Four Days

There are only 4 days left until the wedding day. I cannot believe how quickly it has come. I must say, I'm surprisingly calm. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited and anxious, but mostly calm. I have mostly everything done and most of what is left to do is out of my control. I'm really looking forward to marrying my best friend of about 10 years <3

27 days to go

So there are 27 days left until the wedding day. Wow. That's all I can say.

Hello 26

Today is my 26th birthday. Time has surely flown and from what I understand it just continues to zip on by from here. Today was a very nice day and I'm truly blessed. My students threw me a surprise part @ school today and even had my favorite-- ice cream cone cupcakes. It was so thoughtful and sweet.

I have been trying to get into more meditative practices and purchased, "The Daily Book of Positive Quotations" by Linda Picone. Each day has a quote with a little musing. I felt that today's musing was very relevant to it being my birthday.

June 10- Corny but true
"There's an element of truth in every idea that lasts long enough to be corny." Irving Berlin

Basically, the musing goes on to discuss how depending on the generation you live in often determines what you find as relevant and what is irrelevant. It determines the corny from the nostalgic. The first paragraph was very fitting to how I felt today:
"The younger we are, the more likely we are to dismiss the past as being old-fashioned and irrelevant. The older we are, the more likely we are to see wisdom and virtue in 'the good old days.'" (Picone, 176, 2008)

I just felt that it was a very relevant topic when thinking about my birthday. It left you with ideas to do a musing of your own:

"Which ideas from my youth are still good today? And which should I let go of?"

I must say I am not completely sure. I think I'm going to need to contemplate this more before I can answer. I don't necessarily know whether it is ideas that I should let go of or certain items. For example, my collection of stuffed animals. I don't really look at them but I have such an emotional attachment to most of them. I just can't seem to part with them. I hold onto so many things that are not important, but make them important. I keep saying, "If I have children it would be nice to pass them down to them." When, in fact, I know that my child doesn't want my hand me downs.

But its more than just "things."Ideas. Emotions. Hang ups. I wish that I could let go of the things that clutter my judgment. I think about the different ideas I had as a child about relationships, friendships, and other aspects of life. As a teacher, I am now watching students go through the same challenges/obstacles that we did as children. The wisdom I've gained and am passing down from my "good old days" that are being cast aside as "you don't understand." Its just interesting to see the lessons learned from the past and how relevant that are in this future.


I would be remiss if I did not mention that today is also the birthday of the one and only- Judy Garland.

Today was a Wonderful Wonderful Day

I am so overwhelmed with feelings today. The wonderful people at work threw me a bridal shower this morning. I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends and coworkers. The kindness and generosity has truly touched my heart. I will always remember this. My cake was DELICIOUS and absolutely beautiful:

School itself was great today. The kids were awesome. We read about tournaments and heraldry as well as began a mini project creating customized Coats of Arms. The kids are creating some really great things. And it was such a great day we went out for recess (more thanks to Jen. I'll give credit where its due, lol)

After school, I visited with MoH for a while. We exchanged birthday presents. Hers was on May 23rd and mine is June 10th. I'm actually quite surprised because we're never on time with gifts, lol. Usually we exchange a few months down the road. She got me a beautiful old fashioned emerald green bathing suit from our new addiction modcloth.com.


I absolutely LOVE it and its beautiful. We chatted for a bit about the new book she's reading which I can't wait to read when she's done. I also did some cuddling with her little puppy Luna who is adorable beyond words.


I quickly went home before going to my mother's installation as the recording secretary of the Catholic Daughters. After that, I went to Cruizin' Port w/ the hubby to be. We met up with Trisha and her parents. It was a beautiful evening and addition to my already wonderful day. When we came home, we watched the season finale of Glee. Now, I'm very very particular about my all time favorite song "Over the Rainbow." I do not like many of the covers made of the song but I do like the ukuele version. Well, to end the season finale of the show, Matthew Morrison (whose voice I loooove) sang this version with Mark Salling. It was so beautiful and made me cry like such a baby. Search the video on youtube, its definitely worth it. I know I've been listening to it for the last half hour, lol.

Today overall was such a wonderful, beautiful day. I have so many things to be thankful and grateful for. I have a wonderful family and friends. 39 days to go before I become a Mrs.

Lets hope that tomorrow is another great day...........

Rosalie

My niece Rosalie was born today @ 4:21 am. She is 21 inches long and weights 6lbs 8 oz. She is so beautiful and tiny.

53... tick tock tick tock

53 days to go.....

It seems like many but feels like few....

Pre Cana went well..... I went for my dress fitting yesterday and we're going to put in a laceup panel in the back. I really need to find myself some motivation and self control. Its like, "Self-you have 53 days... get with it already!" I don't know if its that I'm comfortable being the size I am, if I'm just lacking will power, or what.... I'm hoping now that my after school committments are no longer, that I will resume Curves and going for walks. Over the summer, along with eating right, I made progress- noticeable- in my appearance/weight. Even if I can't maintain a habit of this, at least I should be able to do it for 53 days, right?

On another note, I've been addicted to Modcloth.com lately. I found a PERFECT dress today! I was pretty bummed about a similar one that was out of stock. So when I came home today and saw this one I was thrilled:




Seriously, the dress is called: Dorothy's Date Night

56 and counting

Fifty six days and counting until the wedding day..... where did the time go??

So we had our first session of Pre Cana today and it was really nice. The couple that ran it were such nice people and made the experience very real and not a dictation of what you should and shouldn't do. It was nice to hear first hand experience as well as not be lectured about the "rules of the Catholic Church in regards to marriage."

After Pre Cana, Jonathan and I decided it was time to get our rings. We went to every store in the mall and I ended up getting my first choice, from the first store we went to, Zales. I looooooove my ring and no other store had it. While they had similar rings, this one was just perfect. It was exactly what I wanted and looks fabulous with my ring. My engagement ring is uniquely shaped so it was difficult to find a ring that fits. This ring just dips enough that it looks great with my ring as well as alone. I applied for a store card, was approved, and 15 minutes later we walked out with my ring (since I'm the standard size) and Jonathan (who is not standard sized, not even close) is on order.......

I'm so glad that I got my official engagement ring in January. While my other one is meaningful and I know Jon was on a tight budget... this one just fits.
Tomorrow is session 2 of Pre Cana.

Two Months To Go

Holy wow... there are two months to go before the big day. I cannot believe how fast it has come. All the pieces are finally coming together. We've figured out the flowers, centerpieces, favors, and all the pieces of the puzzle. It is now crunch time to actually put those pieces together into the whole. I cannot wait to marry Jonathan. I've been doing a lot of thinking about how far he and I have come to get to this point. From the first time we met, 11th grade United States History and Government class- 7th period, to now. Its been a long road but definitely worthwhile. I would never have imagined back then that Jonathan and I would get married. I can still remember the day that it just clicked. I look forward to spending forever with him.

Here are some pictures of Jonathan and I dancing/together at various weddings throughout our relationship:


Stephanie and Taylor's wedding: June 2005


Emily and James's wedding: October 2007

Joe and April's wedding: October 2007



Dana and Adam's wedding: September 2009


Trish and Kevin's wedding: February 2010

5 Generations

I've been feeling very nostalgic lately since I've been seeing many old family photos. This photo is of 5 generations of mothers/daughters. I understand that this is indeed quite a rare thing. The woman in red is my great great grandmother, Josephine Ligarzewski. Her daughter is in the white shirt to her right, which is my great grandmother Hedwig (Hattie) Martin. Her daughter is to the left of my great great grandmother, and that is my grandma, Patricia Ritchie (hmmm intersting right, yeah, I'm named after her), to her left is my mommy, Debbie DiToto, and the baby in the picture is me, Patricia Ritchie.

I think that it is amazing to have something like this. Such a strong tradition of mothers to daughters. While I have no memories of my great great grandmother, I do have some of my great grandma Martin. I remember she had loose, soft flabby skin on the underside of her arms. I used to stroke it with my hand because it was soft and hit it softly. I remember making meatballs at the round table upstairs in the dining room. (My bedroom growing up used to be a dining room before it became my bedroom) I remember drawing houses on paper with her on the couch. She was a fantastic scenic artist. We have some of her art hanging up in the house. I have glimpses of other memories about her but can't put the words together to describe the picture. I know that might sound weird, but it just is. One of my most vivid memories of her is from her viewing after she died. I think the memory is slightly tainted by recollections my mom had but I remember seeing her at the viewing and talking to her. I thought she was sleeping. I was four and it was October.

