sno-matoes…..

That’s what we are going to be planting next month. You want to know why? There is no way our gardens will be thaw and dried out and warm by the end of May. See….a new 12” of snow last night. 1-5” more coming. And to think just last week we were starting to dry out and see patches of grass here and there.

 

                                   

Today, since all the schools around me have been closed so that means no bussing (and today is the day I drive for two different schools plus had an activity, guess not) I’m going to transplant my tomatoes. They are getting very leggy.

My peppers aren’t doing well at all so will probably be replanting them in a couple of weeks. These, well we’ll see how it goes.

I’m also going to clean house but first have to go out and do the chores and start a fire. I suppose shovel some snow though I said yesterday I didn’t care how much it snowed I was not going to shovel anything any more but the chickens can’t get out of their coop.

I hope you all are having a great day. This wasn’t an expected day but will enjoy it and the quietness and get some stuff done. Take care and have a blessed morning.

Week 1 on the 100 days, week 5 with Deb and I….

This weeks questions are here so I answered them and then my update. Questions to consider while going into week #2

• How did the first week go? Not terrible. Not my best in exercise but it’s hard to get it all in and yes I know just make time but time just isn’t possible some times.
• How did you fight the weekend “mess-ups”?  I was with Mike and he’s not a candy eater or much of a snacker and if he’s not going to I’m sure not going too. Thank you Mike. And since he’s not home either and Jim isn’t a snacker …. well I guess I just don’t any more. However Jim likes bacon and will fix a full pound for us to share. That’s 8 pieces
• Did you get enough water in during week #1? If not how are you planning on meeting your water goal? Glug Glug!  Since I don’t drink anything but milk and water I almost always get in 100 or more ounces a day. It’s hard to get it in between runs so I sorta have to drink lots in the evenings but it seems my body is use to it now and doesn’t make me get up at night….at least not very often.
• What self-improvements will you make for week #2!  I have got to get back into my exercise. Kim and I walk pretty regular but working out at the gym or even at home is almost nill right now.
• What one bad habit might you strive to change or cut back on for week #2?  Not exercising…can you tell I need to get back into it?
• How are you feeling mentally, physically, and emotionally? I am a mess right now. With all that went on this weekend, a week that I’m driving or daycare full days and getting ready to go to graduation next week, oh and I have my cleaning job too this week I am stressed on all three. However I’m trying to fit it all in and still have time for me.
• How many pounds/ounces did you lose/gain during week #2? 197.4 so a loss of 1.5 lbs. I’ll take it. A total of 9 lbs now since Deb and I started 5 weeks ago.
• How are you feeling about your loss or gain? Deb and I said 2 lbs this week and I almost made that. Even with a weekend away.
• How will you maintain or improve during week #2?  Exercise!!! I have to do this. At least my walking/jogging and some squats or something. I have two 5K’s coming up, one a benefit on May 18th and one on June 15th. I want to get my time under 45 minutes or at least get some jogging in without feeling like I’m going to die.

 My partner has been doing so awesome!!! Deb is amazing. It has been so much fun having her as my partner though I haven’t been the best partner for her but I’ll try better. Deb has lost 9.6 lbs since started out journey together. I love our emails and texts.
So a new week that for me is starting today since I’m late though really I’m just keeping going on like I have been. Other than getting a bit more exercise in. Tomorrow I’ll get those squats done and a good walk with Kim and …. well since I’m driving bus all day I’m not sure but I’ll just keep trying.
Take care my friends and have an awesome and blessed week.

My guy and our adventurous weekend….

Mike when he found out he got the job!!! Look at that smile

This is Mike’s new place of work as of May 13th. He was hired with a good salary and benefit package. He is beyond happy to be hired even before he graduates and exactly what he wanted. It’s all awesome. I was invited to go to breakfast with Mike’s new bosses and than got to tour the place and hear about what they work on, what they do and also most importantly they are a very family oriented family business. Mike is guaranteed a 40 hours week every week and over times during busy season so he will have a regular paycheck that will make, making a living possible. We looked for apartments and found two. One that Mike really wants but has to wait a week to see for sure if it will  be opened to him or not and another one that is okay but not perfect like the first. But it’s not bad either. We looked at lots of bads and worse and not so good. We do have one more place to check out on the 27th if these two don’t work out. We’ll just see.

