I Forgot--iVillage Update!

Just in case you're following it through me, which I must say, would not be the smartest thing! :)  Just kidding!

Wednesday's challenge was to experiment with intervals.  They challenge your body and works it much better/harder/etc.  I've heard this many times before.  It's like you keep your body in a steady state of anticipation for what's going to come next, which really works it out.  I deem Stroller Strides the MASTER of intervals in my world.  OK, I'm going to admit this only because it's so amazing: I've run two weeks in a row.  Nothing like a huge distance or at a speed much more than a jog, but it is amazing that Julie, our leader, has talked me into actually running twice now.  I cursed her under my breath each time but really, didn't even realize it was happening until I was already doing it.  Is she a genius?  Maybe... :)

Thursday's challenge was to have a dance party.  Isn't every day a dance party?

Today's note was about keeping your workouts fresh.  Try new things.  Don't get bored.  Mix it up.  OK.  Thanks.

Umm...what happened to the week?!

But hey!  That means it's Friday!  Yah!

Wednesday was...well, Wednesday.  The problem with waiting a couple days to blog means that I forget what the heck has been going on.  Yesterday was Stroller Strides and a picnic with the Moms in Davis.  Tonight is our "Last Friday of the Month Dinner Date" with the Miguel's--I hear we're doing Burgers and Brew so YUM!

Food and exercise has been bad this week.  I bought a tub (literally) of ice cream because it was a GREAT sale.  Sales and healthy eating do not always go together.  I wanted some ice cream and would have been content with a half gallon of churned something.  Instead I come home with TUB of ice cream.  Because it was the same price!  Ugg!  Anyway, now I pretty much can't be home without thinking lovingly about a bowl of ice cream.  As soon as it's gone, I'm done.  Ice cream just can't be in my house!  I have been wanting to walk with my lovely Heather and for one reason or another, we are not meeting up.  One night it's me, the next it's her.  So I haven't walked either.  I did do Stroller Strides Thursday and am walking a bit funny because of it but other than that, nothing to brag about.  Can I blame the heat?  Cause it's been HOT!

This weekend will be hot.  Abby and I are baby-showering-it on Saturday and I am going to make a good effort to work in the garage on Sunday--I need to get my car back in there so I can quit "watering" it every time I water the grass, depositing hard water stains for eternity.  I feel my window of opportunity to avoid the water stains is creeping up.  Plus, just clean out the darn garage, Katie! :)

Happy weekend!  14 days until Deklan, Aaron and Derek are here!  Woo Hoo!

Wow! Chocolate!

I can't tell you why but the magic word is CHOCOLATE!  And I had a small piece and it was exactly what I needed.  Sometimes it is so satisfying to fulfill a need.  And I do type need with a little smile. :)

Tuesday's are fun!

I have not much to write about, I guess, because my pull to write wasn't strong yesterday.  Maybe its because I feel a little stalled with eating and exercising, probably because of this crazy heat.  Maybe it's because I've run out of things to say?  Doubt it! :)

This weekend was delightful!  Friday night we hung out and chilled.  I made brownies--my contribution to the family BBQ Saturday--and they turned out awesome.  Saturday we went down to Richmond Point to see family and Aunt Gerry/Uncle Mike's new place.  It was an awesome day--lovely family, the weather was windy but the sun was strong (I have the sunburn to document the strength of the sun) and Abby got to swim so you know she considered it a win!  Sunday we had a birthday party for Aidan and then went over to Uncle Mark/Aunt Jamie's with Mom to take over her birthday gifts.  Ended the weekend with a dinner visit with Jenny and we were ready to head right back into the week.

Here's a couple of my favorite pictures from Saturday:

And that's where we are here.  Yesterday was good too.  Nothing too exciting.  I should have gone for a walk last night but could not get motivated to get going.  So I read and went to bed early.  The sunburn has prevented good sleep the past couple of nights (yeah, it's that bad--ugg! how old am I?) so I probably really needed the sleep.  And I did sleep better, so success.

Success: Yesterday I paid attention to my eating.  I was hungry and lunch was ordered but I knew it'd be at least a half an hour so I had a celery stick with PB.  It was perfect--I was able to eat without urgency.
Challenge: I still need to exercise even when I don't really feel like it.  I'm always glad that I did and always feel better after and I've found a route that is easy, uses little thought and I can just glide through so I need to just push though and DO IT next time.

