Where I've Been...

I have been a sorry excuse for a blogger lately.... As in, I have not blogged...at all.

The reason?  There has been a lot of stuff going on lately.  It has been stressful.  It has been emotional.  It has been worrisome.  I really do not want to discuss these things yet, but rest be assured, I am just fine.  I just have a bad habit of shutting down when I get extremely stressed.  I was unable to think of anything to say on here...mainly because my mind was all consumed with other issues that I did not feel like discussing.

Things are better.  I am fine.  I am pushing forward.

One of the ways that I have chosen to help with stress relief is that I joined a gym!  I was a member several years back and stopped going.  The sad part is that I actually enjoyed it, but got lazy.  I have tried to get my activity in at home and it is just too hard.  I get too distracted.  I will just get into the groove of my Jillian video and will hear one or more of the following...

"Mommy! Darcy is coloring on the wall!"
"Mommy! I need to go potty!"
"Mommy!  I need a drink of water!"
"Mommy! I am scared of the fan!"
"Mommy! My blanket isn't covering my feet!"
"Mommy! I need a tissue!"
"Mommy! I wet the bed again!"

              And just when I think that my head is going to explode...she throws in the

"Mommy! I want a hug and a kiss!" (This one always makes me feel like an ass, because I walk in all pissed off and annoyed and then feel like a jerk...cause she is just asking for a hug and a kiss.  Kid is smart...)

And then, when I put my foot down and tell her no more drinks of water will be handed out this evening, I get this:

Four year old tantrums are so fun.

So, workouts had actually become stressful instead of a source to actually relieve stress.  Therefore, workouts ceased to exist in my world.  This was not acceptable.

I went in for my consultation and the nice woman took me on a tour.  I actually felt like I wanted to cry. There was so much to do and the facility is really beautiful.  The price was right.  SIGN MY FAT REAR UP!

So, I have been going regularly for the past few weeks.  I am restricted myself to the cardio machines so far because the weight machines scare me -- only because I am not sure how to use them.  I have a free appointment with a trainer soon.  I am hoping that will be the day that I can learn how to best use the weight equipment.  I also plan to use the pool soon and take advantage of spinning classes.

My first barrier when I got there was this:

It, uh, took me way too long to figure out how to use these lockers.  Did I just ask someone?  No, I had to act like I knew what I was doing.  People who know what they are doing definitely stare at the key pad with a confused look and are unsuccessful at locking the locker multiple times.  I have a flippin Master's Degree and it took me forever to figure this out.  Obviously, my Master's Degree is not in keypad locker locks. Maybe I could earn that degree online...

I have been burning lots of calories and doing really well, overall.  I love it and it has done wonders for relieving the aforementioned stress.  I feel so relaxed when it is over and I have been sleeping like a baby. One of the best decisions I have made in awhile.  

And finally, the obligatory heart rate monitor/calorie burn pic...

I promise I will never ever do a gym selfie.  Ever.  I just cannot bring myself to do it.

So, here's to a less stressed me!  :)

Dan's Coffee Run

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I was down with the flu at the end of last week.  Because of this, I found myself watching a lot of daytime television.  After the Today show was over, (I was so glad when it was because I swear Hoda and Kathy Lee are a live television train wreck...lol) I stayed tuned in to the Queen Latifah Show.  I was really glad that I didn't have the energy to channel surf, because if I wouldn't have stayed tuned, I wouldn't have seen this story:

I was a sobby mess when this story was over.   After showing his story, he was awarded $10,000 by Starbucks in order to continue on with his good deeds of bringing joy to cancer patients and their families through a simple cup of coffee.  

This inspired me.  It inspired me to really think about how even the simplest thing can bring joy to someone's day.  It could be something as simple as a cup of coffee, a smile, a pat on the back, or a nice note.  I am going to make more of an effort to do small things to brighten the day of others.  Thank you, Dan, for all you have done so selflessly for others.

If you are interested in supporting Dan and his cause, visit his website!  I know I plan to.

Halloween Shenanigans

Halloween was not as fun this year.   You see, the forecast for the night was moderate to heavy rain with sustained winds of 30 mph and gusts that could be up to 50 mph.  Not exactly ideal trick or treat conditions. Soooo, Tim and I decided to be resourceful and scope out some of the indoor trick or treat opportunities. We saw that a local mall was sponsoring an indoor trick or treat at their participating stores.  We thought it would be a great idea.   We thought, "Oh, we can trick or treat at the mall!  There are a lot more stores than houses in the neighborhood!  We can even eat in the food court and have dinner while we are there!"  

