From My old Site

As I build my new site, I have this info from my old Website to go with (red titles were page names)

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"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities crept in--forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it well and serenely, and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old mistakes and nonsense. . . "
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

A Princess in Training

WHAT IS A PRINCESS?

[pic of Princess Diana]

by mic331~Princess of Pep (-80.8 pounds as of 12.26.02)
posted on the 50+ board July '02

a princess is second only to the Queen and even that is debatable
a princess can do no wrong, even on WI day!
a princess is always beautiful even with bedhead
a princess is always a lady, except when cut off on the highway!
a princess holds wonderful parties except when the dog eats the roast
a princess wears silk and satin (o.k. maybe in underwear but it counts)
a princess is chased by all the princes and the garage guy named Chuck
a princess eats like a bird, always using the right fork except when the fork is a shovel
a princess has the ability to stop traffic, even the  Citibus!*
a princess never says "I can't . . .", she always says, "I choose not to. . ."*
a princess never sweats, she "perspires"*
but most of all a princess is loved by all the land for she is the most wonderful of all!

(*added by yours truly after a great WI on 2 January 2006)

Thank you, mic!

Beginnings

[baby pic]

BEGINNINGS

Once upon a time there lived a princess . . . who lived in a beautiful castle in Southern New Hampshire. She had a good life: a wonderful husband named Donald, a beautiful house in an enchanted forest, and a terrific job as a computer technology teacher in a parochial school. She loved living in her mouse house and her job was great! But when she looked in the mirror, she didn't like what she saw. She knew because of her Type II diabetes, she had to lose weight and do it the right way. There was a Weight Watchers right down the street and she had been successful before on program. With her husband's support and undying love, she started back on program December 19, 2005 for the last and final time.
Now, more than ever, she is determined more than ever to enter into the enchanted, magical kingdom called ONEderland, where several of her online buddies have just entered into, and others are ready to pass through its gates.

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My Prince:

MY PRINCE
As little girls, we are fed the story of wishing on a star and finding our one true love, our Prince Charming, who one day would magically appear on the scene and steal our hearts. Few of us are fortunate to find such a man. I was one of the lucky ones. 
I was always fun and outgoing as a teenager and even as an adult. I loved to hang out with my best friends, going to concerts and comedy clubs, and even to the occasional wedding. It was, in fact a wedding that brought Donald and I together, but not in the traditional sense. 
Coann, my best friend Jenn's sister was getting married in an afternoon ceremony with a gorgeous reception at a seminary. The food was delicious, the music wonderful, and the company pleasant. But this princess felt all alone at this glorious event, with no prince to escort her.
After doing the conga and downing another glass of champagne, I found myself in the garden, by a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I sat down and contemplated her beautiful, serene face, and how she seemed so complacent, so calm in the moonlight. 
I looked up at her, and made the Sign of the Cross, whispering a quick Hail Mary, then looked beyond her to a sky full of stars. "Star light, star bright, I wish I may, I wish I might . . . .have this wish I wish tonight...Lord, please help me find a boyfriend and not feel so alone in this world anymore," I whispered to a twinkling sky . . .
A few weeks passed, and I found myself in the midst of my first well deserved summer vacation as a teacher. I was spending time with my best friend and her family, and chatting on America Online. Jenn and I were starting a book project and I was getting ready to start planning for the new school year. 
We spent every Sunday watching Highlander and drafting character sketches for the book, mostly the romantic leads...mine read as follows:
"Sandy blonde hair, blue green eyes with a twinkle, 5'9", approximately 185 lbs, and a gentle smile..."  He was so dreamy in my eyes, and the perfect guy, one I knew only existed in my mind . . .or did he???
 . . .after a few failed attempts at trying to find a boyfriend using AoL, I signed on one fateful night, July 31, 1997...amid all the Instant Messages, I answered one that changed my destiny, that of Joseph0171...
"Hi! Nice profile, wanna chat?" he asked . . .I answered back, "Sure!" The person was Donald, from northern New Hampshire, in a sleepy town nestled high in the White Mountains above Franconia Notch . . .we met a week later, and to my surprise, he fit the description of my hero to a "t", complete with a beautiful smile and a twinkle in his eye.
We had a whirlwind relationship, becoming engaged only three months after we had met. Donald became an instant "son" to my dad, and I became known as "the girl his mother dreamed about" a few months before that enchanted evening on AoL. Donald is my soulmate, my lover, my best friend, my husband, my boyfriend, and most of all, my prince a great match this princess's spirit. He has helped me through some tough times (we lost my Grammy the New Years we were engaged, and my father three short weeks before our wedding) and some great times (becoming the computer teacher at my school), and for that I am truly grateful. Donald is also my cheerleader, the biggest supporter of my weight loss. 
There is an old saying that if you find your kindred spirit, it is like looking into a mirror. And I now know that the reflection smiling back at me is my Prince amongst men. People often say to me, how did I know that Donald was the one for me, and I say it was as simple as wishing on a star.

Progress in pictures

PROGRESS 
When I was first successful on Weight Watchers, I used to keep a small photo album with all my progress pictures in it (see Prior Success). But now, with the glorious help of technology and MSFront Page --and a little help from Donald--I am going to keep a photo album on here. I feel it will serve as a motivator, both for myself when I am feeling less than inspired, and also for others who may need a little inspiration themselves.

has pics and metrixs like:

First Weigh In
19 December 2005
Weight: 272.4
Bust: 44" 
Waist: 46 " 
Hips: 46" 
BMI: 44 (yuck!)

