http://www.foolserrand.com/funneh/graphic/bunny-steals-cookie_400w.jpg

/1,000th reply

I get a free gift subscription to Nutrition Action Healthletter when I renew mine, so I asked at the library whether they would circulate it if I donated it to them. She's having them check it out and they'll give me a call back.
The library FINALLY got back to me. They're interested in putting the magazine into circulation.:claphigh:

I don't think my two for one offer is still good, so I checked their website (http://www.cspinet.org/nah/). The subscription prices are $15 for new subscriptions, $24 for gift subscriptions, and an undisclosed amount if it's a renewal. (I think my original offer was two subscriptions for $20) So I sent an e-mail to them two weeks ago asking what they thought I should pay to have it sent to my library, and, optionally, to myself, since I did not renew, but they STILL haven't gotten back to me.:mad:

I told the librarian to go ahead and order the magazine herself and send me the bill.

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. ~ Theodore Roosevelt

Not much to report.

Something's still got me in a lazy mood. I've started up lifting weights before bed again, but I'm only doing it half-heartedly. I feel weak.

My diet's been looking a lot like this for the last several days

Meal #1
two slices whole wheat toast with peanut butter
banana
decaf

Meal #2
5 oz salmon
1 or 2 slices whole wheat bread
red pepper
green onion
tomato
decaf

Meal #3
1 1/2 C spinach
1 C stawberries
1/4 C soy nuts or walnuts or almonds or pecans
3 oz chicken breast or pork tenderloin

Meal #4
1/2 C oats
1 C yogurt or soy milk
1 peach or apple
decaf

I'd been pretty happy with it, but when I check on fitday, it's only 1300 calories.:eek:

Maybe that's why I can't lift.:doh:

I'm drinking only about 2 C of water each day.

I could be a quasi-vegetarian if I wanted to. Years ago, I couldn't have imagined enough foods that would have kept me satisfied. Now, it's what seems to make the most sense.

The editor of Nutrition Action has written a book:

For 35 years the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest has published hard-hitting studies exposing the dreadful nutritional content of movie theatre popcorn, fast foods, and restaurant meals. Its latest book is SIX ARGUMENTS FOR A GREENER DIET (http://www.cspistore.org/item/SixArguments.html) —a meticulously researched examination of scientific studies that finds that eating more plant foods and fewer fatty animal products can lead to extra years of healthy living. Happily, explains lead author and CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson, that same diet also leads to much less food poisoning, water pollution, air pollution, global warming, and animal suffering.

It's not the political stuff that most appeals to me, but it is a nice bonus that the foods that are best for your health are also best for the environment. Interestingly, the author of the book is not a vegetarian either. I don't want to order it through the mail, but if I can find it at the bookstore, I'll get it, then I plan to donate it to the library.

School starts in a couple of weeks for the kids; that might change things. Fall is a new beginning, they say.

"Our real problem is not our strength today; it is rather the vital necessity of action today to ensure our strength tomorrow." ~Calvin Coolidge

I'm drinking only about 2 C of water each day.

Hi guava, sorry to hear that you are feeling lazy...did you really mean you are only drinking 2 cups of water a day, did I miss something? Maybe that is it.

I am just getting over a week of a nasty cold, which had me feeling the same way and I am finally getting back into routine, which feels good.

Good luck in kickin' the funk. :tu:

Hi guava, sorry to hear that you are feeling lazy...did you really mean you are only drinking 2 cups of water a day, did I miss something? Maybe that is it.

Yeah, two cups. :o Four cups today already though.:claplow:

I think I've gotten used to liking the feeling of an empty stomach. And I seem to be using coffee as an appetite suppressant.:doh:

After looking at my calories yesterday, I decided to go through my freezer and cupboards and bring out the calorie dense items I'd been avoiding. So I took out a Delissio Balance Harvest Crust (Whole Wheat) Pizza (Roasted Vegetable and Feta). I don't know who the marketing geniuses were of this product, but they really missed the mark. It's too "natural" to appeal to mainstream pizza lovers, but it's too high in fat and calories to appeal to health-conscious consumers. That little tiny pizza (about 6 inches, I think - 334 g) had 660 calories, and 18 grams of fat (8 of them saturated), and 2020mg of sodium. And I ate it all. For lunch. With steamed broccoli.

Oats, raw ( 0.5 cup ) 156 3 27 6
Egg, whole, cooked, ( 1 extra large ) 97 7 1 7
MORI-NU, Tofu, silken, soft ( 1 slice ) 46 2 2 4
Cocoa, dry powder,( 1 tablespoon ) 12 1 3 1
Banana, raw ( 1 cup, NFS ) 138 1 35 2
pudding, Fat Free Chocolate, 31 0 7 1
Balance Pizza, vegetable ( 1 pizza ) 660 18 118 32
Broccoli, cooked, ( 1 small stalk (5" long) ) 39 0 7 4
extra lean hamburger 336 13 32 23
Spinach, raw ( 1 cup ) 7 0 1 1
Apple, raw ( 1 small ) 63 0 16 0
Sherbet, all flavors ( 0.5 cup ) 133 2 29 1
Total 1717 47 278 82

Not perfect, but better, I suppose. Today's item to tackle is a jar of sundried tomatoes and olives in sunflower oil.

This morning's cardio went well. I focused on Creed's lyrics instead of watching the clock. Can't get the VCR to run yet.:cry:

HRM
24:26
max heart rate 184
Avg heart rate 164
in zone 3:26 :confused: :bang:
217 calories

Elliptical
24:00
4.3 km
366 calories

:confused: Hmm. Readings don't seem much different from those in the past. But it felt better.:flex:

My husband mentioned to me a couple of weeks ago that there is a strong potential for him to fill a position in various new overseas projects, and I know he'd really like to take advantage of them. Any of those positions would allow him to take another big leap up the chain of command, which is a big incentive for him.

So, I dunno. He hasn't talked yet about moving, because he knows I feel happiest here, and I don't adjust well to change at all. So it's a tough compromise either way.

Once you agree upon the price you and your family must pay for success, it enables you to ignore the minor hurts, the opponent's pressure, and the temporary failures. ~ Vincent Lombardi:confused:

The pizza looks awesome!!

Now DRINK UP!

is there are reason, besides forgetfulness, you are abstaining at such a high level from h20, which we know is necessary for proper nutrition?? :confused:

Wow, another overseas opportunity huh? I cannot imagine being as mobile as your family is. Keep us posted on what happens there.

Well, color me confused.

HRM
24:58
In Zone 22:34
Average heart rate 146
Maximum heart rate 159
177 calories burned.

Elliptical
24:00
3.5 km
312.8 calories

I finally investigated what that heart rate monitor reading was all about. You'd think I'd know by now with all the time I spend on these forums, but aparently I missed it, or, more accurately, ignored it. According to some sources, to burn fat, you should exercise in the "fat burning zone", which is a fairly low intensity (50 -70% of Max heart rate, I suppose. My monitor is encouraging me to stay between 122 and 160, which is a slow jog.) That's why it was doing so much beep, beep, beeping. It was telling me to slow down!:doh: Now, I have a few problems with this:

1) Why does my heart rate monitor, like all of the women's magazines I read, assume that I want to lose fat.:nono: If my goal is to increase my cardiovascular endurance, can I set it to praise me for staying in my aerobic zone instead?
2) If the calories I'm burning are coming from carbs instead of fat, is that somehow a bad thing? What difference does it make?
3) Why do some many websites debunk the myth of the fat burning zone? As I mentioned, I'm already sceptical of any "women's" fitness sites, because they are notoriously geared to becoming as absolutely tiny as possible, not as strong or healthy as possible. :mad:

About.com (http://exercise.about.com/cs/cardioworkouts/l/aa022601a.htm)
The body does burn a higher percentage of calories from fat when involved in lower intensity cardio exercise. BUT, at higher intensities, you burn a greater number of overall calories which is what you should be concerned about when trying to lose weight. The chart below details the fat calories expended by a 130-pound woman during cardio exercise:
Fitness for you (http://www.fitness4youonline.com/fat_burning_zone.html)
The percentage of calories you burn from fat doesn't matter! For weight loss, the important number is how many total calories you burn!
Femail.com (http://www.femail.com.au/the_fat_burning_zone.htm)
Weight loss is an extremely simple concept that is often made difficult. Every day you consume food, which gives you energy, and every day you expend some of this energy for basic body function, to digest food and for activity. Overall, the energy that you take in should be balanced with the energy you expend. This would result in a stable body weight. To lose weight you simply need to shift this equation so that you expend more energy then you consume. Whether the energy comes from fat or carbohydrate stores is not an issue. What is important is the amount of energy, or calories, you expend.
ivillage (http://diet.ivillage.com/workouts/wcardio/0,,80j,00.html)
Now, this situation has led many people to assume that in order to "burn fat" they need to exercise at lower intensities. They're missing the boat. Why? Because while at rest, although a higher percentage of your calories is indeed coming from fat, you are ultimately burning a lower absolute number of calories. At higher intensity exercise, the percentage of calories from fat goes down, true -- but it is a percentage of a significantly higher number.

If I can every figure out that stuff, then I'll move on to trying to understand why fasted workouts (http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/cardioexercisebasics/a/cardiobasics.htm) are superior (what difference does it make whether you're burning stored fat, or recently consumed calories?)

and optimal macronutrient ratios (http://www.ironmagazine.com/article126.html) and meal timing (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/charlie2.htm). :bang:

Oh well, one step at a time.


The pizza looks awesome!!
Yeah, it was pretty good, but for some reason, I'd forgotten that there's lactose in cheese, and I'm lactose intolerant.:doh: I was paying for it the whole next day. The girls liked the look of the pizza so much that I made pizza for supper last night, but I was smart; pepperoni and cheese for them; pineapple and extra lean ham with extra sauce and NO cheese for me.:D

is there are reason, besides forgetfulness, you are abstaining at such a high level from h20, which we know is necessary for proper nutrition?? Yeah. I don't like going to the bathroom.:blank:

We should do at least one thing every day that makes us uncomfortable. I think I've been managing to do a few things like that. Thanks to Abigail Tow for her thread on "firsts" (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=30687) that made me think about some of the "baby steps" I've taken.

"One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again." ~Abraham Maslow

1)If my goal is to increase my cardiovascular endurance, can I set it to praise me for staying in my aerobic zone instead?

If yours is anything like mine, yeah definetly. I programmed mine to yell at me if I go below 75% or above 95%. Wouldn't call it praise, but I appreciate when it stops beeping. :)

2) If the calories I'm burning are coming from carbs instead of fat, is that somehow a bad thing? What difference does it make?

I suppose it makes a difference for those whose goal is to lose fat through cardio. Zen's had some treatises about how high-intensity cardio burns fat long after you've stopped working out but I couldn't explain how it works. I do know that if you burn through your glycogen stores with high-intensity cardio and have nothing to replace it with in your digestive system you're gonna hurt real bad. (bonk)

3) Why do some many websites debunk the myth of the fat burning zone?

I think 'cause the reaction in the fitness community when this "Zone" was (discovered/theorized/tested?) was to eschew moderate to high-intensity cardio for fat loss. The reality is that higher intensity cardio is excellent for fat loss as well and so the reaction now is to debunk the "Zone" as the only way to lose fat through cardio.

I never looked at women's health mags beyond ogling the "Shape" covergirls in the supermarket checkout line. Saturday, while Rebecca was off doing stuff in her room, I picked up one of her women's fitness mags and leafed through it. The pictures were...scary. Very tiny women who, if they had any muscular definition whatsoever, had their limbs airbrushed smooth like sausages. They almost didn't look human. :(

I never looked at women's health mags beyond ogling the "Shape" covergirls in the supermarket checkout line. Saturday, while Rebecca was off doing stuff in her room, I picked up one of her women's fitness mags and leafed through it. The pictures were...scary. Very tiny women who, if they had any muscular definition whatsoever, had their limbs airbrushed smooth like sausages. They almost didn't look human. :(
Oxygen is a better magazine targeted to women who want to build muscle, but it's focus is on building muscle, and tends to sometimes focus on that to the detriment of health, so that puts me off too. I am a devoted Men's Health reader now, because it doesn't put a big push on fat loss, but doesn't focus all of it's material on muscle gain either. A nice balance of everything good.:tu:

As I mentioned, I'm already sceptical of any "women's" fitness sites, because they are notoriously geared to becoming as absolutely tiny as possible, not as strong or healthy as possible. :mad:



This made me laugh in that "it's disturbing but true" sort of way. My head starts to hurt when I think about this too much. Women trying to get smaller and smaller, until they almost disappear. :(

So nice of you to donate a magazine subscription to your library!:claplow:
The magazines are part of my job, too.

Oxygen is a better magazine targeted to women who want to build muscle, but it's focus is on building muscle, and tends to sometimes focus on that to the detriment of health, so that puts me off too. I am a devoted Men's Health reader now, because it doesn't put a big push on fat loss, but doesn't focus all of it's material on muscle gain either. A nice balance of everything good.:tu:

I read and like Men’s Health magazine as well. I think of it as more of a healthy lifestyle magazine than a fitness magazine. I noticed the publishers of Men’s Health also publish a Women’s Health magazine. Have you tried it? I understand it was created due to feedback from woman readers of Men’s Health.:)

I read and like Men’s Health magazine as well. I think of it as more of a healthy lifestyle magazine than a fitness magazine. I noticed the publishers of Men’s Health also publish a Women’s Health magazine. Have you tried it? I understand it was created due to feedback from woman readers of Men’s Health.:)
Yeah.
http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?p=303859&#post303859

It's still highly focused on weight loss over and above "health". It's got too much information on silly motivational tricks that won't replace real motivation, and make-up and fashion accessories. On the other hand, it balances out the part that I don't like of Men's Health where they talk about spectator sports, picking up chicks, vehicles, and tools. Maybe I'll try it out again.

We're going to the orchard to pick some apples tomorrow. Ginger Gold (http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/apple_cultivars/ginger_gold.htm), they will be. I must hunt down my basket and my checkered tablecloth and make a real event of it. :D I mixed up the wet and dry ingredients for some orange bran flax muffins that I will bake fresh in the morning. :eat:

1.5 L of water today. That's probably the most I've had in a day since May.:blank: But I'm focused now. Better habits are coming my way.

Where you are headed is more important than how fast you are going. Rather than always focusing on what's urgent, learn to focus on what is really important. ~ Stephen Covey

Way to go on the water consumption today. I read Men's Health at the gym, usually during cardio. Same as any publication, you can take it or leave it when it comes to most of the info, but it does have 2-3 real good articles or tips/whatever each month. You have to remember what business Men's Health is in though...and thats the business of selling magazines first and foremost, so unfortunately since the masses want short cut strategies and stuff to make them feel like it is actually healthy to drink a beer every night...well, thats what they put in there.

The recipes they have in there are good too though...I have tried several and with a couple personal tweaks many have become favorites.

...Now I hope this post will bump your thread to the next page in your journal, because I am really getting tired of seeing that silly rabbit eating cookies first thing everytime I come in here.

it is actually healthy to drink a beer every night

NO, NO, NO:nono: You shouldn't train every day, you have to have one or two days a week "Off."


:D

Way to go on the water consumption today. I read Men's Health at the gym, usually during cardio. Same as any publication, you can take it or leave it when it comes to most of the info, but it does have 2-3 real good articles or tips/whatever each month. You have to remember what business Men's Health is in though...and thats the business of selling magazines first and foremost, so unfortunately since the masses want short cut strategies and stuff to make them feel like it is actually healthy to drink a beer every night...well, thats what they put in there.

The recipes they have in there are good too though...I have tried several and with a couple personal tweaks many have become favorites.

...Now I hope this post will bump your thread to the next page in your journal, because I am really getting tired of seeing that silly rabbit eating cookies first thing everytime I come in here.
Two litres in total by the end of yesterday, and my target is the same for today.

The women's magazines are being pulled in opposing directions. I still subscribe to one, but I find I'm not appreciating it any more. The health advice is too simplistic (eat less added sugar and fat, more "vegetables") and the recipes feature more refined flour, sugar, and cheese than I'd like to use. It's pretty funny to read "Limit your consumption of x" in their health articles, then turn the page and find a recipe encouraging "Indulge yourself".:p

What page are you on? I'm on Page 11. Go to User c/p, Edit Options, Show 100 Posts per page. It'll be 85 more posts before the rabbit goes, in that case. Keep 'em coming! I never notice the bunny, because I always hit the link to go to the last new post. How do you get here?

Mmmmmm...... fresh muffins for breakfast.

:claphigh:

A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties. ~Harry Truman

A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties. ~Harry Truman


I like that quote! :nod:
Where do you get those quotes from? They are really great!

I started collecting my quotes through The Quote Garden (http://www.quotegarden.com/). I have the ones I like organized by category inside a word document on my computer (It's a 23 page document right now), so I pull out a quote of the day based on whether I want to emphasize happiness, adventure, confidence, self-discovery, etc.

I'm also on a mailing list for Inspiration Peak (http://www.inspirationpeak.com/) and Insight of the Day (http://www.insightoftheday.com/).

I bought 20 pounds of fresh crisp juicy apples.:D

"We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about." ~ Charles Kingsley

I bought 20 pounds of fresh crisp juicy apples.:D [/I]

:eat:

What kinds? Granny Smith's are my favorites by far. I like tart!

I've not been eating as many apples lately. That's one of the things I'm going to indulge on when I start bulking soon. I've switched to more blueberries/strawberries/kiwis lately due to less carbs (doing moderate carbs to see how my body responds...nothing crazy low, though).

I like Granny Smith in salads with broccoli and raisins, or fruit salad, or applesauce, but not so much raw as a snack. We had a choice of Ginger Gold or Wealthy. I got all Ginger Gold's because they're sweeter, but I should have bought some of the others for baking. You would have liked the Wealthy!

All About Apples (http://www.hormel.com/templates/template.asp?catitemid=113&id=831)

We're going to go back in mid October for Golden Delicious and Fuji. Pink lady is my favorite, but I don't think they grow it in Ontario.

Don't think I've tried a Wealthy. I'll keep my eye out.

Googling and looking at your link, looks like they're cold weather climate apples. Doubt we'll see many down south.

If yours is anything like mine, yeah definetly. I programmed mine to yell at me if I go below 75% or above 95%. Wouldn't call it praise, but I appreciate when it stops beeping. :)



I suppose it makes a difference for those whose goal is to lose fat through cardio. Zen's had some treatises about how high-intensity cardio burns fat long after you've stopped working out but I couldn't explain how it works. I do know that if you burn through your glycogen stores with high-intensity cardio and have nothing to replace it with in your digestive system you're gonna hurt real bad. (bonk)



Hi Guava,

Looks like this gadget might do the trick - it got featured on Gizmodo today, so their website is having bandwidth problems due to too many hits, so perhaps try them later in the weekend....

Heart-rate activated remote control: Entertrainer
http://www.theentertrainer.com/

Along the lines of the Nike+ iPod system that tweaks your playlist based on the pace of your running workout, The Entertrainer is a heart monitor that turns down the volume of the TV you're watching if your heart rate drops. Keep slacking and the TV shuts off.

Dave
San Diego

Heart-rate activated remote control: Entertrainer
http://www.theentertrainer.com/
I can't see the link, but, yes, that would do it. That would be great.:tu:

We were all planned to take the girls swimming this afternoon, but when we got to the pool we discovered it was closed due to the long weekend.:doh: So we took them out to the movies. Holy crap, that's an expensive event! So, $50 later, we were sitting in the theatre with our popcorn and drink and watching boys eat worms. Yes, we went to see

How to Eat Fried Worms (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0462346/)

"What would an after school special look like if it was made by the producers of Fear Factor? Although it's hard to say for sure, How to Eat Fried Worms provides a reasonable approximation."

It is clearly the most disgusting movie I have ever seen in a movie theatre. It was several hours ago that we saw it, and I'm still too nauseous to think about supper. The kids loved it, of course.:rolleyes:

Two litres of water yesterday, plus a good leg workout.:tu:

Notice the difference between what happens when a man says to himself, "I have failed three times," and what happens when he says, "I'm a failure." -- S. I. Hayakawa

awwwww, long weekend should be the perfect time to have a pool open!:confused:

By the way, I've been meaning to mention that your back looks absolutely fantastic in your avatar...:tu:

By the way, I've been meaning to mention that your back looks absolutely fantastic in your avatar...:tu:
I second that! Looking great guava :nod:

:)
The avatar will be changing soon, because my frame of mind is changing again. It would be neat if we could apply a different avatar to each of the different forums, so then I could use a photo of Drew as my journal avatar, the watermelon one for posts in the nutrition forum, my back pic for the fat loss forums, a bicep flex for bulking posts, and a super secret sprecial one for the VIP lounge.;)

1.5 litres of water today up until now. And I only went to the bathroom six times so far today.:rolleyes:

Use those talents you have. You will make it. You will give joy to the world. Take this tip from nature: The forest would be a very silent place if no birds sang except those who sang best. ~ Bernard Meltzer, 1917-1998

Thank you very much for the links!

*bookmarked*

----

That movie about the wurms sounded disturbing! :confused:
I saw a promo of it once.
it reminded me yet again the reason I don't go to the cinema anymore.

It's the first day of school today. I feel happy, but sad too.

I'm thinking about letting my ten-year-old start walking to school by herself.
I'm not completely comfortable about the idea, but I can't baby her forever.

:cry:

We took the training wheels off our five-year-old's bike a couple of days ago.
She now rides like an expert.

:cry:

Time stands still for no one.

Vintage t-shirts seem to be really popular. They're specially designed now to be really thin and look faded, and with the logos we remember from 20 years ago. I just about bought one over the weekend with an image of KISS (http://www.kissasylum.com/photos/kiss_darkhorse1.jpg) on the front. I should have kept the Alice Cooper t-shirt I bought in high school. Maybe my acid wash jeans will come back in style too.

“If we're growing, we're always going to be out of our comfort zone.” ~ John Maxwell

It's the first day of school today. I feel happy, but sad too.

I'm thinking about letting my ten-year-old start walking to school by herself.
I'm not completely comfortable about the idea, but I can't baby her forever.

:cry:

We took the training wheels off our five-year-old's bike a couple of days ago.
She now rides like an expert.

:cry:

Time stands still for no one.

You should be proud of yourself for preparing your girls for the outside world so well as you did! :tu:



“If we're growing, we're always going to be out of our comfort zone.” ~ John Maxwell

Can't say I really agree on that one. From my experience, the more I grow - the more things I learn that help me cope with situations better.
Then again, I read "growing" in the metaphorical sence.

You should be proud of yourself for preparing your girls for the outside world so well as you did! :tu:
Gee I hope so!:spaz:

Some people think all this mothering business is an instinct and that we'll just know what to do when the time comes. Not so at all. It's such a crazy balance of opposing actions that we need to perform. We hope to:

give our kids a lot of attention, and foster independence
offer guidance, and encourage independent thinking
intervene in difficult situations, and teach them to solve their own problems
entertain them, and show them how to find their own fun
Then cross our fingers and hope we've raised a well-rounded individual.

