When You're Walking and You Lose Track of Time/Distance

First, I want to mention that I tried the tapenade hummus I posted about recently yesterday, and it's AMAZING. Like I said, I adore olive tapenade, and I can't believe I never thought to combine it with hummus before. I ate it with pretzels and it's my new favorite appetizer/snack during my intermittent fasting window.

As I have mentioned a trillion times lately, I have loved listening to audiobooks when I do my morning walks. Ever since I finished 75 Hard, I have been doing a longer walk in the morning (5 miles) instead of 45 minutes twice a day. The five mile walk typically takes me about an hour and 20 minutes to an hour and 25 minutes.

I've been doing a specific five mile route--the perimeter of all four neighborhoods on the peninsula--because it's mindless, simple, and I get to see a good variety. Today, however, I accidentally skipped the street I was supposed to turn on, and I made a last-minute decision to go into my favorite neighborhood try to walk every single street.

It's not just a block system; there are several blocks separated by a triangular park in the center. I had no idea how long it would take me, but based on my previous walks, I guessed it would take roughly an hour. 

As usual, Joey was bouncing to go out the door at 6:30 AM, but I've been waiting until it gets light out at around 7:45, so I read a book for a little bit. 

I used to only really listen to memoirs on audio, but I listened to a thriller and then I wanted to keep listening to them.

I'm currently listening to a psychological thriller called 'An Anonymous Girl' by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. (FYI, the books I mention in this post are Amazon affiliate links, which means if you buy them through the link, I may get a small commission. But I encourage you to check your library--that's where I borrowed them for free!)

I can't explain what the book is about without a ton of spoilers (everything you think is happening is probably wrong--I was so sure I had it figured out immediately). I had previously read 'The Wife Between Us' and then listened to the audiobook of 'You Are Not Alone', by the same authors.

I listened to 'You Are Not Alone' while walking and was obsessed with that one as well (I looked forward to my walks so much!), and when I was finished, I was thrilled to see my library offered 'An Anonymous Girl' . 

Anyway, I am super engrossed in 'An Anonymous Girl' and was excited to head out for a walk this morning. As I turned into the neighborhood, I mentally tried to plot out a general route in my head to be able to walk every single street. There were some streets I had to walk on twice to be able to round corners onto others; it was kind of fun to have this goal in mind!

I always have my watch covered with my sleeve, so I had no idea how far I'd gone or how much time had elapsed. I just concentrated on my book and on walking all the streets. Every so often I'd hear a beep from my watch, alerting me that I'd just hit another mile. 

When I was nearing the end of the neighborhood, I heard a beep that I thought was mile five. I knew that I'd have roughly another half mile to get home, so I figured the timing worked out pretty well. It wasn't until I sat down to write this blog post that I noticed I'd walked much farther (and longer) than I'd thought!

I was super bummed to see that I missed two sections of one of the streets in the neighborhood (where the yellow arrows are pointing). 

I had covered 6.45 miles in 1:49:41 (a 17:01/mile pace). That's the longest walk I've done in... well, I can't even tell you how long. Years! 

I stopped wearing my heart rate monitor a while ago. I just don't care what my heart rate is--I don't really care about my stats at all, other than the duration that I walk. It's nice!

The transition from 75 Hard to my Cookies Fall Challenge has been pretty seamless. I've not checked off everything on my list every single day, but I haven't skipped a workout (walking) and I haven't forgotten to do a progress photo. My progress photos haven't really "progressed", unfortunately, but I know the things I need to change in order to make more progress--which is what I'm working on now. Here is today's photo (in my new favorite tights):

I'm trying to keep posting full-length photos so that I don't get too embarrassed to post them again. I still have to work on not feeling so self-conscious of the weight I've gained, and posting pictures is a good start. I hate posting them, but I hope that I'll get more comfortable with it if I keep doing it.

When I got home, I immediately got to work on the landscaping. I've been using a shovel to pull up the grass that was next to it, so that the entire area from the edge of the sidewalk to the house will be landscaping (next year--I'm not going to plant anything now). It was a ton of work! Now, it's just pure dirt along the front of the house. (I will try to get some pictures together soon, honest.)

I am 100% wiped out from all the walking plus the yard work. I'm going to try to find a movie for Jerry and I to watch tonight :) Have a great weekend!

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The Highlight of Eli's Decade

I was wondering all day long what I was going to write about today because I just haven't had much to say lately. I need a project to work on! I would love to work on expanding the front porch/stoop, but I really ought to wait until the lumber prices come down.

I'd like to go to my brother's to finish his ceiling, but his girlfriend has been working from home at his house. I could go over when she's there, but the sanding is going to be really loud and not helpful to her work. Also, I prefer to work alone--listening to my true crime podcasts and zoning out everything else.

