Summer sweetness

This morning I took the girls out for a quick trip to a local 'u-pick' farm to get some fresh strawberries. Nothing like fresh, sweet strawberries in the summertime.

I was blog-surfing the other day and happened upon a blog in which there was mention of making delicious ice cream (complete with a cute picture of her little girl in a pink straw hat enjoying said ice cream). It served as a reminder that we need to use the handy-dandy ice cream maker we have tucked away in the basement more often. The strawberries we picked will add just the right touch to a foray into creamy culinary goodness. More on that later.

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In other news: I. am. pathetic.

Not like that is even blog-worthy news. But, I just had to state it for the record. Because it is so true.

I feel like an 80-year-old woman when I try to walk up and down stairs. One at a time. I creak when I stand up from a sitting position and I wince in pain when I try to sit back down. Stationary is good right now. Being still is painless. Movement, however, is not.

And it's all Jillian Michael's fault.

Well, sort of.

Ok, so it's also sort of my fault for thinking I could halt all exercise (aside from my occasional morning walks) for a loooong period of time and then just jump (literally!) right back in.

I tried the Level 1 workout on the above linked workout DVD and it KICKED MY ASS. Seriously.

It was only 20 minutes, so I figured - how hard can it be?

As it turns out...very hard. Ass-kicking, sweat-fest, heavy-breathing kind of hard.

And I'm paying the price of my own stupidity today (and Jillian's ruthlessness, let us not forget her role in all of this! Bitch. Meanie.)

Oh. And the jumping jacks served as a very potent reminder to do my kegels more frequently.

I'm just saying... (three pumpkin-headed babies will do that to a girl, ya know...)

Exhibits 1-3

I rest my case.

Random Blogging

Catching up on happenings in the land of Elastic Waistland. Be prepared for random thoughts, scenic detours, and general meanderings. If any of that sort of thing offends your blogger's sense of style feel free to click along to someplace more palatable.

Where to begin.

Well, the school year is off to a good start. I have my handy-dandy planner and we have all settled in with the fall schedule fairly well. I have days where it just seems like I spend all my time in the car shuttling kids between various activities and engagements with barely a moment to catch my breath, but there are also days that are more laid back and I can actually sneak a few pages of my current read before running off to the next pick-up, drop-off or errand. Alas, the house could be cleaner, the dishes sometimes sit in the sink until dinnertime, and there is still a pile of mulch in the driveway that needs to be dealt with at some point (hopefully before the snow flies!) but, all in all, life is chugging along fairly smoothly. And I'm not one to worry my little head over a layer of dust, toys strewn hither and yon, or those aforementioned dishes that sit in the sink for a while. Life is much too short.

R just started her art classes and she is enjoying the subject of "Fairies" that all the projects will be centered around. This past week they worked with real leaves as templates and colored their creations with pastel crayons. I'll post a picture when she brings home that project - she is off to a very nice start. Swim classes are going very well and she is getting much better at her standing dive. After her classes on Saturday mornings I've been trying to get in a workout at the Y. I drop her in the childcare area and head to the gym for a while before we head home in time for lunch. The two younger girls are home that morning with Rick. It's the only time I get to workout at the Y right now because the issue with little Miss Cling-E is still going strong. In fact, the last visit to the Y all I had to do to elicit screams of terror was to walk into the childcare area with her by my side. She wanted NOTHING to do with the place. She also has a screaming fit whenever we approach the showers for some unknown reason. My best guess on that one is that she is afraid she will get wet but this even happens when she is wearing a swimsuit so it might just be the noise and confusion. Good times. (not really)

A is enjoying swim classes and her weekly gymnastics as well. She recently decided she wants to be on the gymnastics team. I told her to keep working hard on her skills and maybe in a few years she'll be invited to join the team. She wasn't too pleased with that answer and we'll see how much longer she actually stays interested in the sport! For a while now she has been angling for horse-back riding lessons but I've explained that they are very expensive and that she needs to be a bit older before she can start. She has also mentioned more than once that she wants to be a horse-back rider when she grows up (although today she added the possibility of being a tie-dye maker/mom...we have a friend in mommy group who has a home-based tie-dye business). So, who knows what her plans will be tomorrow...or the day after that.

I've been spending Tuesday mornings at R's school helping out in any way I can with the classroom teacher or the librarian. This past week I spent time trying to do some copying (but the machine was getting jammed so I took the project with me and decided to get it done at the copy shop and donate the cost of the copies to the classroom) and processing library books that were headed for the shelves. I also spent time there on Friday last week helping with the hearing screenings. I served as hall monitor and kept the noise to a dull roar and ushered kids in and out as necessary. The audiologist in charge of the hearing screenings was my grad school supervisor so we got a chance to catch up on life in general and on goings-on in the department.

On Tuesdays E spends time with my in-laws and although she is otherwise super clingy and in hyper stranger anxiety mode she is more than pleased to go to grandma and grandad's house for the morning. She barely gives me a second glance, let alone a kiss goodbye, on those mornings. So, there is hope! She even allowed our neighbor (who also has a home daycare) to babysit her here at home with her sisters while Rick and I went to the 1.5 hour curriculum night at school last week. Baby steps... Some day I will get to utilize my Y membership to its fullest potential!

In other news, I'm trying to get back on the wagon and reign in my eating and increase my exercise once again. I've done pretty well with the walking regime (3.5 or so miles in the morning) but I've slacked off a lot in the high intensity cardio and the strength training sessions that I was doing last spring. So, the reduction in exercise and the increase in food intake - which seems to happen whenever I don't keep a food diary - has caused a 7# gain since early May. I started using my LifeForm program again to keep myself accountable and I even recently managed a couple of hikes to a beautiful overlook here in the southern part of our little New England town. The view from up there is so beautiful. The leaves are just beginning to turn so it was not quite the colorful spectacle that will appear in a week or two, but it is still a great place for a hike. The first hike was a solo one during the scant couple of hours I had between dropping off and picking up A from a friend's birthday party. It was a good hike for the soul to sweat it out on the way up the mountain and then relax and enjoy the views from the top in solitude. I needed that time to regroup and refresh. Last Friday, Rick and I took advantage of some gorgeous and unseasonably warm October weather and hiked the mountain again. My in-laws babysat for us and we had ourselves a very nice date night - hiking the mountain followed by dinner at a local brewery and then a movie at the small theater in town. Good times! (really!)

