shapelygirl fitness: wrap up & giveaway

I spent the month of October working out with Debra Mazda and ShapelyGirl Fitness. While the month was a challenge for me physically, I loved working out with my chosen DVD, Walking Fit and Fabulous. This DVD is something anyone can do! Sure, you may not be able to keep up all the time, but, as Debra says, "Just keep walking!"

One thing that really surprised me was that I didn't get tired of doing the DVD. I almost always picked one or two of the Pre-Mixes to do, and that helped keep the workout from feeling monotonous.

I didn't experience any giant strides in my fitness level this month, but every little bit counts! I actually enjoyed exercising, which is something I've only rarely experienced in the past. I am confident that I will continue using my DVD even though this review is finished.

Now for my monthly results:
I lost five pounds and .5 inches from my neck, 1.5 inches from my chest, .5 inches from my hips, 1.5 inches from my thigh, .5 inches from my gut, and 1 inch from my upper arm. That's a total of 4.5 inches lost!

Before

After

Not a huge difference in my appearance, but I can tell that my clothes fit differently!

To see my other thoughts on ShapelyGirl Fitness, go to my initial post and my weeks 1, 2, 3, and 4 updates.

About the giveaway: I love my Walking Fit & Fabulous DVD, and I'm thrilled to announce that Debra Mazda has given me a copy to give to one of my readers! Simply enter below for a chance to win! (I'm trying out Rafflecopter for the first time, so please let me know if you have any problems.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a free copy of this product to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” I am part of the CWA Review Crew.

shapelygirl fitness: week four update

Week four with ShapelyGirl Fitness is over! This week was a bit of a challenge as busyness coupled with the flare up of some of my health issues left me with not much time or energy to work out. But I did manage to get my three workouts in!

Workout 1 (10-24-12): I was finally able to work out again today following last week's knee injury and a super busy Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday where I was home basically to sleep and shower. I did the Quick Walk & Cool Down from the Pre-Mix menu, and boy did Debra kick my butt! It felt good to sweat again and get my heart rate up, but it also wore me out!

Workout 2 (10-25-12): I did the Bonus Walk from the Pre-Mix menu tonight. It went well, and I finished feeling good.

Workout 3 (10-27-12): My goal today was to do the Long Walk ... well, I got through half of it! I was just so exhausted by that point that I had to quit. I see my doctor again on Monday, and I hope we'll be able to get to the bottom of this fatigue issue.

This week's numbers:
Weight: 191.2 (down .2 pounds)
Measurements: Down 1 inch on my chest, down .5 on my hips, down .5 on my thigh, down .5 on my calf, down .5 on my gut, same on my neck, same on my arm, and up 1 on my waist (huh???).

Check back in next week for my overall review of my experience with ShapelyGirl Fitness. In the meantime, feel free to check out my other ShapelyGirl posts. You can also check in on the other women who are on this journey by clicking below. Not everyone is giving a week four update (we had a choice about when to post our final thoughts, and I decided to do that next week), but you can check out the ones who decided to through this link up.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a free copy of this product to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” I am part of the CWA Review Crew.

shapelygirl fitness: week three update

"Life doesn't always turn out the way you plan." -While You Were Sleeping

If I had to title this week, I would call it Week of Frustration. I began the week feeling so much better than I'd felt in over a month. Sunday and Monday were crazy-busy with church, Singing Christmas Tree practice, work, a visit from my cousin and her adorable daughters, and reading and blogging about three books, so I didn't have time to work out. Then on Tuesday night, I hurt my leg ... so I wasn't able to work out nearly as much as I'd hoped. This was especially frustrating because I felt like I finally had the energy for a good hard workout! Plus, I'm mad at myself because I know this injury is of my own making ... I inherited my mom's bad knees, and I've had problems with them off and on since high school. Well, on Tuesday night, I was working out barefoot. Yes, barefoot. So I had no support. Stupid, stupid, stupid!!! My leg is healing, and I'm hoping to be back at full strength by next week.

Workout 1 (10-16-12): My goal was to do the bonus walk and abdominal workout tonight. Things didn't go as planned, though. I started the bonus walk with a lot of energy and enthusiasm ... but about 10 minutes in, my left leg started hurting on the back side of the knee. Probably stupidly, I finished out the bonus walk and moved into the standing abs. But my leg hurt more and more every minute, and I stopped after just a couple minutes. I ended up elevating and icing my leg for the rest of the evening.

Workout 2 (10-19-12): Even though my leg felt much better on Wednesday, I didn't want to push it, so I didn't do anything strenuous. I was sure that I'd be able to jump back in on Thursday. I was wrong. I woke up Thursday morning with an aching knee, and when I got out of the shower, I saw that it was swollen. So I iced it off and on all day.

I was finally able to work out again today (Friday)! I did the Beginner's Walk ... and I left out certain parts in an effort to keep from re-injuring my knee. I felt a few twinges of pain, but for the most part, I was okay. Then I iced my knee again when I finished.

