My Best Friend's Wedding + Cutest Pet Contest

Sorry I've been M.I.A. My best friend Pam got married Saturday and being as I'm the only bridesmaid that lives in the same state as her, I got the pleasure of taking care of a lot of the bridesmaid duties. I've been busy, and there's not much to report personal-wise, so I'm just going to go into my weekend recap...

Friday

I woke up around 7:15 even though I could have slept in… but I couldn’t sleep! I laid in bed for a while and got on Facebook on my phone. I waited until about 8 and then got up and hopped in the bathtub. I took a long bath and watched an episode of Hemlock Grove on Netflix in the tub (via my Kindle Fire). Then I shaved, showered, and got ready. I left my house around 9:30 and ran by the gas station for a donut and some chocolate milk. My sister had found my mom’s friend’s debit card on the ground outside of the grocery store and brought it to me. After stopping at the gas station, I ran by work to give my mom her friend’s debit card. I told her friend that she would have it. Then I headed to the nail salon.

Pam and I got our manicures and pedicures and, I gotta say, I loved my pedicure! I thought I would hate having a pedicure, but it wasn't bad at all. The only part that bothered me at all was when the nail lady was filing the dead skin off the bottom of the ball of my foot, but... My feet are super soft! When we were done, we went by the local porn shop to get garters. Pam had forgotten to get a couple when she got her wedding dress and my town is so small that the porn shop was the only place with them. I was so embarrassed to go in there! It’s rather sketchy and the woman who runs it is super weird. We were in and out though. When we left, we agreed to meet at Pam’s house. I decided to stop by McDonald’s and got a McChicken and a sweet tea for lunch.

When I got tho her house, Pam wanted to put together her arch for the ceremony. It was a plain green garden arch. We took white tulle and wrapped it tight around the sides and then loose across the top. Then we took yellow tulle and wrapped the side supports and made different loose loops across the top. We took garland strands with yellow, orange, and white flowers on it and draped them on the sides and across the top. I’m so proud of how it turned out!!! It was beautiful! I don't have any photos to share yet... but once I do, I will share them!

We had to take a break a short break in the middle of putting together the arch to run to the Dollar Tree and Walmart. She needed more flowers for the arch and candy for the candy bar at the wedding reception. When we got back, we finished the arch and then she threw a frozen pizza in the oven for dinner. We went into her spare room and took the stickers off some candle holders. It took her peeling and me scrubbing them with rubbing alcohol. They were for center pieces and the price labels couldn't stay on... Around 7:30, we finished doing that. Patrick (Pam's new husband) helped load up the back seat and trunk of my car and hers with a bunch of stuff (alcohol, decorations, food, etc).

After standing outside with Pam chatting for a bit, I left around 8:30 and headed home.I got home, got together everything I’d need to take with me Saturday morning, laid out some clothes and got in bed. My mind was reeling and I couldn’t sleep so I watched another episode of Hemlock Grove. I think I fell asleep around 11 or so.

Saturday

I slept pretty well until around 3 when I jolted awake thinking I had overslept. I didn't and still had two hours left to sleep. I slept off and on from then until 5 when I got up and started getting ready. I took a shower, straightened my hair, and gathered the rest of my things. I left my house at 6 and headed to my parents’. When I got there, my mom was still getting ready and my dad was making coffee. I talked to my dad for a bit and then my mom and I left. It was about 6:30. We stopped at McDonald’s and got breakfast and then headed to Pam’s. We got to Pam’s at 7:10. She wanted to leave at 7:15, but we didn’t leave until 7:45.

We got to the pavilion where her wedding and reception would be held around 8:45. Mom and I were the first ones there. They had already opened the doors for us so we went in and checked it out. I backed my car up to the door and we unloaded it. When we were about done, the rest of the girls (minus the maid of honor) showed up. We unloaded the other cars and then got a game plan in order. Pam helped me get the arch completely together and I finished decorating it. The other girls set up the chairs for the ceremony. Then we started covering the tables. I showed the girls how to do the center pieces and then showed my mom Pam’s ideas for the dessert and candy tables…We did as much work as we could and then left around 11 to head to the hotel.

