Candy Fest is OVER!

Every last bit of Halloween Candy is GONE.  I dumped it in the garbage.  As I was throwing away the candy, I noticed a Snickers bar.  I pulled it out of the garbage and I was going to eat it.  Then I stopped myself because the kids were watching me that would be a new all time low.  Pulling candy out of a garbage can is really really bad.  It is a sign that I need a sugar intervention.  The good news is, I did put it back in the trash.  Uneaten.

This is my favorite time of the year and many of my traditions involve high calorie goodness.  From Halloween to the New Year it is not unusual for me to pack on a few (a few=10) pounds in less than two months.  This year is going to be different, I am going to set the bar really high and aim for not gaining ANY weight.  The plan is going to be exercise and Weight Watcher meetings.  If I end up losing a few pounds, I will then be an overachiever. 

In other news, I earned two gold stars this week on my calendar.  We have been walking at lunch.  I guess this global warming is REAL because we are having some sweet 60 degree sunny weather.  

2 Years of Pie Hole Stuffage, Parenting Awards, and a Little Running

Yesterday was my 2 year bloggy birthday.  I can't believe that it has been 2 years since I started my little "running" blog.  A lot has happened over the last 24 months with the exception of becoming a runner and losing weight (ha! the entire purpose of my blog).  It has been fun to go back in history and read my thoughts and grand ideas as I try to manage my crazy life.

Two Years Ago:

• I had a sweet little newborn
• I had a two preschoolers
• I only worked part-time
• I had a dog
• I was overweight
• I did not run but was thinking about starting

Now:

• I have a very spirited toddler that gives new meaning to "Terrible Twos".
• I have a first grader and one entering Kindergarten
• I work A LOT
• I no longer have a dog
• I still do not run but I am once again thinking about starting
• I am still overweight (I am exactly the same weight as I was when I started)

The two years haven't been a complete waste of time. I have a list of accomplishments and things that I have learned along the way:

• I have completed a few 5ks, a 10K, two half marathons
• I have started doing Pilates and I love it.
• I learned that I cannot do it all and I am learning the art of saying NO
• I had a bad case of Plantar Fasciitis and it seems to be much better because of rest and very ugly shoes
• Jillian Michaels is the devil and you really can puke only doing a 20 minute DVD
• Running a race under someone else is not rewarding (but if your time is bad, someone else gets the props for that..**evil grin**)
• Running is a house of cards.  You can go from running double digit mileage back to a Couch to 5K program in a matter of a few short weeks.
  

Here is a flashback in photos from two years ago

Kids Then:

Kids and Chubby Hubby now:

I really need to hand off the camera once in awhile....I am not in very many photos....unless you count this one.....

It has been a great two years.  Thanks for taking the time to read and cheer me on.  I will be stepping it up this next year so my 3 year blog post will read something about me being at my goal weight.

Thursday's Bullcrap in Bullet Points

• There is a 4 way tie for my favorite candy bar.....Snickers, Twix, Reese's, and Kit Kat.
• I have set a world record for biggest pile of candy wrappers (all eaten by me)
• Chubby Hubby made fun of my pile of wrappers.  I am not sure if he was impressed or horrified.
  
• I am officially sick of candy
• I have worked out every day this week, sometimes twice
  
• Those workouts mentioned above probably only burned off one or two candy bars *sigh*
• The scale is still looking promising even with Candy Fest 2009....as of today, my weight is now below the Weight Watchers starting point (from a year ago)
• I am really digging Pilates and now that my class is winding down, I am going to re-enroll for the next session.
  
• For the first time in months I am getting more than 4 hours of sleep in a night and I feel pretty great.
• So great, that in fact I might start up running again.
• Working one job is HEAVEN and overtime will be coming to an end soon.
• I am wondering if it would be appropriate to start stalking my co-worker that just had a baby and harass her into coming back to work.  The temp the hired to be her for her leave is an asshat (not an asset).

I am so glad that tomorrow is FRIDAY!!!!

Weekend Wrap Up-Halloween

Happy November!  I am just coming out of a sugar coma.  I attacked the candy bowl this past weekend with everything I had!  Afterall, what is the point of Halloween if you can't binge on candy?

I didn't feel too guilty as I spent most of Saturday throwing up (sorry TMI) due to a migraine. Due to this same migraine, I missed my Saturday weigh-in.  I am chapped because I felt like it was going to be a good one.  I need a little therapy because I would jump on the scale after puking and then crawl back in to bed.  I like to call that the silver lining of being sick.  With that, I think I am officially under my starting weight.  I have decided to wait to go in next weekend for the official reading.

