Cluck

Last week, Sarah went to a sleepover and came home feeling tired. Go figure.  But she kept feeling moderately miserable for a few days, and then Lauren got a runny nose, too.

Time to roast a chicken.

The girls approach roast chicken in different ways.  Lauren goes to town on the bird itself, while Sarah patiently waits for me to turn the carcass into broth, then makes soup for herself. Usually, I follow the Ina Garten roast chicken method, and it's delicious. 

Once the bird is picked clean, I throw the carcass into the biggest pot I have, along with some carrots, onion, celery, peppercorns, salt, and a bay leaf or two.  Cover the whole thing with water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for a few hours (don't forget to skim off any scum that might come to the surface). 

Temperature management is actually the hardest part for me. On the absolute lowest setting, it doesn't bubble at all--too low.  Up just half a click from there, and it bubbles too hard and the broth gets nasty dark bits in it.  I can separate that out, but I'd prefer to avoid it altogether. I generally end up doing the temperature dance, turning it repeatedly up and down.  A while ago, I heard an idea that chicken stock could be made in the slow cooker. That sounded like a brilliant idea, so I tried it.  It didn't overcook, but it never got really rich and delicious, either, even though I let it cook forever.  Disappointing.

Once it's done, strain it and put it in containers to be refrigerated or frozen.

As it turns out, the chicken is still in the refrigerator.  The girls both feel better, and it's 96 degrees here today.  No way I'm heating up the kitchen.  It's supposed to rain this weekend, though (boo!), and be downright chilly Monday, so I'll do it then.

History

We're continuing with Story of the World for history.  This year, we're at volume 3:  Early Modern Times. I'm also getting the test booklet, but I'm borrowing the activity book from the library so we don't have to kick out the extra $21.  Sarah will supplement that with corresponding entries from the Kingfisher History Encyclopedia.  Both girls will also read plenty of fiction from this era, though I don't have a specific list made up yet.

Music

I haven't been thinking about music much lately.  My iPod lies untouched, forlorn on my nightstand.  The truly ironic part of this is that a scant few days before my grand jeté, my mom sent me an iTunes card.  When I told her at the beginning of the month that I was going to reward my 100 miles in August with 10 new songs, she thought that was pretty skimpy.  So now I have $25 to spend. 

The 20 songs at the top of  my list are (sorry no YouTube links, but typing one handed is a drag--I'm glad I'm managing to post anything at all):

1. I'm Every Woman (Whitney Houston)
2. Groove is in the Heart--Dee Lite
3. Pleasant Valley Sunday--Monkees
4. Billy Idol Cradle of Love
5. Pink Floyd - One of These Days
6. Go-Go's We Got the Beat
7. Bangles Hazy Shade of Winter
8. Adele Rolling in the Deep
9. Barry Manilow Miracle
10. Hawaiian Roller Coaster
11. Flogging Molly - Devil's Dance Floor
12. The Killers Somebody Told Me
13. Queen - Don't Stop Me Now
14. Adam and the Ants - Goody Two Shoes
15. Romantics - What I like about you
16. Erasure Oh L'amour
17. Information Society I want to know what you're thinking
18. Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5
19. Coldplay - Every Teardrop is a Waterfall
20. The Edge of Glory - Lady Gaga

I said that I would get the songs when I hit 100 miles.  Now I think I'll get them to celebrate my first walk "after."

August Stats, September Goals

Total exercise time
August goal: 40 hours
August results:  26.4 hours

Average daily time
August goal: 75 minutes
August results:  75.4 minutes

Number of days exercising
August goal: 31
August results:  21

Number of days walking
August goal: 26
August results:  20

Total distance walked
August goal: 100 miles
August results:  76.5 miles

 OK, wait a minute.  August isn't over yet, and I don't see anything about September up there. What gives?

As far as my exercise goes, August ended before 8AM on the 21st.  I haven't done anything since then, and don't plan to today or tomorrow.  As for September, I'm not setting any specific goals, at least not yet. I'm pretty much waiting to talk to the surgeon and see what he says.

My hope is that he'll give me a green light to start walking again, although I'm certain I'll be much slower and do shorter distances than before.  It will take a while to get back to that point.

I do have to confess, the thought of walking again does make me a little nervous. I fell, hard, two times in less than two months!  What is my problem? 

As for how I did in August, I'm quite satisfied with my progress. As for September, I will get going again.  This has slowed me down, but it will not stop me.

Geography

I'm taking an easy out with Geography this year.  I heard about National Geographic's Geography Bee and saw their website with study materials.  Works for me!  I'm hoping we can get enough local kids interested to have a Bee of our own, but if not, this is still a worthwhile area of study.

Sorry for the wimpy post.  I'm still not sleeping well, but the pain has diminished enough so that I keep forgetting to take more Percoset.  That's a good sign, right?

Szechuan Green Beans with Pork

I made Szechuan Green Beans with Pork last night.  It's the type of recipe I've been looking for--one that uses less meat. Half a pound of ground meat for four servings is pretty good. I cooked up the whole pound of pork and stashed the rest in the fridge.

I'm going to make it again tonight, with some tweaks.  When I made it last night, it tasted a little starchy, so I juiced half a lime into it, which was nice and zesty.  I'll probably also add some mushrooms and red bell peppers that need to get used up. Scallions would be good, too, but I don't think I have any.

Usually, when I make some Asian type dish, I have egg rolls with it, but I've been trying to find something that won't tack 200 calories right on the top. I saw Ellie Krieger brushing wonton wrappers with oil and baking them and thought that looked promising.

The first time I tried it, I sprayed them with cooking spray and put them in the oven.  Note:  they go from raw to burned quickly, so don't leave them unattended! They came out crunchy but utterly flavorless.  I wasn't too upset, because I was crumbling them over something very flavorful, and figured I was on the right track.

The second time, I was in the mood for a snack.  I cut them into strips, sprayed, and mixed with cinnamon sugar.  Again, they almost burned.  Seriously, these things are like the sea--don't turn your back on them! More flavor this time, but still lacking  punch.

Last night, I left them whole, sprayed, sprinkled with garlic powder, and barely left the kitchen. There we go! I told the kids they were Chinese croutons, and they loved them. They were still a little dull, but nothing a tiny splash of soy sauce wouldn't cure.

I think the real trick here is to cook up a whole package at once and keep them in an airtight container. I'd still like to find a way to make the cinnamon work. They're little blank canvases, very versatile. Not that they'll ever take the place of chips or cookies, but if I'm looking for something to mindlessly munch, these are only 80 calories for four. Hmmmm . . .  maybe cocoa powder . . .

Too Soon?

Obviously, my exercise for the past week has been nonexistent (other than wiggling my fingers, trying to make a fist, and typing one-handed). I'm OK with that.  For now, anyway. Eventually, I'll want and need to get back to it. I already miss walking, although the thought of it does kind of make me shudder a little, as well.  

I've found something I'd like to do, if I can:  the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk.   It's almost two months away.  I don't know when I'll be able to start really walking again--my hand still has quite a bit of swelling, though my fingers aren't nearly as sausage-like as they were two days ago.  But surely I'll be ready in three more weeks?  That would give me a month to get ready.  It's only five miles on level ground. 

The obvious answer is, "ask the surgeon at your follow up appointment in a week and a half." I'm really hoping he gives me the all clear.

Recipe Reviews

Yesterday, Sarah made Ellie Krieger's Double Chocolate Pudding Pie. I didn't realize that we're out of vanilla extract, which really disappointed her when I said she couldn't make it after all. I relented when I remembered that we did have almond extract.  She made the entire thing herself, with very little supervision from me. It turned out well, although a little rich and sweet for me. 

Also, she had trouble getting clean slices out of the pie plate. I frequently have the same issue with graham cracker crusts, and I've come up with what I think is a reasonable solution. Dish the pudding filling into individual serving vessels and chill until set.  Right before serving, sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over the top.  Add whipped cream as desired.  This eliminated a messy or soggy crust, and has the added bonus of saving a few extra calories from not needing butter when making the crust.

Worth making again?  Yes--she said it was pretty easy, and I think it would be even better with the modifications.

I made hamburger buns, to be used for leftover pulled pork and sloppy joes that Sarah also made. The girls really liked them. The dough was very sticky and hard to get out of the bowl, especially because I forgot to spray it with cooking spray while it rose.  They were pretty easy to shape, even with only one hand.  They tasted fine, although slightly dense and not as large as I usually think of hamburger buns as being. They were quite similar to a dinner roll recipe I've had a long time. 

