Getcha all caught up...

Hi one follower...It's been too long.

I have so much to fill you in on because we JUST got our Internet turned on at our new place :) Yes, the first thing I wanted to do with the Internet was blog...

WE MOVED! Let me back up because before you can move, you have to pack...

This is Ben's idea of packing....

After our move to Auckland (and Mommy mailing us pillows), we were blessed with a bajillion space bags and nothing to do with them! Well, when packing to move to the new place Ben decided to put them to good use and space bag all of our pantry items. I must say, it worked pretty well.

Anyway, we now live in a beautiful little fourplex (I almost don't want to call it that because it's more of a house broken up into four different units) in Meadowbank, about 15 minutes (without traffic) from the city. It's right in between Ben and I's workplaces so super convenient. Ben is even looking for a bike to ride to work. Which means that I can have sole use of.....

our new car!!! Isn't she cute??

The whole reason behind the move was because we wanted to buy a car. It's too expensive to have a car-park in the city so we decided to move to the burbs where parking is FREE! Our new place has a car park AND a garage, which Ben loves! I love being able to go to the grocery store, the coffee shop, where ever...whenever I want! I think I am just about used to the right-side driving! It almost feels natural now. I'm gonna be all screwed up if I have to drive when visiting the States. 

Reason #1 I love having a car: We can finally buy some furniture! Including our new couch!

It did take 3 trips...but I was so impressed that it fit! Here is is all "assembled."

I love it! It is exactly what I was looking for: grey, lounge thingy, and it even came with a giant ottoman! Now I just need some bright colored pillows to throw on there...and maybe a tray for the ottoman...Secondhand stores, here I come!

Okay, last picture...our new sweet neighbors brought us this cake over the other night right after we moved in!

(Ben might have started to cut into it and then I wanted to take a picture...)

It was delicious and I love that they are so thoughtful. Makes it less awkward if I have to go over and ask for an egg every once in a while :) In our apartment, I did not have a conversation with our neighbors ONCE! We had three apartments on our floor and I only ever saw the inhabitants of 2 of them....and that was infrequently. I think we are going to like it here! 

Now that we have the internet, I'm going to go catch up on New Girl, The Biggest Loser, The Bachelor...you know all the good shows :)

Love,

The Webers :)

Accountability

So many months in the past, I have downloaded a workout calendar, only to do one or two days before I throw it away. Well, this month, I have been doing pretty dang well with the "Fab Abs" calendar from Shrinking Jeans.

As of today, I am 2 days behind but I am hoping to do one more set tonight so I will only be one day behind tomorrow. Phew! (I'm also doing their 8 week weight long competition...) Lately, I have been having a hard time finding the motivation to do the three little exercises every night, mostly just because it's gotten harder and more time consuming :( So, I thought I would tell the world and maybe that will help me convince myself to get my butt in gear! I have definitely been able to notice a difference so that should be motivation enough...but evidently, it's not. If you want to do the last week with me (really, it's only 6 days...) go for it!! :)

In other related news...I AM IN THE 180s!!! I weighed in this morning at 189.6 this morning! I barely squeaked by...but I'm here! I have never seen a number that low on the scale before :)

I have a goal in mind, but it's not a number goal...I bought these yellow jeans online that were too snug when they came in the mail. I want to be able to wear them in public without feeling like they're too tight! I haven't tried them on again since I got them but I have a feeling that I've got a little ways to go. They were really tight...

Hopefully next post you will see a picture of me in a pair of bright yellow neon jeans :)

Look what I got!

I got some super buys at the secondhand store this weekend! I am addicted. Look...

I got TWO of these beauties. They are Crate and Barrel hot plates (in case you couldn't tell...) and they were only $3 each!

Here's my fruit bowl that I got last weekend...it's currently holding my onion and ginger :) I can't remember how much it was...maybe around $5? I liked the color...

And some ramekins! I have been wanting some for a while and these were marked $2 each but we got niggled it down to about half that :) What can I say? I'm a bargain shopper.

Also, can you tell I like 50 shades of blue? 

There's some other stuff...but these are my faves so far (i.e. Ben bought $11 worth of books...) We also found a grill that we like...and if it's still there this weekend, we will probably buy it. We don't have anywhere to put it right now but we can start putting stuff in our new place this week!! Woo hoo!

Gotta go check Trade Me!

Fatty Rant / New Digs

Today has been VERY hard, food wise! I just want to (and maybe did a little...) eat everything in sight! I'm not sure what was up but tomorrow is a new day and at least I managed to work a little run in this afternoon after work. I have been loving the "early" shift at work. I'm done at 4 and have time to go to the grocery store, run errands, RUN, etc. before the Hubs gets home! But anyway, I'm kind of mad at myself because I did a great run/circuit workout and then the first thing I did when I got home was stuck my finger in the peanut butter! What is wrong with you, Libbi??

Ugh...

