Day one

So....it was a less than stellar start, I admit. Food-wise I did ok, if you don't count the brownie bites I got into. Several times. WHY OH WHY did I buy those at Costco yesterday and bring them into the house? I finally tried my Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred video, and although it looks easy, IT ISN'T. Shit...I am beyond out of shape and it is p-a-t-h-e-t-i-c.

Annnnnyway, on to the good news! I neglected to mention that another bad habit of mine (and therefore, one in need of breaking) is late night snacking. I think this first started back in my scrapbooking days. You could always find me with a Diet Coke and some chocolate on my table. Then my husband started working odd shifts and I'd eat to break up the lonlieness. Eventually this turned into a nightly ritual; get the kids in bed, pull out the chocolate (see a theme here?) and go to town. Since our metabolisms slow considerably at night, this is a BAD thing to do. Right now it's 10:30pm and I haven't had a bite since around 7:45. Do you think that negates the brownie bites?

Goals for tomorrow: go to Whole Foods and see if I can find something that will help boost my metabolism, which seems to have tanked at 33. Going to give the shred another try, but a little earlier in the day. Drink more water than today.

And put a lock on the brownie bites.

And so it begins...

As I have probably mentioned (hundreds of times), I have really been struggling with my weight over the past few years. A combination of eating the wrong things, lack of exercise, and a metabolism that seems to have completely stopped working have added up to a weight that I haven't seen since since I was 9 months pregnant about 12 years ago (I was also retaining about 20-30 lbs. of fluid). Last year I joined a gym, hired a trainer and worked out religiously, but after a month or so I had lost one pound. Recently, I tried the South Beach Diet but after losing around 7-8 pounds my body just quit. And so the cycle continues; I get motivated, lose a couple of pounds, and then get frustrated when I hit a brick wall. Then a little time goes by, and I start the cycle all over again.

Which leads me to now. In 41 days we are leaving for a family trip to Disneyland. Right now, the thought of pictures and hanging out by the pool sounds like a nightmare. I realize that I can't lose that much weight in a little over a month, but I feel like I have to try. After that comes the dreaded "S" word: SUMMER.

So here's my plan. This blog will be my place to check in and be accountable. I'm really going to make an effort to record everything I do: exercise, food, water, etc. Daily. I would love to eventually be a positive story for people to read, because I know there are many of us in the same boat.

This is what I plan to share each day:
Food eaten (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks)
Water intake
Exercise
Positives/negatives

Once a week I'll do a weigh in (I like Friday mornings) and post a picture.

Wish me luck!

Oh my gosh...has it been almost a month since I posted? Crap. I had really good intentions of keeping up with blogging again but it never seems to happen. Well, I'm here tonight and thought I'd give a little update (as if anyone cares...ha!).

1. The month of February can pretty much be summed up in one word: RAIN. To quote Mr. Gump, "One day it started raining, and it didn't quit for four months. We been through every kind of rain there is. Little bitty stingin' rain... and big ol' fat rain. Rain that flew in sideways. And sometimes rain even seemed to come straight up from underneath." Ok, so maybe it wasn't that bad, but in California we're used to sunshine and get downright pissy when we don't see it for weeks on end. Every weekend we were cooped up at home, the kids were dying to get outside, and by the third or fourth week everyone was extremely short on patience. Thankfully, the clouds seem to have parted and we have been enjoying cool but sunny days. Wait...the forecast is calling for rain again. Pfffffft....

2. Today marks almost 48 hours since I started the "South Beach Diet." I'm not kidding when I say I would KILL for a brownie right now. Yesterday wasn't too bad but today I am craving sugar and white stuff like no one's business. Mainly, though, I'm cursing my genetics and the fact that unless I work out six days a week and eat very few carbs, I will be overweight. But I do like this program because after two weeks you get to add in some complex carbs, so you're not totally depriving yourself. Because let me tell you...sugar free Fudgecicles just don't cut it.

3. Speaking of warm sunny days, I finally got around to ordering some new shirts from Old Navy. As someone who has been shopping there for YEARS, can I tell you how disappointed I am with their quality now? The t-shirts used to be thick and now you can pratcially read the size on my bra strap. Let me also warn you that this cute green color:

Really looks more like this:

Seriously...who wants to be "that" color of green? I don't get these stores sometimes.

4. I finally got around to ordering a camera strap from Etsy. I love polka dots, and the fuzzy pink padding looks so comfortable. I can't wait for it to get here! I also found this site through another blog: Sam Moon. Cheap jewelry and hair accessories, but I don't like to spend a ton on this stuff as my tastes change often (and yes, I know what my previous post said but we're doing a little better...or at least that's what I tell myself).

5. Next week we have a big recruiting thing going on at the elementary school, and guess who's in charge of that? I know I've said it here before, but I am so done with PTA stuff. Please say a few Hail Mary's or light a candle for me, if you would. Coincidentally, isn't it funny how close PTA and PITA (pain in the ass) are?

I hate to say that those are the high points in my life right now, but sadly...they are. Hopefully the next time I come back I'll be much skinnier and more exciting. Until then...

A little "whine" and cheese

Had to take a little blog break for a while. There are only so many hours in a day, and sometimes the upkeep of a blog just seems like one more thing to deal with even though it's supposed to be fun. Strange how that works, isn't it?

