With a newfound motivation from two of my coworkers, i'm getting more serious about getting in shape. I've lost 10 pounds or so since Christmas, just enough to feel comfortable in my favorite jeans again, but i've been doing much better this week with the moral support of two of my coworkers who are trying to get back in shape as well.
I hit up the gym again tonight, and felt the urge to work harder on the eliptical machine - hoping to drown out the cologne smell of the guy next to me. I even managed to duck by the guy at the desk and go unnoticed. The guy that always flirts with me and asks when i'll go out to dinner with him - which is just a little bit flattering and a a little bit creepy at the same time. I usually just smile and ignore the question. hah. The workout was TOUGH tonight. It was just one of those days where it was harder to get into the groove.
I stopped at the grocery store to stock up. My biggest problem is snacking so I needed snacks in the 0-2 point range, and some good lunch options for work. I spent an hour at the store looking at labels and comparing.
I'll pick up some chicken, eggplant and ground turkey from the farmer's market this weekend - and i'm banking on the prospect of some of the local farmers being back with the warmer weather. They start bringing out the spring plants. Oh I love this time of year.
My first composting class was really great last night. We've already started! I borrowed an old coffee can that Chris had saved and we've already started to fill it with our food scraps. I'm going to use my neighbor's shredder this weekend for some of our yard waste, and we'll be on our way. I can't wait to get the worms in two weeks for my vermicompost bin. They'll have plenty to eat just waiting for them!!
I am also proud to say (and a little embarrassed that i didn't do this earlier at the same time) that I purchased biodegradable and compostable waste bags for my dog. I really hate to think that i'm preserving my dog's dookie in a landfill for a couple of hundred years using grocery store bags...which reminds me, I need a couple more bags to take to the grocery store with me. The two I have to reuse is just never enough!
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Friday, March 02, 2007
Survey Time!
Food:
Q. What is your salad dressing of choice?
A. Raspberry Walnut Vinagrette
Q. What is your favorite fast food restaurant?
A. Jimmy Johns or Chipotle
Q. What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
A. Honey. Oh, god. Honey!
Q. On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant?
A. 20%
Q. What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick off of?
A. Thai
Q. What are your pizza toppings of choice?
A. Mushrooms, Bacon and Tomato
Q. What do you like to put on your toast?
A. butter and/or strawberry preserves
Q. What is your favorite type of gum?
A. Vanilla Mint
*TECHNOLOGY*
Q. Number of contacts in your cell phone?
A. no idea
Q. Number of contacts in your email address book?
A. too many to count
Q. What is your wallpaper on your computer?
A. Currently it's my friend Angie's kid, Caleb, with chocolate smeared all over his face and a goofy grin
Q. How many televisions are in your house?
A. 2
*BIOLOGY*
Q. Are you right-handed or left-handed?
A. i'm a lefty
Q. Do you like your smile?
A. yeah. it was an expensive and painful journey, so i better like it!
Q. What's your best feature?
A. Um, my curls?
Q. Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
A. Teeth and Gallbladder
Q. Which of your five senses do you think is keenest?
A. sight
Q. When was the last time you had a cavity?
A. Probably 5-6 years ago
Q. What is the heaviest item you lifted last?
A. a box in our supply closet at work
Q. Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
A. only under anesthesia
Misc.
Q. If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
A. No. I'd like to think I live my life as best I can every day. So it doesn't really matter. Who wants to live in fear of that day anyhow?
Q. Is love for real?
A. absolutely
Q. If you could change your first name, what would you change it to?
A. I don't think i'd change it. I might decide to actually be called "Nicole" instead of Nikki though.
Q. What color do you think you look best in?
A. black - but others tell me reds and pinks suit me well
Q. Have you ever swallowed a non-food item by mistake?
A. oh i'm sure i've ingested more dog hair than I care to think about
Q. If we weren't bound by society's conventions, do you have a relative you would make a pass at?
A. huh?
Q. Have you ever saved someone's life?
A. i've performed the heimlich maneuver in a couple of situations, does that count?
Q. Has someone ever saved yours?
A. Not physically, but spiritually and emotionally, yes.
Dares:
Q. Would you walk naked for a half mile down a public street for $100,000?
A. Probably not.
Q. Would you kiss a member of the same sex for $100?
A. sure. i've done it for free. ha!
Q. Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000?
