Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!!


In honor of Halloween, I was watching the movie The Rite with Anthony Hopkins but I admit I'm not a scary movie person and when it involves things like demons it freaks me out even more so I'm not sure if I'll make it through it. I like campy scary movies like Friday the 13th (no pun intended) or Nightmare on Elm Street because they are so over the top that the scary factor isn't too bad. But the creepy movies like the Omen or the Orphan those mess with me because the images will pop back into my head. I'm really more the It's a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown kind of girl.

What about you what kind of movies do you like?

As for Halloween plans, I went to a crazy Halloween party on Saturday and had a great time!! And tonight I plan to hand out candy if I get home in time.

What about you what do/did you do for Halloween?


Friday, October 28, 2011

MilSpouse Roundup


Head over to Life's Little Indulgences and link up.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In



1. The best part of October was getting a surprise phone call from my husband when I thought we were in email only mode.
2. The worst part of October was  three funerals in three days at work.
3. For Halloween, I’ll be going to a Halloween party this weekend and probably in a Yoga class on Halloween itself.
4. I hope that in November  the cold weather doesn't come too fast and too hard. And that Mom and I have a good Thanksgiving.
5. Wifey has posted MilSpouse Secret Santa. I  will most likely be participating.

Now head over to Wife of a Sailor and link up!

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Hot Yoga

http://yoga-shorts.net/
I have practiced Yoga on and off since I was about 10 years old. I've always done basic poses in a class or as part of a warm up/cool-down at the gym. It has been a while since I've been in a class and on Tuesday I used my Living Social coupon to try Tidewater Hot Yoga.

I went to an hour long hot yoga class. I thought it was an interesting concept that the heat would allow you to stretch more. I was able to keep up with most of the class and really enjoyed it. I was dripping in sweat when I was done but I felt great! My favorite part was at the end when we were doing the closing she placed a cold peppermint oil cloth on our foreheads. It felt divine and it helped my sinuses greatly. Over all I loved the experience!

I have actually bought a 10 class pass at another studio to try them out. Then I may look to buy a punch card from one of them to do yoga on a regular basis. In the past when Mom did it regularly it helped in her weight loss and her emotional well being so that would be a nice bonus for me too.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Farm Club

Mixed Box from Arganica Farm Club

The first rule of farm club is you don't talk about farm club....

Sorry I know that was a sad play on a quote from Fight Club. It is a hazard of  living with my husband.

I'm on the Living Social and they are offering a one month membership to a Farm Club with a crate of produce and a $25 gift card for future purchases. I've been debating on and off since I saw the email. I have a couple days to see. I even did a mental pros and cons list that I will share here.

Pros:
  • Good healthy local vegetables (and other food)
  • Delivered to my front door
  • Exposure to new food
  • It is just a trial
  • It's delivered to my door
Cons:
  • I'm picky about vegetables and I'm worried I'll get something I don't like
  • It is just me so I don't want to waste  food
So based on the pros and cons the pros are winning. I think I might do it. I'll keep you posted on if I do it and what I get.

Have you tried a Farm Club? Did you like it?



Tuesday, October 25, 2011

What I'm Reading

www.amazon.com

www.amazon.com
I've started reading these two books. I'm enjoying both quite a bit. I am going a bit slower than I'd like to get through them because my work schedule is crazy but I'll get through them. When I do I'll post a full review of both.

Monday, October 24, 2011

There is a time and a purpose...


I work in a church. As part of the life of a church you have funerals. This weekend we had three. One Saturday, one Sunday, and one today. I'm tired physically and emotionally. I promise I will be back to regular posting soon.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Clothes Make the Woman

www.victoriasecret.com

I used to argue that clothes didn't matter to the job or the workout or the situation, etc. But now I'm realizing that the right clothes do make a difference. When I workout if I'm in sloppy sweats and a baggy t-shirt I still get the workout done but I feel slightly sloppy. If I go to my dance class in rocking Victoria Secret yoga pants and a sexy tank I rock it. I realize it is shallow but it is true for me. And if the right clothes motivate me to go that is awesome!!
www.eddiebauer.com

I've also noticed if I go to work put together in a nice outfit I feel more productive. And I feel more professional. I realize that I can still do my job in a less together outfit but something about the dressier outfit makes me happy.

I guess it's kind of like having the right tools for the job. So do you feel more motivated in certain clothes or are you more of a whatever goes kinda person?

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Pet Love & Prayers


Like many people our pets are our children. And when they don't feel well or have to have surgery, etc we worry just like a parent would worry. My neighbors have a 9 year old German Shepherd that is starting to have hip issues. So Monday night per their request I said a prayer over him. He went to the vet today and they are recommending physical therapy, swimming, and mild walks to help him out. We were all relieved. I know some people think it is crazy to pray for a pet but I think they are God's creatures too and He listens for prayers about them. My boy Ares goes in for some minor surgery on Thursday. If you are a praying type send one up for him. 
Be it human or animal, touch is a life-giving thing.  Has anyone ever had a stroke or a heart attack while cozied up with a pet?  I doubt it.  ~Robert Brault


Tuesday, October 18, 2011

I've looked at love from both sides now...

