Computer Problems... GRRR...!!!

So I want to apologize for not posting yesterday. I am really trying to blog every Sunday night, but the internet on my computer is down and I cannot download any pictures. For my post I would love to put up pictures to help tell of the great adventures I had this week. So please forgive me and stay tuned for an updated blog post as soon as my computer works. In the meantime... let me give you an update on my weight loss.

The Shrinking of Carli
The last couple of weeks have been really quite well! I am finally feeling like I am back in the mindset of losing weight. I feel like it is something I can truly accomplish in a visible point in time. I am feeling the affects that it has truly had on my mood and attitude. It is funny to think that when I eat healthier and more strick... I tend to be in a better mood. Then the days I don't care about what I eat tend to be my bad days. I love this feeling because I want to strive to have a good mood and have now found one factor to help improve my mood. Well not much else to tell you... but here are my weekly totals.

Week 23- I lost a total of 0.8 lbs this week. My total lost so far is 31.6 lbs!
Week 24- I lost a total of 1.6 lbs this week. My total lost so far is 33.2 lbs!

The Word "Free" Comes With A Price... Maybe Not???

First, I need to apologize about being so slow and taking forever to update my blog. Life has been so hectic the last few weeks that I really never got a chance to sit down and update my blog, so I am sorry for all those who have been waiting for an update.

Let's continue on to my blog subject of the week. On Thursday, one of my favorite bands, Parachute, came in town to do a free show. That's right... a FREE show! It was so much fun! I had been dying to go to another concert, so I couldn't argue when I found out these guys were coming and I would be able to see them without spending a dime. So to explain the free concert, it was put on by a group called "Fight the New Drug." This group is out to educate people on the harmful affect of pornography, and how it is truly affect our community. I found the information they have VERY interesting, definitely something I support. So look them up at http://www.fightthenewdrug.com/. I promise that it is not a waste of time. The sad thing... Utah has the highest percentage of use of Internet pornography in the country. This just makes me sick! I hope with a little more education, we can fight this new addiction that is fastly taking a grip of our world. I have become a fighter and encourage you to join me, if you feel the same as I do. Sorry for the rant, but I feel so strong about this destruction that is ruining so many lives!

So about the concert... because the concert was free, so many people showed up. Some I don't think would have come if they had to pay. There were a few crazy and abnoxious teenagers there that thought it would be so much fun to rush the stage and do crazy things. I definantely learned my lesson on wanting to stand in the front. I don't think I will do that again. Will, the lead singer of Parachute, decided that he would try crowd surfing for the first time that night, must I say that he was insane! I was underneath him a few times and felt sorry for him and the way people would touch him and grab at him. I was talking with him after the show and he surely felt a little molested by the end of the night. I think that is the last time he will try that. Even though the crowd was crazy and rude at times, it was still one of the best shows of theirs, if not the best! I have been a fan of these guys for a long time and really enjoyed seeing them. Their new album is just amazing and I enjoyed hearing it live! So let's see what craziness their next show brings!

I did find some great new bands, as I always strive to do at concert. Opening acts are sometimes the best bands that I find. That is how I discovered Parachute. So I discovered two bands that are definitely worth checking out! First is the group named Damato. They are really good. The lead singer reminds me of a rocker Bruno Mars. And let's just say that they are pretty darn cute! The bassist definitely makes chest hair look fine... and I am not a chest hair kinda girl... just saying!!! The best find of the night goes to a local band named Allred! They are officially climbing higher on my charts every day! They are really good and very good eye candy as well! I was able to catch the drummer's drum stick at the concert and went over and talked to band for awhile. They are super cool and laid back! I kept looking at the drummer, whose name is Tanner, and thinking he looked so familiar... so after stirring over this for a while... I realized this guy goes to the majority of the concerts I go to and just after seeing him a few times, I began to always notice him. He also looks so much like my cousin Tim, that I instantly notice him. So, I really hope I run into him at more concerts, because he is just my type of guy!

Well, there is my spill on the concert and amazing guys... but I wanted to add some pictures to this blog to show something really cool. So, last time I saw Parachute was when I had just started Weight Watchers in January and I wanted to compare pictures with the same guy, Will. I wanted to see if I could tell a difference in the pictures... kinda like a before and after. What do you think? Is there a difference?

Here is my "before" picture taken in January.

Here is my "after" picture taken 5 months later.

The Shrinking of Carli
So the last few weeks have been full of ups and downs and I had really began to slack on trying to lose weight. Well after all the ups and downs, I sat down and put myself to the challenge of sticking to it as much as I had when I began. I have began to track every single thing I eat and am trying to exercise a lot more. I feel it helping me more. I feel my mood changing for the better and I feel healthier over all! I am at the lowest I have been since I quite Cold Stone Creamery 5 years ago. I feel this is a big accomplishment! Cold Stone helped me gain a lot of weight and lose a lot of confidence in myself. Well, I can now conquer one more barrier. Let's just hope that this week is a lot better and that I have great news for you!

