The Weight is Over. . . Seriously. No, Really. This Time I Mean It.

Posted on April 15, 2015 by Mama

So you might remember “The Weight is Over” series I started about a year and a half ago, about losing weight and keeping it off. Well I’m happy to report that I lost over 12 pounds during that few months. What I’m not so happy about is that unfortunately it all somehow found it’s way back home. Yikes!! So you guessed it, I’m revisiting the series in hopes that I can re-lose the weight and then some, keep it off for. . . well, eternity (I’m aiming big here) and let the simple task of blogging my progress hold me accountable for it all.

After our family trip to Arkansas for Easter just over a week ago, I made the “mistake” of stepping on the bathroom scale. It was not pretty. I knew I ate well, but not quite that well. I guess the Peeps went to my thighs and everywhere in between. One of my cousins, nieces, aunts, whatever did make the comment that Easter was just like Thanksgiving but with dyed eggs; and believe me, I ate like it was Thanksgiving, like the last Thanksgiving I might ever get to eat.

So here begins my new quest toward healthy living (as I write this just after downing a chili cheese coney from the local hot dog stand). Seriously, I mean it this time. I plan to lose 25 pounds by the end of the year, and they are so not invited back to this fat bottom girl again. I plan to weigh in each week and post my results right here at Small Talk Mama — the good, the bad and the just plain sad. Just so you know, words of encouragement are appreciated and words of advice are welcomed, but please keep those negative vibes all to yourself.

So here’s the stats for the first week of weight loss: minus three pounds!! Okay, so most of that was excessive Easter weight from SweeTart chicks and chocolate bunnies, but it’s a good way to begin and I’m going with it. Of course, you’ll want to tune in next week to see how the hot dog treated me.

Strike Up Summer with Free Bowling for Kids

Posted on March 28, 2015March 28, 2015 by Mama

So you probably already know that last week was Spring Break here and we played host to my sister and two thirteen-year-old girls from Oklahoma. The trip was meant to be an inexpensive change-of-scenery trek, so we tried to keep ourselves busy doing fun little activities about town. One afternoon, we decided to hit the local bowling lanes for a few hours, which was my four-year-old son’s first foray into the sport. Of course foot stomping, tears and frustration followed, but when the bumpers finally went up he was a happy guy (thank you bowling alley guy who saw the tears, offered the lane next door and raised the bumpers to boot).

If you notice the presence of not one, but two bowling balls in the picture, you get the idea of why he was so upset. Yes, we finally got the green ball out of the gutter and moved on to happier times. Although it was a bit stressful at first, I would definitely do it again (and I think he would too), and thanks to the Kids Bowl Free program we can surely get our fill in the months to come, and maybe even then some.

Yes, I said FREE bowling! Simply visit the Kids Bowl Free site and locate a participating U.S. or Canadian bowling alley near you. This program is designed by bowling centers to give back to the community and provide a safe, secure, and fun way for kids to spend time during the summer. Children whose age does not exceed a limit by a participating bowling center are eligible to register for two free games a day (shoe rental required) all summer long, courtesy of the participating bowling centers along with certain schools and organizations. That’s an awesome deal, I’d say!

So if you’re looking for us in the heat of the coming summer, we’ll be enjoying the AC and knockin’ down some pins at the local lanes. I hope you’ll join us.

Poplessness for World Peace (or My First Attempt at Lent)

Posted on February 20, 2015 by Mama

I’ve decided to give up soda for Lent. No , I haven’t converted to Catholicism, Lutheran, Presbyterian or any other religion that routinely celebrates the season leading to Easter with forty days of sacrifice, but I do think it’s a worthwhile exercise in spiritual discipline. Now I’m not sure how giving up Dr. Pepper will bring me closer to God. . . but give me a few weeks and it might become clear, or at least semitransparent.

I hadn’t much a thought about Lent until I realized it was Ash Wednesday yesterday morning as I sipped on something funky I was told to be Dr. Pepper from the local drive through window. It didn’t taste good, it makes me fat and I spend far too much on my weekly fizz fix; but by golly, I drank it anyway. And that’s when the idea hit me — I’ll sacrifice soda for forty days, hopefully shed a few pounds and keep my money where it belongs. Of course I quickly wondered if it’s actually considered “sacrifice,” if I’m planning to get something in return. Hmm?

So just like that I made a half-hearted, completely uninformed superficial commitment to participate in this year’s Lenten season (I’m sure my Catholic-raised husband will be so proud of me). So with Ash Wednesday in full swing I swore off sodas, starting as soon as I finished the one in hand, which really shouldn’t count because it tasted awful. Later that afternoon my husband brought home a cola Freezoni (a shame to let that go to waste), so I restarted my sacrifice only after my brain freeze faded. And alas, the pop machine called my name right before Bible study last night. . . but I was really thirsty, and all the proceeds support youth group endeavors. Ah, patronage pop — is there anything better?

So I’ve started day two of my ~~40-day~~ 39-day journey; and while it isn’t quite over, I have managed to steer clear of anything soda related so far. I have discovered that if I don’t drink anything, I’m less likely to pick pop. I’m not sure dehydration was the desired outcome.

I definitely think I’m missing a key component (the super important spiritual one) in this whole process. While I’m already feeling the sacrifice, I don’t think this is exactly the point of Lent; and unless cola companies are the devil (and I’m not chasing that rabbit), I’m not sure I’ll ever come close to anything similar to the sacrifice Jesus made in the desert. Of course, I’m positive that if I think long enough and delirium sets in I’ll be able to justify every last noncarbonated liquid through my lips. I can see it now — move over ice buckets, here comes poplessness for world peace! Yikes, I need a soda.

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