Week 6 Results

Good Morning everyone!! Wanted to post week 6 results, these were done on Friday..sorry for the delay..will do better from now on!! Well, as you can see the weight loss has stabilized but what continues to be amazing is the loss of inches..5 more inches lost in a period of 2 weeks...(18.5 inches in 6 weeks)...and this is pretty much eating what I want when I eat my meal, I of course still follow my 2 Herbalife shakes a day, along with a protein bar for 1 of my snacks..have also gotten back into a pretty strict workout routiene, about an hour and a half every morning. My running ability is definantly nothing to jump up and down about as I tend to be a bit on the slow side but steady..but with drinking a shake..with protien powder added (of course) I can now run close to 5 km without stopping, before I was lucky to squeek out between 3 and 4 so I am happy about the increase in endurance for sure!! Today starts a 30 day 30 Lunges a Day Challenge and then on April 1st I will throw in 2 more challenges..30 Day Burpees and 30 Days of Super Planks..for those of you who are not familiar..lets just say I am ready to increase my level of fitness by about 25%..as the planks alone will be kicking my butt!! But one thing I know for sure..with my awesome Herbalife nutrition lifestyle I will be able to do all of it because of the way my body functions now..so much better than 6 short weeks ago..what started as I want to get rid of a few pounds has turned into a habit, a must have..now I could not imagine starting a day without my shake and supplements!! So..time to hit the treadmill..would love to take it outdoors but it has been storming here for about 3 days straight..it eventually has to end though right?? I wish you all a wonderful, energy filled, blessed week!!

                                           Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues 
                                    with songs of joy.                      -Psalm 126:2

Eating well, self discovery and feeling awesome in my skin!!

 Good Morning all!! With all that has been going on..4 year anniversary, Max's diagnosis, changing my Master's focus, making the decision to be a housewife vs focusing on my career..(good thing as it took tons of stress off of my marriage)...basically climbing down out a pile of stress and anxiety that had been building for years now..I realized that I completely forgot to do my week 5 weigh in and measurements..sorry for that but the results of all of this change have been amazing otherwise..I am no longer fighting an up hill battle to maintain my American lifestyle in Germany..and for the acceptance by the majority of people here..well, lets just say I have better things to focus on. Now that I have come to fully understand all of this and have begun to cut things out of my life and realized that all of that other stuff really doesn't matter as long as my marriage is healthy, my kids are safe, and the people who need to be in our lives are..I must say..I never in my wildest dreams would have expected to experience the discrimination that I have experienced here..but, not all of it has been bad for me..it has opened my eyes to a lot of things, has given me a heck of a lot of insite to my own personality, morals, and beliefs..not to mention personal determination and inner strength that I, (even though I have lived through some crap before)..was not so sure I had in me..and even though I have choosen to no longer beat my head against a brick wall..or a door that just needs to be and remain closed...most of the time dragging my husband with me..I have come out with a clearer focus of what is important and sense of calm as I have never felt before..and we are better for these changes.