Week 20- I lost 0.6 lbs this week. My total weight loss so far is 29 lbs.
Week 21- I lost 2.2 lbs this week. My total weight loss so far is 31.2 lbs.
Week 22- I gained 0.4 lbs this week. My total weight loss so far is 30.8 lbs.

A New Way To Look At Life!!!

I must say that the beginning of this week was pretty darn rotten and hard! I was really struggling with life and what it had given me at the moment. I was upset that I was single and have been unsuccessful in relationships, I had this feeling of an impending doom of singleness... and it really bothered me. I also starting thinking about friends and of course... with me being down... I felt that I had no friends and that nobody wants to be my friend. I was feeling really bitter about the changes they had made in my singles ward, I was hoping for a ward split and that didn't happen. I just really felt like an awkward outcast in life and that I really wasn't needed by anyone. Life was just hard!!!

Well, let me tell about today... Today was a much better day! It was Fast Sunday... and I really wanted to be more content and happy with the way my life is going... so I fasted about this. Usually I don't feel or see instant results from my fast, but Today I did. I am so content with life at the moment! The way my ward made changes was amazing! I felt like I could socialize comfortably and really enjoy myself! I was talking to one of my cousin's last night at a family party and she mentioned to me about my post last week and how I had stated this... "I realized I could do this, and the only one that could change it for myself was me!...I was at a point that I knew that I could continue on and do well... so here I am, starting with a new drive! I deserve this, I deserve a good life, a happy life! The only way I am going to be happy is myself! I will never receive full happiness from others... I have to be happy with myself first!" Well, let me be honest with you... I don't remember posting this at all. I remember posting things about change and being happy, but I don't remember using the words I did and didn't realize how much I wrote. I guess I just got typing away without even thinking about what I was saying.

This really hit me hard when I went to bed. You know how when you are sitting in your bed waiting to go to bed, but you can't because your mind is going a million miles and hour... that was me last night. I just kept thinking about how much I control my life and the happiness it brings to me. I realized that the pity party I was throwing myself into at the beginning of the week was beyond not worth it! I have had this renewed sense of life being ok and not just ok... but great!

I know that I am at one of the greatest times of life and I need to enjoy every moment of it! Here I have the grand opportunity to go to school and accomplish my greatest dream of becoming a Nurse. I am able to go with my friends on a whims notice and I am able to have fun with them without worrying about kids or a husband. I can travel places and just enjoy myself! I can just have fun! I do have the ultimate goal of finding a husband and becoming a mom, but until that happens, I am going to have fun and enjoy myself. I am not going to pity myself because I am single. Life is great for me at the moment because I am making it that way, not anyone else!



I couldn't finish this post without a picture. So I chose a picture of what I feel helps me out at times. I am never alone, when I can't stand to bear it, he is there to carry me along!


The Shrinking of Carli
This week was a rough week for me at the scales as well. It kind of just added to the mess of me breaking down. I gained to most amount of weight since I have started. I was very upset with myself about this, and I wanted to blame it all on me not exercising as much... but that wasn't the only factor. So to explain the no exercise... I have some plantar warts that are awful and bad... so at the moment, my Podiatrist has me putting acid on them daily to burn them off, well it isn't suppose to hurt, but the fresh skin underneath is really tender and it really hurts to walk on them... so that beat out running as well. Well, I shouldn't have used that excuse! I also ate really bad as well... I think I had chocolate every day and not just a little. I found these oreos that have peanut butter on them and are coated in chocolate and man are they good! But... they are so bad!!! Sadly, I ate a whole package in one day! Shame on me, but I am on a much better track this week and have started exercising comfortably again. So let's hope next week is amazing!

Week 19- I gained 1.8 lbs this week. My total weight loss so far is 28.4 lbs.

One Accomplishment Down.... Many More To Go!!!

It has been awhile since I have posted... and I have some fun stuff to post. So, now that my computer is virus free... I shall update you on my life the last couple weeks. On Saturday, May 21st, Weight Watchers held a 5K Walk-It Challenge. They really wanted everyone possible to participate in this great event, they want people to become more active. That's the nice thing about Weight Watchers... they don't just tell you to eat right, they also tell you to exercise to look better. I read this quote in my booklet by them that I must share... "Losing weight helps you look good in clothes. Exercise helps you look good naked." I just laughed so hard when I read that, but it is so true! Exercise helps tone your body up... I know we have all seen those who have saggy skin because of drastic weight loss, but I believe it can be better with exercise. Anyways, now that I am done with my rant, I will continue on with my 5K experience. When I heard about the Walk-It Challenge, I knew I wanted to do it! I was looking for some way to get me more active, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. I am one who likes to set goals and go for them... that is how I accomplish things that I want and need. So I got a training guide and trained away 5 days a week for 6 weeks... in the end this is what happened...

