What You Focus On You Get More Of

Well, although I was not looking forward to it I stepped up and weighed in for the second week in a row. This week I lost 6 pounds. I was actually very surprised by this number and then very excited because in two weeks I have lost a total of 10 pounds. All in all I think this is a very good start. Exercising still sucks. I wish the weather was warmer and I could find a good place and time to go walking everyday. The summers in between my high school years I would spend walking every morning and I think that was the best exercise I've ever had.

Since this is the beginning of a new week I feel the need to take a deep breath and shake off all the stress and mess that last week held. My goal this week is to look up not down and keep my mind as clear as I wish the sky was right now, stupid rain.

So for the 3 followers I have, or the people who secretly read this blog, here are some words to think about and possibly live by: What you focus on, you get more of. (I learned this at my previous employment and is by far one of the greatest, most simple idea that I've heard) Spend an entire day focusing on the positive in everything and something tells me your day will become a whole lot brighter then it was when it started.

A Little Rant, A Little Ramble

I feel the need to blog. Actually I felt the need to blog yesterday but could never find enough time to sit down. So I am blogging today. Maybe it is the fact that I haven't really slept in over a week or the torture of this diet but what you are about to read is me ranting, just a bit.

Memphis has not slept well at all this week. I can't quite figure out why but I have a hunch that it has something to do with the fact that I let her sleep in the bed with my all last weekend and now she doesn't like her crib. So the lack of sleep has me a bit, emotional.

I feel like I am still trying to jump start this diet and exercise thing. When I drop a pant size or feel completely different in my clothes then this will all feel like it is worth it. I wish that I had the time and place to run. (Where absolutely no one could see me, the girls in my family are not good runners). I read somewhere that running can release a lot of stress and it a great weight loss tool. This is something I am very willing to try, but seem to be having an issue with time management and location. So if you are as nuts as I am and want to give running a try, or already run for fun, let me know how you manage to do it. I have been researching personal stories of people who overcame their weight loss battles and it is exactly the inspiration that I need.

A few weeks ago when I went to the doctor for my yearly visit I had all my yearly test done as well. Unfortunately something on one of my test came back not so right which sends me back to the doctor this afternoon. I am excusing myself from explaining any details because well, I myself have no details but hopefully my doctor visit this afternoon will ease my concerns some.

My son will be entering kindergarten next year. With the excitement of him growing up also comes a big decision. I have the choice of sending him to two very different public schools or a private, religious school. Each school has its advantages and each has their disadvantages. The bottom line of this situation is that Austin needs a school that will best benefit Austin. His learning style is one that needs a lot of one on one and attention. So this is where I need as much input as I can get. What are your thoughts on public vs private school. How would you go about this decision? If you find me on Facebook { www.facebook.com/kellyanddusty }send me a message. I want to do as much research and discovering as I can.

It has been a long week but with it being Friday and all I can see the weekend approaching. I am excited to spend the weekend with my favorite people, who can hopefully keep my mind off things. Thanks for letting me rant or ramble, everyone needs the chance to let it all out whether it is good, bad, huge or pointless. Despite what you think of my ranting, if your reading this line you must have somewhat liked it because you made it all the way to the end. :)

My First Weigh In & Why A Mom Never Sleeps

Finally my Austin came home late last night and then Dusty came home even later that night, sometime close to midnight. My boys were back and I was excited! Unfortunately Dusty brought home a nasty head cold so we talked about his trip for a moment then attempted to get some sleep. The head cold decided to seek vengeance on Dusty so he wasn't sleeping much. Memphis decided that she had enough of her crib so then I wasn't sleeping much. Then while laying in the bed I hear this horrible sound, something like a waterfall or dam breaking. Following the sound was this horrific smell. (One of our dogs, Rimshot, our best dog, sleeps in his bed on the floor in our room. He is a great dog, house broken, listens well, good with the kids. Never have we had a problem with him) It wasn't hard to figure out who was the owner of this sound and smell. I slowly get out of bed, being careful since I now had Memphis in my arms. Luckily Dusty wasn't really asleep so I told him what was going on, and as I was getting up I told Dusty not to let Rimshot on the bed. Too bad Rimshot did not get that memo. So there I was 4 am cleaning up this huge mess that our dog had so nicely spread all over our floor. Dusty had made his way to the living rm to sleep and Memphis was back in her crib and not happy. It took a while to clean up, and afterwards it was quite a site to see me, Dusty and Memphis in my arms trying to get cozy in the living room. I do believe sometime after 6 I dozed off, only for my alarm to go off at 7. After taking Austin to school I came home and am glad to say I successfully clean our room and bed spotless. I always joke that if its not one of the kids keeping me up its Dusty, but I guess I'll be adding the dogs to that list now.

