A Few Great Things

No trip to "The City" would be complete without a stop at Costco.  

Along with the 12 other things we didn't really need, I picked up some of these:

I've never tried No Slip hangers, but I am now a fan!  I wish I had bought more (my local store only had a pack of 35).  Not only are they no-slip, but the slim design really does cut down on space.  Leaving room for more clothes!  My husband will be thrilled...

I've also been enjoying my Kindle more than I guessed I would.  Nothing will replace the feel of a book in your hand, but you can't beat the sheer convenience of the Kindle.  I try to keep a few dollars in my Amazon account so that if I see a Daily Deal that piques my interest, I can jump on it.  A few months ago I picked up this: 

I don't mind a supernatural theme, and I have found this series oddly compelling.  There are 7 books, and they are light, quick, and the characters are mildly endearing.  I would classify these as "beach reads"(if I was anywhere near a beach).

Finally, I upgraded my phone recently and am still getting everything back in order, including my music.  When I found myself at the gym with no music to run to, I turned to my trusty podcast list.  This is a particular favorite:

With topics as varied as Hessians, New England Vampire Panic, Building Disneyland's Haunted Mansion, The Nazca Lines, Boudica, etc., it is a fountain of information in 30 minute segments.  

Body Revolution: Weeks 5 & 6

You know, I have really mixed feelings about the program at this point.  The upside is that it's only 30 minutes, and frankly, what else can I do in 30 minutes that leaves me feeling so accomplished?  My shoulders have also never looked better.  The downside is that I am TIRED.  And sore all the time.  Which I guess means that the program is doing something for me.  I certainly don't feel that way from couching out & eating Cheetos.

Phase 2, also known as workouts 5 & 6, continues the front of body/ back of body alternating workouts that started in Phase 1.  Cardio 2 is MUCH better than Cardio 1.  But I still only did it once.  More on that later.

Workout 5 (chest/ tris)

• The worst: Crescent pose flies with the band (I am not using the band that comes with the BR program, and I discovered that my band is just a little too short to do this effectively); Woodchoppers; Crab Tricep Dips with Leg Raised.  
• The best: Sumo Squat with Shoulder Press. 
• Overall: Lots of balance exercises, and I am still modifying for the left side - but I DID do them!  Chops - I was all over the place with these.  

Workout 6 (back/bis)

• The worst: Windshield wipers; Weighted Supermans, Chop Lunges. 
• The best: Lat extension with situp; Plank Rows, Bicep Curls with band. 
• Overall: Again with the balance exercises!  They are not difficult, but with my weaker left side, it was challenging to figure out a decent modification that still allowed me to maximize the exercise.  Chops - Ugh. 

My left ankle has been achy and weak.  So I did the workouts, but did not do the high-impact intervals.  I would march in place, or do a low-impact modification of the exercise.  Part of me feels like I am cheating the program but the other view is that Life Happens, and I am choosing to continue to follow through with my commitment to complete the program.  I did Cardio 2 just once, and I liked it, but decided that I would stick to lower impact cardio on those days - mostly 60+ minute walks in our hilly neighborhood.  

I haven't weighed or measured, and am OK with that.  I don't expect/ never expected to "lose sick amounts of weight" with Body Revolution.  But with visible muscle changes, I am pleased so far.  And pumped that I am halfway through!!!!   

Over It

I feel bad about neglecting my blog, but I think I'm just going to enjoy the lull.  That's what it is - it's a lull.  Just like life has ups & downs, so does blogging, and after 6 and 1/2 years of blogging, it had to come sometime, right?

And honestly, I sort of hit what I'm calling "internet saturation".

Also known as "I'm over it".

You see, a few weeks ago I was on Pinterest and I saw a pin for a spray bottle cozy.

SPRAY BOTTLE COZY.

I just couldn't take it anymore.  I know there is Pinterest fatigue, and Pinterest pressure, yes, there are totally a ton of great Pinterest ideas out there, but I think the cozy just put me over the edge.

I mean, are we doing this?  Are we really making little aprons to pretty up our cleaning supplies?  I thought I was doing OK by finding an all-purpose cleaner that I looked forward to using (bonus for it being non-toxic!), but apparently that's not good enough, and the sleek, well-designed yet functional bottle now must be cloaked in a handstitched cover, too.

