A Super Long Weekend.

I'm going to warn you. This post is probably going to be wordy and not have any pictures. If I add pictures while I'm writing a blog on my PC at work, it screws everything up. But I have important information for my readers and I won't have time until June 13 to write a proper post at home with my Mac.

The reason?

We're moving. Officially. My last day of work is next Friday.

Mr. Skinny interviewed with a construction company last Friday, and they gave him the job on the spot. He went for his drug test and physical right after the "interview" and will have to go to orientation either this week or next.

I'm excited, really I am, but it's hard to close this chapter of my life. And while I absolutely love being around family and dispise the 200 mile, nearly 4 hour drive that it is from PA to Maryland again, I loved being on our own, away from drama, able to do what we want and not have to check in with anyone. We'll be living with my parents, and yes, I know that we're not going to be reverting back to being in high school with curfews and such, but I'm probably still going to let my mom know where we're going.

And I've learned to love my job and the people I work with. It's really hard to tell them I'm leaving, I know they appreciate me and everything I do. But this is the right thing. I know it is. On Friday morning, I got an email from the job that I had applied for in Maryland saying they were "pursuing other candidates." It was a sign from God that Mr. Skinny and I were making the right decision. As much as I love my job, I have to stay in school to keep my job, and we couldn't go for a few years with me going to school every semester. Even if it is a community college, it's still $800/semester.

My parents are ecstatic. Mr. Skinny's grandma is just as ecstatic. My in-laws are excited, too. Even our siblings are excited. Mr. Skinny was beeming all weekend. I'm excited, too. I just need to be okay with leaving the life I have and starting a new chapter in the book of my life (how corny does that sound?).

We also had a good long talk with Mr. Skinny's cousin and his wife about our lot. The cousin and his wife will be living next to us. We're going to be saving a lot of money so we can build our house faster. Next summer we're going to put our driveway in, splitting the cost with the cousin and wife. Hopefully in the next 3-4 years we'll be able to put our house in.

I should be excited for this because it's one step closer to having a baby. Mr. Skinny was worried about health insurance, but with this job, its free! I know it's a wonderful thing, it's just hard. I don't want people to look down on us because we're moving back in with my parents. It's not that we've failed. There's a huge empty room with it's own bathroom that no one uses! I've already had to answer the question "You're just staying with your parents until you find a place, right?"

You want the answer? No. Probably not. Well yes, eventually. But we'll probably live with my parents for a good few years. It's rent-free, and no one uses that area. We can save our money and get on our feet. Why buy a house just to move out in a year or so? And Mr. Skinny is DONE with apartments. Why pay rent, you aren't getting anything out of it. That's his problem, and I understand it, I do. So we'll save money and we probably won't move out until we have our house built. I really don't view it as taking advantage of my parents. I'll be cooking for them, and helping them out.

Okay. Sorry about the long-winded vent. I'm nervous, I'm excited. It's going to be hard, but it's going to be fun. I'm excited about the opportunity, but nervous about leaving our space and moving back in with family. But this is what God wants us to do.

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What's a hard decision you had to make? Did it all work out?
Have you ever lived with your parents/in-laws after you were married?

Changing Foods.

Back to my weight loss journey now. Hopefully I can post on that regularly rather than random tidbits about my life. Although I'm sure they'll get thrown in there, too.

I know I mentioned it before, but I've been stuck in the 155-160 range for months. 3 months actually. I'm so sick of it. I know I have myself to blame, but it's really frustrating. Every time I think I'm going to break through, something happens to alter that. I either have a graduation weekend, or go to Disney World, or something happens. Anyways, I'm ready to be done with those stubborn pounds.

I have a question for you readers. I need some advice. Do you think that when you fall into a funk of eating the same foods everyday, your body gets used to those foods and you maintain your weight? I mean, I normally eat the same thing everyday for breakfast...

snacks with few variations...

I generally rotate yogurt, strawberries, bananas, apples w/ pb or cheese. That should be enough variation, right? For breakfast, I usually get on a kick and don't change. For weeks I've had what you see above, easy over egg, toast, and potato "fried" in canola oil. It's delicious and I can't get enough of it!