I started organizing some stuff at home today. I have SO much craft stuff and I don't know what to do with it! I would love to use my sewing machine and serger more often, but it's such a pain to get everything out. I'd really love to come up with a solution to that. Noah's old desk is now in the garage, and I was thinking about moving my sewing stuff out there. But I need to come up with a good plan first.

Anyway, like I said, I don't have much to post! Just before I started writing, however, my mom called me and was so excited she could barely say the words: "Eli just caught a muskie!" And I replied, "I'll be right there!"

A muskie is a huge freshwater fish that is known as "the fish of 10,000 casts" because they really do take that long to catch one. Lake St. Claire, which is a little over an hour away, is actually known for being one of the top lakes to catch muskie. Last year, Eli went there with a family friend and we were in the boat all day hoping he'd get one. He casted over and over. Andy, the friend who took him fishing in his boat, hooked one and let Eli reel it in. But Eli wanted to catch one all on his own.

He did catch one in a boat with my dad after that in the Detroit River. His first "real" catch, which was super exciting. I wish I'd have seen it!

Tonight, though, was shocking. He was shore fishing (not in a boat) and he was just standing in my parents' backyard on Lake Erie, casting out. He actually saw the muskie out there and casted near it. Then he hooked it! He said he was shaking with adrenaline and was yelling for my dad. My dad came running outside, saw what Eli was yelling about (meanwhile, Eli's reeling in a monster-sized fish) and then ran back for his camera.

He yelled to my mom, who then called me. I rushed over there with Noah's camera to get some pictures. Several of the neighbors came outside to see what was going on, and they were thrilled or him, too. (Eli has thought about nothing but muskie for over a year now). Eli told me to hurry up, he didn't want the fish to die from being out of the water, so I only grabbed a couple of pictures before he carefully set it back in the water to release it.

He sat there with it, making sure that it was okay, until it swam away. Eli was SO excited! The fish was 47 inches (I don't know how much it weighed, but my dad estimated 30-35 pounds).

I can currently hear Eli talking on the phone with people retelling the story ;)  I know that fishing isn't everyone's cup of tea, but for Eli, this was a dream come true!

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Wednesday Night Bullets

 Just a little of this and that today as I scroll through my camera roll...

**I saw that Sabra hummus was on sale at Kroger, and naturally, the "classic" flavor was sold out. I almost walked past, but then this caught my eye. I LOVE olive tapenade. I snatched this up! (Sadly, I haven't tried it yet to report on, but I will let you know the verdict when I open it. 

**While I was grocery shopping, I took pictures so I could show the kids just how much work it is to go grocery shopping, hahaha. This was what my self-checkout register looked like when I was ready to pay. I had four paper bags (the paper bags are a pain, but I forgot to bring in my reusable bags and I hate bringing home a trillion plastic bags). 

Carrying the groceries into the house, I had four paper bags, about 6-7 plastic bags... along with a bag of onions, a bag of potatoes, two bags of cat food, a huge bag of dog food, a 40-pound tub of cat litter, a gallon of milk, two boxes of Capri Suns, a gallon of white vinegar, and a huge container of Downy fabric softener--all things to carry in without bags.

Did I mention how much I hate grocery shopping?!

**Since I've been walking every day, I LOVE seeing the Halloween decorations going up! My favorite decor are scenes made up of skeletons. Here are a couple of examples (I had to sneak the pictures so the people didn't think I was a creeper stalking their house, so the pics aren't great)...

This one has a skeleton raking the (bones out of the) yard on the left, a skeleton dog chewing a bone, and then a skeleton mowing the lawn on the right.

This one obviously shows skeletons disposing of... you know, the rug they'd been meaning to get rid of for a while now. (In the background, you'll see a skeleton waving while sitting on a skull.)

**Noah went to my mom's house yesterday to make zucchini bread. He brought home a ton of it, and it is delicious!!! He added chocolate chips, which just makes it even better. I eat this after dinner for a yummy homemade dessert.

And Eli... Eli made the most delicious dinner yesterday! Check out this flank steak. He'd wanted to cook steak for a while, so I told him to look up recipes and find one that was "worth cooking". I spent a lot of money on a flank steak, so I wanted it to be worth it! And holy smokes, it definitely fit the bill! 

Flank steak cooked with butter, garlic, and fresh thyme; green beans sautéed in oil and garlic, mashed potatoes, and sautéed mushrooms. (I was the only one to eat the mushrooms, haha. My family doesn't know what they're missing!) Best dinner ever! We ate this last night, and I think I still feel full ;) 

**I bought some new leggings/running tights on Amazon for my early morning walks, and I wasn't really sure about the purchase. Normally, I like to try things on. And I most definitely like to buy from Salvation Army if I can! However, Salvation Army has NO CLOTHES right now (literally about 25% of the stock they had before COVID). 