A. no
Q. Would you never blog again for $50,000?
A. yes
Q. Would you pose naked in a magazine for $250,000?
A. nope
Q. Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?
A. depends on the hot sauce
Q. Would you, without fear of punishment, take a human life for 1,000,000?
A. absolutely not
Q. Would you give up watching television for a year for $25,000?
A. YES
Q: What is in your left pocket?
A: i don't have pockets today
Q: How much alcohol did you have this week?
A: a couple of beers at a party Saturday night. And a nice glass of red.
Q: Is Napoleon Dynamite actually a good movie?
A: The characters were quite quirky and wonderful. And the movie was quite enjoyable, yes.
Q: What color underwear do you have on?
A: Gray and Pink, i believe
Q: Do you have hardwood or carpet in your house?
A: Hardwood downstairs, carpet and pine upstairs
Q: Do you sit or stand in the shower?
A: stand
Q: Could you live with roommates?
A: I have and it never bothered me. I don't consider my husband a roommate, but we get along quite well, i'd say!
Q: How many pairs of flip-flops do you own?
A: abotu 10
Q: Where were you born?
A. Cincinnati, OH
Q: Last time you had a run-in with the cops?
A. I got a ticket in the Summer of '03. For not wearing my seatbelt correctly (it was tucked under my arm on a long drive after it was rubbing my neck too long). Ugh.
Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?
A: happy
Q: Who is number 1 on your top 8?
A: Chris
Q: What cell phone service do you have?
A: T-mobile
LAST:
Q: Friend you talked to?
A: Kate at work
Q: Last person you called?
A: a vendor
Q: Person you hugged?
A: Chris, this morning
FAVORITE:
Q: Number?
A: 9
Q: Color?
A: Green
Q: Season?
A: Spring and Fall
CURRENTLY:
Q: Missing someone?
A: many of my friends
Q: Mood?
A: mellow
Q: Listening to?
A: 97X Vintage online. I miss this station on the radio!
Q: Worrying about?
A: money
Q: First place you went this morning?
A: to check email -isn't that sad?
Q: What can you not wait to do?
A: travel!
Q: What's the last movie you saw?
A: V for Vendetta
Q: Do you smile often?
A: Yeah
Q: Are you a friendly person?
A: yes
Q: What color shirt are you wearing?
A: brown with a denim jacket
Q: Now that the surveys done what are you going to do?
A: go home soon!
Q. What is your salad dressing of choice?
A. Raspberry Walnut Vinagrette
Q. What is your favorite fast food restaurant?
A. Jimmy Johns or Chipotle
Q. What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
A. Honey. Oh, god. Honey!
Q. On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant?
A. 20%
Q. What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick off of?
A. Thai
Q. What are your pizza toppings of choice?
A. Mushrooms, Bacon and Tomato
Q. What do you like to put on your toast?
A. butter and/or strawberry preserves
Q. What is your favorite type of gum?
A. Vanilla Mint
*TECHNOLOGY*
Q. Number of contacts in your cell phone?
A. no idea
Q. Number of contacts in your email address book?
A. too many to count
Q. What is your wallpaper on your computer?
A. Currently it's my friend Angie's kid, Caleb, with chocolate smeared all over his face and a goofy grin
Q. How many televisions are in your house?
A. 2
*BIOLOGY*
Q. Are you right-handed or left-handed?
A. i'm a lefty
Q. Do you like your smile?
A. yeah. it was an expensive and painful journey, so i better like it!
Q. What's your best feature?
A. Um, my curls?
Q. Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
A. Teeth and Gallbladder
Q. Which of your five senses do you think is keenest?
A. sight
Q. When was the last time you had a cavity?
A. Probably 5-6 years ago
Q. What is the heaviest item you lifted last?
A. a box in our supply closet at work
Q. Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
A. only under anesthesia
Misc.
Q. If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
A. No. I'd like to think I live my life as best I can every day. So it doesn't really matter. Who wants to live in fear of that day anyhow?
