A better Before and After Pic

Lost 40 Pounds and Engaged!!!

I can hardly believe the difference between these two pictures. When I have a not so good day because I didn't fit in my workout, or I had cinnamon toast for dinner, I go into panic mode and think I've ruined everything. I step on the scale the next morning and I'm the same, and I think wow. That's amazing, and then when I looked at these pictures I was shocked. I showed them to a new friend here in Redlands, and she said, "That's you?! I don't recognize you." Wow.

And my sweet Steve saw through it all and still kissed me on our first date (which is huge for him, in 51 years of life that was only the second time he had kissed on the first date!!!!!). Of course he loves the smaller, slimmer, skinnier, and sexier me. Nice alliteration. Steve keeps telling me I need to write lyrics for him.

Which brings me to the next subject. We are officially engaged. We've been talking about marriage for a while, but it is real now. We don't have a date yet. We're working on that. There's a lot to get used to. Mainly the kids getting used to him, and him getting used to the kids. They all like each other, it's just a big adjustment. But wow, I'm getting married. A year ago life was so dark I honestly can't remember it. I have selective amnesia. I know we went to Disneyland in December, and I know we got a dog. But I really can't remember much about it. And now a year later, I'm engaged.

I went to the temple tonight, and was invited by the girl who sat next to me to join her singles ward. The singles ward where no one has been married and there aren't any kids. The kind of ward where the age limit is 30. Sigh. I love my genes. Thank you Mom. I told her I was engaged, and have three kids. "Oh wow. How old are your kids?" I told her. "Twelve?" she replied with a look of confusion and shock. I told her my age (34). It's always the same response. "You don't look that old at all. You don't even look 30."

I love love love the temple. If you have a recommend and don't go as often as possible--GO!!! If you don't have a recommend--GET ONE PRONTO!!! I promise you the more you go, the more you want to go, and the more you realize how much you need it in your life.

Gracie is for sale if anyone wants her. I'd barter too. I love bartering. I need some new kitchen chairs--white ones, or a camera, or just dinner out. The price is extremely negotiable. Seriously though, Gracie has been such a handful. She steals and hides the item and lies about it. She destroys things. She cut her hair. She dumped out two trash cans all over her bedroom. She threw away some things she had bought with her own money. And then I'll need her to empty the dishwasher (her chore) and out of the blue she'll jump up, say, "Yes, ma'am," and hurry and do her chore. What the heck is that about? But then other times she'll say no, and scream and throw a fit when I ask her to do her chore. She can also be really sweet. I repeat she is for sale. Maybe there could be a clause in the contract about my reserving the right to buy her back in a year or so.

I'm extremely tired. It's almost midnight. And I have school in the morning, followed by Disneyland. Love you all.