It’s been awhile

 

I guess I haven’t been very good at keeping up with blogging.

I still follow other blogs but I am guilty of not updating mine.

I am going to try a little harder to update.

I work on a computer all day at work and sometimes it seems that typing

is the last thing I want to do when I get home.

 

I started this blog to weigh in on my life and keep myself accountable and maybe help others along the way.

So I guess it is time to confess that I am guilty of not only weighing in on my blog but also I became guilty of not physically weighing in which resulted in me gaining weight.

I still ate right low fat, high fiber. I just ate too much. I started not writing down what I ate but rather just kept track of it my head. I also cut back on exercise. It got cold out so I quit walking outside and I never started back with my indoor exercise. All this resulted in weight gain. I knew better but I became OK with it.

We all have to have an AH HA moment to wake us up. Mine came in the form of a water park we visited in Wisconsin over Christmas Break. Tim and I were going on a ride that you had to step on a scale before boarding your raft. We easily made the weight but still I saw what Tim and I weighed together and I looked at Tim and said “Man I hope you gained some weight” I mentally figured out how much I had gained since my last encounter with scale.

When we returned home I made myself step on the nasty, mean, white scale in my bathroom and it confirmed what I already knew. I was indeed gaining weight.

I have spent the last 2 and 1/2 months making that needle go down and it is    s----l------o------w------l---------y. But it is going down. I have lost 20 lbs and I have reaquainted myself with Jillian and Leslie. I try to workout everyday. Today I did 4 fast miles with Leslie and then I still walked 2 miles outside with my sis-in-law.

So there you have it. I am weighing in with you again. I‘ll try not to wait so long till the next time and just so this post has a few pics here is a pic of Troy playing the mobster  “Clams Marinara” in the school musical this week, Last performance tomorrow afternoon.

and one from Senior night during football…

 

He is a Senior so this year is filled with so many last times…closing a chapter in his life at AC

He was accepted at Purdue so he will be heading to West Lafayette this fall to begin a new chapter.

So it’s OKAY! Hard to believe I will just have one child left in school ( not counting the 3 in college. Tadd will graduate this May and has accepted a job in Cincinnati  ( another new chapter) He leaves Purdue just as Troy goes.

How did they go from this……..

to this….so fast….

Here is one of Tim and I at the lakes…Wow it really has been a long time since I posted last :)

 

Till next time….

I will try to keep it under 6 months :)

Suz

Happy Birthday Mom! 7/5/2011

 

We light the candles…

We sing…

Blow out the candles… whew! lot of smoke!

Cute group of guys with their Grandma!

(actually the 4 youngest grandkids)

The Couples…

Mike and Shari (the eldest)

Sam (the middle child) and Connie

Tim and Suz ( the sweet baby) :)

The soon to be newlyweds…Chad and Christen

The over a yearly weds…Dan and Caitleigh

The Singles minus Tyler…. Aren’t they so Cute!

Jeff, Ben, Troy

Jay, Matt, Tiffani

Oh here he is :) Tyler with his Great Smile!

You are truly an awesome Mom! We have been so blessed!

We Love you Mom!! Hope your day was great!!!

We missed you Kristen, Amy, Jon, Adia, Jada, Travis and Tadd!!
Can’t hardly wait for the lakes…3 days!

A long past due update

 

Seriously, I think I almost forgot how to post.

It has been awhile, I know

Not sure where to really begin…

I have basically completed my first school year at work.

So many changes this year.

Moved to our temp office last week, Hope to be in our new office by August. I am excited. It is going to be a beautiful office! So worth all the construction.

So many changes since my last post.

My Mother- in- law went to meet Jesus on May 5th. I can rejoice for her.  She has no more pain! We all miss her! Such a huge empty spot in the family.

Really puts life into perspective… Life is short.

Lost weight, gained weight, losing weight again….

Such a vicious cycle!

My kids are all growing up.

Travis is busy working 3 jobs this summer. 3 days a week he lives in Leo.

Tadd is on his 7th week in Burley, Idaho for a college internship…3 weeks to go. :)

Tiffani is working 2 jobs this summer. Loving them both!

Troy…is working some but vacationing more so far.  He just got back from white water rafting with his Sunday school class in West Virginia and then a week at Lake Norris in TN with about 16 other guys. Hard to believe he is going to be a Senior.

Tyler is 15 going on 30.  Today he is working ground. He would live in the Tractor if we’d let him.

I lost my faithful walking partner, One morning Buddy just didn’t wake up.

I was sad to lose him but knew with his age (14) it was inevitable.