Worth making again?  Maybe--they were quick and easy, and if I could shape them to be a little flatter with greater diameter and use less sugar, it's worth a go. 

Not exactly what I had in mind

I was right, but not in the way I expected.  I know I haven't been eating right, and I obviously haven't gotten much exercise, but I wonder how much this splint weighs?  Certainly less than the 2 1/2 pounds I gained since last Thursday.  A few pounds gain is kind of the least of my concerns now anyway.  I've got reasonably healthy food planned out for the day.  Exercise is still a no go.  Also, I'm down to taking meds every five hours instead of four, which is more important to me at this point.

All in all, I'm in about as good a place as I can expect right now.

The Details

When we got to the hospital, I was in OR prep just as the Tylenol was wearing off, and I was pretty eager to get something.  They said that the hope was that I could get sedation and a nerve block and wouldn't need general anesthetic. That made me nervous, because to find the right nerve, my arm would be twitching, and any movement was pretty painful.  They said that I'd have a local first, and shouldn't feel anything.

Wow, were they right! I was dozing in & out, and the next thing I knew, my arm didn't hurt.  At all.  I also couldn't move it at all, of course, but it was the best I'd felt since I fell.  After that, I went back to surgery.  When I woke up in recovery, they said everything had gone well, and my arm was back in a soft splint again.  It really didn't look any different. 

Then Jeff came back.  He'd talked to the surgeon, who told him it went well and gave him new x-rays.  "You're like the Terminator!" he (Jeff, not the surgeon) said. 

We headed home fairly soon after.  The nerve block still hadn't worn off, so my arm was totally dead weight, which was very strange.  It was like some mannequin arm, just hanging off my body.  But it didn't hurt at all--in fact, I felt pretty good. When we got home, I made some phone calls and Jeff picked up dinner.

A few hours later, my fingers felt like they were falling asleep, which was another strange sensation.  Jeff said the block was probably starting to wear off, so I should take a Percoset right away.  The bottle said to take 1 or 2, every 4 to 6 hours.  I decided to start with one.  BIG mistake. 

Within two and a half hours, all I could do was stare at the clock, willing it to move faster.  By the time four hours were up, I couldn't take two more fast enough. Two was enough to keep things manageable for four more hours.  That was 2AM, and luckily Jeff had the foresight to make sure the lid wasn't fully on the bottle, so I could manage it on my own.  Two more, which held me until 6:30 this morning. 

So the pain is tolerable, though still fairly miserable.  The kids are still up at Jeff's parents, and I plan to do as little as possible for as long as possible. :)

It Could Be Worse

I know; it's a cliche.  That doesn't make it any less true.

1. It's my left hand.  There are a lot of things I can't do right now, but I can still sign my name.
2. The injury itself, though bad, really could have been worse. At one point yesterday, the surgeon wanted to see my palm.  I said, "it's a little red, but I think it's just road rash."  He replied, "I just want to make sure there aren't any bones poking through the skin."  "Oh.  Oh . . . OK, then." (shudder).
3. I have a great support network.  Jeff has of course been wonderful, his parents are watching the kids today, and a great friend is taking the tomatoes off my hands.  I can't imagine having to go through this on my own.
4. In half an hour, I can take more Tylenol 3.  I think I'm going to take two this time instead of just one.

Edited to add:  I realize today (Thursday) how glad I am I took my wedding ring off Monday morning.  My hand is so swollen, I think they would have had to cut it off me before the surgery.

I Don't Like Walking Anymore

I had a really productive day planned. I was going to blanch and freeze a bunch of tomatoes and corn and green beans I got yesterday. I was going to make hamburgers & homemade buns for dinner. I was going to get mulch from Home Depot and spread it around the plants we put in the other day. I was going to do laundry and make a bunch of phone calls.

But before I could do any of those things, I had to go for a walk. I didn't walk yesterday, and didn't want to miss two days in a row. So I set off after 7. It was a nice morning, brisk enough to make me wonder if my old sweatpants would fit me by next month, because it'll be really cool in the mornings then.

When I got to the bigger cross street, I did the usual blacktop foxtrot--step out to see if cars are coming, step back when you see that there are, dart across when it's clear. I was looking for cars; I wasn't looking for road debris, so I didn't see the loop of wire. I didn't see that until after I caught a shoe in it. Not until after I fell, in other words.

So I fell. Again. I skinned the opposite knee this time, so at least now I look kind of symmetrical. I put my hands out to break my fall, of course. (Later, Jeff said, "You have to stop doing that." "What am I supposed to do--lead with my face?" "Tuck and roll, baby.")

I scooted back to the curb, but couldn't get up right away. A lady stopped her car to see if she could help, but I said I'd be fine in a minute, and didn't need a ride the three blocks home. I got up after a minute, and started back. I was slow, but my legs & feet were fine, so it shouldn't be a problem, I thought.

By the time I'd gone a block, I was sobbing. It really hurt, and I was starting quite the pity party for myself. I got home and luckily Jeff hadn't left for work. As soon as he saw me, he called in to work and drove me out to the doc. On the way there, he said he's going to get me a hamster ball, so I can exercise without injuring myself.

Doc sent me for x-rays, and I was really hoping for nothing worse than a sprain. I hadn't heard a pop or felt that tell-tale burning feeling that signifies a broken bone. When she came back, she said that not only was it broken, it looked like a compression fracture, and she couldn't touch it because it might need surgery. She had set me up an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon.

When I saw him, I got one more x-ray, and he confirmed that surgery was necessary. I broke my radius right in the middle of the joint. He'll put a plate and screws in, because if he were to just cast it, that piece of bone could be pulled lower and lower by tendons, and I'd end up with a substantial loss of motion. As it is, there is a good chance I'll have some loss of motion anyway, but hopefully nothing too drastic.

I'm scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, and they're hoping to do a block instead of general anesthesia, so I'd be home that evening, but depending on how things go, I might have to stay overnight for observation.

Right now, it's wrapped & immobilized pretty well, so it only hurts when move my fingers. Guess what I'm supposed to do as frequently as possible? Move my fingers, of course. Jeff is going out to pick up dinner and my Tylenol 3 soon, though, so that will help. I'm sleeping in the recliner tonight so I can keep it as elevated as possible.

No song today. "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" could be amusing, but it could also be tacky, and I don't have the energy to find the link on YouTube.

Home Ec

Both girls like to cook and sew, so making that a part of lessons wasn't a tough choice.

They're going to alternate weeks. So one week, Sarah will have a night where she cooks dinner, and Lauren will have a sewing project. The following week, they'll switch.

Planned sewing projects:

• Heated Cuddle Buddy - we all love those microwaveable heating pads in the winter; this particular variation is a little more challenging because of all the curves, but the cuteness factor kicks it up
  

• Scrap Swaddle Blanket - probably the most basic of blankets, and they've both already made something similar
  

• Hobo Sack - cute basic backpack
  

• Lunch Bag - we do already have a few lunch bags of this style, and Sarah would die for a tiffin, but it never hurts to have extras, and being able to choose your own fabric and embellishments is always a plus.
  

• Winter Fleece Hat - cute and useful, and I might make one for myself!
  

• Travel Tissue Holder - definitely the easiest and fastest project

• Pajama pants - we'll buy a pattern for this

Not all of the projects will be for them to necessarily keep. I'll especially encourage them to donate the blankets they make.

The cooking aspect is that they're allowed to cook whatever they want, but it has to be something I can do (so when Lauren announced she wanted to do sushi for her first week, I suggested spring rolls instead), and they have to understand the nutrition aspects--Sarah's first week request is biscuits & gravy, so that should be a very interesting lesson!

Song I had no idea Sarah likes, but that I heartily approve of: Joan Jett's "I Love Rock n Roll."

Delicious!

This afternoon, the girls and I went to the hair cutting ceremony of a friend's son. It was very cool and very interesting. Afterwards, there was plenty of delicious Indian food! Here's what my plate looked like.
I have not the tiniest idea how many calories are on that plate, but I know it's A LOT. And I don't regret any of them. It was nice to go be able to celebrate with friends as an occasional splurge.

Ah, there's that word. No, not "splurge." "Occasional." Just how often is "occasional?"

Tomorrow, we're going to my brother-in-law's house for my mother-in-law's birthday, where we will have pizza and who knows what else.

