- Went to see Fiddler on the Roof with my sister. Topol played the roll of Tevya in his farewell tour. He was the guy in the movie My first thought when I saw the advertisement: That guy is still alive???? Boy is he! He was fantastic. Almost 74 years old and he was kicking up his heels and dancing and singing. The program said that he has performed this roll more than 2500 times. You would never know it. It was a great evening.
- Took a family outing to the discount grocery store today. Not exactly the kids' idea of FUN, but it beats them fighting with each other at home while Brian watches TV and I do it by myself. Joelle helped me get stuff off of the shelf and Brian and Jillise were my human calculators. I would tell them how much to add to our running total and Jillise would add it up in her head while Brian helped keep track of that number in between items. Jaren was actually pretty good.
- School starts in less than two weeks. Crazy. We didn't do 75% of the stuff I had planned to do. Oh, well. There is always next summer. It felt weird today to be shopping for lunch box items. I think I have my piano student schedule about set. This fall will be interesting. Jillise's ballet classes move to twice a week, Joelle goes once. Jillise still has piano lessons and now we have Activity Days for church every other Wednesday, too. I am still mentally adjusting to the fact that Joelle will be in school all day!
- Weight loss is moving right along. I am four weeks down out of 12 and am ahead of schedule a little, so I have some wiggle room if the weight loss slows down a bit in the end. I finally got to remove the first "gold link" from my chain today and rewarded myself with a Deluxe Pedicure. I had a gift certificate that I was saving for just this. It was HEAVEN. Now I have pretty toes. At least until I ram my big toe into something and crack the nail.
- I'm going to see Julie and Julia this week. I'm excited. It will be a fun Girls Night Out.
- The amount of crumbs under my table after every meal. Seriously?? Do my children actually get ANY food into their mouths?? Cuz I'm thinking no. It's when I am sweeping up piles of cold cereal, chips, taco meat, and dried cheese that I really miss Kramer (the dog that now lives with my parents).
- I've been making all of our bread for a few months now. I love it. Sadly, it has done nothing to help curb my desire for carbs. I have been known to eat nothing but protein for breakfast and snack so I can have a PBandJ sandwich for lunch. Heaven. It's the simple things.
- Now that I am craving a sandwich I am going to go make dinner so I can go do my cardio AND weights workout tonight. I slacked yesterday and tomorrow is my rest day so I have to get my burn on beforehand.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Saturday Stuff
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Want To Do It MySEFF!!
We have entered the Age of Independence. That period in every two, three, or four year-olds life when they are CONVINCED that they can do everything for themselves. That period where our family is now perpetually late for everything. It starts first thing in the morning. Not only does he have to GET dressed by himself, it takes him two to three minutes just to choose what design he wants on his pullups/undies. Then he has to get the stool, open the freezer, get the waffles, and put them in the toaster. Then use the tongs to REMOVE them from the toaster. He has to put his own sandals on , buckle himself in his carseat (which is new and which he cannot do very well yet -- and if he feels the car move just a fraction of an inch he screams bloody murder). He wants to choose what he eats every day and what we watch on TV.
In some ways this stage is nice because it does lead to REAL Independence. But in many ways I miss just being able to do it for him (quickly) and being on time for things. Unfortunately Jillise inherited my need to be prompt and Jaren just frustrates her to no end. But any attempt to hurry Jaren up results in one of two things: He will either throw a screaming tantrum all the way to event (resulting in being on time but so disruptive that you have to leave again to discipline him in the hallway), or he will throw a screaming fit until you give in at home and let him START OVER doing it on his own (resulting in being late).
So please excuse Paige's tardiness on _____________ (fill in the date). She is attempting to teach life skills to a three year old headstrong little boy without losing her mind in the process. I would like to state that this will never happen again, but quite frankly, that would be a lie.
Sincerely,
Paige's Conscience
In some ways this stage is nice because it does lead to REAL Independence. But in many ways I miss just being able to do it for him (quickly) and being on time for things. Unfortunately Jillise inherited my need to be prompt and Jaren just frustrates her to no end. But any attempt to hurry Jaren up results in one of two things: He will either throw a screaming tantrum all the way to event (resulting in being on time but so disruptive that you have to leave again to discipline him in the hallway), or he will throw a screaming fit until you give in at home and let him START OVER doing it on his own (resulting in being late).
So please excuse Paige's tardiness on _____________ (fill in the date). She is attempting to teach life skills to a three year old headstrong little boy without losing her mind in the process. I would like to state that this will never happen again, but quite frankly, that would be a lie.
