So here's the thing...

Yesterday as I was driving somewhere I thought to myself "I don't want to graduate and still be fat." There. I said it. I am fat. It's not something new to me and it isn't something that the world didn't know, but there is power in actually saying it out loud. Right?

So something's got to give. Way back in 2002 when I graduated with my masters I was in really good shape; probably the best shape of my life. I was working full-time and taking two classes a semester. I was running A LOT and would go to Curves several times a week with Katie and I think that I may have been dabbling with Weight Watchers at that point, too.

I am almost ten years older now and I know full well that if I don't get this under control NOW I never will. I am almost a year post-pulmonary embolism and when I look at my life I can't say that I take any better care of myself now than I did then with one expect ion - I can no longer take oral contraceptives, which is completely and totally fine with me because I always felt like I was poisoning my body anyway. And I was.

I don't drink enough water. I don't eat enough protein. I eat FAR too much sugar and carbohydrates. Actually, let me just put this out there, too. I am addicted to food, particularly sugar and sweets. A woman across the street was recently released from rehab for crack addiction and I kind of now how she feels. My crack is ice cream.

So let me say it now. I will not graduate fat. When I walk across the stage to receive my degree I will be PHat not Fat (get it? PHat....PhD....get it??). So today changes things today is the day. Not tomorrow. Not Tuesday. Not the first day of September. It is time for me to be accountable to myself and it isn't funny anymore.

So, much like I did back in 2006 I will be journaling my progress and actions in beating this food addiction. I can do this. And you can help support me.

Eeegads!

It's been a few minutes since I've blogged. Ooops. Several weeks (months?) ago I decided that I needed a better camera so that I could be a more effective blogger. I had been working on some projects and wanted to be able to share, but my little camera just wasn't working for me. Sooooo.....I invested in a new Nikon CoolPix 500 or something like that. Want to see what I've been up to this summer?

Good.

Because that was the point of getting the new camera! I will upload a few pictures, but the best part of the summer is coming up! I have a friend getting married in Cape May NJ in two weeks and I can't wait to be able to snap a few pictures of that lovely event! Woo hoo!

I can't go through the whole summer, but I can hit some highlights.

First, there was camping over the July 4th weekend with Katie and Cristin (and their husbands and girls!) and then camping with Mom, Jeff, Andrew, Nanny, and Bompa!


See that gorgeous girl? That's Olivia (aka Olive!)


And here is Emma, older sister to Oliva!


Meet Emily. She's a nut!


And here is little Miss Amelia. She's Emily's pesky little sister!

The following weekend was the Corn Hill Festival. My favorite "booth" was the farm market stand. Here's what they offered.




That's going to have to be it for now. I must get some things accomplished, but more pictures coming later! Oooh yeah!