Random Thoughts

Here is a layout that I made for a book call. However, I don't think the email went through (and of course the deadline is tonight) and I can't seem to make it go through. So I will post here instead. It uses the new paper heart studio marmalade line. Pictures of Bella through the years with my grandparents. This was for a "blueprint" book....meaning I had the general layout provided for me....just kind of filled in the spots. Oh well. I tried. It seems that the window gods are against me. Last week, I went to order a blind for the bathroom that has a baby blanket hanging as a shade (and has for almost the past year). Found out the swatch I had was no longer being made.....so I sent for new swatches. Got those today, made a match. Went online to order and it also won't go through, keeps giving me an error message. Guess I will try tomorrow. I'm really trying!!!!! Some of you might remember I had ordered a shade from Pottery Barn several months ago, got it out of the package and it was broken. Hopefully, sometime in the near future I will be successful in finding something to put in that window (besides of course that lovely baby blanket). In other news, I really like Olestra. It's some kind of fat substitute that they put in chips and such. Tostitos light and lays light make chips that taste just like the real ones except they have minimal fat and decreased calories. Gotta like that....I'm sure sometime soon though it will be pulled of the market because it will lead to an increased risk of heart attacks or strokes...isn't that what happens to all good stuff (at least in the medical world)? Also along those lines. I love the magazine Cooking Light. Such good food....has made this diet thing very tolerable. I have been a subscriber (shock...I know! I hate magazines) for many years, but ate from it mainly for health. Now that I am trying to loose a few pounds, I am finding it wonderful!!!!! Speaking of pounds....stay tuned for my bodybugg update tomorrow. Have a good day!

Another too short weekend

Here is another layout from the new paper heart studio espresso collection.

Had a good weekend. My lovely parents came over to our house and we went out to eat. Today was my cheat day and honestly......I don't feel very good about it. Ate too much high calorie food. But...I am just following directions =). I was supposed to be in a surplus. Still, feeling a bit bad about it. Did a little shopping today, got a few magnetic boards to hang on my wall. Think I'm going to hang some layouts on it...kind of like wall art.

I will write more tomorrow. Have a good day!

Tired

I'm a bit tired tonight. Stayed up too late making layouts for paper heart studio. Here is one of them. For some reason, I really like this photo....it is the third time I have used it. This is somewhat similar to a layout I did a while back. Too much in a hurry to think of something new last night. It is the new shortcake collection from PHS. Anyway, that is all for tonight. Have a good day!

Very brief Bodybugg update

Just a quick one tonight. I have to work on some layouts for Paper Heart Studio tonight. Anyway. Today wasn't quite as bad I was thinking it might be. I was down 1/2 lb. So that is a total of 7 pounds in 4 weeks. So I am okay with that. I still think I have some water weight going on right now and that is why I'm not down more =). Or maybe that is just wishful thinking. Anyway, I have achieved my first goal several weeks in advance so I am onto the next phase. Going to liberalize my calories a bit (I get about 100 more...yeah...that's a lot!!!!!!!!!) and decrease my daily deficit (meaning I don't have to burn as much) which if I go according to plan should be down 5 pounds in the next 4 weeks. Just that permission to eat a little bit extra of food has already lifted my spirits =). So he worked my butt off today. My legs still feel like jelly and that was 10 hours ago. It's good though....like that feeling every now and then. Ohhhh.... and even more exciting, I have explicit instructions to have one day in the next week where I am to eat enough to have a 500 calorie surplus for the day. Think I'm going to save that for Sunday when my parents come. I'm assuming we are going to go out to eat? Now.....what should I use my extra calories on.....I'm just like a kid in a candy store. Anyway, got to run. Have a good day!

Day off tomorrow

Decided to take the day off tomorrow. Looking forward to it. Not sure what I'm going to do, other than go see my trainer at noon. I am hating my "diet" this week. More than that I am hating how few calories I seem to burn. It is a real eye opener. You always see that the recommended daily calorie allowance for females is around 2000. According to the bodybugg, for me to burn 2000 calories a day I either need to be really active all day long (that means little relaxing time....just moving a bit all the time) or exercise at least 30 minutes daily plus activity during the day and evening....this does allow for a bit of sitting there and doing nothing. It's just discouraging for someone who likes to eat as much as I do =). I guess this is what happens when you get OLD. And it explains why I have been very slowly gaining weight over the past 2 years. I have a feeling tomorrow that I won't have made much progress this week. I feel very big and bloated at the moment. Lovely feeling. Guess we'll see. Update tomorrow. Gonna run and lay in bed and read. Have a lovely day!

