My Journey

This is just a little personal post about me and a 'journey' I've been on for a little over a year, and my thoughts about it... something I can look back on in times to come.

In September 2009, this was me...

I had been struggling with my weight for a while... I had developed a wrong attitude to food... and I knew I needed to tackle it... 60lb heavier than a healthy weight for my height!

I embarked on trying to lose weight. Why? Well, I really was not happy the way I was. Thank you if you're looking at the above photo and saying "but you looked lovely as you were!", BUT it doesn't really matter what other people think as it's ME in that skin! I mostly felt that I was not honouring the Lord in my eating, but I was also very unhealthy and unfit and that's not good when you've 2 young kids to look after.

This is me 9 months later... already looking better, and feeling so much happier and healthier.

It's been a long and slow 'journey' for me, but with perseverance and the Lord's help, I finally reached my goal just before Christmas 2010. What a wonderful feeling!

This is me (and the kids!) at Christmas. Wow, I feel like a different person! I'm proud of my achievement, but really I should never have been that overweight in the first place. I have no plans to 'find' the pounds I have 'lost'.

Please don't say "you're fading away" or "you're looking awful skinny"! I can assure you that I am NOT fading away - there is still plenty of me to go around and I have NO plans to fade away! And I am FAR from skinny - I am a typical English Pear-shape! I am a sensible weight, and toward the top-end of the healthy BMI range for my height. Most of the people I know are far thinner than me, and no one ever tells them they are fading away or too skinny, so why the need to make these comments to me?! I am happy at the weight I am at now. My Wii Fit tells me I should be another 14lb lighter in order to be a healthy weight - I think it's having a laugh! Please try and be happy for me! Compliments are so much nicer than criticism! But, I did this for the Lord, myself and indirectly my kids, so it generally doesn't matter what others think!

On the Camera

 ... Church Carol Service, and the Monday Club performed their Christmas play... Bubs was the narrator, which she did with real character; and Spike took a last-minute part as a Shepherd...

 ... daddy arrived in time to make a great snowman...

 ... snowy walk...

 ... and snowy play...

 ... quiet pj days...

... a little tradition Bubs and I have - to go to a local Christingle service as close to Christmas as possible... we found one on Christmas Eve, lovely!

 First thing Christmas morning - opening stockings...

 ... cold, bright, crispy and WHITE Christmas morning!

 Christmas morning breakfast... and Spike practising his scowl!

 ... the obligatory Christmas photo at the Christmas tree!

 ... the beginning of opening the presents... while peace reigns and there is no mess all around!

 ... simple Christmas lunch...

 beautiful Christmas day walk

 Monday walk at Wyre Forest... making the most of the snow before it disappeared.

 ... fun ice-skating at Webbs of West Hagley (not me... well, someone had to take the photos!).

On the Camera

  Bubs and I have been doing some Hot Chocolate Tastings at various places this month! I'm pleased to say that she has delcared that nothing tastes quite as good a home-made hot chocolate!

 Snow, and getting the tree set up...

 Action Man Spike, and Rag Doll Bubs... dressed for being Santa's Helpers at the Hartlebury Grotto (part of their duties being part of the Hartlebury Helpers Club)!

 In the end, Spikes anxieties got the better of him and he didn't help out in the Grotto... we spent 3 days roaming Hartlebury Castle, listening to the bell-ringers and carol singers, looking at the stalls, playing with the exhibitions and drinking tea and eating cakes!

 Bubs with Santa and 2 other helpers one of the days...

 ... Then came the HoarFrost... which was absolutely stunning! The pictures do not do the wonder justice! Such a pretty sight.

 Pizza Hut... to celebrate the end of school and the survival of a very difficult term.

 ....special treat of sleeping on the sofa bed in the lounge... only happens about once a year! and happy PJ days...

 4inch of lovely snow... and a walk with the sled to the local shop for milk. Disappointingly, the snow was too cold to make a snowman and it would not hold together. Temperatures have been about -10oC in the mornings the last few days and not rising above freezing.

 Not wanting to unearth the car on Sunday morning, we took the sled and walked to and from Church... well, Bubs and I walked... Spike was pulled on the sled! On the way home the kids had fun sledding down a hill in the park.