Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday 27, 29 and 30 September 2009: Sarah says goodbye to TSG and ASG and hello to greasy hair! :-)

Heidi says: No need to talk

Sarah says:
Above photo is from today - Wednesday the 30th of September - and boy do I have some greasy hair! How did that happen?! Must be hormones or something! Today, so many people called me Mrs. - not Miss. I guess I am at that age! It's just been so long since anyone used either of those titles for me that today when I heard it about 12 times in a row it was weird! I guess that's what happens when you are in a school around students almost 20 years younger than you! Good thing I still feel young!
Above photo is from yesterday the 29th of September. No idea what's going on with that pose. You rarely see me in white on here so there you have it! And of course I dribbled food onto the top part by the end of the day - which is why I don't where white! This photo was taken before my bike tire went flat mid-ride home from work. I had to walk it all the way to my kid's school in a mad rush - and of course I was late! That's the dark side of biking I guess! But this morning I went to the bike shop early and got the wheel fixed and put a down payment on my brand new bike, which I'll have mid-October when I return from Norway!
The above shot is from Sunday the 27th of September when ASG and TSG were still here visiting! It was so nice to have them here. I miss them already an will be sad when they move to Boston in November!!!!

Saturday and Sunday 26 and 27 September 2009: ASG and TSG are in town! :-)

Sarah says:
That's me above today - Sunday the 27th of September 2009. It's been a nice weekend because ASG and TSG are here with their bunny Buster and we are all relaxed and doing our own thing and hanging together. Below you can see a full shot - to track my weight loss. I ate like crazy yesterday so I probably gained some of those 2 kilos back but I tried to eat a bit less than I usually would. I did eat fries (homemade by Tom's mother - could not resist!!!) and falafal as well as dessert.Oh well! It's really the first big cheat and it wasn't even all that bad. I still feel good and I will be very good this week to come!

The above photo of of Heidi, Yma and me is from yesterday - Saturday the 26th of September 2009. Heidi, Nico and Yma came over to see ASG and TSG and to have lunch along with Tom's parents and brother and nephew. Heid also cut ASG's hair and Ayla's hair. The food was fab! The weather was great too and we took a walk into Kortrijk. Yma is wearing her birthday present from us in the above photo. She's a real queen!
Above and below some shots of Heidi the Hairdresser in action with ASG. ASG's hair and Ayla's hair came out really well. Check out Heidi's belly!!!!

And here is some of the great food we had (below)! Notice my new slow-cooker thanks to ASG and TSG and the soup I'm making in it as I write this! That's tonight's dinner! I'm guessing it's going to be very good!

Thursday 24 September 2009: YMA YMA YMA YMA!!!!! (and Sarah has lost 2 kilos (4.4 pounds) since September 7th!!!!)

Heidi yells: IT'S YMA'S BIRTHDAY TODAY!!!!! SHE IS 3 YEARS OLD!!!!!! I LOVE HER I LOVE HER I AM GOING TO EAT HER!!!! SHE'S THE BEST!!! VIVA YMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sarah says:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY YMA!!!!!
I am so happy right now! I went to the obesity center tonight. Last time I was there and got weighed was on the 7th of September (so two weeks and 3 days ago) and I have lost 2 kilos since then (4.4 pounds!!!!)!!!! I have been trying so hard and pushing myself on the bike and cutting portions and eating slower and all that - all the tips and it's paying off!!!! It made my day!

Wednesday 23 September 2009: Busier day for Heidi and Sarah is not doing a very good job of keeping up with Face The Day!

Sarah says:
I'm not sure if the above photo is from Tuesday or Wednesday but it is either/or - the 22nd or the 23rd of September. I suck at keeping up! Who would have thought that would happen! I'm doing my best! I just keep forgetting to take pictures. Anyway - things are okay! Nothing new to report!

Heidi says: This is good! I have a busier day today. I did some studying on the internet, baked pancakes for Yma's birthday tomorrow (she will bring those to school) and I will apply for a job this afternoon. It is just a two week job but it is something! It will change my routine for at least two weeks and that is good! I just hope that I get through the typing test I have this afternoon (I am not a blind typist...). But I am sure I am capable of doing this simple administrative input job. Fingers crossed!

Tuesday 22 September 2009: Happier day for Heidi

Heidi says: It feels like a better day. I will try to keep my smile the whole day! :-)

Sunday 20 and Monday 21 September 2009: Mondaymorningblues - Sunday sunny fun!

Heidi says: Mondays are tough for me. They are the start of a new week, everyone goes back to what they do in the week, and I stay home. I lose my hope a bit on Mondays. The hope for a job, a filled life, to belong somewhere. I also lose belief in myself. On Mondays I don't know what I am good at. I doubt myself and that is the biggest danger for me.

That's me and Heidi above on Sunday the 20th of September at a rommelmarkt in Wervik - Heidi's hometown. Her sister was there selling with me and my friend Tilly and Heidi passed by on the way to her parents' home. It gave us a photo op! We sold about Euro 50 worth of our old stuff so that makes about Euro 150 total in our family-fun fund. The weather and the company were good so it was a great day! A perfect way to relax really!

Saturday 19 September 2009: DIRTY DANCING NIGHT AT HEIDI'S!

Heidi says: this evening we (Katrijn, Wout and me) celebrated Patrick Swayze's life by watching Dirty Dancing. Instead of crying together (we expected that would happen) we had laughs! Katrijn found a theory on Baby's sexlife: Johnny Castle wasn't her first sexpartner (it just went all too easy) and we also agreed to the fact that Patrick Swayze looked very good and
at his best in this movie. We had a great dirty night!

