June 1st...

a new start, a new month, a new goal. I have been doing really well on my weight loss journey and have only gained .8 pounds in any given week. I almost always lose and have only 1.8 pounds left to my goal weight. My new goal is to exercise more. I really have no excuse except for exhaustion, little time and lack of motivation...I am taking a great Zumba class and really enjoy it but unfortunately I had to miss the class last week and will miss it again this week. The instructor is off next week so that will be 3 weeks in a row without zumba :( boohoo!
I was given Wii Fit for my birthday and have yet to use it. I really want to figure it out. I did finally take it out of the box and then couldn't get the thing to turn on. FUG!!
Since it is the beginning of a new month and we are going to a wedding in 20 days I should have lots of motivation to get my butt in gear.
Maybe, just maybe I'll be able to wear the dress I wore to a friends' wedding in 1998. I looked at it in my closet and think it is still stylish enough to wear-just been a little scared to try it on! Wish me luck on that

to run or not...

that is they question. I used to run- well i ran for one summer and completed a 10 k back then. It was really awesome and I was really proud of myself. The problem is I haven't run since. I tried to run with my husband a few years ago but he complained I was going too slow for him and he wasn't getting a proper workout so that ended before it really began.
Then there was the issue with my shoes. For years I thought I had some condition that would be revealed under the supervision of a specialist. I was scared to mention it to my doctor, I just grit my teeth and endured....the numbness of my toes. Yes my toes were going numb every time I put on my running shoes. I had no idea what the problem was, i even bought shoes a 1/2 size bigger trying to alleviate the problem. Then one day it hit me- I was doing up the darn shoes too tight. I pulled the laces to tight that I was almost cutting circulation from my feet! How DUMB!!!
So now I don't pull the laces as tight, which is great but they are constantly undoing mid-exercise session- damn if you do, damn if you don't!!!

I have been following a blog written by a woman who started running a short time ago and has now completed her first 1/2 marathon. It is amazing to read about her transformations both physically and psychologically. She has lost oodles of weight and has started a long term addiction (to hear her describe it anyway)
I'm not sure I could have as much dedication as she does but maybe I can get a little motivation and inspiration from Alice at mommy Blog.
Maybe tonight I'll just kick myself in the arse and get my shoes on and GO!! as NIKE says, JUST DO IT!!!!

a walk down memory lane

Just recently I started thinking back to the days I spent as an Engrish teacher in Korea. I never loved the teaching much but the food left a permanent mark on my heart. I just adore delicious Kimchi and almost all the chigae's (soups/stews). I can't walk past a Korean BBQ restaurant without my mouth watering!
But for some strange reason the thing I have been missing most about the food are those crazy, unhealthy, super duper delish fried egg sandwiches. It was like heaven to scarf down one or two of these after a night of drinking soju kettles at Polly's. I wonder if I could stomach one of those nowadays?!?!
One day when i'm feeling like really cheating on my WW plan I'm going to attempt to make one of those bready, eggy,buttery delicacies!
Another thing I have been craving recently is that "fish on a stick" i can't remember what it is called. but boy was it gooood!!! i thing it is odeng or udan or something along those lines. It is also mixed in with Tuk Boki occassionally and that is also something I could definitely have one day soon-- spicy yummy rice cake goodness!
Years ago someone bought me a korean cookbook and i have never once used it. Maybe i'll dig it out and try my hand at some of those foods I loved so much!

what's old is new again

As i've mentioned before, i have been holding on to a BIG huge box of old, much smaller clothing in the hopes that one day I'd fit into them again. Well that day has finally come (well for some of it-some is still too small and will likely never fit again)
I pulled out a few pairs (okay 10 pairs) of pants that I really wanted to wear again AND today I am!! I bought these black casuals pants in the summer of 2003 (that is the same summer I met my Hubby!!) and have not worn them since around 2004- they are fairly newish in that respect! and unlike my old jeans which i now really dislike, these pants are awesome!!! I am not usually into hanging onto old clothes but for some reason I just couldn't donate these pants (and the 9 other pairs) so now I have a whole new wardrobe for summer :)
The one thing that doesn't fit and I would really really love to wear again is the LBD I wore to our engagement party- i can put it on and I can even zip it up but it is really way tighter than it is supposed to be as I'm sure that my weight distribution really changed after 6 years and 2 babies!! (and getting closer to 40 than 30 probably has something to do with it too!!)
Even though I gained at my last weigh in (.6 pounds) I can still fit into my "new" pants and am happy with that!!!

summer is coming

well at least it is coming in theory anyway. As it stands right now the weather is too cold and damp to even conceive of summer being here soon. BUT we are still making plans! I booked 2 seperate weeks off and we have been trying to decide on what to do for our first week. The first choice was rent a cottage for a few days with another family. We did this last year and had fun for the most part- the only problem was the cottage we rented was so old and dirty we actually decided to leave after 2 nights instead of staying the planned 3! We looked into renting one at this same cottage resort again but since all the old cottages were torn down and replaced with nice new luxery ones they are all booked up. Our second choice for the week is going to Great Wolf Lodge. I think that would be great fun. Not so sure it is appropriate for my will be 2 year old but the other kids would love it i'm sure! Seems that we will run into lots of people there as 1/2 of the "hood" goes there on any given weekend! We'll have to decide pretty soon!
My second week off is later in the summer and just to be nice, i'm going to give hubby a break from me and the kids by taking a road trip with Dani and her 2 kiddos to visit Chrissy. The 3 of us used to live together back in our 20's and it will be an interesting reunion. Now that we have hubby's and kids of our own I'm pretty sure the focus of our visit won't be sitting around with Smirnoff Ice but rather chocolate milks in sippy cups! I'm pretty excited for the visit but am having a really hard time wrapping my head around the fact that we are going to be in a minivan with 4 yes FOUR kids under the age of 5. The thought actually gives me a headache but hopefully they will all entertain themselves and having more kids than normal will be a blessing! Thank goodness Dani has a built in DVD player in her car!



Looking forward on both occassions to building wonderful memories!!

Update

It has been a while since my last post. Life just seems to get in the way of my blogging sometimes!
The past few weeks have been hectic and chaotic, filled with too much drama for one person/family to handle. We had some family drama/uproar which took a toll on both hubby and me, then some sad news about the death of a friend which has been on my mind since. Luckily the uproar has settled as everyone has realized what is important in life and we need to focus on that rather than silly things.
In spite of all the drama I have managed to stay on track regarding my health plan and weight loss journey. I am really super close to my goal which i finally set at 140 pounds. This weight will not make me "skinny" but a healthy, not obese woman. I cannot imagine being able to maintain a weight of less than 140 pounds. I had wanted to reach my wedding day weight of 135 but have to stay realistic so 140 it is!! Amazing that at 37 years old 5 pounds can make such a huge difference! I have the eating well plan down pat but the regular exercise is still a bit of a struggle. I have been going to zumba once a week which is awesome and I take the stairs up to my 5th floor office at least 3 times per day BUT I need to workout more often and more vigourously still. Once i get a routine for working out in I think I'll get to my goal more easily and also maintain this weight as well.
As a joke or something I decided to try on the capri jeans I've been saving since my honeymoon. They fit. But after being my absolute favourite for YEARS (i bought them in 2001 and wore them last on my honeymoon in 2004) I now HATE them. They are ugly. The colour is all wrong, the cut outdated and now I can safely put them in the bag of clothes i'm going to be donating shortly to Goodwill! I wonder if this is going to happen to all the jeans/clothes i've been saving for the past 5 years!

what ever happened to common curtesy?

