Contrex - Contrexperience (English Version)

I have enjoyed watching this and thought you'd get a kick out of it too. I don't care it's a commercial. It was just cool.

My computer is being rebooted, I have lost all my contacts. If you happen to be one of the many friends I have that e-mail me, would you please send me a e-mail so I can add you back into my address book. Thank you!!

I hope you had an awesome day. I worked out for 90 minutes in the pool at 5am and followed my menu with one slip up but nothing horrible, just a WW ice-cream sandwich.

Have an awesome Halloween night. Out here in the sticks we don't get trick or treaters very often but it sure is cool hearing and reading about you in town people that get tons.

Take care and have a blessed evening.

"Out of the Mouths of Babes"

He was just a little boy,
                      On a week's first day.
                      Wandering home from Bible school,
                      And dawdling on the way.
                      He scuffed his shoes into the grass;
                      He even found a caterpillar.
                      He found a fluffy milkweed pod,
                      And blew out all the 'filler.'
                      A bird's nest in a tree overhead,
                      So wisely placed up so high.
                      Was just another wonder,
                      That caught his eager eye.
                      A neighbor watched his zig zag course,
                      And hailed him from the lawn;
                      Asked him where he'd been that day
                      And what was going on.
                      'I've been to Bible School ,'
                      He said and turned a piece of sod..
                      He picked up a wiggly worm replying,
                      'I've learned a lot about God.'
                      'M'm very fine way,' the neighbor said,
                      'for a boy to spend his time.'
                      'If you'll tell me where God is,
                       I'll give you a brand new dime.'
                       Quick as a flash the answer came!
                       Nor were his words faint.
                       'I'll give you a dollar, Mister,
                       If you can tell me where God ain't...?' 
                                                                     Amen

Just had to. Have a great weekend. Blessings!!

Updates and …

177.3, that’s my new weight. Down 2 pounds this week and I am beyond surprised that it happened except that when you’re a nervous Nellie, stressing Shirley you don’t eat right or much. I can’t say I counted calories or exercised or anything right this week, heck I didn’t even read my book I spent a lot of time in the bible instead. I have been having a lot of family issues and worries and I do not handle that stuff very well. I did finally get to the point (after a few very nice, helping, supportive e-mails and comments) where I learned I can not fix the world, no matter how much I want too and that all I can do is take care of me so when I am needed I am all put together, healthy and ready to rock and roll. So today is the day I got back on my wagon. It’s still a little lopsided and needs repairs but I’m working on that. So that’s my update.

Now the ands…there’s much better and normal…

I made up the last of the apples today into caramel apple jam. This time I pureed the apples because Jim didn’t like the lumps in the last one though he loved the taste. It turned out wonderfully and the house smells awesome.

Yesterday I decorated outside at my mama’s house. Nothing huge like some years, just a little bit. Today I showed Joss and she was so funny. She talked to the stuffies like they could hear her.

Now the weekend is fast approaching and per usual it’s packed with some good stuff, lots of work and a nap if I have to shut the door, turn off the phone and ignore the world. Tonight is family game night and we are going to have fun, play games ,roast wieners and just enjoy each other. Tomorrow I work at my husband’s store. Sunday I am helping Kim with her son’s conformation and then grocery shopping. We have a few outside things that have to be done before it starts to snow and there is 3 more cords of wood on the way so you know that means I’ll be carrying and stacking wood.

I promise that one of these days I’ll be inspiring and helpful and fun to read. Right now it takes all I have to just put two and two together and one foot in front of the other.

I wish you all a great weekend. I hope you were successful on your life style changes and journeys. But if,nlike me, life gets in the way and there’s worries and stress and so much more then sit back and take the time to think about it all and realize that before you can handle all of these things you have to take care of yourself otherwise you’ll be a basket case and then you’re not good for them or yourself. It’s hard and my blog does say not but learning…

Take care my friends and have a blessed weekend.

Just busy….

