I made my goal . . .

Please bear with me for a momentary tooting of my own horn . . .

I haven't said much on the blog, but in January I set a goal that by 10-10-10 I would wear a size 10 again. This morning the tag in my dress read "10!"

I actually achieved the goal back in August when I wore a size 10 dress to church on my birthday and I had also bought a couple pairs of size 10 jeans. Now, I am realistically a comfy size 12 with a few 10's fitting in here and there. I'd like to lose about 15 more pounds so that 10 is my main size with a few 8's popping in every now and then.



I know that size 10 to many people is still big. But I don't have aspirations of being tiny - I've never been and I never will be. When I got married 15 1/2 years ago, I wore size 10/12. So that was the focus of my goal. I just wanted to be able to shop again in the "regular" sizes. To be able to be "average" and to reach for a normal size on the rack and be pretty sure it would fit. I was so proud when I was finally able to move out of the plus sizes! It is not a happy place to have to shop!



I've lost about 60 pounds since January. Over the years of struggling with infertility and the emotional roller coaster of adoption, my weight had crept up and up. In the years of waiting for and then losing Viktoria, it really crept up. But I truly didn't realize that it had gotten as bad as it was. I'd been in a size 18W and some 20W's creeping in here and there for several years. But I didn't "see" myself the way others must have seen me. Actually I looked to myself pretty much the same as I look in the current pictures above. But . . .





. . . pictures surely don't lie. My "Ah-Ha" moment was last Christmas when we had our Family Portraits done and I couldn't believe that was me! Surely I didn't really look like that! But the worst thing was that we got so many compliments on the picture! I will admit, the rest of my family really did look great, but if people thought "that" picture was of me looking GOOD? Something had to be done - and that was when it clicked.

So on January 4 I started focusing on my goal of being in a size 10 again by 10-10-10. It really helped to have that to focus on.


I started out by just making a few changes that Dr. Oz had outlined in his shows. Automate breakfasts (Oatmeal and turkey bacon); eat almonds (100 calorie snack each afternoon); eat yogurt (morning snack); take fish oil; drink lots of water; really watch portions; exercise at least 30 minutes per day. I did this for a few weeks and I saw results! Then I started really focusing on calorie counting along with these previous changes. I did very well for a couple weeks and then I figured, "if this is working - less calories and more exercise would really work!" WRONG. I dropped my calories too low (1000-1200) and my weight loss stalled. It took me nearly 3 weeks to realize this. So that is when I settled on keeping my calories between 1400-1600 each day; drinking about 100 oz of water and exercising at least 30 minutes, but most days closer to an hour. Steadily the weight just disappeared - about 8 pounds per month. In the last several months it has slowed way down, but I've also relaxed on my calorie counting and have held fairly steady.

Ok, end of horn tooting. Back to pictures of cute kids and fun family times!

The New Seven Wonders of the World

Chichen Itza - called (chee-chehn-eet-sah) in Maya, is located 75 miles east of Merida, the capital of the state of Yucatan Mexico. This archaeological site is rated the most important among the Maya culture and the Kukulcan's Pyramid in the picture is possibly the best known construction.



The Colosseum in Rome, Italy - is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city. It was used for gladiatorial contest and public spectacles which was capable of holding 50,000 spectators.



Machu Picchu, Peru - is situated on a mountain ridge, 7970 ft. above sea level. It was brought to international attention in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham which became an important tourist attraction since then.

Petra, Jordan - is perched on the edge of the Arabian Desert and famous for its many stone structures such as the 138-feet-tall temple carved with classical facade into rose-colored rock. 

Christ the Redeemer Statue - is a statue of Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is located at the peak of the 700-meter Corcovado mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park overlooking the city. It is considered as the tallest statue in the world.

The Great Wall of China - is the world's longest man-made structure that stretches some 400 miles and the only one that is visible from the outer space. The best known section of Great Wall was built by the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang Di.

Taj Mahal, India - The construction of this marble masterpiece is credited to the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan who erected this mausoleum in memory of his beloved wife, Arjumand Bano Bagum, popularly kown as Mumtaz Mahal. Her last wish to her husband was to actually build a tomb in her memory such as the world had never seen before.

Some Travel Tips

When you plan for a trip, the process usually include everything from buying your plane tickets to making reservations at your destination and packing the 'essentials'. So maybe you have completed your travel trifecta - airline tickets are booked and your accommodation is reserved - now the only thing you left to do is to actually get to your travel destination. But before you get yourself excited about your trip, there is one more lingering activity you need to tackle before you actually head to the airport and board your flight - the tedious chore of packing - which often becomes an arduous process. Before you throw your closet into the suitcase, consider reading some personal tips of mine for packing. I won't say these are professional tips that you should follow but only some personal ones which I learned from my own experience. Here's your main goal: you pack what you need, leave behind what you don't and don't forget your toothbrush, sounds simple? "Nah, I'm just beating about the bush."

