Fitbloggin Giveaway

There is a really awesome Fitbloggin giveaway going on at http://growsoulbeautiful.com/fitbloggin-2013-conference-a-giveaway/.  If you are interested in going to Fitbloggin in Oregon in June of this year, here is your chance to win a ticket.

I think it would be awesome to go to Fitbloggin.  So much inspiration from all those around you.  Such a great multitude of knowledge too.

Leslie Sansone DVD Giveaway.

There is a cool giveaway going on at Diaries of a Fat Girl.  It’s for a Leslie Sansone Walk at Home DVD/food guide package.  Check it out here.

Craft Giveaway

There is a cool giveaway over at 24nomore.com.  Go check it out here.

Last Chance

It’s early still and I don’t have anything great to say today, but I just had to get in one more Calphalon giveaway notice.  I actually managed to blog about it every day of the timeframe so that ups my odds quite a bit when it comes time to pick a winner.  Hehe  Have a great day everyone.  To my fellow CDCC people I wish you a day of good choices.

Friend Making Mondays

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links there too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

FMM: All About Me

1. What are your talents? I try to be a good listener.

2. What is your best habit? I have a habit of eating. Hahaha, I don’t know what I would consider my best habit. 

3. If you had to be stuck with someone in an elevator for 8 hours, who would you want it to be? My hubby, but without the kids.,..otherwise it would be stressful trying to keep them entertained.

4. Share one odd fact about you that we’d never know to ask.   I was in band in middle school and played the bass clarinet.

5. What’s your latest project (work, home, whatever you care to share?)  getting healthy and more active.

6. If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be? I would shrink my huge thighs down and also my bat wings. Ugh.

7. What do you do in your spare time? Play with the kids, watch tv, read blogs.

8. What is your biggest pet peeve? Inconsiderate people.  Those people who are oblivious to anyone but them self.

9. Why do you blog?  It helps keep me accountable to my getting healthy journey.  I think it is also a good diary of my life to look back on.

10. Are you tidy or messy? A little bit of both.  I can’t stand it being too messy, but I do have to admit that the house isn’t as tidy as it could be.  It’s too hard with little ones.  15 minutes after you do something it’s already a mess again.

11. What’s the last song that played on your iPod? Umm, my IPod was on shuffle during my run/walk yesterday so it says: It Was a Very Good Year by Frank Sinatra

12. Do you cook?  If so, what’s for dinner tonight? I do cook, but I don’t have any clue what we will eat tonight.  I’m hoping my husband will be home before me and start something. haha

13. Do you like sports?  If so, list your teams. I occasionally like to watch sports.  I’m not a big fan, but I’ll watch.  No special teams for me, but my husband likes the Lakers.

14. How often do you read and/or watch the news? I check out MSN online during the week, but tend to stay away from the news, it’s so depressing.

15. Did you stick to your new Year’s resolution this year?  I didn’t make one, but in the back of my mind is always taking control of my weight, which I’m trying to do.

16. What are you looking forward to most in the remainder of 2011?  Losing more weight and getting healthier.

17. Shoes, sunglasses or handbags?  None.  I’m not a fashionista.

18. How do you feel about sleeping on satin sheets?  I have no feelings about sleeping on satin sheets.  I don’t believe I ever have but I would think they would be slippery. haha

19. Do you sing in the shower? No

20. Describe yourself in one word. caring 

Now it’s your turn to answer the questions!  Don’t forget to link up at alltheweigh.com in the comments!  Try commenting on a few blogs that you haven’t visited before, and enjoy your Monday!  **And don’t forget to enter the giveaway for your chance to win a 10-piece set of cookware from Calphalon!**

Harvest Crusade at Dodger Stadium

We went to the fashion district in Los Angeles yesterday afternoon and did a little shopping and then we went to the Harvest Crusade led by Greg Laurie (www.harvest.org) It was at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.  It didn't start until 6pm, but we got there just before 5pm to get seats and stuff.  We had never been to one and thought that would be early enough.  We were so wrong.We got there and the stage was set up in a ring around the bases.

All the seats where you could see the stage we already taken on the main level so we decided to try to go upstairs.  BIG MISTAKE.  We were literally stuck in the stairwell for a good ten minutes just trying to get up to the top.  It was so hot in the stairwells. We each had a kid on our hip and I thought I was going to sweat to death in there.  We never made it to the top.  We got fed up and went back down and just sat on the side.  The picture above is from our seats.  It wasn't so bad because there was a jumbo screen to see the action in the front.  We could also see the crowd this way which was kinda cool.  The stadium was pretty full.