This week's numbers:
Weight: 191.4 (down .8 pounds)
Measurements: down 1 inch on my thigh, down .5 on my upper arm, and up .5 on my calf (I knew that would happen!)

As I've read through other ShapelyGirl Fitness Review Crew blogs, I've noticed a similar theme. Women are dealing with sickness, back problems, leg problems, marital problems, job stress, and the list goes on and on. We're all doing our best to fulfill our commitment to CWA and ShapelyGirl Fitness, but obstacles are being thrown into our paths. We all need your prayer! Yes, we are facing a physical battle, but it's also spiritual! Several of the women have chosen power scriptures for each week. I hadn't ... until now. This is my prayer for all of us on the crew:

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:14-21 (ESV)

Check in with the other women on the Crew and see how they're doing!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a free copy of this product to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” I am part of the CWA Review Crew.

shapelygirl fitness: week two update

This week was a bit of a challenge because of the health issues I alluded to previously. But I did manage to work out ... (To see why I'm on this journey with ShapelyGirl Fitness and my week one update, click here and here.)

Workout 1 (10-9-12): I felt pretty terrible all day (yesterday, I scheduled an appointment with my doctor, but the soonest she could see me was Wednesday), so I didn't feel like working out when I got home from work. But I also knew that, depending on what I found out when I saw the doctor, I might not have much of an opportunity to work out for the rest of the week. So I put on the Beginner's Walk. By the end, I was actually feeling more human than I had all day, but I also didn't want to overdo it, so I didn't do any of the premixes after the Beginner's Walk.

Workout 2 (10-10-12): I felt a little better today, though not very energetic. The doctor didn't have any answers for me, so we're waiting on lab work to come back.

I took the dvd to my parents' house, since I cook supper for them on Wednesdays (they help with Awana at their church, so their time between work and church is pretty rushed) and my mom and I planned to watch a movie together after she got home from Awana. I did the Quick Walk from the premixes after supper. My mom watched part of the dvd, and she said, "This reminds me of Richard Simmons!" Yes!!! She also thinks she would like to work out with me sometime. Double Yes!!!

Workout 3 (10-11-12): I felt worse today than yesterday, and by the time I got home from work, the last thing I wanted to do was work out. In the past, whenever I felt the least bit sick, I'd use that as an excuse to skip exercising. But since I committed to three times per week with ShapelyGirl Fitness, I decided to work out even though I didn't want to. I did the Bonus Walk tonight, and I definitely felt better than I had all day after I finished. I wonder what would happen if I started my day with the dvd? Would I feel better throughout the day? 

Workout 4 (10-12-12): Last night, I toyed with the idea of getting up in time to do the dvd before work. That didn't even come close to happening, as I accidentally turned my alarm off when I meant to hit the snooze button! My lab panel came back today, and everything looks good! On the one hand, that's great news, but on the other, well, I know something is going on, so it's frustrating to not have any answers. But I'll keep plugging along ...

I do feel better today than I have all week, so I decided to try for the whole dvd again. I did it! I'm definitely feeling more flexible than I was when I started—my kicks are higher, I can bend lower, and my body just feels more limber.

This week's numbers:

Weight: 192.2 (down 1.2 pounds)

Measurements: all the same as last week

I have a feeling that the weight loss came more from the lack of appetite than the exercise, and I would not be the least bit surprised to find my calves have grown by next week. I've always had insanely muscular calves (really the only part of my body that's remotely muscular!), and the walking workout makes me feel my calves in ways that even jogging doesn't! 

One thing I've learned this week is that I should stop using "I don't feel good" as an excuse to skip exercising. Obviously, if I was down with the flu or something, exercise wouldn't help, but when I feel like I've been feeling lately—incredibly fatigued, crampy, and just blah—even a short workout can help me feel better.

Check out how the other women on the ShapelyGirl Fitness review crew are doing:

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a free copy of this product to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” I am part of the CWA Review Crew.

shapelygirl fitness: week one update

Week one of working out with ShapelyGirl Fitness is on the books!

Now that you know why I'm on this journey with ShapelyGirl Fitness, I want to share some thoughts on the workout dvd I chose.

I chose Walking Fit & Fabulous as my workout dvd for two reasons. First, I have knee problems that flare up now and again, and I figured a walking workout would be as low impact as I could find. Second, I'm hoping my mom will work out with me sometimes, and I thought the walking workout would be easiest for her. We haven't worked out together yet, but I'm hoping maybe sometime this week we can.

In addition to the full walking workout (which runs approximately 80 minutes), the dvd also includes a beginner's walk of 13 minutes and four pre-mixes that combine parts of the full workout. I love that there are options because I'm pretty sure I would get tired of doing the exact same workout every day!