I tried these leggings out, and I LOVE THEM. They are made of a thick, quality fabric, soft without being saggy (they "tuck" you in). They're high-waisted so your belly doesn't hang out. The fabric is thick enough so that it doesn't show cellulite, but still stretchy. And they have the best pockets!! You can see in the photo where my hand is sticking in the pocket... it's the perfect size for a phone (there is a pocket on each side). I have been tucking my phone in there when I walk, which works out great--unless I wear a jacket, I don't have pockets. And they are only $12! I ended up buying a second pair once I tried out the first.

Here is a link to the leggings (this is an Amazon affiliate link, just meaning that I may get a small commission if use the link to buy them). 

**Speaking of leggings, Jerry bought me some black cat leggings on Amazon (another affiliate link). I love them! Except there is one very odd thing about them... the pattern has a very randomly placed yawning cat here and there on the fabric. And on these particular pants, the one yawning cat is in an odd place ;) Also, it just looks weird without more yawning cats! But I just find it unique and I wear them anyways. I'll let people wonder, "What the heck does she have on her pants? Bubble gum?"

**An update on our new mattress: We love it! Jerry said he has never slept so good. He works midnights, so being able to sleep comfortably during the day is important for him. His back pain has gone away as well. For me, I really do love the mattress. However, I still sleep like an insomniac bipolar person, but at least lying in the dark and staring at the ceiling is more comfortable now, hahaha. 

Most of all, I LOVE the sheets! I am stunned at what a difference the percale makes when it comes to feeling hot at night. I hate feeling hot and sticky when I sleep, and the Brooklinen percale sheets have made a HUGE difference.

(Just an FYI: If you buy the percale sheets (the "classic" sheet set), they feel VERY stiff right out of the box. And even after washing, I was unsure of how I would like them. But after putting them on the bed, I was amazed at the difference. I am totally sold on them!)

Here is the Brooklinen link--if you use this link, you'll get $25 off and I'll get a $25 off coupon as well! I'm not affiliated with Brooklinen in any way, but I do LOVE their sheets!

For those of you who asked me how we liked the mattress, though, I will say that we love it. It's only been a week or so, but so far, we have zero regrets!

Okay, I'm going to get back to my book--my sister recommended that I read it and it's getting interesting! :)

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Question of the Day (A Writing Prompt)

My friend John, who was in the From Fat to Finish Line documentary with me, posts a "question of the day" on Facebook every day. They've been so much fun! I love to see other people's answers and think about the questions myself. 

I asked John if he had a list of the questions, and he shared them with me. So, on days when I just don't feel like I have anything to write, I thought it'd be fun to answer one or several of the questions. And feel free to chime in with your own answers!

(You can find John here on Facebook... where you can look for his questions of the day as well!)

What is one product you have purchased that you think is amazing, worth every penny, and you would definitely buy again? It can be for something significant or something silly, doesn't matter. It just really has to work well and make you glad you bought it.

Without a doubt, it's my Kindle Paperwhite (10th generation). My sister had been telling me for years to get a Paperwhite, but I just didn't see how it could be any better than using my iPad Mini. I had some Amazon credits and got a good deal on it, so I bought it. I figured I could return it if I didn't like it.

And it totally changed my life! I was always a "need a physical copy of a book in my hands" type reader, but that's probably why I didn't do much reading. Books are heavy, it's hard to keep a paperback open when you're in the middle of it, and they can be bulky to carry around. 

The Kindle Paperwhite is super light (lighter than most paperbacks), and the screen looks the same as a paperback page! I keep the backlight turned off, so it literally hast he same color/look as a book. And it's small enough to carry around in my purse. You can change the font size, so just because the Paperwhite itself is small, doesn't mean you can't make the font very large.

My reading has increased enormously since I got the Kindle. I even bought one for each of my family members for Christmas in the hopes that they would start reading more, too. I'm not trying to sound like a big old commercial for it, but it's truly one of my most favorite things I've ever bought!

You don't even have to buy ebooks. I borrow ebooks from my library and get them downloaded immediately to the Kindle. Then they are automatically returned after two weeks.

And the best part? There is no glare! You can read it outside just like reading a paperback. (See photo above--that was on a sunny day). 

(It's available here on Amazon--this is an affiliate link, so I might get a small commission for the referral, but I'm not associated with the actual Kindle product in any way.)

What is one photo of you that you absolutely, totally love?