This past weekend was A's 5th birthday party. I plan to post some pictures of that soon. She had a dog party with a slight emphasis on pink poodles and she and her preschool friends had a very nice time together on Saturday afternoon. Next weekend we are heading to the Cape and spending some time with my family (both immediate and extended) for a big celebration and the following weekend is Miss E's 2nd birthday which will be a much smaller and more relaxed event.

That about wraps up the events of late in the E.W. and the busy life of yours truly.

It's Fun to Stay at the Y-M-C-A!

Sing it with me now...

Young man, there's no need to feel down.
I said, young man, pick yourself off the ground.
I said, young man, 'cause you're in a new town
There's no need to be unhappy.
Young man, there's a place you can go
I said, young man, when you're short on your dough.
You can stay there, and I'm sure you will find
Many ways to have a good time.
It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.
It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.

(Village People)

Today I took the leap and paid for a membership to the local Y! Actually, I signed up the girls for swim classes and in doing so realized that the cost differential to becoming a member and getting membership rates for the swim classes differed by not a whole lot. So, we are now proud, card-carrying, sweatband-wearing members of the YMCA!

Hmmm....

I guess that means I should actually USE said card to get my butt in gear this fall and achieve the results that have been eluding me this summer. I have been backsliding over the course of the last few months to the tune of about 5 pounds. I also know my fitness level has dropped off since May because I have not kept up with the sculpting and aerobic sessions. I have been walking quite a bit some weeks but not so much on other weeks. I am still fitting, mostly, in my clothes but they do feel a bit more snug than they did back in May. And I just don't feel as good as I did back in the spring.

Time to get back on track. Hopefully, the new gym membership will be a good way to get some of that motivation back that I had at the start of the new year. I am going to try to walk in the mornings, per usual, with Lauri and then at least a couple of times a week I hope to hit the gym while R and A are at school. E can come along and spend some play time at the FREE childcare center (what a bonus!). I need to look over the classes schedules and see if any will fit the bill - they have a ton of different styles of workouts which is great. I think having a scheduled class time will help with the follow through and it will be more fun working out with other people rather that in front of the TV screen.

While we were there today getting signed up (which was not a straight-forward process due to the fact that I did not bring a canceled check to sign up for the automatic checking transfer payment method....) we got a tour of the facility and it seems great! Aside from the (free!) childcare rooms, they also have a raquetball court, two studios for fitness classes, two pools, and the usual exercise room with weight machines and various cardio machines. There were plenty of machines and I imagine I won't be waiting to use any of them if I go during weekday mornings. And in the "over 18" locker rooms they also have a sauna and hot tub. Once I get the kids safely checked into child care rooms I can utilize those facilities as well. I might have to visit there more often for some basic R&R as part of my "(mental) health and fitness" regime....

As for the main reason for getting the membership...the swim classes! I had hoped to sign R and A up for classes on the same day at the same time if at all possible. Even back-to-back sessions on the same day would have been okay. However, I was so late in signing up that I ended up with A in a Wednesday afternoon session and R in a Saturday morning session. Sigh. It will be a hectic eight weeks -- but it is only eight weeks -- and perhaps for the second fall session I'll be lucky enough to consolidate their classes into one trip.

Between swim classes and exercise classes, I have a feeling that the Y is going to start to feel like my second home...at least I'll be getting my money's worth!

Ups and downs

I don't feel very motivated these days. I can't even seem to muster up the effort to get a few pics posted of the latest VA adventure or the 4th of July festivities. I'm thinking that the heat and humidity is affecting my brain and my desire to move or think.

And the heat makes me want to drink a cold beer at the end of the day...which in turn makes me want to nosh on something...which means the scale is sliding ever so slightly upwards. Me no like. I seem to have a fair bit of luck in the late winter and spring with the weight loss efforts. I have good intentions and keep track of calories and try to work out regularly. It's the summertime that derails me and causes the backslide that often lasts into and includes the festive and food-filled holiday season from Halloween candy to New Year's toast.

Help.

I need to find some level of motivation to get back on track. I have gotten back to my morning walks for the most part, but I'm sorely lacking (but obviously not sore of muscle) in the weight-training department. I seem to need that component (combined with the calorie counting) to exact any changes on the scale. The walking is certainly good for maintenance but beyond that I don't seem to make much progress with walking. And the alcohol and the munchies are not doing me much good either.

This 'n that...

Time for a bulleted update!

* R was giving us a fair bit of sass and drama lately and we were at our wit's end with her. So, from our parenting bag of tricks we pulled the "Chore Chart Incentive Program" and it has actually worked WONDERS. Amazing what a little bribery will do. The way it works is this: she has specific chores to do each day (actually we are using it for both R and A since they were both interested in getting some cold hard cash) for which she can earn stickers on her chart. Some of the stuff they do is already part of our routine such as clearing their dishes from the table and helping with the trash and recycling. They can also earn extra stickers for helping with chores that are not generally part of their routine - like helping me vacuum or weeding in the garden - or for having particularly good behavior during the day. Each sticker earned gets them a nickel at the end of the week. This week R has done a complete 180 and has willingly done various chores and has behaved so well. I keep checking the cabinets and under beds to see if I can find the pods... This week R earned herself $2.05 and A earned $1.75. The way I figure, it's a bargain for regaining some level of peace and sanity in the house!

* I was recently invited by R's school to sit on a search committee for a new second grade teacher. I immediately agreed to do it and then second-guessed myself and wondered what the hell I was getting myself into. I have not had to do something like that in a very long time and I was extremely nervous. In the end, it all went well and I found it a valuable experience, even if I was completely brain dead after a 7-interview day that went from 8:00am to 4:00pm! Perhaps some day I will share more on that experience but for now the search committee is still "in process" with no formal decision on hires so "mums the word"...just in case someone were to stumble across this blog. Unlikely, yes...but even so...

