Greetings:
I am on my last full day in Waukon and for the most part, it's a lazy morning. Most people are still laying down or sleeping. It's been a good trip with movies, games, and the usual Christmas activities. I think I've eaten more popcorn balls than usual this year...usually one or two does the trick but I've been craving them more than usual.
I still have time off from work which is glorious! The stress from the last weeks is already washing away and I barely remember the long hours of grading and my whining students. Even though I don't have to physically be at work for awhile, I will mostly likely work on my syllabi for the spring semester. I need to create a syllabus for an experimental course that will become a permanent course in the near future. I'm excited to make some changes to my health studies course at ISU as I've had some ideas pop in the last year and it's time to make a change.
Gavin started the holidays with some sort of stomach bug. Luckily it was short lived and only delayed us coming to NE Iowa for a day. (His mother should have pushed the flu shot harder but who knows if that would have helped any.)
OK onto to topics for the new, approaching year. I am going to sound like a broken record because like usual, my health status is a major focus for change in 2014. I didn't only fall off the wagon this past fall, the wagon broke down, and a wheel rolled off. Eating well got put on a back burner and being active was inconvenient many days. My report from my sleep study was favorable but the doctor gave me the reminder of weight loss to prevent any future issues. I believe if I keep up with keeping work and home separate, establishing healthy habits will become easier. I did a fairly good job keeping work at work in 2013. I did have to bring home some grading periodically but it was nothing like it had been in previous years. In addition to weight loss, healthier eating, and more physical activity, I am going to try and carve out more "me time" so I can do things I enjoy like reading or hobbies. It would be nice if I fell in love with exercise and could term that as a hobby. As of today I am skeptical of that but it would be really fun to be more outdoorsy and truly camp on a regular basis in the spring, summer, and fall. Jon got me a Kindle and I want that to promote the amount I'm reading for pleasure. I used to read at a rate of a book a week. I'm lucky now if I read a book every 3-4 months.
I also need to become more brave with my culinary actions at home. I make a few things well but even I get sick of eating that stuff on a regular basis. I need to open up my recipe books, use the buttload of meat in our deep freeze, and make eating out a treat again. Right now it's the norm and it's also expensive.
I'm sure I'll be voicing more goals and plans in the next weeks as January officially begins. I'm still registered at Weight Watchers but I'm going to whine about it for awhile as the enrollment will skyrocket in January and February. I hate when it's busy and when a million people attend a meeting.
By Valentine's Day I want to be down 15 pounds. Being that weight loss comes off early in the beginning, I'm hoping that's not a challenge.
I hope to do be down 25 pounds by St. Patrick's Day.
I'll leave it at that.
Friday, December 27, 2013
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Is It Break Yet?
I have miraculously worked my way through a pile of grading and have some down time before the after school program starts. I'm fairly certain I've forgotten to do something. I'm sure it will pop into my head in the middle of Swim & Gym when I can't do anything about it.
Today is the last day of Swim & Gym for the semester. It bums me out but I'm always relieved to have it over with by this time each fall and spring. I should enjoy that part of my job more but sadly I don't. I think it connects to the lack of quality help I receive with the program. I am hoping the change we're making with the program for fall 2014 will also change my attitude about the program. (It's becoming part of a class that all PE majors have to participate in prior to graduation.) I'll have less stress with the recruiting of helpers.
Jon and I went to Weight Watchers last night. I am going back and forth with weight loss and weight gain. I'm not shocked as I do well some weeks and I don't do well on others. I am planning to go look at the Ankeny YMCA next week to see the facility and learn about the perks. I don't go to Anytime Fitness anymore and I've never been fond of the setting. I wish Jon and I could exercise together but our schedules never seem to allow it.
We are doing Thanksgiving at Jon's parents' house on Thursday. I've been assigned to make mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and provide cranberry sauce. I'm more than happy to do it as I didn't want them to order all the food from Hy-Vee. The remainder of the semester will fly by after next week's break ends. I have a lot of big assignments and projects coming for all classes at both ISU and DMACC. As usual, I plan to work ahead with grading. Let's see if I can make that work for me or if I'll be scrambling to grade things in the dead of night before final exams.
ISU is closed all next week but I do plan on working Monday-Wednesday. I want to tidy up my office. I have ideas for making the space more personalized just never have time to do so. I get to go to the dentist on Tuesday. Blah. I'm resorting to a toddler as I dislike that area of health and prevention now. Two root canals will do that to a person.
I thought I'd have something more profound to share but life has been pretty dull. I'm excited to start my Christmas shopping. I'm keeping things simple this year so my lists for people are quite short. We are getting a real Christmas tree again too so that will be fun. We may even do it the weekend after Thanksgiving. If we stick to that timeline, I'll add pictures soon.
Today is the last day of Swim & Gym for the semester. It bums me out but I'm always relieved to have it over with by this time each fall and spring. I should enjoy that part of my job more but sadly I don't. I think it connects to the lack of quality help I receive with the program. I am hoping the change we're making with the program for fall 2014 will also change my attitude about the program. (It's becoming part of a class that all PE majors have to participate in prior to graduation.) I'll have less stress with the recruiting of helpers.
Jon and I went to Weight Watchers last night. I am going back and forth with weight loss and weight gain. I'm not shocked as I do well some weeks and I don't do well on others. I am planning to go look at the Ankeny YMCA next week to see the facility and learn about the perks. I don't go to Anytime Fitness anymore and I've never been fond of the setting. I wish Jon and I could exercise together but our schedules never seem to allow it.
We are doing Thanksgiving at Jon's parents' house on Thursday. I've been assigned to make mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and provide cranberry sauce. I'm more than happy to do it as I didn't want them to order all the food from Hy-Vee. The remainder of the semester will fly by after next week's break ends. I have a lot of big assignments and projects coming for all classes at both ISU and DMACC. As usual, I plan to work ahead with grading. Let's see if I can make that work for me or if I'll be scrambling to grade things in the dead of night before final exams.
ISU is closed all next week but I do plan on working Monday-Wednesday. I want to tidy up my office. I have ideas for making the space more personalized just never have time to do so. I get to go to the dentist on Tuesday. Blah. I'm resorting to a toddler as I dislike that area of health and prevention now. Two root canals will do that to a person.
I thought I'd have something more profound to share but life has been pretty dull. I'm excited to start my Christmas shopping. I'm keeping things simple this year so my lists for people are quite short. We are getting a real Christmas tree again too so that will be fun. We may even do it the weekend after Thanksgiving. If we stick to that timeline, I'll add pictures soon.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Happy Halloween!
Ankeny had it's Trick-or-Treating event last night. Fortunately the forecast wasn't spot on so we did have kids come visit the house. It was supposed to storm but everything stayed south of us. I think we had about 50 kids. Our part of the street usually gets ignored since the park is across the street and some of our neighbors don't participate. I still have high hopes for creating a scary experience in the front yard for kids to walk through. Just need to find the time and money to organize that. I'll lure the children in with decorations and fog and such.
We ran to Weight Watchers real quick last night and I'm pleased that I only gained 1.4 lbs. Yes I'm happy about a weight gain. I ate poorly last week and my weight should show the results. I expected more of a gain though. Anywho, it's a new week. I really want to cook at home more in the next seven days. Actually I should be cooking more at home in general for the next months. I think a batch of chili is in the cards soon.
I recognized that Halloween bums me out now too. I sincerely miss taking Gavin out trick-or-treating. I think the holiday holds most of my fondest memories. (yes it beats out Christmas) It was so fun to go to West Ames and take him around Shirley or Mary's neighborhoods. Makes me want to borrow a young child and take them out next year.
And for a laugh. I went to the Post Office today to buy stamps. After leaving and approaching my car, I notice that the bottom of my shoe is really slippery and that I've brought some sort of substance into my car on the floor mat. My first thought was "oh crap I stepped in dog crap". I checked outside the door and nope! A piece of carrot cake was sitting in the parking lot. Yes, carrot cake. I stepped in the cake and tracked into my car. Thanks to the person that decided to ditch their dessert in a weird spot.
We ran to Weight Watchers real quick last night and I'm pleased that I only gained 1.4 lbs. Yes I'm happy about a weight gain. I ate poorly last week and my weight should show the results. I expected more of a gain though. Anywho, it's a new week. I really want to cook at home more in the next seven days. Actually I should be cooking more at home in general for the next months. I think a batch of chili is in the cards soon.
I recognized that Halloween bums me out now too. I sincerely miss taking Gavin out trick-or-treating. I think the holiday holds most of my fondest memories. (yes it beats out Christmas) It was so fun to go to West Ames and take him around Shirley or Mary's neighborhoods. Makes me want to borrow a young child and take them out next year.
And for a laugh. I went to the Post Office today to buy stamps. After leaving and approaching my car, I notice that the bottom of my shoe is really slippery and that I've brought some sort of substance into my car on the floor mat. My first thought was "oh crap I stepped in dog crap". I checked outside the door and nope! A piece of carrot cake was sitting in the parking lot. Yes, carrot cake. I stepped in the cake and tracked into my car. Thanks to the person that decided to ditch their dessert in a weird spot.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Happy Early Halloween
My ability to create crafty and unique titles to my blog entries is disappointing. Let's fixate on the fact that I blogged more than once in a month!
Yesterday (Monday) did not go well for this lady but I'm pleased to report that my Tuesday is starting off on a better note. I don't teach today so I'm excited to work on grading and do some prep work for upcoming classes. I will admit that work has felt a little disappointing lately as I've been busting my butt to create more engaging experiences for my students. Even though activities are more fun and interactive, the students act like it's still as bad as staring at a screen and taking notes. Sigh. My course for PE students gets the prize for being the worst. Teaching elementary PE should be very exciting and motivating and they act like they're at the dentist when in class.
Anywho...Jon and I have been attending a bible-study type class in Ankeny. It's with a different church (Methodist). The course is called ALPHA and for the most part it's been pretty nifty. You can actually find the videos on YouTube as the gentleman that created the course has 45-minute videos for each of the big topics. I can actually say that he's one of the best public speakers I've watched in years. He's also British and I dig the accent. The program had a half-day event this past Saturday. Usually the program only takes place on Sunday evenings for a couple hours. So Saturday started off as expected...breakfast, videos, group discussion, etc. Everything was fine until the last 30 minutes. We moved from our usual place to the church's chapel area. It makes me giggle now but some sort of meditation music was playing. I call it "seagull music" as all I remember are sounds of the ocean and seagulls squawking. The main group leader did sort of a progressive relaxation exercise with the group with deep breathing and muscle relaxation. (I wasn't horribly freaked out yet...but I could tell the program was taking a much different direction.) Then she announces that all of the group leaders/assistants are going to come to us one-by-one and lay hands on us and pray and stuff. I severely dislike that type of stuff. (It seems wrong to use the word 'hate' with a religious topic.) I'm not a touchy person and I like my space. And of course, the main leader and an assistant make a bee-line for me. I probably came off as rude but I was clear from the start that I didn't want to pray as a group and no one was going to touch me. I don't know if this caught them off guard or what but needless to say, Jon and I left pretty quickly. It bums me out because it went from a program that I truly enjoyed and that short experience creeped me out. We do plan to go back on Sunday as it's an assumption that it's going back to the typical video-discussion format. I actually plan to to talk to the main lady too and fortunately time has allowed me to calm down. I'm not really mad but I want her to understand that a warning would have been nice before we all marched into that space on Saturday. I know some people take the class because they are trying to figure things out and I could see that situation being very uncomfortable for some. It felt very forced and I don't think that's supposed to be a characteristic of the program.
I went to Weight Watcher's last week and dropped about 5 lbs. And I fell off the wagon already. We went out to eat a lot this week. A lot. I'm in a funk at home in regards to our dinners and food choices. I'm not creative in the kitchen and my motivation to whip up a wholesome meal is often lacking, especially on work days. Sadly I'm sure I've gained weight back but I'll know more tomorrow. The plan is to stop by and just weigh-in as we want to be at home when Trick-or-Treat hours start. Then again it's supposed to storm tomorrow evening. I hate when the weather sucks on Halloween. I'm not sure why Ankeny isn't having trick-or-treating on Thursday.
Time to dig into grading. Yippee.
Yesterday (Monday) did not go well for this lady but I'm pleased to report that my Tuesday is starting off on a better note. I don't teach today so I'm excited to work on grading and do some prep work for upcoming classes. I will admit that work has felt a little disappointing lately as I've been busting my butt to create more engaging experiences for my students. Even though activities are more fun and interactive, the students act like it's still as bad as staring at a screen and taking notes. Sigh. My course for PE students gets the prize for being the worst. Teaching elementary PE should be very exciting and motivating and they act like they're at the dentist when in class.