Sincerely,
Paige's Conscience
Friday, August 21, 2009
Joy
I have been doing quite a bit of reflection lately on joy. What is it? What makes us happy? What makes us UNhappy? My friend Candy did a fabulous Relief Society lesson on this a few weeks ago on how PURE joy comes from a full understanding of the atonement and the ability to be worthy enough to take advantage of that gift. This got my wheels turning, but it was watching the events in two friends lives that really made me start to think. I know one of these friends reads my blog, I doubt the other one does. I really don't want to offend ANYONE, this is just my observation of what is shown on the outside and how I perceive things to be.
My first friend grew up in a very active LDS family but quickly went inactive upon leaving home after high school. Married someone with the same background. Both are FABULOUS people. Their wedding was *so* wonderful. I enjoyed keeping in touch with them through the years. Both are very successful at what they do. They built a gorgeous house. They have a beautiful daughter. They are very busy. Both became involved in spiritualism and self mastery. They are the ones who got me hooked on being fit. They are amazingly healthy and beautiful and they work hard to maintain that. I was in awe that they were SO disciplined that they ate 100% clean and structured six days out of the week. No cheating. At all. They were so patient with me when I COULDN'T do that. But they fully believed that I could do ANYTHING I set my mind to do. They are charitable and give to others. They quote the Tao and meditate. They take excursions to other countries to study their spiritual traditions.
For years I was convinced that they were happy, living out their dreams and finding their destiny. Lately I have been working more closely with them as I am on my latest weigh loss push -- communicating with them more frequently. And I started to see things I hadn't seen before. I noticed things. Like that the searching they are doing for a higher "plane" of existence is never ending. One philosophy negates another. And their searches were taking them in different directions. Instead of working together toward one unified goal, they were searching for whatever resonated with them as individuals. I found that even with all of their giving and sharing and working to build up others, their marriage was failing.
When they first told me their philosophy "there is no right and wrong," I found it quite strange and I was interested to see how they taught that concept to their daughter. I knew from my experience with my own kids that they need to be taught and given boundaries. The more I thought about it, I realized that the reason I couldn't wrap my head around it is because it goes against the basic laws of the universe that we are taught in the scriptures. Adam had to eat of the fruit so he COULD know right from wrong. So he could experience Health and Sickness. Pleasure and Pain. JOY and Sorrow. Without one, there isn't the other. So if the world has no right and wrong, then we cease to feel. I came to see that through all of that self mastery and meditation and study, they may be finding knowledge of new things and ideas, and maybe some peace, but not happiness. I would venture to say they are probably more confused than when they started. And the fact that they are now searching alone, without each other, is the very epitome of sadness, if you ask me.
I even started to notice through facebook updates that the strict diet had led them to forget just how much fun eating good food WHEN you want to eat it can be. Or just going out with friends and living life -- even if it doesn't bring you to a higher understanding of the universe. All things in moderation.
My second friend was raised in the gospel. I've known her my whole life. Great LDS family. She married in the temple and has four fantastic kids. They moved into a house with room for the kids to play, but I don't think it was anything new or fancy. She worked hard to live frugally and was even able to save up enough to surprise her husband with a trip to Europe so they could visit where he served his mission. Her husband is a teacher/coach and she stays at home to raise their young children.
A year and a half ago, her husband was diagnosed with stage four cancer in the esophagus. Statistically, the long term outlook for this type of cancer is not good. There were fasts held, and blessings were given. The community rallied around them. Friends redecorated her living room. Teachers gave up their sick leave so he could still receive paychecks while recovering from chemo and radiation. Her blog was ALWAYS optimistic and upbeat. They kept a sense of humor about things. I'm sure that they had moments of sadness and fear, but the prevailing attitude was one of faith. This battle with the cancer has been a roller coaster. Great news, followed by questionable PET scans. Hair growing back in and weight being gained again, only to be told that they have to do another round of chemo. I think it is natural to be on the outside of this situation and wonder how we would fare if we were IN it. I would like to think that I would be a strong as they have been, but I don't know.
What really made me realize the depth of her faith was when I did my blog post about joining the weight loss challenge. On Sunday night she contacted me and let me know that this is JUST what she needed and that she wanted to do it, too. Not a huge deal, until you know that her husband was scheduled to have surgery the very next day to remove another tumor from his neck. A surgery that had many question marks attached to it. They didn't know if the tumor would be connected to any major arteries or veins. Or if they would get in there and find that they cancer had spread to other organs or lymph nodes, requiring more surgery and chemo... or worse.
