Looking for that magic cure...

I have had a lot of people ask me "How did you do it" looking for a answer....
I have asked that question of others so many times....what works....what doesn't work...
if you eat this one day....the next day only eat this....try this book...try this pill....try
this diet...do this exercise...We are all looking for a miracle cure to loose weight....
well guess what... I found out there is no miracle cure....you know what really works???
I mean it is hard to believe.....but stop eating so much...and exercise more....wow....that
can't be it....no....there has to be some quick sure fired miracle to do it....I've been yo-yoing
for years...up and down.... more up than down....and finally it hit me....quit eating like a pig...
eat small amounts...healthy veggies....fruits...low fat meats....and quit making food the
focus of your life....and when you exercise do what you enjoy with the people you enjoy...
stop worring...you can't solve everyone elses's problems and worrying about them won't
make them better....so I've lost 66 lbs. since April....and you know what...I haven't starved
to death...and food isn't my main focus anymore....life is.....Something finally clicked in
my brain..... tell me how you stay healthy....or are getting healthy.....

Okay....I admit it....I'm a..........

I'm a serious packrat.....I am becoming a recovering packrat.....

I had box upon box of papers that my kids did in school....and vacation bible school....

I went through and randomly picked out a few things....and guess what.....I through

the rest away....talk about feeling free....we had a storage building for several years payed

$80 a month to hold our junk....we went down and pulled out the things we couldn't

live without....then went back with a trailor and hauled it all of....whew.....such a relief...

then I hit my storage building in my back yard....put tons of stuff on the street.....

posted it on Craigslist....all gone...yipee......yahoo.....

went through my closet.....since I've lost weight most did not fit....out the door...

to the curb...no looking back....as something gets to big....it is gone...no hanging

on...no looking back....only forward.... that's my confession for the day...

What's yours???

Random words

Becca at http://beccasgardenspot.blogspot.com/ is playing a little game 5 random words...if you would like to play go by and see her....my words are...

Seed: plant a seed today for a wonderful surprise later

Run: I like to run errands on the motorcycle with my hubby....

Tape: if all else fails use duct tape

Green: what a wonderful color....grass...leaves...plants...my eyes (although sometimes they look blue depending on what I'm wearing)

Drain: I had to unstop my kitchen drain this morning....

Hope you go by and see Becca to join in on the fun...if you do let me know so I can see your answers on your blog....

Have a great saturday...I'm gone to the races in Ennis....

what would Nana want???

Do you ever have someone mention something to you and at the time....

you don't really think anything about it??? then later it hits you...maybe

there was a meaning to what they were saying...well....it happened to me...

I have been trying to get rid of alot of clutter...things sitting in storage...not

being used..or just collecting dust....I had a ton of fabric that my Nana...had

left me...I have used some of it...but the rest has just been sitting in my storage

building....I thought you know this needs to go to someone that will use and

enjoy it...so my FIL's caregiver came to mind....she sews...knits...crochets...

so I called to see if she would be interested...oh and yes she was...so I loaded

it all up...material..yarn etc....and took it to her...on one of our recent shopping

trips she made a comment....did your grandmother leave you her sewing machine

also....I told her indeed she did...I have used it alot making costumes for my daughters

dancers....crafts and such....but not much in the last year.....later that evening it

hit me....you know I think maybe she was wondering about the sewing machine

if I was going to give it up also....so I thought about it quite a bit....I even talked

to hubby about it....I of course did not want to give away my Nanas sewing machine..

it means alot to me.... but I thought maybe I could take it over there and she could

use it....and if I ever needed to use it I could.....hubby said you don't want to do that...

we will find her a sewing machine.....okay that sounds good....I kept thinking about

what my Nana would want....sewing machine sitting idol or sewing machine being

used....well evidently my hubby had been thinking the same thing....so we decided

we will indeed take the sewing machine over there....as a loan....to use and enjoy...

but it would still be mine...talked to her about it yesterday...and she is so very

excited...I know Nana is smiling down on us right now..excited to see her sewing

machine running again....

