Monday Musings – Weekend Wrapup

It’s been quite an eventful weekend, so I thought I’d do a wrap-up post to catch you guys up.

Halloween

This Halloween was quite eventful for me.  Not only did I go as Vampira on the Halloween boat cruise last Friday (10/25), but I wore two different costumes on the 31st.  I wore a cozy, comfy Eeyore costume to work on Friday because the other teachers who work at the district office with me decided we should go as animals.  I didn’t have a costume idea in mind at all, so luckily my mentoring partner had the Eeyore costume and let me borrow it.  It definitely wasn’t the most flattering thing ever, but since the day was rainy and cold, it was pretty perfect.  When we stepped out to get some goodies for a Halloween lunch we were having later that day, so many people at the grocery store came up and told us how cute we looked (she was wearing a similar giraffe costume).

I was heading to Tinkerbell’s house on Friday night for a passing out candy Halloween party.  I knew I wanted to be comfortable, so the Vampira costume was out; but I also wanted to look pretty, so the Eeyore outfit was out too.  I found the perfect thing on Amazon – a Wonder Woman tshirt, complete with cape and headband.  I decided to put the false eyelashes I wore for Vampira on, too, and I loved the way it looked:

closeup of the makeup

I had a great time that night, passing out candy to the tons of kids who showed up at Tinkerbell’s house, spending time with her family and friends, and just enjoying  the evening. One of the best parts of the night was that so many people told me how thin I looked.  People that had seen me just a few weeks ago asked how much more weight I’d lost. I’ve actually stayed the same for the past couple of months, although I do know I’ve lost inches. I also think it was the new (size 10!!) jeans.  It always feels awesome to get complimented about weight loss and looking healthier.

Dating

Thanks for everyone’s positive and encouraging comments about my date with Fireman.  We had a great night, but throughout the week I hadn’t heard too much from him.  The week before he was really attentive via texts and calls, and I knew this week he was on vacation (although he was staying home), so I wasn’t sure if he was just extra  busy.  I heard from him almost everyday, but his texts didn’t have the same flirtation that they had the week before.  And I just knew that something was off, and that probably he’d lost interest.  So finally yesterday I just texted him and asked, and he responded with the fact that he had a great time on our first date, and that he thinks I’m beautiful, BUT (I knew there was a but coming), he just didn’t feel a love  connection and didn’t think he could commit to a second date.  I was disappointed, but since I had the feeling that’s what was going on, I wasn’t surprised.  It’s not so much the fact that this particular guy wasn’t interested, but more the fact that I seem to be so unlucky in love.  I really don’t know what it is.  I know my bold personality isn’t for everyone, but there has to be SOMEone out there who would appreciate it.  As luck would have it, last night seemed to be a busy night for me on eHarmony, with several matches contacting me and wanting to move through the question process.  So, we’ll see.  I’m not going to get overly excited, but I’m going to keep an open mind. Sometimes it’s hard not to lose hope and get depressed, but I’m not into dwelling in that headspace for too long.  I like to look on the brighter side of life, so that’s what I’m going to do.

 November Goals

• Blog 2-3 times a week, comment on blogs on the days I write
• Exercise: cardio 6 days a week, toning at least 3 days
• Continue eating healthy
• Log food/exercise in MyFitnessPal daily
• Read 30 minutes a day
• Run the entire Turkey Trot 5K
• Go on dates

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Happy Sunday! I’m Back!! (Mega Post)

Geez, it feels like forever since I’ve written a blog entry, right?  I’m so sorry.  I think about this blog all the time, but lately I just don’t have enough hours in the day to get in the right mind space to write a good post.  I’ve missed it so much, though, and really want to make the blog a priority again. Since this is a “catch-up” post, it’s going to be long, so sit back, grab a drink, and enjoy…

Please don’t take my lack of writing as a sign that I’ve “fallen off the wagon,” because that couldn’t be further from the truth.  I’ve been maintaining my weight since my last weigh in post, probably because I haven’t been able to dedicate as much time as I should be to working out.  Most days I’ll fit some cardio in, but lately I’ve been really hit and miss with the toning workouts.  My food has been great, though, which is why the scale is holding steady at 171.

I really, REALLY want to see the 160s soon, but to do that, I know that I need to kick my workouts into high gear, drink plenty of water, and make sure my protein intake is high.  I’m 21 pounds from my ultimate goal weight, and I would really like to make more progress towards that goal before the end of the year. So for the rest of this month, and actually, for the rest of the year, I’m going to make sure I’m on point with my food and my workouts.  Except of course on the holidays – Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, & Christmas Day – I’m going to allow for indulgences, although I’ll probably get a workout in on all of those days to help compensate.  Which is not to say I’m not going to enjoy a glass or two of wine with my friends or family or have a few beers on SundayFunday while watching the 49ers – I want to enjoy life, but I also want to make sure I’m getting in a good calorie burn on those days to keep it all in balance.

