I can't stand stinky smells!!! My nose just won't tolerate it! So, why can't my husband just let me get a new filter system for Sammy's turtle tank, instead of "waiting to see what kind of scientific/biological thing is taking place in there"?!? Everything is a science experiment w/him, lol. That's great!! He's going on 40, and still loves to learn and do research. So do I.....but, I can also tell when a filter system has simply failed, it is after all, 3 1/2 years old....it's just time to replace the system!
Meanwhile....no matter how many candles I burn, or room fresheners I use, or windows open with fans pulling the air out of the house -- nothing will get rid of the nasty odor coming from that tank! And it does get cleaned often!! The filter just no longer works! PERIOD! Get a new one!!! I will find one on Ebay! No biggie!
But, nope....Don --- who is gone more often than he is home, (spending maybe about 10-15 waking hours at home each week - if that), would rather let me and the boys suffer the horrendous odor, so he can determine what is going on in the tank. But, when will he have the time to do that??? I know....when he's on vacation in November! Right?? By then, I will have just ignored his desire to do his "scientific research" that he will not find the time to proceed with....and will have already purchased a new filter system, that he can put together. The one that it's in there now.....must be buried, deep underground. Yes. It's THAT bad!!!! It's not only humiliating, but I just can't live w/that odor!!! UGH!!!
You'd think, (the scientific mind he has), that by now, he'd just realize the filter system failed!!! Oy!
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Enough already!!!
This is a very personal blog concerning my diet. I needed to put it on my blog, so that I will come back and read it, and know that I just exposed my bad habits for others to see, as a reminder of why it's so important to eat healthy. I've not been practicing what I preach for almost a couple months now. So, it's time for some personal humility. Sometimes, I just have to realize that all the advice I've been giving people.....will come in handy for myself as well! It's time to take my own advice.
For the past 2 months, I've been allowing myself to eat badly. I've been very committed to my workout....but not so committed to my normal healthy eating habits. At first I was blaming it on the upcoming cold season.....when our bodies naturally want to get into "hibernation" mode. The cold weather approaches, the chemistry in our bodies can sense it...just like a dog or cat will grow their "winter coat" of fur to keep warm, well our bodies want to naturally store extra fat to keep warm. So, instead of recognizing this, and fighting extra hard, like I normally do....I gave into it. Aware of what I was doing, but still allowing it to happen. Each night....I mindlessly start eating bad. The same thing that got me in trouble with my weight, to begin with.
So. I just had a little chat with myself. I got in front of the bathroom mirror, and got on my case about my irrational stupidity! This is what I said to myself -----
"WHAT are you DOING?! You have been eating all the wrong foods. And you KNOW you have! You tell yourself every single day 'do not screw it up today!' You start off on the right track. Then by late afternoon, or evening, it's all over. You told yourself, 'if you don't buy it, you won't eat it. Live by that!' The boys tell you that, to remind you of your own words, for your own good. Yet, you've been ignoring them. You tell them 'they're right', but then, you buy it anyway. And then....YOU EAT IT!!! Like a dumb fool! It is so NOT worth a moment or two of the brief pleasure you feel when you indulge in foods that are seriously bad for you, that are nothing more than high calories, lots of sugar and lots of fat. No nutritional value, whatsoever. Just garbage. It just ISN'T worth that brief moment, now is it??? NO!!!! It's sooo not worth the indulgence, if it's only going to put an extra 15 lbs on the numbers on the scale, and you can see the bloating in your face, in your reflection. Your size 8's are getting snug again. It's time to start focusing on your every action. It's time to put all that energy back into your mental thinking of what and how you eat. It's time to let go of the brief moments of pleasure that are hurting you! You're exercising, SO well, every single day!!! You are taking the time to move your body, to build your muscles, your strength, your stamina, to improve your overall health by getting exercise....GOOD exercise that your friend, who's more like a brother, has put the time in to create, JUST for you, to help you improve your life. So....WHY are you destroying all that hard work you put into yourself everyday, by eating food that you know is BAD?!?!?!!!!! You don't know why? Then, STOP already! Enough is enough!!! Instead of working so hard to combat your bad diet, work hard to continue reaching for your goal! You are 5' 7". Your goal is 140 lbs. That is smack dab in the middle of your ideal body weight. It's not too much to reach for. It's not going too far. It's not inconceivable. So DO IT already!!!! You reached your 2nd big goal 2 months ago. Your first goal was to get under 200 lbs. Your second goal was to reach that 100 lb loss. Your final goal is that magic number. 