DietBet

Yesterday, I was scrolling through Instagram and I saw someone's post about a DietBet. I'm not sure why it caught my eye--usually I scroll right past the DietBet invites--but I started thinking about possibly joining one. I did it once before as a way to get back on track (I believe it was in fall of 2015) and it definitely helped with accountability.

(If you're not familiar with DietBet, it's a site where various people host a challenge: you place a bet on yourself--the amount is set by the the host--and then you have to lose 4% of your body weight in 4 weeks. After 4 weeks, the pot is split among all the players that reached their 4% goal. (DietBet has asked me to host before, but I have mixed feelings about the whole DietBet thing--especially because they take 20% of the pot before dividing it up!)

I haven't been successful trying to lose this weight on my own lately, so I decided to give it a go. I joined a challenge that is $100 and it starts tomorrow.

To keep the weigh-ins fair, you have to submit a couple of photos (privately) of your weigh-in. One of the photos has to be of your feet on the scale with a codeword written on a piece of paper (a new codeword is generated each day and  you won't know what it is until you're ready to weigh in--proof that the weigh-in is current). The other photo has to be a full-body shot while standing on the scale (a mirror selfie works).

It's not perfect--people could load up on water for their first weigh in to make it look like they lost more at the end, for example--but I think that most people do it for the weight loss accountability. If you're doing it for the money, well, there are much better ways to make money (I think on the one I did before I made less than a dollar at the end--you are guaranteed to get your full bet back if you hit the 4% goal, however. You just might make a few pennies on top of it.)

Anyway, my purpose for doing this is because I want the accountability and a specific goal with consequences if I don't complete it (losing $100 isn't insignificant!). I did my initial weigh-in today (they suggest doing it up to 48 hours before the start of the challenge just in case your photos don't meet the requirements).

You're supposed to dress in lightweight clothing; I wore some running capris and a t-shirt. When I stepped on the scale, I was sure it had to be wrong. I had moved it from the corner of my bathroom to a spot in front of the mirror, so I thought maybe moving it had messed with the calibration. After adjusting positions and everything else I could think of, I kept getting the same goddamn number.

I'm not going to post the number because it was horrifying enough just seeing it. Maybe at the end of the challenge I'll post it, but right now it's still sinking in!

I immediately decided that I was going to start TODAY and not wait until the official start tomorrow. I had asked my friend Caitlin if she wanted to do it with me, so she signed up, too. I texted her about my weigh-in and she said she was unhappy with hers, too.

I figured today would be a good time to start the Couch to 5K plan (again). I'm not injured and taking time off of all activity didn't help my chronic pain, so I am just going to do it. I was already in my running clothes from the weigh-in, so I just grabbed my Garmin and put Joey on a leash, and went out the door.

As far as a diet plan, I'm going to do what has always worked best for me--count calories. I opened the Fat Secret app today and saw all of my recipes in there--I'd already done all the tedious work of entering my recipes and ingredients, so now it's just a matter of planning.

I do still believe in intermittent fasting for health reasons and I'd like to get back to that habit. But I'm going to work on it gradually. At first, I might keep my eating window at 12 hours, and then I'll cut back a little here and there until I'm comfortable with a short window again.

So, we'll see how this goes. I'll update on it periodically (probably on Wednesdays, which is when I used to do my "Wednesday Weigh-In"). I hope this is the kick in the ass I need to finally drop this extra weight I picked up, oh, three and a half years ago!

(Here is a link to the challenge I joined--you can join for up to a couple of weeks after it starts, I think. I'm not trying to recruit people, and I don't get anything for recruiting people--at least I don't think I do--I just figured someone might ask which challenge it is that I joined.)

Speaking of challenges, some people have asked me about doing a Cookies Summer Challenge this year. Yes! I plan on it. It's sneaking up so fast on me. Last year, I made it too complicated with three different challenges, so this year I'm going to keep it simple--a checklist of runs/walks to complete throughout the summer. I hope to get that posted this week!

Continue Reading...

2 Kinds of People : Part 3

It's been a while since Jerry and I went through the '2 Kinds of People' book. This is a book I bought for fun a long time ago. It's basically a compatibility quiz in picture form--there are two pictures, and you choose which one best represents you, then see if your partner matches or is the opposite. It's just meant to be fun, and Jerry and I usually end up cracking up by the time we've gone through several pictures.

