Operation Petticoat

Friday, February 17, 2012

I am soooooooooooooo excited! There is an organization called Operation Petticoat that offers free Photo Shoots including hair, makeup and wardrobe to Active Duty Military Spouses. They only do 4 events a year in Burbank California with 10 available slots and......... I GOT A SLOT!!!! The shoot is next Sunday and I can't wait! 3 of the other gals from my derby team got slots as well so we are going to go together and make a day of it. I will post pics as soon as I get them back. They do Pin-up Themed shots so its totally right up my alley!

Woo Hoo!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

SCAREWALDORF 2/18/2012 2:39PM

Wow, that's so cool! I'm incredibly jealous of you-please share the results. xoxo Report Inappropriate Comment

JAYDEE16 2/17/2012 2:24PM

Oh my GOOOOOOOOSH!!!! That is so exciting, I can NOT WAIT to see them! I would LOOOOOOOVE to have a pin-up shot of myself . . . wait, that sounds weird. What I mean is . . . um, nope, I can't find my way out of that one. I'd really love to fulfill my weird dream of being a '40s pin-up girl, and get to keep the photographic evidence. :) I'm so excited for you! I hope you have a blast! Report Inappropriate Comment

RORYLYONS 2/17/2012 2:16AM

How is that...Enjoy your day..Will be looking for the photos of your makeover. Report Inappropriate Comment

Measurements day

Saturday, February 11, 2012

I am actually very happy with my progress so far. Since starting with Spark People on January 11, 2012 I have lost 9lbs. I've lost 1" around my waist, 1.5" from my hips, 2" from each thigh, 3/4" from each arm and 1/2" from my neck! My bust and calves have stayed the same (YES!) I was surprised that I hadn't lost more from my waist because my favorite capris are way too big around the waist. Not sure what's going on there. But whatever the case is, I am happy with my progress. Especially because I have been really sick for the last 2 weeks and have not been able to work out. I have not been eating very much though, due to the sickness, so I assume that has something to do with it.

Last night was Derby practice and I went to watch because I don't want to miss anything. We have had 2 new girls join the team in my absence and I wanted to meet them. I am really glad I went. It was a lot of fun and I am really excited about our new players. I did end up putting my skates on to help out the newest girl. She was struggling just to stand up on her skates and I could see that she was getting frustrated and discouraged. It felt good to be able to help someone who was going through the same thing I went through 6 months ago. I hope I helped her, I think I did.

We all went out for drinks after practice and it was so much fun just to get out and have a laugh! I felt like I had been couped up in a cave for the last 2 weeks, so I really enjoyed myself. I was a good girl and didn't have any drinks, but I did enjoy an order of fried pot stickers at 600 calories. I made that my dinner and still managed to stay way under goal.
All in all, I am feeling pretty good today, aside from still having a lingering cough and congestion. I think I will do some strength training today.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

LEIAMLOW 2/17/2012 12:56AM

I know! I couldn't believe it! I thought I was doing something wrong but even the hubby noticed it! I can see it too when I look at my thighs. It's definitely encouraging. I am still anticipating seeing your profile pics! You're gonna rock the measurements! Report Inappropriate Comment

JAYDEE16 2/13/2012 1:36PM

WOOHOO!!! Seriously - TWO INCHES from EACH THIGH?!?! That's incredible. One inch from your waist and 1.5 from your hips might not sound like much, but it's probably about one pants size! My measurements day is Friday (Thurs night in reality, because I don't have time to be messing around with tape measures Friday morning) so I am keeping my fingers crossed. Glad you're feeling better! Report Inappropriate Comment

Sugar Ant Hell (warning, its a long story, but its funny)

Friday, February 10, 2012

This week has been a bit of a downer, with my daughter and I being sick. We've been taking it easy at home trying to recover. So I was not expecting to have 1) The Shock of a lifetime and 2) Burn 600 calories heavy cleaning my entire house.

