Fabulous Friday!

Happy Friday Everyone! It's here - another edition of Fabulous Friday! A highlight of all things fabulous that I've stumbled across over the course of this week (in no particular order, of course!) or even fond memories I have stored in my brain.

In a little over a week, Mr. Potts & I will celebrate one year of marriage. What a whirlwind year we've had.

I wanted to share two of my favorite pictures from our wedding. This first one is so me. I am so easily excited & love the little things. The happiness just burst out of me this day. You can see my niece in the background - we had just had our first kiss & she was giggling over it.
My love. I was just so excited & couldn't quit smooching him.
You'll probably have a bit more wedding ooey-gooey in the next few days leading up to our anniversary.

Back to normally scheduled programming....

I've been trying to talk Mr. Potts into a new coat for winter. He made a very valid point when I told him I needed one. He reminded me that since I've been losing weight, my older coats fit now. Boys. What can I say?

I've spotted these two coats at Nordstrom.

This coat looks similar to a shorter red wool peacoat I have. They have it in both black & winter white. I'm thinking the black would be easier for my traveling. It looks a little more lightweight than what I'm looking for. What do you think?I LOVE the asymmetrical ruffle on this Tahari coat. The fit, the color (prune), the model's makeup...wait, that doesn't come with it??


I'm on the prowl for some pumps for work. I work in a more conservative office, but still love a great pair of shoes. I've found these that I'm thinking about (all shoes from Nordstrom).

What do you think? Do you love any of these? Should I keep looking?
What have been your fabulous finds this week?

Taking Care

There are so many things that we take care of. Big things and small things. Life changing things and little, every day occurrences.

Big Things include, but are not limited to:

• Mr. Potts
• Our family (parents, nieces, nephews, brothers & sisters)
  
• My health (including my exercising habits, eating habits & overall well-being)

The small thing that is really a BIG thing for me is My TEETH. If you had asked me 5 or 6 years ago if my teeth were a big thing or a small thing, I would have told you small, definitely. You see, back then, I was a vigilant brusher & mouthwash user, but that's about it.

As a teenager, I had braces twice. Twice because I lost too many retainers after my first go round. My mom made me dumpster dive once for a retainer I had thrown away at lunch. Traumatic I tell you. And no, I did not find the retainer.After my second go-round with braces my mom decided that a permanent retainer was the best option for me. You know, so I couldn't lose them again. While it made sense, it was not the best option for me for two reasons.

1. My teeth are small and the retainer held them tightly in place.
   
2. The teeth being so tightly in place made it super hard to floss my front bottom teeth.

Flash forward a few years from the permanent retainer installation. I was in my early 20's and had gone to a dentist for a routine cleaning. He was the roughest dentist I've ever seen. He made all my gums bleed (which I know is a sign of gum issues - smacks head now) and my teeth ached for days.
That night after my cleaning, I was brushing my teeth and getting ready for bed when all of a sudden I hear a pop in my mouth. I did what most normal people would do & pulled the toothbrush out, spit in the sink & then felt around with my tongue. I was promptly poked in the tongue with something that felt like a needle.

Opening wide I poked around in there only to find that the permanent retainer was not so permanent. The dentist had been so rough that he broke the cement holding my retainer in place. I had a piece of wire hanging off of the back of my tooth & no way to remove it until morning.

I poked my tongue all night and every time I did, I cursed that dentist. The next day he removed the broken wire. I was scarred for life. Ok, maybe not for life, but still!

I didn't go to another dentist for a few years. Maybe I was in denial, but then again, I hated the thought of going through that again.

I moved back to Charlotte several years later & went to visit my Orthodontist. Who promptly told me that I needed to see a dentist asap. He even thought I may need to see a periodontist. Because, you see, in my years of negligence, I had damaged my mouth.

I had receding gums that were so bad they needed tissue grafting (thank me later that the link did not contain pictures!). I went to the periodontist in tears and he assured me that I wouldn't lose my teeth, but that I did need surgery. He told me I had the option of having them prescribe me a Valium before the surgeries, that I would be awake for them, but just relaxed. I asked him if there was another option - no way would I want to be awake! They could anesthetize me? SOLD!! Sign me up!

Two grafting surguries later, I have sufficient gum coverage to keep my teeth healthy and intact.