Anywho...Jon and I have been attending a bible-study type class in Ankeny. It's with a different church (Methodist). The course is called ALPHA and for the most part it's been pretty nifty. You can actually find the videos on YouTube as the gentleman that created the course has 45-minute videos for each of the big topics. I can actually say that he's one of the best public speakers I've watched in years. He's also British and I dig the accent. The program had a half-day event this past Saturday. Usually the program only takes place on Sunday evenings for a couple hours. So Saturday started off as expected...breakfast, videos, group discussion, etc. Everything was fine until the last 30 minutes. We moved from our usual place to the church's chapel area. It makes me giggle now but some sort of meditation music was playing. I call it "seagull music" as all I remember are sounds of the ocean and seagulls squawking. The main group leader did sort of a progressive relaxation exercise with the group with deep breathing and muscle relaxation. (I wasn't horribly freaked out yet...but I could tell the program was taking a much different direction.) Then she announces that all of the group leaders/assistants are going to come to us one-by-one and lay hands on us and pray and stuff. I severely dislike that type of stuff. (It seems wrong to use the word 'hate' with a religious topic.) I'm not a touchy person and I like my space. And of course, the main leader and an assistant make a bee-line for me. I probably came off as rude but I was clear from the start that I didn't want to pray as a group and no one was going to touch me. I don't know if this caught them off guard or what but needless to say, Jon and I left pretty quickly. It bums me out because it went from a program that I truly enjoyed and that short experience creeped me out. We do plan to go back on Sunday as it's an assumption that it's going back to the typical video-discussion format. I actually plan to to talk to the main lady too and fortunately time has allowed me to calm down. I'm not really mad but I want her to understand that a warning would have been nice before we all marched into that space on Saturday. I know some people take the class because they are trying to figure things out and I could see that situation being very uncomfortable for some. It felt very forced and I don't think that's supposed to be a characteristic of the program.
I went to Weight Watcher's last week and dropped about 5 lbs. And I fell off the wagon already. We went out to eat a lot this week. A lot. I'm in a funk at home in regards to our dinners and food choices. I'm not creative in the kitchen and my motivation to whip up a wholesome meal is often lacking, especially on work days. Sadly I'm sure I've gained weight back but I'll know more tomorrow. The plan is to stop by and just weigh-in as we want to be at home when Trick-or-Treat hours start. Then again it's supposed to storm tomorrow evening. I hate when the weather sucks on Halloween. I'm not sure why Ankeny isn't having trick-or-treating on Thursday.
Time to dig into grading. Yippee.
Friday, October 18, 2013
TGIF
Today marks the end of Midterm Work at both ISU and DMACC. Apparently it's been a rough week for students but it was fairly easy-going for me. I made awesome progress on grading as I had to submit midterm grades by today. I've also worked ahead and did prep for upcoming weeks as major assignments are due in November and December for most of my classes.
Jon and I went to Weight Watchers on Wednesday. Not pleased by my weight status but wasn't shocked either. I've been eating whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted in the past months. I'm happy to be getting back on track but I have to also bump up my physical activity. The snow will be flying soon so I'm sure my motivation to be outside will start to dwindle. I wasn't enthusiastic to be outside in the summer either due to the heat. You just can't win in most Iowa seasons.
I am attending a conference all day Sunday. I'm excited to see some presentations for health as I'm teaching more health classes now a days. We have to leave Ames at 5:30am. I have a feeling I'll do much of the driving to and from Storm Lake too. Sigh. I've needed more professional development for my annual evaluation so this conference should help. We are hosting it at ISU next fall too and I wanted to get a firsthand account of how well the conference functions. I've attended it before and it's been wonderful. I've also attended it in the past and it was poorly organized.
I need to start prepping and cooking more meals at home. I wish I was versatile with my culinary talents. I can make some stuff really well but I'm awful at trying new recipes. Sigh. The crock pot needs more action too.
I guess that's all for now. Sadly I'm rather dull and I don't have anything of great excitement to write about.
Jon and I went to Weight Watchers on Wednesday. Not pleased by my weight status but wasn't shocked either. I've been eating whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted in the past months. I'm happy to be getting back on track but I have to also bump up my physical activity. The snow will be flying soon so I'm sure my motivation to be outside will start to dwindle. I wasn't enthusiastic to be outside in the summer either due to the heat. You just can't win in most Iowa seasons.
I am attending a conference all day Sunday. I'm excited to see some presentations for health as I'm teaching more health classes now a days. We have to leave Ames at 5:30am. I have a feeling I'll do much of the driving to and from Storm Lake too. Sigh. I've needed more professional development for my annual evaluation so this conference should help. We are hosting it at ISU next fall too and I wanted to get a firsthand account of how well the conference functions. I've attended it before and it's been wonderful. I've also attended it in the past and it was poorly organized.
I need to start prepping and cooking more meals at home. I wish I was versatile with my culinary talents. I can make some stuff really well but I'm awful at trying new recipes. Sigh. The crock pot needs more action too.
I guess that's all for now. Sadly I'm rather dull and I don't have anything of great excitement to write about.
Friday, September 20, 2013
Grateful for the Weekend
Greetings:
Work is somewhat settled so I decided to take some time for myself. I'm sure I'm forgetting to do something major though....that's the fun part. I'm leaving early today too as I've worked over 50 hours already. I'm excited to do things around the house and clean a bit since that is mindless work. We have huge tree limbs and stuff down too...the neighbor is arranging the clean up but I will probably still need to do something for our property. I am attempting to send myself pictures from my phone but the process isn't working. I'm sure you can envision large tree limbs laying in our driveway.
Woohoo!! Quick edit:
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We were supposed to go to Illinois this weekend but that's canceled with Jon still being in Colorado. We were going to a basset hound rescue fundraiser. Maybe next year! It's actually really fun because tons of basset hounds run a muck and participate in a parade. Jon is supposed to be back on Monday or Tuesday next week if the work progresses in Colorado with locating people and pulling out search teams.
Eating well and exercising have been thrown out the window from a high rise building. I've been super stressed lately and it's causing me to be impulsive with food choices and overeat. Sigh. I'm also constantly busy and cannot figure out how to get to the gym. I'm going to have to exercise in the morning or something. I'd like to exercise with Jon but there is no way to do it. I work late Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Wednesday and Fridays work but we try to do Weight Watcher's on Wednesday too.
My DMACC job is going fine...I am able to work ahead and keep up with my tasks. ISU is another story. My class for PE majors is taking so much time. I was told I could easily use materials from the professor that typically teaches it but I wasn't happy with the materials. I'm taking a lot of time to fine tune presentations, homework expectations, etc. The students start teaching our lab kids next week and I want them to do well. My health classes are going OK...I'll have a lot of grading pile up soon. My position for coordinating the grad students is kicking my butt. A lot of little situations keep occurring and the collection of them all takes so much of my day. I'm going to send the students an email outlining my expectations for professionalism as some assume I just handle their issues for them. We had major chaos this week due to a TA needing a substitute. He was told to find some options (which he did) but he never got their phone numbers! When a sub was actually needed for a certain, acute event he couldn't get ahold of the people to teach his 8am class. Who does he call? Jenny. At the buttcrack of dawn when she's still at home and unable to do much to help the situation.
The after school program has also been less than enjoyable. The risk management requirements are such a pain. Any time I submit paperwork or information to them, I feel like I am getting scolded even though I'm doing what I should be. They seem inconvenienced that I'm asking for background checks. I have a couple great employees but a lot of the volunteers and helpers aren't showing great work ethic. I ask for ideas for games and activities and they act like I'm asking for the calculation related to nuclear fission. Back when I started with Swim & Gym in 2004, everyone was anxious to suggest activities and be part of the program. I cannot figure out what I can do to make people more excited and helpful. I feel like a mom during the program that has to boss people around to get the work I want.
On a bright note, I'm liking the bible study program on Sunday nights. It's for couples but I'm obviously going solo with Jon gone. We have a free will donation meal at 5:30. We watch a video in the series after that. Then we go to small group discussions that are purposely organized so your significant other is not with you in the group. I think Jon and I are the only unmarried couple. For some reason it throws people off when I correct them. They'll ask where my husband is and I'll try to humorously state that I haven't found him yet but Jon is in contention for the job.
Alrighty, that's enough for now. I've looked busy for awhile in my office and I'm going to sneak home.
Work is somewhat settled so I decided to take some time for myself. I'm sure I'm forgetting to do something major though....that's the fun part. I'm leaving early today too as I've worked over 50 hours already. I'm excited to do things around the house and clean a bit since that is mindless work. We have huge tree limbs and stuff down too...the neighbor is arranging the clean up but I will probably still need to do something for our property. I am attempting to send myself pictures from my phone but the process isn't working. I'm sure you can envision large tree limbs laying in our driveway.
Woohoo!! Quick edit:
.jpg)
.jpg)
We were supposed to go to Illinois this weekend but that's canceled with Jon still being in Colorado. We were going to a basset hound rescue fundraiser. Maybe next year! It's actually really fun because tons of basset hounds run a muck and participate in a parade. Jon is supposed to be back on Monday or Tuesday next week if the work progresses in Colorado with locating people and pulling out search teams.
Eating well and exercising have been thrown out the window from a high rise building. I've been super stressed lately and it's causing me to be impulsive with food choices and overeat. Sigh. I'm also constantly busy and cannot figure out how to get to the gym. I'm going to have to exercise in the morning or something. I'd like to exercise with Jon but there is no way to do it. I work late Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Wednesday and Fridays work but we try to do Weight Watcher's on Wednesday too.
My DMACC job is going fine...I am able to work ahead and keep up with my tasks. ISU is another story. My class for PE majors is taking so much time. I was told I could easily use materials from the professor that typically teaches it but I wasn't happy with the materials. I'm taking a lot of time to fine tune presentations, homework expectations, etc. The students start teaching our lab kids next week and I want them to do well. My health classes are going OK...I'll have a lot of grading pile up soon. My position for coordinating the grad students is kicking my butt. A lot of little situations keep occurring and the collection of them all takes so much of my day. I'm going to send the students an email outlining my expectations for professionalism as some assume I just handle their issues for them. We had major chaos this week due to a TA needing a substitute. He was told to find some options (which he did) but he never got their phone numbers! When a sub was actually needed for a certain, acute event he couldn't get ahold of the people to teach his 8am class. Who does he call? Jenny. At the buttcrack of dawn when she's still at home and unable to do much to help the situation.
The after school program has also been less than enjoyable. The risk management requirements are such a pain. Any time I submit paperwork or information to them, I feel like I am getting scolded even though I'm doing what I should be. They seem inconvenienced that I'm asking for background checks. I have a couple great employees but a lot of the volunteers and helpers aren't showing great work ethic. I ask for ideas for games and activities and they act like I'm asking for the calculation related to nuclear fission. Back when I started with Swim & Gym in 2004, everyone was anxious to suggest activities and be part of the program. I cannot figure out what I can do to make people more excited and helpful. I feel like a mom during the program that has to boss people around to get the work I want.
On a bright note, I'm liking the bible study program on Sunday nights. It's for couples but I'm obviously going solo with Jon gone. We have a free will donation meal at 5:30. We watch a video in the series after that. Then we go to small group discussions that are purposely organized so your significant other is not with you in the group. I think Jon and I are the only unmarried couple. For some reason it throws people off when I correct them. They'll ask where my husband is and I'll try to humorously state that I haven't found him yet but Jon is in contention for the job.
Alrighty, that's enough for now. I've looked busy for awhile in my office and I'm going to sneak home.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Time for an Update
Greetings!
It's a new semester, stress levels are elevated again, and like clockwork my blog was put on the back burner. I'm on my lunch break and decided that I'll use the computer for personal reasons for the next hour and take a break from several tasks.
I guess I'll tattle on myself to start with....the weight loss and exercise are not going well. I can tell I've gained weight back due to how some clothing is fitting. I should be more upset but I'm still in "excuse mode" due our busy schedules, exhaustion levels, etc. I've been so impulsive lately with food choices. If something starts to sound good when I'm at work or on my way home, that means we typically end up eating out at a restaurant. I wanted to be working on my running program by now too. My treadmill still looks rather lonely and unused. I keep telling myself that we'll get our schedules set and a routine will develop but things are still hectic and our weeks vary. I keep thinking about the fact that I'm working too much. I've cut out a lot of Red Cross hours but I also need to work less for DMACC. It's impossible for me to say no to the money though. DMACC pays remarkably well and it's helping us live more comfortably and my debt is being whittled down more quickly. I keep thinking about this phrase...
"Do I live to work or do I work to live?"
On a positive note, Gavin is playing football this fall and he's doing very well. I was impressed that he was eager to be on B team as he realized that he'd have more playing time if he wasn't on A team. I like it too because he plays after A team and it will be easier for me to leave work and arrive at his games on time. I'll have pictures in the future.
