Where is this glow people speak of?

Just wanted to send out a little update on how me and the little Pebble are:

First off - who enjoys this? This has been the most miserable month and a half of my life! They say you get this "glow" when your preggo... WHAT!? I beg to differ. I am rounding the end of my first trimester and am SLLLLOOOOWWWWLLLYY joining in the human race again after almost 6 weeks of sleeping on the couch sick as a

dog everyday! I pretty much in my mind

had the stomach flu for 6 weeks! NOT FUN people! I hate to complain but it is all you can think about! I am so glad that I think I am starting to come out of this rage of hormones against my body causing insane things to happen to me including have the face of a 14 year old pubescent girl. I'm talking massive craters boys and girls! Enough of this bad stuff moving on...

Few things about my pregnancy:

I am currently 13 weeks pregnant as of tomorrow! This means my baby has most everything developed. Now it just needs to grow and get bigger and stronger!

For those who do not know yet my due date is December 29th. This is great but my baby will be sharing not only the holidays with her b-day but also many family members b-day's also. There are 7 close family members (including Kevin's) who's b-da

ys are in December! WOW! Talk about craziness!

Many of you have read my blog and know that Kevin and I had struggled with infertility for 3 years. This baby is a HUGE miracle! Not only was it a BIG surprise for us but we did not have to spend money on fertility treatments ether (which is what we were currently saving for). God constantly keeps us on our toes and is ALWAYS surprising us! I love that because it is such a reminder that He is there and He cares about us all!

I have only gained about 2 to 3 lbs so far. Don't know if that's a lot or not but I have been so sick that I would probably have gained much more than that! I am

still fitting into my tiny jeans so that's a plus. No muffin top either but I do feel pressure on my tummy so I have to unbutton them when I am sitting... lol!

Cravings - They are different every week! Literary! One week salty, one week sweet, one week fried (well I always like fried ; ) ) and I am FINALLY starting to eat salads again! The other day all I could think about was Chucks (for my p-wood crew) chicken tenders, curly fries and of course HONEY MUSTARD... ahhhh! How good does that sounds? Could not get it out of my mind! We ended up going to Babes Chicken and WOW that place is GREAT!

That's it for now! I leave you with belly pic! I feel like I look fat but you understand right?

Sorry for the bad pic quality I used my bad camera.

Thank you!

I am so glad to here that my story has touched many people out there! I would be crazy to think that my success was all from my own strength....IT WAS NOT! There were MANY people that have inspired me and helped me along the way. I would like to take a few mins to thank these people! Of course all of my friends and family inspire me on a daily basis, but these people helped me get to my goals!

Kevin - My husband, provider, leader and incredible workout partner! He works out with me all the time and we are able to push and motivate each other to get through some GRUELING tough workouts! He is constantly not letting me get away with anything! Thank you for your encouragement and support throughout all of this! I love you!

Mom and Sister - These to ladies are two of the most incredible Godly women I know! They encouraged me in my training yes but also in the word... what more could you ask for?!?! My life would not be the same without you two!

Chelsea Duchene - She is the personal trainer I consulted for the two week diet plan! This is one of my sisters dearest friends and is not only one HOT mama she has one heck of a testimony too! Thank you thank you thank you!

Kelsey Toney Macke - You inspired me to get off my lazy bones and get out there! Your story is what kept me motivated! Thank you girl!

Ashley Ramirez - You are always leading such a healthy lifestyle and I just admired that! With all your healthy cooking and cross fit all the time... Thank you for your great example to all women!

Emily Scoville/Dana Stewart and all my DVD girls - Thanks being such great examples of healthy living! Dana thanks for kicking my butt twice a week! I never thought I would ever again do 100 man push ups : ) Emi- your an angel to even let me be apart of this amazing team! Thank you and love you!

Oh and last but not least! p90x - I LOVE YOU!

Battle of the "bulge"

Sorry I have not been updating this since...WOW! January! I have had SO much to say but just have not been either motivated or even had the time. This may be a long one but if I can inspire just one person with this story of restoration then I will be ecstatic! Most of you all know I am no writer and terrible with grammar. If my run on sentences and misplace commas bother you than MOVE ON! Here it goes:

This was me Last February at a grand weight of 152 lbs on my short 5 foot frame.

