What a beautiful Wednesday!!!

     Well, I just went out and blazed my own cross-country trail in our pasture!! What a blast! It's warm (37 degrees), and I was out there in my sweatshirt and sweatpants, and just sweating big time!
     The first go around was a bit slow, since the snow was so deep, but each time around I went faster and faster.
     I cross-country skied for 45 minutes. Hopefully I will be able to walk tomorrow, LOL!
     Now, my goal is to cross-country ski at least once a week. I would like to do more than that, but I know just how busy January will be.
     Considering I have not gone ONCE since I moved here, I am excited that I went today!
     Next time out, I am going to clock my time and see how long it takes for each lap. I just wish I could figure out the distance of my circle around the pasture!
     Tonight we are going out dancing. I can't wait!!! That will be some more burning of calories!
     Right now, I just need to drink lots of water ;)

Last night??

     So, I was planning on going to WWers last night, and then I got caught up in a bunch of other errands, but as I was going home and it was 5:15, I decided I would go, but when I came up to the school there were NO cars.
     I don't know what happened or if maybe they are having the meeting tonight instead? I missed last week's meeting, so I am not sure.
     I am going to try and weigh up today on a good scale that is pretty close to the WWers, so it will give me an idea, at least.
     Not much of an update, I know.
     I am going to go out this morning and cross country ski!!! Woo hoo!!! I will try and take some pictures ;)

Tuesday!

     There is NO doubt in my mind that I have gained weight since the last time I went to WWers, which was not last week, but the week before. I am planning on going tonight (just a reminder that WWers is meeting tonight instead of tomorrow), so I have the little reality check I need.
     I have consumed lots of yummy holiday food, not really much in the sweets or desserts department, but we had two, yes TWO, holiday dinners!! One on Christmas Day and then another on Saturday, yeah!
     I have not exercised, other than some shoveling yesterday. But, I am on my way up to storage today to grab my cross-country stuff.
     I will let update ya on the scale info tonight.

Wrapped up!

     I didn't go to WWers last night because I was in the midst of a huge craft project (Christmas present), and I had the momentum going, and I didn't want to stop.
     I am definitely going next Tuesday!
     Today we are headed up to storage to find my cross country boots, and I did also buy a pair of snow pants, so I will be ready to head out!
     I wish you all a VERY Merry Christmas!!!

WWers and thinking about the past...

     WWers this week is on Tuesday, and also next week, too!! I believe it's next week that is open enrollment, and free sign-up! Come to a meeting for free, and check it all out!!
     My big exercise goal for this week is to dig out my cross-country stuff at storage. We did go there yesterday for something else, and I found my skis and poles, but my boots are tucked away in a tub, so I need to head over and find those. Then I plan to go in the field!!!
     I was just telling a friend about how much I did cross-country before I moved here. I used to go all the time! And, I have not gone ONCE since I have lived here, so I plan to change that.
     I have some friends here who go up on the Loop every Friday afternoon, so I hope to be able to do that in February once the play is over in January. Oh yeah, did I mention that I am directing the play this year?
     I am excited about that, as it's also something I missed tremendously from my life before living here.

WW report

     I gained .6 of a pound since last Wednesday, and given this time of year, I am OK with that. My entire goal until the first of 2009 is to maintain!!
     I did watch the Biggest Loser finale last night, and HOLY COW!! It's so incredibly inspiring to see the tremendous transformations in those contestants' lives, and in the lives of the people around them.
     It was also cool to see the people who were eliminated come back and do a good job themselves!! I didn't follow every episode, but I saw a handful to know the basic story behind each person.
     Inspiring.

Yeah! Good first week back :)

      So, I lost 2.6 pounds this first week back, and that is super cool since I didn't go all out by any means!
     I like the new program they rolled out last night. First off, they now say that you should drink six eight-ounce glasses of liquid a day, and technically you can count tea, diet pop, milk, etc. Of course, they still say and stand by that water is the best...but, if you can get your liquids by including other stuff, they are counting it.
      I thought about how I just don't drink much at all of ANYTHING. So, I decided my goal this upcoming week would be to consume 60 ounces of liquid a day, and I am going to include milk, coffee, and tea in that. I only ever drink one coffee a day, so that won't be a biggie.
      Then, once I reach that goal, I am going to make the goal be all about water, not counting the other stuff in my liquid intake.
      I also like that they now count exercise as one of their healthy guidelines (which now are nine in number instead of the eight before).
      And, the neat-o thing on the new weekly tracker is a section at the bottom to track your hunger and how you feel at different times of the day.
      I think that's important to consider both how hungry you are and also where that hunger is originating (like emotions, stress, true hunger, etc.)
      So, I am feeling re-motivated ;) Two weeks in a row of going to the meetings, and I can't wait until next week to see how it goes!

Definitely time to get going

     I'm so glad that I went back to a WWers meeting last night! I can't believe the difference in how I feel now as compared to when I was faithful to the program.
     I realize this is a hard time to get things going again, through the holidays and all, but at a minimum I want to maintain and not gain any more weight.
     What I notice when I weigh more, when I don't exercise, when I don't eat to fuel my body, when I don't drink enough water...I notice that my neck hurts or that I am not sleeping as well. I have even started snoring, and it's amazing that those things return when you gain a little weight (close to 10 pounds) and stop the good habits.
     SOOOOOOOOO, I feel motivated for those reasons!!!

Yeah!

     I went to Weight Watchers last night!!! That's the good news! And, also good news, but maybe not what some would think as GOOD, good news.
     I gained 8.4 pounds since last July when I last went to a WWers meeting. I figured it was going to be closer to 15, so I thought that was good news.
     It was a good meeting to attend! We talk about new things that are exciting, like when you buy a new car and you just want to drive it around all the time.
     So, we talked aobut fun exercise things that we could buy that would be fun because they are new.
     I am totally planning on buying a wii for Christmas, and I know that will be fun, new and exciting.
     Also, keeping with this theme, we talked about how next week a new program is starting with Weight Watchers called Momentum. I don't know ANYTHING about it, and I can't wait to find out. That's that whole newness thing ;)
      I am so glad I went to the meeting! Back in the saddle!

Woo hoo, just rode the bike!

     My goals for today were to ride the bike and drink more water!
     I did just ride the bike while watching the end of a Project Runway episode. I rode for 28 minutes, 6 miles, and just over 300 calories!
     I feel great!
     I also drank have of my water bottle while riding the bike. So, I am well on my way with that, too.

My pants are tighter!

     Well, as you can tell by my absence, I have not been on the exercising and eating right schedule. And, boy I can feel it. My pants feel more snug for sure!
     I did weigh, and I am 232. Grrr...so, definitely I can feel the weight creeping back on (since it is), and I DON'T want to go down that road!!!
     So, NO MATTER WHAT, I am going back to Weight Watchers this Wednesday. I have a coupon for free enrollment that will expire if I don't go back. I was looking at the last weigh in that I attended in July, and I weighed 226. SIGH. I digress.
     And, really NOW is the time, so that I don't pound on a bunch of weight before now and January, through all the holidays, ya know?
     I did eat more than I wanted yesterday, but not like I have in years past. I took much smaller portions, but I did snack more than I wanted.
     The good news is that I took my mother-in-law out for a walk after dinner, and it felt really invigorating!
     Today I have been cleaning and rearranging the house to get stuff ready for CHRISTMAS!! So, I have definitely been burning calories, and I am going shopping later, so that will be some mega walking!
     I do want to go for a walk or ride my bike today, too. We will see!

WWers missed again!

     OK,so we had our parent conference tonight, so I missed Weight Watchers AGAIN. I feel like I can't even start it up again. I will try for next week. I've not given up, though.
     BUT...I rode the bike again today for five miles, so that's three days in a row now (15 miles!!)!! I can't even describe how happy that makes me!
     Monday and Tuesday I was able to ride the bike on my time (not getting up earlier than normal), today I rode it after school. I would like to ride in the morning...maybe I will start that next week.
     I did weigh today on the digital scale, and I gained 3 pounds. SIGH. I weigh 227 now.
     I am not freaking out about it, because I have been exercising these past few days. Also, I drank my water today!!! First time in forever!
     So, I will take the good and go with that!

Rode the bike again today!

      Today was spent mostly just having a relaxing day. YUP, we didn't even get out of our PJs!!!
      But,I did ride the bike (in PJs) for five miles today, and it felt good!

Alive and kicking!

     Yippie! I hiked yesterday when we went out on a drive into the country, and that inspired me to get back into the swing of things as far as exercising goes!!
     So, this morning I rode the bike for five miles! And, tomorrow we don't have any school (today is a late, late start), so I plan on riding the bike again, and we are planning a hike, too!!
     What's the deal? We know how we feel when we exercise...AWESOME and ALIVE! Yet, we get out of the habit of doing it!

