Colletta Is Losing It! ~ Weekly Weigh In #1 ~ 3/4/2025

If you've not read my "Colletta Is Losing It! ~ A Fresh Start" post, please go HERE to check it out.  It is a post where I explain what is going on with my health/wellness journey as well as my plan of action.

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So far I haven't been able to get the Zepbound to help with weight loss.  Even though my insurance approved it, my charge was still going to be over $1000/month.  I just can't afford that.  I'm going to call my PCP when I'm off work on Thursday to see what can be done next.

For now, I'll be going the diet/exercise route only.

I'm fairly pleased with my results so far.

My tracking week will be Monday through Sunday.  Here are some stats:

Weigh in #1:  Goal -1lb/week

Highest Weight ~ 301.6 lbs

Last Week's Weight ~ 301.6

This Week's Weight ~ 293.2

This Week's Total:  -8.4 lbs

*Grand Total: -8.4 lbs

Exercise Week #1 : Goal 3 X 30min/week

Monday ~ 30 minutes ~ Treadmill

Tuesday ~ 45 minutes ~ Walking Outside

Wednesday ~ N/A

Thursday ~ 45 minutes ~ Walking Outside

Friday ~ N/A

Saturday ~ N/A

Sunday ~ N/A

This Week's Total:  120 minutes

*Grand Total: 120 minutes

If anyone would like to join along, please do so!  I need all the encouragement I can get!

Top Ten Tuesday ~ First Lines ~ 3/4/2025

hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

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This week's topic is:

Things Characters Have Said (Maybe a character said something really profound or romantic or hilarious or heartbreaking. You could share witty one-liners, mic-drop moments, snippets of funny dialogue between multiple characters, catchphrases, quotes that have become a part of pop culture–like “May the odds be ever in your favor.”, etc.)

All I can think of are movie quotes so instead I'll be featuring:

Ten Great First Lines

Enjoy :)

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"If you lean out any farther, you'll wind up in the drink.  Which, I suppose, would be a fitting end to this disaster of a trip."

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Death prowled the cellblock like a dark animal seeking prey--especially the weakest.

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Gossamer light filtered through overhanging branches weighted with snow.

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A twig snapped.

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"He stood in the middle of his secret room, staring at walls covered with old newspaper clippings."

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Have you ever wondered why your children just can't seem to put their toys away "right" or why your husband doesn't put his dirty clothes in the hamper, no matter how often you remind him?

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Wyatt Marshall hadn't come all the way to Russia only to fail.

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"What if this is as good as it gets?"

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He vigorously scrubbed the blood off the floor, off the wall, and off her body.  But no amount of bleach could cleanse the filth of the heart.  That is why she had to die.

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At the sound of a footfall behind her, Cady Matthew's back muscles tightened faster than a mousetrap snapping its prey.

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Please leave a comment with the link to your Top Ten Tuesday post so I can return the visit :)

Happy Homemaker ~ 3/2/2025

Hosted by Diary of a SAHM.

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Happy March, everyone!!!

I am beyond excited to be done with January and February.  I'm even more excited that we get to Spring Forward Saturday night!

Sickness has really hit our household hard this Winter.  I'm much improved but now my Mom and Dad are down with whichever virus it is.  I can't wait to open the windows and air the house out.  Fresh air does wonders for the body and mind.

Let's get on with it, shall we?

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The weather outside is:

We had a few really nice days last week and I was actually able to go outside for my walk on 2 different days.  Then...it go cold again.  16F was the temperature when I left for Church this morning.

On the to-do list:

This morning was Church.  I spent the afternoon just relaxing and not getting much done except talking to the hubby.  In a bit, I'll be leaving for Sunday evening Bible Study.  I didn't get the laundry folded or the floors mopped like I wanted to.  OH well, they'll keep for another day...

Happening this week:

Monday (3/3) ~ I work 10am-5pm.  Maybe I'll get to that laundry in the evening.

Tuesday (2/25) ~ I'm off work and will be working on market prep items.  The Spring Fling Market is only 1 month away.  I'm getting nervous/excited.  I can't tell which one, really.  I'll also be posting my Weekly Weigh In Post by Tuesday (possibly Monday).

Wednesday (3/5) ~ I work 10am-5pm.  Prayer Meeting and Bible Study is at 6:30pm so I have just enough time to get home, eat and head out again.

Thursday (3/6) ~ I'm off work on Thursday's so I'll be trying to get some things done around the house such as making a menu, grocery shopping, bills, errands etc. (Hopefully the floors were mopped earlier in the week!)

Friday (3/7) ~ Work 10am-5pm. I might participate in some Reading Sprints with Paperbacks and Ponytails a booktuber I follow.  I think she starts them at 7pm but I could be wrong. 