I also am the Queen of Teeth. I brush with my Sonicare & spend extra time around problem areas. I floss twice a day with a special thick floss that gets them all clean. I brush at work twice a day (gently!) to remove any food & coffee stains (I'm a bit vain about my teeth now, they have to look good!). And I go three times a year to my periodontist for cleaning & exams.Is it worth it to take care of your teeth now? Absolutely! I hated going through those surgeries & the recovery that was involved. Besides, who wants to picture themselves as toothless? I picked a picture of a child from Google images because the ones of adults were just scary!Note: All pictures courtesy of Google Images.

Wishful Wednesday

Welcome to another edition of Wishful Wednesday, brought to you by Kelsey over at The Seattle Smith's. If you haven't joined in the fun, head over there & check out Kelsey and her fabulous blog!I wish I were six years old and going trick or treating...this Renaissance Damsel would be my costume!Growing up with a single mom and a little brother, I didn't have the experience of my mom spending tons of money on costumes. We were very creative and had great costumes, but they were usually home made.

One year I was a witch. I had a long black wig & long fake nails & my mom was super with the makeup. Too bad my nails were the old school fakes & when I started messing with them they came right off!

I would pick to be a cute little damsel in an awesome dress. Even now I love to dress up & get pretty, so you can imagine that as a young child, I had the same ideas.

Pretty dress? Check!
Fabulous tiara? Check!
Special wand with a crown? Check!

What would you be if you were 6?

Tuesday's Traveler

The majority of my professional career has been as a frequent traveler, a Road Warrior if you will. With all the travel I've had in the past few weeks, I thought I'd bring back Tuesday's Traveler and share some travel tips with you.

Last time I shared how I managed to stay on track with eating & Weight Watchers while traveling. This time I thought I'd share some tips that will help you travel a bit easier, smarter if you will.

Booking your ticket

When booking your ticket, make sure you get the best seat in the house. Those in the know research their trips and seat maps on Seat Guru. This site allows you to plug in the information on the airline you're flying and the type of plane and pick the best seat.

If you're flying USAir on an Airbus A319, would you know that your best seat (unless you're flying first class, which let's face it - only happens if you pay for it [like whoa!] or are a frequent flyer with high status) is seat 10A or 10F? Why is that the best seat on the plane? There isn't an actual seat in front of you. That’s right, no 9A or 9F which gives you extra leg room to stretch.

Now, granted, on most major airlines you'll pay an extra bit of money ($10 - $15) for these "premium" seats (i.e. exit row) but if you're on a 3+ hour flight, would it be worth it? To me it would!

My other consideration when flying is departure times. I don’t like to deal with huge crowds if I can avoid it. My patience wears thin and instead of being gracious, I tend to snarl at people when they cut me off.

If you can pick your departure time & are not on a tight schedule, try to fly after 9am and before 3:30pm. Any business travelers will have already flown and the lines at the airport won’t be as busy.

Packing your bags

Wondering how to get by without your favorite products if you’re carrying on your luggage? The good news is that you don’t have to. Most companies produce small, travel size products now. If yours doesn’t, stop by your local drugstore and look for the small, three ounce bottles. You can fill these up with your must haves.

If you use a deep conditioner & don’t want to go without it, pick up a contact case. A “serving size” of your conditioner will fit into each pocket and you’ll be assured of not using too much.

Take a good look at what you’ve packed. Are there things that could work double duty so I have to pack less? The less I pack means more room for bringing things back. You know, like new sweaters, new skirts, new tops, new jackets…you know, shopping!

Packing less also means that your bag is easier to hoist into an overhead. I’ve seen way too many women who teeter in high heels trying to get a bag into the overhead that is clearly too heavy for them to lift. It is usually women as men are typically taller & stronger – easier for them to reach the overhead.

A Must Have

One thing I always advocate is packing a pair of slippers. They don’t have to be luxurious, any pair will do. Why slippers? Here’s the thing, ladies. We all know how clean we keep our homes – to the level we’re comfortable with. What you don’t know is how clean other people keep their homes. And hotels? Forget about it!

I won’t walk barefoot in a hotel. Ever. I used to work for a clean home company and the knowledge I gained is enough to scare you clean. Seriously. You don’t know what other people do in hotels & you don’t know the standards of cleanliness. I’ve found cracker crumbs in corners before. I don’t eat crackers.

