Christmas In Heaven......

Have you heard the song "Christmas In Heaven" that both Scotty McCreery and Sarah Schieber sing?  (I have a link for the song at the end of this post).

It is a beautiful song.  If you have lost someone close, you can probably really relate to this song.

I know our sweet Kate has been gone for over 7 years now but there are times it seems just like yesterday.  She is thought about everyday but around the holidays it is another reminder that she is not here with us.

As we watch the Princess get so excited over all the different things that the Christmas season brings it is always a reminder of things we never got to experience with Kate.

Every year around Christmas I think about what Christmas Day must really be like in heaven.  Can you just imagine? Christmas Day = Jesus' Birthday!  How do they celebrate?  

I love the part of the song that talks about are you kneeling with the shepherds and can you reach out and touch the face of Jesus.  My sweet Kate is right there in the midst of Christmas in Heaven. I know as much as I would love for her to be here with us she is right where God intended for her to be before she was ever born.  We only want the best for our kids, right?  I have to say that I think Kate has been having and will continue to have the best Christmas' ever.

I started this post over a week ago and got busy and never posted it.  Since then there have been so many things happen.  A friend of mine from back home lost her husband in a car accident this past week.  Another friend does not know how much longer her baby girl will be here on this earth.  And then the shootings in Connecticut today.

So much sadness in this world.  Just a reminder of the world we live in but then we can think about this is only our temporary home.  

I have an ornament given to us by a friend after Kate died and it says Merry Christmas From Heaven - I love you all dearly, now don't shed a tear, I'm spending my Christmas with Jesus this year.

So, what do you think Christmas in Heaven is like?

Here is a version of "Christmas In Heaven" that I found on You Tube by Sarah Schieber.  If you have not heard it take a minute to just stop and listen to the words.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:4 (NIV)

How It All Began....And A Weekly Update.....

So I realized I had a post I had never posted that told a little more about what I am doing in my weight loss journey.  I went back and tried to take out some of the things I know I have mentioned in previous post.  22 Days until Christmas!  22 Days to work really hard to try and meet my Christmas goal!!

In January of 2012 I tried losing weight AGAIN after the holidays(remember the "before" picture I have been using in my comparison pictures) but would lose a pound or two and then gain a pound or two.

I have learned (well, I think I already knew it) your mind has got to be ready and in the game  to really lose weight.

You can't think oh I can have this it will be ok....because if you like food as much as me, well you eat that one little bite and then another and then another and then you think I will just start all over tomorrow.

So what did I do??

One of my friends is a personal trainer.

I ask hubby back in April if I could hire her to help me lose weight.

He told me I could!

I remember having a MOPS Steering meeting at my house on April 29th (the day before starting this weight loss journey) and drinking my last Coke or Dr. Pepper for quite some time and most likely eating a few pieces of chocolate because I knew that was all about to change!

What I love about my training is that my friend has done most of the training here at my house.

Do you realize how much time that saves me to not have to go to a gym?

I think about it sometimes...by the time I could get the Princess loaded in the car, drive to the gym, get the Princess in childcare and then finally get to workout I would have already spent at least 30 minutes and just be getting to start working out...where in 30 minutes I am most likely half way through a workout.

Now that the Princess is in school I just drop by her house on training day and train at her house. 

My trainer also sends me my menu every other week.

It details out exactly what I am to eat for each meal.

It has been a no guessing game for me.
 
It makes grocery shopping so easy because I just get my menu, see what items I need and see what extras we need.

It is getting a little harder though because the closer I am getting to goal weight I now am getting to choose some of my meals...

Hubby and the Princess eat most of the same things and I will sometimes add something to the meal for them or if it is something they do not want we will grill them a different type of meat or something.

The cooking does take me about an hour each evening...but that is ok because we are eating HEALTHY and CLEAN!  We are not putting JUNK into our bodies!

Yesterday was the day for my splurge meal and and splurge snack.
I am  trying to have a semi controlled splurge this week because I am still up a little bit from Thanksgiving.  I say semi because last night was also my MOPS Christmas party.  Hopefully I did not do too bad...it is amazing how fast those calories add up!

I was back within a half of a pound of my pre Thanksgiving weight and then had a meal this week that had a little too much sodium I think....so hopefully that sodium will come off quickly.  Remember me saying how I can choose some meals now and instead of making my own taco seasoning like I normally do I quickly took the quick way out for me because there just happened to be a package of taco seasoning in my pantry.....but it was not low sodium but for some reason I chose to use it....another lesson learned....I should have taken the 2 minutes to make my own. 

Stay tune for more about my weight loss journey.

24 Days Till Christmas!

Can you believe Christmas will be here in 24 days!

I really can't figure out where this year has went.

How much of your Christmas shopping have you done?

We ordered something online Monday only to receive an email during the day that the order had been cancelled...ugh...they had run out I guess.

Is your house decorated yet?

Ours is getting there....slowly but surely.  I hope to have it mostly done by the end of the weekend.

We did get our village up over Thanksgiving.

This is known as "Kate's Village" to everyone around here.

We started our village the year Kate was born and try to add to it each year.

So with my phone I could not get the whole village in one picture. 

So here is two pictures.

In the picture it looks like so much more snow that when I look at it.  I am thinking next year more streets and less snow storm:).

I am still working toward my Christmas weight loss goal...I am so hoping I can make it!! I put on a few pounds during Thanksgiving but I am 1/2 pound away from being back to where I was!

I noticed that I have a weight loss post that I never posted....and it was the one that gave a little more info about what how I have been losing weight and then some of the things I have already shared...so I will do another post next week about that.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!  Still can't believe it is December 1st!