All About Me

My name is Krystal and I am 28 years old. I have struggled with weight all of my life, and have been overweight in every picture I ever remember seeing. Part of the problem is genetics, although I don't blame my weight on that. My entire family is husky, or slightly big... and TALL, really TALL. I also know that my metabolism is SLOW... super slow. So all of those factors don't help. But mostly, I have an unhealthy relationship with food, and until now, I've had no relationship with working out. I teach at a small, Christian high school, and am also the Secretary for that school. I also run the parent-volunteer club (for basketball games and stuff). Our entire family is very involved in our local church. I sing on the worship team, and Josh (my step-son) plays the guitar/bass. I've been at that church for over 20 years. My Dad has been the pastor there since we moved from Orlando, FL when I was 8. I was born in St. Augustine, FL, but from 8 years on I've lived in Chattanooga, TN. I graduated college in 2011 ( after a long education journey with many setbacks). I love anything related to music and traveling... and I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I love most any reality TV shows.

I married my husband, Paul on March 5, 2011. It has been a wonderful, hard, fun journey. He has no idea how much I weigh.. I've never been able to tell him. I was even so insecure about my image/weight that I cut out all the tags in my clothes before we got married so that he wouldn't know what size I was... as if he couldn't see what size I was by the way I looked?! I know.. makes no sense. Anyways, I really believe he loves me just the way I am, but I'm so excited for the look in his eye when I'm a healthier weight, and let's face it... prettier (to myself at least).

Anyways, we have 4 children. Josh, my step-son, is 19 years old. I actually taught him and met Paul through teaching him... but that's another story for another time. He's a great kid. He is in his second year at college and is going on a full academic scholarship. He lives with us.. and is a health nut! He wants to be a body builder and the transformation his body has made the last two years is completely mind-blowing. Definitely an inspiration.

Then there's my sweet Isabella Rose. She is 6 years old, but acts like she's 20. Seriously. She's the most sassy, smart, sweet, amazing little girl I've ever known. I'm a little biased :) She's started Kindergarten this past Fall.. which nearly broke my heard. She's doing great, though, and I am so proud of her! She keeps me in check with my weight too. She loves to buy me (HER) hoola-hoops for any occasion.. Christmas, Mother's Day, etc. I CAN'T HOOL-A-HOOP. I've tried. The other day I tried for her and she said, "Mom, it's cause you're too fat." Haha. From the mouth of a child. Keeps me in line for sure! She meant it very innocent, but it reminded me why I'm doing all this.

My first boy, is my sweet James Duke, but we call him J.D. He's named after mine and Paul's Dads. He is 21 months old, and is SUPER ACTIVE and slightly CRAZY. He has learned to walk, run, climb, jump....yell, hit his baby brother, haha.... the list goes on and on. I know.. he doesn't look anything like me... blonde hair, blue eyes. But I have my twin in Isabella so I guess that's good enough :) He is the happiest little boy I have ever met, and so VERY smart (he gets that from me, of course).

Finally, the big SURPRISE baby :) When I started this blog, last January, I started it with the idea that J.D. was going to be our last baby, and that I would be able to finally have time, and the medical clearance, to start working out and dieting. Little did I know, that all of that was going to change. I was nursing J.D. still, and on birth control, when I found out I was pregnant with our surprise baby. I found out in March, right around the same time I had run my first 3.1 miles (not in a competition, but just on an exercise day). I was devastated for a very long time, and of course, turned to eating again. I completely stopped working out, telling myself that I would just start again when I had him.

It took a while to come to grips with the fact that I was going to have 2 boys, 15 months apart, and that we were going to become a family of 6!!!!!! 2 years ago, it was just me and Isabella.... so it was an adjustment in my mind to say the least. Nonetheless, my amazing, head-full-of-hair Oliver Wyatt... we call him Wyatt (or Wah-wah as J.D. says) was born on October 21, 2013. My other babies were 6 pounds and 5 pounds 11 ounces, so SHOCKED was an understatement when I pushed out Wyatt and he was 9 POUNDS 6 OUNCES!!!!!! I adore him though, and he brings me so much happiness. I am nursing almost exclusively (he gets a bottle once in the morning while I'm at work). He is now 3 months old, and is almost 15 pounds! He's a big boy, and I can't imagine our family without him. It's exhausting... all three kids (mostly J.D.), but they are all so worth it!