Ever looked in a hotel bathroom? I look at the grout. They’re all tiled, but look under the sink where no one ever stands & compare the color of the grout there to that in front of the sink. I guarantee once you do you’ll line the floor with towels just like me.

Tuesday’s Traveler

I’ve been traveling so long I usually hit the highest preferred level in my frequent “traveler” programs which lends itself to an insane knowledge of how to travel smartly. I also have airport codes memorized – makes me useful in games that test your knowledge of that.

For the moment, I’m happy to be home and not in a hotel or an airport. If you have questions about traveling and how to make it easier, let me know & I’ll include them in another edition.

The Dress Was Perfect or A Wedding Recap

Mr. Potts and I had a wonderful time at the wedding we went to. The dress was perfect. Looking at the pictures that we took, I can tell that I've lost some weight, but that I still have more to lose.

The wedding was held at on of the couple's friend's houses and WOW what a house. You can see the back of it in the first picture below.

The left side of the house is a Mother in Law suite, with an outdoor living area below and a wine cellar built into a basement. The main house is in the middle while their three teenage boys share the "wing" to the right.

AMAZING house. The kitchen was so big I could cook and bake to my heart's content & then roll out a cot for a nap.

I tried to make sure I got some pictures at the beginning of the night before we managed to get the "bar" pictures. You know the ones - there are so many drinks & bottles around that it looks like you've taken over a bar for picture time.

Sad story. The bow on the dress was a clip & it wouldn't stay fastened. By the end of the night I had pinned it to my bag (I need a new black clutch - the one I carried was a hand-me-down & I don't really like it all that much) so that I wouldn't lose it. Sunday morning rolled around & the pin was gone. Probably in the back of the cab that we took home.

Sigh - I really liked how that worked with the dress too.

Super fun weekend! What did you get in to?

A Wedding Story

Mr. Potts and I have a wedding to attend tonight. Two very dear friends are tying the knot and we are so happy to celebrate with them. They are two very special people who found each other after both of them had been in the wrong marriages/relationships.

I'm going to wear the dress that I wore for our rehearsal dinner when we got married almost a year ago. Happy news - I tried it on this morning to make sure everything was ok (do you all do this?) and that it fit.

I was so happy to realize that not only does it fit & there aren't any rips or snags (it's a silk) but it fits BETTER than it did almost a year ago. I now weigh less than I did when we got married! Isn't it absolutely gorgeous?When I found it a year ago I knew it was the perfect dress for our rehearsal dinner. It was being held in a beautiful restaurant with views of the Charlotte skyline and was hosted by my future Father in Law and Stepmother in Law (is that even a term?).

The day of the rehearsal arrived and was going smoothly. The rehearsal went well and we were off to the dinner location. Mr. Potts surprised me with the ring and earrings he gave me for a wedding present and I gave him his watch.Dinner was fabulous - all of our favorite people were there and we were having a great time. I sat down mid-dinner to chat with my Matron of Honor and all of a sudden began to choke.

The next thing I knew, everyone was staring at me and someone's arms were around my waist and it was not Mr. Potts.

I definitely had choked and someone had to perform the Heimlich maneuver so that I didn't die. I had blacked out it had gone so far and from what I was told, I was super pale and completely limp - definitely out.

Mr. Potts saw what was happening and one of my bridesmaid's dates pulled me to a standing position while one of Mr. Potts' groomsmen leaped over the table to perform the Heimlich. My hero for the weekend!

Scary, huh? We joke now that had I died, my Father in Law would have refused to pay the bill. And probably sued. He is a lawyer, after all.

But I didn't die. I did get married. I am living an amazing life with Mr. Potts.

I also have this beautiful dress hanging in my closet waiting for an opportunity to shine. Not as the dress I almost died in. But as the dress that I look great in.

Here's to the dress. And let's hope it isn't jinxed!

Fabulous Friday!

Don't we all love weekends, especially Fridays? Fridays hold such a great appeal, poised on the edge of greatness. Greatness comes in all forms.

Beautiful Fall afternoons spent at the park with Hayden, Mr. Potts, a blanket & a secret carry case of wine. Rainy Sundays cozied up under a fuzzy blanket watching movies. Cool Friday evenings with our favorite carry out. Late Saturday afternoon drinks on an open patio with friends. Greatness in some of its many forms.