Since this is a once-a-week recap, I'm going to journal about each workout just after it happens to give you a look at the day-by-day stuff:

Workout 1 (10-1-12): I decided to do the whole workout video in one session, and I did it! My neighbor kids interrupted me several times, so it took 1-1/2 hours to do it, but I made it! I didn't do the bonus walk at the end because it was time for Dancing with the Stars (priorities, you know?), but I did get through everything else.

Most of the workout was quite easy to do, but one of the steps did throw me for a loop. I'm sure I'll be better at it next time! I didn't feel truly winded until close to the end of the workout, when Debra asked us to do "quick feet." At that point, I may or may not have yelled at the TV!

Workout 2 (10-2-12): I fully expected to feel sore after my first workout, even though it wasn't too taxing. I wasn't, though ... until I started working out tonight! I didn't want to do the full workout tonight because I came home from work absolutely exhausted. I wanted to hit the couch for some reading time, but instead I popped in the dvd. I did the Quick Walk & Cool Down from the preset menu. This is just over 30 minutes long, and believe me, I felt every single one of those minutes! Once I started moving, I could feel the soreness in my legs, and by the end, it was only sheer willpower that kept me from collapsing to the floor and giving up. But I made it through, and now I feel great! Gotta love those after-exercise endorphins!

P.S. The sashay is the step I couldn't get yesterday. Today, I paused the dvd and practiced it for a while ... and by the end, I had it down pretty well!

Workout 3 (10-3-12): Tonight I did the bonus walk. I think this may be my favorite premix! It incorporates the arms more than the regular walk does ... and I could definitely feel the burn! Even though I only worked out for 16 minutes, I felt like I'd gone 30 or more.

Workout 4 (10-5-12): I know I won't always get in more than three workouts a week, but I had time tonight (after taking last night off), so I decided to go for it! I did the bonus walk and abdominal exercises. My right leg was hurting me a bit, so I didn't go all out—but I still got a good workout!

Now for the week's numbers!
Weight: 193.4 pounds (down 2.6 pounds!)
Bust: 45.5 in (down 1/2 in)
Waist: 39 (down 1 in)
Hips: 45 (same)
Thigh: 26 (same)
Calf: 16 (same)
Gut: 47 (same)
Arm: 13.5 (same)

One thing I'm learning most is about the power of community. If I was doing this on my own, I might have given up by now. But I have 26 other women who are doing this challenge along with me, and their support has been amazing! We have a secret facebook group that we can post in, and I find such encouragement as I interact with them. Below, you can see where we've linked up our posts. Please read some (or all!) of them and leave comments encouraging them. We come from many different backgrounds, live in various parts of the country (or Canada), and are all dealing with various challenges, but we have two things in common: we love Jesus, and we need to get in shape. I know they would appreciate your encouragement, just as I've appreciated theirs!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a free copy of this product to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” I am part of the CWA Review Crew.

shapelygirl fitness: initial thoughts

If you've been reading this blog very long, you know I review a lot of products, mostly books. You also know I struggle with my weight. (Well, let's be honest: sometimes it's a struggle, and other times it's more like whatever, who cares, I give up!) I was recently offered the opportunity to combine my love of reviewing with my quest to lose weight by being a part of the ShapelyGirl Fitness review crew through Christian Women Affiliate.

ShapelyGirl Fitness founder Debra Mazda believes that every woman, no matter her size, can improve her life and health by getting off the couch and moving! Here's a little bit about Debra's philosophy (provided by ShapelyGirl Fitness):

Fitness Comes In Many Sizes. You’d never know this by looking at most fitness DVD’s or at the women in your average health club workout classes, because the majority of fitness products are targeted to thin women. As a result, larger women can be intimated by traditional health clubs and workout tapes. They are often encouraged to focus first on dieting … and we all know how well diets work. Enter Debra Mazda, the founder of ShapelyGirl Fitness™ – a still “shapely” 165-pound fitness trainer, who transformed her life through exercise. Mazda began her transformation 25 years ago, tipping the scale at 310 pounds and in the habit of enjoying a rack of ribs for breakfast. Mazda learned firsthand that getting moving is the first step to better health and self-esteem. Through her ShapelyGirl Fitness™ program, Mazda puts the focus directly on other ShapelyGirls, encouraging plus size women to “get off the couch.”

Debra's philosophy is what convinced me to apply for this review crew—well, that and the fact that she used to work with Richard Simmons! I loved his videos when I was in high school. (That makes me sound really uncool, doesn't it?) His videos and Debra's are the only workout videos I've seen that use actual plus size people in them.

This opportunity couldn't have come at a better time. My goals for 2012 included exercising four times per week and losing 30 pounds. At the time, I couldn't have foreseen my May gallbladder surgery, which made me feel better but totally knocked me off my exercise regimen. And once I stopped exercising, I never really started again. I don't weigh as much as I did at the beginning of the year, but I'm in much worse shape. So I am committing to getting off the couch and moving!

