Chutes and Ladders

Today we went to a park in Bloomington commonly called Chutes and Ladders. It got the name because there are a bunch of cargo nets and ladders, and whole lot of slides! I'm not talking about little slides either, I'm talking about slides that are 20 - 30 feet tall!! Granted they are twisty slides, but still - that's tall!! Not to worry if you have a toddler or a kiddo who is not fond of heights, they also have two or three areas that are perfect for smaller kids and more like typical playground equipment. They are also doing some construction and adding new equipment which should be ready to play on at the end of June.

Auntie M came to help ease the climbs for me - my eczema is really flaring up. I went up the ladders, aka cargo nets, with Adelle about 5 times and M went up with her about 20! She didn't want to go home because she was having so much fun!

The only down side to this park is that there are A LOT of other people there. Other parents don't watch their kids and some of them wreak havoc as well as try to climb up the slides. The teacher in me took over a couple of times and told two kids not to climb up because I didn't want them to get hit. They climbed up anyway then cried when they got hit! Geepers.

 

 

Anyway, Auntie M has some pictures that I need to get, and when I get them I will add them to the post.

1 Hour

Can 1 hour change your life?

I have been watching episodes of One Tree Hill lately, and tonight I watched Pictures of You. The episode questions if 1 hour can really change your life. It did, of course, for the fictional students of One Tree Hill and I think it will change my life too.

You see, since high school, my weight has slowly but surely crept up the scale like the freaking Little Engine that Could. There was a time when my weight started going down, but that was when I was living in my adorable studio apartment when Brian and I first started dating. Living on my own was awesome - I didn't want to dirty my cozy kitchen, and I couldn't do dishes too often so I didn't eat/cook as much! I would also meet Brian at the gym and that is where we had a lot of our dates.

After we got married though, the weight came back. Soon we started trying to have a baby so I joined WW and started losing weight. Within a month I was pregnant and they said it would not be good to continue the program (it isn't designed for pregnant women). Well, it has been 2 years since I had Adelle and I still haven't lost the weight I gained when I was pregnant. It's both frustrating and disappointing - neither feeling is good when you are an emotional eater!

Tonight, however, I made a decision. After watching this episode and reading Organizing Made Fun, an inspiring/motivational/organizational blog, I made the decision that 1 hour WILL change my life. One hour a day will change my life because it will be the hour I need to work on strength, toning, balance and endurance. 1 hour will help me achieve my goals of getting in shape and losing weight (and hopefully a couple other goals in the process). 1 hour.

I have been telling myself that 1 hour a day is so much to ask since I get home from work 2+ nights a week after 7pm; that it's too much because I feel like I am missing out on my daughters' life because I'm at work; that it's too much because I don't get to see/visit with my husband (that's how it feels).

The truth is though, 1 hour is not too much to ask.

1 hour is walking to a park and having a picnic (when the weather isn't frigid). 1 hour is more than a few laps around the M.O.A. 1 hour is a fantastic hula-hoop workout sprinkled with yoga poses and walking a tight rope. 1 hour is getting lost in my favorite songs while training for my next Milk Run (the time to beat is 45:33). 1 hour is some quality time with a stationary bike/elliptical machine and a book. 1 hour is a healthier life for me and my family.

While 1 hour feels like too much right now, in the middle of winter and the seemingly short days it brings, it's not too much in the grand scheme of things.

What will you do with your hour?

Wow... It's been a while!!

I have been wanting to do so much at school that I have left my blog to get dusty. So, I will begin cleaning my thoughts out, then bring on the pictures. That, however, might have to wait until Sunday.

During my time away, I have done a lot of thinking. Serious thinking, and silly thinking. Here are some of the highs (and lows)!

I need a haircut, and am thinking of getting highlights. I don't know what to get but need to decide today or tomorrow because school pictures are Friday!! EEK!

I like makeup. I am not really a girly-girl so I am not really sure how to apply it.

It bugs me that I can't test nail polish before I buy it. I don't want to to spend $7 for a color I don't like.

I FINISHED MY FIRST 5K!! HOLY CRAP!! I honestly didn't think I'd be able to do it, but I did! Jessica, Maria and Brian helped as much as they could. I threw a lot of things at them and they stayed by my side. I plan on doing more running so I can improve my time (45 minutes 53 seconds) next year!

We found a fun place to eat... Pizza Ranch! I've always wanted to be able to have A slice from a couple of different pizzas. Here, you can!! They even have dessert pizzas that are scrumptious!

I hate my eczema/psoriasis/allergy!! It is making me ANGRY!! I hate how my hands and feet are always in pain. I hate worrying if I am going to bleed on things. I want to be able to wear all kinds of clothes. To top it all off, I feel like I am getting arthritis in my hands. There are some days my hands are so stiff, usually in the morning. However, I STILL wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.

I like cake. I really like cake.

I am thankful for my job! I love what I do and enjoy every minute. Even when it's challenging and draining. I love what I do and am thankful for it everyday!!

I want to be the best Mommy ever! I want to give Adelle everything I can and then some. I want her to feel happy, safe and loved of every minute of every day. I think I'm doing a good job, but I think I am so self-conscious that I don't let myself believe it sometimes.

I want to be the best Wife ever! Brian is an incredible person and I work every day to care for him the way he cares for me. He is truly my best friend. He and Adelle are the best part of my day!

