Thanks Girls...3 Amigos are back baby!!!

Well here we are!!! The 3 Amigos and we have BIG plans all of us.

Below is a pic of me...the before was from Jan 15 of this year...the after was last week...comp ended on WLW and even though I felt like I hadn't done so much I lost 5% and you can start to see changes...so that's enough to be inspiring. The comp leader spliced the photos and I just saw it today...so another reason to feel great today :)




Goal is to be at goal or at least really close to it by September...and the reward? A trip with the girls...horseback riding, hiking, spa!!!! I LOVE IT!!!! Of course Hubby has to approve it too...if it's in Cuba he won't let me go without him (only fair seeing as we've never been out of Canada/US together...not even a honeymoon). He's not controlling or anything like that...complete opposite really, but I wouldn't like it if he went someplace we've never been before without me so I understand. But I'm determined to go someplace with my girls so name the place and we'll work it all out. I'm so excited about it.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU Lisa and Jacqui!!!!! Yesterday was a bad day and could have been a huge downward spiral but you guys lifted me out of it...and this morning I woke up feeling like I could conquer the world. I've really started doing the visualizations from the Gabriel Method and I honestly can see me in that body...I mean I know I haven't changed that much yet but I can see the possibilities and what needs to change to get there...so amazing!!!! You girls have opened my eyes to a world of possibilities that I always wanted but really didn't know how to get to :)

I wanted Kevin to read the book too, but I know it's a little too wishy washy for him...he's not really into alternative thinking...he's more this is how it is and that's how I'm going to do it...basically a guy LOL. But I came across one section in the Gabriel Method about the non diet, chapter 9 actually. I told him I wanted him to just read these few pages and so he started to read it...next thing you know I'm hearing hmmm's and oohhh's :) I don't think he'll read the whole thing but you know what that's okay as long as he gets the idea of the process I'm good with that. He's reading Master your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels which is very similar but very analytical and gives the reasons why you should be eating this way, etc that's more his style and perfect. Gabriel Method is more psychological and maybe one day he'll be ready for that but until then...1 chapter of this and the night CD (yep he listens because I listen to it on our stereo at night) and reading Jillian Michaels and we are pretty well on the same page which is all I want. He keeps saying he's going to be a strong independent woman who doesn't need to smoke (friend's reference when Chandler was quitting smoking listening to a subliminal message CD at night) LOL...he makes me laugh so much.

So here's to the 3 Amigos and my tag along Kevin :) BTW he's getting so close to goal weight. He's halfway there!!!!

Here's to kicking it up a bunch of notches and kicking some major butt!!!!

meh

Feeling a little Meh...I hate saying this because I've been trying to be so positive lately. I know the last two weeks have been off track so to say...and the scale reflected that yesterday. UP 4.5 lbs...that comp ended and I ate super awful this weekend. I'm talking Tim Horton's, New York Fries, Manicotti, cakes, chocolate eclairs...really what did I expect...there's more...alot of popcorn and pop...but I just can't be bothered to write it all down.

Either way I have to dust myself off and get back to it. Yesterday after lunch I was so positive and then this morning I'm blah. Maybe it's TOM coming soon or maybe it's just a bit of the blues because I'm not where I want to be. Either way I need out of this funk but I really kind of just need a blah day...sounds bad I know but we all need a woe is me day and it looks like today is it...who knows I might come back from lunch all happy and positive again like yesterday...going to do my smart mode session at the lake...but I make no promises!

Honestly (and this isn't meant to make anyone feel guilty) I've missed my amigos...they kind of just fell off the face of the earth for a while...and obviously they had their reasons and maybe they just needed that to regroup but I miss them and I didn't realize how much I depended on them being here. But in the future I can't let someone else being thrown off course throw me off course. Gotta figure that out too.

blah blah blah

UPDATE: went to the lake at lunch...didn't cheer me up like it usually does...in fact I feel like I have my own personal storm cloud over my head LOL. I managed to drown my sorrows in chocolate instead...that's okay...I know this is the bottom of that pit of despair so it's only up from here. See there's a little light shining through my cloud I just needed to accept the mood and now it's lightening...even if only a little.

1 week to baseball.

