Black Friday....ignored.

Well, for the first time I didn't participate in Black Friday. I know to all of you that know me, this is a sad thing. I really enjoy it, actually. The chase for the bargain.....the thrill of getting some "must have" item at a ridiculous price....waiting in line with all the unwashed masses....meeting up with friends and family and using your cell phone as a walkie talkie to let them know you found a certain item you are sure they want. I know it is sick a little, but dammit I enjoy it!! So, this year, because my focus is on other things, I forgot. I made other plans and didn't even put 2 and 2 together until....it was too late. So, I had to cancel with family and friends and deal with the knot in my stomach that was aching for....shopping.

But, you know what?? I lived through it. Oddly enough, I survived. I accomplished everything I needed to and even had a little time left over after I worked, and I DIDN'T go shopping. I was a little concerned at my lack luster enthusiasm over the whole thing, but then I realized, PERHAPS I am evolving (a smidgen) and I didn't need the hunt to be complete. WHAT!! Who is this girl?? I am perplexed by this development. I don't quite understand it, but the way the year has rolled out for me, I can't say I am stunned. Anyhoo, I had a nice day, in spite of the small knot that lingers still. I hope everyone that did participate in Black Friday got all the bargains they were on the hunt for. I hope you were smacked with old lady's carts and items were snatched out right out of your hands!! And, I hope you headed out with victorious grins on your faces and had a DELICIOUSLY FATTENING breakfast afterward to celebrate another successful beginning to your holiday season!! (MAN!! That sounds awesome!! :) I tread on...

I Am Thankful

Today, was probably the best Thanksgiving I've had in awhile. Honestly, I know this sounds sad, but Thanksgiving is really a hard day for me usually. I love my family, but they have always kind of depended on me as the "buffer" or the "go-to" for everything, and it doesn't leave much time or energy left for me. I typically get up, become the cleaning lady to get the table and kitchen ready for "guests", the sous chef for my mother so I have to chop, stir, mix and get everything ready and then serve dinner and clean up after because the married sisters are off to the in-laws to be served again. In the midst of all of this, my Mom will not worry about the fact she is a diabetic and will get a low blood sugar attack, which will cause her to behave like a giant grizzly bear with a thorn in it's paw, one or more of my siblings will pick a fight with each other and my nephews will get bored and start to make trouble so someone will pay attention to them. I know, everyone would like an invitation to next year's festivities!!

But, this year was totally different. I planned ahead and got everything in motion, so that I could do what I wanted to do, and still be a productive member of the Olpin family. I told everyone my plans, I asked my sisters to come over beforehand to help my Mom, so she wasn't stuck doing everything, and you know what?? IT WORKED!! It was truly a miracle. I got up early and went in the rain to run/walk the Utah Human Race 5k, and it was fun!! I took my friends Amy and Kate and met some others there and it was great!! First of all, it was really wonderful to see how many people did the 5k for the Food Bank. Second, I jogged my little heart out and got my best time ever of 39 minutes! Then, I grabbed a granola bar and a banana and off I went to 24hr. Fitness to do a "Boot Camp" my darling trainer Todd put on for anyone who wanted to do it. Now, let me just say, if me attending this little activity doesn't prove my deep love and affection for Todd, I don't know what will, because it was truly awful! Boot Camp isn't for sissies and I now have 10,001 reasons not to join the military! But, I got through it and supported Todd and off I went home to shower and get ready for dinner. I got home and my sister Kate was there helping my Mom and they were having a wonderful time! It was awesome. I jumped right in to help with the finishing touches and even got a yummy nap before I put on my size 18 jeans and headed up for the most delicious Thanksgiving dinner!! I don't know if it the fact that I've eaten pretty much nothing but nuts and berries for the past year, but that dinner rocked it big time and I didn't over do it, so I felt OK about the extra scoop of stuffing!

It really was a wonderful day and I am so grateful for so many things. This year has been a rocky one, but in other ways, the most fulfilling to me. I have learned so much about what I am really made of and how I can overcome obstacles that I believed were impossible. I've been humbled by so many things and have really come to hone in on things that were being neglected that I needed to address in my life and I have been so fortunate to reconnect with many many people I have missed terribly and that has been the best thing that has happened this year! (OK, fitting in an 18 was pretty frickin' amazing too!! I can't deny that :) I am really surrounded by wonderful people and I am so blessed in this life and I am finally able to open my eyes and recognize it better. So, to all of my friends (old, new and reacquainted) Thank you for always supporting and loving me even if I am a little crazy sometimes. I love you all and this life wouldn't be worth a hill of beans without you. Happy Thanksgiving. I tread on.....

TWILIGHT IS HERE!!

I don't know what life was life before Stephenie Meyers came into our lives. All I know is I am ready for my Edward. (Audible Sigh!) I tread on......

And the verdict is.....Size 18 Jeans Fit!! Whoot HOO!!

