Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Training up a storm...
Hi there friends in blogland. I'm very much alive and very well thank you very much for wondering. The last couple of months have been busy but in a very good way.
I'm back to running at least 4-5 miles about 3 times a week BUT... I joined a gym June 1st to help start back to weight training and have been a regular about 4 times a week.
So far I have lost 10 lbs and 9 % body fat !!! Yeah for me. The most remarkable difference is in the inches. No more back fat under the bra, which is great since it is swimsuit season now. I am actually excited and not hesitant about wearing a bikini this summer. My arms are toned now and don't jiggle so much and the post-baby pouch is not noticeable (at least when I am standing up straight-hunched in a lawn chair...yeah well that's another story), and best of all...the love handles are gone now :)
I have also found a group of female runners that want to run the Half in October with me, so there is now more motivation to keep with my end of the training.
My posting will be sparse between working and training after work and then spending time with the kids but I will try my best to post weekly. I scan everyone else's blogs whenever I can but never have time to comment anymore.
|
I'm back to running at least 4-5 miles about 3 times a week BUT... I joined a gym June 1st to help start back to weight training and have been a regular about 4 times a week.
So far I have lost 10 lbs and 9 % body fat !!! Yeah for me. The most remarkable difference is in the inches. No more back fat under the bra, which is great since it is swimsuit season now. I am actually excited and not hesitant about wearing a bikini this summer. My arms are toned now and don't jiggle so much and the post-baby pouch is not noticeable (at least when I am standing up straight-hunched in a lawn chair...yeah well that's another story), and best of all...the love handles are gone now :)
I have also found a group of female runners that want to run the Half in October with me, so there is now more motivation to keep with my end of the training.
My posting will be sparse between working and training after work and then spending time with the kids but I will try my best to post weekly. I scan everyone else's blogs whenever I can but never have time to comment anymore.
Monday, May 01, 2006
Spring Cleaning
I find myself waking up at 5am every morning since the time change so I decided that I should use that extra time doing something productive. Rather than lying in bed and reading or pulling up the covers to take off the morning chill, my new plan is to get me arse out of bed and run on the treadmill (it's still too cold ~30F) or just do some free weights.
Day 1 was yesterday, Sunday, and it started out very well. While I didn't get to the treadmill in the basement until 7AM, I managed to run an easy 3 miles at 11:30 pace. Then I worked shoulders, biceps and triceps (my new target area).
The forecast was for a nice day (it ended up being 72F!) so we decided to take the kids to the lake and trim some of the brush and dead tree limbs that cover the beachy area. We packed a BBQ lunch of Red Dogs (red hot dogs for those of you who have never been to Maine), chips, drinks and the requisite lake beverage -beer.
The kids really got into helping us trim the branches that touch the cottage roof and helped haul the cut stuff across the road to the wooded area. We trimmed so much that we feel like we have a whole new view of the lake. It is very open and unobscured now.
I was so busy and caught up into tree trimming that I completely forgot to use my camera, even though I always carry it in my purse, so unfortunately there are no before and after pics.
The boys even were brave enough to venture into the freezing cold water with their sneakers on, even though Mom had specificallly told them not to. Sigh. Boys, what can I say?
No running planned today, maybe just some lunges with weights. Treadmill again in the early AM is on the agenda but we'll see what happens :)
|
Day 1 was yesterday, Sunday, and it started out very well. While I didn't get to the treadmill in the basement until 7AM, I managed to run an easy 3 miles at 11:30 pace. Then I worked shoulders, biceps and triceps (my new target area).
The forecast was for a nice day (it ended up being 72F!) so we decided to take the kids to the lake and trim some of the brush and dead tree limbs that cover the beachy area. We packed a BBQ lunch of Red Dogs (red hot dogs for those of you who have never been to Maine), chips, drinks and the requisite lake beverage -beer.
The kids really got into helping us trim the branches that touch the cottage roof and helped haul the cut stuff across the road to the wooded area. We trimmed so much that we feel like we have a whole new view of the lake. It is very open and unobscured now.
I was so busy and caught up into tree trimming that I completely forgot to use my camera, even though I always carry it in my purse, so unfortunately there are no before and after pics.
The boys even were brave enough to venture into the freezing cold water with their sneakers on, even though Mom had specificallly told them not to. Sigh. Boys, what can I say?
No running planned today, maybe just some lunges with weights. Treadmill again in the early AM is on the agenda but we'll see what happens :)
Monday, April 24, 2006
Do I still live here?
It’s been much too long my dear friends since I last posted !