My First Weigh In

According to my biggest loser exercise program today is my first scheduled weigh in. I must say that this past week has been hard and exhausting. It has broke me down both physically and mentally. I have a lot of personal things to overcome and I think that is a huge part of this program I have created. I was nervous about my weigh in because at times I feel much different and at other times I feel worse than when I started. While Dusty was away I was a nervous wreck, thinking that I would cave and eat like crazy since no one was around to see me. However, this strange guilt overcame me and I did great. Saturday night I did go for a small but unhealthy snack. Although my head told me to go for it my body did not agree. So I stepped up on the scale this morning and the numbers came in.(Dusty predicted I had lost 10lbs, Oh I love you honey for your exaggeration and it actually made me feel great!) Are you ready? Drum roll please... I lost in my first week... 4 pounds. Yep, 4 whole pounds. I have mixed emotions because on one hand this is a great start, losing too much weight at once is very unhealthy. Then on the other hand, it seems like such a small number. Of course that little number keeps spinning in my head and then I think if I keep it up and lose 4 pounds a week in one month I can lose up to 16 pounds which is huge! At 4 pounds a week I could be at my goal in about 5 months! Still I have mixed emotions and I think I will till I start to see more come off. Overall the most important thing to remember is that I did lose weight, despite the number, what I am doing, exercising, changing my eating habits, it is doing something, so... I must keep on keeping on!

Girls Weekend In

Thursday evening came much more quickly than I wanted, I said goodbye to my Dusty, a kiss for me and the babies and he was on his way to Mississippi. He was excited, and I think a little nervous. I was, on the outside, calm and collected, but on the inside, freaking out just a bit. I absolutely HATE being home alone at night. (Hate is a strong word, one that I rarely ever use, but in this situation it was appropriate) I knew the days would be OK just boring( Hey, I am a stay at home mom, I am used to quiet days) but I was not looking forward to the nights. So while I was swimming in my pity pool I was still really happy for Dusty, this is a great experience for him. Memphis has been sleeping in the bed with me (which is starting to seem like a bad idea since she refuses to take a nap in her crib today) and I have been sleeping with the t.v on. Two nights down, one to go.(This is where I take a big deep breath)  At this point you are probably calling me a baby, and that is fine, but we all have fears, so you should remember that next time you see a spider or get stuck in a small space.

You might be wondering where is Austin, he could have easily kept me so busy these few days would just fly by. But, he was spending the weekend with his dad and Nana. So it has just been me and my ladybug~A girls weekend in. When I say in, I really mean in, we left the house for a few hours today just to get some air. We went to the mall so I could use a gift card I got during the holidays and take my ring to get size(Dusty will be so excited that I finally did this). Then we went to the grocery store to get my weekly shopping out of the way. (Which by the way I only spent $42.00 on 6 nights of dinner!) Now we are back in the house and back to dealing with enjoying the quiet. I have, however, manage to get a few things done in half the time it would have taken me with everyone home. One of those things was to reorganize Austins room, so glad that I buckled down and did that.

One more day and my family will all be home, and this I love!

It seems I have made a chisel not yet a dent

I have come to realize that it might be difficult to talk about my new lifestyle of becoming the old me without actually telling everyone how much I weigh and how much I hope to weigh one day. But I just can't bring myself to type or even say aloud those numbers. However, I will say that in order for me to be healthy at my age and height my goal is to lose 70 lbs. Do the math if you wish, but keep it to yourself.

