ever want to see pics of the most precious little girl, find me on facebook or head over to the family blog at www.thechristopherfamily.blogspot.com

Loving the weather, loving my family and my little girl. I have already experienced many of the things I have dreamed about and had other surprises. 2 weekends ago, LynnMarie got sick. It was not as bad as it could have been, but the nurse in me started guessing what was wrong. She woke up one night crying so hard she threw up all over me..After getting us cleaned, we first rocked in her nursery and I tried to sing almost every song I could remember. Just some sweet praise music along with some old 80s music that I cant forget the words..I bet we rocked well over an hour and you could tell she did not feel good. But we rocked and her eyes closed and every few minutes, she would smile. She was getting comfortable. But no sleep.

SO we went downstairs and watched the Mickey MOuse Clubhouse movie and other cartoons and even played until almost 6am. Still worried, I went ahead and took her to the doctor who tested her for stuff and found out she had a virus that caused some sores in her throat which is why she had been crying.. 2 days later she was back to herself. Man, I love this little girl

Did I tell you that for the first time since we have been married, we are going home for Thanksgiving? I am so excited to be around all my family for almost a whole week. And when we get back, its Christmas time baby!!!!!! Yippee!

Fall

We have had some really nice weather in Atlanta this week. Makes me want to be outside all of the time. I want LynnMarie to experience all of God's creation. We had a perfect zoo day yesterday and looking for more fun things to do tomorrow.

So what are some of your fall traditions? Are there recipes that you must make every year? Any projects that you try to do? We hit the Apple Festival in Elijay a few weeks ago and also visited a pumpkin patch at a local church that is always fun..

I love the fall but I am still excited about the fact that Christmas is coming.

Nothing new here, just enjoying life with hubby and baby girl. Enjoying facebook and I am still reading blogs, so if you have new ones that are must reads let me know.

Book Review The Swiss Courier

I'm once again thankful to have been given this book in exchange for a review.I wil be honest, Im usually not one for mystery/suspense but this book was good. I totally recommend reading this or getting it for a friend. The book takes place in the 1940 and involves a character whose job is to collect suspected enemies of the Third Reich. This book took me to another time and another place and the characters were so real. I could very well see this done as a movie.

Wait until you get to meet Gabi and learn about the decisions she has to make!!! If you do get this book, please let me know. I would love to chat with you about it..

More about the book


About the book!
It is August 1944 and the Gestapo is mercilessly rounding up suspected enemies of the Third Reich. When Joseph Engel, a German physicist working on the atomic bomb, finds that he is actually a Jew, adopted by Christian parents, he must flee for his life to neutral Switzerland. Gabi Mueller is a young Swiss-American woman working for the newly formed American Office of Strategic Services (the forerunner to the CIA) close to Nazi Germany. When she is asked to risk her life to safely "courier" Engel out of Germany, the fate of the world rests in her hands. If she can lead him to safety, she can keep the Germans from developing nuclear capabilities. But in a time of traitors and uncertainty, whom can she trust along the way? This fast-paced, suspenseful novel takes readers along treacherous twists and turns during a fascinating--and deadly--time in history.

About the authors:
Tricia Goyer is the author of several books, including Night Song and Dawn of a Thousand Nights, both past winners of the ACFW's Book of the Year Award for Long Historical Romance. Goyer lives with her family in Montana. To find out more visit her website: www.triciagoyer.com
Mike Yorkey is the author or coauthor of dozens of books, including the bestselling Every Man's Battle series. Married to a Swiss native, Yorkey lived in Switzerland for 18 months. He and his family currently reside in California.To find out more visit his website: www.MikeYorkey.com






CONTEST (and this includes CHOCOLATE!)
Pst...pass it on! Help Spread the word about #SwissCourier on Twitter and enter to win a signed copy & Swiss Chocolate!

Just tweet this: The Swiss Courier by @triciagoyer fast paced and suspenseful! Don't miss out! http://tr.im/Ahjs RT #swisscourier and we'll enter you into a drawing for 1 of 5 SIGNED copies of The Swiss Courier!


