Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from Cultivate Create to you and your family! 

I am taking a little time to spend with family and will be back on Wednesday, Januaray 1st with the first Weigh-In Wednesday of 2014.    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Post-Workout Meltdown

A couple nights ago,  I attended a Boot Camp fitness class for the first time.  I really didn't know what to expect.  Shortly after the class began, I heard the instructor say we'd be doing 1600 reps of exercises to begin with. 

Wait, what?  Did she just say 1600? 

She had a list of exercises for us all to complete, fifty reps at a time.  Everyone kind of works at their own pace until they have completed all the reps.  For example,  some of the exercises were knee to elbow crunches, mountain climbers, push ups, scissor kicks, fire hydrants,  squats, lunges, and the list goes on.  You complete your fifty reps and then move on to the next exercise. 

Let me just say, some of those exercises were extremely difficult for me to do.  I hadn't done a lot of them in years, and others I had never tried at all.  I was struggling.  But I pushed through and finished to the best of my ability.  

But I was the last one finished.  I don't get easily embarrassed, but for some reason that night, it just hit me in the gut.  Whether it was unfounded or not, I was disappointed in myself.  I got mad at myself.  (Yeah, and all this after I had just posted on Wednesday about having a positive attitude in group fitness classes.)

For the first time since I have started this journey, I was just plain ticked off at what I had allowed my body to become.   Angry at myself for being complacent for so long.   Embarrassed that I couldn't keep up when once upon a time I could have.  Frustrated that no one else looks at me and sees an athlete inside when I know she's there waiting to get out. 

After that, we did some more exercises.  Then, when class was over, I got in my car and had a little pity party meltdown and cried on the way home.  Then cried on my husband's shoulder when I got there.   

He quoted what I wrote Wednesday right back to me, "All that matters is that you're doing it."

I am so glad he can help me put things into perspective.  Now, two days post workout, I can look at everything objectively.  All that matters is that I was there.  And I worked out hard as I could.  And I'm making steps in the right direction little by little. 

In August with my nephew, Tripp, and daughter, Ashlyn.  BEFORE the start of my weight-loss journey. 

This week with my new nephew, Liam.

I wasn't going to post any "progress" pictures until I had hit the 30 pound mark, but I thought reminding myself how far I've come was encouragement and good incentive to keep going. In the two pictures above, I see huge changes already.  Down a pants size and 23 pounds.  

Today, I think the only things on my body that aren't sore are the bottoms of my feet and my face.  It took some effort to get out of bed and I've been shuffling around here, working out the stiffness.  

Jared asked me if I need a cane. That made me laugh.  It hurts to laugh. 

But, I will take the soreness as a badge of honor.  And when I go back to the class, maybe I will earn another badge. 

Holiday Home Tour 2013

I am so excited to finally give you guys a little tour of my home all decked out for Christmas! There are a lot of pictures, so I'm not going to do a lot of talking. I will only interject the main decor elements of each space.  Enjoy!

Side Entry

*Fresh evergreen swag hung above large frame that holds this year's Christmas cards.
  Christmas countdown (dollar aisle at Target)
  Homemade ornament wreath made from vintage and new ornaments



Office

*Large reclaimed wood star adorned with LED lights

Formal Dining Room

*Vintage Whimsy Tree (more details here)
  DIY Marshmallow bits fillable ornament
  Whitewashed mirror with felt ornament garland
  Joy to the World vignette


Foyer

*DIY Waterless Snow Globe (more details here)
  Fresh Evergreen swag above mirror
  Glittery gold trees
  Three small trees holding Christmas cards from years past and fresh Magnolia wreath       

Living Room

*Glittery Gold Christmas Tree (more details here)
  Coordinating gift wrap: Silver faux bois, gold leaves, white. Names written with paint pen.
  DIY Gold ornament
  Fresh Greenery garland on Entertainment Center
  Stockings hung on ladder
  View of chevron wall (more details here)
  Plate wall 


Exterior

*DIY Evergreen Christmas swags (more detail here)
  Fresh greenery wreath on front door
  Lighted topiaries

I hope you enjoyed!  That is all I finished this year and at this point, I'm not doing any more.  
I truly hope you and your family will be blessed this Christmas and in the new year! 

Joy to the world!  The Lord is come!