Speed Bloggin'

I am a busy girl with a lot to tell you folks! Soooo, in an attempt to blog a lot of information in a limited amount of time, I am going to mimic the style of one of my favorite bloggers. We'll see if it works!

1. I got an iPHONE! 

After months of putting off the inevitable and denying Jeremy his one and only (at the moment) wish, I gave in and we got iPhones. I don't why I hemmed and hawed about it for so long...they ARE amazing! I should have known, since I am so head-over-heels in love with my iPOD and Macbook laptop, that I would love any and every product Apple puts out. They really are so user friendly. And fun! I've tried to picky in what "Apps" I've downloaded, but I still already have a bit of a collection. My sole complaint is that the texting is a bit tricky...just because of the touch-keyboard. I'm sure it's more my clumsy fingers than the phone, though, and thankfully the predictive text feature usually knows what I'm TRYING to say and fixes my mistakes. :)

2. I'm reading "Twilight!" 

I know, I know...."Wayta finally jump on THAT bandwagon after it's gone past." Honestly, I'd been resisting for a while. I did see the movie when it came out. I enjoyed it and was sorta curious about the story, but just rolled my eyes at all the hype and all my friends telling me to read the books. But then my sister got into it...and she reads about as much as I do (which is never). Well she finished the entire SERIES in like a week or something. That caught my attention. So I borrowed the first book from her...and bam, I was hooked. People told me this over and over...but there REALLY IS so much more in the book that the movie failed to portray (or left out, or changed). These characters are just absolutely engrossing...and talk about an amazing, spine-tingling love story. Wow. Sooo...I also read the unreleased "inside-Edward's-head" book that was leaked online, and now I'm reading book two, New Moon. And while it's not quite as mesmorizing as the first one was, I'm still really into it. Since I'm basically just reading on my lunch breaks (which last week was dangerously low on), I'm not running through these nearly as quickly as Lauren did though. *haha*

3. I love Sims3! 

Though I haven't really been able to play in a few weeks, I somehow feel this is still important information for you to know. I've always been a bit of a Sims nut, so Jeremy got me this latest addition when it first came out. I don't know if you've ever played or if you're familiar with the concept, but it's so fun and extremely addictive. Basically, you create people (at various stages of life, from toddler to elderly). You get to choose their features and clothes (my favorite part), then decide on their personalities. In this newest game, you even pick a life goal for them to strive for. Then you put them in a home and let them "live!" Of course you're making decisions FOR them all the time...which can get tricky if you have a large household of Sims to manage. The new features on Sims3 open up so many more possibilities...you could just play forever. Well, maybe YOU could, but I don't have that kinda time. *sigh* ;)

4. Got some really sad news last weekend: my coworker Anne that I've become such good buddies with is moving away. :( 

Just to Kansas City, which isn't TOO far away (as I've been reminded repeatedly), but she's still being taken away from my "everyday" which makes me so, so sad. We have so much fun working together and hanging out...she really has been a blessing in my life as a friend. And her hubby has become a good friend and golf parter for Jeremy, so this situation is sad on both levels. She's also become my workout partner, which brings me to...

5. I'm doing P90X! 

Ever seen the infomercials? It's this "EXTREME" DVD workout program where you can get completely RIPPED in just 90 days. Waaaaell...I don't know about all THAT, but we're certainly doing our best! *haha* The idea behind the program is "muscle confusion," so each video focuses on something different...and there's a different video for every day of the week! (Not that we've been able to do it that often, but again, I did say we're doing our best! *hehe*) It's nice because we aren't getting bored with it since there's so much variety. I am, however, worried about being able to keep this up once my workout partner is gone. :( I don't think I'm motivated enough to do it on my own!

I'm going to finally get to see "Wicked!!"

I can hardly believe it, but the show is coming to Wichita in October. (Did I already blog about this? I can't remember...my apologies if this is a repeat.) I never would have thought that Wichita could draw such a huge production, but it's going to be here for the a whole week! When I first found out a few months ago, the tickets weren't on sale yet but we found some "prices" on a site and they were OUTRAGEOUS!!! Even knowing that, Jeremy agreed we could go. But we were delighted to discover that those prices had been way off...and we bought two excellent tickets for the price of what we initially thought ONE was going to cost. HOO-RAY! I am so stinkin' excited. And thrilled that Jeremy isn't just sending me off on my own to see it by myself. What a great hubby I have!!

Well I think that's it...for now. What did we think of this style of blog? I don't know if it saved me any time...but I feel better knowing you're up to date on my life. *wink* 

Keep them doggie's rollin'!

When I was 8...or 9...(or maybe 7? *haha*) I got my first pair of rollerskates. Like REAL rollerskates...not the Fisher Price ones with the bell inside the wheel that seemed to make it impossible to even move. Being a bit of a daredevil, I took to them immediately. I don't mean to brag, but I became a darn good little skater. (Hey I have to take joy in the few talents I excell in, right? ;) ) I could do turns, twirls, skate backwards and all that good stuff, plus I was really FAST and could stop on a dime. I participated in all the "contests" at the roller rink and positively lived for the speed-skate song when I could fly by the older boys and even the show-off teenager "referees." :) My bestest childhood buddy Ellen and I felt like we ruled the rink and had delusions of becoming amazing professional rollerskaters someday. 