Here are some samples of what we actually said once there...

Seriously would have rather turned my umbrella right side out multiple times in the wind instead of dealing with the terror that was mall trick or treating.

This picture doesn't do it justice, but the entire mall was an enormous shoulder to shoulder line to get candy from stores who were giving out crap candy.  You know, like those strawberry hard candies with the gel in them that are wrapped up to kind of look like a strawberry?  And the wrapper is always half off?  Yeah, it was like that...  and THEN you would wait forever to see that a store had run out... Hell.  It was hell.

This is how Tim felt about things.  I think he worded it quite eloquently.  ;)

After getting frustrated, we finally decided to head for the food court, which to our surprise,actually had free tables.  Before we got there, I was starting to feel sick to my stomach, but I thought maybe it was because I was hot due to the crowds.   I ate some gourmet mall food and felt worse.  It was then that I realized that home had to be the next destination.  I proceeded to bribe my children and agreed to buy them their favorite candy x 2 at the grocery store this weekend if we could just go home.  Surprisingly, they were fine with it.  

That night, I got home and felt even more sick and went straight to bed.  I woke up multiple times during the night because Darcy kept having strange issues that needed addressed -- like her feet weren't covered well enough with her blanket.  Each time I got up, I felt more sick.  Then all of a sudden, I got hit with a ton of bricks with the "Oh shit, I have got the flu" feeling.   I called in to work and spent my Friday in flu hell.

Happy Halloween!!

The bright side:

LUCKILY, we took our adorable children to a great Halloween event at the Cincinnati Zoo the weekend prior.  The kids got to dress up, visit their favorite animals, and trick or treat at treat stations around the zoo. We all had a great time.  So, they did get some other fun Halloween activities in...thankfully.  Here are some pics!

Darcy in her costume right before we left.  She is a "cupcake girl".  I have no idea what that is exactly, but she HAD to have the costume.  I had these good intentions that involved me making the kids awesome costumes this year, but it did not materialize. Oh well.  There is always next year!!

This person was walking around posing with the kids.  It was quite possibly the coolest costume I have EVER seen.  The eyes and mouth moved and everything.  I have NO CLUE how this person could see anything, but it was still awesome.

Both kids in full costume.  They had all these little areas around the zoo where kids could pose for pictures.  Very cute.  In case you can't tell, the pumpkin is carved out to look like a gorilla.

Certain times during the day, animals were given pumpkins as a treat.  We were just in time for the polar bears to get theirs.  This bear bit into this thing and carried it around in his mouth like we would an apple.  It was fun to see.

Bock Bock! Calorie-Friendly Chicken Salad

I have sucked at this better lifestyle for the past several weeks.  I have blogged on and on about needing to plan better, and while I make baby steps each week, my planning falls short.  Then, my eating is ok, but not the best it could be.   Yesterday, I got my butt in gear and did some food prep for the week.

I have a menu set up for each day including breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  I have decided to draw out my favorite recipes in order to renew my motivation for eating clean, real food.  Yay!

For lunch, I decided to make a clean chicken salad.  I am not the best at writing my own recipes, so I am not going to try and take credit for this entirely.  I got the idea from Jillian Michaels' Master your Metabolism Cookbook.  There really are some great recipes in there, if you have been thinking of purchasing it.

Anyway, there is a recipe in the cookbook for chicken salad.  I adapted it slightly and now I have lunch for the week.

The recipe itself calls for 1 pound of poached chicken breast.  I had a coupon for a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store, so went with that instead.  I also like the flavor of this much more.  I simply took the chicken off the bone and removed the skin.  I diced it up and voila! Obviously, this means there is a little bit of dark meat incorporated in, but the salad is predominately white meat.

Next, I cut up some celery and red grapes and tossed them in.  The recipe also calls for chopped pecans.  I was a dope and forgot to buy pecans at the store yesterday morning.  Luckily, I had some sliced almonds on hand, so I threw those in instead.

Instead of using mayonnaise for dressing, this recipe calls for plain Greek yogurt.  To be honest, I just do not care for Greek yogurt.  I went with plain, organic traditional yogurt instead.   Apple cider vinegar, honey, and salt are added in to complete the dressing.