A weaker person (ie, ME) would have thought, "Gee, I would love to do that type of a contest, but I just can't commit to that right now. Who KNOWS what is going to happen tomorrow during the surgery and I don't want to be out my $50 before I even get started!!" But she didn't. She said, "I need to do this for ME, I have faith that Heavenly Father is in control and I will be able to handle whatever happens and I am going forward with faith." Okay, she didn't really say that, but that is what struck me when she made this commitment. Oh, and by the way -- the surgery was wildly successful. The tumor was connected to the body with fine layers of fat they could cut along (what chemo patient has layers of fat in their neck???) to remove the tumor. Of all 11 lymph nodes biopsied, all 11 came back clear. This is nothing short of amazing.
So... what does all of this mean? Who knows. I guess it was just an informal case study on two people whose life situations started off the same, but who chose different paths. And this is just my perception of their situations. I know that there are lots of things that go on in both of their lives that I DON'T see, but I have to go off of what I noticed as an observer.
I want to move forward with faith. I don't ever want to be stuck treading water in the pool of life (ha!) because I don't have the faith to take those first strokes into the unknown. I don't want to become so wrapped up in being healthy, or rich, or well dressed, or well read, or well travelled that I miss what is important.
"Adam fell that men might be. And men are that they might have JOY." 2 Nephi 2:25
Our Heavenly Father sent us to this earth to gain a body. To have experiences and be tested. But everything about this earth and our bodies just strengthens my testimony that we are here to do more than that. Our bodies can experience excitement, happiness, exuberance, love. This world is SO full of beautiful things. Delicious food. Awe inspiring things to experience. All of these things were put here by a God who wants us to enjoy them. He didn't have to do that. If all we needed was a body and to be tested, it could be done in a much more horrible looking place, with bodies that can't do half of what ours do. But He wants us to have JOY. To feel the happiness that comes from enjoying the blessing we are given, serving others, and living to our full potential. To feel the JOY that comes from being forgiven of our sins. From knowing that we have the chance to start over when we have fallen down. The JOY that comes from knowing that Jesus Christ suffered so that he could be empathetic to all of our pains, sorrows, and sadness -- and that he is ready and willing to take those pains and sadness away from us if we just ask. The JOY that comes from knowing that my family can be together for ETERNITY. The JOY that comes from having the priesthood in my home -- that my husband holds the ability to act in Jesus' name to bless and protect our family. And to speak to us through blessings the words of peace and comfort that only Heavenly Father and the Holy Ghost can give.
I want to live a life of JOY. A life full of so much faith and gratitude that there is no room for doubt, fear, or discouragement. A life where maybe someday someone could observe ME from afar and marvel at my faith and happiness despite life experiences the way I observed my friend. Because THAT is why I am here.
My first friend grew up in a very active LDS family but quickly went inactive upon leaving home after high school. Married someone with the same background. Both are FABULOUS people. Their wedding was *so* wonderful. I enjoyed keeping in touch with them through the years. Both are very successful at what they do. They built a gorgeous house. They have a beautiful daughter. They are very busy. Both became involved in spiritualism and self mastery. They are the ones who got me hooked on being fit. They are amazingly healthy and beautiful and they work hard to maintain that. I was in awe that they were SO disciplined that they ate 100% clean and structured six days out of the week. No cheating. At all. They were so patient with me when I COULDN'T do that. But they fully believed that I could do ANYTHING I set my mind to do. They are charitable and give to others. They quote the Tao and meditate. They take excursions to other countries to study their spiritual traditions.
For years I was convinced that they were happy, living out their dreams and finding their destiny. Lately I have been working more closely with them as I am on my latest weigh loss push -- communicating with them more frequently. And I started to see things I hadn't seen before. I noticed things. Like that the searching they are doing for a higher "plane" of existence is never ending. One philosophy negates another. And their searches were taking them in different directions. Instead of working together toward one unified goal, they were searching for whatever resonated with them as individuals. I found that even with all of their giving and sharing and working to build up others, their marriage was failing.
When they first told me their philosophy "there is no right and wrong," I found it quite strange and I was interested to see how they taught that concept to their daughter. I knew from my experience with my own kids that they need to be taught and given boundaries. The more I thought about it, I realized that the reason I couldn't wrap my head around it is because it goes against the basic laws of the universe that we are taught in the scriptures. Adam had to eat of the fruit so he COULD know right from wrong. So he could experience Health and Sickness. Pleasure and Pain. JOY and Sorrow. Without one, there isn't the other. So if the world has no right and wrong, then we cease to feel. I came to see that through all of that self mastery and meditation and study, they may be finding knowledge of new things and ideas, and maybe some peace, but not happiness. I would venture to say they are probably more confused than when they started. And the fact that they are now searching alone, without each other, is the very epitome of sadness, if you ask me.