Check out those arms! WOW!

I was happy with so many things in my life but realized I was a slave to food! Addicted to carbs, fast food and most importantly over eating! I asked myself "how did you get here?". Always being the epitome of health and active living. in 2005 right after I met Kevin I had (what I thought for 5 years was) a career ending injury. Four bulging/herniated disk ranging from my upper back through my lower back...OUCH! Unless you have had this you could not even BELIEVE the pain I went through! The slightest move would send me into (literally) paralyzing spasms! For years I honestly could not do an physical activity or even simple things like vacuuming. During this time my eating habits became pretty much all fast food! I could eat high calorie foods my whole life because of my amazingly active lifestyle so once I became sedentary I did not think "Maybe you should cut down on these late night trips to Whatarburger and French fries galore!" Slowly but surly I was growing out of all my cute little size S clothes and size 4/5 pants! I just thought "This is not fair! Why did God let this happen to me?"...

I started being more pro active about my back issues going to see many chiropractors, acupuncturist, massage therapist, physical therapy...you name it I did it! I wanted to stop living with such pain, but my goals were not for health and wellness. I was still eating like everything my skinny minny husband was eating. I thought "Unfair!! He can eat anything he wants and still look great!" but I failed to take a look at myself with honest glasses. Elizabeth, Why are you gaining weight? This is not just about your back. I would just push those stupid thoughts into my fat jeans and move on.

About year three things were getting much worse I was well on my way to the 140's and my husband was clearly saddened by my condition. Without getting into much it definitely strained our relationship. This made me upset at him that he would be so vain! "UGH! My husband has no right to criticize me.. this is not my fault! I have a bad back!". Choke... was this still my excuse? After 3 years of this injury you would think I could find something that worked for me right? Was it that I just wasn't trying the right things? I did many times try Jenny Craig, and "eating healthy" (salad is healthy right? I'll take that giant Cobb salad worth i'm sure 1500 calories) and to my dismay nothing was working or I would quite by Tuesday.

Year four...WOW! I was embarrassed to be seen by people at this point! Cellulite everywhere even on my ARMS! YUCK! Tears came out ALL THE TIME! It was this year that I really started to think that this could be GASP a SIN issue! Now I know some of my readers don't believe in these things but I do... so read at your own risk! I started to realize that my back issue was my crutch. I would lean on it to make people and myself think "Oh poor thing she can't help it." Visiting my sister in California I was sitting on her bed, that happened to break when I was on it, balling my eyes out! I could not believe I was up to 152 lbs! She comforted me and we talked forever about my weight gain. Trying to figure out how to get it off and why it was there in the first place. When I got home I was talking with someone close to me going through some reoccurring sin and I told them they just need to cut it out and to rely and depend on God to make it happen. Cough cough.... rewind! I can not expect someone to flee from their sin troubles if I did not do it myself! Literally right then and there I gave my food addiction up to God! He had been calling me to do this for 4 years! I just ignored it every time! Things were never perfect but God helped me through it!

First order of business was to give up fast food! That right there I dropped about five lbs in just about 2 1/2 months. At this point I said to myself I am going to do this! I practice my self control and look what it did for me! In May of last year I signed up for weight watchers and competed in my first 5k in about 5 years! I was seeing a new chiropractor and my back was feeling MUCH better. I think God honestly just wanted to teach me to trust Him! It was hard but I decided to start working out again. Eating well and working out got me down to 134 by October! At this point my back was feeling about 90%. I decided to keep up my healthy eating but to just maintain my weight so I could enjoy myself through the holidays! In November I started running much more and entered many 5k races. January of this year I did a 10k race and my longest distance in my training was an 8 mile run! I got down to 130lbs through Jan but after visiting my sister I gained 4 lbs back.

