They Day after you achieve a major goal?!

What do you do the day AFTER you achieve a major goal in your life?  You do the same thing as you did before.  You keep on keeping on.

Before this year, I liked to think I was a goal oriented person.  I mean, with my husband's help, we saved over 6 months worth of living expenses in just under a year when both of us were working.  Living on a budget!

But I never thought I would ever be my definition of "skinny".  I looked in the mirror and saw myself as beautiful and thin, but when I walked out in public, I knew I was obese.  So I made a decision.  It wasn't like just waking up and making a decision to get out of bed.  I made a BIG decision....like a decision to have a baby or NOT have a baby;  like a decision to dump your boyfriend of 3 years;  like a decision to give up something for lent (and really do it).  I made the decision to change my life.....forever.

I made the decision that I was going to lose 70 pounds.  And get to my "goal" weight.  And never go back.

Now, the day after winning "The Biggest Loser - Wickenburg" (that's a town in Arizona), I have lost 66 lbs and 5 dress sizes.  I went from wearing size 20 clothes (well mostly really tight 16s or 18s), to wearing nice fitting size 10 clothes.

Am I skinny?  Probably not America's standard for skinny.  Definitely not Hollywood skinny in any way.  But I am FIT and healthy!  And I want to stay here....or within 5 pounds of here.

I still want to lose 3-5 more pounds.  And if I lose more, well that's just cake (or not cake). ;-)

So it's the day after I finished the most challenging 20 weeks of my life, and I am at work.  So I better get to doing my work.

Have a great day friends and family!  And keep doing what you're doing. 

Pre-Birth Story

So here is Riley's birth story...

At 38 weeks 1 day, we went to the doctor like we did every week since 28 weeks since I was gestational diabetic.  We got our ultrasound first.  Riley was looking big, but we couldn't take any measurements til 39 weeks.  Full term was 37 weeks though.  Then I went in for the "listening" part, where we could hear Riley's heartbeat and they checked for contractions.  Then, I met with Dr. Baer and he checked my cervix.  NOTHING was going on....ugh.  So he said that next week, we would do the same thing again...I asked if I could please come on Monday instead of Tuesday b/c I was so tired of being pregnant.  And of course we were still taking care of Bryce's dad full time, and his Mom was supposed to be coming up from NM to take care of Bob in case I went into labor....
Fast forward to the following Monday.  We go to Dr. Baer again....same thing, but this time, the ultrasound tech does the measurements and thinks that Riley is 8lb 10oz based on the measurements.  Her head seems to be HUGE.  And I have felt her butt sticking out of my belly for several days now!  I mean seriously, her butt was right there sticking out!

Well, after the ultrasound, we went in to listen again.  Apparently I was having contractions and Bryce saw them on the paper, but I totally didn't notice.  I just thought it was Riley moving around.  But as soon as we got into the room with Dr. Baer, he looked at the paper and then saw Riley's measurements.  Then, he asked if I was still feeling contractions...I said "No, not that I know of."  That is when Bryce tells me I was having them while in the room.  So I took off my bottoms and Dr. Baer checked me....and he tells me that still nothing was going on down there...no effacion, no dilation at all.  So I think we're doomed again to wait.
But I got dressed and he came back in....and says "Well, when do you want to go get this baby induced?".  I said, "Huh?".  So he tells us when can go whenever there is an opening or we can choose to go later in the week.  So we decided let's just go tonight if we can.  So he called and we had an appointment for 8pm at the hospital.
Above is the last picture of Bryce and I as a couple before Riley was to arrive.  This was as soon as we got home from the doctor and told Bryce's parents and my Mom the good news that Riley would be coming soon!  This was November 8th, 2010 - and it was 60 degrees that day!!  Can you believe it?  IT was sunny and beautiful.  And I was extremely HUGE, or so I felt.  Little did I know what was to come....

Feb 24th, 2011

A lot has happened, so I'll catch you up real quick, then later, I will blog about the details I have missed.

July 2010 - found out we were having a girl. Decided on the name. Riley Rebecca. We named her after my great great grandmother whose name was Roxanna Riley and after Bryce's big sister who died of sids in 1972 (or around there) who was named after his great great grandmother Rebecca.