We got there and Pam took a quick shower and then Jennifer (hair stylist) started on her hair. When she was done, it was my turn so I got my hair done. It was cute! I hope the photographer got a picture of it... As soon as mine was done, Pam and I went to get food. When we got back, we ate and then it was time to get ready for the wedding. As we were starting to leave to head to the ceremony, it started raining! Ugh. We got to the pavilion and it was raining hard. It was about 3:30 and the wedding was supposed to start at 4. The photographer wanted to take some pics before the wedding, but since it was raining she said we’d wait. We sat in the car until a little after 4 when Pam’s dad got there. We rushed to the front of the building hoping no one saw Pam and then waited to be told when to go in. It was freezing outside (50ish) and raining and we all had on short halter dresses! We were relieved when we finally got to go in.

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Her ceremony was short! It took like 10 minutes. LOL We were supposed to go straight outside to get pictures, but we didn’t. Pam and Patrick got stopped and had to keep talking to people. Around 5, they finally took us outside and we got a bunch of pictures… in the cold rain! Patrick was getting grumpy because the guests were getting grumpy. The reception wasn’t supposed to start until 6, but those people who came to the wedding and stuck around were getting impatient and bugging Patrick about it. Finally he was just like EAT! So, everyone got in line and ate, and the wedding party didn’t get to go first or give speeches or anything because the guests were bugging Patrick. He was like, “I’m sorry, but I was getting tired of getting bugged.” I was like, “Dude, it’s your wedding. You’re the boss!” LOL I think that made him feel better.

We ate and then they started cleaning up a little to make more room for dancing. The band was great, but LOUD! Even yelling in Matt’s ear as he sat next to me, he couldn’t hear me. After about an hour and a half of the band playing, I kept getting these sharp shooting pains through my head. My ears were ringing and my heartbeat was irregular… it kept skipping beats and it was weirding me out. Around 8:30 I went and found Pam and asked if she’d care if we left. She said no and that I was a great help. So I grabbed Matt and we headed home. I made him drive. I kinda dozed off and on during the drive home. We stopped at Walmart when we got back to town because the dog was out of food.

We got home shortly before 10. I unloaded my crap and changed clothes. I started putting everything up and then took the pins out of my hair. There were 60 frigging bobby pins in my hair. SIXTY! That is a lot! I was getting tired of picking them out. LOL When I was done, my head felt better, but I was exhausted. About 10:30, I crawled into bed and fell asleep quickly. It was amazing!

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As a last ditch effort... I entered my puppy Rusty in a "Cutest Pet" contest at my local newspaper. The first round of voting ends tomorrow!!! Votes are $0.25 each with a minimum $1.00 donation. All proceeds from voting benefit C.A.R.E. (County Animal Rescue & Education). You can submit an unlimited number of votes during the voting period. Rusty currently has no votes, so please go vote for him and support my local animal shelter (if you choose to do so!!!)... :)

Me: From A to Z

I saw this on Living with the Browns and decided to fill it out as well!

Age: 28
Bed Size: King... I would never want to go to a smaller size bed now... I love our King!
Chore you hate: The dishes... I would rather do just about anything than the dishes.

Rusty at his favorite place... THE LAKE!

Dogs: Have grown on me over the years. I used to be able to say that I was easily a cat person, but now I like dogs just as much... Especially my Boston Terrier, Rusty!!!
Essential start to your day: Me time. I like to have about 15-20 minutes where I can just lay in bed and think before I have to get up and start the day.
Favorite Color: Pink... or any hue of red really.
Gold or Silver: Silver or white gold...
Height: Last time I was measured my a doctor, I was 5'7"
Instrument you play: I played clarinet, bass clarinet, and/or contrabass clarinet from 5th grade to 12th grade. I also taught myself how to play trumpet and alto saxophone... minimally. :)
Job title: Administrative Assistant

Digital Scrapbook Page of Hailey's 2012 Christmas photo.

Kids: Do my niece Hailey or my fur-baby Rusty count?
Live: East Central Illinois
Married: Unfortunately, not yet...
Nicknames: Boobers or Babers (via Matt), Duh-dull (via my niece who can't say my name yet), or Crys (pronounced like "Chris" and by quite a few of my friends
Overnight hospital stays: None
Pet peeve: My biggest one would probably be rudeness... I hate it when people are rude.
Quiet or loud: (this wasn't there, so I made one up) I prefer quiet to loud and I am personally more quiet than I am loud.
Righty or Lefty: Righty
Siblings: Two... Dustin (33) and Misty (26)
Time you wake up: Between 6:30-6:45
University attended: Lake Land Community College

Chicken Tetrazzini at my birthday a few years ago.

Vegetables you dislike: Lima beans... that's all that comes to mind right now...
What makes you run late: When I want to sleep in... LOL
X-rays you've had: My knee... teeth... ribs... I think that's it.
Yummy food: My favorite food is chicken tetrazzini... my favorite ethnicity of food is Italian.
Zoo animal favorite: Lions or panthers or any other kind of big cat.