What the?? I am truly at a loss here. I just put on a pair of size 18 jeans.......standing up without huffing and puffing!! I just didn't think this was possible. I am 22 lbs. away from the 1's. To most people getting on the scale and seeing 222 lbs. would be frightening, but honestly, I wanted to jump for joy and scream hale-frickin-lueigh!! I am a woman on a mission and everyone thinks I am absolutely nuts, but I don't care!! I have warned my trainer Todd that he needs to be prepared for the weigh in day that is coming.....sooner than later.....because I've told him I am gonna tackle him and probably kiss him on the lips!! (it doesn't hurt that he is totally hot either!! :) But, that is beside the point!! He has assured me that he is working out faithfully so I don't hurt him when this occurs!! :) I love him most of all because he doesn't even bat an eyelash at my madness and puts up with all my nonsense!! Anyhoo, I just had to share. I tread on.....GO UTES!!

I'm Over It Today!!

I'm Tired!!

This picture really captures my mood today! I am just tired. There is no other explanation for my love affair with my bed today. I just have no "get up and go" and I have loads to do! I think my gym life is catching up with me. But, I can see the other side of the rainbow, so I've got to keep going. Where is the Energizer Bunny when you need him? I can remember a time when I had no energy for a totally different reason. UGH. I've got to pull it together here. My upcoming week is crazy and I've got no time to delay.....maybe I'll feel up to all my activities after a small nap.......That sounds yummy. I'll tread on......in a bit. :)

5K Mania Continues......

So, this new life I'm leading.....who is she? This girl has made exercise a PRIORITY and feels guilty when she misses one of her 2 a days!! This girl actively tries to add VEGETABLES to her diet and is trying new low fat recipes everyday! This girl has 2 blind dates set up in the next month.......WHAT? I haven't been on a "date" since 1995! (Sad, but true) This girl did her 7th 5K of the season and shaved off another 5 & 1/2 minutes off her best time and RAN every 2 minutes throughout the entire thing! (This girl took a serious nap after!!)

I can honestly say, I don't recognize who I am becoming and just have to go with the flow everyday, to see where it takes me. I can't plan too far ahead, because frankly, I scare myself to death. I don't know how to be me sometimes. I don't even know if this makes sense, but when you've lived most of your life for others, because you didn't believe true satisfaction and happiness was within your reach, these feelings of hope and joy, are a foreign language. My trainers have been telling me for almost a year, that I was capable of these feelings, but I honestly haven't believed them. It was too much to wish for. Hope is a dangerous thing in my life. My poor trainer Todd never knows who is going to sit across from him, because my coping mechanism of over eating has been eliminated from my life, so I am just living "raw" all the time and can pretty much cry on cue. I'm hoping in the coming year, I will be better able to deal with the little tragedies that come up in life better. My sadness over them seem to be a little shorter, so I am hopeful. Yoga is my new idea for helping my stress level.

The reason I post today is, I am so terribly grateful for all of my experiences this year, good and bad. I have learned some extremely valuable lessons, that have transformed my life in immeasurable ways. I am so grateful for the old friends who have come back into my life, the new friends I have added to my "core" group this year, the friends who continue to show me what true friendship really means and for my family who don't quite know what to do with me, frankly, and love me anyway. I don't have any idea where my life is taking me on this wacky journey, but one thing is for sure.....the old me is finally at peace with herself and is watching intently to see where the new me leads her. 125 and counting....I tread on.

Another Lifetime Ago :) 355 lbs.

An Unexpected Surprise!

So, my pal Stacy started using Facebook and emailed me about looking at her Facebook page. Seemed easy enough, so I agreed. But, in order to look at her profile, I had to join Facebook. UGH. I have so may things I have to constantly keep up on, I just didn't have any interest in "joining" another way to connect, because it wasn't relevant in my life. But, I had told her I would look, so I did it. What the?? Then, my dear long lost friend Kari passed away, and I was left with this tug at my heart about all these friends I had lost track of soo many years ago. It is interesting how Heavenly Father works through others to help you find what is missing. I have had the most wonderful thing happen. I have reconnected with soo many lost friends on Facebook! It is fantastic and even though we have aged.....my memories are as vivid as if they were yesterday and all these people who meant so much to me long ago, are BACK! Yeah!! I have had a ball starting to catch up and see where lives have taken them and I have to say...they all look great!! It may be the happiness of these reunions that is clouding my judgment, but they do and I am thrilled to know what has happened and for once, I am actually looking forward to my 20th reunion that is approaching faster than I care to admit. This year has been such a roller coaster ride. It is hard to believe it is almost over. I am left with hard lessons learned, regret, overwhelming joy and happy times I didn't think were possible. 2008 has been a definite year to remember. I am so grateful for so many things, but one thing is for sure. There is always room for more friends in my life and heart. Thanks Stacy! I tread on.....