My stomach was in knots all day yesterday. I can't eat properly when I feel like that. This is a what a big cheat day for guava looks like:

Bread, raisin ( 2 regular slice ) 142 2 27 4
Banana, raw ( 1 medium ) 109 1 28 1
Peanut butter ( 1 tablespoon ) 95 8 3 4
Coffee, decaffeinated, ( 1 mug ) 5 0 1 0
Milk, soy based ( for coffee) 12 1 1 0
Bread, raisin ( 2 regular slice ) 142 2 27 4
Peanut butter ( 1 tablespoon ) 95 8 3 4
Nanaimo bar, half 44 2 6 1
Muffins, blueberry, low fat, half a large 162 6 23 4
Coffee, decaffeinated, ( 1 mug ) 5 0 1 0
Milk, soy based ( for coffee) 12 1 1 0
Apple, raw ( 1 large) 125 1 32 0
Peach, raw ( 1 small ) 34 0 9 1
Granola, homemade ( 1 cup ) 408 12 65 18
Milk, soy based ( 1 cup ) 150 8 15 4
Yogurt, fruit variety, nonfat (8 fl oz) 60 0 9 6
Tofu, silken, soft ( 1 slice ) 46 2 2 4
Egg, 1/2 49 4 0 4
Carob powder( 0.062 cup ) 14 0 6 0
Coffee, decaffeinated, ( 1 mug ) 5 0 1 0
Milk, soy based ( for coffee) 12 1 1 0
Total 1727 59 262 61
:confused: (No meat, no veggies, and extra sugar, but otherwise not that much different from a regular day.)

And when I'm upset, I don't encourage the rest of the family to eat well either. My daughter had a sausage McMuffin for breakfast, a quesadilla for lunch, half a nanaimo bar and blueberry muffin for snack, and KFC for supper.:o

Originally Posted by guava
“If we're growing, we're always going to be out of our comfort zone.” ~ John Maxwell

Can't say I really agree on that one. From my experience, the more I grow - the more things I learn that help me cope with situations better.
Then again, I read "growing" in the metaphorical sence.
I consider "growing" to be moving in directions I've never been before, and for me, it's quite painful, at least initially. But you're right; because I've been in so many unusual situations, some of the things that other people would find uncomfortable are a piece of cake for me. :tucool:

The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials. ~ Chinese proverb

Gee I hope so!:spaz:

Some people think all this mothering business is an instinct and that we'll just know what to do when the time comes. Not so at all. It's such a crazy balance of opposing actions that we need to perform. We hope to:

give our kids a lot of attention, and foster independence
offer guidance, and encourage independent thinking
intervene in difficult situations, and teach them to solve their own problems
entertain them, and show them how to find their own fun
Then cross our fingers and hope we've raised a well-rounded individual.

Sounds like a thoughy...
BUT - in the end they (we) all grow up absorbing the enviroment that was set in the family. I think that if the enviroment was loving and supporting many things would come by themselves.
But then again, I don't have children yet, and I might be singing whole different tunes once I have them! :D

Edit: Yeah, I see how my sister and her husband are doing their best to get their children raised properly... It's not as easy as it appears... :confused:


The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials. ~ Chinese proverb

I like that one! :D

My diet's getting a little better.

My exercise habits are getting a little better.

But my mood is not.

I took a nap again today, just like yesterday. Don't feel like doing much else.

I've got a cupboard full of St. John's wort, but I refuse to take it, I'm so anti-drug.:rolleyes:

Leg workout last night, elliptical workout this morning. The whole time I was doing them, I was thinking "I'd rather be doing something else."

Cardio
HRM reading
1:00:00
in zone 50:15
avg heart rate 153
max heart rate 165
calories 459

elliptical reading
60:00
9.0 km
651 calories

Eats
toast with peanut butter
apple
pinto bean energy bar (homemade; no sugar added)
peach
1 1/2 C spinach
1 tomato
3/4 C whole wheat spaghetti
1/2 C meat sauce

I'm working on expanding marcus's nutrition guide for fat loss. I doubt many people make it all the way to the end of the thread, but I'll hope so. Take a look (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?p=366057#post366057). Send me a PM if I'm seriously wrong about something. Some of that research is pretty tricky.

Monday will be better. Gymnastics starts. Then hockey starts in a few weeks, and I've registered the girls for Girl Guides/Sparks. Once the new season is "underway" I'll get more comfortable about it. For now, I'm just upset about the disruption to my regular habits.

There's nothing ever wrong but nothing's ever right
Such a cruel contradiction
I know I cross the lines its not easy to define
I'm born to indecision
There's always something new some path I'm supposed to choose
With no particular rhyme or reason
~Burning Bright - Shinedown

I didn't want to spam the fat loss guide thread so I'd like to thank you here for expanding it! :)

Hubby to the rescue.
:claphigh:

It seems that the reason I couldn't get the VCR to play is because the batteries were low on the remote control.:rolleyes:

So now I can run for hours on the elliptical without even realizing I'm breathing heavy.:p The Wedding Planner (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0209475/). It's even better than the first time I saw it.

We had company over for dinner last night, so I had a piece of cake. Neither of my girls finished their pieces, so I polished them off too.:doh: I think it's my husband's evil plan to fatten me up.:p I felt terrible for the rest of the evening. I don't think it was guilt; it was just the discomfort of having so much food in me. I haven't eaten that much since Thanksgiving.

So I did a run on the elliptical this morning, and had a late breakfast of a huge fruit salad (200-250 calories?). I'm planning on a snack of pita bread, tomato and hummus, a late lunch of leftover pasta with tomato sauce, spinach, and broccoli, a late snack of grapes, then leftover chicken breast with sweet potato for dinner, so I think I'm about even for the weekend. :cool:

This morning's workout
40:15
in zone 24:40
average heart rate 152
maximum heart rate 176
calories ? - forgot to record, too lazy to check
(elliptical reading - 40:00, 6.7km, 467 calories)

Yesterday (Forgot to stop HRM after workout, so total time is 5 or 10 minutes longer than actual workout.)
43:15
in zone 25:01
average heart rate 150 (actually closer to 152 because of elongated reading time)
max heart rate 180
cal 326
(elliptical reading - forgot to record; disappeared after 4 minutes)

It seems I'm getting quite forgetful.:doh:

"Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone." ~ Pablo Picasso

:D Happy birthday guava! :o

Happy birthday back to ya! :)

Hubby to the rescue again.
:claphigh:

Hooray for wireless headphones! Even though the tv is only 3 feet from the elliptical, it makes enough noise (or I do, puffing and panting:confused:) so that I can't hear the subtle dialog. However, they can't get pretty disgustingly sweaty after a hard workout. I wonder if there's a better headphone out there.

It was a gentle one today.
duration 40:40
in zone 38:58
average heart rate 145
max heart rate 162
calories 286
(40:00, 6.4 km, 424 cal)

Upper body weight workout last night. Strength training sessions have been short for me because I'm neither trying to add muslce mass nor gain strength; just maintain what's there. I'm increasing my stretching time and trying to do more variety in exercises.

My daughter's first 90-minute session of gymnastics for the season begins today. I hope she can handle the three hours per week I've signed her up for, because it's already paid right through until June. I'm not sure what I'm going to do during the lessons. Some parents sit and watch the whole time, but that sounds like a lot of sitting and watching. Maybe I can leave her there and run around the block.

The first school council meeting of the year is tonight as well. I'll have to take the kids with me to the meeting, because my husband's away on business. On my birthday.:(

It's okay. We'll have fun, just us girls. I'm sure it will involve chocolate.

Just don't talk about planes.:nono:

Always gotta keep busy or the voices start telling me to do wild things. ~ Steve Brown

Happy birthday! I'm glad I'm not the only one who likes to eat my children's leftover cake. I figure I'm saving them years of dental work and especially if it's a birthday cake, I don't have any guilt.

Yesterday went well.

Gymnastics was fabulous, and my daughter just shines.:D The two other mothers there started making comments about every ten minutes "Look at her....The coaches are going to be begging you to get her into competitive....You know, competitive is really expensive.":lol: She had a fantastic time; was running and jumping and showing off the whole time. She learned a few new moves already too.

The school council meeting was good. We're trying to raise $50,000 for a new playground, so that's taking a lot of time and planning. I volunteered to help serve hot dogs at the open house. I have a feeling it's my "turn" to serve an executive position. I don't really want to, but I can't think of anyone else who would do it, so I feel kind of stuck. Good on the resume, anyway. Someone from Quiznos came to do a presentation. They'd like to offer a meal package to the kids. For $3.75 plus taxes, they will make and deliver a sandwich, juice box, and bag of Sun Chips for each child who orders one, as often as we like (once per week was discussed). The school will charge the students $5, so we keep $1.02 profit on each order. I personally could think of many, many different lunch options that would be healthier and much cheaper for me to pack for my own kids. But I do see how what Quiznos is offering is at least as healthy as what most kids are packing for lunches. Response from all of the other parents sounded really positive. They currently offer pizza by the slice for sale every Friday and are talking about adding this on for another day of the week. It's probably no worse than cafeteria food.

I wasn't paying much attention to the intensity of my workout this morning, and according to my HRM, I could have been working much harder than I did.

30:06
Average heart rate 130
Maximum heart rate 164
calories 174
(elliptical reading - without cooldown 25:00, 3.9 km, 265 calories)

I changed my "zone" settings, but I think I messed up. I haven't figured out yet whether I really need to be measuring the amount of time "in the zone" or not, and which zone I'd like that to be.:confused:

My husband's coming home tonight. :) Late. Then leaving tomorrow morning before I get up. :( Then he's back again Friday night.:)

I'm rethinking my garden plans. I hardly spend any time outside at this time of year, so I think I'll try to make spring and early summer a bigger focus of my main plantings in my flower gardens. I like indoor plants for this time of year. I just about bought myself a bouquet of flowers yesterday, but couldn't find quite the right ones.

I'm cold.

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.For beautiful hair, let a child run his fingers through it once a day.For poise, walk with the knowledge you never walk alone. ~"Beauty Secrets," by Sam Levenson

Today's the first day that both my girls are in school all day, so a good day to volunteer at the school. I get to go on a field trip this afternoon! :cool:

The health department will be having a meeting about pandemic flu planning within the next few weeks. If I can find out where it is, I'm going to go check it out. According to their website, we've had a Pandemic Influenza Response Plan in place for quite some time now. Last revision was October 2004 and the document is 68 pages. I haven't read it yet.

This Sunday is the Terry Fox Run (http://www.terryfoxrun.org/english/home/default.asp?s=1) for cancer research. I'll walk/jog with my older daughter in the morning, and my husband and little one will join us for lunch.

From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life. ~ Arthur Ashe

Buuulllllllkkkkkkk....

It's a snail's pace, but it's movement. A couple of months ago, I showed the back update (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?p=346676&25#post346676), here's the front:

March 2004 - about 125 pounds, about 24% body fat (?)
July 2004 - about 114 pounds, about 19% body fat
February 2005 - about 116 pounds, about 16% body fat
September 2006 - about 118 pounds, about 16% body fat
I'd like to get to about 120/125 pounds, and stay within 16-20% body fat. My waist hasn't changed since July 2004. It's about an inch smaller than the first pic.

Snail's pace is great!;)
I can see the little bit of bulking, and it looks fantastic! :claplow:

Buuulllllllkkkkkkk....

It's a snail's pace, but it's movement. A couple of months ago, I showed the back update (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?p=346676&25#post346676), here's the front:

March 2004 - about 125 pounds, about 24% body fat (?)
July 2004 - about 114 pounds, about 19% body fat
February 2005 - about 116 pounds, about 16% body fat
September 2006 - about 118 pounds, about 16% body fat
I'd like to get to about 120/125 pounds, and stay within 16-20% body fat. My waist hasn't changed since July 2004. It's about an inch smaller than the first pic.


Progress is progress and speed isn't important as long as your happy with your nutritional/activity lifestyle, which you seem to be :) I really like your slow approach and focus on real healthful/balanced nutrition
I have the same goal as you around 125 lb and around 16%BF I seem to gain muscle relatively easily but lose fat with much more difficulty as you have probably noticed on other posts...:) My waist also hasn't decreased much by the way

Thank-you ladies.

Back when I was a new mom at 180 pounds, I never imaged that I would have trouble gaining weight. Now that I've cleaned up my diet, I can appreciate that I'm one of the lucky mesomorphs everyone keeps talking about.

I was cleaning out my cupboards yesterday, and found the evidence of purchasing 12 kilograms of peanut butter over the last 18 months.:eek: I didn't eat it all myself, but still, that's a lot of nuts!

My little girl is amazing me in the gym. Her instructor taught her yesterday how to do a cartwheel on the beam.:eek: It's a wider, lower-down beam, but still, I was pretty impressed. She's also doing a back walkover from an elevated feet position. And she has such a perfectly poised landing position that I'm completely in awe.

"If you know what to do to reach your goal, it's not a big enough goal." ~ Bob Proctor

I decided to bicycle for the Terry Fox Run for cancer research on Sunday. We were at it for an hour and a half, and I think I did about 32 laps, allowing for two breaks in the middle. The track was probably the standard 400 metres, so I suppose that's almost 13 km (8 miles). It's not a grand accomplishment, and I didn't work as hard as I could have, but I'm proud of myself for being able to manage that much my first time out on a bike in decades. My daughter took longer breaks, so she completed 25 laps. Next year, I will sponsor her $1 per lap, and set a target for myself of 50 laps, which should be 20 km, or 12 1/2 miles.

There's something wrong with my stomach. Either my lactose intolerance has progressed to the point where I can't even tolerate the smallest amount, or I'm suffering from a different problem (wheat allergy? IBS?) I absolutely hate changing any regular part of my diet, so it will take a lot of suffering for me to finally figure out what's going on. The other annoying thing is that for some reason I absolutely cannot do an abdominal workout without having incredibly sore abs for at least 24 hours afterwards. Added on to bloating and stomach cramps, it's quite unpleasant. :bang:

Yesterday's elliptical
28:00
Avg. heart rate 150
Max heart rate 179
209 calories
(28:00, 5.0 km, 369 calories)

Hockey starts the first Saturday of October. I dropped off our skates to be sharpened. Hopefully we'll get a chance to have some fun and practice out on the ice once before hockey.

If we only knew that we could have anything we wanted we would set more goals.~Earl Nightingale

Yesterday was a difficult day.

My daughter had fogotten her lunch at home, so we had to turn back after we'd already walked half way to school, and therefore ended up arriving late. She was torn to pieces. I walked her right to her classroom door, but she refused to go in. She was crying and telling me she didn't have any friends in class and that she didn't like school. I mentioned one of the girls I'd seen her play with, and she told me that she wasn't her friend. This reminded me of when I was 8 or 9 years old and my mom told me "People like you," and I didn't believe her! :rolleyes: After about fifteen minutes, her teacher assistant noticed us out there, and tried to bring her in to join the class. That just made her cry harder. Then finally her teacher came out and tried to do the same. The more attention people paid to her, the more she withdrew. So, I was at school debating whether I really should just bring her back home to spend the day with me. The world is a terrifying place in the eyes of an introvert. Ultimately, I decided this was something she needed to conquer, even just as a lesson for next time that it's easier when we're ready on time. Finally, after enough baby step assistance and hand-holding from me, she felt comfortable enough to join in.

When I met her after school, she announced "I have a new friend.":)

Yesterday's elliptical:
30:00 (with 5 minute warm up and 5 minute cool down)
Average heart rate: 141
Max heart rate: 167
208 calories
(25:00, 4.2 km, 302 calories)

It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult. ~ Seneca

Yesterday was a difficult day.

The world is a terrifying place in the eyes of an introvert. Ultimately, I decided this was something she needed to conquer

It's a great thing to see parents that love their kids enough to not handle every situation for them. We always have to be there for them - but there are times, even at very young ages, that they must learn to do for themselves. Good for you!!:tu:

-bmac

My feelings as well bmac- good work guava. :)
One of my daughters is similarly shy and introverted. It can be heart breaking at times, but not giving in enables her to conquer her fears at an early age and this seems the best way to deal with it. And they seem to adapt and learn fairly quickly, I think. Either that or I'm completely losing track of time... both are likely. ;)

My feelings as well bmac- good work guava. :)
One of my daughters is similarly shy and introverted. It can be heart breaking at times, but not giving in enables her to conquer her fears at an early age and this seems the best way to deal with it. And they seem to adapt and learn fairly quickly, I think. Either that or I'm completely losing track of time... both are likely. ;)
Thanks. It's tough.

Interesting how my girls are so completely different from each other. My older one is right in the middle of all the action all the time. She came downstairs one morning with a t-shirt on top of a long sleeved shirt. I thought it looked really unique, so I asked her "Is that what's in style now?" She rolled her eyes at me and said "It's not now, but it will be when I keep wearing it." :D On another note, my husband took a questionnaire at work yesterday, and it labelled him as a dictator.:p

We usually find that our "like" daughter is very difficult for us to deal with, because we see so many of our own weaknesses in them. My husband adores the little one's patience and gentleness, and I'm charmed by my older one's creativity and sense of adventure. But the angry streak in the older one makes him pull out his hair, and the timidity of the little one is so annoyingly frustrating for me.

Some times I question how much adapting we should do. When I was a little girl, I would much prefer to sit home and do logic problems than play with any of the neighborhood kids. My mom did a pretty good job of keeping a balance, but I don't think she ever fully recognized the inner struggle. It was sort of understood that I should participate in at least one sport or activity at any time. She thought that once I got started, I would have fun. I didn't really ever have fun playing on the ringette team, but I am glad that she tried to expand my opportunities instead of closing them off. Now, I have the option of lifting weights at home and working out on the elliptical instead of going to a gym and joining the baseball team, but at least I tried joining the baseball team before I decided it wasn't right for me. I'm not afraid as much anymore to do things that are uncomfortable for me to do.

Last night - leg workout. Wasn't much fun.:( Lower body workouts always tire me out so much more than upper body workouts. I don't like huffing and puffing while my quads are working so hard. One of these days, I'll compare with the heart rate monitor. Using the leg curl attachment rather than doing squats and lunges would be a lot less tiring, but the bench is a mess right now. I have to get that basement cleaned out.

If you want to have what you have not, you must do what you do not. ~ Taro Gold

What an amazing weekend!

Yesterday we all went to a butterfly conservatory. I've never seen so many butterflies all in one place. There's nothing quite like a delicate fluttering creature taking a break on your shoulder.:)

Today, I took my older daughter with me to The Word on the Street (http://www.thewordonthestreet.ca/toronto.php). I had to take her with me, because I'm too chicken to do the driving alone. On a nerve-wracking journey such as this, the first thing I do after I land safely at my destination is search out a coffee shop and feed my caffeine addiction. It seems counterintuitive, but somehow, it works. At least I was never a smoker.

Word on the Street is a HUGE festival that takes place at Queen's Park, spread over this entire area.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/Queen%27sPk-Mar05.jpg/220px-Queen%27sPk-Mar05.jpg
More than 250 exhibitors and 13 performance venues. I bought a few books, mostly for the kids. I bought a CD after watching My2Sense (http://www.my2sense.ca/my2sense/myweb.php?hls=10061) perform. We must have walked more than five miles. I lifted last night and the night before, so I don't know if I'll do any other further workout tonight.

Next Saturday, I'm really hoping to participate in Nuit Blanche (http://nuitblanche.livewithculture.ca/), but our schedule does not look promising right now. :cry:

“One of Toronto’s greatest assets is its vibrant culture of creativity. On September 30, I’m inviting Torontonians to stay up all night and encounter their city in a unique way,” said Mayor David Miller.

For one sleepless night, hundreds of museums, galleries and institutions across Toronto will open their doors to present free art programs. Residents and tourists will also be invited to explore unusual spaces not normally open after dark and not normally tied to an art event. Everything from swimming pools and car washes to churches and libraries will be transformed by contemporary art projects.

Independent Projects ranging from interactive video art, ghost tours and avant-garde film screenings to progression painting, shadow art, midnight poetry and unique music-making projects will make Scotiabank Nuit Blanche an unforgettable evening.

My husband is showing me listings of homes that he's been searching in another city. :bang: That can only mean he does not feel challenged enough in his present job.

Ambition is the germ from which all growth of nobleness proceeds. ~ Thomas Dunn English

I stopped off at the library this morning after dropping the kids off at school. I picked up these ones:

How to Behave so your Children Will Too (http://www.amazon.com/Behave-Your-Children-Will-Too/dp/0141001933/sr=1-1/qid=1159284053/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-3488096-3287358?ie=UTF8&s=books)
Little Earthquakes (http://www.amazon.com/Little-Earthquakes-Jennifer-Weiner/dp/0743470095/sr=1-1/qid=1159284027/ref=sr_1_1/102-3488096-3287358?ie=UTF8&s=books) by Jennifer Weiner
Struck by Lightning: the Curious world of Probabilities (http://www.amazon.com/Struck-Lightning-Curious-World-Probabilities/dp/0002007916)

Earthquakes and Lightning. :confused: I think my subconscious is telling me I'm in turmoil.

I came across a book called Eat Carbs, Lose Weight: Drop All the Pounds You Want Without Giving Up the Foods You Love (http://www.amazon.com/Eat-Carbs-Lose-Weight-Without/dp/1594864837) written by Denise Austin, in co-operation with a registered dietitian. It had some good advice in it, but on the whole had some serious flaws. For some reason, it suggested a daily calorie limit of 1,300 calories. Obviously, the key to the weight loss was the calorie limit, not the particular foods that made up those calories. However, I'm still not convinced that all diets fail; rather I take the optimistic outlook that all diets work, in different ways, for different people. We have to find the one that's the right fit according to our unique medical needs, health goals, physique ideals, mood swings, hormonal levels, and other factors. It's frustrating that each "diet" book claims that it is the "right" one and insists on bashing other methods. For instance, she says that low carb diets are not good because they make a person tired and cranky. She didn't consider that this is her particular reaction to those food choices, and not a universal result of that macronutrient makeup. Regardless, I think Denise Austin is a good role model because rather than being impossibly tiny like most fitness models, or pleasantly plump like many dietitians, she is energetic, flexible, and solidly built. (http://www.deniseaustin.com/free/aboutdenise.asp)

I stopped at the employment resource centre on the way home from the library. The place where I applied for a job. Dammit, I wanted that job. :bang: It's a beautiful place, with half a dozen glowing computer screens, copiers and fax machines, desks, newspapers, and reference books. The staff spends their time surfing the internet, clipping the job ads out of the newspapers and posting them on a bulletin board, and greeting people and giving them a tour of the facility. I would be SO good at that! I signed up for a job searching workshop for next Thursday. Maybe there are other jobs like that out there somewhere.

My husband says the move could come in four or five years, and it would be just as close to Toronto, but in the opposite direction. I think I could handle that. His new title, as of today, and retroactive to April, is Projects Manager. Perhaps I'll throw him a party.:claplow:

You can't build a reputation on what you're GOING to do. ~ Henry Ford

I am chilled to the bone.

