an apple a day

An update on my skin. It's looking good. I'm 95% clear and not as itchy or sensitive to chemicals or trigger foods.

I'm not out of the woods but I've been eating an apple a day for one week and I haven't had any flare-ups!!!

What I want to do is eat a whole bowl of apples because this girl loves apples. But, I'm still cautious. I can't go crazy and think I'm cured.

I still get what I call phantom itches. My body gets itchy where there used to be rashes but if I really just sit and concentrate on not itching the area-it feeling goes away.

Whatever the reason, I am so happy to be able to be reunited with apples, I feel like skipping.

I have a problem. It's multiplying. There's no possible way I can use it all. What you ask?

Sewing machines. Old sewing machines. I've got five small ones right now. At one time, it has been as high as twelve. I've been able to refurbish and give them to those interested in sewing.

I love it. I love seeing others enjoy and make stuff with their sewing machines. It's nice to find a home for them but I miss and remember every. single. machine which leaves my care.

From time to time, I look on ebay and craigslist just to look at sewing machines.

This week, I picked up a Necchi and she's beautiful. If I can find my camera I think you'll agree. She was sitting at our thrift store for $20. Hello. She had to come home with me.

Reflections: How embarrassing was that?

I was talking to an old friend the other day and we were talking about how much we've learned being 40 and all. How we wished we could get inside our younger selves and avoid some of the mistakes/mishaps we made.

While on this topic, I started thinking about all the embarrassing things that happened to me or what I did to cause myself much embarrassment or humiliation.

1. Tucking my dress inside my pantyhose (several times) and not realizing it while walking in public places-the worse was walking through a Fred Meyer and couldn't figure out what the breeze behind me was coming from for at least 5 minutes. Seriously, I'm cringing as I write this even now.

2. Asking a very "boy-looking" girl in the locker room what he was doing in the girl's lockerroom. I wished I could go back and apologize. She really looked like a boy with a fantastic mullet and it was 8th grade.

3. Telling my crush since 7th grade how much I liked him the last day of our senior year and he just said "thank you". Saw him at my 20th year reunion. Awkward-he still remembered...

4. And of course, going to an afternoon interview with spinach wedged between my teeth. For the entire interview. I got the job but never mentioned it.

I am pretty sure being older doesn't make you immune to embarrassing moments but at least I can laugh at myself now. I'm made of sterner stuff and am not too big to admit when I'm wrong or turn the situation around.

If you follow this blog you know I've got two boys...I routinely embarrass myself in public trying to keep them in line.

Count my blessings

Keeping a good attitude when I take a nose dive into horrid eating after 2pm today was difficult.

However, I was happy. Happy I am in a warm house.

Happy my little boys are not sick and healthy.

Happy my lovely hubby will be home in a few days .

Happy I got a tempo run in-even though all I wanted to do was sew and read.

Happy to be exactly where I have always wanted to be in my life: sharing my life with the love of my life and have the opportunity to stay home with my boys.

Happy I am here in the mornings to make sure they are properly dressed and fed-along with hugs and kisses. The boys have time every morning to play too. Somedays it's a short Pokemon battle or just slowly waking up with a TV show.

I miss them when by Wednesday, so I often show up to their school frequently just to help or observe them. I like being able to give them a hug or just wait for them to find out I'm there and that smile they give me is priceless. I want to know who they are playing with, where they sit in class (Koo always keeps me aprise of any seat changes and who he sits by).

The best part is when I watch them get off the bus and they come in to a warm, safe home with the smell of food ready for them to just decompress and play. I don't make my boys do any homework (if there is any) the first hour home...I think it's so important for them to play. No standing in line, no sitting and getting assignments done. Just play.

I remember growing up and coming home from school and always having to remember to bring my house key or my siblings and I would sit outside until 5pm when my mom would come home (this is before cell phones y'all). I would remember making sure my sisters and brother had something to eat and start on their homework before my parents came home. I had to help make dinner and clean and help my siblings get ready for school the next day-that means checking/helping them with homework, having clean clothes, and making lunch. After this was done (usually after 8pm) can I start on my homework. I was an A student all through school. I had a lot of responsibilities as a kid and while my boys have chores and are expected to help out-I also want them to be a kid. I'm here. They don't have to worry about being locked out of the house or being scare as it got darker and darker without a parent in the house.