Rollerblades came along and became the cool thing, but I stuck to my skates. I never liked the way rollerblades felt on my ankles and wasn't nearly as coordinated in them. It became more and more difficult to find my favorite skates (which were more like tennis shoes than the boot skates you see as rentals at rinks) and eventually I did wear out my last pair. (I'd wear the stoppers right down to the screw, to the point the metal would leave marks on the driveway. Oops! Daddy, I need some new skates!) It was very sad. :(

Well several years ago, Skechers came out with a pair of rollerskates that closely resembled the kind I used to get as a kid. Except these were Skechers, so they were automatically cooler! I got a pair for Christmas that year. It was so exciting. The first time I went out on them I was a little wobbly (more height + more weight = more to carry on 8 wheels!) but eventually I regained my coordination and I'd say I'm pretty decent again. Here's a picture of my beloved skates, sporting the pom-poms a friend of mine bought for me for my Birthday. (I had a skating party for my 24th Birthday...I know, I'm so grown up. It was SOOOO fun!!! And while we were there, I mentioned that I'd always envied the girls with the cute pom-poms on their skates. And tada, I got a pair of my own! So sweet, right?)

When we were a two-dog household, I used to take Wrigley and MoJo rollerskating all the time. (Note to the sarcastic: *I* was the one rollerskating. Not the dogs.) They loved getting to run full speed and I liked the fact that it wore them out in half the time. Normally I make them walk beside me, but Cesar Milan (the Dog Whisperer, aka, my hero) says that it's alright to let dogs run ahead when you're skating with them...even letting them PULL you, because it equals a job or a task for the dog to perform. Just like a husky would pull a sled or a sheepdog would herd sheep, the task is actually good for them mentally as well as physically. And I enjoyed it too, so I did it with the boys every chance we'd get.

But when we added Cubby to the family, I stopped this because I didn't think I could control all three of them while on wheels. I could just picture them getting tangled up around my feet, making me nose-dive into the pavement and knocking all my teeth out or breaking my nose. (Yes I have an overactive, morbid imagination.) And Cubby probably couldn't have kept up last Summer anyway, since he was still a tiny tyke. But he's big enough now and they're so good on walks, I decided to pull out the skates and give it a go yesterday.

It went SO WELL! Cubby was a little frightened by the big clunky wheels on my feet at first, but when he saw how excited his brothers were about it, he decided they weren't that bad afterall. He was by far the slowest of the three, though. It was funny...he would run up and pass Wrigley, look back at him like "HA! I passed you!" but then immediately fall to the back of the group, even behind ME to the point I felt like I was dragging him. He couldn't figure out how to keep a steady pace. *haha* He's still a silly little puppy.

I thought MoJo would be the most excited about running, since he's our high-energy-go-go-go guy, but Wrigley was just ecstatic! He was running as fast as he could, ears back, tongue hanging, tail straight out. He looked like a shorter, stalkier greyhound. :) And not once did anyone dart out in front of me or tangle around each other. I stayed upright the whole time. *haha* And today my thighs and rear are quite sore, so it's clear that the dogs didn't do all the work.

Separation Anxiety

There's a lot of adjusting going on this week. I'm getting used to a new schedule, a new job, new coworkers and a completely new routine. It's both exciting and exhausting. *haha* But I have to admit, I'm missing my blog time. I know it's only been a few days, but I haven't had the time to write OR read anything. It's some serious withdrawal...I'm practically twitching! ;) It's for the best, though. No one needs to spend that much time on the internet, for Heaven's sake. I'm out in the real world now, having more experiences and actually doing something of worth. I'm better off...but I still need to make time for this hobby as well. :)

I am learning so much at my new job! There is a lot of information to take in and try to memorize. Under different circumstances, it would be incredibly intimidating and overwhelming. But Becky is being more than patient with me, as are the others.  I have to admit, though, my head is positively swimming with abbreviations and terms that I'd never heard three days ago. I'm familiar with a lot of it, of course, having doggies myself. But the information I need to learn goes far beyond that. *haha* I'm just taking it a day at a time.I feel like I'm making good progress! 

Oh, I've gotta tell you something! I went to Turbo Kick tonight, for the first time since the-dude-that-wouldn't-move-his-muscles incident. Gym bunny and her goober boyfriend didn't show up, thank goodness. The instructor was getting her stuff ready at the front of the room and talking about how hard it is for her to get all the cues shouted out in time, since it's pretty fast paced. One of the gals in class said, "Just tell people to do what you do!" and I said, "Well that's no problem unless they can't SEE her because there's somebody standing right behind you doing nothing!" Some of the other ladies laughed and agreed that if the dude showed up again they were going to "accidently" kick him and get him out of class. But strangely, others were like "I thought he was a good sport! You could tell he wanted to leave but stayed cause she wanted him to!"  I said, "Yeah, but couldn't they have moved to the back of the room?" I just found it pretty interesting that some people actually felt sorry for or admired the doofus for his "efforts." How silly! I'm glad the rest of you agree with ME. ;)

There was a new addition to my Cardio/Core class tonight, though. BACKSTORY: There's a woman at our gym that Jeremy and I have come to call "Man-Woman." She seems to be there AAAAAALL the bloomin' time. Because of her tall, broad body frame and the fact that she's extremely muscly...AND because she tans wa-hay too much and has fake-black hair, she just looks really harsh and man-ish. She has a little "posse" that she tends to work out with, and two of those gals have been coming to Cardio/Core for a while now. But tonight, Man-Woman showed up with them. I rolled my eyes as she strutted to the opposite side of the room in her little tank top and hot pink skirt/skort/how-the-heck-do-you-work-out-in-that?/outfit. She took a spot at the front by the mirror and proceeded to gaze at herself during our warm-up, fixing her hair so it laid just right, pulling the skirt down whenever it bunched up (cause it's a SKIRT! It's gonna bunch up! Silliness.)  As you can tell, I was distracted by her. *haha* I'm just so fascinated by her wrinkly, leatherish skin, wondering why she would think that's attractive? She's a young woman, too. I can't imagine the damage she's already done to her skin.