So we did all that and then went back to Fargo for the night because Mike was suppose to leave this afternoon at 3:00. Well if you watch the news you know they, we, are having a snowstorm and his fight first was cancelled and moved to a different time, than another cancellation, and another and another and one more another. So now he leave Monday evening and will get back to school late Monday night. I however couldn’t stay until Monday, I have a job to do and our bus garage is having state inspections Monday and Tuesday so I really needed to be home. So I left Mike at 3:00 and what should of been a 2 1/2 hour trip took me 5 hours at 35 mph. See why…

The roads were horrible but low and slow got me home safe and sound. Now it’s bed time and will see what tomorrow brings. I got sick while gone too, some kind of stomach crap but hoping it was just the stress and excitement and what not and it’ll settle down. At least my cold/allergies are a bit better. I did quit taking my antibiotic today to see if that’s the reason for the stomach upset. We’ll just see.

I am so proud of Mike. So very, very proud.

Blessings my friend!!

We want to lose weight….

So come hell or high water, or at least 12” of snow we are out there moving our butts. I had to share this with you today. Spring, we aren’t having that right now. This is what we have instead….When we started our walk at 9:05 there wasn’t a lick of snow, 5 minutes into our walk it was just starting, 15 minutes into it the snow was coming down so hard it was hard to see and the wind, wow. 38 minutes later and just about 3 miles we were back at Kim’s house. Frozen and very wet. I stayed at Kim’s since my school was going to have an early out and by time it was time to go to the bus we had at least 9” and the end of the snow storm 12”.

   

 

This is a view from the bus. My school got out at 12:45 and it was still snowing and not an easy drive. Got home safely and the snow was done and the roads starting to get cleared. It will be icy tomorrow for the commute but am hoping it all clears up before I head to North Dakota and Mike.

I know I wasn’t going to post since I’m suppose to be packing and getting ready but I had to share our “spring” day with you.

Blessings my friends!!!

Going, going…soon gone….

I will be out of town Friday – Sunday. Mike is coming to Minnesota. Well first to Fargo, ND where I will be picking him up from the airport there. The company that is hiring Mike is sending for him so that they can have one last interview which is for Mike to interview them and to see where he’ll be working, what he’ll be doing, what the pay is, schedule is and to meet the team he’ll be working with. He’ll be doing this Saturday morning and than when he’s done and settled with them we are going to go apartment shopping. He needs to find a place to live that is reasonable and nice. He’s set up a couple of viewing and has a couple more phone calls he has to make to set up some times. After he knows when he starts and such he can settle on a place to live and start to make a life for himself. He goes back to Laramie on Sunday and than in 10 days I will be flying down for graduation. Do you guys remember how devastation it was when he left and went to school? It will be exactly one year on graduation day and we made it. I made it…I was positive I wasn’t going to, I had given up all hope about lots of stuff including me but now that this part has just about ended and I didn’t curl up and die and Mike has made me more proud then I could of imagined we both have new lives to work on.

I wrote back when Mike left I wasn’t sure how life with Jim would be since we had grown apart in so many ways. Well I had worried and didn’t need to. Jim loves me and it was me that grew differently. I was a mama and that was my main focus and looking back it shouldn’t of been but I can’t change that but am so happy that Jim waited for me to come back. In a couple of weeks we will celebrate out 33 anniversary and I am hoping for at least that many more.

I wrote back when Mike left that I couldn’t go on. Mike was my everything and life evolved around him. I still find it hard to do some things without him but I’m learning. I am planning my first BWCA trip without him and though I know I will miss him and his support and caring I am thinking I can do this.

I wrote back when Mike left that I could care less if the garden thrived, if the lawn was taken care of, if the house was cleaned, if life went on but it all did. The garden grew with just a little TLC, the lawn got mowed many times with me crying on the mower but it got done, the house isn’t the cleanest at times but Jim now does laundry and he fixes dinners on Sunday, life went on and I learned.

An empty nest is still not all it’s cracked up to be but it’s manageable now. Soon Mike will be 125 miles from home instead of 1000 miles away. He will have a life of his own and I too will learn more about being an empty nester.

Having an empty nest isn’t the end of the world, came close but it’s not. However I am so happy Mike will be closer. Close enough that if he’s off for a couple of days he can come home. Close enough that if I’m off a day and he’s off we can get together and do stuff. Close enough that if he wants when I plan my next BWCA trip maybe he’ll be able to come too.

14 days until graduation…..God I am so very proud of the man Mike has become. I am proud of the mama I have grown into. I am proud of the husband I have that loved me no matter what and waited for me to come back to him. I can be all with lots of learning and love along the way.

So this will be my last post until I get back on Monday. I will do an update on the 100 day challenge, on the completion of week 4 and the beginning of week 5. And mostly of Mike and his new adventure in life.

