Christmas Eve - December 24, 2004!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!! I have officially been quit 115 days! Yeehaw!! I never imagined that I would go this long without a puff of a cigarette. I was always one of those people that thought that I was just not meant to quit. I tried different methods on a few occasions and still had the same result - I was smoking and miserable to boot! It`s amazing how much guilt you put on yourself when you want something so bad, but just can`t bring yourself to do it. I knew that I had finally hit the bottom of the so-called `smoking` barrell when we lost my grandma. Today the only regrets I have is that I didn`t try harder when she was alive, and that she can`t be here to see how far I`ve come. She would be SO PROUD. The journey has been tough, no doubt about that. I`ve gained weight, about 20 pounds, which isn`t the worst thing in the world - but I play soccer and have definitely been feeling the difference. The upside to that is I can run a lot longer without feeling tired out, but I guess with the extra weight it kind of balances out!!! Oh well, I have an awesome boyfriend who supports me no matter what. I know that I couldn`t have come this far without him. I really felt that the key to making this quit stick was to never let my guard down. I had up days and lots of down days before I got to the point where I trusted myself enough to go out at breaks and hang with friends. 99.9% of the people in my life smoke so this was definitely a challenge! The weight, the lack of social time and the mood swings were all really small prices to pay considering how far I`ve come. I know that I continue to be an inspiration to my family and friends, and I hope that one day they will feel good enough to give quitting a try. It`s a lot easier than they think, but you have to take that leap of faith first. There will always be cravings - no matter what, but honestly, it`s more trigger situations than anything physical. I KNOW there is no nicotine in my body, so in turn, there should be no cravings. However, having a beer with a buddy or dealing with big-time stress - a cigarette seems like the perfect solution... but in reality? It was my way of dealing with things. I don`t smoke anymore, so I`ve needed to figure out different ways of doing that. The journey is not only satisfying, it is self-sacrificing as well - you feel as though you lose who you are, but realize in the end that you are a much better person underneath. The journey is long, and it never really ends, but it is so worth it.

Good Evening Everyone! Just a little note to all as I sent out an invitation to some buds to join in as members. This makes it way easier for you guys to post comments and stuff. Today I'm 66 days smoke free and Jared and I are actively looking for a new house to buy March 2005! It's all very exciting! I will keep you all posted... Have a great night everyone! Today it was 10C in Winnipeg.. in NOVEMBER!! Gotta love it!! :D 

ROAR!! Watch out for little Evan! He's a scary tiger! What a kid! And his mom even dressed up as a witch, what a trooper!

Happy Halloween 2004!!! All the kids were dressed up and ready to go! Graham was Superman (cause he's a super kid) and lil' Rebecca was a lamb (cause she's just so darn cute)! Freakin' Adorable! 

The Kids!!

Welcome to my blog! I'm a newbie here but am quite intrigued by the capabilities of this newfound technology! I plan on sharing a lot of pics of family and friends and keep everyone informed on my new life as a non-smoker! That's right, ladies and gentlemen... after just over ten years of smoking, I'm officially done with them. Currently, I'm at Day 48.. now yes, I am counting! I'm on the patch and working towards stepping down within the next ten days or so. I must say, I'm surprisingly looking forward to the challenge!! It's amazing how great I feel since the first day I quit... it's been a hard road, but I'm still here to tell the story. Anyway, I digress, but welcome! My darling dad turned me onto this site so, thanks Dad!! I hope he checks in often, I know I will!  

Evan Allan Offord's 1st Birthday!! Good times had by all!  

It's GB!

It's Graham Bruce Lauder!!