Happy After Thanksgiving

Hello all. I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving full of lots and lots and lots of food. I ate so much food I couldn't digest it all!! I'm still recovering.
Well, I gained a few pounds. On the news they said the average was 5 pounds over Thanksgiving alone. So my goals are as follows: return to my normal diet of oatmeal, sandwiches, fruit etc... so I don't have a tummy ache. WATER! Back to the gym. I'm going to increase my jog time by 5 minutes. 8 pound hand weights, and try out the new rowing machine they have. Oh, and I need to sit up straighter... my posture is suffering and it hurts my back.
I'm feeling a little stressed out. I start "working" on Wednesday. I start watching two kids on Wednesday, one is 18 months old and his sister is 6 weeks old! Four kids! Maybe I should starting working on my mental health too. My brain is just trying to get the schedule right in my head for bottle time, school, naps, and whatever else.
Ok, time to get to it. Today is Movie Laundry Monday, and since we were gone we also have to hit up the grocery store. Our tree is up as of last night and I promised Elora we would decorate it tonight. We would have had time to decorate it last night but some of the lights weren't working. So after a bunch of tweeking on Pace's part the lights work. Hurray!
Go team! Just because it's the holidays doesn't mean we can start slacking!

Spoke too soon

Hello everyone. Ok, I spoke too soon. I've gained 3 pounds back. My successful ten pounds is no more. Oh, well. We decided to have dinner out on Thursday, Carl's Jr., then pizza on Friday and Pace's sister came over and brought a ton of snacks with her on Saturday, by Sunday I was sick.... sick... sick... I haven't eaten fast food or out at all in two months, my poor tummy. In Relief Society on Sunday someone was wearing a sweet smelling perfume, I had to leave and get a drink of water because I was so nauseated. I should have thought ahead. Feeling better today though. So, back to the sensible diet.
Goals: sensible diet, water, 8lbs weights, get back up to 2 miles, put all the extra halloween candy and snacks Karey brought down in the basement. And I'm going to start working on my core some more. Not sure exactly what I want to do yet, but I'll come up with something. This morning I almost made it through a ten minute kickbox ab workout. I might regret it tomorrow, seeing as I couldn't even do the whole thing.
Go team!!

Good Monday morning to you all...

It sounds like Jan is doing well, after a back boo-boo. Water, Water, Water!! Drink, Drink, Drink ladies!!

Read a short article in a magazine call WORLD ARK. We get some weird stuff here. Thought it was kind of interesting, if nothing else "food for thought".

De-Stressing the Holidays
The run-up to the holidays is usually a stressful time for many. Schedules are packed with gatherings, school programs, and shopping trips to crowded malls to find the perfect gifts for family, friends and co-workers. It seems like life just doesn't calm down until the New Year. But if you can carve out just a few minutes from your day, there are a few tricks that will help keep the nail-biting at bay.

If you just have a few minutes: breathe. Deep breathing signals your body to relax, says Zen fitness expert Jeff Christian. He recommends sitting up, closing your eyes, and inhaling for three counts and exhaling for six counts. Repeat for five to 10 minutes. Don't worry if what's stressing you out enters your mind during this exercise; just continue to breathe through those distractions. The breathing will help the distractions melt away. Other suggestions include taking a walk, listening to your favorite songs and writing down the stressors making life difficult.

An announcement

I have an announcement to make. I have lost a total of TEN pounds! Surprise! It took me 11 months to lose it too. Sheesh, that's a long time. I weighed myself after the gym this morning and I am at 141. The illusive ten pounds. I started last December at 151. Now to break the 140 mark. Once I hit 135 that's my wedding weight! This weeks goals: I'm doing great with the water, I think I'll keep it up. I bumped my hand weights back up to eight pounds now that my back is better, abs three days instead of everyday. It seems to be counterproductive. Get back to running two miles or elliptical two miles. My back was so sore I couldn't go very far, now I would like to get back up there. And I have to take my calcium everyday. If my doctor finds out I don't take it everyday, he'll be so mad... And then he'll threaten to write me a prescription. nooooo! So, vitamins are my main goal this week to add. I've been taking them just the last couple days and I'm having a hard time sitting still in my chair. so much b complex!
Go team!
p.s. we have snow.

Finally feeling better

Hello again. Lets see, last Tuesday I hurt my back. Never hurt my back before. Pace said it was just a pulled muscle, I thought I was dying. So I laid around Wednesday and Thursday with the microwavable bean bag thing, and loaded up on ibuprofen until today actually. I tried to get to the gym with Marcy but I could barely walk. My legs were unresponsive, so weird. Pace found the worst knot and it was tucked up next to my spine in my lower back. It's still kind of there but feeling better. Saturday I was feeling much better so I helped work outside a bunch. The truck is now all snug in the garage. My flower pots are put away so they won't get in the way of the snow blower, grass and shrubs are cut as short as possible and the one weird tree in the backyard is trimmed super small. I only have to move my fountain down to the basement and put my lawn chairs away. We're expecting a "wintry mix" today, except that its sunny and 55 degrees. I peeked out in the backyard earlier this morning and my lawn chairs are across the yard from the wind. I'm going out to finish the yard this morning. Then.... let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
I've gained a pound, 144. Probably from laying around all last week. But I jogged a mile this morning until my back started to feel sore, so I stopped and walked. No weights today, but maybe I'll try some 5 pound ones tomorrow. This weeks goals: water, small weights, less sugar (oh, we opened the Halloween candy, we're weak!), lots and lots of stretching. My poor back, now I know how Cindy feels. Next week I'll try to come up with something new.
Sheesh, it's already after 10, I gotta get stuff done.
Go team!