Well, this was fun. :) Feels good to type. *haha* But don't expect any posts from me tomorrow. Thursdays are my "long day" and I'm going to try and catch the tail end of my Thursday night Bible study, so I won't have much free time. But don't ever worry if I'm absent for longer than I would like. I'll never quit blogging, I promise. :)

(I know I still need to add photos of some things. I swear I'll get around to it eventually. *haha*)

In defense...

...of my TurboKick leader, she did try to wrangle him in her own way. She called out every single move, "Left, right, left, right, punch, kick, blah blah blah" even more so than usual. And she kept saying, "Come on! Like this! You can do it! This part's easy, at least try it!" And at one point (I think before the Turbo section) she said, "Well if you didn't like all that you're sure not going to like THIS." Clearly, she's just way too nice to kick him out on his rock-hard buttocks. Sounds like some of you have the moxie for it, though. Give me your numbers for next time! ;)

I'm SO glad to see that I'm not alone in thinking this situation was really annoying. *haha* But I did want to make it clear that poor Aimee wasn't unaware of the problem. I just don't think she knew how to handle it either.

Well I'm off to bury myself in my scrapbook supplies. I need to get packed for a big crop/event I'm going to this weekend! It's called Get Scrappy and it's Friday AND Saturday...so I'll need plenty to do! I really need to blog about it, actually. It's a great fundraiser for our local Women's Crisis Shelter. Gosh there's just been so much going on this week. But I'll tell you all about it, soon. 

Just a Gym Rant

Something annoyed me to pieces tonight in my TurboKick class.  So much so, I need to blog about it. *haha*

This teeny tiny gym bunny that has been coming to the class for a couple weeks now showed up...with her big, muscly boyfriend. Which is totally fine. Guys show up to these classes all the time. Most of the time they never come back, because the classes I take involve a lot of choreography and they just can't seem to pick it up. But I don't mind if they're there. Especially if they're with their wife/girlfriend/someone that dragged them, because I've tried to convince Jeremy to join me in the past and he's refused. So I totally respect the fact they're giving it a try. 

Well they took the front & center position, directly behind the instructor.  When Aimee (the super peppy and tiny leader that I've complained about in the past, but am now growing to love...go figure!) began, the boyfriend just stood there. I thought, "Oh, well he's trying to figure out the moves and the rhythm before he begins." But he continued...to just...stand there. With his arms folded across his chest, staring blankly at Aimee, his girlfriend, and the rest of us. He didn't even ATTEMPT to do ANY of it! Not even the easy warm-up side steps or the punching type stuff that a dude should totally be able to handle! Occasionally he and his girl would exchange a laugh and some under-their-breathe conversation, but not once did he even try to get with the rest of the group. I couldn't tell if he was really just terrible at following directions or if he thought he was too cool for school or what.

This wouldn't have been such a big deal, but as I mentioned, they were standing at the very front of the group behind the leader so nobody behind her could really see. And there were several new ladies there tonight and I could tell they were getting flustered. Aimee is hard enough to follow when you CAN see her. *haha* Beyond that, it was just downright distracting. I kept thinking, "If I had brought Jeremy and saw that he was behaving that way, I would have hauled his booty to the back corner and continued the class from there. Front & center should be reserved for people that know their stuff, otherwise it really takes away from what the instructor is trying to teach. 

When we got to the "Turbo" portion, which is fast-paced and has us running all over the room, I muttered under my breath, "He better move or he's gonna get run over!" but that's as close as I came to confronting the situation. You know me, I'm totally non-confrontational. Plus, he was slightly intimidating, all pumped up and scowling. And Aimee was too busy sweating it up and calling out steps to do anything about it. I don't think he'll come back, but I'm going to have to control my thoughts when I see his stupid girlfriend again. (Oops, stupid? Well I guess I haven't started controlling them yet, have I? *hehe*)

And now that I've vented, I can sleep. :) G'night everybody!

So excited!!

I got a call-back from The Vet Clinic for a second interview!!! (I've decided to capitalize that to make it seem more important. Maybe if I get the job I'll start putting the actual name of the place down. Then again, I've seen how easy it is for people to stumble across me by searching, so maybe not. *haha*) I wasn't expecting to hear anything until next week but they called me first thing this morning! That's gotta be a good sign.  How stoked am I? Like a FIRE, baby! (I just made that up. How stupid is it? *haha*) I'm going back on Friday morning. I don't know what a second interview is...seems like he already asked me all the questions I've ever been asked in an interview, plus some fun ones. But I'm not even nervous about it. It'll be great...whatever it is. :)

I just got back from CardioKick, part of what I've deemed Trifecta Wednesday. I take that class at noon and then in the evenings I take back-to-back TurboKick & Cardio/Core. It's not even with the intention of burning a maximum number of calories or trying to kill myself or anything. I do it because I happen to REALLY like all three classes and instructors, but they're all offered on the same stinkin' day! (I would love nothing more than if they would spread one or two of these out to Tuesdays, Fridays or Saturdays, when there aren't any good classes to speak of.) But in the evening when it's all over, I treat myself to one of the massive and delicious protein smoothies at the gym's health bar. They're so good and they're perfect because I'm way too zonked to cook afterwards. :)

Dogwalker

My dogs are getting spoiled. Today I treated them to their fourth consecutive walk. I know, I think they might explode with joy! *haha* The weather since Thursday has just been too good to be true, though. So I couldn't resist taking advantage of it. And each day we've walked in a different direction or place so it's been fresh and fun each time. (Of course I think I could walk them in a circle in the driveway and they'd probably still enjoy it.)