Friend Makin' Monday: Inside My Head

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s questions on your own blog then add your link in the comments section at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

Inside My Head

• I like… the current weather... mostly sunny, just a few clouds, mid-sixties, breezy... PERFECT! 
• I don’t like… that tomorrow it's supposed to be 50 and rainy... again. We don't need any more rain!!! 
• I love… my family and friends... including those of you on here! I'm always saying, "My friend [insert person whose blog I read]..." LOL I have the greatest family and friends though! For sure!
  
• I dream of… there being a time when I don't have to worry about money and if I'm going to have enough to pay all of my bills and last me until I get paid again. 
• I wonder… what the weather is going to be like this weekend... My best friend is getting married Saturday and it's possible that her wedding will be outdoors. 
• I know… that I'm ready to get off of work. So ready! 
• I went… shopping with my bestie yesterday and my glutes and ankles are killing me from all the walking I did while wearing flats. Flats = evil! 
• I think… I need to workout more.
  
• I plan… to get out of debt and lose some weight this year.
• I regret… letting myself get back into debt and gaining back all of the weight that I lost.
• I do… love a good bath now and again... usually once a week!
• I drink… mostly water these days. I used to drink a lot of soda, but now I mainly drink water or sometimes tea for something different.
• I wish… that people could just get along and all of the terrorists and haters would just give it a rest... Seriously.
• I am… excited to go see my in-laws tonight! I don't see them enough.
• I am not… ever going to be able to give up sweets... though I wish I could. I'm currently eating some Shockers!
• I need… to get back in the habit of going to the gym or working out at home every day. I saw amazing results when I was doing that!
• I hope… that the weather is this nice on Saturday, for real!
• I want… less stress.
• I sometimes… wish I would have continued on with my education so I wouldn't have wound up stuck at a dead-end job.
• I always… visit my parents at least once a month, but usually more like once week!
• I can… build websites from the ground up... to some extent, but I like the way Blogger works... for the most part... hence using this host for my blog!
• I cannot… sleep without a fan on and blowing on me.
• I avoid… people filing their nails. For some reason listening to someone file their nails is the most horrible sound in the world to me!
• I will… be happy and content this year. I demand it!

Now it’s your turn to answer this week’s questions.  Don’t forget to link up in the comments!  Happy Monday!

Beauty

I have been seeing this video around for a few days, but just now got the chance to watch it. It's only three minutes long. If you haven't watched it, you should check it out... I'll wait...


Done??? Okay... I think this video makes a real statement. I'm sure that a lot of women can relate to it. I mean, I know I do. There are quite a few things about myself that I would change if I had the opportunity. I think that all people in general are too hard on their appearance. I also think it would be very cool to be part of this whole thing. *shrugs*

I really had something more eloquent to say, but this entry has been half written since about Wednesday and I really don't remember what I was going to say. Hah. Hate it when that happens. Any case...

SUPERWOMAN

Last Monday, I felt like Superwoman for a while. I tried to complete the first day of Couch to 5K... The first minute of jogging, I held on to the arms of the treadmill completely afraid to let go. The second time around, I jogged without holding onto anything and was amazed when my app told me to start walking again... That minute went by so fast!!! I jogged two more times before I had to quit. I immediately posted this to Facebook:

I FEEL LIKE SUPERWOMAN! It's silly, but I just jogged on a treadmill for the first time ever. The fact that I could complete even HALF of Couch to 5K and jog when I was supposed to amazes me... Now I'm sitting on the couch feeling like my legs are going to fall off, but I have the biggest, dumbest smile on my face.

Almost 15 minutes in and about 0.8 of a mile.

That lasted until the next morning when my left knee was super stiff and painful. I still didn't want to give up and had every intention of trying again Wednesday, but Matt was off work and I didn't want him to watch me on the treadmill... So I decided to wait until he went back to work... which he will be on Monday.

Unfortunately, there has been a change in plans. One of my prescriptions was up and I had to talk to my doctor (PA, really) to get it refilled. She asked how I've been faring weight loss wise and I told her that while my weight isn't down, I'm feeling better mentally. Then I told her about doing Couch to 5K. She asked how that went and I told her great other than I had some pretty intense knee pain afterwards... then she informed me that with my current high weight and bad knees, she would highly suggest that I not jog at all... at least now. She said that walking is fine, but jogging is hard on the knees.

