Things on my mind

I keep catching a stomach bug. I don't know if it is really a bug or just my body adjusting to a healthier diet and so when I over indulge on cookies I end up puking. I really hate throwing up and I think I did more than my fair share of it while I was pregnant. It's really not my favorite way to lose weight.



I really hate running errands. My girls start dance this week so that means lots of running around. Call me selfish but running my kids from place to place is one of my least favorite parts of motherhood, and I only have 2 kids. I don't know how mom's with many kids do it.



I've been feeling really disconnected lately. I don't feel like I fit in. I have always blamed my not fitting in on my weight, but I find as I lose weight I still don't fit in. I really hate not being a part of things but I hate being being fake even more and I feel like I'd have to fake it to fit in. I spent way to many years being fake and tryng to blend in and I just don't want to do it now. My friend came by this morning to show me her new dress and get my opinion. She is engaged and just cute about getting married, I'm so happy for her and she really brightened my day. With her I fit in. She is 65. Go figure. I guess I just don't fit in the box I'm supposed to fit in.



Jon won his weight loss contest at work. He is looking pretty darn good. He looked pretty darn good before, but he looks even better now.



I'm really happy about how my little sewing business is taking off. I haven't sold much off the site but I've been busy with 3 different custom dresses. I hope things stay busy.


We have a vacation planned with my brother and sister and their families and grandma. I'm so so excited. My family was kind of messed up for a while and now there isn't anyone I'd rather spend time with.

Oh How I Love This Show

Oh, how I love this show. I know reality TV is not high quality entertainment, and in this particular show there is a lot of bleeping, but I can't help it, I love it. It totally inspires me. I love when they play the marathons, it makes for a great day of sewing. I remember as a little girl watching my mom sew and waiting for the scraps so I could make my barbies beautiful gowns. I've always love playing dress up. I also remember when I was young watching the Academy awards and sketching drawings of gowns. I don't really consider myself a fashionesta, (plus size clothing runs toward old lady style and hooker clothes, the best part of loosing weight is the clothes are better) But I do love watching the award shows and checking out latest fashions. I really love creating dresses for my girls, and I love it when I get to create fancy dresses for anyone. I recently got to make some princess dresses for a 3 year-old girl and it was so fun to imagine her dancing around and feeling beautiful. In fact as I sit here and write this I realize that, the reason I love making things for people is that I love making people feel beautiful. So tonight I will be parked in front of the TV watching to see what amazing things they come up with and imagining all the things I could make if I were on the show.

So not fair.

For the past year I've been trying to get healthy. I've lost just over 50lb and and still working to loose more. I watch what I eat and I exercise almost every day. Recently some guys at Jon's work decided they could all stand to loose a few, and so as men do, they turned it into a competition. (Women do this to we just don't tell each other we are competing with one another) So 5 guys put $100 each in a pot and who ever is first to loose 10% of their body weight gets the money. Jon had the most to loose 20lb (he is also about 3 inches taller than the rest of the guys) They started their competition 3 weeks ago and Jon has dropped 15 lb so far and it looks as if he will win. Now, I'm pretty happy that we will have some extra money, and he is loosing his gut and looks great, especially with a vacation to the beach coming up, but it is so not fair that he can loose weight so fast. I would have to starve and exercise constantly to lose that much that fast. Jon is working very hard eating better and exercising, but I'm eating better too, and going on walks with him every night in addition to my morning work out and I've only managed to loose 3lbs. Really metabolism is not fair.

Sew Perfect Gifts by Alison

Sew, I really love to sew, and for years I have been making gifts for my friends and family and for years they have be telling me that I need to start selling my gifts. I have been sewing dresses and such for people for years and have had pretty steady work. But, I have always wanted to make more of the things I want to make. Sew, after years of talking myself out of it, I have decided to start selling some of the things I make. I started a new blog called http://sewperfectgifts.blogspot.com/ I hope you will all take a minute and look at some of the things I have made. I would also LOVE it if you would add my new blog to your blog lists and tell all your friends about it. I will be putting new gifts up all week and hope to have new things weekly after that. I hope that you will find something that is Sew perfect for you or someone you love, and if you don't find something today that you will check back often or think of me when you need that perfect gift. Here are a few things I will be offering in the coming weeks.


More Quilts

Nightgowns perfect for any little princess.

Pillows for you little one.

or Pillows for you.

This really has been something I have wanted to do for a very long time so I want to take a minute to say thanks to a few people. First my Mom for teaching me to sew and always making me such beautiful things. My best friend Jill who is probably so sick of me talking about this but has been so great to offer advice and support. My sister Jenny, she has been my biggest cheerleader as I have been planning things out and has encouraged me for years to do this. And most of all Jon, he is such a great husband and father and I'm so grateful that he has made it possible for me to do this.

Night at the symphony

My Mom plays the cello and my Dad plays the Bass so growing up I spent a lot of time at the symphony. I loved it. I really enjoy classical music and want kids to have an appreciation for it also. So Friday night when my mom invited us to the symphony we were very excited to go. It was at an out door amphitheater in the mountains and it was absolutely beautiful.

the symphony we heard was Peter and the Wolf and before the performance they had a instrument petting zoo. It was so much fun to watch the girls and to see the little child sized versions of the instruments.

Playing the cello like grandma.

Violin

The instruments were so little and cute.

the flute.

Clarinet

they wouldn't allow pictures of the performance, but it was great. They had Ballet dancers and a great narrator.

The girls had a great time having a picnic on the mountain side.

We really had a great time. Even Daddy said it was fun. Hopefully this will be the first of many nights at the symphony.

Zoo

We finally made it to the zoo.

Jon's work had their summer party at the zoo. We had lots of fun. Grandpa and Uncle Rob even got to be there. (Uncle Rob works with Jon)

The girls got to see a kookaburra.

The Bird show there is always so great. The birds swoop so close to you but it is really neat.



I'm so glad my girls are such good friends.



Two little monkeys.

On the train.

Zebras


The Carousel.

We really had a great time.

Thanks Comcast!