Have thank you cards gone the way of the horse and buggy? Have they become obsolete or saved only for the old fashioned?
I was thinking about all the functions and parties I've been to over the past year or two. Some of them were big fancy affairs, where big fancy gifts were expected and of course given. Some of them we received thank you cards promptly- much appriciated! Some of them we received nada! One particular event we went to and I forgot the gift so the day after the wedding the bride (my friend) came by to get it from me personally! I have yet to get a thank you card for this gift- that was almost a year ago. I also never received a thank you for the bridal shower gift i gave (and I hope she received, because I ended up leaving before she got to my gift as my little one had had enough and needed to go)That was OVER a year ago! I actually emailed my friend and asked her if she had my new address as we moved between the time of the events and the expected time frame for sending thank you cards (Normally 3 months IMO-although I had my thank you cards out 2 or 3 days after the wedding-refused to have to think about them while on our honeymoon) She replied that they hadn't sent them out yet- that was more than 6 months ago!!! Call me old fashioned but I am annoyed! I took time out of my schedule to go buy a gift for the shower, shlepped WAY out of my way to attend the shower, gave my hard earned moula for a wedding gift and then I never receive so much as a thank you!
There have been several other occassions lately that make me wonder if thank you is just not the chique way to express gratitude for what was given!!
A couple of baby gifts where thank you cards were not sent- one was a very old friend who sent out an electronic generic thank you to all the guests who attended the event ( that is better than no thank you at all but still very impersonal and again I have no idea that my specific gift was actually received by the intended recipient!!) and another similar situation. IMO a simple, we love the books or clothes or whatever would have been soooo nice!! A third event was a family wedding. We did not give a family gift but we only received our names on a thank you card written to all members of the family including my in-laws and my SIL's family- this was sent out to my in-laws house! Thank you cards were not sent for the shower either-but at that event teh Bride announce she wouldn't be sending thank you cards because she would be too busy between the shower date and the wedding- I guess that is okay then?Just not nice IMO!!

why oh why

do the constructions crews have to do their work during rush hour??? I have been late for work almost every day for the past week or two- why you ask? Well not the obvious my kids won't get ready in the morning, i slept in or I left late...they get ready just fine, I wake up at 5:30 and I always leave on time. It's the flipping construction on city streets that make me late. My normal 30-40 minute drive to work has been extended on some days to 50 or 60 minute+. The obvious solution might be to leave home earlier...a reasonable solution when one does not have kids but this is not an option. Daycare only opens at 7:30 for her and 7 for him - i refuse to drop him off at 7 am as I cannot pick him up before 5:30 and that makes for a very long day for him, which results in a very cranky kid in the evening.
I cannot move closer to the office. I cannot move work closer to home (I have tried-believe me!!!) SO the solution is- late for work every day!!! The joys of living in a huge city with no regard for the livelyhoods of commuters (lucky for me i work in a nice unionized environment where there is no way i could get fired for being late-now if i embellezled loads of $$ that might be a different story!!)

Public Service Environment Week

is coming this way soon. I volunteered to stand on the committee organizing this week of events. It is going to be interesting to see what ideas and projects actually go beyond the week to positively impact peoples thoughts and actions in everyday life.
Any ideas on what type of activities and events we can organize to create mass awareness of just HOW important the preservation of our environment is? I personally want to increase awareness of the effects our carbon footprint will have on future generations although some of the suggestions for taking public transit, walking or cycling to work are really not realistic in Toronto. (the transit system sucks, most people work too far to walk or even cycle to work) carpooling might be an option for people who don't have to drop off/pick up kids at daycare super early, just not an option for me at this point in my life.
I try not to use plastic bags- at least at the grocey store i always bring my own, if I take a plastic bag i always reuse it until it's falling apart. I try to bring a litterless lunch- which isn't always an easy task! any littter i do create i recycle when possible.
At work i always turn off my moniter at the end of the day. I recycle all the paper I use (i've tried to go paperless at my desk but found I just couldn't work as effectively so had to drop that idea.)
This whole Environment Week planning will be very interesting and an eye opener I'm sure!

Wii

My loving husband forgo my request for a new Coach purse for my birthday and got me Wii and Wii Fit instead. I was a little surprised at first but happy none-the-less. I haven't really had a lot of opportunity to use it yet but decided to try it out a little last night at 10 pm. Well I did the Wii age test and was brutally surprised to find out i'm 79 in Wii age!! come on! Am i really that unathletic? I guess so. I wasn't the girl who ducked from the volleyball or basketball in highschool gym, or the girl who was ALWAYS picked last for team sports in grade school was I? Well yeah I was. So really this lack of sportability shouldn't be a big surprise!!
I plan on tackleing the Wii Fit some time soon. Just have to take it out of the box first.

gag...

Today is the first day since I started on WW that I have not been able to eat my salad and tuna. For some reason while eating my lunch, the same lunch i have had every day for the last 3 months I started to gag. The salad tasted dry, the spinach tasted bitter,the tuna just plain gross, the only part I could eat was the red pepper and cucumber.
I really hope this doesn't mean I won't be able to eat my salad for lunch from now on! It ensures that I get my 5 vegetables a day and I know it is super duper healthy. If the same thing happens tomorrow than I'll have to rethink what I bring for lunch! Oh No! What to bring for 3 points or less? I try to keep my breakfast to 2 or 3 points,(plus 2 points for my coffee-i tried hard to take it with milk and sweetener but enjoy it much more with milk and sugar) lunch to 3 or 4 points and the rest for dinner and snacks.
Maybe i need to mix it up a little anyway because I actually gained .8 pounds this week. I was very dissappointed with this result-and i've heard that when you start eating the same thing everyday your body can get used to it and stop losing weight. I didn't believe it because i have a friend who has been eating the same thing everyday (including dinner) since December and has lost 32 pounds to date!
I'll have to see what next week brings!

was freud right?

There has got to be something to Freud's Oedipus C0mplex. The boy has recently been very very clingy with me and wants me to do everything with him. He won't take a bath unless i'm the one bathing him, he won't get dressed in the morning unless it's me there with him and now his latest "thing" is he won't go to sleep unless I lay with him for "4 minutes"...which usually turns into 40 minutes (a really bad habit we have to get out of ASAP!!)
We noticed this change in his attitude and behaviour over the course of a few months but when I really took note of this is on a recent trip to Niagara Falls. On the way home we stopped at the outlet mall, I wanted to go into La Vie En Rose for a quick look around. Well the boy wouldn't let me go alone so he tagged along while I looked for "new pajamas". He picked out a very sheer, flowy nighty and told me i must buy it because it would look very pretty. So since it was on sale and was the right size I humoured him and bought it....well dont' you think that very night he asked me to put on the pretty pj's because he wanted to see...he was very excited when i showed him the pretty pj's!! Lucky he is not quite 4 yet and his innocence is so beautiful!!

yeah for me...

i've lost 13 pounds to date. That gives me 3 more till i get to my %10 goal. I am going to really try and make it there in the next 2 weeks. Time to get back into the exercising and tracking more regularly. I have been really slack the last 2 weeks-although i haven't really gorged on goodies since now over eating really gives me tummy issues!!
I think my final goal will be 140 lbs. That is more realistic for me to maintain and I think also most realistic at my age!!