This has been a busy week so far.. Monday Brenda and I went and worked out and worked out hard. Nanette has been getting us some really great water exercises and I have to say after 80-90 minutes in the pool we have used up 7-800 calories and toned muscles that we haven’t used in the gym. Then I went to Kim’s and helped her clean house because this is her son’s confirmation weekend and family is coming. I got home and made some of Debbi’s pumpkin-applesauce. It turned out amazing and the only thing I had to do to change or add to her recipe was 1/2 cup of splenda type sugar because my apples are super tart. Today was another busy day. Joss came at 3:30 am because her mama had meetings in the cities. The 3:30 parts not bad but I hadn’t slept for the past two nights so by time she was here I was already tired and then why go to bed because Mike gets up and needs breakfast at 5:15 and then Jim needs the same at 6:15 and then Joss fell asleep for a couple of hours but had to get her up because today was the day my daddy had some test done at the hospital and I needed to be there for both him and mama. Joss is such a good little girl, she greets and meets everyone with a smile and a little “hi” and it makes everyone smile. She just follows me where ever and my mama took us out for a quick breakfast instead of sitting in the waiting room. Just  2 scrambled egg and a piece of toast which I shared with Joss and then she also ate grandma’s pancake and bacon and a glass of milk. Nothing wrong with her appetite. They took some biopsies of some lumps in my daddy throat and stomach. No, we don’t know anything and I refuse to worry more then I already am so will just wait for the results. Tomorrow daddy is having a cat scan of his trunk and in a week or so we’ll know what’s making him lose so much weight and hate to eat. By time I got him and mama home and settled and Joss home with lunch and a nap I was done. I couldn’t take another minute of anything so laid down on the couch for an hour and slept. Then I canned up the apple sauce, cleaned house and laundry and found time to do 5 planks at 75 seconds each and 30 crunches, nothing else I just can’t. My leg that wasn’t bothering me on Monday is screaming today so I didn’t do anything that would require a stretch on that leg or a pull. Now supper is ready and I’m waiting for Mike to come home and eat. Oh I have a rug cleaner to fix tonight or tomorrow if I can. One of my daycare parents has a really nice industrial carpet cleaner that he lets me borrow a couple times a year but it’s broke and he hasn’t a clue how to fix it and since I was the one that fixed it when he got it of off e-bay he figured I can do it again. Hopefully!!

So there you have the first two days of the week. Tomorrow is Library day at the nursing home for Halloween. That means the kids parade around in costumes and chatter with the residents. I’ve been going for 12 years and it is always a thrill to see the residents watch these little ones. Then it’s after school daycare so I better make a snack when we get home. Rice Krispie bars I think. Maybe orange ones in the shape of pumpkins, if I have enough energy.

Energy I am running short on. I know it’s cuz I’m worried and not sleeping well at night. Worrying isn’t good for anyone but at night when it’s quiet is when my brain kicks in and start chattering. Sometimes about things I can’t do anything about and other times it helps to come up with a solution. I have never been one to handle worry well. I can do stress, I can do emergencies, I can do most anything but worry wipes me out. Oh well hopefully things will all work out on all fronts.

Take care my friends and tomorrow is hump day for some, me I work Saturday so I’ll get excited on Thursday. I hope you’re all doing well on whatever life style changes and journeys' you are on. I have a favor to ask and if you could send a pray out for daddy that they find nothing and that a med will make him feel better I know my family and I would really appreciate it. Also my sister is really in the need of some guidance so please send a prayer up for her too. Thank you my friends. You’ve always been my rock when I’ve needed your help.

Blessings to you all!!

That time again…and…

  

Yep, the wood is here and it’s time to stack. I started at 6:00 tonight and worked until 8:45. I got 2 cords put up, another cord left for tomorrow. Then next weekend another 3 on it’s way. I wonder how many calories you burn bending, picking, carrying and stacking. It has to be a fair amount.

 

See what Jim and I are building? I’ve even been helping welding, cutting and putting it together. Do you know what it is? It’s a headache rack for the pick up. I’ll show you the final picture when it’s on.

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Now I have a couple NSV today I have to share. Even though that darn scale isn’t moving there has been a couple cool things. One, since I’ve been helping with the metal work and all and all I own are 2 pairs of good jeans I put Jim’s on. One year ago they missed by 5” today I put them on and can put both arms in there with me. I spent all evening pulling them up. It was so cool and Jim kept telling me I have baggy butt. The next, because Jim’s jeans are too big I decide just because to try on Mike’s. Now I knew they wouldn’t zip but I got them up and they miss by maybe 2 inches, just two tiny inches. Maybe by the new year I can pick on him and show him too. I’ve been having to wear a belt with my jeans and am thinking maybe it’s time to try a size 12. AWESOME!!!

Well it’s almost time for bed. Mike is working until 2ish am and Jim is asleep in his chair so I’m thinking before I think I’m hungry I’ll just head to bed. We are going out for a real breakfast tomorrow. I’ll stick with my menu but someone else will be making it, I can handle that for a change.

Take care my friends and have an awesome and blessed Sunday.

A wonderful afternoon for a hike…and Library day…

I know, I’m not suppose to be hiking but when it’s 45* and the kids want to go for a walk, well it is what it is and I have to keep going so we just took it slow and easy and walked back into our 3rd 40 (120 acres) and had a great time. The kids were catching grasshoppers and caterpillars and collection anything cool and neat. 

