Today I’m Thankful

Thanksgiving is a great time to reflect on all of the blessings I have in my life.  This has been quite a year – so many of my greatest wishes have come true.

• I’m thankful, above all, for all the people whom I love.  My family and friends have always been incredibly supportive of me, and all of them are cheering loudly with each new success I share. I am so lucky to know all of them.
• Every single day I am so grateful that I get to have Sofi in my life. She adds so much joy, so much fun, so many smiles, and my life would not be as full without her.
• I am so glad to have a job that I look forward to going to each weekday.  Teaching is a career that gives me so much happiness, and while it won’t make me rich, it does allow me to live a fairly comfortable life.  My students inspire me on a daily basis, and they teach me just as much (if not more) as I teach them. And let’s face it, I’m really grateful for the school vacations, too.
• I am really thankful for every one of you who read this blog and offer words of encouragement, support, and friendship.  Thank you.
• I am so grateful for all of my pals on MyFitnessPal who cheer every ounce I lose and every new fitness feat I accomplish.
• I’m so glad that I live in this wonderful place called the Bay Area.  The weather is gorgeous, the scenery is beautiful, and there is so much to see and do.  I can drive 45 minutes to see the ocean, 1 hour to San Francisco, and less than 2 hours to Napa/wine country.  But more than that, I live in a lovely, safe neighborhood that’s only minutes away from lots of my friends and family.
• This year, I am so thankful that I was finally able to have the VSG surgery.  It was a struggle to get to the pre-op weight requirement, but even those trials taught me something.  And life since surgery has been even more than I could have imagined.
• Every NSV I celebrate is a way of me announcing how grateful I am that I have been able to change my life for the better mentally and physically.
• I am grateful for this whole new world of clothing sizes that I’m able to explore. Each time I can purchase something in a store I would’ve only window shopped at before helps me realize how happy I am.
• I am thankful for this body of mine that allows me to be amazed at all I can do.
• I’m eternally grateful for this life I lead, where the possibilities are endless and the best of me is yet to come!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Advertisement

Read Full Post »

#30DaysofThanks, Day 22: Thanksgiving Dinner with the Family

This month I’m participating in 30 Days of Thanks (#30DaysofThanks) by writing a blog post about 30 things I’m thankful for. To join in, go to the link above. The best part is, you don’t need to have a blog or even be on social media to take part in the project; you just need to be thankful. I can’t wait to see how my life might change by spending the 30 days in November giving thanks for things in my life — every single day.

I’m incredibly thankful that I was able to spend Thanksgiving with my family. This year my nieces were with their father, so it was “the original four” – my parents, LC, and me. Though there were few of us, we filled up the house with smiles, laughter, and our passionate personalities. I love my family, and enjoy spending as much time as I can with them.

I’m also really thankful for the bounty we had at dinner, and that this year I was able to indulge, but not go overboard. I enjoyed all of my favorites, but I also tracked everything. Moderation was the key. I loved how I felt – in control.

This was the appetizer I made – from Martha Stewart Living (found on Pinterest) – blue cheese and walnut spread. Adding the pears was my idea. It was delicious!

My sister made these cheese straws from puff pastry, and they were so light and flaky.

My mom’s tables are always the best because of her attention to detail. Gorgeous!!

We took some fantastic photos of the family, too, which I’m looking forward to printing and putting in frames this weekend.

It was a beautiful day.  A day spent with family.  A day to be grateful.

Read Full Post »

#30DaysofThanks, Day 21: Completing a “Bella” Tri

This month I’m participating in 30 Days of Thanks (#30DaysofThanks) by writing a blog post about 30 things I’m thankful for. To join in, go to the link above. The best part is, you don’t need to have a blog or even be on social media to take part in the project; you just need to be thankful. I can’t wait to see how my life might change by spending the 30 days in November giving thanks for things in my life — every single day.

Today I am thankful that I can push my body to new limits at the gym.  As I strive to meet my weight loss goal even during the holiday season, I knew it was very important to get in big calorie burns this week.  Especially since I was going to indulge mindfully in Thanksgiving Dinner.

So I headed to the gym with one thing in mind – a Bella Tri.  A traditional Sprint Tri is a 5k run, a 20k bike ride, and a 750 meter swim.  I knew I wasn’t there yet on any of those counts, so I concocted the Bella Tri – 10 min on the elliptical machine (run), 20 min on the recumbent bike, and 30 min swimming laps in the pool.  I haven’t pushed myself like that in a workout since being diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, but I knew I needed to amp up the workout if I was going to still see a loss on the scale this Sunday.