On Thursday it actually got into the 80's here!! It was crazy! I mean, I was physically hot at one point. In March. Nutso! But that day we walked a whole city block, which I measured later in my car and it equals about 4 miles. Not too shabby! No wonder all of their tails and tongues were dragging when we got home. 

Then on Friday I decided to walk them to our closest Sonic. That's something I've always wanted to do, since it's the only place I can think of where you can place your order outside. (You'll be proud, though. No corndog and tator tots for this girl. Just a small water, extra ice for me and a small water, no ice for them. Boooooring but refreshing. And cheap! *haha*) And on the residential road we took to get there, a passing car honked and stopped alongside us...it was my friend Sandy that I used to work with! What ARE the odds?? (It was great to see you Sandy! It made our day! Well, it made my day. Putting the leashes on their necks had already made the dogs' day. *hehe*)  When we got there, some of the carhops loved up my doggies while I sipped my water for a bit, then we headed back. But it was fun, I think we'll do it again!

Yesterday was the first time I've driven the dogs anywhere since I cleaned my car. I wanted it to stay fur-free as long as possible for a while, considering how hard those guys had worked (and the fact I'd paid for it). Earlier in the week, I had spotted a walkway around a lake that sits behind a local shopping center, so we went there for our stroll. It was much, much windier than I'd expected so it was the least pleasant of our walks this week. But they still seemed to enjoy it.

And today we just strolled around our neighborhood. We live in a pretty nice area for walking...there aren't many sidewalks but the streets are plenty wide and not too busy. I like to always go a different way and see what new routes I can come up with.  Today we ran across a group of little girls riding bikes. They all started to "Awwww PUPPIES! Awww! AWWW!!!' and eventually one said, "Can we pet'em real quick?" I obliged, since the boys LOVE attention and are usually disappointed when passerby's don't feel the need to pet them. At the same time, I thought back to when I was a kid...I would have NEVER approached a total stranger and requested to pet their dogs. I guess my Mom just engrained a much better stranger-danger radar in me. Then again I probably didn't look all that intimidating to these kids. *haha* And at least they did ask...a lot of kids just come running, not knowing if the dogs are friendly or not. Dangerous! 

Generally when people see me walking three dogs, they say something like, "Looks like you've got your hands full!" or "Are they all yours?" I just laugh and nod. Really, I'm surprised no one ever comments about how under control they are. They are SUCH good walkers. I mean, walking three dogs at once could be an absolute nightmare but they're so good, it's a pleasure! (Except for the occasional opportunity to carry fresh, warm, dog poop in a thin plastic baggy. That's not so fun.)

Of course, I do have some help. MoJo and Wrigley both wear Gentle Leaders, which work wonders! I haven't seen the need to get Cubby one at this point. Since neither MoJo or Wrigley are pulling, he doesn't seem to feel competitive or need to charge ahead of us. 

Other than that, my tricks are these: They must remain by my side at all times. MoJo walks on the right by himself because he touchy if he doesn't have enough room, Cubby and Wrigley are on the left (although sometimes Cubby trails behind, which is fine.) I don't let them pull out in front (that was a tip from the Dog Whisperer...a dog that leads the way believes its in control). I used to let MoJo trot around ahead of me however he pleased, but then when we got Wrigley, this became a problem because their leashes would get tangled. I can't even imagine the chaos of THREE dogs doing their own thing! Yikes! Oh, in order to keep them reigned in and close I take all three leashes and tie them around my right hand, which I keep behind my back. So I guess you can say I walk all three dogs with one arm tied behind my back! *haha* 

Also, they're only allowed to pee/sniff/pee some more, at designated stops. I can't have them all tugging to get at different poles and bushes the entire time...that would be exhausting. So two or three times on a walk, I'll "pull over" to let them have their fun. I make them take turns (learned that lesson after having them pee on each other one too many times...three hiking dogs is a mess.) and they've learned the routine. First MoJo, then Wrigley, then Cubby. What this does to their little doggy hierarchy I don't really know...but that would be interesting to have analyzed! *haha* Somebody call Cesar! ;)

Hmmm...sorry, I just realized this is my fourth dog post in a row since I did the "Meet My Mutts" triolgy. But tomorrow is weigh-in day, so no dogs here tomorrow I promise! 

Step it up

This is EXACTLY what I was talking about!!! How can anybody keep up with all these moves and spins and turns? It absolutely makes my head spin.

Gotta use it to lose it!

They say "30 days to make it a habit." Well I don't know about you, but normally I find that it's 30 days to make me sick of it. So I've really been trying to infuse my workout routine with lot's of variety. Of course, there's no better way to figure out what you don't like to do than to try it. And after 40-some days (yay! I've passed the 30 day mark!) of working out, my preferences are becoming clearer and clearer. 

Me No Likey:

Step Aerobics

When I was younger, I used to love doing "stepper" videos with my Mom and sister. We even started a little workout group at the church we were attending at the time. I thought it was so much fun, moving in rhythm to the music. Up, up, down, down, what could be easier?

Well, things in the world of "the box," as I've found its referred to, have changed. The routines are so bloomin' complicated!! T-step, L-step, V-step...what the heck is the difference? Just as I figure out one move, we're "adding on" something else, or I find that the rest of the class has tuned around to face me but I'm still looking at the front of the room. What'd I miss? I feel like I'm just shuffling up and down off the box...and half the time the stupid thing skids away from my toes and I have to stop and fix it. Hate it! Sorry, Mom. ;)

The Stair Climber

I was always very intimidated by these machines. They tower over the rest of the gym and they're the one apparatus in the room that look like you could be injured if you toppled off of it. But after trying the little ol' StairMaster and finding the movement to be really unnatural and uncomfortable, I thought I'd give this thing a try. It's awkward, to say the least. I'm always jamming my toes because I step too far in, or flopping off a step because I don't step far enough. 