The semester has started off decently. I'm teaching a new class that helps introduce our PE teachers to the methods of teaching elementary PE. We worked with kids for the first time yesterday. Some were very enthusiastic and willing to help. Some looked like they were in the seventh level of hell and wanted nothing to do with it. I can tell it's not my favorite class to teach already. The set-up for the class is screwy and it's hard to present information, do activities in the gym to help the students practice teaching, and have time to work with our lab students. The other two health classes are usual courses and my DMACC classes are the same too.
Jon and I have decided to take a bible study class on Sunday nights at a different church. It's a program called ALPHA. We did an intro to the class on this past Sunday. It does look interesting and we plan to continue. The only turn off was the enthusiasm of some of the hosts and they were WAY too excited. You could tell they were worried about people not returning the following week. It kind of reminded me of the personalities at Weight Watchers. I'm often tempted to tell people to back the hell off and give me space.
I'll live some more life this week and try to have an update again in a more timely manner. I'm not proud of taking a month off but what can I say? At least I'm back on the horse again.
It's a new semester, stress levels are elevated again, and like clockwork my blog was put on the back burner. I'm on my lunch break and decided that I'll use the computer for personal reasons for the next hour and take a break from several tasks.
I guess I'll tattle on myself to start with....the weight loss and exercise are not going well. I can tell I've gained weight back due to how some clothing is fitting. I should be more upset but I'm still in "excuse mode" due our busy schedules, exhaustion levels, etc. I've been so impulsive lately with food choices. If something starts to sound good when I'm at work or on my way home, that means we typically end up eating out at a restaurant. I wanted to be working on my running program by now too. My treadmill still looks rather lonely and unused. I keep telling myself that we'll get our schedules set and a routine will develop but things are still hectic and our weeks vary. I keep thinking about the fact that I'm working too much. I've cut out a lot of Red Cross hours but I also need to work less for DMACC. It's impossible for me to say no to the money though. DMACC pays remarkably well and it's helping us live more comfortably and my debt is being whittled down more quickly. I keep thinking about this phrase...
"Do I live to work or do I work to live?"
On a positive note, Gavin is playing football this fall and he's doing very well. I was impressed that he was eager to be on B team as he realized that he'd have more playing time if he wasn't on A team. I like it too because he plays after A team and it will be easier for me to leave work and arrive at his games on time. I'll have pictures in the future.
The semester has started off decently. I'm teaching a new class that helps introduce our PE teachers to the methods of teaching elementary PE. We worked with kids for the first time yesterday. Some were very enthusiastic and willing to help. Some looked like they were in the seventh level of hell and wanted nothing to do with it. I can tell it's not my favorite class to teach already. The set-up for the class is screwy and it's hard to present information, do activities in the gym to help the students practice teaching, and have time to work with our lab students. The other two health classes are usual courses and my DMACC classes are the same too.
Jon and I have decided to take a bible study class on Sunday nights at a different church. It's a program called ALPHA. We did an intro to the class on this past Sunday. It does look interesting and we plan to continue. The only turn off was the enthusiasm of some of the hosts and they were WAY too excited. You could tell they were worried about people not returning the following week. It kind of reminded me of the personalities at Weight Watchers. I'm often tempted to tell people to back the hell off and give me space.
I'll live some more life this week and try to have an update again in a more timely manner. I'm not proud of taking a month off but what can I say? At least I'm back on the horse again.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Still Alive, Still Kick'n
Greetings:
It's been quite some time since I've stared at my blog. A lot of wonderful things have taken place and luckily I only have two biggies that have been less than positive. First of all, my ISU class ended, my DMACC class ended, and the summer program ended. Of those three, I was most grateful for the children's program conclusion. I always have a ton of energy and enthusiasm for that part of my job in May and most of June. By July it's stressful and I start to "check out". It's not the most professional thing to admit but I do really start to count down the days. The staff and employees involved with the program this summer were great so it was awesome to not deal with personnel problems. Even the children were well behaved for the most part, we only had a few issues with the participants. I still need to write a thank-you to the staff and a separate one for my program assistant.
I'm working on preparations for the fall semesters. I teach three classes for ISU and they all take place on MWF. My only obligation on Tuesdays and Thursdays will be occasional visits to student teachers and Swim & Gym in the afternoons. I'm filling-in for a professor for one of the courses. I've never taught the course before but she was willing to let me use her materials since I'm a substitute. I'm also fairly prepared for the graduate student orientation too. Coordinating the event in the past years has made prep pretty easy. I make notes on what didn't work well or what should be included. It's easy to create an agenda in June and it falls together rather easily.
We were fortunate to take a vacation to South Dakota the last week of July. I had never been that far west therefore Gavin had not ventured that direction either. Jon had been to the state and its attractions before but it had been years. We had places to visit and hotel reservations made but didn't have a strict plan. We took off on a Saturday and planned to drive 4.5-5 hours to the northwest to stay in Sioux Falls, SD. I made a reservation and a Ramada with an indoor swimming facility. Most of it was geared toward young kids but they did have a pool, water basketball area, water slide, and decent hot tubs. I wanted to swim on this trip so that was accomplished the first night. We stopped at the falls the next day before we left to head west. They were pretty. We were able to have a picnic near by (great money saver).
We headed toward Rapid City the next day. The first stop along the way was the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD. The art on the building was pretty cool and was neat to see the history behind the public attraction.
We went onward toward Wall, SD to visit the Wall Drug Store as the roadways are plastered with advertisements for the tourist trap. Jon got his free class of ice water. I got my $0.05 cup of coffee and we both had a freshly made donut. I bought some taffy and fudge. It was a healthy stop but a cool place to see.
We pressed on and made our way to Rapid City so we could find our next hotel and find a place to eat. The amount of open space in South Dakota is amazing. It blows Iowa out of the water. The restaurant we visited used to be the city's fire house so it was a pretty neat setting. We used the pool again and braced ourselves for the next day.
We went to Wind Cave National Park the next morning. We took the long way through the Black Hills and drove through a part of Custer State Park too. We didn't see a ton of wildlife but the open terrain was beautiful. We took a tour of the cave that was about 1/2 a mile in length. We tried to visit another local cave but the tours were sold out for the day when we arrived. We drove by Hill City and found a Flintstone campground that Jon remembered from his childhood. We also drove by the site for Crazy Horse. They aren't working on the sculpture so we weren't about to pay a fee to get closer to it. You could see it very well from the highway. We went to Mount Rushmore later in the evening so we could see the night ceremony for the site. A park ranger speaks to the crowd about the national part and a movie is shown about the presidents. They also turn the spotlights on the monument. At the very end they have all current military personnel and retired come down to the stage to retire the flag for the night. It was really cool to see so much patrioism (spelling)?
We also visited a drive-thru zoo before Rushmore. It's called Bear Country USA. Some animals cooperated and walked around or moved as we drove through. Some weren't visible or were napping. I was shocked by how much it cost but I suppose it's not cheap to run the place, buy food for the animals, etc.
The negative aspects that I'll mention are the dieting and exericse. I'm not eating very well and I'm eating out too often. Not being as active as I should be either. Two things I can easily start to fix though. I'm making a salad for supper tonight so that should help keep us home to eat. I'll save my brainstorming for another blog entry. Still pondering ideas and plans.
It's been quite some time since I've stared at my blog. A lot of wonderful things have taken place and luckily I only have two biggies that have been less than positive. First of all, my ISU class ended, my DMACC class ended, and the summer program ended. Of those three, I was most grateful for the children's program conclusion. I always have a ton of energy and enthusiasm for that part of my job in May and most of June. By July it's stressful and I start to "check out". It's not the most professional thing to admit but I do really start to count down the days. The staff and employees involved with the program this summer were great so it was awesome to not deal with personnel problems. Even the children were well behaved for the most part, we only had a few issues with the participants. I still need to write a thank-you to the staff and a separate one for my program assistant.
I'm working on preparations for the fall semesters. I teach three classes for ISU and they all take place on MWF. My only obligation on Tuesdays and Thursdays will be occasional visits to student teachers and Swim & Gym in the afternoons. I'm filling-in for a professor for one of the courses. I've never taught the course before but she was willing to let me use her materials since I'm a substitute. I'm also fairly prepared for the graduate student orientation too. Coordinating the event in the past years has made prep pretty easy. I make notes on what didn't work well or what should be included. It's easy to create an agenda in June and it falls together rather easily.
We were fortunate to take a vacation to South Dakota the last week of July. I had never been that far west therefore Gavin had not ventured that direction either. Jon had been to the state and its attractions before but it had been years. We had places to visit and hotel reservations made but didn't have a strict plan. We took off on a Saturday and planned to drive 4.5-5 hours to the northwest to stay in Sioux Falls, SD. I made a reservation and a Ramada with an indoor swimming facility. Most of it was geared toward young kids but they did have a pool, water basketball area, water slide, and decent hot tubs. I wanted to swim on this trip so that was accomplished the first night. We stopped at the falls the next day before we left to head west. They were pretty. We were able to have a picnic near by (great money saver).
We went onward toward Wall, SD to visit the Wall Drug Store as the roadways are plastered with advertisements for the tourist trap. Jon got his free class of ice water. I got my $0.05 cup of coffee and we both had a freshly made donut. I bought some taffy and fudge. It was a healthy stop but a cool place to see.
We pressed on and made our way to Rapid City so we could find our next hotel and find a place to eat. The amount of open space in South Dakota is amazing. It blows Iowa out of the water. The restaurant we visited used to be the city's fire house so it was a pretty neat setting. We used the pool again and braced ourselves for the next day.
We went to Wind Cave National Park the next morning. We took the long way through the Black Hills and drove through a part of Custer State Park too. We didn't see a ton of wildlife but the open terrain was beautiful. We took a tour of the cave that was about 1/2 a mile in length. We tried to visit another local cave but the tours were sold out for the day when we arrived. We drove by Hill City and found a Flintstone campground that Jon remembered from his childhood. We also drove by the site for Crazy Horse. They aren't working on the sculpture so we weren't about to pay a fee to get closer to it. You could see it very well from the highway. We went to Mount Rushmore later in the evening so we could see the night ceremony for the site. A park ranger speaks to the crowd about the national part and a movie is shown about the presidents. They also turn the spotlights on the monument. At the very end they have all current military personnel and retired come down to the stage to retire the flag for the night. It was really cool to see so much patrioism (spelling)?
We also visited a drive-thru zoo before Rushmore. It's called Bear Country USA. Some animals cooperated and walked around or moved as we drove through. Some weren't visible or were napping. I was shocked by how much it cost but I suppose it's not cheap to run the place, buy food for the animals, etc.
The negative aspects that I'll mention are the dieting and exericse. I'm not eating very well and I'm eating out too often. Not being as active as I should be either. Two things I can easily start to fix though. I'm making a salad for supper tonight so that should help keep us home to eat. I'll save my brainstorming for another blog entry. Still pondering ideas and plans.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
And the weightloss restarts...
Greetings!
Stepped on the scale at Weight Watchers last night and have lost 5.4 pounds! I knew I had lost weight but was slightly concerned as I'm still overeating at night but I've really curbed it. I'm eating wholesome stuff at night at least but it still adds up to extra calories. I've basically lost half of what I've gained since January. I'm sure next week's loss won't be so substantial but only losing 1-1.5 lbs is the way to go.
I'm actually excited for a doctor's appointment on Monday. I'm getting my hearing checked. It's much overdue. I've needed it to be checked for years. Gavin's voice is lowering and I have noticed I'm having a hard time hearing him most days too. Blah. Jon hates how often he has to repeat himself. Hopefully Monday resolves these issues or puts me on the right path for resolving them.
The class I teach at ISU starts on Monday. I'm excited in the sense it's a cool class and the class size is small. I'm not excited as it's going to force me to be more organized in the morning and I'll have to wake up earlier. It's been nice sleeping in and lollygagging in the mornings. I won't have to get up at the crack of dawn but I do need to be on the road by 8:30am. I'll be doing more laundry too as I'll have to be somewhat dressy in the morning and dressed comfortably in the afternoons. Thursdays will be a treat as I need to be dressy in the morning, causal in the afternoon, and dressy in the evening for my DMACC class. Wee!! Thank God I enjoy doing laundry.
Jon is off enjoying himself this weekend in Chicago so Gavin and I have the house to ourselves. I will work a little bit to prepare further for the ISU class but I'm also going to visit Lane Bryant and use my Real Woman dollars earned from an online order. I need to order some more nice tops and maybe some black capris for work. I only want to visit one Lane Bryant in Des Moines but I'll go to more than one if I can't find my sizes.
I'm starting the preliminary planning for our vacation in August. I'm trying to pinpoint the starting date as we want to chunk up the driving. It's like 9 hours to get to west South Dakota. A hotel on the east side of South Dakota has an indoor water park so I'm going to have us stay on the first day of travel so we can do some swimming and relax poolside. We may actually camp in some areas along the way too. The main attractions will be Mount Rushmore and Bear Country. Apparently there is a Corn Palace place too that we might visit even though it's all about tourism.
