Celebration!!!!

It's the best word in the dictionary, if you ask me!

This weekend I spent my time celebrating my success. Sometimes this is hard to do. I had trouble wanting the focus to be on me for my big loss. Its not that I don't like hearing the positive feedback... it's more that I worry that I will fail them. There is also that small part of me that still feels like people will look at me and think to themselves, "She's still fat"... which is the worst part of it all. I am not where I want to be yet, but this weekends celebration made me realize that I am happier than I have ever been. Ever.

I spent the weekend with my friends and their non stop positive love and pride. It made me feel so good.

I started off Saturday morning with a group of my friends coming to Slimmons- many for the first time. While I was dancing and singing with the music, I turned around and looked at all of their smiling faces... I nearly started crying right there. Right in the middle of my leg lifts I was going to turn into a wet blanket. I was so happy. I just thought to myself, "Look at where this journey has taken me in a little over a year" I am happy, I am healthy, I am 100lbs lighter & I have a wonderful group of people behind me who came here to support ME. That is amazing. That is the best gift anyone could ever ask for. I was elated. I could have taken over the world in that moment. It was so special. It's hard to explain in text just how happy I was, just how special this group of people made me feel... OY I am gettin' all V'Klempt!

I still managed to get a little embarrassed when Richard shouted out my weight loss in front of everyone. It's not that I am ashamed of it, it was just that little voice in the back of my head again. It's so funny, I love the spotlight. You all know this. I fucking LOVE it. But when it comes to my weight loss I am still getting used to all of this new attention I get. Every look, every email, every time someone uses the word "Inspirational" I am not too sure how to respond. It take some getting used to... but I will ;)

After some delicious lunch and preparation it was time to head over to our Awesome 80's Beach Bash that my friend Katie K. and I planned!!

We were organized into teams by neon color and dressed to fucking IMPRESS!!! My team was HOT PINK and we rocked the shit out of our colors. It was bad ass.

When we walked over to the beach to start the game, I was giving everyone the rules when Schiavo stopped me and gave a little speech about us being here for ME and how proud they were of me. Everyone cheered, I turned red and had to force myself not to cry like a little bitch. If I couldn't express it in that moment, then just know- It made me feel amazing. I felt so special and loved and proud of myself and of the friends I have made. I fucking LOVE you guys!!!

The games commenced and the debauchery was in full force. The Venice boardwalk was in full support, shouting out "TEAM PINK!" and offering help to everyone. It couldn't have been a better location. The night turned out to be a HUgE success. Everyone had fun, there was not a time when everyone wasn't laughing about some mission they had just accomplished. Team Pink even managed to sing Journey with an accordion player on the street. How fucking rad is that?!?!

We ended at the bar, with Green Team taking home the win and buying everyone shots. Got another special toast from my boys and the partying ensued with many laughs and many memories... and many parts of the night I do not remember :)

The day was perfect. I couldn't have asked for anything better. There, of course, were a few people I wish could have been there... but it was a celebration to the max!

I felt it in the morning. Hangovers suck. Usually they are worth it though, and in this case it was worth every ounce of pain I felt.

I may be insane, but I still went to my 2 hour ZUMBA master class. I already paid for the ticket and I would have felt like shit if I had celebrated my success with alcohol and then not worked out because I got too drunk!! So I still went. It was fun, but not as enjoyable as it should have been. I felt and looked like death. Death with a hangover. Death with a hangover who was sweating vodka and tequila shots. It was disgusting. I was disgusting. BUT, I stuck it out and danced the whole way thru. I immediately went home and sat in hot water for a good 30 minutes, ate way too much Indian food (totes not on my diet plan, but mama needed some CARBS) watched True Blood and passed out by 9:45.

All in all it was the perfect weekend.

I laughed, I cried, I danced, I sweated, I drank & by God I CELEBRATED.

Thank you all for your love and support. This is a battle not easily won. It is so amazing to me the friends that I have in my corner. Fighting right along side me.

I have been told by many people that I am an "Inspiration". Well, I will accept this as long as you all know that you inspire me every single day. Every time you work out with me, laugh with me, encourage me, show me strength I am inspired again. I could not have done it without you. I love you all with all of my heart.

Let's keep on truckin' to that next goal!!!!!!

Love, love and more LOVE

XOXOXO!