100 Pounds!!

Well, if you had told me a year and a half ago when I started this diet, again, I would have never dreamed in a million years that this day would come. I've officially lost 100 lbs. (100.5 to be exact) and I can't grasp it. I now fit in XL shirts. What? I bought a skirt in a size 18/20 the other day. Again I say what??? I just hope I can complete my goal and lose 99.5 more. I believe perhaps it is possible. They say with hope.....comes faith.....comes belief. 30 days to the cruise and 2 weeks until I see all my extended family for Bug's wedding. I can't wait. The bicycle awaits. I tread on.......

What A Day To Be Me!

Well, I have to say that being me isn't always the funnest thing on the planet. I am not saying this for pity, because I am WELL aware that there are MANY MANY more people with much harder lives than me. Truly. But, when this year comes to an end, I don't honestly believe that I will be feeling much nostalgia for 2008. So, I am trying a new strategy to see if possibly I can end 2008 with joy and gratitude instead of regret, a private pity party and some cheese fries.

Here goes. I recently got a new trainer. Yes, another blow to my fragile sanity, after 8 months of trust, sweat and tears, my beloved trainer Ember quit the gym to move onto bigger and better things and yet again I had to put on my big girl panties and deal with this news. Needless to say, I didn't take it well. No....I did not. So, with a heavy heart I met with Todd, my referral trainer (a HOT guy) and decided after some soul searching, to give him a chance. Now, you have to understand my thinking when I met Todd.

1. Adorable


2. Positive in every way (LOVED the Secret!)


3. Would have to measure my body fat index every month which would require him to pinch my various fat areas of my body.....WHAT THE??


4. Was "super psyched to work with me and was gonna rock my world"


5. Totally AGAINST any processed foods..........of ANY sort.


6. Has an adorable girlfriend that I met on the second day. Whatever.


7. Is a text messaging fiend and LOVES to send my positive messages with smiley faces on each one.


8. Smells really good, so it distracts me from what I am doing and I almost drop weights on my face during sets.


9. Is completely insane in terms of his estimation of my abilities to lift really heavy amounts of weight.


10. Did I mention the whole body fat measuring thing?? Help me.

But, I decided to throw my fears out the door and see what he could do with me. What have I gotten myself into??

1. Worked out with me sooo hard the first day I couldn't move in any direction without wanting to bite down on a rawhide strip to stop me from biting my lip off! (then told me that was a great start and to prepare myself for a hard workout!)


2. Forbid me from doing cardio on the days he tortures me (I mean the days we workout together) so I can't counterbalance my trips to McDonald's with an hour on the treadmill.


3. Took away the treadmill workouts all together. (The only exercise I had perfected and knew EXACTLY how to do!)


4. Took away cardio all together for a week to "get a clean slate so he could really get me going in the right direction" Again I say WHAT??


5. Continued to over-estimate my abilities on a regular basis. Dear Lord.....help me.

But, here's where it got interesting and today's breakthrough came into play. I got up this morning and actually decided I was due for a great day and was going to let it happen. So, I got up and ate my healthy breakfast, took my vitamins and took a deep breath to see what was in store for me. And you know what?? I had a spectacular day. I really did. (without McDonald's and cardio!) I got a mail order package in the mail and everything fit! WHEW HEW! I went to work and just let my day unfold and it was delightful. I let little things roll off my back and laughed and visited with all of my clients. I found a darling bathing suit in a store for my trip and it wasn't the biggest size in the store!! Again I say WHEW HEW!! I am so close to 100 lbs I can taste it and if I open myself up to the possibility that I could lose the weight....who knows what I can do? I am certainly going to try. So, the moral of my story.

I think Debbie Downer has left me for a while. I feel such relief and I am going to do my best to keep trying for happy. I would say I tread on....but I've been banned from treading. So, who knows what's in store at the gym? We'll see. I do love Todd, in spite of myself and I know he has my best interests at heart. I just hope my "best interests" can survive his workouts!

Why I Had To Get DVR (A Picture Essay), by Crissy Olpin

OK. Anyone who knows me knows.....I am a TV junkie! Always have been. Always will be. I can't help it. I love the TV! I love all the drama! Make me laugh! Make Me Cry! Love it all. Well, last year TV really screwed with me and the writers tortured me with a strike. A long strike. So, after a LONG strike, my TV shows came back on for a brief season and most of my beloved shows ended for the summer in turmoil....so I could wait to see who lived and who died. Here are a few of my must see tv shows and a brief synopsis of why I needed therapy when the tv season ended. ( I really need a life....I tread on.)

Bones-the coolest show on FOX. They made Zach (guy in cow suit) the sweetest guy on the show a serial killer and sent him to jail after they almost killed Booth (David Boreanaz) in the second to last episode.

Boston Legal-the cooloest show on TV. Absolutely Brilliant! And James Spader to look at EVERY SINGLE EPISODE! Sooo funny and sooo amazing. Everyone should be watching this show! It is my most favorite that I can't do without!! Changing to Monday nights. Stay tuned!

Criminal Minds-riveting! FBI agents that profile gruesome cases. Last episode of the season someone gets blown up in an SUV. (note: they all drive identical SUV's) I am personally hoping for Joe Mantegna's character. (not my fav) If it is Shemar Moore I am going to have to quit watching. He is the eye candy that gets me through the aweful subject matter!