* I'm getting back in the groove with my morning walks - the mornings have been brisk/cold but otherwise beautiful - so that's good. My basement workouts have fallen by the wayside over the last week or so because of a cold (or possible allergy...??) that has had me sniffling for a couple of weeks and now with a lovely, phlegmy cough to add to the misery. I can't seem to bring myself to doing the heavy-duty sweat-fest videos when I'm feeling this way so I'm glad I'm at least able to get in the walks most mornings. I'm now down 22 pounds and holding steady for the time being. I've been pretty good about food intake of late. Not perfect -- I could probably see faster progress if I were more strict. But, I'll take what I can get and enjoy the rest. Slow but steady wins the race, right?

* Rick has been working hard on our garden for the past couple of months and we have a nice little crop growing already. He decided to start a bunch of stuff from seed this year and set up some lights in the basement so he could get them started nice and early. He even set up programmable lights that would turn on and off at the appropriate times. Yeah, he's a geek...and I love him dearly. (It makes me want to go and order one of these.) So far, we have the following growing in our raised-bed garden (with cold frame to keep in the heat at night because we still have lows near freezing some nights): broccoli, lettuce, turnips, spinach, bush beans, and green onions. Everything planted in there, with the exception of the carrots, really took off and is growing great! Rick also started cucumber and yellow squash from seed and has those growing in separate pots that can be moved indoors if we suspect and overnight frost. Those have yet to start sprouting. And lastly, he started basil, Anaheim peppers, tomatoes, and a couple of different flowers from seed and those just recently came out from under the grow lights and he is starting to put them outside during the daytime to harden them off a bit before planting them in the ground. We are going to have a kick-ass garden this year -- all thanks to the green thumb of dear, wonderful Rick. 'Cuz left up to me we'd be doing our 'harvesting' at the local grocer every week...

I guess those are the major highlights for now.

Four Bags of Flour Gone!

Yep. I'm now down 20 pounds since Christmas. It feels good. Other than the fact that my jeans are getting ridiculously loose and I can't find a pair of jeans that fit me to save my life. Why must that be so hard? Can anyone tell me? Geesh.

But, if that's my only complaint for the moment I've got it pretty damn good.

Oh yeah, and there's that little beef I have with Mother Nature at the moment. But, I just don't feel like talking about that four-letter word right now. I'm going to enjoy the relatively warm temps (low 50s today) and the sunshine while it lasts.

I've been pretty consistent with my workouts - generally 5 to 6 days a week. I have not been walking much but getting downstairs to do a video in the evenings after the girls are in bed. I have been switching between a few different workout videos. Most recently I've tried some of the P90 workouts and found that the program is a good match for me right now so I'm adding those into my routine. I like to mix it up a bit so I don't get bored doing the same thing every night. I did that for a while with the Slim in 6 videos and started to really hate it so I haven't actually done that workout for a couple of weeks. I'll get back to it at some point but I needed a break from it.

I really hope the weather starts to cooperate a bit more - sooner rather than later. It will be nice to incorporate some hiking into my exercise routine. The girls love to go geocaching so I'm sure that will be part of our weekend fun in the coming months. And speaking of geocaching (check out geocaching.com for more information), I have a friend who is going to be doing some geocaching workshops to tourists this summer. How cool is that? Geocaching is becoming more mainstream!

Miss E. getting decidedly tired so it's time to get her down for her nap (even though she keeps saying "NO!" when I ask if she is ready for a nap...).

Ciao for now.

I LOST! I LOST!

OK, so my last post was a shout-out to the fact that I won a whole four bucks in the lottery. Some lucky slobs well south of here will be splitting the big winnings (something insane, like 80 million each after taxes...)!

So today, since I can't boast to becoming a millionaire overnight, I will instead give myself a shout-out for being the big "loser" that I am!


Today's weigh-in matched yesterday's so I can now officially say that I've dropped the equivalent of three bags of flour off my bod since the start of the new year. No wonder the exercising seems to be getting easier. I'm not trying to exercise with all those bags of flour stuck to me!


My original goal is still 20 pounds away (four more bags!) but I am quite happy with my progress thus far. I've managed to fit exercise into my daily life and I can feel myself getting stronger and I feel more definition to the muscles that are there somewhere under the flab! My eating has gotten much better and I found that after the first couple of weeks my cravings dropped off significantly and I found it much easier to stick to my goal of 1500 calories. In the beginning that seemed impossible and at first I was at about 1800 calories a day but over time I managed to feel less deprived. Now there are days that I enter my food into my computer program and I have actually had less than 1500 calories and did not feel that hungry during the course of the day. I guess it's all about what your body gets used to. Those first few weeks are tough, but I guess that's how long it takes for your body to catch up with your brain.

As for the exercise, I've been mixing up my workouts so that I don't get too bored and lose interest. So far, it's a good call. I keep thinking I should get more dreadmill workouts into the mix but the thought usually doesn't excite me too much. I need that external motivation of the person on the TV making me go farther and work harder than I would on my own. I wonder if anyone has put together a treadmill workout video or than this one? Somthing like that might do the trick!

My morning walks have not been happening this week due to the extrememly cold weather and even colder windchills so it's a good thing I have the workout videos to keep me moving. I've missed seeing Lauri in the mornings, though, so I hope we can get back to our regular walks next week. Spring should be arriving soon, right?

So, that's my diet/exercise/weight update for those of you who are still actually reading and have not clicked on to greener pastures! Those of you still hanging out here deserve some sort of prize. (Especially if you leave a comment - hint, hint...)

Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

Been busy doing a whole lot of nothing. Just the day-to-day stuff. Taking care of the kids, fitting in my workouts, daydreaming about winning the lottery, doing laundry, dishes, cleaning. You know, the usual. And actually, I did buy some tickets for the big drawing tonight. Rick would call it "a tax for people who can't do math." Well, I'm not that great at math, so I guess I'll consider that my taxes paid up for the next while - until I hear about the next BIG jackpot that has been growing because no one had the winning combination of numbers. The idea of waking up tomorrow a millionaire is a nice, big, fat daydream, I know.

But, as they say, a girl's gotta have her dreams, right?

And someone has to win that big jackpot one of these days - so why not me? You can't win if you don't play!