The ride.....

Yesterday my hubby and I got to run errands on the motorcycle....it was a nice day...

I've noticed when we are out riding how many smiles and waves we get....sometimes...

I feel like we are in a parade...and it makes us smile....we get the nod from the senior citizen man...you can see maybe he has rode motorcycles in his life....the little boys look at you with excitement in their eyes...even little girls take a second look...other bikers give you a wave...or a peace sign....we had a guy roll down his window and tell us what a cool ride we had.....I never in a million years thought I would enjoy riding on the back of a motorcycle...especially on the streets with cars and trucks....but there is something so freeing about it....so enjoyable.....riding on the dirt and through the trails is fun also....and the people that ride there are friendly also...you stop and chit chat...then hit the trails again....there is a group of young adults 16-22 that ride...and they seem to really enjoy stopping and talking with us....there are families that ride together...so now you see why I don't like the rainy weather....it really puts a damper on our rides.....so if you ever get the chance to go for a ride....hop on and enjoy.....but wear a helmet and protective clothing....you see I do still have some sense....LOL

We had sunshine...

We got to enjoy some sunshine this weekend...

it was so nice...even got to put my feet in the pool...

Monday the last official day of summer was very warm

here in Texas....and guess what????the rain came back....

we did get to go out to dinner on the motorcycle last night..

it was so nice to be able to go for a ride again....

We have cooler temperatures today....thank goodness

we aren't flooding like some of the other southern states...

Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying their first day of Fall

My Grandmothers.....

I read a post over at White Spray Paint, she was describing her grandmothers and it made me stop and think about my grandmothers. Wow they were so different....and I got great experiences from them all.

First there's my Nana....she was my ladybug inspiration....Nana was classy...always neat as a pin....always smelt fresh as a daisy...no matter how hard she had worked that day....she cook the most wonderful meals....best biscuits ever....always had yogurt and cottage cheese in the fridge...could quilt and sew like no other...always made our Christmas gifts...still have a gown she made me when I was 8...she made homemade cookies every year for her 20+ great grandchildren...when I went to stay with her she made me feel like a grownup...we had so much fun together...she was a good christian lady...she loved her family...she gave the best hugs ever...and she loved my husband like he was her own...she loved Lawerence Welk...Gospel music...and Don Ho...loved to garden and can vegetables...made great homemade jellies and jams...

Second there's Mammaw....Mammaw smoked...loved to dance...was a little on the wild side...when we were at Mammaw's house we really got to do almost anything we wanted as long as we didn't cause any harm...we had lemonade stands...sold rocks to the neighbors...had little circus performances in the front yard...with her poodle Pierre as one of the stars...had forts in the back yard...she loved country music...loved all the old western shows...Big Valley...Bonanza...loved to read all the tabloids and believed what they said....always warned you about the sun....never drank anything with her food while she was eating...loved to make homemade jellies....made her own tv dinners reusing the old metal trays...cut her paper towels in half to save them....

Several times during the time I was growing up both of my Grandmothers worked at the same company....and they were different as night and day....but always got along great...

Then there was Nancy...I didn't meet Nancy till I was 18 and didn't get to know her till I was in my late 20's early 30's....well Nancy was under 5 ft tall and a ball of fire...loved garage sales...fishing...gambling and her family....I feel quite fortunate to have gotten to know her....

My grandmothers have all passed now...but I think I have a piece of each of them in my heart...
All Texas ladies....all brought up differently....but all great ladies....

The sun came out...then it was gone again...

On Tuesday afternoon the sun came out....