Our new office had it’s official grand opening/open house/ribbon cutting ceremony on April 10th so the stress of building the office is now over. We have had a steady stream of patients booking appointments so it looks like we’re going to be OK. There are some pics above. The judges paneling around the check-in and check-out desks is all clear maple and cherry baseboard and crown.
I have totally not been running since my last post. I desperately need to get back on track (or the road actually) now that I have a set schedule. I thanked my builder for stressing me out the last 2 weeks before we opened (he was putting up shelving an hour before the opening) because it caused me to lose 5 lbs. That made most of my pants a bit looser and gave me all the more reason to go shopping.
I plan on looking up the race schedule here in Maine and see which ones I want to do.
I love Spring! It energizes me and makes me walk a little brisker, hold my head up higher, and think beautiful thoughts of chasing the boys around the yard in the summer. I look forward to spending weekends at the lake kayaking and playing around in the water. Sigh. Weather, hurry up and get warm! We stopped by the lake this past weekend and picked up all the old bedding so it can have a good washing.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Busy, Busy, Busy
Things have been crazy busy around our house lately. I have been a very good girl and running on the treadmill 2-3 times a week for anywhere from 3-5 miles followed by some light weights. I have also been making a conscious effort to watch everything I eat on a daily basis. This is all in preparation for the summer running season. The is a marathon/ 1/2 marathon in May in my hometown of Fredericton which I would love to run so I'm trying my best to fit the running in as much as I can.
Our truck “Big Red” is all fixed, we picked it up on Valentine’s Day and it looks like brand new (considering it was only 2 years old it looked new before the moose). There are some minor things that need to be fixed like the tiny leak on the corner of the windshield and the cruise control buttons on the steering wheel that don’t work. But otherwise, as good as new. The kids are glad to have it back.
In kid news, my little, sweet, precious baby (yes I know he’s almost 2 ½ now but he’s still my baby) has a very unfortunate accident on Valentine’s weekend. I was running on the treadmill while the boys played with their toys and Playdough. “S” came over to retrieve some candy hearts he had hidden in my cupholder, I jumped on the side rails while I helped him get them out but in the meantime “N” came over to get some candy too. Well, the normally ‘fraidy cat climbed onto the front of the running treadmill and went flying off the back. OK now normally that would be an exciting ride for a kid but he went head first and connected with a dumbbell behind the treadmill. His forehead split open and blood was literally gushing everywhere! I, being in the medical profession, have seen lots of blood but never actually pumping out of a forehead.
I grabbed him, ran upstairs, grabbed a clean towel, pressed it against his head all the while explaining to “S” what is happening, and needs to be done(that’s the medical in me). Ian was out of town for the day and since we didn’t have the truck back yet I had no choice but to call 911. In a matter of minutes, maybe 7 or 8, we had the Police, Ambulance and Fire Rescue at our door. “S” proceeded to greet them at the door with “ Hi my name is S, I’m 3 and this is my brother N and he’s 2. He climbed up on to the running machine while Mama was running on it, flew of the back and smashed his head on one of Mama’s exercise weights(hands gesturing). I don’t know why he did it but he’s hurt now. Are you gonna take us to the hospital? My dad took the car to work and our truck is still broken.”
I swear to you know who that is exactly what he said. The cop looked up at me incredulously and I just kept nodding my head and said “Yup, ditto what he said"
So "S" stayed with my neighbor who came running over with all the commotion while "N" and I headed off in the ambulance (the bleeding had stopped by the time EMS got to the house). He looked all around and fixed his gaze on the defibrillator unit and said "Mama, wanna watch Doda (Dora)". HAHA. I mean the kid is hurt, he must have have a hell of a pounding headache and he wants to watch Dora !
His stitches came out last week and he is doing just fine now but he's milking it for all its worth. He tells S "I got ouchie, gimme that" :)
Our office construction is plugging along nicely. the exterior is almost finished and they start sheetrocking today on the inside. They still expect to be completely finished in a month so we have planned the advertising and opening to be in April. Whew! With all this going on, you can see why it doesn't give me much time to blog.
Here's some pics:
|
Our truck “Big Red” is all fixed, we picked it up on Valentine’s Day and it looks like brand new (considering it was only 2 years old it looked new before the moose). There are some minor things that need to be fixed like the tiny leak on the corner of the windshield and the cruise control buttons on the steering wheel that don’t work. But otherwise, as good as new. The kids are glad to have it back.