Yesterday's iVillage challenge was to mix things up and get in the water.  Thanks to Abby, I've been in a bathing suit more this summer than I have in the past five years.  Check!

Today's iVillage challenge is to mix it up re the walk.  Like take a new route, walk at the mall or in the pool.  And wasn't I just saying that I have a walk that requires no thought?  Maybe that's the problem...  I'll have to think of something new to try tonight...

Happy Tuesday!  Let's do this! :)

Looks like the picture didn't come through...here's a try again...

I'll write more soon...
Happy Monday!

Happy Friday! And Abby news...cause she's my little rockstar!

Wednesday night--did not try the wii fit...went for a walk instead.  I'm reuniting myself with my ipod and loving the totally crazy selection I deemed worthy to grace my ears.  Some I do not still agree with...others make me smile like a crazy person listening to the voices in my head.  Whatever...walked Wednesday night. :)

Once again, singing the praises of Stroller Strides.  After we went out to Maria's for Abby and Joesph's birthday party with the mom's group.  Oh my, what would I do without them?!  Glad I don't have to find out.  It was super fun, the babies had a GREAT time in the pool, and we all got to enjoy the afternoon.  Abby was down for the count by 7pm and I got to go out for some yogurt with Kim and Carrie once Jason got home.  All in all, I'd order another one of those days again! :)

Today...work...did a little sweating out at the storage unit, cleaning up/out again but nothing to really brag about because I still needed to stay presentable for work.  Also...umm...remember the whole singing the praises of Stroller Strides?  Yeah, I'm pretty sure she's stepping up the intensity.  But it's a good pain.  And I'm feeling stronger all the time.  And that's a good feeling.

Eating = SUCKS.  But I'm trying to pay attention to my hunger tells, so there's something...

Abby news:
First, Monday Nana told us she's retiring at the end of the year.  Sad face.  Mostly because we LOVE her so much and are so very thankful for all that she's done for us and especially Abby.  Abby is who she is in a large part because of the care and love Nana gives her.  I'm so glad that Nana is at a place in her life that she can make this decision--they have had some terminal diagnosis in her family lately and she and her Mr are just thinking why waste this healthy, valuable time together when they could be having fun.  Good for her.  We'll always love her and be so thankful for all she's brought to our lives.

On the good side of this, it looks like we got Abby into a program where she can go at 18 months (which she'll be Jan 13th) and only for MTW so we can still have our days off with her.  Yah!  And the added cost is very minimal, so that rocks too.  It looks like this just might work out. :)

Second, THREE NEW WORDS YESTERDAY!  Abby's been saying "da-da" "mom" and "titty," which I deam to be "pretty" because that just makes more sense (and makes "mom" feel better...I'm mean, what has she been watching, right?!).  Yesterday she said "cake" "keys" and "book."  Along with clapping for the first time on Wednesday, all I can say is WOW!  Our littles is growing up! :)

Happy weekend!

Credit?

Do I get credit for knowing what I'm supposed to be doing...even if I'm not?  I wonder how long I can use "it's one of those days" as an excuse?

Yesterday's Eating=YUCK and Today's Challenge (repeat iVillage!)

So yesterday morning I was feeling so powerful.  I was hungry...I ate until I was satisfied...I stopped.  And then the day erupted!  There wasn't any rhyme or reason to what I was doing.  I blame Aunt Flo...is that wrong?  But whatever it was, it wasn't pretty.

Today is a new day.  I've already eaten when I wasn't hungry for social reasons.  But that was the past.  Moving forward.

And maybe I can get some advice.  The book, and lots of other places, say only eat when you're hungry.  What about the mornings, when you aren't hungry but know that you should because that's what gets your metabolism working.  What do you do then?

Today's iVillage challenge is to play with the virtual games again.  Might actually do this tonight since it's supposed to be a scorcher.  We'll see because a walk sounds nice.  But I still have been wanting to try the stupid wii fit...send me wii fit vibes. :)

Found this...thought it rocked...posting it here:


Have a great one!

Small Victories...

I just got hungry...normal because I had oatmeal for breakfast and I always get hungry about 1030 after having oatmeal for breakfast.  So I got some peanut butter and celery and had one.  Then a second and a third.  The big deal--after each one, I analyzed if I was still hungry before I had the next.  And I only needed three today.  Tomorrow may be different but this morning, three pieces of celery with peanut butter was exactly what I needed.  Wow--I am learning from OFF--this is what she's preaching about.  Eat when you're hungry.  Satisfy your cells so no one in there feels like they need to hoard food for the starvation period that's coming.  But only eat what you need because anything over what you need is extra and will be stored because it isn't needed.  Am I processing this right Steph? :)

OK...done with my ramblings. :)  Back to work!

