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.