This photo was taken while I was hiking in central Oregon in 2017. I don't have many photos of me in "scenic" areas like this. It was so gorgeous and I wanted a picture, but I didn't want to pose in the standard "standing here looking awkward and what do I do with my hands?" kind of way. I just sat up on the ledge like this and had no idea the picture was going to turn out so good. It's definitely my favorite photo of myself! It reminds me of a very happy trip; I like the way I look and the background is just gorgeous. 

What was YOUR favorite TV show when you were growing up?

As embarrassing as it is to admit, my favorite TV show was MacGyver. My siblings and I all loved this show and we watched it every week! It was on at the same time as Alf, and my friends used to watch Alf while I watched MacGyver--they totally missed out! ;)

Funny story... my friend Sarah (who lives in Arizona now) and I grew up totally in sync. It was like we could read each others minds. When playing board games with other people and we teamed up, it was like an automatic win for us. One time, as ADULTS, we were playing a game where you had to describe something--Catch Phrase, maybe? Anyway, I had the word "MacGyver". I remembered an episode that had really stuck with me and I was sure I'd told Sarah about it. I immediately said, "Cliff" and she yelled "MacGyver!"

Hahaha, even I was totally amazed at that. I'm pretty sure everyone just quit the game at that point ;) 

What is your favorite movie that most other people have never seen or even heard of?

I love a Disney movie called Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken that takes place in the 1920's. It's even based on a true story.

I've watched it so many times that I have it memorized. It's a coming-of-age movie about a girl who runs away from a broken home and winds up looking for a job with a moving carnival/festival. She's given a job shoveling manure, but hopes to become a "high diving horse and girl rider"--horses are trained to run up a chute high into the air and then jump off the end, diving into a pool. And a girl rides on the horse's back. 

I don't want to give up too much, but if you have the Disney+ channel, it's on there. Definitely watch it! It's a "feel good" family movie.

What is one smart phone app that you find super useful?

Lately, I've been using hoopla ALL THE TIME. It's an app that is connected to my library that allows me to borrow ebooks and audiobooks. They have a huge selection! Since I've been walking so much, I borrow audiobooks on my phone in order to listen to them while I walk. 

I've tried Audible, but the books are very expensive and I will likely only listen once. That's why I find hoopla and my library so useful! I use this app every single day.

You have three hours, wine or coffee, and the chance to talk one-on-one with any other person in the world. The only restrictions - they must be currently living, they cannot be family or friends, and you’ll never be able to tell anyone else about the conversation. Oh, and one last thing. Your choice should be made for silly, shallow reasons only. So, who do you want to join you and why?

This one is easy for me. I'd love to have coffee with Tom Hanks. Not just because he's a celebrity. I obviously don't know this for sure, but I've heard he is a kind, genuine, and humble person. I love his movies so much! I also don't get "googly-eyed" over celebrities, so I feel like we could have a good conversation. 

Although, I'm pretty sure this would be the exact look on his face while I'm talking... hahaha!

And there you have it! :) Fun question prompts by John. Feel free to answer any of them here, or you can check out John's posts on Facebook every day. 

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RECIPE: Spicy Peanut Noodle Bowls

I've been REALLY into spicy Asian food lately. I can't get enough! I made these noodle bowls several years ago, and just made them again today. I forgot how good they are! 

When I went to Portland for the first time, my friend Thomas took me to a place that served these amazing noodle bowls. It was my first time having Udon noodles (they are thick and dense, almost like a dumpling in texture). The noodle bowls were spicy with a creamy peanut sauce.

I perused Pinterest trying to find a recipe that sounded like it may be similar. I found this one, and then modified a few things to my liking. It was DELICIOUS! Sweet, sour, creamy, crunchy... so good! And while it's not as pretty as the noodle bowl I had in Portland, it tastes exactly the same. (I like to mix everything together rather than layer it--it's never as pretty, but it's uniform!)

Don't let the number of ingredients stop you from trying this. Usually, when I see a long list of ingredients, I don't bother with it. But most of these are small things used in the sauce--and I already have them on hand anyway.

Here is a printer-friendly version!


Spicy Peanut Noodle Bowls

8 servings of Udon noodles (I've also used 8 oz. brown rice spaghetti noodles)

Here is the brand of Udon noodles I bought (in the Asian foods section of the grocery store). I used two of these packages.

