Weekly Update

This past week has been hell, really. I wasn't home one day last week. We ate out every single day for not only one meal but almost every meal. I didn't get to work out at all. Sigh.

We have been working on the new Sokol building full force. Since we hired the "state crew" the building needs a supervisor. Since Cool is in charge, guess who gets to be supervisor while he is at work? Yeppers, Gerkin! Since we are there, the picklets and I have been helping. We have been scraping dirt out of the cracks so we can clean and then seal the floors. Chip has been sanding walls for Carl, the foreman. They all got to help paint the office this past weekend, which they loved. Though it has been rewarding, it has also been a downer.

For meals we have been living at Wal-Mart. We all like the "lunch plate" and it is cheap. It is also terrible for you. I can feel the grease just clotting. Not to mention the weight I have lost has been gained back plus some. I have a doctors appointment next week and I know I am going to be so disappointed and upset with myself that I will want to cry.

I have also been taking my medications only sporadically. It hasn't helped my mood nor my energy. I have been in bed by 9:00 everyday for a week. Three of those days I was in bed by 8:30 and one of those days I was in bed by 7:30. Honestly, the lack of energy is starting to worry me.

I guess I can count helping at the building as "working out" but not really. Sitting on my butt and scraping dirt isn't aerobically effective by any means. Need to work on that.

Today, I get to stay home. Yay me! I will work out and get the laundry done. Tomorrow starts another week away from home. March is coming soon though. We will be in our new building and Cool and I can concentrate on our house instead. :-) \o/ \o/

Walking Video Recommendation

This week I have been trying some new walking videos. I love that I can actually walk inside the house when it is so blessed cold outside. Not to mention I hate ice, snow, mud and everything else associated with this time of year. Walking in my living room is fantastic!

I started yesterday morning with Leslie Sansone's 2 mile walk. It is a bit more intense, lasts a little longer and I am sure burns off more calories and tones more muscle. I will use that alot I am sure.

Yesterday afternoon I tried Walk It Off with George. LOVE IT! I absolutely love this workout. It is faster paced, has more flowing movement and is fun. I can absolutely see that this will get me toned up not to mention give me and the picklets alot of fun exercise time. I highly recommend it.

One of the most important things I need to remember in both of these workouts is to keep my tummy sucked in. Or keep the abs tight...lol. I find that during the exercise I have a hard time doing that because I am trying to breathe. It is very difficult. But now, as I am sitting here, I noticed that I am keeping them tight. I wasn't even thinking about it I just did. I guess it is becoming a habit. And with keeping those abs tight I feel like I am taller. Pretty cool!

© 2009 Wicked Pickles-Homefront Lines

An Update

It has been a while since I have post and I apologize for that. This past week we have all been sick. Cool has not had a full voice in over a week. It is getting better though. We had piano and gymnastics on Wednesday and stayed home the rest of the week. Cool took the kids to gymnastics on Saturday because I wasn't feeling great. Today he took the boys to IHOP for breakfast and will be taking them to ensemble at 1:00. I have another mental health day today and am enjoying the hell out of it. I popped Mama Mia in the DVD player and am watching it as I catch up on a few things.

As for trimming down...I haven't done much this week. I visited our supervising teacher and she loaned me a couple of different walking videos to try. I hope to try them either this week or next. I think I will keep on with the 1 mile workout twice a day this week before I start on something else. Since I took this week off I need to resume where I left off.

As for my mental health, I am enjoying my days off. I seem a bit renewed but am missing the commotion. I have used the time to research Chinese New Year, catch up on some blogging and clean the house up.

Trimming down the house has been put on the back burner but needs to have a fire lit under it because I feel it all building up inside again. We need to simplify. Once the remodel for Sokol is done I hope Cool will focus more on the house.

Muffins and Fruit

I am trying to "trim down" recipes to make them healthier. Check out how I made oatmeal apple muffins this morning.

Homefront Cooking

Day Book

FOR TODAY January 12, 2009...

Outside My Window...there is 9 inches of snow on the ground. The sky is threatening us again.
I am thinking...about the goals I have for the house. I need to continue on the path I have taken instead of standing back and patting myself on the back for what I have accomplished.
I am thankful for...the me time I had yesterday. It refreshed me.
From the learning rooms...we will continue with math games, writing prompts/journal jars, music practice and a few odds and ends.
From the kitchen...croutons are baking.
I am wearing...Eeyore pj bottoms, my yellow Northwest Missouri State t-shirt and brown suede slippers.
I am creating...an art piece for my kitchen.
I am going...to town on Wednesday.
I am reading...nothing as of right now.
I am hoping...for a great week!
I am hearing...the computer hum, the TV in the background and ringing in my ears.
Around the house...more simplifying needs to be done, walls washed and floors vacuumed.
One of my favorite things...looking through past pictures and remember the fun we have had.
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: making bagels, making pitas, meeting with supervising teacher, watching Wife Swap
Here is picture thought I am sharing...crusin' along the Cedar

Doctor Update

I guess I forgot to update on my last doctor's appointment.