140 lbs. You were sooo close, even just to the top of your ideal body weight when you reached the 100 lb marker. So, why, after you returned from your vacation did you just stop working so hard at the diet? Why??? I'll tell you....because you got lost in yourself again. You lost your focus. You have not been paying as close attention to your own details as you think. You're allowing yourself to give in to indulgences. Most indulgences are bad. You KNOW what you have to do, miss Kathi. So, it's time to stop getting mad at yourself for eating wrong.........and start paying more attention to your actions. You've put 15 lbs on since you reached your 100 lb goal. It's time to kick it back into high gear. Say goodbye to those foolish 15 lbs you gained, and hello to continuing on the right track again. Get--back--on--track. You're doing soo well with your workout. Let's show it by eating right. You have all the tools you need. You know exactly what to do. Stop being the fool. Show your tempted mind who's the boss. Tell your inhibitions that YOU are in charge of what goes in your body, therefore, you're taking control again. It's time to start listening to your own advice again, start listening to your precious children who have been trying so hard to help you realize what you're doing wrong. Start listening to your husband who does not want to see you disappointed in yourself again. Kathi, you've changed soooo much over the past year alone. You're starting to get lost again. STOP! It's hammer-time! Now, you're going to find yourself again. Now, you're going to listen! You are going to FOLLOW YOUR OWN ADVICE!!!! Because you know that it's right!"
Yep, that pretty much sums up the lecture I gave myself. Yes, I have allowed myself to fall off the diet wagon. To fall prey to the goodies on display in the stores. To go out to eat all the time. I've allowed myself to be a victim of old habits. And, now.........
I'm DONE!! No longer the victim of myself. I am going to be the conquering hero (heroine?). I will NOT buy anymore bad foods. Not a single living person on this planet needs those bad foods. Time to think of food as fuel again. And remind myself, what I already know.....and start participating in the proper healthy diet again. I'm done being the window shopper.....I'm buying into my healthy diet again. I'm investing in ME! :-)
For the past 2 months, I've been allowing myself to eat badly. I've been very committed to my workout....but not so committed to my normal healthy eating habits. At first I was blaming it on the upcoming cold season.....when our bodies naturally want to get into "hibernation" mode. The cold weather approaches, the chemistry in our bodies can sense it...just like a dog or cat will grow their "winter coat" of fur to keep warm, well our bodies want to naturally store extra fat to keep warm. So, instead of recognizing this, and fighting extra hard, like I normally do....I gave into it. Aware of what I was doing, but still allowing it to happen. Each night....I mindlessly start eating bad. The same thing that got me in trouble with my weight, to begin with.
So. I just had a little chat with myself. I got in front of the bathroom mirror, and got on my case about my irrational stupidity! This is what I said to myself -----
"WHAT are you DOING?! You have been eating all the wrong foods. And you KNOW you have! You tell yourself every single day 'do not screw it up today!' You start off on the right track. Then by late afternoon, or evening, it's all over. You told yourself, 'if you don't buy it, you won't eat it. Live by that!' The boys tell you that, to remind you of your own words, for your own good. Yet, you've been ignoring them. You tell them 'they're right', but then, you buy it anyway. And then....YOU EAT IT!!! Like a dumb fool! It is so NOT worth a moment or two of the brief pleasure you feel when you indulge in foods that are seriously bad for you, that are nothing more than high calories, lots of sugar and lots of fat. No nutritional value, whatsoever. Just garbage. It just ISN'T worth that brief moment, now is it??? NO!!!! It's sooo not worth the indulgence, if it's only going to put an extra 15 lbs on the numbers on the scale, and you can see the bloating in your face, in your reflection. Your size 8's are getting snug again. It's time to start focusing on your every action. It's time to put all that energy back into your