Regal Maxi Skirt with Sash!!

Let me first start off by saying that I am super proud of myself!!! When I set my mind to do something I will try and try until I get it right!

I had been dreaming of this skirt for SO LONG!! Once I ordered my fabric it took a minute for me to muster up the courage to give this a try! I'm glad that I did!

Thanks to Mimi G and her amazing tutorials I've now sewn an Obi Belt, Elastic waistband Maxi Dress, a Pencil Skirt AND of course the Regal Maxi with Sash! I'm behind on posting the picks of the other items...sorry!

So without further ado...here's my beautiful skirt!











All in all this skirt was pretty easy to execute, my main struggle was the zipper sigh. It took me a little over an hour to figure out the invisible zipper! Oh how frustrating!!! I was damn near close to throwing the entire skirt in the trash!!

I composed myself, watched a couple of YouTube videos on how to install the zipper and kept on working! This was after I ripped the zipper seam out 3 times!!! So I ruined the zipper and it's now stuck at the seam on the waistband fail but luckily I can slide it over my head and the sash covers the flaw!

Total time for completion: 14 hours over 2 days

I made a few mistakes but nothing I can't correct with the short version I plan to make for myself!! The interfacing I used for the waistband is way too heavy...duly noted.

Here's a very special thanks to my 7 year old Mimi for taking these pics!! They are a tad blurry (next time tripod) but she's dope!

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Return of the weekly update!!

Where I'm at..



Basic Stats:

Bust: 36
Waist: 33
Hips: 45
Thighs: 26 (each)

It's been a minute since I faithfully posted weekly about my journey. I'm proud to say that I'm B-A-C-K!!! Like for real back! Last week was awesome! I set a weight loss goal for the week, a food goal and workout goal!

My weight loss goal for last week was 6 pounds, I lost 4.4 pounds. I'm okay with that :)) This week my goal is a 2.6 loss.

I'm proud to say that I stuck to my menu the food I prepared last Sunday for lunches, dinners and snacks Mon-Friday! I also consumed no less than 64 oz of water per day! I tracked what I ate, this was fairly easy since my meals were prepped.

I completed five of my six workouts. Main reason why I didn't do them all?? I got sick (insert sad face here)! I started to not feel so great late Wednesday night and by Friday I was a total mess. Started to feel better Saturday but rested on Sunday instead of completing my missed day. I'm still congested this morning...I'll workout this evening once I make it home.

One cheat meal which was Thursday, a Thai dinner with a certain someone that brought me these...


Accompanied by a Twix bar which was my one treat allowed for the week! I ate it on Friday as I was too full to eat it after dinner...piggy!

I am allowing myself one cheat meal per week...not day AND one treat per week my choice.

I find this helps me to stay on track. I'm going to be brutally honest about the 30 pounds I've gained since this time last year. It's not pretty but it's honest and it's real, something I've always been. I'm addressing it and I've already lost 5 of it!

I'm working to get back to my goal weight of 165 by my 2 year maintaining date which is January 15, 2013. I'll take progress pics on October 1, then continually the 1st of each month. My weekly weigh day is Monday, I'll report in each week.

This is a long post but here is some of my food prepped for this week!

Roasted squash & zucchini, clean turkey muffins, honey mustard tilapia & salmon, brown rice casserole



Roasted tomato & pepper soup



Roasted veggies for the soup above



Last weekend dinners...

Grilled chicken, mushroom & spinach wrap



Stir fry chicken


Yesterday's breakfast plate..




Have an awesome week!!

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Back to me!

Let me first say that I'm not stepping back on the scale until 9/1. My family has been here, my sister...2 nieces and 1 nephew are still at my house. They've been in Houston for two weeks, leaving tomorrow.

My mom, gram and baby sis were here as well for a few days. It's been a fun, crazy and reckless time! I've been eating, drinking and partying!



I love this picture!

Julianni was chosen as a park ambassador for the Houston Parks Department through the Houston Ladies Tennis Association. They chose 72 kids out of the 2800 across the city that participated in the youth tennis program this summer.

Here are a few picks from the awards ceremony:











Let me tell you this was one of THE BEST lasagna's I've ever had! I ate it all...head hangs low...

I am a very proud mama! When people meet my girls I hear nothing but great things! As a single mom that's the thing that matters the most. It validates me and all that I do for them sniffle!

I've been thinking I really haven't taken any full body pics in awhile. Here are a few over the last few weeks :)













I seem to have the same poses?? I'm working on it! There's still lots going on in my world, I can't wait to have that sense of normalcy again.

Moving this upcoming weekend, birthday next week, shadow boxes to be completed AND school starting for my girls. Somehow I've got to figure out how to jump back into my fitness routine. This entire summer has been a MAJOR FAIL!