In early September, our church has its Back to School Picnic potluck.

In later September, we'll go to my stepbrother's house for his big potluck bash.

There will be a lot of good food at all these occasions. How do I plan to deal with them?

Plan? I should have a plan? Well, I guess I could make sure I take something healthy and tasty to the potluck events and only sample one or two other things that I know I really like (avoid hot dogs, because they usually aren't worth the calories). That sounds like a good plan. We'll see how well I can stick to it.

Experimental Dinner

I like trying new recipes. I don't usually try four new recipes at one crack, but these all looked good and reasonably easy.

Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork)
Cuban Style Black Beans
Chipotle's "Skinny" Cilantro Lime Rice
Corn Salsa with Lime

They were all good, and reasonably easy, but after a day of hacking up plants, just breathing was an effort.

I also let the kids each get a bottle of Mexican soda, which they loved. I still have most of a can of chipotle chilies in adobo sauce--I think I can get Jeff to take some in with leftovers for lunch next week, but I don't know what to do with the rest of them. There is a TON of meat left, and a fair bit of everything else. I will definitely make this meal again sometime, and I was reminded of how easy pork roast in the slow cooker is. That's going to show up a lot more frequently this fall, especially if I can come up with some good flavor combinations.

So far, I really like Gina's Skinny Recipes. There are new posts pretty much every day, and many of the recipes look very appealing. It's one of the few websites I'm still bothering to check daily. I still love Pioneer Woman, but I can't cook that way as often right now.

Zombie Day

Too tired for much today--been pulling out plants and planting. Um, gardening, right? Not for wusses.

More on the horizon, especially my musings on wonton wrappers and upcoming opportunities to overeat.

Uhhhhh . . . song I heard on the radio that is bouncier than I remember: Katrina and the Waves "Walking on Sunshine."

Psyching Myself Out

At my weekly weigh ins, I haven't has a substantial weight gain in almost two months. I did have a two week plateau (with a minimal gain), but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm looking at my weekly weight loss graph and noticing that I've never gone more than five weeks without a substantial gain (over 2.5 pounds) or at least a plateau. I've had really substantial losses the past five weeks. So am I now jinxed? Am I doomed to have a big gain this week?

No, of course not. But I do know that my weight loss will not be steady and consistent. That's ok, because a slow or rough patch is not going to derail me. I know what I need to do, and even if I don't do it 100%, 24/7.

It's hard sometimes, of course. I have another chart that predicts what my weight could be going forward, if I lose between .75% and 1.5% of my current body weight per week. What? I like charts. Shut up. So when I do gain, and have to adjust those numbers, it's annoying.

So although I hope I maintain my losing streak (that's kind of a weird way of thinking about it, isn't it?), even if I do have a gain next week, I know I'll keep pushing through and eventually I'll get there.

Songs I can't believe I forgot about that will really get me moving when I walk: Chains of Love, Oh L'amour, and A Little Respect, all by Erasure, of course.

English

For English, we're starting with reading lists from Mensa for Kids. I'm letting both girls start with the level below where they currently are. That means the K - 3 level for Lauren and the 4 - 6 level for Sarah. Some of the books are really easy for them (i.e. Harry the Dirty Dog for Lauren and Pippi Longstocking for Sarah), but I'm ok with that at this point. Some of the books in those levels are more rigorous, like the original Pinocchio (Lauren) and Swiss Family Robinson (Sarah). All the books are worth reading, and we'll get to the next level soon enough.

For the ones that I know will be super easy for them, I'm getting them out of the library now and letting them blitz through them before school officially starts for them in September. If there's a BookAdventure quiz, they do it. If not, I know that they read it, and that's enough. Some of the books will be the basis of additional exercises in the fall. I spent quite a bit of time over the weekend, finding links to lessons for Anne of Green Gables, Black Beauty, My Side of the Mountain, Freckle Juice, The Mouse and the Motorcycle, and Charlotte's Web, to name a few.

Some of the books, especially the ones that have more archaic language, are really best for listening instead of reading. Lauren listened to Pinnocchio yesterday and really liked it, which I doubt would have been the case if she'd had to read it herself.

As for spelling & grammar, we'll do those as well, but I don't have a specific plan yet.

I also want to start reading out loud again in the evenings, but don't know what to start with yet. I'm really leaning toward The Hobbit . . .

Bacon Spinach Crustless Quiche

(waving hello to the Eat at Home folks!)
Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon
• 1/2 onion
• 4 cups spinach, no stems, chopped (can use frozen instead, but get the water out after thawing)
• 1 cup shredded zucchini (I threw this in because I had it in the fridge and wanted to use it up)
• 4 eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup self rising flour
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Mexican mix, whatever)
• 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Cut up and fry bacon. Remove from pan. Fry onions in leftover fat. When onions are cooked, add spinach and slap a lid on. Let cook until wilted. Add zucchini and let cook about another five minutes, until the pan is pretty dry. Let cool a few minutes.

Beat eggs & egg whites. Add milk, flour, and shredded cheese. Add bacon and onion/veg mixture. Mix well. Pour into a pie plate that's been sprayed with baking spray. Top with Parmesan. Bake at 350 degrees for about half an hour.

The thing I like best about this recipe is its flexibility. You could use diced red pepper, broccoli, scallions, pretty much whatever veg you want instead of spinach & zucchini, so long as the moisture is cooked out (I made a point of squeezing all the water I could from the zucchini, which had been grated the day before). You could even use cooked diced or shredded potatoes if you wanted to stretch it into more of a budget meal. And I guess you could use cooked ground beef or chopped up leftover ham if you wanted a change from bacon, though who could ever want a change from bacon, I don't know.

8 servings calories 146 carbs 10 fat 7 protein 11 fiber 1 sodium 374

(nutritional information calculated at www.myfitnesspal.com

Sarah & I gave it an A, Jeff & Lauren a B. I'm eating the last two pieces for breakfast as soon as I get back from my walk!

Song that makes me laugh because it's ridiculous to me: Heartbreaker by Taio Cruze. Seriously, he sounds like he's about 14, and hearing "I'm going to break your heart," makes me roll my eyes so hard I almost run off the road . . .

Anyone Get the Number of That Truck?

Wow. I haven't had a mindless food oblivion weekend like that in quite a while. It's kind of disheartening to realize that I really can fall back into old bad habits so easily. I didn't think about portions or nutrition at all, ate late at night, ate high calorie/high fat/high sodium food (just checked and yep, there's no way my ring is coming off this morning).

Alright, yeah, yeah, yeah, it's a new day. What am I going to do TODAY? The first thing I need to do is go out for a walk. I let the bugs keep me in the house yesterday, and I still got a mosquito bite on my stomach. Looking out the window this morning, I saw another one, buzzing around, so I know they're still out there, waiting. Remember the mosquitoes in Jumanji? Yeah, that's what I'm imagining.

If I don't go for a walk this morning, what can I do instead? I can do the Wii, which is so much less appealing. Well, it's more appealing than getting a gazillion bug bites, so maybe it isn't so bad after all. Maybe we'll walk up to the library this afternoon.

Other things I will do: plan my meals and STICK TO THEM. I will have my tasty lunch. I will make my quiche for dinner. I will drink at least eight glasses of water and get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables. And I will (sigh) stop beating myself up for reacting badly to a miserable day. It's over, but only if I break out of this miserable attitude.

Song I'm hoping to hear today: Cher's "Believe."

8:30 AM Edit: I was all set to make my breakfast and get whatever exercise I could later in the day, when I noticed out the kitchen window that there appeared to be a nice breeze going. "A breeze? Bugs don't do well in wind. Wait a minute. BUGS? I'm going to let BUGS STOP ME?" I was so annoyed by the very thought, that I put my shoes on and went out the door. I only did the short/mile & a half walk, but I did keep up a good pace, even jogging for some of it, and came back in 26 minutes. So there! Bugs, bah.

And yes, I did hear Cher. :)

Math

In the past, I've gotten Spectrum Math workbooks for both girls. I don't know why I bothered after the first one, because I really don't feel that they work for us. Topics are introduced, you get one page of practice per concept, then a quiz. No more is said about it until unit tests. As far as I'm concerned, math is something that needs frequent practice and repetition, at least for my kids.