Well it's only 1 week until Baseball starts...and our first night is a double header!!!! I'm so excited and nervous. Kevin and I have been tossing the ball around a bit in preperation...but I haven't done any sprinting so here's hoping I kill the ball so I have time to run the bases :) Tonight we won't have much time to play as we are going to a friend's house to meet their baby. So when I get home hopefully I'll have enough energy to hit the treadmill for a few minutes...try doing some sprinting and see how I do.

Either way I'm not worried...our team seems to be a pretty laid back group. I'm just going to have some fun and enjoy the fitness side of it. I will push myself don't get me wrong. I will try to improve over the season and be the best player I can be no matter how the team places. I'm not a star player yet but I'd like to be :) I'll work my way there...there's always room for improvement and I'd like to make that room a lot smaller :)

Weight loss has kind of stalled out the last 2 weeks...completely my fault...or lack of determination might be a better way to say it. I didn't really have the drive and we ate out alot in the last two weeks...and a lot of popcorn. Time to focus yet again I know broken record. But it will be alot of broken record until I get to where I want to be so suck it up butter cup ;)

I think I need to incorporate my lunches into my fitness routine as well. I go to the lake but end up reading instead of walking. So far it's been because it's chilly down there...but I can bring my running shoes and a warm coat and just do it!!! starting tomorrow...got the sandals on today.

Wii Fit while watching Biggest Loser

So Last night instead of sitting watching BL and eating popcorn or anything else in the house I decided to do the free step on the Wii Fit. It felt so good. I did 45 minutes and even worked up a sweat...not like on the show but enough that I know I worked a little :) Then after I did sit on the couch but I didn't eat anything...I had two big glasses of water and enjoyed the rest of the show.

This morning I woke up and the scale said I was down 2.2 lbs....thank you very much. I'll take it!!!!! I know it won't be like that every day but obviously that weight was wanting to come off of me and just needed that little bit of a push :) yay me!

Last week I hit the 20 lbs down mark yeah baby!! That's since just before Christmas...Don't remember if I mentioned it or not and I can't be bothered to go back and read if I did...yep being lazy

Hoping to get in a walk or run or a combo of some sort tonight with the family.

back at it yet again

Took that weekend off to enjoy our anniversary and well you know how it goes...eat bad, forget weighing yourself...no accountability. So I stepped on the scale yesterday and I was up 2 lbs. no biggie I expected worse really. So this morning I was down 0.4 of that...I will work it off a bit at a time!!! Drinking my lakes of water to help that!

Also got back on the Wii fit this morning. Becca and I love our Wii fit time together. It's a fun way to start the day and usually helps with how much of a bear she is in the morning. Usually it's groans and 5 more minutes please or just violent kicking of the legs on the bed...but if I go in and say do you want to do Wii fit this morning I usually get a sure or a yes please mommy. Love it! Today I actually had her up early enough for a bath AND Wii fit it's usually a bed time bath or skip the Wii this time we got both in!

I have to restart my push up/sit up challenge on May 1st I forgot to do it part way through last week and just remembered today oops! Also gotta start running tonight!!!! Going to suggest a family walk to the track and see how far we can run before we have to stop...then the goal will be to beat that the next time :) I'm hoping they go for it. Oh crap we can't it's Jazz night!!! d'oh Tuesday nights are busy...can't wait for that to be done. The recital is June 6th and then Tuesdays are ours again!!!!

6 weeks until the High Park 5K with my girls!!!! Are you ready? I'm not even close LOL. Here's to kickin' some butt in the next 6 weeks!!!!

Wii Fit

Becca and I have been waking up a little bit earlier and playing Wii Fit together. She loves it and so do I really. We each do our body test and then play a game or two...she varies I tend to go for either step or hula hoop. I updated her height and it changed her BMI so much that instead of being in the "at risk of overweight" category she is now well within the "normal healthy" range YAY!!! She was concerned because we had set it to maintain her weight and because the BMI changed it said she was deviating from her goal but I told her not to worry about it...she's perfect just the way she is and we just need to readjust her goal again. I don't want her to think about that stuff too much...no point in making the scale a big thing for her because it's not...she's perfect no matter what. But it felt so good to me to know that she was in the healthy range rather than at risk no parent wants to hear their child is at risk even if it is from a game that is set with insanely low weight limits. It doesn't take into account anything but weight and height so I take it with a grain of salt. It says our friend is overweight and he is super skinny but because he's just a bit heavier than what they say is normal...whatever...I'm blabbing on again. The good news is that Becca is doing great and loving the morning exercise and so am I.