Lunches are normally leftovers and dinners are different every night. So other than breakfast, I change what I eat every day. Could my breakfast be the cause of my maintaining or can I only blame myself and my overeating on certain days?

For a few weeks now I've been tracking my food on My Fitness Pal and I have to say, I love it. This was the change that I needed from WW. I am forever grateful to WW for teaching me all I've learned, but I think this might be a permanent change. I'm hoping that maybe next month I can totally cancel my WW subscription and save us $17/month. I like being able to look at calories on a nutrition label and have an idea of what it means. For the first 2 weeks, I was doing awesome, I lost 4 lbs. in those first two weeks. Then we went to the beach. Then I graduated, and the scale doesn't look like it likes me right now. Maybe I need another scale break.

Anyways, sorry for the long winded post! Do you think my monotonous breakfast can be to blame for my lack of loosing weight? Or do I need to just get my head in the game?

If you have a second, head over to Leah's blog to register for her book giveaway, but don't get your hopes up, I'm going to win! :) Seriously though, Leah is an inspiration! A vegan who's lost over 75 pounds with WW! Amazing story and great blog!

Being a woman.

First things first. I've been hitting up the gym this week, and even though I didn't have a food win this weekend, I'm back on track like nobody's business. I usually don't have any problem with getting back on track once I fall off the wagon for whatever reason. I'm starting to learn about myself though, and while I still struggle with stopping when I'm full, I know how I feel when I fuel my body with healthy food rather than processed fake food. That doesn't mean that it doesn't taste good though, I'm working on that.

In other areas, somedays I love being a woman. Case in point, two weeks ago, on my very last day of finals, I thought it would be fun to wear a dress.

And I felt great about it! I thought I looked cute and I felt confident. I love when you're having a good hair day or you feel particularly skinny one day. We have the different clothes to reflect how we're feeling, clothes to accentuate something, or hide something else. It's great.

Then woman have days like I had today. That time of the month, if you know what I mean. I felt bloated, stuffed, huge, and just genuinely awful.

Yesterday was a fat clothes kind of day. Bigger shirt, comfy pants, hair up. It was just one of those days. We're slammed at work, and that didn't make it any better. Luckily, I don't get any real PMS, but I still feel differently when that time comes rolling around.

It's awful how much it all affects you, and men have no clue! Every. Single. Month. Fighting your energy to do anything, fighting the random food cravings, and dealing with the random acne. Oh well, some day, hopefully, my body will be able to house and grow another human being, and that will be the miracle that is motherhood.

All it all, I do love being a woman, but that time of the month is a battle each and every month.

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What's your favorite thing about being a woman?

Or a man, but I think everyone who reads my blog is a woman.

College Graduate.

This weekend was filled with memories. Starting with graduation practice on Friday and ending with leaving my old roommate's house last night for her graduation party. It was a blast, packed full with family and friends, crazy busy, but a wonderful weekend. I didn't take a ton of pictures, I'm relying on facebook to get me some pictures that I didn't take, but I'm sure it'll come through, always does.

Friday was practice for both graduation and the baccalaureate service. Then I went shopping for a graduation dress and shoes, and was successful there. Then we headed back to Hood to get ready for Baccalaureate.

at the President's Reception

Best picture ever. I have THE BEST friends!

The in-laws came on Friday night, and we crashed late, but we had to be up super early on Saturday for Strawberry Breakfast - a Hood tradition. Hood's HUGE on traditions, although they are loosing some of them. Before we knew it, we were walking across the stage!

Strawberry Breakfast

Attempting to get ready.

Melissa and I before graduation.

It's blurry, but that's me!

With my diploma!

Mr. Skinny and I. Look at my beautiful flowers!

Friends since freshman year!

After graduation we all went to Macaroni Grill, which was okay. At first, I loved that restaurant, but now, I'm just about done with it. Once we were finished eating, everyone came back to our apartment, and not long after my in-laws left. Then Mr. Skinny and my brother played tennis and we all watched Harry Potter while waiting for the end of the world (not really).

Yesterday we went to visit my cousin and her family. Yay for visiting family! We stopped over at my old roommate's house for her graduation party, and that's were my exciting weekend ends.

