5 Question Friday (a little late)

Hey Bloggers! I'm FINALLY jumping back into 5 Question Friday over at My Little Life. Head on over there and link up to answer new questions each Friday. I love it because I get to really learn more about myself and my fellow bloggers. So here goes.

1. What did you wear to prom? Include a picture if possible.
  I went to three proms between Junior and Senior year. I work a green ballgown to my prom junior year. I wore a beautiful Aline blue gown to my date's prom junior year as well. To my senior prom, I went with a very good friend (and it was the best prom every because we were just friends) and I work a beautiful pink gown. It was my favorite of the three, and it was by far the most comfortable! It is pictured below. I'm on the left and my friend Christina is on the right!

2. Would you rather be on the biggest loser or a food eating challenge?
  I would LOVE to be on the Biggest Loser and have my butt kicked daily in the gym! :)

3. Done fave sonic drink? Refreshing summer drink? (Hey, Kristina...was that a typo, or some "done good" Southern thing?)
  My favorite Sonic drink is the Watermelon Slush..YUM!

4. What was your first car, and what did you call it?
  My first car was a 2000 White Pontiac Grand Am (a picture, not of my car, but similar is below)
                                               
5. What's one thing your child or spouse does that sends you over the edge?
  That's a tough question. I guess like everyone, I have my pet peeves that my husband does/doesn't do. However, I believe that my biggest peeve is when he makes a decision (that affects us both) without discussing it with me..I like details and want to know what's going on 24/7..yeah, I'm a little OCD that way.


So there is it..Can't wait to read your answers either! :)

20 Pounds Down!

Down 20 Pounds and 24 overall inches in 8 weeks! I'm so excited! I have done dieting for the majority of my teen/adult years so far and haven't ever stuck with it to get to this point at one time. A couple weeks ago I got to purchase a smaller size pair of jeans because mine were falling off..literally. Now, the ones I have are starting to get a little loose. Maybe in a couple I can go back and purchase the next size down.

My husband's band is playing a youth retreat at the beach June 1-4. I have such a long way to go to reach my goal, and I know I'm not going to be completely comfortable in a bathing suit by then, but I'm working my tail off this month. I'm DETERMINED to be a little closer to my goal and a little less "flabby" by then. Which brings me to my next news...Check out this little beauty I recently purchased for myself :)

 I had this necklace custom stamped by Debbie at The Run Home on Etsy. She did a fabulous job and it was exactly what I wanted. The large pendant displays three statements that perfectly define my weight loss efforts. PATIENCE. DETERMINATION. NO EXCUSES. I have come to the realization that weight loss is not a fast track thing. There will be those days/weeks where is seems like I am going no where. However, I know that if I stick to the healthy lifestyle/diet/workouts, there will be a better number on the scale soon. I am determined to reach my weight loss goals. There are so many reasons, which I will list in a later post, for wanting to be healthy. I know that I have to be committed to my goals and efforts to see the results I know. Lastly, I'm accepting no excuses from myself to miss a workout or slip on my diet. I know there will be those rare occasions in which I will "slip" or not have time for a workout in my day (which hasn't happened yet). I am just trying to learn and embrace that excuses are what got me to where I am in the first place.

Most importantly though, I can tell a major difference in the way I feel. I am eating clean to the most part which has up-ed my energy so much (in conjunction with my Advocare products of course). I've always heard "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels." Well, I'm definitely not skinny yet, but I'm on the right road, and I can relate to that expression now. AND IT FEELS GOOD!!

Stay Blessed!

For more information about the AMAZING Advocare products, please check out my aunt's website HERE (she is an consultant). I promise, you will not be disappointed in any order. If you are looking to jumpstart your weight loss journey, definitely consider the Advocare 24 Day Challenge pack! It WORKS!!

I've come far...