I finished the 5K at the fastest time I had so far... now, I did not run it! I didn't feel like I was ready to start running first thing, so I walked at a decent pace the whole time. Next year, my goal is to run the whole entire thing. I always thought I would never be a runner, but I am actually really enjoying a quick run! So let's hope to that! Here are a few more pictures from the 5K... my little brother and dad walked it with me. They have been awesome supporters through my weight loss journey and I have greatly appreciated it!

Just before we started walking.

Me and My Dad walking away.

At the Finish Line with our Certificates.

Well, not much more has happened the last couple of weeks, I feel like I have been more busy since school has been out, and it is kind of killing me. I want to enjoy summer! I want to bask in some sun, enjoy the great stuff Utah has to give outdoors. Most of all, I really want to see if I can get a tan this Summer. My family loves to compare arms and laugh at my whiteness all the time, so I am wanting to spend more time outdoors and see if that helps! Sadly, the weather in Utah right now sucks! Rain, Rain, Rain... and Snow in some parts today! Crazy weather needs to stop! I am ready for the sun!

The Shrinking Of Carli

So the last couple of weeks have been much better! I did the 5K and have continued to exercise when I can. Sadly, I injured my foot at the 5K and have a hard time walking and running, but I did pull out my bike, and have enjoyed riding it! I feel in love with my bike last year, and can't wait to see what more I can do this year with it! I have been eating better. I have been packing my own meals for work and have noticed a difference when I am not eating at the cafeteria... even though IMC has the best hospital cafeteria I have ever experienced! I have had some bad days, but I am finding them fewer and fewer as time goes on. The biggest thing I have noticed recently is how hard it is to lose weight! I really have looked back and seen how hard I am working at this and noticed that when I work the hardest, I see the biggest results! I know I am getting healthier and looking better, but I sure am struggling at the moment. I have really felt down on life and how some things are going at the moment. Some of those that have attended with me or at the same time as me, have started giving up and not doing so well. I feel that this is taking a huge toll on me! I don't feel that I have the same support system that I used to... I kind of feel lost at the moment, but then yesterday... out of nowhere I snapped! I realized I could do this, and the only one that could change it for myself was me! I realized I had the will power to say no to those bad things and to go to the good things! I was at a point that I knew that I could continue on and do well... so here I am, starting with a new drive! I deserve this, I deserve a good life, a happy life! The only way I am going to be happy is myself! I will never receive full happiness from others... I have to be happy with myself first! So here is my promise to myself. I will strive to better myself and be happy with myself at all times! This I shall work on!

Week 17- I lost 1.2 lbs this week. I have lost 29.4 lbs total!
Week 18- I lost 0.8 lbs this week. I have lost 30.2 lbs total!

Forgetting The Past Is Hard To Do!

Let me explain my title first... I have had something I believe to be pretty amazing happen in my life recently, I have really enjoyed what has happened, but I am afraid of things because I have been hurt multiple times in the past through the same type of thing . I am afraid to let myself go because I am so afraid of getting hurt, I know I don't show it to people, but it constantly runs through my head. I have this really bad habit of always thinking of the worst in every situation... I always think first of all the things that can go wrong, way before I think of all the great things that can come out of things. This is the worst curse, I hate it! So I have resolved today in forgetting the past and hoping for the best in the future. I believe that in this situation if I focus on my past that I might actually do more harm than good. I have had to learn more patience, but it has paid off beyond my expectations!!! I am going to embrace this new journey with a new view and enjoy it for what it is worth!!! Maybe one day I will share more about this story if things go well in the future, but for now I am content with just sharing this. On an end note, I have been listening to the new song "Just A Kiss" by Lady Antebellum and have fallen in love with it... so enjoy it!

The Shrinking of Carli

Well this week's update is going to be short... I had a horrible week! I ate like crap the week before weigh-in and didn't count or track points at all. I know I didn't make the best choices on what I ate and to top it all off, I didn't work-out as much as I should have. I cut the bottom of my foot and it was pretty sore to walk on, so I gave up. I shouldn't have and paid for it at the scale. I am now back on track, so let's hope I lose more than I gained last week!

Week 15- I gained 0.6 lbs this week, with a total lost of 28.2 lbs total!

I Did It!!!

Well this week hasn't had too much excitement except for school being done. YAY! I turned in my group project about the negative affect that nuclear power has on us and our future. Doing this project has put a new thought in my mind about nuclear power and just to sum it up quickly... I don't think we are doing ourselves any good using this kind of power, it is harmful to us today, but even more harmful to our future generations. That's all I will say, I am in no mood to debate or drag on today. There really is no more to post for this week, except something really exciting in my next section... so read on!!!