I want to have another baby. I want Adelle to have a little brother or sister to play with. Thoughts of having another little one to hold and care for are consuming. I think about it when I'm at work, when I'm home, when I'm driving and when I sleep. But I'm scared. I am scared about if I can get pregnant again. I am scared about how long it will take to get pregnant again. I am scared about when we'd actually have the baby (a due date) and if it would be during school or during the summer. I'm scared about what that would mean for us financially. Daycare. Teaching. Everything. I know that people say it's really never a perfect time (financially) to have a baby, but my fear feels almost crippling at times.

What have YOU been thinking about?!

My Goal

I did it! I registered for the MN State Fair Milk Run!



I am nervous, scared and excited! I know there is a lot of time between now and then, but that is exactly what I want! Running is not my forte so I wanted to make sure I would have time to train and get into a rhythm.

I think this will be great!

Running Week 2 - Fail

Alright, so I decided to go through week 1 again because in our neck of the woods, mother nature isn't letting Spring arrive! The bird are chirping. The lawn is getting greener. The snow melted away. Then it snowed again!! WTH?! It was APRIL 16th for Pete's sake!!

I mean really!

So because the wind was blowing so fiercely, and the chance of snow looming around every corner, I decided to wait on week two until I would be able to breathe through it. You might think I am giving up and making excuses, I do a little bit, but it's difficult for me to breathe when I exert myself anyway. Thank you exercise induced asthma! Nevertheless, I will be starting week two tomorrow!

I am excited for my four days of brisk walking for 30 minutes. It will be fantastic! As long as it isn't as windy as it was this last week, and the white stuff stays away, week two is mine!!

p.s.
Anyone want to go for a walk?

Running - Week 1

I started an 8 week running training program for beginners this week. I found it online at Weight Loss Resources. It's a UK website, but I think the program is gradual and healthy.

I had to walk this week - that's it! I even walked on my days off, but I am sure that is ok. I feel my body reacting to the extra exercise already. I am not complaining - I LOVE IT!! Walking is so easy too, why have I not been doing this all along? I mean, I go on walks all the time. Almost every day in fact, so why has getting in shape been so difficult? I think it's because I didn't take advantage of the time I had at school. Now, I am looking for that 10 or 15 minutes at recess when I can walk with the kids. I used to patrol the playground, always moving, but I didn't walk with a purpose. Now I do!

Next week I will briskly walk when it's time for my exercise. I am already looking forward to it and getting outside more with Adelle!!

Here was my regimen for Week 1!
Monday - Brisk Walk for 10 minutes
Tuesday - Rest
Wednesday - Brisk Walk for 15 minutes
Thursday - Rest
Friday - Brisk Walk for 20 minutes
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Rest

Ready to Run

As a part of my losing weight goal on my little bucket list, I have decided to start running. I know what you're saying, Teresa doesn't like to run. You're right, I don't. But I have to do SOMETHING and I can do this with the stroller I have right now or on my own.

So I looked online for training programs and found one I think will work. It starts off with some walking, then goes to walking and jogging, then mixes in some running for a couple of weeks, then I'm running all week.

My goal is to be able to run in the State Fair Milk Run at the end of the summer. Whether or not I will be able to run in the actual Milk Run (the event itself) is not really the point, but I do want to be able to run it by the end of the summer.

Wish me luck!

Oh My Goodness...

I believe Adelle is in the beginning stages of CRAWLING! She will prop herself up on her hands, then on her knees, then she'll rock back and forth. Sometimes it looks as though she'll take off, other times it looks uncoordinated. Nevertheless, Brian says she'll be crawling in 3 weeks, I say a month and half. Take a look at the pictures, a couple are blurry - sorry about that, she was rocking - then chime in and tell us what YOU think!!

Part Vent and Part Asking for Help

I am chubby.

I know this and was starting to do something about it when we found out I was pregnant. We watched my weight throughout my pregnancy and it was fantastic, "right where it should be for a healthy pregnancy," the doctor said, "you're doing great." Now that I am two months out, I am right back where I started, before pregnancy, and want to do something about it.

This is where the venting begins...
I know a person who makes comments about people being fat all the time. This person says, "If you don't want to be fat, don't be. It's as simple as that. Make sure you're burning more calories than you are taking in. Simple." IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE for some people. When I was pregnant, we were talking about going to the gym to work out. This person asked a group of us if we exercise when we get home from work. Bring almost 8 months pregnant I said sarcastically, "Walking is enough exercise for me!" while I rubbed my belly. To this the person said, "Really? Do you think so?" So then I said, "When I get home I go for a walk with Brian then I have to sit down because I am exhausted - I'm growing a person here!!" They just smiled and walked away - WTH!

Another person I know really makes me upset because they often talk of, "fat chicks." When talking about giving birth and pregnancy they've said, "I don't know how any fat chick could do it!" When I heard this, Brian and I were just starting out journey and it made me mad because, well, I am said "fat chick." I wanted to prove this person wrong, and kick the person in the throat a little bit. I was also hoping that this person would visit us in the hospital so I could look at them and say, "What do you know, fat chicks CAN do it!" But they didn't come to visit.

UGH!

This is where I am asking for help...
I need and want to do something about my weight. I see the beautiful pictures Katie took of my family and all I see is that fat chick. I hate that chubby version of me! I need help. I need and want to go hiking, walking, biking, swimming, etc. I need and want to be active and good company will help!

So - does anyone want to set up exercise dates with me/us? I like to walk around the MOA when it's crappy outside and I love walking in general. Swimming is another favorite of mine but I can't do it that often because of my eczema (which is really bad now that Addie is here). I also love to go for bike rides, though I like a leisurely ride and not one that will keep up with Lance Armstrong.

If you want to set something up send me an email!