I can't believe I'm about to post this, but here's a picture of me now. I generally avoid full body shots, and I always, always do the suck in the gut, stick out the neck, turn slightly to the side photo slimming tricks. Hopefully my "after" shot won't be so cringe-worthy!

Currently, I weigh 196 pounds (did I really just say that?) and wear a size 14 pant and 18 top (one of my high school friends nicknamed me "Top Heavy" for a reason!). I'll also be tracking inches lost, as I'm fully aware that as my muscles tone up, my clothes will fit differently, but I may not see much of a change on the scale.

Each week, I'll post an update on my progress (including pounds and inches lost), as well as my thoughts on the dvd and any breakthroughs or challenges I'm experiencing.

I have agreed to use the ShapelyGirl Fitness dvd of my choice three times per week during the month of October. (I chose Walking Fit & Fabulous—you can see all the dvd options here.) I received the dvd earlier this week, and I couldn't wait until October 1 to use it! A full review of the dvd will come at the end of the month, but for now, I want you to know that the workouts are easy to follow and fun!

One of my favorite aspects of this review is that I have the support of 26 other women who are in the same boat as me—women who are committing to regular exercise and healthier living. Heather at Marine Corps Nomads is hosting a voluntary blog link-up for those of us on the Crew, and I've decided to participate. You can follow the other Crew members' journeys by clinking on the links below.




Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a free copy of this product to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” I am part of the CWA Review Crew.

i'm free!

This blog has been woefully quiet for the last several days, and if you follow me on Facebook, you know why: yearbook. It has completely consumed my life ... to the point where I spent TWELVE hours working on it yesterday. But today at 6 p.m., I submitted the final page ... so I'm free! It seems crazy to not have to think about yearbook anymore. After work, my evenings will be mine again! So what will I do with them?

• Clean my house. I went straight from a week of lying on the couch after surgery into two weeks of intensive yearbooking. I did manage to do the dishes a couple of times, but that's it. My house is a complete wreck—it's bad enough that even I am getting sick of it! (And if you know me well, you know I have a high tolerance for "clutter" ... I think it's in my genes!)
• Mow my lawn. It's been two weeks since Blendy was kind enough to mow for me, and I'm sure my neighbor—the elderly man who lives in Grand Island and keeps a house here as a weekend getaway—would appreciate it if my lawn was a respectable height, rather than the jungle it resembles now.
• Finish up the posts I've started. I still have to tell you about my May craft project (it's super cute!) and finish writing my April & May goals update. I also have a fabulous recipe to share!
• Read. I know: I'm always reading ... but I've gotten way behind. I did manage to read and review Glamorous Illusions on time, but for the first time ever, I missed a tour deadline! The review was due yesterday (a Sunday ... really?), and I haven't even cracked open the book yet. I have another two reviews due on Friday. So I guess I'll be doing a lot of reading for the remainder of the week.
•  Exercise. It's really amazing how out of shape you can get in just three weeks! I went for a walk and bike ride on Saturday—my first exercise of any type since surgery. When I got home, I was exhausted and totally winded. So I really need to get back out there!
• Check out Saving Hope. All I know about it is this: it stars Michael Shanks and Erica Durance. And that's all I need to know to give it a shot. (Actually, it had me at Shanks ... Lois Lane is just the icing on the cake!)

goals for 2012: march update

"Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act." Psalm 37:5

No, that verse doesn't really have anything to do with this post. But when I read it this morning, God used it to speak to my heart, so I wanted to share it!

In the month of March, I feel like I just kind of ... maintained. Made some strides in some areas, slipped back in others. It definitely was a better month goal wise than February, but not as good as January.

1. Read through the Bible. Well, I'm still "on track"—meaning I still have two months of catch-up days I can use! I pretty much maintained in March—I definitely didn't read every day, but I did read more than in February. So far, April is going better!
2. Exercise four times per week. The Ja-La-Sta Walking Challenge ran through March 31, and I averaged 5,406 steps per day in March. I stopped marking my exercise time on my calendar a long time ago, but I think I exercised about four times per week. Here's to an even stronger April!
3. Lose 30 pounds. My diet went really well for the first three weeks. Then I went on a trip. Then I went on another trip. I've found that it's virtually impossible to follow this diet while traveling ... or else I just don't have the willpower to make it happen! Still, I'm down four pounds, so just six to go until I can start watching Monarch of the Glen :-) Also, I can tell that my clothes are fitting better!
4. Travel somewhere new. It depends how technical we want to get here. For Blendy's birthday, we went to Wichita, a city I've visited many, many times. But the purpose of our trip was to visit the Warren's balcony theater, a place we'd never been. Still, I want to travel to a completely new city or state this year ... right now, I'm thinking maybe Wisconsin or Arizona. (I don't know why, and I'm still open to suggestions!)
5. Complete one crafting project a month. I failed. Completely. The end of the month just snuck up on me, and I didn't even get one picked out, let alone completed! Maybe I'll double up in April ...
6. Learn to say "no." Yes! About a week ago, I had the following conversation with our Activities Director:
   

   AD: Do you have a minute? I need to ask you something.
   Me: Does this have to do with coaching drama? 'Cause the answer is no.
   AD: Good meeting! 