Well that's enough for now, I should probably work a little bit before the kid's program starts. I need to place our t-shirt order today. I'm not very creative. Same shirts as last year with the date changed.
Stepped on the scale at Weight Watchers last night and have lost 5.4 pounds! I knew I had lost weight but was slightly concerned as I'm still overeating at night but I've really curbed it. I'm eating wholesome stuff at night at least but it still adds up to extra calories. I've basically lost half of what I've gained since January. I'm sure next week's loss won't be so substantial but only losing 1-1.5 lbs is the way to go.
I'm actually excited for a doctor's appointment on Monday. I'm getting my hearing checked. It's much overdue. I've needed it to be checked for years. Gavin's voice is lowering and I have noticed I'm having a hard time hearing him most days too. Blah. Jon hates how often he has to repeat himself. Hopefully Monday resolves these issues or puts me on the right path for resolving them.
The class I teach at ISU starts on Monday. I'm excited in the sense it's a cool class and the class size is small. I'm not excited as it's going to force me to be more organized in the morning and I'll have to wake up earlier. It's been nice sleeping in and lollygagging in the mornings. I won't have to get up at the crack of dawn but I do need to be on the road by 8:30am. I'll be doing more laundry too as I'll have to be somewhat dressy in the morning and dressed comfortably in the afternoons. Thursdays will be a treat as I need to be dressy in the morning, causal in the afternoon, and dressy in the evening for my DMACC class. Wee!! Thank God I enjoy doing laundry.
Jon is off enjoying himself this weekend in Chicago so Gavin and I have the house to ourselves. I will work a little bit to prepare further for the ISU class but I'm also going to visit Lane Bryant and use my Real Woman dollars earned from an online order. I need to order some more nice tops and maybe some black capris for work. I only want to visit one Lane Bryant in Des Moines but I'll go to more than one if I can't find my sizes.
I'm starting the preliminary planning for our vacation in August. I'm trying to pinpoint the starting date as we want to chunk up the driving. It's like 9 hours to get to west South Dakota. A hotel on the east side of South Dakota has an indoor water park so I'm going to have us stay on the first day of travel so we can do some swimming and relax poolside. We may actually camp in some areas along the way too. The main attractions will be Mount Rushmore and Bear Country. Apparently there is a Corn Palace place too that we might visit even though it's all about tourism.
Well that's enough for now, I should probably work a little bit before the kid's program starts. I need to place our t-shirt order today. I'm not very creative. Same shirts as last year with the date changed.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Hello Again....Weight Watchers
Greetings! After a reminder about blogging, I figured I'd write this and do some work afterwards. I should probably switch that order but nah. I decided to be more visual and proclaim my love for salmon. It's amazing I was so afraid to try that wonderful fish for years. I've been eating it a lot lately and I really enjoy it. Even took the plunge and bought some from Schwan's this week. Here's hoping I can successfully bake it and enjoy it at home as it's not always the cheapest meals at local restaurants.
Jon and I jumped back on that horse called "Weight Watchers" this past week. I've gained weight since the winter due to my apathy towards weight loss. I'm pleased that I haven't gained an immense amount and it will be somewhat easy to drop what I've gained and keep working toward my major goals. The start of the ISU summer camp has really boosted my activity levels. I'm on my feet a lot and it's allowing me to reach my activity goals most days. I set foot in the gym again this past week too. Using the elliptical wasn't as pleasant as I remembered but I completed a 45 minute workout.
My evening DMACC class started at the end of May. It's primarily online (which is what I need to work on after this blog). We meet only once a week on Thursdays. It's been interesting as the students aren't very peppy and excited about the content. Most sit there like they are attending a funeral. It doesn't help my motivation for class prep but luckily the class will be done at the end of July.
The ISU summer camp started off very well this week. The week prior to the start of the week sucked. S-U-C-K-E-D. The Office of Risk Management really, REALLY needs to get their act together. I can sympathize they are short staffed but the hell they put me through before June 3 was ridiculous. Essentially the were very much behind with running the background checks for those employed by the program. I was told I couldn't start the program on June 3. They didn't realize the kids were to start attending on June 3. (Which is confusing as I have to fill out paperwork through their office to get permission to even offer the program...they initially gave me permission to start on June 3.) Anyway...my boss stepped up and ripped them a new one and things were worked out. It was an awkward situation as I don't want to burn bridges with the folks at Risk Management but what they did was soooo unprofessional. Grr. I honestly would love running the youth programs if I didn't have to deal with the politics and the ever-changing rules. I can appreciate there needs to be rules and regulations but the fact they are constantly changing or updating is frustrating. The patterns of communication need much improvement.
I was happy to spend today at home for the most part. We've decided to abandon Wal-Mart and try to use other stores more often for our needs. The ability to get the food/items we need at Wal-Mart has sucked lately, not to mention the courtesy of the employees. Gavin and I hit up Target today and it was a much better experience. I was able to transplant some of my indoor plants. I should have transplanted them years ago. Both are in the original pots/dirt I received them in years ago. I also bought a couple more tomato plants as several perished in my garden. I put them in pots though and plan to grow them on the deck. I added another cucumber plant too as my seeds didn't germinate. I also replanted some onions as I wasn't impressed by how many were appearing.
The other interesting event today was the consumption of duck eggs. My program assistant raises ducks and has been selling the eggs to some of the faculty. She asked if I wanted to try them so I got a complementary dozen. I made omelettes this morning. The egg whites are very clear and the yokes are much bigger. In general the eggs are bigger in size. They taste like chicken eggs. I don't think I'll go out of my way to buy them regularly but they weren't as scary as I anticipated.
Hopefully I can blog next week and report a weight loss after I weigh-in at Weight Watchers. Need to get back on track!! A couple of women that started at the same time as Jon and I were awarded recently. One of them has lost 75 lbs already! She lost more than 1 lb a week obviously and it does make me kick myself for not staying on track.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Just Another Blog Entry
I don't really have anything earth shattering to discuss but it's a low key night so I thought I'd write my Grandma a letter and create another entry for the blog. I thought it would be an easy going week but I've been quite busy at work with summer camp tasks and CPR training. The custodians decided that my floor needed to be waxed this week too so I spent a lot of time clearing out things that were moveable. It was inconvenient but also nice because it forced me to clean and toss a lot of stuff in my office. I am working from home tomorrow as I won't be able to set foot in my office. My boss at DMACC changed the textbook for my summer class so I need to review my upcoming presentations and make sure they fit the chapters. I'm still a little puzzled as to why the book was changed without talking with the instructor.
The Midwest is obviously reeling from the crazy weather in the past days. Iowa is lucky to not have been hit as hard as Oklahoma. I usually love stormy weather but even I will admit the weather on Sunday was a little scary. I think our garden will bounce back minus a few plants that will need to be replaced. It's Murphy's Law that things get crazy when Jon leaves the state and isn't here to help with his Emergency Management crew.
I have been able to read for pleasure. I started with some books that LeAnn let me borrow. I read "The Weird Sisters" when I was traveling to and from Michigan. It was OK but I wasn't in love with the story line. I read "Sarah's Key" next and really liked the story. It is associated with World War II and the Holocust and those topics trip my trigger. I am reading "The Paris Wife" next. I may try to read "The Girl with the Draggon Tattoo" after that. I have a hankering to read some Stephen King too so I'll have to work that in.
I'm planning to attend Weight Watchers tomorrow as I've not officially weighed-in forever. Well it seems like forever. I have no clue what I weigh right now. Sigh.
Here are some things I need to change to get back on track:
Ok, time to create a letter for my Grandma!
The Midwest is obviously reeling from the crazy weather in the past days. Iowa is lucky to not have been hit as hard as Oklahoma. I usually love stormy weather but even I will admit the weather on Sunday was a little scary. I think our garden will bounce back minus a few plants that will need to be replaced. It's Murphy's Law that things get crazy when Jon leaves the state and isn't here to help with his Emergency Management crew.
I have been able to read for pleasure. I started with some books that LeAnn let me borrow. I read "The Weird Sisters" when I was traveling to and from Michigan. It was OK but I wasn't in love with the story line. I read "Sarah's Key" next and really liked the story. It is associated with World War II and the Holocust and those topics trip my trigger. I am reading "The Paris Wife" next. I may try to read "The Girl with the Draggon Tattoo" after that. I have a hankering to read some Stephen King too so I'll have to work that in.
I'm planning to attend Weight Watchers tomorrow as I've not officially weighed-in forever. Well it seems like forever. I have no clue what I weigh right now. Sigh.
Here are some things I need to change to get back on track:
- drinking less soda as I'm being too indulgent
- eating breakfast regularly as well as eating a nutrient dense lunch
- controlling how much I eat night with supper and late night snacking
- including purposeful exercise/physical activity at least three days a week
Ok, time to create a letter for my Grandma!
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Summer Transition
Greetings:
I've been at my mechanic for 2.5 hours so I'm sure they will wrap-up and finish now that I've started blogging. I got a decent amount of work done today while I sat here as keeping up with my email is a struggle. Summer Youth Fitness starts on June 3 so I have emails from parents, interested families, employees, etc. flowing in regularly. I believe that everyone I need to hire has been hired. Only had one employee back out due to finding a job with full time hours. I have my mandatory orientation meeting on Thursday. First meeting is at 1pm and a second option is in the evening. I'm not at full capacity with enrollment yet but I predict a few parents panicking as they look at the calendar. I think I can still enroll 15-20 kids and abide by my ratio rules.
Figures that I would start things off talking about work. I should have started things off by talking about my brief but wonderful get-away this past weekend. I jetted off to Michigan to visit Nicole. It was nice going off by myself without many worries. I do have to admit that I'm still not a fan of flying, even at the ripe age of 30. The security requirements at airports continue to suck too. I did have some anxiety beyond the basic fact I was flying. I am always so nervous about cramming my butt into an airline seat and using the seat belt. I would be so embarassed if I needed a belt extender or something like that. Fortunately I could sit pretty comfortably and the seatbeat fit...barely. It was still comfortable though. I was lucky on my way to Detroit as no one had the seat next to me. I did have a lady next to me on the way back.
Nicole and I had a fun, laxidasical weekend. I went to a Botanical Center for the first time in my life. I saw pineapples, Swiss Cheese plants, grapefruits, a room of cacti, a solar house, hens/chickens (plants not animals), etc. I was also pleased to get a pedicure for my poor toes. It had been months...2012 since I had gotten my feet worked on. Thanks for letting me crash with you for a weekend Nicole!
In my head I thought I had more of a break before things got hectic again but time is slipping away fast. My DMACC summer class starts next week (Thursday nights). I've already mentioned my SYF meetings and that prep. My ISU summer class starts in the middle of June. June 17 to be exact. I shouldn't have oodles of planning for that as I just taught it this spring but I need to merge content together to fill more time each day since it's shrunk down into 6 weeks.
Jon and I bopped around town last night to buy dirt and plants. I plan to do some planting today. We bought bags of dirt to try and fill a corner of our garden that is low. Water likes to sit there when it rains and I'm hoping to remedy that. It's supposed to be 95 here today so I just want to be outside in the sun. Yes, sunscreen will be applied as I'll be burnt in like 10 seconds.
I got ballsy yesterday and cut my hair. We'll I finally went in for a hair cut and had her go to town. She took off two inches but the amount of layering she did made my hair look much shorter and it thinned it out a lot. She used a straightener yesterday and I wasn't too thrilled with the look. I don't even own a straightener so I was confused as to why she went that route. I washed it last night and it looks really good this morning with it's natural body and wave. She cut off a lot of my blonde though and I think I look odd with primarily brown hair. Odd but more professional. I think the cut itself looks more professional.
I found out today that I've been named as a chair for a search committee for our department. We are hiring a new martial arts person and the boss thought it would be logical that I lead the search considering I'm the Physical Activity Coordinator for the department. I'm rather nervous though as I've never chaired anything my life...including a search for a new faculty member. I hope the boss or someone else is willing to show me the ropes or deal with a lot of questions.
I made a new recipe last night (the chicken salad recipe Nicole!). I'm usually not a spicy food person but hot sauce is starting to grow on me for some foods. It was essentially a salad with the basic ingredients: lettuce, green pepper, red pepper, tomatoes, etc. I added avocado, black beans, and corn. Instead of using chicken breast, I used turkey breast that was left over from last week's crock pot experiment. It shredded nicely into the salad. The Bolthouse salad dressings in this area do not include the Salsa Ranch we used in Michigan. I grabbed Wishbone Buffalo Ranch and it worked well. I added a little more of the hot sauce and it was well balanced. Jon wasn't wowed but I'll definitely make it for myself again.
