Where Has The Time Gone

This arrived recently in the mail as a reminder that I have hit middle age and that I should get serious about dropping a few pounds.

Busy with a Capital B

Things have been crazy at home and at work this week. This use to be my speciality. The busier the better. It's been slow for so long. I think I lost my mojo. I am hosting pokeno tonight and I am not even ready.
Just a few more hours of craziness and then I can wake up Saturday morning get a cup of coffee and catch up on everyone's blog! I can't wait.

Shred Review

"Lose Up to 20lbs in 30 Days". That's what the box says. I didn't even come close. Maybe 1lb depending on the mood of the scale. 1 spent 10 days at Level 1, 10 days at Level 2, and 3 days at Level 3.

Each workout consists of 3 intervals containing 3 minutes of strength training, 2 minutes of cardio, and 1 minute of abs.

I had heard terrible stories of the pain Jillian inflects through the Shred. I expected it to be a little tough since I hadn't worked out since I became an injured runner in October but I am tough.  I've trained with tough trainers before. All I can say is I didn't know 3 minutes could last so long. Pain. 3 minutes of pain. Seriously an hour after the first workout sI till thought I was going to throw up.

I really felt like I should have seen more progress because I worked out hard for 30 days. I did see a little improvement in my biceps. My eating wasn't great but it wasn't bad. I am working on cleaning out what little processed food is left in my diet, kicking the diet pop again, and cutting back/out caffeine, and eliminating sugar. Maybe the next 30 day rotation will see better results. Call me crazy but I think I am going to do another 30 days.

Completed

I am not even in the neighborhood of being shredded nor am I really any lighter but I made it through the complete 30 days, straight.

Lack of Sugar and Pop

has kicked my cynicism into over drive today.

Let Lent Begin

I always know when I have a great Mardi Gras because I feel like garbage the next day. As with any year, there’s been a lot of talk around the House of Fowler about what each one of us is giving up. For many outside and few within Catholicism, Lent is just known as a time when people give up pop, candy, fried food etc. The focus becomes about the “stuff” and not what Lent is really about at all.

Lent is a time of prayer, fasting, and alms giving all designed to bring you closer to God. Mister hates to hear when I am going to give up sugar and/or diet pop because he knows he may have to weather some cranky times. These things are hard for me because they have a hold on me. I crave them daily, numerous times throughout the day. When these cravings take over I use the opportunity to remind me to turn to God, say a pray, ask for help, or just give thanks for something, then in turn increasing my prayer life. Much needed.

For 40 days I will be fasting from pop, sugar, and complaining about work, as well as practicing general periods of fasting. And because I really want this to be a period of growth for me I am plan to fast from unnecessary spending and stuff. As luck would have it I ran across this idea, 40 Bags in 40 days yesterday on  Faith and Family Live. Fits perfect with my decluttering resolution. I plan to use bags of various sizes depending on the day and time available to dedicate to the task.

Anybody else giving up anything or have any special ways you spend Lent?

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler

Happy Mardi Gras! Indulge!

Valentine Updates

Here are the pictures of Lolly's room. Ignore the mess, if you can. She was impressed with the homemade felt garland. The  floor is covered in balloons (and mess)

We had a really nice weekend. Lolly and I spent Valentines Day shopping, lunching, and then went to Sips n Strokes. I still have a ways to go with relaxing and not stressing about the end result. But I think I am making progress with my pictures. As you can see my tree trunk is way too wide. Tree trunk is harder than it sounds. Here's the inspiration

Here's how mine turned out...

Happy Valentines Day

From

Strange Coincidence

Lately, I’ve been od’ing on craft blogs. Tons of great craft blogs. While scrolling through them I’ve found a common thread on many of them…The Book of Mormon. Don’t laugh, seriously. I mean this in all sincerity what is the connection to being Mormon and a killer crafter?

If I have time I’ll have to come back and link to the many, many, many blogs I’ve viewed over the last few weeks.

Torn Between To Loves

It's a tough one. My favorite place, the place where I feel the most relaxed and at ease is here.

How could it not be fun to pull for the Saints.
However, home is forever Indiana so I'll have to pull for my home State team.

3rd Times a Charm or 3 Strikes You're Out

I reserved spots for Lolly and I to paint this on Valentine's Day. The Funky Love Tree.

This will be my 4th time sippin and strokin, my 3rd time trying a "funky" painting. I promised myself after my last attempt at a Funky Tree, which strangely ended up resembling an octopuss, I'd give myself a break on the "Funky" but I was takin in by those dang little hearts.Those free form branches not as easy as they look or it could be I am just not funky enough. I hope I don't come home with a painting that looks like should be titled Uptight Love Tree to add to my collection becaue I already have Uptight Funky Tree and Uptight Funky Vase.

Almost Complete

You might remember that I started to work on our office a few weeks ago. I've made some progress. I had grand ideas of shelves on the wall but scrapped that (only after buying the selves and having to return them) thinking there really wasn't space. It's a small room, even for a small room.
The desk and all those cords are still a work in progress.

My favorite find was the that galvanized shelf we found on sale at IKEA. I got for $11.20. Seriously. They had about 5 and I wanted 3 to use in the garage or storage area but knew I couldn't fit all of them in the Rolla so I only got 2. But in the end I could only fit 1 in the car. On the way home I could have kicked myself because I think I figured out how I could have fit 2 in the car after all but after 3 hrs of IKEA Lolly and I were no longer able to think outside the box. So when I scrapped the wall shelves idea I decided to use the galvanized unit in the office.