   In the end, we talked a bit more, and I agreed to help with drama—but I made it very clear that I would not be the coach!
   

My goals have definitely suffered a bit in the last two months. How are yours? Are you still going strong? Have you given up? Or, like me, are you just maintaining?

goals for 2012: february update

Remember how high I was at the end of January? How well I was doing with all of my goals? Well, February was crash-and-burn month for me. I could blame my trip to Indiana, the cold/cough/ear infection (did you know adults get ear infections? I didn't ... until that's what my doctor told me I had) that has hung on for 10 days, or speech (my favorite whipping boy this time of the year) ... but really, the blame lies with me. My laziness. My complacency. Things are turning around, though, so I hope my March report will be much happier!

1. Read through the Bible. At the end of January, I was a little behind. At the end of February, I'm super behind! I'm still on track to finish well before the end of the year, but I need to keep focused. Sadly, this is the first thing to go when I'm feeling rushed or stressed or tired.
2. Exercise four times per week. I'm probably averaging three, and I really dropped off in the J-La-Sta 10,000 Steps Walking Challenge (I averaged 4,355 steps per day). I did exercise the last three days of February, though, thanks to my new diet. Since I'm committed to it through March 24 and it calls for exercise six days per week, I think my March stats will be better!
3. Lose 30 pounds. I ended February exactly where I began February ... which means I've been in a holding pattern for two months, as I also began and ended January in the same place. I have high hopes for this diet, though—I even bought myself an "I'm going on a diet" gift, the first two seasons of Monarch of the Glen (you may recall that I do love me some Monarch!), which I won't allow myself to watch until I've dropped the first 10 pounds. My first official weigh-in on the diet comes tomorrow morning ...
4. Travel somewhere new. I did go to Chicago and Indiana in February, but I'd been there before. Still thinking about where I want to travel this summer! (And I'm open to suggestions ...)
5. Complete one crafting project a month. Done! It wasn't a craft in the traditional sense of the word, but I'm pretty proud of my birdseed cakes. 
6. Learn to say "no." I actually didn't have much opportunity to do so in February. I passed on a couple reviewing opportunities, but those were ones I would have passed on even before this challenge.

How are your goals progressing two months into the new year? What has proven most difficult when it comes to meeting your goals?

goals for 2012: january update

Here's the first monthly check-in on my goals for the year. I'm happy to report that things are going fairly well!

1. Read through the Bible. I am a little behind, which has happened just in the last week. The plan I'm on is set to finish up in September, though, so I have a few days to play with! The problem with this plan is that it's so intense (it takes about 40 minutes to do each day's reading) that catching up is difficult. I'm not sure if I'll ever completely catch up ... but as long as I don't fall far behind, I'll be fine. (And I just discovered that YouVersion has a "catch me up" feature that will change your start and end dates so you don't feel so behind ... so my new end date is September 11.)
2. Exercise four times per week. This is the one I can't believe that I've kept up with! I am exercising for at least 20 minutes per day about five days per week. I look pretty stupid speed-walking the circle around my kitchen and living room, but it works ... and no one is (usually) here to see me, anyway! (Don't worry, I won't wear a hole through the carpet—I also work out on my elliptical, play Wii Sports, and walk outside when it's nice.) As far as the J-La-Sta 10,000 Steps Walking Challenge goes, I had no idea how hard it was to get to 10,000 steps each day! I've logged 140,533 steps in the challenge so far ... and I'm determined to make February more successful than January.
3. Lose 30 pounds. Um, yeah. Early on in the month I'd lost two pounds, but I've ended the month right where I started it. So I need to work harder here!
4. Travel somewhere new. I'm going to Chicago and Indiana this weekend ... but I've been there before. So no progress here.
5. Complete one crafting project a month. Done! I didn't do the one I'd planned (still going to do it or something like it later). Instead, I put nail polish on my keys. See my post about it here. 
6. Learn to say "no." Still learning. I did pass on a whole slew of book review opportunities this month. And I decided not to join another Bible study at church after my current one ends—because I have two other Bible studies I'll be involved in! 

If you set goals for the year, how are you doing with them after one month?

hating on thomas and tswift

I haven't done a bulleted list of randomness for a long time. So here you go!