Saturday (3/8) ~ Saturday's are the only day I get to "sleep in" and I always wake up early anyway.  Go figure!  I plan on spending the day working around the house.  Cleaning and laundry (again) and also make sure my planner is all filled in and ready to go for the next week.

Currently reading:

I'm listening to "Beyond Ivy Walls" by Rachel Fordham, the March selection of the Good for the Soul Women's Book Club.  March 27th at 8pm EST is our Zoom Chat about the book.

We had our discussion this past Friday evening for "You're Not Enough (and that's okay)" by Allie Beth Stuckey.  We had a great time and it was so encouraging talking to other Christian women with similar interests.

Listening to:

Watching:

I haven't watched any TV this week...again...

In the Kitchen:

I spent more time in the kitchen this week.  I made homemade strawberry shortcake for dessert one night.  I also threw together a Crock Pot Garlic Beef and Potato recipe I found on Facebook.

In the Craft Basket:

I made a few more turtles and am almost done with another octopus.  I'm starting to fizzle out on the crochet frenzy but I only have 1 month to create more items for the market.  Hopefully, I'll renew my vigor this week.  My list of to-makes is getting smaller so that is good :)

Picture(s) from the Camera

I got this super pretty, Spring-y mug at the Dollar General for $3.  I love it and have been drinking my tea from it every evening :)

Prayer Requests

~My Dad has to have a heart valve replacement.  I would appreciate your prayers that they can replace the valve using the minimally invasive procedure and that they won't have to do open heart surgery.

~My weight loss journey.

~As always, prayers for the safety and well-being of all school/college kids.  (continued)

~Our Country, our Leaders.  (continued)

Bible Verse

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."

Philippians 4:6

Have a great week!

Colletta

Book Review ~ You're Not Enough (and that's okay) by Allie Beth Stuckey ~ 3/1/2025

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Title:   "You're Not Enough (and that's okay)" by Allie Beth Stuckey

Series:  N/A

Format:  Hardcover

Date Published:  May 5, 2020

Publisher:   Sentinel

Stars: ****

 Blurb:

Is your quest to love yourself more actually making you miserable?

We're told that the key to happiness is self-love. Instagram influencers, mommy bloggers, self-help gurus, and even Christian teachers promise that if we learn to love ourselves, we'll be successful, secure, and complete. But the promise doesn't deliver. Instead of feeling fulfilled, our pursuit of self-love traps us in an exhausting as we strive for self-acceptance, we become addicted to self-improvement.

The truth is we can't find satisfaction inside ourselves because we are the problem. We struggle with feelings of inadequacy because we are inadequate. Alone, we are not good enough, smart enough, or beautiful enough. We're not enough--period. And that's okay, because God is.

The answer to our insufficiency and insecurity isn't self-love, but God's love. In Jesus, we're offered a way out of our toxic culture of self-love and into a joyful life of relying on him for wisdom, satisfaction, and purpose. We don't have to wonder what it's all about anymore. This is it.

This book isn't about battling your not-enoughness; it's about embracing it. Allie Beth Stuckey, a Christian, conservative new mom, found herself at the dead end of self-love, and she wants to help you combat the false teachings and self-destructive mindsets that got her there. In this book, she uncovers the myths popularized by our culture of trendy narcissism, reveals where they manifest in politics and the church, and dismantles them with biblical truth and practical wisdom.

My Thoughts:

  This book was the February 2025 selection for the Good for the Soul Women's Book Club.  It was our first non-fiction book for the Club.  This was also a Read-A-Long where we discussed our weekly selections via chat.  So much fun!

I had never even heard of Allie Beth Stuckey before reading this, her debut book.  I have to say that I agreed with almost everything she wrote and stands for which was a pleasant surprise.

The book is broken into seven sections:

Introduction

Myth #1:  You Are Enough

Myth 2:  You Determine Your Truth

Myth 3: You're Perfect the Way You Are

Myth #4:  You're Entitled to Your Dreams

Myth #5:  You Can't Love Others Until You Love Yourself

Conclusion

There were so many "nuggets" that I tabbed and tabbed and tabbed.  I had so many favorite quotes that I'm not even going to try to pick and choose but I did particularly enjoy Myth #4 as it really resonated with me.

Allie Beth Stuckey backed her concepts up with Scripture which I loved!  The Conclusion was particularly well-written.  We don't have to be enough, because God is enough.  "He is LORD.  The Great I Am.  Our Creator, Sustainer, Reconciler, and Hope.  He is a King to be worshiped and  Leader to be followed.  He does not exist for us, but we exist for Him." pg 191

If your interest is the least bit piqued, I suggest that you read this book.  You won't be disappointed.  I'll definitely be checking out her second book "Toxic Empathy".