Good news or bad news??

     Which first? Or, I suppose it's really how you look at things to decide if it's even bad news in the first place. Hmmmm.
     Guess I'll start there. I did not go to the WWer's meeting last night, which I totally planned on right up until about 4:00 p.m.
     Rick decided it was car maintenance night, so I had to take my car down to the shop for all of the getting ready for winter stuff (oil change, anti-freeze in the radiator, flush this, flush that, yada, yada).
     Really I am not complaining because I totally appreciate that I have someone who can do that kind of stuff for me. But, it did throw a wrench (pun intended) into my plans. I couldn't just take his car because it was being worked on, too.
     The good news is that we turned the night into a date night, since we are kidless this week.
     First of all, I love watching Rick work. I find everything so interesting, mostly because it's all a mystery to me. What goes where and what sort of tool you need to even put what where it goes. It's a foreign world to me, and I just love asking questions and learning all about whatever it is that we are doing to the car at the moment.
     What I love about mechanics the most is that it's all about problem solving. You have a problem (a noise, or a rattle or...), and you have to figure out first what's causing the problem, and then how to fix it.
     OK, so after we tinkered, we decided to go to dinner (another thing NOT in the plan). We had a delightful dinner.
     I ordered a burrito, but in the end I only ate half of it (maybe even a little less), but that's because we gorged on chips (two bowls between the two of us before our dinner came).
     Then today I didn't feel guilty about the dinner, mostly because I have been eating well. I do PLAN on going to WWers next Wednesday.
     Right now is the right time to re-focus my efforts. I feel like I am maintaing, which is good, but I need to be losing.
     With cheerleading wrapping up, I will have some more personal time back, which I know then I won't feel so bogged down in all the things I need to finish and never feel like I have enough time to do so moments!! LOL.
     In the end, maybe it's just no news? I can hardly believe that another week has almost passed us by!
     It's only 55 days until this year is over, and we all start making our resolutions. Me? My plan is to use this next 55 days to my advantage and get a jump back onto the road I want to head down!

I'm excited about Wednesday!

     It's open enrollment, and I'm heading back to WWers this Wednesday! I'm excited to re-focus my efforts, and I'm glad that I won't be seeing an increase from the last time I went. I think I have also talked one of the six-pack into returning, too! Plus, G-Ma(another original) is still going!
     So, we will have half of our six-pack there this Wednesday!

PROUD!!!

     My mother-in-law is .08 pounds from losing FIFTY pounds!!! She is the only member of our original group going to the weekly meetings, and even though she feels like it has been such slow going, I AM SO PROUD OF HER FOR HER PERSERVERANCE!!!! She is my inspiration ;)

FOREVER...or nearly

     OK, it has been far too long, way longer than I have ever gone with not blogging here. WHY?
     Well, seems like I could make a bunch of excuses (insert any of your favorite ones), but instead...I will just say I haven't had anything to report.
     On Saturday I went to the Taste of Two Valleys auction. It was a blast, and I ate a lot, but not a ridiculous amount by any means, and I ate absolutely nothing else for the entire day since I have been fighting a nasty cold.
     Well, on Saturday in Safeway, two separate people told me that I looked fantastic and that I looked like I had lost more weight! I haven't lost any more weight. I was kidding around that maybe being sick (gaunt, pale) has a weigh of making you look more skinny?
     Well, anyhow, I took those compliments, and I felt super! Today I weighed, and I actually gained 2 pounds since the last time I reported my weight. So, I weigh 224.2 pounds.
     We have been talking, our crew, about restarting Weight Watchers, and I think for myself that I am going to start on the first Wednesday of November, which is a week from this one.
     I did workout one day this past week, when I was over in Seattle. But, then the next day I had the beginnings of a cold, and that has stuck with me for the week and progressively intensified.
      This will be another crazy week, with it being Homecoming and Halloween, but my cheer season is almost over.
     I think once I don't have that responsibility anymore, I will find more time for me! That's why I plan on returning to WWers!
     What I am really happy about is that even with this two pound gain, I still weigh less than when I went to WWers the last time way back when!
     Well, I am going to try to get back to this blogging, too! Sorry to my loyal readers that I did such a lousy job this month. BUT, I'm back!!

How many laps can you walk in an hour???

     Well, as an official counter at today's Viriginia Grainger Elementary Jog-A-Thon, I am here to say that first graders can walk 13 laps!!! That seemed to be the average for Mrs. Attridge's class.
     The high lap count was 16 (that's four miles) by one little adorable guy!! He cracked me up because he kept telling me that he knew he get one more, and boy did he ever!
     The Jog-A-Thon was a BLAST! I loved the music (way to go Janice!), and I loved all the kids and staff walking/jogging around!
     What a fun and healthy event for everyone involved. I loved cheering on all the kiddos!
     I smiled and laughed so much in that hour today! Good times.

Let's get those walking shoes out!!!

     I am TOTALLY stoked about the Mid-Valley Autumn Leaf Run. It totally reminds me of the Autumn Leaf Walk, Run, and Roll from up in Leavenworth.
     Last month my cheerleaders signed up as a team, and also our mascot received an invitation to come and be a part of the entertainment!
     What I really like about the event is that it is free, and they ask for a donation of canned food to go to our local food bank.
You can still register, and could do so right up until 8:30 this Saturday! Check out the link right HERE!
     I did blog about it back in summer, and I am a tad bit disappointed that I did not train for running/jogging the 5K, but that's OK, because I could be not even going, but I AM, and I inspired a bunch of young ladies to do so, too!

Hi there!

     I need to find the motivation to EXERCISE!! I don't have any, and I don't know why.
     I have been spending many evenings riding my horse. And, I suppose I could go for a walk instead of riding, but I much rather get on my horse!
     What I need to do is get up in the morning, earlier, but I just can't seem to do it. Every time I set the clock earlier, I always hit the snooze bar.
     I imagine to get up I need to go to bed earlier, but I don't want to do that either.
     The good news is that my pants are starting to get baggie, and just today I had three different people tell me that I was looking good! I am right at the same place weight-wise, no more, no less.
     I want to get every one organized and back on track! We all need it! Why is this so hard????!!!!
     On the plus side...life has been happy and good and settled ;)

P.S.

     I've also decided that if I don't ride my bike this week, then I am going to take off the Coast to Coast trip that I had going. MAYBE that will be some motivation!

Nothing new

     I'm definitely in a holding pattern. I guess that's not a bad thing, or at least it could be worse. It's not really a good thing either.
     I did weigh last Saturday, and I had lost two pounds. I got so busy I didn't blog. Then, I weighed today, and I gained those two pounds back, so I am exactly where I was. SIGH. Like I said, holding pattern.
     I still am wearing all the jeans I couldn't wear last year, and I have even pulled out some shirts that I have been wearing to school, so that's good, too.
     But, I am not motivated at all to do any exercise. I have been really tired lately, too, so the thought of getting up early, well, it's just not happening!
     I have been riding most every day, and I know that is some exercise, and I know that if I were to walk in the time that I ride that I would lose weight, but I'm just too hooked on riding my horse!
     I know what I need to do...sigh. It's just a matter of doing it. I need to get up earlier and ride the bike. I won't do it later in the night because by the time I get in from riding, I am wiped out.
     Maybe this week I will walk during my lunch. That would at least get me up and out :) And, it's supposed to be super warm this week!
     I know what I really need to do this week...I need to call a meeting, and I need to get everyone back on track. When I am motivating the group, it seems easier to motivate myself!
     I will keep you posted!

Gonna weigh later

      I plan on getting on the scale later today! I will let you know the results. I don't feel like a loser ;)
      I have a plan for this upcoming week and exercise! I am going to do it NO matter what!!!

Food Doctor!

     Another new discovery, and of course from one of my favorite radio stations, NPR!
      I heard an interesting story about a doctor who decided to train in the culinary arts to learn how to make healthy foods delicious.
     I decided to check out his website, and I like how you can look up recipes based on any of your medical conditions, and I thought a bunch of the recipes definitely have the YUM factor! I can't wait to try them out.

LOVE it!