I’ll just share with pictures. Enjoy my back yard and wee ones.

 

Even Scout got into catching grasshoppers but she ate them. YUCK!!!

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On Wednesday I took Joss to the library and also picked up Kim and her friends little one. They had a great story time this week (well really they always do but this week was just better). It was Chef Sharoni and Farmer Dan that was there. They had some outdoor activities and story time and crafts and a great carrot cake treat. It was a blast and it is so much fun watching Joss watching everyone else. See…

Can you tell I love my wee ones? Can you tell that I love this job? I DO!!!!

Take care and have a great weekend.

Challenge update…

It was not a successful week. I did not lose an ounce. I did not read my book. I only exercised once at the gym and twice at the house. If you read my blog you will see I have been busy and just ran out of energy by the end of the day.
The good part, I didn’t gain an anything, I started a new book, Women’s Health, the 40’s and 50’s and I have to say I am learning some stuff I need to about my body and why. I tried the gym and after 90 minutes of working out in the pool my leg hurt for two days so I am thinking I pushed it a bit to much. I did work out at home in-between things and I’ve walked three times about a mile each time at a snails pace but still trying. So it wasn’t an unsuccessful week either.
Just a maintaining week I’d say.
There are those weeks that just aren’t stellar but also not in the thumper and that was mine. I won’t get to my goal if I don’t kick some butt. This week I am just plain and simple out of energy. I think hurting makes you tired and I think having your plate full all the time makes you tired.
So what can I do about all of this not so stellar week? Nothing but I can make next week better.
I hope that you all had a successful week. I hope you all kept to whatever plan is made for you. I hope that you learned something from your books. I hope that you lost a pound or two or even more.
Take care my friends and have an awesome weekend.

Good evening….

So my day is done. Well really there’s laundry in the dryer and dishes in the dishwasher and eggs in the bucket that need cleaning but I’m toast and think other then the eggs the rest will wait for another day. My leg is still screaming so I am not going swimming tomorrow and not exercising either. I will work on some upper and crunches and planks but otherwise I’m not pushing it. It’s hard to explain the pain but it just hurts so I’ll rest and try it all over again on Monday. I do know that not getting in the exercise I’m use to has made me feel a bit like a slug. I am working out some just not as intense as I was and it’s really different. I am hoping I don’t get use to this and when it’s time to hit it again I will want to get back at it. I do miss it so.

Today the kids and I did lots. We started out with homemade waffles, then we carved a pumpkin, we took it to great grandma’s, we visited with 4 new baby goats, we walked to grandma’s and played with the cats and visited, we made homemade pizza for lunch, we played and climbed trees while Joss napped, we made pumpkin/green tomato cake, we played hide the pumpkin, read tons of stories and watched Tangled. There was coloring, Lego and Lincoln log building and visiting with parents and good bye’s. Another day like today tomorrow. I do enjoy when the school kids are off. I do really enjoy when it’s just Joss and I too. Anyways, here’s few pictures of our day.

 

   

  

This is the pumpkin we brought to great grandma and this is the little note she slipped on my windshield with some candy for the kids while we were down in the barn.

Here’s the pumpkin we got from our pumpkin mixed with the last of the green tomatoes and the pumpkins seeds I baked up for them kids. The cake turned out awesome and I forgot to take a picture but it’s gone now. The kids and daycare parents ate it and then Mike got home and finished it up. Oh well, they said it was great!!

 

 

Now tomorrow I have the same crew and we do have one more pumpkin to do, we are going to town in the afternoon and for the rest of the day, well I’m not sure but I bet we’ll be busy doing something.

Take care my friends and have a blessed evening. TGIF tomorrow, YEAH!!!

It’s cold here and I hurt …

18* but no wind and it looks like it’ll be sunny so it should warm up to a half way decent temp today. There is no school because of MEA so I will have 4 today. We are going to carve pumpkins and then take one to great grandma. The kids already picked their menu for today, waffles and sausage for breakfast and homemade pizza for lunch and then green tomato bread for snack. I do have two metal bowls left of apples to take care of but am thinking a large apple crisp and a pie or two I can freeze until later.

My leg hurts today. Not a little bit, quite a bit. I iced it already this morning but even that made it hurt worse. I did take my IBP and hope that will help shortly. I slept horrible last night. Along with the pain in the leg I had 3 major hot flashes. UGH!!! Not the greatest night sleep. This getting a tad older isn’t such a thrill at times. Oh well, it sure could be worse so will just take it hour by hour today and do what I can at the best way I can.

I’ll share pictures later of our pumpkin carving and whatever else good stuff we do. I hope you all have a great day. Blessings my friends!!

