Becoming a Hot Mom - Week 2

Week 2 of 14

Well since my vacation week was a total (and completely expected) bust, I kickstarted my new healthy lifestyle this week instead. I only gained 2 lbs on our vacation (not 5 like I imagined), and was able to shed those pretty quickly this week. So now I am officially at:

Starting weight X

Here's what I started working on this week:

• Reduced carb diet - I am still eating fruit and drinking milk, but am mostly trying to avoid starches and refined sugars to help me detox and curb my cravings.
• Drinking more water - I usually do pretty well keeping with the recommended 6 to 8 glasses a day, but have upped that to 12 to 14.
• Taking the stairs - I've been making the effort to climb the 3 flights of stairs everyday.

I meant to go back to the gym this week, but haven't been able to balance my "work from home" day schedule, which means I end up waking up super early or going to bed really late (occasionally a combination of both) to catch up on work and don't have time to make it to the gym. Getting that back on track is on the agenda for next week.

Accomplishment of the Week:
RAW Bars

I have heard a lot of talk about people making their own "raw" energy bars. Made from dried fruit and nuts, they are really healthy and organic. I promise you, I am NOT the kind of person who makes her own food or really worries too much about manmade ingredients (or uses her food processor...like ever), but for some reason this project intrigued me. And they were really easy!

Needs:
Dried dates
Dried apricots
Dried cranberries
Almonds
Food processor

How to make:
Recipe from Enlightened Cooking
Mix dates and cranberries in food processor on pulse and remove (this will make a paste)
Chop almonds in the food professor and put into a separate bowl
Take part of your fruit paste and mix it together with the almonds (using your hands)
You can either form the resulting combination into a bar shape or do what I did and roll them into balls.

(You can repeat this using dates and apricots)

I actually ran out of dates and ended up trying to use just apricots, cranberries and dried pineapple. When the mixture didn't form the right sticky paste consistency (the dates help with this) I added a huge tablespoon of peanut butter to the mix before I combined them with the almonds. This probably made it a lot less "raw," but they were actually my favorite of the two batches.

I stored 2 or 3 balls (depending on size)  in ziplock bags in the fridge and they've been a great healthy treat for me to grab and eat for breakfast as I head out the door. And now I have a new found excitement about the food processor that has been in my cupboard for the last 8 1/2 years. Hooray!

12 weeks til Goal Completion Date!

A Very Perry Spring Break

Last week we were on vacation. We only had a couple of specific things on our itinerary during the week, so we decided to wing it for the first couple of days and not make any concrete hotel reservations or plans. Beware: There are a lot of pictures below. I took more than 600, so believe me when I say that I did my best to choose the best ones to tell the story. (As this barely scratches the surface, expect more on facebook in the near future.)

Days 1 & 2:  Monterey/Pacific Grove
It is our favorite place, so we decided to make it our first stop. We ate dinner at the Fish Hopper on Cannery Row while I checked Twitter feeds for updates on the winners of the Academy Awards.
Luke loved the ocean. It was all we could do to keep him from running straight into the surf. And we couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather and lovely cloud-filled skies.

After we leaving Monterey we headed down the coast and stopped in San Luis Obispo at the Apple Farm for a late lunch. If you're lucky enough to be Justin's facebook friend, you likely saw the ridiculous number of pics and videos he posted of our trip. (Sorry.) After a fun encounter with a fountain there, Luke's second pair of shoes (he only has 2) got wet and both had to dry out on the dashboard for the duration of our drive. (The first pair was wet from his dip in the ocean earlier in the day.)

We decided to stop in Pismo Beach for the night and got a great rate and an ocean view at the first place we stopped.

Day 3:  Solvang and other destinations

We got up and continued down the coast to the cute little Danish town of Solvang where we enjoyed $32 worth of pastries (not all at once, but certainly over the course of the next 24 hours.) We stopped at Olsen's Bakery because of its stellar ratings on Yelp. These ratings were confirmed when we saw on the news that they had just been on the Food Network for one of their unique cakes. We were not disappointed.

And this was the box we got "to go."

After pastries and exploring the town for about an hour, we headed up the road to the Quicksilver Ranch. Home of a dozen or so miniature horses. (Justin found it online - random. If we'd had the time we would have also hit up nearby Llamaville. Next trip.)

