... or in my case, is it working yet?
After months patiently waiting for its moment of glory and recognition, the treadmill is finally getting the attention it deserves. It sat in the basement for months without use, mostly because it was 'out of sight' so I didn't think to use it. Tim hasn't either, but with the Lowe's workout program, it doesn't look like he needs to. I'd been asking (nagging) him for weeks to help me bring it upstairs so that I could put it in the living room, but it seemed to take forever, and this wasn't something I could move myself (see the bookcase in the office).
Walking past it several times a day for the last 2 weeks finally worked. Yesterday and this morning, I got up a little early and actually used it. Granted it was only on level 2.0 and only for 15 minutes, but hey, it's progress! I figure if I ease into it that I'll be more likely to stick with it this time. Even at that level and little time in the morning has given me hope. I feel a little more awake, though at this point its not much more than my usual, and I'm not sure if it is the 15 minutes of sweating, the quick shower, or the 30 minutes of continued sweating afterwards that is helping me feel awake. I have to drive the first 15 minutes to work with the AC on just to cool off.
My goal in this exercise (pun intended) is to lose 100 lbs. Yep, you read correctly, 100 pounds. I'll still be overweight after that, but markedly better. I've heard that without the extra weight on my frame that I'll feel better, that I won't have as much back pain (or none at all), and that I'll have more energy. Personally, I just hope that I'll be able to get back into some of my old clothes. I've decided to add a widget somewhere on here that will document my progress, and I'll update it weekly on Friday so that everyone can see it and keep me honest. Wish me luck!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
I love a good mystery
What do cupcakes, a Primary activity, and yarn have in common?
Me.
We spent a quiet Friday evening at home. Can you believe it? Saturday morning the kiddos and I made peanut butter cup cupcakes for a BBQ at some friends' house. I understand that the left-overs didn't last long at the YSA get-together afterwards.
We got home in time to attempt to watch an episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender, but the Internet went spastic. Something having to do with the PlayStation network being wonky. I was less than enthused. So we turned around and went to the church to drop the kiddos off for their primary activity and to practice for their primary program near the end of September. I can't wait to see what they've come up with! They received their lines a couple weeks ago and have already memorized them.
While the kiddos were having fun, Tim and I drove through Martinsburg so that I could show him the store fronts I've been eyeing. They're about a block from the center of town (where King and Queen street meet), so they just about scream expensive, but he thinks they're nice. Then we went to dinner at Ledo's.Pizza in the new Commons. I was only able to eat 1/2 of my meat lover's calzone, so I have plenty for breakfast.
We got to listen to the Kemer family speak in church about self reliance. Jayne talked about the physical and Joe spoke on the spiritual. I really enjoyed hearing them speak. I particularly liked the idea of having a "no buy" month every 3 months for a couple reasons. 1. It would help us save money. 2. It would help us see what we could use for our 3 month (short-term) food storage. 3. It should help us gain confidence in our food storage and our ability to use them. We've used our food storage before when Tim lost his job and we didn't have any money. It was a humbling experience, but I'm glad in some small part that it happened. I was grateful that we heeded the counsel of the Prophet and had something on-hand to get us through. It would be nice not to have to use it again, but I'd still like to maintain our reserves.
We also had our combined RS/Priesthood meeting with the Bishop. He taught us the same lesson he heard during Youth Conference - Who are you? I learned that all of the things I call myself (mother, wife, teacher, sister, care-giver, etc) also apply (in the male form of course) to our Heavenly Father, and that through these roles I can also show that I am his daughter. How cool is that?!? The best part is, everyone is His son or daughter, they just don't know it. It's our job as Saints to show them. I think that every little girl at one point or another wishes they were a princess; it's just nice to know in some way that it is true.
And now for a moment of cuteness...
I went to pick Dougie up at my parents' house Friday afternoon. We stopped at 7-Eleven on the way home to get gas. As we were waiting for traffic to clear enough to pull out onto the road and continue home, he asked me what a sign attached to the nearest telephone pole said. "Farmer's Market, Open M-F 12-7"
Dougie: "What do they sell there?"
Me: "Fruits and veggies."
Dougie: "Can we stop there and get some peaches?"
Me: "Sure."
So we turned around and parked at the tent behind us and talked to the nice man behind the tables of rather tasty-looking produce. He had corn, melons, cantaloupe, plums, apples, nectarines, peaches, and much more.
Dougie: "Mommy, can we get some plums?"
Me: "No, we're going to get peaches because everyone likes peaches."
