I've been doing really well on my new diet and exercise regime! I've lost 4 pounds in the past 7 days and I'm feeling pretty darn amazing! So tonight, for kicks and giggles, I decided to try on my favorite dress. It has been my favorite dress since I was 213 pounds (my heaviest.) And with every pound I drop, it just keeps looking better. I can't say that with a lot of clothes. Most look baggy and unflattering now that I've lost 40 pounds. But this dress continues to look better and better. I thought I would show you a short timeline of me wearing this dress!

Fall of 2008 - Approximately 210 pounds

April 2010 - Approximately 188 Pounds

Today! - 172 Pounds!

(Isn't my cat so adorable? And wow I need to clean that mirror.)

It's crazy to see the difference. When you lose weight, you see yourself everyday and can't always see the pounds coming off. Looking at pictures really helps you to realize it! I can't wait to try on this dress at my goal of 155 pounds and see how fabulous it looks on me! 

I'm feeling pretty awesome right now.

GO TEAM! You did so well at Homecoming last night. Way to kick some Union butt! You need to work on defense though. Seriously. 

You made me proud. 

Katie

P.S. You need to inspire the rest of the extracurriculars to be awesome too. Drill team has 9 girls. What's up with that?

Dear Family Pictures,

Why do you always cause me so much stress? 

Bah.

Body:

Stop getting tired. It's your own fault you wake up too early. Cut it out or stop complaining. 

So there.

To my blog,

I love you. Thanks for looking so cute. I worried that you wouldn't, but I really love how you turned out.  You're beautiful and fun. 

Signed,

The Writer

Dear Grandma,

I love you so so much. I'm so happy that you're a part of my life and that I get to spend time with you. You're such an amazing woman. I'm so thankful to you for starting our wonderful family.
I love you.

I've had a crappy knee since July of 2007. It happened at a big family gathering. We rented out the second floor of a restaurant and as we climbed the stairs, my knee popped. It hurt SO badly. I have no idea what I did. I didn't feel like I stepped wrong, put my weight on it funny. It was fine one moment and screwed up the next. It hurt inexplicably for two weeks.

Something everyone should know about me. I hate the sound of popping. Popping knuckles, necks, backs, toes. Any body part that can be popped, if I hear it, I cringe. I'll pop my own knuckles and shudder a little inside. The sound of popping is my nails on a chalk board.

Well... my knee has popped since that day I walked up the stairs in that restaurant. Not just once. Three times. Each time I stood up. "Pop pop pop." Each time I danced. "Pop pop pop." Each time I walked up the stairs. "Pop pop pop. Pop pop pop. Pop pop pop." You get the picture.

Squats. Torture for my knee. Listening to my knee popping each time I bent down... like torture. Well, today, I was working out. Jillian Michaels. She's kind of crazy anyway, and by the end of a circuit I look at her like she's a mad woman. But to hear the words "Okay! Jumping Squats!" come out of her mouth at the beginning of a circuit... my face instantly turned to skepticism and worry. I could already hear my knee popping. But I tried. I try all of the work outs. 

Jump one. Squat. Jump two. Squat. Jump three. Squat. Wait... No "pop pop pop?" And the same for jumps and squats four, five, six and all the rest. I didn't "pop pop pop" once. Weight loss is saving my knee.