• I'm sick of reading. This is not good for a book blogger, but it's where I am right now. I've been sticking to my goal of only requesting books I'm really interested in reading, but this does not help me now, as the books due in January and February were requested in December or earlier. For the most part, these are books that I really wanted to read at the time ... I just don't feel like reading them now!
• Are you watching Downton Abbey? If not, why not? Season One just won a Golden Globe last night, and it won several Emmy Awards last year, also. Downton is set in the time leading up to and during World War I. It's in the vein of Upstairs, Downstairs in that it deals with an aristocratic family and the family's servants. Season Two is, so far, a bit toned down from Season One—the "evil" characters are, for the most part, less evil, and much of the family conflict has diminished. I still absolutely loathe Thomas, though ... so much so that I tweeted the following last night:

  Thomas doesn't even have to be on screen for my loathing of him to grow--all it takes is a mention of his name! #DowntonPBS

  Also, I would marry Matthew Crawley or Mr. Bates in a heartbeat. Downton airs on PBS on Sunday nights through February 19, and you can watch Season One on pbs.org through tomorrow or on Netflix.
• Les Misérables — the musical version — is finally coming to the big screen. I was so excited when I first heard — but one of the casting choices has given me pause. Let's start with the ones I (more or less) approve of. Colm Wilkinson is Valjean. However, he's getting a bit old and wouldn't have the draw of someone with the star power of, say, Hugh Jackman, who has been cast in the role. Jackman does have a wonderful voice (see his 2009 Oscar performance here, which also features Anne Hathaway, who has been cast as Fantine), and I'm sure he'll do the role justice, but I still worry about "Bring Him Home." Though I don't know anything about Russell Crowe's vocal chops, I can buy him as Javert. And Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen strike me as the perfect Thénardiers. But Taylor Swift as Eponine? Please excuse me while I throw up. (As far as I know, she hasn't accepted the role yet, but it's been offered.) I'm normally pretty ambivalent toward TSwift, but Eponine? Really? I could see her as Cosette, perhaps, if they absolutely had to cast her (her popularity will probably bring girls to the theater). I shudder to think of what "On My Own" would sound like coming out of Swift's mouth. (Lea Salonga, who in my mind is the definitive Eponine, sings it here.) Was Lea Michele unavailable or something? 'Cause she would be perfect. (Plus, we already know how she would sound singing "On My Own." Fabulous!) ***Update 2-1-12: Taylor Swift will not be playing Eponine. I feel like we Les Mis fans dodged a bullet here!***
• I've discovered a way to get in more steps for the Ja-La-Sta 10,000 Steps Walking Challenge while also keeping up with my commitment to read through the Bible this year — I pull up YouVersion on my computer and listen to the AudioBible! My house is basically set up in a circle with the living room at the front and the kitchen at the back. So I crank the volume on my computer and walk in a 25-step circle for the 40 minutes or so it takes to get through the day's chapters. It's a bit monotonous, but having Scripture to focus my mind on makes the time go faster.
• I've once again been sucked into the trashy world of The Bachelor. (I prefer The Bachelorette because the guys aren't so catty, but I'm enjoying this, too.) Normally, I seek out Reality Steve's spoilers, but I decided that this year, I would just wait and watch the season play out. Then I accidentally ran into a major (MAJOR!) spoiler. I was not happy. My sister Blendy has ended her long blogging hiatus by writing her thoughts after the first two episodes. See her post here and give her some comment love! 
• Southwest Airlines rocks! Low fares. Bags fly free. And now this: Blendy and I got ridiculously cheap tickets to fly out to see Val next month, and a bunch of us decided to go together to buy tickets for our friend Jamie to go with us. Because we didn't get her tickets during the sale, they were much more expensive. Well, we didn't exactly clear the dates with Jamie first (not a smart move, but it was supposed to be a surprise), and she has parent-teacher conferences on the day of our return. So tonight I went to southwest.com to change her itinerary ... and I was pleasantly surprised to discover they don't have any trip change fees! And, since they're currently running a sale, I was able to get her new tickets for less money than her old tickets! Unfortunately, the first tickets were non-refundable, but if she wants to fly anywhere else before next November, she has a $30 credit to work with! 

There's my list of things that have been on my mind. What about you? Any books, movies, or TV shows you're loving? Want to throw things at me for suggesting Taylor Swift may not be right for the role of Eponine? Want to get something else off your chest? Tell us about it in the comments!

goals for 2012: week 1 update

Last Monday, I wrote about my goals for 2012. I intend to do a summary post each month, tracking my progress. I thought it would be fun to do an "after the first week" update, too ... mainly because I'm doing so well right now, and it may be a different story in three weeks!

1. Read through the Bible. So far, so good. I've kept up with the readings so far. This is helped by the fact that I was assigned a study hall this semester. I just pull up YouVersion on the computer in the classroom and go for it!
   
