before & after

Remember this? I'd kind of forgotten how I used to look. This one was taken in 1996, the year after we got married. We always joke about how much weight Scott put on in that first year... but what about me? I can't even blame it on babies at that point! Our move to Texas in 2001 marks my decision to lose weight. I have no idea how much weight I've lost since then because we've never owned a bathroom scale but I've gone down several clothing sizes. They say that slow changes are the most permanent ones and I hope that's true. I'm very happy with my current weight and excercise habits.

I also found a picture of our patio when we first moved in to this house four years ago. It was a mess of garbage, nails and gravel with only half a wall separating us from our neighbors. I didn't like to have the kids playing back there at all. It's nothing special now, but it's safe and fun for the kids. We have finished the wall, paved the whole yard and put in a sandbox. They have a ton of fun back there with sidewalk chalk, sand, bubbles and water at their disposal. Whenever I'm out there I find myself wishing it were nicer... flowers, plants, maybe a patio set... but when I look at the "before" I see how far it's come and I'm more content to leave it as it is. Besides, why waste money on plants when I will just turn around and kill them?