Ok.. So I've been double tagged!

Our ever funloving Katie has started yet another round of the "TAG you're it game.."
& as I said on her blog it beats the heck outta the drivel I've been posting while sick & whatnot!

SO ...the rules are..
Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their seven things, as well as these rules. You need to choose 7 people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog!

So 7 random ( & NOT previously revealed) :P facts about me are..


1. I'm left handed .. which means I'm creative..or evil depending on your background

2. I learned how to drive a car on a standard.. which at the time I though was dreadfully unfair of my Dad.. but to this day ..I prefer them especially in bad weather.


3. I used to love playing "mermaid" up at our summer cabin.. suit taken off & slapped on the log.. ahhhh the feel of the water..& to be that unselfconscious again!


4. One of Jamie's nicknames for me is "Angel" which I love dearly but sometimes don't feel worthy of.

5. I've worked 16 yrs now at the same job that I started when I was 21 & right out of nursing school. I never intended to stay this long!

6. much as I try to be "avant garde" or easy going..I have a need for my decorating to balance..right now I have 2 hanging baskets that are driving me nuts because one has turned out to be yellow & red --& the other purple & red.. Yea bizarre

7. I have had all my rabies shots... ~LOL~ yea really -I'm in a medical text book somewhere..I was bit by a rabid bat when I was 10.. it was flopping in the mud ..I thought it was a frog ok?


Ok now quickly & then back to work-I tag..

1. Marijayde
2. Carol
3. Kana
4. Chantal
5. Donna
6. Janel
7. & one for the boys -Troy - zooman

ok -so we're mostly living now..

& as we are going to be heading off for Our Victoria Day long weekend..I'll say have a GOOD one yourselves & *shhhhhh*... Don't forget to wish Jess a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
In the meantime here's a giggle...



Life

On the first day, God created the dog and said:
"Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes
in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty
years."

The dog said: "That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten
years and I'll give you back the other ten?"

So God Agreed.



On the second day, God created the monkey and said:
"Entertain people,do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a twenty-year Life span."


The monkey said: "Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty
long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the dog
did?"

And God agreed.

On the third day, God created the cow and said:
"You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun,


The cow said: "That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for
sixty years. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?"


And God agreed again.


On the fourth day, God created man and said:
"Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years."
But man said: "Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my
twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten
the Dog gave back as well?

"Okay," said God, "You asked for it."

So that is why the first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and enjoy
ourselves.
For the next forty years we slave in the sun to support
our family.
For the next ten years, we do monkey tricks to entertain the
grandchildren.
And for the last ten years, we sit on the front porch
and bark at everyone.

So there ya go--Life has now been explained to you.

something has got to be funny..

Cuz dealin with everyone getting sick again with this damn Flu bug sure hasn't been.. I got it Mother's day .. survived to tell the tale-- only to have Steven down with it yesterday- poor wee duck.. he can't seem to shake it for more than a few days at a time ..
& Jamie lying here now seemingly still at "death's door" at the end of the day with it ( but Men are like that aren't they ?) *shhh *

Any who needless to say this has taken it's toll on me doing much in the way of workouts ..But as Scarlet Ohara said.... "After all tomorrow is another day"

Hello from the trenches..

Ok so I'm being melodramatic! ~Lol~

but I just wanted to say a quick HI while I have 2 seconds before I go pack the last of the loot bags ,get the cake & everything else ready for Stevie's b-day party this afternoon..& be ready to pick up the kids at noon when they get out.

Yep more goings on!!

& then the rest of the weekend as I just told Katie (who is doing AWESOME btw~!) on the IM .. will be the usual whirlwind activities eighteen ways to breakfast & yard work if the weather holds!

Eating is Good!.. still writing it ALL down in Fit day .. workouts..welll not as good So uninspired to do weights ..opted to pull weeds instead! I duuno.. it just seemed more "productive" (?)
-Cardio is fine even tried to do a bit of running on the track Tues night while Steven was doing his Lacrosse practice.. which unfortunately I am paying for ..limped all around the ward last night at work :(- Stupid Foot.

