Waiting on April!

The official sign up is going on over at the A-Z Challenge page !!

I'm only signing up 2 blogs this year, instead of all 3.  #277 & 278!   I always sign up my Maple Grove Cemetery blog for the Countdown to Halloween and the 13 Days of Creepmas but I'm going to let it relax this April.  I'm so afraid I'm going to run out of ideas!

I'm going to stick with my theme of health / weight loss for this blog and over at Tales from the Love Shaque is going to be some randomness & a bit of Michigan-love.

I'll also be sure to continue my regular posts, in addition to my A-Z posts.

Guess I better get busy!  I have a spreadsheet that I've been filling out for the last couple months, keeping track of topic ideas.  Now I need to get the draft posts pre-scheduled and topics written.

Bring it on!!

Friend Makin' Monday - Quick & Easy

Happy Monday!  Maybe I'm finally getting used to going to the gym, since my body doesn't seem to hurt or ache much today!  Yay!  Zumba was better this week.  Since I saw the steps last week, I caught on quicker this time.  As I go along, maybe I'll actually become graceful?  AHAHAHAHAHA yeah right.

On to FMM,

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section over yonder at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

Quick and Easy Questions

1. What time did you go to bed last night? As much as I'd like to turn in earlier, it ended up being about 11.  The hubby got sent to a job out of state Friday (he was told Thursday afternoon he was going - yay) so the animals have all been weird.  Friday night, 3 times the dog would start woofing and run to the back door.  Last night, one of the cats was causing trouble, trying to get into the upper cabinets in the kitchen and doing her usual wander thru the house, meowing.  Oh, and she got up on the bathroom counter 1/2 hour before my alarm went off this morning and knocked over the cup, making tons of noise.

2. What is the last thing that made you smile? Well, I'm at work so options are limited.  But a co-worker showed me a pic of her son feeding a baby white tiger, which was absolutely adorable.  I had to laugh when she told me how hard it was to stay back and let the kids do the hands-on stuff and not shove her way in and demand a turn.

3. What is the last movie you watched? In it's entirety?  Damn if I know.  I did watch part of some British dance movie that Miss Angela had on this weekend.  We've come to the conclusion that dance movies are basically the same.  There's either the rebel who has to settle down and ends up winning the scholarship or competition, or the ballerina who falls in love with a street dancer and somehow gets involved in that, blah blah blah.

4. What did you have for breakfast today?  Oatmeal with some greek yogurt & protein powder mixed in. I need the extra staying power!

5. Would you rather mop all of your floors or do laundry? If I actually had a place where I could fold the clothes immediately out of the dryer, I wouldn't mind it so much.  But I have to haul it out & dump it on the couch & 9 times out of 10 it stays there.  I think I smothered the laundry fairy.  So I'd have to vote for doing the floors.

6. Do you drink coffee? occasionally.  But when I do, I make it so it barely resembles coffee. On the plus side, I go to Tim Horton's and get it with a flavor shot, milk & Splenda and is only 1 Point!

7. Will you watch the Superbowl?  We watch it for the commercials.

8. How often do you shop for groceries? Once a week or so.  I hate it.

9. What kind of workout will you do today?  I'll do about 13 minutes on the elliptical, 3 sets of 10 reps on each of the circuit machines & 20 minutes on the treadmill.  I'll do that today & Wednesday, then do Zumba on Saturday.

10. Do you use a fitness tracker? I have Weight Watchers Activelink.  I like that before I'd only track activity points if I actually went out walking or doing something.  Wearing it clipped to my bra (it's an option!!) counts what I do all day.

Have a great week!

Friend Makin' Monday - Taboo Topics

Went to the gym on Friday and thought it would be a good idea to sign up for the Saturday morning Zumba class - not thinking about what day it already was. Let's just say I was a hurting unit! When I got to the gym Saturday, there were a few ladies sitting outside of the room, getting shoes on, etc. One of them was a very outspoken (approximately) 80 year old.  So I asked if they were there for Zumba and Little Miss Gung-ho Granny piped up, Yes! She was ready to go! I told them I hoped they were ready for a laugh, since I'd never done this before (I wasn't going to explain the one class I took at Miss Angela's dance studio) and Granny told me as long as I was moving, I was golden. Hmm, I bow to her wisdom! And then I proceeded to get my butt kicked! But it was fun & I will go back.