Memories are wonderful. I've been truly blessed to have amazing maternal bonds in my life. My grandmother watched me during the day while my mom was at work. She used to watch my cousins too but I was lucky enough to be with her full time. My mother and I lived with my grandparents until I was 14 years old. (that's when my mom married my popadoodle and we moved in to our house) But I remember songs my grandma used to sing to me to go to sleep, I remember sitting in the recliner with her, I remember eating Social Tea cookies, and much more. Even in my adulthood the memories keep growing. We now swap books together since we are both bookworms. In one respect I am a mini Patsy.

In another respect, I am my mother. My mother is my best friend and my toughest critic. She has always demanded excellence from me and never lets me settle for second best. She pushes me to achieve my dreams and she gave up so much in order to guide me down that route. I am the woman I am today because of my mother. I have many memories of my mother and continue to make more into my adulthood. My mother wrote me a song she used to sing to me at nighttime:
"You're the light at the end of the tunnel,
The rainbow after the storm,
When those nights are long and cold,
You're there to keep me warm"
She was there for me for every heartache, heartbreak, failure, success, happiness, dissappointment, achievement, and every life moment I've had. She's been in my corner no matter what and no matter what time, place, or circumstance. I know that I can always count on my mom and that when I'm a mom I want to be just like her. She truly has made me the woman I am today.

Each day is a step closer

Today I went with my mom to the florist to pick out flowers. I love my bouquet and the flowers that I chose. For centerpieces, they had baseballs! It soooo goes with the theme. I got my first official wedding butterflies today.

Finally a Saturday

So I ended up falling asleep last night around 9pm and did not wake up until 9 am this morning. Guess I must've been tired. My schedule has been so busy and filled with softball practice, play rehearsal/performances, teaching, wedding planning, etc etc etc..... so I finally have a Saturday where there was no alarm clock, no morning obligation besides the one to myself: sleep in. Granted I didn't really sleep in much, but I did get a solid 12 hours of sleep which transfers to half a day.

So when I woke this morning I did some dishes that have piled up from lack of being home (Jon started a new job) and I rearranged some things in the living room. I rearranged furniture last Sunday but had to finish and just haven't had the time. So I'm in my recliner now, relaxing and drinking my coffee. I'm hoping to get in touch with my MoH so that we can go for a long overdue walk. It is a beautiful day outside.

100

DAYS TO GO TILL THE WEDDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

wedding progress

So Jonathan and I have made some wedding progress. We have registered and BB&B, we have odds and ends, we have an idea for our wedding bands, and have made solidified plans for aspects of the reception.


The big question is centerpieces and favors. We don't have a lot to spend, at all.

Spending the rest of today reading by the balcony door. Its GORGEOUS outside.

Spring Vacation

First day of spring vacation and I spent it so far at softball practice. Then I came home and dyed the grays. I have it up in a turby twist thing. I think its going to be way too dark. But oh well, at least it won't be gray. I am a bit peeved with my genetics in that area. I'm 25 (soon to be 26, omg) and I should not have to be this concerned about gray hair! Its like having a mid life crisis before I'm even really midlife ( I hope at least).

Right now little Malibu monster is cuddling in my lap and purring. I love that sound. So soothing. I really need to get off my butt and fold some clothes so that I can keep the laundry cycle going. I also need to work on my shower list for the wedding. I need to do some cleaning around here. It is so cluttered. Maybe my goal for this spring break is to de-clutter my house? I won't make a concrete goal so that when procrastination/laziness kicks in, I won't disappoint. Tomorrow Jonathan and I are supposed to go to Middletown to register. We finally will have time together. I feel like the past few weeks we have had no time. Literally, I'll come home, shower, and kiss him goodnight. The other night we were going to relax and watch television together but he ended up falling asleep on the couch and I fell asleep in the recliner. I'm definitely looking forward to having this week off so that I can catch up on sleep, my reading list, my housework, and time with my little family of Jon, Calypso, and Malibu. I took a cute picture of my girls a little ago. They were looooooving the sunshine.
Well, I'm going to get myself moving. We are supposed to go out for dinner tonight. Of course, I have the beginnings of a cold. Why would I think any differently, it is vacation. I get sick EVERY vacation.

wedding dress

I fell in love with my wedding dress all over again........ the fitting went well despite 6 inches needing to be taken off the bottom. I still have to tone up top but there is hope! I didn't gain any since October :-) so it was a successful fitting..... we also purchased my veil and tiara today...... very surreal

Yuck

I am exhausted and my stomach has been killing me all day :(...... I'm in the recliner now just relaxing... I'm about to make some Plantation Mint tea to hopefully settle my stomach. All I want to do is sleep but I know if I take a nap now, I won't sleep tonight. I had a terrible night's sleep last night. I think that a big part of it was the impromptu nap I had yesterday (which sucked anyway). Oh well.

ahhh

Actually sitting down in my house for more than just to say goodnight to Jon. Its been a CRAZY busy week. Between work, play rehearsal, and softball I have been on the go go go!!!! So I'm looking forward to a definite lazy lazy Sunday.

Today some of my new spring athletic wear came in and I'm super excited to get to wear them. This Thursday and Friday it is supposed to be 60's! Hopefully, I will get a chance to take advantage of the weather!! We should probably get outside for practice this week.

I am currently reading a book that one of my friends lent me called "Elsewhere." Its about a teenager who dies from a tragic accident. She was hit by a cab while crossing the street. The book opens up with the dog, Lucy, who was close with the girl, Lizzy, describing the way she was handling the death of her human. It was SO incredibly heartbreaking. I was crying before the book even started. The prologue alone was sad. I never really put into perspective the confusion and hurt that animals could be feeling when losing a loved one. I know how devastated I am when losing a pet. Oscar was the hardest and then Sparky. I never really thought how an animal must feel. Calypso is very attached to me and it makes me consider how it is she would feel if I went before her. That is giving me tears to just think about. Its amazing how valued pets are. I consider them my children. I mean, seriously, we talk to our pets and fulfill their needs as you would a child.

Anyways, the book takes the girl Lizzie and sends her to "Elsewhere" which is where people who die go. Apparently in "Elsewhere," you go back in age till you are back to a baby. When you reach the infant stage, you are sent back to Earth. Its an interesting premise. So Lizzie meets her grandmother who died of breast cancer when Lizzie's mom, Olivia, was pregnant with her. I stopped at the part where Lizzie finds out that she will never reach sixteen because she will now go backwards in time so essentially it will be 31 years before she reaches 15. Definitely an interesting concept........

Well, I really want to see what happens so I'm going to get going and do some reading...... I'm looking forward to a lazy Sunday tomorrow (not the part where I turn the clocks forward though!)

Oh Boy

And so softball season begins tomorrow and my life gets super busy with most days this week filled with extracurricular activities...... Monday and Friday I have a little break but Tuesday-Thursday its go go go from the time I wake straight through 8pm..... though I bowl on Wednesday so that will be a 10pm one. Hopefully by being on the go I will lose some weight since I won't be doing any boredom snacking.

I just have to remember to get rest and spend time with Jonathan. I also have to make a conscious effort to do wedding planning so we don't fall too far behind. We made some good headway this weekend and got some things decided but we have a lot more to do. We did register for Pre Cana classes and created a customized, unique entrance song sequence for the reception.

Well I'm going to call it a night since I have to go pack my bag for tomorrow and lay out clothes so I can get as much sleep as possible since I won't be home till the evening tomorrow.....

Snow Days

I love snow days. Right now, I'm on the couch with my girls watching The Golden Girls as the snow falls. It looks so beautiful. It is one of the main reasons I love living in New York. I love the fact that we have 4 seasons. I love the snow in winter, I love the new beginnings of life in spring, I love the hot sunshine of summer, and I love the changing leaves of fall. Even the smells that come with each season I love. When Jon talks about moving to Florida, besides the fact I do not want to uproot and leave my family and friends, I don't want to give up my seasons for consistent sunshine. I would miss days like this where it is snowing so hard, with the snow so thick and beautiful covering the ground/trees/and everything.

But I do love days like this. I love being home and relaxing. Granted, I am doing laundry but I don't even mind doing that. Not with the snow looking as beautiful as it does and with being so relaxed.

Oddly lately, Calypso has been very affectionate. She has resumed sleeping in our bed the past week while Malibu sleeps under the bed and in the middle of the night comes to the bed. It is such a struggle to get out of bed in the morning when Malibu is cozy/asleep on my legs while Calypso is sleeping above my head on her pillow with her head resting on my hand, purring. Right now Calypso is laying right up against me and Malibu is on the other side of me on the couch, fast asleep. It is such a happy place. I mean, Calypso who is such a grumpy cat keeps licking my arm. Whatever caused this change, I love!

Well, I'm going to get back to the GG and relaxing. Again.... I LOVE days like this.