What would I do with all that money? Spend some, give some away, save/invest a lot. Go on vacation. Too many thoughts and ideas. Ah, the hours that could be wasted on such dreams...

Anyway. Back to reality.

I've been renting some workout videos from Netflix and testing them out for some variety in my exercise routine. Here a brief recap so far:

Billy Blanks Boot Camp - I thought this was a pretty good workout program. I worked up quite a sweat and there were parts that were more challenging than others so I have some work to do before I could make it through without modifications and rest breaks. I don't have his special "Billy Bands" that make some of the moves harder, but for now it was hard enough anyway. Update: Found a great deal on the whole Boot Camp set of DVDs and bands so that should be arriving fairly soon!

"The Firm" Series - I've tried a couple of the workouts from this series and found them to be a good workout but the women are a bit robotic. They sound so scripted and terse with no real energy or enthusiasm (especially compared to Turbo Jam where Charlene Johnson at least tries to make exercise seem like fun). So, those workouts kind of bore me. Still, they do make you work pretty hard so they are worth using again as long as it is not every day. Also, on the first run through I found their transitions a bit abrupt, but with time I'm sure it would be easier to follow.

Denise Austin - I attempted just one of her workouts recently. I say "attempted" because I got through the first 30 seconds of the warm-up and felt like chucking the DVD across the room. I COULD NOT listen to something like this for more than about thirty seconds (and that outfit in that clip! OMG - purple and yellow? And that belly cutout? At least she had on something less glaring in the one I rented - and yes, that looked like the 80's with the big hair and all, but Sweet Jesus! She looks ridiculous!). This woman is sooooo ANNOYING! That voice! And that overly cheery attitude that makes you want to just give her such a smack! She seems to just talk to hear her own voice. If that were the first workout video I tried I would have given up entirely on workout DVDs! How that woman ever made a name for herself in the fitness world is completely beyond my comprehension. She is so FAKE and did I mention how very ANNOYING she is? Good grief! Oh, and the lack of background music was another aspect of that workout that sent it right into the can. Her voice (ugh!) and nothing to drown it out? No way...moving right along.

Beach Body series - This company has a bunch of workouts on the market that are hosted by a bunch of different fitness experts. I have done some of Tony Horton's Power 90 series, Chalene Johnson's Turbo Jam series (she's a real hoot!), and Debbie Siebers Slim in 6 series. I must say that I've enjoyed all of these fitness experts and what they bring to the workouts. They seem to really enjoy what they do and they come across as real and not overly bubbly and annoying (like someone else I could mention). And the workout programs all seem to have a variety of intensity levels so you can start at a good comfort level and work your way up.

Rick commented that I'm quite opinionated about this sort of thing all of a sudden. I think he is just jealous that I'm spending time in the evenings with my new "friends" Charlene, Billy, Tony, and Debbie (but, of course, not Denise - hell no!) instead of him. Just kidding... He is actually being extremely supportive of my recent efforts and I should be thanking him publicly instead of razzing him! Thanks, Rick! I love you!

Oh! And in related news I should report that I have mostly made my way out of the Elastic Waistland! I'm wearing good old-fashioned regular waist jeans today...in black. Slimming, dontcha know. I've been wearing less and less of the elastic waisted stuff (aside from the exercise togs, of course...) and even some of the pants I bought last fall are getting a fair bit loose. Perhaps the blog will need a new title? Or perhaps it will pay homage to my workout clothes that have become a daily "habit" - both in dress and behavior.

OK, E just walked by and with her went a suspect odor...and R is due off the bus in about 10 minutes...so I must run.

I'll update with my millionaire status in the morning!

Sorry to Blog and Run...

It's been a busy week...and it's not quite over yet. We had a snow day on Wednesday so the girls (and Rick) were home on Valentine's Day. I wish I could say it was a nice, happy, calm day but it seemed like the girls were on edge all day - might've had something to do with seeing all that snow (that we have been deprived of so far this year) and yet not being able to go out and play in it because it was so FREAKIN' cold! It was windy as all get out and at times the "snow" was actually coming down in sheets of SLEET so it was not a pleasant day to go out and play in the white stuff. Bummer. And it means that we do not have packing snow AT ALL (it's actually so hard the girls can pretty much walk on it and not break through very often at all) so we can't even go make a snowman now that the storm has passed. Blah. So, basically things were a bit rough on Valentine's Day because the girls could not play well together - ugh. In the afternoon I popped some popcorn and then we all went downstairs and watched "Dreamer" together - cute movie. Not one the girls would have picked to watch on their own but it was a nice to watch it together as a family and they did enjoy it.

Yesterday was the delayed Valentine's Celebrations at school and the girls brought home plenty of cute Valentine's cards as well as the usual slew of candy that goes along with that. They've been on quite the sugar high! In the afternoon, I got to baking the cupcakes for R to bring into school for her birthday celebration. Since she has requested a frog themed party for Saturday I decided to make the classroom cupcakes in the same theme. Here's the birthday girl with mom's froggy creations!


In case anyone was wondering - the eyes are made with those white candies that they sell for melting and pouring into molds and a chocolate chip for the center and then I used shoestring licorice for the mouth.

Tomorrow is R's 7th birthday - SEVENTH? Yikes. That means she is more than half-way to becoming a teenager?! Oy. And I'm already seeing signs of teenaged attitude...maybe she's getting it out of her system early? (Shut up. Leave me to my delusions.) She has invited some friends from her class for an afternoon froggy party. I just pulled the cake out of the oven and once it's cooled I can get to the frosting and decorating part. A is off on a playdate with a friend and she actually has a Valentine party to attend this afternoon (postponed due to that dratted snow). So, it's just me and E for today and I'm busy with party prep and getting this house cleaned. (Why do I bother? It will be ransacked by a bunch of 6- and 7-year-olds tomorrow anyway...). I'll be happy when tomorrow afternoon is over and done with. I know R will have fun but I'm already getting party burnout from the last couple of weeks of gathering all the "stuff" and making all the preparations.