ADHA diagnosis and State Education systems.

Good Morning carrot eaters!
It is nice to have this going again, isn't it?! I read an article this morning during breakfast in the Deseret News for 10/13/13 entitled Paying Attention. It's about ADD & ADHD diagnosis.

"As Hinshaw and Scheffler looked at the numbers they noticed an interesting pattern: states with high school exit exams (tests students must take as a condition for graduation), also tended to have above-average rates of ADHD. "In these states, you don't get a diploma unless you can show you've mastered certain material," Hinshaw said. The stakes are high for students: "Fail the test and you won't make it to college" Hinshaw said. But the tests aren't just for the students. Many states use exit exam outcomes to measure school and teacher performance. "District funding, not to mention jobs, are contingent on student performance on these exams," Hinshaw said. With stakes this high, educators must find ways to get their students' performance to mandated levels, and an ADHD diagnosis, according to Hinshaw, might be helpful.

...there is a strong possibility over diagnosis of ADHD in some areas of the country and under diagnosis in other parts is taking place. It's a potentially worrisome trend because the consequences of giving ADHD medication to children who do not have ADHD can be disastrous.

"The trouble is that there is no uniformly adhered to standard for diagnosing ADHD." "You can't do this in 10 minutes...There are so many factors that need to be considered before you can say it is ADHD."

Percentage of school age children diagnosed with ADHD--
Oregon 8.8%;
Utah 6.7%;
Texas 7.7%
North Carolina 15.6% (the highest in the country)
Nevada 5.6% (the lowest in the country)



Dr. Stephen Hinshaw, professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley and his colleague, Berkeley economics professor Richard Scheffler.

It's Monday again

Seems like Monday rolls around pretty quick. I'll get down to business because it's been down into the 30's the last week in the mornings and I have a lot more to do in the yard to get ready for the snow. Save the plants!
eew. Livi just came in to the room and said "Mommy, tissue?" She had snot coming out both nostrils... :)
I think I'll keep my goals the same this week. One water thingy everyday. 8 pound hand weights. And one pound by next Monday. I'll go weigh myself. 143 Yay. What was I at last week? Hope it's one less.
Congratulations to Cindy for completing day number one!! Go Team!

Can't wait until Monday to update

I'm very hungry today. I lessened my snacking this week. I still have had a decent breakfast and lunch and I've had three snacks! Granted one of my "snacks" was a string cheese, but I shared a bowl of popcorn with Elora and I had one of those protein bar things, and giant!! plate of spaghetti for lunch and two breakfasts. However I have been fighting some flu symptoms. Sore muscles and the runs. I know, TMI. Maybe I'm getting better and my body needs more nutrients today. hmm.... How about an apple and some crackers while I make dinner.

Good luck all. 

It's about time!

Oh how I miss all my family! One of my new goals is to schedule one day a month to blog and work on family photo books. Today is not my scheduled day but I'm on a roll ignoring my kids and getting loads of things from my to do list done.
I am feeling very unmotivated in the weight loss/healthy living department. I think some depression is setting in from moving and guilt from stress relieving by baking and shopping. So, here's to a new day, a new week to start over. I hadn't realized you all were keeping up on this blog. I'm so glad and will be checking back more often. Keep the good news coming (thanks for the update about all the grandparents, mom). Loves to you all.

One week later

Hello.  A week later. I weighted myself.... drum roll please... Yay, a whole pound! Down to 144. It's probably from not drinking enough water. But I'll take it. 

This weeks goal: Continue with 8 pound weights. My arms feel like noodles sometimes. One more pound by next Monday. AND one whole mug-thing of water each day. (not sharing with the girls.) I'm not ready to "cut out sugar" which is impossible, but I will make an effort to cut back on adding sugar to stuff. And stop having more than one or two cookies in a sitting.

My neighbor hopped in my car this morning as I was heading to pick up Marcy for the gym. So now there is three of us. It will be much harder in the mornings to cancel on two people instead of just one if I'm tired. Wish me luck, and I need to get to bed earlier so I have enough energy for these people. :)

Until next week then. GO TEAM!

October!
Hello! Yes, I did take a break from the blog it seems. I quit my job and don't get on the computer as much anymore (like everyday all day). New goal! Keep up on the blog.
As for my beet recipe.... it's a secret. I'll never tell. HAHA! Actually it's really easy. I just don't remember it. I'll have to look it up. :)
This weeks goal. 1 pound. I KNOW I can do it. I just have to cut out all the sweets. I'll go weigh myself right now. Hold on. Back up to 145. I was down to 142. Looks like Livi's birthday and the weekend got a little crazy in the cake and ice cream department. Ok, next Monday morning at 8 am I will be one pound lighter. Yay.... Oh, also this weeks goal, bump up my hand weights at the gym from 5 pounds to 8 pounds. My arms are going to be sore. Since I got my gym membership and have a gym buddy (Marcy Leonard) I have lost, on a good day, 9 pounds since December!
Off to do ten minute abs and then hit the showers.

Where is everyone??

Everyone seems to be taking a break from this blog :-(

Lets start it up again! 

I'll start with my awesome news: I went from a size 10 to a size 8! That's my pre-pregnancy size!! Wahoo! It only took about two years... 

Everyone keep up with your exercise/health routines! We survived the holiday season, now its time to get back to it!