In kid news, my little, sweet, precious baby (yes I know he’s almost 2 ½ now but he’s still my baby) has a very unfortunate accident on Valentine’s weekend. I was running on the treadmill while the boys played with their toys and Playdough. “S” came over to retrieve some candy hearts he had hidden in my cupholder, I jumped on the side rails while I helped him get them out but in the meantime “N” came over to get some candy too. Well, the normally ‘fraidy cat climbed onto the front of the running treadmill and went flying off the back. OK now normally that would be an exciting ride for a kid but he went head first and connected with a dumbbell behind the treadmill. His forehead split open and blood was literally gushing everywhere! I, being in the medical profession, have seen lots of blood but never actually pumping out of a forehead.
I grabbed him, ran upstairs, grabbed a clean towel, pressed it against his head all the while explaining to “S” what is happening, and needs to be done(that’s the medical in me). Ian was out of town for the day and since we didn’t have the truck back yet I had no choice but to call 911. In a matter of minutes, maybe 7 or 8, we had the Police, Ambulance and Fire Rescue at our door. “S” proceeded to greet them at the door with “ Hi my name is S, I’m 3 and this is my brother N and he’s 2. He climbed up on to the running machine while Mama was running on it, flew of the back and smashed his head on one of Mama’s exercise weights(hands gesturing). I don’t know why he did it but he’s hurt now. Are you gonna take us to the hospital? My dad took the car to work and our truck is still broken.”
I swear to you know who that is exactly what he said. The cop looked up at me incredulously and I just kept nodding my head and said “Yup, ditto what he said"
So "S" stayed with my neighbor who came running over with all the commotion while "N" and I headed off in the ambulance (the bleeding had stopped by the time EMS got to the house). He looked all around and fixed his gaze on the defibrillator unit and said "Mama, wanna watch Doda (Dora)". HAHA. I mean the kid is hurt, he must have have a hell of a pounding headache and he wants to watch Dora !
His stitches came out last week and he is doing just fine now but he's milking it for all its worth. He tells S "I got ouchie, gimme that" :)
Our office construction is plugging along nicely. the exterior is almost finished and they start sheetrocking today on the inside. They still expect to be completely finished in a month so we have planned the advertising and opening to be in April. Whew! With all this going on, you can see why it doesn't give me much time to blog.
Here's some pics:
Thursday, January 12, 2006
New Year
Happy new year everyone!
Blogger ate my original post so I have to remember what I wrote.
The kids had a great time over the holidays with their cousins who came to visit for the new years long weekend. They went sledding on a really big hill, swimming in the local pool and made snowmen in the front and back yards.
Our truck will take 3 more weeks until it will be ready. In the meantime we have a rental Dodge Magnum. I'm not crazy about the exterior style nor do I like the limited visibility from the inside,and it handles terrible in snow. Way too many blind spots for my liking. So I called Enterpri$e and told them that it has very little traction and poor visibility...and you know what the kid told me? "Yeah it sucks".
So why rent it to me as a "free upgrade"?! I'd rather have the midsize I originally requested if it means better safety on these slick snow covered Maine roads. Plus the seatbelts suck for carseats. The click-in part ends up behind the padded back digging into a child's back. If you loosen it then the car seat is not really strapped in well and will thrust forward any time you put the brakes on. What a poorly designed car!
So he "upgraded" us again to a small SUV "for only $5 more" OK fine, so now we are driving a Kia Sorrento. It's a pretty nice little vehicle, kinda resembles a Lexus RX300 except that the engine parts seem like they are made with Tinkertoys when you're used to a big Ford truck engine. But, best of all it is designed to handle kids car seats - yeah!
I'm in the market now for a fluid filled bicycle trainer so I can use my new bike. Right now it is in the finished basment looking at all the kids toys and saying "won't someone play with me too?" Soon enough my little friend, soon enough. The trainers I found are around $300 which is a bit much for me right now, so I'm searching for a used (but with no problems) one. I'll give it another month and then I might just get the new one from CycleOps. Does anyone have one? and what do you think about them?
I've been treadmill running whenever I can- 2 miles here and 3 miles there. I just grab whatever I can manage. I have 10 lbs until I reach my "reasonable goal weight" and 15 lbs to my pre-pregnancies weight and 20 lbs to my pre-marriage weight. I do not wish to go back to my ultra lean pre-marriage weight because I was a bit thin then and I was training 5 hours a day year round. Not possible now-unless my husband wins the Megabucks, lets me retire early and train all day again. See, not likely :)
|
Blogger ate my original post so I have to remember what I wrote.
The kids had a great time over the holidays with their cousins who came to visit for the new years long weekend. They went sledding on a really big hill, swimming in the local pool and made snowmen in the front and back yards.