3 Tbsp. flavorless oil (I use extra light olive oil)

4 tsp. sesame oil, divided

4 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. rice vinegar

2 tsp. of Sriracha (I use more, but I’d start with 2 tsp and add more to your taste)

3 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter

1-1/2 Tbsp. honey (or maple syrup or other sweetener to make it vegan)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes (I use about 1/4 tsp., but I like it spicy)

4 tsp. sesame seeds

4-5 green onions, sliced very thin (I just use one bunch as they are packaged in the grocery store)

1 bell pepper, sliced very thin

1/2 large carrot, julienned

1/3 cup peanuts, roughly chopped

Directions:

Prepare the vegetables--slice the bell pepper and julienne the carrot. Slice the green onions. Then roughly chop the peanuts and set them aside for serving.

Prepare the sauce by combining the flavorless oil, 1 tsp. of sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, Sriracha, peanut butter, honey, garlic, red pepper flakes, and sesame seeds in a container with a lid. Shake well to combine all the ingredients.

To cook the Udon noodles, heat 6 Tbsp. of water + 1 Tbsp. sesame oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the packages of Udon noodles, and stir to gently separate them (as the oil coats them, they'll separate). Cook for a couple of minutes.

Add the bell pepper and carrots to the noodles and stir for a minute or so. Then stir in the sauce and green onions (start with 1/2 of the sauce and then gradually add more until the noodles are as coated as you like; I use all of it.). Reduce heat to medium and stir until all of the noodles are coated well and sauce is heated through.

Divide among bowls (using the Udon noodles, my family gets four main-dish servings out of it). Top each portion with chopped peanuts.

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Another Message From a Little Bird?

So... I love cats. I think everybody knows that. I have four of them, and they pretty much run the household.

However, I am SO fed up with some neighborhood cats that I have no idea how to handle it!

Some people who live kitty corner to me have a couple of feral cats living underneath their shed. And next door to them, a woman recently moved in and brought several (maybe 6-8?) outdoor cats with her. They are all driving me crazy!

There are 3-4 cats that I find on or under our back deck, usually because my (strictly indoor) cats are making a huge fuss over something. However, while out for my morning walks, I've noticed the neighborhood cats doing more than just chilling on my deck.

I've seen them catch a baby rabbit (which nearly traumatized me), playing with birds that they've caught, and go after my beloved squirrels. I've sent Joey outside so many times now with a "go get him!" attitude (he would never hurt a cat, but running after one to chase it away can't hurt).

I've had squirrels on my deck come "beg" for a walnut and then when they run toward the nearest tree, a cat randomly sprints out from under our deck to try to catch the squirrel. I always yell and chase the cats off, but I'm really getting fed up with it. 

Animal control won't do anything because there is no limit on "outdoor cats" as pets--you can't prove the cats belong to someone--and animal control doesn't go around picking up stray cats. Over the last few months, we've gotten about 5-6 new cats hanging around our house, sitting on our back deck, and attacking small animals (not to mention making my cats go crazy).

It's so frustrating! I would never want to harm them, but I want them gone--away from my property! So if anyone has any ideas, I'm happy to hear them. Aside from chasing them off, I don't know what to do.

It makes me sad, too. I've seen several cats with issues that need to be seen by a veterinarian. We have a neighborhood app to post bulletins for the other people in surrounding neighborhoods, so I've posted on there about a few cats I've seen that have needed medical attention. I even offered to pay for it! But nobody has claimed the cats that I've seen and posted pictures of, so the cats may be feral.

It was clear to me that this one had a broken leg (this photo was taken in May and according to other people in the neighborhood, the cat still doesn't use that leg). I tried to get close enough to be able to catch it and bring it into the vet, but I couldn't get anywhere near it (I used Noah's "good" camera to take this photo from a distance). 

At the very least, I know I should buy a live trap and get the cats spayed/neutered ASAP. But even though you get a steep discount for trap-and-release cats, it gets expensive ($25 each for feral cats).

I don't want this whole post to be a big complaint about stray/feral cats, so here is a cute photo of Eli.

Yesterday, he heard a bird crash into his bedroom window. There was even a feather stuck in the window screen! He went outside to make sure that the bird was okay, but he found the poor thing under the window, still alive.

When he called to me to come see it, I immediately thought of the bird that came to "visit" me several years ago--a golden-crowned kinglet. That bird meant SO much to me and couldn't have shown up at a better time (it was the day Trump was announced the new president. It's kind of interesting that each of these instances happened on an election year.).

Even though it was gray and yellow, the bird Eli found wasn't the same type as mine. I tried searching for it online, but I don't know anything about birds to be able to find it. I was thinking maybe a Kirtland Warbler? But those are endangered, so I'm guessing probably not.

The bird was very stunned from hitting Eli's window, and for Eli's sake, I hoped that it was okay.

Eli is extremely compassionate toward animals--he gets very upset if he hears anything about an animal suffering, and he won't watch TV shows or movies where animals appear to be harmed/killed. He refuses to go hunting (even though my dad has asked him several times) and even when he goes fishing, he only does catch-and-release fishing. He's even writing a report for school about deforestation and how it affects the animals.