I love them with all my heart. I know I'm not special but my boys make me feel like I'm a great person.

I will forever be grateful for being able to be mom. Count my blessings, I don't take it for granted. Ever.

fittothefinish.com

I love this blog above. This lady was over 300 lbs and lost it 13 years ago and has KEPT IT OFF. She has wonderful insights and is very candid about her experiences.

I was doing really well for two weeks and had lost 2 lbs. But last week with the kids off and me not exercising...I ATE THE HOUSE DOWN. Great, now I have gained back the two I just lost.

Really the kids staying home is not a good excuse. Reading posts helps me reset my mind about where I am going with my weight. Here's three:


1. One reason I am working on my health and weight is: ______
To not be in pain when I do normal activities with my kids and live long enough to play with my grandkids.
2. One thing I’d like to do when I get to the weight I want to be is: ______
Recognize that this is where I am and enjoy the hardwork. Not stress over gaining it all back (is this unrealistic?!).

3. The biggest obstacle that is standing in the way of me reaching my goal is: _____ and I can overcome that obstacle by: _______
Biggest obstacle is my need to comfort myself with food and I can overcome this by turning on to other things like exercise or just stopping when I find myself mindlessly rummaging in my kitchen. In the past, whenever I turn down a temptation food, I have mixed emotions: proud and feel deprived at the same time-proud I resisted but feel like I didn't get to eat the temptation food. I'm embarrassed to even write this down for all to see but it is what it is.

Bogs Part Deux

I gave in a bought a pair of Bogs boots today. The boys and the lovely have been wearing these for years and I didn't think I would want one because between an old pair of snow boots and hiking shoes, I couldn't make the case.

Well. Yesterday I had five boys playing outside for over two hours and when they came in, only my boys' socks were dry. I have routinely asked them if their feet get wet in the boots and they always say no.

Whereas, my boots were horrible and my feet were cold the entire time outside.

So I bought a pair. They were regularly $90 and I got them for $60. My feet won't grow anymore so I could have these for years.

Oh in case I didn't mention before, these boots stay warm and dry up to -30F. They are easy to slip on and my boys wear them all year round. Yupe. Even in the summer.

Only drawback is it's slightly high on the frump factor.

Tribeca!!

Two years ago my beloved AWD minivan kicked the bucket. We went looking for another one. Hello.
Only the Toyota Sienna was available in AWD. But no way was I paying the over $40K price tag. Living in our area where we get snow every winter, my lovely refused to have a car without AWD.

So I ended up buying a 2010 Subaru Outback. Loved it (notice the past tense). I could have driven this car for years and years. Only drawback was no third row seating which has snaff-fooed a few playdates at this house but over all no big deal. My hubby didn't like the color (white) and cloth interior (didn't bother me)...those were his only complaints. It rocked in the snow, rain, and any other crappy weather it encountered.

Then why am I driving a Subaru Tribeca? Third row seating. Grey exterior. Leather interior. Blinged out. Great deal on our trade in and we don't owe much on this new car.

Most of the folks who've seen it in the driveway has asked "didn't you just get a new car earlier?" has me bashful about admitting we got a different car. Now, each of our boys can bring along a friend.

PJ's

I've been making the boys pajama pants as of late because it's getting expensive for the store bought one.

Really, $12 for an outfit just to go to sleep? Enter sale fabrics from Joann's and packages for 3 for $4 T-shirts and some sew-equity and you have PJs for around $5!!!

I appliqued the "K" with scrap fabric so it would match the pants. Very easy. Iron on some interfacing to the back of the fabric, cut out your letter, attach it to the T-shirt, and then zig-zag around the border.

Needless to say, the boys LOVE having PJs with their initials on it. The only problem is when it gets handed down.