I won't make excuses, I will do better!

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My favorite picture :-)

Out of the 150 shots honey and I had from our photo shoot, I was trying to pick my favorite. I think this is it :-)




I'll be posting later this week about my summer challenge and starting P90X!

A very special thank you for everyone that gave their prayers on my sister's behalf. At 26 she shouldn't have to go through the pain of burying her husband. My nieces and nephew didn't deserve to lose their dad the way that they did.

She's one of the strongest people I know for sure. She's doing okay and we will help her get through this.

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Yay Monday!!!

So it's Monday again and I'm thankful that I'm only in the office through Wednesday! So being here today doesn't feel so bad.

Last week I tried to catch y'all up on what's been going on with me. I didn't get to a couple of things but I'll try to address it now.

First and most importantly this week I am participating in the congregational fast that my church is doing in remembrance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now let me be clear when I say that I am working on my relationship with Christ. I am NOT perfect and I don't run around quoting scripture just because it sounds good. In my heart I know I can do better so I am trying.

From 6 am to 6 pm today through Saturday I will be fasting. I will allow myself one cup of coffee in the morning while I'm at work but other than that it's water. I'm working on a mental and physical cleanse.

Last weekend...

My BFF asked me to go out early last week giving me very little reason or option to protest I don't like going out Friday night, I went because she said she was feeling down.






A couple pics from the night out!

On Saturday I attended a first time home buyers class. It was an 8 hour class, from 9-5. Initially I dreaded the thought of sitting in a class all day. To my surprise it was a very entertaining and informative class!

I would highly recommend taking a class like this if you are planning to buy a home. I learned a TON and I feel like I'm one step ahead in the game!

The side hustle...

After the class I finally had the opportunity to work on a few tutu skirts by request! These are the skirts I made!!













These are my first and I think they turned out amazing!! The girls absolutely love them!! I'm not going to lie, they aren't that difficult to make BUT I needed something to set these apart from the rest!!! I'm pretty sure I've figured it out and as soon as I finish the first one, I'll share it!!

Tutu's are for sale if you'd like one for any little girl in your life! Trust me when I say they can never have too many!

Cost: $20 plus $5 to ship

Oh yeah and the big girls like them too..they aren't just for little girls :-)

I AM SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS IDEA!!!!

My blog will probably be undergoing another facelift soon! Stay tuned!!

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1 year @ 100+ down!!!!!!

It's my anniversary!!! I've been in maintenance mode officially for one entire year! I am blessed, truly blessed! 

All I really have to say is that I truly appreciate ALL of your well wishes, support and encouragement! My life is different in so many ways now. Although I'm up 7.6 pounds since January 12, 2011...I've got a solid plan in place to reach my next goal! I'll go into detail about that my next post!

Anniversary vlog in the works...a personal request on how I did it and how I'm keeping it off.Also getting a tattoo celebrate this accomplishment! 

Thanks from the bottom of my heart, you all have played a key role in my success!

Weekend recap!!! Woot! Woot!

I have ONE word to describe my weekend..BLESSED! When I tell you God looked out for me, I am not joking! I cannot describe how good I feel! Saturday morning I woke up early to workout because Julianni had her first basketball game and Mimi was cheering for her first game. Julianni's team didn't win but at the end of the game she asked, "mommy did we win or lose?" She didn't even know! That's the love for the game I hope she continues to carry if she keeps playing organized sports. I could also see the joy in Mimi as she cheered :-)!

Saturday evening my girl and I got all dressed up to attend my office holiday party. I always like to take advantage of the opportunity to dress up!



There was a professional photographer there! This was fun! Looked like we were at a high school tolo lol!

Okay so we arrive at the party about an hour in, we had already decided we weren't going to stay long because my friend had somewhere to be. We ate, had a couple drinks, messed up the wobble Julianni would kill me if she knew...time to go!

Throughout dinner they called out raffle ticket numbers for prizes. Not sure how far in but at some point my ticket number was called for a gift card to Target! I LOVE Target so I was happy! Okay let me hurry and get to the GOOD I mean GREAT part!

We were getting ready to leave, standing in the lobby looking for my keys ready to leave, I had already said my good byes. Our HR lady sees me in the lobby and says, "Miesha wait, don't leave they're getting ready to do the drawing for the grand prize!" I say okay and step back into the ballroom at the very back lol!

Well what do you know??? They call my name for the grand prize!! I had NO clue what the grand prize even was? This is what I see her holding!



I'm like cool, I work with all women so this would be semi appropriate if there is a gift card for a nice amount!