So here's what happened. My kiddo tells me she wants a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (she calls it a Sam-ootch, its so stinkin cute). So I get out the bread and I cut the crusts off, just the way she likes it. I get the Jelly from the fridge. I grab a butter knife from the drawer. I turn around and get the Peanut Butter from the cabinet by the stove. I am holding said jar in my left hand, over the freshly cut bread. I start to open the lid with my right hand....a shower of sugar ants falls out from under the lid! Coating my hand and the bread. I THROW the peanut butter at the wall, JUMP back about 4 feet and SCREAM like a hungry, angry baby! My daughter of coarse witnesses this whole thing and freaks out as well. I start squashing all the ants I can see (insect lovers should stop reading now, mass ant-icide will commence forthwith). I throw the peanut butter in the trash with the bread and assess the counters looking for stragglers.

Now, for some reason, in my illness fogged brain, I assumed that they had just gotten into that one jar of peanut butter because my hubby forgot to tighten the lid. So I go to the cabinet to get the chunky peanut butter and discover, upon closer inspection, that everything in the cabinet is moving... Everything...Is covered...With ants... FML!

I don't really have any idea how to handle this situation. So I fill half the sink with scalding hot soapy water. I carefully remove every item from the cabinet and bang it on the sink, knocking the ants off into their fiery doom. Wipe each item down carefully and set it aside. After doing this for 20 minutes it occurs to me that I am going to have to reach my hand into that water to pull the drain plug...FML! I get out the BBQ tongs and try to get it out that way. No go. I man up (I should say women up) and reach my hand in there, pull the plug and shudder with revulsion.

I decide instead to fill a bowl with scalding hot soapy water (shoulda thought of that earlier, genius). And continue murdering ants. I get all the goods out of the cabinet and look at the swarms of ants looking for their food. I have a miracle product that I mixed up to clean my carpets a few weeks ago. It consists of water, white vinegar, clear dish soap and baking soda. I have discovered that this stuff works for everything you need to clean. I assume it will also work to murder ants, so I start dousing them liberally with my potion. Its WORKING! Yay me! But they just keep coming. Meanwhile I discover my daughter (who I've somewhat ignored during my ant serial killings) is sitting on the couch drinking grape jelly from the squeeze bottle! I couldn't help but laugh. I take it away from her and replace it with a more fitting snack.

Then my knight in shining ACU's comes home to rescue me from my plight! He looks at the damage, looks at me in my current state of insanity, goes to the garage and comes back with the vacuum... Why didn't I think of that? The vacuum makes quick work of the ants that are coming out of the wall. But they just keep coming. I call my friends for advice. They tell me to put down coffee grounds as a barrier. That works, for a little while. Then I try Borax. That didn't do anything. At this time they have migrated across the cabinets and are making their way to my precious spices. I create a coffee ground barrier and place a temptation back in the other cabinet to keep them confined. They swarm to the bottle of Torani Huckleberry Syrup. My plan works.

The bug guy will be here later this morning to hopefully make quick work of my situation. I hope. This morning they seem to be in smaller numbers. Apparently the Borax gets taken back to the nest and works as a desiccant, so it should deter them from coming back. We'll see. I'll keep you updated.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

MINDBODYANDGOAL 2/11/2012 9:20AM

Eww!!! All I can say is ewww!!! My skin would be crawling for days!! Glad you survived the ant brigade!! Report Inappropriate Comment

JENCULP 2/10/2012 2:32PM

I'm feeling for ya'. Ok just so you know there is a cheaper way than the bug man if your local farm supply carries it. There some stuff called Tempo is comes in a concentrate and you just mix with water and spray around your wall boards and cabinets. Ants will die and us humans are not hurt at all. Tempo also get rid of all the other bugs too!! There is also something that you can get at the same farm supply or possibly on line- don't know what neck of the woods you are from- but it is crystals that you put outside around the edges of your house and the ants also disappear. I'll have to check this one at home and let you know. I live on a small farm and both of these things are a regular at our house and they work!! Report Inappropriate Comment

JAYDEE16 2/10/2012 1:59PM

AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! I have a serious case of the creepy-crawly-heebie-jeebies now, thanks! :) No . . . wait, not done yet . . . AAAAAAAAAAaaAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!R> I'm not particularly bothered by bugs, and I don't like to kill things, but when there's a swarm involved - well, I'm sorry you've gotta do what you've gotta do! It's war! That would totally make me freak out, too. This IS hilarious though - I think my favorite part is that your daughter was serenely sitting on the couch, squeezing jelly straight into her mouth, while you were going berserk. HA HA!! Wow, I hope the bug guy is successful, and you have an ant-free weekend! Report Inappropriate Comment

