dear god, i am finally in the 30s!!

sorry god, i have been MIA for a week. busy, busy me. i haven't even been able to take my 1 month pictures yet. those will be posted soon.

anyway, i haven't seen the scale at 230-whatever in a LONG time. this is exciting for me. my pants are starting to get baggy, and yes people are noticing. god, can you give a BIG shout out to my work buddies for making me feel great everyday? thanks.

last weekend was difficult. but i pushed through. the weekdays are a cinch and i often feel like i can do this forever. but i will be honest. i am counting down the days until i can eat feta cheese and a big FAT ribeye. which is in exactly 19 days. this will start my 3 week maintenance phase. or phase 3. this is where i absolutely eat no starch, no sugar. pretty much the same as right now. HOWEVER, i get to eat whatever else i want and as much as i want. saweet. maybe just 100 more calories a day would be fun. i shouldn't go overboard. but it says online that you should be eating between 1500-2000 cals a day on phase 3. i am not sure how the MD diet clinic feels about this though. when i get the information from the clinic i will give you better details about what i will be doing.

also. i am 2.4 lbs away from my 10%. as for a reward, this is the deal. i really want eyelash extensions, but i am thinking this would be a fabulous pressie for myself right before my cruise. perhaps that will be my 15% reward. i think about rewards a lot. but i should, right? i am working very hard. i did purchase some new items via oldnavy.com. i know nana AND mr. rosewater are rolling their eyes right now, but i am sorry. cardigans at nearly 75% off the original price screams to me in a very piercing tone that i cannot ignore. so i am pretty sure this will arrive right around my 10% goal day. this will most definitely be a saweet reward. i FINALLY can wear from real oldnavy.com and not oldnavyfatties.com anymore. fabulous.

mr. rosewater has told me that since we have been together, 7.5 ish years, that i have NEVER lost 20 lbs and i have NEVER stayed on a weight loss plan for more than a month. well here's to you mr. rosewater. because both of those things JUST happened. raise the roof.

ALSO... i have been away for a week. lots to discuss... i am going to try out for the biggest loser in march. my same name bff (i will call her peper 1) has auditioned a few times with her hubs. but he is not wanting to try out this time, so i am taking his place. we have A LOT in common, peper 1 and i, we really do. when we first met we exchanged blog addresses and what do you know, but we had the EXACT same blog background. we have the same name (mine is spelled better, but whatever). we both have the same license for work. we both are getting a graduate degree in the same thing - that's where we met. she is fabulous and amazing. and i love her. so we are trying out together. perhaps you will see us on national tv.

wow, that is all for now. mr. rosewater and i are entertaining A LOT in the next few weeks. so wish me luck, god. here is to staying on my plan through all the yummy food and drinks.

love, your cardigan wearing lady, pepper