Love, Joleen Photography Blog

A Change In Luck

Good evening! After five days off I was not looking forward to gettin' back to business today but I've had a great day. It appears I've had a change in luck these last few days and nobody is more thrilled than me! :)

Friday I went to the doctor for a followup appointment and my test results. It turns out I do more than likely have PCOS. At this point it feels good to have some validation and a fertility plan set in motion. I feel very hopeful. I was also very pleased that I do not have diabetes and most of my levels (blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.) are good.

My doctor praised my weight loss efforts and encouraged me to keep it up. As of yesterday I have FINALLY crossed the mark that's been plaguing me and I'm at my lowest weight in 2 1/2 years!! Woohoo!!!I still have quite a ways to go but I'm feeling very motivated. It's less than a month until my half marathon so I'm definitely going to be stepping up the training.

Here are a couple new Wardrobe Remix pics.. I don't know what is up with my face in the bottom photo (ha!). I think I was thrown off by the flyby peanut in our first go. ;) In case you're wondering, that fabulous purple sweater is from Ruche. So great, right?

Ok, so talk about lucky! I rarely ever win anything and tonight I won two tickets to see the Broadway Musical, Annie. I'm soooo excited! I saw this on a smaller scale when I was little and remember really loving it. :)  xo

PS- Other typepad users.. is there a way to post your photos on the right and text on the left? I've done it this way in the HTML coding and it looks right in the preview but isn't publishing correctly. Hmm..

yipee

i heard that it might feel like fall this weekend.. really looking forward to it!!

i am super excited though because i bought this dress 1 or 2 years ago because i looooved the colors and pattern.. but when i got home it wasn't my size. i kept it in my closet because i really want to wear it! this morning i tried it on and it fit (whohoo!) so i'm pretty dang stoked about that. oh! and the other day i fit in my next jeans down.. i've lost 10 lbs. so far and am just 4 lbs. away from my first mini goal. :)

i found some evidence of fall that i thought i'd share. :D eeeee.. so pretty!

Work it, Girl!

I've had a bit of a headache for the last few hours. I took some meds and am hoping it goes away soon! I am about to leave for Candice's place. We're going to walk a trail near her and cook dinner together. I've been doing okay on the exercising/ eating well front. I've had somewhat of a bum week... I'm feeling really lazy and lethargic and I just need to snap out of it. I'm down about 8 lbs. since I've started so I'm thrilled about that. Slowing but surely! Lulls or okay.. burn outs, not! I'll take my time.

Last night I finished my new art journal cover. I titled it after the class I'm taking. I just love those gel letter stickers.. totally worth the ridiculous cost they were. All in the name of art. ;) You can click on the images below to see the full page. The top two I made on a whim but any pages I create while working on this book I'm going to include. Hope you like 'em!

My Journey

There have been many times in my life for fresh starts and new beginnings. I tend to view any big change as an opportunity to "start anew" and our move here was no exception. In my quest to become the best me possible I've started treating myself better. With my flexible schedule I have time to shop for and prepare our meals now. We've began eating healthier and organic whenever possible. I've also started working out again. It is very important to me that these changes become lifestyle habits and not a short lived obsession.

There are great local trails and I feel so blessed to be so close to both the beach and mountains for variety. It has been wonderful having friends to join me during the week for walks/hikes. Candice has been coming about once a week to work out, cook a meal together, and visit. We've decided to train for the Surf City USA Half Marathon and I figure the more people I tell, the more that'll hold me accountable. That's you, folks. ;) We've also signed up (again) for the CHOC Walk. I have created the team "Love, Joleen Photography + Friends" so if you would like to register to become part of our team, go here. If you can't make it but would like to sponsor me, go here. Much love!

On Track

It's been an interesting few weeks since I last posted. The day after my last post I was given a week's notice at my job- my charge was accepted into a great preschool he had been on the waiting list for. While, of course I understood their need to let me go, it was still a bummer! I went on a few interviews and actually accepted a nanny position caring for his baby cousin. I don't start until the 22nd of this month.

It has been kind of nice being home this time around. I wish we could afford for me to stay home more - I've been accomplishing so much. You know all those little tasks that usually get pushed down the list? Those are the things I've been doing. Plus, I've been able to keep up on the day to day tasks so that we don't have to worry about chores in the evenings and can just spend time together. With my soon to be new schedule I hope to be able to keep the balance.

I've been back on WW for 6 weeks and am feeling great. I made a new workout buddy that I've been walking with often. I am walking the high school track or hiking our local trails about 3 miles 4-5 days a week and strength training twice a week. Yesterday I went to my first spinning class and whoa(!) am I sore. I bought one of those gel seat covers to take with me tomorrow because my tush hurts!! Hahaha. Tomorrow is my weigh in day but as of last week I had lost 8 lbs. The weight has been a little slow going these last few weeks but I'm not feeling too frustrated about that since my measurements show inches lost, I've lost a size, and I'm feeling good. I have a plan in place and hope to be at my goal by my 25th birthday (March 17). I am confident I can do it! Alex has been showing an interest in being a healthier person as well, and has been a good sport about joining me on walks and hikes and is watching his portions and salt content (his nemesis). I am very proud of his efforts and it makes me happy that he's trying too.

We (along with my sisters and Mom) are doing the CHOC Walk (5k) on October 21 to help raise money for Children's Hospital of Orange County. If you would like to sponsor us, please click here. Thank you!

PS - I've added a "weightloss journey" category to help track my progress and hold me accountable to myself and you. :)