I LOVE LOST

Are you a fan of LOST? I think it continues to be the best show on TV. Never a boring moment and I feel so connected to the characters and their lives on the show. There is someone on the island for everyone to connect to. They all have their different life stories, different struggles and triumphs, and when they come together on the Island they are forced to put their own needs and wants aside. They have to unite in order to survive! I find myself crying in nearly every episode! The writing and acting is so good that you actually feel pain when they feel it and you feel joy when they find a moment of happiness. I just love it! Jack and Kate are my favorite's of course. Their story always keeps me wanting more. Kate frustrates me sometimes, but I love her and Jack together. When Jack is on the Island he reminds me of my husband. When he's off the island not so much, but I still love his story. He struggles just like everyone else, but when he overcomes his faults he shines! My playlist song for Jack and Kate is song #1 Back in God's Hands.



The most devastating but rewarding moment for me was when Charlie died. I was upset for months, but he did die a hero! In his life before the crash he had lost his way, got into drugs and drinking, and was so selfish. His experience's on the Island changed him back into the person he truly was. He ended up giving up his life to save those he loved and redeemed himself in the end. He was able to die without shame and was at peace with himself. It's a classic hero story and actually gives hope to those who really do feel lost in life. My playlist song for Charlie is song #2 Lifeline.



I think the character who is the most fascinating is John Locke. He was paralyzed before he came to Island, both physically and emotionally. He had been taken advantage of in life by both his mother and father. He was orphaned as a child and virtually left to fend for himself. He faced so many trials and struggled with self value. Once on the island his legs worked again and he was able to walk. With that came his inner strength. He started to search for his purpose and began to feel like he had a place in the world. He does some of the craziest stuff and I don't understand him at all, but deep down I think he is truly good and has true intentions to help others. People don't know if they can trust him, but in time I think they will find that he has been right all along and that he is special. His story is one we can all relate to. We want a purpose and we want to know what it is. We might stumble and make mistakes in our quest, but in the end we will succeed. My playlist song for Locke is song #3 C'mon, C'mon. And even though I didn't talk about Sawyer - I think he needs a song, don't you? My playlist song for him is song #4 Little Sparrow.

I wait every week for Wednesday night to come and when it does I get LOST.

What do you think about the show? Who are your favorite characters? Talk to me:)

I'm so excited to be one of the newest members of LimeVine! I'm among old and new friends on the Vine and I am already feeling very inspired just talking with them. We have a launch planned within the next month or so and I've been dreaming about the set I am going to make all week! I am a little out of my game, but I think the creative juices are starting to flow again:)

Be sure to keep your eyes open for a future post about the launch and I'll be sure to show you a sneak peek.

As for the CloversGirls - we are all still around, but doing different things. I just wanted to let the Clovers all know how much I love them and what an honor it was to be a part of the group.

xoxo - Chelsea

KILL THE FAT - Stop Grazing



I'm looking into getting one of these to help me reduce my grass intake! To be totally fit by May I'm thinking more drastic measures may be in order!

I guess I just need to be patient and not watch TV. I see all those skinny girls on there and it makes me depressed. But seriously, I am starting to see results. I can feel my muscles starting to resurface and my pants are not quite as tight!

Kassi has come up with a training package that will be offered to you on-line. The one she did for me is my weight loss bible! How it works: She will send you a questionnaire to fill out that will give her an idea of where you are physically and what your goals are. She will then make a customized plan to help you loose weight and get in shape fast. The program includes a calorie intake chart, a daily workout schedule with recommended workouts, meal ideas, and a few exercises to get you toned and fit. This plan runs $25. If you want something a little more involved, for example - checking in with her weekly to see if you are reaching your goals, and having her modify your program to fit your needs according to your progress, then she can do that! Just let her know. Trust me - if you follow her plan you're going to get results! If you are interested in purchasing a package email me at vintagechicboutique@comcast.net and I'll send you her contact info.

I have some great tips for you from Kassi's personal journal. I thought I would share one with you each week I have found them all to be very helpful, especially this first one:

QUIT GRAZING, NO LATE NIGHT NOSHING: Eat full meals and then be done until the next meal. Constant incoming food to the digestive system can be hard on the body. Late night eating interferes with your sleep and relaxation.


I have decided that I hate posting my stats. What was I thinking??? Oh well...here they are.

Week 1:

• gained 1 pound
• chest: 34"
• stomach: 33"
• Hips: 36"
• Thighs - Right: 21 1/2" Left: 22
• Arms - Right: 11" Left: 10"

Week 2:

• lost 2 pounds
• chest: 34"
• stomach: 33"
• Hips: 36"
• Thighs - Right: 21" Left: 21 1/2"
• Arms - Right: 11" Left: 10"

Week 3:

• lost 1 pound
• chest: 33 1/2"
• stomach: 33"
• Hips: 36 1/2"...what the heck!
• Thighs - Right: 20 1/2" Left: 21 1/2"
• Arms - Right: 11" Left: 10"

Week 4: SICK

Week 5:

• Gained back all the weight from when I was sick!
  