Next, stir in the dressing.  This is the salad after the dressing was mixed in.  You can serve it on your favorite whole wheat bread or just eat it on its own.  I am trying to limit my grains, so I plan to eat it on its own or maybe even make lettuce wraps with it.  Yum!

I am really excited because I am well equipped for the week food-wise.  I have a feeling it is going to be a good one!

Chicken Salad:

1 pound chicken breast, poached and cooled (I used a rotisserie chicken that I let sit out and cool.)

1 cup halved red grapes

1/3 cup chopped pecans -- almonds or walnuts work too!

1/4 cup chopped celery

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

dash of pepper

1/3 cup low fat plain yogurt (traditional or Greek)

Instructions:

1. Chop your cooled chicken and place in a bowl or container.
2. Mix in chopped celery and grape.
3. Stir yogurt, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper together in a bowl.
4. Stir into chicken mixture until evenly coated.
5. Refrigerate.

Nutrition Information (per 1/2 cup serving)

Calories: 118.6   Fat: 5.1 g   Protein:  12.9 g  Carbs: 5.6 g  Sodium:  93.8 mg

So What Wednesday

I love the randomness that is So What Wednesday!  So, here goes...

So what if...

• My 8 year old son is a more talented artist than I am.  I am lucky if I can draw a stick figure. It is really very sad.  Here are some samples of his art work that have been my favorites recently:

This is his dancing skeleton.  I love this one!!

This is the fire-breathing alien robot.  Sweet!

• Darcy has proclaimed that she wants an American Girl Doll for Christmas.  They cost $110.  Santa is cheap and cannot fathom paying that much for one doll.  Darcy got a Baby Alive doll for her birthday. She is convinced that it is an American Girl doll.  I am not going to correct her any time soon. What she don't know, won't hurt her!
• Because of my crappy eating habits during the past week, I am going grain free this week to get myself back on track.  I am going through withdrawal like I did the first time.  It sucks.  If only I could have just stuck with it the first time and spared myself the agony twice.  Seems to logical, I guess.
• I get the crazy desire to purchase stylish new clothing when I am broke.  
• It costs over $40 flippin dollars to purchase school pictures these days.  Ugh...
• Work has been stressing me out a lot lately.  I have got to learn that I cannot always be everything to everyone.  
• I am reading Dan Brown's Inferno and it is really good.  Only problem is that reading seems to make me instantly tired this week and I pass out asleep before I can even finish a chapter.  It really is a good book!  Not sure why it is acting as a sedative.
• I am waiting to put our pumpkins outside because the damn squirrels eat them every damn year.  We spend hours carving cool designs, only to have chunks eaten out of them less than 24 hours later.   I am going to try some internet ideas for repelling them.  We'll see if it works.  

My Punky

My son, Aidan, has been Punky since he was in diapers.  Somehow we gave him that nickname and it stuck like glue.  Many people write about how their inspiration to get healthy is for their children.  I can attest that this is true for me, but Aidan has motivated me in different ways.

For those of you who do not know Aidan, I must tell you, he is one of the sweetest children you would ever want to meet.  He is loving, affectionate, polite, and sensitive.  He is an honor roll student and has a junior green belt in martial arts.

Aidan getting his green belt recently. 

Aidan and his awesome martial arts coach, Mr. Geers.

Aidan is also mildly autistic.  When he was four years old, we began the evaluation process for Autism because we had some serious concerns about him behaviorally and emotionally.  Through the testing, he was diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS).  What is this, you may ask?  Well, PDD-NOS is a diagnosis given to individuals who display several autistic qualities, but not enough to be diagnosed as having Autism or Asperger's.  Through multiple therapies and interventions, Aidan's behaviors have improved.  At his last visit, his doctor was so impressed by his high performance at school, that she felt it may be necessary to lift the PDD-NOS diagnosis.  We were thrilled, but Aidan still has different behavioral and emotional quirks that we have to deal with in a special way.

Why am I tell you all of this?  Well, it occurred to me how hard Aidan has had to work to accomplish what he has accomplished in his young life.  There have been no short cuts.  No one has given him any special favors or free passes.   If this little guy can work so hard to get to where he needs to be, then there is no reason that I can't.

Aidan is my inspiration.

Courtney in San Antonio

This past week I had the exciting opportunity to fly to San Antonio for a work-related conference.  This is the first time I have ever been sent anywhere for work that was so far away it required air travel.  I was so excited!  I was also excited because the conference took me to a destination on my travel bucket list -- San Antonio!