And so you ask..what does all of this rambling have to do with all of this wonderful food and healthiness in the pics included?? Because it has to do with being healthy inside and out, doing what you are passionate about, making a positive impact in the world around you and not remaining caught up in the hamster wheel of what everyone else expects from you..don't hear me wrong here, we all have have to abide by the rules and regulations of society, most of us have to work, we all have to responsibility after about the age of 3 to be responsible, well behaved human beings that play well with others and share our toys..but I am talking about the sense of passion and freedom that can come after we have spent a few decades on this earth..after we have gone to school, had a career, raised our kids to adulthood..and hoped for the best..These things don't have to huge..or even large..for 
getting a degree for the fun of it..in something you are really interested in, learning a second, 3rd, or even 4th language, traveling or just exploring the town in which you live, taking pictures of the budding flowers and trees of spring, cuddling wth your dog, cat, goldfish..okay..that I wouldn't recommend..but you get my drift..planting a rosebush, creating..creating anything..be it with paint, stones, fabric, plants, or food!!
My creative outlet for the week has found it's way into the kitchen..I have baked, found new recipes, spent hours in the grocery store looking for new ingrediants that I had never before used..such as Gorgonzola cheese and Radicchio..this week I have mixed a salad with fresh figs and baby pickles for a delicious result..who knew?? I have spent hours lost in books on the sofa with my 4 footed kids, left my laptop turned off in the office for hours if not a complete day and have spent time with colored pencials with my nose in a coloring book drawn specially for adults..have sent my husband to work with homemade bread, apple muffins, gourmet pizza, and made a lasagne with fresh spinach, goat cheese, and a Bechamelsoße that would have made my mom proud!! But all has not been fun and games..the treadmill has paid it's dues and for 2 days I have stacked firewood that will now dry for 2 years and be ready to heat the house in..2017..and through all of this cooking, baking, and creativity my Herbalife products have been there..2 times a day...my new mixer is a very happy piece of kitchen machinery..protein powder, vanilla shake mix, soymilk, and oh the fresh fruits that get mixed in there!! and as a snack..results..numbers I don't know and won't know until the end of the week but I know that my jeans are looser and I continue to feel more comfortable in my skin..I must say..all of this being healthier, not only on the inside but out is a great feeling!! I wish you all an amazing day...turn on some music, pour a glass of wine..be grateful for what you have..and of course.. ;D Don't forget to share your smile!!

It's all about the dogs..and a crazy cat!!

 Hey guys!! As you all know I am a dog lover..without question, my life would not be and has not been complete without a pup by my side..I found a cookbook the other day..for homemade dog treats..this is not a new baking method for me..while living in Georgia before I used to make dog treats all the time and had even at one time considered trying to make a good of it as a homebased business..Well for the past 2 days I have been baking and baking and thinking..and then today I read a quote that said.."Find Something that Inspires You and Figure out a Way to make a Living from it."..I have to ask myself..could this be something for me?? I love dogs, I love to bake..2 plus 2?? I'm not sure but it is definantly something to think about and roll around in my brain for a minute.

One of my friends and coworkers loaned me this awesome book pictured above..I highly recommend it..but will forwarn you..the tears may come. For me to be able to read this book is a huge triumph as I have always avoided any TV shows, movies, books, cartoons, musicals..anything that has an animal involved for fear they may get hurt or die in the process..call it being traumatized from seeing Ol' Yeller as a child. Anyway..back to the dog treats..all are made with normal, fresh products (like chicken, carrots, applesauce..)..no chemicals, no preservatives..and so far so good..my taste testers seem to approve!! Even Marli the Terror cat likes the ones with chicken..of course!! ;D 
The last couple of days have not been stellar for Max the Wonderdog, sometimes he sleeps so deeply I hold my breath until I see his chest rise and fall..but when he is awake for the most part he is okay and has bursts of energy for short periods of time..sometimes I think to myself, good he is better see?? He will be able to accompany me for another 5 years or so..but my heart knows this is not the case and soI cherish every moment I have left with him..
If you have a dog, spend some extra time with him or her today..and if you have the priviledge to be loved by a dog..read this book..written from a dog's point of view that I cannot help think is so far off base..I wish you all a Wednesday filled with love and warmth..

A splash of color for a really grey, yucky, cold rainy day here in NW Germany!!

Ughhhh..after almost a week of weather gorgeous enough to wear my flip flops and hang out in the backyard with the pups the weather here has taken a nasty turn and seems more like November than March..my wardrobe is back to boots and about 30 layers..no actually just 4 but my gosh..after months of cold and grey it seems like so much more!! Thank goodness I have these beautiful flowers that my hubby brought me for our 4th anniversary a couple of days ago..so pretty!! I am taking advantage of him and the 4 footed children enjoying a Saturday afternoon crash out session on the couch to sit upstairs in the office and answer emails, update calendars, and basically just putter around...So we were brave enough to do a bit of shopping this morning..it was high time to invest in a new blender..seeing as the 2 I have previously bought here ended up with burnt up motors while trying to make a smoothie with frozen bananas..just think of what would have happened had I tried to make Margaritas..the flipping things would have exploded!! ..time to try a new brand..we will see how things go. We also stopped into a quasi dolllar like store..kind of like a Big Lots..great inexpensive stuff for things like crafts, and patio decor..I even found a coloring book for adults..now, I don't know about all of you..but sometimes I just have the need to doodle and let the creative juices flow..in the shape of lots of colors, and since I do not have a real talent for things such as drawing I am happy to let someone else do the drawing and then color in between the lines..for me this is absolute awesomeness and one of the ultimate ways for me to relax and lose the time and stress of the day. We have yet to go out and celebrate these past 4 years in which we have faced some real stressors and seem to have come out stronger for..much to some people's dismay I am sure ..but this evening we are heaed out into the elements to eat greek..granted I will spend the next 3 days drowning myself in bottles of water to get rid of the sodium and large protein intake..but for this evening..I will just eat and enjoy..besides..got an awesome workout in this morning and have had my 2 shakes for the day!! Wishing you all an amazing weekend..don't forget to share your smile!!