Funny, I just noticed that both of these things I don't like involve steps! *haha* I suppose I should have known better, considering how many times I fall down (and up) the normal stairs in my house on a daily basis. Silly Sarah, stairs are for the coordinated!

Luckily, the things I enjoy outnumber the things I hate.

Be George, I think it's FUN!

Floor Aerobics

It's amazing how much easier choreography is when you take the stepper out of the picture. Suddenly I feel so much more coordinated. (Note: "More coordinated" does not equal "coordinated." *haha*) I'm all over the grapevine, knee lifts, jumping jacks...keep 'em comin'. 

Dance Aerobics

From ZUMBA to Hip Hop Hustle, dance aerobics doesn't really feel like exercising. It's just plain fun! Now, it's also a harsh reminder of just what a white girl I am and it really makes me wish I could actually dance. But 95% of the class always looks just as silly as I do, so I just have fun with it. I can't even imagine how REAL dancers memorize all of their choreography, though! (Like on So You Think You Can Dance where they sometimes have to do 4 or 5 routines in one show!) I can't even remember all the consecutive steps in a one hour time frame and we go over them again and again and again. *sigh* 

Kickboxing

I'm not sure if you can really call it "kickboxing" if you don't have an opponent, but it sounds so much better than "Floor Aerobics Incorporating Some Techniques and Moves Commonly Found in Kickboxing," don'tcha think? And I can't really call it TaeBo cause I don't wanna get sued by Billy Blanks. ;) TurboKick and CardioKick both involve lot's of punching and kicking and shouting "Hey!" or "Ha!" or some combination of the two ("Hey-ha!"). I find it very invigorating! By the end of the class I feel like I'm ready to be in The Karate Kid 9...or whatever number they're on. And nothing thrills me more than to tell Jeremy that I spent my afternoon doing roundhouse kicks, just like Chuck Norris. He ain't got nothin' on me, baby. *haha* 

Elliptical Machine

On days when no classes are calling my name, I turn to my trusty elliptical machine. (This is a picture, as far as I can tell, of the exact model I use! This is important, because there are sooo many different kinds out there and I do not love them all.) I love that on my elliptical, I can move freely and (almost) effortlessly to the music. I find that I can move much more quickly on this thing than I can with just my own two feet on flat pavement. (I know this because there are many songs on my iPOD that I can't keep up with except when using the elliptical.) Plus I rarely ever feel like I might fall off of it, which isn't true of any other machine. (Even the treadmill...I can't seem to walk consistently in a straight line. Need I say more?) 

There are still classes on the gym schedule that I haven't tried. Some I'd like to try but am still too intimidated (Group Power gives everyone their own gigantic barbell. Freaks me out.) and some I doubt I'll ever take (Group Ride is their cycling class. Jeremy took it and STILL claims his bum feels bruised from the seat. I don't need that kind of pain.) But today will be an elliptical day, since I'm certainly not taking Triad which includes 20 minutes of Step Aerobic torture. :)

Mini-Vacation in Minneapolis

Hello blogland! Did ya miss me? I hope everyone really enjoyed their Valentine's Day and President's Day weekend!  We had a nice little trip to Minneapolis with lot's of shopping, sightseeing and *eek* eating. Yes...there was cheesecake. There was movie theater popcorn. There were nachos. I didn't even try to hold back. But we'll get to that in a minute.

I'm gonna break this trip down into three posts: First, what we did away from the Mall of America, then everything Mall related...and finally I'll post about all my goodies I came home with. Here we go!

Day One

Our first stop in Minneapolis was The Cheesecake Factory. How is it that I've been to this place twice in the two months I've supposedly been dieting? Somehow that just doesn't add up. *haha* I had my usual Banana Cream and Jeremy got brave and tried his very first piece of cheesecake EVER. He got a peanut butter/candy/chocolate/somethin' or other flavor. He said it was "ok," but didn't like the parts of it that had "too much cheesecake" in it. Silly boy! I just don't know what's wrong with him!  The nice folks sitting next to us offered to take our picture when they saw I had my camera with me. 

From there we drove to REI which was nearby. Ever since we went camping in the Fall of 2007, we've loved REI. They've got way more than just camping stuff and we both love their clothes. I didn't find anything this time but Jeremy got a couple of shirts. 

Next it was off to their LSS (that's "Local Scrapbook Store," meaning not a chain store like Archiver's.) We had found this store's address online...but look what we saw when we arrived! They were having a HUGE sale!!!

Every.Single.Thing. in the store was on sale! What a treat. And my heart literally skipped a beat when I got inside and saw THIS SIGN:

If you're not a scrapbooker, this doesn't mean anything to you. (Actually, you could be a scrapbooker and this still might not mean anything to you. *haha*) Fancy Pants is an awesome scrapbook company that makes some of the neatest stuff out there. They're quickly climbing to the top of my favorite companies list. I know, now you're really wanting to see what I got. But you're gonna have to wait till tomorrow! :)

By then it was time to check into our hotel. We stayed at The Crowne Plaza in Bloomington, which is basically Minneapolis but just right outside I guess. What an exciting surprise! Since we booked it through Priceline.com, we weren't sure exactly what to expect. But when we got there we found out we had gotten a HECK of a deal! It was such a nice hotel! 

Silly hubby + our rental car & the hotel

The slick, glowing check-in counter

The lobby, bar and cool firepit

Beyond just the normal shampoo and soap bars, we had these goodies sitting on our bed when we arrived: an eyemask, earplugs, lavender linen spray and a relaxation CD.