Saturday 19 September 2009: Sarah is searching for a new bike (and back!)

Back still hurts but am trying not to panic! Today I tried out two bikes and might end up buying one of them soon. This whole biking thing in place of driving is still all new to me. I still feel very vulnerable on a bike and as happened two days ago - it really is possible for me to hurt my back on my bike! I did and I HATE that! I want to be stronger than that. I want a GOOD back! As you can see I am very frustrated about this whole bike-back thing. I really do not want to buy a car and I will keep trying hard to ride my bike everywhere and be a one-car family. I'm just afraid and my BACK HURTS!!!!

But it is so sunny and warm in Belgium today and I had a few hours to myself to do my writing course so I am happy despite back pain! Life goes on...

Thursday and Friday 17 and 18 September 2009: It's the weekend yet again!!!! Time is crazy!

Above is today's photo from 18 September and below is yesterdays photo from 17 September. I forget to take a photo the day before. I just can't keep up like before.

I hurt my back on my bike yesterday - felt a pull in it as I lunged a bit forward. It still hurts a lot and I have to be very careful? I hate that! I was feeling great! I'm going to try not to let it get me down! I can still move and work and all I just feel like I have to walk on tip-toes sort of - like one more wrong move and I'll be back on my back!!! I don't want that!!! I want to keep on riding my back (I meant bike but kind of like how back sounds there ;-)! I want to keep on feeling full of energy! The diet is still going really well though I don't lose weight fast at all - but I am okay with that. As long as over the year I see some serious loss, I'll be very happy I think! It's weekend again and I have some time to rest my back. I hope the weekend moves slowly because I can only function at that pace! I can't wait to finally have some time to sit down and pay attention to the creative writing course I am taking! I can't wait to read everyone's writing to see how other people do it! I also can't wait for the next assignment!

Thursday 17 Setember 2009: Heidi thinks it's time to get out of the house

Heidi says: pregnancy makes it very difficult to find a job. Even a temporary job is very hard to find. It makes me a little sad sometimes. I like being home but not always. There are enough things I am capable of, but I cannot use them because there are no jobs. I guess I need to be patient. Something will come up eventually...

Monday and Tuesday 14 and 15 September 2009: Sarah is happy and dieting - believe it or not!

Sarah says:
Picture above is from today - Tuesday the 15th. I'm still feeling good! I kind of like where I am at right now. The funk I was in after losing my last job has finally lifted. It was a long and heavy one! I am glad to be moving on with a new job and new experiences. I'm also really enjoying the challenge of this diet I am on and I just started an online creative writing course, which is another great challenge. I am feeling creative again. It's been so long since I felt that way. I am starting to feel healthier too. I can't remember the last time I felt that way! I think the way I am eating is giving me more energy too or something. I hope this keeps up for a while! And I am loving riding my bike!
Above photo is from yesterday the 14th of September. I was tired from staying up so late the night before writing for the course I am taking!
The photo above is from today again - the 15th. In it you can see my belly and body fat because of the shirt I am wearing! That's a good thing! It will make it easier to see weight loss as the months go on! Maybe I can put the same shirt on for each such photo so I can really have a record of weight loss. Because I am in the process of losing weight now I feel less afraid to show my fat and all. It's weird. All good though!

Tuesday 15 September 2009: thinking of Patrick Swayze

Sunday 13 September 2009: Sarah is feeling very happy to have some great friends... And the family goes for a walk in the forest!

Heidi says: nothing like a walk in the forest!

Sarah says:
It's been a good weekend with the little family and also because I had time to speak on the phone to some good, old friend and some newer ones and that always makes me feel good. I also had a nice night out Friday with two close girlfriends over here. I just feel pleased and content to have so many super people in my life - old and new. How did I get so lucky?

I chose the below Post Secret this week because I like the message in it. Just reminds me of life's flow. It can be bad and then good and then great and then bad again but it is always changing. That keeps us on our toes sometimes and isn't always an easy formula because on the one hand it's so random yet on the other we can always expect it...

Saturday 12 September 2009: A bright Saturday...

Fake smiling but still happy! I feel good. Things are going fine and as always happens after a rough period, things turn and life becomes smooth for a while. That's just how it goes and always will go so I will enjoy the good feelings as they last!

Friday 11 September 2009: Friday! Weekend! Bright orange soup!

Above you can see a photo from Friday evening when Heidi stopped by to bring me bright orange soup she made! I can't wait to see it! I think if everyone made everyone soup from time to time there would be no wars, no hate, no negativity! Soup is the answer! Good friends make each other good soup! Make soup, not war! THANKS HEIDI!!! I can't wait to dive into the soup!

Sarah says:

It's Friday and it's weekend and tonight I will go out to dinner with two girlfriends! I have eaten so well all week. I hope I don't screw it up this weekend. Dieting is hard but it feels good! It was a good week in general at home, work and in my head!

Thursday 10 September 2009: Sarah is starting to show some signs of shrinkage! :-) (if she does say so herself ;-)

Heidi says: A happy and wild hair day?

I'm starting to see some results! I like that! It's a slow, slow process but cutting potions in half, upping my water intake and biking are leading to something. My pants feel a little too big - mostly in butt and legs, which are the places I don't need to lose weight but always do first!!! And then there's the top half! Let's just say the chest area is the first to go! Sad but true... Nonetheless, I am happy! I hope I can keep it up!

Tuesday 08 September 2009: Another very sunny day puts Sarah in a fine mood!

These last sunny days are so grand! I feel happy today! Things feel right and good!

And I just love the message in the below Post Secret! I love the parents that wrote that post card. They are so right on! More power to them! If only everyone could think that way!