Here is Part 1 and Part 2. On to Part 3...

Jerry: "I miss the one on the left, but I love the one on the right. I don't have to go to the library anymore, books don't take up any space... Kindle is just better."

Katie: "I think everybody knows how I feel about this! I was a die-hard 'real book' person and couldn't understand how anyone would want to read a book on a screen. My sister kept telling me to get a Kindle Paperwhite, and one day there was a very good deal on them on Amazon. So I figured I'd try it and I could always return it if I really didn't like it. Well, I fell in love immediately. With the backlight turned off, it has the look of a paperback--it's not hard on my eyes. It's lighter than holding a paperback; there is no glare, so I can read it outside just as easily as inside; and you can borrow library books within seconds (or buy books, but I always borrow when I can). Here is the Kindle that I have." (Amazon affiliate link)

Jerry: "Is that beer?" *squints at the screen*

Katie: "A CAN OR A BOTTLE...?"

Jerry: "Oh! Cans, 100%."

Katie: "Ew, why?"
Jerry: "Bottles are just gross; they get swill at the bottom and are heavier. I prefer cans because cans are lighter and it just tastes better out of a can."

Katie: "What the heck are you talking about?! You are a beer snob that insists on pouring his beer into a glass, regardless of what kind of beer it is or what container it comes from."
Jerry: "Plus, you don't need a bottle opener with cans."

Katie: "I think there is something gross about cans. You can't see what you're drinking, so I always imagine things floating around inside of there. Didn't you ever hear of that kid in elementary school whose aunt's best friend's brother-in-law's daughter found a dead mouse inside of her pop can?"

Jerry: "I have, but I thought it was the neighbor; I didn't know it was the daughter."

Katie: "Let's just agree to disagree."

Jerry: "What the hell is that?"

Katie: "It's a beach towel! Do you like an umbrella or no umbrella? I really don't think these pictures are that difficult to understand."

Jerry: "My mind, for the picture on the right side, went to a video game called Resident Evil. That umbrella is the logo for the Umbrella Corporation. Google it. That's the 'guy' in me." *pulls it up on Google and shows it to me*

Katie: "Holy crap, it is!"

Jerry: "So, I choose the picture on the left because the Umbrella Corporation is evil."

Katie: "I choose umbrella. I hate the sun."

Jerry: "I think those towels are gold and white. What about you?"

*This sparks a huge debate about THE DRESS*

Katie: "What do you see here? Do you understand the question?"

Jerry: "I don't see any Vernors."

Katie: "I thought you said it was Coke that makes your throat feel better when you're sick."

Jerry: "Nope, it's Vernors for the throat or Coke for the stomach."

Katie: "Well, I prefer meds. Give me all the meds."

Jerry: "But if I had to choose between meds or tea, I'd prefer the meds."

Jerry: "Ummmm... depends on the size of the bag. If it's a little snack size bag, then I'll just eat them out of the bag. But if I don't want to feel super fat, I'll eat from the bowl. And refill it three times."

Katie: "I always prefer a bowl--I hate getting grease on my hands when reaching into the bag."

Jerry: "But does the grease on your fingertips bother you? Or just on the back of your hand?"
Katie: "I don't like grease on my hands or my fingers at all. When I eat chips, I have to have a napkin to wipe my fingers after each one."

Jerry: "Why can't you just lick your fingers like a normal person?"
Katie: "Eww! I'd rather have grease on my hands than lick my fingers. Man, I really sound like such a stick in the mud." *waits*

Katie: "You're not going to argue and tell me that I'm not a stick in the mud?"
Jerry: "Next question."

Jerry: "So this is a cardigan or a dress shirt?"

Katie: "OHMYGOD, really? It's asking if you like your shirt buttoned or unbuttoned."

Jerry: "Buttoned."

Katie: "This is like asking me to choose between eating dog food or cat food. I can't stand button down shirts! If I HAD to pick, I'd probably say unbuttoned--I do like wearing cardigans over t-shirts, so that works."

Jerry: "Would you fight your attacker off with an umbrella or mace...?"

Katie: "I like the little compact one. But I never have an umbrella with me when I need one, so I have a few of those that are about 18 years old and have never been opened. I can't imagine carrying around a huge one, but I guess when it rains I'd rather have the really big one."

Jerry: "Or you can just put your shoulders up to your ears like an adult."