And speaking of burning out....I have been keeping up with my exercising this week and the eating has been going pretty well. I did Burn it Up on Monday and Tuesday but on Wendesday I tried to do the workout and practically fell flat on my face. I could NOT. Move. My. Muscles. No way, no how. I was in burn out mode, I think. I stopped the workout after 15 minutes then went to bed early and CRASHED mightily. I guess my body was saying "ENOUGH!" But, I jumped back in last night and it went MUCH better, so I feel like I'm still on track. I just need to give my body more breaks and not follow the schedule that comes with the workout program - they do say "listen to your body" so I'll go at my own pace and I'm sure I'll still see the results. It will just take a little longer and that is fine.

OK, so I've gotta run now. I will be back after the party with pictures of the festivities to share!

Have a good one!

In Which I Manage to Get Off My Lazy Ass...

Today was pretty slothful overall, but I did get some cupcakes baked for the bake sale at church (cookies just seemed too time consuming - what with the multiple batches to go in and out of the oven...). I frosted them after the kids were in bed and drew little hearts on each one with that gel-writer-frosting-stuff that comes in a tube.

After I finished the cupcake chore I went downstairs and forced myself to do day 6 of the Slim in 6 program (still working on the 'phase 2' workout called "Ramp it Up"). Tomorrow is my rest day - which is a good thing because I won't find much time to exercise given the fact that it's church day and Rick and I have date-night scheduled. I am finding that the evenings are the easiest time to get the exercise chore completed. And even when I'm tired and don't feel like it I find that once I get it over and done with I feel so much better. Funny how that works. ;-) So, I completed my first full week of "Ramp it Up" and if I follow the recommended schedule I am supposed to do another full week of that workout. However, I'm finding that I am actually getting through that 45-minute workout without too much difficulty at this point. After my rest day tomorrow I'm going to jump right into "Burn it Up" on Monday. It's a 60-minute program, which may very well burn my ass to smithereens, but I'm willing to give it a shot anyway. I can always revert back to "Ramp it Up" on Tuesday if I feel like it's too much, too soon.

Time to go relax on the couch with Rick and work on my knitting (still working on a pair of socks that seems to be taking forever because I am not finding much time to knit these days...).

Kickin' Ass

It is nearly time to get my ass to bed, but I thought I'd give a brief update.

I've been doing my workout program faithfully all week. Just finished my fifth consecutive day of "phase 2" in this workout program that I'm using. I am finding that it is a little easier each time and tonight I actually did not work up as much of a sweat as I did when I first hit that "play" button earlier this week. I am building endurance and muscle! And the scale is indicating that I'm doing something right! Tomorrow is my last workout day of the week before my schedule "rest day" and I think next week I might try out the "phase 3" video since I'm doing fairly well on "phase 2". There are still a couple of spots that burn my butt a bit, but overall I'm finding it much more do-able.

Today was an "off" day as far as food was concerned. I went to church for a "crafty ladies" luncheon and of course the lunch that was provided was homemade, super yummy, and not at all diet-friendly. Gotta love the little old church ladies and their delicious recipes! But, it meant that my calorie count was a bit on the high side for today. Nothing too disasterous, though, and I'm glad I still got in my workout to counteract some of the calories. I also learned that my body is adjusting to a diet without much refined sugar. I have not had much in the way of sweets since I started tracking my food and I definitely notice that I am not craving them quite as much. Today, however, I had a cookie mid-morning (had to try one - warm from the oven, no less - while baking some oatmeal raisin cookies for a memorial service at church tomorrow...you know - just to be sure they tasted all right), and about an hour later I was literally falling asleep on the couch! But, I couldn't understand why. Then, later at church I had some dessert and again I was feeling logy and out of sorts this afternoon. It was not until much later that I put two and two together and realized that I was likely experiencing a sugar crash. Doh. Amazing how quickly the body adapts and equally amazing how crappy refined sugar can make me feel now that I've decreased my exposure to it over the course of a few weeks.

Rick and I have a date night planned for Sunday - a little pre-Valentine's dinner and a movie date. I need to plan ahead that day to try to keep the calories at a decent level. I know they are going to be high - I just hope I can keep them from being SUPER high. Plus, it's my 'rest day' so I won't be working off those extra calories. Maybe I won't want to step on that scale on Monday morning...

As for the girls - a quick update: E never puked again and so far I've only taken her for brief 10-minute or less car rides. So far, so good. We can hope that she is slowly acclimating to her new perspective and that the lower, more reclined car seat is aiding in her comfort level. R just brought home her mid-year report card and she received glowing reviews! She is above grade level in reading and her math and writing skills are comparable to a 1st grader at the end of the year - so she's a good 6 months ahead in those skills as well. Her teacher noted that she has made excellent progress so far this year and indicated that we would receive more detailed notes on her progress soon (her teacher was out of school for a short while because of a death in her family so she's trying to play some catch up on some of the administrative tasks). As for little Miss A - she is continuing to love her preschool program and today she came with me to the luncheon at church. She was not thrilled about going but once we got there she settled in and was so excited that one of the women at the luncheon is a teacher who often substitutes at her preschool. She sat next to "Ann" at lunch and enjoyed chatting it up with all the ladies who asked her about preschool and about the things she likes to do.

Alright - time to go to bed! I need my beauty sleep...you know...it is not easy being this beautiful and glamorous. It really takes a lot of work...and plenty of sleep. Trust me.

In Which a Theory is Still Mostly Unproven

OK, so the stomach bug theory (unless it was a very, very, VERY short-lived one....highly doubtful) did not pan out. E was fine all day yesterday - ate well, no further eruptions, and slept well last night. The other two girls were fine - no stomach upsets, no signs of illness. Thus, I don't think it was a stomach ailment that caused the vomiting yesterday.

The car seat/new perspective theory seems to be the winner. And after trying to clean the stupid car seat out and also not being happy with it's completely upright orientation in the car, I decided to switch her to a different seat. We have a seat that used to be A's when she was still using a 5-point harness. It seems to fit in our car much better in the forward-facing position than the other one - and as a bonus it is easier to remove the cover and to clean! I also like the fact that this older car seat can be installed at a bit of a recline. E is used to being reclined rear-facing, so maybe by keeping a slight recline in the forward-facing position she'll fare better. We can hope! Today's trip to school was much shorter - I didn't forget to bring A's lunch because she is not actually staying for lunch today! So, on the short rides to and from school she did fine. Thankfully. I did not want to be dealing with another pukey load of laundry and another car seat to clean and sanitize. That might have sent me over the edge. OK, well, not really, but it might have made me cry a little and you would have had to listen to another whole venty post. Not fun.