37 and counting...

well the big 3-7 is coming tomorrow...cannot believe it! I somethings think i'm 17 and am shocked when i think 20 years have passed since then!!!

On the last day of my 36th year i'll share 37 random things about me..

1. I have lived in the same general neighborhood almost my entire life (within a 5 km radius)

2. I HATE mushrooms but will eat them if they are in a dish and can't be pulled out.

3. Mushrooms and eggplant are the only vegetables I don't like.

4. My last car lasted me 10 years!!!

5. I had the same part-time job for 18 years.

6. I learned to ride a bike at age 8

7. I sucked my thumb till grade 3

8. when i was 4 my neighbor cut off my pigtail!

9. i love taking pictures

10. i have friends from grade one...

11. i get really bad headaches.

12. i am now a nervous driver- amazing what carting kids around does to ones' driving confidance

13. i often worry about my retirement

14. haven't been to a beach since my honeymoon

15. lived overseas for about 18 months

16. i love brushing my hair and keep a comb in my desk at work for when i'm bored

17. i bring my lunch 14 out of 15 days !

18. if i don't bring my lunch i eat a toasted bagel with butter from tim's

19. i stopped drinking double double coffee after discovering HOW fattening they actually are!

20. i take my coffee with double milk and sweetener

21. i love my bran buds with yogurt for breakfast

22. i have held on to a pair of jeans from 1996 in hopes of fitting them again one day (I know-get real!!)

23. my cat Jamie now really annoys me

24. i named my cat Jamie because I was convinced i'd never have a husband and kids and I wanted to name my first born Jamie

25. i have a wicked temper

26. i give in to gossip even when i don't want to

27. i love watching 90210 (even the new one)

28. i often screen my calls

29. i hate cleaning but hate mess

30. instead of cleaning i complain about the mess

31. i love buying cleaning products

32. it takes me forever to find clothes i like

33. i hate spending money

34. i love reading cookbooks/recipes

35. i hate cooking without recipes

36. my favourite color is red

37. i want to train for a 10k run again (did one about 7 years ago and really loved it)

love me a pony tail

I love pony tails. They always look so sexy, young and lovely- on everyone else. Whenever I wear one it just looks like i didn't have time to get ready in the morning (which is usually the case). I would love suggestions on how to get that sexy,cute pony tail I see on so many people (like Sharon on Y&R was sporting a couple of days ago) Perhaps if i had a team of stylists to make my ponytails perfect I could pull them off too?!?!

Spring has sprung

and I know this because the hotdog cart is now outside my office building!! Oh how I love those yummy delicious hotdogs....and oh how I will have to watch others enjoying them while I continue on my weight loss journey. I cannot even imagine how many points are in one of those devine dogs- all beef or not!!

The sun is shining and I have started noticing all these lovely sandals in the windows of my fave shoe stores...do i try on and make an investment or just wear the ones i've got and leave it be- a look at my funds will make the decision for me!!

Should I try on and get a new spring jacket...i have a beige one i bought last year-which i loved but now reminds me of a grandma for some reason, i also have a lovely red Eddie Bauer one I bought a few years ago which i still love but can no longer do up all the buttons (around the hip area to be specific...)...ahhh all these decisions to make!!!

just a few ramblings from a very slow work day!!

product reviews

Once again I'm on a search. I am now looking for the face powder I can find...I have recently tried the Body Shop's all in one face base. It was okay. I don't think it really provided the coverage of both a foundation and a powder- i often found I needed to use foundation first to get the smooth/matte look i like. I used it because I had it but I won't be throwing down another $20 for this again!
Once i was done with that one I moved onto another "all-in-one". This time I tried the Ultimate Finish liquid-powder make-up by cover girl. Again I am dissapointed- this time I think I still need to apply powder over the product as it's just too creamy and not powdery enough.
I am starting to question these products that claim they can do it all!! I mean really, I gave up on 2-in-1 shampoos years ago!!

friday frustration

I have been trying to buy a few new clothes...not an easy task for me for some reason. It always takes me forever to find things i like. (it took me 3 years to find new winter boots) Today I tried on a pair of pants and aside from being way too long (which will always be the case-and easily fixable) they kind of sagged in the crotch but fit well in the waste and hips...i tried one size smaller and they were way too tight. I had the same problem with pants i tried yesterday too...maybe i'll have to start going to dresses- something i never got into. I did try an awesome dress at RW but it was just too pricey and I know that it is going to be on sale in like 2 weeks. that always happens at RW! Maybe i'm just too picky?!?!

a new favourite

Since joining WW I have been very diligent at bringing my lunch to work everyday. I bring a variety of different salads and always add a protein. Sometimes I will throw in a 1/2 cup of chickpeas or beans but most often I have a can of flavoured tuna. I LOVE this stuff. It is very flavourful and just the right about of moisture so that I don't have to add salad dressing which obviously adds extra points.
I have tried almost all the varieties. I like the lemon pepper best. The spicy peanut satay is super duper spicy and I was having a little trouble finishing it and the spicy thai chili was also a little suicidal. Will have to remember to avoid those particular flavours as my tummy sometimes can't take the spicy and I do have to work after lunch... I was adding salad dressing but forgot to bring it one day so i went without..i won't use it again now!
My favourite salad is spinach greens, one red pepper, 1/2 a cucumber, diced tomatoes and carrots with the lemmon pepper tuna...sometimes i shred in 1/2 an apple for a little sweetness and crunch or add 2 tbsp of dried cranberries-YUMMY.

Oh what TO wear...?!?!

This upcoming weekend I have a bridal shower to attend. I haven't been to a shower is some time- and the last one was an evening affair at a fancy home where most of the girls were dressed up more than I usually dress to a wedding!! (the bride for that one was VERY young and most likely the absolute first of her friends to get married so they were really excited and all likely still do the club scene etc..) This one is also for a youngish bride (25) but it is an afternoon affair and I just cannot imagine the hostess of this one dressing up (she NEVER dresses up- and even when she does it just doesn't appear dressy)
anyway my whole point of this post is I have no clue what to wear. I do not own a pair of dress pants. I never have to wear them- to work or otherwise. I have a couple of skirts but haven't worn those in a long time either.. my closet is not a typical female closet. I have a handful of tops/sweaters that I rotate for work, about 5 pairs of jeans, and that is about it. Finding clothing that fits, looks good and doesn't break the bank is always a problem for me. I went to Fairweather yesterday, tried on about 6 items and came out empty handed- their stuff looks so nice on the mannequins but just cheap and flimsy on. The price is right but that is about it. I have been into Reitmans about 1/2 a dozen times in the past few days and they just don't seem to want to cater to the average size woman anymore- the petit stuff was very cute and the plus sized things looked nice too but they had really nothing for me...argh!! Today it is off to Jacob to see what I can find... unfortunately the outfit i do end up I can't even wear to the Passover Sedars because the shower is on Sunday, the first sedar Monday and second on Tuesday..and most of the same people will be at all 3!! oh such dilemas!

