Another Chance Ranch

Our Friends the Fishermen

Doesn't this dude look happy? The only time anyone looks this happy at the buttcrack of dawn is when they are getting ready to go fishing! Well, that is the only time I look this happy.

Several of guys from our church went down to Texoma to do some Striper fishing. (Striper, not stripper. Just clarifying.) Anywho, they asked McD to join them but we already had other plans. So, the guys were kind enough to send him some photos. Little did they know that I would get ahold of them. :)

Above is Joe. Joe is the leader of our Life Group at church, and I have to say he's the best! Joe is a super great guy, and his wife is pretty awesome too.

I love seeing the sunrise, but I really love seeing the sunrise from a fishing boat.

The guy with the rabbit ears is David. He's a really good guy too. (Love ya, David!) The guy giving the rabbit ears is Randy. Randy and his wife, Paula, used to go to our church but then they moved. Now they go to the church I went to as a kid in Shawnee, OK. (We love and miss you, Randy & Paula!)

I'm willing to bet that these guys had a great time! I am also willing to bet that they have lots of fishing stories for us. I hope someone plans to have a fish fry! :)

I'm sorry that McD wasn't able to go. Hopefully, he will be able to go next time.

Glad you all had a good time!

The 24-Day Challenge - Day 4

Oh how I love this stuff!!

Spark is an energy drink, but it isn't your typical energy drink. At first, I was a little apprehensive about drinking it because of my heart issues. But I tried it, and I am so glad I did.

Spark doesn't give you a jittery energy feeling, but it does give you energy. It even tastes good. It is the most nutritionally advanced energy drink on the market. Twenty-one vitamins, minerals and nutrients are designed to synergisticaly provide a healthy, balanced source of energy. It only has 45 calories per serving, and it helps sharpen mental focus! (It really does!)

For the last four days, Spark is the first thing I drink in the morning. I love it! (sorry, I already said that!) When we started the 24-Day Challenge, I wasn't really sure if it would help me or not. Let me tell you why. During my chemotherapy treatments, I was given a lot of steroids and you know what happens when that happens. Weight seems to pile on, and it did. I gained quite a bit of weight. After chemo, I was pretty excited because I could lose all the weight I gained because of the stinkin' steroids. Nope, that wasn't going to happen, because I was then put on Tamoxifen and the weight kept coming on. Little, by little and it didn't matter if I worked out or if I ate right.

I was ready to give anything a try, and my friend Tonya was my inspiration. She had lost 30 pounds on this challenge, and I was bound and determined to lose at least that much.

Being a woman, I knew not to expect any changes over night, but was I shocked! Day 3, Sunday, I was getting ready for church and I felt different. My legs weren't rubbing together as I walked, okay...there I said it. I jumped on the scale, thinking I must have lost some weight already but I hadn't. With all the water I am drinking, I should weigh more. :) But I felt different, so I had to try on a pair of pants I hadn't been able to wear for at least a year. Guess what?! They fit! Okay, so they were a tiny bit tight, but you bet your booty that I wore them babies! I wore a long shirt, but I wore them pants!

That all happened in three days! THREE DAYS!! I love this challenge! Plus, I haven't been working out.

Today, I am heading to the gym. I am adding my workout to the mix, and will see how much that helps. It certainly won't hurt!

Seriously, if you are in a rut and want to lose some weight, https://www.advocare.com/130455291/Store/ItemDetail.aspx?itemCode=99050&id=A&flavor=b!

Lessons in Life

Yesterday, I went to lunch with my good friend Sondra, and her daughter Archey. Archey isn't her real name, but it is the nickname McD and I gave her. Anyway, we went to Chili's and of course there was a wait.

Sondra & Archey went to the restroom, while I stood there holding the pager that lets you know when your table is ready. As I stood there waiting, three young boys came and sat down on the bench in the waiting area. In a few minutes, here came their grandma and she sat with them.

She looked over at me, and another lady that was waiting for a table. The grandma turned to the three boys, and told them to get up and let these nice ladies sit down. They looked at her kind of funny, then looked at us. We declined, but then the grandma turned to us and said, "This is a learning moment. Please sit." The other lady and I jumped to attention, thanked the boys for letting us sit, and promptly took our seats. Then we both thanked the grandma for teaching these life lessons to her boys.

A few minutes later, Sondra and Archey came back from the restroom and the last young man sitting down was instructed to let Sondra sit down. She too, declined and was then informed that it was a learning moment.

We were all very happy to oblige the little grandma working so hard to make gentlemen out of her grandsons.

I have to say, I was impressed!

For the Love of Owls

I think something is wrong with me. Really!

I've fallen head over heels for owls. Yep, I am not sure I can be helped.

It started with this little guy.

Now, I find myself admiring them all the time.