I’m happy to report that the Bella Tri was a success!  The elliptical was the part I was  the most worried about, since I’d be putting pressure on my feet the entire time, but I didn’t feel a thing.  The bike was a bit boring, but I just raised it to a level 8 and kept my rpms above 70 and that helped.  The swim was actually the part that was the most challenging for me – I’m a good swimmer, but I haven’t spent much time in an Olympic size pool, so making it all the way across the pool for one length is pushing my breathing abilities.  I can *almost* make it all the way across, but tend to run out of steam with about 8-10 strokes left.  Still, I swam for 30 minutes, and I just kept telling myself that this is something to shoot for.  It’ll be a great thing to see improvement on.  I enjoyed this so much that I’ve decided to put it into my regular rotation on my early days after school.

The other really challenging thing was keeping the swim cap on my head!  No joke – it kept riding up past my forehead.  I have A LOT of thick, curly hair, and I think it’s all just too much for my little swim cap to hold.  At one point I was so pissed about having to pull it down AGAIN, I finally just flung it off and picked it up after I got out of the pool.  If anyone has any tips for fitting all my hair into the cap and keeping it there, please let me know.

Today I’m grateful that I am striving for my goals and able to push my body to new limits.

 

Read Full Post »

#30DaysofThanks, Day 20: A 2-Day Week

This month I’m participating in 30 Days of Thanks (#30DaysofThanks) by writing a blog post about 30 things I’m thankful for. To join in, go to the link above. The best part is, you don’t need to have a blog or even be on social media to take part in the project; you just need to be thankful. I can’t wait to see how my life might change by spending the 30 days in November giving thanks for things in my life — every single day.

Today I am thankful because it’s 12:25 pm, and I am done with work until Monday! This is definitely one of the perks of being a teacher. Of course, once I get home, I’m going to be spending several hours grading essays, so there is that balance. Still, I’m grateful that for the remainder of the week, my schedule is my own.

The plan for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday:

• Spend 2-3 hours grading
• Take advantage of the days off to go to morning Zumba classes on Wednesday and Friday; an afternoon kickboxing class today
• Get the house cleaned, laundry done, etc.
• Go back to the gym on Wednesday and Friday for a second workout (10 min. elliptical, 20 min. bike, 30 min swim)
• Call friends on the east coast to catch up.

I love this time of year, and I’m thankful for the time off to appreciate it.

Read Full Post »

#30DaysofThanks, Day 19: People Are Noticing!

This month I’m participating in 30 Days of Thanks (#30DaysofThanks) by writing a blog post about 30 things I’m thankful for. To join in, go to the link above. The best part is, you don’t need to have a blog or even be on social media to take part in the project; you just need to be thankful. I can’t wait to see how my life might change by spending the 30 days in November giving thanks for things in my life — every single day.

Today I am thankful that people in my life are kind enough to give me compliments about my weight loss.  In the last couple of days I’ve had three people tell me that they are noticing.  Now that I’ve finally lost 20 lbs, it’s showing in my clothes, in my stomach, and in my face.  I know I’m looking better.  I’m fitting into clothes that I haven’t be able to wear in 6 or 7 months. 

These NSVs boosts my spirits and spur me on to keep going for these final 14 pounds.

Read Full Post »

#30DaysofThanks: Day 12, Veterans

This month I’m participating in 30 Days of Thanks (#30DaysofThanks) by writing a blog post about 30 things I’m thankful for. To join in, go to the link above. The best part is, you don’t need to have a blog or even be on social media to take part in the project; you just need to be thankful. I can’t wait to see how my life might change by spending the 30 days in November giving thanks for things in my life — every single day.

Veteran’s Day was officially yesterday, but since today is the day we observe it in the U.S., I figured this post wouldn’t be considered late.

I am thankful for the men and women in our armed forces who serve, fight, and even die to protect my freedom. They sacrifice themselves for people they will never meet, just because they believe in what our country was founded on and the principles that it still stands for.

I am grateful to all those who have laid down their lives for mine, even though I’ll never know their names.  Thank you.

 

Read Full Post »

#30DaysofThanks: Day 11, Friends

This month I’m participating in 30 Days of Thanks (#30DaysofThanks) by writing a blog post about 30 things I’m thankful for. To join in, go to the link above. The best part is, you don’t need to have a blog or even be on social media to take part in the project; you just need to be thankful. I can’t wait to see how my life might change by spending the 30 days in November giving thanks for things in my life — every single day.