& lets see..working out at all yesterday was a total wash when Jess came into my room before 6AM saying "I don't feel good..."& promptly went & threw up in my bathroom!
OH Fun! Thank the Gods she was Ok by the afternoon & seemingly she's all better today.. I just don't have Time for sick critters today thanks! ~lol~

Hope you all are well Hope you all have a Happy Mother's Day ..& generally great weekend!

No really I'm fine..~lol~

seriously tho .. things are fine.. I just am crazy busy right now with stuff with kids , work & projects.. you know the usual! AND - I've been trying to NOT spend so much time on this damn thing either soooo if I haven't been by your blog in a few.. I'm sorry .ON a good note I've been tracking EVERYTHING I put in my mouth on Fitday.. & I'm happy to say that it's really making me think about those "little extras" ..not to mention that it really made me think about our Friday night adventures with Friends.. I had a couple of glasses of wine & then just cruised with water.. instead of getting into making all sorts of "fun" drinks ...Geees we sounds bad don't we ..OK so ummm ignore all the talk about drinks ~lol~
Anywho-after the fun games we were playing on Blends I thought this might be FUN too!

You Mostly Have Your Emotions in Check

Sometimes your emotions get out of control, but you usually are a pretty stable person. You can find a lot to be happy about, as long as things are going your way. But if a few bad things happen to you, you tend to go in a bit of a downward spiral. Luckily, you usually come out of it okay and no worse for the wear.

Can'>http://www.blogthings.com/canyoukeepyouremotionsincheckquiz/">Can You Keep Your Emotions in Check?

Once in a while..

One of the many "forwarded emails' touches a note..
this one really did for me this AM..
& with it being MAY tomorrow & Mother's day in a week or so.. some of you I'll have already sent it to.. but Iwanted to put it here as well..

This is for the mothers who have sat up all night with
sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up barf laced with
Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry Kool-Aid saying,
"It's okay honey,Mommy's here."

Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing
crying babies who can't be comforted.

This is for all the mothers who show up at work with
spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and
diapers in their purse.

For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and
sew Halloween costumes.- And all the mothers who DON'T.

This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll
never see. And the mothers who took those babies and gave
them homes.

This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections
are hanging on their refrigerator doors.

And for all the mothers who froze their buns on metal
bleachers at football or soccer games instead of watching from
the warmth of their cars, so that when their kids asked,
Did you see me, Mom?" they could say, "Of course, I wouldn't
have missed it for the world," and mean it.

This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the
grocery store and swat them in despair when they stomp
their feet and scream for ice cream before dinner.
And for all the mothers who count to ten instead,
but realize how child abuse happens.

This is for all the mothers who sat down with their
children and explained all about making babies.
And for all the mothers who wanted to,
but just couldn't find the right words.

This is for all the mothers who go hungry, so their
children can eat.

For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a
night for a year. And then read it again. "Just one more time."

This is for all the mothers who taught their children to
tie their shoelaces before they started school. And for all
the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.

This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook
and their daughters to sink a jump shot.

This is for every mother whose head turns automatically
when a little voice calls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though
they know their own offspring are at home -- or even away at
college.

This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school
with stomach aches assuring them they'd be just FINE once
they got there, only to get calls from the school nurse an hour
later asking them to please pick them up. Right away.

This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who
For all the mothers who bite their lips until they bleed
when their 14 year olds dye their hair green.

For all the mothers of the victims of recent school
shootings, and the mothers of those who did the shooting.
For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat
in front of their TVs in horror, hugging their child who
just came home from school, safely.

This is for all the mothers who taught their children to
be peaceful, and now pray they come home safely from a war.

What makes a good Mother anyway?
Is it patience?
Compassion?
Broad hips?

The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button
on a shirt, all at the same time?

Or is it in her heart?

Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or
daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone
for the very first time?

The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to
crib at 2 A.M. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping
baby?

The panic, years later, that comes again at 2 A.M. when
you just want to hear their key in the door and know they
are safe again in your home?

