I saw an Instagram post with all sorts of creepy Easter bunny photos, and I knew I had one somewhere from when I was a kid!
Hope everyone is having a great day :)
I saw an Instagram post with all sorts of creepy Easter bunny photos, and I knew I had one somewhere from when I was a kid!
Hope everyone is having a great day :)
I was so sure that today was Tuesday. I even felt relieved that I had one more day before my Wednesday Weigh-In, hahaha. I knew I was not going to do well this week (well, it's actually been TWO weeks since my last weigh-in). Things have been so out of routine and the last couple of weeks was a challenge.
Jerry had to do a special project at work which temporarily switched his schedule again (naturally, it was right when we were getting used to the new schedule). Everything they had him doing was so *not* what he'd signed up for when he took the new position in December. It's back to normal now (including his schedule) but it gave him enough insight to reconsider the position.
He has an interview in a different department today. It would be a big leap for him, but he said he'd really like to learn new things. It would also give him experience that he can use outside of his plant--if something should happen and he needs to find work elsewhere, it will give him the skills that he can use in all sorts of settings. He said he'll be happy if he gets the position, but he won't be devastated if he doesn't.
The biggest change would be that he'd go back to working a screwy schedule--except it would be day shift rather than the night shift he'd been working for three years. After all he did to get the new schedule he has now, he said he kind of misses the longer days! He'd prefer to work three or four 12-hour shifts a week than five 8-hour shifts (which makes sense--it's nice to have three or four days off a week!). He also misses having random days off during the week, rather than just the weekends.
Anyway, I only write about this because while Jerry was working longer days the last couple of weeks, it affected our eating habits. Eating dinner later, staying up later, eating snacks after dinner... the habits I'd worked hard to get rid of! I wasn't surprised then, to see my weight was up today.
I think I was at around 143 last time and today I was at 146. I'm not happy about it, but I can't pretend I didn't know that would happen when I fell back into some old habits. No excuses here--just accountability.
My friend Emily texted me a few days ago to ask if I might be interested in running the Detroit Marathon with her this fall. After I laughed out loud and declined (which she totally expected), I started to think that maybe I'd like to start running again. (I don't mean the runs around the block, which are more for mental health than physical fitness.) I certainly have no interest in distance running again, but it would be nice to feel back in shape enough to run 3-5 miles a couple of times a week.
The very next day, I came across a movie on Netflix called Tyson's Run. I am sure I won't do a good job explaining it, so here is the trailer (below). While I normally prefer thrillers and horror movies, once in a while I love a "feel good" story--and this one is GREAT. I don't know if it's the movies or if it's me that is getting more emotional with time, hahaha.
Watching that movie was inspiring to me, and again, I thought about wanting to run. Jerry asked me if I miss running and the answer is that I miss running *when I was in shape to run*. Running when I'm out of shape is not at all fun; and unfortunately for me, the only way to get into running shape is to run! Over the last several years, I just haven't wanted to put up with the discomfort of training. However, I really miss the feel of coming inside after a good run and feeling great all day.
On the occasions I do go for a run, I can feel my leg muscles aching and my lungs begging for more oxygen, and it's so hard to think ahead to the point of how good I'll feel when I'm back in shape. Having patience with diet and exercise is so hard, isn't it?! If I truly want to find joy in running again, I have to put in the work to get back into shape. And that takes time and patience. I already know what I need to do if I want to get back there--I just have to go into it with the right attitude.
I'm going to give it some more thought this week. In the meantime, however, I am going to state my goal for this week as this: I am going to do a "test run" this week to see just how bad off I am! Hahaha. I'm pretty sure I can run three miles, but I am 100% sure it won't feel easy. I don't care at all about my pace, but I'm very curious to see how I feel. And then I can decide if I'm willing to make the commitment at this time in my life ;)
This is probably going to be a very long post, because I haven't done a Friday Night Photos since mid-January. I'm actually writing this in the morning, so it'll technically be Friday *Morning* Photos, but same thing. I'll get right into it...
On Sunday, Jerry and I took the kids to see Bill Burr at Little Caesar's Arena in Detroit. We bought tickets for Christmas (all of us really like Bill Burr). It was fun! I love spending time with the kids because it's rare now, especially for the four of us to be together at the same time.
First, we went to dinner. The place I'd carefully chosen--Bobcat Bonnie's--was CLOSED because of a St. Patrick's Day parade in Corktown. I didn't have a backup plan, so we just parked downtown and started walking toward the arena, hoping to find a place to eat before we got there.
We went into a random restaurant (I can't remember what it was called) and it ended up being a terrible dining experience. We were there an hour and a half because our server was new. I am always patient with new servers because I've been a server in several restaurants and I know what it's like! However, there were countless tables that came in after us, ate their meal and left while we were still waiting. Eli and I never ended up getting food because "they forgot" to cook it!
However, we still had a lot of fun while we were sitting there. Eli came back from the bathroom and said there was a bathroom attendant in there--he'd never seen one before. It wasn't the kind of restaurant that I would imagine to have an attendant (it was basically a sports bar), so I was curious. The attendant gave pumped the soap into Eli's hands and gave him a spray of cologne. Then offered for him to buy cigarettes or vapes (among other assorted things).
I asked Eli if he'd tipped him, because while I taught my kids about tipping for various services, I guess I never thought about bathroom attendants. He hadn't tipped, so he went back to the bathroom to tip him. Then he came back with a pack of cigarettes! None of us smoke, and while I don't want to offend anyone, I simply cannot stand being around cigarette smoke. I asked Eli why on earth he would buy them, and this was his response: "Because how many people will ever really be able to say they bought a pack of cigarettes from a possibly-shady bathroom attendant at a bar in downtown Detroit?" He had a point! We all laughed about it.