We decided to head downtown that evening and take a look at their "Skyway." Basically, they've got indoor walkways that connect the entire area so you never have to walk out in the cold. (Oh, did I mention it was really, really cold there? Yeah. BRR!) 

Well everything downtown looked really cool, but much to our disappointment everything was closed! At 6pm on a Saturday night! VALENTINE'S DAY, for Pete's sake! So we walked around in the empty hallways for a while and then decided to call it a night. Dinner was at Boston Market, one of my favorite places on earth. We used to have them here but they're long gone. :( Yeah, I could've eaten healthy there but I had, had, HAD to have the mac&cheese. It was downright heavenly. :)

Day Two

Well as you probably remember, I had every intention of working out while we were on vacation. And I'm psyched to tell you that I DID! Let me tell ya, God really blessed me with that gym. Every worry I'd had beforehand was provided for!

What if they have crappy machines? 

Far from it! In fact, the elliptical machines they had were the same kind I use at my gym, except an upgraded version! And they had TV's attached, too. Spiffy!

How am I gonna get enough water?

I drink A LOT of water in my daily life, especially when I'm working out. So I was a little worried as to where I was going to find all the H20 I needed. Lo & behold, they had a neato water cooler right there in the gym. Thank you Lord!

So I got in a whole hour. It was kinda exhilarating!  At first I was alone, but by the time I was done, every machine was being used, as well as the weight set. It was exciting, all of us there in pursuit of our fitness goals together. :) I even pushed my way through some terrible indigestion, which I'm sure I owed to all the naughty crap I'd eaten the day before. :^/

Guess what's located right across the street from the Mall Of America? Our beloved IKEA! :)  So we went there for breakfast and to take a quick peek around. Little did we know, they were offering FREE breakfast all weekend in honor of the holidays! That drew an unbelievable crowd. I've never seen an IKEA that busy! What's funny is that the breakfast is normally still only 99¢, so why was everyone so downright excited about getting it free? *haha* 

While walking around the store we spotted a display room that had paired OUR couch with OUR rug. I took that as validation that it must look good together. *haha* (It's not our exact couch...we have the version without the sectional attachment. But it's definitely cousins with this couch.)

To be continued...

Mall of America fun!

"Cel-e-brate good times, COME ON!"

Guess who was able to fit into her "skinny" jeans today?!?! That's right, ME! (Clarification: There's really nothing skinny about these jeans. They're still a size bigger than the smallest I've worn. BUT, these were the jeans I bought last Spring after dieting and working out, but then quickly grew back out of. THESE jeans:)

Two weeks ago, I tried these on and I couldn't even get them up past my...erm...hindquarters. They stopped at just above the knee and wouldn't go any further. But not today! I got them all the way up aaaaand with a little sucking in, I even  got'em buttoned! *haha* Oh yeah! Woohoo! :) I'm especially psyched, because last year it took me January through mid March to get into this size. Well, after gaining all that weight back (and a smidge more *phooey*), I was starting completely over this January. And here it is, EARLY February and I've gotten into these jeans already! Talk about encouragement. I am so, so happy.

Something else fun happened today. Jeremy told me that he was looking at Priceline.com and found an excellent travel package for Valentine's Day weekend. You know, one of those plane, rental car + hotel deals where they name when you leave and where you stay and you save like 60% or something crazy? Well, he's taking me to Minneapolis! I know, I know. Minnesota in February? Going to be a tad more than chilly. But I've got three little words for you: Mall Of America. We'll never even have to go outside! *haha* I'm very excited! We went there as a family when I was younger, but true to my family's vacation style (due to my Dad's gung-ho leadership) we saw the entire mall in a single day! I hope this time we'll get to spend a little more time browsing (SCRAPBOOK STORES!) and eating (SPLURGE!) and riding some rides (MOTION SICKNESS!). Yay!

You bought me a WHAT?!?

My hubby brought home a "gift" for me yesterday that probably would have gotten most men smacked: A new scale. But don't worry, I didn't hurt him. Instead I was totally psyched! I've been saying that I wanted a new scale. Ours is missing one of its "feet," so I didn't believe it could really be giving me an accurate reading in that condition. Plus, I wanted one that would measure my body fat.

Well when he was at Target he happened to remember my request and ended up finding one that was majorly on sale! Oowah oowah! Isn't it purdy? Ok, so yeah, it's still a scale meaning "woman's worst enemy." But I'm going to put this thing to work. (It won't cry "OH!" when I step on it like the Wii Fit, will it? *haha*) 

I was anxious to see what my body fat percentage was, since I'm always CLAIMING to be a "dense" or "thick" person that builds muscle really easily. That's how rationalize I how much I weigh. *haha* But seriously folks, I've been watching this show on Fine Living Network called "Last 10lbs Bootcamp" and all of these girls look about what I think I look like, but weigh a lot less than me! So I was relieved, nay, GIDDY, to see my body fat percentage was at a much lower number than those gals. In fact, it matched the number that some of them ended with! So THERE! ;) But I looked up what a woman should average and my number is still too high...so I'm just excited to see that number go down as I continue to build muscle...and I hope that will make up for when the other number stops moving. We'll see how it goes.

Ok, let's talk about something else, shall we? I discovered a bit of a miracle product and I feel the need to share. You already know I love Kashi, right? Well I just discovered (at Super Target) that they make rice! Did you know I also love rice? (Love really isn't the word. I have a bit of an obsession with rice. I could eat it at every meal, which would negate all of its healthiness.)  I picked up a package of the "Original" to try.