On Monday, March 5, 2012, my daddy and I started the Advocare 24 Day Challenge. I had heard great things from people who had great results while doing the challenge. So, we started it. It was tough at first to stick to such a strict diet, but slowly, each day got easier. I completed the challenge (with no cheating might I add!) and my results were -11 pounds and -16 inches all over. With such motivation, I have continued my weight loss journey with success. After a total of 6 weeks since March 5th, I have lost 18.6 pounds and 23 overall inches! I still have a long way to go, but I'm well on my way. I am now going to gym at 6am 3 days a week to work out, along with some arm and ab work a few evenings a week. Tomorrow I am starting myself with a new challenge. On top of my 6am workouts 3 days a week, I am challenging myself with the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred!! I have attempted with before and it was HARD!!! However, this time around I'm much more motivated to be a healthier and happier me! Check back often and watch for my posts..I'll be blogging periodically through this journey.

Now answer me this (I'm now on the hunt to a challenge to start when this is over):
What health/fitness challenges do you give yourself to stay motivated and keep a short term goal in place to pursue??

What to know more about Advocare? My aunt sells it and you can check out her website HERE! It is a health and wellness company offering world-class energy, weight-loss, nutrition, and sports performance products along with a rewarding business opportunity. My most recommended products are SPARK, MNS, THERMOPLUS, and CATALYST :) However, I hear you will love them all!

Stop. Think. Execute.

I'm not working right now. My previous employer did not follow state guidelines as she should, so I left. My career goal is to work in a school system, and I wasn't going to jeopardize that by working in a day school (day care) that didn't keep with state standards and guidelines.

Therefore, I'm a SAHW (stay at home wife). It's been well over a year since I have been unemployed, and even then I was a full-time student and working in direct sales doing home parties for some great income with Premier Designs Jewelry.  I'm loving being at home more than I thought I would, except for one tiny little thing. I HAVE FULL ACCESS TO MY KITCHEN! Okay, so it's a little bigger than a tiny thing, at least for me. I eat out of boredom, more than I should. And I'm a little more bored now that I have our new house organized and on a cleaning schedule so it doesn't take but a little time each day to maintain, no lesson plans to write, no assignments to complete. I'm keeping myself busy though, just not as much as I should.

STOP. THINK. EXECUTE.

That has been my motto this week.
I started the 17 Day Diet last Monday, and lost 5 pounds last week! WOOHOO. This week was a little more challenging as far as motivation goes.

Last week was beautiful, so Roxy (my 7 month old dog) and I were able to get out and walk in our neighborhood each day. I was busy doing the above mentioned organizing and planning, which kept me from getting bored and getting in the kitchen.
I am much more bored now. I started the week completely unmotivated, which was a big set back. Sometimes I wonder if all this "killing myself" working out, and "strict" diet plan will be worth it in the end. Then, I stop. I think about my future with my amazing husband. He loves to be active, playing football, going to theme parks, going to batting cages, and much more. I want to be able to do those things with him without sitting on the side watching or getting too tired. I think about in a few years when we want to have children. I want to be a healthy mom, who has a healthy pregnancy and is a good role model for my children when it comes to eating and fitness. Those are the major things I think about. Today, this has kept me out of the kitchen. I even went to the park and walked a couple of laps today. Not great, but it was something (execution).

What are things that keep you motivated?
I'm always looking for new ideas for workouts to keep me from getting bored with what I'm doing.
Post any ideas/suggestions below! :)

Hope you have a great rest of the week!!

Stay Blessed!

Learning and Teaching, all in one

I'm working on things for my classroom this weekend.
When I started this new job, there was nothing in the classroom that I was placed. And by nothing, I mean only a couple of toddler beds and a couple of old toys.
No tables/chairs/supplies/anything useful.
I have worked my tail off this month getting my room to become slightly functional. It still has a long way to go though. Most of my children are English Language Learners as well, so this is a new adventure for me as a teacher. I also have one child that is hard of hearing and barely speaks, and is slightly autistic. She is a joy and a challenge each day, but I'm growing to love her. She also gives me a reason to use/teach a few of the things I know from sign language. That reminds me, I need to learn more.