PS..for all of you Max the Wonderdog fans out there..he is holding his own..continues to take steriods 2 times a day but is eating and drinking and urine production is improved!! He is sleeping more but otherwise doing well.
 

Spring is trying to arrive!!

 Good Morning to you all! Wanted to share our last couple of days with you. The weather has been playing nicely and so of course that means that we had to bring some new accessories home to brighten things up ..including some easter eggs to decorate our "Ostern Baum"..the flowers are going crazy blooming and I am holding back with every ounce of will power I have NOT to head straight to the garden center and go a little wild..but only because Matthias says we will have a couple more freezing nights..but..my time will come and I will post new pics as the beauty arrives and the accessory collection increases!! I have some colorful fabric upstairs just waiting to have some new pillows made out of it!! I am lucky to be married to a man who gets enjoyment out of me indulging my "girly side" filled with pinks, flowers, and butterflies..;D It doesn't happen too often but when it does...

The pups enjoyed their afternoon outdoors..Max found lots of new smells and Missy rolled around in the grass and talked to the workers building the house behind us..good that she told them who the boss is around here!!
Marli is strictly an indoor cat but has lots of large windows to look out of..
So today is starting out a little on the foggy side but hopefully things will clear up and we can continue our days outdoors..that is after I make a trip to the store for critter treats..Just how is that when I am home we go through a package in about 4 days and when Papa is here alone with these babies a package lasts weeks?? Poor 4 footed kids..good thing I am back to being a stay at home mom and wife!!
Enjoy your day..and don't forget to share your smile!!

Week 4 Results!!

Hey guys..even though life is not all rainbows and unicorns at this moment..the one thing that is working for me in a fabulous, amazing, woop woop, WOW kind of way is my results from using these products from HERBALIFE and eating fresh, colorful and healthy..although I do have a confession to make..joined my hubby for an evening in Hannover and ate drank the following..a Swimming Pool cocktail, had a Starbucks flavored coffee, ate some BBQ ribs and fries...oh..and a pastry while shopping...and still had these awesome results..Good nutrition just rocks!!!!! Granted I do not eat that way everyday but sometimes you just have to go a bit over the top..but with my supplements, 2 yummy shakes a day, and my protein bars for snacks..this venture out of my normal habit land didn't set me back an ounce! 
So..for the week..1.52 pounds gone..and 3.5 inches gone..just like that..this puts the totals at 4 weeks into this new healthy nutrition lifestyle of mine at..7.92 pounds and a total of..13.5 inches..from my waist alone I have lost 4 inches. Results like this make me say that I can't believe it everytime I break out the measuring tape or step on the scale..but it is true..and people are seeing a difference..especially my husband..wink wink!! But when you feel amazing and your body starts changing things are going to start happening..period!! You have more energy, because you feel better about yourself you are more willing to get out there and be there for others, you get more accomplished..I know that my skin looks better, my hair is healthier, and where before I just wanted to sleep all of the time and had a hard time getting through the day due to lack of energy and motivation I am now getting tons more done and looking for more to do..for the first time in years I can stay awake until 10 pm where before I was ready to.. literally.. crawl into bed about 7pm..and all of this without being hungry..awesome..especially since I am a total snack lover..before I would eat from 4pm until I went to sleep..now I either have a shake or a light dinner and if I am craving something sweet I have a protein bar..craziness!! Did this start as a weight loss journey for me?? Yes..indeed it did because NOTHING else was working for me..and that includes working out for an hour or more on average of 5 days a week and depriving myself only to end up binging because my body was not getting the nutrition that it needed..but this has become so much more..it has become a nutritional lifestyle..and my body is just screaming thank you for putting all of this great stuff into it..vitamins, minerals..you name it..it is in there..working so that I can function on an optimal level..WoopWoop..see you all next friday (of course I will post on FSF before then but for Herbalife results) for week 5 weigh in and measurements!!