August 2010 - went to Myrtle Beach, SC to visit all my family. They threw me an amazing baby shower and celebrated my grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary. What an amazing thing it must be to have been married to someone for 60 years...and even better that they are still in love with each other, through it all.

Went to visit friends in Santa Fe and Albuquerque and on the way home found out that Bryce's dad had a stroke. Begin "worry time" for Bryce.

AND, found out I was gestational diabetic and started my new diet and checking my sugar 4 times a day.

Sept 2010 - my wonderful personal trainer Keren and other friends threw me a Colorado Baby shower! IT was so fun!!

Moved Bryce's dad up to Colorado to do his rehab in-patient at Memorial Hospital. We would spend the next 2 months willing him into shape. And he had some amazing therapists and nurses up there!

October 2010 - Moved Bryce's dad into our home for outpatient Rehab. It was a very stressful time for us. I was VERY pregnant and couldn't help with his dad much at all besides making food for him and making sure he took his meds! His favorite breakfast - a protein/ensure/fruit shake made in my magic bullet! Just blend an Ensure shake and your favorite fruits and ice (or frozen fruit) and "walaa".

Nov 8-12 - Baby time! I will create another post with the birth story, etc, when I have some time.

Riley Rebecca Webster born 11/10/10 at 12:57am - 8lb 4oz and 20 3/4 inches long

We had a really hard first 2 weeks of her life. I will save that for another time.

Thanksgiving - had an amazing time with my Mom, maternal grandparents, Aunt Wanda, my brother and his entire family. They all flew/drove in for the holiday weekend and we just had a blast together.

Dec 2010 - Tried to get some sleep. Had a good first Christmas with friends. Decided to move my Dad from Alabama to Colorado so that he could be near us and meet his baby granddaughter. Set up the trip for Dec 30th, but due to some complications with his oxygen, he couldn't fly in until January 1st.

I will write more later....

I totally forgot I had this blog!

Ok. Skip ahead almost 2 years! It's June 9th, 2010. Now married to Bryce. Baby #1 on the way. I'm 17 weeks preggo - due Nov 15th. Can't wait to see this little one.

I secretly think it's a boy. But we won't know until July 6th. I'll definitely have to blog again then. But if I don't, someone who might actually read this crap should email me and remind me that I have a blog so that I don't waste another 2 years and not update this thing!

Long time, No post!

So I felt I should add a posting tonight!

It's Sunday, I'm getting ready to go to bed (and it's after 10pm WOW).

I started with a personal trainer last week, and it's going well so far. I have to be able to look HOT in Katy's wedding in October in Chapel Hill.

We have bought in to a business.
www.thedenvercichlidarium.com

More updates to that website to come in the next month.
The first shipment of wild caught African Cichlids comes in Thursday!!!

Bryce's new job is going GREAT at Fidelity. I hate my job. So at least one of us is happy!

But if the fish business does well, we can buy land, pay for a nice wedding, and I can start working from home JUST for the business PERMANENTLY!

So that's the latest, I'll try to update this more often!!
Keep in touch. You know where I am. come visit me soon!!
LOVE from Colorado,
Susan

Happy Happy Easter and more!

So, I didn't give up anything for lent this year. And I've been quite a slacker at getting to church services - though I've been to more this year than last year already.

But Easter is Sunday, and though this past week has been hectic and I got laryngitis earlier this week, I feel much better now, and yesterday, Bryce got a job offer!!!

Woo hoo!

So he's given his 2 week notice and then he'll go to work for Fidelity! And it sounds like a much better position with much better perks! So I'm REALLY happy for him!!

Today is a GOOD day.
And tomorrow looks even better!

Today is a New Day

So most everyone knows I've been through a LOT in the last few months.
We lost Bryce's brother Terrence on Febuary 4th. We lost Shadow on March 9th.
So here's my new blog of our new life in Colorado. I say "new" life b/c we'll never be the same again. I'll add some pictures of Terrence and Shadow so you can all see them :)
Check out http://www.brasafund.org/ for information on contributing to a GREAT charity in Memory of Terrence.
(I'll have to think of a new charity in memory of Shadow haha :)