3 - 1 = happy girl

Remember when I was questioning whether I was plateauing or maintaining my weight over the holiday's?  Well.. I OBVIOUSLY spoke too soon!  Since the end of November we have been CRAZY busy with Christmas outings, parties, eating and just enjoying all the goodies that are around this time of year.  I was starting to feel bloated (probably all the salt in those yummy hors d'oeuvres) that PAIRED with barley running two times a week.  The recipe for the lost of my 30 some lbs has been... run three to four times a week... and watch what I eat.  The running was put aside.. and so was my desire to eat *better*.  But I am back on track!  Last week and this week has actually been slower for us.  We have all our Christmas shopping done.  Wrapping (well.. making my cloth bags are almost done.. that will be in another post).  Christmas plays and outings are done.  So I now have some of my nights back.

I've been able to get out three times this week.  And I will get my fourth run in Christmas Eve morning (soo thankful my hubby will be home).  So there!  Yay me.. got my four times in this week.  And I feel fabulous!  Starting to feel light, fit and feeling my muscles again.  It's all good!

I thought I would be able to get through the Christmas Season not gaining any weight.. but I did.. 3lbs. OK OK.. I know that is not much.. but when you are trying to loose over 50lbs you start to panic when you GAIN weight.  It would be VERY VERY easy for me.. to just sit on the couch at night, enjoy a coffee and a slice of cake or other baked goodies.. and just gain and gain all my weight back.  BUT the way I look it is this little slump was a test.. as test for me.  Do I get discouraged?  Do I start to panic and just start eating and eating and eating.  Do I start to hate food?  The answers are: No.  No.  And No.  So I am happy to report.. I am back on the running saddle and I am down a pound!  I am determined to START the New Year back at the weight I was before the Christmas Season started.  170.5lbs.  Then my training for my 10k in the spring can resume!

3 - 1 = one happy girl!  Happy Dance. 

Our Christmas Traditions

Something that we enjoy doing at Christmas is filling our stockings with tradition.  Our stockings are not just filled to the brim with candies and chocolate.. because frankly there is enough of it in the house to get your fill!  Instead we try to keep our stocking simple, purposeful, steeped in traditional items and hopefully memories of love for our children.  OK.. so to the fun stuff.. in each stocking we place a very large orange (something we've done since we've been married).  Another type of fruit, something that normally wouldn't be found in the house.. this year I chose a pomegranate.  It's Christmas-y!  Fun!  And its a new fruit the children can try!  Some old fashioned ribbon candy and a candy stick.  Socks, underwear, toothbrush and toothpaste are always an essential in our stockings!  This year we will also be tucking in a small special toy.  I am soo excited with the items I found!  Locally handmade knitted dolls for the girls.  A wooden monkey swinging thingy for Gabriel and stacking cups for Linden!  I think they will really like them.  Our hope with the stocking is to show our children that with simple items and some items that we don't get to indulge in throughout the year is what it should be about! 

Another tradition we've had since the birth of Ava is New Christmas pajamas!  I love going shopping and picking out some cozy new pajamas for the children to snuggle down in and sleep away the night only to wake to a very exciting Christmas morning!  I get excited myself cutting off the tags, washing them and folding them.  As I anxiously await to give them their new jammies!

That is two of our traditions that our family enjoys every Christmas.  I hope everyone is ready!  We are excited... excited for the birth of our Saviour - Jesus.

Christmas in our Home

Here is a little tour of our home at Christmas.  I try to keep the decorating simple, fun (since we have soo many little ones), wintery so I can keep them up after Christmas and also focus on the birth of Christ.  Since frankly that IS what Christmas is about!

Enjoy!

We have a whimsical snow family visiting in my measuring cups!

 Our Kitchen Christmas Tree.

My beloved bushman skier from my dear friend Minna from Finland.

Our hot chocolate station (which in MY opinion EVERY home needs!)

Our nativity (given to me by my mom... very special to me, which I hope to pass down to one of our children someday)

Fresh Greens

All our wonderful Christmas cards (LOVE receiving Christmas Cards!)

Our family room Christmas Tree (a skinny one this year!)

Our computer desk... where I blog from ☺

Special Christmas Cards... handwritten cards dated 2006 from my mom.  Written inside each card is a special note to myself, Jay, Ava & Gabriel.  I will treasure these forever.

Stockings are hung.

There you have it.  A glimpse into our home and how we get ready for Christmas!