A small hurdle

Exercising is hard. Very hard. But without it this journey wouldn't be near as possible. I have started using the Biggest Loser workout. It goes with our wii, weighs me every week and sets up a very realistic routine for my body type and goals. The past three days I have stuck to this plan and for the 40 minutes my avatar trainer is yelling at me it sucks. It sucks bad. Its hard. I sweat, a lot. And my whole body is in pain. Then when its all over and I lay still for a moment all those feelings I have in my muscles are not too bad. I am not sore but I can feel muscles I didn't think I had anymore. Exercising is hard but it only a small hurdle I must get over so that I can get closer to my goal.

The Big Leap.

The hardest part of this lifestyle is the diet. By far! I love to eat. I eat when I am sad. I eat when I am happy. I eat when I am bored. From the hours of 8:30 am to 5:30 people I am home with only two kids. During those hours (and this is a big and embarrassing secret that I am still having trouble accepting) I eat. I eat because no one is there to see what or how much I eat. I eat what I want when I want. I am proud to say that for the past three days I have done so much better than I thought I would, but its still extremely difficult. My body is so used to eating all the time that it still thinks it needs to eat all the time, even when I'm not hungry. I wish there was a way I could trick my body into thinking it was eating without taking in any calories so if you have any suggestions or ideas please oh please share! I have an addiction to food, you may laugh and think I am crazy but I can tell you that cutting back on food is probably as hard as a smoker cutting back on cigarettes. I don't expect this to get any easier for a while. I know that I have to deal and accept alot of things, both physically and emotionally. But I can do it. I will do it.

The Finish Line

70 lbs. Seventy pounds is a lot to lose. I will say this over and over again because there really is no other way to say it but, this is hard. Support helps alot! I have a great support team at home(though I must convince Dusty that talking about it helps a lot more than keeping it off my mind by not talking) and I am hoping that this blog will become a big supporter too. The finish line is there, that I have to believe.

A Big Step for a Smaller Me!

Thanks to Martin Luther King Jr and his I have a dream speech we celebrate his birthday each year, and what better way to do just that then by closing schools. So thank you Martin Luther King Jr. for not only inspiring me to have a dream but for also giving me an extra day with my son. I am one sweet mama that I know! Unfortunately, the weather was a tad on the shall we say ugly side so a small trip to the movie store and the rest of the day was spent watching movies and enjoying each others company.


This week is quite scary for me personally for two very different reasons. The first reason is that in the entire time that Dusty and I have been together we have spent maybe five nights apart, but never consecutively. This Thursday, however, my love will be heading to Mississippi for a weekend long Duck Hunting trip. Now don't get me wrong, I am beyond excited for Dusty. and though he won't really say anything, I can tell just how excited he is too. Still, I am quite nervous about being home alone and him being so far away.

The second oh so scary reason is a big one! Since I had my daughter 9 months ago I have yet to shed a single pound. When I stepped on the scale last week at my doctor appointment my jaw hit the floor then came around and knocked me in the forehead (it was as if I was in one of the v8 commercials) So I decided right then and there that everything was about to change. This week begins my 8 month long quest to become the old me! (My birthday is in 8 months, what a nice birthday present I can give myself) A very realistic diet and exercise program and a whole big heaping amount of support from those that love and care about me and fingers crossed, before you can say "oh my gosh did she really lose that much weight" I will be in MY body. So if you know me personally and see me anytime soon make sure you tell me goodbye, because this person in this body will be soon disappearing.

I am not yet ready to tell anyone my current weight but will soon. However, I intend on keeping the entire world up to date on my progress. Support can take a person a long way so I welcome all of your support, ideas, suggestions, recipes, you name it. And keep a close eye on my blog so you can help me count these pounds away!

Oh What a Weekend!

Typically, I would not be sitting in my front yard at 8:00 am on a Saturday morning. But yesterday I was doing just that. The weather was sitting at a nice and unbelievably cold 19 degrees. So as crazy as it sounds, we attempted to have a yard sale and actually for as cold as it felt we came out alright. I will not tell you exactly how much we made because then all the favors and "can I borrow"'s will start pouring in, so instead I'll be keeping the size of my loot to myself.