Or the need to flee from wherever you are and hug your
child when you hear news of a fire, a car accident, a child
dying?

The emotions of motherhood are universal and so are our body
changes and sleep deprivation

So this is for ALL the Mothers out there..

For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.
Single mothers and married mothers.
Mothers with money, mothers without.

And Mature Mothers learning to let go

This is for you all. For all of us.

Hang in there.

In the end we can only do the best we can.
Tell them every day that we love them.
And pray that they stay safe.

"Bydand"

yep more mottos... this one isn't Greek...in fact it's Gaelic..
it's the family Motto of My Scottish family background on my Mothers side.- the Gordon side of me.
I've only ever know that it means "Steadfast or ever faithful"...which I think is a good phrase to desribe the mindset I want to stay in ..
So I looked it up to give you all a little more insight.


1: Bydand is a corruption of a Gaelic term. Exactly what term is uncertain, and the translations vary considerably. It is usually interpreted as "steadfast," but also comes across as enduring, faithful, and abiding. We encountered one wizened Gordon Highlander in Huntly who was quite knowledgeable in Gaelic and had clearly studied it closely who denies that any of these are correct. He claims that a single word translation is impossible because the Gaelic phrase in a 'present continuous' tense of 'to stand prepared.' The implication of the conjugation is that one has been and currently is standing ready, fully prepared for whatever might come. In this sense, it corresponds very closely to the United States Marine Corps motto, Sempre Fidelis.



2: Bydand is a shortened version of the Scots phrase "Bide and Fecht" meaning to stand and fight. Over the years, it came to be understood that if one were to 'bide,' one was certainly going to 'fecht.'


ALRIGHT -- So stand & fight it is!!! :)

Need something fun & cute..

Like Stacey has..!

Since with the exception of the fact that our FAB hockey team won last night...( which should be reason for a Citywide holiday today ~lol~ there isn't much exciting or new.
Slogged it through the weekend with the fun filled edges of a Migraine , a grumpy edgy personality, & an overwhelming & unreasonable NEED for chocolate...Yea this month was a Treat!
swiftly followed up by Aunt Flo appearing Sunday Am with a vengeance that made me remember the hazy edges of labour pains... or so it seemed.
Ok...nuff whining .. but really wth am I gonna write about when besides all that & trying to get yard work done & juggle all sorts of kids activities ... not much is new..

Feelin human enough today so heading up now to do the arc trainer again.. think it must work the core too or something 'cuz last night I could feel my back after doing it yesterday...or that might just be the remnants of pulling the damn anchor up when we went sturgeon fishing on the weekend & almost got it stuck in some cable.. FUN!

OK this post is going a rousing round of nowhere ...but I'm YES here & I'm doing & going..& thanks to my IM buddy Katie I'll be focused on keeping things clean!

Maybe I'll write something a little more inspiring ---or even coherent in a day or so!

Busy so...

Things are busy round here right now.. new sports starting lots of schedual juggling .. Ya da ya da.. but I'm still slogging along doing pretty darn well :)
just not much time on the computer.. & very little chance to get on here at work!
So in the mean time.. here.. have a giggle


A woman and a baby were in the doctor's examining room , waiting for
the doctor to come in for the baby's first exam.

The doctor arrived, examined the baby, checked his weight, and ,being
a little concerned that the baby may be underweight,
asked if the baby was breast-fed or bottle-fed.
"Breast-fed,"the woman replied.

"Well, strip down to your waist," the doctor ordered.
She did. He pinched her nipples, pressed, kneaded, and rubbed both breasts
for a while in a very professional and detailed examination

Motioning to her to get dressed the doctor said, "No wonder this baby is
underweight. You don't have any milk."

"I know," she said, "I'm his Grandma, but I'm glad I came.

a pause in our regular programming..

well the past coupla days have been good work out & eating wise.. & yes I think..scratch that I AM gonna start inputting things into Fitday again... a big DUH moment there.. I need to be WAY more aware of the total calories I'm taking in in a week.. simple as that! It's the weekends that are killing me .