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How was your graduation, HS or college?

What'd you do this weekend?

My WW-iversary.

I feel like I've seen a lot of anniversary's lately, and I have one myself! Yesterday, May 17, was one year since I joined WW for the 3rd time. I'm not going to explain the previous two times, you can go to "My Weight Loss Journey" page if you want to read all that.

I will, however, explain my reasons for joining that third and hopefully final time. After just coming back from a business trip to Atlanta, GA, I knew that I wanted to join again. I was unhappy, I wanted to exercise, I wanted to be healthy. I weighed in at a whopping 180lbs. I didn't exercise. I had 1-2 servings of fruit/veg each day, max. My lunches consisted of rice, soup, frozen meals, whatever. Dinners had to be cheap, like pasta w/ cheese cheap. I had seconds, thirds every night. No big deal, right? I had put on 10 pounds since our wedding in December, which was after I put on the 20 pounds I lost the summer before I got married.

The day I signed up for WW, I was SO excited, I discovered the message boards, and found one that I fit in - the 20s board. Even though I'm mostly absent on the boards today, they were my inspiration when I needed it. If I had a question about something, they were there. That day, Mr. Skinny went grocery shopping for whatever reason. He got me super lean beef, and WW snacks, that's all he knew I'd eat.

Now, one year and just about 25 pounds lighter, I'm a whole different person. I might slip back into that Megan, but I'm definitely changed. I can't eat the same amount of food now. A meal isn't balanced without fruits or veggies, seconds are a rare occurrence and thirds are unheard of. I completed a 5K in December, but slacked on my running. I'm picking up running again, slowly but surly. It's a slow, uphill battle, but I'm over halfway there!

I may not be tracking on WW right now, but I am SO thankful that I joined again. I don't even want to know where I would be without WW teaching me everything I know.

Here are some comparison pictures since I don't have any progress pictures. I know, I know, I should have, but I didn't.

May 2010, in Atlanta.

I really never knew my face was that chubby!

March 2011.

The best full body shot I have, May 2010.

That's Martin Luther King's tomb - it was an awesome trip!

Christmas Eve 2009 - how did I go out looking like this?!

This past weekend in OCMD.

Since it's such a slow process (for me), sometimes I don't see the changes like I should, and I don't appreciate them. After looking at these pictures though, I realize that I really do look different, and my body is different. I'm a changed person and I'm never going back!

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How did your weight loss journey start? Have you ever had an issue with weight?

Relaxing Weekend.

I thought I'd be better on keeping up the blog, but alas, I haven't found a working schedule yet. I can't blog at work, my computer is not blogger-friendly, and I usually have so little time in the evening after coming home and cooking, and relaxing. I really hope I can try to blog at night, I have so many ideas!

Anywho - I thought I would update you on my weekend. Friday night, Mr. Skinny and I were talking about what we were going do over the weekend, I really wanted to go shopping. I was in need of a few sports bra and some workout clothes. Mr. Skinny randomly suggested we go to the beach! Well of course! I'm not going to say no to going to Ocean City, MD! This is the beach I went to every summer with my family and still continue to go back. We try to go every summer, and I hope to bring my kids there every summer. I was looking up the hotels I knew faster than you could say "Ocean City, Maryland." It was booked in a jiffy and we were set to go first thing Saturday morning.

We were on our way by 7am. We stopped at the outlets in Rehoboth Beach and I got a TON of clothes! Shirts, shoes, jeans, sports bras, a new water bottle, it was a trip that I've needed for awhile.

Then we headed to Ocean City, checked into our hotel and walked down to the beach, of course! I couldn't believe there were people swimming! It was 60 degrees, max!

Then we went mini-golfing - what a beach tradition!

We talked about how bad we were, but I ended up getting not just one hole-in-one, but two!

After mini-golfing we went to one of our favorite seafood buffets in OCMD - Phillips! This was a test for me, could I really eat as much as I did last summer when we went to the beach! The answer is a resounding NO! Holy cow, I was full by the time I was done my first plate. Of course, I absolutely stuffed myself, but it was so worth it. I didn't track anything this weekend, but I don't think I overdid it.