Dusting

So I'm sitting in the recliner looking out the window while the apparent dusting is going on. We've easily had 7 inches or more so far. Crazy crazy crazy. Then we are supposedly getting a "paralyzing blizzard" on Thursday-Friday. Lovely. I'm just concerned because my mother's 50th birthday party is on Saturday. When we had Anthony's birthday party, we had an ice storm. My mom's? A blizzard. Go figure.

If I don't have school tomorrow I'm going to take it as a sign from God that I need to finish the laundry and clean the bathroom.

sdrawkcab

So I just want to say that Jon and I were a little backwards this weekend.... after going to Trisha's wedding all Jon wanted to talk about was wedding wedding wedding wedding.... not that I'm complaining but isn't that supposed to be MY territory?? lol He even went so far as to read aloud bible readings from the book Fr. George gave us (which gave me chills because I've never heard him say the words of my faith before).... anyways, it was nice.

But now comes the time for planning planning planning.... I have the big picture in place but the details are gonna be the death of me. I HATE PLANNING THINGS IN ADVANCE..... seriously, I do. I am a last minute planner and I know, believe me I know, that that type of planning WILL NOT work for a wedding.. I'm trying hard to not procrastinate so its a good thing I have "groomzilla" (he's not really a groomzilla but he's all about planning)......

I love weddings

I finally have some time to relax. I was just reading Dana's blog and it inspired me to write about love and the past few days have been crazy with wedding stuff. One my dearest and best friends, Trisha married her prince charming. Five months ago, I saw another dear best friend of mine, Dana, marry her prince charming. Both were very emotional and satisfying days. It was amazing to see two people that I love dearly marry their perfect match.

Dana and Adam:
Trisha and Kevin:


You can just see the love that radiates from both of these couples. I am so extremely happy for them both. I cannot wait for it to be my turn to marry my prince. I cannot imagine spending my life without Jonathan. The road to where we are has not always been easy but as they say, love endures all. I love Jon with all my heart. I cannot wait to say, "I do" in 154 days. I look so forward to spending the rest of my life with him. He truly is my other half.

Jonathan and I:



154 days... and our 6 year relationship will take the next step as husband and wife :)

Snow day

It was wonderful to have a snow day today. I didn't do a damn thing. The best news I got tonight is that I have a 2 hour delay tomorrow. Maybe, it'll turn into another day?? I hope so.

A New Week

First I must start and thank my MoH for the beautiful blog header :) I LOOOOVE IT!
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Its a new week and hopefully this week will be better than the last two have been. Work has been very stressful on the student front. Hopefully this week is not.
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I'm looking forward to starting my week off doing laundry (as usual), catching up on this week's newspapers, reading, and relaxing.... I also need to watch my dvred shows from the week before Jon gets home from Atlantic City. He doesn't like Fringe so I usually have to watch it when he's not here. Its too freaky for him.
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So tomorrow starts the first day of February. I cannot believe how fast this year is flying by. Pretty soon July will be here before we know it. Holy wow. I have my first dress fitting on March 20th, so I have a little under two months to lose 15 lbs or at least a few inches around my waist, back, and shoulders. That is where the problem area is on my dress. The back and shoulders. I'm very muscular there and it doesn't help that I'm carrying a few extra pounds thus making my bust a bit bigger than it probably should be. I'd better get my ass in gear!

Blah

So I've spent the entire day so far in bed, aside from periods of getting sick in the bathroom. I wonder if this is God's way of telling me to slow down and get some rest. For the past few weeks I've been what feels like nonstop on the go. Lately I've felt really tired and then last night it hit me. My MoH is feeling under the weather so we didn't go kickboxing last night. Its a good thing we didn't go because who knows? I might've thrown up there which just would have been disgusting. So I've been in bed, Jon is taking good care of me. He bought me ginger ale, ice pops (2 kinds), and some soup. He's a keeper. Malibu has been in bed with me all day which is nice to just snuggle. I'm lucky to have wonderful pets. Calypso sat with me in the bathroom all night and put her little head on my foot as I was being sick. Gross as that sounds, and I'm sure you don't want to read these details, it was a sweet gesture. I really feel that animals are attuned to how people feel. My girls always seem to know how I'm feeling and how to make me feel better......

well I think I'm going to try and eat something. I've been able to keep a glass of ginger ale and a minute maid icepop down.... now lets try some soup.

Chillaxin

Finally home in my recliner... I have a load of laundry in the dryer and another in the washer. I wish I could keep on top of the laundry... I always vow to keep up with it once I'm caught up but that never seems to work out. So for the rest of the night I'll be doing laundry and sitting here. I just got the Sims 2 (finally) and plan on playing that.

This week was pretty busy, I feel like I'm never home anymore. On Thursday I went with my moh to the a core workout class which I'm still feeling today. We're making plans to see a PT to get more individualized sessions. I really need to get into better shape so I can wear my dress. It is so beautiful and I owe it to myself to do it. But money as usual is an issue but I'm sure it'll work out.

I am so cozy right now. I'm in the recliner, wearing these really really soft slipper socks, comfy in my Snuggie, with Malibu purring like crazy on top of the recliner next to my ear. She goes to the vet on Wednesday to get fixed and declawed. I'm not looking forward to it. I know I'll be a mess.

Well anyways, I'm going to go set up the Sims and watch some football.

Re-Engagement

Jon gave me a re-engagement engagement ring. Since getting engaged 5 years ago he has always told me that he would upgrade it to a real diamond ring. So last night before bed he gave it to me. It is gorgeous. Here is a picture:

Right now I'm on the couch with my cats. Malibu is on my right and Calypso is on my left. Its nice to actually be home on the couch and not do a thing. I am looking forward to this three day weekend. Jon and I are going to go straighten up and clean the apartment. Its kind of been neglected because I haven't been home much and Jon has been pretty busy with other stuff. So hopefully I'll have some motivation to do it. Well I'm going to go read my book and relax with my kitties.

Celebrating

Down 2 lbs woohoo... hopefully didn't blow it at Trisha's bridal shower though I didn't have too much to eat. I made a delicious lowfat cucumber dip that turned out the best I have ever made :) The shower was beautiful and Trisha was on cloud nine. She cried just as much as Dana was crying at hers. It was a wonderful today and tonight will be fun as well. Tonight is the bachelorette party. We're going out to dinner and dancing so I will definitely burn some calories tonight so that I didn't destroy all the hard work/sacrificing that I did during the week!

Sitting home right now feels good though. I feel like I haven't been here in ages! I finally am running the dishwasher, threw in a load of laundry, and straightened up a little bit. Its like I spent all break here and the first week back I basically just slept here. Its been a crazy week. Thursday and Friday I didn't get home till after 8pm each night! Even tomorrow afternoon I have a family after Christmas Christmas party. My girls probably feel so neglected by me since I usually spend so much time with them. Even Jon has been busy with the broadcasting stuff he's doing with Kevin. But, I am thoroughly exhausted right now. I think I'm going to go lay down for about an hour and relax so I have energy for tonight. Maybe watch some television or read for a bit on the couch. Quite possibly take a snooze.......

Another day of the bugg

Today wasn't too bad with the bug:

Calories Burned
target: 2600 actual: 2136
Calories Consumed
target: 1600 actual: 1532
Physical Activity: (Moderate to Vigorous)
target: 1:20 actual: 1:33
Steps taken
target: 9000 actual: 9159
Sleep duration
target: 8 hrs actual: 6hrs 7minutes (83% sleep efficient)


Not too bad, yesterdays numbers were actually better when I updated before bed. So the numbers were higher. Its ok though, I'm at least being conscious of what I'm eating. I turned down one of my favorite sodas today as well as one of my favorite dinners. The calories weren't worth it. So, I'm going to go park my behind in the recliner, crochet for a little, and then call it a night.

Trying to get back with the bugg

So I'm trying to get back into habitual use of the bodybugg. I need to monitor my intake vs. burn. Today was my first day and I was actually quite pleased with myself. My stats:

Calories Burned
target: 2600 actual: 2796
Calories Consumed
target: 1600 actual: 1588
Physical Activity: (Moderate to Vigorous)
target: 1:20 actual: 2:42
Steps taken
target: 9000 actual: 10191
Sleep duration
target: 8 hrs actual: 5hrs 8min (81% Sleep efficient)


Not too bad. I had a good workout at Curves and was very careful about what I ate. I even drank water where I would normally drink something else.

It was the first day that I didn't feel like absolute crap on the way to work and for the better part of the morning. I actually woke up and had breakfast, took a shower, and made myself a nice lunch despite the struggle it was to get out of bed. Not only was it the first day back from vacation but it was also freaking cold.