I grabbed my camera and ran outside....

to soak it all in...it was so great.....

walked around the yard and took some photos

of flowers blooming....the clouds in the sky...

then poof....the sun was gone....

and guess what the rain and mist is back....

oh don't get me wrong....I know we need it...

my grass has grown like crazy these past several days...

but I need sunshine....I mean it is Texas...

we get a lot of sunshine and warm temperatures....

guess what it is still raining and misting this morning....

and the temperatures are cool...I'm not ready to move

to fall yet....I don't want to put up my shorts and flipflops yet...

so I'm still hanging on....after all this is Texas and sometimes it is 90 degrees

on Halloween.....so if you have some extra sunshine send it our way...

and we will send you some of this rain.....

Thank you everyone that responded to send a card to Amy...

I know she will enjoy them all...also thank you for your nice comments

and questions on my what I've been doing this summer post....

if you could add my second Mom Mrs. W to your prayer list...

she is going through radiation treatments for cancer...she is

a tough cookie and a real fighter...and with extra help from above...

I know she will do great.....you are all the greatest!!!!

Please take a moment to do this....

I have a very special request for all of you. Debbie from There's an Angel on My Front Porch is asking as many people as possible to send her daughter Amy, who is seriously ill with cancer, an uplifting card. Amy sooo enjoys getting cards from us and has gotten as many as 12 in one day. Let's try and break that record and send her as many cards as we can! I would love to see Debbie open her mailbox and have a flood of cards pour out. If you would please post this on your blogs and let's sit back and see those cards start pouring in!!!! Also, very important, please remember to put a simple smiley face on the envelope!!!!!!!! Here's Amy's address Amy Ragan1213 Hite Blvd. Enid, Oklahoma 73701 Please, please make this a priority and get a card in the mail for Amy today or tomorrow! It doesn't have to be a fancy card, just something to brighten her day. We would all want that faced with Amy's circumstances.

What I have been up to this summer...

Before....
After....

Well the rain finally stopped and we saw rays of sunshine on occasion yesterday....of course I ran right outside to soak them up....as you know I haven't posted alot this summer...took some me time....I've had a great summer....spent lot's of time with my hubby and family....and I have been working on me...I've lost from size 18 to a 6....everyone asks me how have you done it...looking for a magic key...well... my answer to everyone is....I stopped eating like a pig...stopped snacking all the time...stopped going back for seconds...started eating healthy....fruits...veggies...low fat meat like fish...chicken...beef on occasion...and started really loving myself again...stopped worrying about everyone....let them make their mistakes and take the consequences of their actions...started really enjoying life again...not worried if the laundry is always done...or the kitchen is always stocked with food....and just started enjoying my family...and dogs....started doing things on impulse...so what if you stay up to 1:00 am playing cards or basketball...just enjoy it...if you want to eat dinner at 5:00 or 10:00 what does it really matter in the whole sceam of things...I got rid of alot of the clutter that has been eating at me...if you haven't used it in years...why hang on to it....let someone else enjoy it....and that is what I have done...I have cleaned out...and got rid of....it is so freeing....my yard had became more of a chore than fun...so I have gotten rid of several flowerbeds...and you know what...I appreciate the ones I kept more...

It is amazing...something finally clicked in my head...I've been trying to loose weight for years... working out....counting calories...but when I started getting rid of stress in my life...and started really living and enjoying life...the weight just started coming off also...my workouts now are fun things I enjoy doing with my hubby and family...and get togethers are more about each other than what we will be eating...I still go out to eat...but I pick better choices...and share them...or bring them home for my daughter...so I guess there is not really a magic cure for weight loss...you just have to find what works for you and stick with it...make it a way of life...well that's what I have been up to this summer....

It rained all weekend...it is still raining

Rain is good.....but it has rained all weekend....and it is still raining...

I posted this photo...because I needed to see something besides rain...

I know we need rain...but it sure does interfere with the the things I like to

do...fishing...motorcycle riding...bicycling...basketball....spending time outdoors...

hanging out around the pool....my tan is fading.....hopefully it will blow over soon

I need some sunshine......

Clouds and fountain

Got Rain??? we did

We got a lot of lightening and some rain last night and this morning...these are the skys this morning after the rain....

Hanging on to summer.....not ready for it to end...