• chest: 33
• stomach: 32
• hips: 36 1/2
• thighs: Right: 20 1/2 Left: 21
• arms: Right: 10 Left: 10 1/2 YAY! I have not been a fan of my arms.
  

HoNeStY tag:

I was tagged by the wonderful Jen of Windy Ridge. Jen was one of the first designers I spotted on ebay making and selling children's clothing. She has been an inspiration to me from the beginning. Her designs are timeless and every piece tells a story. Check out her clothing line at Eden's Bouquet and you will see what I mean.

Now it's time to be honest with you. Thank goodness I only have to say 10 things:)

1. I love Sci-Fi. When I was little I wanted to marry Luke Skywalker.
   
2. I used to be a competitive tennis player.
   
3. I was married at 18 and had my 4 children by the time I was 29
   
4. My name is in the credits of all three Lord of the Rings movies...Really....Go look:)
   
5. One talent I wish I had was the ability to sing. Being in the cast of WICKED would be amazing.
   
6. I am 1/4 Filipino
   
7. I have been on TV twice.
   
8. I wish I was smarter. My brothers are all really smart
   
9. I was voted best legs in the 9th grade. I think my legs are the only things holding out after having 4 babies.
   
10. I hate seafood
    

7 brilliant blogs

Intimate Photography by Amelia

Paint In My Hair

60 Piggies

Lila Tueller Designs

SmallSomething

Rhembein

Dear And Beloved

The rules for this award:

1. Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find brilliant in content or design
2. Show the 7 winners names and links on your blog, and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with “Honest Scrap”.
3. List at least 10 honest things about yourself.

Today I am much, much better:) To make a long story short, I passed a kidney stone. Those little things are pure evil! What in the world! What is that all about? I cannot believe that something so small can be so mean. I was out for an entire week! I also had these killer headaches all week that totally incapacitated me. I don't usually get headaches, but I can now sympathize with those of you who do. I'm so sorry.

Friday I was able to go to my first NUCCA chiropractic appointment, which is what my husband is going into, and it was nothing short of a miracle. When I came in I was off balance and my right leg was shorter than my left. By the time I left I was balanced, my legs were the same length, and by the next day my headaches were totally gone. I'm a believer!

Now we are back to Killing The Fat! I'm going to kill a lot this week since last week was shot. I'm feeling a little lazy, so I'm really going to have to motivate myself all week long. I'm going to do this by doing several posts about...you guessed it - being Natural in what we put in and on our bodies.

Do natural people bug you? They use to bug me a little, but mostly because they never eat candy, they are always really pretty, and they seem to have this natural healthy glow. So Annoying! :) Now that I am turning into a natural kind of girl, I'm not so bugged. My reasons for going natural are good and after this week you might want to try it too.

Don't worry, I still eat candy. Just not as much.

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High Fructose Corn Syrup



What is it? It's un-natural, that's what it is. Basically companies are replacing sugar in the foods they are producing with High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). They have their commercials running right now that say it is okay to use in moderation and that it's made from corn, so go ahead and eat it. The problem is, it is in EVERYTHING and it's making us fat! So eating it in moderation is hard if you aren't paying attention. I have found it in cereal, ketchup, fruit snacks, granola bars, ice cream, wheat-white-sourdough bread, candy, pop, cookies, cake, juice, and yogurt to name a few. It is everywhere and it's not good for you. What's so bad about it? Well, for one thing it's made from genetically altered corn that has been treated with all kinds of chemicals. That yummy chemical corn is being turned into a sweet syrup that is being used to replace sugar. Big companies are now able to make the same foods they use to make with sugar at a lower cost because HFCS is much cheaper than sugar. It's all about the money for them. They don't care that the consumption of it leads to obesity, diabetes, and a slew of other problems. Though we don't know all the affects of HFCS we know it's not good. My advice to you is to stay away from it. I know it's hard to keep it out of your body completely, but the more aware you are the better and the less you have it the better. HERE is a short and simple article on HFCS and it's affects on our bodies AND the environment. When you are out shopping for food, just quickly flip the package over and check the ingredients. If it says High Fructose Corn Syrup then put it back. If you are buying foods that need sweetening, you want the real thing - Sugar. Save your waistline and the planet. Don't use High Fructose Corn Syrup.

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Try cutting up an apple to snack on while you make dinner. Not only is full of vitamins and antioxidants, but it fills up your tummy so you don't over eat.