Saturday night we went to Ford Field and watched the Monster trucks.  We go every year & its a lot of fun.  One of Angel's friends was there, across the stadium from us, so they kept texting back & forth til they found each other (thanks to blinky lights on cell phones!)

Did you know that an ounce of cotton candy is 3 points?  And do you know exactly how much an ounce is??  Picture the size of 2 volleyballs - that's 1.5 oz.  That's a LOT of cotton candy!   Just an FYI.

Now onto FMM....

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section over at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

Taboo Topics - ooooooo scandalous!

1. Are you a registered voter? Yes.

2. Do you believe in GOD? Yes.

3. How has your readership changed since you first began blogging? It's increased modestly.  At first I was keeping my blog more as a journal, then it evolved into what you see now.  I was tweaked the first time I realized I had actual followers, then was self-conscious on what and how I wrote.

4. If you could choose between a serious relationship or $100,000, which would you choose? Well, I have the serious relationship with my hubby, so can I have the $100,000?

5. Have you ever changed political parties? Seeing as how I am totally against the big money parties (Republican / Democrat) anyway, I'd have to say no.  I can't even say which party I actually belong to, other than not one of those.

6. If you were put in a position in which you had to be in a room with someone that you can’t stand, how would you handle the situation?  (keeping Kenlie's answer) Hmm, I suppose I’d try to focus on the positive people and things around me to drown out the negativity.

7. Do you ever eat in secret because you don’t want anyone to see what you consume? I've done so in the past.  Not so much anymore.

8. Do you use curse words in your daily conversations? Hmm, yes.  Some.  I don't curse anywhere near as much as I used to.  I lived up to the "curse like a sailor" stereotype and I had to work hard to stop after Miss Angela was born.

9. How much do you tip when you’ve had decent service at a restaurant? We usually tip the standard 20%, but round it up to the nearest whole dollar.

10. How do you respond when someone confronts you? If they are calm and respectful, I will respond the same way.  But if they come at me with an attitude, you can bet they'll get it right back.

Now it’s your turn to answer this week’s questions. Don’t forget to come back and link up in the comments. Happy Monday!

!st weigh in of 2014!

I was so messed up with a funky work schedule over the holidays that I missed going to my meeting last week!  As the WW greeter told me, too many Mondays! 

So I'm pretty happy with my 1.4 lb loss.  I was feeling pretty good going into the meeting so that just made it better. 

First - my WW eTools progress report for the week....

We went out to diner last night, so Wednesday's line is pretty high.  I had grilled steak & shrimp from Max & Erma's and since it was free cookie Wednesday, 2 scrumptious chocolate chip cookies, hot from the oven. 

OMG, I can't believe I have never taken pictures purely for the purpose of progress.  I wish I would have 59 lbs ago! 

These were 1/6/14 at approximately 210 lbs.   I'm also showing off my new haircut.  I got about 5 inches lopped off.  I'm liking this much better.  I may grow it out an inch or two and keep it that long. 

 Photobomb by Chester. 

I feel "meh" about the front & side views, but the back makes me cringe.  Especially the shoulder / arm area. 

I guess this is a good thing, since now I know where I want to concentrate at the gym!  

Friend Makin' Monday - #1

Instead of whining and moaning about OMG, It's January in Michigan and we have ~GASP~ cold & snow!  I'm going to share some pics of visitors to my feeder taken Saturday morning. 

I'm pretty impressed, since I took these thru a screen and a window that desperately needs to be washed.  

 Lovely Miss Cardinal

I love my mourning doves!

I usually bring out one scoop of food -

half goes in the feeder and half goes on the ground for these guys and the Juncos. 

Happy little Junco. 

I don't usually see them on the feeder, but this one was posing for me!

Now it's time for – Friend Makin’ Mondays.

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section over at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!




Friend Makin’ Mondays

1. What has been your happiest moment in 2014 so far?  Hmm.  New Years Day.  We slept late, stood around the stove and ate cinnamon rolls, watched the Rose Parade, turned the channel and watched the Red Wings lose the Winter Classic, then right over to watch the Spartans win the Rose Bowl.  I don't normally watch that much TV in a month! But I spent the day with the 2 peeps who mean the most to me.

2. Share the last compliment you received. I took Miss Angela in to get her hair trimmed and I left minus about 5 inches myself.  I've gotten lots of compliments on my hair. I like it a lot!

