So, I think I am going to take a bit of a summer vacation from blogging. I realize it has been a few weeks since I posted on my blog and I think I need to officially extend that for a little while. Not too long, maybe just a couple more weeks, maybe a month. All is well, just busy. Promise. I will see you soon!! I have some ideas up my sleeve.
Over the past few months, I have really become reenergized when it comes to health and fitness. I have been revamping my diet, adding in more exercise and general daily activity. I have to say that I am really feeling better.
I think I say that every time I get into the groove health and fitness wise, but something happens and I fall of the wagon. I really don’t want to fall of the wagon this time, so I am focusing on taking things step by step. No crazy dieting or restrictions - just the intention of eating a balanced diet that keeps my metabolism fueled, exercising to keep energized and taking every opportunity to move forward in my life.
One thing that keeps me on track, helps me learn new things and inspires me every single day is reading health and fitness blogs. Just like crafty blogs, health and fitness blogs are inspirational and insightful – both add to my to do list and make me feel part of a bigger, like-minded group.
Here are a few blogs I find interesting. You may or may not - I find that a lot of finding blogs you like is in the tone of voice, the picture taking or even the design of the blog. A lot is very subjective, but for some reason, the blogs below draw me in – probably mostly because of their journeys.
For a long while now, these blogs have been daily reads:
Roni’s Weigh
Green Lite Bites
Kath Eats Real Food
More recently, I have found these:
Eat Live Run
Oh She Glows
Catapult Fitness
I think most of these came from guest posts on Kath Eats Real Food or from links on other blogs.
One of the things the new blogs have introduced me to is a smoothie called the Green Monster. A green monster is a smoothie with fruit and some sort of green, like spinach. Honestly I was a bit nervous to try one, but after reading how amazing people thought they tasted, how great they made them feel, not to mention how glowy it made their skin, I had to.
I picked up the ingredients for a basic green monster at the grocery on Friday – spinach, unsweetened vanilla almond milk and berries (I already had a nice stash of bananas in my freezer). Many people add other things like flax or protein powder, but this was my first attempt, so I decided to keep it very simple. Out came the blender on Sunday morning and in went the ingredients. My green monster didn’t turn out as green as I have seen, probably because I used a few berries and a whole banana, and it wasn’t quite as smooth as I expected (blame my blender), but it was SOOOO yummy (much, much yummier than it looks).
I made another for breakfast this morning and am planning the ingredients for my next variation! I dare you to try one : )
Next up on my health and fitness journey is this. More on that later – I plan to start on next Monday.
It is sewing machine month on Sew Mama Sew and they have started a sewing machine meme. Here are my responses:
What brand and model do you have? A Brother Innovis 2500D
How long have you had it? It was a Christmas gift in 2007, so about a year and a half.
How much does that machine cost (approximately)? Too much I am sure, I am afraid to find out. I have to say my parents still spoil me.
What types of things do you sew (i.e. quilting, clothing, handbags, home dec projects, etc.)? I sew a little bit of everything with my machine, including: quilts, skirts, wristlets, totes and pillows. It also embroiders, so I have been able to branch out a little into personalization.
How much do you sew? How much wear and tear does the machine get? No enough lately. It is holding up nicely for the workouts I do give it. Need to make more time for sewing. I have so many projects on the To Do List that I could keep it and myself busy for months.
Do you like/love/hate your machine? Are you ambivalent? Passionate? Does she have a name? I really do love it. Not just because it is sentimental to me, but because it does more than I could ever imagined a sewing machine to do. She doesn’t have a name, but she should... I am going to have to think on that.
What features does your machine have that work well for you? I love the drop in bobbin, needle threader and thread cuter... And the embroidery too. For embroidery I love that it can connect to a computer to access my library of embroidery designs and alphabets.
Is there anything that drives you nuts about your machine? Nope.
Do you have a great story to share about your machine (i.e., Found it under the Christmas tree? Dropped it on the kitchen floor? Sewed your fingernail to your zipper?, Got it from your Great Grandma?, etc.!)? See this old post for the story of my sewing machine. It was the last gift I received from my Momma - It is extra special to me.
Would you recommend the machine to others? Why? Yes I would recommend it if you are looking for a good sewing and embroidery machine. It has a lot of bells and whistles I never would have dreamed of purchasing for myself, but it is a good, easy to use machine! I have used BabyLock and Brother machines in the past, so it was an easy transition for me.