I haven't been sleeping well for the last couple of weeks because it's so frigid. Most every night, I lie in bed covered in a sweater, pants, sheet, blanket, and quilt and wish I was as comfortable as my sheetless husband in his cotton jammies.:(

So I got a pair of Guess Jeans in size two, and I'm going to keep eating until they don't fall down anymore.:nod:

I'm so used to feeling ever so slightly hungry for at least five hours out of at least five days per week. It's not comfortable anymore to have a full stomach, and it's hard to force myself to eat when that empty feeling strikes.

My main health priority is to keep up my iron beyond normal to elevated levels so that I can continue to donate blood every six weeks or however often it is that I'm allowed. I have an appointment in another two and a half weeks, and I don't want to get rejected again. I don't eat a lot of red meat or organ meat, so I'm pretty careful about the other things in my diet. Chicken, turkey, tofu, kidney beans, spinach, Shreddies, and a good multivitamin will have to be my main sources.

Starting tomorrow, now that I've finished all the yogurt in the fridge, I'm going to go completely dairy free for at least two weeks to see if my stomach feels the difference. I was able to manage for several months with small bowls of yogurt, and milk in my coffee, but the abdominal cramps have lately been just too much to handle. :(

My little girl is fearless. Today at gymnastics, her coach was not near by her in practice, but she decided to do a forward roll on the beam anyway. :eek: The beam was covered in a foam pad, so it's about six inches wide instead of the standard four inches, but it's four feet off the ground, and pretty scary to watch.

We've had dozens of boxes of Girl Guide cookies in the house for several days now (Minty!:p ). I hear they taste pretty good.

I'm thinking about getting a cat.
http://mfrost.typepad.com/./photos/uncategorized/842900.jpg

We were planning on meeting up someplace warm with my sister and her family, and my mom and her husband at Christmas time. My sister has since dropped out, since they can't afford it. The rest of us are a little more flexible. I found some beautiful resorts in Cuba and El Salvador, and my mom has been looking at Portugal. She'd rather go mid-November, and we'd rather go when it's coldest here (December/January). They already have a trip planned to Arizona for January, so it may be easiest just to join them there at that time.

Next Monday is Thanksgiving in Canada. I have a lot to be thankful for.:)

I will grow. I will become something new and grand, but no grander than I now am. Just as the sky will be different in a few hours, its present perfection and completeness is not deficient, so am I presently perfect and not deficient because I will be different tomorrow. ~Wayne Dyer

So I got a pair of Guess Jeans in size two, and I'm going to keep eating until they don't fall down anymore.:nod:

damn... I wish I had that problem :p



My main health priority is to keep up my iron beyond normal to elevated levels so that I can continue to donate blood every six weeks or however often it is that I'm allowed. I have an appointment in another two and a half weeks, and I don't want to get rejected again. I don't eat a lot of red meat or organ meat, so I'm pretty careful about the other things in my diet. Chicken, turkey, tofu, kidney beans, spinach, Shreddies, and a good multivitamin will have to be my main sources.

I had the same problem back when they'd take my blood... they won't take mine at all now though :( and just because I lived in Germany in the 80's.. they're afraid I might have mad cow :rolleyes:


I'm thinking about getting a cat.
http://mfrost.typepad.com/./photos/uncategorized/842900.jpg


that is the cutest kitten.. it reminds me of one I had when I was 7... his name was butterscotch :tucool:

I bought a bag of fresh cranberries at the grocery store yesterday. I opened it up and popped a few into my mouth as a snack, and they make the most delightful popping sound!:p So I rinsed some off for my kids, and they spent nearly half an hour conducting a culinary orchestra.:D They're quite tart, of course, so I had to clean them up after they spit them out, but it was good cheap fun.:tu:

We sold another case of Girl Guide Cookies.:claplow:

Then I taught them how to knit.:)

Tomorrow I'll buy a turkey for Thanksgiving Dinner.

My husband's away again until Friday.:( That's why I need a cat. If there was a shelter in town, I would have picked one up this afternoon already. I think I like orange ones best.
http://mfrost.typepad.com/cute_overload/images/lickersons.jpg

I had to borrow some portions of a passage from Bluestreak's journal (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?p=378023#post378023), because I love it so much:

By writing I put order in the world, give it a handle so I can grasp it. I write because life does not appease my appetites and anger. I write to record what others erase when I speak,to rewrite the stories others have miswritten about me, about you. To become more intimate with myself and you. To discover myself, to preserve myself, to make myself, to achieve self-autonomy. To convince myself that I am worthy and that what I have to say is not a pile of shit. " ~Gloria Anzaldúa

Dempster's is smart. (http://www.dempsters-smart.ca/)

Usually, I'm annoyed at gimmicky tactics, but this seems to be an honestly really great product.

I picked up a loaf of Dempster's Smart white bread made with whole grain.

It is indeed white. It is indeed made with whole grain. And, as a plus, it has nearly the identical nutritional makeup of the store-brand 100% whole wheat bread I've been buying. I'm not really sure how they're able to do that.:confused:

I know that consumers are urged to use the ingredients list to choose quality products, and some of the chief recommendations are
a) don't buy breakfast cereal which has sugar as the first ingredient
b) buy bread that doesn't have 100% whole grain as the first ingredient

I've noticed in the past how cereal companies can ramp up the sweetness in a product without having a nasty-looking ingredients list by listing the sugar twice or more on the label. If a cereal has evaporated cane juice as the second or third ingredient, closely followed by concentrated fruit juice, or honey, or molasses, it could quite easily have as much or more sugar per serving as a cereal with sugar at the top of the list.

Now let's look at b)
In my Smart bread, the first ingredient is "enriched wheat flour". This is what should NOT usually be at the beginning of the list, but, next, after water, comes "whole grain whole wheat flour including the germ", then further on down the list we have oat fibre. (Oats are paler than wheat, so that's probably the reason for their inclusion here) I know that taken together as a whole, this is a nutritious bread, because that's similar to how I make my muffins. Enriched flour is the first ingredient, (because white flour is cheaper than whole wheat), but I add back in some wheat germ, oat bran, ground flax seeds, etc, so that what I end up eating has much more fibre than if I'd just used whole wheat flour.

How does it taste? It passed the taste test. My daughter has been refusing to take sandwiches to school because she says she doesn't like whole wheat bread (and I won't buy white bread). On this bread, she'll eat the sandwich. I don't know if this is just a cosmetic difference that makes her think the bread is softer, or if they have some secret for getting softer bread with just as much fibre. (Or, worse, some labelling trick so that it actually has less fibre than the brand I usually buy.)

The cranberry entertainment has morphed into carving faces into the berries with their fingernails.:lol: 99 cent investment = 1 hour of fun.

I'm supposed to be writing up a notice for the school newsletter about the Santa Claus Parade and preparing a permission slip for the children we'd like to invite to be on it, but I'm stalling.

It's hard to figure out what the right amount of food is. I never feel quite confident that I can recognize the difference between hunger and boredom, because in the past I used to eat out of boredom so often.

It looks like a monstrous amount of food!:eek:

Egg, whole, cooked, ( 1.5 extra large ) 146 11 1 11
MORI-NU, Tofu, silken, soft ( 1 slice ) 46 2 2 4
Oats, raw ( 0.6 cup ) 187 3 33 8
Almonds, NFS ( 0.2 cup ) 163 14 6 6
Cranberries, raw ( 0.15 cup, chopped ) 8 0 2 0
semisweet chocolate, ( 0.1 cup chips ) 81 5 11 1
Jam, preserves, all flavors ( 1 tablespoon ) 55 0 14 0

Bread, whole wheat, 100% ( 2 regular slice ) 138 2 26 5
Finfish, tuna, light, canned in water, ( 0.6 can ) 115 1 0 25
Pepper, sweet, red, raw ( 0.5 cup, NFS ) 20 0 5 1
Squash, zucchini, baby, raw ( 1 medium ) 2 0 0 0

Bread, whole wheat, 100% ( 1 large slice ) 79 1 15 3
Peanut butter ( 1 tablespoon ) 95 8 3 4
Apple, raw ( 1 medium ) 81 0 21 0

Girl Guide Mint Cookie ( 1 serving ) 63 3 9 1

Cauliflower, cooked, ( 1 cup, (1" pieces) ) 28 0 6 2
Bread, whole wheat, 100% ( 1 large slice ) 79 1 15 3
Peanut butter ( 1 tablespoon ) 95 8 3 4
Banana, raw ( 1 medium (7" to 7-7/8" long) ) 109 1 28 1

Nectarine, raw ( 1 fruit (2-1/2" dia) ) 67 1 16 1
Cantaloupe (muskmelon), raw ( 1 cup, NFS ) 55 0 13 1

Bread, whole wheat, 100% ( 1 large slice ) 79 1 15 3
Peanut butter ( 1 tablespoon ) 95 8 3 4
Banana, raw ( 1 medium (7" to 7-7/8" long) ) 109 1 28 1

Total 1993 73 273 91

Calories Burned Today
Total: 2439
Basal: 1318
Lifestyle: 1120

I doubt I really burned that much, but I suppose it might be in the ballpark.

Low on calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K.:(

"Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well." ~Voltaire

[that is the cutest kitten.. it reminds me of one I had when I was 7... his name was butterscotch :tucool:[/QUOTE]

I have a kitten like this and his name is Fudge and I spend my time cleaning up after all the fun he has had. He also bullies my other cat, Marmite, no end despite being half her size!

Thanksgiving (yesterday) was a bit of a bust.

I had bought a huge turkey, and it seemed pretty silly to cook it just for the four of us, so we'll wait and invite some people over to share it with us. :) (This Sunday, I think.)

Let's look at a typical Thanksgiving dinner, just for fun.
Recipes courtesy Chatelaine magazine:
Cranapple and Stilton Bites (4 pieces) 230 calories, 12 grams fat
Barbecued Turkey (without skin) 533 calories 22.6 g fat
Red Pepper, Potato and Corn Soup 106 calories 3.6 grams fat
Autumn Vegetables with Maple-Ginger Dressing 134 calories, 3.5 g fat
Country Vegetable Casserole 258 calories 18.9 g fat
Lemony Snow Peas and Mushrooms 66 calories 2.6 g fat
Creamy Potato and Turnip Mash 260 calories 12.7 g fat
Buttermilk Cornbread 176 calories, 5.8 g fat
Chunky Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing 263 calories 13.6 g fat
Apple Cranberry Pie 362 calories 19.5 g fat
Total 2130 calories. Even with half the amount of turkey, and without the snow peas, cornbread, soup, and appetizers, it's still close to the amount of calories I would eat in an entire day.:eek:

The blood donor clinic was yesterday, so I went in, but was rejected.:( It's hard for me to keep my iron levels up high enough to be allowed to donate. They're at a healthy level for myself, but not high enough to be able to spare the blood. I don't know how much harder I'll keep trying to qualify. I thought I was doing pretty well with my diet, but it looks like I'll have to get a more powerful iron supplement and take it more faithfully if I'm really serious about this.

I bought some cat food. :p And I'm going out this afternoon to get a litter box and some kitty litter. :) After school today, I have an appointment to take the girls to look at three grey tabby kittens that I found advertised free to a good home.:D

“If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world, and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.” ~ E.B. White

Oh I hope you find a cute kitty to love. It's always nice to give a cuddly friend a good, safe home. I almost took this one home, but knew I couldnt take care of her at the time.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b74/Naturegirl1984/rc7172006006.jpg


Well I hope your 'second' Thanksgiving is a bit more grand and you have a wonderful time sharing it with friends :)

You avatar is making me drool :lol:

Hey Naturegirl.:) We have our kitty! :D He looks a little like that one.

So much to do now!

That last pic with the wide opened blue tinted and startled eyes is just asking to be photoshopped somehow... :D

He's adorable :p Wow, in the right picture he's very wild and interesting looking! I wonder what breed it is? His head is so round and he's got a beautiful light grey color too. :spaz:

What a little cutie! :nod: He looks so sweet.
I bet your daughters are excited!

He came from a very non-fussy home. His Mom is all black, but I didn't see his Dad. The house where we got him had cigarette butts and dirty laundry all over the place, but the owners looked like they really adored their cats, and they were able to answer all of the questions I asked.

I borrowed three books from the library just in case there's some things I forgot to ask.

I bought the same food for him that the previous owners were using. It's the cheapest food you can get; not sure if there are any benefits to switching him over to a better quality brand.

Tomorrow, I'm going to buy a scratching post.

We'll have to take him for his shots sometime. And to be neutered. We think we'll keep him as an indoor cat, so we might get him declawed too. I don't know about that.

He seemed more active rather than cuddly when we first saw him, but he seems to be settling in very well. He's done a fair bit of sleeping since we brought him home.

I'm sure I will take many more photos over the rest of the week. I couldn't get the best shots yet because of inadequate lighting.

oh that little cat is adorable! Do you have a name yet? It looks like the cheshire cat in the second photo! I'll have to find the picture that this cat reminds me of!

He looks a bit like a fox! Watch your chicken breasts Guava! ;)

It's the cheapest food you can get; not sure if there are any benefits to switching him over to a better quality brand.

There are many benefits but quality meat protein and low ash content are some of the biggest (cats are bad for urinary tract problems). Vets will flip-flop between whether they prefer dry or wet food but my opinion is wet is best. Dry is very calorie dense and doesn't tend to fill them up. Wet is closer to the consistency of what they'd have in the wild and better for jaw action (however a little mix of both might not be a bad idea since they are used to crunching the soft bones, which, assuming he's an indoor cat, ain't gonna happen). Cats are notorious for not drinking enough water so with wet food you get the added benefit of more water intake.

Cats puke up more than any other animal, don't get too freaked out when you see them do that.

Get your kitten used to the leash now. You can walk a cat, you just have to start really early and have lots of paitence.

Also, get a bell for you kitten's collar just so you're bird friendly :)

Make sure they are spayed or neutered. If your humane society offers it, get the microchip id and ear tatoo. If they don't offer a package any vet can do it. The cost is usually minimal.

so we might get him declawed too :(

FYI, declawing is the people friendly term. The true name is denuckling. If you do decide to do this....only the fronts!!! I hope you reconsider though. It's an unecessary procedure. It's a simple matter of training.

Enjoy your pet!

I bought the same food for him that the previous owners were using. It's the cheapest food you can get; not sure if there are any benefits to switching him over to a better quality brand.



As long as it's a kitten food, you should be good!:tu: They need a lot more calories, of course, than adults.

I've never had a declawed cat-- I used to work in an animal hospital and was at a lot of those surgeries. Declawed cats have a tendency to bite more because it becomes their only defense I guess. Not all of them, but the ones that did bite sure bit harder! Ouch!

Very cute kitty!!

Just a though on the food, if the cat is going to be a fulltime indoor cat. You may actually want to look into the better brands and stick mainly with dry (sorry Gordo) for the sake of your nose. It really is amazing the difference in the smell of the litter box based on the foods they eat.

Though Gordo is right that wet food is actually good for a cat and we always gave it as a treat a few times a week.

Go with a high grade food. I don't know anything about cats, but I feed my pupster a ludicrously healthy dog food and I bet it helps; just like humans. The ingredients are the same as BFFM. Really funny: human grade chicken, yams, omegas, apples, carrots, whitefish. All in dry form. You could probably eat it for cutting. :drool: My friend told it to me like this: low grade pet foods are analagous to your mother feeding you Doritos and HotDogs every day from birth till you die. I switched to a better food quick. :eat:

oh that little cat is adorable! Do you have a name yet? It looks like the cheshire cat in the second photo! I'll have to find the picture that this cat reminds me of!
He was named Bootsie when we got him.
The girls said they wanted to call him Hank.:confused:
We're thinking about maybe naming him Pepsi.

For those that are supporters, I posted pictures in the private media gallery (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?p=382180#post382180).

FYI, declawing is the people friendly term. The true name is denuckling. If you do decide to do this....only the fronts!!! I hope you reconsider though. It's an unecessary procedure. It's a simple matter of training.
I haven't thought about it much. So many of the people I know have had it done, but probably we won't.

As long as it's a kitten food, you should be good!:tu: They need a lot more calories, of course, than adults.

It's not.:(

I went out and bought some "kitten food" but I'm having trouble trying to figure out what the difference is. More protein, it seems. And added nutrients.

My friend told it to me like this: low grade pet foods are analagous to your mother feeding you Doritos and HotDogs every day from birth till you die. I switched to a better food quick. :eat:If I could just tell for sure which ones were the high quality foods vs which ones are overpriced due to marketing campaigns and attractive packaging.:bang: I'm willing to pay a little more for quality ingredients, but I don't want to be the sucker that's willing to pay top dollar for something very similar to the no frills brand.

After I spent 10 minutes in the cat food aisle reading the side panels of every box, my daughter said "You're taking too long!" grabbed the prettiest package, and dragged me to the checkout.:blank:

A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.
"I've been thinking," he said, "I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone." ~'The Wise Woman's Stone'

If I could just tell for sure which ones were the high quality foods vs which ones are overpriced due to marketing campaigns and attractive packaging.:bang: I'm willing to pay a little more for quality ingredients, but I don't want to be the sucker that's willing to pay top dollar for something very similar to the no frills brand.




Hehe, like people food, you have to read the label (http://cats.about.com/od/howtochoosefood/)

Research Innova, Iams and Hill's Science Diet. Get used to the ingredient labels and then see if you can find something similar. I've never looked into say the President's Choice brand or Walmart brand but I'm sure they don't make pet food and just outsource it. Might be worth looking into.

I went out and bought some "kitten food" but I'm having trouble trying to figure out what the difference is. More protein, it seems. And added nutrients.

If I could just tell for sure which ones were the high quality foods vs which ones are overpriced due to marketing campaigns and attractive packaging.:bang: I'm willing to pay a little more for quality ingredients, but I don't want to be the sucker that's willing to pay top dollar for something very similar to the no frills brand.

[/I]

I used to use this brand (but for my dog). I found an even better local brand, but I think this is avail National and Canada:

http://www.omhpet.com/cats/index.html

The basic difference, as I understand it, from grocery store level food to pet store food is the cheap crappy fillers: corn, soy etc. It bulks the food up which reduces nutrient density. Not that big a deal for humans, but when you only eat 1/2 to 1 cup of food per day...

Hehe, like people food, you have to read the label (http://cats.about.com/od/howtochoosefood/)

Research Innova, Iams and Hill's Science Diet. Get used to the ingredient labels and then see if you can find something similar. I've never looked into say the President's Choice brand or Walmart brand but I'm sure they don't make pet food and just outsource it. Might be worth looking into.
Our grocery store has Iams, as well as Purina One, Cat Chow, Whiskas, Meow Mix, etc. The ones I looked at all meet the standards established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).

I bought the Whiskas kitten food last night, because I didn't know yet what to look for.

The pet store is right next door, and it has a different varieties, but they are more than double the price. I can't remember the brand names anymore, but I'd feel silly going in there with a clipboard and calculator.

I'm still researching::read: Thanks for the link.

What to look for on the label
Compliance with AAFCO's requirements for "Complete and Balanced," as evidenced by that wording on the label.
Named protein source - look for "chicken, lamb, or beef," rather than "meat."
On canned food particularly, the protein source should be the first listed ingredient
Check the expiration date for freshness

What to avoid
Words such as "By-products," "meat and/or bone meal," "animal digest," most other descriptions including "digest" or "meal," and added sugars.
Chemical preservatives, including BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin, and propyl gallate
Corn meal as a filler
Excess of carbohydrate "fillers" (Dry food can contain as much as 50 percent grain)

Our kitty is very high maintenance.

And very lazy.

He cries whenever we leaves, and says hello whenever we come back.

He cries whenever he wants to play or cuddle. And he finally learned to purr. At least a little bit.

When he was hungry, he carried his empty food dish over to my husband.:lol:

We bought him a house/scratching post. He likes it.

He keeps climbing in behind our furniture and having a sneeze attack. I need to vacuum more thoroughly.

My daughter are really enjoying Sparks and Girl Guides, but I'm not sure I am. I watched them rehearsing their enrollment ceremony, and it reminded me of what I didn't like about it when I was a part of it 25 years ago (wow :eek: )

It's exclusionary and cliquish.

"This is ______ and she would like to be a Spark"

I can't put my finger on what makes me so uncomfortable about that. It's probably a very proper thing, and I understand that there's something about initiations that make you more committed to the group. But it's not my style. I like open-ended organizations where anyone is welcome to be a part of any activity at any time; not secret clubs that do secret special things together.

Her Spark promise is "I promise to share and be a friend." Fine. But my older daughter's is a little trickier.

I promise to do my best,
To be true to myself, my God/faith* and Canada;
I will help others,
And accept the Guiding Law.

*Choose either the word God or the word faith according to your personal convictions.
She told me she doesn't believe in God, so I'm not sure where that leaves her "personal convictions". :confused: Luckilly, she seems to have stronger convictions than I do, so I'm sure she'll be fine.

The fastest way to succeed is to look as if you're playing by other people's rules, while quietly playing by your own. ~Michael Korda

Perhaps she has faith in her mother. :)

I can't put my finger on what makes me so uncomfortable about that. It's probably a very proper thing, and I understand that there's something about initiations that make you more committed to the group. But it's not my style. I like open-ended organizations where anyone is welcome to be a part of any activity at any time; not secret clubs that do secret special things together.


The whole point of the Boy Scouts (and to some extent by the same token the Girl Guides) was that during the Boer War, the British found that poorly nourished kids from city slums didn't make such good fighters in the bush. Baden Powell learned his scouting during colonial wars in Africa; (oddly enough from an American mercenary). He was also impressed by some of his tribal adversaries' approaches. And scouting was one of the primary intelligence functions of the armies of the time - and Baden Powell was an authority on that. So it's not surprising that you end up with a millitaristic, tribal, and secretive overlay to the origins of scouting.

The whole point of the Boy Scouts (and to some extent by the same token the Girl Guides) was that during the Boer War, the British found that poorly nourished kids from city slums didn't make such good fighters in the bush. Baden Powell learned his scouting during colonial wars in Africa; (oddly enough from an American mercenary). He was also impressed by some of his tribal adversaries' approaches. And scouting was one of the primary intelligence functions of the armies of the time - and Baden Powell was an authority on that. So it's not surprising that you end up with a millitaristic, tribal, and secretive overlay to the origins of scouting.

One thing I love about this forum is that you can pick up a bunch of facts about a whole range of subjects.:) thanks for this new piece of historical info

The whole point of the Boy Scouts (and to some extent by the same token the Girl Guides) was that during the Boer War, the British found that poorly nourished kids from city slums didn't make such good fighters in the bush. Baden Powell learned his scouting during colonial wars in Africa; (oddly enough from an American mercenary). He was also impressed by some of his tribal adversaries' approaches. And scouting was one of the primary intelligence functions of the armies of the time - and Baden Powell was an authority on that. So it's not surprising that you end up with a millitaristic, tribal, and secretive overlay to the origins of scouting.
Ah, I see. I'm more perceptive than I thought.

