Category Archives: health

If you dangle a carrot..

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One week into 2017, how’s everyone doing out there?

We’re doing well here, although this coming week will be our first FULL week back into school and work.  I can sure get used to 3 and 4 day work weeks!!!  Nice.  Very Nice!!

Any resolutions?  I didn’t really make any official proclamation of resolutions so to speak.  A few internal conversations with myself on organization and time management and healthy eating and food prep and yada yada yada, but really.  Nothing truly earth shattering.

Our Dave Ramsey train keeps plugging away.  A full year and 2 months in and I remember listening to Dave and at one point him saying that the average of people meeting financial goals through his plan took about 3 years.  That is a long time to be budget focused.  However, if you live another 40-50 years….3 years isn’t so much.  Right?  We’re definitely making headway, using our cash and are far more intentional with our spending.  A long way to go from perfect, but learning and making strides and that is something!

Tomorrow starts a 10-week “Mayor’s challenge” for the town I work in and so I joined with a few  friends.  Our team works towards points and each person needs to attend 2 of 3 workouts each week and at the end of the week the individual male and female winners are awarded $1000.  Hello there $1000 carrot.

My veggies are prepped.  Lunch is made.  Workout plan for the week is a go and now to turn  in for a good night sleep.  I am.  In it.  To win it.  Certainly going to work my tail off anyway.  And with the cold weather all weekend, we got the good cookies made and on their way out of the house via bellies, so I’d say.  I’m ready.

Stay tuned.  It’s only my 400 millionth effort at this, surely one of these will stick.  And for $1000, I am certain to have  a few good habits and results take root over the next 10 weeks!!!

Happy 2nd week of 2017!!

A little change up

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Yesterday the Hubs and I hit the gym at the ridiculous o’dark hundred hour of 5ish.  So early.  So dark.  However, a saying my friends and I have is that you never regret having gone to work out, only not going.  Even though my muscles ache (yay!) this morning and I definitely had to have extra coffee yesterday and I was positively dying for sleep at my meeting last night, not once did I regret getting up early and going to the gym.

For years I’ve was an early morning exerciser person, mainly because  with little kids life just got in the way too often for anything else to work for me and it was one less thing to worry about in the day; however, when you get out of that routine……………….well, it’s definitely more challenging to get back into.  A comfy bed, fall temperatures, a good sleep, all things incredibly difficult to drag oneself away from.  This is where an accountability person comes in handy.  Hubby is NOT an early morning exerciser, so we will just take this one early morning victory at a time and go from there.

Today, I’ll enjoy my sore abs, linger a little longer over my coffee, and  enjoy the quiet.  Tomorrow we do it again!  Wish us perseverance and consistency, friends!!  We’ll need it!

Fitbit fun

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So I joined the fitbit party.  At work we are having a corporate-wide “Eat Right for Life” challenge and since I am already tracking my food (week 1–mostly tracked, definitely an improvement) I thought this would be a good addition.

And you might have read my recent post on how I’m not super motivated because quite frankly I’m comfortable, but……in all reality…..I do believe menopause is on the horizon.  So, I thought maybe I should put a little effort forth and be in my best fighting shape (plus I am reading diet MAY help with the hot flashes and holy heckfire…..if it does, I.  AM.  ALL.  IN. If not, I end up a little healthier, right?  Plus, I have a slight competitive side and am visually motivated, so when I see I am 2,000 steps short of my 10,000 for the day; I lace up and hit it until my wrist vibrates.  Done.

But my favorite part of the fitbit?  In addition to the heart rate feature and watch?  The sleep feature!  Oh my goodness.  I am ridiculously anticipating each morning’s sync so I can see how many times I was restless, woke up, how long it took me to sleep and how much sleep I actually got.  Weird, I know.  But it is SOOOOO COOL!!!

Anyhoo….I am on the lookout for a cuter wrist band or figure out how to make one, but in the meantime trying to get over my frustration of today since I forgot to put it on after my shower and pulled a shift at the hospital where I KNEW I’d bank serious steps, but alas, the steps were still banked, just not logged.  Life will go on.

The “L” word…or a day off the hard way

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This morning our youngest daughter came to me JUUUUUUUUUUST as we were getting ready to load up the bus for school and said, “Mom, my head’s itchy, can you look at it?”  ugh.  dread.  despair.  fingers crossed.  holding breath.  I poked, prodded and separated hair and just as I thought she was free and clear (aside from a super angry red neck), I saw it.  a nit.  ARGGHGHGHGHHGHGHGHGHGHG.  Sure enough, separated a few more strands and a couple more.  No school for you, my pet.

Lice.

Are you itching yet?

Texted my my co-worker and boss that my presence was TBD, dropped the other kids (nit free) off at their respective schools and was Wal-mart bound for the RID products.  Not awkward at all at checkout.  Nope.  Not.  at.  all.

Thankfully, the Hubs was working from home today and was able to get the beds stripped and laundry started.  Lo, you never saw so much linen, pillows and regular dirty laundry (while we’re at it) in  yo life!!!  Seriously.

