Traveling to Washington, DC

Did you realize we were gone? Probably not. I haven't been getting much in the way of comments recently although that I will say I am definitely more of a "quality vs. quantity" type gal and the comments I HAVE received have been just lovely, thank you all so much for your kind thoughts.

It's Spring Break for The Son so we decided to take a couple days away and head to Washington, DC. I didn't post about it before because I'm now paranoid to be specific about when we're going to be away because of recent robberies to people's homes that have been linked to Facebook. Of course, I still posted that I was a way on Facebook but I just tried not to be totally specific. I'd also like to think that my FB friends wouldn't rob me but I'm sure that's what the people who were robbed thought too.

I started the planning for this little trip on Priceline.com. I'd never used Priceline before but decided to do a "name your own price" deal and ended up with a room in DuPont Circle for $69 a night! SWEET! It was at the Marriott and it I was thrilled with what we got for the price, the room was small and The Son kept commenting on that but the child is used to full, two-bedroom suites at Disney with full kitchens because we're Disney Vacation Club Members so he has no concept. It was a nice, clean comfortable room with great Marriott service, I'd stay there again for sure, especially for $69 a night! I also recently used Priceline to get a great room in Philly for the night before the Broad St. Run, also at a Marriott (Residence Inn) also, for $69 a night which I'll be splitting with friends so, another great deal!

We had a really nice time, lots of tips and things I can tell you about but I am going to sign off for now and try to get a few things done around the house before we head out to the Y for working out/teaching swimming this evening. I indulged a bit too much while in DC and need to get myself on that treadmill ASAP!

Have a great day everyone!

Spring really HAS sprung!

Hi Friends! If anyone out there still reads (or comments) on my blog that is...

I know I've been on hiatus again, I have to admit I am having difficulty managing to find time to blog and work out and work and take care of my men and all the things that busy moms have to do. I know for a fact that many of you out there will understand!

I am really feeling great about this weather lately. I hope that the title of this post doesn't jinx us and make it turn into Winter again because Pennsylvania has had some big snow storms in March and even in April. Scary... it's been pretty nice around these parts lately and I'd like to keep it that way.

So, let me tell you what's going on with us. I am still working on losing weight but my body doesn't seem aware of that fact! ha ha! I have had quite a few weeks of NO LOSS! Ugh! and it's not for lack of trying and doing all the "right" things. I am so close to my goal of losing 100 pounds that I think at this point, it's just difficult. I am not getting discouraged or giving up because honestly, on the plan I do, there is no "finished" this is just the way I will live and eat for the rest of my life. If I have another week of no loss, I will have to really examine my foods and tweak a few more things to make those last ten pounds LEAVE. It will all come off eventually, it might just take a bit longer than I want it to.

I am still training for the Broad Street Run which is a 10 mile race on May 2nd. I am feeling a bit nervous because I can't seem to get past 5 miles comfortably and 7 miles with a lot of effort. I'll keep trying though and know that I could walk 10 miles right now so if that's what I have to do, at least I know I'll get through the race. I downloaded some music to run to and I have to say that BPMs have changed my running life... don't know what that means? I'll tell you in another post, it will give me something to blog about!

The Son is doing BEAUTIFULLY in Kindergarten. The Husband and I had his conference this week and his teacher couldn't say enough good things. He's mastered all the Kindergarten skills and is now working on first grade skills. She told us not to expect him to master the first grade skills this year because they are much more complex than the Kindergarten ones. I am not worried. I have no plans to rush him, he's still just a little guy. He needs to work on his printing because it's very sloppy and he also needs to work on putting spaces between his words, other than that he's doing really great. His standardized test scores were in the 99th percentile for math and the 97th for reading... PROUD! I will add that as a former teacher, I know that standardized tests are only one indicator of a child's intelligence and abilities but as his mom, I am still very proud of him indeed. His teacher also said that he is a very "nice boy" and that he treats the other students with respect and is friendly with everyone. I hope this is an indication on how he will be as he progresses through school because I couldn't be happier.


We're going on a little spring break vaycay this weekend... it's not THAT exciting but I'll tell you about it soon. It should be fun.

I still keep wanting to do a post on healthy cooking/eating as well as a post on BPMs that have changed my life... I'll try, try, try to be a little more proactive with the blogging because it really is something I like to do, it's just hard to find the time.

Lastly, I got a haircut and I am really happy with it! My hairdresser didn't take off too much but she did just enough to make it a little more manageable and now I have some shape. Here's a picture. Funny enough, The Son took this picture, he's pretty good for a six year old, as long as I help him know how to frame it and place him the right distance away, he's getting the hang of it.

Final addition... I wrote the above post earlier today and forgot to post it. Duh. I got weighed at 1:00 today and was down 1.6! Yahoo! That makes my official total 90.2 pounds. only 9.8 to go for my goal... that could take another year but I'll get there. (I'm only half kidding!)

Have a great day everyone! Stay healthy!

Is it really here?

Spring that is! We've endured quite a few days of rainy, yucky weather and today when I woke up I saw the sun! The warm, beautiful, welcoming sun. However, it's March 16th and I hate to get too excited about Spring because Mother Nature can be a big tease, taunting us with these lovely, pleasant days only to rip them away and dump another ten inches of snow all over us. I will just try to enjoy these days while they're here and not get too excited lest they be cruelly ripped away from me as I am plunged into the depths of Winter Hell once again. (Who are you calling overly dramatic?)