My old desk had shelves and instead of using baskets I used these galvanized pots to hold paper clips, pens, pencils, post-its etc. I just bunched them on this "cd holder" until I can figure something better. Since most all of my "desk work" is done on line I guess it's not real important to have paperclips and such at my finger tips.

The wall opposite of the desk holds the tv stand below. I am not showing you the tv because it's so old it's not even vcr/dvd adaptable. We were using it in the dogs room but pulled it into the office to statisfy our need to be within inches of a tv at all times. I don't know what's more of an issue, our dependence on tv or that we've allowed our dogs to take over the guest bedroom.

Next to the tv stand is a file cabinet waiting to be spray painted black. That's Mister's job but I think I'll do it next non-rainy weekend. If not it could stay beige until the next re-do of the office.

I am on the hunt for a small chair to fit in the corner next to the galvanized shelves so I can sit in here and read and/or watch tv. Right now I usually do that in bedroom and it puts me to sleep and I have yet to finish a book this year.

Day 10

Did I mention that I started Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred? Today is day 10. I had heard a lot about the Shred and how hard it was. Honestly, I thought it would be tough but I'd be tougher. I've worked out for years, I've worked with several trainers throughout the years, for crying out loud I ran 6 miles injured to finish a half marathon. I can take the pain.

Having not being able to run since getting injured in October, I knew it would be a little rough to start but holy cow, it's day 10 and I am still hurting and I am still on level 1. It's 20 minutes of huffing, puffing, moaning, and usually cussing.

I gained 5lbs over the holidays and I didn't have room to gain 5lbs, I was already "trying" to lose. Not being able to run has been hard. I don't particularly like to exercise but I love to run. It's more mental therapy than is it "physical" therapy for me. I am not seeing any results yet from the Shred but it's only been a little of a week. I do feel stronger though.

Has anybody else done or started the Shred? I think I'll start level Two tomorrow or Saturday but seriously, I am bit scared.

I have until August to get it together and in shape, more on that later...

Not A Great Start To February

How bad is it that it's only February 1st and I want a vacation? Not a go to the beach vacation, however that would be lovely. A stay home, rest, unwind, do something, mean something, figure it all out vacation. I have 158 hours of vacation, it's not  like I couldn't afford a day off or two. But the idea of using the time and it not being what I want. What if I don't come back relaxed, what if I don't figure it all out, whatever "it" is. What if that just feeds a craving for more time off.

Funny how early in life I was driven by the idea of a career. I'd like to punch whoever sold me that bill of goods. Career, what is that anyway. Why is that important. The older I get the more I just want to be able to be at home, travel when I want, slow down and actually enjoy the day, my life, rather than autopilot to the end of the week so I can enjoy my off time.

I am sensing somethings out of balance here. I'd really just like to sit around in my pj's drink coffee and watch good movies for awhile.

File Under : I am a dork

I just noticed that I had 40 some comments that needed moderating. Hello! I turned on the comment moderator when I had a spam comment and then forgot that I did it. I just thought I was boring everybody.

Blackberry update: Major progress has been made. The little roller ball thingy isn't working as "enter" but I  really only had the keypad stinking in the rice. Now I have the roller ball emgered so I am expecting good things tomorrow. I hope the few loose pieces of rice that have found their way into the cracks that I hear jiggling around don't come back to bite me.

For The Beautiful and Talented Wendy at A Southern Accent

And any one else experiencing the January Blues.

Lesson Learned

This has been the state of my blackberry since about noon yesterday. I've seen this solution on a couple blackberry forums. I think I've made a little progress but the keyboard is still acting loopy and I can't enter my password to unlock the stupid thing.

This morning it dawned on me that this may be God's way of telling me I need to do less pushing back and accept change as a gift. At the end of Dec I had to stop expensing and using my personal blackberry for work and get a work blackberry since my company owns a wireless commuincation company. From a business perspective I understood the decision, from a personal/employee perspective it really irritated me. I now had to carry around two phones and it essentially equated to a pay decrease because expensing my phone was a benefit/perk when I came to the company. Now I pay for it.

But guess who's super happy she has a work blackberry right about now. I was telling Lolly about my relevation this morning and she said don't you wish you could tell God "I got it, I learned the lesson, can you please make my blackberry work again now". I know he heard us but this pushback/change thing is an ongoing issue with me...

Please, Not Before My Caffeine Kicks In

This

plus this

In Atlanta traffic is bad, very bad. Keep your fingers crossed that my blackberry dries out and keyboard stops acting loopy. So now I am not so grumpy about having to also have a work blackberry, too.

Inspired

Inspired by The Cobia Family's new hobby, I dusted off my sewing machine and tackled two projects this weekend.

One inspired by Simple, Green, Frugal Co-op . Envelopes for the envelope system of budgeting. For those of you who are fans of Dave Ramsey, you know what I am talking about. If, I don't get cash and separate it out on pay day I get off budget. It never fails. I don't know how to make the lables like the envelopes shown so I just bought different colored zippers to identify the different budget items - groceries, gas, spending, etc.

The other inspired by Made By Rae. Heart Garland. While the majority of house is decorated for Mardi Gras, I always decorate Lolly's room the night before Valentines Day so she wakes up to a surprise. One year I covered her entire floor in balloons and hung hearts from the ceiling. It took forever to blow up the balloons. One year I covered the floor in heart confetti. (When Lolly was a baby I worked for American Greetings and I am still working on using/getting rid of stuff I collected) Crazy, I know. I figured I could just vacuum it up. We had heart confetti tracked through out the house for months.  This was super is and super cheap. I bought 9 pieces of felt at Wal-Mart for 20cents a piece.

I'll post picture of the finish project after Feb 14th.