Don't get me wrong, I am not collecting owls. I do not want a bunch of knick knacks, but I really do like my owls.

I found the see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil owls at a store in Nashville called Earthbound Trading Co.

Thankful Thursday - May 2, 2013

Snow.

Really?

It's May, and we have snow in the forecast. I know we live in Okla-freaky-weather-homa, but this is crazy!

All of these photos were taken during our last snow, which might have been the prettiest snow ever!

The cows had been huddled under this tree, and had knocked a lot of the snow off of it. I bet it was pretty warm under there with all of them huddled together.

Peace.

That is the feeling that comes over me when I look back on these photos.

This is where the horses come to get out of the wind. McD would cut all of these cedars down if the animals didn't use them so much.

As I sat here going through all of my photos from this beautiful sunkissed, snow covered day I remember how McD came into the house and told me he wanted to drive me around to show me the pretty snow. He thought I might want to take some photos before it all melted away. I didn't want to at first, it was cold and I felt pretty good cuddled up on the couch. But I went.

It's Thankful Thursday, and there are so many reasons to be thankful.  I could sit here all day writing about every little thing, but instead I will name just a few.

I am thankful for the unbelievably beautiful world in which we live. I love capturing the beauty on film with my camera.

I am thankful for the different seasons. Not just Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall, but the different seasons of our lives, as well.

And lastly, I am thankful for the wonderful man I married. I am thankful that he encourages me to step out into the world, soak it all in, and capture the stills. He encourages me to be me, and loves me for me. He is my rock.

What are you thankful for?

The 24-Day Challenge - You In?

Advocare 24-Day Challenge

Before I tell you about the challenge I am getting ready to take, let me show you my inspiration.

This is my dear friend, Tonya. Doesn't she look great?! She took the 24-Day Challenge and lost 30 pounds.

Now, let me tell you about this challenge. It sounds great!!

You start out with a 10-day cleanse.

Herbal Cleanse is designed to help eliminate waste and prepare your body for optimal nutrient absorption.* You may enjoy weight loss as well!*

There are three components of the Herbal Cleanse: Fiber Drink – which is mixed with 8 oz. of water, Herbal Cleanse caplets and ProBiotic Restore™ Ultra Capsules. AdvoCare recommends using Herbal Cleanse every 90 days.

 

 

 

The second product you will use in the Cleanse Phase is OmegaPlex^®, which is a high-quality blend of essential Omega-3 fatty acids for overall wellness.* Omega-3 fatty acids are essential components of heart, nerve, muscle, skin, bone and immune health. As with all of the AdvoCare products, OmegaPlex^® meets high standards for safety and efficacy so you can be sure you are getting some of the purest Omega-3 fatty acids on the market.

 

 

We know that everyone wants to look, feel and perform their very best all day, every day. But we are also aware that in today’s fast-pace environment, that can be challenging.

AdvoCare Spark^® Energy Drink Mix is a fantastic source of energy, nutrition and mental focus.* It is sugar free and formulated with 21 vitamins, minerals and nutrients that work synergistically to give long-lasting energy.* Simply mix Spark with 8 oz. of water and enjoy!

 

 

These three products work to cleanse and prepare your body for the Max Phase, days 11-24.

After completing the cleanse phase, it's time to move into the Max Phase.

During the Max Phase, you can choose from three Metabolic Nutrition Systems which all provide sustained energy, appetite control, core nutrition and overall wellness.*

If you’re not sure which system to use, AdvoCare recommends beginning with MNS^® Max 3, which provides you with a foundational level of appetite control and energy.* For a higher level of appetite control you can choose MNS^® Max C^†, and for more energy you can choose MNS^® Max E^†.

All three formulations include: CorePlex^® (our multivitamin), OmegaPlex^®, ProBiotic Restore™ Ultra, thermogenic components and additional wellness supplements.

Skipping meals is a common mistake people make in weight-management or wellness programs. The Meal Replacement Shake is a healthy, delicious solution. Each shake includes 22-24 grams of protein, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 5-6 grams of fiber, 26 vitamins and minerals, and 50 percent of the recommended daily allowance of calcium. They come in several great-tasting flavors.

 

The third product is the Spark (see above).

There are several other companion products that you can use to customize your challenge to fit your specific needs.

Here are just a few of them.

Catalyst™

Catalyst™ works to feed muscle, not fat, leaving our body more toned and better defined. Catalyst contains branched-chain amino acids, which help support endurance and strength in conjunction with exercise.

Catalyst can also aid in preserving muscle and energy levels during times of calorie restriction, and can help support post-exercise muscle repair and recovery.

ThermoPlus™

ThermoPlus™ contains sage and oolong tea extracts, plus nutritional support, to stimulate your metabolism and help you use the calories you consume more efficiently. This thermogenic product should be used during the Max Phase only, not during the Cleanse Phase.

