This Stefanie Matters: what could have been, but happily isn't.

This is what I would've looked like had I not quit smoking. I would be wearing hot pink pants.

Ok, so seriously, I try to remind myself of this image when my former tobacco-aholic self reemerges and I find myself wanting a cigarette. I have been extremely good in avoiding all tobacco products, except for one evening when I went out with my best bud Robina (who requested a "Shout Out!" on the blog!) and we had some martini's and I figured, in the spirit of the evening (sans kids, of course), Why Not? Until I woke up the next morning, smelling, looking and feeling like a big old dirty smoker. I threw the pack away and have been cured ever since. I have defeated it.

I am not even really sure why I did in the first place... Now that I haven't smoked in 11 months (with one evening's exception, last week) the urge to go back only comes at times when I need a break from the everyday stresses. So maybe it isn't "Wow, a smoke would be nice right now" rather it is something else telling me "Wow, you might just need 5 minutes to yourself."

Point noted.

Do these polka dots make me look fat?

Besides the hot polka dots, there is nothing about this picture I envy. And when we watched a movie tonight for Sunday Family Movie Night and I wanted to snack, I reached for freshly cut watermelon, strawberries and blueberries. And popped up some good low-cal, low-fat, all-natural pop corn. Gabe loved it, and I don't feel that awful blanket of regret surrounding me as I used to when I would cave into late-night munchie mode. I have maintained wedding day weight and am feeling great. I am seriously starting to work towards my 7-pound weight loss goal, even though I had one or two minor slip-ups while my family was in town this weekend. Manny cooked the most amazing Cuban feast on Friday night, and did I mention it was most amazing?

Their visit went great by the way. It means a lot to me when my pops, who also struggles with the Christopher genes, says I am looking great and doing a good job. It is great incentive and I have to say that the blog comments from my loyal readers mean a lot to me too and really keep me going. Soon enough I can start posting pics of my single chin (almost there!) and this morning, when I put on a new button down one piece dress in a size I haven't seen in a while, I also saw something else I haven't seen in a while: A waist!!