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!