Katie: "I do that, too."

Jerry: "The one on the left dries out easily; the compact ones are soaking wet and the water gets trapped when you wrap the velcro around and then it flies out all over the place when you open the umbrella up again."

Katie: "Yeah, you're right."

Jerry: "I prefer to eat apples whole. However, I don't like it when the skin gets in between my teeth and cuts my gums."

Katie: "I like to cut them into quarters and sprinkle them with salt."

Jerry: "That's so gross."

Katie: "It's so good! Sweet and salty is a great combo. But unlike the picture, I cut out the core. Nobody likes seeds. Well, except Johnny--he liked them."

Jerry: "Johnny who?"

Katie: "Johnny Appleseed!"

Jerry: "Is he related to Jimmy Crack Corn?"
Katie: "I don't care."

Jerry: "Electric toothbrush, all the way."

Katie: "100% agree! Since we got that electric one, my teeth always feel like I got them cleaned at the dentist. Love it."

Jerry: "I had cavities at my last dentist appointment. But I still love it."

Jerry: "Is this a bath versus shower? I prefer a shower. All day long."

Katie: "I am definitely a shower person, too. Except I take the fastest showers I can--I don't know how you can stand in there all day."

Jerry: "It's so warm and cozy, it's like a hug."

Katie: "And then when you turn off the hot water, it feels like someone threw you into a refrigerator."

Jerry: "Speaking of showers, I have to go take a shower right now. I just got done playing six hours of disc golf and I have to wash this bug spray off of me."

It's so funny how simple pictures like these can spark conversations and even heated debates. Jerry and I are not very compatible, according to the book, but somehow we still work well together ;) There are still lots more questions! So I'll do another part later on.

Continue Reading...

RECIPE: Spicy Chicken Taco Pasta

Unfortunately, I did not make a heritage recipe this week. I am planning to write a menu/meal plan for the week tomorrow, and do all of the grocery shopping. When COVID hit and we were in lockdown, I only went grocery shopping about once every two weeks or so. I got out of the habit of meal planning and making a shopping list, and started buying a lot more convenience foods--not a great habit.

I really want to get back in the habit of planning things out. It saves money and it makes dinnertime less stressful; and of course it's healthier. This past week was very busy and I didn't do any sort of planning for meals, so I didn't get around to making a heritage recipe.

However, I had some chicken in the fridge that I had to use. We had pretty much no food in the house, so I had to get a little creative--and I came up with this pasta. It was delicious! I'm definitely going to add this to a regular rotation.

I like to make my own taco seasoning (it's much more flavorful!); I make a big batch of it and store it in a mason jar to use as needed. So that's what I used in this dish. But you could definitely use a packet of taco seasoning instead. You just might want to add a little water to it. (The homemade seasoning doesn't have a thickener, like corn starch, in it.)

Here is a printer-friendly version!

Spicy Chicken Taco Pasta

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz) box of pasta (I used fusilli)
2 tsp. cooking oil
1-1/2 pounds chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 (10 oz) can Rotel (tomatoes with chiles)
1 cup beef broth
1 (10 oz) bag frozen corn
1/3 cup sour cream
4 oz cheddar cheese
3-4 Tbsp. homemade taco seasoning (see recipe below) OR one packet of store-bought taco seasoning

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Combine all the spices for taco seasoning in a mason jar and shake to mix will. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat and add the chicken. Cook, stirring, until chicken is browned. Add the Rotel, broth, corn, and 3-4 Tbsp. taco seasoning (depending on how spicy you want it) and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the sour cream and cheese.

Add the pasta and stir all to combine. Makes about 6-8 servings.

For the Homemade Taco Seasoning:

1/4 cup chili powder
2 Tbsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (use less, or eliminate, crushed red pepper to reduce heat)

Combine all spices in a jar and shake to mix well. This makes about 9 Tbsp; I like to double it and keep it on hand. Use 2-3 Tbsp. per pound of meat.

Continue Reading...

Friday Night Photos

Whew! It's been a long week. We have a busy weekend ahead, so I'm sure that will fly by, too. The weather has been fantastic--I love that it's warm enough to sit in the garage with the doors open. Even when I'm just doing something on the computer, I have been going out there.