I.  just.  can't.

I like to craft.  Make no mistake about that.  But this is just beyond the realm of my understanding.  Maybe someone had a ton of extra time and fabric on her hands.  And it is unique, I'll give you that.  But in addition to the pressure to be well-groomed, fit, competent at all things, on time, a financial whiz, document your unique style with a quirky personal flair, be a cleaning machine, have a nutritious cooked-from-scratch meal on the table at 5pm sharp, and whip up themed parties for 12-50 people within 24 hours, now I have to ponder if my naked bottles are an offense to momkind?

No.

I'm over it.  I'm going to soldier on in my bottle-cozy-less life, and hope for the best.  Wish me luck.

Birthday "Cake"

This year's birthday was a mixed bag of meh, ugh, and YES.

The meh: It was mostly "just another day".  I worked, M worked late, I didn't sleep well, and I made my own cake.

The ugh: The kids fought most of the day.  There was some yelling, a few tears, and a couple of time outs.

The YES: I didn't cook, I bought new jeans, I received a number of birthday texts and emails, we had pizza for dinner (and for a change, I ordered the kind I wanted), and the "cake" was awesome.

So let's talk about cake.

Technically, it wasn't a cake, but a dessert.   I made a recipe that I had Pinned over a year ago.  It's titled Brownie-bottom Coconut Chocolate Cream Cake.  I've been on a coconut kick lately, so this sounded amazing.... and it lived up to its delicious title. I won't include the recipe, because it is not mine to share.  I will say this is probably one of the most complex recipe I've ever attempted.  It wasn't difficult, but it was time consuming.  I made the brownies one day, the coconut & chocolate layers another (about 6 hours apart), and the whipped cream the day it was served.

Layer 1: Brownie.  Any recipe will do.  I used the Hershey's Ultimate Brownie Recipe.  Of all the fancy brownie recipes I've tried, it's my favorite.  Next time I would omit the chocolate chips.... it just seemed like a bit much.  

Layer 2: Coconut cream.  Y.U.M.  I went the extra mile and ground down the coconut in the food processor.  It makes it a little more fine and less stringy.  Worth the extra 3 minutes.  Sprinkled between the brownie & the coconut cream are bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate chips.  A-mazing. 

Layer 3: Chocolate cream (it's a mousse).  Essentially this is a ganache with whipped cream folded into it.  I never knew that was how you made chocolate mousse.  This may be very dangerous knowledge.  

Layer 4: Whipped cream topped with toasted coconut.  The one thing I did not like about this recipe was using gelatin to "stabilize" the whipped cream.  I think it was too warm when it was time to add it to the partially whipped cream, and I ended up with bits of unflavored gelatin floating in the whipped cream.  Not horrible, but it randomly ruined the mouthfeel of the dessert.  

Pros: Amazing taste, not too chocolate-y or coconut-y, looks fancy. 

Cons: Takes a long time to make, gelatin bits in the whipped cream, and the brownie layer was pretty heavy.  

Verdict: I would absolutely make this again.  Next time I would leave out the chocolate chips in the brownie, halve the amount of brownie in the bottom layer, and possibly leave out the gelatin from the whipped cream.  

Is This Thing On?

After not posting for over a month, I guess it's time to face up to the fact that I DO still have a blog.  Poor neglected blog.  Like so many other things this summer, I have not been giving you enough attention.  I'll try to remedy that in August.

July recap:  Although there is a lot to say, I'm not sure how much is worth sharing.

Mostly, I struggled in July.

I finally took my Boot off and started Physical Therapy.  After just a few weeks, all was well enough that the doc told me I could stop.  I - and my wallet - were happy.  But I was also frustrated at the slow, slow progress I was (am) making.

I realize I was much too optimistic about my recovery.  That there is no way I am ready to run, despite being 3 1/2 months out from surgery.  That I can't even do a jumping jack yet.  That I will most likely take the next 6 months to rebuild the muscle I lost during recovery.

It has been humbling.

But I am trying hard to get back to my normal physical activity.  I'm on the spin bike.  I'm walking the neighborhood.  And best of all, I find that I can strength train again - specifically that I can squat.  It seems silly to be so relieved about being able to bend down, but I am.  I really am.  I'm doing the Basic 4 workout found on Go Kaleo and I am eager to regain some muscle tone.  Overall, gentle activity is making the biggest difference and I am hopeful that if I am consistent in August, I may be able to break into a slow jog in September.