Onto the next book :)

My Weekly Bookishness ~ 2/27/2025

All things bookish!

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What I Finished:

I finished listening to "Alaska Twilight" by Colleen Coble.  You can read my review HERE!

I also finished reading "You're Not Enough (and that's okay) by Allie Beth Stuckey.  I haven't posted my review yet.  I'm going to wait until after the Good for the Woman's Soul Book Club discussion on 2/28/2025.  So be watching for my review on 3/1/2025 :)

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What I'm Reading/Listening:

"Beyond Ivy Walls" by Rachel Fordham is the March selection for the Good for the Soul Women's Bookclub.  I'm going to be listening to the audiobook while I market prep for a Spring Fling Vendor show that is taking place in early April.  I'm really looking forward to this book!

Blurb:

Beauty and the Beast meets A Light Between Oceans in historic small-town America where a wealthy reclusive bachelor and an unlikely ally join forces to solve a family secret and inadvertently find belonging along the way.

Early 1900s. When an accident leaves Sadie West's family in dire financial need, she nervously leaves the land she loves to work in the Hoag duster factory. But sending all her money home means that she has nowhere to board, and she's forced to take up residence in an abandoned building--a choice that throws her in the path of the town's mysterious bachelor.

Recently returned from exile, and determined to keep his arrival a secret, Otis Taylor makes the impulsive decision to hire the woman he finds hiding on his family's property with the strict instructions she tell no one he has returned. The dark halls of his boyhood flood him with memories he's long tried to forget. The only bright light is the woman he has hired. Can the optimistic Sadie teach the wounded Otis to trust again? To love? Can the pair unravel the family secrets that have long cast a shadow over the mansion and those who reside within?

With the same heart as Rachel Fordham's fan-loved previous historical novels, Beyond Ivy Walls takes readers on an emotional journey full of character development, historical nuance, and a deeply satisfying happily ever after.

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What I'll (Probably) Read/Listen Next:

I started listening to "When the Day Comes" by Gabrielle Meyer a few weeks ago and would like to get back to it next.  I saw the cover reveal for the author's next release and it looks amazing.  I have some catching up to do with this series!

Blurb:

How will she choose, knowing all she must sacrifice?

Libby has been given a powerful gift: to live one life in 1774 Colonial Williamsburg and the other in 1914 Gilded Age New York City. When she falls asleep in one life, she wakes up in the other. While she's the same person at her core in both times, she's leading two vastly different lives.

In Colonial Williamsburg, Libby is a public printer for the House of Burgesses and the Royal Governor, trying to provide for her family and support the Patriot cause. The man she loves, Henry Montgomery, has his own secrets. As the revolution draws near, both their lives--and any hope of love--are put in jeopardy.

Libby's life in 1914 New York is filled with wealth, drawing room conversations, and bachelors. But the only work she cares about--women's suffrage--is discouraged, and her mother is intent on marrying her off to an English marquess. The growing talk of war in Europe only complicates matters.

But Libby knows she's not destined to live two lives forever. On her twenty-first birthday, she must choose one path and forfeit the other--but how can she choose when she has so much to lose in each life?

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Book Haul:

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Book Blogger Hop:

Q.  How much time does blogging take out of your life weekly? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)

A.  Probably a few hours, at least.  I've recently started listening to audiobooks, so I'm multi-tasking :)

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Bookishly Yours,

Linking up to: 

   

 The Sunday Post, Sunday Salon , Mailbox Monday

Top Ten Tuesday ~ Once Upon a Time ~ 2/25/2025

hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

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This week's topic is:

Books Set in Another Time 

(These can be historical, futuristic, alternate universes, or even in a world where you’re not sure when it takes place you just know it’s not right now.)

I'm not really into futuristic or alternate universe books but I have read A LOT of historical fiction in my day.  I'll share 10 of my most recent reads below.  You can click on the book cover or the book title to go to my review.