Anyway, Eli sat on the porch for an HOUR holding the poor bird and hoping that it would be okay and fly away. I told him to put it under the tree and that it would be fine, it was just stunned (I wasn't sure, but I didn't want Eli to know that). Still, he sat outside holding the bird, even after it pooped on his hand, haha.

I went out to check on him every once in a while, and Eli finally came in and said that the bird flew away into the woods! Whew :) Maybe this little birdie was bringing a message yet again on this election year--be kind to each other and have compassion <3

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Family Fun at the Farm

I've been feeling bad that I haven't been spending much time with Luke and Riley (I'd been so busy with the garage all summer) so I asked Becky about taking them to the Metropark. She said that she'd been thinking about taking them to Kackleberry Farm (your typical corn maze/cider and donuts/games/farm animals/etc farm). 

I ended up going with them, along with Jerry, Eli, and my mom. (Noah had other plans today.)

I just noticed that Eli and I are both wearing squirrel shirts :)

I went for a walk this morning (nearly five miles) and felt good. And then when I got home, my anxiety hit me like a ton of bricks. I had no reason to feel anxious about anything, so I didn't know where it was coming from. But I was near panic-mode. I didn't want to cancel on Becky, so I just hoped that I'd feel better once I got there.

Right before we left, I was brushing my teeth in the bathroom and noticed that I'd forgotten to take my medication this morning. I never forget to take it! I don't know what happened, but I'm assuming that's why my anxiety was so bad. I took the meds right away--I still have some anxiety now, but it's not that panicky feeling I had earlier.

Anyway, it was great to spend time with the kiddos. They are at my FAVORITE age right now! Luke is 3-1/2 and Riley just turned 2. (Luke definitely looks like he needs a haircut, but Becky said that he won't let her cut it because he wants to have curls like Riley, haha.)

Almost everything at the farm is geared toward kids. Luke and Riley rode behind a tractor in some barrels (with Becky and Jerry). They played on the couple of playgrounds there, played in a huge sandbox, watched a pig race (three little pigs run in a large circle as a "race" to the finish--it's so cute!). We ate some delicious doughnuts and cider. We did the "beginner" corn maze.

I just focused on spending time with the kids--I miss when my boys were this age, and I don't want to miss this with them!

Luke's shirt: "ADVENTURE IS CALLING AND I MUST GO." So perfect for him.

Riley LOVED the chickens and the goats. We spent probably 20 minutes next to them while she just watched them and asked questions. 

Jerry wanted a photo of the two of us, and after how much I hated our anniversary pictures, I really didn't want one. However, someday I'll wish I'd taken more pictures, regardless of how I look now! Nobody is forcing me to post them anywhere.

And honestly, I like this photo much better than the anniversary pictures. I couldn't fit into those jeans when I started 75 Hard, and now they fit pretty well. I also avoided wearing that squirrel sweatshirt, knowing it would be small. It's definitely not baggy, but I'm glad it fits well enough to wear it in public!

Despite the terrible anxiety I felt this afternoon, today ended up being a pretty good day! I'm so glad I got to spend quality time with Luke and Riley. Tomorrow morning, I have a date with my mom to watch a movie we've been wanting to watch: 'The Secret: Dare to Dream' with Katie Holmes.

My sister suggested that we watch it, and we are actually planning on watching it super early in the morning (like 6:00!) which I think is so funny. Who makes a movie date at 6:00 AM? We do, apparently ;) It just worked out well for both of us. I'll go for my walk after the movie.

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75 Hard: Day 75!

Today was the final day of 75 Hard!

I don't want to mislead anyone, and as I've said before, I haven't followed it 100% perfectly as it's supposed to be done. The "rules" say that if you miss even one item on the list, you have to start over from Day 1.

I did the first 31 days without missing a single item. Then I learned of a podcast that explained the challenge a bit differently than the one I'd listened to, which made me question if I was doing it "right". So, I decided to continue doing it, but I did it the way I interpreted the challenge from the podcast I'd listened to. And I didn't start over when I "messed up". Therefore, take what you will from it.

I have been far from perfect for the duration of the last 75 days! Whether it's eating outside of my intermittent fasting window, or forgetting to journal, or forgetting to read 10 pages, or something else, I have missed several things here and there. BUT, I've continued to work on it every day and doing this challenged has really changed my way of life.

There are only two "rules" that I did not break even once: 1) Taking a progress photo every single day, and 2) Exercising for 45 minutes twice a day, with at least one of those being outside.