Loving our Summer!

I know that it's totally uncharacteristic to be having such a lovely July but I'm going to enjoy EVERY SINGLE MINUTE of it!

Yesterday I was going to try the wii fit.  But there was a breeze outside.  And after a FABULOUS dinner of zucchini boats, I didn't want to stay inside.  Oh--and that DARN FREAKIN' MAKE-ME-INSANE stroller tire was flat again.  UUGGGGGG!  So I went out, put more slime in that freakin tire, and went for a walk.  It was glorious!  And bonus--the tire was still inflated this morning. :)

Today iVillage says to try out a piece of equipment that is sitting in your house being unused.  Or, if you don't have any (I don't), check into gyms in town.  I don't want to gym it...did that for a while, liked it, but can't figure out how to get my money's worth with Abby around.  If she's awake, I'm all over her! :)  And really...with weather like this...why go inside.  Bad week for "indoor activities" in California! :)

Tonight I'm not going to get anything in.  Already a little bummed.  I am TA'ing for an ESL class that the Kathleen Barsotti Non-Profit for Sustainable Agriculture is sponsoring.  I've done it once before and it was an amazing experience.  I'm looking forward to it.

iVillage challenge continues...week two

This week's focus is on indoor activities (remember--last week was outdoor activities).  Today's challenge is to explore the possibilities of virtual workouts.  So I guess I'm busting out the wii tonight! :)  Hey--maybe I'll finally try out the wii fit I borrowed from Ashlee way back before Maddie was born...  Wish me luck...I'm slightly afraid of that body I've heard it makes when you first start... :)

Cheers!

Oh Happy Summer Days

So...I wasn't at my best this weekend when it comes to health and fitness...unless you're talking mental health and happy body! :)  I slept...I played with my little person...I spent time with family and friends...I cleaned my windows and screens (thanks Mom!).  So, all in all, I feel like it was a successful weekend. :)

But first things first!  Saturday, Ms Abby wrapped her arms around my neck and HUGGED ME!  OH MY GOODNESS--that was the best feeling ever!  She's never done that before.  It was the sweetest thing and felt so good!  Now I know why Mom always comes in for a hug! :)  Fine with me--if you know me you know I'm a hugger--but goodness, the BEST FEELING EVER!  And she did it a couple more times and then yesterday too so I'm pretty sure I'm not crazy.  Pretty sure... :)

I didn't focus on food or exercise this weekend.  But I can say I didn't eat to "stuffed" and I did exert myself at times.  I had relaxing meals with people I love.  I walked with Ms Abby and explored a garage sale and bought a ball--remember those bouncy ones from school?  Yeah!  One of those!  Abby loves it!  I put on a swim suit and in front of other people, got in a pool so Abby could play.  So worth it.  I may not be a hottie in a suit but I care so much less when I get to see Abby playing in the pool.  You don't like my body in a swimsuit--you can suck it!  Cause look at this cute baby girl having the time of her life!  In fact, let's be honest...they aren't even noticing me because she's so cute! :)  And yesterday, thanks to my mom's sweet prodding (only needed because Aunt Flo came and left me with NO MOTIVATION), I got my windows and screens cleaned, which lead to the porch getting cleaned off and the lawn mowed.  I went to bed a happy girl last night...maybe because I didn't focus on food or exercise and just focused on living...?

This week...it'll be a great one!  Only 25 days until Aaron et all get here and I can't wait!

I read a little more on the OFF plan (Outsmarting the Female Fat Cell) and have gotten to the chapter that talks about the first two weeks.  I should get through that tonight.  I'll report more later.

Happy Monday everyone!  Here's to a happy and healthy day!  Woo Hoo!

Whew! We Made It!