The Girl Guides current public relations strategy is to place their logo and contact information over real ads that are oversexualizing young women or those that emphasize beauty over skills. They use the tagline "Why Girls Need Guides". So, I expected the focus to be more directed into self-esteem boosting activities, and spending time enhancing skills and exploring personal obstacles instead of socializing and playing games. Interestingly, in their second week, they took a field trip to the spa to get themselves waxed and learn hair coloring tips. (I swear, I am not making this up!)

The girls will choose for themselves next year whether they want to continue, but I'm not going to be explicitly encouraging it.

Ah, I see. I'm more perceptive than I thought.

The girls will choose for themselves next year whether they want to continue, but I'm not going to be explicitly encouraging it.

It turns out your girls may profit from the experience even more if they turn out deciding not to go that far into it. Taking that sort of decision can contribute to their sense of self determination and identity.

Ah, I see. I'm more perceptive than I thought.

The Girl Guides current public relations strategy is to place their logo and contact information over real ads that are oversexualizing young women or those that emphasize beauty over skills. They use the tagline "Why Girls Need Guides". So, I expected the focus to be more directed into self-esteem boosting activities, and spending time enhancing skills and exploring personal obstacles instead of socializing and playing games. Interestingly, in their second week, they took a field trip to the spa to get themselves waxed and learn hair coloring tips. (I swear, I am not making this up!)

The girls will choose for themselves next year whether they want to continue, but I'm not going to be explicitly encouraging it.

Wow, that's just.....wow. I went to a beavers invite to see what a troop was like and if I was interested in putting my boys in beavers.... Nope. Scouting in gerenal is so different today than when I went 20 some odd years ago that it was a waste of time and money. So expensive and to me I wasn't jiving with what they were selling. I guess who runs it and the personal philosophy they bring to their leadership makes a difference....but it seems to be very little about camping, knots, survival, ecology, exploration and good deeds any more. A sign of the time perhaps. Don't even get me started on the co-ed scouting thing :mad:

I'm sorry- this isn't a bait- but, well, what's wrong with co-ed scouting?

Interestingly, in their second week, they took a field trip to the spa to get themselves waxed and learn hair coloring tips. (I swear, I am not making this up!)

The girls will choose for themselves next year whether they want to continue, but I'm not going to be explicitly encouraging it.


WOW! I wouldn't be encouraging it either! We're running into the same decisions with both our son and daughter. Kind of dodged the bullet thanks to them being overly involved in other things.

I'm sorry- this isn't a bait- but, well, what's wrong with co-ed scouting?

Heh, I shouldn't have hung that out there.... pm sent.

I don't consider myself a feminist, and I don't discourage typical preteen behavior in my daughter. I let her wear a small amount of make-up and I even dyed her hair for her, but there's a place for everything, and guiding is not a place where I thought beautification would be celebrated.

Don't even get me started on the co-ed scouting thing :mad:

It sounds like such a great progressive idea. I can see how it might work in the 7 or 8 year age range, but now that my daughter is ten, I can anticipate a wide range of complicating socialization factors that would make this a really bad idea.

I've been communicating with the guy we got the cat from.
Hi how are you doing? We are doing great. we are glad that Pepsi is doing great. Pepsi Birthday is Auguest 25 born around 8am. Those pictures are so cute. he looks happy and fells like he at home. Since the kids were asking about having two kittens are you interested in taking smokey. Do you anyone that is interested in having a pet kitten. We thought like asking because you are very nice people. We like to see more picture of Pepsi. We think that a good name. Have a great evening. Hope to here from you soon.

take care


Two kitties? I don't know.

I haven't been trying to lose fat or gain muscle, so my exercise routine has been minimal. However, I was feeling a bit flabby and weak, so I did a full leg workout and with a large stretching component a couple of nights ago. Instant mood elevator.:) I'll stick with at least twice a week to keep my flexibility.

Today I start a regularly scheduled visit to help out in my daughter's classroom. And on Thursdays I'll be visiting the employment centre. There's a woman there that's really helping me out. We're investigating what my next steps should be in my career path, onward towards either marketing research (http://www.ipsos.ca/reid/), psychometrics (http://www.psychometrics.com/), or human resources (http://www.hrpao.org/HRPAO/AboutUs/Careers/CurrentJobPostings.htm#Writer). I have some company research to start doing, and some tutorials to brush up on any computer skills that I might need.

"A fresh mind keeps the body fresh. Take in the ideas of the day, drain off those of yesterday. As to the morrow, time enough to consider it when it becomes today." ~Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton

Hmm.. You could call them Pepsi & Cola or Pepsi & Coke. :lol:

Interestingly, in their second week, they took a field trip to the spa to get themselves waxed and learn hair coloring tips. (I swear, I am not making this up!)


:eek:

this is why i hated girl scouts. my father was a boy scout leader, and when we were young, we always helped out (my brother is 6 years older than i am). i had no idea the girl scouts wasn't going to involve bike trips, the pinewood derby, go-cart building, etc. i was sorely disappointed. shame, i would have thought they'd be better by now.

[co-ed scouting]It sounds like such a great progressive idea. I can see how it might work in the 7 or 8 year age range, but now that my daughter is ten, I can anticipate a wide range of complicating socialization factors that would make this a really bad idea.

Yeah I was going to point that out.

I was a venture scout from age 15-18 (mixed) and it was awesome.. all focused on outdoor activities, caving, kayaking, alpinism etc :)

:eek:

this is why i hated girl scouts. my father was a boy scout leader, and when we were young, we always helped out (my brother is 6 years older than i am). i had no idea the girl scouts wasn't going to involve bike trips, the pinewood derby, go-cart building, etc. i was sorely disappointed. shame, i would have thought they'd be better by now.

The leaders are all volunteer, so the program can probably vary widely. The guiding program is pretty vague. Their main focus is on "building self esteem" which they seem to try to foster by organizing co-operative activities. I'm not sure how they're related, but that's pretty much what they've always done.

My daughter would love to do go-cart building and stuff like that, but I think it she'll be more likely to visit nursing homes and sing songs.

I was a venture scout from age 15-18 (mixed) and it was awesome.. all focused on outdoor activities, caving, kayaking, alpinism etc
That sounds really great. If the activities are organized well enough, co-ed groups can be fine. I'm sure my daughter will end up in some mixed groups as well because so many of her preferred sports and hobbies are nontraditionally feminine. (She's into skateboarding and playing hockey now.)

"Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip." ~Will Rogers

I'm researching career options, but I found the perfect job, so I just HAVE to apply for it.

I really don't want to be working until next September, but I can't pass up this opportunity. The match seems so perfect that I'm hoping they might be flexible enough to accomodate my schedule. :spaz:

Things may come to those who wait, but only things left by those who hustle. ~ Abraham Lincoln

I'm researching career options, but I found the perfect job, so I just HAVE to apply for it.



ohh sounds exciting! let us know how it goes!;)

Holy cow - you're almost going to cross the 40,000 view mark on your journal. :jumping: Is that the most on JSF? Maybe I'll keep my "All Liquid" nutrition going for three more years to catch up. :lol:

Holy cow - you're almost going to cross the 40,000 view mark on your journal. :jumping: Is that the most on JSF? Maybe I'll keep my "All Liquid" nutrition going for three more years to catch up. :lol:
txtalian's journal (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=10643) is at the top, and M@ will overcome me soon.

The exciting journals the draw the most reads are the ones that talk about overcoming personal struggles or embarking on new journeys. The occasional media post gives it that extra boost. This one made me smile.
http://mfrost.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/bedtimestory.jpg

I decided not to get a second cat, partly because my youngest is having a little trouble getting used to him. He's scratched her a couple of times because he thinks she's trying to play with him when she keeps moving around.:( I think when she's older, she'll be able to develop a better bond with an animal, so we'll introduce another one in a couple of years.

I sent my resume and cover letter in through the company's website. Their system is set up such that I can log in to check where my application is at in the hiring chain.

I took the girls skating again this Sunday. I don't think I've missed a weekend yet.

My weight is staying fairly stable; I seem to be at a "set point". Cardio recently has been walking only (and skating). Calories have not been any higher than usual, but carb intake has been high, especially whole wheat bread, high fibre slightly sweetened breakfast cereals, and fruits. Water intake has been embarrassingly low. I'm preparing tea for myself because it's so difficult to force myself to drink plain water. I'm not going to try to donate blood again until I feel like more carefully structuring my diet with more red meats and beans.

How many times have we walked by someone on the street or in a hallway and instead of saying hello we pretend we don't see them? The truth is that all of us, deep down inside, have a need to be seen, acknowledged and appreciated. We are on a spiritual journey that can at times be very lonely. And one of the simplest and most effective ways to help our fellow traveler is to smile and say hello. ~ Ron Atchison

txtalian's journal (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=10643) is at the top, and M@ will overcome me soon.

I check the standings every single day.

There are petri dishes less shallow than me. :cry:

I check the standings every single day.

There are petri dishes less shallow than me. :cry:
You could personally refresh your journal multiple times each hour, thereby artificially increasing your journal views, making you only appear popular.:madpimp:

It's the superficial solution, but cosmetically, it'd do in a pinch.

I seem to be spending a fair amount of time trying to convince myself that I am not shallow. Sometimes it's more difficult than others.

http://mfrost.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/forgeevness.jpg

http://mfrost.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/forgeevness.jpg

Cutest. Bunny. Ever.

Waaaahhhh! I love the bunny!!

And the guy reading to the dogs and cats! There were therapy dogs at the library this summer and kids got to make appointments to come in and read stories to the dogs. Each kid got their own time, and the undivided attention of the dog. It was wonderful.

I like that Ron Atchison quote, too. So true.

Just too cute with the pics!!

Weight is stable.

Diet is healthy, but not perfect. I'm eating about four times a day, which is not ideal, but I haven't felt like putting very much effort into preparing meals lately, so this works out okay.

Yesterday
meal 1
toast with peanut butter and a banana
meal 2
mixed bean salad with brown rice, green onions, and red pepper (dressing from olive oil and red wine vinegar)
slice of cake (they were giving it away free because of the reorganization of wal-mart)
meal 3
vanilla yogurt with all-bran flakes
strawberries
meal 4
steamed cauliflower (plain)
chicken breast with spinach on an English muffin (x2)

Today
meal 1
toast with peanut butter and a banana
meal 2
mushrooms, onion, orange pepper, shrimp, with teriyaki sauce
brown/wild rice
meal 3 (planned)
fresh strawberry and spinach salad, with soy nuts
raw apple and/or carrot sticks
meal 4 (planned)
mushrooms, onion, red pepper, black beans with canned tomatoes and/or salsa
brown/wild rice or soy bread (http://www.countryharvest.com/products.aspx) (6 g protein + 3 g fibre per slice)

I applied for another job this morning. The woman at the employment centre is becoming very attuned to my situation. She knows I come in every Thursday, and she always has some interesting advertisements set aside that meet my interests and qualifications. This one is for a Writing Consultant at a college, which sounds really creative and interesting.

I am saddened by the emerging trend (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=31827)(?) in strength training for women. :blank: I'd like to think that women have loftier fitness goals than looking like supermodels and actresses. According to the expert opinion of many men, that's not the case for "most" women.

Maybe this book (http://www.h-net.org/~hst203/documents/friedan1.html) I'm reading explains my discomfort. Anything that comes near this line of thinking makes me feel like we're going backwards. :(

When she stopped conforming to the conventional picture of femininity she finally began to enjoy being a woman. ~ Betty Friedan

Just had an afternoon snack of yogurt and blueberries/blackberries/raspberries...thought of you. lol :lol:

I am saddened by the emerging trend (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=31827)(?) in strength training for women. :blank: I'd like to think that women have loftier fitness goals than looking like supermodels and actresses. According to the expert opinion of many men, that's not the case for "most" women.

Maybe this book (http://www.h-net.org/~hst203/documents/friedan1.html) I'm reading explains my discomfort. Anything that comes near this line of thinking makes me feel like we're going backwards. :(

When she stopped conforming to the conventional picture of femininity she finally began to enjoy being a woman. ~ Betty Friedan

I'm with you on this one! Me and the fifties would not have been a good fit!!

Regarding women's strength training and the attendant philosophical scrap, the website www.stumptuous.com is worth looking at. There are no forums but many instructive articles. The take-no-prisoners, kick-ass and take names style of the lady who runs it is also endearing.

Regarding women's strength training and the attendant philosophical scrap, the website www.stumptuous.com is worth looking at. There are no forums but many instructive articles. The take-no-prisoners, kick-ass and take names style of the lady who runs it is also endearing.
Do you know her? She lives not very far from me. I get invitations to the "Mistress Sundays" she hosts each month. I'm intending to go one of these times, but it's still about a 90 minute trip for me, so I haven't done it yet.

***********
I have a weakness. It's name is peanut butter.:bang:

Bread, whole wheat soy ( 10 large slice ) 1250 25 195 60
Peanut butter ( 5 tablespoon ) 474 41 15 20
Banana, raw ( 5 medium ) 543 3 138 6
Pineapple, canned, juice pack ( 0.5 cup, chunks ) 75 0 20 1
Strawberries, raw ( 0.8 cup, NFS ) 36 0 9 1
Ice cream, soft serve, ( 0.2 cup ) 70 4 8 1
Cals Fat Carb Prot
Total 2448 73 385 89

However, for such a no-fuss food-prep day, the nutrients really aren't that bad. According to fitday, calories exactly match what I burned yesterday (I don't quite believe that.) and I'm only low on vitamin A, D, K, B12, selenium, and calcium. I had two Tums, so that should fix that.

******

The thrill's the thing at the Tate
Slides a rush of `delight, madness'

LONDON—"Have you done the slides?" one office worker asks another. "No, have you?" the other responds. "I have to try them today.''

Slides are a big water-cooler topic in London these days. And not just any slides, but five tubular spirals, one of which is so tall — more than 55 metres — riders reach speeds of 50 km/h.

Holler's slides at the Tate are an unusual fusion of art and fun. They fall from the second, third, fourth and fifth floors of the museum, challenging visitors to surrender their bodies to forces beyond their control.

The slides in the cavernous Turbine Hall of the Tate Modern Museum are the brainchild of Carsten Holler, a German artist who argues they should be taken seriously as a means of transport, and a way of fighting stress and depression.

"It's a playground for the body and the brain," said Holler, 45. "It's art and it's not art.''

"In those seconds of descent, you enter a science-fiction fantasy," she wrote. "Or feel what it might be like to spin down Alice's rabbit hole.``

http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/arts/photos/2006/10/10/tate-gallery-slides-cp-1929867.jpg

i want a slide !! :)

Me too! Me Too!

There must be some opportunities for a career as a retail bargain hunter.

What a great weekend!

I had a huge shopping list to work from, and came home very successful.

First purchase: a microsuede love seat/chaise.
This piece of furniture was originally two pieces and retailed for $649. The end piece (like an extended ottoman) had gone missing, so it was marked down to $299, then $229. It was their 4th Anniversary Sale, so I got it for 50% off the last marked price. It coordinates beautifully with the carpet in the basement and is the perfect size. Plus, they gave me a nifty plastic pitcher and glasses as a gift.
Total $115 plus tax.

Second purchase: a black hooded down-filled parka.
I've been looking for a parka for several weeks now, because the only warm outwear I have is a wool coat, that looks ridiculous with sweat pants or anything casual. This one is nice and toasty warm, and retails for $159. They were offering 30% off to anyone who purchased it on their Sears card. Additionally, I had a $15 off coupon in my coupon booklet, plus, they were giving out $10 gift cards to anyone who purchased over $100 in merchandise. On top of this, I earned valuable Sears Club points.
Total cost $78 plus tax.

Third purchase: foundation and cleanser
My sister asked for some make-up for her birthday. Clinique has a bonus on now that with purchases over $30, they give a free lipstick, eyeshadow, moisturizer, make-up bag, and other items (approximate $89 value, I believe).
Total cost $45 plus tax.

Fourth purchase: two pairs of men's sleep pants
My husband wanted some pyjamas, and they happened to have a very nice sale on at The Bay. I picked up a pair from the clearance rack for $10 (instead of $38), and the regular ones were 25% off, so I picked up a pair that was $20.
Total price $25 plus tax.

Fifth Purchase: lamps
Our living room is too dark to read in at night, and my husband wants his lamp back from my daughter who stole it. I found a tiffany style one for myself, and a nicely shaped iron one for her. Mine was missing a piece, so they offered 40% off the clearance price of $35, and hers was 30% off the clearance price of $17. We fixed mine with a piece we found lying around the house.
Total price $35 plus tax.

Sixth Purchase: dinner for two
I don't eat much, so I let my daughter order a beef stir fry and a drink, while I sipped water and shared hers.
Total cost $15 plus tax and tip. :eat:

I've gone through life believing in the strength and competence of others; never in my own. Now, dazzled, I discover that my capacities are real. It's like finding a fortune in the lining of an old coat. -- Joan Mills

Great finds!! Especially that love seat! WOW!!

Second purchase: a black hooded down-filled parka.
I've been looking for a parka for several weeks now, because the only warm outwear I have is a wool coat, that looks ridiculous with sweat pants or anything casual. This one is nice and toasty warm, and retails for $159. They were offering 30% off to anyone who purchased it on their Sears card. Additionally, I had a $15 off coupon in my coupon booklet, plus, they were giving out $10 gift cards to anyone who purchased over $100 in merchandise. On top of this, I earned valuable Sears Club points.
Total cost $78 plus tax.


I want one! It's cooling off here.

Great finds!! Especially that love seat! WOW!Thanks! I'm quite proud of myself.:) I smile every time I go down there and look at it. It is just the right size for my daughter to lie down on it in front of me and snuggle. It's also just big enough that the four of us can all sit on it together to watch a movie if we huddle in really close.:lol:
I want one! It's cooling off here.
Photoshop yourself one and post it in the Wasteland.

Mine's a lot like this one, but it's black, and the fur is fake instead of genuine.
http://www.sears.ca/gp/product/B000IX3O3Y/ref=sr_11_1/002-1201851-7575236?ie=UTF8&searsBrand=core

It's a beautiful rainy day today. Way too warm for parkas.

I have daffodils to plant.

We carved our pumpkin last night.

I am the one to give out candies. My husband is supervising the trick or treating. But I'm helping the kindergarten class with their party and costume parade.:tu:

From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life. ~ Arthur Ashe

From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life. ~ Arthur Ashe

Just wanted to say "hi"....
PS. I love your quote!!!!

Thanks! I'm quite proud of myself.:) I smile every time I go down there and look at it. It is just the right size for my daughter to lie down on it in front of me and snuggle. It's also just big enough that the four of us can all sit on it together to watch a movie if we huddle in really close.:lol:

Photoshop yourself one and post it in the Wasteland.

Mine's a lot like this one, but it's black, and the fur is fake instead of genuine.
http://www.sears.ca/gp/product/B000IX3O3Y/ref=sr_11_1/002-1201851-7575236?ie=UTF8&searsBrand=core

It's a beautiful rainy day today. Way too warm for parkas.

I have daffodils to plant.

We carved our pumpkin last night.

I am the one to give out candies. My husband is supervising the trick or treating. But I'm helping the kindergarten class with their party and costume parade.:tu:

From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life. ~ Arthur Ashe

oooo... I like that parka and it'd look really nice in Black :nod:

I carved my pumpkin on Saturday... I took some pictures but I think they're still on the camera.. I'll have to have Roger download them later so I can post them :D

I would be giving out candy tonight, except that I have to be at choir practice if I want to sing in the concerts that are coming up soon.

I have daffodils to plant.

[/I]

Harper has been meaning to plant hers for about 1.5 months, she attempted to again last night, but we were so busy despite the prefect 65 degree evening weather we had.

What are the guidelines for planting Daffodils? Perhaps I will surprise her and do it for her if I have time (my schedule is much more flexible than hers), I just want to do it right if I do.

Harper has been meaning to plant hers for about 1.5 months, she attempted to again last night, but we were so busy despite the prefect 65 degree evening weather we had.

What are the guidelines for planting Daffodils? Perhaps I will surprise her and do it for her if I have time (my schedule is much more flexible than hers), I just want to do it right if I do.

They probably should have been planted a few weeks ago, but I think there's still time. I'm not sure if it makes any difference.

The daffodil society says: Plant the bulbs when grounds have cooled, in some climates September and for warmer climates in November.

I have daffodils to plant.

I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep.

We carved our pumpkin last night.


I like to think that's a euphemism for something. It's funnier that way.

I like to think that's a euphemism for something. It's funnier that way.
This weekend, we're going to tile the wall.;)

Eating has not been going well. I'm not eating often enough, and then getting over hungry and eating large meals. I feel bloated. However, weight is, oddly enough not changing. Reading this morning 53.6 kg 16.5%. :confused: That doesn't make any sense. :confused: It must have something to do with my hydration level. I'm finally able to stomach a reasonable amount of water.:tu:

Last night body weight squats (2 sets of 20), leg lifts (2 sets of 20), glute raises (1 set of 20)

Cardio today - walk 3/4 mile to school, 3/4 mile to coffee shop/employment center, 1 1/2 miles to optometrist/home. I realized when I got home that I didn't pay the optometrist.:doh: I'm not sure if they were planning on sending me a bill, or if I was supposed to wait at the reception desk after the appointment for someone to come.:confused:

I finally got the correct sized bulb for my lamp (40 watt, with a small end). It casts a nice romantic glow over the whole living room. The loveseat is great. Coming from upstairs, you see the back of it, which is finished very nicely, then you come around this side of it. Nobody's really on the unfinished side against that wall. But, once we get that bathroom finished, people will see that ugly black part upon exit from that space, so I'm not quite sure yet how to deal with it. It won't be an issue until spring or summer, anyway.

I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep..

I've got dreams in hidden places and extra smiles for when I'm blue.:)

Maybe an end table of some sort that would hide the unfinished part and kind of give the illusion that love seat actually had another arm?!

Maybe an end table of some sort that would hide the unfinished part and kind of give the illusion that love seat actually had another arm?!

I was going to say the same thing. :tu:

Also, your bargain hunting reminds me of my landlord. She finds anything anywhere at the cheapest damn prices.

Good job!

I've got dreams in hidden places and extra smiles for when I'm blue.:)

Wow, that lamp looks strikingly mammary. Especially when it's revealed slowly from the top as you scroll down the page.