I also took the time to redo my stats & measures.. I still wanna know how I can be almost 10lbs heavier & yet the numbers ( & yea I did them honestly.. ) aren't that different arms, forearms, neck, calves & even thighs the SAME as when I was in my challenge 2 yrs ago.. waist is actually smaller ..but my damn stupid Boobs are 2 inches BIGGER!
WTF is with that??- would be fine if I needed any more there ...but I Don't!



OK 'nuff ranting..

my original reason for coming here was to give a BIG Shout out to our own Hockey heroes the VANCOUVER CANUCKS !!
They won their first game out of 7 last nights finals against Dallas after 7 yes 7 periods of play!

They went into 4 OT's!! .. setting & breaking all sorts of records..

Mind you the best part ..was that Jamie was actually up & awake when I came home from work ~Lol~ I'm such a SAP!

Sucess & a reality check..

So I've just noticed I haven't had a chance to post anything in over a week now.. guess a few days of working followed by one of our busy weekends does that eh?

before I get into the 'downer" stuff-- I'll say I did a great round on the Arc Trainer this AM.. I'm still trying to figure out how to do things "best" for me right now Sooo...today I set things for 300 cals just to get an idea of how long it takes me to burn that.. as anyone who does different machines knows...the readouts can vary GREATLY!
So .. it took me 32min ..& I was doing a sorta HIIT cycle of intensity & was really pushing at the HIGH points YAY ! *pant*
but..
I think the heartrate monitor is out to lunch since it never read higher than about 120-130.. & I know it was higher.. my resting rate is about 60ish but I know when I'm full out its closer to 170- 180 so maybe the hand thingy was too sweaty ~;lol~

It came with a strap monitor ..guess I'll be trying that next .. or just stopping & taking it my self... but "seeing" where you are is nice .


Then...for the reality check.. despite what Mother Nature is doing lately.. ( it was hailing here a few minutes ago.. rediculous weather !) Summer is comming... & that means digging out the capris & shorts...

**UGGGGG**

not pretty...

this winter's added lbs are NOT going anywhere quickly... & my too tight clothes are telling me just that!

a combination of lack of proper cardio due to stupid injury + altogether too many
Epic Free Weekends = NOT a good thing...

the fact of the matter is unless I want to be wearing giant Mumus for the summer here- I need to make some changes .. serious ones.

yep.. been a busy one !

So it's been yet another busy weekend in my world ! & For those of you who have been reading for ...well some time.. It's been a weekend with yet more of our crazy birthday celebrationing!~

to start....My darlin girl turned 12... how does the time fly so fast??...I really can't believe she's this old already!
Anywho that being the case.. we had a party for her on Friday..
This year we chose a different sorta theme..
I did it up as an invitation to a "Premier Party" complete with a word of "warning" about possible "paparattzi~!

ther girls got to chose from a bunch of sparkly dresses & high heel shoes that I'd picked up & then we topped it with feather boas & then spent the next hour or so doing every ones hair & makeup.. oh yea...my bathroom was a TRAINWRECK! ~lol~

after that it was downstairs to champagne flutes of sparking apple juice & appetizers .. then whisked off to the Opening Night of the Brand new movie " Meet the Robinsons"!... driven by their "manager " who was all dressed up & 2 lovely men in TUXES.. yep .. my darlin is a very good sport! ~lol~

then back here to get in their own clothes & dropped to their doorsteps off boas in hand ..

All in all a Fun night for all !

My saviour or undoing?..

this new little gem was just delivered yesterday... LITTLE ..Hah!! the bloody thing is a BEAST!
- already we've had to move it over to Jamie's side of the bed because knowing me I'd trip over the damn thing in a second !

Now WHAT is it you ask.....ahhhh Yes that...
It's an Arc Trainer... again for some .. a "huh what'? Yea .. me too before we started doing our homework.

