Who saves clothes for 4 years??

That's right- I DO! So as most who read this know, I've been saving my favorite size 8 Gap jeans for about 4 years. Yep I've been fat and overweight, but hey I'm a curvy woman and my weight goes up and down just like everyone else! Well it was about 2 weeks ago when I rewarded myself with the new size 10's and after a few days- they didn't fit!! So I whipped out my old jeans and bada bing they fit! I called Tim at work right away to share the good news! They are a little on the tight side, but I'm still losing so they'll fit like a dream in no time. I took my jeans that I had just bought back and the people at the store were super nice and let me exchange for a smaller size!

Now I'm not writing any of this to seem like I'm vain or anything. I'm really just that excited to be back into a size that I never in my life thought I would see again! I mean for the past few years I've been going into the stores to buy a bigger size so just the fact that I'm doing the opposite is just making me ecstatic! And... Tim's lost about 20 lbs as well and fitting back into smaller pant sizes too. I'm very glad that both of us are making our way back to healthier weights and that we're doing it together!

Why I shop at Lowe's

So we've had to purchase 2 new ladders recently. The 1st was bought from Sears. The 2nd was bought from Home Depot, which I never shop at. I originally went there because I was trying to find a ladder that would work with the ladder tray that I had bought from Lowe's because I wanted it desperately to help paint. So I'm in a hurry and walk all the way to the back of Home Depot carrying Hannah in her seat. Nobody says a word to me to see if I need help. I pick out my ladder and carry the ladder in one hand and Hannah in her seat in the other all the way back up to the front with NOBODY offering to help at all! Now I'm perfectly capable of carrying that- neither were very heavy, but come on- someone working there should have offered! Now this isn't my first bad experience with shopping there so that's why we've purchased all of our materials, supplies, etc. for fixing up our house from Lowe's... and we've spent about $5K on the house so far so they've definitely missed a good customer!

And fyi, EVERYTIME I go into Lowe's (and it's been probably about 30 times or so within the last month) I've been asked if I needed help! And I've gone by myself, with the girls, and with Tim. So there Home Depot and good riddance because you wont' ever get my business!

Happy 2nd birthday Hailey!

My baby turned 2 on the 9th... can you believe it?!! I sure can't believe that the past 2 years has flown by as fast as it has. We waited a week to celebrate her birthday this year because we had just moved into the new house last weekend and it would have been a pain. We had TONS of family over for her birthday last night. It's so nice to have a bigger home because we fit so much nicer than the squeeze to get everyone into our old home for hailey's bday last year. I made her cake- yes it's a little cheesy, but I had fun and everyone loved it! I'd actually really love to learn how to decorate them better... maybe that should be on my Christmas wish list then.Blowing our her candle. She demolished her cake and ice cream! One of her favorite gifts-ELMO!!! And to finish off the night... this video is hilarious! Adam, Tracy, and their kids gave this to Hailey. It's a coloring book, but when you open the back cover it sings this song (listen closely I'm pretty sure just about everyone has heard it). She wouldn't stop playign it over and over again!

Chuck E!!!

A few nights ago we went to good ol' chuck e cheese for my nephews b-day. Hailey had an absolute blast dancing around. Here are a few fun pics from our time there.

Unwanted surprises...

So I've had some non perishable food packed for 5 months or so... found a very icky surprise a few days ago. I went to use my cooking spray and found this---

And then this is the mess that fell on the ground from opening the lid- YUCK! Those are all ants and in case you ever come over to the house and I'm making food for you, yes I bought a brand new can of cooking spray so don't be worried =)

We moved!!!

We officially moved into our new house a little over a week ago. It's been crazy, crazy since then, but we're definitely loving being in our new home. This is what my house looked like once all the boxes were moved in... fun right?!! Ya we've been quickly decluttering!

And this was my first box I unpacked-had to take a pic and record this- I forgot how much of a pain it can be to find the perfect spot for each item!

EGGS!!

Went out to run errands today and my last stop was Fred Meyer to pick up wic checks that were about to expire and I was bring that over to the new house since we're moving in a few days. I had just put the eggs in my cart, looked away for 2 seconds.... and guess who got into the eggs??!! My one and only monster Hailey did! One fell onto the floor... the other made quite a mess as she broke it in her lap, which then dripped all over the cart, floor, and (the worst) into my diaper bag! I was so freakin frustrated with her at that point! There was a very nice lady who ended up walking by and she came back with paper towels for me to use. It took me about 15 minutes to clean it all up and I just couldn't believe that she had done that. I guess she must have been hungry, lol.

I did it!!!

Another 5 pounds gone, which makes 15 in total so far!!! Yay me and I faithfully rewarded myself with new (smaller!!!) jeans from Gap yesterday. Now I've never been a small person and have always been quite envious of those women who are just naturally smaller. I have plenty of curves, hips, and a giant chest on top of that. I will never been anything close to slim, but for me, I'm thrilled at the weight loss and what I've accomplished so far. I guess that's a part of being a woman is being comfortable in your own skin and happy with how you look. It probably helps that I have a fabulous hubbie who adores me as well, regardless of my size!!!

I guess I need to explain a little bit more of my excitement. When I was in high school (eeeks 8 years ago I'm starting to get old) I was always the "bigger" one and was always so self conscious of myself. As I look back on it I was only a size 6/8 and that's a very healthy size for me and I should have been so much happier with myself. Now fast foward 8 years... 2 kids later and a marriage where I've let myself go a bit and I've been up as high as a 14. I lost about 25 pounds about 4 years ago and got back down to a size 8 (yipee!!!),but sadly let myself go again and gradually climbed back up. Sad day, I know, especially since I have a stack of my absolute fav Gap jeans in size 8 that are waiting for me (yes I know, who the heck saves pants that dont' fit for that long, but I always knew I would lose it someday). Rewind to yesterday when I bought size 10... I didn't have to suck in at all for them to fit and they fit like a dream---- Ahhhhhhh-----!!!!! I'm one jean size away from my pants that I have been saving for over 3 years!!!

If I could go back in time and tell myself in those crazy teenage years that you look just fine I would! This weight loss has never been about pleasing anyone but myself. Tim loves me for me and is happy about my weight loss because it makes me happy. Now I'm setting my sights on that stack of jeans waiting for me- wish me luck =)