Despite these struggles, I've enjoyed this summer.  After the craziness of school, sports, dance, choir, church, and work, the slower pace has been a relief.  And I think I have savored everything a little more just knowing that J will start Kindergarten in a few short weeks.  I am excited (mostly about not writing any more checks to preschool) but it's bittersweet too.  He's my baby boy and although he is more than ready for K (despite having sudden, uncharacteristic anxiety about it), it is yet another signal of life moving on & continuing to speed up.  It also feels incredibly selfish to say, but the start of school also means a few hours of alone time, too.  I've had little shadows for the last 9 years and now that they will both be in school full time, I will (hopefully) have 2-3 hours to myself each weekday.  Honestly, it's hard to fathom right now.  I can watch what I want on TV?  I can read a book without interruption?  I can clean without tiny tornadoes descending behind me? I can get in a workout without having to stop to regulate a dispute, refill a cup of milk, or answer 4,612 questions?  Inconceivable!

Other events in July:  I sold my jogging stroller, we updated the downstairs bathroom, Mega Sports & Art Camp for M (she did soccer), she also lost another tooth (#9), I signed up for Instagram - mostly to keep up with a friend who no longer blogs (you know who you are), we went to the pool a few times, found out a good friend is expecting her first baby, passed through the first step in getting M's medical license, attended our first recruiting dinner (that was an eye-opener!), and ..... that's about it.

Yep, that is a BLUE bathroom.  It looks amazing with the (newly) white trim. 

Soccer Star!

The Tooth Fairy came.

Friday Notes (on Wednesday?)

1. My cast is off!  It was a happy, happy day indeed.  Of course I do have a lovely (and heavy!) boot to wear for a few weeks, but I have been released to hobble around the house without it.  Doc says I am healing well, and I start physical therapy in 2 weeks.  The only downside is that for now my foot is swollen, stiff, and weak.  And I have a cankle, but only on the left side.  This looks especially great with the lack of discernible calf muscle.  Yep, I'm totally bringing the sexy back.  
   
2. In celebration of the above, I also bought the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette.  (Let's face it, I had a gift card to spend).  L-O-V-E it.  It has 6 neutral, basic colors that can be applied for both day and night looks.  I am completely hooked on this.
   
   
   
   
3. I also bought a 'whitening' toothpaste.  Although my yellowed beaver teeth have been bothering me for a while, it didn't bother me enough to do anything about it until I found this on super sale at Walgreens.  I don't think it's working terribly well, but I'm willing to keep it up for another week or so.  The only real downside is that because it uses essential oils - including what I can only call patchouli - to mask the sensitive toothpaste formula, it tastes like I am brushing my teeth with minty dirt.  Not a refreshing sensory experience, but I am toughing it out.  Hey, can't waste that $2.49!
   
4. I've discovered veryjane.com.  So much cute stuff.  You're welcome.  
5. When asked by his children what he wants for Father's Day, my husband's response was "To not have to take you to see Epic".  Father's Day= fulfilled.  
6. Matt harvested 2 1/2 gallons of honey from the hive.  Now when the Apocalypse comes, we have something to barter with.   
   

Weekly Recap: May 2013

Not sure exactly why I'm doing a weekly recap, as it wasn't anything super special.  Mostly because it's the first Saturday in 2 months that we didn't spend scrambling to gather our stuff and blast out the door to make it to a soccer game.

So essentially, because I can.

First, here is my mini Iron Man.  He had the pleasure of attending a mid-week birthday party for one of his pals, and had a BLAST.  I think the highlight was when he had the fastest time on the obstacle course.  Yep, small but speedy.

Second, I cut myself some bangs (gratuitous selfie alert!).  I still love my new haircut, but am having trouble styling it.  It is wavering into dork territory, and I thought I'd help out by adding some bangs.  Love it when it's pulled back, and it's very ugly-chic when down.  I'm sort of enjoying it.  

Finally, I thought I had posted this last month, but along with the other minor kitchen upgrades, we got rid of the hideous ceiling fan & swapped in track lighting. 