Yesterday was a whirl wind!  And I loved it!  Abby and I got up and went to Stroller Strides for the second time.  AWESOME.  And today I'm feeling the awesome-ness of the reverse planks we were doing--my butt is screaming!  But in that good way...yes, there is one! :)  After that we went to Davis and had lunch with Mariah and Sydney at Dos Coyotes.  We walked...I'd say it's about a half a mile or so...it was nice to catch up with them.  After that we went to Abby's one year doctors appointment.  She's a rock star--25% on everything, which is good for her, and the doctor proclaimed her "perfect."  I asked that be included in her records. :)  Then we were off to book club, where Abby proceeded to introduce herself to everyone in the Panera Bread.  At least she's cute...no one seemed upset by her.  Total nap time = 40 minutes.  She practically begged me to put her to bed by the time we got home.  Such a sweetie--my heart swells just thinking about her! :)

On the iVillage front, all is well.  Yesterday's challenge was to head for the hills--literally.  Since my day was jam packed full, that wasn't happening (besides the fact I didn't even have a chance to check email and didn't even know that was the challenge).  But I do like the variety hiking adds.  Maybe I need to start looking for hiking opportunities.  Not quite like my new friend Cori who just hiked Half Dome in Yosemite--I'm not ready for rock star status yet! :)  Today's note was written by Michelle Kwan and she talks about how she likes to incline skate.  Nice for her.  (Bad Katie)  OK...so I guess just keep up the activity.  OK.

Eating was OK.  Choices made were good but there was a lot of food and it was all good.  Today has been TERRIBLE but it's that week so I'm just hanging in there.  My friend Steph recommended a long time ago "Outsmarting the Female Fat Cell" and after chatting with her last night some more, I found it last night and started reading it again.

Other than that...life is grand.  It's Friday, the weather is ROCKIN' and we have a fun weekend ahead of us.  I'm a lucky girl!

Abby's One! And A Little Walk Will Do me

Abby's ONE YEAR OLD today!  Oh my goodness!  (that OMG deserved to written out!)  She is the light of my life!  Amazing!  I'm so blessed!  And a shout out to her birthday sister, Ms Colleen!  Yah that Abby gets to share her day with such a wonderful person.

Now on to real life! :)

So the plan last night...take the mile-route.  I ended up doing the modified route because Abby went with me and I just feel so bad making her stare into the sun.  I'd say it was more like 2/3 mile, so still not bad.  We played outside when I got home, watered the yard, took a bath and then I thought, how about that bottle while Mom walks?  It went pretty good except she was way more interested in...well, everything...than relaxing and drinking her bottle.  Oh well, she went home smoothly and easily when we got home so it all turned out A-OK.

Also I was supposed to find my pedometer and start playing with that.  I did...and found that it's not working.  Not surprising.  It was cheap and I bought it years ago.  So I think I'll put one on my birthday list.

On another note, Dixie the Scooter is back at it!  I had decided to non-op the scooter last year because I just had no idea how life would be with Ms Abby and didn't want to pay to have it sit in the garage.  But life is great!  And would totally support me using less gas, taking up less room, and having a little fun on the ride to and from work.  So I sent in the registration yesterday and got insurance again.  Jason helped me pull out the battery and get it charging.  Maybe by Friday, I'll be riding to work instead of driving...  Here's to hoping! :)  Yah!  I can't wait!

Today's iVillage challenge is to dig out your bike and go for a ride.  We'll see...I HATE riding bikes--why would you do something voluntarily that hurts your butt SO BAD?  And besides, tonight is the family BBQ to celebrate Abby's birthday.  Way more fun than pulling down and cleaning up a modern form of torture.  But I do have one (thanks to Ms Ashlee's hand-me-downs) and I even bought a big-girl seat so maybe I'll pull it down this weekend and put that new seat on and at least give it another try.  For tonight, hopefully I can sneak in a walk after everyone leaves.

Tomorrow will be BUSY!  Stroller Strides...lunch with Mariah and Sydney...one year drs appointment for Ms Abby...book club.  We will be tired tomorrow night! :)  But tired after a day with wonderful people and for sure feeling blessed and happy and healthy and loved.  Yah for friends and family!  I'm a HUGE fan!

iVillage Always Sucks Me In

So yesterday was the first day of the iVillage Get Moving Now challenge.  I kind of forgot that I'd signed up for it but iVillage ALWAYS sucks me in.  I don't know what it is...besides unexplainable...but if they put a challenge out there, I'm there to sign up.  And I'm not the one who loves a good challenge.  So what the heck?!  Anyways, this one seemed healthy and...well...I don't know what else because there isn't even a prize or anything!  And you can't measure your success with anything other than feeling more healthy.  Like I said...iVillage SUCKS ME IN!

So it looks like they are splitting the challenge up into weeks.  This week's theme: Outdoor Activities.  The first assignment was to play in the dirt.  Do some gardening.  Get my hands dirty.  Well...they didn't know who they were messing with, did they!