So... I guess I won't be doing Couch to 5K right now... I'm bummed, but my doctor did say I can try again at a later date if I lose weight and walk often, so I guess that's what I'll do! I need to get in the habit of walking again though. Walking will strengthen my knees and help with weight loss... but then I'll be able to try Couch to 5K again. My new goal is to walk at least 5 miles a week... one mile each weekday. I think that should be doable!

WEDDING

My best friend is getting married on Saturday. I'm totally excited for her! I'm a bridesmaid. This is the dress she picked out for us:

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I love it! It actually looks good on me, I think! I don't have any pics of me in it right now, but hopefully I will have after the wedding. My mom is altering it for me. The halter strap is way too long. But yeah, I hope I have so much more to talk about after the wedding. :)

RAIN

We have gotten an insane amount of rain. Over the last week and a half, we've had FIVE inches of rain... half of that in a three day period. My parking lot at work was flooded!

It was crazy. A town pretty close to me got so much rain that it almost covered up street signs. I'm not sure how that works... but it's CRAZY! Hopefully we have some dry days now.

Telling ED No! - Reflections #2

I'm reading a self-help book called "Telling ED No!". It's a book that helps you work through your thoughts as to why you have disordered eating. I definitely do. At the end of each chapter, there are reflection questions which help you overcome your eating disorder. I am going to answer said questions here.

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You might think the rituals and behaviors of your daily life are "normal", but whose normal are they? They may look and feel normal to you, but upon reflection could they really be coming from Ed? Is he telling you to do them, is he giving you direction?

Also, what triggers your eating disorder and throws your behaviors into high gear? Is it emotional, physical, or social factors, or a combination of all three? Write down three scenarios where you find yourself turning to Ed for comfort and list the behaviors and rituals he instructs you to do.

I guess most people probably assume their life is normal... I don't imagine many people think that their life is abnormal... I am among those people. *I* think my life is pretty normal. I suppose that in actuality it isn't. I mean, my thoughts are usually overtaken by food. I think about food a lot... almost all the time actually. I am usually thinking about what I can eat and when I can eat it... What is the maximum amount of whatever we're having that I can eat to still be under my calorie goal? Do I have enough calories to eat some ice cream or cereal? If I cut down my portion size at lunch, I can probably grab a candy bar out of the vending machine... Oh, but I would really like an ice cream cone... Hmmm... Well, if I make this for dinner, I won't have any leftovers for lunch tomorrow so what will I eat then? These are random thoughts that I usually have on a daily basis. Are they normal? I doubt it, but they are normal for me. Now that I've got a rein on Ed, I do believe these thoughts are him "helping" me through my day. 

All sorts of different events throw my disordered behavior into high gear. Honestly, I think boredom is probably the number one reason as to why I overeat or binge eat. During one serious binge, I ate about 6-8 cups of sugary cereal, two ice cream sandwiches, and two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. In the most serious binge I can think of having, I ate 6-8 cups of sugary cereal, four blueberry waffles with butter and syrup, and an entire box of macaroni and cheese. During both of these binges, I ate an incredible amount of food in a short amount of time. I think both were about two hours long. I definitely wasn't hungry. I was bored... and home alone. I remember feeling miserable after, but I'm a binge eater who doesn't purge. I hate vomiting and I have never been bulimic or even had bulimic tendencies. This means that I'm stuck with over about two day's worth of food stuck in my stomach until it digests. It's horrible and it makes me feel helpless and out of control when it happens.

I also think that stress and emotions (usually sad) also lead to my binge eating... though boredom is the number one reason. I think that stress and emotions usually lead to me overeating more so than binge eating, but if I'm bored and stressed/sad, I eat a lot worse than if I was just eating because of boredom.

My Three Scenarios:

1. It's late evening and I'm home alone. I'm just relaxing on the couch watching some of my beloved television. I have already eaten dinner (probably something healthy to boot), but I want something sweet. "There's a whole bag of sugary, sweet cereal in the kitchen. All you have to do is get up and go pour yourself a bowl," Ed informs me. I try to stay strong and say no to him. He doesn't like when I tell him no and keeps pestering me. "You need the cereal. It's not a want, it's a need. Just go get some. You won't regret it. It will fulfill your sweet tooth. Just do it. C'mon. It'll all be okay. Just get up and pour yourself some." I'm strong for a while, but he eventually talks me into it. I grab one of our enormous cereal bowls and fill it to the rim with children's cereal... Something like Cap'n Crunch Berries or Lucky Charms or Cocoa Puffs or Apple Jacks... My bowls are ginormous and hold probably three to four cups of cereal. After I finish the cereal, Ed points out, "Hey, you still have some milk in there... another half a bowl of cereal would use that milk so it won't go to waste." Sometimes I will go pour another bowl and sometimes I don't... Ed talks me into eating the cereal... even when I don't need it or particularly want it.