FINALLY!! or not

I have finally lost about 10 pounds. It has taken me 12 weeks and I am slightly annoyed with myself for not being more diligent and taking the program a little more seriously. My meeting leader asked me to consider my final weight goal and I really don't know. Originally I was hoping to get down to 135- the same weight i was at my wedding in Dec 2004...that weight suited me and I was very happy there- not overly skinny but healthy looking (although even at my absolute thinnest when i was about 22 I was never under 130 lbs) The only problem is at that time in my life not only was I able to workout 5-7 days a week I also had way fewer responsibilties (no kids!!) and way more free time- i didn't really watch what I ate yet I was able to maintain my weight easily- fast track 6 years and I am now closer to 40 than 30 and i have 2 kids, NO time and way more going on....is 135 pounds realistically maintainable at this time in my life??? Maybe I should aim for 140 and if i get to 135 that would just be a nice bonus!
I don't want to get right down, love being at that weight then slowly see the weight creep up as i get back into old habits (which i kind of hope doesn't happen but I gotta keep it real!)- but let me get down just a little more before my next weigh-in and we'll take it from there!

Start Weight: 160.4
Current Weight: 149.8

i made it

to my %5 goal...which means that I have lost 8 pounds to date. Another 18 pounds to my goal! I am happy and am actually able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Tonight i did allow myself a treat of coconut shrimp while out to dinner with some friends- they were YUMMY but probably 10+ points (or equal to 1/2 my points allowance for one day). I feel so stuffed and actually have heart burn but boy did i enjoy them !! I do know and understand that once in a while eating like that is okay-and it won't kill me to indulge a little- which is probably healthier and more realistic for long term goals!

My beef for this morning is nothing major but annoying none-the-less.
I went for my daily coffee to my fave coffee spot- Tim Horton's in the SCT and handed the girl my travel mug...got my coffee and she then gave me a paper cup- because of Roll Up the Rim to Win...well i do love to play RUTR but I couldn't believe the girl handed me a whole cup rather than a scratch card or something less wasteful!
I am going to write a letter of complaint!

Breastfeeding Nazi?

On a completely non-weight loss related topic I need to express my opinions, thoughts and feelings about something that has really irked me for days now.


Saturday evening we went over to friends' place for a (not-always) monthly get together with 3 other couples. One of these couples just recently had a baby and is in the 4 week post-partum stage, she is still unsure of many things and also seems upset about her decision to formula feed rather than breast-feed. In this group I am the only one who chose to breast-feed and I am very proud, and even a little arrogant about this fact. I cannot believe how quickly people give up on breast feeding and am even more annoyed by others who go on and on about how it's just as good to FF. BUT this isn't what is what is seriously bothering about the evenings conversation...it is the use of the term "breastfeeding nazi". I have been guilty of using this term in the past but after giving it a lot of thought I realized using this term is just not appropriate. The Nazi's tortured, persecuted and murdered millions of people. People who who work in hospitals and who have jobs to encourage new mothers to breastfeed are not related in the least to this type of behaviour. Perhaps people who strongly believe in the benefits of breastfeeding may make some new moms feel overwhelmed but all they are doing is trying to make these women realize that breast is best and even if you do have initial problems nursing your baby these will diminish with time and persistance. The term Nazi can only be associated with negativity and has absolutely nothing positive about it. Breastfeeding and feeling that bf is best can only be positive and those who believe in it strongly should be called mothers who want best for their babies not Nazi's

The Wall

I feel as though I've hit a wall and I just can't get around it. I am SOOO tired and feel like sleeping more than doing anything else these days. This eating healthy thing and exercising is supposed to give me energy and make me feel great...so what is wrong?!?!
I was so tired last week that I didn't get on my elliptical at all. Finally on Monday night I'd had enough of being lazy so I hopped on that darn machine for 75 minutes! I had the best workout ever but I have only been back on it for 35 minutes last night- had set it for 55 minutes but my little boy started screaming and crying in his sleep I jumped off to see what was wrong and never got back on-in fact I never made it downstairs again- went to bed at 9:30 (well lay in bed and read my book- finished it finally) He had to pee and was scared of the dark washroom and got tangled up in his pullup so he needed help...after this ordeal he went right back to bed and didn't make a peep for the rest of the night.
This past weigh-in I only lost .4 pounds. I was dissappointed but not surprised! This small loss has motivated me to keep to the program a little more closely if nothing else! I really want to reach my 5% weight loss goal by the beginning of March...that would be a total of 8 pounds lost at that point...and I can't imagine ever reaching my 10% goal of 16 pounds lost!! and my final goal...well i won't even think about that now! I know i will get there but boy does it feel like an impossible dream at this very moment!

This seems to have become my weight loss blog rather than my working mommy, busy lifestyle, trying to do everything at once blog...but that is okay. Whatever keeps me motivated these days. I have been trying to keep to the tracking as best I can and I do exercise more than I had been for years but this week was not the best one! I only got that elliptical once this week but I did a good 60 minutes before collapsing of exhaustion!
I did manage to lose another 1.6 pounds at my last weigh-in. Not bad! This brings my total weight loss for the month to 6 pounds. I am hoping to meet my %5 goal by the beginning of March- another 2 pounds to achieve that!
I am hoping to come up with some new interesting meal ideas as I am getting sort of bored with my daily salad for lunch (although it does get me to eat my 5 servings of vegetables a day) and it does get me to my weight loss goals. Evenings are really hard and late evenings are the hardest so I need to come up with something to do other than sit in front of the TV and eat!!

an old love comes back in the picture

I suddenly remember why i used to love exercising! Many years ago, before kids, before marriage and before I had even met my hubby I used to spend hours a day at the gym. I just loved it, working out was fun, it was something to do and it gave me such a high...then marriage, kids and other responsibilities got in the way and going to they gym became such a chore. Now I no longer go to a gym as I really don't have the time to travel there and back but I have been working out at home and I really enjoy it. Really. It is so much fun and I love to challenge myself. Each day I try to up the speed a little or increase my time on the elliptical just a few minutes. Last night I set it for 30 minutes and watched The Biggest Loser while exercising. I then continued the exercise as the show wasn't over, before I realized it it was 50 minutes on the machine! I was zonked out and really happy that my legs weren't feeling the burn at that point (although I did feel it this morning while walking the 15 minutes from my car to the office)
I just have to get my ass off the couch and get on the elliptical more than 2-3 times per week! I can't use the I'm too tired excuse too often or else my old habits will resume and i'll get out of the exercising regimine again.
BTW- i'm now down 5 pounds since Jan 4!!! whoot whoot! only another 30 to go!!

Week Three Weigh In

I was much happier this week with my weight loss results. My Monday weigh-in resulted in proof that I lost 2.8 pounds last week. I attribute this to a few factors, first I started taking the stairs up to my 5th floor office each morning, second, I cut out my double double coffee, and lastly i have been making much smarter food choices each day. I no longer buy food at the food court. I had been doing the mall food court 1-2 times per week but now I always brown bag it. I can control what and how much I'm eating much easier that way. I bring a huge salad with me almost every day, then I throw in a cup of chickpeas, 1/2 a chicken breast or a can of flavoured tuna. It is a complete meal-so healthy and yummy too. I do mix it up a little by changing the dressings or using spinach instead of salad greens. On the days I don't do the salad thing I like to bring home made soup (always vegetarian-sometimes barley, sometimes cabbage) and a hard boiled egg along with a big container of raw veg- i was eating TONNES of baby carrots but now i've been bringing cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and peppers- so easy and filling too!
One thing that really helps is cutting up a bunch of vegi's on Sunday evening and just refilling my container each day-saves me time in the morning- and ensures i get in the vegi's i need.
I have really been watching how much fruit i eat. Fruits are healthy but they do have calaries and therefore higher points value than vegetables. Instead of an apple, banana AND an orange, i just eat one fruit a day-usually at morning break.
I am slowly getting in the habit of tracking dinner too. this is something I have been having trouble with but I usually have a pretty good idea of how much i've had during the day in order not to go over too much...and there is always activity points earned to help balance out any over eating!

hair dilema

My hair has been looking kind of shaggy these days...this pic actually acurately describes how I look these days.