On the way back to the freeway we spotted one of the most amazing children's parks I have ever seen!

After a stop in Santa Barbara to meet up with my MIL and her friends who were heading back up the coast after a girl's weekend in LA (where they stood in a mob outside the Kodak Theatre on Oscar Night, got their hair done on the Warner Brothers lot, saw Academy Award winner Colin Firth and made a 2-second cameo on the Ellen Show), we continued south with a plan to meet up with our friend Heidi at an awesome BBQ place in the Long Beach area called Lucille's. We picked up Jeff on the way and had an awesome dinner. A picture does exist from this event, but Justin looks pretty terrible in it and I decided to be nice. (Heidi however, looked fabulous!)

Day 4:  Disneyland

Because we are the most ridiculous people on the planet, Luke made his 3rd trip to Disneyland in 7 months. He was so much more engaged on this trip and even "asked" to go on some of the rides, pointing vigorously at the Tomorrow Land spaceships and dancing during Small World. He was a little less sure about Pirates of the Caribbean (burying his head quietly in my shoulder during part of it) and was a bit apprehensive as Justin and I shot aliens on Astroblasters. (He's a lover, not a fighter.) We also had lunch at Club 33, which was the motivation behind the trip to the Mouse House in the first place.

Side Note:  Did you know they were taking out the CALIFORNIA letters in front of the California Adventure park? Totally gone. :(

 

Days 5 & 6:  Los Angeles

While I was at a CASE conference (for people who work in University Advancement), Luke and Justin went swimming, hung out in Santa Monica and had an all around good time. Me? I got a lot of good new information about social media marketing and ate a lot.

Day 7:  Hollywood

My conference went for part of the day, but in the afternoon we headed up into the Hollywood Hills to the Griffith Park Observatory. It is absolutely beautiful up there. You can see the Hollywood sign on one side and the rest of Los Angeles on the other. It is a great place to go to escape the urban atmosphere of LA.

"Where do I look dad?
 "There son."

"Over there?"

That night we headed home. We had a great trip! Thanks for sharing our adventures!

Becoming a "Hot Mom" Week 1 - Vacation

Well, this probably wasn't the best week to announce to the world that I planned on starting my journey to operation "minus-20." We've been on vacation this week, so now it's more like "minus-25."

This week I've enjoyed filet mignon and lobster tail in Monterey (we go big!), pastries in the cute little Danish town of Solvang, BBQ at Lucille's in Long Beach, a dessert bar and more filet mignon at Club 33 in Disneyland, crepes in Hollywood, and today a cookie topped with a chocolate medallion emblazoned with the nbc universal logo (among other assorted goodies at an alumni relations conference that started today in Los Angeles.) Needless to say my pants are even tighter and I may even feel a little sick.

Don't worry, I plan to rally and enjoy a Sprinkles cupcake and, quite possibly, more crepes before we head home on Sunday. Expect a real first post next week.

Getting My Post-Baby Bod Back

I'm almost back to pre-baby weight.

This is NOT a good thing. Before Luke was born I weighed this:

X

(approx 20 lbs over what I should have been according to the BMI chart and according to my ill-fitting wardrobe. This should not be anyone's typical idea of what pre-baby weight looks like. This was called "chubby.")

When Luke was born, I weighed this:

X

(Yes, this represents the same weight as the above X. Luke and I were both healthy. Don't hate.)

When I went back to work after maternity leave I was this:

X - 30lbs = :)

Today, almost one year to the date that I returned to work, I weigh this:

X - 2 lbs = :(

For those of you who followed that mathematic equation, that means I have gained 28 pounds SINCE the birth of my child.
I don't really care so much about the number on the scale, but I do care about feeling good about myself in my clothes. Right now, I don't. When I went back to work after having Luke I felt more like myself than I had in years. I didn't feel like I was hiding behind the extra weight and I didn't feel emotionally chained to food. And I could wear stuff in my closet that I hadn't been able to put on my body in 5 years! (Granted it was all a bit outdated, but dang those size 8's felt gooood!)

Throw in 12 months of varying types of mostly self-imposed-guilt-induced emotional eating (did you know how many types of guilt there are? Employee guilt, mom guilt, wife guilt, daughter guilt, friend guilt, in-law guilt, food guilt, exercise guilt, nonsensical imagined guilt, the list goes on) and that 30 pounds found its way right back onto my hips, thighs, chin, arms, bottom, ankles...you name it!