I tried to tell him he didn't have to eat his crab imperial in one bite, but he did anyways.

After dinner we took a nap.

Then went swimming in the indoor pool.

And finished up the night with a long walk on the boardwalk.

We were planning on going bike riding on Sunday morning, but it was raining when we got up. It was still nice to wake up to the view of the ocean.

So we ate breakfast, checked out and headed home. But we had to have one more picture with the view of the beach!

It was such a fun weekend, nice and relaxing and a great end of the semester/end of college getaway. It was nice to not track my food and just eat what I wanted. I truly was amazed at how little I eat now compared to last summer. I really am a changed person, I don't know if I want to go to seafood buffets anymore, I don't know that I get my money's worth. Still a fun weekend though, and just what we needed.

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Have you ever been to OCMD? What's your favorite thing?

Where was your traditional family vacation, or did you go new places every year?

Happy Trails.

When I got home last night it was such a nice day I had to go outside for my C25K training. Actually this whole week has been absolutely beautiful down here. Tomorrow afternoon the rain is supposed to come though, and stay until next week! No lie. I hope it doesn't rain every day though, with Mr. Skinny being in construction, we can't afford that many rain days.

Anyway, I come home and went for a run last night. Well W3D2 of C25K - run 90 seconds, walk 90 seconds, run 3 minutes, walk 3 minutes and repeat. So I did that no problem, with a 10 minute warm up. I wasn't ready to be done though, so I walked for a total of nearly 3.5 miles.

Not gonna lie, I'm pretty proud of myself. I'm really enjoying myself this time around with C25K. I think because I'm more fit, it works out better. I know what to expect, too. I really want this to be the last time I do this program. I learned my lesson and know that you can't magically keep up your fitness when you don't work on them. I got it, and I'll keep it up.

There was another victory - I wore an outfit I've never worn running before...

I wore shorts!!! I've never wore shorts before when I was running. I thought the "chub rub" was going to be awful, but I wanted to try it out. So I did and it went pretty well. I was a little self conscious at first, then I realized that I shouldn't care. If I was comfortable, then that's all that matters. I put some body glide on my shopping list so that I can wear shorts without worry of chafing when I run this summer.

Finishing up my training for the day! I don't know why I don't really sweat at all, maybe I'm not pushing myself enough? I just don't sweat. I think I might hit up some cardio tonight on my Nike+ app on my iPhone, and I'll do some weights too.

Oh, I'm finished school! I had my last final this morning, so I'm totally done. As long as I passed everything, which I have no doubt that I did, I'll be graduating on May 21st! I went to Walmart after school and grabbed some things, now I am relaxing in front of my TV when I have a list of a ton of stuff I could be doing. Oh well, I can take a 1/2 day off, right?

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How was your last workout?

Big News.

If you want the short story - scroll to the bottom of the post.

As some of you know, Mr. Skinny's grandfather passed away in February and ever since then we've felt pretty bad that we live the farthest away if we're just looking at the immediate family. I mentioned in that post that I feel guilty because Mr. Skinny wasn't able to spend the last few years with Pop Pop as much as he should have. I know, none of us knew when God would be calling Pop Pop home, but still. I have some of that guilt.

A few days later, I mentioned how I felt the calling to have a baby. Well really I think it was the calling to move back home. Mr. Skinny felt it, too. We've been thinking about it and talking about it for a few months since then. I didn't want to move back, I enjoy our freedom down here, the location is really great and we haven't utilized the area as much as I would have liked over the past few years.

So March came and we put an offer on a house, but it fell through. We kept looking but then we found out we had to empty our savings thanks to Uncle Sam. Although it was an answer to prayers, it wasn't quite the way we would have liked to have them answered. That ended our house search very quickly. We talked about it some more. Mr. Skinny has a job, and it's a pretty good job and while we're very thankful to his foreman for getting him that job, this foreman isn't the nicest guy. He takes advantage of Mr. Skinny's do-anything-for-anyone attitude. He drives to the job site almost everyday because foreman is just "too tired". He blames Mr. Skinny for things that he has no control over and says that he does it to help Mr. Skinny learn. So yes, he has a job, which we're VERY thankful for, but it's not ideal.