Last night Ms Abby and I went out back and while she played with her outside toys and pulling up all the watering tubing, I pulled weeds.  For twenty minutes we did this.  Abby was content in her reconstruction of what needed to be watered so I kept weeding.  Until she was finished. :)

Then...get this...after she went to bed and I had dinner and Jason got home...I went for a walk.  The tire on my stroller really needed to get fixed so yes, as I alluded to the possibility of yesterday, I went for a walk with an empty stroller.  Hey--it's not as bad as the lady who pushes a Siberian Husky around in one over by my mom's.  I wonder how many of those looks were people wondering if I knew the stroller was empty?

All in all, I'd say day one of the challenge was a success.  I may feel healthy as a bonus but the really good parts: I got a good chunk of weeding done AND got the tire on the stroller fixed.  Yah!

Today's challenge just came in...  Pay attention to how many steps you take.  I do have a pedometer...I'll have to track that down.  They say to find a mile-long route (clock in your car if need be) and make a goal to walk that every day of the challenge.  Well...on a good start there--I've done this and walked my route last night.  So...so far so good. :)

Happy Tuesday!

Wild Weekend...NOT. Fullfilled Weekend...YES!

So...Friday ended on a note.  Jason was busted from a short-made-long week.
**insert note: I had this discussion a couple times with a couple different people.  Why is it that short weeks, where we get a day off and the work week only has to be four days, ALWAYS feels like two weeks squeezed into one?  And it's a short one at that?!  note over**
I was ready for the weekend.  Heather and Bella rode over to say "Hi" and Bella thought I should wake Abby up so she could say "Hi" to her too.  Cause Heather's two years from having a one-year-old, I forgive her but my response to her cute daughter was still "Are you crazy?"  Oh well...I can just hope that Bella forgives me.  We watched some stand up--Big Fan: Kathleen Madigan--and I went to bed.

Saturday I went to the Davis Farmers Market with Ashlee/Maddie and Carrie.  Got some goodies for Capay Tomato and had fun with the girls cruising the market.  (is there a country song in that sentence somewhere?)  I'm so glad Abby is still rocking the backpack--it's AWESOME!  I've taken to calling it the Abby-pack.  She took a nice-enough (read OK-long-enough) nap and we were off to Capay Tomato!  Between the market and the tomato festival (OK, there's GOT to be a country song in that!), I think I might have walked enough, and sweat enough because it was 95 degrees and I was outside (!), to burn off almost what I ended up eating! :)  All in all, Capay Tomato was a raging success--great family time, AWESOME bluegrass music, good food and the breeze that picked up in the afternoon was heavenly.  Abby hasn't quit dancing since...commercials, the radio, some sound in her head... :)

Yesterday was a restore-sanity day...and I think it almost worked.  Abby was having a hard time communicating what she wanted and was getting frustrated.  So what was a mom to do but stick her in the Abby-pack, grab my coffee and head out for a 45-minute walk.  It was awesome--the perfect time of day--and Abby chatted my ear off.  Her baby-nonsense-jibber-jabber is my favorite sound right now.  I could listen to her "talk" to me forever.  I'm almost in the mood to tape it and play for when she's older and I just want her to shut up. :)

So it's Monday again.  And I'm glad.  I love routine...I'm most comfortable when the expected it happening.  And it's a big week.  My baby girl turns one on Wednesday!  YIKES and OMG!

Eating...I can't believe that after years and years of eating oatmeal for breakfast that I still am surprised when it doesn't last much past 10am and I start getting HUNGRY...not just hungry but HUNGRY.  Snack is required on oatmeal days.  Katie--you are almost 35 years old and you should be at a place to start remembering things!

Exercise--it's too hot.  I'm just saying.  But Abby's stroller has a flat tire and I'm thinking that tonight I'll have Jason put that tire sludge in the tire and take it for a spin (because you have to use the tire right after putting it in so it coats the inside really well, or something like that).  Hey...maybe if he does it when he gets home, I'll take her (instead of being the weirdo who pushes an empty stroller) and see if she'll fall asleep in it.  Or she'll fit for so long that I'll end up being the mom who is pushing an empty stroller and carrying her baby who is happy as a lark as long as she's riding mom instead of the stroller.  Uggg! :)  We'll see what the evening holds...wish me luck.

Happy Monday!

Big Fan: Stroller Strides

So...yesterday I tried Stroller Strides for the first time.  Basically a work out with the kiddos and strollers.  Fun.  And I'm not crazy sore today but I do have that tired-all-over feeling that is slightly invigorating.  And it was fun to see all the kids and this great group of women who are all perfect exactly as they are.