The Shrinking of Carli
Well shall I share the great news??? Why not? This week I hit a big accomplishment and goal for me. I have officially lost 10% of my starting weight!!! I have worked very hard to get to this point and am very proud to say that I have lost that much of my weight! I have also hit the mark of having less than 100 lbs to go before I hit my goal weight of 150 lbs! I am so excited to have gotten this far and to have accomplished this much. I have seen my life style change... I have become more active and choose better things for me. Yes, there are those times I splurge and have so-called "naughty" stuff, but I do that in moderation and balance it out with healthier foods or increased activity that day. I am loving all the comments I get from people who know I am losing weight. I especially love the word diet... I don't feel like I am on a diet, I can eat whatever I want, just in moderation. I have told myself from the beginning that I am not on a diet, but I am making a lifestyle change. This is a permanent change for me, not just one I will do until my goal weight is hit and then go back to the life I had. When I first started Weight Watchers I was at the heaviest I ever remember myself being, I weighed 274.4 lbs. I remember thinking I need to straighten my life or I am going to head down a road of absolute misery and my life is going to be lived without accomplishing the things I wanted to. The other day I was with a friend that asked me when I was going to stop Weight Watchers, was I going to get to my goal first? Was I going to go a little after and then stop? Well the answer is neither of those, I have decided that Weight Watchers is a life long thing for me. I don't want to stop this journey at all! I have enjoyed doing this and have even thought about the possibility of becoming a leader when I hit my goal. I love the change that Weight Watchers has brought to my life. It has helped me accept myself as me and to really accomplish more than I thought I could. If it wasn't for Weight Watchers I don't think I would have the drive to do the things I am coming to do. I am just loving this transformation in myself and can't be more grateful for this wonderful experience. Please remember that I am an open book and anyone of you reading my blog can ask me anything, I want to put my story out there to help other people!

Week 14- I lost a total of 2.8 lbs this week, making my total loss so far 28.8 lbs!!!

Another Year Older and Wiser...

Yesterday was my 23rd birthday and I had an absolutely great day! My friends Amy and Ashley took me out to lunch at Seigfried's, which is a fabulous german deli, we then got gelato and walked around Liberty Park for awhile. It was so much fun spending time with them. I then went with my family to dinner at Ruby River Steakhouse. My aunt Lorie and uncle Rod joined us along with my cousin Clarissa and her boyfriend Joe. We had such a fun dinner together, everyone was nice and relaxed and laughing together. The best part of the night was my uncle Rod comparing Weight Watcher points to everything he was eating and seeing how funny he would make things. He is a great uncle!
So for this blog I wanted to do something I have seen many blog friends do... put up a random fact for each year you are old. So here are my 23 random facts of life...

1. I eat gummy adult multi-vitamins every morning. It makes me feel like a kid again.
2. I always coordinate my socks with my scrubs at work. I am obsessed with matching.
3. I used to hate to read in my spare time, now it is one of my favorite past times.
4. I will never pay more than $25 for a concert ticket. Maybe if it was my favorite artist, but even they don't charge much.
5. I am not good with technology at all. I still struggle with iTunes... and can't own an iPhone because of this.
6. My dream job would be an Interior Designer. I love to decorate homes.
7. I have never been kissed before. I still hold the keys as President of the VL club!
8. I have become addicted to tracking everything I eat, and it truly works with weight loss.
9. I used to sing for money at Cold Stone Creamery in high school. That's was our thanks to a tip.
10. I always wished I would have kept up with playing soccer, I played when I was little.
11. I am not a redneck, but I love NASCAR! Actually, I like a lot of forms of racing.
12. When I was a baby, my nickname was Baby Moose, all because I weighed 9 lbs 9 oz at birth.
13. I still share a room with my little sister, that's what happens when you live in a small house, and I still love her.
14. I would love to move out, but can't because I will only work part-time while in Nursing School.
15. This blog's web address is dedicated to my Grandpa Tucker, who always called me Carli Darli.
16. I used to be terribly shy and have just recently decided to break out of my shell and be more outgoing.
17. I love to cook for others. Cooking has become one of my favorite hobbies.
18. I hope to serve a medical mission once I get my RN degree.
19. My favorite food is garlic bread in any form. I love bread sticks, cheesy bread, any bread with garlic.
20. I sing out loud in my car. People probably laugh at me all the time, but I don't care, I am having fun.
21. I have been to Las Vegas a few times since I turned 21 and have never gambled, I can't waste money like that. I am just too frugal.
22. I set my alarm earlier than I need to get up because I hit the snooze button a lot in my sleep.
23. I wanted to be able to rescue pit bulls in the future. I have fallen in love with this breed of dog.

There you have it, 23 completely random facts about me. I stress the random part... I had to pull hard for some of them. Hope you enjoyed! I will post again at the end of the week with my weight loss and other fun stuff!