Eli had to have part of his toenail removed today--I won't post the picture, because it's rather gross. I actually couldn't even take him to the appointment! I had to have Jerry take him; I am completely grossed out by feet and the thought of Eli getting his toenail removed gave me the heebie jeebies for sure.

It all started 5-6 weeks ago. Eli was cutting his toenails and he cut the nail of his big toe way too short in the corner. This caused an ingrown nail which then got infected. Home remedies weren't helping, so we went to Urgent Care--they prescribed antibiotics, which he took for 10 days. Still nothing. Today, he had an appointment at the podiatrist to remove the nail. They numbed his toe and then cut 1/4 of the nail off--from the base by the cuticle all the way to the tip. (Ugh, just thinking about it gives me chills.)

Jerry sent me a text from the waiting room with a dad-joke:

"We've been waiting a long time, but this guy's been waiting a LOT longer!"

Seeing skeletons like this was my favorite part about October last year--it's awesome that this one is just randomly in the waiting room now, haha.

Speaking of Jerry thinking he's hilarious... a few days ago, I noticed that the comforter on our bed was facing the wrong direction (it has stripes and the stripes are meant to go parallel with the sides of the bed, but the stripes were going sideways). I noticed it immediately and I thought Jerry just did it accidentally when he made the bed after he woke up. I said, "Hey, you put the comforter on in the wrong direction."

He said, "Oh, you noticed already? It was a joke! I wanted you to get in bed tonight and your feet would stick out the bottom because it's shorter like that." I just teased him for his prank being as bad as his dad jokes ;) 

Since I haven't been working on any physically strenuous projects, I decided to make an attempt at drawing again. (I wanted to learn a new skill as part of my 40 Goals by 40 Years Old list, so I bought a book and some pencils to try drawing--you can see that post here.) This time, I wasn't nearly as patient and I realized very quickly that I didn't enjoy it. I didn't want to leave it partially done, so I rushed through it. From far away it's not bad, but up close it's rather cringe worthy!

After that, I caved and ended up going out to the garage to build something. I'm going to save it to share on Sunday or Monday, but here is a small part of it so you can guess what it might be! ;)

Speaking of lumber, I am loving the lumber memes that people have been sharing with me--so funny! Here are a couple of new ones:

As you may know, I love 90's music. It's pretty much all that I listen to. I was watching a show one night and I heard a song that I wanted to look for (I don't even remember which song it was) but I happened to notice an album cover that caught my eye. I started listening to short clips of the songs and I felt so nostalgic! I ended up buying the album and I've been listening to it all week. (There were 20 songs, but I already had a few of them).

I was shocked yesterday when I saw Estelle using the doll bunkbeds that I made! I tried SO hard to get a picture of the cats on them after I made them, but they wouldn't stay. I'm going to give the bunkbeds to Shelby (my littlest niece) when I see her, but for now, it's just been sitting in my dining room. Estelle was sleeping on the top bunk, but of course she sat up as soon as she saw me grab my phone to take a picture.

And that's all I have this week. Have a great weekend!

Continue Reading...

On This Day... (May 20)

I haven't done an "On This Day" post in a while. I always love looking through old photos, and now that digital pictures are super easy to sort, it's fun to just pick a date and see what photos I took on that day throughout the years. So, here are a bunch of photos I took on May 20th (in chronological order)...

2006: Noah had his friend Kaden over (Noah was 22 months old and Kaden was 18 months old). Judging by how dirty his face is and the fact that he's wearing one sock, accompanied by the fact that they both crashed on the couch, they clearly had fun ;)

2009: I love these pictures of Noah and my dad. They were working on my dad's garden. Noah and Eli used to help him garden whenever they would go over there.

2010: I chaperoned Eli's field trip to a dairy farm. He fed a calf, milked a cow, went on a hay ride, and ate freshly made ice cream.

2012: My first marathon! This was a completely miserable race and I don't even have good feelings when I see the pictures, hahaha. The race was red-flagged due to the heat index being over 100 degrees and people were dropping like flies throughout the course. I do love that Jerry and the boys went down to Cleveland with me and cheered me on during the race--it meant a lot to me!

2014: This was when I was chaperoning one of Noah's field trips--at the Henry Ford Museum. I don't know why the schools felt that the kids needed to go there every single year, but I swear I know each exhibit by heart. Two kids in two different grades, going every year... that's a LOT of trips to the museum!

2015: Eli being the animal-magnet that he is... (I miss Chandler so much!)