Farmer: "He can have one if he wants to pick it out."
Dougie: (picks one up) "This one!!!"
I was over-ruled by a 5-year-old. We got a basket with 5 peaches for $3.00 and took them home. We cut one up and ate it and WOW! that was a good peach! We cut up the other 4 and the plum and liquefied them Sunday night with some ice and a little vanilla and milk and made peach-plum smoothies. They were very tasty and healthy when you consider they didn't have any extra sugar.
Oh, and a couple of other nifty bits of news:
- I went for my interview with the Bishop for my temple recommend. I'm waiting to hear from the excutive secretary for our Stake President for my interview with him. I'm one step closer!
- I also ordered some yarn today from the Bernat website. I've decided to participate in their mystery crochet-along afghan. I picked for my colors: natural, pumpkin, soft taupe, rogue, and cameo - very neutral and warm colors. I can't wait for the first clue to start on September 22. Each week they will post the next clue on their blog every Wednesday. They will get progressively harder, and at the end will produce a crochet sampler afghan measuring 52" x 68" (about 4'4" x 5'8"). I can't wait to see what it will look like!
Me.
We spent a quiet Friday evening at home. Can you believe it? Saturday morning the kiddos and I made peanut butter cup cupcakes for a BBQ at some friends' house. I understand that the left-overs didn't last long at the YSA get-together afterwards.
We got home in time to attempt to watch an episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender, but the Internet went spastic. Something having to do with the PlayStation network being wonky. I was less than enthused. So we turned around and went to the church to drop the kiddos off for their primary activity and to practice for their primary program near the end of September. I can't wait to see what they've come up with! They received their lines a couple weeks ago and have already memorized them.
While the kiddos were having fun, Tim and I drove through Martinsburg so that I could show him the store fronts I've been eyeing. They're about a block from the center of town (where King and Queen street meet), so they just about scream expensive, but he thinks they're nice. Then we went to dinner at Ledo's.Pizza in the new Commons. I was only able to eat 1/2 of my meat lover's calzone, so I have plenty for breakfast.
We got to listen to the Kemer family speak in church about self reliance. Jayne talked about the physical and Joe spoke on the spiritual. I really enjoyed hearing them speak. I particularly liked the idea of having a "no buy" month every 3 months for a couple reasons. 1. It would help us save money. 2. It would help us see what we could use for our 3 month (short-term) food storage. 3. It should help us gain confidence in our food storage and our ability to use them. We've used our food storage before when Tim lost his job and we didn't have any money. It was a humbling experience, but I'm glad in some small part that it happened. I was grateful that we heeded the counsel of the Prophet and had something on-hand to get us through. It would be nice not to have to use it again, but I'd still like to maintain our reserves.
We also had our combined RS/Priesthood meeting with the Bishop. He taught us the same lesson he heard during Youth Conference - Who are you? I learned that all of the things I call myself (mother, wife, teacher, sister, care-giver, etc) also apply (in the male form of course) to our Heavenly Father, and that through these roles I can also show that I am his daughter. How cool is that?!? The best part is, everyone is His son or daughter, they just don't know it. It's our job as Saints to show them. I think that every little girl at one point or another wishes they were a princess; it's just nice to know in some way that it is true.
And now for a moment of cuteness...
I went to pick Dougie up at my parents' house Friday afternoon. We stopped at 7-Eleven on the way home to get gas. As we were waiting for traffic to clear enough to pull out onto the road and continue home, he asked me what a sign attached to the nearest telephone pole said. "Farmer's Market, Open M-F 12-7"
Dougie: "What do they sell there?"
Me: "Fruits and veggies."
Dougie: "Can we stop there and get some peaches?"
Me: "Sure."
So we turned around and parked at the tent behind us and talked to the nice man behind the tables of rather tasty-looking produce. He had corn, melons, cantaloupe, plums, apples, nectarines, peaches, and much more.
Dougie: "Mommy, can we get some plums?"
Me: "No, we're going to get peaches because everyone likes peaches."
Farmer: "He can have one if he wants to pick it out."
Dougie: (picks one up) "This one!!!"
I was over-ruled by a 5-year-old. We got a basket with 5 peaches for $3.00 and took them home. We cut one up and ate it and WOW! that was a good peach! We cut up the other 4 and the plum and liquefied them Sunday night with some ice and a little vanilla and milk and made peach-plum smoothies. They were very tasty and healthy when you consider they didn't have any extra sugar.