A Change Is Coming My Way...

Hello all! So I mentioned last week that I was going to post about all the changes, so here I am blogging about change in my life.
So as most of you have heard, they made HUGE changes to the Young Single Adult wards in the Salt Lake Valley and they took affect today. I am now part of the Magna YSA Ward in the Taylorsville YSA Stake. My ward consist of my home stake and all the Magna Stakes. This is a hard change for me! I have grown to love my ward that I have been in (Hunter YSA), I have loved getting to know the people in this ward, and I had a Bishopbric that knew me personally and I loved it. I felt like I belonged in the ward, people knew me and I knew them. Well, lets just say that I have the opposite feeling at the moment... I went to Stake Conference and had an overwhelming feeling like I was swimming in a sea of craziness. The ward I am in now is really big and REALLY young. At almost 23, I felt old! We filled up the whole gym just for an open house mingle. So my initial reaction is thinking that this is going to be just like the student ward I was in. I was in that ward for 2 years and still got asked on my last week there if I was new to the ward. I hated that feeling and I fear it again. I know that the church is still true either way, so I will tough it out and see what happens. My testimony is still strong and I am still grateful for the gospel in my life. I will just continue to push my self to be outgoing and enjoy life and what it has in store.

There are also many other changes happening, and I am kinda done with change. I like change, but not all at once.The way my work schedule is being done is changing to being on the computer instead of someone doing it and I don't know how I feel about it because it may not always work with my school schedule. This makes me nervous as school is important to me, as I am achieving my ultimate goal through it. So let's hope that works for me. There is also my weight change that I get anxious about at times, I want to look good, but sometimes I struggle to be patient enough to wait for those changes. Life is just fun at the moment. I feel like I am on a roller coaster. So to end this post, I want to share with you one of my favorite quotes. "Life is like a roller coaster, so hop on, buckle up, and enjoy the ride!"

Can we say that this looks abosolutely awesome!!! I want to ride this roller coaster one day!

The Shrinking of Carli
This week was a good week. I felt good about what I did. I am still training for my 5K and I am starting to look forward to my walks more and more each day! I have grown to love "working out!" Let me reassure you that I still hate the gym, but I have found many other fun ways to work out. I love playing volleyball each week, taking walks, playing basketball(which I am horrible at  and will only play with my brother so only one person with laugh at me) and other things. I have come to a conclusion that I will never accomplish anything in a gym, but I will accomplish things why I find them fun! So this week I hit another milestone on my weight lose journey, I have officially lost more than 25 lbs since January! This is awesome! I just have 1 lb to go until I have lost 10% of my body weight from start. I am hoping to reach that this next week, so hopefully I will have some good news in a week. It will be a great week!

Week 14- I lost 1.2 lbs this week! My total amount lost is 26 lbs even!

What a lucky girl I am...

I wanted to post about the changes that are happening in my life, but next week will hold even more so I will post about those later. So I decided that I wanted to post about awesome friends and how grateful I am to have been lead to a ward where I have met one of my greatest friends! I feel pretty lucky to have met her and become so close to her. She has been there to comfort me, to cheer me up, and many of times to laugh with me. We have had some great memories in just the short time we have known each other. I just really can't express how grateful I am to have met her. I hope by her reading this post she will know how awesome she is and how much I truly love her! So Ashley.... your are AMAZING!!!
I have so many other great friends as well, works friends I treasure, those I have met in my ward and many others. I used to always feel like I never had friends and that no one wanted to be my friend, but my life shows differently now. I feel my friends have shaped me into who I am today, and for that I am grateful. So to all my friends Thank You for being awesome!

The Shrinking of Carli

So this week I hit a huge milestone!!! I was beyond excited at weigh-in as I found out this great news. I worked hard this week. I ate better, passed up on things I didn't need, tracked better, was more active, and just felt better all around. Anyways, my big milestone I hit... I am officially under 250 lbs! This is amazing... I don't think I have weigh this light since my Cold Stone days, which is why I gained some of my lbs, but I am super stoked! I have worked hard to get here, now just 100 lbs to go and I will reach my goal weight! But for now my next goal is almost hit, I need to lose 2.2 lbs to hit my 10% and I know I can do that soon...

Week 13- I lost 2.8 lbs this week, with a total loss of 24.8 lbs!

Why do I love the Artists I do???

I have had many people ask me why I like the bands I like and so I wanted to post about my favorite "Band" of all times, Runner Runner, but let me make it clear that I still like Secondhand Serenade a smidge more, but I don't think of him as a band because I feel in love with John's music when he wrote "Awake" and his voice is the only voice. He did the backups the recording and the producing, all from his bedroom, he is a true artist!