I never really post much about Tim, usually because he likes it that way :)

I am really not into gushing a lot. 

But I have to say I have been blessed with a great husband. It always amazes me how different we are. Yet how well our personalities blend to make each other happy. We are so opposite.

He is a man of few words… I am a woman of many.

He thinks before he speaks. I speak then think.

He is very matter a fact. I debate!

Even though we are different we have many similarities…

We love the Lord

We love each other

We love our kids

We love our families

We love our Friends.

Love conquers all and opposites attract…works for us :)

I could go on and on but he would not be thrilled, that is just not him.

I told you we were different.

I think I am safe though because he really doesn’t read my blog.

And really after 4 months I am not sure if anybody does :)

Oh and I went to my first Prom and I got a cute date too!!!

Can you tell who was having more fun? He was such a good sport!

I am sure our kids were thrilled!!

Quite the posers

Very GQ…debonair

HMMM… Don’t mess with these two?

You’re in trouble now…

 

All better

Okay this might be getting slightly carried away!!

Brotherly love!

Have a Great MONDAY!

Suz

Great Expectations

 

I thought I had better blog before it has been a month :)

Whew 2 days to spare!

I think the reason I don’t blog as much is because I have to big of expectations for myself.

I think I have to be clever and witty.

I think I need pictures.

I type and am at the computer a lot at work during the day and just don’t feel like it at night or the weekends.

I have 5 children but they are mostly grown and don’t like being featured on my blog. :)

But today I had an epiphany.

It has to do with faith and my abs.

But really I am getting ahead of myself…

so first an update on my lifestyle/diet

I am relieved /thrilled to inform you I can still be deligent and exercise and eat light. You can eat right and still put on weight.

Today I am on day 31 of the 30 day shred with Jillian. I have only missed one day of Jillian due to giving blood.

They advised nothing to strenuous that day so I did a Leslie Sansone instead that night. This has been quite and accomplishment for me. I really had gotten out of the daily exercise routine.

But I had a goal….

one word……swimsuit

Which I can now say 4 1/2 weeks after trying them on. I can wear my swimsuits again. I won’t win any contests but at least I can get in the pool !!

I have lost 13.5 lbs and I am hoping to at least have 15 off by next Thursday.

I believe it is very doable. ( I would really like 20 off but I will be content with 15-17.)

Let me tell you, this weight has not been easy to lose. But it was really easy to gain. As a matter of fact I gained it while “trying to lose”

Upsetting!! I mean I ate healthy and lowfat and still managed to gain.

Well the 30 day shred has definitely helped to  tighten up some places that needed tightened.

When I work out I can actually feel my abs working….

Which brings me to my epiphany…

My abs are like faith in God…

I can feel their presence and know they are there working with in me,  I just can’t see them.

Oh I know corny, and my son commented “ Oh Mom I hope you aren’t going to put that on your blog” as I was sharing my light bulb moment with him.

but as usual I couldn’t resist.

And for those of you who have encouraged me that I could do this…..

Thanks for confidence and encouragement! It was a real pick me upper!!

Stayed tuned, by next month I am hoping to have a contest but it is just going to have to wait till after Florida! I am not due for another post for at least 4 weeks!

Have a great day!

Susie

Stylish!!

 

Wow! I was awarded this award from my sweet bloggy friend Lisa.

I really don’t deserve it as I have been kind of a loser blogging as of late.

But hey it gives  me a topic to blog about…

So I am all for it!!

Thanks Lisa!!

Here are the Rules for the Stylish Award:
• Make this post and link back to the person who gave the award to me
• Share 7 things about myself

• Award 5 great bloggers

• Contact the bloggers to tell them they've won

Wow! I just realized I am not very interesting. If you really want to read about somebody interesting read Lisa’s  interesting facts.

But I will at least try…

1. When trying to think up something interesting to say I made the mistake of telling Tyler my 14 year old son that I am not interesting…He then encouraged me by saying Mom you could put “I used to weigh 10 hundred pounds” realizing his mistake he quickly added and now you weigh like 100???  Definitely from one extreme to another. But I guess it is sort of interesting that I did lose over 150 pounds and have kept the majority of it off for 3 years.

2. I have lived on the same 1/2 mile of road for 41 of my 42 years of life in 3 different houses. I am really a spread your wings and fly kind of person. Or a really fat bird.