Before (moving day) 

After

We'd talked for months about ditching the ceiling fan, and once it began to buzz and flicker like an electrical fire waiting to happen, April suddenly seemed like a GREAT time to make that swap.  

I went back and forth for days about simply replacing the fan with a more attractive version.  I don't care for ceiling fans in the kitchen, but they are definitely practical in the summer months.  In the end, aesthetics won out.  After all, we do have central a/c.  

I initially ordered a track light from Home Depot and LOVED it.... but of course it arrived broken.  It was just a single shattered light cover, so I had high hopes that it could be easily replaced.  

But, NO.  

I was told that because the product was Made in China (and um, what isn't these days??) that no replacement parts were available.  And of course it took me several hours and 2 phone calls to get this Final Word on the matter.  I was incredibly irritated (and so was my husband, who had proceeded to begin installation due to the assurances of the FIRST customer service rep I spoke to), so that night we drove the 30 minutes to the nearest Home Depot to return the broken light.  And then went to Lowe's and bought a replacement that was half the cost and works just fine.  Food prep is much more fun now that I have a bright kitchen to work in!

Chopped

You know I am a little weird about my hair.  It's truly a love/ hate relationship.  

And every time we move, I feel like I have to start over again - figuring out what shampoo, conditioner, styling treatments, and tools work best with the new climate and kind of water. 

And of course, I am resistant to change, so that's fun, too.  

I liked my long hair, but I had to face up to the fact that it wasn't working for me.  Or maybe I just really needed to switch things up.... after all, it has been a year of major change for me, so what's one more?  I've been thinking for months that it was time for a major trim, and it turned into me sitting in the chair and saying "Cut it off".  

So I did it....

Before

After

5" gone and I actually love it.  

I was very fearful of descending into Old Mom haircut territory, but this makes me feel cute and sassy and I am hoping it will keep me cooler for the summer, too.  It looks like I darkened it, but I didn't - it's just different lighting.  And I can still pull it into a ponytail, so there's that.  

What do you think?

Notes from Recovery

• Although I planned and prepped, one thing I didn't anticipate was how helpless I would feel on crutches.  Hobbling even short distances is exhausting, and it never even crossed my mind that I wouldn't be able to carry ANYTHING unless it was tucked into my cleavage.  Looks like I'll be pulling out my old backpack when I return to work next week - because I can't even manage a small purse much less purse, lunch, coat, etc.  

(waterbottle tucked into my sports bra)

• The upside to the cast/ crutches is that my arms and right side are getting a workout!  My balance on the right side is vastly improved in just a week, and I don't need to worry about working out my upper body - hauling myself around on crutches means a constant arm/ shoulder/ ab workout.  
• Sherlock on Netflix is brilliant.  I am sad that season 3 won't be out for months.  
• I mentioned this years ago after having Big J, but seriously - someone needs to open a drive-through mini mart.  It's probably best that there is not one locally, as I would have cleaned them out of People magazine and ice cream, but I still think it's a brilliant idea.  
• Next to freezing a bunch of meals, the smartest thing I did was to have Husband install a handheld showerhead in the downstairs bath.  I would be one stinky girl right now if I was trying to clean up using a traditional shower & a trash bag wrapped around my cast.  
• This actually happened prior to surgery (the day before, in fact), but it's worth including here:  

The note reads: My Mommy gave me a bath and I said thank you by chewing off the cord to her steam cleaner.  And I'm not sorry!  ~Luke

He's a good boy 80% of the time..... but the other 20%... look out. 

It's a good thing I am on one leg right now (and unable to clean anything), so I'll have time to save up for a new steam cleaner.    

The Vicodin Detox Diet: Do Not Recommend!

Consider this a Cautionary Tale.... A Life Tip.... a Do Not Recommend.....

I was given Vicodin to manage the pain after my surgery.  

I had anticipated this, but didn't think much of it.  

I started to write a detailed story about my experience, but I think I am going to condense the message to this: 

Vicodin is not my friend.  

2 days of following the prescribed doses gave me 3 days of misery and the cleanest gut in town.

Not worth it. 

And now, pictures!  

Yesterday I had my soft splint taken off & a hard cast put on. 