mental thinking of what and how you eat. It's time to let go of the brief moments of pleasure that are hurting you! You're exercising, SO well, every single day!!! You are taking the time to move your body, to build your muscles, your strength, your stamina, to improve your overall health by getting exercise....GOOD exercise that your friend, who's more like a brother, has put the time in to create, JUST for you, to help you improve your life. So....WHY are you destroying all that hard work you put into yourself everyday, by eating food that you know is BAD?!?!?!!!!! You don't know why? Then, STOP already! Enough is enough!!! Instead of working so hard to combat your bad diet, work hard to continue reaching for your goal! You are 5' 7". Your goal is 140 lbs. That is smack dab in the middle of your ideal body weight. It's not too much to reach for. It's not going too far. It's not inconceivable. So DO IT already!!!! You reached your 2nd big goal 2 months ago. Your first goal was to get under 200 lbs. Your second goal was to reach that 100 lb loss. Your final goal is that magic number. 140 lbs. You were sooo close, even just to the top of your ideal body weight when you reached the 100 lb marker. So, why, after you returned from your vacation did you just stop working so hard at the diet? Why??? I'll tell you....because you got lost in yourself again. You lost your focus. You have not been paying as close attention to your own details as you think. You're allowing yourself to give in to indulgences. Most indulgences are bad. You KNOW what you have to do, miss Kathi. So, it's time to stop getting mad at yourself for eating wrong.........and start paying more attention to your actions. You've put 15 lbs on since you reached your 100 lb goal. It's time to kick it back into high gear. Say goodbye to those foolish 15 lbs you gained, and hello to continuing on the right track again. Get--back--on--track. You're doing soo well with your workout. Let's show it by eating right. You have all the tools you need. You know exactly what to do. Stop being the fool. Show your tempted mind who's the boss. Tell your inhibitions that YOU are in charge of what goes in your body, therefore, you're taking control again. It's time to start listening to your own advice again, start listening to your precious children who have been trying so hard to help you realize what you're doing wrong. Start listening to your husband who does not want to see you disappointed in yourself again. Kathi, you've changed soooo much over the past year alone. You're starting to get lost again. STOP! It's hammer-time! Now, you're going to find yourself again. Now, you're going to listen! You are going to FOLLOW YOUR OWN ADVICE!!!! Because you know that it's right!"
Yep, that pretty much sums up the lecture I gave myself. Yes, I have allowed myself to fall off the diet wagon. To fall prey to the goodies on display in the stores. To go out to eat all the time. I've allowed myself to be a victim of old habits. And, now.........
I'm DONE!! No longer the victim of myself. I am going to be the conquering hero (heroine?). I will NOT buy anymore bad foods. Not a single living person on this planet needs those bad foods. Time to think of food as fuel again. And remind myself, what I already know.....and start participating in the proper healthy diet again. I'm done being the window shopper.....I'm buying into my healthy diet again. I'm investing in ME! :-)
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Goodbye summer 2010, I shall miss you, so!! :-(
The last day of summer. What a sullen feeling that leaves me. I absolutely LOVE fall!!! But, I never like to see summer go. Also, I'm not particularly too thrilled that fall brings winter -- living in the midwest, I'm sure you can imagine why.
This summer was the best we'd had in years. I reached my 100 lb weight-loss goal, and subsequently comfortably finally fit into a size 8!!! Still have more to lose, but reaching that number was a true accomplishment for me! We witnessed the son of one of our closest friends get married to the sweetest girl on a perfect summer day, (and I even wore an actual dress for the first time since Donny was a baby - he's almost 18 now!). The boys and I started going for walks around Lake Storey, on the bike path, and the hidden trails. We love to explore and take pictures, so at first, we did more of that on our Lake walks, than the actual walking for exercise. Toy Story 3 came to theatres, that was a real treat, and brought me to tears. Actually, let me clarify, I was kinda bawling, lol!! The boys and I decided we were going to see as many movies at the theatre as possible, and we had the best time going to the theatre! Twilight's Eclipse also debuted, and thankfully my friend Alanna was willing to see the midnight premiere with me again (she also went w/me to see New Moon last November!)