Our truck will take 3 more weeks until it will be ready. In the meantime we have a rental Dodge Magnum. I'm not crazy about the exterior style nor do I like the limited visibility from the inside,and it handles terrible in snow. Way too many blind spots for my liking. So I called Enterpri$e and told them that it has very little traction and poor visibility...and you know what the kid told me? "Yeah it sucks".
So why rent it to me as a "free upgrade"?! I'd rather have the midsize I originally requested if it means better safety on these slick snow covered Maine roads. Plus the seatbelts suck for carseats. The click-in part ends up behind the padded back digging into a child's back. If you loosen it then the car seat is not really strapped in well and will thrust forward any time you put the brakes on. What a poorly designed car!
So he "upgraded" us again to a small SUV "for only $5 more" OK fine, so now we are driving a Kia Sorrento. It's a pretty nice little vehicle, kinda resembles a Lexus RX300 except that the engine parts seem like they are made with Tinkertoys when you're used to a big Ford truck engine. But, best of all it is designed to handle kids car seats - yeah!
I'm in the market now for a fluid filled bicycle trainer so I can use my new bike. Right now it is in the finished basment looking at all the kids toys and saying "won't someone play with me too?" Soon enough my little friend, soon enough. The trainers I found are around $300 which is a bit much for me right now, so I'm searching for a used (but with no problems) one. I'll give it another month and then I might just get the new one from CycleOps. Does anyone have one? and what do you think about them?
I've been treadmill running whenever I can- 2 miles here and 3 miles there. I just grab whatever I can manage. I have 10 lbs until I reach my "reasonable goal weight" and 15 lbs to my pre-pregnancies weight and 20 lbs to my pre-marriage weight. I do not wish to go back to my ultra lean pre-marriage weight because I was a bit thin then and I was training 5 hours a day year round. Not possible now-unless my husband wins the Megabucks, lets me retire early and train all day again. See, not likely :)
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
7000 lb Expedition vs 2000 lb Moose, and the winner is...my family of 4 inside.
We were involved in a horrible head on collision with a very large MOOSE on Christmas day, coming home from visiting the in-laws (see, I knew we shouldn't have gone). It was dark and foggy and those of you who know anything about moose know that they are just stupid, dumb animals. Really, they are. Their brains are about the size of an actual walnut. Their eyes do not reflect like deer, their coat is as dark as night and they are not deterred by headlights or car horns.
Note the moose hair caught on the windshield in the third picture.
Thank GOD were were in the FORD EXPEDITION ( I will advertise for them until I die, which is what most definately would have happened if we driving a vehicle any smaller). The game warden statistics are that only 1% of people who hit a moose actually walk away with no major injuries or death.The game warden, sheriff, and state trooper were amazed that not a single one of us was hurt. They said it was the worst they had seen this year. That highway is notorious for moose and has a high fatality rate but the state refuses to put street lights or push for cell service. The third row window was kicked in my the moose hoofs as he was flipped around. I cry every time I think about how he just missed the middle window right next to where our 3 yo was sitting.
We are very thankful to be alive!!
There are NO cell towers where it happened (this particular highway area being woodland Maine).
I am thankful to all the people that stopped to make sure we were OK, and help us push the truck over to the side of the road, and who then drove to the next town (30min) and called the police.
I am thankful to the 60ish couple from Nova Scotia Canada (GO FELLOW CANADIANS) who actually made room in their small Civic for us 4 and drove us all the way to our house! (~1 hour away). I got their name and address from them and will be sending them a nice thank-you basket.
Thank you Good Samaritans !!!
The next day at the Auto Body place we took some pictures when we went back to get all our belongings and xmas presents which were left behind. It didn't look any better the next day in the daylight.
The kids saw it happen - they heard and felt the loud thud, were rocked forward in their car seats, then saw the moose smash against the windshield. Our 2 yo starting wimpering but we quickly told him everything was OK then he was fine. The 3yo wanted to know what happened:
3 yo: "Mama what happened to the truck?"
Me : " We hit a Moose"
3 yo: "How come we hit a moose?"
Me: "we didn't mean to hit a moose, he just walked right in front of the truck"
3 yo: " how come he walked right in front of the truck?"
Me: ...pause "because he didn't look both ways before crossing the highway, remember how mama and dada always say to look both ways and always hold a grown-up's hand? Well the moose didn't look both ways and he forgot to hold a grown ups hand"
3 yo: "yeah, he forgot to look"
Then they went back to watching the DVD which for some reason was still working even though we lost power for every other part of the truck .
Since I was driving I got the brunt of all the shards of glass and my door wouldn't open so after climbing out and getting the kids out all my 3yo cared about was wanting to see the moose. The 2 yo kept repeating "uh oh, trucka broken" (he's fanatic about cars and trucks)
Yesterday for pre-school they took some of the pictures and a couple of the moose hairs to show their friends.