So, after a series of false starts and failed pseudo-resolutions, I've decided that enough is enough. I'm reclaiming my body and resolving to lose 20 lbs by my birthday, June 8th. This is a number that is reasonable for both my health and my lifestyle (I mean, am I really going to give up cookies and the occasional scone from Starbucks? I think not.)

Why am I sharing this information on my blog? Where few people probably care to know about my journey back to "post-baby weight?" Well, for myself mostly. And for the accountability of knowing that somewhere out there may exist a blog lurker like me who may follow the journey, expect to see my regular Friday weight loss posts and anonymously rejoice with me in my success.

So there it is. Every Friday I will post my weight loss successes (already thinking positively) and a brief rundown of my performance throughout the week. Did I slip up and eat a delicious Coldstone ice cream creation? Did I make it to the gym a couple of times? Did I succeed in making those RAW energy bars I've heard so much about?

Come along for the ride and maybe we'll both be bikini tankini tank top ready this summer!

An Old Favorite Gets His Due

Last fall I started seeing these ads in a couple of the parenting magazines I read:

These were my exact thoughts:
1) Ads for Sesame Street! So awesome! This warms my heart. (imagine an internal smiley emoticon here) 2) Lovable furry old Grover is finally getting his due! Amazing!

Fast forward to two weeks ago when I saw an ad on youtube stating that Super Grover 2.0 week was scheduled for February 21st-25th, and freaked out.

Really. I kind of did a little bit. In fact, as I read the advertisement aloud in a sort of guttural frantic way, I actually made Luke cry a little because he happened to be sitting in my lap watching Sesame Street youtube videos and had never seen Mommy get quite that excited about anything. Oops.

I also saw this ad in a magazine and it made me want an ipad more than anything in the entire world. (If you have one, please go buy this app and enjoy it for Luke and I!)

And, lastly, I saw this on the internet this morning and it made me incredibly happy that other people understand how exciting it is that Grover is finally getting his glory after years of living in the shadow of that little red muppet that shall remain nameless.*

"After playing second-fiddle to Elmo the interloper for far too long, Grover — that is, his alter ego, Super Grover 2.0 — is finally getting some time in the spotlight. Starting Monday, Feb. 21, Sesame Street will be celebrating “Super Grover 2.0 Week”, featuring a daily segment with everybody’s favorite (furry blue) superhero, whose powers involve the ability to observe, investigate, question, and report phenomenon to help kids solve problems. SG2.0 will also get some love on sesamestreet.org, with web-only clips and games. Am I only one out there who feels this Grover tribute is long overdue? Maybe it’s because I’m a child of the 70s, but it’s always bothered me that These Darn Kids Today seem to be all about Elmo ..."
--Kristen Baldwin, Entertainment Weekly

Luke and I have been enjoying the Super Grover 2.0 clips via sesamestreet.org the past couple of days and I have basked in the warm thoughts that I may start finding Super Grover merchandise in department stores again...for Luke of course.
.

Pictured:
Super Grover, *that red interloper muppet that I have actually come to love and respect over the past 15 months, and my favorite muppet background players - muppet food! - do you see the banana wearing a super hero cape? How can that not make you ridiculously happy?

Spring Movies

Spring movies I am super excited about:

1) Water for Elephants - I loved the book and, from the looks of the trailer, am hopeful that they are going to get the movie version right.

2) Jane Eyre - One of my favorite books since high school, I am really looking forward to the latest film incarnation. There have been several movie versions of Jane Eyre; my favorite being the 2006 miniseries from the BBC that I have devoured in 10 minute increments via youtube over and over again. The scenes I've watched on youtube of the newest version seem to be a bit less passionate than the BBC version (which I kind of think took some liberties with the text), but I feel this one may be truer to the spirit of the book in that sense.

Here's the trailer if you're interested:

A Look Back

I just passed the four-year anniversary of this blog. Wow! How is it even possible that I have found so much nothingness to talk about four years? Here is a look back at what was exciting me four years ago today. Ha ha.

http://mylifeasamusical.blogspot.com/2007/02/best-sister-ever.html

Congratulations Honeysuckle!