Merry Christmas to me. From: me

I'll make this short and sweet.  I don't buy a lot of things for myself.. but today.. I did some Christmas shopping for me.. on behalf of my husband!  Items purchased:

1) REALLY cool boots from a fancy smancy store downtown (AWESOME price, MY size, only ONE pair where there) -- it was MEANT  to be!

2) Running pants.  I only have one pair for the winter... so this was a necessity to have another!  SUPER happy as they have a drawstring and I won't have to be pulling my pants up while I run.  Oh and they are size SMALL!  AWESOME price... $9.99!! Yay baby!

3) To keep me safe... tracks for my running shoes!  ON SALE... $19.99 ... now I won't slip and fall when there is ice and snow out!

So ho! ho! ho! to me!  Merry Christmas to me!  ... and honey... I've done your shopping for me... and I LOVE what you 'bought'me!

Hope everyone is enjoying this Christmas season! 

Winter Running

It was cold today felt like -16° with the wind.  It was icy.  I went for a run.  I slipped.  And fell.  Smashed my elbow.  Ran the rest of the way home.  Checked out my elbow.. bruised and bloody and hurts like a... well you know what.  On a positive, I love running in the winter because I can't feel my legs!  And if you'd gotten hurt.. you can't feel that either.. until you get home and thaw out.. then it really hurts!

Dear Santa,

I've been a very good girl this year!  I would like a pair of yaktraxs for Christmas!


Yours very truly,
Anita

Hooked on Pore Strips

OK.. so I am OBVIOUSLY very deprived!  I've been struggling with my complexion *sigh*.  I've been wearing make-up (modestly) since about 10 years old (yes I know that is very very young).  I can't figure it out myself.. my parents were quite stick with us.... I've never been to a sleepover!  Never dated in elementary school or high school!  I had a VERY casual boyfriend at the age of 19 - yes folks.. 19!  Went to college.. didn't date anyone there.. just had fun.  Partied (pre-christian life).  Then I met Jay and well the rest is history as they say.    But I could wear make-up - go figure!  Anyway.. back to the purpose of this post....

I've *given* up ALOT since basically retiring from my broadcasting career and staying home to be with the kids.  Ahh... the Saturdays I would go to get my nails done, eyebrow & other personal body parts waxed, pedicures etc.  It made me feel good.  Not that I didn't have a bad self-esteem (I don't think).. it just made my body feel good and look good. 

This past week I used a gift card to a local fancy smancy spa (that I've had for ONE YEAR NOW!).  It was for a manicure and pedicure.  Since I was late (which is virtually IMPOSSIBLE for me to get out of the house without one for the four kids needing something from me) I had to forgo the manicure.  I actually found it quite difficult to just sit.  Be still.  Not have to do ANYTHING.  I did however enjoy the soothing music while I gazed at the water trickling down the water wall.

This little night out to pamper myself got me looking in the mirror.  Yikes!  My skin.. the pores!  The startings of some wrinkles.  OOOHh  how I LOTHE the thought of getting old.  Looking old!  HATE IT!  I know we will all get old.  But why God?  Why I ask you?  The white hair (with I am sooo very THANKFUL I don't have yet).  The wrinkles.  The sags?  That is on my list to ask God when I get to heaven.  Looking forward to some lengthy conversations!

So back to my skin.. I've always struggled (in my opinion) with poor complexion.  Not really pimples.. although I do get a few.  But just redness here and there.  Blotchiness.  Anyway.. I was in the store last night and I noticed a box of pore strips.  I've never tried them before.  Needless to say.. I've done three strips in less than 24 hours!  I know.. I totally ignored the directions that say wait a day in between... but man was it gross!  The crazy stuff that comes off on those things! 

My point of this post is that I feel that in someways I've let myself go.  I would often look at other women.. and think 'humm they look so fit.. or they have such nice skin..'  But I never stopped to think that maybe they actually work hard and exercise.  (which I am now doing myself).  Or that they take care of their skin.  Use night creams, strips and all those other products. 

I DO NOT do New Years resolutions.  I think they are ... well.. dumb!  HOWEVER... since I started running.. since I started to take my health, weight  and mental well being more seriously this year.. I want to continue on that road.  In addition to aiding my mind and body.. I want to take care of my skin.  I need to feel like a women again.  Even in the smallest ways.  Taking care of me so I can be the best wife and mom that I can be.

Yup.. I'm going to say the bad 'B' word...

Budgets!  Admit it!  We all have them!  If you don't you are either a millionaire or lying.. one of the two!