2. Exercise four times per week. Again, I'm doing well on this one! I have a calendar that I've designated as my exercise calendar, and I track what I did and how long I did it. I've been playing a lot of Wii Sports this week, and I've used my elliptical on four different days. I downloaded an audiobook to listen to while I exercise—I've learned that I don't enjoy reading while ellipticaling, and sometimes it's even hard for me to watch TV. For some reason, an audiobook makes the time fly by! I'm listening to James Patterson's Judge & Jury. It's my first Patterson, borrowed from NebraskaOverdrive, which I can access using my library card. Actor Joe Mantenga reads it, and he does a fabulous job.
   I've also joined a walking challenge—The J-La-Sta 10,000 Steps Walking Challenge. I bought a pedometer and everything! If you'd like to join, click on the link above for details—we'd love to have you!
   
3. Lose 30 pounds. I think I lost about a pound this week. Why am I not sure? Well, I have one of those scales that can save your weight and tell you how much you've gained or lost. When I stepped on for my weekly weigh-in (I've learned not to weigh every day—that can just make a person crazy!), my scale kindly informed me that I'd gained 54 pounds. Seems someone (who shall remain nameless) weighed herself and saved it. And I can't remember exactly what the scale said last Sunday, but I know it was closer to the 200-pound mark then than it was today.
   
4. Travel somewhere new. No progress on this one.
   
5. Complete one crafting project a month. I think I've picked my project out. No idea when I'll do it yet. See it here.
   
6. Learn to say "no." Well, I passed on one book review opportunity this week. And I tried to turn down the study hall assignment, but that didn't go so well for me. So I decided to look at it positively—if the school wants to pay me to read for 55 minutes a day, who am I to complain?

How about you? Did you make any resolutions or set any goals for 2012? How are they going after the first week?

goals for 2012

I've never really made New Year's resolutions. Never publicly, anyway. I know myself, and I know I will fail. Still, I think it's good to have goals, so I've come up with a list of things I'd like to accomplish in 2012. We'll see how it goes!

1. Read through the Bible. This has been a goal of mine every year for the last ten or so ... and I haven't accomplished it yet! I always start out so well—but one, two, or three weeks in I fall off the wagon and never get back on. I'm determined to make this year different, and I have a new plan, thanks to Tim Challies. He's created the 3650 Challenge, where you read 10 chapters of the Bible each day using Professor Grant Horner's Bible Reading System. I've used this system before, but I only made it about 15 days in before I got behind and ultimately gave up. A Facebook group has been set up for encouragement and accountability for those who are taking the challenge, and I'm hoping that being part of a community of believers who all have the same goal will help to motivate me! I plan to do the majority of my reading on YouVersion, as they have a reader that will present each day's readings in a chunk, and I can check off each chapter as I complete it. 
2. Exercise four times a week. If you know me, you know this is a lofty goal—but I'm going to try!
3. Lose 30 pounds. Another lofty goal ... if I can get the exercise thing down, this will be a lot easier!
4. Travel somewhere new. It doesn't have to be anywhere exotic (and seeing how my Europe fund is dwindling, it probably won't be!), just somewhere I haven't been before. Preferably with Blendy.
5. Complete one crafting project a month and blog about it. I've never been much of a crafter, but now that I'm on Pinterest, a whole new world of crafting ideas has opened up to me! I plan to include Blendy in this one, too—'cause she's the crafting brains of this operation!
6. Learn to say "no." I tend to over-commit myself, especially when it comes to book reviews. I'm getting better—I have let a few offers pass me by—but the question I need to ask myself is, "Do you really want to read this book?" If the answer isn't an unequivocal "yes," then I should probably just say no.  

two snow days. whatever will i do???

Pretty much everything in Central Nebraska came to a standstill Sunday night, thanks to a slow-moving snowstorm. We weren't going to have school on Monday anyway, thanks to our four-day school week, but we did have a staff in-service scheduled for Monday morning that got postponed. I decided to stay home for at least the morning (I normally work in the office on our day off), and it's a good thing I did--I couldn't have gone anywhere anyway, as I woke up to at least a foot of snow in my driveway! Monday night, I got winter's most anticipated call: the call letting me know we had a snow day on Tuesday! So how did I spend my time? Glad you asked :-)