     Right now I especially LOVE the Farmers' Market!! Tonight we stopped by and bought: Nectarines, Pluots, Apples, Tomatoes - both red and green!
     Right now we have so much fruit in our fridge; it's crazy! We add to the list of what we bought tonight, the pears and other apples we picked up on Sunday.
     And, I have tons of yummy veggies, too! Tonight we made some of the sweet corn we bought at Fitzgerald's, and OH MY GOODNESS it rocked my socks off.
     We are going to have acorn squash (also fresh) on Thursday, and right now I just feel like I can't get enough of these healthy options!
     Today I had the best dinner! I had butternut squash ravioli! Delicious.
     I love that I am craving good and yummy food!
     We have been riding each night after dinner for close to two hours. It's a good workout, since we go bareback, and I also walk up and down the driveway a million times with our little one when she rides her horse, when we are not riding mine.
     Today, I had several people tell me how pretty I looked! That felt good. You know those kinds of days? Where your hair is just right, and your pants fit perfect, and the color shirt shows off your eyes, that sort of day, and then people notice, and not only do they notice, but they make a point to tell you!
     Of course, it could be all that healthy food I am eating that gives me this happy glow...or MAYBE it's just that I'm QUITE happy right now :)

YUMMY!

     I just stopped by Fitzgerald's out just south of Malott, and I bought some of the most yummy pears I have eaten all summer!
     I also picked up corn, which is far cheaper than the store, and it was just picked TODAY! Talk about fresh :)
     I bought tomatoes, too. I can't wait to slice into those gi-normous things!
     Also, a new discovery for me...I found out that the microwave does a pretty decent job on acorn squash. You know how sometimes a microwave cook job isn't nearly like an oven bake job?
     So, we had acorn squash two different times this week1 I LOVE it! And, it's very quick in the microwave, woo hoo!
     Also, I just tried a new recipe that I found on Hungry Girl. You take 2.5 tsps. of yellow cake, and 4 tsps of peach baby food. You mix it up, and microwave it for one minute, then let it stand for five more.
     What a sweet little dessert (it's basically a microwave cupcake), and it's only two points! Super easy, super quick, and YUMMY!

Catching up!

     Yesterday I was in a mad cleaning frenzy. I don't mean angry at the dirt, but rather CRAZY! LOL
     I was a bit behind on housework with some busy weeks with school starting and whatnot, so the big goal yesterday was to catch up and get everything done.
     I accomplished that! I love turning on the satellite radio and blasting the 80s hair bands! So, I was rocking out while I was busy cleaning.
     Yesterday I also finished unpacking everything, as I still had a few boxes left.
     I can't believe how much you can sweat from doing housework!! When it was all done, I felt both good for how clean and organized everything was, but I also felt good for revving up my heart and burning calories out of the deal!
     I also planned the week's meals and did all the grocery shopping yesterday, so that's out of the way, too!
     I even did some prep work for the meals this week, which gives me more time on the busier days.
     I worked with the horses last night, and I decided that definitely counts in the workout column, since I do a lot of walking with our POA. Even riding uses muscles, especially since we go bareback most of the time.
     Speaking of riding...This week, I am going to ride my bike in the mornings!! I think I have caught up on sleep, and I am more on schedule now.
     With all that accomplished yesterday, today I get to play!! And, boy, do I plan on it!

A new discovery!

     I found a new site today, and I LOVE it!!!It' called Limes and Lycopene.
     In particular, I am giving you the link to my favorite post on her site about living better in thirty-one days. It's really cool; she gave a tip a day! Cool stuff!!!
     That's one of her most popular collection of posts. Check out the rest of her blog, too!
     I also read a great post on Diet Girl that made me smile because we ALL can relate! And, that's where I found this new blog that I love!

No change

I weighed last night, and I lost nothing, and I gained nothing. I weighed exactly the same!! I did not get up this morning to ride the bike; I was just too tired! Hopefully better tomorrow!!

I did eat well today, and I drank more water than I have been doing lately, so that was improved.

I rode my horse tonight. MAN, not only is it a good workout, but it's also an excellent stress relief!

That's all for now.

I love the fair!

     I love going to our fair! It's fun to see everyone you know and check out ALL the exhibits!
     Of course, another highlight is the fair food. The only bad thing is most of it is FATTY!
     I haven't had a chance to weigh this week. I'm hoping I can later tonight. Then I will update.
     Everything I have eaten at the fair so far (going back today, too): One maple sausage (huge and fat), two corn on the cob (with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray), one small ice cream (in a cup, but really it doesn't seem that small), one bag of mini-doughnuts, lots of ice tea, a couple bottles of water, and that's it.
     I need to add a piece of pizza (only one, and it was cheese) and a small Butterfinger McFlurry last night when we were coming back from the football game in Chelan.
     That's everything that I have eaten on Friday and Saturday. Not very balanced or very healthy for that matter! But, I have to say it could be WORSE! LOL.
     The other good thing about the fair is all the walking and walking and walking! SO, maybe some of that fatty food will be disappearing...I hope.
     I also rode my horse yesterday for about an hour in the morning, so that counts for some exercise, too.
     Bottom line: I love the fair!

What's new??

     As usual, I blink and life seems to run faster!!! LOL. Things are going smoothly, and I cannot believe how much easier it has been to make all those good health choices when I am working!
     I do want to work on the water bit, but I have been back on track of counting points (and, tracking everything I am eating), eating lots of fruits and veggies.
     The best thing is that I am exercising more regularly. For the past two mornings, I have set the alarm clock for earlier than last week. I have quite the routine in the morning, but I LOVE it!
     I get Rick's muffins going, all the lunches and coffee made, and then I ride the recumbent bike! I don't know how many miles (I lost the batteries to the bike during the move, and I haven't had time to just go buy more!) I am logging, and instead I am keeping track of time.
     I also worked out on weights last night with the cheerleaders, and then I will again tomorrow night, too!
     I didn't weigh today, but I will try to do that tomorrow to give everyone an update.
     The really good news is that I tried on a bunch of my old jeans last night, and I could wear sizes that I had no idea I was even close to!! WOO hoo!!! Gotta love it :)
     I still find it amazing how much easier it is to stick to good choices when life is busier. Well, I don't mind!!
     Cody will hopefully be back the last week of October and first of November, and we plan on getting family pictures then! SO, I have some motivation to lose at least 10 more pounds!

Super Saturday!!

     I love Saturdays! Today is no exception! Of course, it's a little better because my boys are home!
     I have my entire family here! Yippie, yahoo!
     So, today I went to the Farmers' Market because I needed fresh veggies for our BBQ tonight.
     I bought corn, and it was yummy!! It was funny because Cody brought one of his friends with him (a fellow Marine), who has never been to Washington. He loved our corn on the cob tonight!!
     It's fun to see things through his eyes, to realize an outsider's perspective.
     I also bought nectarines, doughnut peaches, and huckleberry bread. Yummy!
     Our BBQ included my delicious fruit salad (low fat, no sugar, and low points), corn, and beans.
     Today we spent doing our school shopping, since I had all the kiddos together. I even bought a new pair of jeans that I was very excited about how they fit!
     It's been a good, good day. I look forward to an even better Sunday!

30# mark!!!

     I lost 2.4 pounds, which means that I am now officially 30 pounds down!!! I weigh in at 222.4. I knew all that moving would account for a loss!
     Once I lose 2.5 pounds more, I will be out of the 220s! I can't wait.
     Tonight I lifted weights with the cheerleaders, and that felt good. Starting next week, I plan to ride my bike in the mornings before work, since I am settling into my routine.
      I'm ecstatic about surpassing 30 pounds! And, I haven't given up, even if summer didn't go as planned. SO, I'm proud of myself for staying the course.

Back on track!

     It's been crazy, and busy, and GREAT!
     This week I started school, well teacher days on Monday and Tuesday, and then today was the first day of school! WOO HOO!!
     I still love the first day of school as much as I did back when I was a little kid.
     I also like it because life goes back on routine, not that I don't LOVE summer, because I do, but sometimes it's nice to have some order to life, LOL!
     I started cheer practice on Monday, too. We lift weights on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I got a good workout yesterday.
     Monday we went for a nice horse ride, and since we rode bareback, I definitely used some muscles there :)
     Then this evening I went for an almost hour walk with Adele and Brenda. I love those gals! They are so funny and full of life!
     I have been drinking more more this week, and today and Monday were good days for eating; yesterday wasn't so bad, but I did eat a fattening lunch (thank goodness for the healthy fish dinner).
     I haven't had a chance to weigh, but I am hoping to do so tomorrow because I have access to the wrestlers scale which is VERY accurate, so hopefully I will have the new number tomorrow!
     I will lift weights tomorrow, and I am looking forward to that. I also want to start riding the recumbent bike again now that I have it in our living room, ready to go!
     I also have been searching for some yummy recipes, which I am trying and will share with you soon.
     And, I hope to go to the Farmers' Market this Saturday because I missed it on Tuesday.
     That's all for now. C-ya tomorrow!

Finished!