So, today is much calmer. Still very cold out there. I did not walk again this morning. But, last night I did another 45-minute workout video. That one kicks my butt - literally. There is this one sequence where she has you on your elbows and knees and you do these leg exercises and she goes from one move, to another, to a third - all in quick succession - and MAN, does it burn my butt. Ouch. I generally don't get through the whole sequence without at least three breaks because it just hurts too much. And then the sadistic wench lady on the video says something like "If it's burning, that's good! It means it's working! So, push it a little!" in this way-too-cheery kind of voice. Makes me want to smack her. But, instead, I just push it as much as I can and grumble to myself since smacking the TV will do no good. And who am I kidding, I'm the one torturing myself anyway... But, the good news is that as of this morning I'm down 4.5 pounds since mid-January. And recently my clothes have started to feel a little looser. So, the torture is not all in vain. Still a ways to go but it's nice to have made some progress of late!

Time to get going. E just walked by and I smell something suspicious...

A Pain in the Ass

Literally.

I suffer from sciatica pain now and again. It started a number of years ago when I had an injury to my hip and the pain has come and gone over the years since. It got a lot worse during each of my pregnancies. I lived through the pain with R's pregnancy but once I was pregnant with A and had to also chase after 2-year-old R I realized I had to do something because I was never going to survive if I didn't! The pain varies from a constant dull ache, to a sharp pain that feels like someone jabbed me inside the butt/hip joint with a hot electrified poker. The pain radiates down as far as my calf muscle at times and often stops me in my tracks. Not fun. So, I found a chiropractor at that point and now I see him every so often for a readjustment when the pain flares up. Usually not more than a few times a year and sometimes I go as long as a year between visits.

I tried a new workout video a few days ago and sure enough my damn hip started to ache. I was annoyed because I've gotten into a good mindset and routine with my daily exercise and I hated the thought of being sidelined!!! So, yesterday I called my insurance company to get pre-approved and then called the chiropractor to make an appointment. Luckily, he was able to fit me in this morning. In the meantime, I was doing some research online to see what it said about exercise and sciatica and I happened to find some stretches for the hip that are supposed to help when the problem is caused by a tightening of a particular muscle in the hip that irritates the sciatic nerve. I decided to give the stretches a try to see if they helped at all. I also figured I'd keep the appointment so that he could work out any kinks since my last visit in the fall.

The stretching exercises seemed to help as the pain was gone this morning - but then again, when I have the flare ups the mornings are usually better and the pain gets worse as the day progresses. I went to my appointment this morning and my back most definitely needed some adjusting because he easily got a number of lovely-sounding cracks out of it! Of course, now my sciatic nerve is irritated by the adjustment so the pain is back and a bit worse than yesterday (that seems to be the usual course of things - it gets temporarily worse and then it goes away...for a while anyway). I'm going to take some ibuprofen and hope that things improve considerably by tomorrow. I also plan to keep up with the stretches a couple of times a day to see if that will help the muscle stay a bit looser. One can hope.

I'm not sure how often Lauri and I will get to walk this coming week - the weather forecast is calling for frigid morning temps (at or below zero) all week long. Ugh. I thought that it was bad when we walked one 8-degree morning recently - I don't care to walk when it's any colder than that, thank you very much! So, I want to be able to mix up my boring treadmill and hand weight workouts with some of the exercise videos I just got.

I've been at the diet/exercise thing for over three weeks now and I feel like I'm finally getting better control over the eating. This week I've done much better in keeping at or below my daily calorie goal and the weight loss I reportedly recently has stuck! Definitely good motivation when the numbers drop and stay down!

Time to grab some lunch and then R needs to be dropped off at a birthday party at a local indoor pool. Have a great day!

At long last...

My body has finally gotten the hint. I guess it's a bit slow on the uptake. My brain has been trying to tell it for the last few weeks that it's on a diet and exercise program to lose weight but it was staunchly refusing to get the hint until recently.

I think that's what makes dieting so hard for me. My body's ability to lose weight is about two weeks behind my brain. The will-power and determination kicks in right away but the progress is so slow going at first that I get easily frustrated. Around two weeks into it is when i start to say "hey, this isn't working...why bother?" as I did in a recent post. But, then I have to tell myself to stay the course and see if another week or so will make a difference. And it did. Over the course of the last few days I've steadily seen the scale drop in tiny increments and today I was a full two pounds lighter than I have been for the last few weeks. When the first drop in the scale appeared a few days ago I was hesitant to believe it would 'stick' - it was a small enough amount that it could have been chalked up to a normal weight fluctuation. I figured I was going to see it inch back up the next morning. However, much to my delight there was another small drop the next morning and yet another this morning when I stepped on the scale. It was a relief to finally see a change in the right direction and it gave me the motivation to just keep doing what I'm doing.

I walked in the freezing cold yesterday with Lauri. I think it was below 10 degrees - brrrrr.... I know Lauri is generally willing to brave the cold weather (especially when she has company to help pass the time) so I threw on the front light and went to get dressed. When I came back I saw that she had turned her light on and knew that we both crazy enough to face the cold for a bit of exercise. And man, did my legs get cold. They were as red as lobsters when I got home, but it was good to get the exercise over and done with for the day. The ways things went for the remainder of the day it was not possible for me to fit it in at any other time. I had hoped to maybe do a quick upper body workout in the afternoon but it never did happen so that's on tap for today at some point...I hope. It depends on how nap time/bedtime works out today...

Today I get a little reprieve from the "Mom Job". My MIL is due over at any minute to hold down the fort while E naps so I can run out for a quick lunch with one of my friends. It has to be quick because I need to be back to preschool to pick up A at 12:45. So, it will be brief, but I will enjoy every second of it. And I will do my best to pick something sensible from the menu so I don't end up losing ground on my recent success!

OK, my MIL just walked in the door. So, I'm off!

Be well!