A new layout and a recipe

So I finally made a new layout tonight. And it is even about me....how about that? This is the new Espresso Collection from Paper Heart Studio. Just got my box of goodies today. All of it is really cool stuff =). Even took the picture myself a week or two ago with my new tripod. It was that lovely January day that was 55 or so degrees. That is why I'm sitting outside and not freezing. I kind of blurred it up in photoshop elements. Don't like looking at myself in focus.

Tried a new recipe for supper tonight. It is from the latest issue of Cooking Light magazine. I love that magazine (of course, what magazine do I not love). Yummy food....but healthy. Got to love that. So here it is....enjoy. Not quite sure how you were supposed to eat these without making a huge mess....so I just rolled them up and made a burrito.

Soft Black Bean Tostadas

Salsa:
½ cup chopped peeled avocado
½ cup chopped seeded tomato
¼ cup sliced green onions
2 tsp fresh lime juice
¼ tsp salt

Remaining ingredients:
2 T water
2 T fresh lime juice
½ tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
4 (8 inch) flour tortillas
1 cup shredded roasted skinless, boneless, chicken breast
¾ cup (3 oz) Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
½ cup fat-free sour cream

1. Preheat broiler.
2. To prepare salsa, combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Toss gently, and set aside.
3. Combine 2 T water, lime juice, cumin, salt, ground red pepper, and black beans in a blender; process until smooth.
4. Place tortillas on a baking sheet, and spread about ¼ cup black bean mixture evenly over each tortilla. Top each evenly with ¼ cup chicken and 3 T cheese. Broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts and tortilla edges are just beginning to brown.
5. Top each tortilla with ¼ cup lettuce, ¼ cup salsa, and 2 T sour cream. Cut each tortilla into 4 wedges.

Calories: 410; Fat 14.4 g; Protein 25.3 g; Carb 47.7 g; fiber 72 g; Chol 49 mg; Iron 3.7 mg; Sodium 858 mg; Calc 264 mg.

Weekend Recap

Here is another project from the Scrappy Giraffe January 2006 kit. The February kit is up so check it out HERE . Click on the kits link to see a preview. Looks to a good one. This is the first time I have ever really made official resolutions, first time I have ever written anything down. The page are made from Bazzill really big circle chipboard covered with paint and the paper from the kit. I won't bore you with the inside details.

This weekend was really busy. Guess that is what happens when you have kids that like to do stuff. Bella had swimming lessons on Saturday morning, then basketball at 12:45, then she spent the night at a friends house. Today she went to another friends house for a few hours this afternoon. Plus had to go grocery shopping, etc. Feels like I really didn't have time to relax. Hate that!

In other exciting news I also took down our Christmas tree....finally. I really dislike that task. Anyway....don't know too much else at the moment. Have a great day!

Swimming, snow and bodybugg

Another layout from the scrappy giraffe Jan '06 kit. The newsletter is up at the site so check it out if you have some time. Click HERE to view.

Tonight we went to "swimming lessons" for Emma. Hopefully the next few sessions will be different than this. Tonight we just went in the pool (which was FREEZING!!!!!!!!) and played. No instruction or nothing. Hmmmmm.....I was hoping for a bit more.

Bodybugg update. I'm still doing well!!! Lost another pound. In total I am down 6.5 pounds and my body fat % is down 3% {I'm almost to a "healthy" body fat %!}. To make it even better, I have lost 2 inches off of my hips and 1 inch off of my thigh. Yipee!!!! It has only been 3 weeks so I am pretty proud of myself =). He actually told me I should probably eating a bit more than I am....guess that is a good problem to have.

Gave my lecture today. It went okay, I think. Only saw one person asleep in the audience =). I suppose doing crap like that is good for me, but I sure do dread it.

Waiting for summer

Emma declared this evening that she didn't like winter. I whole heartedly agree. So in honor of that I have posted a lovely summer layout. This was made with the January Scrappy Giraffe kit.