Today I am thankful for all of the amazing people whom I consider friends. They are there to celebrate my joys. They are also there to console my sorrows. Many of them live across the country, but are still just a text, email, or phone call away. I’m grateful that so many connections that I made while I was in high school have survived the test of time; most of the people that I’m closest to are girls that I met in high school.

The abundance of riches was clear today when I drove to SF to see CTLB, who lives just outside of Boston, but was visiting for the long weekend. It’s been about two years since I’d seen her, and I’d never met her 8-month old baby, so we were long overdue. CTLB and I became BFFs instantly when we started teaching at the same high school, went through our Masters in Educational Leadership as a partner team, and have seen each other through the highs (and lows) that come with life. She is an amazing friend, a true soul sister, and someone whom I wish I could see more of. Even though the timing was less than ideal because I have tons of grading to do before Tuesday, I wouldn’t have missed the opportunity to hang out for the world, even if it was too short. With us, a week would’ve been too short! Distance my divide us, but CTLB and I will be friends for a lifetime.

It was an absolutely gorgeous day in SF – chilly (58 degrees), but sunny. I was meeting CTLB in the Marina district, which can be notoriously difficult to park in, but I found parking in a garage across from Monaghan’s, their usual watering hole/hangout spot. Unheard of! Then we nabbed a bench inside Peet’s for a coffee chat so that CTLB could open the early Christmas gift that I brought for baby M:

I also got him a 3-pack of matching socks, but I couldn’t find the photo.

It was so great to hold M in my arms (he’s a BIG boy!) and see his reaction as he saw me for the first time. He is seriously the happiest baby I’ve ever been around – adorable. CTLB look so happy, and I loved seeing the pride in her hubby’s eyes every time he looked at his son.  I love CTLB and her family so much, and I wouldn’t have traded my time with them for the world.

I raced from SF (mercifully no traffic) to meet up with LMK, the friend who inspires me to chase my dreams. She took the year off to travel the world, and is just touching down long enough to regroup before she chases the sun to an ashram in India, followed by Bali, New Zealand, and then she’s off to Australia. LMK is starting a blog, about her travels and life in general, and wanted to get some tips for me.  We spent hours catching up, planning, and being creative.  I cannot wait to read and hear all about LMK’s adventures!  I’ve written about LMK in the past because she is such a motivating force and an amazing example of living a healthy lifestyle. LMK runs half marathons for fun (she just got back from Santa Barbara, where she clocked in at exactly 2 hours!), practices yoga to clear her mind and fill her soul, and is always up for a new adventure. Plus she has a fantastic fashion sense. In many ways, she’s who I strive to be “when I grow up.”

These two friends are just a sample of the many people whom I’m lucky enough to have in my life. I truly love each of them and know that my life is so much richer because they’re sharing in it with me.

“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.” ~Elbert Hubbard

Read Full Post »

#30DaysofThanks: Day 10, Books

This month I’m participating in 30 Days of Thanks (#30DaysofThanks) by writing a blog post about 30 things I’m thankful for. To join in, go to the link above. The best part is, you don’t need to have a blog or even be on social media to take part in the project; you just need to be thankful. I can’t wait to see how my life might change by spending the 30 days in November giving thanks for things in my life — every single day.

It probably comes as no surprise, but I absolutely adore books!  And not just the classics that I teach to my students, which I do love, but chick lit, memoirs, non-fiction, young adult, best sellers, and everything in between. Books open me up to new worlds, many of which I will never have the chance to discover in person, which is why I love to keep my reading list varied.

My love of the written word is why I became a teacher.  In fact, my first teaching experience happened when I was just a girl.  I was in my room, at the chalkboard hanging on my wall (what, you didn’t have a chalkboard in your room?!), teaching my sister to read, along with all of our stuffed animals.  She’d  get so frustrated when I called on Freddie the Frog instead of her!  Luckily, I’ve gotten better about the way that I call on students.

I’ve always got a book going, and sometimes more than one.  The dawn of eBooks has made this even easier, which is why I love my Kindle.  I have over 100 books loaded on it at the moment, which makes my heart smile.  I was just mentioning to my dad today, that I probably have more books than I can read over the next 5 years, but I am always on a quest to find the next great book.