It said I was down as well...and I'm pretty sure it has everything to do with just plain old having fun. I've been reading the Gabriel Method like I mentioned and it keeps talking about training your brain to think skinny...I've been eating worse than I was but my weight is going down and I'm sure it's everything to do with just having fun with my family and being in a good place psychologically. I don't need to be fat because life is good...my body doesn't need to protect me anymore by being fat. My body is listening to me :) YAY!

Oh and personal victory today...I put on a pair of capris that were way too tight last summer...in fact I bought them in the summer and they ended up too tight way too quickly...but I put them on today and they are baggy!!!! This is huge...1. because I was hoping they would fit and wasn't expecting them to not last much longer because they are going to be too lose and 2. because they are stretchy so they were REALLY REALLY tight last summer and to have them loose when they are stretchy material means that I really am that much smaller.

Today I'm going to the lake not sure if it will be reading or walking...depends on if it's windy and how I feel. I enjoyed sitting there reading in my car with the sun and heat beaming down on me. But if it's nice enough I think a walk might be in order for today :)

baseball

Well today is the official meeting to sign up for softball eeeeee! I think I've decided to do it. In fact I have! I'm nervous and excited but that's okay it's another big step for me.

1. I've never played on a team before (parent's never put us in sports)
2. I'm joining alone
3. It's out of my comfort zone
4. It's going to push me to strive to do better
5. It's going to be sooooo much fun

So we meet tonight to sign up and pay our fees, etc. Then we start our games in May sometime. Honestly I just can't wait to get that schedule and just start playing already.

Becca has decided not to play this year...and that's okay I won't force her even though I hate the idea of her quitting but she said she's afraid of the ball and we will work on that playing catch, etc...then next year if she WANTS to play she can. We were never put in sports but I'm not about to force it on her either. So this year she wants to take golf lessons (it's only a 1 week session which is great) and swimming lessons (which are a must in my eyes but she LOVES it so it's not an issue anyway). She is a natural in the water. I can't wait to see how she does this year. Gymnastics and Jazz go until school ends and we will take a break from those for the summer. So summer will be golf, swimming and then maybe a camp or two we'll see about $$$$ I'd love to put her in whatever she'd like but it's just alot of money.

I'm just so excited to add in another fun fit thing to do and it might keep Becca interested in sports.

Oh and I exercised last night with Becca. She did Cardio X but I decided I wanted to do something different...so she did that while I supervised (made sure she didn't hurt herself) and I did the mini trampoline, hula hoop, my push ups and sit ups and then I went and played Wii Fit for 30 minutes. So much fun...I felt like a kid last night and it was awesome. As for the Wii Fit I hadn't stepped on that board for 244 days (eek how does time fly so fast)...but it was nice to see it say I was down 7.9 lbs from last time. And I did it this morning as well as I've decided to do the Wii Fit in the mornings and then whatever else I choose in the evenings. Keep it fun and interesting. Becca is doing the Wii Fit with me as well. She stepped on it last night and has gained (of course she's a kid and growing so I've explained that she has different goals in mind). We talked about maintaining weight and gaining at a healthy rate not too much or too little. It said she was at risk of being overweight. I told her it's okay not to worry it's just a scale and she should go by how she feels. But with that being said it's time for less screen lazy time and more fun outside stuff. She is fairly fit but has a gut now (not that I would say it to her) and she gives up so easily when trying to do things (we are working on the whole practice makes perfect thing she's definitely improving on not giving up so soon). I have to be honest it scared me a bit to see at risk for her. But that's okay we set her goal to maintain (didn't want to say lose weight to her not needed she'll naturally thin out as she does more). and we set her goal for 2 weeks from now so that we can reassess it then...I think at her age we expect her to gain as she grows but I want to keep it in a healthy range BMI and all that. Oh I just thought of something she wasn't on it for 244 days either and we haven't updated her height since she first stepped on it ages ago...she's grown like a weed I bet her height is all wrong on it...I'll update that and see what it says later. She's probably exactly where she should be. My average little girl (I think she's extraordinary but she's always been smack dab in the middle of average on height and weight since she was born LOL) .