Pantry

There was this space next to our refrigerator when we moved in over eight years ago that I've always hated.

I've wanted a pantry there and had even went as far as getting estimates. Holy expensive for a pantry (over $1,500). There had to be a better way. So I waited. A couple of times, I would put a dresser I got from the thrift store there but it really didn't cut the mustard. I didn't need counterspace. I needed something to put my big bins of flour, cereal and whatnots.

Then I found these unfinished oak cabinets at Home Depot and lone and be hold they had a pantry cabinet one. We got it for $159 and with stain and trim it was a whopping $230 for the whole thing.

With lovely hubby putting on his Bob the Builder hat on he cut, stained, installed my pantry. If I can ever find the before pic, I will post but here's the finished...

So, so different

It occurred to me yesterday when S.E. was working on his origami birds how good he is at fine motor skill tasks. He is really good at origami. He watches You Tube videos and has several books from an aunt for Christmas and boy has he torn through those.

He is like me in his hoarding of materials. I hoard fabric and this boy hoards origami paper. He will not let anyone amature use this precious paper because once it's folded incorrectly-it's toast. When he first started gettting origami, we went to four stores and no one had origami paper. What's nice about this paper is it's cut into squares which most structures like birds and what nots are made from. Second, it's thin and has really pretty colors. It's nice to sit with S.E. and make origami structures with him.

On the other hand, Koo has developed himself into a hula hoop master. He learned how to do this about a year ago and we picked a hula hoop up at a garage sale over the summer and he spun and spun. S.E. for the life of him could not get the hang of this. Well, our garage sale hoop bit the dust so for his birthday he asked for a new one and now he has a nice one (made in the USA!!).

Well, I am like S.E. and has not ever been able to hula hoop. But, I've been practicing all yesterday and was able to keep it going for 10 seconds.

Two boys. Two different hobbies. One mama trying to keep up with their interest. Hope I don't get a paper cut or throw out my back.

Let it snow. It's finally here and I am scrambling to find my hoarder's collection of mitts, gloves, hats, and snow pants for the boys.

I rival Ralphy and Frankie's mom in "A Christmas Story" when it comes to bundling the boys up for school.

However, after years of looking like a human sausage, I think S.E. is finally done with me. He's not having any of it. He dodges and whines when I try to add a hat or a coat over his favorite fleece shell he calls "coatie". He is very stubborn about wearing any other jacket. He wears this fleece every day. all the time.

Where does he get this? Then I recall how I was as a kid and how I would wear the same yellow and green coat all the time too. Even when it got too small. I was first in line for hand-me-downs so it wasn't a matter of not having a coat. This coat was special because it zipped just right. I didn't get too hot or too cold in it.

Now I see the same traits in S.E. and have to let it go. I'll just save the coats/clothes he doesnt' wear to pass along to Koo. Now with Koo, he's always so messy that he rarely has time to spend in one outfit long enough to get attached. It's usually in the hamper by hour three of wear due to whatever food, ink, or just plain dirt has attached itself on to him.

What about you? Do you have a favorite go-to item?

Koo

As my lovely and I layed our heads to sleep last night, we remininsced about how six years ago, Koo was born.

When he was born, he didn't make a peep. He was very quiet. Now, six years later, you can hear him from the other end of the house on a different level.

He has the best smile ever. I know I'm biased but the kid as a baby would stare a person down armed with a toothless grin until you reacted to it. He is a very happy kid.

He is also messy, quick, funny, and is quite a good dancer. He has guts. He needs his brother more than milk in this world. His first words in the morning is "where's S.E.?".

He has such a kind heart for his peers...always comes home with reports of who had a hard time at school today and how he helped make them feel better.

I'm so proud to be his mom. I'm grateful for getting to raise him and guide him this far. Happy Birthday to my little boy.

"Just because you've been hurt in the past, it doesn't give you permission to hurt others." -Dr. Laura.

I love this phrase. If we can all remember this and not become our hurt. I think included in this should be not continuing to hurt yourself.