Q. Is love for real?
A. absolutely
Q. If you could change your first name, what would you change it to?
A. I don't think i'd change it. I might decide to actually be called "Nicole" instead of Nikki though.
Q. What color do you think you look best in?
A. black - but others tell me reds and pinks suit me well
Q. Have you ever swallowed a non-food item by mistake?
A. oh i'm sure i've ingested more dog hair than I care to think about
Q. If we weren't bound by society's conventions, do you have a relative you would make a pass at?
A. huh?
Q. Have you ever saved someone's life?
A. i've performed the heimlich maneuver in a couple of situations, does that count?
Q. Has someone ever saved yours?
A. Not physically, but spiritually and emotionally, yes.
Dares:
Q. Would you walk naked for a half mile down a public street for $100,000?
A. Probably not.
Q. Would you kiss a member of the same sex for $100?
A. sure. i've done it for free. ha!
Q. Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000?
A. no
Q. Would you never blog again for $50,000?
A. yes
Q. Would you pose naked in a magazine for $250,000?
A. nope
Q. Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?
A. depends on the hot sauce
Q. Would you, without fear of punishment, take a human life for 1,000,000?
A. absolutely not
Q. Would you give up watching television for a year for $25,000?
A. YES
Q: What is in your left pocket?
A: i don't have pockets today
Q: How much alcohol did you have this week?
A: a couple of beers at a party Saturday night. And a nice glass of red.
Q: Is Napoleon Dynamite actually a good movie?
A: The characters were quite quirky and wonderful. And the movie was quite enjoyable, yes.
Q: What color underwear do you have on?
A: Gray and Pink, i believe
Q: Do you have hardwood or carpet in your house?
A: Hardwood downstairs, carpet and pine upstairs
Q: Do you sit or stand in the shower?
A: stand
Q: Could you live with roommates?
A: I have and it never bothered me. I don't consider my husband a roommate, but we get along quite well, i'd say!
Q: How many pairs of flip-flops do you own?
A: abotu 10
Q: Where were you born?
A. Cincinnati, OH
Q: Last time you had a run-in with the cops?
A. I got a ticket in the Summer of '03. For not wearing my seatbelt correctly (it was tucked under my arm on a long drive after it was rubbing my neck too long). Ugh.
Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?
A: happy
Q: Who is number 1 on your top 8?
A: Chris
Q: What cell phone service do you have?
A: T-mobile
LAST:
Q: Friend you talked to?
A: Kate at work
Q: Last person you called?
A: a vendor
Q: Person you hugged?
A: Chris, this morning
FAVORITE:
Q: Number?
A: 9
Q: Color?
A: Green
Q: Season?
A: Spring and Fall
CURRENTLY:
Q: Missing someone?
A: many of my friends
Q: Mood?
A: mellow
Q: Listening to?
A: 97X Vintage online. I miss this station on the radio!
Q: Worrying about?
A: money
Q: First place you went this morning?
A: to check email -isn't that sad?
Q: What can you not wait to do?
A: travel!
Q: What's the last movie you saw?
A: V for Vendetta
Q: Do you smile often?
A: Yeah
Q: Are you a friendly person?
A: yes
Q: What color shirt are you wearing?
A: brown with a denim jacket
Q: Now that the surveys done what are you going to do?
A: go home soon!
Monday, February 26, 2007
Mother of 15, Grandmother of 35
My grandma (mother of 15, grandmother of 35!) had foot surgery last Thursday. Though it was not major, she will not be doing much of anything for about six weeks. This is a huge adjustment for a woman who is more active than I am!
Through it all it's really amazing to see my family coming together to make sure there's a hot meal on the dinner table every night, that my grandpa can have some time to himself for the things he enjoys - like church and music, that the house stays tidy, and grandma (mother of 15, grandmother of 35!) stays as comfortable as possible.
Chris and I stopped by with fresh-baked cookies on Saturday morning. But I signed up for the evening shift tonight, so that my grandpa could keep his commitment to play the bass with his swing band (and yes, it is amazing to me that my 78 year old grandpa still plays his upright bass with two bands 2-3 times per week!).