Ok so if you don't like wild rice, you won't like this. I'm describing it as a "wilder" wild rice with lot's of texture. But I thought it was really, really good! The miracle, however, lies in the nutritional info. You get a whole cup for 220 calories (I only ate 1/2 cup and it was PLENTY!). Plus, there's 7 grams of fiber in a serving and 8 grams of protein! PROTEIN! In a "carb" side!!! I could do backflips. What a concept. 

So last night I came home from sweatin' it up at the gym and I was ravenously hungry, but way too tired to really want to stand around in the kitchen cooking. So I threw together the easiest peasiest dinner that was delicious and healthy! (It involved the Kashi rice, in case you're thinking I didn't even bother transitioning. I don't NEED TO! Same topic here! *haha*) Want the recipe? HA! 

1/2 cup Kashi Original 7 Whole Grain Pilaf

1 cup Birds Eye (steam-in-the-bag) Asian Medly (my FAVE! So yummy!)

1 chicken breast (which I'd baked earlier and just had to reheat.)

And voila! So satisfying.

I need to tell you about my workout last night. I decided at some point yesterday that I was going to take TWO back to back classes at my gym. This sounded like a super idea...untill after I was done with the first class! *haha* It's called TurboKick, and guess who teaches it! You got it, the teeny tiny firecracker of energy! I was pooped by the end of it and was really considering leaving before the next class started. But I told myself, "No, just stay at least for a little while and see how far you can go." So I did. It's called Cardio/Core and I really like the instructor. I took some classes from him last year and enjoyed them...until I fell off the wagon but that's another story. :^P Anyway, he's very athletic but not in a body builder "We're going to pump you up!" kinda way, more like a coach. He's really funny and energetic, and for some reason he doesn't get on my nerves like the super peppy female instructors do. He says things like, "How we doin' athletes?!?" and encourages us to yell "HEY!" with every kick. He doesn't just stay at the front of the room, he comes around and works in all sections of the group. It's all very energizing. I even start to think, "Yeah! I AM an athlete!" when that couldn't be further from the truth.

Ok, I digress. So I stayed for the class and at one point he was showing us the high intensity version of a move and I decided to try it. I was dying, but it felt really good to push that hard. And then suddenly I got like a second wind and wasn't tired anymore! It was like an adrenaline rush, I guess, and it felt SO GOOD!! I was jumpin' and kickin' and huffin' and puffin' but loving every minute of it. Then, of course, I crashed hard right around the time we were moving into the "core" portion of the class, but I still tried that part. I was SO proud of myself when I got home and it's inspired me to push myself harder every time. You know on shows like The Biggest Loser, when they have the contestants do something really hard, like hike up a mountain or carry someone on their back? The trainer usually says something like, "Now that you know what you're capable of, you can never make excuses again. Look back to this moment and know what you can achieve." Well I never really understood that but now I think I kinda do. Normally in a class, if I was feeling tired I would just stick to the lower intensity using the rationalization "well I don't wanna make my heart explode!" But now I've seen that my body really is capable of carrying me that extra mile or working at that higher level! No more excuses!!

Wii Wii, Mademoiselle.

I like my Wii Fit. I really do. It's fun to play with and many of the exercises are actually quite challenging. Plus I like that it shows me where I'm putting my weight, on things like lunges, squats and yoga poses. It's helped me see that I was doing some of those moves with emphasis in the wrong areas. 

But I have a beef with my dear Wii Fit. I think that the weigh-ins should be optional...or at least only weekly. I do not need to know when I have gained .043 pounds. I do not need to hear "Oh, looks like your weight has increased a little since last time."  I do not need to see my cute little Wii character on the screen get all sad and blimp up at the weight gain, as if less than half a pound could really SHOW like that on the poor thing's waist. It's quite cruel. *haha*  And then the stupid thing charts every loss and gain so my chart looks like a stinkin' EKG! Up, down, up, down, UP, UP, UP, down, up, down. Sheesh!! 

It's gotten to the point where I will weigh myself on my bathroom scale and I won't turn on the Wii Fit unless the number seems lower. Ridiculous, I know. I guess I just don't need that disappointment, even if it's EXTREMELY minimal. 

Speaking of scales and disappointment, I know some of you noticed that Monday came and went without me weighing in. *whoops* Well I'd like to tell you I just forgot, but that's not true. The skipping was deliberate. I decided that weighing in the morning after eating Super Bowl goodies wasn't a great plan. So for my own psychological well being (and I think you've seen how fragile it is, since an electronic gaming system can effect it so drastically *haha*), I waited a day and weighed in today instead. 

And the loss for last week is exactly....zero. Nada. Nothin'. But that's alright, I'm really not discouraged. I knew it was going to slow down so technically this is all part of the plan. I'm going to stick to my guns!

Super Booty-Kick Weekend!!

Note to self:

When a gym advertises that they're having "Special Super Bowl Weekend Classes" they probably don't mean "special" in a "there will be chips and salsa!" kind of way. 

I got the crazy notion to take this "special" class this morning, since I'm trying hard to infuse my routine with some variety. I've been taking classes off and on for a couple weeks and while none of them have been a breeze, this one was KILLER! 

