Sunday, February 27, 2011

There is hope...

that spring is almost here.

Today was a lovely day.  So much so that, although I took my jacket with me when I went out, I quickly shed it.  I'm not sure just how warm it got today, but a medium-weight sweater was just enough and that gives me hope that it winter is almost over.

Technically, winter is almost over.  Tuesday is March 1 and that is the first day of meterological spring.  That makes it one of my most favorite days of the year!  While I was out today I saw a crocus in bloom.  Spring can't come fast enough for me.

The weekend has been nice.  The weather was good, I wasn't stressed out too much, and the weather was good.  The scale wasn't so good to me and I have decided to go back to old school Weight Watchers.  This new plan they have right now is too complicated for me--at least trying to follow it online it.  I am going back to what worked for me a few years ago.  I dug out all my old materials and found a notebook to write my food journal in.  That, along with being able to head back to the gym this week, should get me some results.  I have so many cute clothes that I haven't been able to wear and I have some brand new linen pants that, if I can't wear this spring/summer, I am going to HATE myself come fall.

I only had to work three days last week so the five day week looming before me seems particularly dreadful.  Trying to do the work of three other people besides doing my own job might just kill me before the end of the school year.  I have an "assistant" but how much help is it really when you have to go behind them to make sure it is done right?

Hmmmm....as much as I want spring.....I think I want summer more.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

BONUS DAY OFF!!!!!!...

I am happy to report that I have just had one of the best weekends that I have had in a long time.  I know how you care so I wanted you to be the first to know.  ;)

I didn't do anything special but I wasn't stressed out so that made it nice.  Last Thursday and Friday the weather was beautiful and that added to the "wonderfulness".  I didn't have to go anywhere, I didn't have to see anyone...I just relaxed.  And, although the weather turned quite nasty, it still didn't ruin my happiness.  Quite the opposite.....

...the bad weather added to my happiness because TODAY IS A SNOW DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not that I am happy about that or anything.....  ;)

Actually, there are a few "downs" to a snow day today:

  1.  This is one more day that I still don't have my paycheck.  From LAST week.
  2.  I baked (and kind of decorated) cupcakes for a baby shower that was supposed to take place after school today.  Hopefully it will happen tomorrow, otherwise a class of students is going to enjoy said cupcakes.  They are chocolate cupcakes with an Oreo baked inside.  Vanilla frosting w/pink "decorating"  I am NOT the cake fancy person that my BFF is.  Next to her I am, um, really bad. :(

Yep.  That would be all the "downs".  The "Ups"?:

  1.  Sleeping until 8:15.
  2.  Sitting on my couch, next to my dog, under my heated throw, with my coffee, at 9:31.
  3.  See number two and think about anytime today.
  4.  Very short week this week.  Only three days of school left!

The "Ups" far outweigh the "Downs" in my opinion.  :)

Now, time for another cup of coffee.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

The Ups and the Downs....

Remember the 2 pounds that I lost?  Well, I found them and three of their friends.  Down.

I am pretty sure I have Plantar Fasciitis.  Don't adjust your eyes-there are supposed to be two of the letter "i" there.  Basically, my left heel is killing me.  The treatment for this is ibuprofen, ice, and REST.  Rest means no gym.  Down.

It was SEVENTY SEVEN degrees yesterday.  I don't think that requires any explanation of how I feel.  Up.

While it is not as warm today, it is bright and sunshiny outside today.  Up.

My electric bill came yesterday.  It went down, but only by about ten dollars.  It was still outrageously high.  More Down than Up.

Because it was SEVENTY SEVEN degrees yesterday, my heater didn't run for over twenty four hours.  Up.

My house is clean.  Up.

I have Monday off.  WAY UP.

I have the best BFF in the world.  Don't hate, it isn't becoming.  UP.

She has the most awesome-est 11 year old in the world.  UP.

I haven't seen them since LAST SUMMER.  Way, way down.

March 1 is in ten days.  March 1 is the FIRST DAY OF METEOROLOGICAL SPRING.  UP.

My nephew is brilliant.  And adorable.  Up.

My niece is also brilliant.  And gorgeous.  Up.

miss raven is still her typical loving, diva self.  Up.

I get to have dinner with a good friend on Monday.  Up.

She got a new job.  UP!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

I still haven't gotten paid.  Pay day was supposed to be last Tuesday.  Down.

I may or may not get paid this Tuesday.  Down.

Sarah Ferguson was not invited to her nephew, Prince Williams's wedding.  Don't care but figured I would mention it.  Actually, I kind of feel bad for her.  She is family and all, no matter what she's done.  And Lady Di liked her.