Mid Feb I found out that my close friend and former captain of my first year of Desperados was announced the new Director for AFL Dallas Vigilantes Dancers and I thought "Liz, it's your time". I had 2 weeks to lose 20 more lbs!!!! HELLO! Is that even possible? I consulted an informed friend about how to do it and she gave me a diet plan for those two weeks. I stuck with it and worked out twice a day and by auditions I had lost 14lbs! IN TWO WEEKS! I made the team as well as being named a captain! I have been able to keep it off and now I am almost to my pre weight-gain weight. Just 3 lbs away from a total of 40 lbs lost!!!!! That is CRAZY! When I complain that Kevin gets to eat the "fun" food he says, "Your eating for your job not for fun!". It really helps to think of it that way at this point! My back is holding up. Some days better than others but it is no longer going to stop me from doing the things I love! The best part about the weight loss is I get to get all new clothes! The worst part I have to BUY all new clothes!

If anyone wants to talk to me about there struggle with food, working out, or healthy living...I'm here! Hope my story has inspired you! Thanks for making it to the end! HA! Here is one last pic...me now!

This is from last Saturday:

Running thus far

My training for my half marathon is half way done! I ran 7 miles for the first time yesterday and I am giddy like a school girl! It was refreshing and an overall AMAZING experience! I was nervous at first b/c I have missed some runs do to the weather and my leg had been hurt (still does a bit but I am working through this). I will be going to California at the end of the month and realized I will have to run 9 miles there! WOW! Literally my sisters neighborhood is ALL up hill! It is CRAZY! So we'll see how it goes! How is everyone else's training going this far I really want to here your stories! Got to get going Kevin just got home and we are going for a short run!

More Collars

I made many collars this weekend! Here they are!

They range in sizes from S/M/L. I made most of them for my dogs but the

two middle ones are for my mom's dogs! I am thinking about making more so I will take orders if interested! The are called Martingale collars. They were created for dogs who's heads are similar sizes to their necks. The center ring pulls up and it clinches the collar tighter so that it won't come over their heads. Kinda like a choke collar but it does not hurt them.

On Monday around 3:30 I looked on good old craigslist for Italian Greyhounds and 2 hours later we were leaving our home to pick her up! I have been BEGGING Kevin for over a year to get another dog (specifically an IG). I have looked and looked for the right one everyday! They have two IG adoption leagues and we had found one we liked but they are about $300 then you have to buy a crate and pillow and food.... We just did not have then money! I went on CL Monday and there she was...$100, potty trained, 4 years old, and female. Everything I wanted! I told Kevin and sent him some pics. When he got home from work he said "Well, lets go get her". So we drove an hour an 1/2 each way and took her home! She is the sweetest little girl and EVERYTHING I wanted! She is such a cuddle bug! So of course she did not yet have a collar so I HAD to make her some! Here are some pics of her and the collars I made her:

New Year and new DECADE!

WOW! Here we are... quickly approaching the new decade (how is this happening?). I have to say this last 10 years was AMAZING! I can not wait for the next! To think, in y2k (HAHA) I graduated high school and started college at Collin County Community College, those were the days! I worked at TGP where I met (Zip) my best friend and roommate from 02-03. We had a BLAST and have memories imprinted! ; ) Of course I had to waist much of my time with a boyfriend (why do girls do this to themselves!?) for four of these years. I did learn so much from that and I am thankful! 2003-2005 were some of the most memorable years of my life! I changed jobs to work at an AMAZING dance studio and I was fortunate to be a professional dancer for the Dallas Desperados AFL team. I also got hired to work at Palm Beach Tan...and we all know who I met there!!! : ) Kevin and I quickly became friends (in a boss employee type way) and after about 3 months we started dating and a few months later we knew this was it! At the end of 2005 we started attending an incredible church called the Village where Kevin came to know Christ and was baptized (AMAZING! I got to baptize him). Summer of 2006 we were engaged and married only 3 short months later...2 months after that we started building our beautiful house. In 07 we moved into our home and I got my first big girl car after I totaled my old one. 2008 was full of ups and downs...our great love Rider came into our lives, but Kevin lost his job for over 3 months! We have seen great blessing in 2009! Kevin has a great job and we got our second little joy Lola. Along with all of these memories I have seen my best friends and family get married, buy houses, have beautiful babies, laugh, cry, and trust another day that God's plan is far greater than we will EVER know on this earth! Cheers to the last ten year and prayers for the next 10! I love you all!

I will post some pics of 2000-09 tomorrow! Just need to find the scanner!