Donny finished his driver's ed summer course. And, he played his trumpet for the orchestra in the Prairie Players Civic Theatre production of The Sound of Music. Sammy did NOT have to attend summer school this year. Joshua turned 12, and Austin turned 16 (I was informed when Donny turned 16, that only girls celebrate their "Sweet 16", and boys only like the fact that they can legally get their driver's license at 16, lol!!) Don's parents came to visit for the first time since July 2009. Donny celebrated his 1 year anniversary w/his girlfriend-Brittany. We spent many nights outside watching the night sky. Stargazing is one of our favorite summer traditions. In August, we caught the Perseids and managed to see 28 meteors in about a 1/2 hour or so, before we got too tired and called it a night. We missed the Northern Lights, although we were out there waiting and watching. And.....our little chihuahua-Tiny finally got fat!
The highlight of our summer: our FIRST summer vacation, EVER!!!
Let me back-track a little bit.......Don & I have been married 19 years this December. And in those 19 years, we never really went on a family vacation. We've had many trips to Chicago to stay w/his parents or mine. Or mini-trips to Chicago museums, etc. But, never really did much while we were up there. My parents retired winter of '09, and after living in the house they purchased together when they got married in July 1967, (that's 42 years in the same house --- the house my sister & I grew up in), they FINALLY moved out of that sinking hole of a town called Park Forest, sold their house, and moved down to the Ozark Mountains in Lakeview, AR, right next to the resort town of Bull Shoals. My mom's younger sister, and her husband, and their 6 children all still live there. In fact, they're all w/in a couple blocks of each other. My parents, sister and I used to drive down there every summer to visit them, and my fondest memories from my teen years are of our trips to Bull Shoals, and all the fun we'd have fun w/my cousins, their friends, their church (which my uncle is the Pastor of), and all the different things we used to do for fun/recreation on the lake, or driving to Branson, or Dogpatch USA (now an abandoned amusement park). Just so many fun, wonderful memories! My last time visiting there was June 1991, just 6 weeks before Don proposed to me. And I have missed that place, and my family down there sooooo much all these years!!!
But, for the first time, we finally did what I've been wanting to do since we started our family. We took a family vacation down to the Ozark Mountains!! We stayed w/my parents in their beautiful, spacious new house (literally, it's only like 12 years old or so!) But, I think at this point, I'm just going to make a whole other blog to describe it. I will say, our vacation was the icing on the cake for this summer! Memories our family never-ever forget!
Also we taught the boys how to target shoot down at the outdoor gun range this summer. And we've all discovered a fun new pasttime!! Shooting rifles, and trap shooting (aka "Skeet") w/the 20 gauge shotgun, is sooo much fun!! It's been a real great experience and bonding w/the boys by taking them down to the range.
Then, we spent a day at Fun City waterpark in Burlington, IA. Sammy, Joshua and I met my best friend, Kimm, her kids, and her parents out there for the afternoon. Unfortunately Donny & Austin had to miss out, they were in band camp all day, every day for 2 weeks. So, I spent about 20 min in the pool, and about 3 hours on the lazy river, lol. (Even ran into one of my other Galesburg friends while we were there!) Meanwhile the boys spent all afternoon either in the lazy river or going down all the slides. I should put pics in here....but that's time I don't have to spare right now, considering I haven't even figured out how to do that yet, lol.
But, all in all, my family and I had a wonderful, full summer. We had more warm days this summer than we've had in years, and that's awesome as far as I'm concerned!!! Most of the summer the temps were in the mid-upper 90's and even got into the 100's. The heat indeces were in the 100's many times. And yes, I'm really going to miss that heat!!! I welcome the fall. I LOOOOVE fall.....I just don't like the wintery weather it brings come November or December. I could do w/o the temps falling into the 20's and lower, the ice storms, the deep snow to try and plow through, etc. I would much, much rather keep my summer. But, the nature in the midwest just doesn't agree w/me.....and I don't see any plans of moving further south anytime soon, lol.