Hopefully I can keep the going till tomorrow. Right now I'm just looking one day at a time.

Well I think its time to wind down and get myself to bed. Long day ahead tomorrow....

Resolutions

Hopefully I can stick to them.

1. Make a better effort to exercise more
2. Keep work at work
3. Organize
4. Control my temper better
5. More MOH time
6. Procrastinate less

I'm sure I'll add more as the year progresses. That's tradition.

Grrr

I've been up since 4:30 am which is a full three hours earlier than a work day..... we were woken up by an automated message from JetBlue calling to tell Jon his flight to Florida was canceled. So being the supportive "wife" I am, I got up with him to try and scramble to make some sense of this news and help find a reasonable solution. But he is now in bed and since I've already used the bathroom, I will not be able to go back to sleep. Thank you body for being uncooperative. So I programmed a pot of coffee, figured I'd get started on some laundry, read the paper, and catch up on magazines.... totally screams "staycation" vacation.......... yeah right.

Might as well

So today was the first day I woke up and could breathe without coughing up a lung. I'm still coughing and not 100% but I feel a lot better than I have been feeling the past week. I spent the day doing as little as possible. I did 2 loads of laundry, some dishes, and cleaned the kitchen. Other than that, I read for a little bit, addressed Christmas cards, and played Sims LifeStories (which has been my recent addiction)

This week I went down about 3-4 lbs and I'm trying to keep it down. Being sick and absorbed in the Sims, I didn't really eat as much. Couldn't taste it anyway. On Thursday I wore my Reebok Easytones to work. They were super comfy. I didn't walk too much at work so I didn't feel it so we'll see this week when I'm on my feet more. Speaking of this week I am not really looking forward to the craziness that is the week before break. The students are stir crazy because they know they are going to have the next two weeks off so they get a little crazy. Plus we have a few assemblies and a party so its going to be chaotic! But as much as they'll be crazy, its excitement. And its nice to see kids truly happy because too often kids carry the same weights that burden adults which is disheartening. So I guess a little Christmas crazy is ok.

I got most of my Christmas shopping done today. I still have a few more things to get but it feels good to have some of it done. I'm not sure what to do for JT this year. With him being out of work, I feel bad. I'm glad that he is going to get to spend time in Florida, enjoying the warm weather and taking his mind off his woes.

Well I'm going to go enjoy a mug of hot tea and read for a bit....

Long weekend coming to an end

I need to take a break from cleaning my bedroom and putting away clothes. I've been folding clothes and putting clothes away since about noon so I desperately need a break. I wanted to get rid of old pajamas and tshirts since I have a serious accumulation of them. I just bought some new pajamas for the holidays because J.C. Penny's had a great sale. So I've been in here all day watching television and folding clothes. I have mostly all of the laundry done just some towels and sheets left. I cannot believe how fast Thanksgiving vacation went! I love my job but I'm not looking forward to going into work tomorrow. Its nice to spend time at home and just relax. I got a lot of crocheting done and even watched a few movies. That is one thing I really would like to do more. I'd like to watch more movies. I really need to make good use of my Netflix account.

On the weight front, I bought WiiFit Plus which I actually really like. I have been maintaining weight but it really is making me mad because I need to lose!! I really need to incorporate some more exercise into my busy schedule. I think the reason I lost considerable pounds (mind you it was 6 lbs) during the summer was due to walking on a regular basis. I really need to make time to go for walks and drink water when I think I'm hungry. The hot tea works during the day but when I get home is the issue. I also need to make a better commitment to eating breakfast in the morning. I've gotten into an awful habit of sleeping in till about 7:30ish so that I'm rushing to get out the door in time for work. I really should be getting up closer to 6:30-7, so that I have time to make sure I have a good breakfast and lunch made.

Here's to Monday.

Christmas and fingertips

So parent teacher conferences went well and now its Thanksgiving Break. Where the heck did the time go?? Seriously, next week is December already. I'm looking forward to decorating the house for Christmas on Friday. We're going to put up the real Christmas tree and not use our decorative plant as one. We have an artificial Christmas tree but last year we decorated the artificial decorative tree as our tree.

I got fingertip grips put in my bowling ball and had a good night. I bowled a 178, 217, and 177. My average is a 165 so that means it will be a 167 next week. This is the highest that my average has been. So hopefully it stays up because I need something to aspire to athletically since its the only competitive sport that I play in the winter.

Well I think its time to go relax on the couch or in the Cozy Sac or even quite possibly in bed to read a book before getting some sleep.... good news though.... NO SCHOOL TOMORROW!

Loving Sunday

Sunday again... I love Sundays.

I'm sitting on the couch, listening to music and crocheting. It is so relaxing. Just laying around in pjs and doing NOTHING. I mean, of course I'm doing laundry but I mean nothing constructive like housework, lol. The house is pretty much ok right now, and I'm going to do some straightening up on Wednesday because I have the day off as part of my Thanksgiving Break.

Jonathan is FINALLY hanging our television on the wall. We've only wanted to do it since we moved in. I'm looking forward to putting up my Christmas tree soon. I really want to decorate this year and make the place look holidayish. I just can't believe that Christmas is coming so quickly! I'm a little bummed that Jonathan is going to be in Florida for longer than we originally planned but if the house looks Christmasey, it'll make me feel a bit better.

Well, I'm going to go back to the blanket because it is supposed to be one of Jonathan's Christmas present (from 3 years ago).

The Point of Breaking

You know that point of stress where you either are going to break or be ok.... well it is fast approaching..... there are so many things going on around me and I feel so much burden on my shoulders that I'm getting to that point.... I know God doesn't give you more than you can handle but I feel like lately he's given me quite the load........aaagh.

Disappointment

I am so freaking disappointed in myself. I was doing so well for a well with the weight thing. But I weighed in at Curves today and had to pay at Biggest Loser for work. I gained.... I really need to get this under control

And its Sunday again

It is Sunday again and here I sit wondering where the weekend went. I did have a nice weekend but it definitely went by too fast.

Today we went on a trip to Sam's Club. We probably spent more money than we should but at least we didn't deviate to far from the list we brought.

I need to get back on path with the fitness and exercise. The wedding is 251 days away and I want to make sure I'm not a blimp floating down the aisle but rather a fit young woman. I've just been so lazy lately. I'm not getting sleep and the sleep I'm getting sucks. I think a lot of it had to do with me staying up late to watch the Yankees. Now that the series is over, and thankfully they won, I should really get more sleep and get in a better sleep---->wake pattern.

Well, I have to go check on the laundry because I'm determined to finish the laundry today. It is just amazing to me that I can never get ahead of it. We have no kids it shouldn't be this hard!

I also am hoping to get a bath in today. I haven't had a candlelit bubble bath in a while and think that is just what I need tonight.

On another note, Bert didn't come home today :( Hopefully he can come home tomorrow.....

Date

Had a date with Jonathan tonight.... I love date nights with the hubby to be :)


We should do it more often :)

Almost Breathing

My grandpa had surgery on Monday and so far so good. He should be able to come home either tomorrow or Friday.

Last night I went to bed at 8:30 and it was great. But its pretty frustrating when you wake up and could still use a few more hours. I wonder if I'll ever catch up. Hopefully once baseball season is finished I'll have a better sleep schedule. It is currently 11:30pm and I'm awake watching the Yankee Game. Its game 6 of the World Series and the Yankees are winning 7-3 in the bottom of the ninth inning. Three more outs to go.

Well, hopefully the Yanks win and then I get to go to bed.....

Holding

Holding my breath till Tuesday

Halloween

So I didn't do too badly today being surrounded by food and candy.... I spent the day at Trisha's house helping with candy, wearing my Dorothy costume, visiting Dana @ the Grill, and now watching the Yankee game and just relaxing. I love relaxing and just doing nothing :) its great. Especially since I slept in till noon today. I baked an apple pie which was delicious but not as good as last weeks.... so I'm going to have to add less apples.

Lazy Sunday

Today was a lazy Sunday and I loved every minute of it. I slept in, brewed some coffee, and just relaxed all day long. I folded and put away clothes and that was the most productive thing I did today. It felt nice to recharge this weekend, I definitely need to. I should go to bed now but I'm watching the Yankee game and they are up 3-1 going into the 8th. Hopefully the rest of the game is uneventful so I'm not up later than needed.....

Tomorrow starts reclaiming my life and changing my routines..... just have to remember baby steps.

Finally Rested

I finally feel rested..... I took a 2 1/2 hour nap yesterday... I just passed out. It was great. Then went to bed last night and slept till about 8:30ish... it was great to just be able to sleep and finally get some rest.

