Another Snow Day

Today was another snow day for the boys. Well, actually for our oldest and I just kept our youngest at home because I don't like driving on the road to get him to childcare. I'm still not feeling 100% but today helped me to get a little more rest than normal.

I had planned on taking this day anyway as I've been fighting this cold thing for several days. Thanks to the cancellation, we got to sleep in a little bit and this afternoon in the midst of working and the little one taking a nap, I got to snooze too.

This medicine I've started taking this medicine recommended by the pharmacist. Boy that knocks your socks off. I noticed it said nighttime but she said I might be able to take it during the day. Yeah....I don't think so. This afternoon I just took half a dose and was still zonked. Last night it did a number on me...my mind was racing...weird. But at least my nose dried up and my coughing subsided so I could sleep.

Tomorrow back to work...hopefully I'll feel somewhat better...I can't be on this medicine and go anywhere so I hope that it's at least a little better.

BLAH!!

I feel like the crud has finally caught up with me. I thought I was going to "outrun" it, but it doesn't seem so. The end of last week my chest started feeling cough-y then the coughing actually began. I still thought maybe I'd be OK cuz when I get colds usually they go sore throat, runny/stuffy nose, then cough. Now the nose garbage has begun...yippee. Yesterday I got some cough medicine but it's not really cutting it with the nose stuff so back to the drugstore today for nose and cough medicine. Maybe that'll help me get some rest.

Three Weeks and Half a Ton Down

Well, we've finished three weeks of Are You a Bigger Loser Than Marko. Can you believe that the group of 176 (I think that's right) has lost over 1100 pounds? I think that's great. If nothing else we have been motivated to make lifestyle changes that hopefully will stick through the rest of our lives.

So far I have lost 9.3 pounds...I have met my first goal and am on my way to my next goal...provided I don't plateau this next week. I went to aerobics again today...feeling a little rough I think my body's trying to get a cold...so not sure what this week will look like. But I am hoping to keep on keeping on.

Wii Fit

On the Are You a Bigger Loser Than Marko site, Marko posted a comment that there is a new Wii game coming out May 19th. It's called Wii Fit and looks really cool! You can do yoga, practice your balance, do aerobics, play a thing that looks kinda like DDR and other activities to help keep you fit. It'll even track your progress.

I'm wanting it now...what a great addition or alternative to going to the Y!!

If you want to see a video of what all it does, go here.

HT Marko.

Very Rare

There have been a few very brilliant people that I have known throughout my life. In high school there was Kristen and Eric...a brother and sister...he was older she was my age...who were the smartest people I know. Both are doctors now. In college was Lara...I remember that when she took the actuarial exam she scored higher than our calculus professor (a thing our Dr. D really never got over).

When I taught I had a few really smart kids in my classes. There was one kid that was taking Algebra II when he was in 8th grade.

I was blessed with three girls in the youth group I counseled...all three are smart as tacks...one's an economist who did her graduate work at Berkley...the middle is a pediatrician and the youngest is a lawyer. WOW!!

Today's newspaper had the story of a member of our current youth group who scored the only perfect score on his ACT during the fall quarter of his junior year. He's one of the smartest, down to earth kids I've ever known.

Yeah, people like this are rare. It's even rarer to find someone so smart who can actually relate to those around them. He does all of that and is president of our youth group. Way to go!!!!

Week Two - Getting Smaller

I weighed myself today and was pleasantly surprised...I had lost weight. I was so excited. I'm down 4% of my weigh right now. Not too shabby considering I hadn't really worked out this week. I didn't get into the top 10 but wound up submitting my weight a little late...so I don't know if I was left out or not. I was upset a tad because I'm working out and really trying...I mean, come on. But at least it's weight and I'm getting more in shape and healthier. If this keeps up, I could be down to my ideal weight by our youngest's second birthday. How cool is that?!

Maybe I should try the method suggested here.

End of Week Two - Big Numbers Just Aren't There

This is the end of our second week of Biggest Loser and my numbers look like my numbers are going to be small. I didn't get to work out at the gym like I like...only went 3 days instead of 5...but I did work out at home on the days I didn't go with the show Bodies in Motion...so that's something. Three days I was under my calorie count...the others I was over. I feel less out of breath but it's still frustrating to see low numbers.

Matthew McNutt, who was on the Biggest Loser when they did the states (he was the guy from Maine), is a support person, guru for our contest...he told us that the numbers the contestants pull on that show are a little misleading...that their weeks are sometimes 10 days instead of 7. That made me feel better. Plus they work out like 6 hours a day...that I can't do. I don't think I could do it even if I didn't work.