This is the side that had the work done: 

The tape around the back side closed the 2nd incision they had to make to get out the os trigonum.  It was so large they HAD to make another cut to remove it.  

This is the inside of the ankle.  Lots of bruising, and on the top you can see one of the sutures where they inserted the arthroscope.  

I picked blue for the cast.  I know, you probably thought I'd go with black, but I was feeling spring-y.  And the pink was REALLY bright.  

4 weeks in this bad boy, and then I get to move to a walking cast.  I am counting down the days.  

Crazy Hair Day

Big Sis was SO EXCITED when her school announced they were going to have a Crazy Hair Day.  For a $1 donation, the students could participate.  

A grooming challenge?  Right up her alley. 

So I hopped on Pinterest, and showed her a picture I had pinned months ago.  She was game, and supplies were gathered.  And then we had a Snow Day!   

She was bummed, but then relieved when CHD was re-scheduled.  

We woke up early and made the magic happen.

Supplies:

• Styrofoam cones (Dollar Tree)
• Hair elastics
• Ribbon
• Pink spray-on hair color (Sally Beauty)
• Hair pins/ bobby pins

If I had to rate the results, I'd give myself a 6/10.  But from the reactions she got at school, I feel like I earned a gold star and a chocolate cupcake.  She even had her picture taken with the principal!  His long blonde wig had nothin' on this pink confection.  Now to plan for next year.....

Health & Wellness, Part II

On to part II...

And the ankle?  After waiting for weeks, and calling multiple times to see if I could move up my appointment (persistence pays off) I visited a local podiatrist in February.  I had X-rays and an MRI, then I was referred to a surgeon in Columbus.  Apparently my old injury has developed into an Os Trigonum.... sort of a bony protuberance that was grinding between my joint.

(image from lowerextremityreview.com)

I went to see the surgeon this week, and it looks like I'm headed for a surgical repair in April.  You know it's not going to end easily or painlessly when your doctor looks at your X-rays and says "Wow".  Other than removing the Os Trigonum, he plans to drain fluid, remove scar tissue, and tighten up ligaments.

Side note:  I first talked to the Fellow, who chatted me up about the problems I was having.  When he left the room, Husband looked at me and asked what I was doing.

I was puzzled... I was telling the doctor about my ankle.  According to Husband, if I was his patient, he would have been ready to send me home.  Apparently I was minimizing the issues, and making it seem like 'nothing'.  Perception is a funny thing, isn't it?

After thinking about it, I realized I probably was minimizing the problem. To me, if it was bad enough to finally be seeing a doctor, it was very bad.  But that was not what I was saying.  So when the surgeon came in, I was more descriptive and open about the pain and the problems.   On another tangent, I recently listened to a podcast about women's health issues, and apparently it is more common than not for women to brush off signs and symptoms of larger medical issues.... good to know that I am not the only one trying to be a stoic.....

And the procedure is scheduled!

I am completely freaked out, especially when I think of 4 weeks in a cast with crutches, 2 weeks of a walking cast, 2 weeks of a boot, and a final 6 weeks of physical therapy.  Good thing I didn't sign up for that 5K at the beginning of June!

I'm trying not to think of the hours of boredom, the healing, the lack of activity, or the loss of muscle tone, and instead focus on the hope that by my birthday I should be released for full activity.  And that the end of November may bring a 3 mile run without pain.  Plus, I plan to catch up on some of the reading I haven't been doing in the last 6 months.  I spent my morning adding 15 books to my library "want-to-read" list.

I AM looking for suggestions on shows to stream on Netflix, any good books, and yummy freezer meals.  Oh, and if you've got an automatic vehicle I could borrow for 6 weeks, could you give me a call?

Health & Wellness

Ok, this is probably going to be a crazy long & super boring post.  Don't say I didn't warn you.

Back in December I blogged about how I've been on a fitness kick & lost 25 lbs.  Yes, I am keeping them off, and working to continue to increase my fitness.  A big part of that was doing the Chalean Extreme program.  Although it's billed as Circuit Training, it's really Strength Training.  And it's about lifting heavy weights for just one set of 8-12 reps.  I felt like I needed a new challenge after completing 2 months of Jillian DVD's, so I started it at the beginning of December.