Blessings my friend. Have an excellent rest of the week and a blessed and restful weekend.

P.S. I went to the doctor and I have a sinus infection, allergies and will be taking a couple different types of meds to get rid of this. Also Terri is bringing me some nettle tea tinctures and some essential oils to breath in to relax my nose to start to heal. I hope all of this will help and make the visit with Mike healthy and when I do get on that plane that my ears won’t be bothering me any more. I’m hoping cuz right now I am miserable.

Monday check in (week 4) and the 1st day of a 100 day challenge…

So my weight is down once again and I can say with happiness in my voice I am in onederland and plan on staying there. I spent the full week in onederland as low as 196 and as high as 199.2 and this morning I am 198.9. Now I wasn’t going to stand on the scale more times then just once a week but to see the scale on the right side of the 1’s I just had to check it a few times. So from 206.6 to 198.9 in 4 weeks, not bad and a good start.

I am sick though. I don’t know if allergies or a cold or what but trying to breath has been a huge issue. Not the lungs, they do fine if I give them enough air, it’s the nose that is either as runny as a faucet left on or so plug tight that even swallowing hurts my ears and throat. My nose makes Rudolf's look like a dim light blub and it hurts. Thank goodness for Terri’s special healing creams because at least when I use it before bed it’s much better in the morning. My head hurts, my eyes run, my ears itch and hurt. Time to see the doctor? It’s expensive and this month is an expensive month with this weekend in North Dakota and Fergus Falls with Mike and than 10 days later in Laramie, Wyoming at graduation. However I don’t want to be sick for all of this too. I wonder what the doctor can give me to make it better or will he just say it’s a very long lasting cold and it’ll go away eventually and I will have spent the $65.00 for nothing. Self medicating isn’t working. The nasal sprays, the allergy pills, the cold tablets. I’m going to see if Terri has something that will help too. She’s a herbologist (I really don’t know the real name but she can do magic with the greens of the earth) and usually has something that can help me. But I need help now. I’m miserable and even hated shopping yesterday, I picked up a few things but really didn’t care what. Milk, tomatoes, broccoli, cold cereal, sliced chicken and cat food. Not to much to work with this week but will make due. I came home and crawled into bed for a couple of hours. Oh well, it can’t last forever…whatever I decide.

I did have a blast on Saturday in Wisconsin with the track team. Oh I was a bad bus driver, I didn’t go watch them at all, I went thrift store shopping instead. I did wish them luck and listen to all the tails on the way home. I drove the bus like my car and just went all around Superior. I can parallel park a bus and navigate it anywhere I wanted to go. Not much different than taking a semi where I wanted to go. I found a Goodwill and a Salvation Army and an antique store. Jim gave me $20.00 to go and eat with but I brought a sandwich with and some craisins so didn’t need to eat out so went and found a buy 1 get 1 free rack and got myself 8 new to me blouses, a new winter/spring/fall suede jacket (it has a liner so can take it out and get more wear from the jacket) and a fleece jacket that is huge but it was .50 and soft so I got that too. I came home with $4.30 so did just fine. I tried them all on and they fit just fine and will work for working and a couple nicer ones for the upcoming trip. I also found the coolest tokens at the antique store that I’m going to make into a few different things and some old keys. Ideas, ideas!!!

My main goal is to get to 180’s and learn to stay there and not gain it back. Which means I have got to learn to plan my meals. I know that’s my main problem because I am getting my exercise in, I’m getting my miles in and my clothes are starting to fit like they are suppose again. However I have got to get back to where I was happy and that means getting my eating under control. So I guess two goals, menu planning and executing and keep having the scale go in the right direction. I need easy, cheap menu ideas. Anyone got some of them?

I wish you all a blessed and awesome week. Here’s to all the good things that can happen along with the stuff that just makes us smarter and stronger. Take care my friends.

100 day challenge with Cole’s Kitchen…

Starting Monday Nicole from Colie’s Kitchen is offering a 100 days weight loss challenge. She came to me and asked me to join. I felt honored and accepted this challenge. Since I’ve been working with my partner the past 4 weeks and some weight has left I thought I could just add a bit of excitement and see what I can do with a little extra support and maybe someone with ideas on how to keep going and learning along the way.

Weigh in is Monday and that’s the day that Deb and I weigh in already so not a problem and on Friday a recap of the week. Now you don’t have to blog about it, you can just comment Nicole’s post for the challenge so that means anyone is welcomed to join in. I’ll try and post about it each week but you know how some of my weeks are beyond busy and others are just busy so we’ll see what I can do, however I will weigh in on Mondays and show and tell.