Ok...they have to be done with my car soon. I'm sick of staring at my computer. I'll blog again soon when I have pictures of my garden and flower pots ready. Adios!
I've been at my mechanic for 2.5 hours so I'm sure they will wrap-up and finish now that I've started blogging. I got a decent amount of work done today while I sat here as keeping up with my email is a struggle. Summer Youth Fitness starts on June 3 so I have emails from parents, interested families, employees, etc. flowing in regularly. I believe that everyone I need to hire has been hired. Only had one employee back out due to finding a job with full time hours. I have my mandatory orientation meeting on Thursday. First meeting is at 1pm and a second option is in the evening. I'm not at full capacity with enrollment yet but I predict a few parents panicking as they look at the calendar. I think I can still enroll 15-20 kids and abide by my ratio rules.
Figures that I would start things off talking about work. I should have started things off by talking about my brief but wonderful get-away this past weekend. I jetted off to Michigan to visit Nicole. It was nice going off by myself without many worries. I do have to admit that I'm still not a fan of flying, even at the ripe age of 30. The security requirements at airports continue to suck too. I did have some anxiety beyond the basic fact I was flying. I am always so nervous about cramming my butt into an airline seat and using the seat belt. I would be so embarassed if I needed a belt extender or something like that. Fortunately I could sit pretty comfortably and the seatbeat fit...barely. It was still comfortable though. I was lucky on my way to Detroit as no one had the seat next to me. I did have a lady next to me on the way back.
Nicole and I had a fun, laxidasical weekend. I went to a Botanical Center for the first time in my life. I saw pineapples, Swiss Cheese plants, grapefruits, a room of cacti, a solar house, hens/chickens (plants not animals), etc. I was also pleased to get a pedicure for my poor toes. It had been months...2012 since I had gotten my feet worked on. Thanks for letting me crash with you for a weekend Nicole!
In my head I thought I had more of a break before things got hectic again but time is slipping away fast. My DMACC summer class starts next week (Thursday nights). I've already mentioned my SYF meetings and that prep. My ISU summer class starts in the middle of June. June 17 to be exact. I shouldn't have oodles of planning for that as I just taught it this spring but I need to merge content together to fill more time each day since it's shrunk down into 6 weeks.
Jon and I bopped around town last night to buy dirt and plants. I plan to do some planting today. We bought bags of dirt to try and fill a corner of our garden that is low. Water likes to sit there when it rains and I'm hoping to remedy that. It's supposed to be 95 here today so I just want to be outside in the sun. Yes, sunscreen will be applied as I'll be burnt in like 10 seconds.
I got ballsy yesterday and cut my hair. We'll I finally went in for a hair cut and had her go to town. She took off two inches but the amount of layering she did made my hair look much shorter and it thinned it out a lot. She used a straightener yesterday and I wasn't too thrilled with the look. I don't even own a straightener so I was confused as to why she went that route. I washed it last night and it looks really good this morning with it's natural body and wave. She cut off a lot of my blonde though and I think I look odd with primarily brown hair. Odd but more professional. I think the cut itself looks more professional.
I found out today that I've been named as a chair for a search committee for our department. We are hiring a new martial arts person and the boss thought it would be logical that I lead the search considering I'm the Physical Activity Coordinator for the department. I'm rather nervous though as I've never chaired anything my life...including a search for a new faculty member. I hope the boss or someone else is willing to show me the ropes or deal with a lot of questions.
I made a new recipe last night (the chicken salad recipe Nicole!). I'm usually not a spicy food person but hot sauce is starting to grow on me for some foods. It was essentially a salad with the basic ingredients: lettuce, green pepper, red pepper, tomatoes, etc. I added avocado, black beans, and corn. Instead of using chicken breast, I used turkey breast that was left over from last week's crock pot experiment. It shredded nicely into the salad. The Bolthouse salad dressings in this area do not include the Salsa Ranch we used in Michigan. I grabbed Wishbone Buffalo Ranch and it worked well. I added a little more of the hot sauce and it was well balanced. Jon wasn't wowed but I'll definitely make it for myself again.
Ok...they have to be done with my car soon. I'm sick of staring at my computer. I'll blog again soon when I have pictures of my garden and flower pots ready. Adios!
Friday, April 12, 2013
Middle of April!!
I have time to kill but not enough to dive into any major work so I thought I'd try to crack out a blog entry before departing from Ames. (I have to teach for DMACC tonight in the grand city of Perry.)
Life has been fairly hectic so I think I'm going to use the random, non-organized method for writing my thoughts down.
Life has been fairly hectic so I think I'm going to use the random, non-organized method for writing my thoughts down.
- I'm not loving the taste of spring and nice weather followed by a reminder of winter weather. It did snow in Ames yesterday when I was leaving town. I really want the weather to shape up so we can enjoy our parade next weekend and not shiver to death. I also have a strong hankering to clean up the yard. We need to rake along the fence line and pick up sticks. I also need to finish my plan for the garden so we can get someone over to till up more of the lawn for our expansion project. We are also installing a gutter system to collect water to hopefully lower our water bill. I'm still afraid that the drought situation will be problematic again this summer. Everyone is so happy about our current rainfalls but we are severely behind in needed precipitation to fix the soil and ground water from last year's situation. If we have a water ban, it's basically going to cause death for the garden which is a lot of wasted money and effort.
- The weight loss process has hit a major hitch due to poor eating, impulsive eating, and a lack of working out. Sad thing is that I knew I'd be very busy so I could have planned better for these weeks but I didn't. I'm going to try and prep some food this weekend so we can throw meals into the oven and have a plan for supper. It's too easy to decide to eat out when we get home.
- Impulsive eating: it's been bizarre lately. I don't understand why some foods jump into my brain. Usually these foods are not appealing and when I do eat them, I don't feel so hot afterwards. I can tell lately that my energy levels are lower and I don't feel fantastic most of the time. I do think it's my diet lately and the amount of pop I've been drinking.
- I had a fun experience in the last week with a recent graduate of our department. He was asked to come down to Texas to interview and show a sample lesson plan to a school district. He visited with me and asked me for a lot of advice. Yes it took a lot of time but it was nice to be appreciated and viewed as an expert.
- We received notice last week that the City of Ankeny is redoing the sewer system on our street. We don't have an exact start date but our street will be unusable for a big chunk of the summer. We'll have to park 1-2 blocks away (not fun with three vehicles) and during part of the process we'll be able to park at the city park across the street. (This may cause the planned garage sale to be early in June!!)
- I'm very excited for next weekend. I love attending the VEISHEA parade. It sounds like we may go to Taki Japanese Steakhouse too. I hope the weather is decent. It will be a nice break from the monotony of grading. I'll have quite a pile for ISU and DMACC. I say this every semester, but I'm really going to try and stay ahead of it...we'll see if that happens. The unit plan projects are so easy to pile up and ignore but I hate grading so many at once in the last week or so.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
April!
It's almost midnight and I should be in a deep slumber. I had a half day with ISU today and took a nap earlier today so it's thrown off my fatigue-level. My health ed prep class provided a Health Fair for a local elementary school. It went fairly well and I was impressed with the majority of my students. Some of the groups could have put a little more effort and enthusiasm into their displays but the school was pleased with our performance.
My grading duties will greatly increase soon due to the amount of teaching taking place in my classes and the fact that all of my ISU students will turn in a unit plan soon. I'm treasuring my down time while I have it.
My Wednesday DMACC class is going ok...many students are behind on a class project but that always happens. I can remind them until I'm blue in the face but it doesn't help much. The project is an easy 50 points so it's frustrating when some choose to do 1/2 of it or barely any of it. My online DMACC class is even more depressing and so many of my students are missing due dates and appear to have mentally "checked out". I'm not sure if some have simply accepted the fact they have an F or if they are going to plead and beg toward the end of the month.
I have to say that I'm pleased with my activity levels. I've been on my feet a lot and my actvity tracker is reflecting the fact that I'm burning extra calories most days. My food choices are below par though. I need to cook more at home! I plan to try some new recipes this weekend and try to plan for meals for next week. I haven't been to Weight Watchers in quite awhile. I'm avoiding it because I know I've gained and I just don't want to hear it. Sad. I have to say the spring weather is making outside activities more appealing. I'm going to clean up the yard later this week. Gavin has actually requested that we go somewhere and play tennis. Heck yes!
I'm very excited about my Michigan venture in May. It will be nice to wrap up my ISU/DMACC duties and take a quick jaunt to see Nicole. I'm sure the weekend will seem short and go by quickly but it's well worth it.
My organization for my summer program started and I'll be hiring my staff soon. I did already hire my program assistant and my swimming director. The motivation for PE majors to work sucks though. I'm curious to see how many even apply to work for the program. I may need to hire elementary ed majors to help fill voids. Considering Gavin's usual camp is closed, I'm curious to see if I see more families show interest in my program. I don't really have much room for expansion but we may be able to increase from 120 to 140 children....maybe.
Time to fold one more batch of laundry and hit the hay. Get to attend an early morning meeting right off the bat in the morning which means I have to be on my way to Ames by 7:15pm.
My grading duties will greatly increase soon due to the amount of teaching taking place in my classes and the fact that all of my ISU students will turn in a unit plan soon. I'm treasuring my down time while I have it.
My Wednesday DMACC class is going ok...many students are behind on a class project but that always happens. I can remind them until I'm blue in the face but it doesn't help much. The project is an easy 50 points so it's frustrating when some choose to do 1/2 of it or barely any of it. My online DMACC class is even more depressing and so many of my students are missing due dates and appear to have mentally "checked out". I'm not sure if some have simply accepted the fact they have an F or if they are going to plead and beg toward the end of the month.
I have to say that I'm pleased with my activity levels. I've been on my feet a lot and my actvity tracker is reflecting the fact that I'm burning extra calories most days. My food choices are below par though. I need to cook more at home! I plan to try some new recipes this weekend and try to plan for meals for next week. I haven't been to Weight Watchers in quite awhile. I'm avoiding it because I know I've gained and I just don't want to hear it. Sad. I have to say the spring weather is making outside activities more appealing. I'm going to clean up the yard later this week. Gavin has actually requested that we go somewhere and play tennis. Heck yes!
I'm very excited about my Michigan venture in May. It will be nice to wrap up my ISU/DMACC duties and take a quick jaunt to see Nicole. I'm sure the weekend will seem short and go by quickly but it's well worth it.
My organization for my summer program started and I'll be hiring my staff soon. I did already hire my program assistant and my swimming director. The motivation for PE majors to work sucks though. I'm curious to see how many even apply to work for the program. I may need to hire elementary ed majors to help fill voids. Considering Gavin's usual camp is closed, I'm curious to see if I see more families show interest in my program. I don't really have much room for expansion but we may be able to increase from 120 to 140 children....maybe.
Time to fold one more batch of laundry and hit the hay. Get to attend an early morning meeting right off the bat in the morning which means I have to be on my way to Ames by 7:15pm.
Friday, March 22, 2013
22 Things Happy People Do Differently
I recently found this list and thought I'd share it. A lot of it rings true. I gave my two cents about a few of the topics and put my thoughts in purple font.
1. They don’t hold grudges.
Happy people understand that it’s better to forgive and forget than to let their negative feelings crowd out their positive feelings. Holding a grudge has a lot of detrimental effects on your wellbeing, including increased depression, anxiety, and stress. Why let anyone who has wronged you have power over you? If you let go of all your grudges, you’ll gain a clear conscience and enough energy to enjoy the good things in life. This is a difficult one for me...there are a few people from my past that make it very difficult to forgive and forget. I have to admit though, the negative feelings I have are no where near as severe as they used to be.
2. They treat everyone with kindness.
Did you know that it has been scientifically proven that being kind makes you happier? Every time you perform a selfless act, your brain produces serotonin, a hormone that eases tension and lifts your spirits. Not only that, but treating people with love, dignity, and respect also allows you to build stronger relationships.
3. They see problems as challenges.
The word “problem” is never part of a happy person’s vocabulary. A problem is viewed as a drawback, a struggle, or an unstable situation while a challenge is viewed as something positive like an opportunity, a task, or a dare. Whenever you face an obstacle, try looking at it as a challenge.
That being said...weight loss is quite the challenge.
4. They express gratitude for what they already have.
There’s a popular saying that goes something like this: “The happiest people don’t have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.” You will have a deeper sense of contentment if you count your blessings instead of yearning for what you don’t have.
5. They dream big.
People who get into the habit of dreaming big are more likely to accomplish their goals than those who don’t. If you dare to dream big, your mind will put itself in a focused and positive state.
6. They don’t sweat the small stuff.
Happy people ask themselves, “Will this problem matter a year from now?” They understand that life’s too short to get worked up over trivial situations. Letting things roll off your back will definitely put you at ease to enjoy the more important things in life.
I definitely have a difficult time with this piece of advice. I take everything at work super duper seriously when I could let more things go.