My favorite part of our sale was my son's attempt to, in his words, "fill my pockets with money".  I think it is really important that my kids learn that money is better earned, not so much handed to you (though that would be the life huh, I mean you never know, that whole money growing on tree rumor could come true one day). So Austin pulled a few toys out of his room that he no longer played with, decorated a box, made a sign and waited patiently for someone to buy his things. At some point in the morning two very fragile yet funny elderly ladies loved his attempt and bought a few items.  At the end of the sale he had racked up $7.25. I honestly could not tell you who was more proud, me or him. So what did my little entrepreneur do with his new found riches you ask, well, and this will just make your heart melt, he choose to spend it on his cousin, who later that day was having a birthday party. Here is the successful business man himself, showing off his setup.

Earlier this past week was my nephews birthday, he turned the big 3! So by all means necessary we must have a celebration.  My sister threw a small Thomas the train themed party for the birthday boy. There was pizza, cake, presents and lots of screaming kids. Oh what a way to top off the afternoon. Although I could never stop my nephew long enough to ask him, he sure seem to be having a good birthday. Here's a picture  of that cute as a button and oh so spoiled birthday boy!

The weekend is slowly but surely coming to an end. I can honestly say that today has been absolutely amazing, without a single spectacular thing happening. I cleaned the house(by far one of my favorite hobbies, no really, I could clean all day long and be as happy as a calm), Dusty and Austin even joined in and helped which was a pleasant surprise.  The rest of the day has been as relaxing as I could have ever wanted. As I sit here and type this blog, my sweet and creative son is taking a nap, under his bed. Yes, I said under, this was his idea and hey who am I to keep his creative mind from spinning. And out of the corner of my eye I can see my Dusty and my Memphis laying together on the couch. Now, I dare you or anyone else to please tell me how could it get any better than that. Yeah, that's I what I thought, you got nothing!

There is a first for everything!

I spend my entire day talking to an 8 1/2 month little girl and three dogs, so in an attempt to bring back my sanity I thought I would start a blog. My way of taking the world through the trials and tribulations of my life as a stay at home mom.


First, for those that do not know me or are not secretly stalking me, some basic information. I am a mom of 2 beautiful, amazing, and wildly adorable kids. My son, Austin, is 5 years old and pretty much a big clown. He has a huge imagination, which I am sure will play a big role in this blog. My daughter, Memphis, is just shy of 9 months. She has the biggest, bluest eyes you will ever see, and is by far the happiest baby known to man. (Yes, both of my children are named after U.S cities, and No, they were neither conceived or born there) I am engaged to the love of my life, my Dusty. And by engaged I mean we are completely & underly in love, plan to grow old and weak together, but have absolutely no idea when exactly we will tie the knot. But we are happy, all four of us, we have this way of making each other laugh and driving each other crazy all in the same moment. And let me not forget to mention our three furry babies, Rimshot, Belle, and Ellie Mae. Dusty and I have a very soft spot for dogs in need and are not the best at making decisions, which as you will learn is how Belle and Ellie became 2 of the biggest headaches we love to have the most.


Now, as I started to tell you, this is a blog about my life as a stay at home mom. The most exciting thing and sometimes hardest thing about my job (Yes, being a stay at home mom is in fact a very real job!) is that I never know what each day will bring. I started today by going to the doctor for my yearly exam. With my daughter in tow I checked in and waited for the nurse to call me back. The visit was as normal as it could be and the doctors took quite some time oohing and ahhing over the baby they helped bring into this world. However, I came to realized that having my breast checked and who-ha exam first thing in the morning isn't so much my cup of tea. Next year I'll be scheduling that visit for the afternoon. 


I used to loathe going to the grocery store, but I am actually become a big fan. While spending money is not my favorite hobby, I have learned that buying groceries is more of a challenge. I strive to find the biggest deals and cheapest products. Memphis and I strolled through the isles of Kroger this morning, and came out quite alright in the end. Note to self though, eat before going to buy food, I am not so sure how or when that candy jumped in the cart but it sure found a way to come home with us.


Tomorrow we are having a yard sale, in January, crazy I know! So I have a lot to do this afternoon to get ready. It is quite possible that I will ignore the child labor laws and instill the help of my son when he gets home from school.


So there you have it, my first blog! I do believe it was marvelous! I can't promise you that each day will be exciting or thrilling in some way but then again I can't promise that to myself,  so all you can do is stay tuned.