There was good music and a good message.  The kids were pretty good through out.  Here are a couple pics of them.

Little Lady....I love my daddy.

Little Man...you can't see me. Don't take my picture.

At the end of the speech by Greg Laurie he gave the invitation for people to come down to the field to receive Christ or to renew commitments.  Well this is what happen in the next 20 or more minutes.

The Fire Marshall actually closed the field for more people to come down.  Pretty crazy.  I'm sure a lot of those people where friends or family of people who wanted to commit, but it was still pretty cool.  We left before the very end because we wanted to get out to the car and out of the parking lot before the masses ensued.  I think it was a pretty good decision.  It was a breeze leaving the parking lot.Overall a great time.

Another shameless plug for the Calphalon giveaway at alltheweigh.com.

Christmas Dress Countdown Challenge 2011 (CDCC)

Today is the start of the Christmas Dress Countdown Challenge 2011.  This challenge will be running for 14 weeks from September 11 through December 18^th.  The goal of the challenge is to lose a dress size by the end of the 14 weeks.

My starting weight is 235.8.

I don’t really go anywhere to warrant a special Christmas dress so instead I have opted to find something in my closet that currently does not fit properly and make it look better on me.  I don’t know the size of this skirt because it doesn’t have a tag.  GRRR.  I was able to shove myself into the skirt to take this picture.

As you can see it does NOT fit well and I would not be wearing it anywhere right now.  My waist looks like a plump sausage in this outfit.  I managed to close the side zipper to take the picture, but I would not sit down for fear of breaking said zipper.  So my goal is to fit into this skirt much better and to be able to sit down in it without fear of ripping anything.  I would also like to reduce the belly so there isn’t a big roll there either.

The book I have chosen is called 100 Days of Weight Loss: The Secret to Being Successful on Any Diet Plan by Linda Spangle.  There are 100 daily reading/thinking activities to make you think about why you do things.  It is the perfect book since this challenge is 99 days.  Each day I will have something to do to work on myself.

It seems like 100 days is my magic number.  I have been working on 5k in 100 Days by Brad Gansberg and now this challenge is just shy of 100 days and the book has 100 days in its title.  It must be the perfect length of time to accomplish things.

Anyway, back to the challenge. 

I have set my caloric level at 1520 which is what My Fitness Pal suggests based on my weight and losing 1.5 pounds a week.  We will start there and see how it goes.  I also want to aim for at least 8 glasses of water a day, but hopefully more like 10 glasses a day.  I find that drinking enough water is hard for me.  I will be using My Fitness Pal to track the calories.

My exercise in the beginning will be a continuation of my 5k in 100 days program which will take me to the middle of October.  Then I may continue my runs with alternating some other form of exercise like bike, workout video etc.

So there you have it; my plan to get me through this challenge and into a smaller size.  I look forward to seeing how the other people do with this challenge.

P.s If you haven't already check out the Calphalon giveaway. Sorry to keep posting this, but I really want to win so I will continue to do so until 9/14.  hehe

Friday

Woo Hoo, the weekend is here.  Well not really yet, since I still have to finish out the work day, but you know what I mean.  Tomorrow I'm going to go meet my husband in Los Angeles when he gets off work and we are going to do some shopping in the fashion district.  Then we are going to the Harvest Crusade with Pastor Greg Laurie at Dodger Stadium.  It's the first time the Harvest Crusade has been to Dodger Stadium.  I have never been to the one at Angels Stadium either.  The timing of this one just works out this time.  It should be fun. 

I'll be back tomorrow for my initial Christmas Dress Countdown Challenge post.

Oh, and don't forget about the Calphalon giveway at All the Weigh.

Calphalon Giveway

Kenlie at All The Weigh is having an awesome giveaway for some Calphalon cookware.  Go check it out here.

Larabar Giveaway

There is a Larabar giveaway at A Little Nosh.  Check it out here.

Another Popchips giveaway

There is another yummy Popchips giveaway here.  Go check it out if you would like some free Popchips.

Coconut Oil Giveaway

A Little Nosh is hosting a giveway for some Coconut Oil. Go check it out here.

Scale Giveaway at All The Weigh

Kenlie at All The Weigh is having a giveaway for a scale from EatSmart.  Go check it out.

Uncle Sams cereal

Last week Kenlie announced her participation in the Attune Foods Breakfast Swap, which you can read about on her blog. Attune Foods has been gracious enough to allow us to join in on the fun and offer a free box of cereal for us to try and blog about. If you would like to participate too, click here for more details. I will be sharing my week with Uncle Same breakfast cereal soon so be on the lookout for my follow-up post!