2. I've had a tough day at work. By the time my workday is over, I'm physically and mentally exhausted...

I don't feel like doing anything... let alone cooking. Before I leave work for the day, I think of things I could eat for dinner. Oh, I do have the stuff to make salads... maybe I'll eat one of those... or maybe I'll take the leftover shredded chicken and make a yummy quesadilla... Oh, but then I'd have to go by the store and get some cheese because we don't have any... Ed butts in and says, "Did you hear? Dominos has half off any pizza right now. You could get a pizza for cheap." I tell Ed that I don't need to go get a pizza, I could go home and make something healthy. Ed says, "But you don't really want to clean the kitchen, cook, and then clean again... Do you? I know you want something easy and so do you." I eventually cave in and order a large pizza . I tell myself that I'll only eat two or three slices, but when the delicious cheesy goodness arrives, I can't stop myself and eat almost the whole thing by myself.

3. It's a special occasion of some sort and I'm going out to eat at a restaurant with the rest of my family.

No one else in my family really has to worry about their weight... maybe my mom does a little bit, but no one else does. Before we go, I make sure to Google the restaurant. I look up the nutrition facts and decide which meal would be the healthiest for me to eat. I decide what I'm getting and it's healthy and sounds delicious. When I get there, my family is all excited to be eating in public instead of their house. When we arrive, the waitress comes to take our orders. She asks if we're interested in appetizers. My mind says NO!, but Ed says, "Why don't you wait to see if anyone else is interested in an appetizer??? It wouldn't hurt to share something with someone." My family decides on an appetizer. It's fattening and greasy like fried mozzarella or spinach artichoke dip or something like that... Then Ed says, "Well, Crystal, since you already blew your diet by eating the fried mozzarella, you might as well order what you really want off the menu... You know you don't want the tilapia with rice... you'd rather have the chicken covered in parmesan cheese and breading with the tortellini on the side." I end up giving into Ed and order the dish I like instead of the dish that keeps me on the diet track. I eat way too many calories for what I was planning and get angry at myself for not sticking to my plan to begin with.

Telling ED No! - Reflections #1

I started this about 10 months ago, but never finished. I'm starting it again... feel free to participate. I will be posting one reflection from the book each Saturday morning. If you participate, be sure to link up so we can discuss our answers! :)

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I'm reading a self-help book called "Telling ED No!". It's a book that helps you work through your thoughts as to why you have disordered eating. I definitely do. At the end of each chapter, there are reflection questions which help you overcome your eating disorder. I am going to answer said questions here.

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Looking back, what are some of your earliest memories of disordered thoughts and/or behaviors related to food and your body? How did Ed grab your attention? What age were you? Was it a gradual progression?

For as long as I can remember, I've had disordered thoughts about eating and about my body. The earliest memory that I have is from when I was about ten. I remember thinking about how all of the other girls looked great in their swimsuits, but I was just a chunky mess. We had a big list of exercises we had to do (in and out of the water) during practices, and I couldn't do some of them.

I also remember hoarding food. I've always been a food hoarder... When my mom would bake cookies, I would take several of them into my room and hide them. It would be disgusting when my mom would finally get through to me that I had to clean my room because we'd find stale cookies in a random drawer... or usually in my computer desk. Gross. I remember waking up in the middle of the night and going to the kitchen and eating while everyone else was asleep. I've always had a passion for string cheese and when my mom would buy the good kind (the kind that is not individually wrapped but all put together in one package), I would wake up at two or three in the morning and go eat four or five string cheeses and some chocolate milk and then go back to bed...

When I finally got old enough to have a job and have some money, I would go out and buy the fattening stuff my mom wouldn't let me have and hide it in my room or in my car. My glove box used to be full of candy... gummy bears, chocolates, etc. I still buy and eat fattening foods when I know I'm going to be alone. One of my favorite things to do is go to the store and buy sausage and cheese fried ravioli and some marinara sauce. Then I come home and eat the entire thing. I always feel guilt after eating like that... though it's not technically a binge... it's just overeating. *shrugs* To this day, I'll still buy cookies or Little Debbie snack cakes and hide them in my car and take them to work so I can eat them all... or I'll hide refrigerated foods in the bottom drawer of the fridge.. or one time, I had a box that had frozen hamburger patties in it and I hid ice cream in it once we ate all the patties so I could eat it on my own and in secret.

