Lazy Day

I am feeling a little LAZY today. I never managed to tackle my paper problem yesterday and it sits before me - a DAUNTING pile of yuck. I know how much better I'll feel if I can JUST DO IT, but like many things in my life, I let procrastination get the best of me.

I wish I was more TYPE A.

Day 2 - AHHHHHHH....

I'll say it again... I LOVE a schedule. My house is cleaner, my mind is clearer and I feel like I am accomplishing things.... If I could only get my eating under control, I'd have nothing to complain about.... well, except that we have no money..... and I really need a haircut..... hmmmmm

Anyway, SPIN was great this morning. In terms of intensity, I would rate it a 7/10. It was my first spin since July, and I did feel a few knee things out of the saddle so I didn't want to push it too much. I have a plan to do ab work this afternoon after my chores so my workout will be complete. Day 2 - check!

My 4 year old has another week at home til pre-school starts so she's upstairs destroying the playroom with her friend as I catch up on blogs and update here. I've got laundry and a dirty kitchen floor (manageable) and then I have the dreaded task of tackling the paperwork - a years worth of "important stuff" that has to be thinned to make room for another year of equally "important stuff". It's something I have put off for a while, but it really needs to be done as I am getting more and more paper every single day....UGH.

Life as a stay at home mom is SO exciting some days...

Happy First Day to Me!

My second grader hopped on the bus at 8:15 and I dropped my 4 year old at a playdate. Off to the gym for a great workout. I really haven't run since Aug 2 or so, and decided to break it up a bit.

Elliptical: 1.07 miles, 12 min
Tread: 1.25 miles, 15 min
Elliptical: 2.05 miles, 20 min

I was sweating up a storm and my heart rate hovered in the 140s, but dropped fairly quickly (10 beats/min) during the cool down. Tomorrow is a spin day and I am looking forward to it.

I really do feel RENEWED. It's just something that happens at the start of a new school year!

One more day...

Hip Hip Hooray!

School starts tomorrow! I get my schedule back, and my kids will stop hating each other (too much together time). Today is a day to clean the house, get organized and hopefully get to the gym. I'll probably take the kids for a bike ride and maybe to lunch to celebrate the end of a great summer!

Yesterday I met with the Aquatics Director. I will be working 2 days a week for a total of 5 hours, which is perfect for me. I'll be able to get my Lifeguarding recertification in October and pick up shifts when I can. I am excited about how things are going and I hope to meet my expectations for a productive fall. Today I feel like things are looking up for us. It's a nice place to be.

Getting Back on the Horse...

When life is crazy, I have a hard time doing anything. I've basically taken a 2 week hiatus. But I am done with doing nothing healthy for me....

I got on the scale this week to 196.5 (up 6). Not disasterous, but definatlely time to reel it back in. I need to RUN!

Here's the recap of the last two weeks of craziness!

My daughter recovered from her mystery virus.

The auction of my dad's things was AWFUL; worse than I could have ever ever expected. Items went for pennies on the dollar, not a lot of people showed up and those who did were people my dad didn't really like. VULTURES. We thought this would clear a lot of stuff out, but in reality, there is still so much left that the auctioneers never emptied from the house. There is also a lot of stuff --- garbage --- that people who bought lots decided they didn't want. HOWEVER, the worst part of the event was the NON sale of the property.... Big time BUMMER! We were supposed to be done with all this JUNK and be able to move on.... I feel for my siblings who live closer than I do and especially my brother who has been working like a dog for months to get ready for this un remarkable day.

Camping, I can honestly say, is NOT my thing. I pretty much loathe walking a half-mile to the bathroom, shower and to wash dishes. I hate the smell of damp sleeping bags and water-logged coolers. My SIL is a different person than I am. She's not into the beach -- I LOVE the beach. Her kids are difficult and her parenting style makes me grit my teeth at times. I don't like how she talks to my brother. BUT --- the kids had fun. The campground had lots of activities: crafts, games, 3 heated pools, an awesome playground, kareoke, make your own Sundae... Everyday was something new. There was a camp store about 500 feet from our site and my daughter just beemed every time I sent her to buy ice or other supplies. She felt SO grown up. Both kids were amazed that they went a whole 7 days with out TV. They learned how to play Crazy Eights and toast marshmellows over a real fire (not the gas BBQ at home). Good memories.