This post is getting ridiculously long.  This could be UP or DOWN depending on how you look at it.

I have determined to get this weight off.  Up.

I am back on Weight Watchers.  Sigh.  Up.  I hope.

It may snow Monday night/Tuesday morning.  Only UP if I get Tuesday off.

Next week is wicked crazy at work.  Down.

Crazy=stress=I want to eat everything in sight.  Down.

Determined to have willpower.  Up.

Seriously long and rambling post.  Up or Down again.

Goodbye.

:)

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Do you ever wonder...

if what you read in blogs that you follow is really true?

What you read in my blog is true...I promise you that.  Sometimes I wonder, though, if what I read in other blogs really happens.  Did her kids really say that?  Did they really go there?  Did that really happen to them?

There is one blog in particular that I follow where I wonder that alot.  It always seems a little off, if that makes sense.  Lately the author of that blog has come under more and more scrutiny because of what gets posted on the blog.  When things like that happen I find myself more and more thankful that I don't have that kind of readership.

Work is still stressful and, if you don't believe me, you only need to watch my caloric intake as it rises drastically once I get home.  I am literally eating myself crazy.  I think I hit rock bottom tonight.  It pains me to confess this but I actually ate graham cracker....crumbs.  I hate myself.  Sigh.  I have to start doing it right.  I have to.

On a positive note...the weather the last few days has been almost nice.  I am looking forward so much to Friday.  Not just because it is Friday but also because it is supposed to be SIXTY-SIX DEGREES!!!!!  Annnnddddd....did you know that ONE month from today is March 1, also known as the FIRST DAY OF METEROLOGICAL SPRING!!!!!!!!  aaaahhhhhhh......warm is good!

Oh--one more bit of happy news!  He:
being the amazingly brilliant child that he is, apparently won "sweepstakes" in his science fair!  According to his father, that means that he won BEST IN SHOW!  He project was, and I quote:

The best way to wash your hands.  Petri dishes with agar in them were used.  After petting their rather large cat, Child Genius cleaned his hands using various methods.  He placed his hands on each of the different dishes after each different washing method.  The growth of bacteris cultures were observed for the next 12-72 hours.  Additionally, due to his inherited brillance, he was able to astonish the judges by verbalizing what he had learned.

I submit that the child is brilliant and colleges, at this point, should be offering him scholarships now.  I hope the admissions counselors at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton are paying attention.

Way to go, N!!!  Auntie M is proud of you!!!! :)

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

A whining post...

I am under an unbelievable amount of stress at work right now.  Things keep getting thrown at me and more and more "responsibilities" keep getting added to my plate.  While I absolutely believe that EVERY job has a certain amount of stress that comes with it, lately, and I mean within the last week, an enormous amount has been dumped on me.

I'm not the best person when it comes to stress.  I work well under pressure, but only when I don't have someone breathing down my neck.  The way I feel is that if you trust me enough to give me something to do then LET ME DO IT.  When I am under a lot of stress I find myself doing things that I normally wouldn't do.

I eat.  A LOT.  I eat a lot and then I feel massively guilty.  And then that makes me want to eat a lot more.  Confession:  I haven't been to the gym since last Thursday.  I am determined to go tomorrow.

I pick.  At the skin around my thumbs.  Currently both thumbs are in horiffic condition...think bloody stumps, because I have picked them down so much.  To be fair, this is completely subconscious.  I honestly don't (mostly) realize that I am doing it until I feel blood.  Gross, right?

I keep hoping and praying that I can just make it until the end of the year.  Or at least the end of the week.  Honestly, at this point, I am happy to make it until the end of the day.

Sigh.

Monday, February 7, 2011

All good things...

must come to an end.  And so another football season is over.  And I am sad.  You just don't know.  Sigh.

In case you live under a rock or perhaps just don't care (*cough*BFF*cough*) you know that the Super Bowl was last night.  Let's recap, shall we?

  1. Packers vs. Steelers
  2. Note--no Cowboys.
  3. Boo.
  4. Packers win.
  5. Yea!
  6. Pretty much don't care, would have rooted for anyone to beat the Squeelers.  Can't have them getting too far ahead of my Cowboys in terms of how many Super Bowls won.
  7. They have six.  We have five.
  8. I want more.  I'm greedy like that.
  9. Mockamole was good.  Seriously.  I totally plan on making it again.  Soon.
  10. Football is over.
  11. BOO
  12. It is still two weeks until NASCAR.
  13. WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH MY SUNDAY AFTERNOONS UNTIL THEN?!?!
  14. End of the recap.
Do you feel caught up?  Good.