2017: My friend Emma had asked me to run a 5K with her at an airport. We took it easy and chatted the whole time. It was so fun!

2018: I went to Kansas City to visit Andrea--and Caitlin and Bonnie joined us! It was such a fun girls' weekend. This picture was in front of an ice cream place that Andrea said we just had to try--I can't remember what flavor I got. I think it was strawberry rhubarb? I'm too lazy to go back and look at my post about it.

2018: While on the trip, we were talking about our relationships with our partners, and Andrea told us about the 5 Love Languages. I made a mental note to read the book, but I took the quiz that day to see what my "love language" was--it was "Quality Time". It was funny, because when Jerry took the quiz, his list was in the EXACT opposite order of mine! If you haven't read the book, definitely read it. It is seriously life-changing. Jerry's and my relationship got so much better after we learned each other's love languages. I even ordered the book for teens so my boys could read it. Here is the post I wrote about The 5 Love Languages (as well as links to the quiz and the books).

2020: The kittens were brand new--we'd only had them for a couple of weeks at this point. I can't believe we've had them for over a year now. And they're bigger than Phoebe and Estelle.

2020: Eli finally let me cut his hair! I forget what I bribed him with. I would never make him cut his hair if he didn't want to, but it was driving me crazy how it would constantly fall over his eyes. I remember bribing him with something, and he said yes! Now he keeps his hair at a length somewhere in between those two pictures. 

Continue Reading...

Oops!

I forgot to click "publish" on yesterday's Transformation Tuesday post and didn't get it posted until late morning today. I don't want to take any attention from those transformations, so this is all I'll write today (I have a busy afternoon/evening with baseball anyways). If you didn't see yesterday's transformations, make sure you check them out: Transformation Tuesday #27 : A Fun Variety!

If you've already seen the post, here is a meme that made me laugh today. Enjoy :)

Continue Reading...

Transformation Tuesday #27 : A Fun Variety!

Doh! I just now realized that I forgot to click "publish" last night! Well, here is yesterday's post...

I was thrilled to see that I had a lot of emails for Transformation Tuesday today--I have enough for the next couple of weeks! (So if you sent me one and you don't see it, don't worry--I will share it soon.) Since there were several to share, I decided to pick a variety rather than a common theme. These are fun ones :)

---

During lockdown in Canada I decided to buy a cottage in my hometown since we have to quarantine for two weeks when visiting certain provinces and I live far away from family. 

I have several different areas of the cottage that have been transformed but for today we’ll talk about exterior paint colour. I wanted it to be fun and scream "vacation"! My dad did a bunch of stuff to the landscaping and stone pavers out front too. The work continues this summer when I’m finally able to get home! 

Lindsay Sue

---

This was quite a change in a week--from 11 years old with long-ish hair and bare teeth to 12 years old (on May 21) with super short hair and braces. I still barely recognize him!

- Jenn 

---

I was reading your Transformation Tuesday post at my work desk/craft table and looked over at the disaster it’s become over the past couple months. I thought, “well here’s a transformation that needs to happen” LOL

Ten minutes later it was done :) So thanks for the inspiration!

Kelly

---

I wanted to share the before and after pictures of my rescue kitty, Peggy Sue. She and her brother were found abandoned. Her brother was up in a tree, and she was lying at the base of the tree with her leg broken. She’s one of my favorite transformations. ;-)

- Rikilynn, Michigan

---

I took a royal icing cookie class at the end of 2019, right before the pandemic started. It was the perfect hobby to start while quarantined at home. This was my most recent set for Cinco de Mayo. It's been a lot of fun trying out new designs. Next up is to experiment with other cookie and icing flavors besides the typical sugar cookie and vanilla icing set.

- Gina, Wisconsin

---

Lindsay Sue, you definitely nailed it when you chose a color that screams "summer"! It looks like it belongs on a beach. Love it!

Jenn, ohmygosh--what a handsome little man! He aged about two years in a single week, haha. It's crazy how haircuts can make kids look so much older.

Kelly, that is super inspiring for all of us to just take 10 minutes and clean something that we've been procrastinating. It's amazing how simply tidying up an area can give it a whole new feel. Looks good!

Rikilynn, this made my heart MELT. As soon as I saw the picture with the cast, I yelled for Eli to come see (he loves animals more than anything on the planet). She's a beautiful cat! I'm so glad that you took her in. (Do you have her brother, too?)