I know I've talked about this before but it has come up in conversation again recently. J and I were talking about how neither of us fully understands what the other is going through during this deployment. And the truth is each side has its pluses and minuses. This is the list we came up with.

For the deployed person...
Pluses:
  • They get to go someplace different that doesn't have 200+ memories of their loved ones
  • They have a job to do that usually keeps them pretty busy
  • They are surrounded by people in the same boat (sometimes literally) 
  • They sometimes get to have really neat and fun experiences depending on their location
  • They sometimes get to go to really cool places as part of their time away (being underway is particularly good for this)
Minuses:
  • They are someplace separate from their loved ones
  • They have a job to do that can be life threatening
  • They are constantly surrounded by people
  • They can't share what they are doing or where they are going with their loved ones
  • They aren't home to share in all the experiences going on while they are gone

For the spouse at home...
Pluses:
  • We are in a familiar environment with our home, our family, our pets, etc.
  • We are now doing the job of two people so we keep pretty occupied
  • We are in some cases surrounded by fellow military spouses who are going through the same thing or who have gone through the same thing so they ask how we're doing
  • We all have a list of things that we get to do when they are gone but we can't do when they are home (watch chick flicks, watch our tv shows, eat cereal for dinner, etc)
  • We aren't in harms way on a daily basis 
Minuses: 
  • We are in a familiar environment that reminds us of them and the fact that they aren't there
  • We are now doing the job of two people
  • We also have people around us who have no idea what we are going through and make insensitive comments.
  • We hold our breath when the phone rings, when there is a knock at the door, when a black car drives down the street slowly, etc.
  • We go for periods where we don't hear from them and we don't know what's going on. Which means we can't answer our family and friends when they as how is he doing and where is he?
What are some pluses and minuses for you and your spouse?

Monday, October 17, 2011

fitbook love

picture from www.getfitbook.com
 After reading about the fitbook over at The Life & Lessons of Rachel Wilkerson I was in love. I decided to go out to their website and check it out. They even have one for kids and a pink one for Breast Cancer Awareness. While over there I learned I could buy it at Target so I went there that night and bought it. I LOVE IT!!

It is a 12 week book that has space for your 12 week goals, your weekly goals, your food diary, your exercise diary, it tracks food groups, sleep, and it gives tips along the way. It is small enough to fit in a purse but small enough that you don't think it is taking up your whole purse. And it comes with a pen. (really that is what sold me I love my pens) It gives you plenty of room to write things down and it has suggestions on how to use each section and page.  I really think it will be a great asset in my weight loss journey. 

If you're looking for a great tool in your weight loss or health journey this is it. I think it is beneficial no matter where you are in your journey.

Friday, October 14, 2011

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In # 61



1. A word that always makes me laugh is snarky. I think it's funny because it is really saying someone is being mean but it sounds funny. 

2. If you looked in my refrigerator right now, the oldest thin you’d find would be  hmm probably a bottle of dressing or a jar of pickles.


3. If I were written about in the newspaper today, on the front page, the headline would say “Exhausted Woman Does Her Best to Get it All Done

4. The last movie I saw was Bridesmaids...friends recommended it so I thought why not. It was funny.

5. The best thing that happened to me in the last few weeks was I had a mind switch about working out and eating better.

Now head over to Wife of a Sailor and link up!

Mil Spouse Weekly Roundup # 56


Head over to Iron and Sunshine and link up.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Addicted


I am realizing I have an addictive personality. I have three major addictions. Food, TV, and biting my nails. I have managed to control my nail biting since about 2003. I still pick but overall I leave them alone. As for TV and Food they are harder.

I love food. I love sweet. I love spicy. I love salty. I love grilled. I love fried. I think you get the picture. I once described to my husband the sensation I get eating a piece of chocolate or drinking a Coke he laughed and said it sounded like a cigarette. I honestly think it is similar. There are days where I lust after chocolate or Coke. I'm working on this and I admit planning ahead is the biggest help for me. If I keep myself full of good stuff I crave less. Also if I allow myself to feel my feelings instead of hiding them with food I do better.

Now TV is a different creature altogether. I have a DVR so I just set it to record everything I want to watch then I go back and watch it. I spend less time watching because I skip commercials but I still spend a lot of time watching. I think right now it is my company. With J being gone being at home can get a little lonely and my beloved dogs can only do so much. So I keep the TV on to entertain and keep myself company. I know that TV is not the best thing to connect with but for now it will remain an addiction. Although tonight I'm going to go to the Y to workout and hopefully watch Charlie's Angels. I'll see how that goes.

What are your addictions?



Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Unrealistic Weightloss

There seems to be a trend of extreme weight loss shows of late. The Biggest Loser, Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition and I Used to Be Fat to name a few. I've watched The Biggest Loser and Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition.Yesterday I watched I Used to Be Fat on MTV for the first time. I enjoy watching these shows because usually the stories are inspirational.But I worry about these shows because they have unrealistic weightloss in my opinion.