Why do I bother?

Ugh. I have been at this diet/exercise thing for over two weeks now. In some ways I know I am doing my body a favor. I know I've gained some strength and stamina. I have worked through most of the initial pain of getting back into doing the exercises with hand weights and for the most part I don't have significant pains that linger for days (with the exception of the inner thigh exercise I did on Monday which left me feeling the effects for three days - ok, so that sounded naughty but it really was just a bunch of boring exercises so get your mind right out of the gutter because I don't talk about that stuff on here). And I am certainly eating less crap. I am trying to eat healthier but I know I could eat more veggies and less starch - and portion control is always an issue.

But, I feel like I'm trying so hard and getting no where. In fact, I was in an annoying 'holding pattern' for the last two weeks. The scale wouldn't budge. This week I've been feeling like crap and skipped exercising for two days and now the scale budged...but in the wrong freakin' direction.

Oh, why do I bother?

I feel like I'm ready to throw in the towel and just eat what I want, when I want! Life is too short, man!

I think the cold snap we are experiencing is making things worse. I do not want to go out walking in that freezing cold. I should get on my treadmill today. That is if I can work up the motivation but it's not really looking too promising right now. I'm just pissed that my efforts have seemingly gotten me no where.

I have been telling myself that I needed to rebuild the muscle mass and that muscle weighs more than fat - so maybe I'm losing fat and it's not showing on the scale. But, seriously, how long can that be the case?

I know I need to look closer at my diet but I really like my food. I have given up a lot in the way of high-carb and/or high-fat snacks and I've tried to reduce my intake. Everywhere I read it says to lose weight I need to eat about 1500 calories. I can't say that I've done that well most days but I was just hoping the exercise would tip the balance in my favor. I am finding that magical 1500-calorie mark very difficult to achieve.

I feel like my body is my enemy. I feel like food is my enemy. I am afraid of eating the wrong things. I'm afraid of eating too much of the "right" things. Gah. This sucks.

What's that white stuff?

Woke up this morning and there was a thin layer of white stuff coating the grass and driveway. Since when are we getting snow this winter? I thought (happily, in some ways...) that we were looking at a snow-free winter this year. The girls, however, were thrilled that there was some evidence of winter out there this morning. Not possible to please everyone, I guess.

It was 5:50 when I dragged my butt out of bed and I wondered if Lauri was up for our morning walk or not. And I wondered what the roads were like. From the warm comfort of my living room they seemed clear of snow but I wondered about the possibility of icing. I glanced at Lauri's house and saw that she had not yet turned on her light. I went to the back window to turn on the back flood light to get a better look at how slippery things might be. By accident I turned on the front garage lights. Twice. The switches are next to each other and I was not yet awake. The conditions seemed pleasant enough - temp was around 30, snow was minimal, and falling from the sky were tiny, fluffy flakes of snow. I went to the front windows again and this time I noticed that Lauri's front light was on (perhaps she took my fumbled attempts with the light switch as a sign?). Ok, looked like she was game so I quickly found my exercise togs and threw them on and got outside not too long after 6:00. The walk was actually very nice. The traction was fine except in a few spots where it seemed like they had not bothered to throw some salt/sand in the wee hours of the morning. But, the accumulation was minimal so it was easy going. About halfway through our walk the snow picked up pace a bit and we did get a bit damp, but it was still enjoyable and I was glad I got up and walked this morning.

The snow continued for another hour or so and we have a coating of snow that doesn't quite cover the grass completely. R looked out the window at the falling snow and said "Ya know what, mom? It would be beautiful out there if those houses were not there." She really is a daddy's girl - she loves nature and has, it seems, an innate resentment for anything that impinges on the natural world. The snow really does look lovely on the trees out back (without all those pesky roads and houses marring the view).

It is somehow Friday once again (how did that happen?) and so it is time for a trip to the museum for story time. However, A was being extremely difficult this morning and I told her "no story time trip" because she was being such a noodge. Her attitude has improved quite a bit and now I need to decide whether to recant on my earlier statement or not. It would be nice to get out of the house this morning and goodness knows she would be thrilled. I have about 15 minutes before we need to be out the door if we are going.

Tomorrow is Saturday and we have no plans but on Sunday we will be heading to my sister's for a memorial mass for my brother-in-law, Tom. He passed away 5 years ago after undergoing "routine" heart valve surgery and having something go horribly wrong. He is greatly missed. My sister and her kids (ages 11, 13, and 15) will be participating in a walk for the American Heart Association this April 29th in memory of Tom. Here's a link to their team's web page if you want to support their efforts! I'm trying to figure out if it will be possible to join their team on the day of the walk.

Ok, I guess we are going to story time so I'd better get these girls ready to get out the door. Have a great day!

Stats For The Day

E had her 15-month appointment at the doctor's office today. She is continuing to grow big (very big!) like her sisters. She was 23# 10 oz. (between 50th & 75th percentile) and she measured 32.75 inches long (above the 95th percentile) - another Amazon Princess in our midst.
She had to have two shots (double ouch!) and was not pleased with the shots or with the nurse and doctor poking and prodding her. Stranger anxiety was at an all-time high today.

This morning I got up at 6ish and walked for 30 minutes on the treadmill and did a bit of ab work. A woke up during my workout and joined me in watching part of "The Music Man" (my musical trend continues...) and just as I finished the walking and was starting the crunches R woke up and came downstairs as well and reported that E was awake and crying. So it was time to get lunches packed, breakfast made, and everyone dressed and ready for the day. A mother's work is never done.

Today finally feels more like January - my car thermometer showed a balmy 12 degrees this morning and I think we may have reached a high of 19 degrees by now. Nothing like going from 70 degrees to the teens in just a couple of weeks. Egads. I'm starting to wonder if the seasons are just backwards this year. We've had spring, next we will have winter of a sort and then we'll be thrown right into the scorching summer temps.

Time to get E down for her nap and then throw together something for lunch.

Keep Moving!

That's my motto these days. I'm trying to find time to do something active every day. That, combined with paying attention to what goes into my mouth will hopefully start the downward trend that I'm looking for on the scale.