Your destination will ultimately determine what items are essential and what are frivolous for packing. Just bear in mind that overpacking is a wasteful pursuit. These days airlines upped their charges on over-weight luggage and extra bags fees so I suggest you packed to a minimum. Well, it might be the most difficult chore, but it is necessary. Packing your clothes is the most tedious task. My suggestion is you double up your outfits based on the number of days you're staying. Buy souvenir T-shirts or other apparels and use them! You will be buying souvenirs anyway so take this as an option to lighten up your  load before heading to your destination. The extra space in your luggage should cater for all the souvenirs you're going to buy from the place that you're going to have your vacation.





As for women, don't pack your entire beauty regime into your suitcase. Go with the flow on vacation. Grab a few travel-sized items from  your local store and rely on those to get through your vacation. Most hotels supply toiletries like shampoo and conditioner, shower gel, toothpaste, etc., so use them! They are complimentary and you can always get more if you run out. They are not for you to keep as souvenirs.





Don't forget the most essential gadget - your camera. It may come in various sizes and models but most importantly you have it ready for your trip. Avid travelers always fall in love with their cameras. They capture the best moments - that is why. But in case you don't already have it, you can always browse through my ferris wheel widget at the sidebar on my page and shop for it at amazon.com. I'm sure you'll get something that you like with the best deals for this item. Grab the best camera! 



The above is not my comprehensive list. They are just some of the common things that I suggest you probably need to pay attention when packing your suitcase. I would be very glad if you can share with me your own packing tips so please feel free to write a comment on this post for your suggestions and opinions.

Long Time No Post

I'll add some pictures for our recent trip to SW Texas. We were surprised there were "mountains" there, weren't expecting that! We stayed in a log cabin and visited Lost Maples State Park.

We ate at a place called Mac and Ernie's that Guy Fieri visited for Diners, Drive-ins & Dives - click here. I must admit I'm kind of a snoot when it comes to going to Dives, but when I learned he'd featured it on his show, I was better about it. The food was pretty good!

Ok, here are the pics!

Here we are cooking our first supper outside our log cabin. Grandma and Grandpa stayed in another cabin called, Little Feather.

D was excited to climb her first tree.

When we were unloading the car, we had a little shower and this pretty rainbow appeared over the mountain.

We hiked in Lost Maples State Park, I like this picture of D & C walking together.

Walking across the rock bridge over the stream.


There were lots of beautiful butterflies. I was happy with the way this picture turned out!

C "fishing" with Mommy (he didn't have a hook!)

Daria looked so forward to fishing, but didn't get a nibble - yes, she had a hook. Maybe next time?

We enjoyed wading (D actually swam) in this spring fed part of the Sabinal River which was on the property of our cabins. The water was so clear.

D and I rode horses on Saturday. She has ridden a few horses before, but doesn't really remember it. But never before for this long and all on her on. We had a trail ride of 30-45 minutes. The horse she rode is named Red.

The Great Sphinx of Giza

This is my travel picture of the day - the Great Sphinx of Giza.

This monumental statue with the head of a human and a body of a lion is the first colossal royal sculpture in Egypt. It is believed to be the most immense stone sculpture in the round ever made by man. It is carved from the bedrock of the Giza plateau of what geologists call the Muqqatam Formation, which originated fifty million years ago from sediments deposited at the bottom of sea waters that engulfed northeast Africa during the Middle Eocene period. It is 57 meters long, 6 meters wide and 20 meters in height, making it one of the largest single-stone statues on Earth.

A truly mysterious marvel from the days of ancient Egypt, it has stirred the imaginations of poets, scholars, adventurers and tourists for centuries and has also inspired a wealth of speculation about its age, its meaning and the secrets that it might hold. The name Sphinx was given to it in Antiquity based on the legendary Greek creature with the body of a lion, the head of a woman and the wings of an eagle, though the Egyptian sphinxes have the head of a man. Its builder was currently commissioned by scholars to the 4th Dynasty King, Khafre (2558 - 2532 BCE). Khafre was one of the sons of Khufu (or Cheops). 



It would be quite the experience to be able to witness this myself and embark on a journey to Egypt to learn more not just about this great statue but also to be able to see the Great Pyramids, one of the Great Wonders of the World.