Thinking about all the fabulous times that Mr. Potts and I have shared made me a bit nostalgic. It could also have something to do with a long 4+ hour drive from Burlington, VT to Portland, ME. It could be riding the escalator down to the baggage claim at the Charlotte airport and remembering one of my favorite memories with Mr. Potts.

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that we're coming up on our first wedding anniversary. In a little over two weeks we'll have been married a year.

So, switching up my Fabulous Friday just a bit, I thought I'd share this fabulous memory of Mr. Potts. It's one of my favorites, but also one of my first.

The Background

I used to travel a LOT for my job. It was so bad that the joke of my department was that I was on the road 54 weeks of the year. Get it? Not funny. It was heartbreakingly exhausting.

Mr. Potts and I started dating while I was still with that job. I was gone during the week & home on weekends. It may have actually been a good thing, since we were able to get to know each other without becoming that annoying couple that is always together.

The Trip

It was winter and I had been somewhere cold. I remember that it was a cold trip since I had checked my luggage. Now, most of you may not know this, but I am the queen of packing for a trip. I’m also the queen of the airport – at least in my own head.

I know how to navigate through security without holding people up. I pack a little pair of socks to slip on so I don’t have to walk barefoot. I know which places take Am Ex so I can get a snack to bring on the plane.

I also know how to pack so that I never have to check luggage, unless I’ll be gone for a while to a cold location & will need heavy sweaters & a big coat. That practically guarantees I’ll be checking luggage.

This is how I know it was a winter trip. I was exhausted. I had flown somewhere the beginning of the week, worked my tail off, worked at night and then flown home on a Friday afternoon flight.

Mr. Potts and I had plans for the weekend. Nothing big, still low-key (remember, we’d just started dating). I called him when I was getting ready to depart to let him know I was leaving. “Sounds good,” he probably said, “Call me when you land.”

Inevitably, my flight was delayed. As it always is when its winter & you’re flying later in the day. We circled. And circled some more. Finally, we landed. About 2 hours later than scheduled. Exhausted, I called Mr. Potts to let him know I had landed.

I made my way through the crowds (I can navigate those also – always gracious when people cut me off or stop right in front of me for no reason) to the escalator to claim my bag.

As the escalator takes me down to the baggage claim I see Mr. Potts standing there. Waiting for me. With a bouquet of flowers. I think I may have cried, but only because I was so tired, you know.

He told me that he had missed me. He told me he wanted to make me smile in the airport. He told me he knew I’d be tired and wanted to give me a hug as soon as possible.

I knew I had something special standing in front of me and that I had better not mess it up.

Love you Mr. Potts!

New Orleans picture - Mr. Potts' first trip.

Wishful Thursday

From Kelsey over at The Seattle Smith's comes Wishful Wednesday. If you haven't checked it out yet, you should head over there. Even if I am a day late. Hey, I had a GREAT excuse!!

"'I wish'....I was going on vacation tomorrow and going to Bali." Really, really, I wish I were!! Specifically, one of the Over Water Bungalow Resorts!

I can't say enough how much I'd love to be there right now. Instead, I'll share the pictures with you & let them speak for themselves.

Workout Wednesday - Part II

I was so honored when Brittany of Living in the Moment asked me to do a guest post for her Workout Wednesday edition. At first I thought that she was joking. I thought, "Me? Why me? I'm not doing anything super special." Then the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I am doing like so many of you are. Making changes, making choices and doing my best. I also realized that I had to include two bloggers I follow who are making the same hard changes and choices, Brown Eyed Girl (b.e.g.) and Kassandra.

So, for you, the second part of Workout Wednesday.

Little Changes

While I would love to have fried chicken (have I ever mentioned I make great fried chicken?) I know it is not the best choice for me. I've learned to make an oven baked "fried" chicken instead. I love it.

Kassandra told me that she loves chicken. As she put it, you can do so many things with a chicken breast for only 100 calories. Using a crock-pot she can cook it add all kinds of sauces or marinades for next to no calories and make all kinds of good meals with it, whether it be a breast of chicken by itself, or with pasta, or in a salad its always wonderful and full of protein!

b.e.g. has been using the Weight Watchers Essentials book and using their modified recipes. Making slight changes such as using skim milk, reduced fat cheese, and whole grain pasta, and portioning out a single serving has helped her to indulge but without the guilt!