Enjoy :)

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1.  "A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure" by Angela Bell

2.  "The Librarian of Boone's Hollow" by Kim Vogel Sawyer

3.  "The House at the End of the Moor" by Michelle Griep

4.  "The Book of Lost Names" by Kristin Harmel

5.  "Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl" 

6.  "Mischief, Mayhem, and Marriage" by Rebecca Connolly

7.  "What the Wind Knows" by Amy Harmon

8.  "Her Unsuitable Match" by Sally Britton

9.  "The Promise of Deception" by Jessica Sly

10.  "The Gentleman's Confession" by Anneka R. Walker

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Please leave a comment with the link to your Top Ten Tuesday post so I can return the visit :)

Book Review ~ Alaska Twilight by Colleen Coble ~ 2/24/2025

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Title:   "Alaska Twilight" by Colleen Coble

Series:  N/A

Format:  AudioBook

Narrator:  Rachel Dulude

Length:  8 hours 16 minutes

Date Published:  April 23, 2019

Publisher:   Tantor Audio

Stars: ***1/2

 Blurb:

For some people, Alaska is a breathtaking wilderness adventure, full of light and beauty. For Haley, it is a dangerous world of dark dreams and tortured memories. On the surface, she's here to document wildlife activist Kipp Nowak's bear encounters. But her real reason is to unearth the truth about a past murder. The suspense mounts when another body turns up, and Haley beginst to wonder if the tragedies she experienced in the past are connected to the dangers and mysterious incidents of the present.

From behind the viewfinder of her camera, Haley observes it all, including Tank Lassiter, the bear biologist who has been forced to lead Kipp and his team into the Alaskan backcountry. As she watches him with his work, she feels a growing attraction. It will take great courage and faith to confront the truth she once ran away from. Before it's over, Haley may be viewing herself from an entirely new angle.

My Thoughts:

  I really enjoyed most aspects of this book.

The narrator was good.  The setting was amazing.  The characters were well developed.  The faith content was on point.  The suspense was great.   The romance was...a bit cliche.

Haley was a city-girl photographer going back to Alaska to face her past and document wild bear through film.  Tank was a widowed bear biologist leading the expedition.  The set-up was enjoyable.  In fact, I thoroughly enjoyed the book until the last few chapters.

Then one of my pet peeves surfaced.

Tank and Haley were frantically searching for Brooke, Tank's daughter, and didn't know if she was alive or dead out in the Alaskan wilderness.  Tank took that moment to "crush" Haley to himself, kiss her as if his life depended on it and declared his love for her.  Out of the blue.  In a very inappropriate situation, if you ask me.  Haley, at least, does later question whether Tank was just emotional at that moment and if he really meant his undying love declaration.

Ughh...  What could have been at least a 4.5 star read instantly took a nose dive for me to a be a 3.5 star read.  Not that that a 3.5 star rating is terrible but it could have been better.

I will say that this book was originally written in 2006, so almost 20 years ago.  Christian Fiction has come a long way in that time in the romantic suspense genre.

I usually LOVE Colleen Coble's work but the last quarter of this book just didn't mesh well for me.

Onto the next book :)

Colletta Is Losing It! ~ Weekly Weigh In ~ #0 ~ 2/24/2025

If you've not read my "Colletta Is Losing It! ~ A Fresh Start" post, please go HERE to check it out.  It is a post where I explain what is going on with my health/wellness journey as well as my plan of action.

One of those actions mentioned is a weekly weigh in post.  I debated using a separate blog for my journey but decided against it.  I've been blogging here on Colletta's Kitchen Sink for 16 years and it has always been "a little bit of everything" about my life, so why change that now.

I'd like to be transparent and honest about my journey and this is the starting point:  Week #0 .  My initial weigh in and measurements.

I went to my PCP on 2/19/25 for an ear infection and you know that pesky business of weighing a person every visit...I tipped the scale at 301.6 lbs.  So that is where I'm starting.  And hopefully ending this escalation of weight gain.

I've not yet heard whether or not our health insurance company is going to authorize my prescription for Zepbound but I decided not to wait for that and to get started right away.

My plan for weigh in posts is to weigh in on Monday mornings and post my results either Monday evening or Tuesday.  I work on Monday so that will give me some time to compose my Weekly Weigh In post.  I'll probably also include some measurements and exercise stats along the way with any other information I deem pertinent.

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My tracking week will be Monday through Sunday.  Here are some stats:

Weigh in #0:

Highest Weight ~ 301.6 lbs

Last Week's Weight ~ 

This Week's Weight ~ 

This Week's Total:  ___ lbs

*Grand Total: ___ lbs

Exercise Week #0  :

Place holder.

This Week's Total:  

*Grand Total: __ minutes

Measurements #0:

Neck ~ 17"

Shoulders ~ 56"

Bust ~ 52"

Belly ~ 57"

Waist ~ 57"

Butt ~ 60"

Thigh (left) ~ 26"

Thigh (right) ~ 26"

Arm (left) ~ 19"

Arm (right) ~ 19" 

Total Beginning Inches ~ 389" 


*Grand Total Inches Lost: ____"

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If there is anything you think I'm missing, please let me know in the comments.  If anyone would like to join along, please do so!  I need all the encouragement I can get!