Anyways, sometimes when people ask me who I am going to go see at a concert, they most likely say "I have never heard about them." Which I secretly like, because being underground and not as well known is something I really like. I know that bands need to succeed and do well to continue, but I don't want my bands to turn into bands like Bon Jovi or Green Day or other BIG bands. I want my bands to still appreciate their fans and to be so open to them. So to explain my title... I love artists that are far more concerned about their fans than any amount of money. I love it when I go to a concert and a band knows I am a fan and appreciates me for that. So let me introduce you to Runner Runner... they are the best and most personal band I have ever met!!! I feel like we are all just close friends now and that every time I go to their shows, I am going to see a group of friends perform! They have dedicated this whole musical journey they are taking to their fans, but to them they are not fans... they are friends! I just can't tell you guys how much these guys mean to me... they truly have made a difference in the way I view music and the bands behind them. Hence the reason I have problems with artists(dare I say that, because some don't produce art!!!) like Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Snoop Dogg and many more. I bet you would never catch Lady Gaga out hanging with her fans or out in the crowd when another band is performing, she is "too good" for that. I don't want to bash on other "artist" but I want to show people why I love what I love. I don't want to come across as a music snob, I just want to share my love and passion. You may love whoever you would like but I will always love and look for artists like Runner Runner!!!

Okay enough with my rant... I had a great time at the concert, I feel that me and Katie needed that! It has been far too long since we have done anything together, just us two. There were some really heavy bands that I really had no enjoyment in seeing, it was funny to see those crowd surfing and then have a tragic fall or lose a shoe, not my idea of fun. Even though I didn't enjoy them, Runner Runner and A Rocket To The Moon made up for it. It was fun to see ARTTM again, I haven't seen them seen 2008, far too long!!! They are just as good as then... Let's hope both bands come back soon! Here are some pics from the show...

Ryan, the lead vocals for RR! Sadly, he is engaged... but he wrote the most amazing song for his wife to be... "I Can't Wait." Maybe one day someone will sing this to me...

James, the drummer for RR! I love his "Mad Men" inspired haircut!

John, the bassist for RR! He is so funny, I love how serious his is sometimes!

Nick, the guitarist for RR! He is just super fine! Good eye candy!

Peter, guitarist and vocals for RR! Peter is my favorite! He is just so cute and cuddly.... and that voice just melts you!



Runner Runner Performing



A Rocket To The Moon Performing

 The Shrinking of Carli

This week was pretty good... I can't complain about much! I felt good at the concert because I was able to purchase smaller shirts and while dancing I had to hold onto my pants because they wanted to fall off instead. I feel like this is the first time I have seen my body change since I have started this program. I know some people can see differences, but I haven't till now. I started training for the WW 5K this week and had fun with that. I am excited to do my first 5K, this will be another Bucket List item. I was able to bounce back and get more on track and on target to continue losing. That's it for this week.

Week 12- I lost 2.8 lbs this week. Making my total lose at 23.4 lbs.

HI HO HI HO!!! Work is all I know...

I am finally feeling some freedom today from work. I have worked every day since last Saturday, except for Tuesday. But to make it so I wouldn't miss work that one day, I had to go to a Dr. appointment... at IMC!!! I was even lucky enough to pick a crazy week to work all week... I evened missed all of General Conference because I was so busy I couldn't sit and listen to it in the nursery, but I have heard a few things that have been said and can't wait to sit down and listen. I am beyond done with IMC at the moment. I am going to bask in the joy of having this weekend off, even thought it is snowing outside and I can't go for a nice walk/jog like I would like to today. So there really hasn't been much excitement on my end of life because I have been stuck in my home away from home.... not by choice!

I am excited for Monday though... I am going to be seeing two of my favorite bands perform!!! A Rocket To The Moon and Runner Runner!!! They were both openers for Secondhand Serenade, which proves my point that he has the best openers and I have grown to love so many of them!

The Shrinking of Carli

So this week I thought I was doing really well on Weight Watchers... I got back to tracking and only had to use a few of my extra points. So I thought I would at lose a little, but no I gained... not a ton but enough to kick myself over! To top it all off, I got called in for my on-call and missed the meeting this week and I am bummed about it! I know that I will hit my lows and have weeks like this, but I have felt so good losing weight and seeing myself change. I am done being overweight and I want to make myself healthier! I see people who have health complications so young and know that I have to change my life so I do not face those things in the future, I want to live to see life! That is why I am calling this summer my Bucket List summer, I am doing so much for me and getting out there and exploring things I have never done, so I will be posting about things as they happen.  To end on a good note... they are doing a 5K in May and I am training to do it! Me and at least one of my dear friends from work are going to go and I am so excited to do... so I will update you on my training progress for that.

Week 11- I gained 0.4 lbs, making my total loss at 20.6 lbs.

Festival of Colors!!! A Brand New Addition!