Enter Saxon Math. Saxon is "based on the teaching principles of incremental development, continual practice and review, and cumulative assessment." I like the way the lessons are presented, too. Saxon is certainly more expensive, but I feel that it's worth it. And it's no great shakes as far as manipulatives go, at least not that I've seen. There are other programs that lean more in that direction, but for solid math skills, Saxon is the way to go for us.

Dated song that is still really great for walking: Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation."

Planning

My thoughts on this morning's walk were considerably more . . . um . . . focused, shall we say, than yesterday.

It's the middle of August. School is going to start for us the day after Labor Day. So what is the school year going to look like for us this year?

For one thing, I'm trying to limit our outside activities. That means no co-op, at least this semester. I find that when we're running around all the time, work at home tends to fall by the wayside. They'll still have Scouts, Girls' Club, Book Club at the library, and lots of other fun stuff. (Un)fortunately, I don't think I'll be working much in the foreseeable future.

Subjects are going to include: Math, Science, History, Geography, Spelling, German, English (Lit, Comp & Grammar), Cooking/Nutrition, PE, Sewing, and Art.

Obviously, some subjects will be studied more frequently than others. Math, Spelling and PE will be every day. Cooking and Sewing will be no more than once a week (in fact, we might alternate those: one week, Sarah plans and cooks dinner, and Lauren sews something, and the next week they switch). The others will be a few times a week.

I plan to go back to my "checklist" method of keeping track of things. At the beginning of the week, they each get a list of subjects with a number of check boxes by each one, representing the number of lessons they need to get through. They pick which boxes to do every day and highlight them. They check them off as completed. They get some measure of control over what they're doing, but still have responsibility to get it done.

Through the rest of the month, I'll write more specifically about what we'll do for each subject.

Song I've most recently added to my "want" list: Coldplay's "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall."

stream of consciousness

7:29AM
stupid blister really hurts . . . hope the bandaid didn't come off when I put my shoe on . . . I'm walking so unevenly; swing those arms, get a good stride going! . . . I don't want to do the whole loop this morning . . . maybe I'll just stay in this part of the neighborhood . . . I'm already ahead of schedule for how far I've gone . . . come on, stop thinking about it and just do it! cross that street! . . . should I add flour to the spinach pie for dinner? It'll be less like a quiche then, and more calories . . . I hope that spinach is still good . . . when I get back I need to get zucchini bread going right away so it has time to cook before we go see Dad . . . absolutely nobody knows me better . . . it's a good thing there aren't any side streets here, because I would so cut this short today . . . what's that truck doing there? great, now I have to walk in the middle of the street . . . there's four trucks--what are they doing? . . . reach up, smack that stop sign! . . . gah, the sun is up too high! ah, there's some shade . . . what am I going to blog about today? hm, if I just do all this rambling garbage that runs through my head, it doesn't have to be coherent or even make sense . . . someone's walking toward me--oh, I recognize her . . . (smile) "Morning." . . . what's that smell? oh, someone got their driveway tarred--yuck . . . I wonder if I'll see a deer again . . . say Hey I be gone today But I be back around the way . . . the light's red; no whammies, no whammies, STOP! . . . nope, didn't work, but there aren't any cars coming . . . ugh, feels like I have zombie legs this morning!. . . maybe I'll take tomorrow off; nope, I said I'd walk every day of August . . . why would I make such a stupid goal? . . . one more block . . . maybe I should do a little running? NO . . . get the keys out . . . ahhhhhhhh
8:34AM
That's not exactly what goes through my head every morning when I walk, but it's pretty close to today. Also, I'd never seen that Sugarland video before (who am I kidding--I haven't seen videos for most of the recent songs I hear), and it's hilarious! The lime green station wagon with the fake wood paneling is what really elevates it.

When Bad News is Good News

Last spring, I agreed to teach a "Travel to Germany & Poland" class for a local homeschool co-op. At the time, I was really desperate to get as many classes in as possible, because this co-op is a good 45 minute drive in each direction, and if I only have one class, I'm pretty much just paying for gas. Not a winning proposition.

So this sounded really good. A chance to use some more of my German, and to actually get to go to Europe! Wooo! But even then, there was a little voice in the back of my head, whispering, "this is going to be a LOT of work, and you'll need to raise a LOT of money."

By last week, I had gotten to the point where I was dreading the very thought of that class. What was I thinking? The fundraising aspect alone would double the amount of work involved, which would certainly mean MORE driving.

So when the middle school coordinator called the other day to say that unfortunately, some of the kids had scheduling conflicts and had to drop, and did I still want to teach it with just two kids, I was able to honestly say that I didn't think it would work out. I really feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Yes, I still have a lot of prep to do to get ready for September, but knowing that I don't have to deal with planning and finding funding for a group of teens to go to Europe makes things much easier.

In this case, the payoff of losing something is much smaller than what's gained.

Song on my iPod that I skip more than any other: Taylor Swift's "Story of Us". (added it on someone's recommendation)

The Carrot

Veggie soup is delicious, healthy, easy to make, and cheap. It's also not very exciting. Whenever I make something that I know the rest of the family won't get too excited about, I make something else to go with it that I know they really love as incentive. A carrot, if you will.

I made a version of vegetable soup tonight based on an Alton Brown recipe. I couldn't get green beans, and once I saw how much food was in the pot, I left the tomatoes out. I added some broccoli, too. It was tasty, but not particularly special.

Enter the "carrot."
No Knead Bread: it's incredibly easy to make, and has a really good flavor. The kids go crazy when they realize I'm making this, and can't wait until it's cool enough for me to cut into. It's a very crusty loaf, which makes it that much more delicious, but also challenging to cut nice slices. A good serrated bread knife really helps, but getting through that bottom crust can still be difficult. The easiest way for me to deal with that is to cut the whole loaf in half, then turn the cut side down on the board and cut slices that way. Because of the shape, you still get substantial slices without mangling it.

Bonus: I took my own portion of bread, cubed it, sprayed it with cooking spray, sprinkled it with garlic powder, and baked at 350 until slightly crispy. Soup croutons!!!

Best song from The Blues Brothers movie: Ray Charles' "Shake a Tail Feather."

'za

Pizza, that is. I like take out pizza, and Domino's has certainly improved their product since my college days, but nothing beats home made. I use this Focaccia recipe as my base, then customize.

Sarah & Lauren both wanted calzones.

(unbaked--I put a little olive oil & kosher salt on top, and some of the sauce oozed out, but no complaints!)
(the one in the front looks huge, doesn't it? really, they were pretty much the same size)

Jeff was strictly pepperoni.

I passed on the sauce, and had mushrooms, yellow pepper, red onions, and fresh basil on the cheese.

The trick to getting a nice crispy crust (there I go with the crispy again) is to roll the dough out as thinly as possible on parchment paper, then transfer it to a pizza stone that's been preheating along with the oven. It's important to trim the paper fairly close to the dough, because if it's too long, it can burn in the oven. I cook them at 400 degrees for 10 or 15 minutes. I think I pulled mine out a little too soon, but I was hungry, it smelled good, and I didn't want to wait. That's one of the drawbacks of this: you can't put too many in the oven at once. Also, you have to be careful when you take them out of the oven; because of the parchment paper, they slide around unpredictably!

These don't make huge, doughy pizzas, but they are big enough to satisfy, and I really like the thin and crispy crust.

Lady Gaga song that I'm actually willing to have on my iPod: Edge of Glory

Baby Brag

. . . about my baby. Sarah won the 6-hole trophy at Junior Golf last week! She shot a 45; I guess that's pretty good. She was very proud and excited. This is the first trophy she's actually won--all the other ones have been strictly for participation. If she does it next year, she'll be in the 9-hole group, and always playing her own balls instead of a scramble (playing the best ball of the group). Definitely a bigger challenge, but my mother in law has said several times that when she concentrates, she really does do a good job. Do I smell a golf scholarship in a few years? Dare to dream!

Two Beatles songs that need to be added to my iPod: Twist and Shout and Can't Buy Me Love.

Bulgur Wheat

When I was at Meijer yesterday (groceries are so expensive, sigh), I picked up a package of bulgur wheat. I've had tabbouleh before, but was never a big fan--too parsley-y for my taste. But it was cheap, much cheaper than quinoa, so I decided to give it a shot.

I cooked some up today to add to my tomato/cucumber/red onion/chickpea/olive oil/red wine vinegar/pita chip salad, and it was pretty nice. Kind of like rice or couscous. It was a bit of overkill, though: the chickpeas AND the bulgur AND the pita chips. I'll try it with something else next time. Hmmm . . . there's leftover steak & green beans in the fridge . . .