After the major storms that plagued the Bay Area last week, the sun is shining (briefly) once again and while I should be outside enjoying it I'm sad and down and hiding myself at home. Just a mere week ago, my outlook was positive. We had a house project in the works (new front door to replace the 30+ year old one), were going to pay off a bill and had a trip planned for June.

Then we had our taxes done.

Now, let me say that I am beyond grateful to have a home. A stable job. My family's health. I truly, truly am. But every.single.time. we get ahead something always comes up. Without fail. Yes, we knew tax season was coming, but we had socked a bunch of money away and thought we'd have more than enough to cover ourselves. Our salary went up a little, but not a huge amount. I don't know what happened exactly, but let's just say I feel like Uncle Sam came through here with a moving van and took everything we own.

So we cancelled the trip. We have no future projects planned. A bare bones budget will probably be in order over the next who knows how long. It just makes you feel "blah." Uninspired. I like having goals...something to work towards. A trip to escape reality...anything.

2009, you can hurry yourself on out as far as I'm concerned. Multiple illnesses (including the flu), financial woes...I can't believe we have another 10 months to go.

Sorry to come back on such a negative note, and I really am not a gloom and doom type person, but once in a while you need to just be able to say "life sucks." You know?

Unbelievably typical

Today was the last day of sleeping in, of hanging out in our pj's until noon (or later), and our last day with no schedule whatsoever. I had told the kids I'd take them to the drive-in a couple nights ago ("Bedtime Story"), but ended up coming down with a miserable head cold and just wasn't up to it. So today dad told them he'd take them and I decided I was feeling good enough to tag along. What followed is a typical outing for our family.

When we arrive at the drive-in we decided that it was too cold to back our car up like we do during the summer. Instead, we told the kids they could sit up front and we'd take the middle seats in the van. Of course, as soon as the previews starts, S decides she wants a snack (we'd just come from dinner). She and I run to the concession stand and I load up on snacks for the family while she makes a potty break. We get back to the car where I spend a few minutes dishing out popcorn, water and soda. S immediately complains because she wanted the passenger seat and did not appreciate her brother taking her spot. Then she informs me that her Slurpee doesn't taste like Coke (dad confirmed it was NOT Coke, but some weird flavor he didn't know). The next few minutes include more grumbling about not having a drink, until she ends up with dad's soda.

I finally sit down in the middle seat and am basically bent in half trying to see. Husband is in the way back propped on pillows trying to get at least part of the screen in view. Things seem to be going well until S starts fidgeting again in the front seat. I decided to get out, open the back door and let her lay down in the back. Our tailgate needs to be fixed so I'm trying to prop it open and move all the blankets/pillows around so I can push the seats down. I get her situated and move back to the front seat when she announces, "I need to go to the bathroom!" Out of the car again and back to the tailgate, where husband offers to take her.

When they get back she decides she wants to be up front again, so I get out again and move to the back of the car. Once again, things were going ok when the sound starts to flicker. Husband says, "Hurry! Start the car before the battery dies!" Yeah...like a nine year old knows how to turn the engine over. Sure enough, the battery dies in the last five minutes of the movie. But wait...husband had the foresight to bring a portable battery charger! He climbs over the middle seats, crushing the styrofoam cup full of melted Slurpee, and I'm frantically trying to get out the back without the door falling on me. We use a little battery operated lantern to try and find the charger and pop the hood. After a couple of tries we get the engine going, put the battery charger back together, and climb back into the car just in time to hear....

"The End."

Yes, folks...this was a typical night out for our family. Who wants things to run smoothly, anyway? That would be positively boring.

Happy (almost) new year! I'm sitting at my kitchen table trying desperately to come with something fun for tomorrow night but I think I used up all my energy at Christmas. Hubby is working so it will just be the kids and I; we spent last year in my bed with my cast propped up, and they informed me that it was SO boring. I may try and rent a movie or a Wii game if they aren't already wiped out.

Speaking of Christmas...the house appears to be back to normal. Yeah! I stashed all my stuff in one room which looks like it was attacked by a Christmas hurricane, but every other room is finally holiday free. As excited as I get when the boxes come out of the attic in October, I am just as excited to put everything away in December. Even when I clean during those few months, it never feels like the house is truly clean with all the "stuff" out (does that make sense??). Our poor little dead tree was hauled away with the trash this morning as well. *sniff,sniff*

Since I have a few photos handy on laptop, I thought I'd share a few from the holidays. We had a great Christmas - hung out at home on the 24th, my folks joined us the morning of the 25th and we did gifts/breakfast with them, my dad and I took a little nap on the couch around noon, then we dressed and went to my in-laws for dinner. By the time we got home that night I was exhausted, happy and relieved it was over (ha). Onto the pictures...

And now it's back to planning our NYE celebration and entertaining my daughter who won't leave me alone!

Merry Christmas!

Hey...whaddya know - I did make it back before 2009! I am coming to you live from my couch, where I am blogging from my new laptop. Wireless internet, a big blanket, watching the rain/hail fall outside...this is what I call heaven. We've had a great Christmas morning so far, and will soon be headed to the in-laws for Christmas dinner.

Hope you are enjoying the day, whatever you may be celebrating!