This is such a great way to make the little changes that will add up! I love the Cooking Light cookbooks & magazines. With the nutritional value it is easy to figure my points for the meal.

"But what about desserts," you may be asking. I love fresh fruit. Give me strawberries, blueberries, mangos, apples (but only Granny Smith!), really any kind of fruit. I can top a large spoonful of frozen yogurt or regular yogurt with the fruit & have a healthy dessert.

b.e.g. loves the Betty Crocker Warm Delights, the mini bowls, for 150 calories or 3 points, her chocolate cravings are kicked to the curb! While she's going for the chocolate, Kassandra is enjoying frozen yogurt. She stumbled upon Incredible Yogurt one day when she wanted ice cream. She hadn't gone there a lot in the past but figured that yogurt is better for you so she might as well check it out. They vary from 25 all they way down to 7 calories an ounce so she can get a small 7 calorie and ounce for 35 calories, and its yummy too!

Set Goals

Before starting a big program focus on both your BIG and small goals. Ask yourself what motivates you. Kassandra had a great point when she noted that so often we think, "I wanna lose weight to prove a person wrong who didn't think I could do it or to fit in a certain pair of pants or size." While those are great motivators, they shouldn't be your only goals.

Mr. Potts and I often say, "Go Big or Go Home." This applies here - Think Big. Set Goals that will still be important to you 6 months, a year, 5 years from now. For Kassandra, that sometimes means she has to be harsh and say "Kassey, you want that cheeseburger or do you want a baby in 10 yrs or so??". "Kassey is sitting on your butt not worth ever getting your dream husband or job, because you were too careless to take of yourself?"

As harsh at it seemed those were "BIG" things to her and things that were not worth giving up for food, because she reminds herself that this is a long process, so you have to have big long term goals.

Commit

Small word, big meaning. You have to commit to this. Not just to losing weight & looking better, not just to losing weight and fitting into your favorite pair of jeans (yay me), but to making a lifetime change. This is a change where you amy have to sometimes pick the grilled chicken salad instead of the Reuben & onion rings you really want.

This change may involve going to the gym 5 nights a week & putting yourself through a Boot Camp style class (I die!!) or a spinning class (good for you Kassandra!). This change may be about learning to run to complete a 5K (go b.e.g.!).

This change is about commiting to yourself. To commiting to your health. To commiting to you.

And in the end, aren't you worth it?

Rural Areas - Interesting

Driving through New Hampshire yesterday into Vermont, I noticed several interesting things that I knew I'd have to share with you. Having driven through some of these rural areas before, I've seen these signs, I somehow just managed to forget about them.

The first one I saw as things started getting rural was the bear crossing sign. When you see this, it always gives you pause. I'm used to the cute little deer crossing signs - although, if I were to have one trample me & my car, I'm sure I wouldn't think it quite so cute.

Next up? Snowmobile crossing. Now, I know these areas get a lot of snow, but shouldn't snowmobilers be held to the same traffic laws? You know, like not crossing an interstate without looking both ways first??
Lastly? Moose crossing. I've been warned about the moose. I've been told that if I see one, I should do my best to avoid it. If I see it before I hit it. I love the optimism that some people have!

The other interesting thing about the interstates here is the lack of description on your exit signs. You tell me there's food, gas, phone & (sometimes [I'm assuming it's weather dependent] camping). Great! But how do I know what kind of food?? False advertising, I tell you!! My stomach is going a mile a minute. I guess I'll pull off here. What, the nearest food is 2 miles down the road & I don't know what it is? Yep, getting back on the interstate. Next exit - same thing. No signs telling me what there will be to eat.

I decided to finally just bite the bullet and go for it. I was starving. I was thirsty. And I had to go to the bathroom! I drove 1 mile down the road to find a gas station & a diner that was closed. After asking in the gas station, I found that my options were a local pizza place, Chinese food (hello sodium) and a sub shop. I settled on the sub shop, which was a cute little diner type place. I asked for a piece of grilled chicken with some peppers and onions and a slice of provolone. No telling exactly how healthy that was, but it was good - not usually a good indicator!

Back up in New England for the remainder of the week & already looking forward to coming home.

I'll have a guest post over at Brittany Ann's Living in the Moment tomorrow - make sure to stop by.