OK.. so this time of year can be stressful for some.. if not many people.  The overwhelming messages of gifts, parties, gifts, donations, gifts, stockings, Christmas outfits.. did I mention gifts?  Don't get me wrong.. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this time of year!  Our home has been filled with Christmas music since the third week in November!  Once Halloween is past us... it just FEELS like Christmas!  Celebrating the birth of our saviour.  Doing special yet simple things with our family and friends.

OK.. so I am soo excited!  We've been looking at our budget with confusion and frustration.. that is not what I am excited about... what I am excited about is the beginnings of some of  the changes that we are starting to implement.  First comes our phone package.  After looking it over I realized how much money we are just waisting.  It kinda shocked me actually!  With a bit of persistence and prodding (those phone companies aren't very anxious to share all the REAL ways to save).  Anyway.. without boring y'all with the details.. after taking off features that we weren't really using and adjusting the ones that we use very rarely.. I was able to save $25.66 EACH month off our combined services bill!  That doesn't sound like much.. .. but when you look at it this way.. it's $307.92 PER YEAR that we will be saving!  Yes!  Our satellite package is the basic of basics!  But I think they were a bit freaked out that I was taking off all these services.. they offered us 3 months FREE of movies.. so from Dec until Mar we get to snuggle down and watch some movies - FOR FREE!  That will save us renting movies (which we don't do very often either because of the cost.. and frankly you can only watch the movies at the library soo many times!).  We will be able to 'tape' them too on our PVR so we can enjoy them whenever we want.

I'm off to tackle the bank now and stupid service charges... I'll let you know how that ends up!

Anyway... Hope everyone is enjoying this Christmas Season.  Keep it in perspective.  It's about family.  The birth of Christ.  Memories - that you will have forever.  Not gifts!

Plateauing or Maintaining? Both?

OK.. I am going to take advantage of this small window of time.. that my computer is actually working *sigh I think I have a virus*
So I haven't been updating my weight lost.. two reasons.. the side bar with the weight and dates aren't allowing me to update however my ticker is updated.  31.5lbs to date.  Happy - yes?  Frustrated - yes?  OK..so here's the deal.. we have been soo busy with Christmas activities that it has been a HUGE challenge for me to get my four runs in a week.  At best I've been getting in two.. and on a really good week.. I can squeeze in a third.

I think getting out four times combined with WANTING to eat healthier has been the game plan that is working for me.  Helping me with my steady weight loss.  But on the upside.. even though I haven't been able to get out as much as I would like.. and I've been indulging in a few extra cookies (those darn yummy cutie decorated Christmas cookies) I've been able to maintain.  I think that is a good thing.  Because I now KNOW how I should eat.  ALL the time.  And I think my body knows that it's going to get the exercise it needs.

So I am happy with what I have been able to accomplish.. however I am sooo very eager for January to come.. so I can get back in my routine.  ALSO the time change just killed me for being able to go out where I live and run.  It's PITCH dark here.  But now that there is snow on the ground.. it will be a lot lighter out there.  And the days will start to get longer by the middle of this month!  Yay!

So there.. there's a little update I could sneak in while my computer and I are on speaking/writing terms!

-14° night running

YES! I did it! At least I know I can do it (once anyway!)  Went for a run tonight.. at night.. with tons of snow.. and with the wind felt like -14°!  It was actually very nice!  Quiet.  Crisp.  Sparkly.  And cold.  It's actually not that bad once you hit about the 10 minute mark.. because then you can't feel your legs ache anyway!  So you end up keep going and going and going!  I found my breathing was better too.  I don't know why.. I may read up on that when I have some time.  Not sure if it's because of the temp or what.  I am a new runner.. so this is all new to me.  I am NOT an expert.  I just run what I am told to run with the group.  Then on my own time.. I just run.  Simple... thats what works for me.

Overall... I like running in the winter!  Waaay better than running in  40° with humidity!  Waay better!

OH.. and if anyone actually reads my blog.. I would post more.. but whenever I'm on blogger my computer kinds crashes.. it's says 'not responding'... weird!  I hope I don't have a virus.  But it's only on the blogger site... sooo frustrating as I have soo many things I would like to blog and post pictures of! :(  I need a nice friend who will accept a nice free dinner to fix our computer.. anyone know of anyone out there??? 

Hope y'all are having an AWESOME Christmas season!

Christmas Silliness! ... part deux!

OK... I OBVIOUSLY have a bit of time on my hands this afternoon... but these are soo funny! More so are the kids reactions while we made them together!!! Enjoy!

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Christmas Silliness!