Little bit of everything

It's weird how out of touch your mind can be with body while losing weight. Some days I look at clothes and think, there is no way I can fit in that! Other times the opposite occurs. I will get to the mind games in just a moment.

A little background:
As I may have mentioned, the husband has been working on some home renovations. There is a little room off the kitchen (maybe 8'X10') that has always driven us nuts. When we moved in it was more like an L shaped room and the missing square of the floor was an open space to an old Michigan basement staircase. The previous owners had a long shelf in the room and that was it. The hubby put doors on the room to keep us safe from falling down the crazy staircase, but other than that the room has been mostly wasted space. We put some junk on the shelf and we put tubs on the floor for recycling. We had talked about turning the room into a pantry area and creating much more storage space.

The hubby decided now was the time. He wanted to gut the room and start over. (This would give him some practice for the kitchen renovation that we REALLY want, which may be this spring.) He has done a great job with the renovation. He ripped up the staircase and created floor to have a rectangular room instead of an L shaped room. He created a new staircase(out of the old boards-even better!), ripped up the flooring, pulled off the ceiling tiles (finding drywall underneath that just had to be touched up) and fixed all the little things that the previous owners worked around. This weekend he finally got it to the point of painting. The only renovating that I can do better than him is painting so I am the house painter. We really wanted to get the painting and flooring done this weekend since we are booked almost straight through until Christmas.

So Saturday night I had to prime the room. As little lady's bedtime approached I started to get things together to paint. I started to worry about what I would wear to paint. (I can paint, but am totally a disaster and paint does get everywhere.) The last time I painted was probably during my pregnancy (windows were open and I had doctors permission). I remember my painting outfit being a bit snug. I had a mini panic attack that I wouldn't be able to fit into the painting outfit. Then, I remembered that I have actually lost a considerable amount of weight and might be to small for my painting outfit. I went to my closet to find my paint covered clothes. I looked at the jeans and they were a size 14; for some reason this made me panic again. I still have 12s that are not comfortable so I worried that these wouldn't fit. I put on the outfit and was pleasantly surprised by the bagginess of the outfit. It was just such an odd mental battle going on for those few minutes.

old paint clothes. thankfully baggy

On another jean related issue. I was looking through my closet at my jean supply. It used to have a lot of jeans in various sizes that mostly didn't fit me. I have been setting a few on the side that I think will fit next. I noticed there aren't many jeans waiting to fit. I actually only have two pairs waiting to be 'next.' (Plus one pair of tight size 12 thrifted Calvin Kleins)The previously mentioned thrifted seven for all mankind and a brand new pair of Old Navy size 10 jeans.

Let me back up again to explain why I would have Old Navy jeans after my previous post mentioning the article about Old Navy and Gap making gateway mom jeans. These were actually bought years ago and I had forgotten about them. When I was losing weight before my wedding I was convinced that I would do Weight Watchers forever and that I could continue to lose weight. At Christmas 2007 I was wearing the pants that I am wearing today, a pair of Old Navy size 12 jeans. I asked my mom to get me the exact same pair in a size 10 because I thought I would fit them soon. I tried them on Christmas morning and I could not get into them. They have sat in a box since then. Yesterday I tried them on and although they do not fit yet I think it would be awesome to wear them this year for Christmas. I am not going to panic to much about it, but it would be fun to show them to my mom this year.

Friday figures

I woke up overly excited to step on the scale. Embarrassing side note: I even dreamed about it. In my dream I weighed 162.4. Which would be nice but not really possible this morning. Since last week I weigh 169.7 I was really hoping to not see the 70s. I stepped on the scale and bam!

167.4! That felt good! I don't know why I was so nervous. I ate good on Friday and most of Saturday. Saturday night we went to a party and I overdid it and stayed off track on Sunday and Monday. I got my act together Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. It paid off and I am feeling great! I am back in the game!

My goal for this week is to stay on track AND not touch the scale until next Friday.