I even started to notice through facebook updates that the strict diet had led them to forget just how much fun eating good food WHEN you want to eat it can be. Or just going out with friends and living life -- even if it doesn't bring you to a higher understanding of the universe. All things in moderation.
My second friend was raised in the gospel. I've known her my whole life. Great LDS family. She married in the temple and has four fantastic kids. They moved into a house with room for the kids to play, but I don't think it was anything new or fancy. She worked hard to live frugally and was even able to save up enough to surprise her husband with a trip to Europe so they could visit where he served his mission. Her husband is a teacher/coach and she stays at home to raise their young children.
A year and a half ago, her husband was diagnosed with stage four cancer in the esophagus. Statistically, the long term outlook for this type of cancer is not good. There were fasts held, and blessings were given. The community rallied around them. Friends redecorated her living room. Teachers gave up their sick leave so he could still receive paychecks while recovering from chemo and radiation. Her blog was ALWAYS optimistic and upbeat. They kept a sense of humor about things. I'm sure that they had moments of sadness and fear, but the prevailing attitude was one of faith. This battle with the cancer has been a roller coaster. Great news, followed by questionable PET scans. Hair growing back in and weight being gained again, only to be told that they have to do another round of chemo. I think it is natural to be on the outside of this situation and wonder how we would fare if we were IN it. I would like to think that I would be a strong as they have been, but I don't know.
What really made me realize the depth of her faith was when I did my blog post about joining the weight loss challenge. On Sunday night she contacted me and let me know that this is JUST what she needed and that she wanted to do it, too. Not a huge deal, until you know that her husband was scheduled to have surgery the very next day to remove another tumor from his neck. A surgery that had many question marks attached to it. They didn't know if the tumor would be connected to any major arteries or veins. Or if they would get in there and find that they cancer had spread to other organs or lymph nodes, requiring more surgery and chemo... or worse.
A weaker person (ie, ME) would have thought, "Gee, I would love to do that type of a contest, but I just can't commit to that right now. Who KNOWS what is going to happen tomorrow during the surgery and I don't want to be out my $50 before I even get started!!" But she didn't. She said, "I need to do this for ME, I have faith that Heavenly Father is in control and I will be able to handle whatever happens and I am going forward with faith." Okay, she didn't really say that, but that is what struck me when she made this commitment. Oh, and by the way -- the surgery was wildly successful. The tumor was connected to the body with fine layers of fat they could cut along (what chemo patient has layers of fat in their neck???) to remove the tumor. Of all 11 lymph nodes biopsied, all 11 came back clear. This is nothing short of amazing.
So... what does all of this mean? Who knows. I guess it was just an informal case study on two people whose life situations started off the same, but who chose different paths. And this is just my perception of their situations. I know that there are lots of things that go on in both of their lives that I DON'T see, but I have to go off of what I noticed as an observer.
I want to move forward with faith. I don't ever want to be stuck treading water in the pool of life (ha!) because I don't have the faith to take those first strokes into the unknown. I don't want to become so wrapped up in being healthy, or rich, or well dressed, or well read, or well travelled that I miss what is important.
"Adam fell that men might be. And men are that they might have JOY." 2 Nephi 2:25
Our Heavenly Father sent us to this earth to gain a body. To have experiences and be tested. But everything about this earth and our bodies just strengthens my testimony that we are here to do more than that. Our bodies can experience excitement, happiness, exuberance, love. This world is SO full of beautiful things. Delicious food. Awe inspiring things to experience. All of these things were put here by a God who wants us to enjoy them. He didn't have to do that. If all we needed was a body and to be tested, it could be done in a much more horrible looking place, with bodies that can't do half of what ours do. But He wants us to have JOY. To feel the happiness that comes from enjoying the blessing we are given, serving others, and living to our full potential. To feel the JOY that comes from being forgiven of our sins. From knowing that we have the chance to start over when we have fallen down. The JOY that comes from knowing that Jesus Christ suffered so that he could be empathetic to all of our pains, sorrows, and sadness -- and that he is ready and willing to take those pains and sadness away from us if we just ask. The JOY that comes from knowing that my family can be together for ETERNITY. The JOY that comes from having the priesthood in my home -- that my husband holds the ability to act in Jesus' name to bless and protect our family. And to speak to us through blessings the words of peace and comfort that only Heavenly Father and the Holy Ghost can give.
