Happy Monday!

Good morning! - Is it morning where you are? well, it's like 5am where I am (in bed - in Utah) and I cant sleep!!! Oh my gosh! This royally stinks and has to stop!

I am expecting some new faces around here today since this will be my first post submitted to Mamavation Monday! So I guess I should start with a little about me...

First! I am not yet a mom (or currently preggers)... a big part of why I am trying to get healthy though is so I can have a healthy first pregnancy and delivery a healthy child, but also so I can keep my family healthy! Nothing makes me more sad and upset than when I see a heavy child... It brings back too many memories of my past that I'd rather forget, so for now I will do what I can to keep me and my wonderful boyfriend healthy {eating right - which means cooking, and exercise... plus emotional health too! can't forget that!!!}

Second; Yes, I did win the Smooth Fitness treadmill giveaway. {Long story:} I was behind, but not by a ton, for the majority of the competition, but Saturday night, as I sat feeling defeated my friends were concocting a plan. To start, I never used twitter before this competition. But I had to find people who did in order to get nominated. So I literally emailed people {who left their email addresses in their blogger profiles} that also used twitter.... That kind of creativity got me over 100 nominations 95% of which we random acts of kindness by complete strangers. I figured if it worked once it should work again... "thanks for the nomination, now please go vote!"... plus I kept emailing strangers... you would not believe the kindness I was shown, by complete strangers!! These people didn't know me! The didn't owe me anything... and yet they were more than willing to vote. All total I think I sent out 1000 emails (yes, individual emails - as to not be AS spammy)... I begged my readers, my FB friends (300+100), my family and my online coupon buddies over at We Use Coupons (great forum btw!)... but by Saturday it still wasn't enough! I was complaining to a few friends from back east (where I went to college) and they knocked me on the head with a big "DUH! why didn't I think of that!" I went to a school where EVERYONE was required to get an IBM laptop.... there was a campus full of voters! Okay, well summer school kids that all live in the same dorm {Did I mention I was an RA? so of course the current RA was a friend}... plus another friend of mine scoured NYU university for computers to vote... That and reminding people to revote 24hrs later too.... It was insane, but we pulled it off. We got creative!

Anywho...

This last week was a great one for me... aside from the Drama... I kept every promise, managed to bike 10 miles on an upright bike in 29:49 which is my best yet and I lost 6.8lbs! I went from 179lbs last week to 172.2! Oh man! I also was able to finally fit into a pair of American Eagle Jeans I had been holding on to for a year!

A few things for this week:

1. New weight mini-goal is 165lbs

2. I realized that when I drink soda I don't get as much water, so I decided that I will only have some AFTER work on the days that I am not going to the gym twice.

3. Gym at lunch will continue, Gym after work will be added --> my grandma needs a fitness buddy and it wouldn't hurt to sneak in another 90 mins of cardio.

4. Stick to my diet through next weekend as well... like I said, weekends are the toughest!


P.s. I am currently awake because I am under gobs & gobs of stress... Boyfriend and I decided that we are going to spend the next 6 months living like paupers as much as possible so we can buy house. And when I say we, I mean me... his credit is awful and he is quitting his job by September 1st if not earlier... So I have to polish both of our credit scores until they shine over the next 6 months and save as much as possible... and even then, what we will be able to afford will need A LOT of love {which we're game for}...

AND the reason boyfriend is quitting is so he can go back to school, which starts August 25th... oh and did I mention he hasn't even applied yet? and we don't have a part-time job for him yet... I am sick just thinking about the what-if's.... I have to call and see if they'll take him this late, and if so I'll have to do all his registering and stuff...

AND I have to drive his car to work because he and my grandpa are taking my car to get it all street legal... apparently you have to buy expensive stickers for your licence plates every year or you can get in big trouble? Where in the book of life is that little factoid written? Because I was blindsided! {this is my first car ever - and I've maybe had my licence 2.5 years? Mostly driving other people's cars}

Wishings of luck, words of encouragement, any advice or just friendly "Hello's" are always welcome in the comment box!

BLOGGING CARNIVAL: This week's blogging carnival is sponsored by Lori @gutimom as an Avon Representative. Here is all the swag she is giving away:

Cherry Blossom Naturals Set - $32 full retail value
Shower Gel, Body Lotion, Body Spray, Cosmetic Bag
Haiku Fragrance and Body Set - $49 full retail value
Shower Gel, Body Lotion, Shimmering Body Powder, Roll On Antiperspirant, Perfume
Foot Works Hodge Podge - $33 full retail value
Watermelon Foot Scrub, Spray Gel, Cooling Lotion; Original Conditioning Foot Soak, Exfoliating Bar Soap; Green Tea & Mint Exfoliating Scrub
Advance Techniques Professional Hair Care 2-IN-1 Healthy Shine Shampoo and Conditioner (Daily Results) - $4.00 full retail value
Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus - Expedition Insect Repellent with SPF 30 Sunscreen Spray Pump with Vitamin E (Gentle Breeze) - $14 full retail value
Magix Face Perfecter with SPF 20 (Clear) - $10 full retail value
Spafinder Callous Remover - $10 full retail value
Spafinder Gel Eye Mask - $10 full retail value

These items will be divided up for the Blogging carnival winner AND a winner at Mamavation TV. Thanks Lori for sponsoring with such a great giveaway! I am excited to see how it turns out!