Speaking of balance, in order to make sure I’m not totally abandoning this blog or all of my blogging buddies, I’m going to get back in the habit of setting aside an hour a day towards “blogging.”  If I have something to write, I’ll make sure to post, but if not, I want to visit all of the blogs I love to read but have been neglecting lately.  Blogging is still a passion of mine, and what I attribute much of my weight loss success to.  It’s been an amazing vehicle for my emotions, struggles, ideas, and inspirations.  And reading blogs is just as important as writing my own.  So it’s time to get back into it, full force, no matter how busy I am.

I’ve really been enjoying my new job, even though I am getting used to the longer hours.  The thing is, on a daily basis, I’m working later than I did when I was teaching, but the fantastic part is, once I’m home, I leave work at work. No hours spent grading essays on the weekends. Or more accurately, no hours guiltily agonizing over the essays that I should be grading, but aren’t.  I do miss the interaction with my students and the colleagues at the high school where I’d been working for the past 10 years, but this new phase of my career is really nice.  It’s a welcome break from all the stress that comes with being a teacher, especially an English teacher.  Plus, I adore the new teachers that I’m working with, and I think I’m really making a difference in their professional lives, which in turn has an effect on the hundreds of students that they’re teaching.  All in all, I’m really glad that I made the move.

In terms of life, things are good.  I’ve been seeing friends and family here and there, enjoying football and baseball season, and I checked two major items off my #FriskyFall Bucket List:

Going Apple Picking: I was able to tag along with my niece’s Girl Scout Troop (my sister is their troop leader).  We headed to fun little apple orchard in Watsonville, which coincidentally is owned by a family who’s grandkids attend my niece’s elementary school.  I love that we supported a local family!  It was a really fun day, and the apples we got were delicious.

Heading to a Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Patch: My sister and I headed up to Half Moon Bay a few weekends ago to get our pumpkins for all of our Halloween decorations.  Sure, the local grocery stores have pumpkins for sale, but nothing like the variety available at  the pumpkin patches in HMB.  Plus, it’s a nice drive, and we took advantage of the sunny day and drove the Beetle with the top down.  Wheelbarrow in hand, we explored the entire pumpkin patch for just the right pumpkins, and boy did we!

 

There have been a couple of milestones that I’ve enjoyed while I’ve taken some time off this blog.

The first was going to my 25th high school reunion.  What a difference 5 years made!  I remember how I felt before my 20th reunion: very embarrassed about the way I was looking, how much weight I’d gained, the fact that I was single, and just sort of nervous about seeing all these girls I went to school with after so long.  I ended up having a good time, but when I saw the photos we took that night, I wasn’t happy with the person I saw.  Fast forward to this year – I couldn’t wait for the reunion because I felt so confident in everything I’d been doing. Not just my weight loss, but my overall outlook in life.  I was still single, but it wasn’t as much of an issue because I knew that there are lots of possibilities in that area.

Next up, on the NSV list is the purchase of new, size 10 jeans!! I’d been wearing my size 12s all spring and summer, and while I knew they were a bit loose, I didn’t realize how much until one of my colleagues saw me at the SAT and told me how baggy they were on me.  The next Monday I was at the mall, and was so proud that I found several pair that not only fit, but looked good.

As you can see, the boot legs are still too long on me, even though they’re “shorts;”  I have to take them to the tailor to have them hemmed. This is a new first for me.  I never remember owning and wearing size 10s –  ever!  I’m really proud of myself, and this is a great NSV because even though my weight loss has stayed the same, I’m still loosing inches, which is so nice.

One last NSV is all about Halloween. My Halloween costume, specifically.  It’s been so long since I’ve been able to wear any costume I want, right off the shelf of a costume shop.  In the past, I’ve had to select from the slim pickings of the plus size section or the super-expensive plus size costumes available online.  Not this year!  I knew I’d have my choice of whatever costume I wanted.  Such an amazing feeling.  So when I went to a local vintage clothing store to see what they had to offer, I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted.  I knew it would either be a 50’s-esque retro dress or something dark and gothic.

I went with the latter because I’d purchased this cool “buried bauble” from Bauble Bar, and knew it would be great for Halloween.

So when I found this costume, and then realized it was on sale for 50% off, I knew I was going to transform into Vampira for Halloween (more on this in another post).

So that’s what’s been going on in my life.  I’m really going to make more of an effort to write more posts, because I really still enjoy it.  In fact, I have some fun to share with you in my next post, so I’d better end this one so I can start that one.

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Wordless Wednesday: Happy Halloween!!!

 

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Weekend: Plans – Fail

Not  following the plan seems to be the theme of this weekend.  In some cases it worked out great, but in others, not so much.