Happy Tuesday!!

Pumpkin Picking Success

Our afternoon at the pumpkin patch turned out really well. The kids had a great time and while we may have been freezing, it was fun. Both my Sweet Niece & Precious Nephew were excited to find their perfect pumpkins.

Sweet Niece posed immediately. Wonder who she gets that from?
Precious Nephew has a teddy bear harness. He LOVES that thing & it's quite handy - he's fast! He loves Uncle Mr. Potts! Mr. Potts kept a good hold on the bear's tail.
Sweet Niece found the first pumpkin. I can't get over how big she is getting!
They both wanted to pull the wagon.
When it got full, Precious Nephew needed a little help & Sweet Niece was right there to volunteer!

I'm getting ready to head to the airport. I'm off to New England for the week. Will be in Burlington, VT and Portland, ME. Should be super cold!! Wish me Warm!!

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend!

To the pumpkin patch for pumpkin pickin' with the munchkins!

Aren't you all glad it's Saturday? Mr. Potts and I have a busy day planned. We're heading to my mom's to get the munchkins and take them to a pumpkin patch to pick pumpkins! We did this last year and they started asking about a week ago if we were going to the pumpkin patch this year.

We'll be taking these two precious little ones (seen below with Hayd dog [their name for her]) for an afternoon of pumpkin picking and all the fun that goes along with that.
Hope you all will have a wonderful weekend!!

Fabulous Friday!

Happy Friday Everyone! It's here - another edition of Fabulous Friday! A highlight of all things fabulous that I've stumbled across over the course of this week (in no particular order, of course!).

I'm going to start out today with a fellow blogger (whom I consider my friend, even though we've never met IRL) who amazes me with her courage to share things, her baking skills and her ability to deal with her in-laws. If you haven't been over to Brown Eyed Girl's blog, you must go. Go now!

I'm currently dealing with just nasty allergies. Some as a result of being in New England & it being different from what I'm used to, some from traveling & being worn out & some from my regular allergies. It's managed to turn into a chest cold & cough drops are my friend. I love the Honey Lemon with Echinacea Ricola cough drops. My friends, if you are sick and need cough drops, pick some of these up. I normally can't stand the taste of regular cough drops, but these are wonderful!
I'm currently in a sweater state of mind. This may last for a while, especially since the weather here this winter is supposed to be worse than usual. I'm really loving the following sweaters from Ann Taylor Loft. I think part of my obsession with sweaters is that I feel yucky & all I want right now is warm, cozy, yummy sweaters.


Last night I had my very first cup of hot chocolate. I adore hot chocolate, especially in the winter & something about that first cup is always so good!
I hope you'll all have a Fabulous Friday and an even better weekend! What have you found fabulous this week?

Kreativ Blogger

Does anyone else have an overwhelming urge to fix things like my title when you know it is badly misspelled? I can't help myself. OCD much?

I digress.

Kelly over at Part of Life is Having a Good Ponytail (wouldn't you all agree that the title of her blog is absolutely true? I mean, I have a widow's peak & two [yes two!] cowlicks and hair that frizzes a little in humidity. I don't know that I've ever rocked a fab ponytail for a full day without some sort of hair help.) awarded me the Kreativ Blogger award. Now, she totally broke the rules and didn't post them. This seems pretty self explanatory, so I'm following her lead!
So, seven things you may not necessarily know (or want to know) about me.

1. I have a widow's peak & two cowlicks (I know I just shared that, but c'mon! 7 things you don't know about me is kind of difficult!). This causes a few issues for me. I can never part my hair in the middle - which isn't so bad considering it is 2009, not 1967. I tend to have "lift" around my face where my cowlicks are - good for keeping it from getting flat, not so great for ponytails.
2. I don't own a scale. Mr. Potts agreed to buy one & the only reason I want one in the house is so that I can weigh myself regularly for Weight Watchers. If I don't get to the gym or the hotel doesn't have one, I have no idea what my weight is & I'm supposed to track this once a week. Frustration! Would you get one that measures body fat or do you think that's a total scam?
3. If you put a strawberry cupcake with a rich vanilla icing in front of me I'd have no willpower (well, I might now, but that's debatable). However, if you put a chocolate one in front of me, I'd have no problem walking away from it. Yep, not a big fan of chocolate. Except in very small doses.
4. I make the best stuffing for Thanksgiving/Christmas/Holidays & am super excited to be able to make it this year at my in-laws. Mr. Potts' Meme (Grandmother) agreed that I could make it this year. Yay!
   