So care to join too? Just click on the badge and come join us.

Hope you’re enjoying your weekend. I will be out the door at 5:20 tomorrow am to take the track team to Superior Wi. I am hoping the weather isn’t what they are saying so that I can get out of the bus and do a bit of shopping and walking. I’ve never shopped in Superior except a gun shop there but I’m going to look for a thrift shop or two or just maybe since the boss gave me permission I just might take the bus to Duluth and go to Michaels. We’ll see.

Take care and have a blessed weekend.

World beware!

I have my period and my allergies are so bad I can’t breath out of my nose at all. I’m in great shape this morning. UGH!!!! The good thing, I won’t have my period for any important things with Mike this month. I can sure handle that. One thing less to pack or worry about. The allergies….I don’t know, maybe it’s time for a visit to the doctor or should I try an OTC drug. I can’t afford to just buy something and hope it works so what works for you guys? Claritin works for my dad if he takes it every 12 hours instead of 1 every 24 (doctors orders), Mike takes Allegra and that works pretty good for him. A doctors visit is now $65.00 plus whatever meds he’d give me however this not breathing, my ears bothering me and my throat unhappy about it all stinks too. Oh well, it can’t last forever….I hope.

Today is busing and cleaning the Lodge. I only have one more month of cleaning the Lodge and than it’ll will be someone else's worry. I am not a cleaning lady, I am a bus driver and a daycare mama, I don’t meet mustard for cleaning a millionaires' home. When I give 150% it’s not good enough and I refuse to have to work 8 hours a month on someone house that nitpicks it apart. I gave it my all and my all wasn’t good enough so I gave my notice. They are upset I’m done but when you find a water spot on your bathroom fixture and complain about it or you find a couple dust bunnies on the floor because I cleaned the ceiling fan and they landed after I left or your make-up mirror has a smudge on it, or you found some wood chips in the crack by the hearth and I missed them….well I’m not perfect and did my best. So maybe there is someone else out there to help you to reach your prefectisum (word? bet not) go for it. I had asked the Lord to help me make enough money to bring Mike home at Christmas, to make enough to buy plane tickets for graduation and enough gas money to go to Fargo to pick him up for his last interview with his future job and that is what this job did so maybe that’s why it’s ending. It was my stepping stone to my next level and now someone else can help them. Not sure but the Lord did full fill my request for help when I needed it the most so I’m looking at it as “it is what it is” and moving forward.

Time for work. Take care my friends and have an awesome day.

Week 3 did and done, week 4 on it’s way….

The scale went down from 201.4 to 199.6. Onderland here I come. I won’t count it for sure until a full week goes by and I don’t get back into the 200’s but it’s still down from my start at 206.6. So onwards and downwards I go.

• 1200 calories a day, logged at my fitnesspal
• 3 days or more of walking/jogging with either Kim or my C25K program or both if possible. And 10,000 steps per day….always…everyday!
• 2 days of 30 minute of the new exercise I posted earlier and 2 days at the gym.
• 100 oz of water each and every single day
• In bed for 7-8 hours a night of sleep.
• No eating after 6:30 but this one with the weather getting nice is getting hard so I’m going to change it to 7:30 but limit what I have to something light.
• Trying my best each day to just get back to a healthy me. Working at it.

I hope you all have a great week. We are suppose to have some 30-50* days and sunshine…..YEAH!!!

Take are my friends. Blessings to you all!!!

Add to my route but exchange for bathroom exercises….cuz…

I haven’t been to faithful with the bathroom exercises. During my time at home between runs I like to watch New Girl or Big Bang Theory so I will be giving this a try. I won’t get to it every day since I’m not home every day but I’ll shoot for 2-3 times this week.

How to do this workout

Watch and weight Grab a set of 5- to 8-pound dumbbells and a pillow, then flip on any 30-minute show (in this case, SpongeBob SquarePants). While screen-gazing, complete 10 to 15 slow and controlled reps of each of the following toners—you should be able to squeeze in all seven before the first advertisement.

Commercial break(out) During ads, kick up the cardio! Run in place, fake jump rope or do the Body Bonus. Repeat this weight circuit when the program's on and cardio during commercials until the credits roll, up to three times.

Why it works "Alternating between strength and cardio moves burns serious fat and sculpts, head to toe, all in one workout," says plan creator Harley Pasternak, who has trained A-list lookers such as Halle Berry. If you do this routine three times a week on nonconsecutive days, you'll see showstopping results in three to four weeks.

Want to give it a try with me?

Blessings!!!