Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Last weekend I was invited on a "girl's weekend" to Denver..."why Denver?", you ask. Well my friend Kristi had a friend getting married and wanted some company on the trip. So she asked me and our friend Tara (Opee's wife) if we would like to join her. It was so much fun! Tara and I were excited just to fly, Kristi is a frequent traveler, but it had been a while for us.

So Friday included, the flight, the car rental, hotel check-in, the wedding, outlet stores, and a comedy club. Pretty good for never visiting Denver before! Saturday we visited the "Unsinkable Molly Brown's" house. This was definitely a big highlight of the trip, I highly recommend it!

We also walked 16th street down town and then met up with OLD high school buddies. It was so fun to see Jared, Julie, and Marie again! Reminiscing with old friends does wonders for your happiness. It's sometimes sad to know that the old high school days are gone, but I am grateful that I had such amazing friends who still keep in touch!

There were so many fun little experiences and so many pictures taken, I couldn't possibly post them all. But I wanted to share the short version and tell Kristi and Tara how much fun I had. Being the only girl in the family, taking a girl's trip was a whole new experience and I know I'll cherish it!

Jared, Julie, and Marie: thank you for taking the time to visit with us. I love you guys so much and love all of the memories we have. It was great to see your lives now and Denver seems like a great place to live.

Hello Stage, I'm Back....

Well, I wanted to share with all of you that I will be on the stage once more. I haven't participated in any acting since graduating High School 8 years ago. But Ms. LaForge is beginning a community theatre and I was persuaded to auditon. I will be playing the part of the "Kitchen Wench" in "Once Upon a Mattress". It may be a small role, but I am grateful to have received a part with a name, well sort of a name.

I am really most excited about being in a production with old Alumni: Opee, Andrew, Lyle, and Shauna. It will be a blast! The performances will begin in mid July.

My weight success

Recently I have reached my goal of loosing 45 pounds, wahoo! Now my goal, of course, is to keep it off! To do so I have created Kristy's weight loss commandments. I figured if others actually read them, I will be forced to keep them:

5. If you are going to drink soda, drink diet soda. - This hasn't been a problem for me just because I am a soda craver, diet or not, the switch wasn't difficult. What makes me mad though, is that diet drinks have 0 caleries, where fruit juice, even gatorade carry calories. That's why I love finding other options like flavored water or G2, which both still have calories just less.

4. When at a fast food joint, order the grilled chicken sandwich and cancel the fries. - I have learned these are the closest thing to "healthy" you are going to find at fast food, unless they have salads (hold the dressing). I have actually come to grave grilled chicken sandwiches.

3. Eat Quaker Oats (lower sugar) oatmeal for breakfast. - This is another item I have come to crave, even after eating it nearly every morning for the past 9 months.

2. Days under my control, eat wise. - Somedays I don't have control over what is on the menu. Birthdays, holidays, trips, are all great reasons for me to give in and enjoy delicious treats. But during the work week, when I have control over breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I'm going to make wise choices.

1. Ask yourself "Is it worth it". - If the item in question is Tirimusu... the answer is usually "yes". But I try to think "eating this brownie, is worth a half an hour on the eliptical... is it worth it". Most of the time the answer is no, but if it's a rare treat I take the opportunity.

There you have it, my 5 commandments. So if you see me not doing these things, please tell me, the best success comes from support. Here is a before and after shot, I'm definately not bragging... I just never thought I would have a before and after when it comes to weight loss.