Blabbered on again sorry guys :)

UPDATE: just told a friend at work about joining baseball tonight and she's decided to come along and meet the team with me and join up as well...yay Courtney (she's uber fit and has played before but I was joining before she decided anyway so it's just a bonus I might still be the least experienced on the team but who cares it's going to be fun)

push up/sit up challenge and some ramblings

Well today is the 9th so we are at 9 push ups and 18 sit ups. Funny I've been doing mine in the evening instead of first thing in the morning and my Becca is doing it with me...she's loving it. She sits on my feet while I'm doing my sit ups and gives me a kiss when I get up to the top :) What a cutie...then I hold her feet too. She's doing the man push ups while I do the girly ones LOL.

I didn't do any other fitness the last two nights...just wasn't feeling it...must be the weather yuck.

Okay just so you know the next thing is just some ramblings about some personal feelings I've had lately...so you've been warned it's long winded and has nothing to do with fitness and honestly probably doesn't make much sense.

Tonight my BFF is coming over with her kids which I'm super excited about. I just hope I can keep my eating clean I tend to eat crappy when she's around. Which is funny because she doesn't eat crappy for the most part...she is super skinny and goes to the gym 5 times a week and is one of those people who can control her food intake no problem (maybe a little too much at some points ;) but she's good about keeping it in check). She's been through so much in the last few years but she's at a point where all her hard work is about to pay off big time. She went back to college and is about to graduate with a new career and I couldn't be more proud of her and she's hoping to move back to where we live so that's another work out buddy :) I've missed her so much...it'll be interesting to see how she and her kids will mesh in with us in our quest for fitness. I don't want to just abandon my hubby (as I tend to do without really knowing it when she's around...gotta work on including him when she's there) as he and I are a team on this journey...but I can't see excluding her either. I feel like over the last few years I haven't been there for her as much as I could have been. Maybe because our lives went in very different directions and our social circles have changed. But we are still the same two people and yes our lives may be different but the foundation of our friendship remains unchanged. She doesn't read this so I'm sure at some point I'll have to talk to her about all of this...I think I just needed to air it out a bit so that I could make sense of it all for me right now. I think the big thing was I just didn't know where I fit into her life when she "moved". She was so busy and for the most part I figured it was school but she had time for other people in her life so then I started to worry if things had just changed too much and she didn't have time for me. Then I realized how selfish that was of me but it was there. The last little while we've started to see her around a little more and it feels just like it used to. I know there's room in her life for us now it'll just be interesting to see what that dynamic will be like when she moves back down. I'm not worried just curious now. I know she must be insanely nervous as this is a huge step that she's been dreaming about for a long time. I just want her to be happy and to rekindle that friendship no matter how it's changed. I've missed having her around in my life and I've missed being there for her.

So I guess my biggest things are these:

1. I want her to be happy but I want her to move close to us where I can be there for her more :) that and having her as a neighbour was always one of our dreams.
2. I know things have changed (but in a good way) but I just want my friend back
3. I have to remember to pay attention to my hubby as I can lose that balance between those two (yes Kev you will always be my BFF too)
4. It's selfish but I want her to want to spend time with us whether she's busy or not (we used to spend every weekend together as families no word of a lie...people used to feel neglected because we spent so much time at each other's places).
5. Most importantly I want her to know that even though her life has changed so much I will always be there for her and I need her too.
6. That needing her thing is a new realization really...I mean I always knew I liked having her around but I do need her in my life not just on the outskirts where she's been. She's been that missing link in our lives. I need that girl time and it's just not the same if it's not her.
7. I have to remember not to ignore my other friends...really just have to mash them all together at the same time and just let it be what it is...Alesha gets along with anyone so she'll mesh with any group we could possibly have over.

okay I've rambled long enough and feel like I'm repeating myself. I'm sure this isn't done but it's given me alot to mull over and it was nice to get it all out there (although Kev knew most of this...I'm lucky to have him to listen to me even in my darkest times of missing my friend).

To Play or Not To Play that is the question...

So I went to National Sports and bought a baseball and batting gloves so I can go to the batting cages with a proper sized bat and all...and as we were about to pay they had baseball cleats at the cash that were 40% off the lowest ticket price. Kev found my size and I tried them on and they fit...price tag $14.99 down from $59.00 which is avg for cleats...with another 40% so I got them for $9.00!!!!