Well I am back... it has been a couple of weeks, but a couple of crazy weeks! I can't believe how busy my one class is keeping me, but man I hate writing paper after paper! To top it all off... Spring is in the air and I want to enjoy it! I think I may have spring fever, but I will be done with school in a month!!! YAY!!!

Last Saturday I had the awesome adventure of going to the Festival of Colors at the Holi Fest in Spanish Fork. I had heard of the festival a couple years ago, but never really wanted to go until this year. I think this is something that should be on everyone's bucket list! It was so much fun! I went with my awesome friends Ashley and Amy from my ward! On a side note, they are awesome girls, and I have been so grateful to be in my ward to have been able to meet friends like them! So the whole process of getting there was quite long, we parked at the fair grounds and decided to take the shuttle because we had to walk 2.5 miles and we didn't know where the temple was from the fair grounds. Well, there was an accident that held back the buses, so we waited forever! When we got on the bus it was really hot and crowded, and the bus took over 30 minutes to go 2.5 miles down the road. I was so sick, I really don't travel well in heat, I get car sick easily. Anyways, since we were all packed in like cattle, there was a girl standing by me that had the worst breath ever! Every time she talked I wanted to puke! She had the breath of dog jerky and it was awful! So let's say that I really hated to bus ride! Once we got to the temple grounds we had a blast! As soon as you get on the grounds people start throwing color on you... I heard the phrase "you are too white." alot and then a blast of color came my way. I had the pleasure of being the first one in my group to be pelted in the face and was unfortunate that nobody warned me and my mouth was open! Yeah, it is was awful tasting and stained my teethed for a little while. So if you go, keep your mouth closed! We went and bought our color bags and went to the field/hill that they do the throwing at every other hour. They had bands playing there that were pretty good, I don't think I would want to be closer and crowd surfing but it was fun to watch people get dropped as they tried to crowd surf. Well 3pm came around and it was time for the throwing, but first they burned a witch. This was very interesting to watch, everyone starting chanting "burn the witch!" and then we saw this huge burst of flame and a fake witch on a pole burning. Then the throwing was called and we all threw colors up in the air. For a few seconds you cannot see anything around you, the color was a huge dust cloud, this is when you learn to hold your breath good... And that was it! We left and waited forever for the buses again and went home. My shower was lovely purple when I was done and my hair still had color in the blond parts for awhile, streaks of purple, pink and green. I think I have that resolved with a little baking soda and the best hair stylist to give me advice. I really enjoyed it! I want to go next year again and hope to have more people in our group!

Here is what I looked like afterwards, sorry my camera died so all I got was a phone picture.

The Shrinking of Carli 

Yesterday in my Weight Watchers meeting we were discussing having a buddy, someone to go through this journey together with! It has been proven to have double the success when you are trying to lose weight, than going alone. Well along with this concept we talked about going public with trying to lose weight. It is important to let everyone around you know that you are losing so that they can be there to support you and can help encourage you along the way because you have now made yourself accountable to all those you tell. So I felt "inspired" yesterday to share more than just how much I am losing, but how I have been doing that week and anything I have learned. So look for these stories along the way, because I will be doing this until I hit my goal weight or longer. I know I have many friends and family that are trying to lose weight as well, and I hope to be a support to them throughout this experience, I have really started to accept this much needed change in me and hope to help others along their way as well. So please! do not be afraid to ask me any questions or tell me something you need to say... My ears are open!

This week has been a tough one for me. I fell off the tracking bandwagon and didn't watch what I was consuming in points as closely as I should have been. I have gotten back on track today, as I know this is the key to weight loss! I need to know what I am consuming and if I am consuming too much. Suprisingly, I lost a good amount of weight still. But I know that it will bite me in the butt if I don't get back on track.

Week 9- I lost 0.4 lbs putting me at a total loss of 18.2 lbs

Week 10- I lost 2.8 lbs putting me at a total loss of 21 lbs!

My "Before" Picture

So my computer is being picky and not letting me rotate the picture before... so here is my "before" picture. It was nerd day for Logan and we all decided to take pictures of us being nerds with his glasses...

Spring Break Fun... or Not!

Spring Break has officially come to a close for me this year... and to be honest I didn't feel like it was any different than being in school. I have an annotated bibliography and outline due on Tuesday that I have been working on the whole time, and it honestly has sucked! I hate doing homework when we are suppose to have a break! Anyways, pretty much not Spring Break fun for me.

This week has been pretty mellow... I went on Relief Society Presidency visits with my dear friend Jessica this week. That was fun as it always is! I really enjoy going out and visiting the girls in the ward, it really helps me get to know them on a different level. I feel like we form more friendships over these visits.

Well there is not much more to report, sorry for the short update this week, hopefully I will have more to share next week....