Friday

I started off the weekend well.  I made it to my training appointment as planned, and had a good workout with Robbie.  I used kettlebells for the first time, and I really liked them.  They definitely take cardio endurance as well as strength!  I have decided that I really, really like Friday afternoon workouts, because it puts me in such a positive mood for the rest of the weekend.  It’s the ideal way to put and end to the workweek (and let go of any stress) and begin the weekend.

Friday night I didn’t have anything planned, and I was looking forward to a quiet night at home with Lulu, doing laundry,  and catching up with my DVR. It’s all a blur to me, really.  I know I did a tiny bit of laundry, and I had “snacks” instead of a true dinner, but that’s all.  I think I was so tired from the week and the workout that I just fell asleep on the couch.

Saturday

I got sooooo much done on Saturday.  I cleaned the entire house from top to bottom: swept and mopped all the floors, cleaned the kitchen, dusted, vacuumed my bedroom, changed the sheets, cleaned both bathrooms, did 3 loads of laundry (and put it away!  That’s always the part I struggle with).  I felt so good about all that I’d done, and it really didn’t take me too long.  It was the first morning/afternoon that I’ve spent really deep cleaning the new house, and it needed it.  I’ve dusted or swept or done laundry here and there, but this was the first major cleaning, which is probably on target, since I’ve been there a little over a month now.

Saturday afternoon/evening I had plans to go to Howling Halloween with my sister, my nieces, Minnie (their dog), and Lulu.  We had it all planned, costumes purchased (for the pups), and were really looking forward to it.  My sister lives 45 minutes away, so making the trek down to where I live is always a bit of an ordeal for her.  Because it doesn’t happen all the time, I really value the times that we are able to spend together.  The problem was, I somehow read the times wrong on the event, so we got there an hour and a half early.  And it was raining.  And my nieces weren’t in the mood to look around at all the cool shops.  And we all got cranky.  So, we ended up leaving before the trick or treating (or the parade) ever began. 😦  Still, we did get some cute pictures :

Yes, I am THAT puppy owner.  I bought the matching t-shirt so that we were both Ladybugs.  😛  I love how our eyes look creepy in this shot.

Lulu is less than thrilled with taking this photo.  Maybe because she knows she needs to get groomed?

Lulu, the ladybug and Minnie, the French maid.  These two puppy cousins had the best time playing, wrestling, and hanging out with each other.

After the miscue with the Halloween celebration, it was time to eat.  My sis and I wanted Indian food, but we knew the girls wouldn’t, so we got them a rare treat – corndogs!  Everyone was happy once they ate.  Isn’t it interesting how being hungry puts us in a bad mood, but eating together solves lots of problems.  Hmm….

It was nice to see my sister and nieces, although their behavior wasn’t great, and it was one of the first times that I haven’t thoroughly enjoyed spending time with them.  We all have off days, though. I got a peek into what my sister has to deal with on a daily basis, and it can’t be easy for her.  She’s amazing.

After they left I saw that the SF Giants game was still on, and I was incredibly thrilled to watch the 9th inning.  The Giants won the Pennant and are going to the World Series!!!!!!!!!!!

Sunday

I had plans to get up, read the paper, go to belly dancing class, and then spend the day doing whatever tickled my fancy.  But remember the title of this blog.

I soon realized that I had left my wallet in my sister’s car the night before.  And she lives 45 minutes away.  Argh!  So, instead of a leisurely morning, I spent mine driving back and forth to get my wallet.  And I missed belly dancing.

As I was driving home, I had the craving/idea that I wanted In & Out Burger.  I have no idea why I wanted it; I think maybe I had seen the sign along the freeway on my way to my sister’s house.  I haven’t had In & Out in years, so it was weird for me to crave it.  I was *this close* to stopping for it, but Walmart saved me.

Walmart?  Saved me?  Yes.  You see, instead of eating the burger, I stopped at Walmart to see what I could buy that might satisfy the craving without too many calories.  I never shop at Walmart for a variety of reasons (they’re non-union, have differing political views than I do, and they aren’t conveniently located to my house), but since Walmart was in the same huge shopping center that In & Out was in, I figured I’d go there instead.  I picked up some items that didn’t have a ton of nutrition (chicken hotdogs, white bread), but that were healthier alternatives to the burger.  Plus, my wallet is pretty empty until I get paid on Friday, so Walmart’s prices were really attractive.  (I hate, hate, hate it that junky food is so much cheaper than good food!).

Once I got home I decided to make the most of the day, so I took Lulu for a longish walk, did a ton of laundry, made a good dinner, and organized my lunch for today and tomorrow.  I also figured out my dinners for the rest of the week.  I have to eat out of the cupboards/fridge/freezer, which should be no problem, because I always have so much.

Wrap it Up

So, although the weekend didn’t turn out exactly as I had planned, I did get a lot done.  I made good choices (for the most part), spent some quality time with family, cleaned and organized the house, and got ready for the week ahead.  Really, I can’t ask more from a weekend.

What did you do this weekend?

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