{the one?}

On my day 'off' yesterday... (I use quotes because for the last couple of weeks, my Wednesdays have been busy and haven't really been a day off, but more a day on the go getting things done), my bestie, Victoria, her son, Parker, and my little man, Ayden, and myself all went mini golfing in the afternoon.

My morning was filled with things like sleeping in, only until 7am, so it wasn't really sleeping in, working out (yes, I am going to kick my butt into gear and although it has probably only been water weight, when I stepped on the scale this morning it back back to 117.2 instead of the 121.8 it was just a few nights prior... so I was happy about that and no I didn't starve myself to lose the weight... apparently you can fluctuate five pounds in one day anyways), washing clothes (not folding... there are still four loads of laundry that need to be folded and put away), going to the bank, picking some things up from Walmart, taking Ayden to swimming lessons, and then eating lunch before heading out. So, we didn't exactly have a low key morning either.

This was my first time taking Ayden to swimming lessons during this session and he is doing great. He is in level 2. I think I preferred the lessons in Point better where they had the kids all swimming at the same time than these ones. For the majority of the class the kids are sitting on the side waiting for their turn with the instructor. Ayden has the attention span of zero when he has to wait and its freezing cold out of the water (although not much warmer in the water), so he is often in the water talking and/or playing with a friend while waiting. I had no problem with this and I don't blame him. I wouldn't want to be sitting on the side either for the whole class. Anyways, slowly but surely he is becoming a better swimmer and I am proud of him.

Mini golf with Victoria and Parker was a blast! The kids did great and they are at an age where they can play with each other and have fun together and Victoria and I could catch up. I LOVE that we live close to each other again. We have seen each other more in the last few weeks than we have probably in the last few years and it is GREAT! And I will probably say over and over again how much I love living close to her!

After mini golf I asked Victoria if she wouldn't mind running over to this bridal boutique that my supervisor had told me about that was running a sale on sample wedding gowns... up to 40% off and I really couldn't pass it up. So, we took our little boys to a wedding dress store, haha! Props to the boys, they behaved AMAZING while we were in the store! Unfortunately, I didn't really care for any of the sample gowns and they were really all WAY too big for me, but while we were there I thought it wouldn't hurt to look around some more at the other dresses they had, so we did. The place is small and run by a mother and daughter and actually, the daughter went to the same high school as me and graduated two years before me. I found four dresses in my price range that I wanted to try on. If I would have looked a little closer or longer I probably could have found more. But then the daughter walked out with one and I immediately fell in love with it on the hanger.

Now, I know I have tried a few dresses on before... like three or four at a place in Rapids that I didn't really care for any of them. And then a few more at a upscale boutique in Minnesota. I loved the one that I tried on in Minnesota but it was over twice the highest amount that I wanted to spend, so it was definitely not going to happen. This place... it had lots of dresses in my price range. I tried the first one on and I really liked it. It was the style I was going for, kind of, but the fabric was so light and airy... it was a good contender. Then I tried two more on and they were both big 'no's... I didn't really care for the fabric on one and the other one wasn't poofy enough. I didn't want super poofy, but I didn't want just a skin tight straight dress either. I kept the one I really super liked on the hanger for the last one to try on... and I am glad that I did. I LOVED it and I REALLY REALLY think it is the one. I would have bought it on the spot had I already gone dress shopping with my mom and sister, but I really wanted to go with them as well. So, needless to say, we will be heading back to the boutique with my mom and sister in the coming weeks so they can see me in the dress. I am flirting with the idea of not showing anyone the dress until the wedding, besides those two and Victoria who was already there. It fits the feel that I want for the wedding perfectly!

Victoria and I also perused the bridesmaid dresses and I found two that I want my sister to try on. I am flirting with the idea of having all of the same bridesmaid dresses or having the bridesmaid chose a dress of their liking from a certain designer so that the color can all be the same. I guess I will have to see when my sister comes with us.

On a different note, I have successfully gone two days with pretty good eating and working out. I restarted my Chalean Extreme program (I made it through Day 3 before taking a few days off and just decided to restart it) and I cannot say how much I love it! I mean, you all know how much I love Turbo Fire and Chalene Johnson herself. This program is just what I was looking for and I am only on Day 2. I went and bought myself some 10 lb weights because the 5 lb ones I had were too light for me. I thought about getting 8 lb ones too, but decided not too and after I progress past the 10 lb ones, Jay has a pair of 15 lb dumbbells I can use. I know I am not burning as many calories as Turbo Fire right away and I am not walking away drenched in sweat, but let me tell you, have just a 40 min workout with weights, I am feel it. Today was a big arm workout and I tried to use the heavier weights as much as I could and I can definitely feel it in my arms. People... I can do TWELVE, yes TWELVE SLOW push-ups IN A ROW!!! That may not seem like a lot, but doing things slower really makes it harder. I may still be doing the push-ups on my knees, but I am building my arm strength, that is for sure! Back a few months ago I couldn't even do THREE push-ups on my knees and now I can do twelve! I could probably do a few more, but with this program Chalene does stuff in groups of 12. And the 40 minutes just flies by! I am going to try my darndest (yes I made that a word) to get through at least the first month without flaking out! Help keep me motivated!

CIAO! LOVE ME!