Dont forget to visit the others on the blog tour, there are more great blog to read.

Head here to visit the other.

Book Review Pearl Girls

I was so thankful to be given this book to read and review..Please make sure you read the book info the publisher provided and don't forget to follow the book tour, that's always fun! For those of you who have a heart for Africa, read what buying this book can do for the kids in Uganda!

Loved this book. Not my usual review, but this is a book full of honesty and encouragement.. Its a book full of short stories and essays from many Christian authors.
So whats a Pearl Girl? Head over to the website and learn what you are and join in on the fun!

This is the kind of book you take everywhere with ya, because you just want to finish it and see what other encouragement you will find..Check the book out, if not for yourself, it would make a sweet gift

About the book:

With His love and grace, God covered the unexpected pain in my life of becoming an adult orphan and transformed this pain into a pearl. We are all Pearl Girls. Each of us has been touched by God's gift of love and grace, and it's a gift that I want to share with others. That's why I am launching Pearl Girls.



Actually, my very first gift from my parents was a pearl. The gift of my name. Margaret means "precious pearl." So perhaps this is what I was always supposed to do. My heart's prayer is that Pearl Girls will be a blessing to others - to the women who contribute their literary talent to the Pearl Girls projects; to the readers who are inspired and comforted by the life experiences shared through these projects and to the women and children who will benefit from the proceeds given by Pearl Girls to various charities. This is a win-win for everyone, and each of us has a special part in making the Pearl Girls projects "blessed sellers."



After the first Pearl Girls tea in Atlanta, I went to my brother, Claude's home to help sort through our parents' boxes in his basement. It was an emotional experience and tedious process to discover what was in each box, to decide what to do with each item and to discard those belongings which we needed to let go. After several long hours of sorting, I received an incredible hug from heaven - a confirmation that Pearl Girls is something that is meant to be. I discovered a three strand necklace of painted pearls belonging to my grandmother from the early 1900s! Isn't that amazing?
Press Release: http://www.mpnewsroom.com/?p=602

Excerpt: http://www.mpnewsroom.com/images/excerpt/PearlGirls.pdf

Click above to read a free excerpt from the book!

It’s about Connecting Hearts and Souls to Impact the World.

As you know Margaret doesn’t keep a penny of any proceeds. When getting the word out about Pearl Girls, please let people know that 100% of the royalties go directly to two charities:

WINGS (women in need growing stronger). The proceeds will help fund a Safe House in the Chicago suburbs. It costs $50 a night to provide safe shelter for a woman and her children. During this economy, WINGS is receiving even more phone calls for a safe place to stay. Already, the Pearl Girls have provided 60 nights with the advance royalties. www.wingsprogram.com

Hands of Hope. The proceeds will help build wells in Uganda for school children. Can you imagine a child at school without a water fountain in the hallway where he or she can grab a quick sip of water in between classes on a hot day? These children have to drink from puddles and other water sources which carry diseases and parasites. It costs $12,000 to build a well in Uganda. Already, the Pearl Girls have provided funds to build ¼ of a well. www.handsofhopeonline.orgFirst and foremost Margaret would like you to highlight above all else that 100% of the book’s royalties go to Charity.

who is out there-lurkers come out

If you are a reader and not a commenter, this is your time to shine. Leave a comment, tell me what your blog address is what you are having for dinner or some other random thought like that.

I miss blogging. I miss blogging with other blogging friends. If this is your first visit here, please know that I usually find more interesting things to chat about.

Find me on facebook. I have a farm on facebook. Yeah, I admit it. I actually have 2 of them.

I love this season, which has been really really cold here in Atlanta. I love it as well. I love the smells, the colors the feel of the wind, its just a fun season. We have been to the apple festival, have visited the pumpkin patch and look forward to trick or treating with LynnMarie and then getting ready for Christmas!

I have many goals right now and maybe thats what my next post will be on. Always looking for good recipes as well.

Hoping for another contest as well soon.