Monday

• Woke up at 7 to cancel the coffee order I'd placed for in-service. Our local coffee shop doesn't have an answering machine, and they closed on Sunday before I knew in-service had been postponed, so I needed to call before they started on it. After placing the call, I rolled over and went back to sleep until 10!
• Read my book. I've had this book to review for Waterbrook Multnomah for far too long now. It's an interesting book, but it's not one of those "can't put it down" reads. Sadly, of the 150 pages left when I started reading, I only made it through 50.
• Worked on my puzzles. Ever heard of nonograms? How about O'Ekaki? I think they go by other names, too. I first saw them in a sudoku book I had, and I'm currently obsessed. I just bought a book (if you click on O'Ekaki above, you'll see which one), and I spent about an hour doing them Sunday night ... and then proceeded to dream about them! One of the reason's I only made it through 50 pages of Flight of Shadows is that I kept going back to O'Ekaki.
• Shoveled my driveway with Blendy ... well, we shoveled enough of the driveway to get my car out of the garage. The rest of the driveway we left, hoping that a nice man would come by and move the rest of the snow.
• Guess what? A nice man did come move the snow! About an hour after we finished shoveling, my dad showed up with a tractor and blade. He cleared the rest of the driveway and the circle drive!
• Played "Just Dance 2" with Blendy. Mom and Dad gave it to me for Christmas. I'm well aware that I look like a complete fool while playing, but I don't care--it's so much fun! (It's also making me sore--I think that's a good sign!)
• Went to the chiropractor. Around 11:00 Monday morning, I suddenly thought, "I wonder when my next chiro appointment is?" I dug out the appointment card I carry in my wallet and saw my next appointment was at 4:15 that afternoon! I always feel so much better after seeing my doctor!
• Decided to be responsible and work on speech. I started cutting a piece that my team could potentially start using this weekend. Then I received "the call" (the one letting me know school had been called off) and I ...
• Decided to be irresponsible! I spent the evening with Mom and Blendy watching The Bachelor and Castle. If you recall, I do love me some Nathan Fillion!
• Watched some What I Like About You while blogging. Season 4. Vic and Val. Why isn't this show on dvd? Someday my video tapes will wear out ...

Tuesday

• Woke up at 9:30 and decided to spend the morning pampering myself and the afternoon being responsible. It didn't go quite as planned ... I decided to take a bath in the master bath. I never use that bathroom because it wasn't available when I moved in, and I just use the bathroom that's across the hall from my bedroom. But this bathtub has jets, and it's actually deep, so I thought I'd try it out. Yeah, that was a bit of a mistake. I ran the water, got in, sighed in relaxation, and turned on the jets. Soon I was sharing the water with hundreds of rust flecks! I'm guessing the jets hadn't been used at least since the owner moved out, and that was over a year ago ... and who knows if she even used them for a while before that! I immediately jumped out and drained the water. Ewwww!!!
• Moved on to part two of the pampering process: facial and hand treatment! I dug out my paraffin bath (which I hadn't used since Christmas '09), put some goop on my face, and settled in for part two of Bleak House. (Thanks, Netflix streaming!)
• Started being responsible by reading my book instead of watching part three of Bleak House. Finally finished said book and wrote the review. You can see it here. (If you do read the review, would you let me know if you can see the ranking button at the bottom of the post? It's not showing up for me, but I wonder if it's just my browser.)
• Made flour tortillas for use in supper's quesadillas. Tortillas are surprisingly easy to make, and they taste so much better than the ones I usually buy at Walmart!
• Decided to give the bath another go ... complete with the next part of Bleak House. (Have you gathered yet that I'm a period drama nut?) This time I waited until the very end of the bath to turn the jets on ... and sure enough, the same thing happened!
• Watched Knight and Day with Blendy. Entertaining, but not a movie I'd want to see again and again.

All in all, I had a good two days off. Not sure I'm ready to hit the grind again, but I'm certainly a lot more rested than I was before ... and rest is a precious commodity during speech season!

a new year, a new me?

I've had some health problems lately, and my doctor told me to eat a low fat, high fiber diet. In the past month, my eating habits have changed drastically, and I've lost seven pounds in three weeks!!! I'm glad I wasn't told to cut out the carbs or sugar, though I'm sure I've eaten much less sugar recently. I've also been exercising more frequently. And ... I bought a shake weight! I love it. I don't expect to ever look like the woman on the dvd, but that doesn't matter. It's the one part of my workout I actually look forward to!

One of the things I've been doing recently is baking my own bread. I've always enjoyed baking bread, but I often am too lazy to take the time to do it. I do have a bread machine, but there's something cathartic about mixing, kneading, and shaping the dough. I take a basic bread recipe and then experiment with it--adding oatmeal, substituting wheat flour for white, adding herbs and spices. And really, is there any better smell than the scent of fresh bread?

Tonight, I'm making Wicked Cinnamon Rolls. I've been craving cinnamon rolls lately, but my favorite recipe, Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls, is quite decidedly not low fat. Not even close. I don't have the pastry flour called for in the Wicked recipe, so I just used regular flour. Right now, the dough is on the second rise. I'm hoping the flour substitution won't make too big of a difference.

Two hours later, I've just eaten the first roll. I adapted Pioneer Woman's maple frosting recipe instead of using Wicked's icing. Next time (if there is a next time), I'll use less cinnamon in the rolls. The recipe calls for two tablespoons, and I love cinnamon, so I used what it called for, even though I thought it sounded like a lot. I'm thinking one tablespoon would have been sufficient! Overall, the rolls are decent, but they aren't nearly as good as they would be with a little fat involved!

 

The flour I used for the rolls. I found it at Walmart--Wheat Montana is the place we got our amazing cinnamon rolls on our summer road trip!

 

Rising in the oven. 

 

The finished product. Not as beautiful as I'd hoped!