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Showing posts from December, 2010

Happy New Year 2011

Welcome to the New Year! What a fantastic opportunity we have to start new. I know it sounds cliche - but making resolutions isn't all that bad. The key is to start slowly or just build on what you've already started the year before. Don't take on to much! One of my main goals for this year is to limit my sugar intake. It seems simple, but it's a slippery slope for me. Taking a closer look, I can see that even my protein bars have a second ingredient of "evaporated cane juice." Sneaky. I don't do sugar substitutes (one of last years goals), so I need to really think about when my body actually needs sugar. I've read that for the first hour after a hard workout, eating or drinking something with carbohydrates (sugar), to replenish glycogen in the muscles and protein to help build it back will speed recovery. Some choose chocolate milk (skim), some count on recovery drinks. I prefer 1 cup of skim milk with 1 tablespoon of honey. Good, simpl

What WAS That Blur?

I believe that blur that just went by was the last 2 weeks of my life! My sister had surgery the 14 th and I was blessed to be able to be there with her. My husband stayed home with our 4 children and our "5 th child" - my little daycare sweetie. I was able to go early and stay late and be there for her. She did fantastic and is now on her way to a beautiful recovery. Christmas was wonderful - all except for my being violently ill. I went to bed Christmas eve feeling a little queasy, but Lasagna and French Silk pie is pretty rich... You guessed it, I was up twice in the night getting sick and was so ill Christmas Day that my family went to the celebration without me. :( My Mommy called me in the afternoon so everyone could wish me a Merry Christmas. I was so sick, I slept ALL day that day. Ate a half a banana a couple of time so I could take some Tylenol, but that was it. By Sunday I was up and around, but not eating. I made supper but couldn't eat it. Monday

Rolls for My Rolls

I haven't done one bit of baking for the Christmas Season. I know me...and I could easily gain weight during this time of year IF the goods are available. I have zero ability to resist and can justify or ignore just about any indulgence. We finished up school for the calendar year, yesterday. Essentially, we have two days of "flux" until the official shin-dig on Christmas day. I'm down to one daycare sweetie this time of year, and his Mom has tomorrow off. So I figured that today would be a great day to do some... BAKING!! Think I'll try my hand at some Parker House Rolls - my great grandma was pretty good at those. A few sugar cookies couldn't hurt either. ;o) Everyone can put something in the bowl, and after nap time, we can roll, cut and bake. And eat. I have speed work on the schedule for today, hopefully that will burn off the rolls and cookies. I've decided that sugar and simple carbs are the enemy and need to be vanquished from my diet. I&#

Bum Knee

Had a nice run today with a gal I met online. She lives here in town and we participate together on a social training site called Dailymile . I figured she was safe...we've communicated via FaceBook as well. We set out to do 5 miles and boy did time fly! We were both a little surprised when we reached the turn around and headed back. I was telling her about my knee bothering me a little in my last few runs. Normally it resolves pretty quick afterward so I hadn't thought much about it - just the cobwebs blowing out from 60 days of P90X and very little running. Well, today it didn't just hurt, it HURT. We got to mile 4 and I had to stop and walk. We did really well on those 4 miles - having a friend to chat it up with was nice (even if I did max out my heart rate for a mile or so, oops.) By the time I drove back home, it had tightened up so much that it was hard to get up to the house. Ice, Ibuprofen, rest, elevation...I'll wear a brace on Thursday for my speed

Crossroads

I've been sitting here stalling. I need to write this blog but I don't want to out myself. Somehow when you say something it then becomes real. I've tried several first lines, fiddled around with some titles, and tried to lighten it up. I can't decide what to think, so it's hard to write it down. I love our children. I want more. I tell myself and everyone else that I don't. I lie to myself and say things like - "I'm getting to old" or "we can't afford it." I try to remind myself about how terrible my last pregnancy and birth was, but underneath it all I wouldn't mind having another one. I don't know if I would survive another year of sleep deprivation, another year of nursing, another year of recovery. We already have social issues arising from our plethora of pre-schoolers and hubby and I haven't been on a date since April. It's hard to go anywhere, and with the age spread, harder still to find something th