Tomorrow is bodybugg update #3....I'm sure you'll all be anxiously waiting =). Also....tomorrow evening Emma and I are going to start some swimming lessons for her. Trying to prevent the unreasonable fear of water that Bella developed {although it has all worked out fine...she loves the water now. In fact she will be starting winter swimming lessons on Saturday morning. She told me tonight that level 2 is going to be very easy for her. We'll see}

Well, I must run. For some unknown reason I agreed to give a lecture to the Mercy/Mayo family practice residents tomorrow. Not sure what I was thinking, I am kicking myself now. I hate talking in front of people. It was good though to brush up on the subject, do some literature searches (peds urinary tract infections) however, I'd be happy just stopping there and not doing the whole talking thing. I'm sure I will be so terrible they will never ask me again. Anyway, must go prepare.

Picture night

Here is a layout made with the January 2006 Scrappy Giraffe kit. First layout I have ever done that features a parent....pretty sad....need to do more than that. Bella wrote the journaling.

Yesterday was so very warm!!!! Terrible to do that to us in the middle of January---cause you know it isn't going to last! Anyway here are the girls in their shorts and snowboots collecting rocks outside. Thought they looked pretty cute.

A close-up of my very stylish girls!

Bella on the basketball court. She was getting ready to jump the ball. Some idiot got in my way as she was "jumping" and ruined my picture. So you just get to look at the seconds prior to the action.

Bodybugg science

Alright....I'm a bit perturbed at the moment. Just finished typing a huge entry and then my STUPID STUPID STUPID internet just shut itself off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I could kill it. I hate dial-up!!!! Anyway, I will try to recreate what I just did. However, the b-ball pictures will have to wait until tomorrow.

Bodybugg.....The above picture is what I see everyday when I log into my account. This one is from Janurary 2nd. Everyday I log my food in. As you can see here {click on picture to make larger} I skipped breakfast that day due to waking up at 9 am {was supposed to be at work at 8:45} and had some chocolate to keep myself from starving. Anyway after entering my days food in, the computer calculated that I ate 1439 calories. The bodybugg on my arm calculated the calories I burned at 2226 which is slightly above my goal of 2047. Giving me a calorie deficit of 787 for the day. On the little chart you can see the blip at 9 Am when I was frantically running around trying to get to work. The large blip at noon when I go to the gym and work-out. and then several other blips in the evening when I was cleaning or walking up and down the steps, etc. Household stuff {sucks that cleaning burns that many calories}.

So how does it calculate how many calories I burn? This is taken from the website. It uses various sensors to calculate calorie burn. Other methods such a pedometers and heart rate monitors use only one sensor. The bodybugg uses 4 which enables it to "see" the wearer's context (sitting, sleeping, jogging, walking, etc.). this is what makes it so reliable.

The sensors:
1. Accelerometer - is a 2-axis micro-electro-mechanical sensor device that measures motion. This motion can be mapped to forces (g-force) exerted on the body. By taking gravity and motion into account along with the other sensor data, the wearer's body context and true level of physical exertion can be accurately predicted.
2. Heat Flux - measures the amount of heat being dissipated by the body via a thermally resistant material. In short, it mearues how much heat the wearer's body is giving off. Heat flux is an important parameter because the body thends to heat up the faster it burns calories.
3. Galvanic Skin Response - measures skin conductivity....which is affected by sweat due to physical exertion as well as emotional stimuli such as psychological stress
4. Skin Temperature - Looking at continuous measurement of skin temp in conjunction with data collected from the other sensors can reveal the body's core temp trends which are affected by the level of a person's physical exertion or lack therof.

The date these 4 sensors collect, in conjunction with the wearer's specific body parameters (age, gender, height, weight) enable the most accurate estimation of energy expenditure on the market today outside of a clinical setting.

There it is....enjoy =).

I've been tagged

I've been tagged by Mikki, owner of Paper Heart Studio....{see link to the right}.

4 jobs I've had in my life {most recent first}
1. Pediatrician
2. Lab Technician
3. Certified Nursing Assistant
4. Maid at Howard Johnson's =).

4 movies you would watch over and over.
1. Ferris Bueller's Day Off
2. Ice Age {that's all I really watch anyway....kids movies}
3. Gattica
4. Anything with Will Smith in it {for the most part}

4 places you have lived
1. Pleasant Hill, IA {Des Moines suburb}
2. Nampa, ID
3. Iowa City, IA
4. Canton, OH
5. The big metropolis of Frytown, IA {Yeah...I know that's 5, but by putting down 5, I have included every place I have ever lived =) }.