7. They speak well of others.
Being nice feels better than being mean. As fun as gossiping is, it usually leaves you feeling guilty and resentful. Saying nice things about other people encourages you to think positive, non-judgmental thoughts.
8. They never make excuses.
Benjamin Franklin once said, “He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.” Happy people don’t make excuses or blame others for their own failures in life. Instead, they own up to their mistakes and, by doing so, they proactively try to change for the better.
9. They get absorbed into the present.
Happy people don’t dwell on the past or worry about the future. They savor the present. They let themselves get immersed in whatever they’re doing at the moment. Stop and smell the roses.
10. They wake up at the same time every morning.
Have you noticed that a lot of successful people tend to be early risers? Waking up at the same time every morning stabilizes your circadian rhythm, increases productivity, and puts you in a calm and centered state. Yikes...this one is tricky...especially on weekends and when I have time off.
11. They avoid social comparison.
Everyone works at his own pace, so why compare yourself to others? If you think you’re better than someone else, you gain an unhealthy sense of superiority. If you think someone else is better than you, you end up feeling bad about yourself. You’ll be happier if you focus on your own progress and praise others on theirs. It's too bad that human beings seem to automatically do this!
12. They choose friends wisely.
Misery loves company. That’s why it’s important to surround yourself with optimistic people who will encourage you to achieve your goals. The more positive energy you have around you, the better you will feel about yourself.
13. They never seek approval from others.
Happy people don’t care what others think of them. They follow their own hearts without letting naysayers discourage them. They understand that it’s impossible to please everyone. Listen to what people have to say, but never seek anyone’s approval but your own.
14. They take the time to listen.
Talk less; listen more. Listening keeps your mind open to others’ wisdoms and outlooks on the world. The more intensely you listen, the quieter your mind gets, and the more content you feel.
15. They nurture social relationships.
A lonely person is a miserable person. Happy people understand how important it is to have strong, healthy relationships. Always take the time to see and talk to your family, friends, or significant other.
16. They meditate. (I'd include prayer here too if I was the original author of the list.)
Meditating silences your mind and helps you find inner peace. You don’t have to be a zen master to pull it off. Happy people know how to silence their minds anywhere and anytime they need to calm their nerves.
17. They eat well.
Junk food makes you sluggish, and it’s difficult to be happy when you’re in that kind of state. Everything you eat directly affects your body’s ability to produce hormones, which will dictate your moods, energy, and mental focus. Be sure to eat foods that will keep your mind and body in good shape.
18. They exercise.
Studies have shown that exercise raises happiness levels just as much as Zoloft does. Exercising also boosts your Self Improvement and gives you a higher sense of self-accomplishment.
19. They live minimally.
Happy people rarely keep clutter around the house because they know that extra belongings weigh them down and make them feel overwhelmed and stressed out. Some studies have concluded that Europeans are a lot happier than Americans are, which is interesting because they live in smaller homes, drive simpler cars, and own fewer items.
20. They tell the truth.
Lying stresses you out, corrodes your Self Improvement, and makes you unlikeable. The truth will set you free. Being honest improves your mental health and builds others’ trust in you. Always be truthful, and never apologize for it.
21. They establish personal control.
Happy people have the ability to choose their own destinies. They don’t let others tell them how they should live their lives. Being in complete control of one’s own life brings positive feelings and a great sense of self-worth.
22. They accept what cannot be changed.
Once you accept the fact that life is not fair, you’ll be more at peace with yourself. Instead of obsessing over how unfair life is, just focus on what you can control and change it for the better. They also don't accept what CAN be changed...aka weight loss and healthy habits.
1. They don’t hold grudges.
Happy people understand that it’s better to forgive and forget than to let their negative feelings crowd out their positive feelings. Holding a grudge has a lot of detrimental effects on your wellbeing, including increased depression, anxiety, and stress. Why let anyone who has wronged you have power over you? If you let go of all your grudges, you’ll gain a clear conscience and enough energy to enjoy the good things in life. This is a difficult one for me...there are a few people from my past that make it very difficult to forgive and forget. I have to admit though, the negative feelings I have are no where near as severe as they used to be.
2. They treat everyone with kindness.
Did you know that it has been scientifically proven that being kind makes you happier? Every time you perform a selfless act, your brain produces serotonin, a hormone that eases tension and lifts your spirits. Not only that, but treating people with love, dignity, and respect also allows you to build stronger relationships.
3. They see problems as challenges.
The word “problem” is never part of a happy person’s vocabulary. A problem is viewed as a drawback, a struggle, or an unstable situation while a challenge is viewed as something positive like an opportunity, a task, or a dare. Whenever you face an obstacle, try looking at it as a challenge.
That being said...weight loss is quite the challenge.
4. They express gratitude for what they already have.
There’s a popular saying that goes something like this: “The happiest people don’t have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.” You will have a deeper sense of contentment if you count your blessings instead of yearning for what you don’t have.
5. They dream big.
People who get into the habit of dreaming big are more likely to accomplish their goals than those who don’t. If you dare to dream big, your mind will put itself in a focused and positive state.
6. They don’t sweat the small stuff.
Happy people ask themselves, “Will this problem matter a year from now?” They understand that life’s too short to get worked up over trivial situations. Letting things roll off your back will definitely put you at ease to enjoy the more important things in life.
I definitely have a difficult time with this piece of advice. I take everything at work super duper seriously when I could let more things go.
7. They speak well of others.
Being nice feels better than being mean. As fun as gossiping is, it usually leaves you feeling guilty and resentful. Saying nice things about other people encourages you to think positive, non-judgmental thoughts.
8. They never make excuses.
Benjamin Franklin once said, “He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.” Happy people don’t make excuses or blame others for their own failures in life. Instead, they own up to their mistakes and, by doing so, they proactively try to change for the better.
9. They get absorbed into the present.
Happy people don’t dwell on the past or worry about the future. They savor the present. They let themselves get immersed in whatever they’re doing at the moment. Stop and smell the roses.
10. They wake up at the same time every morning.
Have you noticed that a lot of successful people tend to be early risers? Waking up at the same time every morning stabilizes your circadian rhythm, increases productivity, and puts you in a calm and centered state. Yikes...this one is tricky...especially on weekends and when I have time off.
11. They avoid social comparison.
Everyone works at his own pace, so why compare yourself to others? If you think you’re better than someone else, you gain an unhealthy sense of superiority. If you think someone else is better than you, you end up feeling bad about yourself. You’ll be happier if you focus on your own progress and praise others on theirs. It's too bad that human beings seem to automatically do this!
12. They choose friends wisely.
Misery loves company. That’s why it’s important to surround yourself with optimistic people who will encourage you to achieve your goals. The more positive energy you have around you, the better you will feel about yourself.
13. They never seek approval from others.
Happy people don’t care what others think of them. They follow their own hearts without letting naysayers discourage them. They understand that it’s impossible to please everyone. Listen to what people have to say, but never seek anyone’s approval but your own.
14. They take the time to listen.
Talk less; listen more. Listening keeps your mind open to others’ wisdoms and outlooks on the world. The more intensely you listen, the quieter your mind gets, and the more content you feel.
15. They nurture social relationships.
A lonely person is a miserable person. Happy people understand how important it is to have strong, healthy relationships. Always take the time to see and talk to your family, friends, or significant other.
16. They meditate. (I'd include prayer here too if I was the original author of the list.)
Meditating silences your mind and helps you find inner peace. You don’t have to be a zen master to pull it off. Happy people know how to silence their minds anywhere and anytime they need to calm their nerves.
17. They eat well.
Junk food makes you sluggish, and it’s difficult to be happy when you’re in that kind of state. Everything you eat directly affects your body’s ability to produce hormones, which will dictate your moods, energy, and mental focus. Be sure to eat foods that will keep your mind and body in good shape.
18. They exercise.
Studies have shown that exercise raises happiness levels just as much as Zoloft does. Exercising also boosts your Self Improvement and gives you a higher sense of self-accomplishment.
19. They live minimally.
Happy people rarely keep clutter around the house because they know that extra belongings weigh them down and make them feel overwhelmed and stressed out. Some studies have concluded that Europeans are a lot happier than Americans are, which is interesting because they live in smaller homes, drive simpler cars, and own fewer items.
20. They tell the truth.
Lying stresses you out, corrodes your Self Improvement, and makes you unlikeable. The truth will set you free. Being honest improves your mental health and builds others’ trust in you. Always be truthful, and never apologize for it.
21. They establish personal control.
Happy people have the ability to choose their own destinies. They don’t let others tell them how they should live their lives. Being in complete control of one’s own life brings positive feelings and a great sense of self-worth.
22. They accept what cannot be changed.
Once you accept the fact that life is not fair, you’ll be more at peace with yourself. Instead of obsessing over how unfair life is, just focus on what you can control and change it for the better. They also don't accept what CAN be changed...aka weight loss and healthy habits.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Drama, Drama
I only have about 20 minutes, let's see what I can get written down before I jet off to Johnston, IA.
The dieting has somewhat derailed. Been eating out a lot and not hitting the gym much. I hope that next week (Spring Break) helps with my food choices and physical activity levels. I want to try some more recipes and organize meals for upcoming weeks. Work has been stressful and very busy so I'm not shocked that I put my health and eating habits on the back burner. It happens regularly each semester. My summer will also be more busy as I'm teaching for both DMACC and ISU and running the summer camp program. It makes me wish I had a personal assistant or something so I don't lose ground with home life and my personal goals.
The drama-themed title relates to church. Receive an email today from our pastor explaining that I can no longer teach Sunday School. I'm not shocked or surprised. My lifestyle and choice to live with Jon does not match the leadership qualities they need for the education portion of church. It was honestly hard to teach each Sunday with my weekday stress. Hopefully the next person does well and is able to "keep the job". I really hope they don't expect all these exemptions, restrictions, and judgments to push Jon and I into marriage faster. I am able to just shrug things off usually. I can tell that a lot of these church issues are really irritating Jon. We have enough "crap" and stress at work. It sucks that church has to be filled with the same.
I'm pleased to announce that I'll be flying off to Michigan in May. Going to spend a quick weekend visiting Nicole as a treat after the semester ends. I was pleased by the price as it's quite affordable to go see her...maybe I should try to do it twice a year.
Sadly time is against me right now...need to hit the road so I'm not late for a meeting.
The dieting has somewhat derailed. Been eating out a lot and not hitting the gym much. I hope that next week (Spring Break) helps with my food choices and physical activity levels. I want to try some more recipes and organize meals for upcoming weeks. Work has been stressful and very busy so I'm not shocked that I put my health and eating habits on the back burner. It happens regularly each semester. My summer will also be more busy as I'm teaching for both DMACC and ISU and running the summer camp program. It makes me wish I had a personal assistant or something so I don't lose ground with home life and my personal goals.
The drama-themed title relates to church. Receive an email today from our pastor explaining that I can no longer teach Sunday School. I'm not shocked or surprised. My lifestyle and choice to live with Jon does not match the leadership qualities they need for the education portion of church. It was honestly hard to teach each Sunday with my weekday stress. Hopefully the next person does well and is able to "keep the job". I really hope they don't expect all these exemptions, restrictions, and judgments to push Jon and I into marriage faster. I am able to just shrug things off usually. I can tell that a lot of these church issues are really irritating Jon. We have enough "crap" and stress at work. It sucks that church has to be filled with the same.
I'm pleased to announce that I'll be flying off to Michigan in May. Going to spend a quick weekend visiting Nicole as a treat after the semester ends. I was pleased by the price as it's quite affordable to go see her...maybe I should try to do it twice a year.
Sadly time is against me right now...need to hit the road so I'm not late for a meeting.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Health-Related Update
Greetings:
I'll probably divide my blogging into parts so I don't create a novel.
Sadly the dieting is not going well. We've hit a period of time filled with eating out and impulsive choices. I can tell I'm feeling worse lately because of those dietary choices. I haven't been to Weight Watchers for a while either for two reasons:
Triglyercides: 239 in 2012 160 in 2013 (supposed to be between 0-250)
Cholesterol: 198 in 2012 184 in 2013 (supposed to be between 50-200)
HDL: 56 in 2012 55 in 2013 (supposed to be greater than 40)
LDL: 94 in 2012 97 in 2013 (supposed to be between 60-130)
I was so happy to see the change with my triglycerides. I hope to continue to see my overall cholesterol drop. My blood gluclose was a little higher than what is encouraged. I'm going to get checked out again in 6 months to make sure my blood sugar is not out of whack and sending me down Diabete's Lane.
I'll blog again soon to give an update about other pieces of life. The stress of the semester is officially kicking in...yippee!!
I'll probably divide my blogging into parts so I don't create a novel.