I want to live a life of JOY. A life full of so much faith and gratitude that there is no room for doubt, fear, or discouragement. A life where maybe someday someone could observe ME from afar and marvel at my faith and happiness despite life experiences the way I observed my friend. Because THAT is why I am here.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Wednesday Wanderings
- Last night I wore a swimsuit to water aerobics that I bought last year and didn't fit into. It doesn't look PERFECT yet, but I got it on, there were no horrific "spill overs," so I wore it. I love deep water aerobics. You work at your own pace and you really give your muscles a run for their money, yet there is something really mentally relaxing about the whole thing. And you burn a ton of calories.
- School is starting SOON. This summer has flown by and we haven't don't half the fun things I said we were going to do. The ballet schedule for my girls has been posted, so I have been able to plan my piano schedule. It really doesn't look that bad this year. I have been nervous because Jillise goes to ballet 2x a week now, PLUS has Activity Days at church. Ack!
- Because of all of this, I have had to drop out of my bunco group. Sadness. But I feel good about it. I will hopefully get calls to be a sub and the months when I don't have Young Women meetings out the wazoo and Brian isn't out doing Ward Mission stuff or working late, I can go and enjoy myself.
- I am way excited that Top Chef and Project Runway are starting again. YAY!! I love having shows to watch while I eat my lunch or cool down after exercising. SYTYCD is another one we will add to our queue. I am hopeful for Glee, but I just fear it is going to become another oversexed dramedy that Fox and all of the other networks are so good at pumping out. They take a decent story line with good, interesting characters and after a couple of episodes, the only interactions they are creative enough to come up with involve affairs, or teen pregnancies, or drunken sex. I am optimistic because they seem to be targeting the show towards a younger demographic (teens), but I guess that doesn't mean much anymore.
- Jaren still isn't potty trained. We have been working on it a bit. I learned from the girls to take a "child led" approach. This helps you avoid mental standoffs (which I had many of with the girls). But he doesn't seem to really want to lead. He WILL be out of diapers by the time he goes into Sunbeams. I think.
- I have run a half mile WITHOUT STOPPING for two days in a row. Outside. With little hills. I am not a runner. I don't know if I ever will be a runner. I was a good sprinter when I was little, but the long distance things have never been for me. I don't know how much of that is mental and how much is physical. I am trying to build up my strength and stamina so I can join a little running club in the fall.
- I have been thinking a lot about happiness lately. This may become a blog post of its own. I think I started it a while back and never finished it. Through watching different people in my life it has just become SO obvious that happiness is not a SOMETHING. It is a way of being. I am learning more and more that true joy comes from knowing and living the plan of happiness. By keeping the course and having faith that we are in the care of a loving God who wants us to reach our full potential and is waiting to help us. And that we can do all of the worldly study, we can give all we have to the poor, we can have beautiful healthy bodies, we can be surrounded by beautiful things... and still not have JOY. We may have periods of satisfaction and happiness, but not full joy. I know that this is a basic concept that we are taught in the Gospel (Man's Search for Happiness, anyone?). But in the past few months I have seen both sides played out in people I love and it has just been a fascinating process to watch. I am not claiming that everyone who has the gospel is happier than those who don't. But I believe that those who embrace it, who do the things they are supposed to be doing, who exercise faith in all things, who have seen the hand of the Lord in everything around them have a kind of eternal joy and perspective that those who don't have a knowledge of the gospel or who don't ACT on that knowledge can never possess. I need to make it my goal to become one of those knowers. I'm working on it. ☺
- Yesterday I made these in honor of National Cupcake Day. They were really fun to to make!! When Jaren didn't finish his I must admit to taking ONE bite. I can say they were yummy, too. And it's an idea I'll have to play around with in the future. Red white and blue for 4th of July. Turkey Feather colors for Thanksgiving. Very fun. :)
- I am wearing capris today and need to shave my legs.
- I learned the sign language last week to Families Can Be Together Forever. What is it about little kids doing sign language that just makes my heart leap for joy??? The look so beautiful doing it. And I think so many of the signs reinforce the meaning of the words and make the kids (and the listener) THINK about what they are singing instead of just thinking "this song AGAIN?????"
- I'm getting tired of eggs for breakfast. Sometimes I just want a HUGE bowl of cereal. But I can't. Throws off my carbs for the whole day. Darn you, sugar and flour.
- I made one of these for a friend yesterday using a scrap of fabric instead of paper. I was thrilled that it worked so well (especially since I am not a scrapbooker (gasp!) and have way more fabric lying around than I do paper.