So, I can't estimate calories.:bang: It seemed like enough.
Bread, whole wheat soy ( 3 large slice ) 375 8 59 18
Peanut butter ( 1.5 tablespoon ) 142 12 5 6
Banana, raw ( 2 medium ) 217 1 55 2
Apple, raw ( 2 medium) 163 1 42 1
Broccoli, cooked, boiled, drained( 1 small stalk ) 39 0 7 4
Marmalade, all flavors ( 1 tablespoon ) 49 0 13 0
Tomato chili sauce ( 1 packet ) 6 0 1 0
Shrimp, steamed or boiled ( 12 large shrimp (shelled) ) 100 2 1 19
MORI-NU, Tofu, silken, soft ( 1 slice ) 46 2 2 4
Oats, raw ( 0.5 cup ) 156 3 27 6
Egg, whole, cooked, ( 1 large ) 84 6 1 6
Egg, white only, cooked ( 1 white ) 16 0 0 3
Pumpkin, canned, with salt ( 0.5 cup ) 42 0 10 1
Yogurt, vanilla, , lowfat milk ( 0.5 cup) 105 2 17 6
Total 1540 37 241 78

And I can't go more than one day without trying to estimate how many calories I'm eating. I might make more of a concentrated effort to go back to the superfoods diet in my signature. (A tomato every day! More beans! More oranges! Berries! I haven't had tuna in a couple of weeks, and salmon only once in the last two weeks.:o Obviously, I need some kind of structure in my diet to feel comfortable about my consumption, but I don't like the target of aiming for low calorie. Blindly guessing at which foods to choose to meet my nutrients is too complicated, and too easy to try and convince myself "It's just as good to have another couple of bananas than an orange, some spinach, and a tomato.":doh:

The Halloween candy is stressing me out. How much candy is it healthy to give to kids, really? I told them they could have six pieces each of the first two days, and two pieces each day thereafter. It will last at least until the end of January at that rate. I estimate that they probably collected 200 to 300 pieces each of various chips, mini chocolate bars, and candies, at maybe 50 calories apiece. 10000-15000 calories. :eek:

I'll see how it's going, and maybe set aside a portion of it to hand out at the Santa Claus Parade which is going on in a few weeks.

The local dentist is has offered to give children $1 for each pound of Halloween candy they bring in. He will distribute the candy "to the needy". :doh: Who needs it?:confused:

A friend proudly told me about how her son got six bags of Halloween candy. Last year, we found some pencils and erasers in with the loot, but this year, it seemed to be all consumables. I'm going to try to think of something really cool to give out to all the kids next year instead of candy. Some new trends need to be started.

Our grand business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand. ~ Thomas Carlyle

That dentist is cool, I like to see them do things like that at halloween. It makes me think they actually care about people's teeth and are not just in it for the money...if they were they would be encouraging the kids to "Eat up", instead they get some very inexpensive advertising and a way to get people in the door...very smart. :tu:

I am with you regarding starting new halloween trends...the hard thing is finding something the kids still find value in...which is hard when the expectation has been already set for sweet and sugary treats. You seem creative and innovative though so I will look forward to seeing(and possibly copycat) whatever you end up doing next year.

Wow, your post has motivated me in so many ways.

First, I realized that whenever I estimate, it's never on the low side. Quite the opposite. This is all the more reason for someone in my position not to estimate.

Second, it totally motivated me to want to eat Halloween candy. I went to go steal some out of the kitchen to go along with breakfast, but my gf had done as she promised and had already taken it to work. This is good for me, even if saddening.

Third, it motivated me to have my opening breakfast snack of toast and marmalade. Yum.

Thanks, G! :tu:

The Halloween candy is stressing me out. How much candy is it healthy to give to kids, really? I told them they could have six pieces each of the first two days, and two pieces each day thereafter. It will last at least until the end of January at that rate. I estimate that they probably collected 200 to 300 pieces each of various chips, mini chocolate bars, and candies, at maybe 50 calories apiece. 10000-15000 calories. :eek:

We do pretty close to the same thing. Kinda let them eat what they wanted Halloween night (Usually ends up being about 5-6 pieces) and then let them have a piece a day after dinner, kind of like their dessert.

I usually end up throwing what ever is left away about a week before xmas, as they end up with another loot of chocolate from "Santa"

Wow, your post has motivated me in so many ways.

Thanks, G! :tu:
:D

Yay! I've done my good deed for the day.:jumping:

I'm off to go swimming with my girls. :D

ohh love the lamp and furniture!!! very nice!!!

1. toast, peanut butter, banana
2. apple, pumpkin pancakes
3. carrots, protein bar (I couldn't pass it up for $0.29:doh: )
4. spinach, soy nuts, mandarin orange
5. bread, canned tomato
6. Special K Soy, soy milk

I skipped tonight's school council meeting because I didn't feel like discussing which items we should prioritize our fundraising contributions for from the teacher's wish lists. I sent the chair of the meeting an e-mail stating that I'd rather we find a way to use that money so that my daughter doesn't have to eat her lunch on the gym floor. She's been volunteering to supervise the kindergarten kids just so she doesn't have to sit there. She's sure that's why she got sick a few weeks ago. :(

Next year's Halloween loot bag plan is underway. I picked up 96 mini gel pens for $4. I'll bundle it into a tiny little bag with a festive eraser and a tatoo or a sticker, then I should be set.:tu:

"In Italy for thirty years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love; they had five hundred years of democracy and peace and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock." ~Orson Welles

The chair could easily have a "skirt" stiched onto the top of the sides so that the black area (and the underneath, legs) is covered.

Simple enough and i always like the look.

Am sure they have a proper name. You get them for beds as well. :confused:

The chair could easily have a "skirt" stiched onto the top of the sides so that the black area (and the underneath, legs) is covered.

Simple enough and i always like the look.

Am sure they have a proper name. You get them for beds as well. :confused:

'skirt' is the proper term and that would work

but I like the idea of an end table... you could put that pretty lamp on it too ;)

My mom came to visit for a few days, with her husband. They're in Portugal now, and we'll meet them again on their way back through Toronto on their way home.

We're trying to get Christmas presents sorted out, and that always causes a huge amount of stress for me. I don't know how it works in anyone else's family, but in our family, it becomes "You buy what's on my shopping list, and I'll buy what's on your shopping list." For those family members that do not submit wish lists, we give out random gift certificates, or pool money towards a gift that's already been purchased by someone else. It's become forced consumerism rather than a celebration.

I had problems with this last year too. I got exactly what was on my wish list, and I was terribly disappointed about that. If I knew she'd appreciate it, I'd buy two hens and a rooster (http://www.worldvision.ca/home/index.cfm) on my mom's behalf, but I'm not sure if it's something that means enough to her.

On top of that, I can see how I exhibit some similar behaviors to my mother, and some of those things about her upset me, so now I'm conscious of how uncomfortable it must be for people that are close to me. :rolleyes:

I've been having cold/flu symptoms for more than a week now, and I just can't seem to shake them. I've been needing 10-12 hours sleep nearly every night. Two sets of pull-ups and a set of push-ups made things better for about an hour yesterday, but I can't get rid of this hacking cough today. :bang:

Probably if I wasn't so bogged down about my interpersonal relationships, my health wouldn't be suffering so much.

“We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won't need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don't fire cannons to call attention to their shining- they just shine.” ~ Dwight L. Moody

My mom came to visit for a few days, with her husband. They're in Portugal now, and we'll meet them again on their way back through Toronto on their way home.

We're trying to get Christmas presents sorted out, and that always causes a huge amount of stress for me. I don't know how it works in anyone else's family, but in our family, it becomes "You buy what's on my shopping list, and I'll buy what's on your shopping list." For those family members that do not submit wish lists, we give out random gift certificates, or pool money towards a gift that's already been purchased by someone else. It's become forced consumerism rather than a celebration.

I had problems with this last year too. I got exactly what was on my wish list, and I was terribly disappointed about that. If I knew she'd appreciate it, I'd buy two hens and a rooster (http://www.worldvision.ca/home/index.cfm) on my mom's behalf, but I'm not sure if it's something that means enough to her.

On top of that, I can see how I exhibit some similar behaviors to my mother, and some of those things about her upset me, so now I'm conscious of how uncomfortable it must be for people that are close to me. :rolleyes:

I've been having cold/flu symptoms for more than a week now, and I just can't seem to shake them. I've been needing 10-12 hours sleep nearly every night. Two sets of pull-ups and a set of push-ups made things better for about an hour yesterday, but I can't get rid of this hacking cough today. :bang:

Probably if I wasn't so bogged down about my interpersonal relationships, my health wouldn't be suffering so much.

“We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won't need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don't fire cannons to call attention to their shining- they just shine.” ~ Dwight L. Moody


I love that quote Guava :nod:

in regards to the Christmas gift list... I'd say that sometimes I get one or two things that I had previously mentioned wanting but we don't do any kind of list... it's more of a communication thing... Roger's mom will call me and ask what Roger wants and I'll suggest a few things but don't tell Roger... we do that in all directions on my side of the family and his... everyone always gets something they'd like and everyones supprised.. except for Nanny (Roger's grandmother... she always gives cash :p )

The chair could easily have a "skirt" stiched onto the top of the sides so that the black area (and the underneath, legs) is covered.

Simple enough and i always like the look.

Am sure they have a proper name. You get them for beds as well. :confused:

A bed skirt is called a valance. I don't know that they make them for chairs, but it's a good idea. :nod:

Glad to hear I'm not the only one that has issues with this. Every year for the past, I don't know, atleast 5 years, I think longer, I've made food, such as pate, fudge, almond shortbread, fruitcakes, stuff like that, and give them to the adults of the family. Last year, Nick's sister-in-law complained to his mum that she goes out and buys presents for people, and all she gets from us is food. :confused: This irritates me, no one is expecting her to buy presents, and I think there is a lot more thought, effort and care in the food that we make, than the cinema vouchers she gave us. Nevermind.

Nick's mum suggested that next year instead of buying gifts for all the adults, we do a Kris Kringle, and spend $50 on one person. Each. I'm really uncool with that idea- it forces you to place a dollar value on a person, and it devalues the gifts that I make. I put a lot more care and effort in to these things than something I would buy. Instead, it seems like it's about buying something for someone off a list, and that we're expected to spend that amount of money. Makes it all seem much more materialistic, and very much a case of conspicuous consumerism. I hate that.

Having said that, I can appreciate it's hard to deviate from 'the list'. It's stressful (I think) either way. One way, I'd feel like it's a compromise of my own value of Christmas, the other, you sort of feel like you're disappointing the other person buy not spending the required amount of money on exactly what they want. Having said that, I'd be disappointed if someone gave me something I wanted- not lots of thought in it, you know?


Otherwise- I'm glad you're back, but not glad you're feeling poo. It sounds to me like you're emotionally run down. Stress is making you sick, maybe? :(

I think the World Vision gifts are great though, and if it does come about, well, I reckon that's what I might do.

http://smiley.onegreatguy.net/peek.gif

in regards to the Christmas gift list... I'd say that sometimes I get one or two things that I had previously mentioned wanting but we don't do any kind of list... it's more of a communication thing...
That's what I'd like. I try to tell my family "I'd like something like this..." and then leave them free to select the particular one that's most appropriate. Then I can feel that they've thought about it, and selected something that they wanted me to have.

Nick's mum suggested that next year instead of buying gifts for all the adults, we do a Kris Kringle, and spend $50 on one person. Each. I'm really uncool with that idea- it forces you to place a dollar value on a person, and it devalues the gifts that I make.
I agree. I spent an hour at the store yesterday thinking about my mom and what kinds of things she likes. That makes more sense to me than whipping out my chequebook and scrawling a few numbers on it.

My aunts uncles and cousins do the gift exchange like that, and it's worked pretty well for those years that we've been a part of it. (I especially liked when my aunt received my name, because she always picked out the neatest things from garage sales and second hand stores.:) ) My sister has always wanted to have something separate from that, however. Even though she has much less free time, she usually puts a lot of thought into the gifts she selects, and comes up with something a little bit unique and personalized. She also has allowed more room in her personal budget for gifts than for miscellany, so Christmas is one of the times where she gets to be indulged.

I spent $30 on my Mom's gift already, and she's made it quite clear that she's spending $50 on each of the people on her list. I'm worried she'll feel like she was gifted $20 "short" if I just send her what I've picked out so far.

So much of our emotions are tied up in money.:(

http://smiley.onegreatguy.net/peek.gif
Hi doordude. http://www.bitbenderforums.com/vb22/images/smilies/wavey.gif

I love that quote Guava :nod:
I like it too.:)

“We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won't need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don't fire cannons to call attention to their shining- they just shine.”

But I am not a lighthouse.:nope:

Sometimes it sounds good. Sometimes it doesn't. Human beings are unique creatures, with unique drives and needs, each also choosing different ways to meet those needs, and being more or less successful in each of those ways.

Through the ego the society is controlling you. You have to behave in a certain way, because only then does the society appreciate you. You have to walk in a certain way; you have to laugh in a certain way; you have to follow certain manners, a morality, a code. Only then will the society appreciate you, and if it doesn't, you ego will be shaken.

Morality means only that you should fit with the society. ~ From Beyond the Frontier of the Mind by Osho (http://deoxy.org/egofalse.htm)

Hi doordude. http://www.bitbenderforums.com/vb22/images/smilies/wavey.gif


Hi.:D

I'm glad Both my family and hubby's family kind of took the gift giving part out of the celebrations! My family is pretty much spread all over the US and it was such a pain getting presents through the mail, we all just kind of stopped with the gifts and resorted to simply cards and phone calls, unless we happen to be meeting up somewhere for the holidays.

On hubby's side, we do a gift exchange for the kids, but pretty much leave the adults out of it. One year we did a gift card game which was kind of fun. You didn't know who was going to get the card you bought, so everyone seemed to have fun trying to find the most unique stores to get gift cards from.

That's what I'd like. I try to tell my family "I'd like something like this..." and then leave them free to select the particular one that's most appropriate. Then I can feel that they've thought about it, and selected something that they wanted me to have.


I agree. I spent an hour at the store yesterday thinking about my mom and what kinds of things she likes. That makes more sense to me than whipping out my chequebook and scrawling a few numbers on it.

My aunts uncles and cousins do the gift exchange like that, and it's worked pretty well for those years that we've been a part of it. (I especially liked when my aunt received my name, because she always picked out the neatest things from garage sales and second hand stores.:) ) My sister has always wanted to have something separate from that, however. Even though she has much less free time, she usually puts a lot of thought into the gifts she selects, and comes up with something a little bit unique and personalized. She also has allowed more room in her personal budget for gifts than for miscellany, so Christmas is one of the times where she gets to be indulged.

I spent $30 on my Mom's gift already, and she's made it quite clear that she's spending $50 on each of the people on her list. I'm worried she'll feel like she was gifted $20 "short" if I just send her what I've picked out so far.

So much of our emotions are tied up in money.:(

We're currently entrenched in this! It's awful- I don't understand why people struggle so much to seperate their value of a person, with a dollar amount. I'd much rather a cool, garage sale gift- or nothing at all- than a 'sense of social obligation' fuelled gift.
My partner had a lengthy argument with his mother about it. :(

I'm like you FBChick- we give (in my family) presents to the kids. They're much more fun to give gifts to- they appreciate everything, whatever the cost. I don't receive anything from my brothers, but I give them something I've made because *I* want to- and expect nothing in return. What's so complicated about that??

Nick's mum suggested that next year instead of buying gifts for all the adults, we do a Kris Kringle, and spend $50 on one person. Each. I'm really uncool with that idea- it forces you to place a dollar value on a person, and it devalues the gifts that I make. I put a lot more care and effort in to these things than something I would buy. Instead, it seems like it's about buying something for someone off a list, and that we're expected to spend that amount of money. Makes it all seem much more materialistic, and very much a case of conspicuous consumerism. I hate that.



Yeah, ha ha, its like saying "here is my Christmas gift to you...I love you THAT MANY dollars worth" :lol:

That's what I'd like. I try to tell my family "I'd like something like this..." and then leave them free to select the particular one that's most appropriate. Then I can feel that they've thought about it, and selected something that they wanted me to have.


I agree. I spent an hour at the store yesterday thinking about my mom and what kinds of things she likes. That makes more sense to me than whipping out my chequebook and scrawling a few numbers on it.

My aunts uncles and cousins do the gift exchange like that, and it's worked pretty well for those years that we've been a part of it. (I especially liked when my aunt received my name, because she always picked out the neatest things from garage sales and second hand stores.:) ) My sister has always wanted to have something separate from that, however. Even though she has much less free time, she usually puts a lot of thought into the gifts she selects, and comes up with something a little bit unique and personalized. She also has allowed more room in her personal budget for gifts than for miscellany, so Christmas is one of the times where she gets to be indulged.

I spent $30 on my Mom's gift already, and she's made it quite clear that she's spending $50 on each of the people on her list. I'm worried she'll feel like she was gifted $20 "short" if I just send her what I've picked out so far.

So much of our emotions are tied up in money.:(

You are so right, one of the biggest points of stress during the holidays for my wife is wondering if she got the person the "right" gift or if they will like it, or if they will think she is being cheap...etc...

I have proposed for the last 5 years that my immediate family NOT do gifts for just one year (ok, maybe still stocking because we LOVE stockings) and see how it goes. I bet the relaxation during the holidays with not having to shop, wrap and plan would be a gift in itself. Besides gift giving seems like such a circular practice...I spend $50 on you and you spend $50 on me and HOPEFULLY we each get something we wanted or at least a gift receipt...why not just skip gifts and go buy your own "gift" with the $50. Call me a scrooge, but this seems simpler and more relaxing. Though I am sure there is something to be missed during the holidays without gift giving...if there was only a way to give gifts that did not consist of material/monetary purchases. :confused: If the thought of eliminating gift giving ruins the Christmas holiday for someone then it is likely that they don't have a real understanding of the reason for the season as they say...not necessarily just on a religious level, but also on the humanitarian plane.

Yeah, ha ha, its like saying "here is my Christmas gift to you...I love you THAT MANY dollars worth" :lol:

Yes! It really bothers me. I also want to know, why can't it be less? Isn't it more exciting to find something great for a person, that only cost you $7? That's challenging and fun. Large amounts of money just seem... greedy.

You are so right, one of the biggest points of stress during the holidays for my wife is wondering if she got the person the "right" gift or if they will like it, or if they will think she is being cheap...etc...

I have proposed for the last 5 years that my immediate family NOT do gifts for just one year (ok, maybe still stocking because we LOVE stockings) and see how it goes. I bet the relaxation during the holidays with not having to shop, wrap and plan would be a gift in itself. Besides gift giving seems like such a circular practice...I spend $50 on you and you spend $50 on me and HOPEFULLY we each get something we wanted or at least a gift receipt...why not just skip gifts and go buy your own "gift" with the $50. Call me a scrooge, but this seems simpler and more relaxing. Though I am sure there is something to be missed during the holidays without gift giving...if there was only a way to give gifts that did not consist of material/monetary purchases. :confused: If the thought of eliminating gift giving ruins the Christmas holiday for someone then it is likely that they don't have a real understanding of the reason for the season as they say...not necessarily just on a religious level, but also on the humanitarian plane.

DITTO. Welll said.

My immediate family don't give gifts to the adults- it's fine. We don't *need* anything that we're given, and if there was something that we needed, then we can buy it ourselves.
It's exactly as you say- if the idea that a person doesn't get an expensive gift for Christmas is really going to ruin the holiday for them, then they really need to reassess what is important about Christmas. Nick's mum keeps going on about how his sister-in-law is a great gift giver. Nick pointed out to her that she's giving, with the expectation of receiving. She gives, but is extremely judgemental of what she receives. To my mind, that's not a great gift giver.
More to the point, last year she gave me movie ticket vouchers for Christmas, and an Ikea gift card for my birthday. That's not great gift giving- that's least thought possible! :lol:

We meet with my mom and stepfather today. I have some partial gifts, but they're incomplete. I haven't completely figured out what to do with the remainder, but I'm most leaning towards contributing to the Canadian Cancer Society in their name. (My stepfather has lymphoma, and brain cancer, but he's been mostly symptom-free recently.) We don't have a present for my brother-in-law yet, other than a domain name of his choice with e-mail address. (In renewing ours, we somehow ended up with an extra one, so he can have it.) If I knew he would use it, I suppose we could get him a hosting service, but I'm not really sure how that works. Ours is looked after by a friend.

My husband's got his name at the top of the list for when they start hiring for the new project in Argentina. He can't seem to manage staying in any country for more than about two years.

I don't know if I want to go.:( It's still up for debate.

My daughter will be demonstrating her gymnastics skills at a show next weekend.
:claphigh:

Is it still risky to eat spinach (http://www.cdc.gov/foodborne/ecolispinach/)? We were advised months ago to only buy spinach from Canada. Some of our stores have signs up saying that the spinach is from Canada, but the label on the bag clearly says "Product of USA", though it does not appear to be a product of Natural Selection Foods LLC of San Juan Bautista, California. :confused: I'm not sure if spinach is grown in Canada at this time of year.

"Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem more afraid of life than death." ~James F. Byrnes

Is it still risky to eat spinach (http://www.cdc.gov/foodborne/ecolispinach/)?

We're eating it here again, it's just that the bags have a "Now With E-Coli!" starburst on them. :nod:

Is it still risky to eat spinach (http://www.cdc.gov/foodborne/ecolispinach/)?
Nah. They've had it back in the salad bar around here for months. :tu:

Good luck with the husband and argentina thing. I'm sure that's a big issue for you. :blank:

Speaking of:

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=healthNews&storyID=2006-12-03T212912Z_01_N03420467_RTRIDST_0_HEALTH-ECOLI-TACOBELL-DC.XML&WTmodLoc=HP-C10-Health-2

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Taco Bell said on Sunday it had temporarily closed one of its fast-food outlets and was working with New Jersey health authorities seeking the cause of an outbreak of e. Coli which has sickened nearly a dozen people, six of whom remain in hospital.

Eleven confirmed cases, all in central New Jersey and mostly affecting children, were reported by the Newark Star-Ledger on Sunday. In two cases, the infection developed into hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, which can cause permanent kidney damage, the newspaper said.
Taco Bell is a unit of Yum Brands Inc..

I hate Taco Bell anyway.

Good luck with Argentina debate. I don't know if I'd want to go either. :(

Speaking of:

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=healthNews&storyID=2006-12-03T212912Z_01_N03420467_RTRIDST_0_HEALTH-ECOLI-TACOBELL-DC.XML&WTmodLoc=HP-C10-Health-2



I hate Taco Bell anyway.

Good luck with Argentina debate. I don't know if I'd want to go either. :(


:claphigh: My best excuse for not going to Taco Hell!!

Goodluck with the Argentina debate Guava!

:blank: I'd be frustrated- hope all goes okay with this.

You know, the funny thing about e.coli is that it's present on our skin and in our gut normally. Not that I'm advocating licking an agar plate covered in the stuff, just that it's interesting.

Speaking of:

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=healthNews&storyID=2006-12-03T212912Z_01_N03420467_RTRIDST_0_HEALTH-ECOLI-TACOBELL-DC.XML&WTmodLoc=HP-C10-Health-2



I hate Taco Bell anyway.

Good luck with Argentina debate. I don't know if I'd want to go either. :(


That town is right near me and it's now up to 22 people I heard. They said 2 Taco Bell employees were the carriers-- I found that confusing, because like katey said, I thought we all have some in our system, are these people not washing up? What's up with that?