Sadly the dieting is not going well. We've hit a period of time filled with eating out and impulsive choices. I can tell I'm feeling worse lately because of those dietary choices. I haven't been to Weight Watchers for a while either for two reasons:
- My work schedule on Wednesday afternoons hasn't been great and I'm not leaving Ames on time
- I know I've gained weight and I don't feel like having Weight Watchers personnel tell me it
Triglyercides: 239 in 2012 160 in 2013 (supposed to be between 0-250)
Cholesterol: 198 in 2012 184 in 2013 (supposed to be between 50-200)
HDL: 56 in 2012 55 in 2013 (supposed to be greater than 40)
LDL: 94 in 2012 97 in 2013 (supposed to be between 60-130)
I was so happy to see the change with my triglycerides. I hope to continue to see my overall cholesterol drop. My blood gluclose was a little higher than what is encouraged. I'm going to get checked out again in 6 months to make sure my blood sugar is not out of whack and sending me down Diabete's Lane.
I'll blog again soon to give an update about other pieces of life. The stress of the semester is officially kicking in...yippee!!
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Can't Even Think of a Decent Title
I turned my computer on about an hour ago with all kinds of motivation to blog. After making myself some food, doing two loads of laundry, loading the dishwasher, and taking out the trash...my energy is much lower. I'll try to sum up my week though and it may be brief.
Swim & Gym started. We are at maximal capacity. 39 kids. (We have usually had around 20 in the past years.) It's awesome that we are full....word-of-mouth has really been helping the program. A lot of home-school families enjoy the program and it provides PE for their children. I had to make some changes in regards to employees and volunteers. Our budget isn't fantastic. I basically charge enough to pay the general cost (life guard, a couple paid positions, etc.). It's not designed to make a giant profit. I only pay two assistants to help me and everyone else is a volunteer. The amount of PE majors taking the initiative to help is pitiful. Fortunately students from other majors in Kinesiology have come forward in addition to some education majors. I could handle having a couple more because our swimming lessons need a little more assistance. With the amount of "new" helpers that had no idea that Swim & Gym existed before, I am doing a lot of the work myself. It's a lot of running around on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I know things will get better as we progress into the program and we find our groove. I'll also figure out which of my volunteers are dependable and can handle more responsiblitiy. I do have a grad student as an assistant too. I won't get into that tonight. I'm not impressed.
One nifty aspect of Swim & Gym is that really helps me earn activity points. I earned 8 points on Tuesday. I earned another 8 points tonight. It's from teaching in the morning and being on my feet most of the afternoon. I had considered going to the gym after Swim & Gym but that won't be necessary. I wouldn't have the energy anyway.
Due to my schedule on Wednesday, I didn't get to Weight Watchers. I'm hoping to stop in tomorrow night or Saturday morning. I haven't been a perfect eater. I had Taco John's this week. I felt horrible afterwards. I haven't been tracking well either. I did track today though.
We have kind of a busy weekend too. Having dinner with a couple from church on Friday night. An ISU game on Saturday and hopefully a quick stop at Sam's Club. Church on Sunday. Valentine's Dinner at Church Sunday night. Grateful I don't have a lot of work to do over the weekend.
This is longer than I anticipated. Hopefully I can log on again this weekend to announce I have a weight loss.
Swim & Gym started. We are at maximal capacity. 39 kids. (We have usually had around 20 in the past years.) It's awesome that we are full....word-of-mouth has really been helping the program. A lot of home-school families enjoy the program and it provides PE for their children. I had to make some changes in regards to employees and volunteers. Our budget isn't fantastic. I basically charge enough to pay the general cost (life guard, a couple paid positions, etc.). It's not designed to make a giant profit. I only pay two assistants to help me and everyone else is a volunteer. The amount of PE majors taking the initiative to help is pitiful. Fortunately students from other majors in Kinesiology have come forward in addition to some education majors. I could handle having a couple more because our swimming lessons need a little more assistance. With the amount of "new" helpers that had no idea that Swim & Gym existed before, I am doing a lot of the work myself. It's a lot of running around on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I know things will get better as we progress into the program and we find our groove. I'll also figure out which of my volunteers are dependable and can handle more responsiblitiy. I do have a grad student as an assistant too. I won't get into that tonight. I'm not impressed.
One nifty aspect of Swim & Gym is that really helps me earn activity points. I earned 8 points on Tuesday. I earned another 8 points tonight. It's from teaching in the morning and being on my feet most of the afternoon. I had considered going to the gym after Swim & Gym but that won't be necessary. I wouldn't have the energy anyway.
Due to my schedule on Wednesday, I didn't get to Weight Watchers. I'm hoping to stop in tomorrow night or Saturday morning. I haven't been a perfect eater. I had Taco John's this week. I felt horrible afterwards. I haven't been tracking well either. I did track today though.
We have kind of a busy weekend too. Having dinner with a couple from church on Friday night. An ISU game on Saturday and hopefully a quick stop at Sam's Club. Church on Sunday. Valentine's Dinner at Church Sunday night. Grateful I don't have a lot of work to do over the weekend.
This is longer than I anticipated. Hopefully I can log on again this weekend to announce I have a weight loss.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
February Update
Greetings:
It's time for an update. It also helps that I'm sitting at my parents' house and pleasantly have nothing to do. Didn't need to bring work with me and my email duties are already done for the day. I weighed in on Wednesday and was surprisingly disappointed that I had gained a pound. I say it was a surprise due to the fact that both Jon and I worked out more and I was mindful with my food tracking. The leader reminded me that I should be using some of my extra points and eating protein to help my body recover from workouts. I'm trying to be better with that this week. Being back in full gear with work has really helped with my activity points. Most days I'm reaching 100% with my ActiveLink or going past 100%. That means I usually earn 3-4 extra food points a day and those accumulate throughout the week if I need extra points for meals. I've been trying to not use any of those extra activity points and I usually don't feel like I need to either. I'm going to try to sneak in more yogurt. I'm already eating a ton of eggs as omelets are a common food for me. I'm also trying to keep some deli chicken in the house as it's wonderful on sandwiches. It's a pesto chicken breast. Hy-Vee slices it for sandwiches and sells it at their deli. It's a tad bit pricey but worth it.
Working out has been enjoyable but I have to admit the crowds at the gym suck. It's only happened once but I had to stand around and wait for cardio equipment. Jon and I are trying to be logical with the time we visit the gym. My hatred of the elipitical is officially gone. It's been easier to bump up my time on the machine to about 40 minutes of continuous "elipticalling". I was always amazed with how fast some people go on them (especially women). I've been nosy and looked at some of their set-ups. I could go a million miles an hour too if the resistance was set at 1. I always aim for 4 to 7 as a resistance. Oh well, whatever burns calories for people. I've only been focusing on cardio in the recent weeks but do need to spend some time with the weight machines. My arm feels almost 100% so doing upper body work isn't so worrisome. My butt is still rather bruised and tender though but luckily it doesn't affect how I walk or move. Only hurts when I sit too long or lay too long.
I didn't reach my goal of being down 20 lbs by the end of January. I'm extending the goal to the end of February. I'm officially down 16 lbs due to last week's gain. My body is always so tricky when it comes to losing the first 20. It usually causes me to fall off the wagon but fortunately that's not the case this time around.
I don't really have any recipes to share as the meals we tried last week weren't that great. I found out that Jon isn't a great fan of cilantro. The different version of chicken chili wasn't as great as our original taco chicken chili. I also made stuffed green peppers and wasn't very impressed with them either. Oh well. I have other things to try that hopefully appeal to us.
Stay warm! Happy Groundhog's Day!
It's time for an update. It also helps that I'm sitting at my parents' house and pleasantly have nothing to do. Didn't need to bring work with me and my email duties are already done for the day. I weighed in on Wednesday and was surprisingly disappointed that I had gained a pound. I say it was a surprise due to the fact that both Jon and I worked out more and I was mindful with my food tracking. The leader reminded me that I should be using some of my extra points and eating protein to help my body recover from workouts. I'm trying to be better with that this week. Being back in full gear with work has really helped with my activity points. Most days I'm reaching 100% with my ActiveLink or going past 100%. That means I usually earn 3-4 extra food points a day and those accumulate throughout the week if I need extra points for meals. I've been trying to not use any of those extra activity points and I usually don't feel like I need to either. I'm going to try to sneak in more yogurt. I'm already eating a ton of eggs as omelets are a common food for me. I'm also trying to keep some deli chicken in the house as it's wonderful on sandwiches. It's a pesto chicken breast. Hy-Vee slices it for sandwiches and sells it at their deli. It's a tad bit pricey but worth it.
Working out has been enjoyable but I have to admit the crowds at the gym suck. It's only happened once but I had to stand around and wait for cardio equipment. Jon and I are trying to be logical with the time we visit the gym. My hatred of the elipitical is officially gone. It's been easier to bump up my time on the machine to about 40 minutes of continuous "elipticalling". I was always amazed with how fast some people go on them (especially women). I've been nosy and looked at some of their set-ups. I could go a million miles an hour too if the resistance was set at 1. I always aim for 4 to 7 as a resistance. Oh well, whatever burns calories for people. I've only been focusing on cardio in the recent weeks but do need to spend some time with the weight machines. My arm feels almost 100% so doing upper body work isn't so worrisome. My butt is still rather bruised and tender though but luckily it doesn't affect how I walk or move. Only hurts when I sit too long or lay too long.
I didn't reach my goal of being down 20 lbs by the end of January. I'm extending the goal to the end of February. I'm officially down 16 lbs due to last week's gain. My body is always so tricky when it comes to losing the first 20. It usually causes me to fall off the wagon but fortunately that's not the case this time around.
I don't really have any recipes to share as the meals we tried last week weren't that great. I found out that Jon isn't a great fan of cilantro. The different version of chicken chili wasn't as great as our original taco chicken chili. I also made stuffed green peppers and wasn't very impressed with them either. Oh well. I have other things to try that hopefully appeal to us.
Stay warm! Happy Groundhog's Day!
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Dusted off the Treadmill
Woohoo!
I knew I wanted to work out tonight after work. The cold temps made it quite undesirable to go to the gym across town. I plugged in the treadmill, checked the good ol heart rate monitor, and did a short workout. I was able to jog for 30 minutes straight! It did help that I had a movie on the TV...I've found the TVs on the elipticals at the gym distract me nicely too. It still blows my mind that people can read while using an eliptical or treadmill.
I was also pleased how quickly that "runner's high" feeling kicked in too. I'm sure my attitude helped how I felt during the run. I was anxious to do it and not dreading it. I'm going to head upstairs and eat some of our leftover chili so I can finish this movie without starving. (I'm watching the sequel to "Elizabeth".)
Stay warm!!
I knew I wanted to work out tonight after work. The cold temps made it quite undesirable to go to the gym across town. I plugged in the treadmill, checked the good ol heart rate monitor, and did a short workout. I was able to jog for 30 minutes straight! It did help that I had a movie on the TV...I've found the TVs on the elipticals at the gym distract me nicely too. It still blows my mind that people can read while using an eliptical or treadmill.
I was also pleased how quickly that "runner's high" feeling kicked in too. I'm sure my attitude helped how I felt during the run. I was anxious to do it and not dreading it. I'm going to head upstairs and eat some of our leftover chili so I can finish this movie without starving. (I'm watching the sequel to "Elizabeth".)
Stay warm!!
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Chicken Taco Chili
I'm not a huge chili fan but I wanted to share this recipe. I do really like this version of the chili and it makes for a great meal. We snacked on it a lot this weekend. We use Fritos Scoops to make it more of a dip at times. I think Jon added some cheese on top of his and the recipe states you can add sour cream too. A very easy crock pot meal!
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2008/11/crock-pot-chicken-taco-chili-4-pts.html
I need to look at the Skinny Taste website more often. Lots of good recipes there.
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2008/11/crock-pot-chicken-taco-chili-4-pts.html
I need to look at the Skinny Taste website more often. Lots of good recipes there.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Killing Time
I have about 20 minutes before I need to start teaching a CPR class so I thought I'd try to crack out a blog entry. In theory nothing should distract me or interrupt me as it's after hours and practically no one is still at work. In theory...not holding my breath on that.
I had an entry started last week but couldn't devote solid time on it so I scraped it and started over with today's entry. Last week I was pleased as I dropped 5 lbs and got back on track with Weight Watchers. I really want to be down an official 20 lbs at the end of the month. Eating went well this week and we went to the gym so I was hoping for another 1-2 lb loss but alas not this week. I actually gained 0.2 according to their scales. I wasn't a happy camper but I'm anticipating to see a decent loss next week. I've been doing really well with my ActiveLink contraption. I'm usually earning 3-4 activity points a day due to all the walking around at work. My workout at the gym on Monday actually gave me a total of 4 points in less than an hour. A lot of people use those activity points to be able to eat more food but I'm really trying to just bank them and have them result in more weight loss. I'm sure I'll have a week that I need some extra points but I don't foresee that soon. (I'm making sure to buy Gavin a mini cake at Hy-Vee so baked goods aren't a problem this weekend.)