On I Used to Be Fat they have 110-115 days to lose their goal weight and on the couple of episodes the girls were trying to lose 90 lbs. They succeeded and they looked great at the end. But for one girl she went to the gym from 9-2 then worked from 4-9 and then came home and slept. She had no life outside work and and working out. And from what I can tell Biggest Loser and Extreme Makeover have similar work-out schedules. Now I realize these are people in extreme weight loss situations who are trying to lose large amounts of weight but I think it sets an unrealistic outlook for the average watcher.

Yet as I watch I think wow...90 lbs in 100 days that's pretty sweet. And I get inspired to eat better and exercise more. So maybe the shows serve a purpose to give us a jump-start, realizing that we won't be able to do exactly what they do because we don't have a live-in personal trainer or the flexibility in our schedules to work out for 4-5 hours a day. But that we can make time in our schedule to work out, eat well, and take care of ourselves.

So do you think extreme weight loss shows are a good thing?

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Nook vs Kindle














So I'm a reader...I have a ton of books. My husband hates my book collection because they take up space. I've cleaned out the one time reading books but still I have a collection. So my husband is encouraging me to get a digital reader. But now I'm confused. I don't know if I want to go with the nook or the kindle. I've heard good things about both. I liked the color aspect of the nook but now the kindle has color too. I've been told for straight reading that the kindle is really better. I'm thinking of adding this to my Christmas list.

For those of you who have them what are your likes and dislikes?

Monday, October 10, 2011

Happiness is...


An email from your hubby who is halfway around the world and whom you haven't heard from in a while. I admit I got spoiled while he was in port over there because at least we could talk or text daily. When he's underway it is more touch and go depending on his schedule and computer availability. But he is doing OK but he breaks my heart when he says I'm his stability and sometimes he feels lost without me. We are about 1/3 of the way through this insanity. And we won't get to see each other again until next year sometime. But at least there is the light at the end of the tunnel that I'll get him back for a month.

In the meantime I'm focusing on me and weight loss. I really want to get healthier but I also want to surprise the socks (and other articles of clothing) off him.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Starting Anew & Epiphanies



I've wrestled with my weight since I was 10 years old. I was in 4th grade and at the beginning of the year I was a petite little girl. By the end of the year I was wearing "husky" sizes and I looked like a weeble pudgy little girl. That was the year I learned we were moving from Alaska to Maine. I had never really known anything else, I started school in Alaska, all my friends were there, and everything I knew was there. My mother and brother also struggled with the move so our household became an emotional eating mess.

Since then I've wrestled with getting the pounds off. When I was a junior in high school I lost weight. Then I gained it back during my senior year and my freshman year of college. Then during my sophomore year of college I lost it again. Then I met my ex-husband and the pounds piled back on due to an unhealthy diet and emotional eating. Since then I have lost no more than 20 pounds each time I try to lose weight. I wasn't sure what the wall was until I was journaling recently. I have come to realize that I'm afraid of the attention that comes from being thinner, being hurt, and fear of failure. 

To use a phrase that a co-worker loves...let's unpack this a bit...

Issue #1 - Fear of attention that comes from being thinner...
I am a behind the scenes kinda girl. When I go out in a group I like to look sexy and put together but I'm not over the top or anything. Although I do like a bit of cleavage. But I'm not the big attention getter if you will. I like to be in a small circle of friends. And I don't like to be center of attention at all. In my experience if you are thinner (aka sexier) you get more attention. I'm not sure I'm ready for that.

Issue # 2 - Fear of being hurt...
A number of people in my life are victims of sexual assault and most of them were thin when it happened. Now I know from a logical stand point that weight doesn't prevent or increase your likelihood of you getting sexually assaulted, victims can be all sizes. But because of hearing about it at a young age (early teens) I think it was always in the back of my head that is you were thin you were more sexually attractive and thus more likely to be attacked. I never said these fears were rational.

Issue # 3 - Fear of Failure...
I've long had a fear of failure. I am a procrastinator extraordinaire because if I wait til the last minute and it doesn't go or turn out well it is because I rushed it. I've been told I'm a closet perfectionist and that I quit things half way or wait til the last minute because then it can't be perfect. That is how I view a lot of things surrounding weight loss.
  • If I can't work out for an hour why workout at all. 
  • If I can't eat everything healthy why bother eating anything healthy.
  • If I can't get to my dance class why bother doing anything that night.
  • If I can't take the dogs for a 30 minute walk each why bother walking them at all.
I think you see the pattern. Things have to be all the way or not at all. I've been working on this but it is a big hurtle for me to get over.

Tonight marks the beginning of my fourth session with First Place 4 Health. I admit part of me is looking forward to starting again and part of me is tired and wants to go home.  I said I would give God a year. The end of this 12 week session will be the year. I don't feel like I've seen a big change in my living. I don't feel more balanced. I'm hoping I can use this to get back on track. We'll see. Say a prayer for me.


   

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Product Love

A friend of mine turned me on to this product and I love it! It is fun! It adds a bit of glitter liner to any eye look without looking over the top. It is especially fun around black lights. If you're looking for a little sparkle I suggest you check it out. Next time I wear it I'll make sure to take a picture.