Beginning the process of saying goodbye..how do I do this??

For all of you Max the Wonderdog fans out there I have no so good news..As Matthias picked the babies up from the critter hotel on Saturday it was evident that Max was not doing well and had lost a significant amount of weight within a very short amount of time. 1st trip to the vet revealed a low body temperature and swollen abdominal area along with enlargement of the prostate gland, difficulty peeing and when he did it was dark in color.. labs were drawn, 2 injections were given..an antibiotic and 1 for pain, along with contrast to be given every 2 hours..2nd day was xay day and the films revealed that Max has tumors in his lungs and bladder along with 4 to 5 stones..also in his bladder..for now he is comfortable, still eating and drinking and getting around okay..has to pee several more times a day than usual since he cannot empty his bladder completely but it is lighter in color than 2 days ago..he now takes 3 new medications..an antibiotic, a steriod, and a paste that may help to dissolve the stones..as he is 14 now and has had 3 surgeries in the past 3.5 years we have opted not to put him through anything other than oral medications for treatment..I came home early from Kaiserslautern and will be spending every moment I can with him from now on..he has been my constant source of unconditional love for more than a decade and in his last weeks or hopefully longer I will be here for him.. as long as he is comfortable we will let nature take it's course..call it a selfish move on my part but I need a little more time with this little dog with the crooked legs and the big attitude that stole my heart...a little more time to learn how to say goodbye..

Week 3 Results!!

Good Morning all!! So..wanted to share with you all my results from week 3 on the Herbalife products..yet another 1.98 lbs lost, along with another 2.5 inches. Am fitting in long walks before or after work in order to get my cardio in..have been a little worried about getting back into the whole running scene as I am still having a bit of discomfort from my foot surgery but will try a short distance slow run today and see what happens!! I have now completed my 1st course and will start Patho next week..ready for my brain to grow..flexing all of these muscles feels great!!
Okay..time to get this day started..load my water bottles and hit the pavement..wishing you all a great day!!

My new home away from home..

 Hello everyone..sorry for the delay in writing..am back at my "German" job now which as with my "American" job..also requires me to be away from home..but lucky for me I was lead to a great little B&B that enables me to rent a room a month at a time and is located very close to the woods..see pics!! This lets me have a place to unwind and go for a walk after work to decompress a bit before hitting the books!!
The room is great and after unloading a car full of stuff I have settled in..note Herbalife products are also there and have been keeping my hunger at bay and energy level high while getting back into the routiene of the ER!!
I really like my new job, I have so very much to learn through with it being 100% auf Deutsch..there is a huge difference between conversational and medical german..just like in english..but every day..no every hour..I learn a little more and for the most part the people I work with are great, as are the patients..of course every basket has to have a bad apple and unfortunantly 1 of the other nurses has taken a strong disliking to me and works really hard to make my day harder than it already is and needs to be.. but since arriving here in Deutschland this will not be the first or the last time a female has been a little on the hateful side to me and I am sure it will not be the last..even though last time I checked we were all adults and no longer in high school..oder??

 Unfortunantly for some of the people here, what they don't realize is that they can not run "the outsider" off..I have lived through far worse than rude comments and eye rolling and truth be told, it just makes me dig my heels in harder and become more determined...but enough of that...Life in general is good, not crazy about being away from home for weeks at a time but I am loving..and I mean loving actively taking care of patients again..being a nurse makes me feel alive and for me is such a calling from God..to work with other human beings on this level is an honor and a priviledge.
So..this is also the second to last day of my first course..as you can all see I have brought my office and study space withand I am ready to get going on the next one!!..Wishing you all a fabulous Thursday..be blessed and don't forget to share your smile!!