Tooting Her Horn For Her

If you keep up with my family on Facebook, then you know we've had some big changes in our lives these last several months.  Our oldest daughter and sister, became a "Sister" of another sort and is now serving in the Arizona Phoenix Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She is loving the area and the people she serves with.  She has loved both of her companions thus far and is looking forward to her time there.  While we at home practically live for Monday's, the one day of the week that she gets to check her email and write home

Gabby and her "sisters" at the MTC

 Here on the home front our Courtney (aka KiKi) has made some big and positive changes in her lifestyle! After much study (mostly on Pinterest) about health and nutrition she set a goal to lose fifty pounds by the end of this year.  Six months in and she is down by 60 lbs!  I would say Mission Accomplished!

Courtney "before" far right
 May 2012

And "After"!  Down 60 pounds June 2013

I am so proud of my Kiki (who has always been beautiful to me)!  As anyone who has tried to lose weight knows, it isn't an easy thing to do!  So many people have asked me, "what is she doing?" .  A few of the well intention-ed worriers, worried that she wasn't eating healthy, that she wasn't eating enough.  They asked if she was bulimic, anorexic or any of the other typical problems that come with teenagers losing weight.  I've had to reassure countless teachers and relatives that she is indeed doing this the "right" way.  In fact, I have learned a few things from Courtney's weight loss journey that I hadn't considered before.  Let me share with you a few of the things she's done differently:

• She studies health and nutrition (she is now a label Nazi!  She knows how to read labels what's good for you and what isn't) and she puts that knowledge to use in real life. Knowledge is definitely power!
• Food is a priority!  She has always loved food, but she now loves foods that mostly come in green and the bright colors of fruits and vegetables.  Whenever I try to lose weight I always dread thinking about food.  But Courtney loves planning her meals.  She takes the time to think about what is going into her body and only puts food that will fuel it instead of weighing down.  In fact, she can't sleep in past seven in the morning anymore because she has so much energy.
• She loves moving her body.  For her birthday she requested that we go for a hike as a family and she excercises regularly. 
• No fast food, soda, or sugars for this girl.  Whenever she would receive cookies and candy from friends or teachers for holidays (easter, valentines day) she would bring the treats home and give them to her family
• She's always finding new recipes for me to make. Which is so helpful to me because I make a menu once a week, and finding new things to make is always a little overwhelming.

She has been such an inspiration to me these last few months.  I have admired her determination in achieving her goal, especially in the face of family and friends who offer her "just a little bite" or "just this once".  

I am so unbelievably blown away by these two daughters of mine and the choices that they have made to better themselves, and in the process touch the lives of others.  I don't know what I did in my previous life to deserve these children of mine but I try not to question my good fortune and just enjoy them instead.

That goes for these two as well!