Sprayed EVERY last item of furniture in the house with the spray, toxic I am sure, but you know if I had a blow torch that would have been fine, too.  Sometimes you just have to work with what you have.  Spray it is.

Got the little one doused down in leav- in shampoo for 10 minutes and went ahead and did myself, too…because just say the word and I itch.  I did lay down with her last night after her performance.  On her pillow.  So yeah…lather me yesterday.

We rinsed and gel producted up and began the process.  Now, if you’ve never had the absolute luxury of picking nits from hair, I’m here with your PSA, a  few pics for reference and to tell you….settle in….it’s not a quick ride and it purely sucks.  Just ask my mom, she helped me with this the last time, about 10 years ago.  Wasn’t any fun then either.

Nit picking.  Tiny.  Tedious.  Frustrating little effers.  Good times.  After about 30-40 minutes, several nits, and TWO, TWO!!!!!!!  Live louse.  EWWWWWW!!!!  We re-applied, set the timer, applied gel and began the process.  Again.  No more louse, a handful of nits.  Much better.  (and I’ve checked and re-checked several more times today, finally down to ZERO!)

And lastly, because I didn’t want to be doing laundry until Saturday, the little diva and I hit the local laundromat for the pillows and comforters………AFTER hitting the bank for some quarters.  You know what?  WHO can afford a laundromat???  3 washers and 3 dryers and about an hour and $30 later, we were out of there.  Finished the rest of the basic laundry at home at about 6:30 p.m.  Like I said, it sucks.  So consider this your PSA just in case you ever are in this predicament…..

Here’s a few photos, because you never know what you might need to know what you are looking for.

You’re welcome.

I’m going to bed.

nit

When you are looking for these (see arrow)

and you have to wade through lots of this lovely hair....

and you have to wade through lots of this lovely hair….

you can see how they really stand out, super easy to find and all

you can see how they really stand out, super easy to find and all, kind of silvery.  ish.  

you pretty much want to throw your whole house in here. on Caliente to wash and super heat to dry.

you pretty much want to throw your whole house in here. on Caliente to wash and super heat to dry.

TGIF!!!! Linking it!!

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Bringing it to the 7 QTs with Jennifer Fulweiler and crew….Must be FRIDAY!!!

  1. This week the kids went back to school after Spring Break….can I get a WAHOOOOOO!!⁄?!?!??!?!????  Fine, I’ll give myself one…WAHOO!!!!!  Actually, I’m glad for them to get a little break in the schedule, but I didn’t take any time off so it was a little boring for them, the weather wasn’t all that fantastic, so I’m happy we are all back on schedule and the weather is FINALLY springing up.  Longest winter ever, right?  Even here in Central Florida…gray skies for months.  Boo hoo…I’m certain several people have just clicked away after that comment.  You can always come visit and escape the snow….come on!!
  2. Speaking of people escaping the cold….my mom is here!  She lives in Pennsylvania and has been enjoying the fantastic weather all week!  Of course, she had a rocky start with bad weather  through the southeast mid-trip and was delayed a night in Charlotte, however, she’s been running to and fro catching up with my grandparents, us, and a lot of her friends all week.  We’ve loved visiting and I know she has, too….but man, oh man….it gets exhausting running around visiting, doesn’t it???  Today she and I get lunch together and I am looking forward to our one-on-one!!
  3. I made it back to the gym AT LUNCH this week and I am still sore.  It WAS great to get in a good workout and not be up at the crack of dawn.  This weekend I may have the Hubs get in the pool with me and give me some pointers and add some swimming in on lunch, because it IS getting lovely out!  Although I don’t think I can give up my 5 a.m. spin class which is TORTURE getting up for….but oh, so worth it!!!
  4. This week saw several Paleo-based meals at our dinner table and with the weather changing, I feel I may be emerging from winter time hibernation and almooooooooooost ready to plan and cook ahead our healthy meals and snacks for the week.  The planning and prepping ahead is THE hardest thing for me to consistently stick with and it is also the thing that makes the biggest difference in sticking to a healthy routine or not.  Taking it all one day at a time, and remembering daily that summer’s coming and my bathing suit is waiting.  Motivation?  Um, yes.
  5. Our Yukon needed an oil change this week and it only cost us $465.  Occasionally, when your truck has almost 200,000 miles on its 12-year-old self, service is required.  Painful?  Always.  Grateful for a solid and well-maintained vehicle?  Yup.
  6. Some interesting opportunities are turning up for me in the work arena.  BIG changes and I have been crazy conflicted and praying up a storm.  Must be working because so far, I’m OK with whatever happens.  Of course, I’m not actually at a point where I am making a choice yet; interesting how things present themselves sometimes though.  “Jesus, I trust in You”…..my prayer and my mantra.
  7. Wrapping it up as I bring the first shortie to school #1 and get ready to own this Friday.  Y’all have a great weekend and don’t forget to check back Monday for the Photo Link Up…if all goes well, I’ll have it figured out by then.  How hard can it be, right?  famous last words!!