Here are all of my progress photos in a very-squeezed-in collage:

There are a few where I was up north, and only pretended to hold up my phone for the sake of consistency. Haha! My sister took the picture while I posed the same as always.

When I started the challenge, I knew that the most difficult rule for me would be the exercise. I wasn't doing any exercise at all at the time, and to go from 0 to 90 minutes a day? Yikes! But I wanted to try it. So, I chose to do "light" exercise--walking, riding my bike. In the end, I ended up walking for all but a handful of the workouts; the others being riding my bike.

I know that I would have better physical results if I'd done better with the diet portion of the challenge. I've done really well with intermittent fasting, and I eat within my four-hour window nearly every day. However, since I've been super stressed out for the past month or so, I've been overeating. *Technically*, I was following my "rule" for intermittent fasting--eating in just my four-hour window--but I was eating for emotional reasons as well as hunger and I ate too much.

HOWEVER, the main reason that I chose to do this challenge was not for weight loss (I was hoping to lose weight, yes, but it wasn't my main purpose). I really wanted to do this challenge for the discipline. I wanted to learn how to practice self-discipline like I had for so long when I was losing and maintaining my weight. 

In the sense of self-discipline, I absolutely think that 75 Hard did its job! While I missed some of the items here and there, I never, ever missed a workout. That is what is most notable about the whole thing. I exercised twice a day for at least 45 minutes each, every single day, for the last 75 days in a row! That is HUGE for me.

(I know this is impossible to read... but it's just a calendar showing the last 75 days worth of workouts. The blue boxes are my bike rides; the yellow are walking.)

Over the last 75 days, I've walked a total of 379.83 miles. That's more than I walked or ran in ALL of 2019, ALL of 2018, and ALL of 2017! (The grand total from 2017-2019 was 655.70--for all three years combined.) These numbers are stunning to me. 

Today, I celebrated the last day of 75 Hard by walking for 8 miles--much longer than usual! (I'm totally lying. I walked 8 miles, but only because I'm super addicted to the audiobook I'm listening to right now).

Will anything change tomorrow?

Not much at all, actually. I'm going to wake up and go for my morning walk with Joey... only I will walk 60+ minutes instead of 45 minutes. And then I'll skip the second workout of the day (unless I really want to go for some reason). 

The other habits have been good for me and not something that I want to stop doing. Oh! One exception... I won't be reading "self-help" type books (I just don't enjoy them). I'll read 10+ pages of whatever book I'd like (which is what I've been doing for a while now anyways).

I'm basically going to be following my "Cookies Fall Hard Challenge", which is based on 75 Hard. I really enjoy the "rules" and want to make them as much of a habit as I can.

So, I wish I had a more exciting post about 75 Hard, but there isn't a whole lot to say that I haven't said already--especially in my post about walking. I'm SO thankful to my friend Adam for introducing me to 75 Hard and for convincing me to try it. If I hadn't, I'm sure I'd have gained even more weight and continued not exercising, along with feeling worse and worse about myself. (In total, I lost 13 pounds, but I haven't lost anything in the last month.)

As it is, I wish I'd seen more physical changes, but I'm happy with where I've gotten. I know that to lose more weight, I have to be more careful about how much I'm eating during my IF window. Honestly, though, I am just grateful for the self-discipline habits that I've learned. 

Okay... I just have to share some extra good news, too. I saw Floyd today while I was out walking! Floyd is the elderly man that I used to see ALL the time when I was out running. We started out with "Good morning!" type greetings, and eventually we chatted a little here and there. I loved seeing him out and about. He walks six days a week, no matter what, and I find that super inspiring.

I had decided that for my final 75 Hard walk, I'd do a full lap of all four neighborhoods--a five-mile walk. If I hadn't decided to do that today, I never would have bumped into Floyd.

Since I started 75 Hard, I expected to see him all the time. However, I NEVER ONCE saw him out walking! As terrible as it sounds, I was feeling pretty confident that he probably passed away or was very sick and unable to walk. I really hoped he was okay.

I can't think of a better way to end 75 Hard, actually--seeing him out for a walk today was so exciting! I stopped walking and we chatted for a little bit. I told him I think about him every time I am out walking, and I am so glad that he's doing well. He said he thinks of me every time he walks past my parents' house (he admires their landscaping).

I didn't know exactly which house was his, but after it came up in discussion today, he told me it's easy to spot because he painted the door, the garage door, and the mailbox orange. Orange! We happen to share our favorite color. 

Anyway, I was so relieved to see him today and see that he was doing okay. He said he tends to walk mid-mornings, which is why I probably haven't seen him. I walk in the early morning and then again in the late morning or early afternoon. And now that I know which house is his, I can at least check in on him if I haven't seen him for a while.