I'm relaxing today and taking advantage of having nothing much to do. I want to finish my book, catch up on shows, I must bake an apple pie to take to my grandma's later and I'm taking my parents out to lunch today for their anniversary. Tonight I'm going to my grandma's for dinner (linguine and clam sauce) and we're going to watch either The Wizard of Oz or Snow White.... two movies I very strongly associate with my grandma. Her birthday was on Wednesday and thought this would be a nice way to celebrate it!

I remember being little and going to the theater that used to be in Milford and seeing Snow White on the big screen. Its interesting because both of these movies came out within 2 years of each other. Snow White in 1937 and Wizard of Oz in 1939... Also interesting is the actress that played Snow White (Adrianna Caselotti) was also in The Wizard of Oz. During the scene where they meet the Tinman and he sings his song "If I Only Had a Heart" she sings Juliet's part that goes "Wherefore art thou, Romeo"

Well Malibu is making typing difficult to type so I am gonna stop here.

Blah

BLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH

that's how I feel.


I bowled well tonight the first two games : 221 and 205..... third game 139 YUCK



I'm tired and just feel blah...........

First Hiccup for Wedding

Among many more I'm sure.... so we had to change our wedding colors already. David's Bridal did not let me know upon registration how time sensitive the dresses I registered for were..... So I ended up having to change my colors to make it less stressful for me but I really like the new colors. It is a marine blue with silver. Its very pretty :) Jon's thrilled because they are "Yankee and Dallas colors."

So day 2 of the tea thing went just as well. I just can't seem to get sleep. I should probably get to bed soon so that I'm not going to bed late and hitting the snooze button. But the damn Yankees games have been going super long and just about every game has been extra innings. Bleck.... well I'm going to go read some of my book, watch the rest of the game, and then go to bed...... these days just go by so fast.

Thermos

So today was the first day that I wasn't famished at snack or lunch. Dana suggested that I bring a big thermos of tea to work and drink it throughout the day since I'm not a big water drinker. This should help my hunger pangs because most likely they are just me being thirsty. Today was the first day that I wasn't extremely hungry at snack time or extremely hungry at lunch time. Even at dinner I wasn't starving. So I think that this could be a good solution to my issues with food/overeating. I hope that tonight I sleep better than I did last night. Last night was terrible. I think I got a total of 4 hours.

Well, its tv time with the hubby to be.... House (which is later than usual due to the Yankee game... the lost :( ) and Big Bang Theory are on tonight...... till next time.


Snack- 10:30- spicy pumpkin seeds (approx. 35 seeds)
Lunch- 1:40- meatballs (4 mini) , bread, and sauce
Dinner- 6:00- spaghetti with butter
snack- 9:00- tea and a Kashi oatmeal chocolate chip cookie

Screw the two blog thing

Two blogs = more work than I want to do!!! Soooooo.... I'm going to just keep one and I like this title better than the previous one so this one stands. I am so exhausted right now. I went to bed super late last night because we stayed up to watch the Yankee game which went thirteen innings. I then had to wake up this morning to walk in the Breast Cancer Awareness walk @ Woodbury Commons. It was rainy and freezing but for a good cause. I got a caramel macchiato as a reward from Starbucks too soothe the coldness. When I got home from the walk and lunch with the girls I took a nice, hot shower and then fell asleep in the Cozy Sac with Calypso. While I didn't really want to nap away my Sunday, it felt great to sleep.

Jonathan and I went to Walmart so that I could get a few things. I bought yarn in our wedding colors to make myself a blanket. I also bought a thermos so that I can start brining a ton of tea to work to try and drink more water. I bought 2 mugs at the Disney outlet for 3.00 each (like I already didn't have enough) I really love mugs... probably because I drink so much tea. I like to rotate my mugs. But anyways, I think I might call it an early night because I'm so tired. I wish the weekend didn't fly by so fast. I'm not ready for work in the morning.......

Busy day

Today was a busy day... woke up this morning and went to David's Bridal with Trisha, Ryan, Baby Sam, and Megan to get our dresses for Trisha's wedding in February. I was very happy that I fit into a size 8 dress everywhere but my chest. so I ended up getting the 10 because I think that my back is so muscular and broad that even if I lost weight it wouldn't be significantly in that area. But the last bridesmaid dress I bought there was a 12 so I've made progress! We went to lunch at Applebees and then from there we stopped at Babies R Us....

I went to Jon's parents' house to carve pumpkins and mine came out really great. Its a cat (of course) We went home briefly and then went over to Matt and Ryan's house to hang out and watch some college football and the Yankee game (which is still going on... they're in the 12th) I graded some papers over there and Jon actually held the baby!

I'm soooo exhausted and really should go to sleep but I want to see the end of the game. Tomorrow we're doing the walk for Breast Cancer Awareness. Its going to be COLD!

Another Blog??

I started another blog called "Becoming Cognisant." I am going to try and maintain two separate blogs to keep my stresses in check. This blog will be dedicated to wedding stuff and other life things. While the other one will detail eating, sleep, and exercise habits. I want to keep myself on track so that on July 17th I will look the best I absolutely can! I worked out with Dana today and it felt great. We're going to do this every Thursday. It was nice to have girl time with Dana. There's no reason that we shouldn't see each other and as she put it "we live in the same town." well, I should get some sleep though I'm not looking forward to the morning.....she promised me I'd be sore tomorrow. Thanks! I've already warned Jon that I'll need encouragement about getting out of bed in the morning.... Between the warm down comforter, purring cat, and what I'm told an achy body... it will be quite a struggle... but at least tomorrow is PAYDAY and FRIDAY....

Motivation Motivation Motivation

So Jon and I are getting married on July 17th! Its just about 9 months away. I want to lose 20 lbs at least. I bought my wedding dress on Saturday and it is absolutely freaking beautiful. I love it and its discontinued so it is imperative that I lose 10 lbs so they can start altering it to fit me appropriately. I am very fortunate to have awesome friends to help me along the way. My matron of honor just got married in September and I'm going to attend her ass kicking sessions as much as I can. Then one of my bridesmaids that is getting married in February (omg!!!) and I are still attending Curves but really really really need to get back on track with that. We did so well the first month!

My goal is to lose 20 lbs by the big day. Its manageable especially since I HAVE to lose 10 in order to even start the dress alterations!

Here's to being motivated and staying motivated.

just some venting

I have really been battling with myself lately in terms of weight loss and exercise. How on earth do people work all day and then go work out regularly. I'm trying, I really am but all I want to do at the end of the day is go HOME. I wrote something to help Dana with a class last night that made me put into perspective how long this battle has been going on. The battle to achieve the ideal body or at least a better weight. In college I used to have mandatory workouts. And during these workouts, I struggled. There have been many times that I felt not up to par especially during mandatory weight training, cardio, and workout sessions. Our circuits contained numerous types of exercise to target specialized areas of the body. We did dead lifts, squats w/the bar (additional weights on as well), bicep curls, triceps, abdominals, among many other exercises. We were also responsible for an hour of cardio whether it was treadmill, elliptical, stationary bike, running outside, shuttle runs, and the all time favorite mile run. You see, it was mandatory for us to run a mile in 7 minutes or less as a pitcher, middle infielder, or outfielder. Catchers and corner fielders had 7 and half minutes to run the mile. If the mile was not run in your time, you had to redo the mile. You had to keep running the mile every day until you made your time. Not only did I have the fact I have short strides due to my height but I also carried a little more weight. So it took me quite a few times to get the mile in 7 minutes or less. Also, we had to do shuttle runs. We were required to run a 150 yard shuttle in 30 seconds as well as a 300 yard shuttle in 65 seconds. Once would have been not too bad but we had to run it three times in the same day. Each selected yard amount had its own day. We had to make two of the three times on that day. If you failed, you had to do it again the next day. Being out of breath and feeling “fat” was a big part of this experience.

Going to the gym and seeing rail thin girls running on the treadmills deflated any positive motivation I had going for me while beginning my session. What made it worse was overhearing conversations between these girls about how “fat” they were despite “not eating” anything but lettuce and water all week. While it made me infuriated because these girls did not see that they were already at a goal that I know is unattainable for myself, I was saddened because it is scary how “blind” women are today and mainstreamed due to the constant bludgeon of the media. Media portrayal of “perfect bodies” and the like are completely skewed and women like me, who are curvy, are given ideals that we cannot attain because it is not in our genetic makeup to have. Daily workouts that consisted of circuit weight training as well as an hour of cardio daily still didn’t give me that “perfect, ideal body.” It was frustrating to wake up at 5:30 am for a 6 am workout that went nowhere. The only time that I lost weight and looked even close to the “ideal” was when the strenuous workouts and stress caused me to get sick after practice. I lost about 25 lbs and looked amazing. For my body type and height, I was within 10 lbs of the ideal weight for my structure. Finally, I was happy with my looks and my body but scared as well. I knew that I lost it in an unhealthy way and that I would not be able to keep it up. This was a vicious battle that I struggled with throughout college and now in my early adulthood. Hopefully, I will overcome this beast some day as well as future generations of women.