Before leaving, I was a bit nervous.  I am not afraid to fly, but I had not been in a plane since 2002!  It was just a year after all of the security measures were tightened up post 9-11, but since then things are waaaaay different.  Let's put in perspective how long it has been since I have flown.  The last time I flew:

• George W. Bush was president.
• Cost of a gallon of gas was $1.61
• Kelly Clarkson won American Idol.  
• The first of too many Ice Age movies came out. 
• I flew without a cell phone because people did not have then chained to them at that point.  It wouldn't have mattered if I did have it though, because at that time no one texted and barely anyone had a camera on their phone.
• I did not have a digital camera.  On this trip I took pictures the old fashioned way -- with a camera that required this strange thing called film.  

You get the picture...  ANYWAY.

I had a lovely flight.  When we were allowed to turn our phones on in airplane mode, I got some pretty pictures of fluffly clouds.

When I got into San Antonio, I was instantly in love.  The people are friendly, the architecture was beautiful, and every thing just seems so festive.  Places like the Riverwalk cannot be found anywhere else in this country.  Unfortunately, I did not get to do all the touristy things I would have done had I not been there for work, but I did see quite a bit.  The only problem was that it rained most of the time, so my pictures did not turn out so great.  Most of the native Texans said, "It never rains here."  Well, I am convinced that it did because I entered your lovely state.  Anything to make my trip a little less perfect.  haha...

Here are a few of my cloudy/wet pictures...

The needle was outside my hotel window.  Look at those ominous clouds.  It proceeded to pour all day and all night that day.  Did I mention that I forgot to bring an umbrella?  I was nowhere near a store that was open and sold them in downtown San Antonio on a Sunday.  Soooo, I was at the mercy of the hotel gift shop.  I am not going to say how much money I spent on an umbrella, but I WILL say that it was painful -- especially for someone cheap like yours truly.

The Alamo in the rain.  It still was darn beautiful at night.   The wet pavement also make it look like there is water in front.  Nope, those are puddles.  It was cool to see something so historic in the middle on the hustle and bustle of a big city.

The Riverwalk was awesome.  This is the best picture I could get, and it is not that great (my one regret) while in San Antonio.  When I actually went to explore the Riverwalk, it was dark and rainy.  None of my pictures turned out.  Boo.  

This is one of my favorite pictures that I took.  I believe this church is called Saint Joseph?  Anyway, I was talking a short walk in between my sessions and saw this lovely view.  I snapped a pic and I love the way the trees framed it.  

Another part of San Antonio was THE FOOD.  Every trip I take is paved with good intentions.  I wish I could say that I shied away from dessert or that I passed on the margaritas.  I didn't.  I ate whatever the hell I wanted.  It was bad.  It was delicious and marvelous at the time, but the consequence is that I feel like total crap this week as a result.  I went to the store yesterday and restocked the house with good foods, so I am back to eating the way I should be.

This is one of the margaritas I had on my trip, courtesy of Rosario's.  This combined two of my favorite alcoholic beverages -- sangria and margaritas -- so, naturally, this was called a Sangria Margarita.  It was so good.  I had something called a peachberry margarita the night before at a place called Pappasito's.  It was also delicious.  This was my favorite though.

I ate a delicious Gorgonzola-alfredo pasta dish with shrimp.  It was out of this world.  It is the first real pasta I have had in weeks and weeks.  It tasted good going down, but that white flour made me feel sick that night and into the next day.  Worth it?  It seemed like it as I was shoving it in my mouth, but afterwards? Not at all.

Mi Tierra was also one of my favorite restaurant visits -- not so much because of the food, but because of the atmosphere.  The decorations are awesome, and the food is very traditional, Mexican fare.  My favorite part was their lovely bakery.  They are famous for their pecan pralines.  I had one that took me a couple days to finish because they are so rich and big.  It was really good though.   

All in all it was an awesome trip, and I look forward to returning with Tim someday.  My biggest fail was the souvenirs that I bought.  I went to this jewelry stand that I thought was handmade by the salespeople. I thought, "What a cool souvenir!"...and the necklaces were so stinkin pretty.  It wasn't until I purchased them and got back to my hotel room that I noticed the "made in China" sticker.  FAIL!  womp, womp....  Oh well, those Chinese folk made some pretty necklaces. <sigh>