So that's what's I'm thinking about. Aren't you glad I came out of blog seclusion to post it all?
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Just Keep Swimming...
Just a little Jillise brag. She can SWIM!! Both girls have made great strides this summer in swimming lessons, but the technique REALLY clicked with her. A few weeks ago she passed Level 2 in swimming lessons. In that class she learned the basics of the crawl stroke and side breathing. She decided that she wanted to master the crawl stroke on her own, then she taught herself the backstroke. She can now swim the crawl stroke the entire width of the pool, then swim back on her back (I taught her how to spot herself using the beams of the ceiling). She did this three times and it didn't seem to tire her at all. In order to swim in the "deep pool" without an adult with her, she has to be able to do this just one time, and she did it three! I can't believe it. When she was little she was just like me. She cried before every swimming lesson and she clung to us in the pool. Now she is teaching herself strokes (with pretty good form, I might add). She was pretty excited about the prospect of passing Level 5 someday and being a lifeguard when she is sixteen.
Joelle is now swimming underwater and getting things off the bottom of the pool. She loves to jump in and is getting closer to passing Level 2. At the beginning of the summer she still hated putting her face underwater and insisted on using the waterwings.
Jaren is a madman in the pool. You put a pair of water wings on that kid and he is unstoppable. Unfortunately, you take the waterwings OFF of him and he STILL thinks he is unstoppable. As soon as we can get him out of diapers we will have to put him in lessons. He may be one of those kids who is five years old in Level 3!
Joelle is now swimming underwater and getting things off the bottom of the pool. She loves to jump in and is getting closer to passing Level 2. At the beginning of the summer she still hated putting her face underwater and insisted on using the waterwings.
Jaren is a madman in the pool. You put a pair of water wings on that kid and he is unstoppable. Unfortunately, you take the waterwings OFF of him and he STILL thinks he is unstoppable. As soon as we can get him out of diapers we will have to put him in lessons. He may be one of those kids who is five years old in Level 3!
Friday, August 7, 2009
This One's About ME
I was tagged by Shannon.
What is your current obsession? I think the only answer I can put here right now is WEIGHT LOSS. It trumps every other "fun" thing vying for my attention. I spend more time on fitday.com trying to find the perfect combinations of food than I do on facebook, or blogs, or email. That says aLOT.
What do you hate the most that everyone else seems to love? Uh... socialized medicine? Just kidding. I know not EVERYONE loves it, but by the comments of my facebook friends you would think I am the only one not thrilled about having the government involved in my personal medical decisions. Oh, I also don't like American Idol.
What are you wearing today? Black short sleeved tee under a red, deep v-neck 3/4 sleeved Old Navy T. Jeans (that finally fit right), and bare feet. No make up, since we will be leaving for the pool in an hour.
What's for dinner? McDonalds, baby!! Tonight is the Daddy Daughter Campout, so Brian will be taking the girls before they drive to set up camp. I will be taking Jaren a bit later for our "date." It took me 20 minutes last night to figure out what I can eat today to be able to fit in a BURGER for dinner. The answer: scrambled egg/egg whites for breakfast, yoplait yogurt, half a pb&j for lunch with a glass of milk and raw veggies, and two protein shakes for my snacks. This will allow me to eat a Big n' Tasty with NO bun for dinner with veggies on the side and a diet drink. I come in at 1204 calories, with exactly 40% protein, 30% fat, and 30% carbs. Impressive, no?
What would you eat for your last meal? I would start out with crabcakes for an appetizer, followed by a high quality, perfectly cooked medium rare filet mignon, a huge fully loaded baked potato, followed up with tastes from absolutely everything on the dessert cart. It's my last meal. It's all good, right?
What is the last thing you bought? Uhhhh... that wasn't groceries? This is hard. The fountain of piano money runs dry during the summer so I am on a pretty tight financial leash. The last stuff I remember buying that wasn't a necessity was birthday presents for Joelle and Jaren at the coast. Some cute skirt/shirt combos for Joelle, some cool noisy dinosaur toys for Jaren.
What are you listening to right now? Noggin on the TV, Jaren eating a Go-Gurt, and Jillise on her DS.
What do you think of the person who tagged you? I can't say enough nice things about Shannon. I think I first came to admire her creative eye. Her home is beautiful, she always looks impeccable, and she excels at all things crafty. But I have come to love her spirit, her kindness, her sense of humor, and her ability to make things happen. And I love her willingness to be my photoshop go-to gal!
