Goodbye Coffee, for the next 9 months

I am so very happy and pleased to say that I am with child! It is the PERFECT time for us too, with Zach being potty trained and stability surrounds us, we are more than ready! As for me and coffee, we are on a 9 month break as coffee makes me sick when I am with child, very sad. :( 

I am asking each of you to say a special prayer over my pregnancy, as my last one was with great complications. I do believe this WILL be a full term pregnancy, but I do ask for constant prayers for me. 

I have been pretty sick and very exhausted, but I am so excited! YEAH!!!!! SO HAPPY! Oh yeah, and I am hoping for another boy! :)

Weight Loss Victory

I am filled with hope since I was finally able to come down from 189 pounds! For about a month now I have cut most all sweets out AND stopped eating after 8pm and I am glad to finally see it paying off! We all know that Christmas is filled with pictures and this year I am looking forward to not cringing when I see myself. :) 

For the month of November my sister, mom and me are playing a weight loss game that I made up called LBEN, ( Looking Better by the End of November) and it is really motivating me! It is an actual game board and my mom says that I should copy write them and sell them, LOL. Some of you may have noticed but I am beginning to accept alot of new friends to my face book page and most of them are students from our youth group and my drama kids, because of that I will not be posting weight loss stuff there any more, it is a bit too personal. My more personal things I will post here or on Alaska Joe's page on Face book.

Please keep me in prayer on this weight loss journey, I want to be as healthy as I can and be off of medications!

Crystal N.

Good things DO come to those that wait!

Last week I posted the title of this blog as my face book status and some inquired about it, so here is the story.

Several months ago, Bruce and I knew that we needed to get a small chest freezer and began the search. I first started on craigslist, but they went very quickly and a used one ran from $80 - $100. We looked online and priced them at Lowe's, Best Buy and Target and they all ran from $160- $190 brand new. During a usual run to Target Bruce and I noticed that they had placed the freezers on clearance for $135 - I was ecstatic! This was the Lord, we needed to get the freezer, there were only three of them! As I headed to the front to get a cart, I just felt a hesitation in my spirit and when I walked back to Bruce, he as well just didn't feel right about buying it, so we left, trusting God. Fast forward a few weeks and we watched the freezers at Target, at one point there were just 2 of them and NOW at $111.00, but NOW, we didn't have the extra money, grrr. Frustrated I resolved that it was just not meant to be and I moved on placing it in God's hands. A few more weeks passed and we continued to ask the Lord for a freezer. Last week, I met Bruce at Target for lunch and we just happened to walk past the freezer, just 1 left and now at $79! I couldn't believe it, BUT this time I just had the van and Bruce had to get back to work and Target does not hold clearance items, we would have to come back around 4 pm! All afternoon I prayed, please Lord, don't let anyone buy it! At 4pm we met at Target and there it was waiting on us! Now, the freezer was there, we had the money AND a 10% off coupon - wow just $68 for this  brand new freezer!!!!!!!

I was just overwhelmed at God's goodness and I know He was smiling, loving seeing our faces and relishing in our delight! But I thought, had I pushed it and bought it the first time, I would have missed out on this heavenly blessing altogether.

How often we don't wait on the Lord and meet our own needs with our own resources and I believe it grieves our Father, when HE wants to be our provider. I pray that this message rings loud and clear to all of my readers.  

Wait, wait, I say, on the Lord!!!!!!!!

My journey carries on

I started this weight loss journey in May, but really did not start taking it too seriously until September and since then down 8 pounds! I do tend to fluctuate around the time of the month, but I really feel like a I am grabbing this life style change forever! I now prefer not to eat after 8pm, but instead drink a cup of hot tea, it is soothing and I enjoy waking up in the morning on an empty stomach. :) Each day I just give it to the Lord asking for his help and making "clean" food choices. Clean as in pure, no chemicals or ingredients that I don't understand and I am not 100%, but I do try my best. :) This morning was a weigh in and no major loss, but I did not return to the 90's and I am happy with that! It has been incredible to have the support of my mom, sis and my hubby more than ever and I contribute part of my success to them! I am aware the holidays are right around the corner, but as my sis tells me, "everything in moderation". :)

GGRRRRRR!

Can I just say that if I had to choose, I would not revisit this day, at all! Feeling overall moody and down due to the lovely curse placed on women every month, not too mention that due to that, I also had lots of chocolate after lunch  because of this curse. I was planning to go for a long walk/run when Bruce got home, but TODAY of all days, he works over - GGRRRR!!!!

So frustrated!  How is a girl supposed to loose weight when my time of the month is never on time and always stays longer than it should!

Tired Already

I am so glad fall is finally here and I had the best day at the 2 festivals, although I was unable to obtain any hot apple cider, a crime! Anyway this week is going to be crazy and can I just say that I  already stressed about it? Family is in town until Sunday, Monday I have to finish tagging items for the consignment sale, memorize scenes 1 & 2 for my play, not to mention plan 2 drama lessons, be a mom and a wife! WHEW! Wednesday is always a packed day for me and then Thursday prep for being away ALL weekend at a youth fall retreat to be counselors, which I am very excited about, but I doubt that we I will get much sleep. Friday will be crazy getting Zach to where he needs to be, loading up the buses and doing paperwork......can I just say I am tired already??

Crystal