Do I Look Fat In This Blog?

Here goes with full disclosure.....

I've been participating in "The Biggest Loser" with some of the women in my neighborhood. Discussing my weight is something I HATE and that is not an exaggeration. I always have hated it. It's been something that's been way too important in my life for way too long. It's something I think about many times a day. I once was out to dinner with three friends and we were talking about our weight. Two of us struggled with it and two were very thin. The "skinny girls" couldn't believe how stressed out we got about our weight. The other friend at the table said, "I think about my weight at least once an hour!" The skinny friends at the table really thought we were exaggerating.....we were NOT!

Why? Why are we so obsessed with our weight? Why do women use it against each other? Why is it something we judge each other by? I'm sure you probably heard about the study where women admitted that they would rather lose an arm or lose years off of their lives than be overweight.....what? This really bothers me. (http://opa.yale.edu/news/article.aspx?id=1787) "Nearly half of the people responding to an online survey about obesity said they would give up a year of their life rather than be fat, according to a study by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale. The 4,000 respondents in varying numbers between 15% and 30% also said they would rather walk away from their marriage, give up the possibility of having children, be depressed, or become alcoholic rather than be obese. Five percent and four percent, respectively, said they would rather lose a limb or be blind than be overweight.

Are you kidding me? I gotta tell you.....I've watched friends go through a cancer diagnosis or other life changing events and I guarantee you that they would gladly exchange those experiences for the opportunity to gain a little weight.

I've probably done more damage to myself by worrying and stressing about my weight than the extra pounds have done or will ever do. And do I struggle with my weight because I constantly think about it and my skinny friends don't? Is my weight a result of the fact that I've made it so important in my life? Do my skinny friends really not think about it all the time? I don't understand it...don't get it....and it drives me crazy!

So for now my Wii Mii is a little more rotund but my face will always look younger than my skinny friends since my wrinkles are filled in, right?

Can It Be 16 Years Already?

This post should have come on Friday, June 13th....but it's been an amazingly crazy week and I wanted to actually spend time on it.

16 years and 2 days ago I married the love of my life. We met three years earlier at SMU. Both of us were working there for Summer Housing Staff and had a blast. Pretty early on we both knew that there was something very special between us. One of our first dates we even stopped at a jewelry store and joked about looking at engagement rings.

We are at a time in our lives when our family life is crazy. We actually had to spend the last three weekends apart and it's been the pits. Steve was away with Clayton on one weekend, working on one and is on his way home from Adam's Lacrosse festival right now. We NEVER have enough time for each other.

We've lived in 7 different places since we've been married......a lot of moves in 16 years. But with each move we became closer and stronger with each other. We had some incredibly happy times.....each child's birth, job successes, vacations and even just great family afternoons. We've also had some really difficult ones.....our miscarriage, losing loved ones, leaving friends. Through it all the one thing we can count on is each other.

Here are some great pictures of US!

Just Dating...January 1990

Yes!

Steve,
I love you more today than I did 16 years ago! Thank you for loving me in spite of everything. Thank you for telling me I'm beautiful and for loving me more than I love myself. Thank you for giving me the family I always wanted.

I can't wait for the next 60 years!

I Do!

Shelby

Happy Father's Day, Steve!

Happy Father's Day to the Dad of our house. We love you and appreciate all you do for us. Thank you for slaving away at your job everyday so that I can stay home and be here for our kids! I cannot imagine being married to anyone else and wouldn't have picked a better father for the kids! We are blessed! We thank God that you are the "man of our house!" (Although you really look like the "little boy of the house" in the first picture). I love you!

First-time Dad with Clayton James - 1994

Dad of Two with Adam Walker - 1996

With Daddy's Girl, Emma Elizabeth - 2003

Dad of Four Children with Audrey Lynn - 2005

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 2 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

This is a neat website.......try it out!

Audrey finished her first year of ballet this year with her recital at the Pavilion. Boni's is so big that they have two nights of recitals and we were lucky enough to get to dance two nights. Seriously it was fun for each of the girls to have their own night.

Audrey danced to Baby Beluga and was a wonderful ballerina. They each had their own inner tube to get into and dance in. At one part they were supposed to lay down on it and kick their fit.....Audrey did it just like she does everything! She kicked at 150%!

After her dance, Steve was able to go up on the stage with her roses and carry her off the stage. I have to admit I got a little teary watching it all from backstage. Where did the last three years go?

Special thanks to Ms. Marsha and Ms. Kalynda. Audrey was the second youngest in the class and you would have never known! Good job, Baby!

Baby beluga in the deep blue sea,

Swim so wild and you swim so free.

Heaven above and the sea below,

And a little white whale on the go.

Baby beluga, oh, baby beluga,

Sing your little song,

sing for all your friends.

We like to hear you.

Emma's Ballet Recital

Emma just completed her second year of ballet at Boni's. Their recitals are held at the Pavilion, which is the place where all the big band play here. Just two days before the recital was Iron Maiden, a few weeks before was Jimmy Buffet and Tim McGraw is playing there tonight. It's a huge stage for such little girls. Emma danced to Sarah McLachlan's version of "Rainbow Connection" and did a great job. Special thanks to Ms. Carla and Ms. Linda, her teachers!

Why are there so many songs about rainbows and what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions,
and rainbows have nothing to hide.
So we've been told and some choose to believe it.
I know they're wrong, wait and see.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.

OUTSTANDING

Congratulations to Clayton, who was honored at an ceremony and reception at his school for "Outstanding Performance in Language Arts!"

Swimming Lessons

The girls took swimming lessons with Miss Mary Kay this year and learned a lot. It was only about 1/4 of a mile from our house, so it's super convenient and Mary Kay is a great teacher.

It rained on their first day. You can actually see the raindrops in these two pictures!

Audrey's Family Day

For Audrey's Family Day at preschool this year, I got the boys out of school and let them go and play. The boys had a great time and the kids in Audrey's class had a blast, as well. Clayton and Adam each read a story which was hilarious watching them try to read an upside down book while trying to make sure that everyone could see the pictures!

Daddy and Audrey

Find a color on the rope, on the rope!

Circle Time

Ring Around The Rosie with Audrey's class and the other class on the playground

...they all fall down!

...they all fall down on Adam!

There's a giant on the slide!

Cool sandbox!

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

We had such a fun day and it was a great reminder of what great boys we have! They had no trouble playing with the kids and being a great example to them. Good job Boys!

Mitchell's Culture Fest

Adam worked on Culture Fest for several weeks this spring. They were assigned countries....what good fortune that Adam's group was assigned Australia about two weeks before B and Gig went there for a month to visit his Aunt, Uncle and Cousin.

Adam, Megan, Garrett and Arijit

A little Australia Quiz

The Australia table, complete with a boomerang, a didgeridoo, Vegemite and alligator and kangaroo jerky! YUM!!!