So, farewell my precious summer, I shall miss you....but look forward to meeting up with you again in May (when "MY" summer actually begins, lol) Welcome fall, even though with apprehension. You're already here, so what can I do? Make you leave?? LOL!!! ;-)
This summer was the best we'd had in years. I reached my 100 lb weight-loss goal, and subsequently comfortably finally fit into a size 8!!! Still have more to lose, but reaching that number was a true accomplishment for me! We witnessed the son of one of our closest friends get married to the sweetest girl on a perfect summer day, (and I even wore an actual dress for the first time since Donny was a baby - he's almost 18 now!). The boys and I started going for walks around Lake Storey, on the bike path, and the hidden trails. We love to explore and take pictures, so at first, we did more of that on our Lake walks, than the actual walking for exercise. Toy Story 3 came to theatres, that was a real treat, and brought me to tears. Actually, let me clarify, I was kinda bawling, lol!! The boys and I decided we were going to see as many movies at the theatre as possible, and we had the best time going to the theatre! Twilight's Eclipse also debuted, and thankfully my friend Alanna was willing to see the midnight premiere with me again (she also went w/me to see New Moon last November!)
Donny finished his driver's ed summer course. And, he played his trumpet for the orchestra in the Prairie Players Civic Theatre production of The Sound of Music. Sammy did NOT have to attend summer school this year. Joshua turned 12, and Austin turned 16 (I was informed when Donny turned 16, that only girls celebrate their "Sweet 16", and boys only like the fact that they can legally get their driver's license at 16, lol!!) Don's parents came to visit for the first time since July 2009. Donny celebrated his 1 year anniversary w/his girlfriend-Brittany. We spent many nights outside watching the night sky. Stargazing is one of our favorite summer traditions. In August, we caught the Perseids and managed to see 28 meteors in about a 1/2 hour or so, before we got too tired and called it a night. We missed the Northern Lights, although we were out there waiting and watching. And.....our little chihuahua-Tiny finally got fat!
The highlight of our summer: our FIRST summer vacation, EVER!!!
Let me back-track a little bit.......Don & I have been married 19 years this December. And in those 19 years, we never really went on a family vacation. We've had many trips to Chicago to stay w/his parents or mine. Or mini-trips to Chicago museums, etc. But, never really did much while we were up there. My parents retired winter of '09, and after living in the house they purchased together when they got married in July 1967, (that's 42 years in the same house --- the house my sister & I grew up in), they FINALLY moved out of that sinking hole of a town called Park Forest, sold their house, and moved down to the Ozark Mountains in Lakeview, AR, right next to the resort town of Bull Shoals. My mom's younger sister, and her husband, and their 6 children all still live there. In fact, they're all w/in a couple blocks of each other. My parents, sister and I used to drive down there every summer to visit them, and my fondest memories from my teen years are of our trips to Bull Shoals, and all the fun we'd have fun w/my cousins, their friends, their church (which my uncle is the Pastor of), and all the different things we used to do for fun/recreation on the lake, or driving to Branson, or Dogpatch USA (now an abandoned amusement park). Just so many fun, wonderful memories! My last time visiting there was June 1991, just 6 weeks before Don proposed to me. And I have missed that place, and my family down there sooooo much all these years!!!
But, for the first time, we finally did what I've been wanting to do since we started our family. We took a family vacation down to the Ozark Mountains!! We stayed w/my parents in their beautiful, spacious new house (literally, it's only like 12 years old or so!) But, I think at this point, I'm just going to make a whole other blog to describe it. I will say, our vacation was the icing on the cake for this summer! Memories our family never-ever forget!
Also we taught the boys how to target shoot down at the outdoor gun range this summer. And we've all discovered a fun new pasttime!! Shooting rifles, and trap shooting (aka "Skeet") w/the 20 gauge shotgun, is sooo much fun!! It's been a real great experience and bonding w/the boys by taking them down to the range.
Then, we spent a day at Fun City waterpark in Burlington, IA. Sammy, Joshua and I met my best friend, Kimm, her kids, and her parents out there for the afternoon. Unfortunately Donny & Austin had to miss out, they were in band camp all day, every day for 2 weeks. So, I spent about 20 min in the pool, and about 3 hours on the lazy river, lol. (Even ran into one of my other Galesburg friends while we were there!) Meanwhile the boys spent all afternoon either in the lazy river or going down all the slides. I should put pics in here....but that's time I don't have to spare right now, considering I haven't even figured out how to do that yet, lol.