UNFORTUNATELY, we ended our trip by picking up the dog at the kennel - SICK-. I was SO distressed. The attendent said they had noticed what they thought were hot spots that morning, but since I was picking her up that night thought they'd let it go.... I had never heard of the problem, but apparently if you address it immediately you can contain the outbreak. I brought the dog to the vet the first thing Monday morning. She had to be sedated in order to shave the area behind her ears, neck and back. She was in so much pain. It was the worse case the vet had seen and she couldn't believe the Kennel could be so irresponsible. My poor puppy was miserable all week. I had to cleanse and compress the sores 3x day and apply a painful alcohol based med. She's looking somewhat better 5 days later, but still has 5 more days of treatment to go. I sent a letter to the owner of the kennel - some famous Bichon / Poodle judge, and hope that she is apologetic - I would like her to at least pay the vet bills.

SO basically the last week consisted of : stressing about and treating my poor doodle, unpacking from a week of camping, laundry, more laundry, restocking the fridge, mowing the lawn, ---- OH and my DH's car had an emergency trip to the car doc. FINALLY, DH got a crappy (totally unexpected) raise, which officially ended the last crappy week of summer!

I did get one unexpected present. My younger daughter is in her last year of preschool. I signed her up for the least popular time slot and the cheapest possible tuition for her age group. We have NO money. The director called this week to ask if I wanted to switch to a morning slot in the most expensive class so that she could gender-balance the group. NO EXTRA CHARGE.... DUH, of course.... SO she'll be in school Tu, Th, Fri from 8:30 -1:30.... A real chunk of time with NO KIDS....

FINALLY, I decided to contribute to the household cash flow. I got a job at the YMCA as a swim instructor and I will renew my lifeguard certification as well. My plan is to teach 2 days a week when the little one is at school and pick up shifts guarding when it doesn't interfere with my family. At a minimum I will get half off our family membership, and whatever I earn will be for the kids Christmas. I'll get more details Monday, but the Aquatics Director sounded nice.

Could things be looking up? Will I be inspired to get my diet act together seeing that I'll be wearing a swimsuit all winter????

STAY TUNED...

When Life Happens....

My daughter kept me up the other night with what I thought were bug bites... They had opened the screen to throw out some toys and I assumed that the mosquitos got in.... I felt pretty awful in the morning when I saw that the "bites" were all over her legs and feet - tops and bottoms, on her wrists and around her waist. She itched.... poor kid!

SO - Off to the Dr. to give her money, so that she could tell us it was a virus and the treatment was benedryl and anti-itch lotion. Thank you very much. Why do I bore you with this? Because I was stuck at home all day. I obviously couldn't bring her to the gym or many other public places without risking ridicule --- You know those BAD MOMMY stares....

I missed my run :( I did, however, weed the gardens and cleaned the house (somewhat). At least I was active. Today is supposed to be an off day, but I am going to get my LONG run in. I have a sneaky feeling that I may start to panic tomorrow about how much I have to do and blow off the gym. We're having friends for dinner Friday so I have all that prep - plus my eldest daughter has our morning booked up with skating and having a friend over in the afternoon. I am gone all day Saturday (we're auctioning the remains of my father's estate) and Sunday is the only day I will have to pack for a week of camping.... I haven't even started thinking about that.

That's a whole lot of excuses for not running. I have NO excuses for not eating well. I am logging my food and for the most part eating on plan. I weigh myself tomorrow. Time to face the music. I think I've decided that I am really ready for this summer to be over. I SO desperately want my schedule back. It's really how I function best.

Houston - We Have A Plan

I have a plan to take me to at least one 10K this fall, with a goal to finish in a respectable time; this year 1 hour 15 min. (an 11:30 mile pace). I will run 4 days a week. Mondays will be a 30-45 min run (4 miles). Wednesdays will be intervals for 45 min. (3.5-4 miles). Fridays will be a LONG run 7 miles. Saturday or Sunday will be a 30 min. recovery run. I ran yesterday - my 45 min. so I am on track.

I am logging my food and will step on the dredded scale FRIDAY to report my weight. I need to be accountable.

