A wonderful day off

Started out with one of my favorite workouts, walking and jogging intervals at the track, been doing 2.25 miles down there. It comes out to 10 times around the track. I jog on the corners and my goal is to be able to jog one time around the complete track by the end of summer. Just one time! Today was not a good workout however, it just didn't feel good. Think I went to early without enough water in my system. Legs, and joints just didn't feel like working, it was just harder than usual.

We planted flowers, played in the pond and took a ride with the top down to eat a quick bite with my family.

A wonderful day off, back to work tomorrow. All too soon though.

Abundant Sunshine

Happy Days are here again! I am off, there is abundant sunshine, high around 70, its 43 now and I am planting flowers, flowers, and more flowers! Will be outside this entire day, no housework here today! I am decorating the outside!

55 degrees stinks

It is really hard to believe how cold it has been this spring, so far it shows no signs of changing. I planted flowers today in pots and had to move them back under the carport for fear of frost getting them. Had to bundle up in sweatshirt and pants out there to even plant them. 55 degrees the middle of May is a bit hard to deal with.

I've been studying today, stayed up last night studying too for the first time in a long time. Have been slacking on those books, just not enough hours in the day. Took the books out by the pond to relax for a while, it felt great. I'm reading right now about the joints, and muscles. This book is a real butt kicker. Will be glad to get these next two done and onto the nutrtion and healthy eating that is coming up next. I wonder sometimes if I really should have done just the personal trainer instead of the nutrition and fitness expert too, but guess there is no hurry to get it done. I just want to learn it all and it seems to be taking forever sometimes. Guess I'll get there eventually.

Relay is coming up next month, they moved it to June this year instead of July which cuts us short a month on fundraising, plus they are doing it Friday from noon to Saturday noon this year. That is a real pain too, usually its Saturday to Sunday. We've raised $1000 so far this year. We are doing an Avon fund raiser this month, it will go till the 8th. Hope we make a nice amount with that. Plus raffle tickets with 12 different prizes, chances are only $5.00 a ticket.

Life

This was in an email from Sparkpeople today. I don't know who wrote it, but wanted to share it with all of you.

Don't put off living the life you want There is no lesson for today.

You have permission to stop thinking for a moment and just enjoy yourself. Stop looking at your computer right now and go look at the world. Rediscover the natural wonders that you walk past every day. How can there possibly be that many shades of green? Let your mind be grateful for a break. Don't think, don't strain. Let the memories of loved ones remind you of your favorite times. Close your eyes and try to smell the sunshine. Listen to your heart beat in your ears. If it's raining, smile at the thought of the flowers that will soon follow. If you're surrounded by buildings, celebrate the creative genius of human beings. See the hope, the alarm, the love, the grief in faces that stream by. Thank whomever you'd like to thank for the chance to even be here. For a moment today, don't worry about being better. Just be.

Plans, plans, plans

Good morning everyone, its a day off and boy, do we ever have plans for the day. First off is my workout. This morning is going to be Turbo Sculpt. Cardio later this afternoon or early evening. I have an appointment to tan at 9:30 and from the looks of our spring, that may be the only time I see "sunshine" for a while. Its been very cold and wet here. My dear hubby has an eye appt and when he gets back we are off to do some errands and some shopping. Bushes, shrubs and flowers for the front yard, we have a new project we are working on. I'll post pics later when its done. We need to upgrade his cell phone, stop for mothers day gift and birthday gift for the granddaughter and make a quick stop at walmart or kmart. Then hopefully home for the day before it gets to late.
Sounds like a full day, should be a fun one though. Hope you enjoy your day whatever your plans are.

computers, lists and nonsense

its a day off, I love days off,
I am making lists, I love making lists.
My list is a list of things I want to do today, it includes stuff like playing on the computer, which I am obviously doing. It inclueds getting in a walk at the track, Ijust did that, 10 times around jogging on the corners, I love it and may start that before work in the morning. My list includes getting in a turbo jam workout, been a while since I've done that and I miss it. Of course, the obvious day off things are on this list, laundry, clean house, change the sheets,etc. The list goes on.

Somewhere through this day is study time, I am on Fitness Anatomy and Physiology 1 and really want to get through this one this week. Next is part 2, then the course goes on to healthy eating.

I am really enjoying this course. Have a great day everyone.

Birthday present

Russ made me this awesome birdhouse for the yard and John cut down a dead tree and mounted it there. I think it is the perfect place for it, and I love it.