What factors do you think are important to consider when looking for a new machine? If it had been me buying the machine, I would have focused in on the functionalities I would use a lot, but wouldn’t have thought ahead enough to pick something that might inspire me to try something different. Luckily my parents did that for me and I ended up with a machine that will grow with me.
Do you have a dream machine? I think I already have it... Although I would like to add a serger to the mix.
This weekend I had honor of attending my niece Amber’s high school graduation. I have to admit, I really wasn’t looking all that forward to it. It felt like an obligation. Who really looks forward to sitting on uncomfortable bleachers for hours listening to speeches aimed at kids almost 20 years younger and for hundreds of names to be called individually (you should have heard the little boy, probably about six, sitting behind me as he asked his mom if they were going to call ALL those kids names one at a time and realized that he was going to have to sit still through all of it)? But as I saw how proud my sister is of her daughter, a daughter that had struggled early on in high school but had transitioned into an honor roll student during her senior year and earned the “Journey Award” from the faculty, it really did feel like an honor and I am so glad I went.
As I sat listening to those speeches, I realized that that the message isn’t just for the students. The speeches spoke about fresh starts and the chance to be the new you and become whomever you dream to be. I teared up a few times because I remember that feeling. I felt so free and excited about the future. I teared up because I was thinking about how fleeting that feeling can be. Then it was like I was struck with new hope. Just because I am 19 years (goodness, really?) out of high school and am not moving away and starting a new life at a new school or even a new job, doesn’t mean I can’t have a fresh start and become who I want to be. I look back on the past couple years and realize I have been working hard at that new me and making good progress. We all have this chance for a fresh start, for growth, for progress toward our dreams, every day if we to desire to take it. No matter the past, we can choose to start today and have a great day and a great tomorrow... It is all perspective, intention and the journey. Today I feel like there are so many opportunities out in front of me and I intend to move toward them.
I don’t have any graduation pictures to share as I forgot my camera, so I have to wait to get some from other family members. But, I do have a photo of the new life on my first tomato plant.... It sorta works with the theme of the post : ) Now, if I can only keep the birds away from them – they were circling this morning before I took the pictures.
One last quote from the speeches. Goodness, this is so true: Smart people learn from others mistakes and dumb people wait to learn from their own mistakes. Makes me wish I had listened to my parents more growing up, might have spared me some frustration and heart ache.
Earlier today while browsing my Google Reader feeds, I came across a fun Weekend Creative post on Ali Edwards great blog. The exercise allows you to document your "right now" on flower petals. Ali even provides a flower download to make it really easy.
I took a moment to create a flower for myself and for a special friend. With it being so close to months end, it was nice to focus on what I accomplished or made strides with over the past few weeks. Goodness, I have been pretty busy and am really liking how things in my life are shaping up. Hopefully next month there will be a petal about being a better, more frequent blogger : )
If you get a chance, check out Ali's post and her blog, it is great!!
I am such a bad blogger... this is going to be my second post without a photo. Oops. There were photo ops early in the weekend, but then the rain came and set up shop.
When I posted my tentative to do list for my long weekend, I got a few responses wondering if I would even get any of it done. I totally understand that, because sometimes things just don't go according to plan. And this weekend was the same way with the rain, but I did get a ton done and even some of it was from my list:
• no alarm clock! this was the best, even if my internal clock goes off much earlier than it used to.
• comfy clothes and flip flops. This weekend was all about tank tops, shorts, yoga pants, flip flops and slippers. It was really hard to put work clothes back on this morning.
• tons of yard work. I planted geraniums in my front pots, mowed the yard and edged (this is not fun with overgrown zoysia. I swear if you gave it the chance it would grow a plush lawn over the entire sidewalk). I even power-washed the west fence, back steps and garage before the rain came on Sunday. There is still more power-washing to come, but goodness is it fun to see a bright white vinyl fence and old wood steps look like new wood again (now only if the rain would stop and let it dry out so I can waterproof it).
• spent Saturday afternoon and evening with Pops.
• organized my work clothes closed and recaptured the guest room bed from the piles of clothes on it. I need to find a good place to donate my too large clothes as I do not ever want to give myself the opportunity to fit in them again.
• finally cut up the watermelon yesterday and enjoyed a bowl and brought one with me to work today. I will be eating this all week.