I still haven't bought any spinach, I don't love it, after all, but I found myself looking with suspicion at my collard greens last night.:confused:

I think Argentina would be great for a visit, but moving around frequently must be tough on the kids.:(

That town is right near me and it's now up to 22 people I heard. They said 2 Taco Bell employees were the carriers-- I found that confusing, because like katey said, I thought we all have some in our system, are these people not washing up? What's up with that?

I still haven't bought any spinach, I don't love it, after all, but I found myself looking with suspicion at my collard greens last night.:confused:

I think Argentina would be great for a visit, but moving around frequently must be tough on the kids.:(
This morning on the news they mentioned that it COULD be that the employees didn't wash... EWWW, this story is gross.

BTW I had some collards the other day. :)

We're eating it here again, it's just that the bags have a "Now With E-Coli!" starburst on them. :nod:
I could see that. Any of the mixed greens that don't have spinach in them all say in big bold letters NO SPINACH. I guess it's the same there. :confused: I don't love spinach either, but I'm starting to feel malnourished.:blank: I bought a block of frozen stuff, but that just won't make a salad.:nono:

You know, the funny thing about e.coli is that it's present on our skin and in our gut normally. Not that I'm advocating licking an agar plate covered in the stuff, just that it's interesting.
My sister had a huge argument with her husband when their son was about six months old. She wanted to continue to feed him formula made only from boiled water, and would very carefully sterilize all of the utensils that would touch his mouth or his foods. I'm not sure how long she was planning to keep this up, but her husband was trying to make the argument that she was putting his immune system at risk by not allowing him to gradually acclimatize to regular bacteria. I agreed with him.:nod:

The button on my jeans popped after dinner last night.:lol: I don't think it was the chicken fajita I shared with my mom, but it may have been because of the molten lava cake we split. :nod:

According to the scale, I'm only up about a pound (and two body fat percentage points) from my summer weight. My waist is about one inch bigger. According to the National Institute of Health (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001943.htm), I'm closer (5"5", 119 lb, 18%) to my "recommended" body weight and body fat percentage levels (125, 20%) but I don't believe those values apply to me. I certainly don't feel healthier. And my diet is certainly worse. Fruit consumption and dairy/calcium has remained steady. Vegetable consumption is slightly down, but still within suggested servings. Lean meat has gone down slightly (but peanut butter up). I'm still avoiding most saturated fats, pasta, white rice, white bread, and potatoes, but I've been consuming more sugar and refined flour. If I can manage to increase my appetite for soups and stews, or salmon, then I'll be able to cut back on chocolate/cake again to summer levels of one treat per week instead of the three times that's been going on. Maybe some protein powder would be a good idea. I wonder if there is any way I could make some low lactose high-protein hot chocolate.:confused:

My aim in weight gain this fall/winter has not been to reach some "healthier" point, but to stabilize my internal thermostat. I do believe I may have been slightly warmer this year so far than last, but it could be just a seasonal differentiation (and a superb coat!:tu: ) Also, my husband bought this equalizer register booster (http://www.suncourt.com/EQ2.html) for our bedroom, which always seems to be a couple of degrees lower than the rest of the house. It works amazingly well and is great value for your money.

"If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere." --Frank A. Clark

Pets can also help make Children's immune systems better:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/3731058.stm
:)

Pets can also help make Children's immune systems better:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/3731058.stm
:)
:lol:
That's ironic, because I just remembered, he has terrible allergies now.:nod: They had to get rid of their cat, and he has to take medication whenever he's around animals. Both times he went to the zoo with us, she ended up having to take him to the hospital afterwards because his eyes swelled up so badly.:doh:

Argentina is still in the pre-approval stage. It could be years before they start hiring. My husband said "the only way we're not going is if you get a job", so I guess I'd better rev up the employment search if I don't want to do some more traveling. I can't help getting excited (http://www.hilsberg.com/Argentina.htm) about it though.

I suppose there's some consolation in the idea that Argentina could be years away. I can't help but feel a little... I don't know... irritated at the idea of being uprooted (again).

I find it amazing the amount of (in my opinion -- unecessary) work people put in to babies. Like sterilising past an age where it's necessary, and I guess bottle feeding at all. I'm a big advocate for vaccinations, but there's a lot to be said for natural immunity, too. I get a little frustrated with all the 'anti-bacterial' sprays and cleaning agents available, I think it breeds germophobia more than anything else! :lol:

My neighbour was telling me about how her sister-in-law's kids were forever getting sick with this bug or that virus, and that her S-I-L used lots of anti-bacterial sprays, and is a clean freak. But she also cleans her toilet scrubbing brush in the dishwasher. Ugh. :doh:

I believe the plan is to hire people for Argentina starting this February. But I'm not sure which phase of the plan we'd fit into. Sure, uprooting can be highly irritating, but it brings with it amazing opportunities as well. If we're prudent, every year of working overseas could be financially equivalent to four years working here, so, in the end, it gives us a huge amount of freedom, if we plan it wisely.

My husband has it in his head that he wants to install a wind turbine (http://www.canren.gc.ca/tech_appl/index.asp?CaID=6&PgID=232) in our property, connect it to the power grid, and sell the energy back to the province. :p I don't think it meets zoning requirements (http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/engineer/facts/03-047.htm#neighbourly); otherwise I'm in full support.:tu:

I made some honey oat crescent rolls yesterday from scratch. Fresh and toasty hot from the oven, they tasted so good, I had eight of them. :doh:

I caught this great action shot of my littlest in the middle of a bridge back walkover in the show yesterday.
:claphigh:

Everyone who got where he is had to begin where he was. ~Richard L. Evans

Great shot of your daughter. :tu:

I've been eating spinach again for the past few weeks at least. I'm very glad it's back, it's so frustrating when it's gone because I prefer it to so many other leafy greens.

What kind of work does your husband do that Argentina's in the cards?

Great shot of your daughter. :tu:

I've been eating spinach again for the past few weeks at least. I'm very glad it's back, it's so frustrating when it's gone because I prefer it to so many other leafy greens.

What kind of work does your husband do that Argentina's in the cards?
He's in the power industry.

He's in the power industry.

Ah, that's really cool. Explains the wind turbine :lol:

Great photo! I'm quite sure I can't do that! :eek:

Ah, that's really cool. Explains the wind turbine :lol:
:nod: He's the energy king. :lol:

Great photo! I'm quite sure I can't do that! :eek: I used to be able to. Every once in a while I get tempted to try, but it would really hurt if I missed.:o

________________
:doh:
I've turned into one of "those" people.:rolleyes:

At school the other day, one of the women I've been volunteering with asked me "Do you work out?" I said "Yes." Then she said "Oh, because we were saying that either you must work out, or you must be one of those naturally thin people." I started to explain that, no, I wasn't naturally thin, but then it sort of hit me.

There's not really anybody who's naturally thin.

Even though there was a time that I was overweight, I sort of live the life now of someone who's "naturally thin". I used to think it was easier for "naturally thin" people to make good food choices, that their brains didn't work the same way that mine did, and that's how they managed to stay thin, but I never really considered that if I changed my habits, it could eventually be easy for me as well.

Now vs then
I prefer steamed broccoli to french fries. I'd rather have a tuna sandwich than a slice of pizza. Fried chicken makes me queasy. I can never finish a restaurant entree, no matter how hungry I am. I don't eat popcorn at the movie theatre. I order salads at fast food restaurants (they taste better than the burgers and fries). I never use butter or margarine. The soft drinks I drink are always diet. I've only had about twelve alcoholic drinks in the last three years, when I used to drink that much in three weeks. Fruit tastes better than candy. Half a cup of ice cream is enough. A whole chocolate bar is too much. I'd rather walk than drive. Running improves my mood. I can't sleep soundly without a good strength and stretching workout before bed.

None of those choices feel like hardships to me, yet at the time that I used to do the alternates, it seemed impossible to do anything different.

The Man Who Thinks He Can!
If you think you are beaten, you are;
If you think you dare not, you dont!
If you'd like to win, but think you can't,
It's almost a cinch that you wont.

If you think you'll lose, you're lost
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow's will;
It's all in the state of mind!

If you think you're outclassed, you are;
You've got to think high to rise.
You've got to be sure of yourself
before you can win the prize.

Life's battles don't always go
To the strongest or fastest man;
But sooner or later the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can!
Body Break (http://www.bodybreak.com/fitness.html)

Now vs then
I prefer steamed broccoli to french fries. I'd rather have a tuna sandwich than a slice of pizza. Fried chicken makes me queasy. I can never finish a restaurant entree, no matter how hungry I am. I don't eat popcorn at the movie theatre. I order salads at fast food restaurants (they taste better than the burgers and fries). I never use butter or margarine. The soft drinks I drink are always diet. I've only had about twelve alcoholic drinks in the last three years, when I used to drink that much in three weeks. Fruit tastes better than candy. Half a cup of ice cream is enough. A whole chocolate bar is too much. I'd rather walk than drive. Running improves my mood. I can't sleep soundly without a good strength and stretching workout before bed.

None of those choices feel like hardships to me, yet at the time that I used to do the alternates, it seemed impossible to do anything different.


Wow, you're a better (wo)man than I. :tu:

While I agree with a few things up there and I follow most of it...some of it is still work and most of it is done out of necessity for me. In fact, almost all of that "then" is how I used to live and much of it is how I'd like to live! :lol:

:nod: He's the energy king. :lol:

http://www.foolserrand.com/funneh/graphic/heatMiserSnowMiser.jpg

"Everyone's an expert." :rolleyes:

I used to be able to. Every once in a while I get tempted to try, but it would really hurt if I missed.:o

Pix!

http://www.foolserrand.com/funneh/graphic/xmasPeppermintBundt.jpeg

:drool: :eat:

I soooooooooooo want the cake that's in your avatar :drool: :D

and I'd love to get the recipe for those honey oat crescent rolls from you :nod: they sound REALLY good :drool:


I love the picture of your daughter doing the walkover... I was always terrified of backward walkovers and never did get it down :( I'm afraid of falling on my head/falling backwards... it's one of my regrets... one of these day's I'd like to take a gymnastics class and overcome that fear :nod: I've even been thinking about that lately... it'd be kinda cool to be able to compete in the fitness arena instead of just figure :confused: the only problem with that is my iffy joints (although my knees are fine right now :claphigh: which is nice) and my inability to currently do most of the required moves :p but I'm sure I could learn how if I had the time & money... and I'd really need the money... fitness competitors have to hire a choreographer and usually have someone make a music compilation for them... I could probably get someone I know to do the music... but the choreography would be really tough to do without assistance... but it's still something to think about... it'd be fun and I'd really be able to express myself in a medium like that

:doh:
I've turned into one of "those" people.:rolleyes:

At school the other day, one of the women I've been volunteering with asked me "Do you work out?" I said "Yes." Then she said "Oh, because we were saying that either you must work out, or you must be one of those naturally thin people." I started to explain that, no, I wasn't naturally thin, but then it sort of hit me.

There's not really anybody who's naturally thin.

Even though there was a time that I was overweight, I sort of live the life now of someone who's "naturally thin". I used to think it was easier for "naturally thin" people to make good food choices, that their brains didn't work the same way that mine did, and that's how they managed to stay thin, but I never really considered that if I changed my habits, it could eventually be easy for me as well.

Now vs then
I prefer steamed broccoli to french fries. I'd rather have a tuna sandwich than a slice of pizza. Fried chicken makes me queasy. I can never finish a restaurant entree, no matter how hungry I am. I don't eat popcorn at the movie theatre. I order salads at fast food restaurants (they taste better than the burgers and fries). I never use butter or margarine. The soft drinks I drink are always diet. I've only had about twelve alcoholic drinks in the last three years, when I used to drink that much in three weeks. Fruit tastes better than candy. Half a cup of ice cream is enough. A whole chocolate bar is too much. I'd rather walk than drive. Running improves my mood. I can't sleep soundly without a good strength and stretching workout before bed.

None of those choices feel like hardships to me, yet at the time that I used to do the alternates, it seemed impossible to do anything different.



eh... what I usually think when someone mentions someone who's naturally thin, are those people (women & men alike) who have super fast matabolisms... I know a woman in the gym right now that would KILL to be able to put on some weight... body fat OR muscle, she can eat like a horse and not gain and it frustrates her... that's the type of person I think of who is "naturally thin"

and one food that I thought I'd NEVER like is dark chocolate... I used to only like milk chocolate and for the first time in my life I actually like the dark chocolate better :nod:

eh... what I usually think when someone mentions someone who's naturally thin, are those people (women & men alike) who have super fast matabolisms... I know a woman in the gym right now that would KILL to be able to put on some weight... body fat OR muscle, she can eat like a horse and not gain and it frustrates her... that's the type of person I think of who is "naturally thin"

I guess there's a few people like that, but, usually, when you look at them pretty closely, you'll find that the reason they have so much trouble gaining weight is because the foods they are used to eating are so low in calories. They usually don't go to the bar every weekend, and eat at McDonald's every day for lunch, the way a large percentage of average-weight people do.

I soooooooooooo want the cake that's in your avatar :drool: :D

and I'd love to get the recipe for those honey oat crescent rolls from you :nod: they sound REALLY good :drool:


I love the picture of your daughter doing the walkover... I was always terrified of backward walkovers and never did get it down :( I'm afraid of falling on my head/falling backwards... it's one of my regrets... one of these day's I'd like to take a gymnastics class and overcome that fear :nod:
Today, the coach had my daughter learning aerials and back handsprings!:eek:

I've never considered competing in figure, but the thought of competing in fitness crossed my mind a couple of times. If I wanted to find a trainer, and was willing to put in about a year of hard work, I know I could do it, but I'm not really motivated to do something like that at this stage.

Honey Oat Crescent Rolls
½ C honey
½ C vegetable oil
1 ¾ C water
1 2/3 to 2 C bread flour, divided (I used all purpose)
1 C oats
½ C oat bran
1 ½ tsp salt
3 (1/4 oz) envelopes active dry yeast
2 large eggs
2 ½ C whole wheat flour

Combine honey, oil and water in a saucepan. Heat to 120 to 130 degrees.

Combine 1 2/3 C flour oats, and next 3 ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add honey mixture and eggs, beating at low speed with an electric mixer until blended. Beat at medium speed 3 more minutes Gradually stire in wheat flour and enough remaining bread flour to form a soft dough.

Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 F) free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.

Punch dough down. Let rest 15 minutes. Divide dough into 4 portions. Roll each portion into 10 inch circles. Cut each circle into 12 wedges (like a pizza); roll up wedges, beginning at wide ends. Place rolls, point side down, on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise 20 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Bake at 375 F for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
In half of the batch, I sprinkled a bit of cinnamon sugar and some raisins on the dough before rolling it up. The recipe said that you could freeze them before baking, but when I did this (and let them thaw in the fridge 24 hours, then rise in the oven again) they didn't taste very good at all.

This morning, I made gingerbread (the cake, not the cookies). It was wonderful.

Gingerbread (slightly modified from original)
1 C applesauce
1/3 C molasses
1/3 C corn syrup
1 tsp baking soda
¼ C brown sugar
¼ C Splenda
2 eggs
¼ C oil
1 ½ C whole wheat flour
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ C chopped candied ginger
¼ C dried fruit of choice (raisins, cranberries, pineapple, apricots, etc.)
½ C chopped toasted walnutsEvery year for the last three years, I've pulled out that picture of the Christmas cake and said "Man, I'd really like to make that cake!" :drool: And then I say "What the heck would I do with a whole big giant cake like that?" and put the recipe back in the recipe book.:rolleyes:

However, we were invited out to a friend's for Christmas dinner, so I think this will be the year I finally get to try it out. :D I wasn't really sure I wanted to accept the invitation, but the rest of my family seems to really want to, so I told her we'd join them.

My mom called me last week and said "I was talking to your husband and it sounds like he'd really like to come here for Christmas." So now I feel guilty about not making that trip. :o Is there something wrong with me for wanting to be alone at Christmas? :(

"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards." ~Vernon Sanders Law

thanks for the recipies Guava :D I'm going to have to try those rolls :nod: they sound really good :drool:

you could easily do figure.. you're already pretty lean and have nice definition, it wouldn't take long to get into competition shape for you... me on the other hand, I seem to be having trouble getting ride of the fat :p it could be the cookies I had earlier today :lol: but at least I hit the gym at lunch and killed my legs :D

but you're right, you really need to WANT to compete, if you don't want it you shouldn't go for it... you have to be soooo strict near the end, before a competition, that if you don't have the drive to compete you won't want to go through that :nod:

have fun at the Christmas party :tucool:



oh... and if I had to travel to visit family (more than the 45 minutes/1 hour than it takes right now) I wouldn't want to go anywhere for Christmas either... maybe every few years, but not every year... as it is I'll have two Chrismass' just like the last few years... we'll go the 45 minutes to my in-laws in Merritt Island and stay overnight (Christmas Eve) and spend Christmas day there.. then on New Years day my family (mom & boyfriend; middle brother, wife & 2 nephews; and my youngest brother) all come to my house in Orlando to celebrate Christmas again :D

if I had to travel to visit family, I wouldn't want to go anywhere for Christmas either...
It's difficult for me to insist on doing what I want to do, instead of doing what I believe other people want me to do, or doing what I think I should do. Sure, it's fine to compromise once in a while, but I have some holiday issues from a couple of years back that I can't quite let go of. Plus, I think the world is a different place for an introvert than for an extrovert.

:eat:
I've been getting only about two servings of vegetables per day for the past couple of weeks, usually carrots and broccoli. I'm also eating lots of fruit, lots of whole wheat bread, lots of soy milk and yogurt, lots of boxed cereal. Meat is still low. I blame a seasonal mood deficiency. I still can't gain the weight I'd (sort of) like to gain, because the only food I feel like eating more of is the food that has very few nutrients (gingerbread!), and I can't justify that indulgence beyond a couple of hundred calories each day. Tomorrow, I'm going out to a restaurant with people from my husband's work, and I'm not really looking forward to it.:confused: If we go where I think we're going to go, there's a stir fry on the menu, and that would be okay.

:claphigh:
My books have arrived!

I got two hard covers, two full color photography books, two Mad Libs books, one book on tape, and seven soft covers, all for about $50, including all the shipping and taxes.

I took a quick look through Food for Fitness (http://www.johnstonefitness.com/store/shop.php?c=books&n=1000&i=0425202550&x=Chris_Carmichaels_Food_for_Fitness). It was written by Chris Carmichael, who is Lance Armstrong's coach. It seems a little bit too regimented and specific for my needs, so I don't think it will be very useful. However, for any cyclist who is reading this and is curious, he recommends .5 to .6 grams of protein per pound, or between 13 and 18% of calories, depending on which training phase you are in, and 2.5 to 3 grams of carbohydrates (60 to 70% of calories), with the remainder from fat (16 to 22%). I'm interested to read the science behind this to see how these ratios have been determined.

Superwomen (http://www.johnstonefitness.com/store/shop.php?c=books&n=1000&i=0821228919&x=Superwomen_100_Women_100_Sports) is really nice. The photos are great, but the words behind them are even better. I thought it might be a little superficial, relating to beauty in sport, but it's really so much more than that. I'm really looking forward to sharing it with my girls because the message is all about power, like this motorcycle racer says:
"When I'm in the pit, people bring their kids by to meet me. Parents like my bike, the like my energy, they like my upbeat, positive attitude. And so I just start talking, about love and respect, about self-esteem and striving, and the the time they have left, I've let them know that they can do anything."

I'm finally fat enough to fit into my jeans.:blank:

That means three other pair of my jeans are now so snug that they're not comfortable. :( So I had to buy three new pair. :p But I always buy my jeans at Value Village, so it's not such a huge investment. ($6 x 3)

I've been playing around with "clothing as art", so I'm in the middle of a couple of alterations right now. I cut the shoulders and arms off of one of my t-shirts and transforming it into a halter top, due to some inspiration from a website George directed me to several months ago,
t-shirt surgery (http://community.livejournal.com/t_shirt_surgery/). I don't have a sewing machine, so I'm stitching everything by hand, and it's taking me hours more than it should. Maybe that's something I should ask for next Christmas. The project I'm working on now is a Chinese style t-shirt, but my next task will be either a snowflake embroidery (http://www.littleturtleknits.com/snowflakehat.htm) project, or a further enhancement to my "cowboy chic (http://www.cruelgirl.com/index.cfm?cid=406)" wardrobe.:)

I'm also considering "furniture as art" and trying to surround myself with more beautiful pieces. My old china cabinet was inherited from my grandma and has suffered some severe cold damage. When we moved in, I didn't find any new pieces in furniture stores that suited my taste, so we put it in the dining room as is (after a brief failed attempt at refinishing it), and bought the cheapest dining room table we could find at Sears. I've finally found the style of dining room that I'm looking for. A mission style china cabinet with lead glass doors in solid oak (with regular oak instead of the typical quarter cut). We're also getting a shaker dining room table at the same time in solid oak stained to match. We had to drive into Amish country to look at it,
http://www.waynet.org/waynet/spotlight/2005/images/09/buggy-sign.jpg http://www.stjacobs.com/images/photos/mennonitehistory.jpg
and ended up at the cutest little market ever (http://www.visitor.on.ca/stjacobs/), with home made cinnamon rolls, and apple cherry pies. :)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/33/St_Jacobs_Market.jpg/250px-St_Jacobs_Market.jpg

My husband decided he deserved something too, so he brought home a brand new surround-sound system for the living room last week. :p

The gingerbread house that we made from scratch stayed intact for the whole season, which was actually a bit of a surprise. Rolling, cutting, and baking the dough took a lot longer than I thought it would, and it was a little bit stressful trying to glue it all together with the royal icing; getting the right angles, making sure the edges were flat, and holding it in place until the icing was dry. My peppermint cake turned out quite pretty too, except the icing was just a tiny bit too thin, and the candy canes didn't break into perfectly sized artistic chunks like the Betty Crocker one.

"Follow the grain in your own wood." ~Howard Thurman

You made the cake! :eek:

:drool:

You made the cake! :eek:

Yes, and nobody ate it. :cry:

We went to my friend's house for Christmas dinner. She asked me to bring dessert, so I made the cake. She had each place setting pre-set with a Kinder surprise, two mini turtles bars, and two Ferroro Rocher. When she offered dessert, nobody was very hungry. She asked if people wanted pumpkin pie or apple pie, then added peppermint chiffon cake as a last-minute option. By the time everybody had gone home, the cake still hadn't been cut into. :(

But she has three teenage sons, so hopefully it didn't last long in the next couple of days.

mmmmmmmmmm... the cake looks GREAT! and I can sympathize with it not being eaten... my candy cane bread tends to go for quite a while before someone finally cuts into it... I found out last year that it was because everyone thought it was too pretty to cut :rolleyes: silly people.. I bet that cake got devoured :nod: :drool:

oh and I can't believe how nice your gingerbread house came out.. well done!! :claplow: I vaugely remember making one with my mom when I was little and I remember it being a pain in the butt and my mom ended up doing most of the work :lol: that's probably why I've never tried to to one :p

Cake looks just like the pic you had in your avatar! Way to go...I love peppermint anything so I am sure it was awesome.