I've been looking into joining a rec league but am still a bit chicken to join on my own...I'm trying to find someone to join with me...feel like driving down/out every Monday night Lisa??Jacqui?? It's Monday's starting in May and goes to Sept or Oct I think. Costs between $120-$130 to join for the whole season. I know it's too far *sigh* could you imagine weekly get together's though...how awesome. Even monthly would be nice...but i digress

Now that I have cleats I guess I'm going to HAVE to join...Kevin's been trying to convince me. I've never played on a team before...just family games or in elementary school...so many years ago!!! They are meeting on Tuesday night to register people and hand in the fees...so I have until then to decide.

Honestly I sent an email to the team that emailed me (after I sent in an information request they sent my info to a team that needed members) asking what level they are at and age ranges, etc. If they email back saying that they range from 20's to 40's I'm cool with that and will likely join but if they are a team of 18-20's then I'm not so sure. First of all I don't know anyone (yes I make friend's fast but I want to at least have something in common) and second I don't want to hold anyone back...if they are all young and fit they'll just cringe when I'm on the field or up to bat. I can hit the ball no problem. Catching I'm okay at too...it's running that I'm not so good at. If the ball's infield I don't have enough hustle to get to the base before they do (and I don't slide LOL it would be more like trying and just landing where I tried to start a slide kaboom LOL). And if they put me in the outfield which is where I always remember being in school gym class well I don't run so fast to get to the ball.

I know I can't be perfect but I was inquiring into the league for next year when I would be lighter again. I can feel a difference now imagine when I'm even half way to goal. I wasn't expecting them to forward my name...and I wasn't meaning to buy cleats...maybe it's just a sign to stop worrying and get up off my lazy chicken ass and just go for it. I know it will be fun when I'm playing.

URG!!!!! Stupid inner battles.

X Stretch is Xcellent

I friggen love X Stretch. Well Sunday and Monday were fun but hard on the body so I decided to do X Stretch last night. Becca and I did it together and it felt so nice. Becca sort of does it. I know she can but she gives up...I told her the more you do it the better you'll get at it. She'll get there. I did so much more than I could before amazing what a few lost pounds can do. I even did the leg raise to plough...it's tough to breathe but I managed it. Kevin was using the treadmill and watching us and he said that he can see a difference in my back and in general from behind me :) I love it.

I know I've been losing inches and my clothes are getting looser but it was nice to have him specifically notice different areas. Now I just can't wait to lose the gut LOL. The baby pouch is shrinking but between the belly button and the boobs is still almost the same as whem I started. It's weird because it's usually the last place I gain and first to lose. This is so different then the other times I've lost weight. Normally my legs don't do a thing and my upper body shrinks fast...hey maybe this means I won't lose my boobs this time LOL...not much to lose so I'd kinda like to keep what little I have LOL. Oh well they're just boobs...sorry hun.

I've been worrying about my friend Jacqui lately. She's had a tough time and almost fell off the map here. She tried and we pulled her back but I wasn't convinced that she was back on course. Just not as into things as she was. But I've noticed the last few days that she's sounding a little cheerier than she did so I've decided she's on the mend. Things are slowly getting better and I can't wait for that break through she will have...it will come soon. I think she's at that point where she's going to dust herself off and just go for it again. I'm hoping anyway. I've been missing her blogs and texts and just the general inspiration she gives me. Funny how we've only met once but she's made such an impact on my life. Honestly between Lisa and Jacqui and Kevin of course I couldn't have a better support system. They just keep me going.

OKay enough for now :)

played catch

Wow...that was so much fun. Kevin and I decided for our workout tonight to go play catch while we waited for our sheppard's pie to cool down. So it was only 15 minutes but you know what I was starting to sweat by the end of it. Throwing felt good...catching wasn't so bad and honestly when I missed a catch was the best...not if I was actually playing baseball but for the exercise. I would sprint after the ball like as if I were actually playing baseball so that I would get to it fast and pick it up. My throwing it after picking it up was slow as I was usually panting pretty hard. Of course near the end I wasn't sprinting so much after the ball. At that point I told Kevin that my get up and go had got up and went...that meant it was time to call it quits for the game of catch and see if our dinner was cool enough to eat. 15 minutes of catch and it was so fun. Next time will be longer...it's just the beginning. I'll get there. And Kevin said it was good for him as he only has a month until his baseball season starts.

