How to Lose Weight and Get Healthy: Day 1

Exactly ten years ago right now I was opening my first company. I owned a weight loss center franchise and had moved to a city where I knew no one...had finished my business plan, secured financing, found locations for my centers, hired and trained employees, advertised like crazy, and was opening for business.

It was a very exciting...and nail bitingly scary time. I was very young and had a lot to learn but I had wanted to go into business for myself since I was 16 or so and it was finally happening! My dad took a chance on me and we partnered up to make this dream a reality. Our company name? Elisa Clark. Sound familiar?

My full name is Elizabeth, but I lived in Costa Rica for a time and loved how my name sounded in Spanish. Elisabet, or Elisa, for short. Clark is my dad's name (not my last name). We 'did business as' the weight loss company.

Here's a bit of business trivia: If you ever see 'dba' in the name of a business it is just a way to have a company own a different company with a larger name. For example, franchisees of McDonald's will have their own business name and dba (do business as) McDonald's.

Here's a picture of my dad and me about 6 weeks after our business opened. We had a franchisee conference in Las Vegas and here we're standing near the top of the Stratosphere. (we rode the rides at the top...SO fun!) And random fact...this was also about a week after I met my husband. The following year when we went back to this Vegas conference, I was married and Michael came too!

I loved a lot of things about the weight loss business. I literally have helped thousands of people lose weight! My company was built on the premise of healthy eating, managing portions, and having consistent accountability one-on-one to a weight loss counselor. We had nutritionists design the plans and worked with people to lose weight and get healthy.

Not long after I opened the centers, I met my husband. We fell in love at first sight and were married within a year. After we were married I realized it's not much fun to work 80+ hours a week...and I knew I couldn't do that and have a family. So while Michael and I were on our honeymoon we started talking about selling the company. It took over 6 months but we sold it and I got completely...1000%...OUT of the weight loss industry. I couldn't even allow myself to check up on the locations, or find out how the employees were doing. It was too hard since it had been my 'baby' for so long and it wasn't mine anymore.

I think about the centers around the anniversary of when we opened every year (and on the anniversary of when they were sold). Last night and this morning I drove by the old locations...which are no longer occupied by the weight loss centers. They moved a year or two ago...and then they closed. Driving by them makes me feel a bit like Meg Ryan talking to Tom Hanks in You've Got Mail. Remember this quote?

People are always telling you that change is a good thing. But all they're really saying is that something you didn't want to happen at all... has happened. My store is closing this week. I own a store, did I ever tell you that? It's a lovely store, and in a week it will be something really depressing, like a Baby Gap. Soon, it'll just be a memory. In fact, someone, some foolish person, will probably think it's a tribute to this city, the way it keeps changing on you, the way you can never count on it, or something. I know because that's the sort of thing I'm always saying. But the truth is... I'm heartbroken. I feel as if a part of me has died, and my mother has died all over again, and no one can ever make it right.

Businesses come and go. If you've lived in the same city for more than a year, drive around for a few minutes and I guarantee you'll be able to recall different businesses that have come and gone from the locations you pass. It's amazing, really. In my case, there's no Baby Gap in one of the locations...it's even more depressing. It's a Rent-A-Center! Another location is completely empty and looks like this. (yes, I stopped and snapped a picture of the empty space and empty spot where my sign used to be)

I am no longer in the weight loss 'business' but I have a whole lot of knowledge about food and the general concepts of how to lose weight...and more importantly, get healthy. The funny thing is, though, that when I owned the centers I didn't really struggle with weight issues. After having 4 kids in 4 years that's a bit of a different story. (HA!) And the truth of the matter is, kids weren't nearly as hard on my body as spending month after month eating out at least 2 meals a day while in our 'homeless' phase. (read our house story here to see what I'm talking about)

My excuse has been that we still (after 2 years) don't have a working oven or stove. But I've gotten a lot better at figuring out what I can make so we don't go out much anymore. This year I have worked to lose 20 pounds. I have 15 more I'd like to lose to be back to my wedding weight (the weight I was when I owned my weight loss company). My anniversary is around Thanksgiving and I'd love to be at my goal by then.

So I thought I'd commemorate the 10 year anniversary of when I first opened my weight loss company and share some things with you. Over the next few days I'll be telling you about a few plans that will help you feel good and, as a bonus, maybe shed a few pounds. We'll talk about a whole body 'reset' tomorrow (and I'll share my favorite recipe ever), then we'll talk about a structured weight loss plan, and on another day I'll share about an amazing exercise guru. Then I'll have a challenge for YOU.