3. What is one thing that you plan to accomplish in the next week? Get to the gym 3 times.

4. What is your favorite TV show currently on air? There's nothing until RuPaul's Drag Race comes back next month.

5. If you could go anywhere in the world free for the next two weeks, where you go?  Europe.  There are a lot of places to see that just requires a train ride.

6. Describe a significant event in your life that caused you to change your values system. I joined the Navy.   My whole school life was in a district that just happened to be all white. So I really had no reason to dislike people of colors, I didn't know any! My parents were extremely prejudiced to anyone of a different race.  Mom still is and it's SO embarrassing! But when you're tossed into a room with 75+ strangers all in the same boat (figuratively - this was bootcamp) you learn quick to see past color and see what the person has to offer to your team.  And you can't dwell on race when you're living in close quarters on a ship and everyone is under each other's feet!  It makes for some really interesting & enlightening conversations, tho!

7. What made you decide to live where you currently live? I was going thru a divorce when I got out of the Navy, so I came back to where I grew up.  Then I met the hubby and we found a house we like in an area we like with good schools. He's originally from Arkansas, so if he had the opportunity to go back (he came to MI for work) I'd be packing in a heartbeat!

8. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about GOD?  I'll keep Kenlie's answer. I think about all of the grace that He has offered me even though I’m so undeserving.

9. If you could have a long conversation with someone famous (and alive now) who would you choose? RuPaul Charles.  She's wise, she's beautiful & she's funny.

10. List three things that you’re thankful for today.
*Having a job that I can play hooky from easily (I did go in for a couple hours Sunday to finish up some reports and turn in that were due today)

*A roof over our heads / walls to block the wind / a working furnace / food
*An able body that is ready to brave the bitter cold and shovel some snow. 

Brrr!

OK, this shit is cold, even for a Michigander!  Here's our clock / thermometer from this morning when I was bundling up to take to dog outside.

Yup. -2 degrees F.

It rose to a whopping 15 degrees! 

At least today it was pretty still out.  It was windy yesterday and I really thought my face was going to freeze and break as I was out shoveling the driveway after work. Looking at the bright side - when its that cold, the snow is powdery & light.

I've been to the gym several times. I now know what my weights should be set at for each machine and I'm also learning what other people do that annoy me.  Dude - don't sit on the machine and visit with other people.  And little Bimbo?  If you can't figure it out, there are simple pictures on each machine on how to use it.  You look like a moron when you use it wrong.  And there's a different machine for what you're trying to do. So get the hell out of my way!

My workouts have been more or less like this.....12 minutes on the elliptical.  It works out to be 1.6 miles. Then I go the machines.  Then I did about 20 minutes (1 mile) on the treadmill.  10 minutes at a fast walk, then gradually drop the speed down.  Last night I stayed on each machine for the 3 sets of 10-12 reps (instead of going to each one 3 times) since people were in my way.   I'm feeling more sore than I have been, so that's a good thing!  And I wore my headphones on the elliptical and listened to Navy cadences, so that time went much quicker.

I'm sort of miffed.  My iPod with it's earbuds and arm strap has been sitting on my desk for over a year and wouldn't you know as soon as I wanted to go plug it in to charge it, it's gone!!  I have no idea where it could be.  So I had to use regular headphones and my phone, which is not a compact setup.  Grr.

I totally missed going to WW last night.  For the past 2 weeks, I've worked Monday, had Tuesday & Wednesday off, then worked Thursday & Friday.  My days are all screwed up!  I kept thinking yesterday was Monday, so I missed the meeting until late last night.  It was probably crazy anyway.  The first month or so of the new year always is.  I was honestly expecting the gym to be a lot crazier than it was.  I walked in shortly after 5 and there were maybe 4 people there.  Awesome!  It started to fill up around 6, but I was almost done.

So we're supposed to get another 6-14 inches of snow Saturday night / Sunday.  Yay.   Miss Angela went back to school Thursday and had a 20 minute early dismissal due to crappy roads.    Then we got a call last night that school was cancelled today.  Well, that day was about pointless!  Ours is one of the few districts in the area that actually went back that early.  We also get a full week off in February for mid-winter break instead of just a long weekend like most others, so it evens out.

I'm going to go look for my iPod, so signing off!  Stay warm!

Happy New Year!

May your 2014 be happy & prosperous!

Many blessings to all my readers!