I looked into a league and sent an email asking questions about joining...I contemplated it but decided I want to wait until next year. They emailed me back with cost and info but I really think I'd like to lose a little more weight before I join...I know it seems silly...but I just want to get to a point where I won't be so self conscious and can really just enjoy the game itself. That and I don't think we can afford to buy me all the gear for this season.

Also I have a 5K to train for...it's only 8 weeks away girls!!! So I will up my efforts in that department. I wanted to get my weight below 185 and really give the training my all. Seems backwards but I find that I stall in the weight loss department when I start training hard. So I really wanted to get to a level where I would be introducing the exercise to help the weight loss continue as opposed to now where it tends to make me store everything. I know I need to add it in as my weight drops as I need to up that calorie burn for it to do the same thing...I just don't know that I'm ready to do that just yet. I like the idea right now of easing into things...walks, catch, fun things, bike rides...that kind of thing and as I lose that weight which I will naturally do then I want to up it to run/walk intervals and exercise videos. My biggest thing is I want to get out and enjoy the outdoors this Spring/Summer. Being active is really fun. I know because yesterday I couldn't stop smiling...it was just like being a kid.

I've rambled again...I'll stop now :)

sore back but feels good

Okay so this weekend my food choices weren't the best. We ate at restaurants alot and even though I made good choices there it was loaded with sodium, etc. The bad choices came with the amount of chocolate I consumed. I just wanted all that easter stuff so I had it. But I got it out of my system... not literally...I mean the cravings are gone now.

I listened to The Gabriel Method last night and I woke up this morning feeling great. I was packing my lunch to take to work and thought I'll just put some of Becca's chocolate in my bag to snack on. And in the same breath or thought I just decided I didn't WANT it. I didn't need it and I didn't want it...that's huge. SO it's at home waiting for Becca to enjoy it. And it will stay there. I really feel the determination in my thoughts today and I love that. Usually when I feel this way it lasts for a good while...and I have to say I haven't truly felt this determined since I lost 50 lbs after having Becca 7.5 years ago. So here's to good things :)

As for my back hurting...it was Kevin's bday yesterday and he decided for his bday he wanted to go to the batting cages. We went to Pickering Playing fields and he did two rounds in the cage and I did 1. It was soooo much fun! I haven't hit a ball in years and it was amazing. I hit 23 out of 24 and not all of them were pretty but it gave me an urge to play more. I want to join a league. Not this year but next year. I'm afraid of the ball when it comes to catching and my throwing isn't the best so Kevin said he'll work on all of that with me oh and the sprinting of course. He's going to work on it with me this summer and it'll be fun to play as a family then. And when I feel comfortable with it then I will sign up for next summer :) I love it. I've never done an organized sport before...I always just played baseball with my family in the park...so this is awesome for me.

After the batting cages we went and played mini putt which was also fun (I won ;) )

This morning I woke up wondering why my side and back were so sore...and I realized it's because it's not muscles I usually use...I don't normally swing a bat around LOL but it feels good. A little tender but liveable. And I look forward to going again...and soon!!!

Doing okay

Well I'm still losing so that's great. It's slow but steady. I have a case of the scale not moving for a few days and then a little drop and repeat. But I'll still take it...it's not going up and that's good.
The exercise is still lacking but that's okay right now. I need to drop this weight and clean eating is key. So I've been drinking between 3-4 litres of water each day and trying to eat as clean as possible (still can't give up that chocolate).
Not much to say today other than it's beautiful outside and things seem to be going well :)

I also have to put this out there...I really do have an amazing support system. Not just my friends here and on WLW but in my house too. My daughter is excited we are "getting skinny" even if she's bored of healthy food LOL. but mostly my hubby! He might have problems telling me "no" when I want chocolate or junk but that's the only thing. He really is so supportive of me. He makes healthy meals for us, he listens, and he helps me along by doing all of this crazy stuff with me. I really don't tell him enough how much I appreciate him and everything he does for me. He'll read this I know but I also think it's important to tell him...so I will when I get home tonight. I think it's easy to take the good stuff for granted and we always tend to focus on the things we want to change or have issues with when really we should all just focus on what is good and makes us happy.

This journey is really more than just weight. It's finding who we are as an individual, a couple, and a family...they truly are 3 distinct different entities.