Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Allergic to new stuff

Nothing makes me happier than going garage saling on a sunny Saturday morning in the summer. Over the years, it's evolved from randomly following signs posted in the hopes that the sale is still going on to having the routes and times planned out so I can maximize scoring items like Fiestaware, kids' clothes, and fabric. Well, I have always preferred going shopping at a second-hand store than any new store. I find the neatest stuff there. Once, I found a Fiestaware spoon rest for $0.50!!!! I love finding clothes for myself and if possible I buy used before I would buy anything new.

Recently, we bought a new queen bed for our room because our bed has been at least 8 years old and it was a hand-me-down bed as it was. Then my mom-mobile van died and we decided to buy a new car because my lovely husband is sick of inheriting other people's problems buying used. Well, humor would have it that I am allergic to the "new" car smell (which is also the same smell on our new bed) identified as formaldehyde (a preservative). After two weeks of itching all night on my bed, we have moved it downstairs to air out and we have an old mattress in its place until then. And when I am in my car for more than 5 minutes, I am itchy and my skin flares up. So, I'm driving in 37 degree F weather with the window down and the heat blasting. I've been told I need to air out the car too. My husband teases that he can't buy me anything new-now if I could only find a car and bed at an estate sale...I'd be set. This is what I get for buying new things.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Boys update

Boys swimming while on an overnight visit to a nearby big city (hotel pool).





From time to time I will blog about my boys because I want to remember what they were like at this age. I am just so impressed with them just being little boys and using their imagination to play by themselves without me directing all the time. They will draw pictures of themselves, draw on each other (not so fun), and make drawings for friends and family. Right now, Koo is in such a helpful period. He will be the first to volunteer to get milk from the downstairs refrigerator, get the silverware for the table, or just overall helpout. The only time he isn't helpful is when it's time to clean his room or the toyroom.

S.E. is going through a little "testing his independance" by wanting to do everything by himself. He even thinks he knows what is best for him. Huhhh...not always cute when he decides he doesn't like wearing jeans anymore. He has always been hard to gather in my arms for a cuddle because he does not like that much physical affection (my family laugh at this because they say it described me). Lately, he has been letting lovely husband and I cuddle with him a little more. I'm loving it. He likes to play with Transformers and still loves to climb trees.

Both the boys have been taking swimming lessons this year and they are coming a long wonderfully. Their teacher has suggested S.E. be put in a higher level class where he will begin to swim a distance without aid because he is ready. Koo is coming along nicely too. He used to pitch a fit whenever his ears would get submerged but now he is going underwater with ease. Our goal has always been to prepare our boys as much as possible for life-not for them to be an Olympiad so they just learn at their own pace.

Friday, October 23, 2009

S.A.D.

Seasonal Affective Disorder. I've never been clinically diagnosed with this disorder but I am certain I suffer from it. Every year from the end of September until mid November-I am lethargic, depressed, tired, with a down-in-the-dumps attitude. I hate that it gets dark at 5pm. I don't feel like socializing or get motivated to do anything worthwhile when it gets dark just as my day gets going. This year it hasn't been as severe I think because I've been working out a lot. I just want the sun to not be so far away.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Half-Marathon

I did it!!! 2 hours and 25 minutes. My friends that ran the race with me were awesome and each with their own challenges to overcome to finish a task that seemed impossible. I don't have permission to post their pictures so you'll just have to visualize for yourselves how hot we must have looked after running for more than two hours and a crap load of fruit-fly bugs swarming us the entire time. Would I do it again? Definitely. If my body can handle it-I'm going to run.

The coolest thing about this race were the folks who put the race on were so laid-back and they bought anyone who did the race drinks at a local pizza parlor. Yummy beer and pizza afterwards with the best group of girls possible. Priceless!!!!

Thursday, October 15, 2009

The -elle's

My husband has noticed a trend about my friends. This past year, I've met and gotten to know several women who've been an inspiration to me and enjoy their company. Lovely husband kept gettting confused because all three have and "elle" at the end of their names so gets confused when I mention them. At first I was frustrated with him because he couldn't keep the names and stories straight but then he mentioned the "elle" thing and then I ate grovel pie. Poor lovely.

CANNING







I think I'm a fruit-aholic or a fruit hoarder. I managed to get over 200 lbs. of FREE apples, 40 lbs. of Italian prunes, cucumbers, and red onion. So what do I do? I stuff them into jars. Oh my goodness...I've been busy...I just finished canning. I made applesauce, apple pie filling, plum jam, and refrigerator pickles. I am tired. I also have to get my house in tip-top shape for company this weekend and RUN a half-marathon. My poor neglected kids. Iowe Mr. Walt Disney and PBS some serious babysitting mon

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Long Run

How do you get me to run longer than I think I can? Think that the distance I ran was only 7.5 miles-since I have to run 13.1 miles next weekend, I'd better run around the high school track 4 times to make it at least 8.5 miles right? Well, upon actually driving the route that I ran, it was more like 9.5 miles!!! It made me happy to know that I was able to do that. What made me kind of a sadist was roping my friend C into running it with me. She was a trooper because it was about 17 degrees F outside and her optimum running temperature is about 90 degrees F. Oops...

Friday, October 9, 2009

Hip-Hip Hooray!!!!!!!!!!!