I don't really remember having any disordered body thoughts before swim team. I've always been on the chunky side and Ed didn't really grab my attention until middle school. He first made an appearance in several of my friends. One of my best friends became bulimic in middle school. Her sickness caught my attention, but not in a disgusted way... more of an intrigued way. Ed didn't fully grab my attention until the summer between my eighth grade and freshman year of high school. It was pretty gradual. I mean, I didn't want to be the fat friend anymore. I wanted boys to like me. I was going into high school and had never been on a date or kissed by a boy... I also wanted my mom to get off my back. I know she meant well, but she was forever saying, "Crystal, if you don't lose some weight, you'll not have any stylish clothes to wear... They only make the cute clothes so big and you're in that size!"

Eventually Ed changed me. I went from binge eating and hoarding food to not eating at all. I always say that I wasn't technically anorexic, but I don't know if that's the case. I remember at one point, I went a week with eating only 200 calories. It wasn't a conscious decision on my part. I didn't wake up one day and say, "I think I'll be an anorexic now." It was more so that my anxiety and stress about school got a hold on me and eating made me feel sick... I felt physically ill. In all honesty, I threw up stomach acid just about every day of my freshman year... Because of Ed's transformation in me, I dropped about 75 pounds in five months... I looked like a walking skeleton. My mom had to basically force feed me to get me to put some weight on...

Ever since then it's been a battle of yo-yo dieting... especially in high school and college... There was a huge trend of starving myself and then binge eating... However, since I graduated from school, I'm proud to say that the anorexic side of Ed is gone. I still have a problem with overeating, but I no longer feel like a compulsive overeater... like an person in AA is always an alcoholic, I will always be an overeater and will always want to binge. As of today, I have been 180 days binge free. I still overeat... quite often actually, but I haven't felt the hopeless guilt that I used to feel on a daily basis. Now I just need to conquer my overeating... My weight, my health, and even myself deserve it...

Triumphant Thursday

In the words of Mariah Carey:

I think this is something we all need to live by. Everyone has their own posts about motivation or inspiration. I wanted one of my own. I want to post the top five things I am triumphant about... no matter the topic. This is to help keep me grounded and motivated and inspired and all of that! Feel free to join in if you like! Link up here if you do this so I can help cheer you on!

1. Because of Amanda's post, I'm going to start Couch to 5K Monday. I need to talk to the boyfriend because ideally I'd like to do it before work which means 6 am. He's usually sleeping then. I want to know how loud the machine is while he's sleeping because I'd hate to wake him up!
2. Because of my Let's Get Healthy! group, my great-aunt has been working out a little each day! I'm totally inspired by her motivation! She has battled breast cancer, a heart attack, and hip replacements, but my group is motivating her to ride her exercise bike just a few minutes each day... and that is inspiring me to kick up my game!
3. Because of my blog friend Kristen, I signed up to participate in Post Crossing which is an amazing program where you send and receive postcards from all over the world. Here are the ones I've received:
   
   
   
   
   The Pike Place Market is from Seattle, Washington; the windmill is from Holland; and the cat calendar is from Russia. So cool!
4. Because my hairdresser can't find a babysitter for her son next week, I'm getting my hair done tomorrow... a week early! I'm excited! My friend's wedding is on the 27th of the month and I want my hair to look awesome for her big day!
5. My niece had surgery on Monday to have her adenoids removed and tubes put in her ears. She did amazingly and was back in school Tuesday. She is running a low-grade fever but her doctor said that's normal. She's just as ornery as she ever was. Matt's mother had surgery on Tuesday to have her knee replaced. Her surgery went as planned though she will probably be in the hospital Friday.

The End of Overeating: Book Giveaway Winner

Congrats to Hollyann! 

If you could please shoot me an email at crystal (at) crysrochelle (dot) com with your mailing address, I will get the book out to you as soon as I can! :)

Friend Makin' Monday: TV, Movies, and Me

Don't forget about my review and giveaway of
David Kessler, MD's The End of Overeating found here.