I'm blogging about this kind of late, but Pantone released their colors of spring a few weeks ago. Their color of the year is Honeysuckle (formerly known as pink), which is definitely something my wardrobe and I can get behind! I think a new pink sundress is definitely in order. I mean, who am I to argue with the color palatte gurus?

I'm also feeling the Regatta and the Lavendar (mainly because I have a lavendar shirt I've been trying to make happen for a few years now.) I also really love the Silver Closet as a paint color. Maybe a room makeover is in the cards for 2011!

How do you feel about the colors of 2011? Which one is your fave?

Currently Coveting...

Well the weekend felt like spring, but the rain and wind are back today, so I guess winter is here to stay for a little while longer. Even so, the sunshine and warmth of the weekend made me long for the days when I can start riding my bike to work again.

When that day comes, I hope to have a fun liner for my bike basket.

We are getting new work phones. Goodbye Blackberry! I opted for the Droid X, which is kind of bulky, but has a pretty good camera and HD video camera, which will be really useful for doing little video updates for our alumni website and e-newsletter. (And for posting pictures of the Lukester to facebook - let's be honest.) Since it is a bigger phone than I'm used to, I definitely need one of these cases. The problem is that I can't decide what pattern to choose. I'm trying to stay away from my black and white polka dot safety zone and find something a bit more fun. I don't think this is quite the color palatte I'm looking for, but I like the subtle polka dot action with another print mixed in. (My problem is that if I saw someone else's fun case, I would instantly want what ever design they had - I'm one of THOSE people, people. So someone else get a cool case and show it to me stat!)

I know I mentioned the camera strap the other day. I still want one. I would love a gray and white polka dot with some yellow mixed in...sigh. The real problem is that, more than the camera strap, I really want a Canon Rebel to go with it. A couple of years ago, before I really understood camera functionality, I opted for a high end Canon Powershot (the one that kind of looks like a Rebel) to save myself a few hundred dollars. Now I get why I needed a DSLR. Fortunately my father-in-law has one that I borrow on a regular basis. I'm considering a no-Starbucks savings plan to help me get my very own at some point (fun strap included, of course!)

Also searching for:  a cool fold-out shelf for my laundry area. I would love it to do double duty as folding station and ironing board. I swear I saw someone mention one on a blog the other day, but I can't remember for the life of me where I saw it! Anyone out there have any ideas? I searched the IKEA website high and low and couldn't track it there. Hmmm?

What are your must-haves?

Love

Hope you have a beautiful day full of love and laughter!

Miserable?

I live in the most miserable city in the nation. And I mean that quite literally. At least in the eyes of Forbes magazine.

Yup, good 'ol Stockton, CA, the place I have called home for the better part of nearly 14 years, made the top of the list again. Nearly 3 years running! (Last year Cleveland staged a coup and one-upped us.) In fact, the three counties I have lived in are in the Top 10 of the most economically stressed counties in the nation. Sutter County, Yuba County and San Joaquin County take the #'s 6, 7, and 10 spots, respectively. Congratulations on such an impressive accomplishment Northern California!

Why is Stockton the most miserable? Well, one reason is the great housing market crash that no one (not even my real estate savvy husband) saw coming. In Stockton the market peaked in 2005 with home values averaging in the $400,000 range. Prices plummeted, thousands foreclosed on their mortgages, etc. etc. Today the average home price is $142,000. I'll give you a hint what year we decided to enter the housing market...and that my friends is why I get up and go to work everyday!

I will say, the shining spot in the "miserableness" of Stockton, which I contend is NOT as bad as Forbes suggests, (I can make this claim because, though I have never been mugged or had my car stolen, I WAS a victim of a walk by shooting by BB Gun and Justin was quite possibly the victim of a car jacking that ended unsuccessfully for the perp at a mini-mart in Madera...but those are stories for another day), is the place that takes me away from the joy of my life for 8-9 hours a day and the occasional evening or weekend...The University of the Pacific.

Voted one of the top 5 MOST BEAUTIFUL college campuses in the United States in 2010 by the Penn Group.

Suck on that Forbes!

What a difference a year makes...

Luke took his first swim on an unseasonably warm day in February 2010.

And we took advantage of another unseasonably warm February day in 2011 for another dip.

My boy looks so grown up! I'm not sure how I feel about that.