I'm trying to think of other things I can do with it besides throw it in salads, and found a couple ideas.

Bulgur with Ginger and Orange This looks like it would be good beside a pork chop or even salmon.

Cranberry Bulgur Wheat Pilaf Cranberries = yum

Herbed Bulgur-Lentil Pilaf This is an Ellie Krieger recipe, whose recipes always look good to me. The lentils will make it a harder sell to the family. I'll have to put it with something they really like. Like biscuits & gravy.

Song I'd like to have on my iPod by an artist that I otherwise can't stand: Katy Perry's "Firework."

Raising the Bar

Jeff has always been supportive of my healthy reboot, even though he isn't as single minded as I tend to get. He doesn't have as much to lose, either. And over the past few days it's become more apparent that he's leaning even more toward the healthy end of things.

He got his cholesterol numbers from the doc today, and although they aren't bad, they could be better. He'd really like to drop some of his meds, and knows that healthier food choices and more exercise can lead to that.

Tonight over dinner (steak, baked potatoes, steamed green beans), we were talking more about goal setting. I said that there were two kinds of goals: results oriented (I want to lose x amount of weight) and behavior oriented (I want to eat better). Although I'm frequently very results oriented, I try to make behavioral goals as well.

Then he offered that if he would cut out fast food, he could save $20 or $25 a week--maybe that saved money could be used for something he really wants? One of Jeff's big things is that he wants to visit every major league baseball stadium. He's been to about half of them--the half that are closest to our home, of course. The rest of them are quite a hike. But if he "banks" the money he would have spent on fast food, he could earn a trip to another stadium.

When I got past the "how much fast food have you been eating?" dismay, I was all for it. This is a TREMENDOUS motivator for him. It will take quite a while to save up, essentially until the start of next season. He knows that he won't bank 100% every month, and to even try that is an unreasonable expectation. But I think this is something that will keep him moving forward in a really good way.

I think he's really going to be working this now. I'm really excited for both of us moving forward!

Favorite Beatles song on my iPod: "Revolution."

Staying Healthy

I said the other day that I really need to have some serious exercise goals if I want to be able to continue my healthy life after I get to my goal weight.

Another intense incentive for me to continue on is to find a way to get a job out of it. If I'm getting paid to be healthy, I'm a lot more likely to keep it up.

So what kind of jobs pay you to be healthy? I've heard lots of people say that they'd like to be personal trainers once they get to their goal. I don't think that's for me, but I do have another idea.

What I'd really like to do is teach healthier cooking classes. Who hasn't fantasized about hosting their own cooking show? I'd love to be able to share/demonstrate some of the really tasty recipes I've discovered. And although I have no desire to have an actual show, I think it could be feasible for me to offer a class through the local community college.

What this really means is that I need to start thinking about what recipes I'd like to show, and of course sharing them here. So I'll be trying new recipes more often, and talking about them here. Comments always appreciated!

Song that I was listening to as I came in the house tonight: Rascal Flatt's "Life is a Highway."

6 Month Anniversary

Six months ago, I went in to my doctor's office and was told my blood pressure was crazy high, and that if i didn't get it down and lose some weight, I'd have to take meds. This morning, my blood pressure was 99 over 63, and my resting pulse was 58. This morning, I weighed in and saw that I've lost exactly 80 pounds.

Five months ago, I started exercising. My first day, I walked 1.19 miles in 28 minutes. Last night, I walked 3.36 miles in 66 minutes. My goal is to walk 100 miles this month.

It's been six months since I rebooted my life, and it is awesome.

Most joyous song on my iPod: Peter Gabriel's "Solsbury Hill."

I'm Looking Forward to

• Crustless Spinach Quiche. Have spinach. Need cheese.
• Corn Chowder. I know it's too hot for soup. Don't care.
• Meringues. Maybe chocolate meringues. Can you put citrus in meringues?
• America's Test Kitchen Light Cheesecake. Not likely to happen soon, as I don't have an occasion to make it. No, "Thursday" is not a cheesecake occasion, sorry.
  
• Lemon Bars. I'm on a real citrus kick lately. I'd probably do these with lime.
  

Most obscure song on my iPod: "Laura's Zest" from Laura Bennett's Project Runway final show. (I did love her collection, but Uli was robbed that year!)

Unexpectedly Tasty Lunch

When I was figuring out what to make for lunch today, it was more a matter of "whatever" than anything else. It's kind of crazy time around here, and combining that with a general boredom with what I've been eating lately (NO MORE BLACK BEAN SALAD, THANKS), I didn't have very high expectations.

I say this all the time, but here we go again: I have never been so happy to be so wrong.

I don't even have a name for this.

Start with:
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 tomato, chopped
1 medium small cucumber, sliced
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt & pepper

Look around for something to add some protein, maybe a little fiber. Aha--chickpeas!
1/2 cup chickpeas

Hm. Need some more protein, something a little different. What's in the freezer?
3 oz shrimp, sauteed with cooking spray

Salad needs crunch.
1/2 pita bread, cut into pieces, sprayed with cooking spray, and baked at 400 for about 10 minutes (keep an eye on them in the oven!)

Wow, this is getting pretty good. What else?
2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley.

Yep, that's it. Mix it all up and eat, happy that you have a huge lunch for under 425 calories, only 12 grams of fat, a whopping 29 grams of protein (that's almost half my day's requirement!), and 8 grams of fiber (again, half my day's requirement). The crispy bread on top will eventually get a little soggy from the sauce, but it's still delish. If I had put this over lettuce, as I'd originally planned, I'd still be eating it.

Song that doesn't get me moving as much as I thought it would: Sting's "We'll Be Together."

Hi to everyone from Eat at Home!

Running

I don't run. I walk. I like to walk. But I miss running. I miss that feeling of really being able to move. I want that feeling back.

When I first started exercising outside back in March, I would do about 20 or 30 minutes at a time, averaging about 2.5 miles per hour. Last month, my average time was 3.1 mph. A few nights ago, I even jogged for a tiny bit of my walk, and hit 3.5 mph average that night. This is still pretty slow by most standards, but it's a big improvement for me.

In May, Lauren and I did the Farmington Crop Walk. We just did the mini version, which is 2.2 miles, but I swore to myself that next year I would do the 10K. I know I won't run the whole thing, but it would be great if I could finish in under 90 minutes.

Since then, I've been hearing about some interesting "races."

The Warrior Dash. There was one not too far from here a few weeks ago. I've heard that the obstacles require a fair bit of upper body strength. They even have suggestions for weight training.

Run for Your Lives. I always say, "when the zombie apocalypse hits, I don't have to outrun all the zombies--I just have to outrun YOU." The only one on the schedule is in Baltimore, which I wouldn't go to even if I was in shape, but if one were closer, I'd think about it for next summer.

Getting in shape isn't hard; I've done it before. Staying in shape is something I've never been able to do before. I think doing something like this, something that really pushes me and takes me out of my comfort zone but is still goofy & fun, might help me with that.

The song that gets me moving the fastest: Pink's "Raise Your Glass."

July Stats, August Goals

Total exercise time
July goal: 40 hours
July results: 32.3 hours
August goal: 40 hours

Average daily time
July goal: 80 minutes
July results: 61.87 minutes
August goal: 75 minutes

Number of days exercising
July goal: 31
July results: 30
August goal: 31

Number of days walking
July goal: 26
July results: 17
August goal: 26

Total distance walked
July goal: 80 miles
July results: 57.75 + 39.94 = 97.69
August goal: 100 miles

I didn't hit all my goals this month. I can blame some of that on my fall and my rib (which is pretty much totally better now, so I'm thinking it was just bruised instead of cracked). And I've set some pretty lofty goals for August, but that's the only way to do it, right?

I'm going to try to do two things differently this month:

1. I'm going to do less of the Free Step on the Wii. I've noticed that it seems to get "hung up" occasionally and doesn't count every single step. I might actually try the Free Run and see how that goes.
   
2. I'm going to start keeping track of crunches, lunges, squats, etc. I'm even going to try a plank this week.
   

Also, I realized that when I couldn't walk one day this week, I really did miss it. It's good to have that feeling back.

Song I've had running through my head all week, that needs to go on my iPod ASAP: Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now."

No Yoga for You!

