Adventures of the Willis'

Friday, April 6, 2012

My Fitness Pal

Back in January I was reading one the the blogs that I like to read, Melanie, and she was talking about a new fitness program that she was starting. It was called My Fitness Pal and it had an app that you could download on your iphone. I checked it out a little and thought that it would be an easy thing to do. So I downloaded it to my phone and for some reason this time trying to lose weight just clicked. I have "tried" to lose weight for many many years and nothing ever stuck. Right after I downloaded it I was hanging up clothes and noticed that the one pair of jeans that I had was just worn out. I also knew that I had about 6 pairs hanging in my closet that I could not get on. So on January 9 I decided that I was once and for all gonna lose this weight. I have been doing this since then and so far I have lost around 30 pounds. That is a long way from where I need to be BUT I am alot closer to my goal than I was this time last year.

When I started this I didn't weigh myself. I just went by what it was the last time that I weighed which was about a year ago. I wish, wish, wish that I had of gotten a correct weight. I didn't measure myself either and I really wish that I had.

I read on Pinterest a sign that someone had posted:

It takes 4 weeks for you to notice your body changing...and 12 weeks for the rest of the world to notice. Give it 12 weeks. Don't quit!!!!

This is my 12th week.

Some people have noticed and some have not. BUT I CAN TELL! Jeans that would not even go over my hips now fit really good and and very comfortable to wear. I have on a pair of those today and that might even be a little lose.

I actually worked in the yard last week for over an hour. Last summer we tried to pick up sticks out of the yard after a storm and after about 5 minutes I was so winded and my legs hurt so bad that I had to stop. BUT I did last week. And felt really good afterwards. I have also been using the Map My Walk app on my phone. One of the great things about Map My Walk is it maps whatever route you walk and it will keep up with your stats. It will tell you how long you have walked, what distance, how many calories you have burned and what pace you are walking at. This is the night that we worked in the yard:

One of the other great things about the weight lose is that Rae and I have been talking walks together several times a week. Well I walk and she rides her bike. She loves being outside and I love spending time with her. We have walked at Veterans and Ballard Parks, to Elvis Presley Lake from Barbara's house and up and down the road by our house.

I also use the Pedometer app. It will keep up with the steps you take, how long you have walked, speed, and distance. These two programs never give the same information. They are close on distance and time.

But never the same.

I have been trying really hard since Jan to do this and I have to say that I am quite proud of myself. I have goals set all along the way and I am very very close to my first goal. I don't really have a final number that I want to weigh. As long as I am happy and healthy then that is good for me. I was happier with myself when Phil and I met than I was when I graduated high school. I only weighed 130 then. I know that I probably will never be that size again and that is OK. I tell Rae that no one will ever know what you weigh or what size you wear unless YOU tell them so as long as you are happy and healthy then that is OK. She has actually started slimming up some since I have started this. She has become my little work out buddy and for that I am thankful.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Party, Party, Party

Rae's birthday is Feb 16. It is so hard to believe that she is already 9. There was just so much going on around her birthday that we were just now able to have her a party. But today was the perfect day to have a party. We started on short notice with the party. We didn't decide until this past Monday to have it today. I think that she had a good time. It was a small party but they all seemed to have fun.

That's what Brady thought about all these girls at the house.

I got this idea off of Pinterest. And it is a really cute idea BUT you need to make sure that you have stickers that are big enough. These were the right height but they were not thick enough. They would not stick to the canvas! So the girls ended up using a paint pen and sharpies to write their name on the canvas. I guess next time I need to try the project before I do it at a party.


Pretty birthday girl with her tie dyed cupcakes with tie dyed icing. Her daddy loves her. He had never done this before but he did an awesome job on them.

She is in deep thought!

There's that pretty smile!

Grace, Mallory, Rae, Jennifer, Rachel and Eliza

Silly Silly

Brady wanted in the picture.

And another one

Great group of young ladies!

Thursday, March 22, 2012

CELEBRATION!!!!!

This title reminds me of my very first concert that I ever went to. It was Cool and the Gang and they were in Starkville. It was on a school night because I did everything in my power not to have to go to this concert. It wasn't that I didn't want to go but I was going with two couples, Jima and Tim and Andy and Anita. Going to a concert when you are single, going with two couples and one of those couples being your sister and her boyfriend was not how I wanted to spend my night. But Momma made me go. The night started off kinda rocky when Andy almost back down the hill in our front yard. But I guess it turned in to a good night.

ANYWAY....

What the title is really about is Phil's birthday. Its not actually until the 25th but because of everything going on this month we celebrated it early. Friday night the 16th we went to Bob and Barbara's and had the Willis party. We always have so much fun when we all get together. We eat what the birthday person wants, they get what ever they want for dessert and then you take your chances when you open up the birthday cards. If its a funny card you HAVE to read it out loud. We have had some FUNNY ones over the years.

Reading birthday cards

He wanted Lemon Ice Box Pie

Funny card of the night

Earlier that day we had all went to WalMart to help Papaw celebrate his retirement. He has been there for 13 years and is having to retire because of his health. If it had been up to him, he would have never left. He really loves his job and the people that he worked with. You could tell from the crowd that greeted him at the door just how much he was loved. They had him a beautiful cake and some going away gifts. It was really a special occasion and I'm glad that we all got to be a part of it.

This is what greeted Papaw when he got to the store. He had not been able to work since Thanksgiving day. He fell that day and hit his head and while he was off of work from that he fell and broke his hip. So he was happy to see all of them and I believe that they were happy to see him also.

WalMart gave him a beautiful pocket watch.

His Old Fart hat

Basket full of goodies

The man in the blue shirt said the prettiest prayer over Papaw and for Papaw.

Mr Howard, Store Manager and Papaw

These two are the biggest buddies. When Papaw was in rehab for his hip, Mr. Howard was out of state with his wife because she was having cancer treatments and he would call Papaw and check on him. He is the nicest man.

Saturday night we celebrated some more. We had the Steele birthday party at Jason and Amber's. Jima's birthday is on the 17th. Amber and Jason fixed the best supper. Jason is an awesome cook and he grilled some burgers and some of the best squash and zucchini. Amber had fixed a BLT potato salad that was awesome. Of course our entertainment for the night was Little Ms AG.