If you have any sign language learning suggestions, let me know! I would love to be fluent in ASL :) 


On another note,
it is time to start walking
and tanning again!!

A whole new meaning to NEW YEAR

It has been a while since my last post. My husband and I found out in the middle of December that we would be moving to Tuscaloosa in January for new jobs. And not just January, but January 3rd is when the job started. It has been an emotional roller coaster. I was hired in August to teach Pre-K at a local school where we were living. I was in love with my job, my co-workers, and my children. However, my husband accepted a job with a company here with great benefits that we did not have before. It has been so hard to leave the only place I have ever called him. Both of our families are still there as well. So we are nearly 3 hours away from everyone and everything we have ever known.

When we found out my husband received this job, I started applying here as well. I have been hired at a Child Development Center here as the lead Pre-K teacher. It is a brand new school so I am working closely with the director in setting up our program and enrolling new students. I was not loving this job in the beginning. I think a lot of that had to do with being so homesick and having to leave a job I LOVED. However, it is getting a little better each day, just a slow process.

Tearing down our home and packing up in 3 weeks was tough. We were both still working full-time! My husband left for work at 1:00 a.m. n didn't get home until 3:00 p.m. Needless to say, he was going straight to bed when he got home, which left me to do all of the packing for the most part, on top of packing up my classroom where I was working.

Also, my favorite time of the year is CHRISTMAS! I put my tree up on Nov. 10th and usually don't take it down until the end of January. This time, I had to take it down immediately, 2 weeks BEFORE Christmas.This broke my heart. We left our home of 2 years on December 30th. It was an emotional adventure to say the least.

We have been home one weekend already and my parents have been here one weekend too. That makes it a little better. I'm trying to stay here a couple more weekends before going home again. My husband is loving his job though, and we love our new townhouse and location of where we live. Maybe it will continue to get a little better each day and I don't stay as homesick! :)

So here we go. A new house, new jobs, new town, and a brand new year! 

Hello 2012!

What makes you sad, Mrs. Tasha? & TTST

Well, let me start with Tip the Scale Thursday.

I lost 1.4 pounds this week.

Again, not great, but still a loss.

AND, that puts me at a total of 9 pounds down. 

YAY.

Last week, I was subbing for the class I did part of my internship with, a 5th grade class. During one class period, I had the students that are really laid back and it makes its easy to have a "laid back" day with them versus some of the other class periods. Well, as they were finishing up their work for the day, one girl, who is so smart and sweet, starts asking me questions from this quiz she is reading from Kidsville. Our conversation goes as follows:

K: Mrs. Tasha, what's your favorite color?

Me: Purple. 

K: What's your favorite food?

Me: Chicken.

K: How many kids do you have?

Me: TWO, and they both bark! 

(both of us laughing!)

K: What make you sad?

Me: ((LONG PAUSE))...You know, K, there are several things that make me sad, but lately, it's wasted potential from kids I see so much inside of. 

This "quiz" then stems into a long conversation of how these students are just overflowing with potential to achieve great things, but yet they don't because of their laziness or they just don't care. I have pondered and ran this conversation through my head over and over again the past week or so since that day. The more I think about it, the sadder I get. My heart literally aches for these children that I love and are so smart, but yet refuse to use it for one reason or another. They can achieve great things if they set their minds to it, but they just simply won't. 

As I'm thinking of these things, it suddenly hits me. Does God feel the same way about us? Does he see our potential that he has placed within our reach, but we are just sitting, letting it go to waste because we are too lazy to blossom in Him to our full potential? Some of my students are smart enough to be doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc., if they just make the effort. Are we that way? 

God gives us all a potential that we are capable of reaching, whether it be to become prayer warriors, missionaries, teachers, preachers, singers, leaders, or simply sharing his word with those we meet on a daily basis. 

So, I want to leave you to ponder the question that I continually think about, 

thanks to the inquiring mind of a 5th grader. 

Are you reaching your full potential in life and in Christ? 

If not, why not?