I had a nice four hour visit with my grandma (mother of 15, grandmother of 35). We talked about surgery. We talked about her travels with my grandpa over the years. We talked about her life as a young mother. We had dinner. We talked about faith and prayer and family. We talked about Dubai. I can't think of a nicer way to spend a Monday evening, really.
She is a woman of great faith, even greater patience, but most of all - tremendous love. I am very thankful for the time I had with her tonight, while she is healthy (relatively speaking), and vibrant, with that smile that never seems to leave her face.
I count my blessings for having a grandma (mother of 15, grandmother of 35) I enjoy so much.
Through it all it's really amazing to see my family coming together to make sure there's a hot meal on the dinner table every night, that my grandpa can have some time to himself for the things he enjoys - like church and music, that the house stays tidy, and grandma (mother of 15, grandmother of 35!) stays as comfortable as possible.
Chris and I stopped by with fresh-baked cookies on Saturday morning. But I signed up for the evening shift tonight, so that my grandpa could keep his commitment to play the bass with his swing band (and yes, it is amazing to me that my 78 year old grandpa still plays his upright bass with two bands 2-3 times per week!).
I had a nice four hour visit with my grandma (mother of 15, grandmother of 35). We talked about surgery. We talked about her travels with my grandpa over the years. We talked about her life as a young mother. We had dinner. We talked about faith and prayer and family. We talked about Dubai. I can't think of a nicer way to spend a Monday evening, really.
She is a woman of great faith, even greater patience, but most of all - tremendous love. I am very thankful for the time I had with her tonight, while she is healthy (relatively speaking), and vibrant, with that smile that never seems to leave her face.
I count my blessings for having a grandma (mother of 15, grandmother of 35) I enjoy so much.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Lifestyles
So I am proud to say that I am starting to feel a difference in my clothes, and that following WW is paying off. I haven't gotten on the scale yet (i'm afraid to know), but I'm guessing that i've dropped about 10 pounds over the course of the last month. Yay, me! I just need to keep it up!
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Easy Like...
There's nothing better than the Sunday morning I've had today, with my dog and Chris.
We watched Sunday Morning in bed with the dog. When we were able to bare the cold, we crawled out of bed, and Chris retrieved our New York Times from the yard in sub-zero temperatures, while I prepared breakfast. French Toast, eggs and fresh strawberries. Chris ate all three, I stuck to the French Toast, and Quinn only had the eggs.
It's simple, I guess, but there's nothing I enjoy more in the world than this time, reading and discussing the Times, and listening to our favorite radio program, Breakfast with the Beatles.
We watched Sunday Morning in bed with the dog. When we were able to bare the cold, we crawled out of bed, and Chris retrieved our New York Times from the yard in sub-zero temperatures, while I prepared breakfast. French Toast, eggs and fresh strawberries. Chris ate all three, I stuck to the French Toast, and Quinn only had the eggs.
It's simple, I guess, but there's nothing I enjoy more in the world than this time, reading and discussing the Times, and listening to our favorite radio program, Breakfast with the Beatles.
Friday, February 02, 2007
Working on Myself
It's been one of those weeks. A lot of things are going on in my head, and I haven't been happy with "me." I've been working really hard to change some things - mainly getting back on a diet plan, and working out. I've been very faithful for the past 3 weeks, and I'm hoping to continue. Tonight i'm getting my hair highlighted - which is a treat for me. I'm hoping it will make me feel a little better, and give me the boost I need these days.
I've been hinting at Chris to take me out and do something fun, but he's just not getting it. It feels like we're in separate worlds this week, because we're just moving at a different pace. So far our weekend entails a lot of activities that will keep us apart. It's time to plan a "centering" kind of weekend for us. We can't wait until our trip in April. Nobody ever said marriage didn't require work!
I've been hinting at Chris to take me out and do something fun, but he's just not getting it. It feels like we're in separate worlds this week, because we're just moving at a different pace. So far our weekend entails a lot of activities that will keep us apart. It's time to plan a "centering" kind of weekend for us. We can't wait until our trip in April. Nobody ever said marriage didn't require work!
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