As some of you know & are probably bored to tears of hearing about I injured my ankle about ..hmmm -well almost 2 bloody yrs ago now... & even to this day running is pretty much out of the question unless I want to limp for the rest of the week. Yes all the specialist can estimate is that I did some pretty permanent ligament damage . Thanks! & Yiippee skip!
So needless to say .. cardio as I knew it is over ... can't just strap on the old shoes & take off anymore.. & my treadmill was gathering a serious layer of dust..
It now happily has found a home hopefully making my mother a little bit healthier out there living in the middle of nowhere!

Sooooo to cut this painfully long story short...( sorry I'm tired...~Lol~)
Jamie & I decided we needed something that we could still use here at home .. since his schedule does NOT allow time to go to a gym & I need something I can do here so there are NO excuses!
So this baby was & hopefully will be the answer to all our woes.. it supposedly is even more "joint friendly" than an elliptical & gives you an AWESOME & efficient work out !!

whooo hooo ! let's hope eh?

weekend &...

I'm sure you're all bored of looking at the kids & my sis & I so I guess I should post something else here!

The weekend was busy & typical of our recent bizarre B.C weather ... Sat we got all the way to the Lacrosse box in the POURING rain only to be sent home by the coach since they decided it was raining so hard it was going to be unsafe for the kids to practice & then yesterday .. we awoke to ...SUNSHINE!!!

So quick ...run out to the plant store buy the fruit trees we've been waiting for some half decent weather to plant & spend the day doing yard work ...quickly-- since really it seems lately if we get a whole 24hrs in row with out some sort of rain its STRANGE...
So now there are more trees in the backyard pretty flowers blooming in the front yard ... & everything is drying out ..

So far today is a great day for me ...Cardio done,eating clean, errands run , more summer bulbs to plant ..
Yep ...I just function SO much better in the Sunshine!

Have a good one all!

There & back again...a Hobbits tale

ok so I'm not reaaaally a Hobbit..but it just fit! ~ lol~

Anywho so we're back from the land of ice & snow...YUCK it was cold .. I have to say I would NEVER want to live somewhere that just going for a walk is not a given!

I tried to make sure that we got out at least some part of all the days we were there.
The one day was pretty mild - Jamie & I took everyone on a good 6 k walk to get a coffee.. found a reallly cute little cafe , bought the kids a treat for being so good about walkin & thinking we were going Nowhere... ( yea we're bad for teasing them..but it's kinda fun :P
but DAMN the one day that it dipped to -9 & add in the wind factor *BRRRRRRR*

I bundled up the kids & the baby & the dog ..yea we were a sight! --me , the dog,two kids bundled right up including badly fitting mis-matched borrowed toques.. baby in stroller with only his eyeballs showing ....looking at me like "Auntie...I thought you LIKED me?!" but damn it I was going to get a WALK in !

The 2 days we hit the West Edmonton Mall were better... got TONNES of walking in .. that place is HUGE!!
& the day that Jamie & I took kids to the Waterpark in the Mall ( yes it is IN the Mall!) we got a serious leg work out climbing up the stairs to do the water slides --Over & over & over again! Gotta love kids eh?
ahhh, who am I kidding ..we're just as bad!

So I never did get a proper workout in while we were gone...
Somehow 14 month olds just don't allow for that in the scheduling! ... but lifting 27lbs of him around all the time plus all the rest ...well I don't feel too bad. ;)

The eating could have been better.. but I'm blaming my sister & I both dealing with TOM at the same time talk about being co-dependant! ~lol~...( & no not you Tom if you see this! ~lol~) So now I'm home & Remarkably I am more than ready to get back to eating healthy & my workouts ! Yep-it's back to the real world-- just as soon as I climb out from under this pile of laundry!

Amen baby!

Soo I'm feelin MUCH better flying off with the kids & my darlin in the very EARLY AM to go see my sis & nephew in Alberta ( one provice over)

sooo we'll see ya'll on the flip side - middle of next week!
take care all!


tried desperately to upload the song by Nickelback "If Everyone Cared" from webrats..it JUST WON'T work !! So....

instead I'll say please- go find it! ...
or tell me please how to get the silly ass thing ON here! ~Lol~

damn..