Last Friday, I tripped over some uneven pavement and bit the dust, hard. At first it looked like the only consequence was that my knee was spectacularly skinned. I even thought how lucky I was that I hadn't damaged my teeth, eyes, or ankle (those who know me know that this is a valid concern).

The next day, my ribs on my right side were a little sore, but not too bad. Maybe I drove my elbow into my ribs as I fell? Don't know, but it started getting more painful Sunday and Monday. I even Googled "cracked rib" because of my suspicions.

You know what the treatment for a cracked rib is? TIME. That's it. There's nothing you can do but wait it out. WebMD did say that you should be checked out by a doc to rule out other stuff, but I was reasonably sure that I hadn't done anything else.

Then I talked to my mom (hi, mom!) on Tuesday morning, and she got me to promise that I would go to the doctor just to make sure, so I made an appointment for that afternoon.

My doc said she wasn't sure if it was cracked or just bruised, but she wasn't going to send me for an x-ray, because it just didn't matter. The treatment for both bruised and cracked ribs is exactly the same. That treatment? Yep, TIME.

She did say that I shouldn't be doing any big stretching, which wasn't a hard sell. I'm still trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in, and there are a dozen different ways to move that make me wince.

So all this, combined with this miserable heat, has really done a number on my exercise regimen. I had been getting walks in twice a day, and was starting basic yoga and strength training on the Wii. Now I'm barely managing half an hour of Wii Basic Step. It's supposed to cool down a little this week, so I'm hoping to get back to at least one walk a day, although I know it'll be slower than before.

In spite of all this, it looks like I finally broke that miserable plateau I've been sitting on for a couple weeks. As of this morning, I've officially lost 75 pounds!

Tried and True

I was reading at Eat at Home this morning (a food blog I check regularly), and this week's ingredient spotlight is smoked sausage. The call went out for recipes and as a matter of fact, I do have one we love. It's one of those "measure? huh?" recipes, which I do pretty frequently.

Kielbasa, Potatoes & Peppers
That's kind of it--the whole recipe in the title. Oh, there's also red onion & some oil, but you get the gist. More specific?

• 1 pound Kielbasa or beef sausage, sliced about 1/2" thick (why is it that the ones that don't have turkey in them so rarely go on sale?)
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1/2 red, orange & yellow bell peppers, sliced into strips (you can use green too, if you have no taste buds)
• 4 or 5 redskin potatoes (size depends on how much you love potatoes)
  
• olive oil

The thing here is that you want everything crispy, and everything done at pretty much the same time before you throw it all in a big bowl and put it on the table. For me, there are two tricks to achieve this.

First, you want to par-cook the potatoes. I usually microwave them earlier in the day and then let them cool down. When you're ready to cook, cut them up into chunks.

The second trick is to use two pans. Yes, it makes more dishes. But since everything is served in just one dish, I figure it evens out in the end. You can use one skillet, but it will take twice as long. You don't want to overcrowd the pan.

I used a griddle pan for the sausage slices. Lay them all out and cook on medium-low heat, turning once they brown on one side. I cook the peppers & onions in about a tablespoon of oil in a big non stick skillet. Let them get brown, too. When they're done, put them in the serving dish and set aside.

Turn the skillet up to medium high and add another tablespoon of oil. Let it get hot. Add the potato pieces and swirl them around a little to get them coated. You only want one layer of potatoes here--too many and they won't get crisp. Then wait a few minutes so they can get really crispy. Turn them so the other sides get crispy too. The thing to remember is that this takes time. If you're constantly moving them, they won't crisp up. Once they are crispy, add them to the serving dish with the sausage. (This part is all about the crispy, in case you missed that.)

Mix it all up, take to the table and get out of the way. If I forget to put the ketchup out, one of the kids is getting it before I manage to pick up my fork.

This is not my healthiest recipe. In fact, I don't think I've made it in the last few months. But everyone does love it, and I do have beef sausage in the freezer, so I will be making it soon. I'll just have a smaller portion. And some salad. :)

Food is Boring

It's time to go grocery shopping again, and again, I can't think of what to buy and make for my family this week. Chicken is fine, but Jeff can't have it. Steak is great, but expensive. It's too hot to use the oven. I'm sick of hamburgers. I have yet to find a seafood recipe everyone really likes. No one likes beans but me.

We had spaghetti tonight and pork fried rice last night. We had pizza last week. We have breakfast for dinner all the time.

Wow, that was quite a whiny rant, eh? I guess it's time to buy pork chops or country style ribs again. They're versatile and cheap. I'll get some chicken, too, and grill it after the main meat is done so Lauren & I will have lunch options (Sarah's not a big chicken fan).

Aha! Finally, a suggestion that we haven't had in a while, is easy, and won't heat up the house: French Dip Sandwiches! There's ONE down, at least.

It's Only Money, Right?

Yesterday, the drain in the basement from the kitchen sink kept backing up, and Jeff couldn't snake it out for anything. I cringingly made an appointment with a plumber, knowing that we probably wouldn't get over to the pool today.

When they arrived, I was hopeful that it wouldn't be too bad because at least it wasn't the main stack they had to deal with. Did I mention that friends of ours recently had their basement floor ripped out because of broken pipes?

Yeah, about that . . . we have almost exactly the same issue. The only saving grace here is that we don't have drywall or carpet down there, and there wasn't any crap piled up in that area, so we didn't really lose any stuff.

It will cost over $3K to repair, but at least the kitchen sink is properly draining again, and I can finally run the dishwasher! Hopefully the insurance company won't give us any hassles.

And to really try to squeeze some lemonade out of these lemons, it will force us to move faster on donating stuff and throwing more stuff away. Purple Heart comes Tuesday.

Great

I fool around with the template, and lose a bunch of comments. Sorry, Snapper! Keep commenting, please!

Random

What to write about today?

That we probably won't go swimming tomorrow because we have to have a basement drain snaked out to the tune of about $150.

or

That I didn't get any exercise at all yesterday. Three days into July and I drop the ball on a goal. Oh, well. I'm going to start doing yoga on the Wii more frequently, and the strength training as well. I got a walk this morning, and will try to get another--shorter--one before dinner.

or

That I've recently discovered quinoa and like it quite a bit. I cooked up the last of the package this morning, and mixed some into my black bean salad with lunch. I'll have more with broccoli, chicken, and parmesan cheese tonight. Sadly, it's too expensive at Meijer to get on a regular basis, and Aldi & Randazzo's don't carry it at all. I could probably get it cheaper in bulk if I went to Zerbo's, but I don't get there too often.

or

That I've already thrown out three bags of crap from the basement today. I should buy stock in garbage bags, because there is a LOT more to go through!

That was some game!

Every year, we go to a baseball game for Father's Day. This year, the game Jeff wanted to go to was last night (actually, the one he really wanted was Friday night, but the girls were at my Dad's boat to watch the fireworks).

It was pretty toasty when we got to our seats. Even though the game started at 7PM (we got there about an hour early), it was 97 degrees. Sarah said she wished it would rain, and I said that just some clouds would do it for me.

After a disastrous first inning (I don't know who was pitching, but he let two home runs go, making the score 5-0), I noticed that it was clouding up. And, um, the clouds didn't look friendly. They looked like the clouds that precede a storm that pops up when it's insanely hot in the summer.

About halfway through the second inning, I saw the first flash of lightning. Hm. Yeah, we're in the upper deck, really high up. The clouds were still a ways off, but definitely moving in our direction. We frequently leave before the last pitch is thrown, but the second inning wasn't even over yet! As the second inning closed, we decided to head out. We stopped to see if my Dad wanted to leave (he & Sharon had come with us, but because he needs wheelchair access, they sat in a different area), but he wanted to stick it out.

We made our way through the concourse, and sure enough, it started to rain. By the time we got closer to an exit (went past the statues, on our way to the covered area under the fountains), the wind was gale force and the rain was driving. At that point, we were all trying to stay together, and not so worried about getting wet, because we knew there was no getting around it at that point.

We made it just under the covered area, but I could see the poor grounds crew getting the tarp on and people trying to get from their seats to a covered area. It was really packed in there, and we weren't staying dry anyway. Some people were shoving, and when a wheelchair could barely make it through, we decided to head out. By the time we got to the Nemo's bus, all four of us were drenched through. It took another 15 minutes or so before the bus was full enough to leave, and by the time we got back to our car, it had mostly stopped raining.