So far, so good. I had a few pounds that crept up over the holidays (on top of the few that crept up on me when I had my broken toe...on top of the numerous pounds that I've been trying to rid myself of since E's birth...on top of....well, you get the idea). Anyway, those holiday pounds are now gone once again and I'm back to where I started before the feasting began...which was still a good 30 pounds more than I should have on this 5' 4" frame. But, at least I've seen a small drop in the scale of late.

Today I wimped out on walking with Lauri (sorry, Lauri!) - I awoke to my alarm and to the sounds of the winds howling and I just could not bring myself to get out of bed and walk in what seemed like a cold morning made even colder by the windchill factor. Instead, I made a pact with myself to find a way to get on my treadmill at some point and just "get movin'!"

I dropped A off at school, made a quick run to Target for a few necessities and then headed home with E. We played for a bit, had a snack, and then headed back to pick up A from school. Once home, I made lunch and put E down for her afternoon nap. After a bit of time for digestion I suggested to A that we watch a movie together while I exercised. She was all for that - never one to give up the opportunity to watch a movie! We popped "Madeline" into the DVD player and she enjoyed watching while I sweated away on the treadmill and then did my lower body workout. The timing was perfect - I spent about 45 minutes on the treadmill (2.75 miles) and then did my exercises and the movie ended just a few minutes after I was done with everything.

Unfortunately, Rick has to be in work early tomorrow for a software upgrade that needs to be done "off-hours" so I won't get a chance to walk again with Lauri. However, I am hoping to make the time to get in some form of exercise. Dieting all by itself does nothing for me except make me feel deprived...and exercise is no good if I continue to eat with abandon. So, I'm going for the middle of the road with both - a little exercise here, a little calorie reduction there - and hoping it amounts to something worthwhile!

No pain, no gain...

Ok, yeah, I'm reacquainting myself with the muscles in my upper body today. Every time I move it's "Ow - oh, hello, there Deltiod. Where have you been lately?" or "Hey! Oh, it's you - Sternocleidomastoid. I'd forgotten all about you! How's it hangin'?"

I can recall a time when I could get through the exercises without experiencing much in the way of pain. But, I'm so out of shape that right now they are kickin' my butt.

I did not manage to get on the treadmill today. But, after Rick left with R and A to go to the owl program at the library I tackled our bedroom which was a mess. I spent a good 45 minutes to an hour cleaning and vacuuming the room while E wandered around the room getting into trouble and needing to be shooed away from things every few minutes. I'd say I got a decent workout without stepping foot on the treadmill.

Tomorrow the girls and I will be at church in the morning. I am teaching the unit on "The Good Samaritan" over the next few weeks. I have the "arts/crafts" segment and we will be making quilt squares that will later be made into a quilt to present to a long-time church member who is moving to an assisted living facility. Should be a fun unit to teach. No plans as yet for the afternoon, but there is always some project or other around here so I'm sure I'll find something to keep me busy!

I just popped some ibuprofen for these sore muscles of mine. I hope they are no longer trying so desperately to communicate their displeasure in the morning. I think I'll go get in my jammies and read a bit before bed.

Nighty-night.

Baby Steps...

Yep. Tuxbaby is right. Baby steps.

Today I tried to balance the good with the not so good. Lauri and I did get out for a walk this morning (3.2 miles). After I got back I had a good breakfast of steel cut oatmeal with apples and walnuts and a bit of brown sugar and cinnamon. By lunchtime I was famished and we were going out for lunch. Bad combination.

As usual for a Friday morning, we went to the museum for story time and met up with friends. Some weeks we go out for lunch together after the museum visit and today was one of those days. We decided on one of the local Chinese restaurants that serves sushi because my friend's daughter was jonesin' for some raw tuna. Um yeah. My friend will actually say stuff like "if you are too crabby we'll just have to go home and you won't get any raw tuna"...ha! like that would be incentive for my kids to act nicely! They would start acting like Attila the Hun just to NOT eat raw fish. Lucky for them I'm no fan of raw fish. In fact, I once asked this friend to help me order some sushi so I could give it a try - what can I say, it was a daring moment for me. Let's just say sushi was not my cup of tea. Blech. But I digress...

If you haven't guessed I ending up eating waaaay too much for lunch. But, it was soooo good (no sushi on my plate!). I did get the brown rice which should count for something, right? I should have just had my meal - which was plenty of food by far - but I ended up eating a couple of the pork fried dumplings that A ordered on top of my luncheon special. Whoops.

So, I tried to balance things out a bit. How, you ask? Well, I tried to keep the portions/calories down at dinner. We made some homemade calzones with shrimp and veggies and I only had a small portion of one of them with a glass of wine. Hopefully, that helped even things out.

But that was not all. After the girls were in bed I was sitting at the computer feeling like a lazy ass. I had not yet done the upper body workout that I mentioned in yesterday's post so I decided to stop procrastinating. I went downstairs and turned on my current movie (yep. you guessed it. Broadway Whore again today with the next installment of "The Chorus Line") and did some upper body exercises from my Jorge Cruise book. I'm not following the book in sequence this time around. I'm just picking and choosing the exercises I like and trying to group them into separate upper body and lower body workouts. So far, so good. My legs were pretty sore after my leg workout earlier in the week. Jury is still out on tonight's upper body workout...I'll give an update on how my arms, chest and back are feeling tomorrow.

The movie hooked me in for longer than the exercises took so I watched for a while longer and did some stretching while I was at it. I am soooo not flexible. It's something I really need to work on because I'm so bad at it. Baby steps, right? Right.

Not sure what is on for tomorrow. There is a "birds of prey" program at the library that we think the girls would enjoy (well, R especially...). There will be a guy there with some live owls - right up my nature girl's alley. I'm not sure yet if I'll be going but I think Rick and/or Grandad will be taking the older girls (or just R if A is not interested). The weather forecast doesn't look so great for tomorrow - rainy, cold, perhaps some freezing rain early in the morning, perhaps some sleet or snow late in the afternoon - so it sounds like a good day to stay in and stay warm. I plan to carve out some time to get on my treadmill. (You read it here so now I will feel like I have to do it - See? You are a good influence without even really trying! You rock!).

It is now officially past my bedtime. Have a great night!