I hate "hormonal Migraines"
... this is day 3.. someone pass the "good stuff " please..
the Tylenol, Ibuprophen & even Naproxen aren't keepin it in check for more than an hour or so at a time..
I'll catch up with you all when It doesn't hurt to read, move, breathe... you know..the basics

Xena meets her match..

So after half a work out where I was striding around feelin like this girl..headphones on .. in the Zone baby!

Yea intensity is what "coach" ordered... Intensity it was! HOOAAH!

then .... I met me new nemesis.. it's called a Pull-Up... ! HA!

There was NO UP thank you very much !
I don't know whether to call it "how to embarrass yourself in one easy lesson" or "horrible painful death".. OK so I exaggerate juuuust a little! ;P
I have to say honestly I've never really seriously tried to do one of these damn things simply because I figure I have too much stupid body weight to lift up.. & besides there's Always LOTS of other exercises to do instead! ~lol~
But now I'm gonna have to "buck up" & figure out how to work into doing at least 1 of them!
Bear in mind my gym is by no means a "girly Gym" & wouldn't think of having anything as fancy as one of those machines that help take up part of your body weight...Oh No...you're on your OWN sister!
So as instructed by 'coach' ...( who by this time I'm quietly cursing under my breath! )
I dragged a flat bench over in my best Xena style swagger... yea right eh? -
there is no way to look clever moving one of those things!
Any who bench in place I proceeded to perch myself on it & try to lift myself up using as little help from the one foot I was allowing myself to keep on the bench...
even then doing a few of these things are HARD!!
So for the time being ... I think the score is 1 zilch in favour of the stupid pull up...

But .. give me time.. I'm stubborn!

weekend done & on to the new Adventure..

Well I survived the weekend & considering it was nonstop Go Go Go with Gramma's b-day dinner on Friday & a big huge open house on Sat -then off with the Kids to a hockey game & a full day of spring cleaning in the yard on Sunday ..I am marking it as a success !
Not only did I have NONE of either of the cakes ( Jamie is a good scapegoat -I said I'd just eat some of his! ) but I got smart & had a protein shake before the dinner then just ate a bunch steamed veggies & left the rice on my plate.. yea I know sounds like a waste of money at a smorgasbord .. but really I just don't feel like getting into "why I'm not eating" at this particular time with the whole family there..
then I made some pretty good choices on Sat at the open house .. with a few "free day" treats & a bit of wine. & I even managed NOT to eat the popcorn that we got for the kids at the Hockey game! Funny what a different mind set can do .. usually lately I've come out of a weekend having wiped out any progress I might have made during the week.
-- NO MORE :)

So now today I've begun my first day of a New program ...Did weights today here at home so as to not embarrass myself
..& it was kinda funny to try & figure out what sort of weights I can still lift since I've been doing next to nothing with them for so damn long...
I also discovered that if I have a 90lb Olympic bar to move around the play room doing squats -I'd better be careful cause it'd be all too easy to put it through the wall! Oooops!
anywho I didn't go absolutely nuts & overboard- but I know now it's time to test my limits & figure out how to really push myself!
So we'll see how things unfold as I go along :)

Ok so here's a suggestion..

When you're feelin all Hyped & motivated ...which I am Thank-you!

& you're doing awesome with eating & working out every day ..
even when the world throws you the odd curve ball - like yesterday when my parents & sister insisted on taking up most of my morning confirming plans for the big 90th b-day party for my Gramma this weekend..

& (.. are you still with me? ~lol~)

when you 're feelin just great & are all excited about starting off fresh on a new direction & a new plan...with the help of a very special "coach" ;)

(yes this is a VERY long sentence...~lol~)

anywho..when you're all psyched about all this & think you'd like to save time by just putting up a really great kick-A$$ song to explain how AWESOME you're feeling...

It helps if you have ANY idea who any of the damn artists are or what songs are called!!!-
which I don't !!
Lyrics..great at them... names....I suck! Sooooo after ummm WAY to much wasted time last night for now ..you're stuck with boring words!

Bahaha! sorry!

have a great day any who!