At this point, let me add my disclaimer: I did not follow the full program.  It's a 5-day-a-week schedule, with 3 days of lifting, and 2 days of circuits + abs.  The first 10 days or so I was exhausted from adjusting to lifting to such heavy weights.  I continued to walk and do some light abs on the non-weight days, but did not do the circuit workouts more than a few times.  In January I added in biking.

After 3 weeks, I started having lots of problems with my ankle.  This was an old, chronic injury flaring up and it was very painful. In fact, I woke up on New Year's barely able to walk at all.  I continued to lift, but moved from walking outside to biking inside.  I wanted something that was almost no-impact, and with the icy weather we were having, it was the perfect time to start light Spinning.

My ankle continued to bother me, and nothing helped - Motrin, ice, heat, stretching, strengthening - nothing.  I had to modify some of the squats and lunges, and yes, it finally bothered me enough that I made an appointment with a podiatrist.

I completed all 12 weeks of Chalean Extreme, and I don't think I've ever been so happy to finish something.  Results?  Well, I won't lie.... after plateauing for 3 months, I had no interest in taking my measurement.  I was just..... done.  That last month really kicked my tail.  My impressions are that my strength improved, and I think I lost a bit in inches.  The work pants that were tight in the Fall, are comfortable in the waist, and baggy in the thighs.  I WILL do it again in the future.    

Part II.... coming soon.  (See, told ya it was long.)

A-Z List + 2 Funny Stories to End the Year

A. Age:  No.  No, thank you. 

B. Bed size:  Currently a queen.  Would like to have my own king-sized bed someday, in my own bedroom. 

(I kid, I kid.  A little.)

C. Chore you hate: Cleaning bathrooms.  Tedious AND Gross. 

D. Dogs: 1 beagle mix who likes to eat Christmas decorations and poop in my front room. 

E. Essential start to your day: Eggs for breakfast.  No protein = no thinking for Amy.

F. Favorite color: Blue.

G. Gold or Silver: White gold/ silver/ platinum

H. Height: 5'2"

I. Instruments you play: n/a 

J. Job Title: AA

K. Kids: 2

L. Live: I don't even know how to respond to this.  Yes, I live.  Yes, I am LIVE. I RESIDE in Ohio (for now).

M. Married: Yes, to Big Daddy: Joker, marksman, and expert bacon cooker.

N. Nicknames: Miss Amy

O. Overnight hospital stays: Only when I had my babies. 

P. Pet peeve: (how much space do we have here?)..... Sub-par restaurant food, people with no common sense, Wal-mart, commercials, grammatical errors, white cars, tight shoes, dust bunnies.

Q. Quote: “To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not, rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common - this is my symphony."
~ William Henry Channing
American Moralist, Unitarian Clergyman, & Author
1780-1842

R. Righty or Lefty:  Righty-tighty

S. Siblings:  1/2

T. Time you wake up:  Pre-dog: 7am; Post-dog: 5:30am :(

U. University attended: Fear the Fork!

V. Vegetables you dislike:  Eggplant.  SHUDDER. 

W. What makes you run late: KIDS, and husband who waits to go to the bathroom until we are all in the car & ready to leave. 

X. X-rays you've had:  Teeth & a chest X-ray once (pneumonia)

Y. Yummy food: A nice steak, medium rare. 

Z. Zoo animal favorite: River Otter

Funny Stories:

1.  Last Sunday I went to church wearing a new(ish) green dress that I really like.  I paired it with brown boots and a denim jacket on top.  I felt cute and comfortable.  Half-way through the first hour, I started wondering why I felt SO comfortable.  And I immediately realized that I had forgotten to put on a bra.  This has happened.....let's see.... NEVER.  I quickly buttoned up the jacket and said a little thank you prayer that I had worn it in the first place.  

2.  After Christmas Big Daddy, J, and I hit the mall to look for some cold weather running gear.  As I was waiting to pay, the cashier looked over at J, asked how old he is, then asked me if I was his Grandmother.  

What?

As my husband shook his head and sidled away, probably thinking I was going to go out with guns a-blaze, I waited several beats before informing my 18 year old cashier that I am his MOTHER.  She didn't even blink or appear embarrassed in the slightest.  As my husband later pointed out, this is probably more an indictment of where we live than of my personal appearance, but it still stung a little.  