Update: As I was getting dressed this morning I came across a dilemma, I had clean laundry for hubby and little lady, but my laundry was far overdue. The jeans that I have been wearing were a bit sticky from Halloween night and I was meeting with the MOMS club. I try to look nice if I have somewhere to be, although if I had to wear sticky pants a MOMS club meeting would be the place. They would understand. I decided that since I am at my new low weight I should try on my jean pile and see where I am at. I had three pairs that I thought would fit me soon. One was a thrifted size 12 Calvin Klein jeans, they buttoned today but were really tight (large muffin top tight) and short. Another was a pair of thrifted jeans- 11/12 Aeropostale and they fit a little better. They were a bit tight, but I actually set them aside to be washed and put in the wearable area. That was exciting for me!

The big event though was "the jeans." I believe I have mentioned the jeans that I have been dying to wear. I bought them the weekend of my bachelorette party and remember being so excited for them. This was the first pair of jeans that I bought with friends at a cute/hip store at the mall. I was ecstatic when I bought them and felt great. I wore them for awhile until they just didn't fit. I have held onto them in hopes that one day I would fit into them again. I remember at the beginning of this weight loss journey I went through my closet and tried on clothes that fit me at my smallest. I was so depressed seeing tiny shirts that couldn't hold my large arms and cute jeans that would not fit. I remember this specific pair of jeans seemed so small. I couldn't even fit my leg into them. I had tried them on a few weeks ago and got them buttoned but they were not public ready. In today's desperation, I tried them on. They fit!

Little lady just can't resist a picture! The jeans! Not to big of a muffin top.

Now I must add that they don't fit like they used to and I don't know that they will be a favorite. They are still a little tight, but not bad at all. I know they will not be tight for much longer, but the problem I have is the length. Whoa, are these jeans long! I don't think my height has changed much over the years, but these jeans suggest otherwise. I am guessing that I wore them with heels so that could be the problem. Perhaps they will get added in to the date night/girls night out jeans. I am still over the moon that they fit. I am feeling great today!

Weekend Happenings

I love fall! Although, I also hate being cold so I love fall activities and the first week that it's cooler and then I am miserable. It has been so nice having a few relaxing weekends and we took advantage of this weekend. After my amazing 4 mile run on Saturday I met up with my MOMS club for ArtPrize, dinner and drinks in Grand Rapids. It was so much fun to get away and feel like more than just a mom for a night. (I love being a mom, but an evening off was much appreciated.) I didn't get home until almost 1am! That is way past my usual bedtime.

Sunday morning the hubby and I were both feeling a bit tired, but managed to finally get ourselves ready for the day and headed to a local farm by 10am. I had purchased a Groupon for two tickets to a corn maze, two bags of popcorn and two pints of raspberries (all for $10!). We got to the farm and it had started to drizzle. We decided to stick around to see how the weather turned out. It drizzled off and on but was actually a really nice day out. We first got our popcorn and then boarded a tractor that toured the farm and dropped you off at the maze and berry picking area.

Little lady's first tractor ride. She also stole my popcorn and did not want to share with mommy.

We decided to walk through the corn maze first. The hubby and I can bicker a lot (we both tend to think we are right and can't hear the others ideas, oops) but we did really good in the corn maze and actually had a blast. I thought we might butt heads through the corn maze but we laughed and wondered together. Little lady mostly just enjoyed the ride and ate popcorn.

Hubby and little lady getting ready for the adventure.

This bridge was just before the half way point.

After the maze we headed over to pick some raspberries. I love raspberries! We were trying to think up things we could make with all of our raspberries and then just decided they are so delicious, we will just eat them by the handful.

Little lady picking some berries.

What? I swear I am not eating the berries!

 After we picked our berries we boarded the tractor to take us back to the front of the farm. They have a few animals that the kids can pet, a big slide, bikes, and a corn crib. It was close to nap time, but little lady's cute little eyes bought her a few minutes with the animals.

Daddy showing little lady the petting farm.

