Advocare 24 Day Challenge - GOALS

Mark and I are leaving for vacation down on Ocracoke Island in the Outer Banks, NC next week.  The members of The Queen City Silver Stars - with wives and children in tow - will be invading the small island town to spread the joy of the steel band music for the tourists (and to get tan, be drunk and make a bunch of money!!)

We had goals of being skinny and bikini ready for this trip.  Well...I am happy to say that I am officially down 12.6 lbs as of this morning - at 168lbs.  We started trimming on May 16th, so about 10 weeks at approx. 1.26 lbs per week - YIPPEE!!  I feel skinnier and think I look pretty good in my bathing suit.  Ocracoke here I come!  Need to tan this white Ohio booty!!

Immediately upon our return, we are going to jump into Phase II - The Advocare 24 Day Challenge.  Mark has hit a roadblock at 220 and I still have about 10 lbs to lose to get back to "Pre-Cincinnati" weight of around 158 lbs.  So we need this to jump start our weight loss.

As a means of measuring success of Phase II - I unearthed my favorite "Pre-Cincinnati" pants - That's right, it says SIZE 10!!!  I wore these pants the night Mark traveled up to Lakewood, OH in August 2005 and we saw each other again for the first time since 1998 - about 7 years.  I guess I looked foxy enough in these pants to ensnare his heart again after all that time, so I held on to them :)

BUT...this is what I look like in these pants now...I can't even get them buttoned!!!  (Although I am amazed that they fit over my thighs & hips at all!)

So Phase II starts August 5th and runs through August 28th.  I will get into these pants, button them and re-ensnare Mark's heart all over again (not like I have lost it or anything).

AND...we also have a photographer scheduled to take our first ever professional couples pictures together...so we can't be fat for these photos.  Even more motivation!!

Stay Tuned!

Progress Report 7/21/2014

It has been a REALLY long time since I posted a blog, so I thought I would catch up on where we are and where we are headed in the crazy journey we call life.

Mark made a big leap of faith with his career change in January - full time musician - no boss, no 9-5, no money...Just kidding.  Actually we are doing really well financially.  Mark has a lot of student lessons with Mariemont High School and Badin High School in addition to helping out with their drumline and Marching Band.  The Queen City Silver Stars are shooting towards great success with their recent debut into the Cincinnati music scene - "Making Soca Trendy"!!  Mark also had a stint as a country western drummer in a musical up in Dayton - "Play it by Heart".

In addition to Mark doing a great job bringing in money while doing what he loves, we have also learned how to live on less and I think we are the happiest either of us have ever been.

Winter has ended - thank goodness...we had a tough one...

Mark and I went to Disneyworld, Epcot and Hollywood Studios in March 2014 - his dream come true!!

House projects are going well - the paint job on the outside of the house turned out beautifully and did not break the bank.  And then Mark did a fantastic job on the renovation of the kitchen - new tile floor, painted walls, repaired the ceiling - just beautiful!!  Zep and his socks like the new look!!

Next week we go to Ocracoke island in the Outer Banks, NC to relax on the beach, eat great food and play music with our friends...

We truly are living a charmed life!!


More updates to come...Advocare 24 Day Challenge to begin after our vacation.  Since May 16th, 2014 - Mark has already lost 9.3 lbs as of 7/21 and I have lost 11.6 pounds!!!  WOW.  I am 169!!  I haven't been in the 160's since I moved to Cincinnati.  My goal is 160 lbs and I think Advocare will be the ticket!

OLD US:

NEWER ME:

Being a homeowner...

Being a homeowner...sometimes not all that it is cracked up to be.

When we moved in we were very amazed at how nice, remodeled and in shape our little 1000 sq foot homestead was.  Well since Oct 2009, we have STILL had to do some fairly major renovations, repairs and upgrades and there is an ever growing list for future projects as well.

This week we are tackling the crumbling stucco on the side and back of our house.  It has been falling off and looking junky for a while now and we are finally getting around to getting a professional to come in and deal with it.

As skilled as Mark is as a handyman, this task was daunting to even him.  From knowing how much to remove, what to do if there was extensive water damage from being exposed, and then making it look nice to match the rest of the house that is still in good shape...not something he was prepared to do understandably.

So this morning at 8am, Wayne from Phillips Drywall arrived and began the process.  He is currently ripping and scraping off the bad parts as shown in the photos below:

I like it...sort of looks like a Tuscan Villa...maybe we will have him leave it like that...OR not.

So next, Wayne is putting up a metal mesh to make it even stronger than the old timey lathe underneath.  Then he will put on the stucco and paint it.

Total of 4-5 days.  But we did get good news - NO water damage!  So his original estimate of $2000 is a going to be a little lower - only $1500.  Not bad!!!

NEXT PROJECT:
Paint the outside of the house - upstairs dark gray, repaint all of the white stucco and trim, AND paint the front door orange like I have always dreamed.  Oh how trendy our house will be :)  We have an estimate of $3800 for the painting...time to find that in the budget before mid-September when the painters arrive.  I might have to cut my beer budget...nah!