      I can't wait to weigh this week!!! I know that I have lost weight with all this moving business!
      We had a busy weekend between me having a yard sale, hauling a load to the dump, taking two trips up to storage, and a load of stuff of to the house.
      And, Rick hauled 17 tons of hay this weekend, too! We have the big 800-pund bales. I never realized how much hay costs or how much is needed!
      Back to my list of things accomplished yesterday! I forgot to add the load of wood (an entire pick-up truck) to which I did all by myself and unloaded it, too.
      I feel like I had a great workout! Woo hoo! Speaking of workouts, we are going to start weights on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting this week, and I can't wait.
      Also, I worked with my horse both yesterday and today. We did lots of riding! I just love him so much. He's such a trooper being so patient with the little one.
      I plan on riding every day, now that I have all this moving business out of the way.
      I need to still unpack some stuff here at the house, but I am seeing the light at the end of the cliched tunnel!
      Oh, and I meant to mention that I have really noticed that our water consumption for the entire family is WAY up with the water that we have from Culligan's. I love how it is COLD!!
      I am excited for this upcoming week!!! Stay tuned.

Abundance!

I visited the Farmers' Market on Tuesday, and MY OH MY what a selection of the most amazing fruits and veggies, and other goodies, too!

I bought a cucumber the size of my arm. NO JOKING!!

I also included scrumptious radishes, white nectarines, and some zuchini in my purchases.

I love buying locally, not only to support our community but also because it's just better food!!!

So, today I stopped by Smallwood Harvest and bought some doughnut peaches to bring home for more snacks.

And, I am definitely going on Saturday to get some more! I want some green beans, cantalope, corn, watermelon, and more radishes and cucumber!

We are so lucky to have the Farmers' Market TWICE a week!

Finishing off summer on a strong note!

     The month of August has been a bit of a blur for me! It just has been one activity after another.
     To start we had Stampede. I had the dunk tank, which was definite exercise. Then we also walked around town to different places to buy the charms for our bracelets. I did choose to eat one sausage which is a zillion calories, but all the walking must have worked!
     During the Stampede we also had a huge family BBQ. This was fun, and I made VERY GOOD decisions as far as eating went. I focused on portions and eat lots of fruit.
     I love watermelon, by the way! We took some with us on our camping trip, and it's such a sweet snack!
     That brings me to our camping trip. We headed up to Bonaparte, which I LOVE!
     This was a great trip because we did lots of fun outdoor things from hiking, fishing, swimming to even riding bikes!
     Our little mastered the bike without the training wheels, so this meant LOTS and LOTS of rides for all of us!!
     It made me excited to get home and start riding my bike around where we live at home!
     We all ate good, and I did give myself one treat of a S'More! I drank lots of water, and the weather was perfect!
     So, I weighed yesterday, and I lost 2 pounds!!! I weighed 224.8! Good news, indeed.
     I know that I will have lost more weight next week because I have been so active these past four days.
     I will tell you the BEST way to lose weight (and, on various levels). MOVE! I don't just mean physically move your body, but I mean to move your household!
     I spent Sunday packing and going through everything at my house. This was a good experience because I found lots of stuff that I hadn't looked at for a long time, and also I found tons of junk to get rid of (losing weight).
     I was moving and lifting and sweating for hours on Sunday! Then on Monday we actually moved. I brought everything up from the basement because it was much easier to have a hand-off system going than have two people try to squeeze by each other up and down the narrow stairs.
     Then we dumped off some stuff to storage, and the rest to the house. I have most of it already unpacked.
     On moving day, it was still a bit hot and humid outside, and I honestly felt like I couldn't drink enough water even though I was drinking non-stop.
     My muscles were sore, but a good sore the next day! I really feel alive, accomplished, and I can't wait to weigh-in next week!
     I feel like I am back on track and re-focused. That's good!

Remember the bikers?

Well, they made it on last Sunday! They crossed the United States from Washington (with a stop in Omak) to Maine, over 4000 miles!!!

Talk about inspiring! Check it out!

Lots to catch up on!

     Hopefully later this evening, I will give you a monstrous blog to read. LOTS to fill ya in on :)

Another reason to love summer!

      The Olympics! I KNOW I have already blogged about them, but since we were gone on vacation and missed a week of them, we are totally catching up on everything!!
      What's funny is that Rick is not a huge sports fan. I know, I thought all men had that gene; I guess that's why they call it a stereotype?
      Anyhoot. He LOVES to watch the Olympics! He totally gets into it. We root for our favorites, and now with the Internet, I love looking up back stories or researching tidbits.
      Some of my favorite athletes are the old farts! You know the ones my age and above competing (and winning) in sports dominated by teenagers!
      There are two women in that category. US swimmer Dara Torres (42), who is a five time Olympian, and German gymnast Oksana Chusovitina (33), who won a team gold back in '92. Both have lived such incredible lives and have inspiring life stories.
teenagers!
     The Olympics are truly an example of the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat!

400!

      This is my number 400 post on this blog! Well, I know it's actually more because I posted for several months directly on the Chronicle before moving over to Blogger.
      So, it's the 400 mark on Blogger, which I will consider to be my official count from now on.
      A circle has 400 grads. Olive trees average 400 years of age. The Four Hundred are the wealthiest 400 people in the world. The 400-meter dash is considered a sprint endurance event - quite the oxymoron, if you ask me. If you get an http error 400, it means that it's a status code for a bad request. Many Nascar races are 400 laps.
      I am sure I can go one forever, but instead, I think I will work on my 401st blog!

Don't forget...

On vacation for the week!

I did weigh yesterday!

      I went to the clinic and weighed in yesterday because I really wanted to know my data, so I would know how things go when we are gone on vacation!
     I weigh 226.8, which is a 2.4 gain, but I knew that was going to happen. And, I am OK with that.
      Back on track now (kinda), I know I will have one more treat this evening at the Stampede, but we will also do lots of walking there.
      I plan on packing only healthy foods for our trip, and we will be very physical the entire time!
      I might blog tomorrow, and then I won't be back on until next Saturday evening after Ryder's Indian Taco benefit!
      Don't forget to come and sign-up for Ryder's Run (which is also a walk, if you like!)!!!

8-8-8

      Triple 8! I love today, and that it is the eighth day of the eighth month of the eight year (of 2000). Cool, cool!!
      And, tonight is the opening ceremonies for the Summer Olympics! Love it!
     I can't wait to watch these incredible atheletes from all over the world compete!
      Talk about inspiration for being healthy! My favorite sports to watch are gymnastics, beach volleyball, softball, and track. But, I love to watch swimming, diving, cycling, biathlon, soccer, and pretty much everything except basketball.
      I normally love to watch basketball, but for whatever reason, I don't like watching the basketball during the Olympics. That's kind of been my attitude ever since the year of the Dream Team.
     Anyhoot, check out the schedule for your favorite events!

STAMPEDE!!!!!

     I have gone to lap swim all week, and I have been doing water aerobics! I love it!
     Now, for Stampede! First, I did the dunk tank for an hour last night, and when we came home we recalled at least 30 different people who got me down at least once (many did twice), so I know I dunked at least 50 times last night!
     The water was VERY refreshing, and actually I was cool all night, when everyone else around me was hot and sweaty!
     I definitely got a WORKOUT!!! I had to climb up a ladder at least 50 times, so basically I had to lift my entire weight (which I did not go to WW this week because we had family over, so I am going to try and go to the clinic today and check...eeek.) with the resistance of the water.
     My thighs and arms were tired LAST night, so I was worried that I wouldn't be able to walk today, but I feel GREAT!!!
     Maybe I will hurt tonight or tomorrow. I hope not! I kept kidding around that being in a dunk tank for an hour should count as a workout!
     HOWEVER, I did go and eat a gi-normous sausage - honey and garlic. It was soooo yummy, and I was famished by 7 p.m.
     Bad choice, I know. Especially, when I feel like I have gained weight.
     Next week we are on vacation, but it's a very active one, so I am hoping to lose weight on vacation!!! Lots of hiking and swimming each day, and other fun outside activities, so I anticipate being very active.
     We also have a long trail ride, so we should be good on the exercise front. And, I will not bring any bad foods, so we should be good to go in that department, too. I will miss my water cooler! LOL!
     Don't forget next Saturday to come to the Eagles from 4-7 and eat a yummy Indian taco and register for Ryder's Run (to be held on Saturday, September 6th!).
     

Fun exercise!