We got home just in time for lunch and naps. We woke up and our friends came over for dinner. The husband and I wanted to have them over to try our homemade pierogies. They were more than willing to help us judge. :) The hubby made another beer can chicken to serve with the pierogies. We had a delicious dinner and good company to end the weekend.

On the fitness side of things, Sunday is supposed to be stretch and strengthening day. I sort of forgot about it though in all the fun of the day, but decided to just count the corn maze/farm walking as 35 minutes of cross training and swap some days around. I will be doing strengthening today. I also had some mud on my new favorite pair of old jeans that I have been wearing so today when I had to get dressed I pulled out my stack of jeans that don't fit and ALL but 1 pair of them button! They do not all look good yet though :) I am actually wearing a size 12 pair from Old Navy (I know, I know. I just talked about jeans.), but these aren't any Old Navy jeans. When I was at my lowest weight I rotated between two pairs of jeans. The jeans I wore to my bachelorette party that I can't wait to fit into and my size 12 Old Navy jeans. I can't believe I could wear the 12's in public today! I am so close to being able to wear my old favorite pair of jeans again!

Jeans!

Jeans are the staple piece to most outfits. I have never really spent a lot of time picking out my jeans. I have pretty much always had to be the girl that just hoped the jeans would fit and if they did I would buy them as quickly as possible and just hope that whoever cashed me out didn't notice the size. I recently read something about Old Navy and Gap making gateway mom jeans. It made me laugh but also made me think hard. If you Google "Old Navy and Gap make gateway mom jeans" you will find it too. It's really interesting. The woman writing took pictures of her wearing Gap, Old Navy and other name brand jeans and compared them. It was amazing what the right pair of jeans can do for you. Now granted I don't have the money to go out and buy expensive jeans but I can watch out for deals. Which is exactly what I did this weekend.

While my mom and grandma were in town we went shopping in our little downtown area. We hit up a boutique together and I did find some really cute pants. They were $110. That's not an option for me. Plus, maybe I will continue to lose weight and I don't want to spend a ton on a pair of pants that I won't get to wear long. They continued to another boutique and I went into Glik's. I am not sure if they are a chain store or not. They have a lot of skater brand clothing, but they also have an area with North Face and Columbia. Most of the clothing seems to be directed towards younger girls but there are a few things that seem appropriate for older women. I immediately headed to the clearance section. There was a pair of jeans that I thought would fit me. I tried them on and they did! They were a little bit tight, but they fit well enough that I would wear them out in public. I can only assume they will fit better soon. They were originally $70, but on clearance for $30. I don't even usually pay that much but I was super excited about even fitting in to jeans at this store. I carried them around and kept wishing the hubby had come into the store with me. I kept finding more and more cute things that fit me. Eventually the hubby found me and approved my clothing selection. We decided it could be an anniversary gift. I bought the jeans, cute heels on clearance for $7 and a shirt of $15. I was so happy and have been wearing my new jeans and heels every evening.

back of the jeans. I liked the design, cute but not to much bling. I hate jean bling.

I don't know why this picture turned upside down and I don't know how to fix it. This is the front of the jeans, heels and shirt. I love them!

I don't even wear heels that much but these were to cute and different. I loved the heel and didn't feel to bad buying them since they were affordable.

On Another jean note, I fit my butt and stomach into some of my old jeans. They are a size 12, but a vanity size 12. I think I wore them before when I weighed 165lbs. I was excited they fit and didn't muffin top me to much. I am going to have to get ride of the pairs of jeans that I had been wearing. I try to only keep two pairs of jeans that fit me in rotation. I worry that if I keep my bigger pants it will be to easy to overeat and retreat to the comfort of my fat jeans. I am getting closer and closer to my magic jeans that I wore to my bachelorette party! It is fun to see the pile of jeans in my closet get smaller and smaller.

Old jeans that finally fit! (Ignore the baby mess all around me, no baby was harmed in the taking of this picture.)