Just wanted to report in and say that I have made my $50 for two weeks now. If I think I want something I just ask myself if it is worth $50 and so far I have been able to convince myself not to eat! Yesterday my mom and her step-kids decided to get another money competition going and it cost $50 to enter. Whoever is down the most percentage wise by May 30 gets the cash. I am so going to be rich! Well, okay maybe not rich but I will have enough money to get started on my new wardrobe. That's 20 weeks away to make the $300 and $50 to myself each week. Have I mentioned that I am really competitive?

I still haven't gotten my treadmill so I headed out to run tonight after my brave husband fought the neighbor's dog! The wind had died down alittle and it wasn't that cold. Of course when the kids heard I was going they all wanted to go. Kallie got her blankets and snuggled up in the jogging stroller and TJ got his running gear on. I don't know why but I don't sweat, ever. I bought myself one of those trash bag looking things that are supposed to make you sweat. I love it and it really does make me sweat. I know I just replenish it when I drink but it makes me feel better to think I am getting rid of toxins. Anyway, sometime in the run tonight the legs ripped. I felt a little chilly (yes, I had on pants and tights underneath). I had been working a sweat up before they ripped and then I was cold. I noticed when I got home that they had ripped. I must have looked like a huge tent flapping in the wind. Anyone who believed in ghost might have thought they saw one tonight wearing a flapping trash bag.

Oh, and on a sad note, my 9 year old can walk faster than I can run. My husband asked me if I remember the saying about how to eat an elephant and I told him that was the problem. I had eaten one to many elephants. Just kidding...I know you eat an elephant one bite at a time. Keep running!

Okay, my husband was getting all dressed up to head out to run. It is about 20 degress and the wind is blowing 30. We had to go through the whole, "I can't find my IPOD, I can't find my nike plus, what did you do with my headphones (as if), and blah, blah, blah. Finally he opens the door. I ask him his course cause he hasn't been running in forever and he just got over nearly pneumonia. He tells me he will do the park once. He is no sooner shutting than the door than opening it. There is a huge huge huge yellow lab sitting on the porch barking his deep bark calling the girls from the back yard. I am laughing my head off but he is telling me to call someone, get the id, whose dog is it, blah, blah, blah. We have lots of dog running stories, remind me to tell you one time. Anyway, we get all our dogs in the house. One in the bedroom with Kallie, one in the boys' room, and the main attraction in her kennel. Then my husband leads this horse through the house to the back yard where he is still barking non-stop. Meanwhile I get in touch with the owner who is one hour away. So now an hour later, Kip is off running and I am waiting my turn. I know it may be colder but at least the wind will die down.

Another running story...my friend reminded me to be careful running at night because some other friends of hers had gotten their cars sideswipped during the night. The police had left a note on the cars to let them know they had been hit-duh! It happened 1 block from where I make my turn around to head downhill and back by the house. I went by there 5 times the other night. So just a reminder to be defensive when you are out there running. Wild labs and hit-in-run drivers are just a few of the terrors.

How did everyone do on Carb Deplete?

Seriously the wind is blowing 30 mph as a front moves in. The wind is supposed to continue to pick up through midnight meanwhile the temp is dropping quickly. I have to run today and tomorrow to make my $50 for the week.

I just don't understand this round of crackin'. I have been sticking to it exactly while staying around 1500 calories. I have gotten to start exercising again and I am trying to add intentional walking to my day. I can't get any true weight loss reading. I go down and I go up. I guess maybe I need to measure and check the inches again.

My sister passed down some clothes to me so I picked out a dress to use as my interim goal dress. I tried it on and it fit but still looked a little like the hood of a car after a hail storm around the buttocks area. Guess I will keep working.

Weather is better and not as cold. I am still not happy about having to run late at night but want to do the whole family supper thing so that's the sacrifice. This week is still a little slow coming back from Christmas but basketball should be back in full swing next week taking up a few more hours of our time.

Day one of carb deplete is done. I feel okay. I really wanted a roll at dinner especially cause they were a little burned on the bottom, just like I like. I made a new deal with myself. If I eat clean all week, run 4 times, and lift weights then I will pay myself $50. So now when I feel like eating something I just have to ask myself if it is worth $50. I have been trying to track my calories eaten and burned to try to find some rhyme or reason for why I have gained or lost for the week. I was doing good last week and was down a few pounds. Today after CH and H days I had gained even though I hadn't gone over on calories. Don't understand it. I am hoping after depleting I will be down quite a bit.

My knee was still really sore and swollen after last weeks miles. I know it was only 9 but it has only been 7 weeks since my surgery. I decided to rest, ice, and elevate tonight and move tomorrow's rest day to today. Easy enough to make the trade. It will be cold in the morning and windy so I will probably wait to run until after work. Cold this morning meant 8 degrees when you take the wind chill into consideration.

I am glad that others have started back on the crackin' so I won't be alone. Remember it's a lifestyle not a diet.

Since starting on Monday, I have lost 4 pounds and run 9 miles. I have eaten clean every day except today which was a cheat day. Even with a cheat day I stayed under my calorie allotment. What a great week! I plan to carb deplete next week so I hope to see a big weight loss next week also. I have tried to move extra every chance I have gotten.

I went today and got new shoes. I was having blister trouble with my running shoes. I have never had trouble with them before but my feet seem to be swelling. I had a new pair exactly like the old but when I got them out they caused blisters also. I got some NIKE shoes even though I haven't had much luck with them in the past. It has been a while since I ran in them so I thought I would give it a chance and the price was right.

I also had to get my daughter some running shoes and some new workout pants. She only had black sweats and didn't want to look like a boy. I got her some pink clothes and pink adidas shoes. She said she wished they had princess running shoes but she guessed these would work. She ran around the house showing us how fast they made her! Those were the days.

DH had to go to the doctor today. He has bronchitis and nearly walking pneumonia plus asthma. 5 prescriptions and a breathing machine later he is feeling a little better.

We still have a little house work to finish the post "sister hurricane evacuation remodel." I wasn't allowed to paint anymore when DH can't breathe.

Can't believe only one more day before Christmas break is over. Seems like the rush of everyday life is just around the corner. The family has resolutions to slow down a little so hopefully we can make it happen.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Another day of vacation is gone and what a great day it was. We slept late after getting home late. I got up before everyone else to have a cup of coffee and to see what the new year had in store for us. It wasn't long before I had company which meant breakfast for the hungry. I had already made my egg whites and EZ bread so Kip cooked for the rest of the crowd. Then we played a few rounds of Sequence until the bowl games started. We grilled hamburgers for lunch and laid around. Kallie and I took a nap. I re-read my diet book and waited for the wind to die down so I could go run.

Finally about 5:30 we suited up for the cool weather, packed the jogging stroller and headed out. I decided to try the cinder path at the park today to see if it was more forgiving than the road. I always hate starting out even before the knee injury. If you can get past the first 30 minutes it seems better. The problem is I can only go about 30-45 minutes so not quite to the running euphoria. However it was much better today. Less complaining from my kids who went with me, no dogs at all, no wind, and warmer. I made it 2.5 miles at about 14.30 pace. Slow but at least I went. I also did my p.t. again today which is a lot harder because it is all one leg stuff. I did get my new brace which is much better.

I am proud tonight also because my middle son is trying to learn how to lead singing in church. He is only 9 but really interested in learning what he can do to help the church. All the boys got pitch pipes for Christmas so it's been fun to see them working on it.

Tomorrow I go back to work for a few hours so I better close up and head to bed. Remember your goals and mine.