I got into work today and was told that my personal work line had been ringing off the hook. My boss and two different coworkers had both answered it. Each time the person wouldn't say anything, the people here wouldn't understand what the person on the phone was saying, or the caller would just hang up. After they called about two dozen times in two hours, I wrote down one of the numbers and Googled it. Google said the number was from a cell phone in India. Then a different number called and I Googled it. The site it brought up was in Chinese. Traci (coworker) told me I should call the phone company so I did. It’s a scam. They’re trying to hack our phone system to either make international calls on our phone line or hijack our voice mail system. The guy from the phone company advised us to change our voice mail password. I also told him we don't make any international calls so he blocked outgoing international calls on all of our lines. Then I used my phone line to call another of our lines that doesn't get used... then put them both on hold so they can’t call through on my line anymore. I don’t know how long both lines can be on hold though. So far it's going on about 2.5 hours. Awesome.

I can understand why they'd want to make outgoing international calls on our lines, but I don't understand what hacking into our voice mail would get them. *shrugs*

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It is time again for Friend Makin' Monday.  If you have a blog, I would like to invite you to answer the questions as well.  Leave me a comment here, so I know you are playing.  Then you can also leave a comment over at All The Weigh so other folks can check out your answers as well.  It is a fun way to connect to other bloggers.
 

TV, Movies, and Me

1. If you could be a recurring star on a show that is currently on TV, which show would you choose? Oh man... I guess some people would expect me to say a show like... Supernatural or Dexter (my two favorites), but I think I would like to be on a comedy... Something more like New Girl or Two Broke Girls... :)
2. Name the movie that you are most embarrassed to admit that you love. Hmmm... I would probably have to say... just about any cheerleading movie. LOL I love the Bring It On movies... Haha.
3. Name one show that you’ve never seen and would love to watch.  I honestly don't know. I've watched a lot of TV in my years... Hmmm... I guess I would say the original Dallas. I started watching Dallas when it restarted, but I don't know any of the back story behind it because I didn't watch it when it started all those years ago.
4. Do you ever go to movies alone?  No. I've never been to the movies alone.
5. If you could only watch one TV show for the next year, which show would you choose and why? Once again, it would have to be something with a ton of episodes... I'm going to go with the original Dallas here as well. LOL I mean, I'm going to assume that there are a lot of episodes... I just Googled it... 357 episodes... basically an episode a day. I could live with that. :)
6. If you could star in one reality show, which one would it be and why?  Hmmm... I'm not a huge fan of reality shows, but I guess I would say The Biggest Loser.
7. If someone rented a billboard for you, what would it say?  "Dream as if you will live forever; live as if you will day today." My favorite quote... 
8. Who is the most famous person with whom you have been in the same room? Well, I've been in an elevator with DJ Qualls and Rick Worthy. That would be the smallest room... LOL I've been hugged by Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, Jim Beaver, Richard Speight Jr, Matt Cohen, and Rick Worthy... I was kissed by Kim Rhodes!!! I've been within a couple of feet of Misha Collins (he technically put his arm around me, but I was too scared to ask for a hug!), James Patrick Stuart, Gabriel Tigerman, Rachel Miner, Emily Perkins... Um... I'm trying to think of all of the people who were at the Supernatural conventions I've been to! LOL
9. If you were chosen to be a contestant on a TV game show, which show would you want to be on? Let's Make a Deal :) 
10. If there was a movie being made about you, which actor would you choose to play you? I honestly have no idea... When I was thinner, I got told I looked like Julia Stiles. I don't see it... But right now... looks wise and personality wise, I'd like to say Brooke Elliott...

The End of Overeating: Book Review and Giveaway

The End of Overeating:
Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite
by David A. Kessler, MD

Book Description from Amazon:

Most of us know what it feels like to fall under the spell of food when one slice of pizza turns into half a pie, or a handful of chips leads to an empty bag. But it s harder to understand why we can't seem to stop eating even when we know better. When we want so badly to say "no," why do we continue to reach for food?

Dr. David Kessler, the dynamic former FDA commissioner who reinvented the food label and tackled the tobacco industry, now reveals how the food industry has hijacked the brains of millions of Americans. The result? America s number-one public health issue. Dr. Kessler cracks the code of overeating by explaining how our bodies and minds are changed when we consume foods that contain sugar, fat, and salt. Food manufacturers create products by manipulating these ingredients to stimulate our appetites, setting in motion a cycle of desire and consumption that ends with a nation of overeaters. The End of Overeating explains for the first time why it is exceptionally difficult to resist certain foods and why it s so easy to overindulge.

