13 Hours of Rain

I'm losing it! I'm actually losing it! Not my mind, but those last few post-pregnancy pounds that I need to shed before autumn hits. Weight loss was much easier after the birth of my first child. But the second time around has been difficult. I finally got myself to "5 more to go" before summer hit. Then I went to visit family. OH NO! All the desserts and yummy food added two more wretched pounds to the scale. I was discouraged and frustrated. Thus, a couple of weeks ago, I got serious. I started to track my calorie intake via myfitnesspal . I increased the intensity of my weekly exercise by jogging three times a week for 25-30 minutes. And I became more consistent in drinking my daily quota of water. The result? I've lost four pounds in two weeks! :) It is possible!!! There are a few things that I have learned about reducing calories through this process: Watch your condiments . All those little things like salad dressing, jams, mayonnaise, sour cream and bu...

I am exhausted by feeling this way. Somethings gotta change. And soon, before I have to enter another year of life in this place. We are approaching almost one whole year of living in this beautiful little city. And I must admit, I am actually REALLY enjoying my life here. I guess it helps that it is summer! My flowers are in full bloom, my small row of veggies are thriving, and our yard looks pretty darn good thanks to the insightful landscaping of our predecessors. And then I go inside... I do LOVE the house that we have bought. But some days I got overwhelmed by all the renovation projects that need to be accomplished to bring my home to the standard imprinted on my mind. While I have no desire to go bigger, I definitely want things to get better. And at times I get consumed by materialist thoughts. For instance, I've contemplated paint colors ad nauseum as of late. My aesthetic dilemmas have driven me on numerous trips to the hardware store, cushions in hand, to...