8 Pounds

I'm 8 pounds down. That sounds better than 3, certainly, but it gets even better when you realize that 8 pounds is the same amount as this baby:



Please note: Not my baby.

So far, it's been pretty easy. Almost too easy, and I'm beginning to get a little suspicious. Of what, I'm not sure. Obviously the weight is coming off. Obviously I'm eating better and exercising a few times a week...but it doesn't feel like dieting has in the past. I had a cheat day last week, which seems to have bumped me past a small plateau, and the combination of tacos for lunch and Popeye's for dinner made me super, horribly sick. A few weeks ago, that would have been a pretty normal day, so if nothing else, it appears I've broken the junk food addiction. Occasionally I crave a brownie (who doesn't?), so I let myself have a brownie. I count the calories, and that's that. I no longer feel compelled to eat ALL the brownies. So yeah, it's going.

Justin starts work on Thursday night (as opposed to all the orientation he's been doing the past week). A week after that, we'll get his first paycheck! Three cheers for disposable income!! Hip, hip, hooray!

5 Years

I can't believe we made it. It's time for our real lives to begin...shooting for 5 more. The easy ones this time. I love you Beest.

(PS: I couldn't add music for free,so start the mp3 at the bottom if you want to hear the song that goes with!)

Anniversary - flash slideshow maker

Bursting With Pride

Justin graduated from Nursing School last night. It marks the end of three super stressful years and the beginning of our super real lives.He also won the award for mental health nursing. (Probably because he's used to living and dealing with The Crazy.) I have never been more proud of anyone in my life!!

Some Things

1. I was returning a corset by FedEx today. Someone stole it off my porch, and Justin found the corset on the ground by the dumpsters. Box nowhere to be found. I'm ok with the theft, but not the waste. If they didn't want it, couldn't they just have put it back in the box and back on my porch? Could they possibly have been after just the box? Bizarre.

2. I ran out of comfy pajama tops and so slipped a semi-sexy lingerie top on with my regular sleep bottoms. When I saw Justin, I said "look at my sexy pajamas!" He said "is that a swimsuit?" Yeah, it's a real Roman orgy around here folks.

3. Justin got a job!(For when he graduates in May.) He'll be working at Heart Center 5, which is actually a Neuro floor. Hooray for strokes and head injuries! That's what we call job security.

4. If you don't know what "physician" means, you probably shouldn't be getting pregnant. I'm just sayin'.

5. Last week Justin saw a streaker in our apartment complex. He ran around naked, and then jumped off the balcony into the swimming pool. (He also didn't die, which was my first question.) We live in a weird place.

6. Vittoria: I still love my haircut and glasses and teeth. It's already time for a color touch up and a trim though, which is slightly more commitment to style than I usually like. The short hair also makes super cute pigtails.

How we need another soul to cling to.

I love Valentine's Day. Even when I'm sad. Even when I'm lonely. Even when I feel so empty, I fear I might actually become invisible at any moment. I was never one of those girls who hated the holiday. If I was single, I hung out with my other single friends watching romantic comedies and eating chocolate and talking about the kind of love we wanted, or didn't want or thought we might want temporarily, just for fun. There were slumber parties and late night phone calls and flowers for each other. That was almost better than having a date with a significant other anyway. Actually, not even almost. It was totally better. Every time. This year, of course, I'm married. That's a built in Valentine, except that I'm working, and he's feeling overwhelmed and burnt out with school. Still, bring on the cheezy romance! And the chocolate.

On This Episode of Magic Schoolbus

We explore what goes on in the brain of a man when he notices a sink full of dirty dishes. Let's board the bus and see what we find!

**Magical Noises**

Teacher: Here we are! Wow, look at all the storage space devoted to football...
Man Brain: Oh the sink is full. Maybe I'll help out by washing some of these dishes!
Teacher: Wow, initiative! I'm so impressed!
Man Brain: Let's see, I'll wash this cutting board, tea pitcher, microwave plate and...colander!

**Scrub**Scrub**Scrub**

Man Brain: Oh! The drainer is already full! That didn't take long at all. I don't know what Wife is always complaining about. She must just be lazy.

Teacher: Hmm...that might not be such a good example to follow boys & girls.

Man Brain: My turn with the dishes is over. Wife can wash these 300 plates, glasses, silverware, pots and pans. I've clearly done my part. Maybe I'll even get a special prize for my contribution!

Teacher: Ok kids, lesson over. Next week we'll learn all about the inner workings of bad drivers!