4 TV shows you love to watch
Don't really watch T.V. anymore.......But when I did....
1. E.R.
2. I watched Rock Star INXS....liked that =).
3. The late show with David Letterman
4. Scrubs

4 Places you have been on vacation
1. Redwood National Park/Crater Lake National Park
2. Coeuer d'Alene , ID
3. Orlando, Florida (Disney!)
4. Myrtle Beach, SC

4 websites you visit daily
1. www.yahoo.com {gotta check that email}
2. scrappy giraffe
3. 2 peas
4. various blogs

4 favorite foods
1. chocolate
2. Mexican
3. Pasta
4. chocolate

4 places I'd rather be right now
1. on a beach, any beach
2. on vacation, any vacation
3. sleeping
4. I'm pretty content sitting here in my house...can't think of anywhere else

4 bloggers I am tagging
Don't really know any bloggers to list other than Shannon ....guess you've been tagged!

Stay tuned for tomorrow. Due to popular request, I will discuss more in depth the body bugg =). Will also post some Bella basketball pictures.

No pictures since Christmas

I said I was going to post a picture today, but I just realized that I haven't taken a good picture since Christmas. Better get the camera out I guess. So anyway...here is one from Christmas, Emma with her cousin Ana. Both are very diligently chomping their way through a whole row of lifesavers (each of course).

So more info was requested regarding my current workout schedule. So here it is. It is nothing exciting at all. I am doing about 30-40 minutes of cardio {mostly 30} about 5 days per week. Actually, I guess I am sneaking one in on the weekends too...but sometimes I just walk. I have been running for the past week as that seems to burn the most calories, prior to that I was doing the elliptical machine. I tried walking up hills on the treadmill....but my body bugg tells me that is doing NOTHING for me. Might as well sit on the couch....I'd burn almost as many calories there. I did a weight/cardio circuit with my trainer on Wednesday and that was almost as bad as sitting on the couch too....didn't do much for burning calories {per the bugg}. It was weird though, because I was huffing and puffing and very tired....you would think it would have done more than that. Then I am trying to lift weights about 3 times per week. I haven't been having too much time for that so it has only been about 2 times per week. The key to my success so far I believe has been my eating. Totally have cut back. If someone would have told me a few weeks ago that I would be eating 1200-1400 calories per day and not starving to death I would have laughed. But with the food police strapped to my arm, I am finding it surprisingly easy. Totally makes me think about what I'm putting in my mouth and if I really need to do that and what it would take to work that off. Making the whole eating thing easier is that I have also stopped eating the lunches that drug reps bring in about 3 times per week and just eating something from home....that helps a lot I'm sure. Anyway, that is my routine and it's working great {at the moment...don't want to get too cocky here =) } Maybe I'll post a page from the body bugg website so you can see what I'm looking at everyday. It is pretty interesting {at least to a geek like me}.

Body Bugg update

Hello all. Went to the trainer today. It has been two weeks since I have been using the lovely Bugg and so far I would deem it a success {and easier than I would have expected}. I can definitely tell a difference in how my clothes are fitting. I'm going to have to get my skinny pants out soon. It is nice. I lost 2 lbs this week. No pinching of the fat today though....I get to look forward to that next week. So from the first time I stepped on their scale there, I weigh 5 1/2 pounds less. Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!! Unfortunately, it seems that the best way for me to burn calories is to run. That's kind of disappointing. Oh well, I am getting used to it. That is all I can muster tonight. Will try to come up with a picture or two for tomorrow =).

A little funny

A little laugh for a non-laughable day. Found this at work. Thought it was funny.

I don't have too much to say tonight...not having a very good day. I did get a nice scrapbook surprise tonight though. I submitted to a book and my layout got accepted for it. Check it out here . I was a little hesitant to send it in as it is by far the most personal layout I have ever done...but what the heck....guess I'll let the whole world see it. Not sure when the book is coming out. Maybe tomorrow I will be more talkative....we'll see. Adios.

Just some pictures tonight

Found this one on the counter tonight....just a picture Bella did of some sort of princess. Thought it was cute.

This one is a picture of Me....done by the lovely Emma. I thought I looked quite beautiful.