Resolution 2006

MY RESOLUTION(or begin with the end in mind)

          This is a new year with new beginnings, new hope, new promise . . . I am renewing my commitment to a better body, a better self esteem, and a more positive outlook on life. I am looking at Weight Watchers as a lifestyle change, and although my ideal goal is to be 100 pounds smaller, I am not putting a time limit on this loss . . . slow and steady will win the race. I feel that if I lose it slow, the longer it will stay off.

   
This commitment, this change involves rethinking about food choices, resolving to
work out at least three times a week, taking my meds and staying healthy and making sure I weigh in and STAY at my Monday night meetings and checking in on the 50+ to lose board . . . I know it won't be easy, but this is the year I'll overcome the things that have stopped me in the past, such as self-sabotage, doubters, and my fear of being pretty. This is the year I'll dedicate myself to my weight loss journey. It can be done, and with my faith in God and with myself, I know I can do anything I put my mind to . . . anything . . .

Through the eyes

Through the Eyes of a Princess
It is through this small part of my website that I will be sharing some of my photography, my first love. I feel that I have been so blessed to be able to share both my love of web design, my passion for graphic design, and a God given talent in both writing and photography with so many various people, not only the students that I teach and my family and friends. My first love has always been photography, and with the advent of Digital Cameras, I was able to more fully develop this talent. Please enjoy the photographs, and if you are interested in using any for your website, please email me...

Weight Chart

WEIGHT CHART

This is a new beginning, full of promise and hope. I am starting fresh on program today, December 19, 2005 with a goal of losing 75 lbs. by January 1, 2007. I am taking it slow and sure...I need to do this, but in a way that I can make sure I guarantee success. Weight Watchers is the way to do it, and I know with a little help from my Guardian Angel, Donald and my family, I will succeed.
 

Date	Weight	Change	Total	Comments
19 December 2005	272.4	-0-	-0-	on my way!!!
26 December 2005	264.8	-7.6	-7.6	wow!
02 January 2006	260.2	-4.6	-12.2	all right!

Workout routine:

MY WORKOUT ROUTINE(or...begin with the "rear end" in mind)

Last year, I had the idea that in order to get in shape and lose weight, I needed to devote at least two hours every day to see a change. I was going to Gold's Gym, had a wonderful trainer, and was seeing inches disappearing, but the scale continued to stay at the same number. My friend from work, Kim, had been working out at Gold's and eating less with terrific results, but I was locked in at 268.4 for the whole summer. . . I backed away from working out all together and found the scale creeping up another five pounds...
Today, January 2, 2006 I took a leap back into the world of fitness. I am back at a gym closer to home (Best Fitness) and taking it slow and easy. I am devoting an hour a day, five days a week to getting to my fitness goals, and starting slow, with 30 minutes of cardio (on the treadmill) and 20 minutes on the elliptical (to shape and tone my JLo tushie).
I am confident that this is going to help me immensely. I just can't give up on myself. I owe it to myself to be smaller, and to do this once and for all ...

"I am beautiful, no matter what they say...words can't bring me down"
-Christina Aguilera

Prior successes

MISSION NOT IMPOSSIBLEThis was me the first mini-successful time I was on Weight Watchers, starting on January 3, 1994. I had gotten down to 228.6 and maintained for about a year. Then, life started happening. I started my Master's Degree, and finished it in two years, I became a first grade teacher, met Donald, and got married. I also lost my grandmother and my father in the space of nine months, and was diagnosed with Type II diabetes. As you can tell by the stats and the pictures, I was really inspired, and according to some people at my Tuesday morning meeting with Joan, really inspirational. I followed the 1-2-3 Success Program, which meant counting Fat, Fiber and Calories (a precursor to the Winning Points Program), and worked out four times a week in between working at a local screenprinter's shoppe and doing paraprofessional work at an elementary school in Salem, NH.  This is now an ongoing mission with me to get to goal, but I know someday I will see 155!

First Day On Program-January 11, 1994 Weight: 280 3/4 lbs Bust: 46" Waist: 47" Hips: 56" "Today is the first day of the rest of your life!"	First 10(+) lbs gone-February 15, 1994 Weight: 269 1/4 lbs Bust: 44" Waist: 43" Hips: 50" "I've got my own life I wanna make my own decisions When it has to do with my life I wanna be the one in CONTROL"-Janet Jackson	First 20(+) lbs gone-March 1, 1994 Weight: 259 1/4 lbs Bust: 42" Waist: 40" Hips: 48" "Consider the Postage Stamp... it has the ability to stick to one thing and get to where it's going..."
First 30(+) lbs gone-March 22, 1994 Weight: 250 1/2 lbs Bust: 40 1/2" Waist: 37" Hips: 44 1/2" "Settle Settle for Settle for nothing Settle for nothing less Settle for nothing less than Settle for nothing less than       the object of your desire..." Alma Luz Villanova, The Object	First 40(+) lbs gone-April 19, 1994 Weight: 238 1/4 lbs Bust: 39" Waist: 36" Hips: 43" "Success is getting what you want; happiness is wanting what you get" Anonymous	First 50(+) lbs gone-May 17, 1994 Weight: 228 1/2 lbs Bust: 38" Waist: 35" Hips: 41" "If it is to be, it is up to me!" "You're our inspiration!"                    ~Polly at WW