The weekend ended up being pretty low key considering that Halloween fell on a Saturday.  Friday night we went to our annual Fright Fest.  BFF and I did a couples costume and we were Wilma and Betty from the Flintstones.  They were very cheesy costumes but we got a lot of laughs.  I spend the rest of the weekend in my PJs.  Chubby Hubby took the kidlets trick or treating and I snacked on handed out candy while I watched The Real Housewives of Atlanta.  Sunday, I had major gut rot from all the sugar and forced my butt out the door to at least go for a little walk.


Below are some photos of my little monsters.  They really had a great time.   Now I just need to get rid of this candy!  I think I will send it with Chubby Hubby to work.  Then it is really out of reach.

Wet Walk Thursday

The last two weeks of work I have started developing a bad habit; I have been working through my lunch.  I grab my bag lunch and eat while I work.  While I feel in my own little mind that I am accomplishing SO much, I am cheating myself out of my workout time.  I have only been to the gym with the Crew 4 times this month.  Not only did I cheat myself out of a workout, but I cheated myself out of $20 because I did not meet the eight visit threshold.  My workout calendar is very sad for October, only 4 gold stars and a bunch of "x" marks (I am very much like a preschooler, I need my gold stars).
Sarge came over today and asked if I wanted to walk the tunnels since it was raining.  We have a wonderful underground way to move around campus to avoid the elements.   I told her I wanted to go out in the rain.  I needed fresh air and a little rain wasn't going to make me melt.  What I didn't know is that it was really coming down.   It was pouring.   That didn't stop us, we walked in the pelting rain for 40 minutes.  I feel really good that I got out of the office even though I look like a drowned rat.
Long story short, I will not work through another lunch.

Random thought:
As I was eating today, I noticed that I color coordinated my sweater with my fruit and veggies.  I must be in the Halloween spirit.

POM Wonderful Review

Several weeks ago, the very nice people at POM Wonderful sent me a case of POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice to try.

My package contained a case of cute little 8oz bottles of POM Wonderful and a sheet outlining the benefits of consuming pomegranate products.  Pomegranate juice is packed with good stuff and it is really good for the old ticker. One of the benefits that really stuck out was how good it was in helping Erectile Dysfunction. *giggle*  Well, you know me and my 12 year old maturity level....

I drank the first one and as I expected I liked it. It was tart with just enough sweet for my taste. I drank another the next day and my opinion didn't change. I wanted to shake things up a bit. I wanted to use it in other ways since I don't typically drink a lot of juice. MCM Mama planted the seed that it mixes well with booze. That it does!! We made Screw Drivers with a splash of POM Wonderful.  I also tried it in some smoothies, I mixed it with yogurt, frozen blueberries, and skim milk. That also was pretty tasty.

I had to go and see how much it cost at the store. I don't like falling in love with something and then not being able to afford to buy it. As I expected, it was expensive but not completely and totally outrageous.  For an 8oz bottle, it was $2.29 at Super Target.  For me, that would last for 2 to 3 servings if I am mixing it with something.

I do not think I would continue to buy POM Wonderful just to have on hand to drink.  I am not much of a juice drinker mainly because juice typically is high in points for what it is.  In this case, an 8oz serving is 3 points (160 Calories). For me that is a lot to use on a drink.  HOWEVER, I do think this item will be a staple on my grocery list because I really like using it in the cocktails smoothies.  I also like using it to spice up my plain old boring water.  I mix about 1/3 of a bottle with ice water just to give it some flavor.

Thank you again to POM Wonderful.  I really enjoyed having the opportunity to try and review this product.

Weekend Wrap Up

This morning is HEAVEN! I woke up reading "7" as the first digit on the clock, I am drinking coffee, and catching up with all of my blog friends. I could do this all day because for the first time in a long long time, I have NOTHING to do today (unless you count house projects of course). Getting sleep and having time to relax a bit really changes my attitude. I am really going to enjoy today.

Yesterday's weigh in went OK. I am down .4 lbs. It is not much in the grand scheme of things but it was a loss nevertheless. I learned that I am going to have to get to my Saturday meeting a lot earlier because there are a lot of people that attend this one. I happen to really like the leader of this meeting. I like her because she is young and has young children, but I also like her no nonsense/no excuses approach. It is a good sign of a good leader when the meeting has standing room only.

This weekend we also had our last flag football game. Here is a photo of my oldest little guy running with the ball. It was a proud mama moment even though I almost missed it because I was too busy gabbing with people.  He is dressed like a snowman, because it was freakin' cold!

Yesterday, my middle little guy lost his first tooth. This child broke his leg TWO TIMES and did not shed a tear. When his tooth got really wiggly, the screams of horror shook the neighborhood.  You would think that a limb was going to be amputated.  Last evening somehow he worked up the strength to yank it himself.  I think it was the pending visit from the Tooth Fairy that got him to pull it.

I must get back to doing nothing. I might even dust off the shoes and do some sort of an outside workout today.....or I might not get out of my PJs today.