Dr. Kessler met with top scientists, physicians, and food industry insiders. The End of Overeating uncovers the shocking facts about how we lost control over our eating habits and how we can get it back. Dr. Kessler presents groundbreaking research, along with what is sure to be a controversial view inside the industry that continues to feed a nation of overeaters from popular brand manufacturers to advertisers, chain restaurants, and fast food franchises.

For the millions of people struggling with weight as well as for those of us who simply don't understand why we can't seem to stop eating our favorite foods, Dr. Kessler's cutting-edge investigation offers new insights and helpful tools to help us find a solution.

There has never been a more thorough, compelling, or in-depth analysis of why we eat the way we do. 

My Input:

I don't remember who told me about this book, but it was suggested to me that I read it. The majority of my readers should know that I struggle with overeating. About six months ago, I was diagnosed as being a compulsive overeater... Since I have always struggled with overeating, I bought the book around Christmas a couple of years back and read it by the following spring...

I found the book to be very informative and well-researched. I think that if you are looking to understand why the food industry is the way it is and how our brains react to ingredients in foods to control our hunger this is the book for you. It made me think differently about food and the food industry. It was a quick, easy, and interesting read.

That being said, I feel like it's going to waste just sitting on my bookshelf. I do not believe that I will read it again as I seldom read books twice. I also take very good care of my books so it is in like new condition. I would love for someone else out there to be able to be informed because of this book... So, I have decided to giveaway my personal copy of this book. I've wanted to host a giveaway on this site that would be beneficial to my readers and I feel like this book definitely is that...

To Enter the Giveaway:

Requirements:

• Must be 18 years of age or older.
• Must reside within the contiguous 48 states. 

Mandatory Entry:

• Leave me a comment with how you think this book could help you.

Extra Entries (Leave a separate comment for each task you complete):

• Follow Me on GFC - OR - by Email
• Follow Me on Facebook
• Follow Me on Twitter
• Tweet About the Giveaway (You can write whatever you want as long as you mention me - @CrysRochelle)

All entries must be received by 11:59 pm CDT on Tuesday, April 9th.
The winner will be announced April 10th on my blog.

Friend Makin' Monday: Childhood Flashbacks

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s questions on your own blog then add your link in the comments section at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

Childhood Flashbacks

1. Did you have a set bedtime as a child?  If so, what was it? I'm sure I did... I'm sure it changed as I got older, but I don't remember what it was really... LOL I know when I was in high school, I stayed up way too late, but I did have a bedtime. *shrugs*
2. Were you taught to be a member of the “Clean Plate Club?” Did it have affect your eating habits as an adult? My parents didn't make us clean our plates, but we did have to eat whatever Mom made for dinner. She all the time said, "I am not a short-order cook." She made one thing for dinner and you could either eat it or not. I do feel like I ate more of the foods I liked because I liked them.
3. Share one thing that you were not allowed to do as a child. I was not allowed to leave if my parents didn't know where I was going. I could do something as easy as write a note and leave it on the table, but they always had to know where I was.
4. What is the cheapest gas price you can remember? When I started driving, gas was $1.15 a gallon. I could fill up my tank for like $15.00. It was super awesome. LOL But the cheapest gas I've ever seen was 99 cents after 9/11. A gas station in my town got in trouble for raising the price too high and then for 24 hours they had gas for 99 cents.
5. What was your favorite thing on the playground? Merry-go-rounds... I loved laying on them and letting everyone else push it around and around. :)
6. Share one thing that your parents always made you do that you didn’t like doing.  Cleaning my room. Haha! My mom would send me to clean my room and find me in the closet with a book and a flashlight reading. 
7. Do you remember your first kiss?  If so, share the details!  I don't remember where exactly it was, but my first kiss was when I was a sophomore in high school (I was a late bloomer!)... it was with my first boyfriend and probably at school. LOL
8. Did you prefer to play inside or outside?  I liked the outdoors more as a child than I do now, but I've never been an outdoorsy type of girl. I remember days where my sister and the neighbor girl and I would go out and make up dance routines or do gymnastics in the front yard, but I was just as content inside with a book, movie, or TV show.
9. What was your favorite TV show growing up? Oh... wow. Tough question. LOL  I liked a lot of shows back then... Full House, Growing Pains, Step by Step, Saved by the Bell... Haha...
10. Share one awesome childhood memory.  I loved Christmas growing up... mostly because my grandma loved it so much. I have awesome memories of us all at their little house celebrating. I miss her like crazy sometimes... It's hard to believe that next month it will be 19 YEARS since she passed.

Bonus: Share a picture of yourself as a child.  

Haha! I think I'm super adorable in this picture.