Carb-Ease™ Plus

For those occasional times when you must have your cake and eat it too, Carb-Ease™ Plus is a great solution for anyone who has trouble resisting occasional sweets and carbohydrate-laden foods.

Carb-Ease Plus helps inhibit the breakdown of carbohydrates and fats, encourages fat metabolism, and supports overall body composition.

There is also a workout dvd, but I've decided to wait on that one. I ordered the Catalyst, and the ThermoPlus to take with my 24-Day Challenge.

So, who wants to take this challenge with me. Here is the website to order the 24-Day Challenge Bundle.

Not sure yet? Check out the Nutrition and Tools.

I hope you will join me, I could really use an accountability partner (or team).

 

GM Cleanse: Days 6 & 7

Honestly, I wasn't really excited to share the last two days of the GM Cleanse with everyone, and that is why it has taken me so long to get it posted.

Day 6: Beef and veggies. All you could eat.

By that time I couldn't eat much, so when we first started the diet cleanse the all you can eat part sounded great. By the time we got to day 6, we really could care less about it. We were supposed to be past having cravings of any kind, and that just didn't happen.

Day 7: Brown rice and veggies?

Did you notice that question mark? Well, I added that because I don't really know what we were supposed to eat with the brown rice because we fell off that GM Cleanse wagon on Day 7. Oops!

Our results:

I was a bit disappointed with my results, but I am over it now. I lost 6 pounds, and I have kept it off.

McD lost 8 or 9 pounds, but he says he has gained it all back.

But we are not giving up!! I'll tell you about our next weight loss adventure tomorrow!! You won't want to miss it!

Together - in(RL)

In 2006, I never dreamt that I would actually meet Robin (Pensieve) in real life. It just so happened that we were able to meet face-to-face at the in(courage) in(RL) event.

in(RL) = in (RealLife)

It was their second year hosting this upside down conference, their words not mine. Women can tune into a webcast from home on Friday and then on Saturday join in via their computer screens and connect with other (in)courage readers and new friends right in their own community. (I was completely out of my community, but quickly made new friends.)

Exclusively designed by Lisa Leonard for (in)courage, this necklace beautifully reminds women of the importance of community.....coming together to share, listen, and encourage one another.  Robin was such a sweetheart, and gave me my very own ((together)) necklace. We were finally together!

Everything seemed so fitting - in(RL), ((together)), friends. It was perfect!!

At one point during the day, I caught myself staring at Robin. There were many thoughts going through my head. First of all, I was really there, sitting in her house, watching her television (we watched everything on DVD), and mingling with her friends. I wasn't dreaming! I thanked God for giving me the opportunity to finally get to hug her neck, and for putting such an inspirtational woman in my life. God is really, really good to me!

This was my first in(RL), and I am looking forward to many more! I hope next time you will join me!

GM Cleanse: Day 5

Day 5: Beef & Tomatoes.

This will be the fifth day that I have not had a Diet Dr. Pepper, and I am really considering having one. I mean, seriously, I haven't lost any weight to speak of, I've worked my butt off (or tried, it really isn't going anywhere), and the scale still taunts me.

I will say this though, I can tell a difference in the way my clothes fit and I could care less about the number as long as I lose inches. Weight and age are just numbers, no biggie! But when you read about all of these other people losing weight on this diet, then starve yourself and don't see similar results it is a downer. I know, I know, everyone is different, blah blah blah.

The highlight of my day was that I could have beef and tomatoes! Yum! I might have cheated just a little bit, I put mustard and worchestershire sauce in the hamburger meat. At least I left the blue cheese out!

We are supposed to eat 6 tomatoes, and that sounds easy at first, but I haven't even choked down the first full tomato.

The problem with not seeing movement on the scale, is that after eating up to 20 oz of beef I am sure the scale will only go up and not down.

See why I am considering having a Diet Dr. Pepper? What could it hurt?

GM Cleanse: Day One & Two

Day 1: Fruit only (except bananas).

My first thought: YUM!

My thoughts at supper time: GAG!

Oh, and after entering all of my food and water into my fitbit account, I was shocked at how many calories I had eaten in all that fruit.

I did not work out as much as I thought I would the first day, but I certainly made up for it on day two. But I still thought I would lose some weight.

Day 2: Veggies only, baked potato with a pat of butter for breakfast.

After eating all fruit the day before, I was so ready for something more filling. So I was ready for my baked potato for breakfast. That seemed odd to me at first, but then I thought about how I love hash browns for breakfast. So, it isn't so odd afterall.

My fitbit info for day two.

But get this, I haven't lost much weight at all. I'm talking 2 - 3 pounds.

That sure makes it hard to stay on the diet, but I am still on it.

This afternoon, I will update you on day three (yesterday).