home.

i love california. i'm not really sure what it is. it's probably mostly because our families and close friends are there. but there's something else, too...maybe it's the weather. or the fact that i don't have to shovel snow. maybe it's having so many cool places nearby. maybe it's because it's where i grew up - it's home. that must be it...it's home.

i have been married for two and a half years and have lived in Indiana for four and a half years, and i still call sacramento, "home." it just feels wrong to call anywhere else, home. don't get me wrong. chris and i love our friends and family here in IN. we have made our own home here, and we are very blessed with what God has given us. however, there is just something about going home that makes me giddy inside.

so that is exactly what we did!

Chris and I went to CA for a week and a half. we spent the weekend in LA for my best friend, Paige Aaron's, wedding, and then spent the next week in Sacramento with our families.

I had the honor of being one of Paige's bridesmaids. we had so much fun at the bachelorette party! and the wedding day was beautiful and we all had a blast! here are some pics of us at the bachelorette party. and then one of all the bridesmaids - minus the bride.

It was so nice to be home. we went to Tahoe, IKEA, and Red Hawk Casino. we shopped, we slept, we talked, and we ate. we relaxed with our families and soaked in the precious moments we had with them. it was all very wonderful. unfortunately i forgot to take any pictures while with our families - i know - fail. but we were too busy having fun - yup, that's my story.

now we are back in our home in IN. it's always sad to say goodbye. but this is where God has us - for now anyways. only he knows where we are to go next. but let's just say i wouldn't mind going - home.

love you all,

lauren

the journey continues

This weight loss journey has been quite the experience. There are good days, bad days, and days that require chocolate. Ha. But overall, this journey is going pretty well.

If you haven't read about how this journey got started read my story.

A bit of an update: I reached the 10 pound goal Chris had set for me and got my new coat on Christmas Eve - yay! Right before I left for Paige's wedding, I had loss a total of 24 pounds. I didn't quite reach my goal of 30 pounds by the wedding, but I was pleased with 24 pounds.

During our trip to CA, I only worked out once, but I did a lot of walking (that counts, right). I allowed myself to splurge on food, too. I still tried to make healthy choices and watch my portion sizes, but let's face it - I was on vacation and ate out most of the time. Surprisingly, I only gained about 2 pounds back, so that made me feel better. Getting back into the groove of things has been difficult though. I've been feeling very hungry lately - I think this is due to eating so much on vacation, and now my stomach needs to shrink back as I eat correct portions. Also, I have had NO motivation to work out. I did a very short strength training workout on Wednesday (and when I say short, we're talking guys'-jean-shorts-in-the-80's, short), and I shoveled snow for about 40 minutes yesterday (thank you, Indiana). I am trying to get creative with my workouts because before the wedding, I was starting to get tired of doing the same ones. I need to keep things changing so I don't get bored and stop exercising. But I have only been back for less than a week - I will get back into my normal routine again very soon.

My dad and I have decided we are each going to work to lose 30 pounds by my brother's wedding. The wedding is in May, so we have about 4.5 months to lose the weight. It's nice to have someone working to lose weight with me. Even though we are over 2,000 miles away, it just makes it better.

Emotionally, this journey has been tough. Learning how to say no to certain foods and yes to being more active is not always as easy as it sounds. There are days when I just want to watch a movie and eat some pizza. There are days when I just don't want to care anymore, and I just want to give up. There are days when I just don't want to have to think about it anymore. Then I think about all the things I want to do - have kids, see those kids grow up, travel, help people, grow old with my husband - and that reminds me that I need to be healthy to live long enough to be able to do those things. Let's be honest - thinking about these things doesn't always make the decision to be healthy easier, but it usaully does help me to not give up altogether. The emotions aren't all bad, though. There is nothing like stepping on the scale and seeing that you have lost more weight. Or having someone compliment you on how good you look. Or fitting into that pair of jeans that were your "goal" jeans like 5 years ago and ended up at the bottom of your drawer, but now that FINALY fit. Or having your husband tell you he thinks your hot (don't worry - he told me this before I started losing weight). These things also really help me to keep going and stay motivated. Watching Biggest Loser helps, too. :D

So there is your update. Short and sweet (well, short for my blogs anyways). I intend to keep documenting this journey - so keep checking back.

Feel free to leave comments with suggestions for recipe's, exercises, workout DVD's, yummy and healthy foods (especially sweet things), and any other ideas. Like I said, I need to mix things up. Plus, I am trying to find exercises that Chris and I can do together that don't involve lots of equipment or a gym membership - so please share your ideas!

Love,

Lauren