Reading makes me a better writer, a better thinker, and a better person.  It opens my mind, frees my soul, and surrounds my senses. I’m grateful that I have the benefit of books in my world.

source

Read Full Post »

#30DaysofThanks: Day 9, Kaiser Health Care

This month I’m participating in 30 Days of Thanks (#30DaysofThanks) by writing a blog post about 30 things I’m thankful for. To join in, go to the link above. The best part is, you don’t need to have a blog or even be on social media to take part in the project; you just need to be thankful. I can’t wait to see how my life might change by spending the 30 days in November giving thanks for things in my life — every single day.

I am really thankful that I have amazing health coverage.  I’ve chosen Kaiser Permanente for years, and I love their approach to health care.  If you don’t live in an area where Kaiser is available, you may not have heard their fun ads on the radio or tv:

Kaiser is all about preventative medicine and treating the whole person.  They even have farmers’ markets at their campuses.

Today I visited the most amazing podiatrist who treated me for my plantar fasciitis.  He recommended that I continue the treatment that I’ve been following: stretches, ice therapy, supportive shoes, using insoles to support my heel, and using swimming and biking as my main exercise. But then he also said he wanted me to get a steroid shot in my heel to alleviate the pain for the next 6 weeks so that I could work on all of those things.  He also said that 95% of the people who follow all of the guidelines he suggests are cured within 6 months, which is promising.  Especially knowing that in 6 weeks when the steroid wears off I can get another shot to manage the pain.  After the podiatrist visit, I headed upstairs to get my free flu shot, which I get every year to ward off the nasty bugs those kids bring to class.

Today’s visit is just a small example.  I’m also really grateful that through Kaiser my entire weight loss surgery, including all pre-surgery appointments, the 2-day hospital visit, and all follow-up visits are completely covered.  Not even a co-pay.  100% covered! Which makes jumping through the hoops of losing the weight for the surgeon’s weight loss requirement worth it.

I feel so grateful to have such great health care with Kaiser Permanente, and I’m grateful that through President Obama’s plan every American will be able to have access to affordable health care.

Read Full Post »

#30DaysofThanks: Day 8, Sofi’s Safe

This month I’m participating in 30 Days of Thanks (#30DaysofThanks) by writing a blog post about 30 things I’m thankful for. To join in, go to the link above. The best part is, you don’t need to have a blog or even be on social media to take part in the project; you just need to be thankful. I can’t wait to see how my life might change by spending the 30 days in November giving thanks for things in my life — every single day.

This post is a day late, because last night after the incident, all I wanted to do was hug Sofi. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

I’ll start by saying Sofi is fine. Thank God!!

Last night I was on my way home after a Bikram class, already upset by something that happened at the studio ( more on that in a separate post). I was sweaty, freezing (it was 52 outside), and bone tired. As I pulled into my driveway and clicked the garage door opener, out runs Sofi!!!! Towards my car!!!!
Immediately I had flashes of Lulu, and my heart started beating out of my chest. My worst nightmare was realized, and I was going to lose Sofi, too. It is all a blur, really. I remember that I was so worried that she was headed to the street and I couldn’t move fast enough. I panicked and honked my horn for my sister to come and help me, as I was screaming for to tell her what was going on. (Although looking back, I’m not sure how much help LC could’ve offered, since she broke her foot and has it in a walking cast, but my first thought was GET HELP). When I honked, Sofi freaked out and ran toward LC’s front step. I prayed she’d stay there and that LC would open the door and grab her. Then Sofi took off again, and was moving in the direction of the street. I was still in the car, though I’d thrown open my driver’s door, because I hadn’t thought far enough to put it in park and put on the brake. I did tell myself to calm down and just call Sofi over.

So, I threw open my car door, called for Sofi as calmly as I could muster in my frazzled state, and hoped for the best. Sofi, being the amazing and smart pooch that she is, came right to me!!!!! At that moment LC came outside and got Sofi from me so that I could drive the car into the garage. I burst into tears as soon as it was over and I knew Sofi was safe. For the relief an the release as much as anything.

Now how Sofi got into the garage is the mystery. What I’ve pieced together is that I might have accidentally left the back garage door unlocked and possibly slightly ajar, and in yesterday’s storm, the wind knocked it open. Sofi went inside, and then the door closed behind her, trapping her in the dark, cold garage. Poor thing! So when the garage door sprang open, she was just so happy to have some freedom, that she took off.

As I said, I spent the night cuddling with Sofi, telling her what a smart girl she is. I’m so thankful that it all worked out well and that Sofi is ok.

Read Full Post »