I am grocery shopping today. HEALTHY foods are the key. Veggies!! Planning meals to make the rest of the week go smoothly. Camping next week will be a mixed bag. I am concerned about eating out too much --- with too many choices. I am going to bring some slimfast to help balance it out.

SO - Exercise Plan in action, Food Log active .... Let the losing begin in earnest.

Fat Friends

Do my friends make me fat? I never really thought about it, but with that new study and all the chatter it got me thinking. I have fat friends and skinny friends. I hope my friends are friends because they like me. I am sure we share habbits, but at the end of the day I can't say that having overweight people as friends makes me fat. I am overweight because I eat too much. That's it.

Another hot one!

95 degrees and 80 percent humidity. Recipe for a thunderstorm, I hope. I couldn't bare to spend another minute at the lake. I know the kids have fun, but 4 days straight is enough for me. There is one small tree that everyone crowds around to satify the need for shade. Since it's been a week of 90 degree weather, the lake is warm --- lakey--- not at all refreshing. SO we skated this morning. Went to MCFood for lunch and came home so I could mow the lawn. My weekend is packed with stuff to do and if the grass grows another inch we'd need someone with a much bigger mower. I am now 100% drenched with sweat, but the pool doesn't open for family swim until 5 pm and I have an hour to go. I am stewing......

I continue to log my food - Day 3. Last night I had a small fight with a canister of Pringles. I feel like I am moving into my monthly battle with the food monster, so I need to work a little harder to control my urges. It ain't easy. Exercise is kind of on the fly... This week was sort of my recovery week after the Triathlon. Next week the RUNNING will be PLANNED. I just wish I didn't have to go to the Y to do it. I have this WEIRD thing about running outside alone. I've done it, I just don't like it. BUT if I could get my butt up in the morning and just run before DH goes to work, I could use the Y for weights and pilates and have more time for other stuff (cleaning my house). I am sure it would cause be to be less stressed. Let me promise here that I will run once next week, in the morning, out of doors.... If its not so humid I may even take the dog. (She hates the heat :( ). In addition, I will post my exercise goals for the week (and whether I reached them) and my WEIGHT. It's got to be my NUMBER one priority. I am NEVER going to be faster is I don't start losing some REAL weight. I've been using excuses and procrastinating way too long!

Chaos Reigns at my House

So much for summer bliss.... TODAY has started HORRIBLY... I can only hope it can't get worse. My DH worked late last night and was pretty unhappy about it. He decided he'd go in late so he could have breakfast with the kids. Nice thought but.....

• Instead of a quick bowl of cereal, he decided to cook.....
• 9:30 spin class missed :(
• #1 daughter is in the midst of one of her notorious temper tantrums and I have NO idea what to do with her. NO INSTRUCTIONS! HELP
• It is going to be in the 90s today and we have no a/c....

Calgon take me away!!!!

I have most definately reached the point where I feel totally anxious and out of sorts. My house is a disaster - it's been too hot to stay home and clean. The lawn is a foot tall and it's hard to tell the flowers from the weeds.... My weekend is shot....

Probably a run would feel great.... If I can just make it to the gym!

Fresh Start

It's August ! 27 more days until the kids go back to school and we become sheduled again. I have mixed feelings. I LOVE a schedule - I like to anticipate and plan for events. I have this need to be prepared. That said, I have had a lot of fun with the kids this summer. They are a lot more enjoyable out of diapers and naps. My #1 daughter is becoming a great skater. I will never forget her landing a jump for the first time and looking up at me with that "Did you see that?" look. My little one, now 4, has learned to swim on her own and vows never to use a bubble again. It makes me smile to see her determined little face, just barely visible above the water --- swimming. We've spent hours at the town beach, made new friends and had ice cream for supper more than once... I've gotten my workouts in.... though I've lost no weight... It's OK. Structure is coming.... I know that I am not going back to school, but I still feel that sense of a FRESH START with the new school year. I have PLANS - diet, exercise and HOME plans. I feel close to being back on track....

Today I am tracking my food on WW e-tools again. It seems only fitting to start on the first of the month. I have a fridge filled with fresh veggies. Although it's late - 900 a.m., my intent is to get to the Y and run. It's been two days since Danskin and I've done nothing .... I really need to run! I've signed up for spin tomorrow. It's all good.