At the arena, it felt so weird--in a very cool way--that not a single person was allowed to use a cell phone once you walk inside. And to make sure of it, they made everybody put their phones in these special bags that lock; you can't get your phone out until you're leaving the arena and someone unlocks it for you. It felt like we were back in the 90's (the best decade ever) when people actually talked to each other instead of looking at the phones. (I don't care how old that makes me sound.)
Speaking of spending time together, Eli had winter break for a few days and I asked him if he would want to go see a matinee with me (fully expecting time to say no). His friends must have been busy that day because he immediately said yes, haha. I didn't even have any idea what was playing, but after looking it up, I thought The Beekeeper looked like a movie we'd both probably like. It was good!
I was mad that he hadn't listened to me! So, I wrote a note on a Post-It saying, "Do NOT put butter or oil anywhere in or on this!" The note wouldn't stick well, so I put it inside the popper--how can you miss it when it's where you have to put the popcorn?
A few days later, I pulled it out again and measured out the popcorn. I started the popper and about 20 seconds later, there was a burning smell. At first I thought it was the coconut oil inside the popper--and then I remembered my note! HAHAHA, I pulled it out and it was burned. Oops.
This is the movie D.A.R.Y.L. (Data Analyzing Robot Youth Life-form). I could probably quote this entire movie, word for word. |
The rest of these photos are of pets, so feel free to skip over if they aren't your thing ;)
When I saw this picture of Joey on my camera roll, I wondered why I took it--he's not doing anything special... just lying there.
Chick *adores* Joey and, thankfully, Joey doesn't seem to mind.
Well, that was a short two weeks!
I wasn't planning to stop blogging for so long, but it was really nice to let my computer collect a little dust over the last two weeks ;) I'd like to do a "catch-up" post (for the last couple of months, haha), but I wouldn't even know where to start. When I was blogging daily, I started struggling to come up with things to write about; while I still don't have anything major to write, it feels good not to feel totally blocked when I sit down to write.
If I was to boil down the last two weeks into one main point, it's that I don't do well without having a routine (which we all know already). A couple of months ago, I actually managed to get into the most normal sleep routine I've ever had (and I've never had a "normal" sleep pattern--insomnia has plagued me for my entire life). I made myself turn off the lights by 10:00 pm, which is unheard of for me (my mind just doesn't shut off). At first, it was really hard to fall asleep that early, but as I get older, I prefer getting up early over staying up late. So I kind of forced it and eventually was getting a full six hours of sleep--10 to 4--almost every day. And only waking up once or twice during the night!
[Another reason I like going to bed early is because it stops me from snacking at night, which is a big issue for me.]
A couple of weekends ago, Jerry and I went to a friend's house to play some board games. I was a little worried it would throw off my sleep, but I don't want to be held hostage in the evenings on the weekend and not go out and do things! We had a lot of fun and it wasn't even a super late night; I think we got home at 11:30 ish.
I was wide awake, however, and didn't fall asleep until sometime after 3:00, and then managed to sleep in until 7:00--but all it took was that one day to mess with my sleep schedule. After that, my body wanted me to stay up late again. A week later, just as I was starting to get back into the earlier routine, we had another "late" night on Sunday (a few days ago). Jerry and I took the kids to go see Bill Burr in Detroit (a Christmas present). I *loved* spending time just the four of us and we had a lot of fun! Again, it wasn't a super late night, but now I'm struggling to sleep. Again.
For those of you that go to bed early ("early" is different for everyone, obviously; in my mind, I'm thinking 9:00-10:00 ish), how do you handle being out "late" on weekends? Does it mess with your routine? I'm thinking that if I continue to get up at the same time every day, even after a late night, it'll be easier to go to sleep the next night. I'll try that next time, instead of trying to sleep in.
Anyway, with my sleep schedule thrown off, it kind of threw off all sorts of other stuff. And on top of it, Jerry is doing a project at work that caused his schedule to change slightly (only for two weeks, thankfully!).
Even though I haven't been blogging, I've been keeping busy working on projects around the house (and a few projects for other people). Oh, and spring cleaning! We've had a couple of gorgeous, warm days recently--I love to open up the windows, crank up some music, and spring clean/organize. Cleaning feels like less of a chore on a nice day with the windows open. My house was so clean yesterday; a clean house always puts me in a good mood.
As far as my eating for the last couple of weeks, I did okay. Not great, because late nights always make me snack; for meals, though, I did pretty good. I guessed it balanced out well enough, because my weight was pretty much the same as it was two weeks ago.
I was at 143.2, down from 143.6; still about 10 pounds more than I'd like, but as long as I'm not gaining, I'm not complaining ;)
For this upcoming week, my main focus is going to be working on going to bed earlier (and therefore, not snacking). One of Dr. Greger's 21 Tweaks [for weight loss] suggests not snacking after 7:00 pm--and I've noticed it makes a big difference in my weight when I'm following that guideline. The last couple of times my weight dipped into the 120's was when I stopped snacking at night (or I had a piece of fruit or a few dates or prunes or something like that).
I also want to write more frequently. At the very least, I want to do Friday Night Photos because that's always been kind of a journal for me--recapping my week--and I like having that. I haven't done one in a long time so I'll just have to pick and choose what to share, but after that, I'd like to go back to doing it weekly!