This is me a couple of years ago (and boy i can't believe how i've aged since this was taken!!!)

Here is a picture of some hair i really admire...i've posted this before...i like the look but am also thinking i really like my hair longer ( i find longer hair more managable as I dont' HAVE to style is as much as shorter, trendy hair)

My dream hair... how many years would this take to grow? or how much would this cost to get extensions????

results:week one

Not as much a weight loss as I would have hoped for. I expected my first week to blast me from 22 points a day downt o 20 or even lower....well no such luck. My weight loss for the week was only .6 pounds. I really hoped for at least 1 pound weight loss! But what can I do now? Only work harder and work out more diligently this week.
I also know where I went wrong...here are a few things I learned during my first week.

First- look BEFORE you leap!! I had a few surprises after eating/drinking something and then checking the points value. My beloved double double coffee equals a whopping 4 points!! Who knew that double cream and double sugar pumps up the calarie and fat intake of coffee from 0 to 275 calories and 12 grams of fat!! YUCKYYYY. I have been able to stop drinking DD but not given up coffee altogether. I have replaced the cream with milk and use it towards my dairy servings for the day. The calories are now down to 150 and 2 grams of fat. Not bad.(but not as tastey!!!)
TRY not to eat after dinner. This is big one for me. I used to find that after getting the kids to bed and doing a few chores around the house I craved something...so i would sit and eat chocolate chips out of the bag, crackers or pita bread with hummos...unlimited quantities and right before bed too. Now I just keep myself occupied and keep a glass of water in my hand. If I'm really craving something I'll have a few craisons or a glass of diet pop. So far I haven't seen the results in weight loss but I think it will happen eventually. I also wake up feeling hungry which I think is a good thing.
EAT BREAKFAST. I'm finding that eating a decent breakfast like oatmeal made with milk or a high fibre cereal is much more satisfying that toast with butter or peanut butter. It keeps me full for longer and I don't crave an early morning snack at 8 or 9 am. (i usually eat breakfast at 6:30/45)
I've taken the "challenge yourself" part of the program to heart. Each morning I have been trying to take the stairs at work. My office is on the 5th floor so I am huffing and puffing by the time I get there but hope after a few more weeks my stamina will have improved greatly! I also think about working out and actually do it. I was waking at 5am to do my 45 minute elliptical training before work but found after 3 weeks that I just couldn't do it anymore so now I get on that machine at 9pm and "just do it!!" Watching shows like the Biggest Loser and X-Weighted while working out really helps the motivation factor!!

Week One, day One

I went to my first Weight Watchers meeting last night. I decided on a whim to join and I just called up the 1-800#, pulled out my credit card and paid for 6 months then and there. The woman on the phone kind of giggled when i told her I was planning on going to the meetings starting the next day- guess with it being New Years and all they have been getting more registrants...
Anyway the meeting was ok. I'm not sure the leader is the kind of inspiration I need but I'm going to stick to it regardless. She has been on maintnance for 18 months- which means that she reached her goal weight loss and has kept it off for 18 months. I would be more motivated by her if she'd said she kept it off for 18 years...but maybe i'm just asking too much. BUT even if the leader herself wasn't the most inspiring I did learn a few things from other members that will be useful in my overall new eating habits (or in slowing changing my eating habits- can't expect things to change over night)
So far it's been about 3 hours and I have been doing okay....not long but a start. No more double double coffee for me (boohoo- but not worth it) and no more tea biscuits or cookies as midmornig snack, these carrots i'm munching on are pretty tastey and they ARE really filling- really!

I did skip my 5am workout and am thinking I might have to rearrange my schedule because I'm just SOOO tired in the mornings PLUS my daughter is such a light sleeper that often when I walk past her room to get downstairs she wakes up and hubs isn't too happy about having to entertain her at 5am while I go workout. I'll figure something out.

I was going to keep my WW journey private but I'm hoping that by blogging about it I'll be motivated to keep it up. As FP noted in a recent post, it is like you are now accountable to someone and when people are watching you tend to be on your best behaviour.
Starting weight... 160.4 Ultimate goal: 135

Resolution or not...that is the question!

I think i have given up on new years resolutions. They never seem to work out and then I feel bad about myself for not obtaining my goals. This year I want things to be different. I want to make serious changes in my life but the thought of actually making a list of resolutions seems kind of useless/futile. Maybe i'll just keep certain things in mind before I speak/act/eat and the changed I hope to make will become second nature...

My quest for the skinny...

not my quest to GET skinny but the search for skinny jeans that look good, are comfortable and won't break the bank...maybe I'm asking for too much!! I have been looking at my boots that I LOVE so much I think, what a shame they are covered up by my big boot legged jeans. AND on a more practical note, the bottom of my jeans always get wet in the snow so skinny jeans would just work better...
now i have tried on my fair share of these jeans. they NEVER seems to look quite right, they are just too tight in the mid-section and I feel so confined, then they make my butt look huge-sure i know I'm carrying around a lot of extra junk in my trunk but these jeans just exaggerate this to no end! UGH!!
i have no idea how so many women/girls are wearing these jeans and seem comfortable and look good in them ( well maybe not all of them look good but they're wearing them and don't seem to be tugging and pulling at them like i have done whenever I try them on )
I found some articles on "how to wear skinny jeans" and from what I gather...i should just stick to my boot cut or flare leg jeans and live with wet cuffs on my jeans!!

welcome to winter

My health has been totally crap these days. I have been coughing non-stop since November 23rd...and nothing seems to help. Since I'm coughing so much my neck has pulled muscles and it is so hard to move. I feel like all I do is complain- i don't even like my own company these days...poor hubby has been putting up with a lot these days!! The anti-biotics i'm taking are so strong they are making me vomit at least 2-3 times a day...just to add insult to injury!!
At least when I got in to see my own doctor she put me on meds...the walk in clinic doctor I went to a week prior told me to drink hot tea and apply heat for my neck WTF?!?!
how can that be considered pracitising medicine? I don't even think he checked my lungs and breathing...
anyway i am taking it easy, using up loads of sick time and hopefully on my way to recovery!!!

the wonders of Honey and Cinnamon

I recently received these tips in my email inbox. I thought I'd share- and am planning on trying several of them. Anything to get rid of this nasty cold I have and I'm at the point that I'd do anything to lose this baby weight- she's 18 months old already for goodness sakes...no need to be carrying around these extra 20+ pounds still!!

Cinnamon and Honey
For what it's worth.