And on that note, Happy New Year!  

End of the Year Confession

I've debated for weeks whether or not I should write this.  I feel like no one reads my blog so in the end, it's probably more an exercise in catharsis for me than anything really revelatory for a happenstance reader.

{Deep Breath}

I've spent the last 5 months working on my health and fitness.
And I've had some success.
In fact, I'm down 25 lbs.

Let me say it again, because I can hardly believe it:

I'VE LOST 25 POUNDS.

I wish I had a better visual, but this is what I came up with:

 

(Boy, do I wish my abs looked like that!)

I cannot remember a time when I haven't either struggled with, been unhappy with, or thought about my weight.  After having kids, I simply assumed that I would never be the same, and I viewed those "skinny" moms as having been blessed with a naturally fast metabolism, an amazing personal trainer, or  a talented plastic surgeon - things I certainly did not have.  

Did I know about the uber-secret formula: Eat Less and Move More?  Yes, I was aware.  But I just couldn't seem to put both the pieces together. I've started many exercise programs, but always been reluctant to track my food. And I firmly believe that food is 80% of the equation.  Anyone who tells you that losing weight is simple or easy is lying.  Anyone who tells you it is worth it is being honest.  

Part of me sometimes wonders what took me so long to figure this out, but that seems a bit defeatist.  Instead, I am trying to appreciate the benefits here and now.  

I don't feel the need to share my tipping point, but I will say that once it happened, there was no looking back.  I began by joining Weight Watchers, plunging in with a full 12 week commitment.  I'll be frank - I didn't love it.  I bear the blame for some of that.  After the first few weeks my schedule became really busy, and I wasn't able to attend meetings regularly or for the full amount of time.  I also resisted having to convert all the foods into points.  The Type-A in me kept thinking "What makes Weight Watchers so special that they can't just count calories like everyone else?".  I know, I was sort of doomed from the start.    

But I did have success and I lost each week.  

After the first few months, I switched to an iPhone app called My Fitness Pal, and it has been a huge part of my success. I set a calorie goal based on my desired weight loss, and I can track my food, water, and activity.  It allows me to track what I eat using a database of thousands of foods.  I can also input my own recipes and it will formulate the breakdown of calories, fat, protein, etc.  I use it multiple times a day.  I now eat between 1300-1500 calories per day, and I do eat back my exercise calories.  I record everything I eat, but I don't deprive myself.  If I want some ice cream, or I know I am going out to dinner, I make sure I have the calories to enjoy myself.  It can be done!   

And to make this post even more illustrative, let's look at some embarrassing pictures!

                             Then                                                                             Now
                                          
As for exercise, I started doing the 30 Day Shred (again).  After I finished I moved on to Ripped In 30 (also a Jillian Michaels program), which I completed but hated.  I feel like the circuit training formula has contributed to my success.  Although I have slacked off since Thanksgiving, I am still working out 5 days a week (currently 3 days of weights, 2 days of walking or cardio).  My goal for next year is to work up to running by completing the Couch to 5K program.  I want to run a 5K in the Spring/ early Summer.  Do I love working out?  Nope.  But I love how I feel afterwards.  I love feeling like I am ready to run when I go for my walks.

I also appreciate that I did this without a gym membership, a trainer, or any expensive equipment. All I had was a smartphone, a DVD player, some handweights, and a decent pair of sneakers.  Would I love a treadmill at home?  Sure, but it's just not realistic right now.  I used what I had, and again, it's working.  It CAN Be Done.  

This has been a long journey, and it is not over yet.  I was surprised at how mentally exhausting it sometimes was.  But the benefits have been awwwwwwwesome.  I always thought that the saying "Nothing Tastes As Good As Skinny Feels" was a bunch of crap.  But after 5 months, -25lbs. and feeling better than I have in 10 years, I am totally on board.  There is nothing better than hearing my husband say "You look amazing."  But if there's anything that's a close second to that, it's being able to pull on my old jeans without even unbuttoning them.  I love having my flexibility back.  I love setting a better example for my kids by exercising AND enjoy treats in moderation.  I love buying clothes that are two sizes smaller than before.  And I love not being afraid to pass by a mirror.