So anyway... as you can see, I'm still here. I've been feeling a little "non-bloggy" these days. As usual, I've been busy and when I'm busy, there are things that have to be put aside. Blogging is probably one of the first things to go because it certainly isn't going to be The Son or my work outs or my healthy eating, those are always things I make time for because those are the things that keep me healthy and feeling good.

The Son is doing well, growing like crazy, I cannot believe that he's more than half way through kindergarten. His Nannie recently sent him a down vest from L.L. Bean and then found this cute hat to go with it.


The Son loves it so much that one night he even wore it to bed! He got dressed this morning at 9:30 and put it on so that he "would be ready to leave when it was time to go to school." People, the child goes to school at noon! LOL! He's playing in the sunroom now wearing his vest waiting to go to school. He's a funny kid, my boy.

Thanks Nannie! We really love the vest (and you!)

I'm still training for my ten-mile race, I feel like I hit a wall with my training but I'm going to overcome it. Ziggy (my German Shorthair Pointer) and I are going to go for an outdoor run today. I think getting outdoors will help me get back into the swing of things. I've been running plenty, don't get me wrong, it's just been difficult to get past the max of seven miles that I've achieved. I'll get there... I'm determined.

I have a few posts that I'd like to do about excuses (not making them) and about ways to incorporate "real healthy eating" into our diets, not "faux healthy eating" with bars and frozen meals. They'll get written... one of these days.

Well, I'm off to say hello to Mother Nature now and beg her to keep that sun shining and those temperatures warming up. If you see her, do the same, perhaps she'll decide to let Spring stick around for a while! Happy Tuesday! Stay healthy!

Randomness...

Hi Everyone! I need to post because it's been quite a few days, I'm still mulling over the Breast Cancer 3-Day Dilemma. I think today is the day I have to sign up for it if I'm going to get that discount and I think I'm going to. Thanks for all who helped with your advice, I appreciate the input so much.

So, some random thoughts for this sunny Monday...

• I lost another 1.6 pounds. My total is now 89.2. I've been journaling all my foods and exercise in a good old-fashioned notebook. It seems to be the best thing for me. 10.8 pounds left to reach that goal of 100! I might go lower, I might not... we'll see when I get to 100.

• I love the Wendy Williams Show. There. I said it. Don't judge me. Wendy Williams is hilarious, gregarious and super-duper cute. I love her and I'm not ashamed to shout it from the bloggy rooftops. I LOVE YOU WENDY!

• The Broad Street Run is in a little less than two months. I am excited but feel as if I've hit a "wall" with my training, I am having trouble getting past the 5-mile run. I will keep working on it. So far, I've done 7 miles in 1 hour 26 minutes which is slow but I think it at least shows that I can do the 10 even if I have to walk some. I also think that two more months is a good amount of time to improve that time. I will do it! I will do it! I will do it!
  

• Speaking of goals... my friend Andrea from Run, Eat, Date Sleep, completed the Disney Princess Half Marathon on Sunday. I am so proud of her! I don't think she blogged about it yet but I guarantee she will. Check her out, she has a cute blog and is very inspirational with her goals and achievements.

• According to Hungry Girl, Laughing Cow cheese is coming out with three new flavors... in June. Ugh! I hate to wait for June, The flavors are 1. blue cheese (The Husband will LOVE this) 2. queso fresco and chipoltle (meh.) and 3. mozzarella and sun-dried tomato (YES!) Is it normal to say that I can't wait for June because of this? I simply love me some Laughing Cow.
  

• I have to get The Son ready for school and me ready for the gym now. I've been eating well over my calorie limit this weekend because I have been truly, truly hungry! I've been writing it all down so if I don't have a loss, there will be proof as to the reason why. I go a couple hundred calories over each day so I'm at like 2300+ but remember, I have a very high calorie range AND I work out a lot. Most people cannot lose weight at that many calories per day, I just happen to be lucky. Anyway, this is all in one random thought because it means I must have a really, GOOD and HARD work out this afternoon to burn off many of those extra calories. The scale might not be so kind to me this Thursday...
  

Have a great Monday everyone! Keep it healthy!

Breast Cancer 3-Day... I can't decide what to do...

I need a little advice people. I have been asked by a good friend of mine, to do the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk.

I really, really, really want to do it with her.

Sadly, she lost her sister to Breast Cancer and wants to do the walk in memory of her.

I really, really, really want to do it with her.

It's not until October, my fantastic boss has agreed to cover my Saturday classes for me to be able to participate and...

I really, really, really, want to do it but... I am hesitant... very hesitant... why?

Because in order to do it, participants MUST raise $2300! EACH! You cannot do the walk unless you raise the money or guarantee it with a credit card. Yeah. That credit card part, is NOT going to happen. It just seems like such a huge amount of money and I am not good at asking people to donate, particularly in these "difficult economic times."

I'd like to think of some ways to raise the money, I'm creative, I am not against some kind of fundraiser(s) but the problem is, I don't know where or what or how to go about doing it. So, I ask you, what would you do? Do you think I should just register and go for it and try to raise the money or is it just out of the realm of possibility for me to actually get $2300 for this very worthy cause? I don't have tons of time to devote to this so it has to be something fairly simple. There is a $25 discount on registering up until March 9 so I want to make this decision quickly, plus, the sooner I register, the sooner I will be able to start the fund raising. Any opinions? Suggestions? Input? I appreciate it!

As I type this, I just saw the commercial for the 3-Day Walk and I want to be a Pink Warrior! Has anyone out there done this and found ways to raise the money?

I really, really want to do this...