But, all in all, my family and I had a wonderful, full summer. We had more warm days this summer than we've had in years, and that's awesome as far as I'm concerned!!! Most of the summer the temps were in the mid-upper 90's and even got into the 100's. The heat indeces were in the 100's many times. And yes, I'm really going to miss that heat!!! I welcome the fall. I LOOOOVE fall.....I just don't like the wintery weather it brings come November or December. I could do w/o the temps falling into the 20's and lower, the ice storms, the deep snow to try and plow through, etc. I would much, much rather keep my summer. But, the nature in the midwest just doesn't agree w/me.....and I don't see any plans of moving further south anytime soon, lol.
So, farewell my precious summer, I shall miss you....but look forward to meeting up with you again in May (when "MY" summer actually begins, lol) Welcome fall, even though with apprehension. You're already here, so what can I do? Make you leave?? LOL!!! ;-)
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Just an itty-bitty rant regarding political parties
I'm going to go into politics a smidgen. Kinda. Not really politics, but just a little bit about how people are behaving regarding political parties. I can honestly say I don't fit in, lol. I don't follow any particular party. I don't even think the country should be divided by "parties" anymore. Just vote for the right people to do the job.....not because they belong to a certain party. Sometimes the "party" is what blinds people from voting the right person in. I can find truth and lies, good and bad in all parties. I used to call myself a democrat, and had I been a registered voter, I would've voted for Obama. I was truly inspired by him, and thought he would be great for our country. When he said "change was coming"......I didn't quite have a grasp on exactly what he meant by that. Now, I feel betrayed and confused, and fearful of everything that is going on with the United States of America. But, that's not the topic I'm covering right now.
I can still find good in democratic values. I also find good in republican values, independent/conservative, and even the new tea party. What I don't like is people acting ridiculous and childish and calling each other names. I've even seen the people in the tea party coined as "teatards". Or even racist, and after having researching some of these "tea-partiers", they're not racist at all. I don't know where they even get that from......Honestly, what is anyone saying about themselves if the best they can do is just shout out mean names, and make fun of other people for standing up for what they believe in, or simply because they didn't check their spelling before holding up a poster they hand-made? I think all they are doing is behaving badly, acting like fools and using bullish tactics to make themselves feel better about their own agenda. People need to just remember, to treat others the way they themselves would like to be treated. Show compassion for humanity, be nice. So what if they don't agree with their beliefs. Does it make them popular? Does it make them a cool person for bullying someone else down? It really just makes them look mean, rude and uneducated. I'm not dumb, I know that this is nothing new.......I'm just voicing my opinion over how mean people can be, just over political views.
I can still find good in democratic values. I also find good in republican values, independent/conservative, and even the new tea party. What I don't like is people acting ridiculous and childish and calling each other names. I've even seen the people in the tea party coined as "teatards". Or even racist, and after having researching some of these "tea-partiers", they're not racist at all. I don't know where they even get that from......Honestly, what is anyone saying about themselves if the best they can do is just shout out mean names, and make fun of other people for standing up for what they believe in, or simply because they didn't check their spelling before holding up a poster they hand-made? I think all they are doing is behaving badly, acting like fools and using bullish tactics to make themselves feel better about their own agenda. People need to just remember, to treat others the way they themselves would like to be treated. Show compassion for humanity, be nice. So what if they don't agree with their beliefs. Does it make them popular? Does it make them a cool person for bullying someone else down? It really just makes them look mean, rude and uneducated. I'm not dumb, I know that this is nothing new.......I'm just voicing my opinion over how mean people can be, just over political views.
Introduction.
This is my first attempt at a blog. Okay, well maybe my second. But, I feel I'm really ready this time around. I will be opening up a lot about myself, my weight loss and the journey I'm on, my feelings on politics and our country, and anything else I feel I want to write about. You might even find an occasional recipe from yours truly. This will be a total random blog, about anything in my heart, or on my mind, and I won't hold back. And please understand, some of things I might write about, might be sensitive to me, so take that into consideration before responding. I welcome anyone to respond, but be warned, if I feel any comments are rude, mean, threatening, hurtful, or of a bullying nature - those comments will be removed. But, discussions, even if of a difference of opinion are always welcome. I won't like you any less, if you do not share my opinion. Everyone has one, they don't all have to be the same. Thank you! :-)
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