5. I am trying to become more patient. This is really hard for me, since I'm just naturally NOT. But I'm trying!
6. I used to pick my toenails (usually stress related & NO they never went near my mouth [I have known people like that {which is why we're no longer friends!} which is just gross]) but I've made a conscious effort not to & now my 10 little piggies have toenails. Real ones!! My own! How'd you like the use of those parenthesis? And aren't you thankful I didn't find a picture of feet?
   
7. I need new pans. I want really good non-stick ones. If you have suggestions I'd love to hear them. I've bought Calphalon non-stick in the past & they didn't last.

So now, I need to pass this on, but I'm not sure who has gotten it or not. So, I'm giving it to all of you who would like to do this!

And if you have suggestions about scales, non-stick pans or how to become more patient, please let me know.

Wishful Wednesday

Welcome to another edition of Wishful Wednesday, brought to you by Kelsey over at The Seattle Smith's.

I wish... I had one particular talent and it would be to run gracefully.

I'm not really sure that this would be a talent, but it is the only thing that popped into my head. Have you ever seen the episode of Friends where Phoebe is running? You know, her arms & legs are all over the place? I feel like that when I run. I don't look like an antelope, but more like a rhinoceros running.

In addition to the whole awkwardness, I can't breathe. I have tried so many different methods of breathing & I can't do it. My legs aren't tired, but I feel like I can't draw a breath. Any suggestions?

If you could have a particular talent, what would you wish for?

Tuesday's Traveler

The past two weeks have been such a whirlwind of activity - off to New England, delivering facilitated sessions, back home, off to Virginia...phew - I'm tired! There are a few things I'd like to share with you today - Tuesday's Traveler. Depending on my traveling schedule, you may see this a few times.

While I was traveling, I managed to stick with my eating ("Weight Watchers Points Counting" is what it really should be called) and exercise goals. I thought today would be a good day to share them with you - they're fairly simple & work whether you're counting points or simply keeping up with good habits.

1. Check out the hotel before you book it. See if their hotel gym or pool is something that you can use. If I have options that are within $10-$15 of each other, I try to choose the hotel that has the best cardio equipment - this would probably include free weights and a bench as well. If you don't have that option, pick one that has a decent gym/pool & pack an exercise video and exercise bands for use when you don't use the gym.
2. USE the hotel gym. This sounds simple right? You wouldn't believe the number of times I've never had a problem getting on a treadmill or elliptical as no one ever is in there. When you get back to your hotel, instead of changing & watching TV, pull out your workout gear, change & head downstairs. If you're a cardio person, you can park yourself on a treadmill, watch your favorite Food Network shows (Giada, Barefoot Contessa & the Neeley's) and feel virtuous while watching them fix something super yummy. Just make sure to concentrate on your speed/incline & mix it up.
3. If you're a member of a gym where you live, see if there is one local to where you're traveling & see what their guest policy is. I'm a member of the YMCA & I'm able to head to Y's all over the country & typically work out for free. This is especially helpful if you're a cardio class fan. You may not find Cardio Sculpt with Desiree (if you're in Charlotte & looking for a hard core workout - this is your class! [Actually, anything taught by Desiree is tough]) but you're sure to find something that will get your heart rate up & moving.
4. Check out restaurant menus online. This is a great way to plan what you're going to eat. I look at calories, fat, fiber & sodium. Sodium is a big one for me due to the fact that I swell up like a sausage. Once you plan what you're going to eat, stick with it! Don't let a waiter suck you into the specials - usually loaded with sodium, butter & fat.
   
5. Just because a restaurant has a dessert menu does not mean you need to order from it. Dessert typically = high calories & high fat. No bang for your buck. However, if you need to treat yourself after a super long week & they have your absolute favorite dish, order it, but only take a few bites & then ask to have it taken away. Same thing goes for bread on the table. Have a piece & be done or ask them not to bring it.

Following these things has really helped me stay consistent in my goals. In addition, I feel better because I'm not all bloated & tired and the exercise helps my legs feel better after flying & standing so much.

Do you have any tips for me for traveling & keeping up with my goals?