Ice cream is almost gone from my house again...and it needs to be!  Although, this heat is easier to bare with a taste of ice cream.

Today is Friday!  Yah!

Big Fan: Ice Cream

Major fail: I bought ice cream.  It was on sale, chocolate was SCREAMING out for me, and it was so hot here that I thought it might melt on the way home.

But now it's in my house.  And that means that I can't think about anything else.  I will end up eating it all and that is bad.  But I'm learning.  It's been a long time since I've bought ice cream and this is reminding me why.  I need to not buy ice cream.  It needs to be in the house for a special occasion or reason...and it being on sale is not a special occasion or reason.

Stating the obvious seems to be important.  Hopefully it'll help...

Back to It!

So...the heat finally caught up with me and my little family and we all ended up in bad moods by early yesterday afternoon.  Solution: go to Sac family's house for 4th BBQ!  HUGE motivation was their pool, I have to admit.  And it definitely did the trick.  Ms Abby got in a pool for the first time ever...and LOVED it!  We have a crazy water bug on our hands.  Absolutely no fear.  Oh well...I pretty much knew from the start that my hands would be full with her. :)

I did not get a walk in yesterday but Mom and I did hit Target and F4L...but I'm not claiming that counts at all. :)

Best news of the day--my co-worker is back from maternity leave today.  YAH!  She's been missed!
Happy Tuesday!

Big Fan: Long Weekends!

My sweetie seems to relax the minute he walks in the door, the prospect of extra time with Ms Abby is exciting and--amazingly enough--I have planned nothing for the whole weekend!  Including the extra day! :)

Last night Mom made dinner--yah!--and we had it over at her house so when we got home, there were no dishes to be washed and barely anything to tidy up.  Oh--and as always, after a day with Gma Cathie, Ms Abby was POOPED!  She didn't even fight the bed--felt like she was barely tolerating her bath just so she could go to bed--and fell asleep before I even left the room.

This would have been the perfect time to go for a walk.  The sun was almost down, the house was quiet, J had sat down for his nightly review of the world and what was happening...but I have to admit, I did not walk.  I sat down in the big chair and read my book (Firefly Lane, 5 Ladies and a Baby book club) for...wait for it...three hours!  So fail on the walking but here's the success: I did not snack.  The entire time.  I was tempted but when I really thought about what I wanted, or if I was really hungry, it was never enough to get up.  Yah Katie :)

Darn Summer Ginger and that darn book though.  When I finally went to bed, I couldn't fall asleep because I kept thinking about the book so I stayed up and read more until my eyes were crossing.  And then I got up this morning--after J got up with Ms Abby and let me sleep in--and finished it! :)

OK...one last surprise.  After playing with Ms Abby for a while, and drinking a cup of coffee, I decided to get my walk on.  And when I went to tell J, he wanted to go too.  Yah!  So we went on a family walk, J tried out the backpack (and LOVED it) and all got a little sweaty.  Ms Abby was almost falling asleep so she was ready for her nap--no fight--when we go home.  Nice conversation, almost too hot but not quite, and we all got a little sweaty--in a good way! :)

Now it's a day of WHATEVER THE HECK I/WE WANT!  Sounds like we're going to the library (I have a book ready to be picked up) and to the Guad for some food and fun.  Yah!

Happy 4th of July weekend!

July 1--Oh My!

Half the year is over! OMG!

Last night Ms Abby and I took off for a 30 minute walk that only ended up being 20 minutes. I am having a hard time making her look directly into the sun for very long and my options for shaded paths are few. I think the route I took Wednesday night is better for her. Once again, she rode like a champ and I'm feeling good for the extra exercise.

It's the first of the month so for me, it's also weigh in day. Up from last month but that wasn't unexpected. My clothes have been fitting a little tighter and I've been bad about watching what I eat (and drink--those coffees have been a lifeline this month!). Also, let's be honest--a bad side effect of starting an exercise routine is that you do gain a little weight right at first. I'm not bummed. I'm actually feeling stronger and ready to settle in and do this.

And if I'm honest with myself--it's for a lot of reasons that has nothing to do with wanting to be healthy. I'm a perfectionist so...I love that it's the first day of the month (from this day forward...) and that my weight was a round number (no pesky partial pounds to worry about). I've been here before. What will make this time different, I don't know. Maybe a place to write about it? Who knows...