Have a happy new year everyone!
PS. I got a BIKE! Bianchi Boadwalk, more about that next post...
PPS. Did I already say I LOVE FORD EXPEDITIONS?!!!
Monday, December 12, 2005
Agatha Christie...
Hubby asked to use the Expedition today to “help” a fellow doc move some filing cabinets. Hmmm, something smells fishy here!
Here’s why -
- I asked for a bike for Xmas before we decided not to spend too much. (Since construction of our office is going over budget). I bike would fit nicely in the back of an Expedition.
- Xmas is coming and I am naturally suspicious this time of year.
- My husband sucks at trying to be inconspicuous. Like maybe he should trade me his Accord a few times prior to now so it won’t look so obvious when he asks to borrow my SUV.
- Why would he and another doc ‘move file cabinets’ in their work clothes? They have a handyman ‘helper guy’ for stuff like that. Hmmm. See where I’m headed with this?
- Now 3 weeks from now I may have a big foot in my mouth if I end up with something like a book instead of a bike but it’s fun to be imaginative. Xmas is no fun if there’s no drama.
- I don’t go looking for presents or receipts but like to pick up on verbal cues instead. This way I don’t spoil a potential surprise but can only speculate.
In one way I’ll be really happy to get the bike but on the other hand I have a hard enough time as is making treadmill time. I will admit there are plenty of times I could be working out at home but you know what, my kids come first.
This is not an excuse but rather simply accepting things as they are. Confusing isn’t it? I figure it this way, if my kids are tired, hungry and grumpy when we get home at 5:30pm it is my job as their mother to make things right. This usually means food, cuddling and lots of hugs. Those of you who have kids know this takes time and that when there are hungry toddlers around even the fastest microwaveable Kraft Dinner (Mac & Cheese) isn’t fast enough.
*violins start playing*
I envy all you kidless folks out there for having the time to work out whenever you want (I was like that too, once). To those of you that have only one child, you too have more time to yourself (you’re only “it” 50% of the time). It is common knowledge that the more children you have, the less time you have for yourself, especially if it is your job to pick up the kids and feed them because your day ends sooner. When you have 2 or more kids you are “it” all the time because at any given time there is at least one child that needs you, guaranteed.
Don’t misinterpret what I’m saying. I would not change my life for anything, I absolutely adore my 2 young boys and would love to have 2 more kids but I don’t know if that will happen since time is limited (I’m 35-ugh-now).
My point is when I’m 50 will I be looking at myself and saying “wow, I’m glad I put the kids needs aside so I could have this rock hard body” or will I say “I’m so happy that my kids are happy and cared for and that I am in pretty darn good shape for my age”.
The best time to be in great shape is before you have kids and after your kids are teenagers (at that point they are somewhat self-sufficient). In the interim, I make do as much as I can and wait for the teenage years to come so I can have that “rock hard body”
Some days I get discouraged by all the activity other runners are doing in the off-season, with their running, swimming, weights etc but I have to remind myself that it really is impossible for me to fit those things into our family schedule right now. When the kids are in grade school and they have practice for one sport or another I can drop them off, go for a run and be back in time for pickup. Yeah.
*violins stop playing*
Still there? I haven’t lost you yet?
Good, a question...is there any logical reason to take 2 toddlers to xmas eve church services if they never pay attention and are always being shushing by their grammie (my MIL) even though they are in the glassed off kids room?
I would prefer to not take them (the last 2 years were tough with them). We don't go to church because we are raising them Hindu but to appease my Mother-in-law we go to church at Xmas and Easter. My kids are very well behaved but they are at the age that to go to something formal and to have to sit still, let alone not talk is very hard for them. Especially when there are other kids in the same room. My MIL gets disturbed that they are ruining the service for her even though we told her and the FIL to sit with the rest of the congregation if they wanted to hear the service.
My husband agreed to Xmas at their house instead of ours thinking that he was doing me a favor so I wouldn't have to cook but I would rather cook than listen to the MIL go on about why we don't take the kids to church. *Note to MIL (she doen't know about this blog) it was your son who chose to raise his kids in my religion not me! We make sure to teach the kids about all different faiths, and cultures but, ack, the MIL is pissing me off. The Hindu religion is very mythological, which makes it fun (remember Greek mythology in high school?). When my 3 year old was telling her the role of some of the indian gods, she replied with "oh great, he knows about the gods now"
Curse the MIL! I'm taking back the cashmere sweater set now!
I’ll keep you posted on the Xmas sleuthing *giggle*