JILLYQ123 2/10/2012 1:49PM

As if it isn't enough, trying to take care of your little one while feeling sick yourself! I would have reacted the exact same way! This made me crack up! I hope the and debacle is behind you, and everyone is feeling better! Report Inappropriate Comment

CJMCCRAY 2/10/2012 12:52PM

I found this hilarious. When I was younger, I remember my mom waking me up banging on the kitchen counter. We had been invaded by sugar ants and she was trying to kill them by hitting them with a jar. I'll never forget how freaked out she was. Report Inappropriate Comment

Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Its been 8 days of this crappy sickness. My daughter finally has the cough now as well. I took her to the doc today to make sure it was just a cough. They say its an upper respiratory infection. My sickness has been downgraded to Bronchitis. They gave me some uber antibiotics to hopefully kick it for good.

Unfortunately, I feel like I am going to have to start all over on my fitness track. I haven't been measuring my meals. I haven't gone to the store since I got sick, so we are down to processed foods and unhealthy stuff. I drank a big fountain diet coke today after the doctor visit and discovered the truth in what they say about diet soda - it makes you hungry and makes you crave bad food. I've been hungry all day.

Hopefully I will feel marginally better tomorrow and can get at least back on my 10 minute streak. Just feeling pretty discouraged today. Okay, boo hoo moment over now. :)

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

JAYDEE16 2/9/2012 2:49PM

I was just wondering about how you were feeling on my way to work this morning. :) I know it's tempting but don't overdo it too soon! Don't worry that you've had a setback. You have the rest of your life to make up for it, and then some! I think we BOTH need to remember not to focus too hard on the arbitrary "finish line" or goal date we've set, or on a certain weight, or size, or whatever, and focus on making the best decisions we can each day. For example, it was probably a better decision to stay home and rest than it would have been to go to the grocery store! Take care, and don't worry - you'll be kicking derby-practice butt again soon! Report Inappropriate Comment

A day at the Zoo and a Sunset on the Ocean

Monday, February 06, 2012

On Saturday my family and I met up with some friends at the San Diego Zoo. We had an awesome day hiking all around the zoo, checking out the animals. My daughter, who is coming up on 3 years old, LOVES animals! She knows the difference between a leopard, a cheetah, a lion and a jaguar. She could probably go to the zoo every day and be perfectly happy. We used the trackers on our phones to find out how far we went for the day and it ended up being 6 miles! And its mostly up and down major hills (if you've ever been to that zoo, you know what I mean).

After the zoo we drove out to Coronado Island and watched the sunset on the ocean. It was just a perfect day! I got some beautiful pics! The only bad part of the day was that I had had a pretty nasty cold before setting out. I thought the exercise might do me some good. When ever my hubby gets sick, all he has to do is go for a run and he automatically feels better. Not so in my case. Ended up in the ER on Sunday because I was having trouble breathing and it turns out that now I have pneumonia. I feel totally deflated. I am doing my best to take it easy. Hopefully I won't get too far behind in my fitness goals.

Have a great day everyone!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

LEIAMLOW 2/6/2012 3:35PM

Jaydee- The doc said to take it easy for at least 4 or 5 days. They want me in for a follow up on Friday. You are totally spot on with the "soda can" comment! Report Inappropriate Comment

JAYDEE16 2/6/2012 2:27PM

Yuck! I had pneumonia once, and it was the WORST. I'm so sorry! The best thing you can do for yourself though is to take it easy. Seriously. I mean it! Your lungs need to repair themselves, and that can take a little while. I couldn't walk more than 10 steps without resting when I had it, and when I breathed it sounded like I was fizzing, like opening a can of soda. It was weird. But I digress. It did clear up eventually. You're just going to have to be patient, and readjust your goals if necessary! Did your doc give you any guidelines about how long you should wait before resuming exercise? Hope you feel better soon! Report Inappropriate Comment

MISSB8604 2/6/2012 12:39PM

What a divine day you had and what stunning pictures! So sorry you're sick though! Stay hydrated and be well! Report Inappropriate Comment