This is a picture Bella drew upon coming home from basketball. She enjoyed herself greatly and said that she might just play basketball the rest of her life. I unfortunately forgot the camera, but there are still 7 games left. She made a basket in the game. She seemed quite shocked. The game was kind of cute....there was obviously no one there that has been playing since the age of two (isn't that what all the famous b-ball players did?). Traveling would get you a "dribble the ball" from the refs. No stealing...if you do, you have to give the ball back to who you took it from. Refs sometimes assist in rebounding....allowing you to take another shot. ETc, Etc. It's good they do it that way cause playing by the rules would have been torture. When you watch these guys it makes you realize basketball is a bit more complicated than some games.

And finally, layout number 3 from my guest design spot with Rustic Artisans. That is all for now, have a good day!

Nothing much

Layout number 2 from Rustic Artisans January 2006 kit. The newsletter is up at their site. Go here and click on rustic ideas to get to the newsletter. If your computer doesn't allow you to open it {like mine} you have to download it to your hard drive....directions are at the bottom of that page. The photo of me on the site was taken by the lovely Keesha Dickel {thanks!}.

I got a check in the mail today for $75 for my first layout that is going to be in a magazine/idea book. That book should be out in February.

I signed up Bella for 1st/2nd grade basketball. She has her first practice tomorrow and her first game on Saturday. She is pretty unexcited about it, but I think it's pretty cool that she gets to start so young. I think she will like it, she was totally uninterested in soccer to begin with and now she likes it a lot.

Nothing too much is happening around here so I will close. Have a good one.

Body Bugg extravaganza

So...here after about 50 attempts to upload this photo is one of my latest layouts. Supplies are courtesy of Rustic Artisans January 2006 kit. Emma and my Grandma reading....posted the picture earlier.

So I saw my personal trainer dude today. Stepped on the scale and my weight was down 3.5 lbs. However, this probably wasn't all fat. Only a little over 1 lb was fat according to the magnificant body bugg. Rest was probably water. My body fat went down accordingly {yeah!!!}. Anyway, I am pleased with the results, one pound less of goo on my body. This is really the first time I have ever seriously attempted to lose some weight so it is nice to have a little success. I have half heartedly tried to lose a few pounds here and there, but could never really figure out how to do it. So far, I am liking the body bugg quite a bit, really keeps me in line. It can tell if you aren't honest with your food intake and vice versa. It actually calculated that I am overestimating what I eat....so that was nice. I was afraid it was going to be the other way around. Anyway....I'm excited about the whole thing. My trainer made me run today. I've been an elliptical machine freak for about 2 weeks so I need to change....and running it is. Yipee....my favorite. I am such a weenie when it comes to running any more. Don't like it too much. But I will be a good train-ee and do what he tells me. I made it 25 minutes today before I wimped out and walked. Anyway, I will have another official update next Wednesday.

Cat: Free to good {or any} home

Well....I have been trying to upload a layout for your viewing pleasure, but keep getting an error message that blogger is having some issues. I'll try again tomorrow.

It is official. Betty {the crazy Idaho cat} has been banished from my house FOREVER!!!!!!!!!! I'm completely serious. She has peed on one too many things and I can't take it anymore. She's cute and all but when you can't control your bladder and I can't put a diaper on you.....you're out of here. It doesn't matter if the litter box is full or empty...the only thing she seems to look for is something soft. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It has been suggested that she has a urinary tract infection, but I doubt that she has had a UTI since the beginning of time. She has been a nutball since day one. That's what we get for adopting an Idaho cat. I must say...Henry was a mean and nasty cat, but he NEVER EVER peed on anything that he wasn't supposed to. I miss you Henry. So, if anyone would like her, please let me know. I will ship her anywhere you want, I'll pay to ship her to you. I'll drive her to your house....whatever, I need a vacation. I'd post a picture to try to lure you in.....but-- see above. Maybe I should put her on E-bay....think that would work? Can you put animals on E-bay? Hmmmmm......something to look into.

Tune in tomorrow for the official body bugg update. Should be exciting. Movement {downward!} on the home scale has been noticed and it will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow.

Emma is screaming in her bed...gotta run!

Here's my quote

{Click to make larger}
Apparently, I am crazy for patterned paper. Too bad they didn't print a layout of mine too. Oh well, maybe someday.

Well just a few minutes ago I went over my 1400 calories. I was about ready to die, so I had to eat. But I ate an orange and some salad. How sad is that. I can't even cheat correctly.

I finished my 3rd layout for my guest design team thing. I'll post them whenever I'm allowed to.

Well, must go tonight. Have a great one.