Another thing I love about living in California is that flowers bloom in February~ This beautiful girl is blooming right outside my front door. It smells like heaven when it rains and new life is always starting. I just love it.

I don't feel like killing the fat right now. In fact I haven't killed any fat for a few days. Instead I have been laying in bed sick:( I really have hated it, but on the upside I was able to watch The Lord of the Rings trilogy! I haven't done that in awhile. Man-those shows are so freaking good.

I have some quotes for you today from my 3 year old. The other night when we were trying to get her to kneel down with the family for prayer she started to babble all sorts of things. In the mix of it all we made out 2 very important facts:
1. "Heavenly Father wants us to work out. Ya he does"
2. "Heavenly Father wants us to play with toys."

After getting over the gut busting laughter we tried for another 5 minutes to get her to kneel down and it just wasn't going to happen. She opted for #2.

Kill The Fat will be back on Monday the 16th. I think I have lost some weight, but not from working out:) That's not fair, so I won't post any new results until I am back to norm.

Lila and I were invited to feature our patterns in the European Magazine Quiltmania! Our patterns will be shown in the French version of the magazine. Lila designed the quilt and I designed the peasant top and pants. Lila's new fabric line Soire'e is available this month and it is delicious! I have it, I love it, and I want to use it for everything.

Kill The Fat - Inside and Out

Are you new to Kill The Fat? Click HERE

For the most part we can get healthier bodies by eating organic and exercising, but we may need some help with supplements to get rid of free radicals and all the bad fats and oils that we have put into our bodies over the last several years.

Free Radicals:

In a nut shell...Our body needs energy and oxygen to live. We create energy from the food we eat and from the oxygen in the air. When we create that energy it gives off free radicals naturally. If we don't deal with them they can harm our cells and our bodies causing diseases like heart disease, cancer, etc...Antioxidants handle or neutralize these. My favorite sources of anti-oxidants are products with acai berry in them, ( I just take a pure acai berry supplement), and Welch's grape juice. Click HERE for a good article and a free download on free radicals and antioxidants.

Fish Oil Pills...YUCKY!

American diets are full of Omega 6 fats/oils and trans fats and for the most part is lacking in Omega 3's. These fats become parts of our cell membranes and can cause our cells to mis-communicate with each other producing conditions like inflamation, hardening of the arteries, and lots of problems. Omega 3's help clean up your cellmembranes and help in the prevention of many chronic diseases that we suffer from. You can start seeing benefits from Omega 3's and eating healthier after about a month, but it will take about a year to get your cells totally clean. I do not like fish so the idea of fish oil pills makes me gag. Hartman found an orderless pill that I don't mind at all at Trader Joe's. I love you Joe! Here is an article on the importance of Omega 3's.

Blueberry Blast Smoothie:



2 cups blueberries
1 cup raspberries
1/2 cup of cran-raspberry juice or milk
1 cup of low-fat blueberry yogurt
2 cups ice

My Stats

Week 1:

• gained 1 pound
• chest: 34"
• stomach: 33"
• Hips: 36"
• Thighs - Right: 21 1/2" Left: 22
• Arms - Right: 11" Left: 10"

Week 2:

• lost 2 pounds
• chest: 34"
• stomach: 33"
• Hips: 36"
• Thighs - Right: 21" Left: 21 1/2"
• Arms - Right: 11" Left: 10"

Week 3:

• lost 1 pound
• chest: 33 1/2"
• stomach: 33"
• Hips: 36 1/2"...what the heck!
• Thighs - Right: 20 1/2" Left: 21 1/2"
• Arms - Right: 11" Left: 10"

This week I have learned that the area I want gone the most is going to be the last to go. Stupid Abs! Atleast I am loosing weight and some inches. I admit, I am frustrated at the slow results. I think this is why I usually give up. It's a daily process, it's a lot of work, and the day to day results are minimal. I know in the long run it will be good, but right now I am frustrated and hungry for a Cheeseburger from In-N-Out with a shake! However, my will is strong. I worked out 50 minutes today and sweat like crazy and I'll settle for some steamed veggies with fresh garlic and parmesean for lunch. That sounds kind of good:)

How are you doing?

TIP:
When you are out running errands make sure you have some nuts in the car. If you get hungry and have an urge to pull over for fast food, grab some nuts to munch on. They will calm your craving and get you home to some good food. I also try to have snacks and water in the car for the kids so that they are always satisfied and not begging for chicken nuggets. Thanks for that tip Lucy! It has saved my butt...literally.

FACT:
McDonald's uses a form of butane (lighter fluid) as a preservative on their chicken nuggets. All I can say about this is - SICK and WRONG! HERE is a good blog post I found about that. What are the other restaurants using? I have no idea and I'm kind of scared to find out.

Eat Healthy, Live Well, Be Happy:) Keep up the good work!