Although I AM a bit concerned that you put a dead gingerman out in front of your gingerbread house...I must admit, it is a bit disturbing ;) :lol:

I'm finally fat enough to fit into my jeans.:blank:

:claphigh: :blank:

That gingerbread house rocks! If it means anything, I would have devoured that cake:eat:

The cake and gingerbread house look delicious.:drool: Now I see why the gingerbread man looks dead!:lol:

Do you have a cruel girl hat? That cowgirl site is interesting. You're into some cool activities lately.:tucool:

I may be getting a sewing machine at some point too, because I'm wanting to sew stuff. I think I have the tribal clothing bug, thanks to the belly dancing. I had a sewing machine but got rid of it, since there's really nowhere to put it. I have to find one I can put away.:confused: This is going to take some research and consideration, and maybe by the end of the year, I'll buy one.:nod: Those computerized sewing machines are PRICEY, but I guess you don't need them unless you want to do a lot of automated embroidery.

Although I AM a bit concerned that you put a dead gingerman out in front of your gingerbread house...I must admit, it is a bit disturbing ;) :lol:
LOL that cracked me up.:lol:
My daughter did it. She says it's supposed to be a snow angel. I even sound some tiny little snowflake sprinkle candies to decorate around him. There was a guy standing up on the other side of the house. You can see where his feet became detatched from his body in a natural disaster that was not covered by insurance. The snow angel guy was saved, so he's the smart one.:tu:

We never did get around to decorating our Christmas tree, beyond the lights and garlands, but I guess it's a good thing, because our cat decided it was a neat thing to climb.

I never understood the cats in sinks (http://catsinsinks.com/) phenomenon, but he's into that too. He looks almost embarrassed when we catch him lounging in there, but we haven't captured it on film yet.

Do you have a cruel girl hat? That cowgirl site is interesting. You're into some cool activities lately.:tucool:

I may be getting a sewing machine at some point too, because I'm wanting to sew stuff. I think I have the tribal clothing bug, thanks to the belly dancing. I had a sewing machine but got rid of it, since there's really nowhere to put it. I have to find one I can put away.:confused: This is going to take some research and consideration, and maybe by the end of the year, I'll buy one.:nod: Those computerized sewing machines are PRICEY, but I guess you don't need them unless you want to do a lot of automated embroidery.I don't have a cruel girl hat, but I have a cheap felt cowboy hat embellished with rhinestones, and some beautiful leather cowboy boots that I purchased on the genuine prairies of Canada. I'm starting to build a decent collection of jewelled, embroidered, or punched leather belts, and jeans with designs on the pockets. I think belt buckles are really cool too, but I'm not sure there are any women's styles. I suppose with all of my other embellishments, that might be going a little too far.:lol:

The bohemian look has a lot of similar elements. I'd still really like to get a nice simple embroidered peasant blouse.
http://www.alight.com/lib/alight-com/11990004.jpg
I have a sewing machine in the garage that's maybe 40 or 50 years old (I used to use it a few years ago), but we lost the foot pedal, so I'm not sure it makes any sense to bring it in, dust it off, and buy parts for it. If I got a new one, it would be just for the basic stitches; should be about $200 to $300, I think.

My sister sent me an e-mail asking for advice. She's trying to lose 8 pounds before March. I sent her some information about how higher protein diets can be thermogenic and can help to manage cravings, some notes about the glycemic index, and some of my favorite recipes and recipe sites. I don't know how helpful it will be. She already told me she doesn't like meat and vegetables very much. Too often when people want to lose weight, they want to do it the "easy" way and are looking for miracle solutions. I'm not sure what to say. :(

My daughter went bowling with a friend yesterday. I gave her $20 to pay for it and for some lunch. The friend ended up paying for the bowling, so she spent the money on toys.:doh: I'm not really sure what to do about that, if anything. I'm annoyed, but not angry. I'm starting to wonder if maybe I'm not as generous with her as other parents are with their children, and in what ways that might affect her.:confused: Her birthday is next week, and I have no idea whatsoever what I can get for her that isn't remarkably similar to what she already got for Christmas. :blank:

"To conquer oneself is a greater task than conquering others." ~ Buddha

My sister sent me an e-mail asking for advice. She's trying to lose 8 pounds before March. I sent her some information about how higher protein diets can be thermogenic and can help to manage cravings, some notes about the glycemic index, and some of my favorite recipes and recipe sites. I don't know how helpful it will be. She already told me she doesn't like meat and vegetables very much. Too often when people want to lose weight, they want to do it the "easy" way and are looking for miracle solutions. I'm not sure what to say. :(



"You can lead a horse to water...."

Hi Guava :)

Hi Guava :)
Hi Gordo! http://www.basketballboards.net/forum/images/smilies/wave.gif

I found the V8 diet (http://www.v8juice.com/V8diet.aspx). Other than being very high in sodium, it seems to meet most of her requirements. I think it could work quite well for her.

The holidays were not a fun time for me. I wasn't busy enough.

So, I've been packing my schedule as full as I can. And, because I don't have a blog, here it is::p

Next week, the little one will start ballet class. The rest of her class will have started in September, and she'll have to catch up enough to be able to participate in the end-of-year show, but as long as they're still accepting her, I'm not worried. The gymnastics coaches are going to start building their competitive team in a couple of months, so they'll be starting some assessments soon. She shows so much promise in grace, strength, and fearlessness, that I can't let her pass up this opportunity. Even though she only started just last year, she outshines some of the girls that have been doing gymnastics since they were 18 months old, and I'm so very proud of her. :D She's growing so fast. Her skates were too small, so we traded them in for a larger pair. Now we just have to find the time to go to the arena.

Tonight, I have a meeting to attend to hear a presentation on the merits of beginning a French Immersion education for her in grade one, and to have questions answered. She'd have to transfer to a different school, which would require a 5-10 minute bus trip (or a ride from me), instead of the 10 minute walk her school is right now. It would also mean the girls would be in two different schools, which would otherwise not be the case until two more years past next year. The deadline for application is next week.

The girls are signed up for a cooking class on an upcoming Saturday. This is the only year they'll be able to be in the classes together because of their age difference (6 and 11 at the end of this month), so I'm going to try to put them into as many sessions as will fit into our schedule. During March break, I may put them into cooking camp, or possibly a watersports camp, or maybe both. I believe that soccer season starts in April, and both girls will be participating. In the summer, we'll be visiting my sister in Manitoba. She has two children as well (4 and 6), and loves the summer camp idea, so I'm going to have her look into whether there are any karate programs running for a few hours each day in one or two week sessions that could accomodate them all. They did gymnastics together last summer and had a lot of fun.

I'm considering auditioning to be in a play. :spaz: I don't think I'll follow through with it, but it's still a possibility, and maybe as time goes by it might start to sound like a better idea.

I have a birthday party to supervise this Saturday, and another one the following Saturday. I paid to have each of them in public venues, so I'm expecting it to be slightly less work than it was for me last year. I decided to give my older daughter a hockey bag and a backpack as a gift. The bowling money/toy purchase incident turned out with no tears. I ended it by saying "I think you owe me $20," and she seemed to think that sounded fair. Three days later, she got $20 in birthday money in the mail, and she turned it over to me without question. :eek: I almost feel a little bit guilty. I got some unexpected belated Christmas gifts in the same shipment; a perfectly gorgeous cream and black nordic snowflake print sweater, a spaghetti measurer and some flavor creations (http://www.flavourcreations.com/index.html) tablets in four different flavors.:D :D :D

My husband mentioned the possibility of me joining him on his business trip to Vienna in June. He convinced me against tagging along to Houston at the end of this month. Last night, he mumbled something about Alberta being a nice place to live. I wonder if I should be worried.:confused:

"Think positively and masterfully, with confidence and faith, and life becomes more secure, more fraught with action, richer in achievement and experience." ~ Eddie Rickenbacker

I found the V8 diet (http://www.v8juice.com/V8diet.aspx). Other than being very high in sodium, it seems to meet most of her requirements. I think it could work quite well for her.

I just started adding an 8oz serving of the low sodium V8 to my daily routine. I realized when I was flying back and forth to Florida that I always order a bloody mary mix when I travel by plane, and I always enjoy it. I did some comparisons at the store, however, and everything BUT the low sodium V8 is REALLY high in sodium.

So I thought, "Well, I'll just add some hot sauce and mrs. dash and make it spicier." I was even MORE surprised to find there is a huge amount of sodium in SOME hot sauces, but not others. Tabasco brand is low in sodium, so I went that route.

V8 has also come out with a fruit/vegetable juice blend, and I put a container of the Strawberry Banana in my cart, but then changed my mind. Although with the prices of oranges set to TRIPLE in the next few weeks, I might have to rethink that purchase in order to keep a variety of fruits in my diet as well.

The bowling money/toy purchase incident turned out with no tears. I ended it by saying "I think you owe me $20," and she seemed to think that sounded fair. Three days later, she got $20 in birthday money in the mail, and she turned it over to me without question. :eek: I almost feel a little bit guilty. I got some unexpected belated Christmas gifts in the same shipment; a perfectly gorgeous cream and black nordic snowflake print sweater, a spaghetti measurer and some flavor creations (http://www.flavourcreations.com/index.html) tablets in four different flavors.:D :D :D

[/I]

Glad to hear that the $20 issue was resolved without WWIII! From what I have gathered from you regarding how your daughters have been raised, I am not surprised she not only did the right thing, but seemed to understand without major explanation being required what the right to do was. :claphigh:

That sweater sounds cool...pics? Mainly it sounds like something Harper would like...any idea where is from?


V8 has also come out with a fruit/vegetable juice blend, and I put a container of the Strawberry Banana in my cart, but then changed my mind. Although with the prices of oranges set to TRIPLE in the next few weeks, I might have to rethink that purchase in order to keep a variety of fruits in my diet as well.

Yeah! You are not kidding! Orange Juice just went up 2 bucks a carton around here! Good thing we just got a late "hanukkah" gift from my wife's G-parents of 2 dozen HoneyBell oranges from FL. They are like Orange Juice in a peel...so delicious and should last us through the next month along with our grapefruits we got for el cheapo...our citrus quota will not be suffering this month for sure!

That sweater sounds cool...pics? Mainly it sounds like something Harper would like...any idea where is from?
It's from cleo (http://www.cleo.ca/linkTo/1108055/1000123). They have beautiful clothes, and great prices, but I guess it's only in Canada.

No pictures of that sweater, but I bought a similar one for myself at Wal-Mart just before Christmas. I can't get enough of snowflakes!

It's from cleo (http://www.cleo.ca/linkTo/1108055/1000123). They have beautiful clothes, and great prices, but I guess it's only in Canada.

No pictures of that sweater, but I bought a similar one for myself at Wal-Mart just before Christmas. I can't get enough of snowflakes!

Nice picture! Is Beaver Buzz only available in Canada as well?? :lol:

I am going to check out that website...I wonder if they ship to U.S.?

If not I am sure there are plenty of other places with similar clothing here...

Nice picture! Is Beaver Buzz only available in Canada as well?? :lol:


It sounds like a Canadian drink - the beaver is on one of our coins:)

V8 is a pretty good drink, and a way to get some of the goodness of veggies into your system. Pricey though:( I used to get them by the case at Costco (24 cans).

Guava, did you talk to your daughter about the $20 or are you going to leave it alone? Did she confess to it or did you have to ask her where she got the toys?

I still want my Beaver Buzz. I'll pay to have you ship me two cans (one for display and one to consume). Let me know if you can hook a brother up. Word. :tucool:

I still want my Beaver Buzz. I'll pay to have you ship me two cans (one for display and one to consume). Let me know if you can hook a brother up. Word. :tucool:

You remind me of my father in law...except married...:nope: :lol:

Guava, did you talk to your daughter about the $20 or are you going to leave it alone? Did she confess to it or did you have to ask her where she got the toys?
It was sort of weird the way it came out. She was showing me some of her Floam (http://www.buyfloam.com/?cid=132025) the other day, so I asked her where she got it from and she said "From the money you gave me from bowling." So I asked how much it cost, and she said it was $8. I told her that's not what the money was for and asked her where the other $12 went. She told me she bought a Barbie. On a typical day, I might get excited at this point and start almost yelling, but I guess because of the calm (sheepish?) way she was telling me, I calmly explained that that's not what I intended the money for, especially since she already has more than half a dozen Barbies (and half a dozen Pollys, and half a dozen Bratz, etc, etc, etc.) that she never picks up off the floor. She apologized, and that's when my husband appeared and said he'd already had a talk with her about it. I said "I guess you owe me $20 then," and she said "Okay." As soon as she saw that she got money in the mail, she gave it immediately to me, without even a second thought, and without me saying anything.

I still want my Beaver Buzz. I'll pay to have you ship me two cans (one for display and one to consume). Let me know if you can hook a brother up. Word. :tucool:
I don't think I want you knowing my return address. :cool:

We should have a JSF get together in Niagara Falls. Then you can get one yourself. Or I could bring one to Ohio. I expect to be driving through Sandusky at the end of June or beginning of July. :tucool: I think we have quite a crowd in that northern part of the states.

It was sort of weird the way it came out. She was showing me some of her Floam (http://www.buyfloam.com/?cid=132025) the other day, so I asked her where she got it from and she said "From the money you gave me from bowling." So I asked how much it cost, and she said it was $8. I told her that's not what the money was for and asked her where the other $12 went. She told me she bought a Barbie. On a typical day, I might get excited at this point and start almost yelling, but I guess because of the calm (sheepish?) way she was telling me, I calmly explained that that's not what I intended the money for, especially since she already has more than half a dozen Barbies (and half a dozen Pollys, and half a dozen Bratz, etc, etc, etc.) that she never picks up off the floor. She apologized, and that's when my husband appeared and said he'd already had a talk with her about it. I said "I guess you owe me $20 then," and she said "Okay." As soon as she saw that she got money in the mail, she gave it immediately to me, without even a second thought, and without me saying anything.

Floam looks sooooooooo cool:spaz:

I think the situation was handled very well:nod::tucool: Props to your husband for having a talk with her about it.

The birthday party was great! The bowling alley took care of all the set-up and clean-up. All I had to do was bring a cake and candles. That's what the guy kept telling me, anyway. Once I had the gifts and loot bags loaded into the van, we were running a little late, so I forgot to bring the candles. :doh: But, it's okay; the convenience store next door to the bowling alley had some for sale. One down, one to go. I hope the party next weekend is as easy.

I'm going to take my girls skating this afternoon. :nod:

Here's the sweater (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/member.php?u=1480). The great thing about it is that it has a little bit of lycra in it, so I can squeeze my shoulders and upper arms into it without it being overwhelmingly large in the rest of my body. That doesn't happen very often. It's usually really hard for me to find clothes to fit my proportions.

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. ~Albert Schweitzer

Overconsumption leads to overconsumption.

According to researchers at the University of Illinois and Virginia Commonwealth University, as American waistlines have expanded, so too has the consumption of gasoline. Each extra pound of body weight in all of today's vehicles results in the need for more than 39 million U.S. gallons of extra gasoline each year in the U.S.

"An overweight family may be losing 10 per cent of every gallon of gas they buy," estimates Parker. "They could spend an additional $100, $200 or even $400 per year for driving exactly the same miles as the thin family in the next lane." ~The Toronto Star, January 20, 2007 (http://www.thestar.com/Wheels/article/172625)

What thin family in the next lane?

What thin family in the next lane?

:lol: They must've just immigrated...

What thin family in the next lane?
I should know this. I took a probability course.

If 23% (http://www.statcan.ca/english/research/82-620-MIE/2005001/articles/adults/aobesity.htm) of Canadian adults, and 16% of Canadian children are obese, and assuming an average "family" size of four, the odds that nobody in a family is obese:
.77 x.77 x.84 x.84= 42%
:blank: Statistically speaking, a family is almost as likely to include an obese individual as to not include one. (Ignoring the fact that obesity tends to generally occur in family "clumps".)

Adjusted for overweight instead.

.49 (http://www.pollara.ca/Library/News/news_1201.html) x .49 x .68 (http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/pau-uap/paguide/child_youth/media/realease.html) x .68 = 11%

:eek: Is that right?

Only one in ten vehicles would contain the thin family.
http://smiley.onegreatguy.net/jawdropper.gif

:lol: They must've just immigrated...
I think you've got it!

Or I could bring one to Ohio. I expect to be driving through Sandusky at the end of June or beginning of July. :tucool: I think we have quite a crowd in that northern part of the states.

Trip to Cedar Point?

-bmac

Those percentages are scary! :eek:

Trip to Cedar Point?

-bmac
:nod:
I've been planning it for months!

:nod:
I've been planning it for months!
It's a lot of fun!*
I took my niece and nephew there over the summer and they really seemed to enjoy it. :)







*unless you get motion sickness like I do

:nod:
I've been planning it for months!

oooooooo.... Cedar Point is an AWESOME park... I went there with one of my uncles when I was 16 :D I had a blast!

Cedar point?

A nature reserve?

Cedar point?

A nature reserve?

Not exactly;)

http://www.cedarpoint.com/

Ah! Ok! :lol:

Nature reserves are cool, but they don't quite get the adrenaline pumping like the best steel roller coaster in the world. :cool:

The birthday party yesterday was fun. There were half as many kids as we had at the bowling party last week, but they were only half as old, so it wasn't any easier.

My husband got back from a business trip on Thursday, then he left for Texas this afternoon.

The week is not off to a good start. I misread the calendar, and therefore did not take my daughter to her hockey game this morning.:doh: She was supposed to be goalie today!:bang: She had all the equipment at home with her, so I'm not sure how the team managed.:o I'm so embarrassed. :cry:

I'm going to have to withdraw my little girl from ballet, because, depite driving about 40 miles round trip (in each direction from our home!), she was not satisfied with the fit of the available bodysuits and ballet shoes. :bang: She's also changed her mind about the skates we bought to replace the ones that were too small. :bang: I'm not sure what I'm going to do about that. She'd rather run around naked wherever she goes.

News:
People who are obese, single or on antidepressants will soon have no chance of adopting a Chinese child, foreign adoption agencies are reporting. (http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2006/12/20/adoption-china.html)

I thought this sizing chart advice (http://www.babyheirlooms.com/content/size_chart.cfm) I came across randomly was interesting:
If you don't know the weight and height, a good rule of thumb for the majority of American children is to take the child's age and double it. For example, a 2 month baby would be in a 3-6 mo, a 4 month baby would be in a 6-9 mo, a 6 month baby would be in a 12 mo, a 12 month baby would be in a 24 mo or 2T.
This works well because American babies tend to be larger these days due to the excellent pre-natal and pediatric care available. The US clothing manufacturers are slow to change with the times. European-sized clothing is truer to age than US-sized clothes.
Interesting. Are larger babies healthier? Are European babies getting bigger as fast as American babies?

"A cynic is not merely one who reads bitter lessons from the past, he is one who is prematurely disappointed in the future." ~Sidney J. Harris

I hope your week turns out better than it's started!

I know this is a little late in the thread but I wanted to say how cute your daughter is in the pic.... and I also liked your comments on thin people. I used to be thin until I was 28 and I never could understand how people got so fat, that they could not control what they ate. Then I quit smoking... :eek: and slowly about 10 pounds came on over a year and a half.. mortified, I started the de rigour low fat diets and put another 60+ lbs over the next 15 years.

As I started to lose the weight gradually over time, first just due to periods of limited eating, then due to Atkins and then from JSF... I realized that I was going back to the way I ate when I was thin: More fat (healthy fat), very much less carbs (I only started eating carbs because it was recommended for the low fat diets), quit eating bread in particular, which I never ate before the low-fat diets, almost no refined flour foods but the biggest thing was the huge increase in animal protein. I used to be a major carnivore when I was thin. I had cut that out because I was told it was unhealthy and fattening. Au contraire.:nope:

And when I was thin I would make healthy choices 90% of the time... and I allowed myself to indulge once in a while... so I never felt deprived.

I too find myself...slowly...going back to my old lifestyle. Being sick in my "fat" years was always an excuse to binge on ice cream and cookies. This latest bout of flu I didn't. I didn't even want to.

It is so much an issue of habit and re-training your mind. And you can retrain your mind for bad habits as well as good ones.... :nod:

I love reading the stories about you and your family. They are lucky to have you as a wife/mother... :)

Nature reserves are cool, but they don't quite get the adrenaline pumping like the best steel roller coaster in the world. :cool:

"A cynic is not merely one who reads bitter lessons from the past, he is one who is prematurely disappointed in the future." ~Sidney J. Harris

1. Charging Rhinoceri

2. Hey! I resemble that remark!:bang:


I love reading the stories about you and your family. They are lucky to have you as a wife/mother... :)

Indeed. I hope they appreciate you as much as we do.:nod:

1. Charging Rhinoceri
:eek: Clearly, I'm not going to the right nature reserves.

The Kilimanjaro Safaris (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/attractionDetail?id=KilimanjaroSafarisAttractionPa ge) at Disney's Animal Kingdom is about as wild as I'm used to. We're going to make a point to go on the African Lion Safari (http://www.lionsafari.com/home.html) this summer.:nod: Controlled nature is more my style.

I hope they appreciate you as much as we do.:nod:
They do.:) They really do.:nod:

The little one has been just full of hugs for the last couple of weeks. I don't know if something rough is going on for her, or if she just senses that I need them.

My husband got home last night from his conference. He bought me presents!:D I think he's going to take me with him to his conference in Las Vegas (June, I think). I have to get passport photos.:cool:

I also liked your comments on thin people.
I'm not sure which ones you mean.

I've been confused lately, because it doesn't seem to be very difficult for me to maintain a low body weight, and I think for some reason it should be harder than this.:rolleyes: I haven't settled on what's a good healthy weight for me, so I'm really trying not to look at numbers at all, and even stay away from the mirror if I can. After all, it's my intake and my habits that determine my health, not my composition.

Interestingly, my scale has been refusing to tell me my body fat percentage. :lol: I've been stepping on it about once a week, and it displays the mass (54.5 kg this week), but then it goes wacky and won't show the next step. :confused:

I used to be thin until I was 28 and I never could understand how people got so fat, that they could not control what they ate. Then I quit smoking... and slowly about 10 pounds came on over a year and a half.. mortified, I started the de rigour low fat diets and put another 60+ lbs over the next 15 years.
I used to be overweight, from the time I was 11 years old, until I was 22, and at the time, I couldn't understand how anybody was able to be thin. (At the time, I was blissfully unaware of the calorie density or nutrient density of any food items.)

Low fat diets have worked pretty well for me. I cut out red meat and cheese when we moved to China because they were so expensive, and that seemed to finally bring me into the normal weight range. Large quantities of rice and noodles didn't have a negative effect on my weight. I don't eat them now because they don't have a lot of nutrients, but fruit and yogurt has had no detrimental effect either.

Being sick in my "fat" years was always an excuse to binge on ice cream and cookies. This latest bout of flu I didn't. I didn't even want to.