      Today and yesterday we have gone swimming (and, will for the rest of the week), and I LOVE it!
      The water is totally refreshing, not too cold, not too hot, but juuuuuuust right!
     Both days I have also included some water aerboics in my routine of lap swim. I use a noodle in the deep end, and then I run in place or do cross-country ski moves, etc.
      This morning I could actually feel that I had used those muscles! I do wish we had an indoor pool in this town that was available for public use.
      We do have horse lessons tomorrow, so that's more in the natural and fun exercise department! And, add in the horse riding around the pasture, too.
      Even more fun...for the past two days we have been walking (and driving) all over to follow the charm trail! Yup, we have been scavenge hunting for the charms for the Stampede 75th Anniversary charm bracelet.
      What a blast that has been! We have ran into old friends and even made some new ones! We have checked out businesses that we would never have otherwise. We have found some places that we will definitley frequent in the near future! Great marketing idea, indeed!
      It's been fun finding all the charms and marking them off our list. We only have four to go, and they will be in tomorrow, so then we will be good to go.
      Unfortunately, we won't be able to get ONE charm because the place that had them is not reordering (even though all the other businesses did!).
      I realize this charm bracelet took everyone by surprise, and it's been truly successful, but geez...if you are going to participate, UNICEL, then you should participate fully!
      Our bad for not doing it sooner!
      Today we also hit up the Farmer's Market, and boy it's abundant in yummy stuff right now!
      We bought apricots, nectarines, yellow beans, a homemade huckleberry and apple pie (she even makes sugar-free pies!), and corn. There was lots more to buy, and I was tempted by the watermelons, but that line was too long.
      We are having the beans tonight! Yummy!!
      Tomorrow's weigh-in, and I am a bit nervous, but I am prepared that even if I have a gain (pretty sure I do), it's just the reality check to get back on track!
      I am excited for our vacation next week because we are going camping, and I have already planned out our healthy meals and snack options! As well, we are going on a hike a day! I can't wait!! It will be a healthy and active vacation!

Ryder's Run Update!

      To allow for time to plan Ryder's Run, we have decided to change the date! SO, mark your calendars for Saturday, September 6th at 9 a.m. at the Sports Complex in Okanogan.
      What's really great about the change in date is that it coincides with the fair, and the Abrahamson family has lots of support from their fair/rodeo family!!
      We will be pre-registering for Ryder's Run on Saturday, August 16th at the Eagles (from 4-7 p.m.)where there will also be an Indian taco feed benefit for the Abrahamsons.
      If you pre-register at the event, the registration fee is $20 which includes a shirt. If you register through the mail, the registration is $25 and also includes a shirt.
      More info to follow on where you can pick up a registration form!!

Ryder's Run!

      Mark your calendars right now! On Saturday, August 16th there will be a fun run (or walk) at twilight (well, almost)!
      You can make a difference in a young family's life!! There will be more information following, but the run/walk will take place on that Saturday at 7 p.m., and it will end at the Eagles where there will also be an Indian taco feed from 4-8 p.m.
      Your registration of $20 will go entirely to the Ryder Abrahamson family in an effort to help cover the medical expenses from his recent heart surgery.
      Ryder had surgery to repair and work on his heart valves this past Friday, and his recovery is incredible, even maybe allowing for his homecoming next weekend (let's all keep our fingers crossed!).
     You can support his healthy heart and YOUR healthy heart by participating in this event.
      At this time, sponsors are being sought to help pay for t-shirts for each participant. The goal is to have 100 people particpate!
      As well, it is the goal of the fundraising group to then make this an annual community event to donate proceeds to a future community foundation.
      More info on Ryder's Run coming soon!!

Who doesn't love a dunk tank???

     I am not saying that I know anyone that might be in the dunk tank at the Stampede, but if I did know someone, she MIGHT be in it this Thursday evening from 6-7, maybe.
     I heard that the dunk tank will be by the Stampede Office, and it's a funny thing how it all came about.
     Basically the Chronicle ran a poll about fundraising and the new Stampede arena. The question was during the week of July 16-22, and it asked: How should the city of Omak make up the difference between what the state provided and the cost of the new Stampede arena?
     One of the answers (and, the number one favorite) was to place the Omak City Councilmembers in a dunk tank. And, there you have it, a fundraiser idea is born!
     Somehow my name was tossed out there as a possible willing participant. I did use to hold a City Council position for Leavenworth, but that feels like ages ago! LOL.
     Anyhow, it's for a good cause, and I hope to see the fundraiser earn some decent money!
     I know there will be lots of other fun people to dunk, so definitely check it out while you are wandering around down there.

The universe is calling.

     I need to find the inspiration to get back into the swing of things. I am not out of control, but I am not feeling motivated to be really good.
     I KNOW that when I weigh this week that I will have gained weight. I feel it.
     Ironically, over the past few days I have had several people comment about what a good job I am doing and how noticeable the weight loss is...WEIRD.
     Why is it when you feel like it's bad, others see it as good? It reminds me of when I feel like I am having a bad hair day, and I swear I will have at least three people tell me how much they love my hair.
     Maybe it's a message from the universe to appreciate all that you have and all that you are doing!
     I have not been intentionally working out, but I have been sweating!! Whether it's riding my horse with long pants in the 90 degree weather or deep cleaning everything around the house (I've been in a bit of a nesting frenzy lately, more coming on that.), I have definitely been sweating lots lately.
     Also, on the water front, I finally went and rented a water cooler from Culligan. I have wanted to do this forever, and I have a friend who has the set-up, and I notice when I am there that EVERYONE including her kids drink WAY more water.
     Maybe it's because it's super cold (I have the hot water option, too, which is super cool - I know isn't that ironic - so I can have tea instantly!!), or because it has a yummy taste (If I was a conspiracy theory person I would say that they add some sort of addictive agent to make you want to drink the water, but I am not, so suffice it to say it tastes good), I don't know, but I have consumed LOTS of water the past two days since we have had the water cooler at our house!
     I have a plan, though. I am going to swim during swim lessons this next week. I want to get motoring on the weights!!
     So, when in doubt, sit quietly and listen to what the universe has to say! And, by all means, accept her collect call!

A little support

     I have not blogged about this before, but it's a reality that many women like me face.
     I want to share one of the best finds ever! Many years ago when I trained for a sprint-triathlon, my trainer taught me LOTS of things!!
     One thing he helped me discover was the right shoes, and more importantly the right sports bra!
     I have found the BEST sports bra ever, and here eight years later, I only buy this brand and this specific sports bra now.
     You can get it with underwire or not (I prefer not), and the support is incredible.
     Now that I am riding horses more, I realized how important it is that I have a sports bra on when we are trotting and really moving!
     The bra is spendy - $40, but trust me when I say it's totally worth it! I have only purchased two in the past eight years, so they are durable, too!
     That would be my tidbit of support for you today!

Wednesday Weigh-in

     I weighed in at the clinic, which I several weeks ago I calibrated to the WW scales, and I am totally excited because I lost one pound! Woo hoo!!!!!
     I was contemplating taking off the coast to coast trip on the site because I haven't been doing miles walking or riding, but instead I decided I am going to keep it on to inspire me to get back to that kind of exercise.
     I am a bit disappointed in my program this summer. I thought I would be more motivated than I have been.
     I have been quite active, and in different and adventurous ways, but it's not quite what I had envisioned at the beginning of summer.
     Of course, there is still time to set things in motion the way I want them to be, as I have just under a month until school starts.
     All in all though, I have to remind myself that I have still been losing all summer!
     That's still success :)

Please check out my other blog!!!

      Check out my other blog!!! Important!!!!!!

Back on track!

     Last week was busy, and this weekend was spent recovering and also bonding with our two new horses :)
     I did wake up this morning and do aerboics!! And, my BEST friend in the entire world is going to be up here from Leavenworth for an entire week.
     She is a personal trainer, and she has always been my inspiration in the physical fitness world! Anyhow, we are going to work out at the gym, and I am totally stoked!
     I was just realizing that I have less than one month of summer break left! Yikes! It's going fast!
     And, the last weeks of summer are packed out with vacations and camps!
     And, I have been doing a great job of relaxing and reconnecting with friends!

Miss me, miss me?!

      Hey! We have been off at cheerleading camp, which was a BLAST! Anyhow, I couldn't get access either to a computer or wireless for my laptop, which meant no blogging :(
      But, that's OK, because we were TOTALLY busy the entire time! We had tons of classes (both the girls and coaches), and lots of fun activities, too.
      Thankfully the weather (albeit windy...LOVE E-BURG!) was pretty mellow, only yesterday was hot!
      I did LOTS and LOTS nad LOTS of walking! I didn't drink enough water or at least it didn't feel like it, even though I drank my daily quota.
      Eating was OK. The portions were perfect, but it was cafeteria food, and that was rather bland (the veggies and fruit were not so tasty).
      It's been a week of fitness for sure! I'm very proud of my girls who all came home tired (physically, mentally, and emotionally)!!
      I didn't attend a WW meeting, and this is the first one I have missed since I have been going from the beginning of March.
      I am going to go and weigh though at the clinic, maybe tomorrow, and I will update ya! No worries, as I compared the scale there with the WW scale the last two weeks, and they are spot on!
      Well, more to come later!

