Day #2 - Dependable Transportation

Our Honda is a work horse. Everyday I ask a lot of this car... yesterday afternoon I went to the Post Office to send out 50+ packages, finished that up and went to the junior high to wait in car pool lane. Picked up #1 and went off to the vet to pick up Winston (he got fixed). No time to make it home so, off to school to pick up #3. Got #3, zipped home to drop Winston off, back in the car to take #1 to piano lessons. #3 and I zipped over to the grocery store to pick up something for dinner. With groceries loaded it was time to pick up #2. In that car pool lane a mom came up to discuss a meeting she had missed and then she said, "Your tire is really low"
My stomach sank.
I still had another kid to pick up and get home - I don't have time for a low tire.
I called my husband at work..... " my tire is low"
.................................................."okay"
me: I don't have time for a low tire
husband: how low is it? low low? or just low?
me: I don't know -someone told me it was low.
silence
me: will you take care of it when you get home?
husband: sure.

husband: is that all you wanted?
me: yes.

I have to drive into town today. I am glad the tire is better.

Like most Americans I really depend on my vehicle and my world is upside down when it isn't in good working order.

I am thankful for dependable transportation!

Day #1

A few years back I blogged the 30 days in November for all the things I am thankful for. It was a great experience and I think it is time to do it again. Not sure anyone still visits my sad neglected blog, but I do this for me.

Today I am thankful for challenges.

Trying to find a visual image isn't easy. Challenges mean different things to different people. Each person defines it for themselves.

This is pretty close for me. A road to travel. Sometimes unfamiliar, sometimes difficult, other times full of beauty and lends the feeling of strength and power. A road you walk alone but sometimes others can be there to help along the way, or make it more difficult path to travel. At the end of the road lies a destination that gives a feeling of accomplishment and joy at having arrived.

chal·lenge

 [chal-inj] noun, verb, -lenged, -leng·ing, adjective

noun

1.

a call or summons to engage in any contest, as of skill,strength, etc.

2.

something that by its nature or character serves as a call tobattle, contest, special effort, etc.: Space exploration offers a challenge to humankind.

3.

a call to fight, as a battle, a duel, etc.

4.

a demand to explain, justify, etc.: a challenge to thetreasurer to itemize expenditures.

5.

difficulty in a job or undertaking that is stimulating to oneengaged in it.

I have some new challenges in my life. Today I am thankful for them.

Day #6

Day #5

Day #4

Happy Song

Day 3....

I have had (and still have) many happy songs.... Brand New Key, I Feel Lucky....but this one captures so much I selected it for my happy song page.

Least Favorite Song

This one wasn't hard for me....

Inspiration

My friend, Stacy, has inspired me.
She is a terrific writer that is back at it (writing) trying to establish the habit again.
Her topic of choice... music.
I don't have her talent for writing or scrapbooking, but I thought I would ride her coattails and create a book of me. This is a perfect way for my children to know me - not just mama- but my whole self.
My pages will be simple.
I will use the same template to create each page.
Thank you, Stacy, for the inspiration!

Day #5

Do you have days where you think I don't have a minute to get in the exercise? That was Wednesday for me. Take the kids to school, drop off fund raiser money, go to the bank, hit Target, go to Costco, return home to put away Costco purchases, go pick up Joel (half day on Wednesday), go to HEB, return home put away the groceries, fix lunch, do some work for Odyssey of the Mind, work on retreats, go pick up other two kids....It is now 4pm!
I asked the kids if they wanted to work out with me. :-D
They did.
Ab was the first to drop out and watch.....then Joel......Samuel stayed with it and was amazed mama could do such a workout.
I am not as sore on Day 5 but I was at the end of the day. It may be time to bump up level one by trying to do it twice a day. I may wait a day or two before I try 2x a day.

TV's The Biggest Loser

Did you watch last night?
Some dude lost 41 pounds in one week.
Now granted, he was a big dude, but seriously, 41 pounds in 7 days.
It got me thinking about what they must be doing to lose that kind of weight. Especially in relation to what they had been doing before they arrived at The Biggest Loser ranch.
I looked it up.
4-5 hours of exercise a day.
They start the day with a 5 mile hike (not included in that 4-5 hours of exercise number above).
They also have no distractions, no tv, no cell phones, no internet....

I also found this simple eating plan that can help anyone change their eating habits simply...
It is called 4,3,2,1
4 servings of fruit and vegetables
3 servings of lean protein or low fat dairy
2 servings of whole grain
1 serving of "other" like fat, oil, sweets, alcohol -not to exceed 200 calories
Also suggesting to avoid appetite stimulating foods like bread, pasta, and potatoes.

Keep a daily food log
Watch portions
drink 48-64 oz of water daily

That's it.

I haven't worked out today.... but I plan on it.

I may even try to get two in today.

...no title....

You sat in the dvd drawer, unopened, for almost a year.
I would just stare at you and think about how mean you are on the Biggest Loser.
I don't need to invite your attitude into my home. Hmpf.

January 2, 2011
It is time to bring the attitude out. I did the level one on Sunday. Oh dear. I did it. I don't think 20lbs in 30 days is possible unless you do this 3 times a day, but it really is a good 20 min workout.

January 3, 2011
I am sore.
It is sort of sad to think that only 20 min of exercise can cause this much pain.
I put off the 2nd day workout until the last minute. I seriously couldn't imagine how my pained body was going to do it.
30 min before I needed to pick up the kids... I did it.
I was pleased to see a slight improvement from day 1. Which was hard to imagine in my pained state.
That evening I slipped in a quick 30 min Zumba class. I am not a fan of Zumba so I don't really count it as a serious exercise for me. I half-heartedly did it.

Did I mention, I couldn't move by bedtime.

January  4, 2011

I dropped .5 lb. could be too much coffee, .5 isn't much, but it sure looks good to me.
I got my workout in early, before 9am.
Chatted with a friend about some eating strategies. I want to make a few small changes. I do believe most of my issues are a lack of exercise.
I was amazed at how quickly, in spite of being so sore, that my body is able to improve in endurance.

That is all for now.