In a previous blog, I was recently measured all over my body to track the progress of the weight-loss challenge I am participated in. Well, I stayed the same in my arms, waist, and calves. But I lost 2 inches around my hips!!! So exciting because I've got a lot of hips. More than necessary. So there you go. So awesome.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Gratitude...that's my attitude

I am just feeling so grateful. I have been luckiest girl in the world to be married to a loving and generous man. He is a great dad-our kids think he is better than He-Man. He's my Man. I love the way he is supportive about my crazy weight loss journey, my need to workout which infringes on our evening family time. He's just the best.

I'm grateful to all the people who help keep America safe. I was born in Vietnam during the war and although I don't remember details, I remember the feelings of not being secure or safe. I try to remember when I hear about the war going on in the Middle East that with every bad situation, God always balance this out with something good. We just have to find it. I know I am forever grateful to be able to come to America and given the chance to have the kind of life I have. I forget sometimes to be grateful for having all I do have.

With my family being sick all last month, I'm so grateful we are all feeling good and we are in great health overall. My boys are healthy and I watching them grow. I'm very lucky to get this opportunity-and I need to remind myself that it goes by really fast.

Lastly, I am so grateful to the hair-makers of hot rollers. It gives my hair volume and curl. So shallow, but oh well.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

7.52 miles

I ran 7.52 miles today and I feel great. I thought I was going to die around mile 3 but did not want to scare my friend Cee too badly. Thanks to Rambo Trainer, my quads and hamstrings have been sore so running on top of this is just cruel. My fat is screaming at me right now. It doesn't like this much change. Must not eat sugar to feel better.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Sugar...oh honey, honey...

I've been trying to listen to my body better this past year to understand why I have such a weakness for sugary, baked goods. When I eat say a donut or cake-it never fills me up but it turns on some overeating valve in my brain and then I just want more of it or I eat everything else in sight.

This week, since this new challenge thing I'm doing, my trainer has asked us to turn in a food journal where he will scour through it during warm up. Next, he meets with us to help us find either better solutions or high-five us for our great choices. So, I have laid-off the sweets and I have found that I don't overeat or turn into the Tasmanian Devil in my kitchen. So, sweets you and I are not going to get cozy for the winter-I've got Rambo Trainer on my tail.

What would I do differently? I have been eating lots and lots of fruits and vegetables. I think I'm starting to sprout.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Measurements

I think I mentioned in a previous blog that I signed up for a weight loss challenge at the gym. There are three teams, each with a trainer, and at the end of eight weeks, the team and individual with the most weight lost-gets $350 in prizes. I have been stuck at this weight for three months and want to lose the last 10 lbs. So I signed up.

Last night was our first official workout and so the measurements were taken by our beefcake trainer. Yikes!!! Crap-o-la. Do you know how much jiggly-wiggly skin I have hidden under my workout pants and large T-shirt? UUUUGGGHHH. Had to do it-no choice. One more set of numbers to worry about. GREAT. Coming from a science background-I relied on instruments like scales and rulers to quantify change. I hate it when it's used against me to measure my weight and my girth.

I have a pear-shape body and have always had trouble pulling jeans past my hips. Before having kids, my hips were the go-to area when I would gain weight. Needless to say, I want my hips to be smaller. Back to the measurements, I had a waist of 31 1/2 inches and my hip were 39 1/2 inches. Cringe. I made an unlady-like grunt and my trainer told me it wasn't bad. I looked at him and said "Yeah, if I was starring in a rap video". Horrible. Since I opened my big mouth, he made me do extra wide squats to help my hips. All around cruel. In an attempt to save my life, I will no longer complain about any of my jigglies.

Thank goodness for other bloggers

I have been scraping myself out of my self-loathing and self-defeating attitude mode by reading blogs of people who have managed to lose weight and keep it off. This I know to be true among the weight-loss bloggers:

1) It's always going to be a battle
2) Being thin (ner) did not equal happiness
3) Old feelings and behaviors do not disappear upon reaching that magical number on the scale or single digit jean size
4) Not being comfortable in owning a thin body as when they were big and uncomforable
5) Find your happiness in whatever size/weight you are at right now because it doesn't magicially appear at 120 lbs.
6) There are no confetti and room full of people cheering for you when you reach your goal. So celebrate what success you have accomplished.

I'm doing it. Forget chasing the scale. Forget that I'm one huge meal away from Fat Me again. Just focus on what I have been doing to lose the weight I have lost. I'm celebrating by not stuffing my face.

No real monsters

We keep a bin with old Halloween costumes the boys love playing with-especially wearing the superhero costumes. Today one of the neighbor kids came over to play and the boys were dressed up in Power Ranger, Spider-Man, and Superman costumes. They are trying to defeat the bad guys.

Here's the conversation around the kitchen table while they were taking a snack break (canteloupe):

S.E.: "You know my dad said there's no real monsters."
Friend: "Yeah, I know."
Koo: "Yes there is!"
S.E.: "Maybe if there are monsters, my dad can make a kid spud gun and we can shoot potatoes at the monsters."
Friend: "Okay."

It's just too cute the things that come out of little boys' mouths. As I was raised in a family with four girls, I'm still trying to get used to raising boys.