Think about it.

You are what you say you are...or at least what you think you are.

I am a runner. Not a fast runner. My body does not look like something out of Runner's World.

But I am a runner. I like it. No, I really love it. So why do am I so insecure about it?

Years of not being confident in my abilities as an "athlete" have landed me right back in the realm of not believing my body could run.

As I reflected on the past year, I realized my ill-health had taken a HUGE toll on my outlook on running.

I am not as fast and have gained almost 10 lbs. back and I'm afraid. I'm afraid of running long and being stuck somewhere far from home because my body couldn't continue. This happened last year 6 miles from home. I was shaky, dizzy, and felt like someone strapped 10 lb. weights to my legs. What I didn't know then was I was in the throws of mononucleosis. So I pushed and pushed my body until I got home. Mentally, I don't think I have fully recovered from this incident.

The expectation that once I've ran a marathon, I should be able to just run and run. But the setbacks are not all physical. My health has been improving. Now, I've just got to get my mind to follow.

I love to run. I should just run. One tool I will use on my long runs besides water is my cell phone. Physically I can do it. Mental-strength tells me if I just go do it, it will follow.

Poke Mom?

My boys hit the motherload this past Christmas in terms of Pokeman cards. Loads of them and the boys were having a difficult time carrying them around or keeping them organized enough to play with them.

Oh did I mention these cards cost a lot money? Like $4 for 10 cards. Well, I never. Okay, I did it twice as a reward for chores, being a good friend to each other, and just because I was in a rare mood to treat them.

What I needed were card-holding books. We went to four different stores in our little town and the surrounding areas and it was a no go. Not surprised. Well, there were baseball card sleeves that fit into a big binder. No good for little hands and travel. Not to mention it was $8.99 for six. Outrageously priced.

Enter cheap, 4 x 6" photo albums-if I sewed up the middle of the albums, each sleeve could hold four Pokeman cards. Ta. Da. Took me two hours to sew and organize nine albums. Oh the best part, I got each album for $1 which holds 72 cards. Yes, each boy filled four albums. I made an extra one for a friend.

Oh I'm a gummi bear...

Without intending to, yesterday became my "cheat day". Why? I started with the gummi bears. Innocent enough to eat five. But it's a gateway mystery food that sends my brain into whack-o mode.

I begin to think I'm hungry. So I ate a little. Then a little more. Now, forget Friday as my cheat day this week. I've been tackled by squishy, sweet little bears.

What about you? What's your gateway food that sends mixed messages to your brain and tummy you need more?

The Biggest Loser season 13

How much fun was the Biggest Loser last night? I loved that the show addressed what all of us having been saying all last season: Dolvett is a fox and a half.

He looked even more fit and his hunger to win a weigh-in cracked me up. His description of his team: "We've got a Golden girl over here, and Santa over there".

I'm excited it's back and I hear the excuses are the same as ones I've had/have when I don't make time to workout or take better care of myself.

"No excuses" is the theme this season. I got the memo. I'm not going to let not having enough time to get other things done in my life stop me from taking 30 minutes to run or pop in a DVD.

Happy New Year!! Sorry to not have posted in awhile. I've been baking, visiting, and eating. So, now I am 9 lbs up from goal weight and I've got to get back in the game.

I really don't have an excuse other than eating too much and not exercising enough.

I feel so grateful my hubby and children have not been sick (Koo had a 24-hr stomach incident on Christmas morning...Merry Christmas to us) and we've been able to spend a lot of time together.

As for my two specialists doctors' appointments: the Dermatologist can't figure what is going on with my skin so she referred me to an allergist. I went to an allergist/internist and after the prick test for just about everything, I'm not allergic to anything and referred me back to a dermatologist.

So, as I am doing relatively better, I am just going to try to relieve my stress this year, exercise, and continue my nutritional supplements of amino acids, probiotics, vitamins, and immunoboosters from my Naturalpath because she's the only one I'm seeing results from without being injected with steriods or heavy-duty ointments.

Hope you are stay healthy.