If you could have a house, fully paid for, and totally furnished anywhere in the world, where would it be? Oh gosh. I am going to totally cheat and say that I want one of those mongo bus-sized RVs so we can drive around the country in comfort and style and enjoy all that there is to see. This is something I really want to do with my kids, and a pimped out RV would make it even easier and more enjoyable!
If you could go anywhere for the next hour, where would it be? Just an hour? I'll take a nap.
What is one of your hobbies? Sewing
What are 3 things that annoy you most?
1. The crumbs and dirt that seem to multiply when I have my back turned.
2. High Maintenance People
3. Politics
What is your favorite color? This is always a hard question for me, because it seems to change based on my moods and the seasons. I still love limey green. And orange makes me happy. Robin's Egg Blue with a nice bright orange is divine.
What is your favorite piece of clothing in your wardrobe? This question makes me frustrated because I have a few things in my wardrobe that I love and have yet to wear. I bought them years ago with the thought that they will "fit perfectly in five pounds." But I gained five pounds in the wrong direction, then five more, then five more... So I have this totally cute denim wrap dress from the Gap that I don't think I have ever worn. And this cute brown top with a flirty bow that still has the tags on it. So watch for those to make a debut around Christmas time!
What is your dream job? I would love to be a creative director of something. Some job where I could dream up cool things. Or neat patterns. Or plan great events. Then have a team do all the grunt work for it. ☺
What are you going to do after this? I need to throw some lunch together for the kids and then we are going swimming.
What inspires you? Colors and patterns. The thought of new opportunities. People who believe in me.
Who was the last person you kissed? Jaren. I love that boy.
What are you currently reading? Nothing today. I just finished two more obscure Louisa May Alcott books: Long Fatal Love Chase and The Inheritance. Loved them both. Long Fatal Love Chase was EXCELLENT. Very different from her other books, but I really enjoyed it. The Interitance was her first novel, written when she was 17. It was an easy read that gives you a fun glimpse into the Victorian ideals of the time period.
What delighted you most today? Getting a fanFREAKINGtastic deal on a surprise gift that I am purchasing for a bridal shower.
Tag Eight People:
1. Amy
2. Terica
3. Mandy
4. Rachel (private blog)
5. Amanda (private blog)
6. Michelle
7. Lynn
8. Tanya
What is your current obsession? I think the only answer I can put here right now is WEIGHT LOSS. It trumps every other "fun" thing vying for my attention. I spend more time on fitday.com trying to find the perfect combinations of food than I do on facebook, or blogs, or email. That says aLOT.
What do you hate the most that everyone else seems to love? Uh... socialized medicine? Just kidding. I know not EVERYONE loves it, but by the comments of my facebook friends you would think I am the only one not thrilled about having the government involved in my personal medical decisions. Oh, I also don't like American Idol.
What are you wearing today? Black short sleeved tee under a red, deep v-neck 3/4 sleeved Old Navy T. Jeans (that finally fit right), and bare feet. No make up, since we will be leaving for the pool in an hour.
What's for dinner? McDonalds, baby!! Tonight is the Daddy Daughter Campout, so Brian will be taking the girls before they drive to set up camp. I will be taking Jaren a bit later for our "date." It took me 20 minutes last night to figure out what I can eat today to be able to fit in a BURGER for dinner. The answer: scrambled egg/egg whites for breakfast, yoplait yogurt, half a pb&j for lunch with a glass of milk and raw veggies, and two protein shakes for my snacks. This will allow me to eat a Big n' Tasty with NO bun for dinner with veggies on the side and a diet drink. I come in at 1204 calories, with exactly 40% protein, 30% fat, and 30% carbs. Impressive, no?
What would you eat for your last meal? I would start out with crabcakes for an appetizer, followed by a high quality, perfectly cooked medium rare filet mignon, a huge fully loaded baked potato, followed up with tastes from absolutely everything on the dessert cart. It's my last meal. It's all good, right?
What is the last thing you bought? Uhhhh... that wasn't groceries? This is hard. The fountain of piano money runs dry during the summer so I am on a pretty tight financial leash. The last stuff I remember buying that wasn't a necessity was birthday presents for Joelle and Jaren at the coast. Some cute skirt/shirt combos for Joelle, some cool noisy dinosaur toys for Jaren.
What are you listening to right now? Noggin on the TV, Jaren eating a Go-Gurt, and Jillise on her DS.