Stay tuned!
Kris

I think we have a winner!

Yesterday, Mark & I test drove the Mazda 3 Hatchback and the Mazda CX-5.  Both full of zip and seemed high quality.

After debating over lunch (at Toot's) we came to the decision that we don't really need two big cars and it would nice to put the extra savings towards our aggressive debt plan...SO

We have chosen the Mazda 3 Hatchback - ZOOM ZOOM

Now I need to crunch my numbers, get some quotes from the area Mazda dealers and wheel & deal - my favorite part!!

Kris

CAR SHOPPING 2013!

So the lease on my 2010 Toyota Matrix is up on July 10th, 2013 so we have started the process of looking for new vehicles for me to drive.  I totally geek out on the research, the test driving and especially the "wheeling & dealing" of buying a new car...so I really started looking in oh...December :)

We have narrowed it down to 5 models including a late addition that I just spotted on the highway yesterday - the super cute new body model of the Toyota RAV4.  I have previously HATED the RAV4 because of that god awful exterior spare tire and did not even consider it until I saw this cute little back end sans tire!

The next option is the Subaru Crosstrek.  Another super cutie that we spotted on the road.  The car & wheels make a statement...like "I rescue dogs", "I am a vegan" or "I kayak in my spare time."  I like, but don't feel I need the full Outback ($$) so this seems like a good alternative.

Other possibilities include, the new styling Ford Escape, Mazda CX5, Hyundai Tuscon, and the Toyota Venza (while we are at Toyota might as well...not in love with it)

We will go test drive at Subaru and Toyota tomorrow - BUT NO BUYING!!  Just to test drive - not to buy!!!!  If I put it on the interweb machine, perhaps it will be true - I have a tendency to impulse buy if I get a good deal/vibe).

I will post more on our checklist of requirements and how the two first test drives pan out.

Wish us luck!

Kris

I just found this on a message board posting a warning people about Culebra...it is pretty accurate and perhaps it will keep the tiny island just the way it is...because I LOVED it!  Every chicken-y doodle doo last inch of it!!! 

- If you like resorts and pampering, don't go to Culebra.

- If you want perfectly manicured Disneyfied streets lined with perfect- looking little shops, don't go to Culebra.

- If a hen walking down the street next to you bothers you, don't go to Culebra.

- If you get irritated if a business isn't open during it's posted hours, don't go to Culebra.

- If you just have to have certain foods or don't like the idea of eating whatever the store happens to have in stock, don't go to Culebra.

- If a rooster jumping out of a bush at you upsets you rather than making you laugh, don't go to Culebra.

- If you like things to happen on a schedule, don't go to Culebra.

- If you get upset at having to wait for dinner, or after dinner waiting some more for the bill, don't go to Culebra.

- If you'd never consider buying a lobster out of a bucket from a man by the gas station, don't go to Culebra.

- If you can't stand the thought of wearing mosquito repellent, don't go to Culebra.

- If you've been to Mexico and didn't like it because the streets needed repaved and the buildings repaired, don't go to Culebra.

- If you want to go shopping or nightclubbing, don't go to Culebra.

- If shopping in a small, independent market scares you, don't go to Culebra.

- If going to a beach and not seeing a single other person there "creeps you out," don't go to Culebra.

- If not having hot water or the electricity going out would ruin your day, don't go to Culebra.

- If you expect people to stop what they're doing and cater to your needs, don't go to Culebra.

BUT, if you can see the charm in a small island that doesn't fall in step with the rest of the world and can understand the desire to travel somewhere that there's not a resort or spa anywhere to be seen, and you can find charm in potholes, crooked sidewalks and never knowing when the grocery store might be open, you might actually like Culebra.

Viva Culebra!!

So Mark & I are back from Culebra, PR...a little island that we never knew exsisted...just off the coast of Puerto Rico. 

I have never been to a place that was so easy to relax or an place that fit what I picture in my head as "paradise".  There was just enough "civilization" to be eat & drink well when we wanted to (I mean come on...an Organic Sandwich Shoppe!!!) but also deserted enough to get away from most everyone also.  All we had to do was pack our beach gear and head to Tamarindo or Zoni for the day with a cooler of water & beer...and our organic turkey & pesto sandwiches!  Then when it got too hot...headed into town for a tropical drink.  Then back to our place for a nap/reading/songwriting before a yummy dinner.  Wake when the sun came up...Sleep when the sun went down...

Sure it was third-worldy with chickens and stray dogs/cats everywhere...and sure sometimes not speaking Spanish was an obstacle (uno mas cerveza, por favor!) but after you got used to it...that was part of the charm.  Enough like home - since it was the good old USA for currency, etc.  - but enough like a foreign land to be foreign.

I am having a REALLY hard time adjusting to being home.  Not just the weather...it is pretty warm & sunny in Cincinnati this week...but just having to worry again...having to keep the house clean again...having to drive on a freeway again.  I do not giggle while driving on the freeway - ever!

But perhaps most people feel the same let down after a vacation...mine just feels more like an ache...like I am missing where I belong...

Poor me...back to work!

Kris