See, now aren't you glad you stayed to the end of this incredibly self-centered post? I mean seriously, what is more boring than reading about someone blathering on and on about weightloss?  Crap, I just bored myself to sleep, and I am both the writer and person in question.  Yawn!  Go do something!  Read a book (because I certainly haven't in the last 5 months)!

Here's to a great 2013!

 

Photo Dump and Nonsense

I know, I know.  The blogging break hasn't been intentional, but the last few weeks I feel like I've been barely hanging on.  All the usual stuff is getting done, but none of the extra stuff.  Now that soccer is over (hooray!) I'll have my Saturdays back, plus another free afternoon each week, and hopefully I can pull myself together and get a few more projects done in the next month.  

Speaking of which:

Team "Blue Thunder" ended the season at 5-1-1.  

This was a U-10 team, and had a number of players at a skill level above hers.  I think it was good, as it pushed her to work to improve.  She did awesome! 

And guess who is ready to sign up for Spring soccer?  Let's hope that practice will be on the same nights for both of them.  

Fall has peaked, but is still so beautiful here.  We've been enjoying a bit of Indian Summer (it's supposed to be 81 today), and the local colors have been spectacular.  

I've totally slacked on my William Morris posts.  But I did buy a shower curtain for the downstairs bath!  It's really out of my color comfort zone, but I looooove it and now I can't wait to get the bath all finished up (which means board & batten, painting, staining the vanity, and a new light & mirror).  

Oh yeah, and we bought curtains for the front room.  Amazingly, they go perfectly with the dark brown door and mushroom-y walls.  As you can clearly see I managed to wash them but not steam or hem them yet.  It's on the to-do list.  Yes, it's a long list. And the pile of shoes on the floor?   Just keepin' it real, y'all.  

I signed up for Birchbox and finally got my first box this month.  I was dying with anticipation!

For October there was an option to have the "regular" box, or a limited edition box curated by the folks at Goop.  I don't remember choosing this one, but it all ended well.  

I received a Luna bar, Chantecaille mascara, Eve Lom face wash with a muslin cloth, hair mask, and DDF moisturizer.  It's a win!  And Birchbox makes a lovely gift at a very reasonable price ($10/month) (hint, hint).  

This has been the extent of my Halloween decorating.  It looked weird until we hung the curtains behind, and now it looks awesome.  Also looks amazing when the curtains are open, and the moon shines through the window, casting bat shadows on the inside walls.  Spoooooooky!

I been suffering from a case of "perfectionism procrastination" in the kitchen/ dining room.  I was sure I wanted to paint it blue-ish, and even went so far as to buy color samples.... then didn't like them.  So I've had patches of blue paint on my walls for about a month while I mull over my options.  And this is why I don't have people over very often.  

Blue is out, and I'm about ready to just take the leftover gallon of paint from the front room & swath the kitchen/ dining room in Creamy Mushroom.  Stayed tuned for more (hopefully sooner rather than later). 

Oh hey, since we're talking about the kitchen, let's talk about what happens when your dishwasher leaks all over your laminate floor: Unsightly bubbles and a ruined floor!  Whomever thought laminate was appropriate for a kitchen was w-r-o-n-g.  So now we've got a new dishwasher on order, and have to (eventually) replace the floor in the kitchen.  It's really only bad around the dishwasher, so we're going to hold off until after the holidays ($$$$).  In the meantime I grabbed 2 samples of a faux-cork floor.  My cabinets are a brown similar to the floor (seen here), so I thought these might provide a nice contrast to all.the.brown.  This material is a vinyl plank that looks like cork.  We used the vinyl plank in our master bath, and it is fab and really reasonable in price.  I'm also thinking that the cork would provide a nice contrast against the existing laminate, as we will only replace the kitchen area, creating a transition between the dining room and kitchen (all one area).  

Finally, I've been enjoying the gorgeous weather by taking walks in the evening.  Yesterday I mixed things up by taking M to dance, then parking in a downtown residential neighborhood.  I walked the surrounding blocks, and marveled at the gorgeous homes, fall colors, and unique features of our tiny town.  

This is Mound Cemetery.  The large hill seen here is an "earthwork" built between 800BC and 700AD.  It is a national landmark, and the grounds surrounding it contain, among others, the highest number of Revolutionary War officers of any cemetery in the nation.