Better Mood

I felt better today. I got my elliptical workout in pretty early. I finished watching When Harry Met Sally while I worked out.

I took Child #2 to the doctor because his cough is getting worse. He sounds like a little barking seal. He'll be on nebulizer treatments for the next three weeks. Poor baby. Poor Mommy.

Husband and I went to our Weight Watcher meeting. I lost 1.2 pounds for a total of 12 pounds! I wasn't expecting much tonight. Granted, even with holiday eating, I stayed within my points, but I wasn't eating very good food. When I'm working and on a schedule, I eat my fruits and vegetables, but on vacation, not so much.

I wouldn't have been surprised if I gained. I figured with beef stick, apple pie, cheesecake, McDonald's, Carl's Jr, pizza, meatballs and candy over the past week, there was no way I'd see a loss. The two things that must have worked were portion control and exercise.

I was a little freakish on Christmas Eve at my mom's house. I took my food scale and weighed everything I ate! I didn't do that on Christmas Day at the in-laws, but I was pretty careful about my choices. I also made sure to track every morsel that went in my mouth.

Needless to say, I'm pretty happy about my progress. I'm not making any resolutions this year. I basically have two goals to work on: health and finances. I'm already on the right path to continue with health. Husband and I need to sit down again to discuss finances.

I'll narrow down precisely what I'd like to see happen for 2011 in the next few days.

Funny tidbit: at the WW meeting tonight, the leader said that on average, people only keep their resolutions for 17 days. I've already been working on losing weight and running for longer than 17 days, so I'm pleased to get a jump start on the continued goals.

Funky Run

I ran today, but I don't know how long or how far. I was cruising (and huffing and puffing) along on the treadmill when things got messed up. I got a phone call, it distracted me, I got mad at Child #1 for not answering the house phone, I flipped my cell phone off the treadmill bar, it caught on the treadmill key, and the whole thing came to a grinding halt.

I was needlessly mad. I reacted poorly. I yelled. I'm ashamed.

I got back on the treadmill and finished from where I thought I was in the workout. I had a tough time running for five minutes straight. I can handle three, but five was tough.

I didn't feel so great after today's workout. Hopefully tomorrow's elliptical workout will feel better. And then hopefully Thursday's run will feel even better than that. Hopefully I'll be able to run outside, and I'll be able to run for five minutes without wanting to die.

Hopefully.

Rested Yesterday, Ran Today

Distance: 2.171 miles
Time: 34 min.

Well, I ended up remaining in my pj's last night and did not run. I am okay with that. I just wasn't feeling very good. I'm glad I didn't "push" through it.

This morning I took Child #2 to daycare, and Child #1 stayed home with me. We did a lot of cleaning, snuggling, and laughing. It's been a while since he and I have had a day to ourselves.

I finally got on the treadmill in the late afternoon. I watched When Harry Met Sally while I ran. I felt surprisingly good! I figured it was going to be hard to breathe with my cold, but I felt strong and rested. The run also gave me a burst of energy to get through the rest of the afternoon and evening.

I love it when a workout makes me feel that way.

Undecided

I am supposed to run today. Daylight is gone, so if I do run, it will be on the treadmill.

I have a few things keeping me from actually getting on the treadmill. I'm tired, and I have a cold. It's starting to settle into my chest. I'm afraid running will aggravate it.

However, I know I'd feel better about getting exercise once I am done. But I'm in my new fuzzy pajamas which I ADORE, and I don't really want to take them off. Running in fuzzy fleece won't work.

Whether or not I run tonight, I am vowing that I won't quit. I'm too excited about the progress I am making to quit. I just hate it when my routine gets messed up...whether it's my fault or not.

In other news, my dear sweet husband got me a Nook for Christmas, and I LOVE it. Fuzzy pajamas and a Nook. What could be better? I finished reading Water For Elephants about an hour ago. Loved it. I already downloaded another book, but I can't remember what it is called. Short term memory loss? Probably.

Still debating about that run. We'll see what happens in the next hour or so.

Christmas Eve

Distance: 2.36 miles early morning run
Time: 34 min.


Three of the four boys lounging near my mom's Christmas Tree.

Christmas Eve has always been a pretty big deal for us. I've always loved the fact that we start the celebration a day early. Looking back, I think I treasured Christmas Eve even more than Christmas Day.

We always dressed up for church, and then came home to open gifts from each other. It is a tradition in my family to open the presents one by one. This draws out the fun as well as allows us to really appreciate what we got from one another.

Even as my sister and I have grown up, gotten married, and had families of our own, we still spend Christmas Eve with my side of the family.

We got to my mom's today at around noon, and we've spent the day laughing, eating, talking, and playing games. We'll head to church at 6:30, come back here and change into pj's, and then open presents from each other.

The first few years I was married, it was so hard for me to leave my parents' home at 11 p.m. to go home to my own house. Something about Christmas always makes me feel like a little kid again, so why would I leave my mom's house?!

But now I am the mom getting Christmas ready for her two little kiddos.

We will wake up in our own home tomorrow to see what Santa brought. Then we'll travel to Bakersfield to be with Husband's side of the family. It still feels a little weird not to be with my own family on Christmas Day, but at least our Christmas Eve traditions are preserved.

Merry Christmas to all!

Sunshine

Distance: 2.41 miles
Time: 34 min.

Today is the first day in a week that we have seen the sun...and it is glorious! Kids are at daycare, sun is shining, and I was able and wanting to go outside for my run. Love it!

I was quite pleased with some of my times. During my running portions, I managed to stay under the 12 minute/mile mark. Well under. I would love to go faster, but I must remind myself I am just at the end of Week 3. Give it time. Give it many months!

Husband is home today. He finished clearing our tree off the front yard, and I helped a little. I am baking my bread. I need to finish purchasing stocking stuffers. I need to get my nails done. I need to finish wrapping three presents.

Husband and I are possibly going to go have lunch. I could do lunch everyday. It is one of my favorite things to do, especially with him. That's why summer vacations are dangerous for me...I have lots of time to have lunch with friends!

I plan to run again tomorrow morning. I'll take Christmas Day off.

Lost

Husband and I went to our weekly Weight Watcher meeting tonight. We weighed in last week, but didn't get to stay for the meeting because of a pesky little school-wide Christmas play that I was directing. I was looking forward to our meeting all day. The leader, Annie, is a hoot!

I lost 2.8 pounds! That brings my grand total to 10.8 pounds lost in three weeks! Yahooooooo! I hit my 5% loss and got a nifty giant star sticker in my booklet. It's funny how much I love that sticker!

I am hoping to increase my fruits and vegetables intake for Christmas week.

This morning I did 34 minutes on the elliptical. The rest of the day was spent cleaning and refereeing the two nuts. Rainy days are making us all a little cranky.

I took the boys to the doctor at 2:30 because they are both coughing and have stuffy noses. Luckily it's just a cold. They were tested for strep, but it was negative. I'm trying to avoid their germs, but that's not easy when they are always on me, touching me, near me and slobbering on me. I'm hoping eating better and exercising more will help keep the germs at bay.


This is what these two yahoos were doing this morning during a 20-minute break from the rain.