Oregon coast...and Goonies!!!

It's the GOONIES house!!! If you haven't seen the movie Goonies you are missing out! It was one of our favorites when we were growing up and my kids love it too!!!










Me and my little sister, Anna, July 12th at Cannon Beach, OR. I was the MATRON of honor...who wants to be called a matron? YUCK!











Cannon Beach, OR...WOW!

We had such a FANTASTIC time in Oregon last week. It was ALOT of hours in the car but we split it into 2 days there and 2 days back. Tyler (who is 17) is too cool to hang with his family for a week (and he had football) so he did not go. Rio, Colton, Tessa and I left Tuesday, July 8th in the afternoon and reached Seaside, OR on Wednesday afternoon (we stayed overnight in Le Grande, OR).

We stayed in the cutest little house 2 blocks from the beach at Seaside, OR. Two of my sisters and their families and my mom stayed in the house next to ours and arrived about 15 mintues after we did. My 2 brothers originally were not going to be able to come but at the last minute they both decided to make the trip and they arrived on Friday afternoon. My dad arrived Friday as well and stayed with us. My brothers and their families stayed in the little hotel directly behind the houses we stayed in so we were all right there together (except for Anna, the bride, who stayed in Cannon Beach about 15 minutes away).

So...for Anna's wedding, all five of her siblings, 13 of her 14 neices and nephews and both of our parents were there...it's not often that we are all together in one place let alone for a few days at a time! Four of us and our dad live in Salt Lake; one sister and our mom live in St. George and the other sister lives in Elk Grove, CA (right outside Sacramento).

Anna's wedding on Cannon Beach on Saturday was so beautiful...other than the hike down to the beach (which wasn't as bad as the hike back UP in all that soft sand...talk about a calf workout)! It was a little chilly but it was so much fun we didn't notice too much! My mom and sisters did all the food (fabulous) and Bubba's (the groom) sister Kim did the cake...it was all so fabulous!

Now...for the bad part...I did not do well with my eating while we were gone. I found myself snacking or grazing while traveling (out of boredom) and I ate things like crackers or chips...things I should not be eating. It was very difficult to get all my water in because it's hard to have to pee every five minutes while we are driving down the road (I have the worlds smallest bladder...I swear)!

We were out and about so much with no real schedule that it was hard to stick to an eating schedule and then we ate out alot so sticking to correct portions was hard for me. All in all when I got home and weighed myself I was relieved to discover that I had not gained any weight...but I hadn't lost any either (I've been on a plateau for quite a few weeks now).

Brooke & Megan (my sisters) and I went walking each morning on the promenade by the beach so that was a good thing...it's easier to exercise when it's with someone else. I have since decided that I am going to sign back up for the gym (I lost my membership when I quit my job).

I figured out that a big part of the reason I hate exercise is because I hate to sweat...not because I'm prissy, I just hate the sweating part for some reason. But I do love to swim so I plan to sign up for the gym and do my cardio on the treadmill and then do some swimming each day. It will be nice to take Tessa to the daycare there so I don't have to figure out how to get my exercise in while taking care of her. If we go swimming together I obviously can't leave her alone so I can't swim laps with her there.

I also need to start working on toning up all the parts that are sagging from the weight loss (the bat wings (arms), the butt, the thighs, etc). There is no doubt that I will need plastic surgery on my abdomen...I doubt I will ever be able to tone that all up but I will certainly try to do my best with it over the next 12-18 months before I have any type of surgery. I also need to strengthen my core and my abs to alleviate my back pain. Even though I had surgery almost 5 years ago my back is still not very strong and I have constant pain.

Exercise should also help the depression and negativity issues I have been fighting since I quit my job to stay home full time. It's been more of an adjustment than I thought and I have really been struggling. I need to feel like I am making a difference and so far I don't. But that's just me thinking that I need to move mountains everyday...it doesn't happen and I need to learn to be more accepting of my daily accomplishments and less negative about the things I "think" I should have accomplished each day.

Thank to all of you who support me each and every day. I love you with all my heart!