So, I put myself in the bath, just to stop from scrounging around the house for some more food! And then when I got out, I signed up for a free trial workout at a crossfit gym on Saturday. Since my first crossfit workout with Kayla, I have been wanting to join a gym and get er done. I got a recommendation from a Mom of one of my kiddos and Ben and I are going! The only downside in the price :( 

On the bright side, Ben and I found a place to live!!!!! It's right in between Ben and I's work (closer to Ben's) and has almost everything we were looking for! The only thing it doesn't have is a yard...which is a good and bad thing! We just wanted somewhere we could grow plants...which we can still do on our patio. We will definitely miss the convenience of the city but just about nothing else, most importantly the buses! Since we decided to buy a car, it has been like the bus is out to get us! Just the other morning, my morning bus to school left late and then starting taking the wrong route so we had to backtrack to get on the right course! Once we move in, that is priority numero uno. After that...you know furniture to sleep on...

Okay, maybe a bed is the first priority.

Our place right now is fully furnished, which was great when we first moved here but now having to buy EVERTHING over again is getting quite pricey. After our crossfit on Saturday, we are going to hit up the secondhand shops to see if we can get any good deals! We found a sifter, a sushi maker, a big stock pot, a fruit bowl, and one other thing (??) for $35 last weekend! Maybe not all necessities, but things we have needed at one point or another since we moved here. And I got a fridge that a friend of a friend was selling for a STEAL this week! Wish us luck with our bargain hunting! We move in in two weeks! 

PS-So glad tomorrow is Friday! It has been a loooooong week! 

love, 

the webers

Cookie Dough Bites (+ recipe :)

Oh my gosh.....so I posted THIS recipe on Facebook and by the end of a crazy Friday I was ready for something sweet! I have done everything except dip them in dark chocolate...which I'm not even sure I'm going to do because I used this...

YUM! 

.....which makes them chocolaty enough already. I only made half of the recipe because I didn't want to have a ton of these little suckers around just begging to be eaten :) Half of the recipe made five cookie dough balls. With my ingredients, they came out to about 180 calories each...which is pretty high but they're made from healthy, natural ingredients so....you win some, you lose some! And they are DELICIOUS! Like I said....you really don't even need to dip them in chocolate. So, if you're looking for a good "healthy" dessert, click on the link above...and enjoy!

Bob and Jillian...take me away to the Biggest Loser Ranch!

Can I just say how much I love The Biggest Loser?? It is 10 minutes in and I am already crying...dang, their stories get me every time! There is nothing more motivating than watching an episode of TBL...just makes you want to get up and go work out. I'm not going to lie, when I was at my top weight of 254, I seriously considered applying to be on that show! I mean there are several girls on there who weighs less than me at that point! Eek! Anyway, I wish I could just live on a ranch all day and work out! AND be in the running for some money! Sadly, I'm having to watch it with my earphones because Ben just makes fun of all the crying and metaphors...haha! There are a lot though...

Speaking of weight loss...we (and by we, I mean Ben...) got a fruitcake in the mail yesterday!

Ben has been enjoying a Christmas fruitcake from Collin Street Bakery in good ole Corsicana, Texas for as long as he can remember! Well, his wonderful Granny sent him a whole (not even a mini one!) fruitcake for himself!

It travelled via Sweden to get to us...which explains why it didn't get here by Christmas :) And even though, as you can clearly see, it was sent to BOTH of us, Ben is finding it quite hard to share :( That's okay, I don't need to eat any anyway!

Getting back on the healthy track has been going really well! It's been fairly easy to get back into the habit of tracking my calories on My Fitness Pal and making sure I'm under my limit for the day. I would love to say that I've been working out like a crazy person but sadly, that's not true :( Ben and I are in the middle of looking for a new place and that takes up the majority of our free time! We have been to look at about 5 different places and they are wrong for one reason or another: too pricey, too small, too old, shady... There seem to be a lot of options available at this point so I am hoping that one of them works out! We want a place we can stay indefinitely! And, selfishly, I'm ready to have a car!!! Ben and I have both had about enough of this bus thing...

Hopefully I will have good news on that in my next post! Until then, go watch the premiere of the Biggest Loser...and get your tissues ready!

Just finished the premiere and found out it is a TWO night premiere...what?? I know what I will be doing tomorrow!

New year, new (and old) goals...

This post is all about goals! It's so cliche to have a weight loss goal for the new year but, yet, I have a goal. 

One day I WILL weigh less than my husband!

After losing 60 pounds (27 kgs), I am so much more comfortable with myself but I still have those days where I feel "bleh." They happen. But this year, I am going to stop comparing my weigh loss with last year and start fresh. So My Fitness Pal says "0 lbs lost." Yep, 194.8 (88.4 kgs) is my official starting weight for the new year and it WILL be around 160 by the time I'm done! Maybe May? Maybe December? :) That's only 35 pounds...totally do-able! 

I don't only want to lose weight. A pretty huge goal I have set for myself is to be able to complete the Milford Track. The Milford Track is a hike down in the South Island that's 53.3 kms long and takes four days to complete. It's said to be one of the best tracks in the world! Right now, one day of hiking and I'm done. But I'd love to be able to accomplish something like that while we're living here! 

That will be me one day :)

So feel free to join me on My Fitness Pal! I love that little app/website and it's so helpful for my diet! If you don't have it and you're trying to lose weight...go! Right now. And sign up! My username is libbiweber. Befriend me.

So, who wants to sign up for the Milford Track with me?? :)