Remember - even though I don't currently work in the weight loss industry, I have a lot of experience. I've probably seen tens of thousands of pounds lost from my clients (maybe even 100s of thousands???)! If you have any questions you would like me to answer please leave a comment or even private message me on facebook and I'll do my best to answer them.

first day excitement

The first day of school is so fun. Full of possibilities for new learning, new friendships, new opportunities. Last year Elliott cried as he left for Kindergarten. This year he was all smiles and hugging his little sister as she prepared to go to Kindergarten and he gets to be the 'big first grader.'

Big brother is thrilled to show Emma around, help her get to her classroom, and he told me several times how he'll say hi to her in the halls and at lunch and recess. SO cute!

Here are their drawings for the first day of school (a little tradition I started for them). It's so funny to me how their drawings encapsulate their personalities perfectly.

Last night we met the kids' teachers and dropped off the school supplies. Last week I had also taken the kids to the school for a little photo shoot (pictures of that coming in a few weeks as part of the Sewing for Kindergarten series) so Emma was already comfortable with her classroom and teacher since we had chatted then.

I just love the creativity of elementary teachers. Emma's classroom is decked out in Dr. Seuss stuff and I know she will have a fun time everyday. The games, toys, and puzzles are WAY more fun at school than at home. (where her mean mom won't let her play with toys that have tiny pieces or anything that resembles a marker...the hazards of having younger siblings)

We have created a tradition of taking each child out on a 'date' to do whatever they want before school starts. I got to go on a date with Elliott. We went out to eat where he was determined to order all by himself and get his own drink. I let him have whatever he wanted and he chose pop. A very rare treat.

Then he chose to go to a movie and wanted to see Despicable Me 2. We love the first movie and were thoroughly enjoying the second...until...Elliott started crying loudly and got so upset he couldn't calm himself down. He said he was scared and we had to leave. I tried to get him to stick it out so he could see that the good guys win in the end and get some closure on whatever was scaring him. But nope.

I thought that was a pretty terrible way to end a date so I tried to get him calmed down by going to a local arcade-type place. We rode go karts, played skee ball and he picked out a prize. Thankfully he left that place very happy and in the end the date made a good memory.

And look at my little gentleman-in-training. I had to stop and get gas and he offered to wash the car windows for me. What a sweetie pie!

Emerald got to go on a date with Daddy. She got all dressed up and was SO excited. She wanted a 'meat and cheese sandwich' from a restaurant so off they went. She also chose a movie and wanted to see Planes. Daddy even took her to Starbucks and let her pick out roses (which she gave to me...awwww). The much-talked-about part of their date was driving through a car wash. Ha!  I hope she'll always be that easy to please!

It's been one hour since these two left for school and I'm already missing them. But I'm excited about everything in store for them this year. Emma will learn to read, Elliott will be spelling bigger words. They both will make friends and have a ton of fun and new experiences.

Cheers to a new school year!

oh my darling

I am so in love with this little girl...and all her silly faces and craziness. She is headed to Kindergarten next week and I'm in complete denial.

Thankfully she let me capture a little bit of this moment in time and her goofy personality in these pictures.

I tested the soon-to-be-released Slouchy Cardigan pattern by Heidi&Finn. It was SO fun sewing this one because I got to use some incredible fabric that I got on my trip to Minnesota AND it was the first thing I have ever sewn with my new serger!!

The cuffs of the cardigan are supposed to be tight so the top portion of the sleeve slouches over them.
I actually redid the cuffs as part of the pattern testing process and will post the new version next week. Isa modeled for me and it turned out super adorable!

The pattern is a very easy and quick (especially with a serger) sew. I highly recommend this pattern and would love to try some of Heidi&Finn's other patterns in the future too.

This girl has the goofiest faces. While we were taking the pictures she kept asking me which magazine they were going in! Ha, ha, ha!

These pink glasses have become quite the subject of fights around our house now too. They fit her personality perfectly...but her sister is devastated that they don't come in purple!