I know muscle weighs more than fat and you need that to burn the fat but it's frustrating to see the same number as last week. Sigh.

Weigh in is tomorrow...we'll see.

What Is Going On?

These past few weeks have been a weird and deadly. What could be so wrong in someone's life that they would think of going into a school and shooting people? Is it our culture? Is it that we are living in a more violent society that almost preaches get even first ask questions later? How do we raise our children to share the love and grace of God especially in times of frustration?

The sixth victim of the shootings at Northern Illinois has died. After the Virginia Tech shootings there was talk about making college campuses more secure...Do we add fences and guards to try to ensure that our college students are safe? What about metal detectors at the door of each building?

When I went to Ohio Northern, I loved the openness of the campus...I can't imagine what that beautiful campus would look like if it were "secured". It would be a sad distraction from the welcoming atmosphere of the community there.

There are no answers...there's no way to ensure that we could tell when someone is going to snap. I guess we just need to pay more attention to those we come in contact with. I just hate that the places that should support community and support have become places where people might be afraid and feel isolated.

Happy Valentines Day!!

Happy Valentines Day! Hope your day went well. Today I got a heart of sugar free candy
from my honey along with a stuffed gorilla. They both were WONDERFUL!!

After school when we got home, our oldest grabbed both gifts and said these are from me, J and daddy. He handed me the candy and gorilla. Our youngest grabbed the heart for our oldest and brought it over to me and handed it to me with a big smile. It was so cute!

Other than the fact that I was gone for dinner tonight and missed it with my guys, this Valentine's Day was pretty good indeed.

And, that sugar free chocolate is pretty good. I was amazed.

Snow Day!! Wierd Exercising Continues

Today we woke up to snow and ice...needless to say school was canceled. I don't like the windy usually extremely slick road to take our youngest to childcare, so I worked at home with both of them. Trying to continue losing weight in this Biggest Loser contest, I have been seeking to find alternatives to the Y when I can't make it there. Today we marched around the living room for about 10 minutes...something my youngest thought was great fun. Then later in the afternoon I did aerobics with Bodies in Motion on Fit TV.

According the my spark website, I burnt over 300 calories today. I just hope it's enough. These past two days have killed me as far as cardio exercises go. Tomorrow I'm hoping to go to water aerobics.

Saturday I have an all day meeting so I'm not sure when I'm going to exercise then. Although I did save the Bodies in Motion show on our DVR. We'll see.

Two Hour Delay Tomorrow

We found out earlier this evening there is a two hour delay tomorrow for our oldest. Yea! we get to sleep in. Wondering if there will be school as I sit in the recliner by the window hearing the ping of the sleet outside. Just hoping we keep power if we get the ice they're calling for. Off to bed in case there is school.

First Weigh In...Losing Weight...YEA!!

Today was our first weigh in...I went to the Y every day last week. I worked out in the exercise room twice and did water aerobics three days. There were times when I tried to find excuses not to go...but now that I've seen results, I'm excited and motivated. I've done the diet as recommended on sparkpeople.com and it's working. I had hoped for some weight but didn't expect as much as I got. And, I've lost some on my waist too! My first mini-goal is in sight...I'm excited!

Gentlemen, Start Your Engines

It seems like so long...but it's finally here...NASCAR has begun again. Last year we had a league of fantasy racing...it was kinda a weird way of figuring the points, etc. This year we're going with Yahoo. Next week begins the fantasy league, so if you're interested in joining us, let me know, there's still time.

I'll be looking for a friend from high school in the pits...he's a jack man...used to work for Scott Riggs.

Boogedy, Boogedy, Boogedy.

Here we go!

Week One and Not Too Bad

This is the first official week of Are You A Bigger Loser Than Marko? I have done cardio exercises five days this week...twice in the exercise room and three times at water aerobics. I have used the website sparkpeople.com to track calories burnt, calories taken in and other such things (a site which I highly recommend if you're looking to track that stuff).

I have started eating breakfast again...something that I haven't done since I was pregnant with our youngest. Not too bad...especially if it makes me healthier.

I've been drinking less sweet tea (that's been a little harder) and more water...and eating more healthy snacks.

Today I only did strengthening exercises and the hula exercise...I found out in aerobics this week that if you do the "hula" for a minute one way then for a minute the other way, it'll take an inch off of your waist in a few weeks.

When I weighed myself today, I saw results...we'll see how this continues.