Water exercising…

For 75 minutes of moving my butt in the pool doing laps, weights, jogging, treading and just swimming I used up 679 calories. Not the best compared to what I usually do when at the gym but also not terrible. With my floor exercises for another 40 minutes I’ll be able to add on about 200 more calories (really take off them) so today will work out to 880. So I’ll take it and work on it. No routine yet, just trying different things to see what’s possible.

After doing all that cooking and what not yesterday my calf was swollen, hot and sore last night so I put it up and iced it. I hate taking medicine so I didn’t but I know that I need to so today after my work out I did the same thing, I rested for 10 minutes, iced it and took some IBP. It’s throbbing a bit and my foot is frozen but it’s not as bad as it was so that must mean some improvement. It’s just so slow and driving me nuts but I shouldn’t really fuss about it. I am able to move, I am able to exercise I am able to do most anything, just slower with some discomfort. I’ll live.

So how are you doing on your exercises? Are you logging your food and exercises? Remember even a good walk is great exercise and good for the heart, body and soul. Logging is so important too and I have been lax at that. Even with the menu's we have I know that I need to put all that I eat and taste. BLT’s…nope not bacon, lettuce and tomato…bites, licks and tastes are what gets me with all the baking and canning and cooking I do. It’s hard to send food out the door when I’m not positive it’s palatable so that means a taste here and there. Baking and the drop on my finger, wipe it off..don’t lick it off. That coffee cake crumb, I don’t need to bite that, just brush it off into the garbage.  It takes effort and thought and I’m working on that. It’s best if I’m chewing gum while I do this stuff, since who wants lumpy gum with crumbs in it, not me.

So it’s almost time to head to the library. I can’t remember what we are doing but I remember we were told to dress warm because we’ll be outside for part of the morning and then a craft inside. I’m going to pick up Kim, pick up Miley and then go and play. Then afterwards we are going back to Kim’s for lunch and chatter. Home about 12:30 for nap and my exercise.

Take care my friends. Blessing!!!

Smells like apples in here and it’s 68* too…yeah!!!

We haven’t turned on our heat yet and it’s been a tad bit chilly in here about 60 when we get up but much nicer this evening and tonight I started a fire in the wood stove, just for nights right now.

Well everything turned out like I had hoped it would. Daddy and mama had some of my apple upside down cake and said it was awesome.

Want a super easy yellow cake mix recipe? Here, try this:

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs (separated if you want a white cake)

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup milk

Mix all together until smooth and bake in a 8x8 for 30ish minutes at 350*. Now I spray the pan, sprinkled the bottom with brown sugar, added about 2 sliced apples and poured the cake mix on top of it.

Then the caramel apple jam turned out great. It set and isn’t to hard or to soft.

 

Since a few of you have asked for the recipe, here it is:

Apple Caramel Jam

Makes about 4 large jelly jars

6 cups diced apples ( make sure they are pretty small or else you'll have to puree them a bit before adding the pectin )

1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp butter

1 box fruit pectin

2 cups white sugar

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg (I didn't have nutmeg today so use pumpkin pie spice)

In a large kettle, combine the apples, water and butter. Cook and stir over low heat until apples are soft. About an hour. This is when you decide if you want chunky jam or smoother. I wanted semi smooth so took my hand blender and pureed it a bit. Stir in pectin and bring to a boil stirring constantly.  Add sugars and spices. Return to a rolling boil and boil for 1 minute stirring constantly again.

Remove from eat, skim off any foam. Put into hot sterilized jars. Leave 1/2" head room. Put on caps. Process for 10 mins in a boiling water bath.

And my Apple Jelly turned out beautiful and it’s a soft set which I think is really best for a jelly. Jelly is a lot harder then jams. It takes patience and lots of time but in the end it’s worth it (however I’m not going to make any more in the near future). Since I hate throwing out the pulp I made the jelly first like apple sauce so that after straining off the juices I was able to take the left over apple sauce and make it into baking apple sauce ( a no sugar added, thicker sauce for muffins, cookies and such ).

 

It turned out pretty clear and such a pretty golden color. The lumps you see are air bubbles, they are disappearing as it cools.

   

I water bathed the jars and the little jars with the plastic lids are for the freezer.

So here’s what I ended up with…

In between all of this appling Joss and I played. She loves having me build with the Lincoln logs and she tears it apart. See…

So there was my day. I did get some exercise in also but after being on my feet most of the day my calf is screaming tonight. It’s up and icing now. Tomorrow I am going to go swimming at 5 am. Nanette sent me some excellent water exercise to try so that’s what I’m going to do tomorrow for an hour and a half or so. Then it’s library day at our local library.

I hope you had an awesome day. Sleep well. Blessings my friends!!