3. After spending most of my school life trying to get out of school as much as I could I now work there with perfect attendance thus far. ( I am taking a day for spring break) But as a sub for 10 years I think I only called in sick once. :)

4. When expecting my second child I visited and iridologist ( I hope that is a natural health person who reads eyes) and was told that I was having a girl and I was very lucky to have had a boy because It was very unlikely I would EVER have another boy. I ended up with 4 boys and 1 girl. Guess she was wrong. Needless to say I haven’t went back. She did add that she is hardly ever wrong but when she is wrong she is completely wrong ??? (I am assuming about that 1 person???) Well guess what when I am wrong which is hardly ever :) I too am completely wrong!!

5. I was engaged at 18, married at 19 and a mother 3 days before my 20th birthday. Engaged October 1987, Married January 1988, New Mom November 29th, 1988.  Then on December 2, 1988 I turned 20.  ( I thought I had better give you the dates for those of you who were trying to add it up!)

6. I came from a family of S’s Shari, Sam and Susie, My husband Tim came from a family of T’s. Tim, Tonia and Trent. We thought it would be nice to continue the tradition plus it made it a lot easier picking out names. So we have Travis, Tadd, Tiffani, Troy and Tyler. Turns out it can be kind of confusing and tongue twisting at times when you add it to our last name Tonner. I really liked the name Tanner but we decided we just couldn’t do that to a kid… Tanner Tonner. .. I thought it would be easy to learn to spell…. Instead he became Tyler.

7. They say that over the years a couple starts to look like each other. I actually see that in a few on my friends. I am afraid that Tim and I will never look alike. We are just way to different to start with… he is a foot taller than me, doesn’t have a weight problem, brown eyed to my blue, dark to my light and quiet to my not quiet. Lucky for us opposites attract.

Real quick I have flipped a car, almost ran over my Dad, won a yodeling contest,went over a ski jump, drove over a mailbox, broke my ankle and leg at Pine Lake which has earned me a steal plate and numerous screws, and was nicknamed “Chuckles” on my High school Basketball team.  Oh and I pretty much have the same hair style as I did in my 7th grade  pic and Senior pic.

See I told you I wasn’t very interesting, just very wordy!

Now for my awards in no particular order…

1. My Niece Amy at Treasures in Jars of Clay

2. Tara  at My Life with 6 boys

3. Julie at Life with the Lehmans

4. Vanessa at Lynndavid

5. Jessica at Fiechter Life

Hopefully you guys all read my blog and are now informed at the honor that I have bestowed on you. I look forward to your interesting facts!!!

Have a great day!

Susie

My Motivation

 

I will keep this short tonight.

After weeks of trying to be faithful and exercise

Be faithful and write everything down that goes in my mouth

At which for weeks I have failed miserably…

I have finally found my motivation…

I tried on my swimsuits for Spring Break…

Lets just say not a pretty sight.

I now have a few options…

1. lose some weight

2. exercise and tone up

3. wear my cover up the entire vacation ( Also known as my back up plan)

4. buy a new suit that makes me feel good  NOT happening, not that I haven’t looked through a few catalogs :)

I am now on day 4 of sticking with my exercise regime, writing down and staying with in my points. I have 5 weeks from today.

Can I do it???

Or will I have to go with option 3?

At least my swimsuit cover up is cute and comfy…

and Black! Black is slenderizing you know

Time will tell!

What motivates you?

Suz

Random

Well we had 3 marvelous snow days!!

But I fear they are over now.

But then again tomorrow is Friday and I love Fridays!!!

I love snow days, I always have but since I started working full time

I have a new appreciation for them.

Here are a few pics from the last few days.

Driveway clean up

We don’t mess around… tractor and blade also got in on the action.

Troy is moving cars to clean the parking area, very appropriately dressed for the weather. HA

He was having a hard time… Tiffs car was stuck on an ice patch.

I changed my calendar… I think I am going to love February!

January was sort of hard on me!

I worked out every day with Leslie ( Leslie Sansone DVD’s)

I have been enjoying a new favorite…

Been cooking Healthy and low fat.

I know it looks disgusting but it is delicious….

red peppers, onions, fresh mushrooms, egg whites, potatoes

Tiff made it into a smiley face!

I decided if we were cancelled today I would make the blanket that I have had material sitting in my closet for about 8 months.

I got the fleece on sale so I decided to make a 3 yd one for Tim.

Just took me a while.

Here it is cut and I started tying corners

This is what the corners look like before I tie them. Some people cut the corners out. I prefer to angle them out.

This blanket went fast.

I think I was done in about 90 minutes.

Finished!

And Folded! So Soft!

Don’t worry I have goofed off plenty the last 3 days…

I just finished book 3 and started book 4. Nothing beats a good book , a fleece blanket, a glass of Sprite Zero and a bowl of popcorn on a snow day!

Life is good!!

Suz