Singapore's Fountain of Wealth - The World's Largest Fountain

Towering 13.8 metres, the Fountain of Wealth is a must see attraction in the heart of the city of Singapore. This bronze sculpture is entered in the Guinness Book of World Records as the World's Largest Fountain since 1998 and features an inwardly cascading water that symbolizes the retention of wealth. It is rumored to bring good luck to those who touch its waters and make a wish. During a certain period of the day, the fountain is turned off and visitors are invited to walk around the mini fountain at the center of the fountain's base for good luck. At night, this fountain is the setting for laser performances.





HISTORY:

The Fountain of Wealth is constructed together with the main Suntec City development. The bronze ring of the fountain is designed based on the Hindu Mandala meaning universe. It symbolizes the oneness in spirit and unity as well as the equality and harmony of all races and regions in Singapore.





The fountain consists of a circular ring with a circumference of 66 metres supported on four huge lanted columns. In the design plan, the five tower blocks of Suntec City represent the fingers and the thumb of a left hand and the fountain forms the palm.





There are two reasons for the inward flowing of water of the fountain. Firstly, water is known as the symbol of life and wealth in Chinese culture and secondly, it symbolizes the retention of wealth for Suntec City. According to feng shui experts, the water flowing inward represents riches pouring in, thus the name Fountain of Wealth.





I personally feature this attraction on my blog so that if you ever wish to visit Singapore, you won't miss out on this one. Who knows if you really touch its water, it would bring good luck to you, right?

A Trip to Shanghai World Expo 2010

This visit certainly goes down to my blogbook as the biggest exposition I had ever attended. And it was located in Shanghai China , what more could I ask for?

So it started off like this....

We only had a day to explore the expo site and we need to stroll an area of 5.28 square kilometers. Imagine we're superhumans but we're not and of course it's impossible! So a day at the site was absolutely a huge adventure. We kicked our butt off around ten in the morning and outside the temperature was cooling (that was June). Got my shades on and my fave green jacket and of course my never-to-forget camera. I was all set to go. Well, a day of adventure in such a huge site was sure great fun. 





As we entered the site, we had seen the USA pavilion first hand. Surrounding it was a few more pavilions including South Africa, Argentina and Brazil, just to name a few. Basically, we had one day and we didn't know exactly where to start. Finally, we decided to explore the magnificent China pavilion (the most eye-catching pavilion there was at the site). Upon reaching its vicinity, there's never been that enter-directly-as-you-wish moment instead we queued up like almost eternity! That's one downside for this expo. The queues were horrendous and people wouldn't stop pouring in and joining in the line the longer we managed to get inside. We tried our hardest to be patient but God knows how much I disliked it. So we had successfully entered the pavilion and immediately, we were greeted by this beautiful sight, very China I must say. Inside, we had seen various sub-pavilions of the cities and provinces in China. If we only had ample time to see each one of them, we could have actually learn a lot about the history and culture of China.  

Well, we didn't have much time to really see each and everything, however, we had great fun inside and we certainly enjoyed it. It's definitely a real good experience and learning journey having been able to see how much of China has to offer. We did not stay longer. We moved on to explore the African pavilion. This pavilion was fantastic with all the African collection for sale inside and the various displays of the sub-pavilions of the African region. We definitely had a great time here.

Unfortunately, it was difficult to even start queueing up again so we ended up just taking pictures with all the pavilions we could find. But we didn't miss out the most important Expo Cultural Center. It resembled like a UFO or to me a 'flying saucer'. It is used for most performances during the Expo like concerts and sporting events such as NBA basketball matches and international hockey games. The seat capacity of its main venue could be adjusted to 18000, 12000, 18000 and 5000 based on the demand of the performance. The most beautiful thing about this center was that it has a 360-degree (circular) viewing pathway where you could view the entire expo site as well as the Shanghai's skyline and the river.





The view from there was indeed mesmerizing! Thankfully we didn't miss it. After that, we just basically strolled the entire place and took pictures, most importantly. We didn't stay up for the night, so it certainly was one remorse we had. They said it's actually an awesome sight at night with all the pavilions lighted up. But our tour guide had to pick us up by seven. Well...I guess that was about it then..

SOME EXPO INFO:

Shanghai Expo has started on the 1st of May and would only last till 31st October of this year. This is another huge event set in China following the grandest ever event in history Beijing Olympics. With the aim, 'Better City, Better Life', this exposition will provide an opportunity for people to discuss the development of cities by offering their visions for a better future as well as promotes the communication and cooperation between nations and cultures. With over 200 countries and international organizations participated, it is no doubt that this exposition is a mega event one should not miss.

The Expo 2010 mascot is known as HAIBAO (literally 'sea treasure').

Overall, the 2010 Expo in Shanghai signifies that beautiful life needs our joint efforts by supporting each other and living in harmony between man and nature, people and society and people among themselves, can urban life be better.