It is so much an issue of habit and re-training your mind. And you can retrain your mind for bad habits as well as good ones....
In university, I ate a chocolate bar and drank a couple of cans of Coke every day. I had a peanut butter sandwich every time I got home, no matter how long ago I'd just eaten. Stress was magnifying my perceived calorie needs. A survival mechanism?

I'm really, really excited about Valentine's Day coming up. It's always been my favorite holiday (or tied with Canada Day), because expectations are so low. :lol: I've already chosen some special gifts for each person in my family, and a something special for myself too.

Our library has a DVD set of the first season of The Muppet Show! :D I borrowed it last night. It will be so exciting to be able to sit down together as a family and enjoy it. That Swedish Chef is so goofy.
http://www.worth1000.com/entries/38000/38239xEg1_w.jpg

A great marriage is not when the 'perfect couple' come together. It is when an imperfect couple learns to enjoy their differences. ~Dave Meurer

I used to be overweight, from the time I was 11 years old, until I was 22, and at the time, I couldn't understand how anybody was able to be thin. (At the time, I was blissfully unaware of the calorie density or nutrient density of any food items.)

Low fat diets have worked pretty well for me. I cut out red meat and cheese when we moved to China because they were so expensive, and that seemed to finally bring me into the normal weight range. Large quantities of rice and noodles didn't have a negative effect on my weight. I don't eat them now because they don't have a lot of nutrients, but fruit and yogurt has had no detrimental effect either.


In university, I ate a chocolate bar and drank a couple of cans of Coke every day. I had a peanut butter sandwich every time I got home, no matter how long ago I'd just eaten. Stress was magnifying my perceived calorie needs. A survival mechanism?

[/I]

Great to see how you and Justitia have achieved/are acheiving fat loss and health goals by varied routes....

We all have such unique histories, bodies and goals that inevitably there are many "ways" out there. Thats one reason I like Jeremy Likeness' story as he has tried several ways on his own body with success.

Great to see how you and Justitia have achieved/are acheiving fat loss and health goals by varied routes....

We all have such unique histories, bodies and goals that inevitably there are many "ways" out there. Thats one reason I like Jeremy Likeness' story as he has tried several ways on his own body with success.


Good remark.... :tucool:

Our library has a DVD set of the first season of The Muppet Show! :D I borrowed it last night. It will be so exciting to be able to sit down together as a family and enjoy it. That Swedish Chef is so goofy.

I have been meaning to buy that DVD set since we got back from Disney World a few weeks ago... the kids were really into the Muppet thing at MGM. And my wife bought herself a Kermit t-shirt, which is VERY unlike her (to wear a "pop culture" t-shirt).

Me, I'm a big Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker fan. :D

I've been reading feminist literature.

I never explored feminism very much through university or any other time, because a lot of what I came across was from a bitter, rebellious viewpoint which insisted that women are systematically oppressed by American culture . It didn't seem very relevant to me. I think women should be proud of their differences from men.

But since picking up "Moving Beyond Words" by Gloria Steinem, I've begun to see some interesting points.

Her essay on "What if Freud were Phyllis" is quite eye-opening. You can see the first few paragraphs of it here (http://www.abruptjunction.com/benjamin/misc/phyllis.html). How would our current generalized perceptions of the genders (and of which characteristics are admirable) have changed if the notable psychiatrists (or historians) had been women?

The next chapter dealt with "The Strongest Woman in the World", which, ultimately, I found to be quite disappointing. I'm not really sure what Gloria found to admire in Bev Francis, who manipulated her body to conform to the shape the judges wanted, instead of just training to develop into the best it could possibly be. The conclusion is supposed to be that Ms. Francis "advanced the cause of female strength by her gender-bending appearance in 1983"; that she gave the population some alternate ideas about what a woman can look like. But I'm not sure to what extent that has benefitted anyone, and I'm not sure the effect that she had has lasted. Largely muscled women are still not the aesthetic ideal, but I don't view that negatively. Why can't we celebrate strength, drive, determination instead of our looks?

"Winning wasn't about being the best in an objective competition or achieving a personal best, or even about becoming healthy or fit. It was about being chosen."

My daughter told me yesterday that she wouldn't want to compete in gymnastics against her friends that she's training with right now. She doesn't see the benefit in "winning" anything, and I can't see the benefit in it myself at this time either, so, we'll see. We're not a very competitive family.

Feminism directly confronts the idea that one person or set of people [has] the right to impose definitions of reality on others. ~Liz Stanley and Sue Wise

I did do some feminism in university, but I've forgotten any knowledge about that, apart from being able to analyse text from a feminist perspective I think.

Interestingly, my scale has been refusing to tell me my body fat percentage. :lol: I've been stepping on it about once a week, and it displays the mass (54.5 kg this week), but then it goes wacky and won't show the next step. :confused:


Hi Guava -

My guess is that your scale's battery is just about to give out - takes very little juice to generate your weight, but to generate BF% it needs to send a some low-voltage current through the foot-pads and I suspect there's not enough amperage (right term? :confused:) left in the battery to do that. At least that's how my Tanita behaves when it's battery is about dead - your mileage may vary.

Dave in San Diego

My guess is that your scale's battery is just about to give out
That makes sense. Could be. I haven't weighed myself again yet.

I did do some feminism in university, but I've forgotten any knowledge about that, apart from being able to analyse text from a feminist perspective I think.
What is a feminist perspective? Feminism continues to operate within stereotypes, which doesn't seem very useful. It's slowly getting to the point of individualizing, where it's becoming more acceptable to choose to follow traditional feminine roles, instead of fighting for "equality". Gloria Steinem is an interesting woman. She is very beautiful, and has not been afraid to use her beauty to her advantage.

I'm looking at March break camps for my daughters. There is an Aikido camp, which is 1.5 hours x 6 sessions for $100, or a Karate camp, which is 6 hours x 5 sessions (with a free gi) for $135. That price difference really doesn't make sense to me (even if it's only an hour of karate, and 5 hours of games, snacks, etc.), so I've called to check on it.

I suppose a femininst perspective in this case is looking at how a text reflects male and female gender roles as present in that society. This is only one limited view though, I once analysed a text for a course in terms of the poem's narrators fears of childbirth and child raising.. I got 21/20 for that paper. ;) :)

I wouldnt say I'm a feminist nor a misogynist, as I believe each sex has advantages and disadvantages to being born the way they were (sexual congenital disorders are another matter.)

I sponsor a woman in Kosovo, and it tears me up inside knowing the utter cruelty and lack of respect men have shown women/children in countries like Kosovo during war time. True, culture and race was involved, but some of it is just so, you cannot even comprehend how a human being could do that to another. 99% of the time it is the men who are perpetrating these acts (against other men too of course), it's rare that you see a gang of women rape a man for instance, but I accept these things as somewhat part of nature and biology. Men and women are the way they are due to nature, the concious mind is powerful, but even that is influenced by it's own biology to some degree.

Culture and influences when you're growing up have a lot to do with it too and it's not always the men dictating what women will do or become. And that's probably where women and men see that it's possible to change attitudes and behaviors in society.


Looks like fun at the park! I love fast water slides and intertube rides, but skip the roller coasters. I'm too afraid of the thing going off the tracks. I cant even get on a plain either though :rolleyes:

I sponsor a woman in Kosovo, and it tears me up inside knowing the utter cruelty and lack of respect men have shown women/children in countries like Kosovo during war time.

Good for you! We are so blessed here amidst a world of hurt elsewhere. I happened to see a presentation over the weekend (during a missions festival at my church) of the living conditions around the world and the cultural atrocities that occur. It has created a despair of "what can I really do about it", but also the realization that we have to start somewhere to bring hope to the hopeless.

I'm looking at March break camps for my daughters. There is an Aikido camp, which is 1.5 hours x 6 sessions for $100, or a Karate camp, which is 6 hours x 5 sessions (with a free gi) for $135. That price difference really doesn't make sense to me (even if it's only an hour of karate, and 5 hours of games, snacks, etc.), so I've called to check on it.

Do NOT send them to math camp...worst 5 days of my life:cry:

We are so blessed here amidst a world of hurt elsewhere. I happened to see a presentation over the weekend (during a missions festival at my church) of the living conditions around the world and the cultural atrocities that occur. It has created a despair of "what can I really do about it", but also the realization that we have to start somewhere to bring hope to the hopeless.
Too often I'm frozen by "Where should I start?" Our daughter sponsors a girl from the Phillipines. It was set up for us by my mom. But there are so many places that need help, it's hard to figure out where it will be best used. Sometimes I'm more comfortable distributing our resources closer to home, where I can see them work for us.

Do NOT send them to math camp...worst 5 days of my life:cry:
:lol: Actually, she loves math. :nod: For fun, she's teaching her sister how to subtract. :D She's quite excited about her "Mad Science" group that will be meeting once a week after school starting next week, and is looking forward to being part of the robotics club next year.:tu:

When I think of feminism, everything seems a lot more clear when I think of places where many women would really like to free themselves from the sort of social structures (some of which literally include torture and mutilation) that they're trapped in, but find it very difficult to do so. There are so many actual choices and freedoms that women have in North America-- feminist issues here are a lot more subtle nowadays.
I've actually gone link-happy sometimes from the stumptuous site. Some of the stuff she posts in her blog has led me to feminist discussions I never contemplated!


:lol: Actually, she loves math. :nod: For fun, she's teaching her sister how to subtract. :D She's quite excited about her "Mad Science" group that will be meeting once a week after school starting next week, and is looking forward to being part of the robotics club next year.:tu:

:claplow: I went to a science daycamp when I was a kid. I loved it. I got to hold snakes and do population sampling of tadpoles and stuff like that.:D

Your daughters must get along pretty well! I remember anytime I tried to teach my brother anything, it tended to be a disaster. He's 5 years younger than me though, I guess at the time it was a big difference.
There was an awful lot of "you're not the boss of me" on his side and "quit touching me" on my side. Do your daughters ever have that?

Sometimes I'm more comfortable distributing our resources closer to home, where I can see them work for us.

Agreed. :nod: It is a hard decision to give and where to give with all the needs that exist.

When I think of feminism, everything seems a lot more clear when I think of places where many women would really like to free themselves from the sort of social structures (some of which literally include torture and mutilation) that they're trapped in, but find it very difficult to do so. There are so many actual choices and freedoms that women have in North America-- feminist issues here are a lot more subtle nowadays.
I suppose if I imagine myself in North America as it was 50 years ago I could be more appreciative of the changes that feminism has brought about. The issues sometimes need to be exaggerated because that's the only way they'll be noticed.

Your daughters must get along pretty well! I remember anytime I tried to teach my brother anything, it tended to be a disaster. He's 5 years younger than me though, I guess at the time it was a big difference.
There was an awful lot of "you're not the boss of me" on his side and "quit touching me" on my side. Do your daughters ever have that?
The older one loves being a leader, and the younger one is very comfortable following instructions. I am amazed at how well they get along, most of the time. When they don't, I get confused, because it's so rare.:lol:

For fun, she's teaching her sister how to subtract.

I think that's adorable:lol: Very similar to two of my nephews (brothers), except when it comes to toys - then it's every kid for himself:blank: They're learning to share though.

What kind of robotics stuff would your daughter be getting into? Is it like an after-school club type thing, or a club outside of school?

The older one loves being a leader, and the younger one is very comfortable following instructions. I am amazed at how well they get along, most of the time. When they don't, I get confused, because it's so rare.:lol:

Darn, that's cute!:)
Lucky for me, my brother doesn't remember all the times we fought, so now we get along great!:D

They even share their toys! They play Barbies together. I am SOoooo lucky.:nod: :D

I'll have to put up some new photos in the private media gallery.

The robotics club is done during the lunch breaks at school by one of the teachers. I didn't ask any questions yet because it's not until grade six, but one of her friends is in it, and she really likes it.

Hey folks helped me out in my life, I couldnt imagine not giving back or showing appreciation in some way.

Oh that such a great thing that your daughters get along so well.
My brothers and I started fighting right when we hit around 10, 11, and 12 years of age. After that we got along great, and these days my little brother is my best friend.

man I wish my brothers and I had gotten along that well.. we played 'okay' together some of the time, but the rest of the time we fought tooth & nail until we were all adults :rolleyes: and we still don't always get along :p

I'm an only child. I would have liked brothers & sisters. :)

man I wish my brothers and I had gotten along that well.. we played 'okay' together some of the time, but the rest of the time we fought tooth & nail until we were all adults :rolleyes: and we still don't always get along :p

My older sisters stole my ONLY stuffed animal when I was a toddler so they could add it to their army of stuffed bears. I remember it to this day...:cry:

http://www.reflectedgames.com/vday/vday_guava.jpg

*Sigh* Valentine's Day was awesome. We ordered Chinese food, as we usually do, and made our own sundaes after opening our gifts to each other.

:claphigh: :claphigh: :claphigh:

I got the best Valentine's Day present ever! :p

My husband says he's going to start strength training with me! He ordered these adjustable dumbells for us to share! :D

https://rs335.securehostserver.com/~rocheste/Store/Images/Featured/Bowflex_SelectTech_Dumbbells.jpg

:bb: :bb:

Unfortunately, I have a huge headache, my throat is raw, I've gone through an entire box of Kleenex for my runny nose, and I'm producing strange-colored bodily fluids. :(

I will be fully recovered by the time those dumbbells arrive on my doorstep. :tu:

My husband says he's going to start strength training with me! He ordered these adjustable dumbells for us to share! :D


That's great news! It's been a long time coming.

Hey Guava, I saw these (http://www.presidentschoice.ca/FoodAndRecipes/GreatFood/ProductDetails.aspx/id/18188/name/PCTheDecadentDarkChocolateTruffle/catid/193)on sale and for some reason thought you might be interested. It was at my local Loblaws selling for $2.99 ($5.00 off). My sister bought two and said she loved them.

That's great news! It's been a long time coming.
:nod: I've had those weights on my wish list for more than a year now I think.

I hope I can come up with some ideas about how to make fitness more appealing to my husband. He's occasionally asked for some help/advice, but never seems to be happy with the suggestions I give. :( He doesn't get a lot of time to relax, and I don't want to change things to give him more work/stress than he already has.

Hey Guava, I saw these (http://www.presidentschoice.ca/FoodAndRecipes/GreatFood/ProductDetails.aspx/id/18188/name/PCTheDecadentDarkChocolateTruffle/catid/193)on sale and for some reason thought you might be interested. It was at my local Loblaws selling for $2.99 ($5.00 off). My sister bought two and said she loved them.
Thanks dluc!!! They are exactly what I'm interested in.:nod:
I already bought a box a couple of weeks ago as a Valentine's Day present to myself. :p I even made a post about it in the V.I.P. forums. I'd like to open them up and try them, but I'm still working on the box of brandy beans I bought myself for Christmas. :bang: (400 gram boxes of chocolate go a looonnnnnggg way for me now.)

Good Morning! :D

It's a beautiful day today. Very near zero, so I was able to wear my leather jacket instead of my down-filled parka. It was quiet on my walk home from dropping off the girls at school, so I could enjoy the frost-covered trees in tranquility. It appears that there are maybe only one or two other parents who walk their children to school. A few of the kids about grade five and older walk to school on their own, but most of the kids who do not go on the school bus are driven to school.

It's maple syrup season.:eat: My daughter is going on a scheduled hike on Saturday, then we might go into the sugar bush as a family on Sunday. We were part of the Flapjack Olympics last year, and they were pretty funny.

Spring clothes and shoes are in the stores now. I got a nice soft knit tank top from a leather store, so it has a nice smell to it; I'm going to hold off on washing it until I've worn it a couple of times. If it's not already out there, someone should make a cologne called coffee, leather, and oak. Mmmmmm.....

The girls are registered for their karate camp. I think it'll be a lot of fun. My daughter's face positively lit up last night at the opportunity to really beat someone/something up. :lol: She hit that bag so hard and so fast, she got blisters on her hands. She really needs that outlet to release her aggression; it would probably be a good idea for me to put her into some sort of regular martial arts class in the near future.

It's getting to be spring; it must be time to cut. I gained a grand total of 1.5 kg this bulking winter. :lol: But still, I feel a little too soft; a little sluggish, and a little limp. :o But I can already feel a shift in my diet and a fire under my butt. I think my natural serotonin levels drop as the mercury falls (http://onhealth.webmd.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=78865), requiring additional carbohydrates in the form of breads and cereals; now I'm moving over to more fruits and vegetables, and cycling more fish into my diet.

I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens, but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls off a string. ~ L.M. Montgomery

Welcome back!

I have also seen signs of Spring here, but the weather has been even more changable than normal. So I'm still in a state of distrust of the season.. :nope: :lol:

Welcome back!

I have also seen signs of Spring here, but the weather has been even more changable than normal. So I'm still in a state of distrust of the season.. :nope: :lol:

you and me both, man... last Saturday night it went down to 35 degrees F (between 1 and 2 celsius or so, according to the conversion site I found) and a high of 50 degrees F (about 10 celsius) then there's today... we're supposed to get up around 80 degrees (around 26 celsius)... and it's already 69 degrees out and sunny & clear.. stupid weather thinks it's spring already :rolleyes:



hey Guava... what would I have to do to get some yummy maple syrup from you? :confused: :drool: :D

It is a hard decision to give and where to give with all the needs that exist.

Late to the discussion, I know, but here's my $.02.

Give as much as you can, whenever and wherever you can.

hey Guava... what would I have to do to get some yummy maple syrup from you? :confused: :drool: :D
You would have to come and visit!:D

I could make pancakes!

:claphigh: :claphigh: :claphigh:

great to hear hubby dear will be joining you in the gym :tucool: well done!

You would have to come and visit!:D

I could make pancakes!

:claphigh: :claphigh: :claphigh:

hmm... I have always wanted to see Canada... but I don't think I'm going to visit in the winter :lol: tooooooooooooooo cold.. brrrrrr:spaz: hehe

Those dumbells: :drool:

REAL maple syrup!: :drool: :drool:

Great news about your husband! It is one of my wife and I's highlights to be into fitness together...maybe things will move in that direction for you two...anything is possible!

hmm... I have always wanted to see Canada... but I don't think I'm going to visit in the winter :lol: tooooooooooooooo cold.. brrrrrr:spaz: hehe

But winter is what we're all about. In the summer our igloos melt and most of us are left homeless:(

BTW Guava, I tried one of those choclates that my sister bought and it literally melted in my mouth. I'm usually not big on boxed chocolates but this one was pretty good:nod:

That's an awfully big pair of dumbbells!:eek:

:D :claphigh: :claphigh: :claphigh::D

My God! What have you got in there?!

The cat looks as bemused as me.. :lol:

That's an awfully big pair of dumbbells!:eek:

:D :claphigh: :claphigh: :claphigh::D

what a pretty kitty :nod:

So Guava have you and hubby had a go with them DBs yet? what weight do they go up to? judging by the box size you must have some 100s in there somewhere? :)

So Guava have you and hubby had a go with them DBs yet? what weight do they go up to? judging by the box size you must have some 100s in there somewhere? :)
I had a go with them last night. Hubby was tired because he shovelled snow after supper. We've been spending more than 30 minutes twice a day keeping that driveway clear. The van is covered in about 1/4 inch of ice; I think I'll wait until it warms up before I clear the rest of the driveway.

Anyway, my workout was INCREDIBLE! :claphigh: I didn't really have the equipment to max out on my lifts for nearly a year now, so I've been pretty stagnant; doing only my favorite lifts in short sessions a couple of times a week half-heartedly to keep up my minimum strength. Last night, I increased my curl and tricep extensions by 20%, my upright rows by 25%, my lateral raise by 36%, and my shrugs by 78%! After that, I felt omnipotent! :flex: When my husband starts lifting, the combined power between us will be awesome. :p

Unfortunately, they're a little awkward. They're pretty wide, which makes positioning difficult for front raises in particular. Looks like I'll have to change some of my usual techniques. Attached pictures are with just light weight; they get even bulkier with the different combination of plates attached. Plus, it's sometimes tricky getting the dumbbell back into it's correct placement after an exhausting set. I sometimes have to set it down on the floor, and take a few seconds to recover before regaining the strength to reposition it. However, they're really convenient to adjust the poundages, and I think that convenience will make up for the awkwardness. The handles have a rubberized coating, which is nicer than the texturized metal the used to dig into my hands and give me calluses. I could lift without weights if I wanted to now, except when I go really heavy, it imprints the word BOWFLEX into the pads on my palms. :lol: The dumbbells go up to 52.5 pounds each. That should be enough for my needs, but I may look into upgrading the weights I have for my barbells (for deadlifts), because they don't go up very far. I haven't been doing any benching, because my dumbbells were too light, and I don't want to use the barbell by myself. Now that I have heavy enough dumbbells I'll be able to do them without a spotter.

So, I have a renewed enthusiasm. :D I'll have to go back over my lifting notes to remind myself of all the exercises I've been neglecting simply because they weren't much fun. :lol: I likely have a lot of imbalances, and I'll see what I can do to shift around my priorities. My goal will be strength building and muscular endurance rather than hypertrophy, so I'll have to figure out a good range of reps and sets to optimize that. I also have the time to focus on form and cadence a little more. The dumbbells came with a DVD, so that might be helpful. I never did figure out what was creating problems with my overhead movements and wheezing, but it seems most logical that it's a breathing difficulty, so I'll try to figure out how to overcome that. I'm also remotivated to work on my flexibility some more.

:jumping:

That's a mean looking set of dbs:tucool: Glad to hear you're remotivated in your lifting:spaz: That's a huge jump in shrugs:lol:

Those DB's do look a bit awkward, but you certainly look like you are having fun. In fact you look great in that picture, very fit! I think your hair looks really good up like that BTW. :tucool:

Hi there guava. Be careful, those things look a little cylonesque... :D

That's a huge jump in shrugs:lol:
You're not kidding! I'm really feeling it now! I think I might do some crying later on today.:cry: Pizza was going to be a possibility for dinner tonight, but I don't think I could knead the dough. :lol:

In fact you look great in that picture, very fit! I think your hair looks really good up like that BTW. :tucool:
Thanks! I've been feeling flabby recently, but thankfully I don't really see it in the pictures. I'm probably near 18-20%, which is still pretty lean for a female, but it's more fat than what I've been used to carrrying around (most likely below 16% for a while). I remember John said the same thing when he went to a more mainstream body fat percentage from an exceptionally lean point.

Be careful, those things look a little cylonesque... :D
I have the power! :evil: :evil: :evil:

Thanks! I've been feeling flabby recently

Oh stop it. I think you look great with this amount of body fat. I actually think you look better now.

Looking great guava!!
:)

Oh stop it. I think you look great with this amount of body fat. I actually think you look better now.

Looking great guava!!
:)
Thanks guys. I guess I'll just have to keep feeding my chocolate habit if I want to maintain it. :whistle:

I've been craving cinnamon buns for a month now, but I can't find the ones I want (the nice fluffy bread-like ones, not the butterhorns), so I haven't had the opportunity to indulge. I might have to make them from scratch.

Good morning Guava.