Running Down a Dream

I was on the treadmill this afternoon, doing the ultimate boring task of running 4 miles while standing still, when my sister text me that she was thinking of me via this song. I thought it somewhat poetic that I was indeed, quite literally, running down a dream! Although I am not a fast runner, I want to be! I practice, I take advice. I am working very hard on my body fat percentage reduction (okay, not AS hard during the month of December). I think about how slow I am and it makes me want to quit sometimes. But the fact is, I ran 4 miles today. I RAN 4 MILES TODAY. I may have run them slower than most people, but I did it and that's all that matters to me! Dreams are funny things. So relative, so individual to station and experience. Someone may dream of just having enough to eat, while I dream of running as sub 2:30 half marathon. Some may dream of going to college, some of meeting a super star. Some dreams may take focus, hard work, and much time. Others may be reli

Back Pain Again

Another beautiful Sunday in Nebraska! A bright and sunny 7 degrees with a northerly wind at 20mph. Ahhh ...just gorgeous. :) After another owey back pain night of sleep, the Little's woke up at 6:10am. On the bright side, they were both cheerful and ready to play. Just...awake...REALLY early. We watched a couple of episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender on Netflix , had a little cup of juice and waited for it to be time to get ready for church. Really irritated about my back. Yet another injury exasperated by my efforts to live longer. I had a slight twinge between my shoulder blades yesterday. You know, where you slept wrong and find it hard to turn your head? Yah . Well after a series of shoulder presses and biceps curls, followed by a 2 mile interval run, I could hardly lift my right arm! I took a bunch of Vitamin "I" and rolled out the muscles on the foam roller. I actually got my neck to pop and got a little relief. At least it wasn't hard to sit at

Difficult Chicken

Happy Friday!! We go grocery shopping on Fridays 'round here. My dear sweet husband goes with me to help me manage kids and haul and put away. Most times he's the 100% hauler and put-er away-er. In our continuing efforts to eat the best fuel for our bodies, we had left behind the warehouse type grocery store in favor for one that carries more organic produce and specialty items in the Health Market. In the last few months, our Friday expenditure has been creeping up on $200 - and I don't normally buy any meat. This is not including our mid-week run for milk, eggs, and fruit! I've been consistently stubborn on the organic/free range/all natural food choices. Sometimes when hubby picks up provisions, he will deviate because it is SO much cheaper. It bothered me just a little. Sort of felt like my efforts were being undermined. Though, really, you can't over think things. The more likely motivation is a) cost, or b) it was most readily available. No malice,

Time for Introspection

You know how a woman's brain is like spaghetti? We think of one thing and it leads to the next and the next and the next? Well, today, a friends FaceBook status lead me to a song by Tesla. Now, that got me thinking about this lady I used to live downstairs from in Florida who absolutely LOVED Tesla. She was groovy and taught me how to make a mean Shepherd's Pie. She had a knack for keeping plants and really had some beautiful specimens. She was very tan, had a boxer dog named Tyson, and liked wine coolers. That's all the good I can drum up from this era 10 years ago. I absolutely hated when she would blast Tesla "Love Song" from her apartment. Love? I had a beautiful 2 year old that was my only living example. No relationship with God, drank to much, worked two jobs, had a boyfriend who was in constant trouble. Our relationship was volatile at best. And I was thousands of miles away from home. It's amazing how a song can transport you back in time.

Cold Running

I was so excited to get back in the running groove. I am in the process of formulating my training plan for the next few months. I'm using a hybrid of Hal Higdon's and the calculator on Runners World, adjusting the days to my schedule. Looks like Tuesday will be "long run" day as long as David's days off are Tuesday and Wednesday. Can't decide if I want a "just finish" goal for the Half, or some sort of time goal. Haven't trained for a serious distance for a couple of years. Yesterday was crisp and calm, with the temp about 30 degrees. I was dressed warm enough, hat, mittens, layered shirts, tights under my shorts. For some reason, I just hated it! Not sure I waited long enough after lunch, could taste that goulash most of the way. My back injury from Friday had just straightened up enough for activity. I only went 2 miles but my body ached all afternoon like I had done the half marathon! I guess it takes a while to get back in to the g

Crazily Beautiful

Life is Beautiful. I will stay with that assertion despite the past week's issues. It's been difficult - children have been fussy, defiant and mean. It's not been pretty, but it has been beautiful. By nature, I am somewhat of a high strung person. I'm not fussy about "stuff" but I am someone who appreciates the order and sensibility of things. I thrive on schedules. I am most comfortable when I know what is coming next. Children operate comfortably on the same notion, so we get along. Mostly. I have one child that is like a hurricane. Strong and unpredictable. Once she gets going, there is no stopping her. We've never had her "diagnosed" so I don't have a medical term for her special needs, but there is definitely something much different about this child, the way she learns, and the way she copes with life. Her school work is getting harder and is taking more time. We are playing less and less in our learning and using more book