Honey is the only food on the planet that will not spoil or rot. It will do what some call turning to sugar. In reality honey is always honey.. However, when left in a cool dark place for a long time it will do what I rather call "crystallizing".. When this happens I loosen the lid, boil some water, and sit the honey container in the hot water, turn off the heat and let it liquefy. It is then as good as it ever was. Never boil honey or put it in a microwave. To do so will kill the enzymes in the honey.
Cinnamon and Honey
Bet the drug companies won't like this one getting around.
Facts on Honey and Cinnamon: It is found that a mixture of honey and Cinnamon cures most diseases. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a 'Ram Ban' (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases. Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of diseases. Today's science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients. Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada , in its issue dated 17 January,1995 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon as researched by western scientists:

HEART DISEASES: Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, instead of jelly and jam, and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also, those who have already had an attack, if they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat. In America and Canada , various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as you age, the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins.

ARTHRITIS: Arthritis patients may take daily, morning and night, one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week, out of the 200 people so treated, practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain, and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain.
BLADDER INFECTIONS: Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.

CHOLESTEROL: Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, given to a cholesterol patient, was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured.. According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.
COLDS: Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and clear the sinuses.
UPSET STOMACH: Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers from the root. GAS: According to the studies done in India and Japan , it is revealed that if Honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.
IMMUNE SYSTEM: Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacterial and viral diseases.
INDIGESTION: Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.
INFLUENZA: A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural ' Ingredient' which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu..
LONGEVITY: Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Take four spoons of honey, one spoon of cinnamon powder, and three cups of water and boil to make like tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans also increase and even a 100 year old, starts performing the chores of a 20-year-old.
PIMPLES: Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with warm water. If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root.
SKIN INFECTIONS: Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.

WEIGHT LOSS: Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water.. If taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.

CANCER: Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder for one month three times a day.
FATIGUE: Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens, who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts, are more alert and flexible. Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M. when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, increases the vitality of the body within a week.
BAD BREATH: People of South America , first thing in the morning, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water, so their breath stays fresh throughout the day. HEARING LOSS: Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts restores hearing. Remember when we were kids? We had toast with real butter and cinnamon sprinkled on it!

cookie club

For the past 3 years I have taken part in a cookie exchange. I had wanted to try something different and last year I made honey spice cookies. They were very pretty, star shaped spice cookies but the icing was supposed to bake along with the cookie- it just didn't come out right, This year I decided to go back to what I know i'm good at. I made Apricot Chocolate Chip Cookies and Chocolate Cashew Shortbread Cookies.

Both are really yummy and pretty easy to boot.

Here are the recipes,( no pictures though...they are all packaged up and in the freezer so I don't nibble at them)


Chocolate Cashew Shortbread Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2/3 cup icing sugar
½ tsp vanilla
1 ¾ cup flour
¼ cup cornstarch
2/3 cup milk chocolate chips
½ cup chopped cashews

In large bowl beat butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. In medium bowl mix together flour and cornstarch. Stir dry ingredients into butter mixture. Stir in chocolate chips, and cashews. Form into rounds of about 1 tablespoon, flatten slightly to about ½ inch thickness. Bake at 325 for 10-12 minutes, just until lightly browned at edges. Store in plastic container or cookie tin. Makes about 36.


Apricot Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 ½ cup flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons margarine/butter
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup dried apricots
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt, set aside. Cream butter. Add sugar and mix thoroughly. Add egg and vanilla; blend well. Add sifted ingredients.
Cut apricots into pieces with scissors, and add to batter along with chocolate chips.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350F. for about 10 minute. Allow to cool partially before removing from baking sheets. Makes about 3 ½ dozen.

annoyed

i am not sure what i'm doing here...the pics i post are always lined up straight in the preview but when they get posted they are all over the place...argh!!! any suggestions?

a few things...

I am in need of a face lift!! Both figuratively and literally! I feel like i have been looking pretty drab these days- a new hair cut wouldn't do it and I actually wear makeup daily (although I'm not sure anyone can even tell-even myself!!)

anyway here a few things I think would make me feel pretty...oh so pretty (all from Sephora)

Color Play Palette II

tarte treasure chest

complete shock

I just popped over to thestar.com to catch up on the news, when this article caught my attention. I am in complete shock (no pun intended) and cannot believe this officer is not being reprimanded for his actions.
How can a grown man, who is armed with a gun and taser not have enough physical strength to calm the girl down without using a taser....
just wondering what ya'll think of what happened here?

Barefoot

I haven't been reading as much as I would like these days. Work, family and lack of energy contribute to my VERY sedintary lifestyle these days. BUT I recently made a trip to the local library and picked up a few books to read. The first one I chose to read was Barefoot by Elin Hilderbrand.
This is a story of three women who travel together to a beach cottage in Nantucket for the summer, each carrying their own set of troubles and baggage. First is Vicky who recently diagnosed with lung cancer needs a distraction while undergoing chemo, then is her sister Brenda who is young, attractive and recently fired from her job as a professor for having an affair with one of her students, then Vicky's best friend Melanie who found out she was pregnant after months of trying with the husband who has been cheating on her.
They meet Josh a young college student who takes the job of babysitting Vicky's kids all summer while dealing with his own secrets and struggles of growing up.
This book is definitely one I'd recommend, and I'd also suggest keeping a box of tissue close by because I certainly shed a few tears while reading!!

and now for a personal beef...

we went out with a large group last night...only 4 people of which we know or are actually friends with. The evening started out with a fun activity of "trampolining" and then dinner afterwards.
Some friends had been to this place before for a birthday party and decided it would be fun for the parents too. It was. Once I overcame my inhibitions and started getting into it I had a great time.
Then dinner happened. The group decided on some Italian restaurant- so that was problem number one for me. I really don't like Italian food, I have a really hard time deciding on what to eat and then whatever I do order is never to my satisfaction. In my opinion ordering pasta seems like such a waste of money as I can likely make the same thing at home for 1/5th the price. But that is not really the problem I am annoyed about..the problem is the plague of the large group and paying the bill.
I knew we should have asked for separate bills upon ordering our meals when a few of the couples ordered wine, salad, appetisers and dessert afterwards. We just had our basic meals. When the bill arrived we payed our portion, which was approximately $35. One of the members of the party suggested splitting the bill equally among everyone, this would have been $55 per couple. In my opinion and in the opinion of our close friends (who happened to be the couple we were sitting next to) this was completely ridiculous and unfair to those who didn't order all the "extras".
This has always been a beef of mine. Splitting the bill equally among a group when some have obviously ordered much more than others just seems completely wrong- especially when this plan was not discussed ahead of time. Some in the party were obviously annoyed that I refused to split the bill equally but I really didn't care and didn't want to be bullied into paying twice what I actually owed.
I actually was so annoyed by this whole matter that I left the restaurant without bothering to say good-bye to anyone other than my "real" friends. I figured that I had never met the others before and likely would never see them again so let them think I am a bitch :)

Now that i have this off my chest I feel much better...I also want the hear what you all think of this type of situation.

lest we forgot

Lest we forget ...
In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blowBetween the crosses, row on row,That mark our place; and in the skyThe larks, still bravely singing, flyScarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days agoWe lived, felt dawn, saw sunset grow,Loved, and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:To you from failing hands we throwThe torch; be yours to hold it high.If ye break faith with us who dieWe shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.
Dec 8, 1915 John McCrae

taken from

http://www.mun.ca/marcomm/remember/

craftin' crazyness!