Onto me. I have a job, which is great, but I'm not happy with it. I'll be graduating this month with no potential jobs. In order to keep my job, I have to continue going to school, which isn't a huge deal - I can go to community college. It's stil $800/semester though. We don't have that kind of money.

We talked about it some more. Mr. Skinny talked to his cousin, who is in construction. He thinks that Mr. Skinny can get a job up in PA. We're moving in with my parents as soon as he gets a job.

I'm happy that we'll move back up with family, but it's going to be hard to close this chapter of my life. The chapter that I worked so darn hard to get to. The area in which we live in PA is VERY rural, and in order to be successful you most likely have to move away from the area. So I feel like moving back reverses our success. I know you CAN be successfuly while living there, but all I ever wanted to do was move out.

I've known since I was 15 that we'd be moving back to PA at some point. I wasn't thrilled with it, but when you fall in love with the man, you can't argue that. He's had his heart set on the land forever, literally. It was in the contract when I said "Yes" to marry him, and still in the contract when I said "I do". I knew it wasn't going to change, but I didn't know it would come so soon. I know it's the right decision, truly I do, but it's still hard to be okay with.

So there ya have it. Sometime this summer, probably sooner than later, Mr. Skinny and I are packing up our stuff and moving back to PA, and moving back in with my parents.

Mother's Day.

I think I have the best mom in the world, but I know a lot of people think that. Our mothers gave birth to us, they raised us, they were there to hold us, kiss our boo-boos, be that shoulder to cry on, tell our secrets to, gossip with us, be our biggest cheerleader and our therapists when we needed them to be.

Mom and I in Disney World this past March

My mom is my best friend. She sacrificed everything for my brother and I. She was 33 when she had me, and 37 when she had my brother, but that didn't stop her from rolling on the floor with us, and running around with us. She gave up her job to stay home with us, she gave up her body to birth us, she gave up her money to feed us and keep us happy. She rarely buys anything for herself. She doesn't go out, or on vacation. I don't think she's ever said she needed "me time." She wants us to be happy, and would do anything for us.

Disney again.

Her kids are her life, she's always wanted to be a mom, and that's where I get it from. The older I get, the more I realize how brilliant she is, and how kind and thoughtful she is. She's gentle, caring, faithful, honest, sweet and a beautiful person, inside and out.

Mom and Dad - Christmas 2008, I think?

Also the older I get, I realize how much she gave up for us, and how much I'm like her. I have her thunder thighs, her dimpled elbows, her sweet tooth, her maternal instincts. I catch myself sitting like her, saying words like her, washing dishes like her, moving the same way she does and cleaning like her. I make faces like her. I love it.

Christmas '08.

I am so grateful to have this woman in my life. This woman is the one that I can look up to, the one that will always be there for me. My personal cheerleader, my best friend. She'll keep my secrets, know exactly what to say at the perfect time. She knows when something's wrong, even if no one else does. I know she's so proud of me, but I owe everything I am to her.

Disney World June 2007.

She taught me everything I know. She taught me how to be trusting, and faithful, how to turn to God in good times and in bad times. She taught me to be strong and independent, how to be a woman, how to love your family and friends. I learned so much from her. She's amazing. I love you Mom!

Why do you think your mom is the best?

Do my mom and I look alike?

My week in pictures.

Let's start with Thursday:

Pub Crawl! I didn't get hammered, but I had a good time.

Woo!

And Friday:

Crab Feast!

Monday we had a new addition to the family:

Colton Michael!

Isn't he a doll baby! He's completely opposite of his brother personality wise. He barely makes a peep!

Big brother Isaiah was pretty nervous about why mommy was in a hospital bed and what this new little thing was that was crying. He'll warm up, I'm sure, I hope. Right?

Tuesday was back to school and had me feeling like this:

But now I'm enjoying my last day of undergraduate classes and I feel like this:

I'm going to keep trying to post regularly now since school is wrapping up and I'm graduating (!!!!) in just 17 days. I don't know where these last four years went, but if you find them can you let me know. I would change a few things...

Happy Thursday!