Still a loser!

     I lost .8 of a pound, and I will totally take it because I honestly felt like I had gained. Not because of anything I ate, but I just feel like I am retaining a boat-load of water! Yuck!
     I only heard from one other person, and she lost 2 pounds!! Woo hoo!
     Speaking of water, I have been drinking more, yeah!
     I have been exercising all week, too! Double YEAH!
     That's all for now. I will blog more tonight!

Good day!

Today I did work out on the elliptical, and I tried out a different setting. I did the isometric-strength training, and let's just say it kicked my butt!!

I was interested so I checked out isometrics in general. I like the whole range of motion and resistance; it's a cool concept!

I also worked out my triceps. I want to work on my arms more!

We are having salmon and shrimp for dinner, yummy! I have this delicious chile lime seasoning that I love to use. Need to drink more water, though!

I also reconnected with my friend Missy today, and we talked and talked for hours, but it felt like only minutes. I know that I love having her in my life!

P.S. I did post my pics of my bathroom redo on my other blog :)

Good Tuesday Morning!

     Well, yesterday my friend called, and we caught up! When he asked me how my summer was going...well, I said, "Super!"
     I had cheer practice yesterday as we are preparing for cheer camp next week, and afterwards I did interval training on the elliptical!
     Then, I decided to paint one of the bathrooms at Rick's house! That's good exercise!! I was sweating, and I thought how it was using my arm muscles that I want to reshape!
     I will post before and after pics on my other blog later today or tomorrow.
     I am also excited because I am hooking up with two different friends this week that I have not spent much time with lately. That feels good, too.
     On the weight front, well, I haven't drank enough water. I don't know what's the deal with that??!!
     Also, last night while I was painting, Rick made dinner, which was good, EXCEPT...he fried the green tomatoes before I could realize what he was doing since I was painting away in the bathroom and could only smell paint fumes!
     I ate four slices anyway! And, they were good, albeit not the healthy option I was planning.
     We did have those yummy chicken sausages with artichoke and garlic last night, and to help balance out the fried tomoatoes, I decided to eat my sausage sans bun!
     I can't believe it's already the middle of July. I need to squeeze in more workouts and drink more water, if I want to lose some noticeable weight before school starts.
     I also am planning something for when school starts. I have always joked around about how I would love to have a PE class every day as an adult. You know how the kids complain about taking PE??!
     Well, I am thinking that after cheer practice every day, I am going to have a 30 minute workout! That would be perfect for the girls and me!
     Anyhow, for now, I am loving summer! I am accomplishing many things, and I am feeling nutured :)

Pamper Day

     Yesterday was spent relaxing! We started our morning off with a trip to the Farmers' Market! Of course, after a stop on the way at Roadhouse Rooster (we love you Christina!).
     I love going there and supporting our local farmers, and we always see tons of people we know.
     I bought peaches and green tomatoes! I even found a recipe that makes fried green tomatoes but by baking them! I can't wait to try out this healhty option! I LOVE fried green tomatoes!!!
     Then we headed down to On the Avenue for ice cream! I didn't have ice cream, but instead an old fashioned sugar free strawberry soda with sugar free strawberry ice cream! YUMMY!!! I love Suzanne and Bill (the owners), and she makes a perfect treat (sugar free!).
     We also hit up Gene's for their fruit sale, and we bought plums, grapes, and also lots of other produce to make a huge salad!
     Of course, we had to hit up the dollar store! For little ones that can be quite overwhelming to only choose 4 things! LOL!
     We wandered over to Hi Tek to see if they had time for pedicures, and they did!!
     I almost always get some shade of pink or purple, and this time I decided to go green! I LOVE my toesnails!!!!




     In the end, we went home and watched some movies and just chilled. It was a relazing day for sure!

What have we been up to??

     Lots of playing! We have been swimming every day! We had horseback riding lessons on Wednesday.
     We went to Omak Lake on Wednesday, too! That was a blast, and it was before all of this smoke!
     The water was perfect, and we had a nice little sandy spot to play for hours!
     Jordie jumped off the cliffs several times, and that was fun for us to watch!
     We had haircuts, and of course, we have been bowling, too! Busy, but fun!
     For the weekend, we have a big hike planned, and I am looking forward to that. Where we are headed doesn't look like it's smoke-filled yet. I will post pictures!
     I am also looking forward to next week, as I will be getting the cheerleaders ready for camp. I can't wait :)

Get your drink on!

     OK, yesterday was National Pina Colada Day, just in case you missed it, and Hungry Girl has yummy and lite recipes for those :)
     Be careful because a real Pina Colada can weigh in at over 600 calories, and that's more than a double greasy hamburger under the golden arches.
     Today is...National Slurpee Day! How cool is that! Why? Because it's 7-11!!!
     Did you also know that they make Crystal Light low-cal, sugarfree slurpees?? Only 30 calories, but still enough to give you a lovely ice cream headache and colorful tongue!
     I am actually going to Wenatchee tonight to drop off a friend at the train, and I'm thinking I am going to 7-Eleven for my 7.11 ounces of slurpee!

YES!!!

     I lost 3 pounds this past week!!! One of the other gals lost 2.2, and another lost 1.2. So, it was a good week for all :)
     I now have officially made my 10% goal which was 25 pounds (I have actually lost 26.2 pounds!
     Also, I received my 25-pound award, too :) And, that's all with going camping.
     I feel amped up for this next week now, too.

Photos, anyone?

Lots of new pics on my other blog...that's my nurturing of my creative spirit :)

Today was happily busy :)

     Today we went to Wal*Mart and picked out tons of fabric. I am in the sewing mode, so I am going to sew a bunch of summer clothes! I will post pics as I finish them :)
     Then we had swim lessons and lap swim. I swam for almost an hour, and today I focused on not stopping and taking a break at all. I did great!
     Finally, we headed off to Chelan to pick up Jordie. We had a blast playing in the lake. I can't wait to go back!
     So, today, I didn't drink as much water as I wanted, but I have eaten really well, and I had good exercise in there :)
     In just a little bit, I am going to go out and ride the horse for a bit again.
     Tomorrow is another BUSY day, but it will be equally as satisfying, I am sure :)

Camping rocked!

     So, we headed out camping on Thursday. We took the horses along, and we camped up at Salmon Meadows above Conconully.
     It was absolutely beautiful up there! The wildflowers were incredible!!!! Everything is green, and the weather was delightful. I will post pics later on my other blog.
     We rode horses, and YES, I rode Jack, our big one (16 hands high), for an hour and half! We went on a cool trail up the mountain and back down.
     I found going down harder because I had to use my muscles much more, at least that's what it felt like. But, I did GREAT!
     For my weight, that's 400 calories melted away! And, that doesn't count all the walking I did for the camp trip.
     There's a great loop up there, and we walked the horses at night, and I also hiked before Rick got up there on Thursday night.
     On Friday we also went out and filled up the truck with firewood. Ricky did all the chainsaw stuff, and I loaded, which felt like a good arm workout!
     Eating was also VERY good! We ate healthy the entire time, and it was yummy and even borderline gourmet.
     The only thing I didn't do was drink enough water. I am not sure what's the deal there, but I am going to work on that, too!
     Overall, the trip was absolutely relaxing. We did a lot, but it was so peaceful. I can't wait to go again. Next time we will definitely take the kids and the dogs.
     The long weekend was a 10 for us!

It's coming!

     I will post a bunch tonight. I had a PERFECT weekend, and I can't wait to share, but for now we have a busy day ahead of us :) Stay tuned tonight!!

Chelan and cherries!

     I almost forgot! On Tuesday I drove Jordie down to Chelan to meet up with his dad, and we went really early so we could hang out at the lake for a couple of hours.
     We went to the Safeway there to buy some snacks. HOLY TOLEDO!!! They have an AWESOME produce department.
     Actually the entire store is SWEET! I couldn't help but wonder how come ours is so different in selection and set-up??!!
     Anyhoot, I bought some cherries for only $2 a pound, and they were delightful!!!
     We had a great day, eating our cherries, and jumping off the concrete platform into the cool and refreshing lake!

Creative camping!