It's kind of funny how a stranger (for the most part) can have such an impact on our lives. 

Tomorrow is Day 12 of my Cookies Fall Challenge. I'm looking forward to starting it with a long walk with Joey :)

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A Modern DIY Desk: My Latest Woodworking Project

I finally was able to make Noah a desk! Months ago, when I was still working on the garage, he asked me if he could buy a corner-shaped desk from IKEA. I asked him exactly what he wanted in a desk, and he told me that he wants it to be very modern and simple--no drawers or shelves. Just a corner desktop with legs!

After looking at prices, I thought that I could definitely make one with better materials and for much cheaper. The problem was, my garage was completely torn apart at the time, so I didn't have access to my tools to make one. I promised Noah that the first thing I'd do when the garage was put back together was to work on a desk.

We looked at pictures online and got a good idea of what he wanted. I thought it looked very simple to make. Then, I finished working on the garage.

Right after that, we had the stupid issue with the front porch. (When I say "porch", I actually mean "stoop"--I just grew up saying "porch" for the front of the house and "deck" for the back of the house.) The porch was literally falling apart and I knew we couldn't go another season with it. And it was horribly embarrassing to look at! We had several people come out to give us quotes for concrete, but none of those panned out. Then I decided to try to build one myself. 

However, treated lumber was totally out of stock--and the prices had tripled! (I learned this is partly from the Canadian border being shut down as well as from the fires out in Oregon.) I was super bummed. I eventually decided to make a very generic porch stoop.

I bought the bare minimum of lumber I would need to get us through until next spring or summer, when I can add onto it. For now, it'll get us through the winter. (I'll post about that later)

But! I wanted to follow through with my promise and make Noah his desk. I'd never used wood other than pine before (and some scraps of cedar) but I knew I didn't want to do a pine desktop. I wanted something nicer for this.

After measuring his wall space, I ended up buying a large piece of oak--2 ft x 6ft x 0.75 inches. The right side would be slightly longer than the left, so I just cut a 45-degree angle across the board and flipped one side over to align the cut, forming an L shape. 

I had so many problems with this, however. I couldn't get a straight cut for the life of me! I clamped down a straightedge to guide my circular saw, but it was still off just a touch, leaving a gap. I measured and measured and measured until I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't think of a more accurate way to do it. I got so frustrated with this part because I felt like I was doing everything right.

I later realized that my "straight" edge wasn't exactly straight. Gah!

I didn't want to keep hacking off parts of the wood, so I did the very best I could and lined up the pieces to form the angle. Then I used pocket holes to screw the two sides together on the underside of the desktop. I filled in the little gaps with wood filler, knowing it wasn't going to be perfect, but it would still work out.

I used a router around the edges of the table so that they wouldn't be so harsh looking. Then I used stain for the first time in my life--I was so nervous! I picked out a gray-colored stain and carefully followed the directions. At first, I was horrified that I'd ruined it. The stain was so difficult to work with! (It was a "gel" stain, if that means anything?) I had to brush it on "liberally", let it sit for a few minutes, and then wipe off the excess. Simple, right?

Holy mother of God, my arm just doesn't have the strength to wipe off the excess--it was SO sticky. I also didn't realize I was supposed to literally wipe it ALL off--the color would stay. With it still having a tacky feel to it, I decided to just try to wipe everything off and start over, which is when I realized that that is what I was supposed to do in the first place--wipe it all off, leaving just the color behind.

My arm was SO achy after that. I did a second coat of stain once I understood how it worked. It's still not perfect, but it's as good as it was going to get! (This is after I stained it, but before using the polyeurethane). My arm felt like Jello for two days.

I used three coats of polyeurethane (sanding between each) to make sure it's durable enough not to get damaged. 

For the legs, I used simple 2x4's. (They used to be $2.08 each, and now they are $7.88!). To make them look less 2x4-ish, I cut them down on the table saw to be 3"x1.25". Then I used a router on all edges just to make the edges a little softer. I sanded them smooth, and finally, primed and painted them.

I used the primer and paint that I already had at home. It's oil-based paint in the color "Spare White" by Sherwin Williams. I set up the desk in the garage before making sure it was ready to screw together, and I loved it.

I let it all dry for 48 hours, and FINALLY was able to bring it into Noah's room today! I brought it in pieces and then attached the legs once it was in his bedroom so it would be less awkward to carry.

Thankfully, he loves it! :) He said it looks so much better than he thought it would. (Um, thanks? haha)

While I need to touch up the paint on his wall (I wanted to do this before the picture, but I had just put all of my painting stuff away!) I absolutely love the way it looks in his room (and thankfully, so does he).

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