29 and holding

My God, how many years ago was that? I remember being 29 over and over and over again. Long enough in fact that my son caught up and passed me by over and over again. LOL

had a good birthday. My dear hubby bought me a new waterfall fountain for out by the gazebo, I need to get a picture of that and should have done it today, he also surprised me with a gift certificate to a month at the tanning bed. I went already today once. I didn't do much today, just what I felt like doing when I felt like doing it. I actually sat down and watched the Natalie Holloway movie from Lifetime that I had dvr'd. I followed that closely when she came up missing in Aruba, it was about the time that I was in UPMC for that month. that poor family, my heart goes out to them still.

Anyways, it was a good, lazy birthday. I am now the speed limit, I can't drive 55 but guess I can be 55. LOL

Happy Birthday

Its my birthday and a day off work. A much needed day off work, no sunshine, looks like rain but I'll take it.

Track

I went down to the track at the elementary school this morning to get in one of my favorite workouts. It involves walking quickly around the track 10 times and jogging on two diagonal corners. Sometimes I take time on the benches and do different ab workouts, leaning on the bench works well for plank twists, or sitting on the bench and doing leg raises. This morning was a beautiful morning and I was enjoying the peace and quiet and the music on my ipod. The sun was out and no breeze, quite a calm morning.

A car pulled in and two little kids got out to play at the playground, the track goes around it. Their parents were both quite heavy and they sat on the benches. I couldn't help but think about the choices we make. I kept thinking those parents were so young, and so heavy. I kept wishing they would get up and walk the track or play with the kids, even push them on the swing. Do something! Instead the mom sat and read and the dad was playing video games or texting on a cell phone.

I continued my workout even though I am very self conscious about the jogging, I don't do it well or for long, but it really boosts the calorie burn and I am getting better. I kept thinking about this young family and as I watched, the kids and the parents walked over to the tennis courts carrying a volley ball or beach ball. I kept thinking maybe the parents were going to play, however, they sat back down and watched the kids.

I wanted so badly to go talk to them, to tell them to get up and move about a bit, throw that ball with those kids and enjoy having them there. I didn't, of course. Could you imagine what they would have thought if I had? LOL

I want to be able to help people, I want people to consider me as knowing what I am talking about when it comes to fitness and nutrition. I want to finish this course and want an A in it. I also need to know that not everyone is going to want or appreciate help. I need to know that I cannot help everyone, that it is enough to help ones who ask for it and to not offer my advice where it is not asked for.

April 10, 2009

Our bosses are all away this week, so we had a bit of a break. A nice break, however, our work is of course still being done. the store has been a bit on the quiet side and on Friday, the 10th, Sharan asked me to run over to Ross's for her and get her this purse she had seen. She pretty much takes charge when the bosses are gone and I think she just wanted to give me a break, her and Marcy had taken off for appts a day or two and I know they stopped for minutes to shop.

Anyways, while we were there I found a purse I loved and a new water bottle at Sheets. The purse is by Mark Echo and is called "The Garden of Eden", the description says In and Out of Love! And yes, it has a snake on it. The water bottle is a stainless one and is blue with a picture with of the beach on it, Says "Paradise Found". There seems to be theme here.

I had thought about taking the purse back, wasn't sure I liked the style of it, however after I thought about it I liked the idea that I bought this on the anniversary of Mikes death. It somehow seems to mark the day. Like a commemorative.

wish the picture would have been more clear, I could probably get a better one, this was taken with the phone.

Stress management

A friend of mine posted this on Spark today. I loved it and thought it would be a good idea to share it here with you.

Just in case you are having a rough day, here is a stress management technique recommended in all the latest psychological journals. The funny thing is that it really does work and will make you smile. 1. Picture yourself lying on your belly on a warm rock that hangs out over a crystal clear stream. 2. Picture yourself with both your hands dangling in the cool running water. 3. Birds are sweetly singing in the cool mountain air.. 4. No one knows your secret place. 5. You are in total seclusion from that hectic place called the world. 6. The soothing sound of a gentle water fall fills the air with a cascade of serenity. 7. The water is so crystal clear that you can easily make out the face of the person you are holding underwater. There!! See? It really does work. You're smiling already.

Days gone by..

I remember...

It is so hard to believe that tomorrow will be a year already since Mike has passed.

He is sadly missed.

My ducks

Here are our ducks, well, I wish they were ours, wish they would stick around. They've been here before but never stayed. I would love to have ducks out here, so am praying and hoping they come back.