Shrove Tuesday - A Lesson in Gluttony

Today is Shrove Tuesday, the day when a lot of people go hog wild with gluttony before they enter the time of Lent...the dreaded days of fasting of self denial.  As I was exercising this I was listening to what was on the television at the Y.  On the Morning Show (I think that was the name) the topic was prosperity pastors...those folks who preach that God wants each of us to be rich and that if you give more money to the church, you'll be blessed in many ways, including financially.

I found it interesting that on Shrove Tuesday they were paying attention to this topic.  What the pastors said was interesting.  One stated that he needed to have the private jet to get places because he had a family and had many places to be.  When asked what he thought Jesus would say about him flying in a private jet or first class because it was more comfortable for him, he said that he thought Jesus would have a jet too.  I was impressed by the host who must have some church background said he really doubted that as Jesus was very critical of the rich.

Another, who had received a Rolls Royce from a parishioner, said of course he was going to keep it...it would be rude to give back a gift.

One pastor pointed to what all his congregation does to feed and help the homeless to which the host asked, "Well, don't you think it'd be more help to sell your big items or save your money and then donate it to the poor?"

Again the pastors frowned upon the idea of giving up luxury, because they need to be comfortable and they have families, and instead focused on the fact that they had been blessed by God and God will do the same for those who ask and actively seek God.

I just thought it was interesting that on the day when we think of excess and gluttony that this topic would be covered.  Don't we all in some way overextend ourselves to make our lives more comfortable?  Don't we have those times when we splurge on things that are luxury items?   Maybe it's that I don't want to be like these guys...but I think that somehow what I do, what many of us do is different.  Do I think that God will bless us if we seek to do God's work in this world?  Yes, most definitely.  But I think the blessings are in those priceless things in life...not as more pennies in our bank account.

Another topic for the show was the idea of paying for miracles.  A family shared a story about their mother who gave most of her money to be healed from cancer.  They tried to get her to go to the doctor but she refused saying she'd be cheated out of her miracle.  That made me sad.  Throughout his ministry, Jesus reached out to heal people...but he didn't charge them anything to do this...he did get a little hacked when the nine lepers didn't thank him but he didn't hand them a bill for his services.

I don't know how the discussion ended...I had to get back to work.  I realize that there are so many pastors out there doing the right thing...reaching out in the love, grace and peace of God to a world that is hurting and in need.  But for many people these pastors seen on this show this morning are normal clergy...and that makes me sad.

And you probably thought this was going to be about dieting.

Biggest Loser, Day 1 - Temptations All Around

Today officially began the YS Biggest Loser competition. As I was getting up this morning I began to struggle with the idea of going to work out. So many excuses came to mind of why I shouldn't go, but I packed up my gym bag anyway so I'd be ready. Even when I got to work I was still making up in my mind reasons why I shouldn't go, but will power prevailed and I went to my water aerobics class.

When I got to work today one of our preschool teachers had a little container of these candy/cookie things she makes out of Oreos. They are so good. She had three of them...one for me, and two for two others. I did give in to that little taste of chocolate and mint (but it was after I had gone to the Y and worked out for an hour).

The third temptation came when I got home and it was that lull time between dinner and bed time. I was bored, so I tried to find something to eat. With all of the left over Super Bowl treats we had gotten that's not a good thing. A piece of cake that our oldest had picked out was taunting me...but when I looked at the label and saw the abundance of calories in just a little piece of it, I thought OK on to something else. I looked at the Poptarts...still too many calories. So I opted for raisins...a small box which I shared with our youngest.

This is going to be a LONG twelve weeks.

Biggest Loser, Marko Style

Tomorrow begins the contest by Youth Specialties, "Are You a Bigger Loser than Marko?" I have entered into this contest with the hope that I will lose weight and get in shape. Last week I tried to enter into the exercise stuff full force going to the Y three times. That's the most consistent I've been in a LONG time. We'll see how this week works out with Ash Wednesday and all.

Wish me luck!

Pinewood Derby

Today our oldest participated in the Pinewood Derby. He had a lot of fun and wound up coming in second in his age group. His good friend, S, came in first over all. Here are some pics from today.

Best Commercials

I was hoping to get to this before half time to post a few times with my favorite commercials. Here are my favorites so far (these will be ranked later).

--The Budweiser Rocky parody with the dog as the trainer.

-- The Thriller Sobe (?) parody

-- What is Love? Diet Pepsi

-- The First Baby/ETrade

-- The Second Baby ETrade with the clown

What are your favorites?