I went back to the doctor on Wednesday. My blood pressure was fine. I gained 2 pounds. (Haven't figured out why yet) I told him my mood was much better, I am happier and I like my family again. He agrees the antidepressants are working.

He asked about my lipids. I told him I haven't gotten them done yet. I tried to explain that I have to fast for them and the only place to get them done is 45 minutes from home. He didn't care...lol. His question, "What is the leading cause of death for women in the United States?" I replied with, "heart disease." He said, "heart attack! You are young and we would not have advanced warning unless it is through these blood tests!" So, I promised him I would have them done on Wednesday. I am not looking forward to going into town that early but it will give me a chance to go to Barnes and Noble, take the kids out for breakfast and to run a few other errands before our meeting with our supervising teacher.

Doc refilled my blood pressure medicine and I set up another appointment in 6 weeks. Of course they will call if the lipids are as bad as I think they are.

Let the Exercise Begin!

Yes, let the exercise begin! Boy am I feeling it! My butt hurts, my quads hurt, my biceps, hurt, my triceps hurt, my hamstrings hurt, my lower back hurts and just about every other muscle in my body short of the muscles in my fingers. Yesserie Bob!

I started Monday morning. I did the Leslie Sansone 1 Mile walk. That went splendidly. I enjoyed it a lot! Then the picklets and I did the ABC-robics. I did those, had fun with those, got creative with those and just about collapsed after those. THAT IS A WORKOUT!! After a shower I felt better. In fact I had energy all day and didn't start feeling any pain until I woke up this morning.

My butt and quads hurt a bit this morning but nothing major. I did the 1 Mile walk and felt pretty good. Then I decided I would do a workout with the picklets. Now, this is a kids aerobic workout, meant for kids, that is just basically jumping around and beginning dance moves. I danced and moved and had a blast.

Now I can barely move. Exercise has about killed me. But I feel good. Now ain't that an oxymoron?

Day Book

FOR TODAY January 5, 2009...

Outside My Window...there is snow and lots of sun...it looks just beautiul

I am thinking...that I really need to leave the house by 2:30 in order to get everything done in town

I am thankful for...enough

From the learning rooms...ahhhhh....I am having a tough time with this one. I so want to be on a roll but I am finding getting started after such a long break is difficult. For this week we are doing writing prompts, thanks you's, math, music practice, mad libs and working on staying on track.

From the kitchen...corn bread for supper is baking.

I am wearing...gray pants, gray tennies and a gray hoodie.

I am creating...STILL creating a new life style for our family unit.

I am going...to town today and on Wednesday.

I am reading...Life's Little Instruction Book

I am hoping...exercise will come easier with each passing day.

I am hearing...the rock tumbler.

Around the house...all is quiet...the picklets took the dogs for a walk.

One of my favorite things...is doing the ABC-robics with the picklets.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: I need to finish cleaning out the kitchen cabinets and drawers. I have a plan to make new art that is inspirational for the top of the cabinets.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

© 2009 Wicked Pickles-Homefront Lines

Progress

I made some progress today. Possibly not as much as I wanted but progress is progress.

I worked in the kitchen today. I cleaned out the secretary desk in back of the door to begin with. I threw out and donated so many cookbooks it was ridiculous. I don't think I looked at most of those since I obtained them. I did find a vegetarian cookbook and a Marlboro cookbook. They both look interesting.

I then started cleaning out cabinets and drawers. I cleaned out the junk drawer and it actually opens...lol. The junk is only located in the back half of the drawer and the telephone books are in the front part. That might change though. I might put the phone books in the secretariat.

Cool fixed the washer and we have laundry going. Yippee! He also fixed the secretariat so the fold down doesn't fall every time you walk by it. Tired of the bulletin board he "organized" it. He just cracks me up sometimes.

In all I filled up one recycling tub and 1 tub for Goodwill. We also had 1 large bag of garbage. Trimming down can be pretty boring but it sure feels good.

Trimming Down

How I started trimming down.

I mentioned in a previous post ways in which I needed to trim down. Not only by losing weight but also by improving myself.

There is another way in which I am trimming down. This is, perhaps, the most important way I am trimming down at this point. I am de-cluttering. By de-cluttering the house I am also de-cluttering my head. It sounds crazy but it is true. I started last week.

I started with this pile of boxes. These have been in my dining room for months. At first they bothered me. Pretty soon they just blended into the background.

The picklets helped by hauling garbage out, recycling bins out and Goodwill donations out. Dill went through every spiral notebook and tore out all the used pages. It took all day.

But now we have our dining room again. We can sit at the table and eat and know where all our school books are.

This is just step one in the process but it is a great beginning!