finding lori

Hello Friends! It's been a nice relaxing Christmas Season for me here.  I am currently on vacation and enjoying my time off with coffee, reading, and tidying up my home.  Since it's been awhile, I have to back track just a bit so I can share with you what I've been up to. Every year for the holidays, my mom makes Kolachis.  My grama used to make them, and then my mom carried on the tradition after she passed.  Ok, so I should clarify that my grama called them Kalachis, but after researching, most people call them Nut Horns or  Kifles.  For tradition sake, we decided to keep with Kolachi in honor of our grama.  So, a few weeks ago, my sister Connie and I decided that it was time we learned how to make the Kolachis and that my daughter Blayne should learn right along side us.  So we set aside a day to bake.  Here is our day........... First things first...... We can't do anything without coffee :)  Connie preparing the nuts. Me getting t

Happy Monday!  Only 12 days until Christmas!  Who else is loving all of the wonderful festivities that come with this Season? My daughter Blayne and I have a new little tradition that we started last year.  In a little town about 45 minutes away, there is an old historic mansion called The Baldwin-Reynolds House.  Every year they open up this beautiful old home for an event called The Trees of Christmas.  Each room of the house is decorated and there is a Christmas tree in each room.  The theme last year was A Storybook Christmas.  This years theme was Christmas Around the World.  Here are a few pictures of our day :) This picture is from their website.  I "borrowed" it to show you how beautiful it is in the snow with  a professional photographer taking the picture..... This is my picture on the day that we visited. This is a Gnome Tree from Norway The top of the tree had a big red Hat on it and moss bunched up under neath for his beard.

Happy Monday! I wanted give an update on my weight loss journey.  I have been watching my carbs since June.  Actually, I have been really really watching my carbs.  I've been trying to stay under 20 grams of carbs a day following the Atkins Diet.  I know, I know, these types of diets don't last.  I knew this going into it, but needed something to jump start me.  Atkins always puts me in control and gives me motivation to keep going.  I lose quickly.  I have no cravings and no binges.  It works for me.  I felt great and lost 34 pounds.   Unfortunately, it is very addicting for me and I tend to get obsessive about not eating any sugar at all.  I wouldn't even taste anything unless I was sure it was Atkins, Stage 1 friendly.  I was annoying myself and I'm sure those around me.  I didn't care tho, because I felt so good.....so in control!  That has changed.  My turning point was getting the results of my blood work. My Cholesterol was 301......Under 200 is prefe

Hi friends!  It's been awhile hasn't it?   There is a reason for my absence.  It's called....Instagram.  Yes, sad to say....I am an Instagram addict.  It all started innocently enough when my daughter introduced me to it.  She told me about the weight loss accounts that are on there.  We thought it would be a great way to stay motivated and such.  I was hesitant.  I'm old.  I have always thought of  IG  (See what I did there?) as a young persons social media outlet.  I joined thinking there is no way I would ever post.  I would just lurk around and get inspired by those trying to get healthy.  It was a trap.  First time I posted, I was hooked.  Since then, I have been posting like a mad woman.  Reading accounts, making friends, and if that wasn't enough, they added "Insta Stories".  Oh my goodness is that addicting.  Those who have never watched videos of others talking, cooking, decorating, probably think I am crazy, but trust me....I NEVER thought I woul

Just a quick post to say "Thank You" to everyone who reached out to me via comments and or email, after my last post.  If you are a long time dieter, you know how it is when you are doing so well, and then you fall off the wagon.  Some times, when you are in that "I am so weak" frame of mind, it just feels like the biggest thing in the world.  Talking about it helps me realize it really isn't that big.  It actually really isn't much at all.  I went back a few days later and re read my post and was like, Ok...So?   In the heat of the moment, It was a fail, it was huge, and I felt horrible.  This is why I blog.  So I can remember how I felt and how it really doesn't matter in the scheme of things.  I also love that I can put it out there and I get so much support, and advice back.   You all help me more than you know.  Thank you for being a part of my journey!  xoxo

Hello Monday!  I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! I had a cheat weekend.  I haven't felt this lost in months.  Although I don't regret my weekend, I still feel like I've failed...... This is how my weekend went down. Every year, my daughter Blayne and I go on a little road trip sometime in the fall.  We call it our Fall Fun Day.  Usually we go a sweet little Amish town in Ohio, a little over an hour away, and visit a little Amish store.  We do a little shopping and then sit in the town square in the gazebo and eat our treats and just enjoy the scenery.  This year we decided to do something different, and took the back way to to Hermitage, a town about an hour away, to do some craft shopping and lunch.  As per our Fall Fun Day Rules, we stopped at the usual store to fuel up on drinks, then we were off on our road trip.  I had already planned on making this a cheat day because, well, because I wanted to.  I wanted the Pumpkin Spice Caramel Corn, the Candy Corn

Today was beautiful!  75 degrees and sunny.  A perfect day to do a little shopping! Ava begged me to take her with me :) Here is our day in pictures.............. Our 30 minute ride into the big city :) First stop....Starbucks of course :) Sorry for the windshield! So many tiny bugs this time of year! Next to Pet Smart  for some new accessories!  New pretty collar!  Next stop Michaels. Ava is so excited!!  In her bag, shopping for stickers and fun stuff! Jimmy Johns for lunch!! Checking out the Unwich Giving the OK on the bacon. Stopped at Wegmans  for a few groceries Trying not to fall asleep on the way home...... That was our day!  Hope you all had as much fun today as we did :) xoxo

As you may know, I have been struggling with losing weight for sometime now.  Watching the scale go up and down.  Feeling on top of the world when I lose, then disappointed when I gain it back the next week.  I struggle with overeating, and binging,  I could never get a grasp on falling off and getting right back on track.  Once I was off....I was off a good couple days, or even a week.  Now, what I am realizing is, that the ability to regain control quicker, and lose weight is so much easier when your head is in the game.  We all know this I know, but it has really been hitting home lately, now that I am losing. I find that the more weight I lose, the better I feel about myself, and the better I want to do.  I am at a weight right now, that I haven't been at since before I became pregnant with my oldest, who just turned 29.  It's like I have ventured into a magical, beautiful place, where I haven't been before.....my Xanadu, and it is given me the strength I need to regain

Happy Monday Y'all!  Really I don't ever say "Y'all".  Sometimes I wish I lived down south so I could use it!  I keep seeing that little fall quote in the stores...Happy Fall Y'all!  I just love it! Anyway, I am just sitting outside on my Sanctuary drinking my coffee and just letting the morning get away from me.  I should be at the gym with my sister, but I just can't get motivated and make the decision to leave my happy place here and spend time there. Can you feel my struggle? I know I need to get back to the gym.  I miss lifting.  I always just felt better about myself, knowing I did something good for my body.  I miss feeling strong and miss the way my core was feeling tighter.  I have been trying to do little bits at home.  Planks, Pilates, free weights, but I slack off because well, it's just me here, no one is watching.  You know what I mean.   Being in my 50's now, I feel the need to be more active.  I am the least acti