Regardless of the gym visit, I need to continue to boost my activity further. I really wish I was more perky and useful in the mornings. I know I could get a nice running workout done if I'd get up around 6am. Sigh.
I need to upload some photos of our living room for the next entry. We now have an accent wall in the living room. It's cardinal red and matches our front door. It looks freaking sweet. Still need to work on some trim work before it's officially complete. We are going to put a large picture of Chicago on the wall (black and white) to somewhat tone down the color. Pictures soon!
The last piece of news is the fact that I'll have a full-fledged teenager in my home this weekend. I'm very blessed and lucky to have such a good kid. I see and hear "wonderful" parental stories of kids doing poorly in school, getting into trouble outside of school, etc. Knock on wood but that really hasn't been a problem. He's still extremely helpful at home (a little more grumbling on some days though). It's also a relief to know he's responsible and get let himself in after school and stay at home alone for extended periods.
Ok...time to teach!
I had an entry started last week but couldn't devote solid time on it so I scraped it and started over with today's entry. Last week I was pleased as I dropped 5 lbs and got back on track with Weight Watchers. I really want to be down an official 20 lbs at the end of the month. Eating went well this week and we went to the gym so I was hoping for another 1-2 lb loss but alas not this week. I actually gained 0.2 according to their scales. I wasn't a happy camper but I'm anticipating to see a decent loss next week. I've been doing really well with my ActiveLink contraption. I'm usually earning 3-4 activity points a day due to all the walking around at work. My workout at the gym on Monday actually gave me a total of 4 points in less than an hour. A lot of people use those activity points to be able to eat more food but I'm really trying to just bank them and have them result in more weight loss. I'm sure I'll have a week that I need some extra points but I don't foresee that soon. (I'm making sure to buy Gavin a mini cake at Hy-Vee so baked goods aren't a problem this weekend.)
Regardless of the gym visit, I need to continue to boost my activity further. I really wish I was more perky and useful in the mornings. I know I could get a nice running workout done if I'd get up around 6am. Sigh.
I need to upload some photos of our living room for the next entry. We now have an accent wall in the living room. It's cardinal red and matches our front door. It looks freaking sweet. Still need to work on some trim work before it's officially complete. We are going to put a large picture of Chicago on the wall (black and white) to somewhat tone down the color. Pictures soon!
The last piece of news is the fact that I'll have a full-fledged teenager in my home this weekend. I'm very blessed and lucky to have such a good kid. I see and hear "wonderful" parental stories of kids doing poorly in school, getting into trouble outside of school, etc. Knock on wood but that really hasn't been a problem. He's still extremely helpful at home (a little more grumbling on some days though). It's also a relief to know he's responsible and get let himself in after school and stay at home alone for extended periods.
Ok...time to teach!
Friday, January 4, 2013
Car Maintenance Galore
Just hanging out at a car dealership waiting for The Fusion. Decided to be a responsible car owner and get some of the recommended maintenance as I'm close to 90,000 miles. Plan was for an oil change, tire rotation, and transmission flush. They actually took me back a bit ago and showed me my front brakes. Not good. My back brakes aren't great either but luckily they can wait until next month when I have another paycheck to draw from. I need a power steering flush too but hopefully that can wait too.
I was in quite a sour, pissy mood yesterday after attempting to have my first productive workday of the new year. I was quickly reminded about my workload when I got to the office and didn't accomplish a sliver of what I needed to yesterday. My main goal was to clean my office. I didn't even get started due to my email, distractions, etc. My teaching evaluations were released yesterday and I wasn't pleased with the remarks from my HS 275 class. What really pisses me off is the whining about my notes policy. I spend HOURS and DAYS working on my PowerPoint presentations. I refuse to just post those to Blackboard and give them to students. I refuse to alter my PowerPoint presentations so students can fill in the blank or complete them. It takes a lot of time to alter them and I don't have that extra time. Most of my classes in college required ME to buy a notepad, invest in a pen, and jot down my own notes. They were rarely given to me electronically. Furthermore, a lot of the content I review and teach isn't difficult. If they'd read the book ahead of time, they'd realize what they truly need to take notes over rather than trying to shorthand everything I say during the 50 minutes. *end of rant*
I also review all of the graduate teaching assistant evaluations as it's my job to ensure they are doing a good job. I also got a little fired up about some of the remarks from students as it's evident that some of our TAs are lazy and don't seem to undrerstand that students are customers. They paid to take a volleyball class, weight lifting class, etc. When the teachers don't have energy, initiative, or proper communication skills it really shows the department doesn't care about the educational experience. I bust my butt to help improve the quality of the classes and teaching but I have a few TAs that don't give a crap. (Kudos on the resolution Nicole but it's been almost impossible to not curse in the last 24 hours.)
On the positive side of things, I had a great day of healthy choices yesterday. Despite my stress level being through the roof, I didn't eat to feel better. I thought out my food choices and played some Wii to attempt to be more active in the evening. I really want to be at a 20-25 lb weight loss by the end of January.
I almost need to set a resolution or major goal about procrastinating. My tendency procrastinate affects all parts of my life. If I procrastinate with grading, I end up working at home, going to bed late, ignoring Jon and/or Gavin, etc. If I procrastinate with other work tasks, I throws off my preparation for teaching and I feel mentally disorganized all day. I often just get distracted at home and our plans change easily. Many trips to the gym were canceled due to that problem. We'd even eat better if I better used my evenings or early mornings to prep food or the crockpot. Sigh. The amount of structure needed in my life is scary.
Anyway, I should end this on a positive note. Here are some perks in life right now:
I was in quite a sour, pissy mood yesterday after attempting to have my first productive workday of the new year. I was quickly reminded about my workload when I got to the office and didn't accomplish a sliver of what I needed to yesterday. My main goal was to clean my office. I didn't even get started due to my email, distractions, etc. My teaching evaluations were released yesterday and I wasn't pleased with the remarks from my HS 275 class. What really pisses me off is the whining about my notes policy. I spend HOURS and DAYS working on my PowerPoint presentations. I refuse to just post those to Blackboard and give them to students. I refuse to alter my PowerPoint presentations so students can fill in the blank or complete them. It takes a lot of time to alter them and I don't have that extra time. Most of my classes in college required ME to buy a notepad, invest in a pen, and jot down my own notes. They were rarely given to me electronically. Furthermore, a lot of the content I review and teach isn't difficult. If they'd read the book ahead of time, they'd realize what they truly need to take notes over rather than trying to shorthand everything I say during the 50 minutes. *end of rant*
I also review all of the graduate teaching assistant evaluations as it's my job to ensure they are doing a good job. I also got a little fired up about some of the remarks from students as it's evident that some of our TAs are lazy and don't seem to undrerstand that students are customers. They paid to take a volleyball class, weight lifting class, etc. When the teachers don't have energy, initiative, or proper communication skills it really shows the department doesn't care about the educational experience. I bust my butt to help improve the quality of the classes and teaching but I have a few TAs that don't give a crap. (Kudos on the resolution Nicole but it's been almost impossible to not curse in the last 24 hours.)
On the positive side of things, I had a great day of healthy choices yesterday. Despite my stress level being through the roof, I didn't eat to feel better. I thought out my food choices and played some Wii to attempt to be more active in the evening. I really want to be at a 20-25 lb weight loss by the end of January.
I almost need to set a resolution or major goal about procrastinating. My tendency procrastinate affects all parts of my life. If I procrastinate with grading, I end up working at home, going to bed late, ignoring Jon and/or Gavin, etc. If I procrastinate with other work tasks, I throws off my preparation for teaching and I feel mentally disorganized all day. I often just get distracted at home and our plans change easily. Many trips to the gym were canceled due to that problem. We'd even eat better if I better used my evenings or early mornings to prep food or the crockpot. Sigh. The amount of structure needed in my life is scary.
Anyway, I should end this on a positive note. Here are some perks in life right now:
- Still taking a daily multi-vitamin on a regular basis. Taking one about 6 days a week.
- Still flossing regularly and my mouth is truly healthier. I hope the dentist concurs.
- Still eating breakfast better than I had for years. It doesn't happen every day but most work days.
- I visited my counselor yesterday and we had a good chitchat. It's amazing how I'll go with a topic in mind but she'll help me realize something else that's more important to focus on. The stress that Jon has been experiencing with his job has been affecting me a lot and she's trying to help me alter that.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
2013
Greetings!
I'm hoping the completion of this blog entry will tucker me out so I can hit the hay before 2am. I slept earlier today due to not feeling well and I'm way too perky but I've been productive at least. I paid some more bills, watched reruns of "Sex in the City", prepared some January birthdy cards, worked on some laundry, and organized Gavin's thank-yous that he'll hopefully work on tomorrow. I'm hoping I can wake up at a decent time in the morning so the day is productive. We have to run up to Ames as I need to make an appearance at work, visit Sam's Club, and take Gavin to an orthodontist appointment. We have an ISU basketball game to attend too.
New Year's Eve was lowkey which is preferable. We went to our favorite chinese/thai place in Des Moines for a calorie-filled supper. We could have just gotten one entree and split it as it was too much food. We got home soon after that as people were driving poorly and apparently drunk driving is popular on December 31 and January 1. We watched a marathon of Roseanne way past midnight.
I had a good time putting the Christmas decorations away. Left out some snowman decorations though as it's going to be winter awhile longer. Sounds like our tree is going outside tomorrow to wait for its pick-up on January 14. I'm impressed so far, it was easy to keep alive. And hardly any needles have fallen off...I'm sure that will change when we haul it out of here. I also redid my address book which was oddly enjoyable too. It's amazing how many addresses I had in my original book and I've not communicated with some people for 9-10 years. I had more than 5 different addresses for some people too so it was nice to organize that part of my life. Nerdy yes.
I'm not sure how I feel about the health changes I need to continue to strive for in the new year. The dietary always seem a little easier than the physical activity side of things. In theory I still have a membership to a gym here in Ankeny and I need to start using that with Jon. (However, they've never deducted money from my bank account so I'm not sure if my "key" will work for entry) I'm going to spend some time and research more recipes as I'd like to freeze more meals and use the crock pot more often. It would be nice if I started these healthier habits now while life is a little slower because I'll let work become an excuse come January 14. I would really like 2013 to be filled with a lot of sustainable weight loss. Not even sure what I weigh right now but I'm sure I've gained some back over the last weeks. I'm not too thrilled about Weight Watchers in the next months as people's resoultions will involve membership which results in very full meetings and long lines. The crowds die down toward the end of Feburary though.
Guess that's it for now. Happy 2013!!
I'm hoping the completion of this blog entry will tucker me out so I can hit the hay before 2am. I slept earlier today due to not feeling well and I'm way too perky but I've been productive at least. I paid some more bills, watched reruns of "Sex in the City", prepared some January birthdy cards, worked on some laundry, and organized Gavin's thank-yous that he'll hopefully work on tomorrow. I'm hoping I can wake up at a decent time in the morning so the day is productive. We have to run up to Ames as I need to make an appearance at work, visit Sam's Club, and take Gavin to an orthodontist appointment. We have an ISU basketball game to attend too.
New Year's Eve was lowkey which is preferable. We went to our favorite chinese/thai place in Des Moines for a calorie-filled supper. We could have just gotten one entree and split it as it was too much food. We got home soon after that as people were driving poorly and apparently drunk driving is popular on December 31 and January 1. We watched a marathon of Roseanne way past midnight.
I had a good time putting the Christmas decorations away. Left out some snowman decorations though as it's going to be winter awhile longer. Sounds like our tree is going outside tomorrow to wait for its pick-up on January 14. I'm impressed so far, it was easy to keep alive. And hardly any needles have fallen off...I'm sure that will change when we haul it out of here. I also redid my address book which was oddly enjoyable too. It's amazing how many addresses I had in my original book and I've not communicated with some people for 9-10 years. I had more than 5 different addresses for some people too so it was nice to organize that part of my life. Nerdy yes.
I'm not sure how I feel about the health changes I need to continue to strive for in the new year. The dietary always seem a little easier than the physical activity side of things. In theory I still have a membership to a gym here in Ankeny and I need to start using that with Jon. (However, they've never deducted money from my bank account so I'm not sure if my "key" will work for entry) I'm going to spend some time and research more recipes as I'd like to freeze more meals and use the crock pot more often. It would be nice if I started these healthier habits now while life is a little slower because I'll let work become an excuse come January 14. I would really like 2013 to be filled with a lot of sustainable weight loss. Not even sure what I weigh right now but I'm sure I've gained some back over the last weeks. I'm not too thrilled about Weight Watchers in the next months as people's resoultions will involve membership which results in very full meetings and long lines. The crowds die down toward the end of Feburary though.
Guess that's it for now. Happy 2013!!
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