     We are camping this weekend, and I am totally excited about it. It's just Rick and I, which we have gone on some children-less camp trips in the past, but this time we are taking the horses with us, too.
     I am very excited to go hiking and horseback riding and camping like a fool!
     I packed so many good and healthy things for our camp trip, that I can't imagine what Rick will think as I hand him each meal and snacks in between!! LOL
     It's not all regular camp food, so that will be interesting. I am going to make some delicious tin foil dinners that are sure to attract all the critters in the area.
     I am going to make a salmon one day with portobella mushrooms, and chicken and corn on the cob (with my yummy spread - instead of butter I use fat free sour cream, cilantro, and lime juice to slather the corn) another night.
     Then the best find in my mind (although a little spendy) was the chicken sausage that has artichokes and mozzarella in it!! They are only 100 calories for one!!!
     I packed tons of fruit and veggies, and flat bread for sandwiches, and yogurt for breakfast!
     I know this trip will be a blast! I will update ya when we return :)

Weigh-in

     I am missing a few people, but one lost 1.2, another lost 2, and I gained .2 of a pound, grrrr.
     I have another friend who goes and she gained this week, too, as did the lady who was weighing in before us.
     The lady weighing us said that it is common for people to retain some weight in this hot weather.
     I have a confession. I ate Chinese food on Monday. BUT, I did eat a small amount because I used a super small plate to curb the portion size. I know there is tons of sodium in Chinese food, but OH WELL!
     This is probably bad, but I didn't feel bad about the gain, but rahter I thought to myself that if I splurge on Chinese food again (first time since January that we have had it for dinner), then I would do it on a Wednesday or Thursday night so all of the sodium has a chance to work itself out of my system.
     To continue with this not GOOD attitude, after I shopped for groceries for two hours tonight, I decided to go grab something to eat. NOW, I was going to get a sub sandwich, but instead I pulled into DQ and got a Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookie Blizzard. The only saving grace, I suppose, is that I chose to get a small (I admit I was tempted by the large.), and I did get a large water. SIGH.
     I feel RIGHT NOW that I need to re-adjust and make some better progress. I am going to think a lot about it this weekend while we are camping. That's the plan anyhow.
     In talking with one of my best friends, who is out of town taking care of her mom, but who is also doing WW, she feels VERY frustrated and not inspired.
     We were both surprised at how summer is not as easy as we thought it would be in our weight loss efforts.
     Definitely time to jumpstart things!

Exercise the natural way!

      We have lots to do to be ready for our big camping trip this weekend. We are taking the horses and dogs with us, and I can't wait.
      I LOVE to camp!! I am excited to ride horses and also to go hiking while we are up in the mountains.
      I used to hike tons when I lived up in Leavenworth. We used to camp lots, too. We decided that since everything is so expensive now that we are going to do more camping and closer to home.
      So, getting everything ready definitely feels like a workout. But, in particular, this morning, Jordie and I unloaded all the hay from the horse trailer.
     I had helped Ricky load it all up the other night, but really Rick did most of the work since I had to get in and out of the truck, since i was driving.
     But this morning (before it got too hot) Jordie and I took out all the hay and stacked it next to the barn. My job was to take out all the hay from the trailer, and Jordie took it all and stacked it.
      So, I lifted all 53 bales and hauled them over. I decided that definitely counts as a workout!! Plus we were sweating like crazy, even though it wasn't super hot yet, since we had long pants and long sleeve shirts on.
      Afterwards I felt so good, you know that MAJOR high when you have worked out really hard, when you are sweaty, and your lungs and muscles feel ALIVE??!!
      We came in and drowned ourselves in drinking tons of water. Now, we are ready for the day!
     I like how we can work out the nautral way, whether it be hiking in the mountains or doing chores.
     That's what makes this summer so great! I love having the time to do these things :)

Hey, hey, hey!

     Yesterday was a good day! It was one of those days where I checked off tons of things on my list.
      I did all of the beginning of the month errands, even though it was the last day of June. I paid all the bills, and Jordie graduated from Driver's Ed!
      We went out for a celebration lunch at my favorite place, Wallwebbers!
      I ordered a half of a Tom Terrific sandwich with a cup of soup (tomato garlic). I always ask them to add cranberries, yummy!
      We spent a big part of the afternoon at the clinic with G-ma. What was good about that is that we ran into someone that I know who lost a tremendous amount of weight, and she looks FANTASTIC, and she totally inspires me!!
     I didn't do any specific exercise (riding my bike or walking), but I had a great day tending to what needed to be done and spending it with Jordie!!
      We went to Rick's and watched a movie in the early evening when it was still super hot. After that we went out and caught the mule (this had been an ordeal before, but we borrowed some panels from the neighbor and no problems last night at all).
      I love walking her, and I am going to do so every day. Sometimes I can get her to trot with me, too.
      We sat out in the yard, all three of us, and watched the storm. It was awesome! It so reminds me of Texas.
      Oh, I almost forgot. Yesterday I took the boys down at Rick's work some yummy Orange Creamsicles from Dairy Queen. They are sugar-free and fat free and only 60 calories!
      Not that the boys needed to lose weight (trust me, they are sweating every ounce of fat off of them), but these creamsicles are super yummy, and only 1 point.
      I figured I would tell all of you folks out there looking for a treat to cool you down today, on another day of hot, hot weather! They also have chocolate ones.
      Stay cool and hydrated, and exercise early in the morning or later in the night!

P.S. on exercise

We did buck 53 bales of hay on Friday night. It was good, strong, sweaty work :) I like it!

A good week of exercise!

     Numbers-wise the miles didn't add up this week. I didn't walk or ride the bike that much. My total is only 15 miles and that counts Hoop Fest!
     But, we were very active with daily bowling, swimming, and our weekly horseback riding lessons.
     This week I plan on riding the bike more, and I am definitely hooking up with the weights on Tuesday and Thursday.
     We are camping for the Fourth of July, and I plan on hiking while we are up there, and riding the horse, since we are taking the horses with us, too.
     So, it was a good week of exercise, just not intense exercising!

We survived Hoop Fest!

     Well, we headed over to Spokane, and we had a good trip! I packed lots of healthy snacks and water, which ended up being important and good since it was SUPER hot over there, and water ran about $2 a bottle! Yikes!
     I wore my counter which logged in over four miles of walking each day!! That with the sweating from the extreme temperatures, I am sure I melted away a million calories.
     It was so good to see all of our family. We had all the grandkids and kids (minus Cody--he was greatly missed) together.
     We also went bowling while we were there, and that was fun because the bowling alley was HUGE!
     I know I wrote about how much I love Spokane, but I do. It totally reminds me of when I was a wee little one :)
     I loved Hoop Fest, too! I have been there before, but it still always amazes me how many people are playing. I think I heard somewhere that they had 7000 teams this year!
     Lots of action and exercise, for sure!
     Well, I am tired but happily so!!

Loser!!

I lost 1.2 pounds. I don't have everyone else's stats because I had to leave as soon as I weighed to get to our swimming lesson. More to update tomorrow!!

Teeter-totter of energy

     I woke up this morning with a headache, and that has not happened in a very long time. I think maybe it was allergies, but I am not for sure. I drank tons of water, and now I feel better!
     Today was both eventful and uneventful! We had horseback riding lessons this morning, and I cannot believe how much we have improved in just two lessons.
     We LOVE it!! Now, we are shopping for a perfect horse that will suit those of us in the family that are not as experienced as Ricky.
     I am really excited because we also decided to go camping with the horses (and dogs) for the Fourth of July weekend! I can't wait!!!
     Our hair appointments were all cancelled, as our hair dresser had an abcessed tooth (ouch), so we had to reschedule our appointments, and that's OK because today is such a busy day anyhow.
     We all went up to Rick's for lunch. I made tuna sandwiches, and they were perfectly yummy! You know how when you are hungry and you eat the exact thing you maybe didn't even know you wanted and it more than hits the spot. Well, that was all of us today! Even Jordie mentioned how good the sandwiches were, funny!
     I have noticed that we are falling into an easy schedule of being busy, and then in between busy times, in those pockets of lull we are finding mellow time, which is a nice balance.
     Lots of reading, napping, doing puzzles, or whatever that means we can unplug and relax.
     For the rest of the day, we still have our private swimming lessons and lap swim, and I have a final meeting for Relay for Life tonight. And, I also have weigh-in at Weight Watchers (I will update my weight later tonight). Busy couple of hours ahead of us :) Good thing we all recharged this afternoon :)

Another great day in the books!

     We are 100% enjoying this summer! Today our private swim lesson was changed because of a swim meet, but we just switched to a different time that lap swim was offered.
     I woke up this morning and the muscles in my arms and upper back felt tight, not painful, but definitely used.
     That was from swimming yesterday! What a great workout. I love to swim.
     Swimming is nice because you can have an intense workout, and it's easy to interval train.
     There is something about being in the water that makes me feel all relaxed. You are weightless, for one. And, all of your movement feels easy even though you have resistance from the water.
     Yesterday I watched an aerobics class while I was swimming laps. It looked fun, too.
     We also went today to the Farmers' Market. We bought yummy snow peas, my favorite!
     I must confess. We planned on going bowling this afternoon, but instead ended up reading and having another cat-nap!
     I am looking forward to a busy tomorrow!