I've also been pretty grouchy lately. I don't know if its lack of sleep or what. I don't know how to explain it without sounding whiny. Sometimes I feel like my voice doesn't count or matter and that bothers me. Anyways, it is Thursday, I'm tired, and I do believe that naptime Thursday is going to happen for the second week in a row.

Procrastinating a bit.... as usual

So I should be grading papers but procrastinating as usual. I'm on coffee cup number 2 and haven't even finished 1/3 of the 70 I need to grade. How funny, I was going to blog about Dana's wedding and how excited I am and what comes on? The new BSB single, lol. I am so excited for Dana's wedding tomorrow. I am so happy for her and know she is going to be so happy. It will be a beautiful day tomorrow and I'm glad I'll be there to share in her special day!

My wedding happens in 300 days....

Update

I haven't been on in a while due to school starting and just being very busy. But I do have some BIG NEWS. Jonathan and I are FINALLY getting married. We booked the date with the priest this past Tuesday. We're getting married this July!

Winding down

I can't believe that there are only about 4 more days of August and then its back to school. I have been nonstop for the past 2-3 weeks and time has really flown by. I went into the classroom today and did a lot of setting up and decorating. I'm going back in tomorrow to finish up some things and maybe do some work on my classroom library. I have a lot to do in that department. I also have a meeting tomorrow about the new Science series. I just really can't believe that it is that time again. Hopefully this year will go like the last 2 years. At least this year I don't have to worry about my Master's program since I am finished. My diploma should be arriving soon! But anyways, tomorrow is the weigh in and measure at Curves. I know I've lost some weight but I'm hoping I lost some inches. We shall see..... wish me luck

Exhausted

So I am very very very exhausted right now. I have been nonstop for the most part for 2 weeks straight. On the upside, I have lost 5 lbs total and my weigh in for Curves on Thursday. I'm anxious to see if I've lost any inches.

I cannot believe that Monday starts the first day of school. Crazy. This summer has flown by way way way way too fast. On the upside, I do get paid next Friday. So THAT is definitely a plus. I've made it financially through another summer.

Another piece of good news is that Calypso and Malibu are finally playing together. They are running around and tackling each other. Its great! Now if only they'd cuddle and nap together on the floor... but I guess its all about baby steps.


Well, I'm going to have a mug of tea and read for a little while. I'm going to go to bed at a normal time tonight to try and get into a groove so Monday is not torture!

Typing through Malibu

I'm typing this as Malibu is attacking the monitor. She is trying to stop the text from going. Its really cute but frustrating. She has done this since she was a little baby kitten. Today was a productive day. I cleaned all rooms, did some laundry, worked out with Trisha at Curves, bought soup for my soup diet, painted my fingernails and toenails, and visited with my mom. Tomorrow Gretchen comes to visit. I look forward to our visits. I wish that she lived closer.

Well, I'm am going to go do a little more laundry so Jon has a clean white undershirt since he has to go to the office tomorrow. I also want to watch the Yankee game. Until next time......

Reality

Back from paradise and smack into reality. Reality by means of cleaning, laundry, and housework. I have so much to clean before Gretchelen comes to visit tomorrow. It'll get done because it needs to and I hate having guests over when my house is disorganized chaos. So.... anyways. I should hop on that.

day 2 vacation

I had another wonderful day. Today I hung out with Bob and we went to lunch at Benny's on the Beach... it was beautiful. The view of the ocean while eating is just perfect. I never thought I'd have a happy place like that. I've never really considered myself a beach person. But I have come to love the beach. After lunch, we went to City Place and went to Muvico to see a movie. We saw "The Time Traveler's Wife." I cannot give an accurate assessment of the movie since I have not read the book so I'm not going to even attempt it.

I then spent the rest of the day on the deck reading and relaxing. It was another relaxing day in paradise.

Tomorrow we're going to go to the condo on the ocean for the weekend. I'm really looking forward to listening to the ocean and smelling the ocean breeze. Maybe there will be an evening thunderstorm and I can see the lightening on the horizon over the dark blue depths of the ocean....

Unwinding

Yesterday was one of the looooooongest days I've had in a while. I got to the airport, said my see ya soons to Jon, and was on my way. We were boarding on the plane at 4pm and set to take off ahead of schedule (4:34 original departure time)... well 4:30 came and went and at 5pm we were told that we were waiting for a reroute from NY air traffic control due to storms and that the city wasn't allowing planes in and out... well 5:30 came around, 6pm came around and no updates of any sort from NYATC... you could tell our pilot was frustrated.... when 7pm came around, they told us they had no idea what time we were taking off and if we wanted to deplane and find food we could... so we did (and all that was open was a little souvenir shop/cafe) Once I bought my stuff, we were all paged to board the plane and finally at 7:30 (when I was supposed to have landed in Ft. Lauderdale) we were taking off.... by the time I landed (10:45 pm) and got to my uncles (11:50pm)... I was beat... I definitely slept well.


This morning when I woke up I was refreshed and it was 86 degrees at 9am already. After having a cup of coffee with my uncle, he went out to run some errands, and I got ready. We went to lunch at the Waterway Cafe and I got the dish I've been craving since I had it last summer. Its a Rajun Cajun Chicken Penne dish that is absolutely delicious. I will so learn how to make it. Then we went to the mall which is gorgeous. I had to get lipstick for my grandma from M.A.C. cosmetics and ended up talking with the guy who also was helping me find another color to add to my makeup collection. I asked for a suggestion for my eye color and he thought that I shoud bring out the blue in the blue green hazel eyes I have would be nice. So, he showed me some options and I chose one that is also work friendly. I also bought a new eyeliner pencil and some lipstick, lol. My uncle said, "I thought you guys were going to go have a cup of coffee with the way you were chatting up a storm." I told him, "Believe me, I'm very much not his type." But he was a good salesperson. The weird thing was he let me sample the lipstick first and he actually applied it for me. That was weird. But he was right, it did stay on for a long time. I'm glad that I bought it.

After our mall trip we went to the grocery store and then came back to the house. He took a nap and I went outside and did some reading (I finished a book). When he woke up we had drinks, they have happy hour in the afternoon so that was nice. We ordered dinner from a restaurant that delivers ribs. Freaking awesome if you ask me. So when Bob came home from work, we had dinner and then all watched some television.

That brings me to now. Its 10:17pm, I'm tired but not enough to sleep just yet. I'm definitely relaxed though and its nice. I wish I would have made the trip longer but I just remember how homesick I was last year. Not sure what the plan is for tomorrow but I think I'm going to go relax, watch some television, and get a good night's sleep.

Only a few more hours

In just a few more hours (approx. 16 hours) I will be on an airplane heading to West Palm Beach, Florida. A vacation that I've been looking forward to. I just wish I wasn't so busy tomorrow morning so that I could relax before the flight that I'm nervous about. I always get such anxiety before flying. I still have to go stop by the school to check on something, then go to my grandparents house to see them before I go, then try and squeeze in Curves so that I can come home do the toiletries and electronics packing as well as choose some books to bring. Plus I have to eat, spend time with my cats, spend time with Jonathan, and make sure all is in order before I go. But I am really exhausted right now so I should probably get some sleep.... its going to be a long long day of traveling tomorrow... 3hours on a plane is just not fun...

Procrastinating

As usual I am procrastinating from what I should really be doing which is packing for my trip to Florida tomorrow. I am really nervous about flying, I'm not really a big fan of it. But its either that or take a day long bus drive. I am looking forward to a few days of relaxation. Hopefully I'll be able to continue eating the right way and getting some exercise in as well.

On another note, I'm still feeling really well about Saturday night. :) Hopefully this is something that will continue to grow..... only time will tell!

just a note

tonight was great...that is all.

Afterthought

So I didn't post last night because I was beyond exhausted and wanted to finish watching the Yankee game after I got home from the Scranton Yanks game...which was a good idea because the game was awesome. A-Rod hit a walk off homerun to end the game in the 15th inning. My stomach was bothering me which showed myself that my body is adjusting to the better way I have been eating and the crap I had at the game was not agreeable. So, I paid for that choice and boy was I wrong.