A few things I added (I blame the rain for these):
• finished a collage project I have been working on for a while
• caught up on laundry
• cleaned the entry closet
• organized my embroidery floss
• took in the recycling
• caught up on season finales
• general house cleaning
Things I skipped:
• shopping at JoAnn's. I realized I had plenty of supplies and projects to finish before I even think of letting myself inside that new superstore.
• with all the rain, I wasn't able to put together the new patio chairs
• didn't start any summer sewing projects, but dreamed about them
Do you ever wonder how things get so unorganized and out of hand? I have been feeling that way for weeks. I have been overwhelmed by rushing from place to place that things just keep piling up. This weekend gave me the opportunity to catch up on a lot of it. There is much more to do, but I feel like I have really made a dent and will continue to make progress.
How was your weekend?
Can I tell you how happy I am that today (Thursday) is my Friday? I am so happy to have four entire days off work and to schedule as I feel like. I have a good amount of things I look forward to:
• no alarm clock
• comfy clothes and flip flops
• planting geraniums, mowing the yard and power-washing the fence and patio
• putting together my new patio chairs
• relaxing on the patio with iced tea and a magazine
• organizing my work clothes closet
• visiting the new JoAnn’s super store with coupon in hand
• hanging out with my Pops
• eating fresh watermelon
• starting a few summer sewing projects
I am sure there is more and it is quite possible that my list of accomplished and enjoyed will look much different when I look back on Tuesday. But, that’s okay.
What are you looking forward to this weekend? Hope yours is wonderful!
I didn't realize how long it had been since I last posted until a very friendly blogger friend emailed to check on me. Oops. All is well, I have just been busy! Lots of Spring yard work, work work, softball games, a kickball tournament and some relaxation have been going on. I meant to take pictures of how the yard is shaping up, but got distracted yesterday. I will take some to share soon. After two summers of just doing what I needed to to get by, it is starting to look good again.
Last Friday night I went to the Cardinals game with my friend Ang - It was one of the many things on her to do list before she moves to Florida next month. Too bad just 2 innings in it started to rain. Lots of rain. I snapped this picture on my phone just moments before it started (view from the bleachers). It was bright out and within ten minutes there were crazy dark clouds rolling in. We hung out until the game was called. It had stopped raining, but I guess the fields were too soaked. At least we didn't have to wait for the train in the rain.
The rain didn't stop the St. Louis Kickball Association from throwing its annual tournament on Saturday and Sunday. My team played Saturday, lost early and hung around for the rest of the day. The All-Star games took place in late afternoon, after pitching the two All-Star games (Johnny, aka "Socks" and I were our teams all-star choices in the orange division, hence the halloween colored shirts), I had trouble walking yesterday morning... too many lunges! It was worth it, but I am glad the season is over and softball has started.
More catch up to come later this week.
Last night on the way home from work I caught a second wind and was inspired by the nice weather to lock myself in my basement and sew. I know that seems counter-intuitive, but I did open the basement door and let the fresh air in. Actually the nice weather inspired my creativity and that motivated me to get sewing and finish my Pieced Together Quilting Bee April blocks. And from what I know about myself, I need to strike while the motivation is high or I will continue to procrastinate.
The first block I worked on was for Erin of Two More Seconds. She asked for "Rectangles and Squares" and those are two things I love, so this block was a breeze. I also loved her sunny color scheme and paid homage by keeping the colors together. It really makes me think of Summer.
The second block I worked on was for Stephanie of Creative Reveries. She asked for a scrappy log cabin. I sorta complied. It started out that way and then I it kinda veered away. I used up almost every little scrap of fabric and some of the pieces I used were really little. Hope Stephanie doesn't mind.
I need to learn to plan a bit more before I start sewing blocks so that I use the available fabric better. I hope that will come with practice. It really makes me wonder if I sent out enough fabric for May. If you are a fellow PTQB-er, please let me know if you need additional fabric and I will happily send it your way!
Thanks everyone for the graduation gift ideas. I provided my pops with links to my suggestions and he chose something really nice... and even better, it will be delivered in a pretty blue box with a white bow! Lucky girl she is.
And an update on my little cardinal friend. In less than a week, she has almost double in size and is now sporting feathers. So darn cute. Her momma and poppa are always watching over her - they really don't like it when I take her picture, but I try to ensure them I wouldn't ever dream of hurting her :)
And in other little creature news, my friendly, yard eating rabbit is back at home. What you don't see in the photo is about a 4 foot wide bare patch in the lawn and the half dead bush she sits under each day. Please ignore the weeds : )