Outfit details:
pink glasses: Target $1 section
cardigan: Heidi&Finn Slouchy Cardigan pattern (not released yet)
sparkly flamingo shirt: Crazy8 summer clearance ($3.99 then I used a coupon and a special gift card...so I got this shirt for $2.75!)
pants: Petunia Petal pants pattern by LilyGiggle (they are actually way too small for Emma now so I need to make her new ones - love this pattern)

Family Friday: first horseback rides

Image by the wonderful Laura Kleffman...during a family photo shoot for the whole clan

Our niece just graduated from high school (congrats Angie) and the whole family got together to celebrate at her open house. My sister-in-law has a gorgeous house and lots of land where they have horses, cows, chickens, and tons of space for kids to run and play. The three youngest all got horseback rides for the first time ever! (funny how my oldest had NO interest in it)

 Henry was thrilled to pet a calf!

Quite a fun weekend adventure for my 'city kids.' We have no animals (not even a cat, dog or fish will be in this house anytime soon) so being around animals is always fun....especially big animals like these. Do you have any animals? Or are you like us and just visit someone who does on occasion?

Family Friday: big days for the littles

Graduations. They're supposed to signify something very important, a passage from one phase of life to another. The mark of a new stage of life.
The idea of a Kindergarten Graduation seems like an oxymoron. When a little one "graduates" from Kindergarten...aren't they still just in school the next year? There's no new phase. It's just moving on to first grade.
Who came up with the idea of making a big deal out of the end of the first year of school? Why not have an elementary graduation and then a middle school graduation too? Strange.

But even though I think the whole concept is silly...we still celebrated like crazy with our little Elliott. He graduated from Kindergarten a couple weeks ago and we are proud. :) He looked adorable in his cap and gown, singing songs with his class about how they're ready for first grade. (Tear. Sigh.) 

I was just as proud (maybe even more so) when Elliott's former preschool teachers asked him to come read to the 4 year old class. It's amazing watching your child learn to read. He was even really careful about showing the pictures in the book to everyone as he read. So cute!

Then we had the preschool graduation. Another kind of silly tradition - although it makes more sense to me than Kindergarten graduation because it does actually signify the passing of one phase to another. Emma's preschool class was tiny but wonderful. We will miss the school next year since we'll go a year with no preschoolers. But then we'll be back for two more years so hopefully they're not celebrating the fact that they are rid of us...yet.

Henry looked thrilled at the festivities, huh? And did you recognize Emma's dress? It's the Scirocco - perfect for the occasion.

So what do you think of the little people graduations? Love them? Think they're silly?

Baby Shower Fun

Newborn babies are SO sweet! I'm always amazed at how tiny they are...you really forget that as your kids get older.
I co-hosted a baby shower for baby Lily and her gorgeous mama earlier this week. It was so fun to celebrate this new little life and shower the parents with fun baby stuff. Shopping for newborns (especially girls) is a little dangerous! There are just TOO many adorable things for babies out there!

Here are some shower details:
I took Emerald with me and she was excited to go to a 'shower.' It took her a while to grasp the concept that the baby is not actually taking a shower. Ha! Kids are so literal it cracks me up!

Emma helped carry the balloons (wearing her Sunshine Dress) and had helped me make a fun fruit 'basket.' We hollowed out a watermelon to look like a baby carriage then filled it with fruit. It was SO cute! We also pinned some fabric around water bottles (a Pinterest idea) and my cousin made some delicious mini-cupcakes.

We played a few games. One was a 'Mad Lib' type game about the birth of baby Lily. We filled in silly words, then let the mom tell the real story. I also made a little 'Handbag Hunt' and got a glimpse into what everyone keeps in their purses! Another Pinterest idea I found was to fill a basket with diapers and ask guests to make some 'late night diapers' for the mom by writing notes on the diaper with markers. What a fun idea! People wrote encouraging things to the mom, as well as some hilariously funny things. I highly recommend doing this if you host a shower. What mom doesn't need some encouragement, or a good laugh at 3am when you're up for the third or fourth time with a newborn!

Lily's nickname is Lil' Mo. We got to tour her adorable nursery and see these amazing blocks custom made by the grandparents. Lily didn't seem impressed, though. She was a little sleepy!

Lily's 91 year old Great Grandmother (who happens to also be my grandma) was at the party too (Great Nana). She could not get enough of that sweet baby.

Later she came over to my house and said 'hi' to the kids. It's always fun to get pictures of my grandma (Emerald) with my oldest daughter (Emerald). 

What a fun baby shower! Being around little Lily almost makes me want another baby...almost.