My little guy was off sick with me for 2 days. Friday afternoon I knew he was really sick as the moment we got in the car to go grocery shopping he fell fast asleep. I drive to Timmy's and got myself a coffee before taking him home to bed. That day I really didn't mind that he watched about 4 hours of TV. He really had no energy to do anything else.

Over the weekend he seemed fine. He did have a snotty, runny nose and a slight cough but we were certain he was on the mend. No more fever and a lot more energy. Monday morning his cough seemed to have gotten worse and he didn't want to get out of bed in the morning (although he rarely gets up on his own these days- our 5 am riser has now taken to sleeping in till 7 or 8 if we let him- this type of behaivour isn't supposed to happen till teenage years-or so i thought!!) We decided to play it safe and keep him home again. I took him to the doctor- who said it's just a cold and he's fine.

So what does one do with a 3 year old all day? I didn't want him watching too much TV (a couple of hours was the limit). So off to Walmart we went in search of activity ideas, I got paint and popcicle sticks, construction paper and activity books galore... i am hoping to build up my "rainy/sick day" box so that we never have to spend hours bored in front of the TV again!
I used to silently make fun of the moms I knew who had "craft chests" and piles of "activities" around the house...I thought they were overly "keen" and thought the kids did enough of that stuff at school...so who needed it at home too. Boy do I owe them apologies!! Having crafting stuff at home can be a real saviour. We were able to spend about 2 hours sitting at the table painting popcicle stick and making picture frames for daddy! Another decent chunk of time was spent making pictures with paint and markers. phew...thank goodness for Walmart being close by (although i'm pretty sure I could have bought some of the stuff at the dollar store too-for a lot cheaper!!)

The final pictures! Notice the circles which look just like a guitar...well that is what they are supposed to be!! I was pretty impressed!


Some of the goods!

another angle.

my new best friends..

since the washing machine we inhertited with this house died only 3 short months after moved it, we needed to buy a new washer quick. I did a little research and decided that since we'll likely be in this house for the next 20-30 years a high efficiency set would probably suit our needs best.

We tossed out the old maytag, which looked something like this (well not quite THIS old but you get the point)

and we got these beauties...so what if now we have nothing left to take a vacation for the next few years...we can do loads of laundry in 1/2 the time!!

i'm in love (although it's only been 1 day and i'm just catching up on the last 3 weeks worth of laundry...anything would be great at this point)

trend or foe

I love looking at what people are wearing. I especially like to see how some people pull off certain trends and how some people shouldn't attempt them.

There are a few trends out there now that I'm not sure about.

1. The over the knee boot. Sometimes really cool, funky and classy-most times really trashy and hookerish. Kate Moss is super skinny and they just look like sticks on her legs-ugh! (image is not mine Obviously)

2. The long cardigan. I love sweaters. LOVE THEM. but i'm not sure they are really that flattering. They really have to worn with caution as they could cause one to look really bulky and kind of larger than they really are. The super long ones don't really flatter the shorter woman and at 5'4" I would consider myself on the short end of the spectrum. This one is super pretty but i imagine that combining the length with the ruffles would be real overkill and really unflattering! Too bad!

3. The kerchief tie sweater. They can be pretty but they can't be worn that easily. If they are tied up they look silly, but it they are hanging wrong they can look even sillier. AND they have started showing up in every store out there, so young girls, old women and teenagers alike have been wearing them.I think it's overkill and next year they are going to be "so last year

Like OMG...

tonight's gonna be a good night, tonight's gonna be a good good night...i have this song in my head and have been singing it all day...now if only today was a good good day!!
Today was most definitely one of those days where I should have stayed home and stayed in bed. It all started about 4 this morning when my little man started calling me to come quickly to his room...of course I jumped out of bed and ran to him worried he might be sick or that he'd had a bad dream..nope he says "mommy I'm HUNGRY" I said "honey it's still night time you can't eat breakfast now" "BUT MOMMM I HUNGRY" Thus went the trekk of him, blanky, teddy and dolly all to our bed. We all squished into the small queen sized bed, along with daddy of course. Sleep from that point forward wasn't really in cards, except we all managed to sleep till 7am (which NEVER happens on weekends BTW). I managed to scramble, get dressed and put on a tiny bit of makeup (which didn't really help!) and out the door by 7:35...unfortunately in the process of trying to leave I poured myself a big bowl of cereal and gulped down a spoonful of sour milk, lost my cell phone and got my pristine white winter coat really dirty! (what was i thinking!)
Luckily I did manage to remember to send the spare clothes both kids daycares needed as everything in their cubbies were still summer stuff.
Once I finally made it to work I thought things might calm down...but no such luck! My computer was super slow and taking forever to load up (which appeared to be an office wide issue so noone is really out to get me!) I tripped on my headset cord, not just once but TWICE!! and i decided to eat samosas for lunch which were so spicy my mouth is still on fire 4 hours later!! I think i better drive slowly on my way home, tell hubby to make dinner (what a joke) and crawl into be until tomorrow...unless Tonight is the night..to live it up.

finally

after using the same bedroom set my parents bought me for the my 13th birthday for YEARS...we finally decided it was time to invest in new furniture. It was a hard choice and we looked at tonnes and tonnes of sets. We finally decided on a traditional set that will last us forever and will never go out of style-and even if it does OH WELL!!
I also decided that I was going to get proper bedding to go along with our new "adult" set...i loved it in the store but am not so sure I love it anymore...it is kind of shiny and hot, plus i'm finding that little things snag on it UGH!!

"Car-Free day"

Today is supposed to be Car-Free-Day. I don't think that many people observed this attempt at being environmental. I didn't. I would have, i really would have BUT Toronto, being the "world-class" city that it is does not have a transit system that allows for people living the burbs, working in other burbs to take transit in a reasonable amount of time. For me to get to work by transit it requires taking 2 busses, 2 subways and then another bus...a route that would probably take me 90 minutes, to drive it takes me 40-50 minutes (in traffic-20-30 with none)
If the higher-ups really want people to observe things like car-free days and take public transit days than they have to get with the program and start building better, more widespread subway lines. Sure these things cost money but so does paying the city-counsellors and other government officials 6 figure incomes when really they deserve IMO 1/2 of what they are paid!