Gina, I'm SO impressed with your skill! You could turn that from a hobby into a business if you want--those look amazing. Keep sending photos of your new designs. I'd love to see them!

Thank you so much for another great Transformation Tuesday post. Please keep taking before and after pictures and sending them over--I'd rather have a long queue of posts than to have to keep begging for more submissions ;)

To submit a transformation, just send a before photo and an after photo to me at: katie (at) runsforcookies (dot) com. Don't forget to include your name and a description of the transformation. Thanks!

Continue Reading...

Enjoying the Man Cave

Today has been a long afternoon of baseball (double-headers are draining, and I’m not even the one playing!). I’m actually writing this from my phone in between innings of the second game—I’m not going to write when I get home because I still have to cook a late dinner.

I’m just glad the weather is warming up. At the last double-header, it was SO COLD I felt like I would get frostbite. With my hat, sunglasses, cap, and hoodie, I looked like Kevin Bacon in the movie Hollow Man, hahaha.

I've really missed working on projects in the garage since I decided to give my body a rest. When I was in the garage yesterday screening VHS tapes (the TV in the house doesn't have the right cable connections for a VCR, so I had to use the garage TV) it occurred to me that I don't have to work on projects to enjoy the garage.

So, today I brought my computer out there and sat in the "man cave" area to work on stuff while sitting in the garage, doors open, enjoying the breeze. It felt SO nice. I really should call it something other than "man cave", because I use it more than Jerry or the boys ;)

While I was sitting there, I realized that I still hadn't put up the garage door screens I'd bought last year. Because we like to hang out in the garage when the weather is nice, we got some screens that go across the opening of the doors--we have a two-car door in the front and a one-car door in the back. The screens are meant to keep bugs from flying inside while still enjoying the weather.

Setting up the screens was easy--I should've done it in the fall! It just attaches with velcro. You don't have to put it up and take it down all the time--the screen doesn't interfere with the door's movement. There is a slit in the center for walking through and it's held together with magnets. The screen is not exactly attractive-looking, but I'm all about the functionality of this--I'm excited to sit in the garage on summer nights and not have mosquitos seeking me out!

(This is the one I bought - Amazon affiliate link. I can't tell you if I love it yet because I only put it up today. But so far, so good. The quality is nice.)

I should've cleaned up the garage before taking a picture, but you get the idea. Anyway, I sat out there all afternoon until it was time to go to Eli's games.

Jerry is off work tonight and I feel like we haven't hung out in forever--we've been really busy on his days off. So, that's why I wanted to get this post written now. We don't have plans to do anything special tonight, but we'll probably play a board game or watch a movie or something. 

Tomorrow is Transformation Tuesday, so if you have any before and after photos of a transformation you'd like to share, please email them to me! Include your name and a description of the transformation as well. The email address is Katie (at) runsforcookies (dot) com. If I wind up with several, I'll save some for next week. As always, thanks for sharing--I love the inspiration of before and after photos--cleaning, organizing, DIY projects, weight loss, hair cuts, all of it!

Continue Reading...

Our First Date (as told by 21-year old me!)

Yesterday was the anniversary of Jerry's and my first date 22 years ago! It is crazy to me that we've been together so long. I have done lots of anniversary type posts on my blog, so I don't want to be redundant (and this isn't even our wedding anniversary). Instead, I decided to allow my 21-year old self to tell you the story of Jerry's and my first date!

I don't have a photo from the date, but this might be the first photo of us together--so this is what we looked like back then:

A couple of years ago, I bought a VCR at Salvation Army with the intention of recording my old VHS home videos so that I could have them on the computer. I never got around to doing it (I needed a particular cable--I have three sizes of video tapes).

Unfortunately, the only way I was able to get this video was to record the TV while I was playing it from the VHS--so the quality is not good (not that it was great to begin with!). If I can somehow figure out what I need to convert the VHS tapes to digital without having to record the TV with my phone, I'll be thrilled; until then, though, this will have to do.

So, here is the story of Jerry's and my first date on May 15, 1999--told to the camera on May 25, 2003. We'd had a bowl with a bunch of questions written on scraps of paper in it and we took turns drawing questions and asking them to each other. (I completely cringe when watching/hearing myself, but don't we all? Or maybe it's just me!)

Continue Reading...