Oh, and a couple of other nifty bits of news:
- I went for my interview with the Bishop for my temple recommend. I'm waiting to hear from the excutive secretary for our Stake President for my interview with him. I'm one step closer!
- I also ordered some yarn today from the Bernat website. I've decided to participate in their mystery crochet-along afghan. I picked for my colors: natural, pumpkin, soft taupe, rogue, and cameo - very neutral and warm colors. I can't wait for the first clue to start on September 22. Each week they will post the next clue on their blog every Wednesday. They will get progressively harder, and at the end will produce a crochet sampler afghan measuring 52" x 68" (about 4'4" x 5'8"). I can't wait to see what it will look like!
Friday, August 27, 2010
I'm tempted.
Yesterday morning after I dropped Dougie off at my parents' house, I was driving through Martinsburg on my way to work and saw an empty store front on Queen Street. It had the usual "FOR RENT" signs from a local Realtor, but it also had a sign from the city that said, "It's not vacant, it's an opportunity."
It was one of those fronts that had a glass tunnel to the front door so that you were walking between two displays. When I saw it, I thought how perfect it would be to fill them with cakes to display with a sign out front boasting "Triple T - Taste Testing Tuesday!" Imagine a little bell on the door that rings when you open it, a counter with cakes like the Hex-a-lot-a-chocolate or Triple-C ready for purchase, ovens filling the store with baking cake smells that waft onto the street, and various cake projects in stages of progression in the back for all to see.
I'm tempted to call and see what they're talking about; what program they're offering as incentive to bring new businesses to the main streets of Martinsburg. I'm tempted to sit down and dedicate time to figure out what I need to do to save up and start this thing. I'm also tempted to put this on hold *again* and wait until the economy is better. Can I really justify trying and failing in the hopes that I'll have enough business to support this idea?
It was one of those fronts that had a glass tunnel to the front door so that you were walking between two displays. When I saw it, I thought how perfect it would be to fill them with cakes to display with a sign out front boasting "Triple T - Taste Testing Tuesday!" Imagine a little bell on the door that rings when you open it, a counter with cakes like the Hex-a-lot-a-chocolate or Triple-C ready for purchase, ovens filling the store with baking cake smells that waft onto the street, and various cake projects in stages of progression in the back for all to see.
I'm tempted to call and see what they're talking about; what program they're offering as incentive to bring new businesses to the main streets of Martinsburg. I'm tempted to sit down and dedicate time to figure out what I need to do to save up and start this thing. I'm also tempted to put this on hold *again* and wait until the economy is better. Can I really justify trying and failing in the hopes that I'll have enough business to support this idea?
Thursday, August 26, 2010
"I want to suck your blood"
Not me personally, mind you, but the people on the bus. They frighten me.
Actually, they're really nice people doing a service for the community. The Red Cross Blood Bus came to Royal Vendors yesterday for our regularly scheduled blood drive. This was my 4th donation, and I had a nice guy named George stick me. Christie organizes the whole thing and graciously accepted my offering of baked goods for the drive. Apparently, people love my cupcakes, and it encourages them to sign up if "there will be cake".
That seems to be a big selling point recently. When there's a RS meeting or conference, "there will be cake" is announced, and if you say it, they will come. Makes for an interesting career.
Now that I know that I can donate, I've been actively campaigning among my fellow Royal minions to donate. I'm even letting them choose the cupcakes. This time we had the Triple-C in cupcake form and yellow cupcakes with cream cheese icing and *sprinkles*. Next time I'm making peanut butter cup cupcakes and something else on which I haven't decided yet. I make 24 of each flavor and bring them in on two covered trays, but they never last through the day. And this time, I didn't even get one!
Actually, they're really nice people doing a service for the community. The Red Cross Blood Bus came to Royal Vendors yesterday for our regularly scheduled blood drive. This was my 4th donation, and I had a nice guy named George stick me. Christie organizes the whole thing and graciously accepted my offering of baked goods for the drive. Apparently, people love my cupcakes, and it encourages them to sign up if "there will be cake".
That seems to be a big selling point recently. When there's a RS meeting or conference, "there will be cake" is announced, and if you say it, they will come. Makes for an interesting career.
Now that I know that I can donate, I've been actively campaigning among my fellow Royal minions to donate. I'm even letting them choose the cupcakes. This time we had the Triple-C in cupcake form and yellow cupcakes with cream cheese icing and *sprinkles*. Next time I'm making peanut butter cup cupcakes and something else on which I haven't decided yet. I make 24 of each flavor and bring them in on two covered trays, but they never last through the day. And this time, I didn't even get one!
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