What do you think of the person who tagged you? I can't say enough nice things about Shannon. I think I first came to admire her creative eye. Her home is beautiful, she always looks impeccable, and she excels at all things crafty. But I have come to love her spirit, her kindness, her sense of humor, and her ability to make things happen. And I love her willingness to be my photoshop go-to gal!
If you could have a house, fully paid for, and totally furnished anywhere in the world, where would it be? Oh gosh. I am going to totally cheat and say that I want one of those mongo bus-sized RVs so we can drive around the country in comfort and style and enjoy all that there is to see. This is something I really want to do with my kids, and a pimped out RV would make it even easier and more enjoyable!
If you could go anywhere for the next hour, where would it be? Just an hour? I'll take a nap.
What is one of your hobbies? Sewing
What are 3 things that annoy you most?
1. The crumbs and dirt that seem to multiply when I have my back turned.
2. High Maintenance People
3. Politics
What is your favorite color? This is always a hard question for me, because it seems to change based on my moods and the seasons. I still love limey green. And orange makes me happy. Robin's Egg Blue with a nice bright orange is divine.
What is your favorite piece of clothing in your wardrobe? This question makes me frustrated because I have a few things in my wardrobe that I love and have yet to wear. I bought them years ago with the thought that they will "fit perfectly in five pounds." But I gained five pounds in the wrong direction, then five more, then five more... So I have this totally cute denim wrap dress from the Gap that I don't think I have ever worn. And this cute brown top with a flirty bow that still has the tags on it. So watch for those to make a debut around Christmas time!
What is your dream job? I would love to be a creative director of something. Some job where I could dream up cool things. Or neat patterns. Or plan great events. Then have a team do all the grunt work for it. ☺
What are you going to do after this? I need to throw some lunch together for the kids and then we are going swimming.
What inspires you? Colors and patterns. The thought of new opportunities. People who believe in me.
Who was the last person you kissed? Jaren. I love that boy.
What are you currently reading? Nothing today. I just finished two more obscure Louisa May Alcott books: Long Fatal Love Chase and The Inheritance. Loved them both. Long Fatal Love Chase was EXCELLENT. Very different from her other books, but I really enjoyed it. The Interitance was her first novel, written when she was 17. It was an easy read that gives you a fun glimpse into the Victorian ideals of the time period.
What delighted you most today? Getting a fanFREAKINGtastic deal on a surprise gift that I am purchasing for a bridal shower.
Tag Eight People:
1. Amy
2. Terica
3. Mandy
4. Rachel (private blog)
5. Amanda (private blog)
6. Michelle
7. Lynn
8. Tanya
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Little Comparison
When I did this weightloss thing almost three years ago I started using Alli to kickstart my weightloss and to force me to eat right. If anyone wants any more info on why you are FORCED to eat right, just ask. I am happy to share the unpleasant details because in this case I think it is good to "know before you go."
Anyway, I had debated using Alli this time because I was impressed with how quickly the weight seemed to come off. But for various reasons I decided not to use it and just see what I could do on my own. I kept a food journal last time (as I am this time) where I kept track of everything I ate and my weight for the day (yes, I am an obsessive weigher). To my surprise I found that 17 days in I have lost .2 pounds MORE this time than I had lost 17 days in last time, without any help from medicines. Just good old fashioned exercise and diet. For the record, I am down 5.6 pounds since I started this after getting back from camp, and I am down 2.6 since the contest started. I have a way to go, but I sure enjoy seeing results, especially in the beginning.
Yay me! I really am loving this. I feel good, I feel energetic, and I am feeling happier. And I feel like I am eating TONS of food. So while I may have to pass up most cookies and treats, I am still eating foods I like and allowing myself little rewards every once in a while. Here's to continued success! (And getting my money back in 11 more weeks.)
Anyway, I had debated using Alli this time because I was impressed with how quickly the weight seemed to come off. But for various reasons I decided not to use it and just see what I could do on my own. I kept a food journal last time (as I am this time) where I kept track of everything I ate and my weight for the day (yes, I am an obsessive weigher). To my surprise I found that 17 days in I have lost .2 pounds MORE this time than I had lost 17 days in last time, without any help from medicines. Just good old fashioned exercise and diet. For the record, I am down 5.6 pounds since I started this after getting back from camp, and I am down 2.6 since the contest started. I have a way to go, but I sure enjoy seeing results, especially in the beginning.
Yay me! I really am loving this. I feel good, I feel energetic, and I am feeling happier. And I feel like I am eating TONS of food. So while I may have to pass up most cookies and treats, I am still eating foods I like and allowing myself little rewards every once in a while. Here's to continued success! (And getting my money back in 11 more weeks.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)