One last thing... I have been asked by many friends to start updating my weight loss progress and how Weight Watchers is going for me. So at the end of each post I will put up my weight loss for that week and any significant things pertaining to my loss. I am  also putting up a "before" picture of me then maybe I can see more of difference as time goes on.

So for this week I lost 1 pound making my total loss of 17.8 pounds in 8 weeks!

Concert Hungry!!!

Hello again! It has been another week and I am here to blog again....

So today I was listening to my music and had the biggest craving for a concert... I am just dying to go to another concert! For those that don't know... I am a huge concert girl! I love going to concerts, especially alternative rock concerts. I was listening to Plain White T's album "Wonders of The Younger" and really started to miss them! They are going back around for a second time on their tour, but are sadly not coming back to Utah :(  I am really bummed because they were soooo... good in concert. I went to their concert to see the opener Parachute, whom I love, and fell in love with Plain White T's even more! I loved their songs before, but not nearly as much as I do now! I was so impressed at how entertaining they were and what a good show they put on. They were also very personal... after the show they hung out around their merch table while they chatted and took pictures with fans. It was pretty awesome meeting Tom! He is pretty rad!!!

Here I am with Tom...

Luckily a month from now I will be going to a concert that I am looking forward too. I will be seeing A Rocket To The Moon and Runner Runner, two of my favorite bands! I haven't seen ARTTM since they came with Secondhand Serenade in 2008 and am super excited to see them! Runner Runner has become one of my most favorite bands ever... they still don't be Secondhand Serenade, but they come in a close second! Anyways, I am super excited to see them both. In October I won tickets to a private concert from Runner Runner on the radio. There were only about 30 people there and it was sooo.. much fun! They are super amazing with their fans! They really get to know us as friends instead of fans! It has been fun being able to talk to them at and after shows and seeing how they still remember me and others from previous occasions. I think more bands should be like that, but that is why I like small under ground bands! They seem to be more in-tune to their fans and know them better, plus I have never had to pay more than $20 bucks a concert ticket!!! I here people who spend over $75 a piece to see bands and I just choke!!! So small bands it is for me!

Well... that's my rant on concerts and how much I love them... sorry it is so scattered, but heck! It's 11 pm...

I am going to get better at this!

Well... here I am again, trying to blog! I have decided to make a change though... I am going to do this a lot more often. I've decided that life is too exciting and adventurous to not share. So here I go at taking an attempt at being a better blogger....

So life has been crazy the past few months for me, so I will update you in bits with one story at a time to keep it more simple and easy to understand!

• First off... I have finished all my pre-reqs for some Nursing Schools and have applied. I have some other classes to work on to apply to a couple more schools, but I am taking it easy for now. I received my acceptance letter from SLCC, they gave me the entrance date of Fall 2015... yes, that is 4 1/2 years away!!! I know it won't be that long of a wait, but heck! I am not waiting that long...
• Secondly... My Stake was lucky enough to be able to form a YSA ward within our own boundaries, and must I say that I LOVE IT!!! This has been by far the best ward I have ever been to! I don't have to introduce myself to people all the time like I am the new girl in the ward like my old ward... which I attended for 2 years. I am in the RS Presidency and have absolutely loved my calling. I have been so busy, but have had a blast at the same time. I have been able to get to know the people in my ward on a different level, but the best thing about this calling is that I am not the shy girl I use to be... this calling has forced my out of my shell and I have loved it! I have had some really fun experiences in the ward and it has only been going since Oct. Best of all though, I have made some great friends! Some of my closest friends are in my ward! So yeah, Hunter YSA ward is an amazing ward!
• Thirdly.... if thirdly is a word??? I finally hit that point in life where I am tired of trying to lose weight with no help... so I gave in and joined Weight Watchers. Must I say that I love it! If any of you are my fb friends, you have probably seen my post already, but I will share it again because I am so pround of being so successful! I have lost 14.6 lbs to date and lost over 5% of my starting weight in 6 weeks. I am so excited!!! I have really learned a lot from this program. I can still eat what I want, just in moderation. The best thing is that I am seeing my self turn to healthier foods and habits naturally now. I ate a 3 Musketeers the other day and really regreted buying it, I would have rather had a banana... and when I go out with friends I would rather do active stuff instead of a movie or some other activity. Don't get me wrong I love my movies still, but I love being more active. I am just enjoying life so much more.
• Lastly... Just to sum up my simple life... Work is good, we are staying busy with babies, which I love!!! School is going... I am taking English 2010 this semester and it is pretty simple, but I hate writing papers all the time. I am finally feeling better after a nasty sinus infection that caused me to feel like I was sufficating in my sleep, but all is well now! There have been little bumps along the way but over all... life is good.

So here is my promise to blog more often! Keep watching for more post, they will have more details that I will put up on fb.... Life is good.... I am happy.... The sun has been shining... The End!!!