I go to the dance floor to get my box, say my thank you's and once again I am headed out of the door! I planned to open the box once I got home!

But that didn't happen! I heard a few people yell for me to open the box! Hmmmm okay, I set down all of my stuff and opened the box...



At first I thought it was a Wii..nice..we already have a Wii BUT then I pull it out and WHAAAT!!!!??? An iPad!!!

All I could think was that this was nothing BUT God..I was planning to buy myself an iPad for Christmas! I mean I was literally one foot out of the door, step back inside for two minutes and I win an iPad!!

For me this wasn't about winning the iPad per say, but most about the circumstances surrounding my winning it. All year long I've been BLESSED tenfold! From reaching my goal weight..having a job AND place before I relocated to Houston..building new friendships here..and last but not least renewing my relationship with God!

I'm tripping because I spoke my awesome year into existence in 2010! I kept telling myself that I'd have an amazing 2011 and I promise I've had one of THE BEST years of my life! Stay tuned for 2012!!!

Weigh day..My birthday..Makes me wanna holla!!!

I realize I haven't posted since August 22nd...FAIL! Shoot me, it's summer and it's hot as fish grease in Houston! Those are my reasons and I'm rolling with it!

It's that time again...1st of the month, time to weigh in! I have to keep it 100 when I tell you that August was a bust...womp..womp..womp! I enjoyed myself and that's all that matters up until weigh day lol!

Against my better judgement I stepped on the scale a week and a half ago and I was up to a whopping 174.4!!!! Are you effing kidding me??!!! That's all I could think! There was NO way I was going out like that!!!



9/1/11...Weight 166.8

I was able to pull it together and tighten up ship!






September progress pics

That's enough about weight, I had a birthday yesterday!!! 33 years of life, such a blessing!! I had a great day outside of my girls' room upsetting me in the morning and felt so much love from my family & friends!!



Yes I enjoyed TWO slices of my cake!

Anyhoo let's talk about what makes me wanna HOLLA!!! My girls' bedroom! Yesterday morning I had to take pics of the foolery that they call their bedroom! I was ready to throw every single item in the garbage! They live in a world of excess and it's clearly displayed all over their floor!
















THAT IS ALL!!

The solution??? All but 3 items a piece is getting bagged up until they can figure out how to manage their stuff!

September WILL be a great month!!

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Weighted gloves

I have a pair of one pound weighted gloves that I haven't used in awhile. I figured I'd pull them out for my Thursday morning Turbo Fire workout. My arms have muscle but my triceps could use more work!









This morning I remember why I haven't used these gloves!! My shoulders and arms are aching! I'm laying in bed trying to figure out how I'm going to do this Ripped in 30 workout?? Uuummm yeah not happening until this evening!

Let me tell you these are a GREAT cheap investment to add to your workouts! If I can recall correctly, I paid something like $12 on Amazon.

You will have to get used to wearing them. One pound doesn't seem like a lot but strapped to your hands it feels like one hundred pounds after awhile!

I'll most definitely be wearing these from now on for my cardio workouts!

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Working out with Jillian this week!

I'm back on the Ripped in 30 bandwagon! Last week was workout #1...this week I've done workout #2 twice and will do it again tomorrow morning as well as Saturday morning.

I've been heading to the basketball court early Saturday morning the last couple of weeks to run suicide drills. Not sure what that is?? Check it out here how to perform suicide drills!



Me last Saturday after drills (the sun is kicking my ass)

I love these drills! Still waiting for Ro to come join me on the court!

Something funny is starting to happen. My body is telling me that I'm probably fairly close to my happily ever after as far as my weight is concerned. Yes I still want to build more muscle, but I'm not tripping over the scale anymore! This is a true revelation for me! I'm getting to happy..finally!!

I plan to advance to workout #3 of Ripped in 30 next week. Am I ready..nope...but I'm going to do it regardless so I can write a review!

Y'all keep kicking it with me flaws and all and I truly appreciate it!

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Hot Mama & her little princesses!

For Mother's day I decided to buy a cute dress, curl my hair and put on makeup! We were headed to dinner at a cousin's house so I figured why not?


I'm no stranger to the dress up game but since I've been in Houston, I haven't gone out anywhere that calls for me to be fancy!


I stood outside for ten minutes maybe while Julianni snapped these pics and ended up with four damn bug bites!!


My dress was a $5 thrift store find! I love to go thrifting but I don't like bringing my girls. Someone always has to pee, or is sleepy, or is hungry...blah blah blah which in turn always leads to my trip being cut short! Saturday was no exception!






No seriously they really do love each other when they aren't fighting!

We had a wonderful day and I'm proud to call these little girls mine!

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