Three Times Thursday

Woke up this morning and went to Curves.... it was Three times Thursday which means that we can do the circuit 3x instead of 2 1/2..... it felt great and the time went by quickly. Malibu has been very lovey and cuddlesome with me today (for ex. right now she is sitting on my desk watching me type)... She is a great addition to the family despite what Calypso thinks. Anyways, I relaxed a bit and then went grocery shopping to get some food to keep the momentum of healthier choices going. I made a delicious dinner of shepherd's pie. I substituted turkey for beef which actually made it taste better and was more moist. And for dessert had a caramel blast (way above my caloric choices but its ok in moderation).....

Now I think it is time to read some and continue watching the Yankees slam the Red Sox..... Going to a Scranton Yankee game tomorrow and Jon said we are 2 rows from the field on the third base side! That's awesome :^)

Blah Blah

I'm feeling a little blah right now..... I think I'm a bit disappointed with myself because I didn't eat as well as I would have hoped today and stay disciplined at the stadium.. but oh well... I'll just have to work a bit harder tomorrow at Curves


I did have a great day out with my family. We saw the Mets play at Citi Field. Even though I'm not a Mets fan, it was nice to share this special day with my family especially with my grandpa who is a Mets fan.

I really don't have too much to say today... like I said I'm feeling blah. Aside from going to the gym tomorrow, I'm planning on just reading all day long.... A week from today I will be in Florida....

this summer is flying by TOOOOOOOOO fast.

Tempted Tuesday

So this morning I went golfing with my grandpa.... I love being able to join him in something that he loves to do. He's very patient with me and gives great tips! It was a gorgeous day to go golfing and spend time with him.

After golf, I had some lunch (egg salad sandwich) and headed over to Trisha's parents' house to lay out in the sun, swim, and relax. It was great! The water was beautiful. It made me realize even more that I really really want a pool!!!!

I wasn't going to go to Curves today but when I was at the red light before turning and going home I realized that I really should go since the next time I'll be able to is not until Thursday. So I ended up going and had a great workout. I came home, did some straightening up, showered, and then made myself some dinner which consisted of:

turkey caesar wrap
cheese stick
7 Kashi crackers with peanut butter
1 plum
8 oz glass of chocolate milk

right now I'm sipping some hot tea which is my favorite thing to drink ever. I'm really wanting a snack but I'm trying not to eat past 9pm (which is hard!)... so I might just make another mug of tea.


Tomorrow I'm going to the city to see a Mets game with my grandpa, mom, 2 uncles, and cousin. Hopefully the weather cooperates and the Mets don't stink too much............

Monday Monday

So today was an emotionally draining day.... went to the doctor with my grandparents to get more testing done for my grandpa.... I was strong and only cried a little (I'm really such a baby)... the doctor was vague so I didn't allow myself to get upset with the little info he could give. Plus, I had to do the driving back home so I held it together. I was so exhausted by the day that I napped from 4-6... hence, I did not make it to Curves today (but go Trisha for going!!) Anyways, I will be going tomorrow..... today was just another manic Monday.

Shlubby Sunday

So today I did nothing. A little laundry, some vacuuming, and making dinner... but overall nothing. I felt blah upon waking up today so I decided to take the day off. Yesterday I did go to Curves and for a walk with Dana (though not to High Point since they were at maximum capacity so we trekked the cemetery) I weighed myself this morning and was pleased to see that I was down approx. 1.5 pounds. I am hoping to lose more continuously so that I can earn enough Curves bucks to "buy" a shirt titled "There's No Place Like Curves." It is exclusively at Curves so its not like I can even cheat and get it online. I'm hoping to get it at my weigh in and measurement date: 8/27/09. My goal is to have lost at least an each in each area as well as five pounds.

My measurements to date are:

Bust: 39"
Waist: 32 1/2"
Abdomen: 38"
Hips: 42"
Thighs: 26"
Arms: 11 1/2"
weight: 159 lbs
body fat: 34.3 %
date of measure: 7/27/09

Now the reason I put these up is because I am so disheartened with myself that I allowed my body to get to this point. I am 25 years old and a lifetime athlete, yet I allowed myself to become lazy and not upkeep my athletic build to its best potential (I do still have the muscle just not the tone I used to have).

So along with working out at Curves with a best and going for walks with my other best.... I am trying to make a commitment to eating better as well with the hubby. So far so good. I would say the only "crap" I've had this week was popcorn at the movies with a regular soda, BBQ food yesterday, and a caramel blast from Dunkin' Donuts as a treat for doing well. Last night at game night we had veggies w/ low fat cucumber dip, watermelon, and low fat eclair dessert. Dinner tonight was turkey meatloaf muffins (thanks for the tip Dana), steamed broccoli/cauliflower, and some garlic parmesan noodles (in moderation).....

Tomorrow I'm going to a doctor appt with my grandparents and hopefully I will be back in time to make it to Curves...... week 2 of this lifestyle change begins in the morning.........

Just one of those days

So today I did well eating during the day and even at dinner I was ok.... I got a large popcorn at the movies but didn't eat it all and shared it with Jonathan. SO I don't feel like I did as poorly as I could have which is a bonus.

I was bummed I didn't get to golf with my grandpa today because of the weather. We didn't even get the storm that was abrewin'. But I at least got to relax my muscles today which were aching. As I mentioned yesterday I went on a long walk with Dana in the local cemetery which is gorgeous (despite some desperate upkeep near the city landmark of where the rivers meet and three states combine).... but I digress... we're going to another beautiful spot tomorrow, High Point which I am really looking forward to. I forget the beautiful spaces that are just within reach right here at home. Its also a bonus because we can go for a swim in the lake there which is beautiful! Tomorrow is supposed to be beautiful. I'm also going to Curves in the am so I can earn my curves buck.

Tomorrow is a busy busy day because on top of those two things I'm going to a clambake as well as a game night with friends. So, I should probably head to bed and get some sleep. Hopefully I will be able to since tonight is Malibu's first night in our room with us and Calypso. Jonathan took the remaining kittens and mother cat to the shelter today so it was a rough one. Thankfully we went on a double date this evening to dinner and a movie to take my mind off that.. But anyway, its off to bed I go.... so I can be on the go tomorrow!

Day 4

Day 4 was a loooong day....

I woke up and did a load of laundry.... made some whole wheat toast using weight watchers bread and put 1/2 tbs of strawberry jelly on each slice... with that I had an 8oz glass of orange juice....

Then talked to one of Anthony's coworkers about options for Rosie and kittens...

Went for a walk with Dana around 12:30ish from her house, around the cemetery twice, and back to her house....we cooled down on her porch with some water and just relaxed... it was a nice day

right after that I went home, had some grapes, put a bandaid on my blister that I got from walking, and headed over to meet Trisha at Curves for our workout which went well also


after all this I came home and showered which felt amazing... then made some dinner and relaxed before going to a jewelry party.

Tomorrow I'm golfing with my grandpa as long as the weather cooperates with us, I'm going to Curves, and then on a double date to dinner and to see Funny People......

Hopefully, I can keep myself under control at dinner and that instead of getting a big popcorn I choose the small instead.

And I continue....

Didn't make it to Curves today but I did do an aerobics DVD before cooking dinner....

On the food front, I did very well today...
breakfast:
1/2 peach
1/2 pear
bunch of grapes
coffee w/ Truvia and milk

lunch:
1/2 turkey caesar wrap using yogurt based dressing
stick of light mozzarella cheese
can of waist watchers vanilla cream soda

snack:
diet coke

dinner:
salad plate of chicken and green beans sauteed in spices
cherry coke zero

dessert:
no pudge brownie
hot tea w/ truvia


So all in all not a bad day on the food front... hope that it continues.... Going for a walk tomorrow w/ Dana and then hitting up Curves.......

Day 2

So, while I didn't work out today that was ok because I got some other stuff done.

I got a manicure, pedicure, and my eyebrows waxed with Trish today. Then did some food shopping for healthier options for food (i.e. fruits, veggies, and low fat/low carb stuff).... after that I went home and made dinner.... I was good.. I gave Jonathan the regular dinner plate and made mine on a salad plate. I also bought yogurt based ranch dressing today.... it wasn't as good but it'll suffice.

After my softball game I took a nice, soothing bath in lukewarm water with Tranquil mint bubble bath while reading a book and drinking tea. I am trying the Truvia sweetener instead of sugar since I drink so much tea. Hopefully at some point I'll be able to go sugarless.... but again, one step at a time........

Curve in the road

So after seeing pictures from this weekend, I decided that I must do something because I cannot continue to look the way that I do. I joined Curves today in hopes that it can jump start me into getting in control of my problem, i.e. food and weight. I am just so tired of looking in the mirror, I can't stand it. How did I let myself get to this point.... while I can still fit into the same size that I have been in for quite some time, I can't be satisfied with this any longer. I'm 25 years old and need to make the change now before it becomes even harder................