I really wanted our bedraggled selves as this year's family picture, but the stranger I grabbed to shoot it had a hard time with my camera, because it came out quite blurry, to my disappointment. Seriously, if it had been clearer, it would be my new Facebook profile picture.

We got home and I called my Dad to see how they were doing. He was still waiting for a wheelchair to get through, and ready to start walking himself. (Note: he can walk, just not the kind of distances to get from the entrance to our seats.) They finally called us back about an hour later to say that they'd made it out and were on their way home.

So although this was certainly a memorable Father's Day game, it was in no way our worst. That honor still goes to "hood flipped up while driving on the highway, making it impossible to see and requiring the whole thing be replaced" 2008.

Bountiful Breakfasts

Sometimes I'm in a big hurry in the mornings and grab Cheerios or Raisin Bran for breakfast. Usually, though, I'm up in time to make something more substantial. There isn't a lot of variety in the meals themselves, but there are many possible variations in the "add-ons."

1. Chobani vanilla fat free Greek yogurt & fruit. Variations include different types of fruit, fresh pineapple, blueberries or strawberries being my current favorites. I also frequently throw a half ounce of almonds in as well, for extra protein & crunch. I especially like this one in the summertime.
   
2. Oatmeal & fruit. The fruit is usually apples, and I add cinnamon & brown sugar. Again, sometimes I throw in half an ounce of nuts. (Yes, I measure pretty much everything these days. It not only ensures that I don't get too much, but that I get enough. I'm as likely to underestimate as overestimate.) This one is best when it's cold out.
   
3. Scrambled eggs with green onions, mushrooms, cheese, peppers. Sometimes I throw meat, like leftover sausage or ham, in as well. It's usually two eggs, but if I know I have a lot of calories for the day and I'm really hungry, I throw an extra egg white in. Start with a little butter, saute the vegetation, toss in the eggs, save the cheese--not too much--for the end. For the love of all things good, do not overcook the eggs.
   
4. Fried eggs. This is generally the highest calorie option. Sometimes I have the eggs with an English muffin or toast (I'm dying to try Eggs Benedict over a grilled portobello mushrooms or polenta, too), but my drop dead favorite is potatoes. I cut up a smallish potato and throw it in the frying pan with a little water and slap the lid on. Once the water has evaporated, the potato is cooked through. (This is better than par-cooking the potato in the microwave, because then you don't have to cut up a steaming hot potato and lose the skin off it, etc.) Then add a couple teaspoons of olive oil and toss to coat. This way, you don't need a ton of fat, but you still get deliciously crispy spuds. Let them sit on one side so they do crisp up--if you're tossing them all the time, they don't have time to get brown. Once they're almost done, I toss in green onion, and leftover sausage or ham. (I don't bother with cheese in this version, because it just doesn't seem to "go" to me. Cheese is more of a scrambled addition.) Once it's all well cooked, slide it onto the plate and fry a couple eggs. Generally, I don't need any more fat because the pan is already pretty well lubed up. Over easy, slide them on top of the eggs, and inhale. Try not to lick the plate.
   

June Stats, July Goals

Total exercise time
June goal: 45 hours
June results: 35.17 hours
July goal: 40 hours

Average daily time
June goal: 90 minutes
June results: 70.33 minutes
July goal: 80 minutes

Number of days exercising
June goal: 28
June results: 25
July goal: 31

Number of days walking
June goal: 28
June results: 23
July goal: 26

Total distance walked
June goal: 75 miles
June results: 78.76 (102.23) miles
July goal: 80 miles

I hit some of my goals in June, but not all. My total exercise time, my days exercising & walking were all more ambitious than I could handle. However, I did hit my mileage goal, and I attribute that entirely to joining a fitness challenge at My Fitness Pal to "walk" 100 miles in June. That included steps on the Wii as well. Since I didn't have actual mileage to go on, I counted every 2000 steps as one mile. So that's why my June walking results have two numbers--the first is actual mileage I clocked around here, and the second in parentheses includes the stepped miles I got on the Wii.

I found that I got most of my walking in if I went very early in the morning. If I waited until after 7, it was already getting warm and the sun was too high. I've discovered that I don't much care for sunshine when I'm out for a walk--I'll actually choose which side of the street to walk on based on how shady it is.

I've also joined The President's Challenge, which I think will also help keep me moving. So for June, the most challenging goal is that I get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. No slacking because the weather is miserable or I'm having a bad day or I'm too busy. I'd prefer to walk outside, but if all else fails, I'll do 30 minutes of Basic Step on the Wii while I watch tv.

I'm still not looking forward to walking the way I expected. It's still something I do because I have to, not because I want to. I did have one rather stressful day where I went out for a walk after dinner, and it did help, but I didn't have the stamina to walk until I wasn't upset anymore. I think I used to enjoy walking so much more because the kids were small then, and I really needed to get out of the house solo more frequently. Now that they're more self sufficient, I don't crave alone time as much.

Today is July 1st, and I haven't gotten any exercise yet. Since it's almost noon, hot out, and I have a lot going on, it looks like it's Wii for Mii today!

Roller Coaster

At first, I was going to say that I felt like a yo-yo. But really, a roller coaster is more appropriate for things lately, even with my weight. Since the beginning of June, I've lost 2.9, gained 2.7, lost 9.1, gained 4.7, and lost 11.5. That is ridiculous! I would really prefer to lose a nice, steady two or three pounds a week.

If I followed the pattern, I'd have a sizable gain this week (weigh in is Thursdays). And I had a bad case of food oblivion today. But I have tomorrow's food fully planned out (Greek yogurt, strawberries & almonds for breakfast, black bean salad for lunch, and steak/shrimp at Applebee's Date Night for dinner), so I'm confident that I'll be making good choices again.

I still have to exercise today, so I'll post those stats tomorrow.

It's a good thing there are no cookies in the house

Actually, there are about 30 boxes of Girl Scout cookies, and I could eat ALL OF THEM.

So I haven't posted as frequently as I promised. Things have been kind of busy. Back in February, I made the mistake of telling my doctor that my stress levels would decrease significantly after May.

HA. Truly, the past weeks have been among the most stressful in my life.

So yes, I'll be posting more in the coming days. I make no guarantees as to the subject or tone.

May Stats, June Goals

Total exercise time
May goal: 27 hours
May results: 44.7 hours
June goal: 45 hours

Average daily time
May goal: 60 minutes
May results: 86.5 minutes
June goal: 90 minutes

Number of days exercising
May goal: 27
May results: 29
June goal: 28

Number of days walking
May goal: 23
May results: 24
June goal: 28

Total distance walked
May goal: 50 miles
May results: 56.36
June goal: 75

Overall, I'm pretty happy with how May went in terms of exercise. I surpassed all my goals! The only two days I got no exercise at all were the days I flew to & from Florida.

In June, I've upped the goals a little but not a lot for the most part. I'm going camping with Girl Scouts this weekend, so I know there will be a day or two that I'll get no exercise, and I'm taking that into account.

I haven't posted much lately, but there's been a lot of stuff percolating around in my head, including: different kinds of exercise and how they work for me, body fat calculating web sites, more about music & cooking, as well as other miscellaneous stuff. So look for me to start posting a lot more frequently coming up!

Home Again, Home Again

Florida was really nice. The best part was getting to just hang out and relax. The kids were disappointed that I never did go swimming with them, but when the air temp is 75 and there was a torrential downpour the day before, I know that the water is not going to be where I like it. I'll do lots of swimming this summer.

I did go out walking three mornings. The first day was too hot by the time we got there, and the last day, I had some blisters that hurt too much to walk on. Yesterday, though, I put on my old shoes and had no problems. I do need to get real walking shoes, though. My wintry boots are fine for now, when it's still (STILL!) cold and wet out, but by the time I can wear shorts to walk, I'll need something else.

The other item on my agenda is grocery shopping. I discovered Chobani Greek yogurt in Florida, and can't believe how amazing it is. I know I won't be able to get it just anywhere, but it's worth hunting down. Vegetables are what are really lacking in the kitchen right now, though. I don't know that I'll bother making up any big new recipes, since the kids won't be back for a while, but I definitely want to have all my healthy choices around.

In fact, I'm trying to take this kid-free time to really be focused on being healthy, making sure I eat right and get lots of exercise. Cleaning up the accumulated junk from the bedroom & basement would be a nice bonus.

Dance to the Music

More like walk to the music, but you get the point.