One last bit of football news.  Tom Brady won MVP of the whole SEASON.  Boo.  He got every single stinking vote.  Double boo.  I don't particularly care for Michael Vick but, really, he should have gotten some votes.  I don't like Pretty Boy Brady.  He isn't the person he wants everyone to think he is.

I didn't go to the gym today.  Fail.  I ate six rather large Girl Scout cookies.  Epic FAIL.  In my defense they were calling my name.  Sigh.  I will know why I didn't lose weight this weekend.

Monday is Valentine's Day.  Or, as I prefer to call it, "Single Awareness Day."  Except.....that is abbreviated SAD.

Sigh.

Goodnight.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Some things that keep me busy...

Besides her:

Truth be told, she is pretty low maintenance.  Aaannnnndddd....I love her.

Aside from playing a select few games on Facebook, I also love to crochet.  I'm pretty good at it, if I do say so myself.  I'm no expert, but people tend to be pleased with the products I produce.  Lately I have been working on finishing a gift for an up-coming baby shower.  I won't, at this time, get into the fact that baby showers completely depress me.  So do bridal showers.  Ahem.

Anyway.

Here are the finished products:

Dress

Hat

Booties

Blanket

Currently I am working on a couple of scarves for a friend.  I hope to have them finished within the week.  They aren't my favorite colors, but they aren't for me, so it doesn't matter.

I have some absolutely GORGEOUS yarn that I am hanging on to right now.  I know what I want to make with it but I have made myself wait to use it until I lose at least 15 pounds.  That could take for-freaking-ever seeing as how in the last month I have lost a grand total of ZERO pounds.  I am beyond frustrated with that.  I haven't gained anything and that is lovely but I haven't lost anything and that makes me cranky and makes me feel like everything I do at the gym is pointless.

Speaking of food...uh, weren't we?  Tonight is the Super Bowl and we are having a party.  By "we" I mean her:

and me.  What can I say?  We are just party animals.  Well, one of us is, anyway.  I'll let you figure out for your own self which one that would be.  We (and be "we" I mean ME) are having a Lean Cuisine pizza, mockamole (Don't gross out...it's guacamole you make with peas instead of avacado.  I've never tried it before but am keeping my fingers crossed.), baked tortilla chips, and low-fat raspberry truffle ice cream.  I really, really, REALLY, wanted to get one of those yummy, cheesy DiGornio-type concotions but then, thank my diet-fairy-angel, I looked at the calories on the back of the box. O-M-G!!!!  It was death-by-calorie, so I put the box back into the freezer and wheeled my shopping cart down to the Lean Cuisine section.  My arteries thanked me.

I hope that you had a wonderful weekend and a great week ahead! :)

Friday, February 4, 2011

TGIF!!!...

Do you know the Greek myth about the Hydra?  You know, when a Hydra's head was cut off, two more grew back.  You never quite knew where the danger was coming from when a bazillion headed monster was coming after you.

Work has kind of become like that lately.  Last year at this time I really thought things were getting better.  There had been a change made that everyone was thrilled about and we were all hopeful about the future.  Now, not so much.

I am so glad that it is Friday.  I can't remember the last time I needed a Friday this badly.  I don't think that I could have lasted another day.  I wish so much that this was a three day weekend and I am praying earnestly for a snowstorm next week.

This weekend is bittersweet for me.  Sunday is the Super Bowl and, while I am thrilled about a football game, I am sad that the season is over.  NASCAR doesn't start for a couple of weeks so I will be in a Sunday sports limbo for a while.  I don't really care about basketball and couldn't care less about baseball.  Don't even get me started on how much I loathe hockey.  Blech.

miss raven is doing well.  She is currently snuggled up with me under our new electricblanketforthelivingroom.  Also know as HERMAJESTY'SBLANKIE.  That she may or may not let me share.  I am blessed right now because she has deemed me worthy to partake in the blanket's warmth.  I'm sure I will owe her big time.  I love her.

My nephew
is growing up much too quickly.  He has now lost TWO teeth and apparently is in good with the Tooth Fairy.  Did you know that teeth are going for $3.00 now?!?  I only got $.25.  Boy, have times changed.  What does the Tooth Fairy do with all those teeth, anyway?  It's seems kind of creepy, if you ask me. 

I will try to remember to take and post some pictures tomorrow of my latest FO.  I am really happy with them and hope the recipient is as well.  I am currently working on an order for two scarves.  I would really like this little "business" to take off.  We'll see.

Happy Friday (night) and happy weekend!

Go PACKERS!  (although it galls me to say that!)