What can we do to make those in charge aware of our serious discontent with the system??? Any suggestions???
(this post was started days and days ago but I am only just getting around to finishing it today Oct 1)

Monday Morning Beef

CYCLISTS...
today on my 40 minute commute to work I encountered several cyclists ALL of whom didn't seem to know which rules they should be following. Are they meant to follow the rules of the road that all other vehicles follow OR are they considered pedestrians? This caused me some serious stress and several heart-in-throat moments. The cyclists seem to do whatever pleases them and not have any consideration for others on the road. The big HUGE problem here is if you are the one driving the 1000 tonne car and not the 5 pound bicycle you are likely going to cause serious damage or injury to that often non-helmet-wearing human riding the bike. If you are going to ride a bike instead of walk or drive PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE obey the rules of road. You are either a vehicle, which mean you must stop at stop signs, signal (with your hand!) and give those who get there first the right of way. If you are riding on the sidewalk-then you are a pedestrian- you MUST MUST MUST stop at stop signs/lights, get off your bike and walk across the street and above all- whether you are an adult or a child WEAR A FRIGGIN' HELMET!!! You can save your own life by following the rules and giving us drivers some warning you are there!!!

my new faves

Since I am only working part-time these days we (or I) decided that I am perfectly capable of cleaning the house myself. No more cleaning lady for us (for now). I have been looking for quick cleaning solutions that are simple and also environmentally friendly. I do use white vinegar a lot but also wanted other less stinky cleaning ideas.
I have come across a couple or great web sites lately which focus on just what I am looking for.
My absolute favourite is http://www.happyslob.com/ . There are so many awesome tips on how to keep the house clean and tidy without much effort and time involved!
Check it out...not only is it useful but it also gives me a little chuckle every once in a while :)

my wishlist

from Etsy

I finally did it...

after g-d only knows how many years I finally got myself a pair of new sunglasses. I used to have a clip that fit over my regular glasses but since getting new glasses and not keeping track of the clip I just stopped wearing sunglasses. I would just squint and bear the sun shining into my eyes. I even drove home from work right into the glaring sun daily without any sunglasses. Who knows how many wrinkles I unnecessarily created by my lack of protective sunglasses. Now that I have been wearing them for just over a week I am totally addicted to them. I cannot go outside in even a little sun without them on!
It could be that my eyes have become accustomed to them being shaded...it could be that they are a lovely pair of Prada sunglasses that cost me a pretty penny so I don't want to take a chance by putting them down and possibly losing them...who knows:)
On another kind of weird note...my eyes were tested recently and after about 18 years I no longer need to wear glasses. I do have a very slight prescription but so close to 20/20 that I really don't need them!! This makes me so happy!!!

my baby boy (who really isn't a baby anymore but you know what I mean) is full of so many funny comments and observations!! This evening I was trying to explain to him that at his new daycare (which he starts tomorrow) there are going to be many kids of different cultural backgrounds- up until now he went to a daycare where all the kids were Jewish and for the most part white. I told him there were going to be kids who are brown and black and Asian etc...he said "and green???" and Blue?? it was hilarious!!!
I am not sure he really understands that tomorrow he will not be going back to old school-which he loves! but will be going to a new daycare closer to home. I tried to build up excitement and explain to him that he will be able to walk to daycare with us now! I really hope all goes well and we don't regret our decision to switch

HELP!!!

We moved into our house almost 3 weeks ago. It has been such a pleasure to live in a much more spacious place with parking directly in front of our house and a lot more storage. The only problem I am having is what to do with all the mess we brought with us from the townhouse. I am by no means a neat freak but I like to try and keep a somewhat clean and tidy home. I have no idea what to do with all the piles of crap that have been accumulating around the house. My excuse at first was that we just moved in, but it's been 3 weeks now...my next excuse was a lack of furniture- well now we have furniture in the boys' room and our bedroom furniture is coming soon- plus we have an awesome built in right in our walk-in closet (plus a second closet in our bedroom for hubby's clothes)... so why do i have all these piles all over the house?? Is it just inevitable that my lack of cleaning skills creates mess or can i get rid of them somehow?? Please any suggestions would be much appriciated!! The piles of stuff are going to be the end of me!!

Parenting Stylist?

Must one follow a parenting theory to be considered a good parent these days? There are so many philosophies and theories on what is right and best for the development of your child. It can be really overwhelming-especially to the first time parent.
When my son was born I was handed advice on what to do when he sleeps, when he eats, when he poops, when he wees, when he cries, when he walks, when he talks...well you get the picture. I found myself doing what worked best for me and for my family. I didn`t know if I was following one theory versus another- i just parented. We lived our lives, raised our baby and did what seemed to work.

Now that I am a mom of two I find that some of the things we did the first time around aren`t feasable the second time around. I also find myself questioning the `type`of parent I am.
Would one consider me a follower of attachment parenting OR am I an advocate of Cry It Out

I would never let my baby cry for...say 40 minutes in her crib BUT I don`t always pick her up and coddle her when she cries. I do go into room, pat her back and try to calm her down, if she is hysterical. I don`t rock her to sleep nightly. Nor did I nurse her or read to her until she is asleep in my arms. I put in her bed and usually she fell asleep within a few minutes of being put to bed. My daughter woke in the night until she was 10 months old. Did I go to her and nurse her because it was the fastest way to get her back to sleep- you bet I did! Do I put her down in her crib when she is obviously exhausted and let her cry for a few minutes before falling asleep for the night- well I do that too!!

All these theories on parenting and all the advice that comes with its followers can be so super duper confusing!

a long time fave

I started using Frederic Fekkai Glossing Cream a few years ago on the advice from Fancy Pansy. This is still one of my all time favourite products.

The purpose of this product is to provide shine, protect the hair from heat styling and provide overall managability. It does all this and more!
I use a tiny pea size amount in either damp or dry hair. Then I either blow dry or straighten my hair. My hair is left so soft, shiny and just plain beautiful (if I do say so myself!!) I recommend this product to anyone I know who has longish hair with lots of flyaways as it really helps in managing them too!
It is a little pricey and only seems available at Sephora in Canada but I have started buying it on Ebay, thus saving about $9-10 on each purchase (and normally I end up buying from places that have FREE shipping too!!)
Definitely 2 thumbs up on this product!

sometimes...

if my timing is right I get to see this Super Dad walking his kids to school in one of these

Every time I see this man pushing his quad stroller in the Bayview and Sheppard area during the morning rush hour commute I can't help but stare and also smile. It is obvious why I stare-it's hard not to- I smile because I admire this man for taking his kids to school/daycare in this enviromentally friendly vehicle and also because I am SOOO happy it is him and not me! Can you imagine 4 babies the same age?? YIKES!!!

A few reviews

I haven't been a great blogger lately...i just haven't had much inspiration these days but after dishing out good money and being a bit dissapointed more than once lately I decided these reviews were neccessary.

I needed to buy new shaving cream. My hubby went and used all mine up so when i went to the store looking for something new this product caught my eye.
First off I loved the packaging. It just looked so pretty and the description of the product seemed to fit the bill. The package is made from soft-plastic so it doesn't rust in the tub and is apparantly easier to recyle.

I will finish it because i bought it but won't be making this mistake again.

The shaving cream is not the traditional type that lathers when you apply it. It is non-foaming and you are supposed to just apply a thin layer to the area you are shaving. I tried it on my legs first (and only place) i was able to get an alright shave but not nearly as smooth as I normally do with my old shaving cream. I do enjoy the scent and it is available in other scents but next time I'm going to buy my tried and true brand :)

I accidently picked up this mascara at the grocery store. It is supposed to highlight one's eye color by adding flecks of that color to the mascara...i honestly don't see any difference between this mascara and any other drugstore brand. This product isn't any better and in fact I actually find it kind of useless. It doesn't lengthen my lashes, it doesn't help bring out the color of my eyes (as the claims state) and it doesn't even go on easily.
I would definitely leave this product out of my shopping basket next time!

This jasmine vanilla hand soap by Bath and Body Works is just delish. I LOVE it. The scent is so pretty and it actually lingers long after you are done washing your hands. I tried quite a few of them at the store and really enjoyed this one the most. I am not convinced that is actually helps soothe and calm but it does smell nice and doesn't leave my hands dry so I'll be buying this one again!