I put some songs on the Wii, and it really does help. During my first walk with it, I finally broke the 3/mph mark, which has taken me surprisingly long to do. I didn't put a million songs on, because I'm trying to do this on a budget. I was very selective, only choosing songs that I thought would help keep me moving. This meant that some songs that I really love will never reach my MP3.

Sting's Fields of Gold? Not a chance. We'll be Together? Definitely. In addition to being pretty peppy, it was my go-to song when I was getting ready to go out when I was at Idaho State, so nostalgia puts it over the top. Disappointingly, it didn't really kick me into overdrive the way I expected. The two superstars in that area are Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation and Gloria Estefan's Everlasting Love. Apparently, I have a heart of glittery disco (shudder).

I also wanted to make sure I kept it as mixed up as possible, so no more than one song per artist (exception made for the Blues Brothers, because I already had those on the computer and didn't have to pay extra). So it was Revolution from the Beatles, but not Back in the USSR. Not yet, anyway.

I only have fewer than two dozen songs on so far, and that's a good start, but it isn't much variety. (and I still can't figure out how to set the thing to "random"--it's a Shuffle, so why does it keep playing everything in order?) I've decided that if I hit my walking goals every month, I'll reward myself with some new songs. This month's goal is 50 miles; I've done 19 so far.

I found an interesting web site that will certainly help me come up with ideas: jog.fm It lists a bunch of songs, including the beats per minute. For example, Queen's We Will Rock You has 90 bpm, but Hammer to Fall has 137. Guess which one goes in the "want" category? Again, it isn't because I think it's a better song; it's because it will keep me moving.

If I had more time, I'd go through all the CDs we have--I'm pretty sure I paid to download something we already own, and anyone who knows me knows that I can't stand the thought of that. But we're in a bit of a time crunch right now, so maybe next week I'll have some more time and make that happen.

Surreal

I had quite the "Hello, Dali" moment yesterday. All of us got new glasses, and when I put mine on in the store, I had that period of adjustment where things are suddenly MUCH clearer than before. My previous glasses were old, out of prescription, and badly scratched. The new ones are amazing. At first, everything seemed too close, but then I got the standard "everything is farther away" feeling that comes with new glasses for a severely nearsighted person. (By the way, America's Best is a great place!)

When I was driving in the car, I felt much higher up--like I was driving a pickup or minivan. When I got out of the car, it was even more dramatic. "I'm tall!" I thought. Yes, I am tall; I know that, but seldom give it more than a passing thought. Yesterday, I felt like a giant! Not only did the ground seem farther away, I actually felt like my head was closer to the trees. So I guess more of an Alice in Wonderland moment instead of Dali.

A small part of me is actually tempted to put the old glasses back on, because I think it would make it easier to get things done today if I was just back to "normal." I won't do it, of course. This is normal now and I need to get used to it.

Not Happening

I told Jeff that I'd like to take over a lot of the lawn mowing duties now that it's warmed up. Good exercise, right? We have both a push mower and a gas mower. I greatly prefer the push mower--no fumes, no noise, and I don't have to kill myself to get it started. Unfortunately, the blades aren't very sharp, and it's as likely to bend the grass as to cut it. Also unfortunately, the drive belt on the gas mower is broken, so when using that, it has to be substantially manhandled across the grass.

Since neither mower is exactly optimal, we've really let the lawn go. Jeff powered through the front over the weekend, and I told him I'd have a go at the back today. First, I got out the gas mower, but couldn't get it started. I got out the push mower, and started across the lawn. I was pleased at how it was going at first, even though it was tough going. Then (of course) I stepped into a hole and fell (the ground is very uneven in that part of the yard). Oddly, the fall wasn't the most painful part; that was when I hit the ground, and some blades of grass apparently went right into my ear canal. For a second, I was checking my ear for blood, because it did hurt that much and that's the kind of weird injury I tend to get.

At that point, I knew I wasn't going to get the whole lawn done. I was about to pack it in altogether, but ended up doing a small patch up by the garage. In order to get the rest of it done, Jeff will have to help me get the mower started, or do it himself (looking better and better!)

The best part of all this is that I didn't dislocate or break anything, or even do enough damage to cause a limp, which is unusual enough to be notable. :)

It's A Bore!

Apologies to Lerner & Lowe.

It's a bore!
Just a chore!
Walking on the street
Thinking of what to eat

Trying not to trip
Sure that my feet will slip
It's a bore!
To my core!

See the flowers
Hear the birds
Same as I saw
Sam as I heard
Every single other day
Long before the month of May

It's a bore!
And a snore!

I could go on and on, because that's the tune that was running through my head when I went out walking yesterday, and it's been my attitude for a while now. I had an MP3 player from a long time ago, but it slowly died on me, to my severe frustration. I hinted to Jeff that I'd like a new one (read: "I really want a Shuffle for Mother's Day."), and of course he came through.

It's charging up right now, and I have to put a few songs on it before I head out, but I've already got a whole list of music I want that is strictly to get me moving and enjoying my walks more. More on that later. Right now it's time to get my playlist started!

Jimmy John's

Beach Club Unwich is very tasty. For less than $6 and under 400 calories, it's great. When you missed lunch, it's unbeatable!!!

Biscuit Results

I made the biscuits from CI Best Light Recipe last night, and was pretty satisfied with how they turned out. They were considerably more work than my mom's biscuits, and somewhat smaller, but still light, fluffy and tasty. And for 150 calories each, I ended up having two.

When I asked what everyone thought, Jeff said that the true test of a biscuit was putting sausage gravy over the top. I laughed, because ANY biscuit is tasty when it's slathered in yummy sausage gravy!

End result? I'll continue to make them. That's another one to put in the "win" column for this cookbook.

Story Problem Results

• I went to all three stores.


• I think I got hit on.


• Razor blades are too expensive--I've decided I prefer Jeff scruffy. I don't think he shares this preference.


• Tonight will be Breakfast for Dinner, a perennial favorite. Specifically, bacon, scrambled eggs & biscuits.


• I'll be trying the biscuit recipe from CI Best Light Recipe instead of making the classic via my mom's recipe. We'll see how they turn out.


• Last night I made an Apricot/Orange glaze from CIBLR and poured it over leftover pork chops, red peppers, and steamed broccoli, and it was good but not great.


• Of the four recipes I've made from CIBLR, one has been spectacular (Cinnamon Rolls), two have been ok but not amazing, and one was not good (oil & vinegar dressing--too watery).

A Story Problem

If gas is $4.20/gallon, is it cheaper to go to Aldi for flour, sugar, eggs & other staples, Randazzo's for fruits & vegetables, and Meijer for meat, Old Bay seasoning, and other miscellaneous things that I can't get at the other two, or should I make one trip to Meijer and grumble about how things are cheaper elsewhere?

My preference would be to hit Aldi & Randazzo's--less than a mile apart--and leave Meijer out of it altogether, but that might not be an option. There's also a smaller grocery store that frequently has good deals on meat, but it's about as far away as Meijer, so the gas issue remains.

This story problem obviously doesn't give us enough information. I need to plan our week's meals and make a grocery list first.

April Stats, May Goals

Unfortunately, I'm still down off the wagon. Trying again tomorrow. Interestingly, looking at my exercise stats has told quite a tale. All this exercise, and yet I got almost none this past week. Maybe setting new exercise goals will be the kick in the pants I need. (I did get two miles today for the Farmington Crop Walk, but I can only guess how long it took.)

Total exercise time
April goal: 15 hours
April results: 23.9 hours
May goal: 27 hours

Average daily time
April goal: 30 minutes
April results: 49.4 minutes
May goal: 60 minutes

Number of days exercising
(some days were walking, some were Wii, some were both)
April goal: 25
April results: 26
May goal: 27

Number of days walking
April goal: 20
April results: 17
May goal: 23

Total distance walked
April goal: 30 miles
April results: 31.23 miles
May goal: 50 miles

These are considerably more ambitious goals than I had last month. The thing is, when I'm in the groove, it's easy to get 60 minutes of exercise. That's a 45 minute walk and 15 minutes on the Wii. And the weather should finally warm up a bit and maybe stop raining for a second or two, so that would help.

I've noticed something about my walks, though. Last time I was in the healthy groove, walking was a pleasure. I really looked forward to it. Now, walking is more of a chore. It's just another thing to check off of my to do list. I do it because I'm supposed to, not because I want to. I've got something in mind that will hopefully change that, but that's another blog post.