And not only was it torturous, it was led by the teeny tiniest instructor at the gym, who is always super peppy and excited about doing 8 more reps of anything. I really wanna like her...and in any other setting, like if I ran into her at Wal-Mart or a church picnic, I'd probably love her! But when she's up there going, "Come on! We got this! Oh yeah! Can ya feel it? WOOOOH!" with that huge smile on her face, barely even breaking a sweat...well it's just kinda hard to not hate her. Especially because in a past class I took from her she mentioned she has three kids! (Note: I could fit her entire body in my right leg. Smooshed up and rearranged, of course, but the point is that her entire "mass," if you can even call it that, equals my thigh.) She said she stays fit by dancing. Well, I dunno what her definition of dancing is, but she ain't doin' the hokey pokey to get that body. *haha*

Anyway...where was I? Oh yeah, the class. So she said that the class director, whoever that is, told her to amp it up a notch with "hardcore cardio" and include "football style drills." Um, hello, we're all women! What makes you think we wanna do FOOTBALL drills?!? I probably couldn't really pinpoint what was football related and what wasn't. But it was all really, really difficult. The only balls we used were those ginormous bouncy balance balls. I really hate those things. I feel like a fat walrus playing with a ball for the amusement of onlookers. Seriously, SO ungraceful! 

(Can you believe I found a picture of a Walrus with a ball?!? I love the internet.)

She had us roll over on top of it, y'know, belly down, and then expected us to roll all the way out to where just our feet were on it, then pull our knees into our chests. HA! So like this:

...now pull your knees to your chest. (Couldn't find a picture of anyone doing the whole move...guess I should just be grateful I found that walrus!) Well I kept on falling over to the left or the right. I have no balance, my Wii Fit tells me that every day. (Oh I have a bone to pick with my Wii Fit...remind me to blog about that sometime. *haha*) It wasn't pretty. And for some reason, I seemed to be the only person having trouble with this. Even the granny next to me, who had been my "low-impact" cardio buddy during the first half-hour, was rollin' and squeezin' along with the rest of them! Trader. 

Oh well, I survived to be sore for another day. Seriously, when WILL the soreness ever go away? 

We've Got the Beat

Seems like every January (and usually again after I've fallen back into bad habits in like, eh, April *haha*) I resolve to get back into the gym and start eating right. I haven't made a specific New Year's resolution in years, but there's always an unspoken feeling that I need to do SOMETHING. 

Remember the weight I lost before our trip to NYC? (And the extra weight I lost due to the God-given colon cleanse I endured for about a month? I'm kicking myself for complaining about that now, it made it so easy to shed pounds! *HAHA* I'm kidding, people. Calm down.) Well, miraculously I've only gained back about 5lbs of it. Yet apparently it was an important 5lbs because I FEEL and LOOK fatter. So they need to come back off and bring more of their friends with them. :)

This morning I managed to muster up enough gusto to get myself to the gym. (Had a great gab session last night with my friends Courtney & Angie involving many topics, but our discussion about weight loss and working out must have particularly inspired me. Thanks girlies!)  It felt good! Not so much the working out part, but the being there in the gym finally was good. ;) Well I shouldn't say I completely despise working out. It gives me a chance to listen and groove to my awesome workout playlist. I do enjoy hearing the songs and moving to them. I do not, however, enjoy the shade of red my face becomes or wringing out my ponytail when I'm finished. Ewww.

Have I ever told you that I'm a beat-driven person? I get it from my Mom. We try crediting the miniscule amount of Cherokee in our family tree. Y'know, the "hai yai yai yai, hai yai yai yai!" rain dances and stuff. Those ancestors must be the ones we got it from. We hear a beat and we need to move to it. If we don't hear a beat, we have trouble moving at all. Now I'm not saying we're GOOD at moving to the beat (well from stories my Mom tells she used to be, but I can't claim that gene.) I'm just saying that we appreciate a good rhythm and it makes us wanna DANCE! :) 

I know that not everyone in this world is driven by beats. My Dad, for instance, watches the news while he walks on the treadmill. This is something I could never do. I need a rhythm to move me. What am I supposed to do, walk to the news anchor's syntax? No no. And Jeremy is definitely not beat-driven. I knew this for sure when he mentioned putting Billy Joel's "Piano Man" on his running playlist. WHA'???? I would have to sit down on the curb and take a nap! That would never do.

Those of you who have lofty ideas about my taste in music would probably be surprised at some of the songs on my playlist. (Or maybe not, since my tastes were attacked when I called Phil Collin's apparent genius into question...*tsk tsk* Boy did I ever hear about that one!) But really, as long as it's not raunchy or crass, anything with a hard-hitting beat can make the cut. This includes rap, rock, R&B, pop...and yes Angie, even the Jonas Bros and Hannah Montana.  Today, for example, I spent my half hour on the elliptical with:

Damaged - Danity Kane 

I'm not a fan of this group, but this song is one of my all-time favorites for working out. It's sassy, which helps me push through any lung incapacities I might be suffering from. 

I Play Chicken With A Train - Cowboy Troy

Technically country, I guess. First heard this one during a line-dancing-waitstaff moment at Texas Roadhouse. I knew I needed it immediately.

Hey Hey - Superchick

OH YEAH! This song rocks. 

Don't Stop The Music - Rihanna

I discovered this one in an aerobics class last year. Another one that keeps me moving despite myself. This one gives me dancing delusions though, so it's a little dangerous. ;)

SexyBack - Justin Timberlake

Yes, I love this song. I WILL say, just to keep my goody-two-shoes persona in tact, that I have the "Clean" version so there's some bleepage going on. But I find this song inspiring. Doesn't everyone wanna bring their own sexy back? *hehe* 

Girls & Boys - Good Charlotte

Yup, a little more rock. I like the pace of these guys' songs...they're all pretty hyper which is good for a high-energy moment. 

Lady - Lenny Kravitz

One of the best walking beats EVA. I could walk all day to this song. BUM-BUM-BUM-BUM-BUM...I'd be in Winfield before I even looked up! ;)

Oh and P.S.

Don't you LOVE my new blog background? It's my favorite one yet!