We had fun today!

     We were quite active today with bowling and swimming! And, we even squeezed in a nap this afternoon!
     I love bowling, and the kids are fun to watch. I used to bowl in a league MANY years ago, so I always think about that when we bowl.
     Then we had a private swim lesson and lap swim for almost an hour this evening. It was an awesome workout!
     I love swimming because you don't feel your weight, and you burn calories while you are having fun.
     And, in the middle of the day, we snuck in a nap. I don't do that often, but we were reading in bed, and next thing I know it, we are waking up and hurrying around to go swimming.
     It was a busy but restful day. Now we look forward to tomorrow!

Miles update!

I was inspired by running into the people who truly are biking the coast to coast trip! How cool that they were in Omak! Here's their offical Sea to See Ride Across America from Washington to Maine site.

It made me think how I could someday do something similar given that I have summers off. I have the perfect job to go on such an adventure.

My update for miles this past week: 40 miles! That's both walking and biking.

I will write about where that puts me tomorrow, because I am tired right now, and my book is calling me!!!! I am so into it, that I am thinking about it all the time when I am not reading it. You know where it feels like a movie playing in your head!

Yummy dessert tonight

Tonight we made homemade ice cream, but via the plastic bag method!! It's super easy, and using nonfat milk makes it cheap in calories, but still yummy. We like to add strawberries or vanilla. We love it, and it's fun to make!

I feel giddy!

      We have a FUN and busy week ahead of us! I can't wait, and I will definitely keep you updated!
      Swim lessons (and adult lap swim), horseback riding lessons (I can't wait to ride again), haircuts (all of us except Ricky, who got his last week), library time, bowling (we are going with a big group of kids), and we are hooking up with the grandkids, too. Then ending the week with an exclamation point of Hoopfest!
      We will be busy with exercise, eating right, and drinking tons of water (hopefully not tons of pool water!!!)

Hit the road running!

     I have lots to catch you up on! Thursday for lunch I reconnected with my friend Dee. That's been one of my goals this summer, to search out some of my friends that I care about deeply, but we have lost touch.
     We had a yummy lunch from one of my favorite places, Wallwebbers. I grabbed Dee the special, and I had the best ever veggie sandwich also known as the Cool as a Cucumber.
      What I love about eating healthy is that IF you look, you can find good and healthy choices, even when eating out!
     Friday morning I was up early to ride the bike and then to head down to Wenatchee. I love going down there!
      I did eat a 5 point Sammy (a little sandwich from Quiznos), and I loved it. I love that smaller portions do fill me up nowadays.
      I returned home, and we headed up to the storage unit to grab stuff for a yard sale. We loaded up the truck, and I am glad to report that we have less than one truckload of stuff, all in tubs, left up there. (We are moving all of that this next week, and NO more storage!!)
      We set-up the yard sale, and that was a good work out! My biggest goal was getting rid of stuff!!! We didn't have any big items, just TONS of clothes and little stuff.
      Saturday we had our yard sale, which ended up a nice time to read, too. (I am totally into my book!!!)
      In the afternoon, after we sold stuff and made some good money, we decided to not pack up, and just leave it all out there for today.
      We then headed to the Demolition Derby and lawnmower races! That's always a good time, too. We sat with friends, and we had a nice time out.
      Then when we returned home last night, Rick's brother from Seattle was here! That was a pleasant surprise!!
      Today, I did not do any working out, except running and playing outside with the kids. We played tag and jumped on the trampoline for a long time.
      OH! I almost forgot to tell you that I had the pleasure of listening to a group that is riding their bikes from coast to coast! They were here in Omak! Very cool considering what I am virtually doing! Here is the link to one of the rider's blogs about their trip including pics of Omak! Also, here is the official blog for the Sea to See Ride Across America from Washington to Maine.
      It's been a VERY good week :)Check out my other blog for some other stuff, not related to exercise and food!

Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

I have lots to blog about later today! For now, we are off an running :)

Feeling more committed than ever :)

     Yesterday I went on a hike with my class, and we hiked over four miles! I logged over five miles total on my pedometer, and that counts taking it off early in the afternoon at 3 p.m.
     I went to Weight Watchers last night, and I thought for sure I would've lost more weight for how good I ate, exercised, drank water, etc. But, I only lost .6 pounds.
     What's frustrating about that is that I am still making up the 2.4 pounds I gained the first week school was out. I am now at a total of 22.2 pounds (was up at 24 pounds lost).
     But, a loss is a loss, no matter how small! So, I will take it! And, I just know all of these good habits will catch up one of these weeks!
     The good message to me is that it really is important to not get all off track, even if only for half a week! It's OK to have an off day/night, but I do need to stay focused.
     Last night's meeting was GREAT! The topic was about losing weight as a journey. And, how sometimes it feels like we are on Route 66, the scenic road.
     I really thought about this while the discussion was happening. I realized that even though I wanted to see big numbers as I approached my 16th week (got the little hand clapper award last night for going to Weight Watchers for 16 weeks), that 22.2 pounds for 16 weeks is NOT bad. It's still averaging over one pound a week.
     I realized that sometimes I prefer the scenic route as opposed to powering through going a million miles an hour and missing everything around you.
     Then, a lady said something that really resonated with me. She said going slow, losing a pound or two a week, means that you are already on maintenance mode.
     By that, she meant that some people lose their weight quickly, and then have to learn how to maintain it once they have lost it, but she felt like people who go more slowly are actually learning maintenance as they go.
     This made complete sense to me, in that what feels the best about this experience is that I don't feel like I am dieting. I feel like this is a way of life. I feel empowered to make good choices, and I don't feel like I can't have something I really want.
     So, in reality, slow and steady does win the race! I am even more proud of myself for living the "stop and smell the roses" way of life. I feel even more inspired right now to keep this way of life going.
     This morning, I worked out on the bike and I rode for 10 miles! I feel awesome! I am going to work on the weights later today, too!
     Keep positive! Remember life is the journey!

THANKS TINA!!!!!

     I have to start today's blog off with something cool!OK, so this morning I decided since I didn't have any obligations that required me to be up early that I would sleep in.
     Jordie does have Driver's Ed, but he said he would do his alarm, and that he would just walk down since it's so close.
     Well, I woke up at 7:45 a.m. (which is sleeping in!), and I debated about getting up to see if Jordie was gone or not. The house was quiet so I figured he had already left.
     I decided to check, just in case, and good thing I did!!! He was still crashed out. His alarm was going, but it didn't have a ring or something. Anyhow, mad dash around the house, and I drove Jordie to class.
     A side note: You can't miss Driver's Ed classes or you can fail the entire class!
     So, after I drove him to class, I decided to go grab a coffee. I was sitting in line when I realized that I forgot my wallet. But, I knew I had enough change and loose dollars in the car to cover a drink, so I was scrounging.
     Anyhow, I pulled up and Tanya at the window told me that the person in front of me had bought my drink!!!! I do know the mommy in front of me, Tina!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
     The super cool thing is that in my lifetime I have bought probably over ten drinks for people behind me in line at a coffee stand. Sometimes I have known the people and sometimes they have been complete strangers. Well, NOW I know exactly what it feels like when you roll up to the window to find out that the person that is pulling away just bought your drink! It's a HAPPY feeling, let me tell ya!
     The coffee people told me that when it happens, it's one of their favorite things, too, and that it brings them joy as well. VERY, very cool! Thanks, TINA!

Book club!

     I can blog about my book club here (as opposed to my other blog) because it is VERY relevant to anyone interested in healthy living.
     The book was fantastic! I love Barbara Kingsolver, and I have read mostly her fiction work, and this was a non-fiction book.
     I highly recommend reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life.
     I love the premise of the book, and although I am not in a place in life that I could do what she and her family did, I do like the little things I can do to improve my life and this world.
     I am impressed with how things have improved in our world. It's kind of amazing that organic foods are offered at regular grocery stores now. Even if sometimes they "stretch" the meaning of organic.
     This year we have a nice garden (squash, pumpkins, corn, green peppers, sunflowers, and lots of herbs!) planted, and I am thinking about starting another one, that would be just a salsa garden.
     This book was quite inspiring, and it just makes you think about food. It reminded me of how I felt after reading Fast Food Nation.
     That book inspired us to not eat fast food anymore. We do eat Subway, but outside of that, we do not eat ANY other fast food.
     I would love to have a community garden here in the Omak/Okanogan area, and I do know of one that I am going to investigate.
     As well, I think it's very important that we support our local farmers. We can buy at fruit stands, and the farmers' market, as well as even buying shares in our local community supported agriculture (CSA).
     Definitely the book is worth reading!!