CSI: the original and the best. They have TOTALLY screwed up this show for me! Sarah left last season. Grissom left for 4 episodes and then came back and is leaving again permanently midseason and Lawrence Fishburne is coming in.....WHEW~Then, to really finish me off, they murdered Warrick (Gary Dourdan's character) in a horrific way. He was my FAVORITE character and I am crushed that he went off the show. I don't know if I can watch this one anymore. They are going to have to dazzle me.

CSI: Miami-I know David Caruso is the cheesiest character to hit the TV screen, but I love him! I can't help it. He cracks me up and I live for his one liners! So, we lost Alex the coroner towards the end of the season, then in the season finale Horatio Caine gets shot on the tarmack of a private air strip and is left bleeding on the ground, and Ryan, who I have felt was a scumbag from the beginning, FINALLY showed his true colors and is a bad guy and had Horatio shot! (I KNEW IT!!) Frankly, the show can't continue without Horatio (David Caruso) so, we'll see if I keep watching this one too.

CSI:NY. Love Gary Sinise! What more can I say? Plenty of eye candy to watch, solving crime and Gary Sinise. What more can a girl ask for? So, all season we are tortured while MAC is being stalked and then he gets out of that mess, he gets abducted by a suspect in the season finale. Whatever! Nothing better happen to him! Why couldn't they have taken Stella? OY VEY!!

Ghost Whisperer-I'm sorry but I think Jennifer Love Hewitt is darling! I can't help it. This show gets me every time. I think it is because I want to believe that there is a light we get to go into when we die and we get to see the people we love again and they watch over us. That is her whole purpose people, to get the screwed up spirits to go into the light and it isn't easy. Also, Camryn Manheim is in it and I LOVE HER SO!! I got to meet her and she is fantastic so I will watch anything she does. Give this show a chance. It will get ya!

My most favorite inspirational show....BIGGEST LOSER FAMILIES! I love this show so much! It helps me stay motivated and Bob and Jillian Rock! It starts September 16th and I don't care what fitness level you are at.....WATCH THIS SHOW! It will change your life!

Cold Case. Great show. I love that the premise of this program is it is never too late to get justice for victims. Love it!!

My favorite Law & Order: SVU. Take the combo of Chris Maloney and Mariska Hargitay, throw in Ice Tea and Long Duck Dong from Sixteen Candles as the FBI Psychologist and you have a winner on your hands! Good stuff!!

Numb3rs. Soo good! It is a wonderful show about brothers-one who is a math genius and can apply math theories to real life scenarios and the other who is the head of a FBI task force who gets his brother to help solve crime. Totally ridiculous to me because I have lasted 36 years with using just basic math principles in life and have held up just fine, but the family chemistry of this program is awesome! Love Judd Hirsch too!!

And finally, the only sitcom that keeps my interest....Two and a Half Men. I'm sorry but this is the funniest show on TV. So dirty humor, but I can't help it. I adore this show!! I love every character and the laughter it creates in me is priceless!!

Now can you see why I need a TV intervention?? So, sad, but true. My paper chain for the new fall season is getting smaller...and smaller...

Mamma Mia Mania Continues!

So any of you that haven't seen Mamma Mia yet? What are you waiting for?? I absolutely adored this movie and have seen it 3 times. I know it is corny as anything, and Pierce Brosnan struggles through a few songs, but dog gone it this movie makes me laugh, cry and smile until my head hurts! So, for all of you waiting for gas prices to go down, Obama to become president.... (Cross your fingers people because I swear I am going to have to move to Canada if the news talks about our country and starts with.....Ladies and gentlemen.....President John McCain) But, I digress. GO SEE THIS MOVIE~~I loved it!!

I just finished Breaking Dawn...in a word...MAGICAL!!

Wanna See What We Got??

So, sometimes Heavenly Father sees you struggling and gives you a little direction to bring joy back into your life. Here are the latest "directions" he gave our house! Meet Zoey and Sophie!! They are 9 weeks old and full of it!! They are so lovely and naughty and I am in love!! I miss my Jakey sooo much, but these girls definitely help pass the time and I am now convinced more than ever that I would have been a "Mrs. Olson" parent rather than a "Mrs. Ingalls". Are you ready?? I sang them to sleep the other night, because they were crying. I know. Sad. But, I am having fun being a "mom" and they can do no wrong in my eyes! (And they are aware of this) Here are a few more pics, to emphasize my cuteness factor of my new children.......stay tuned.

I need more fiber in my diet!

Napping with Gran.

Could I be any cuter??

I gotta chew man! It's this or your shoe!!

Meet my Daughter Sophie! OHHH!

Jakester Maniac.....Remembered.

My little wiener dog Jake. He was the cutest little guy and the best dog. He put up with all our drama and was a champ! We were really worried when his sister died last year that he would be lonely and sad. He was, for a bit, but recovered thanks to a lot of help from our lovin' and spoiling and of course.....LOADS of Pupperonies! He made it just shy of a year and other than the major fat deposit we created in his tail, just fine. Well, last Saturday he was his cute self, just a little winded. We thought maybe he had some allergies, or something. It wasn't and when it got a little worse, we took him to our beloved vet, Dr. Good (that is his real name by the way) and he discovered Jakey's heart had enlarged and he had thrown a bunch of clots and his lungs were failing. We were not prepared for this at all. We had to say goodbye that day and hugged and kissed him enough for a lifetime. He was so sweet and funny and it was a major blow for us, but I am so grateful he didn't have to suffer long and gets to go be with Sammy now. I picture him laying in my Dad's lap, or chasing tennis balls with Sam across an endless backyard. And, of course, unending treats day and night! So, this is a tribute to my Bub. He was one awesome wiener dog and I will miss him forever.