I feel like my happy place has been cracked and I'm afraid for it to shatter.

Ok I am the cat lady

So.... The kittens have upper respiratory infection and crazy cat lady me has antibiotic and eye cream for them. So a visit for malibu turns into a cat lady mission.
A good thing though.. I have been cooking dinner more lately since I am on vacation and have perfected some dishes. I also love my crock pot a great deal. Just have to find a better way to make chicken in it. The chicken I made the other night was a little dry. But the flavor was great. I do love to cook.

On the weight front, I'm down about 4 lbs since being on vacation.

Well, I'm going to go figure out what is for dinner....

Food Shoping, Procrastination, and Breaking Heart

So I went food shopping today and spent way too much... I guess that is what happens when you don't go on a regular basis. Anyway, I stocked up on stuff so I can actually cook and not do take out so often. I took 2 hours in the grocery store and then another 1 1/2 putting the groceries away. So once I finished all of that I did not want to even touch the laundry. So, I will be working on that tomorrow... I hope.

Next week the kittens can go to their new homes. This is a very bittersweet time for me. I know that I did a good thing by taking these cats in but I am not the type of person that can do it and be done. It really is breaking my heart. I did look up shelters today in the area that are no-kill so that I at least know the cats won't be euthanized if they are not adopted in a timely fashion. Especially the mother cat, Rosie. She is absolutely the sweetest thing and it would tear me apart to know I sent her to her death :,-(. The other one that really breaks me to pieces is mohawk. This is the kitten that I said I wouldn't get attached to but she really has found a place in my heart. I hope that she gets a good home.

The one that we are keeping we decided to call "Malibu." It goes with Calypso's name and just is something different. We've been having little get to know you times with Malibu and Calypso. They get better each time. Hopefully they can become friends because I think it would be good for Calypso to have another cat to cuddle and play with.

I got my new phone today too. I got a blackberry curve in pink because it was a free upgrade. So I'll have fun playing around with it. Well, I'm going to go sit in the recliner with some tea and read. Surprisingly, I haven't done a whole lot of reading this vacation. Tomorrow I am going to do laundry and read all day...hopefully.

Happy 4th of July

So yesterday I went to my friend Dana's to watch movies... it was nice to relax somewhere else but my house... her couch is awesome. Then I went home and a little while later we went to game night at a friend's house who is expecting a baby. We get there and are told that tonight will probably be the night but we're still going to try and have game night. No sooner did all the people arrive did our hosts announce they were going to the hospital. We stayed at their house since one of the other people attending was the babysitter for the son they already have.. So we played games, made a pool to see when the baby would be born, and had fun. Then the call came that they had a new baby. I just think that that is so amazing. Here I was at their house and about three hours earlier I was talking with her. Then three hours later she had a baby! That's just crazy to me. THe baby is beautiful.

Today is a BBQ day... hope I don't overeat... I've been so good :(

Sunny Sunday

So today was actually a sunny day! We went to the driving range this morning and hit some golf balls with Trisha and Kevin. It was nice. Currently, I'm in the process of doing laundry because I'm tired of looking at it. My house needs a serious overhaul this week. I wish I wasn't such a pack rat! The biggest problem is we have so much stuff but not enough storage. I think tomorrow I'll get up early, go for a walk, and then come home to straighten up the house. We definitely need it.

Can I just say how nice it is to know that I don't have to get up and go to work tomorrow though? That I can get up to do what I want to do. The only thing I really have to do tomorrow is go to the bank and deposit my paycheck. But overall, I'm pretty free. I think I'm going to take the rest of the night and lay in bed watching television and reading a book. I can only do laundry as fast as it takes to wash and dry so my initial goal of getting it all done today is pretty much out the window. I guess I'll have to settle for getting it done sometime this week.

Why oh why

Why is it when I'm on vacation I can't sleep or I am sick? Luckily, the case is I can't sleep. I have been up since about 5:45 am and just could not fall back to sleep. So, I was proactive and did some laundry and played with the kittens. Then I watched 2 episodes of Merlin and had my morning coffee. I'll probably work out in a little bit before I take a shower to make it at least 2 days in a row. Dana and I went for a 5 1/2 mile walk yesterday, just missing the torrential downpour and severe thunderstorm!

Well, I should go fold some laundry......

Made good

So I went rollerblading today..... not a bad way to start..... I just got some "Sweatin to the Oldies" DVDs.... and silly as Richard Simmons is those tapes kick my ass.... so I figured I'd get the DVDs since the VHS is in the bedroom and there is no room there... Hopefully this will be the kind of thing that will motivate me to workout more... I like upbeat stuff like that. I also got my new sneakers today :) The same ones as Dana... so hopefully she and I will get together to run/jog/walk or whatever we do.......

Tomorrow is the last day of school! As much as I love my students I am ready for a break!

Well I'm going to go watch the True Blood for this week :)

And so...

We didn't get to go walking/jogging yesterday but I did play softball last night and got some good exercise. We're planning on going Saturday or sometime next week. Speaking of next week, school is done on Thursday! I just can't believe it. I really am looking forward to some down time.

So I'm sitting here at my desk and of course the mom cat that I'm taking care of right now decides to set up her kitten food shop right underneath my feet. Her and 3 of the babies. Then another baby is eating out of the food dish while the two boys are fast asleep. But I'm not complaining... I love being a foster cat mommy.

Today Jon and I went to Walmart and I bought a cardio exercise Wii game that is compatible with the Wii Fit board... we'll see how that goes.

Well I should get to bed...tomorrow is the sixth grade moving up ceremony and I have to get up early to help with some stuff....

Keeping up with myself

Only 9 more days till the school year is over. Time sure does fly. Just celebrated my 25th birthday last week. Quarter of a century, I cannot believe again how fast time goes. Today is my grandpa's 74th birthday.

I'm sitting here at my computer, talking to Dana and watching the "little miracles" (kittens). Its just amazing how much they have grown since I found them and their mother. They're one month old today and its amazing to me how big they have gotten and how they look more and more like cats everyday. They're finally allowed out of the box today. We set up some boundaries (though I am sure they will not last). But it truly is rewarding knowing that they have hopes for a life because I helped them, cared for them, and took them in when they were left to be outside. I just hope to find good homes for them as well as for the mom!

So tomorrow starts my "first" day of getting my shit together to get into shape and everything else in order. I never thought at 25 I would be looking at the mirror and hoping that its not too late to change what I'm seeing. I mean, I know it isn't, but motivationally I'm in a tough spot! I just hope that Dana helps kick my ass since she knows what a procrastinator I am and that I can keep it up in the summer when I know I'm not going to want to. But I really want to tone up by the time I go to Florida.

I hope that the motivation can continue..................

Approaching December 1st

Lets see.. I'm procrastinating a little more... what else is new. I decided to finish lesson planning for the upcoming week at 8:30 pm and I'm still not done. I've found things to procrastinate with. But anyways, I can't believe that Thanksgiving has come and gone, and now we are approaching Christmas season. I'm still trying to get over the human stampede of black Friday. Seriously, what is wrong with people? I don't understand what materialistic good is more important than someones life. I will probably do most of my shopping on Amazon. I hate going to the stores. They're either a disaster, filled with rude people, or out of what you're looking for. So, I'll just order my gifts for the season online and hope they get here on time. Especially since Jonathan and I are going to Colorado for Christmas. Which brings me to a worry point.... leaving Calypso for a week. It was hard for 10 days but at least I knew Jon was here. Leaving her alone for a week where neither Jon nor myself will be home just makes me a wreck. His stepmother and my mother are going to drop by... but still.... :(

So, we've decorated inside for Christmas. We didn't put up our regular tree since we're going away and I didn't want to risk it with the cat. She has a fascination with the tree. So we decorated the decorative tree with lights and some ornaments. It looks really cute actually.

Jon and I will be celebrating our living together for 2 years anniversary this week as well as being engaged for 4 years.... crazy... time just flies...


well, I wasted at least 5 minutes blogging, I guess I should be a good girl and go finish my work........

Going on 4 years, lol

Lets see, its been quite a while since I've posted anything. I can't believe that its already November 20, 2008. I can't believe that in a week or so its going to be December. Jon and I will be pushing 4 years engaged on December 3rd. We'll be living together 2 years on December 2nd.

We've been trying a new "healthy eating" diet. So far, so good. I've been off soda for 4 days now. Anyone who knows me knows this is a big deal. And I must say, I do feel less bloated and gross. Now if only I would get my butt on the elliptical more often..........