Fa Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra Raaaaaahhhhh!

I love a Christmas Story. I love when TBS plays it 24 hours straight. And usually in the proceeding days I will have already watched it once a day. (FRA-GIL-EY must be Italian!) I sadly don't have a copy here, but as soon as our data download for December starts over that is going to be my number one stop!!

Obviously I have to do without things living in a different climate and culture (btw happy holidays can suck it!). I have done my best to adapt (really just steamroll my friends with my traditions). Thus this weekend we are having a girls dinner, which I promptly renamed "Girls wine night and Christmas cookie exchange" (in reality it's really girls getting drunk and eating- not classy sounding). I am taking mint chocolate cake balls and cookies. I doubt many other girls will bring dessert, but we shall see!

The weekend after this is Christmas Karaoke at the pub! The Ettamogah Pub (I'll elaborate upon this establishment in the future). There is a costume contest so I am trying to think of the BEST costume ever. I know funny ones always win, but I want to DAZZLE. I am thinking sequins and lights, and obviously a battery pack for my lights. And we get to karaoke Christmas Songs! HECK YES!

I have Christmas music playing pretty much non stop. I downloaded the top 100 Christmas songs. Tragically they are elevator music versions, like jingle bell rock is not rocking, and that is usually my jam. So stop number two for new data in December is going to be more Christmas songs!! Most of you know I can't sing, but that doesn't stop me from thinking I can.

One big tradition Aussies have are Christmas Crackers. You sit around the table cross arms and hold onto the persons on either side and pull. They go bang (think party popper bang, not Fourth of July bang), then there is a little paper crown, a stupid toy, and dumb joke. Maybe this is the Aussie equivalent of a pre dinner blessing? Weird.

Last year due to my lack of snow, I made snowflakes! I could be a superhero in that picture, with a snowflake mask and the power to freeze! I digress...

Strudel Tagen (my dog for you people that may not remember) was a Christmas puppy! 7 years ago she wiggled out of a stocking on Christmas morning. Tear. So cute. This will be our last Christmas apart! She comes in March!!

And for all of you that posted about sights and sounds on Facebook... I have a picture of the inside of the tree from two years ago. When I miss home I hold it above my head and spin in circles. Just like the real thing. And people say I missed out? Ha!

I hope you are all enjoying the festive season! Love you all and MERRY CHRISTMAS! (eat a bean happy holidays)

Xxxx
Tori

Tis the season!

Once again. I had an entire post and it was deleted into cyberspace. I'll rewrite it tomorrow! For now here's a throwback picture of me and my big circa 2008!

Love you all!

Success! On track for today!

I am really upset! I just wrote a fantastic post for y'all and it disappeared into cyberspace.

After letting my inner fat girl have an entire post dedicated to food, she behaved herself and let me stay on track for my fitness goals today. YAY!

According to my fitness pal I should be down another 13 pounds in 5 weeks if I always ate as I ate today. I'm not overly concerned, losing weight gets harder as you get lighter. My goal is 10 pounds by Feb 1!

Workout schedule for the week:

Wednesday
AM Personal Trainer cardio and strength
PM 20-30 minute beach walk followed by Pilates

Thursday
AM Personal Trainer cardio and strength
PM 20-30 minute beach walk followed by Pilates

Friday
C25K

Saturday
C25K

Sunday
AM cardio/ strength circuit
PM C25K

Thanks for the support my loves!

Xxx
Love you all!
Tori

'Merica Food

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!

I hope all of y'all are enjoying the cool weather in Tejas! It is hot and sticky here. Yuck.

Anyhow. I will be in the land of Mexican food, margaritas, and Jimmy Johns in less than a month. All I can think about is food. What I want to eat and where.

I have no idea how I am going to maintain my weight as I eat across Texas. I thought I would list my favorite foods I really want. I am beginning to realize I have an unhealthy and fatalistic approach to food. I should probably see a psych about it... I'll worry about that tomorrow.

Now my ultimate list of food!

1. Jack in the Box Tacos
2. Salt Lick
3. Breakfast tacos
4. Garcias
5. Jimmy Johns Italian Club and Tuna Slim
6. Wendy's Chicken nuggets
7. Melting Pot
8. PF Changs
9. Happy Hour at Grins
10. Brunch at Palmers
11. Mexican Martini at River Pub
12. Chicken fried steak
13. Chick Fil A
14. La Madelines
15. Flemings Steakhouse
16. Japanero Latino sushi
17. Popeyes red beans and rice
18. Sonic limeade
19. Starbucks salted caramel hot chocolate
20. BEN AND JERRYS!!!

I think that is a good enough list for now. Believe it or not, I actually feel better.

Thanks for reading, sorry if I made you hungry!

My Fitness Pal

Heh roh peoples!

So I got the app My Fitness Pal to help me track calories and friends can see what I am doing... Ahhh!

I did really well all day. And then. BAM. I was hungry, it was late, it was hot (90 at 7pm), dinner wasn't ready, I had work to do at 8pm before my 10:30pm conference call. So I cracked a lovely bottle of ice cold wine and couldn't stop at one glass (okay that made me sound like an alcoholic... Eh oh well). I only had 2 1/2 glasses!

And I ate dinner had my chocolate fix and was done for the day.

Or so I thought.

Womp. Womp. Womp.

I had finished my part of my conference call and was just listening.

Then the urge hit me. I wanted something salty. I had soy crisps. That didn't do me. So then I had Dixie drumsticks (don't ask they're weird and Australian crackers). I had to walk by the pantry to go to bed and grabbed one last piece of chocolate.

No wonder I am awake so late. Wine, chocolate, work that is a lot of stimulus for my brain.

And goodnight. 1800 calories for the day. Fail.

Weightloss

Hello my friends and family!

So some of you may have noticed I was a bit bigger last year when I came home. I've now officially hit my goal of losing 40 pounds!! I am so incredibly happy.

However, I want to keep going and lose another 15-20 just for the sake of being awesome! I've been sabotaging myself and eating everything in sight.

And you all know I love to get my cooking and baking on for the holidays. Plus this time of year makes me miss home like crazy!!

Luckily I have a great group of friends that are okay with my American traditions I force down their throats!! And we are having a tree decorating party next week. But I need to stay focused on my weight loss.

I am not slacking in the exercise department. I'll run 3-4 days a week, 2 days high intensity interval and weightlifting with my trainer, and 1 day Pilates. I have been taking one or two rest days. It's only been in the past couple of weeks I increased my exercise past 5 times a week total.

So my goal right now is to lose 8 pounds by February. A pound a week. Please help me do this. I love you all!

Enjoy my before and in progress picture!!

Tonight for dinner I am making healthy meatloaf. Hopefully I stay strong with a small serving!!

Rain Rain Go Away!

It has been raining here non stop! Which is really aggravating for two reasons.
1. I am ready for summer and sick of wearing black tights to work.
2. When it rains Jono can't harvest, and then has to wait an extra few days for the grain to get to an acceptable moisture temperature. I am ready for harvest to be over!!

Anyhow, we had sunshine and a heavy wind. So we went to see how the paddock was. I drove the fire ute, and then frolicked in the sunshine while Jono did other stuff.

Notice my sundress? Probably not farm appropriate, or safeworks approved. BUT! I have this theory I like to call the sundress theory. If you wear a sundress, the sun will come out for you! Not exactly foolproof or is there any hard evidence supporting it.

So everyone cross your fingers and toes and say your prayers that the rain stays away so that work can get done here! I'm ready to spend my weekends at the beach fishing!!

Love you all!

Tori