It's feeling a bit like Christmas

I am so happy that we were able to finish off the month of November by setting up our Christmas Tree this afternoon. This morning I had church and Kamden was not feeling too well at all. She actually wanted to sit with us during church instead of going to Dicoveryland. I figured that it wouldn't take very long before she got restless if she sat with us so I suggested that she try to go to class and see how it goes. She made it through, but as soon as we got home poor little one headed straight to the bathroom and got sick. Kids come first so I ended up staying home with her while Trevor took Simon to his soccer game. Kamden rested on the couch while I cleaned the living room and moved around the furniture and got everything ready for when the boys got home, so we could set the tree up as a team. They finally arrived back at around 3:30pm with 3 pink gerbera flowers for Kamden and 3 sunflowers for me...awwww...how sweet is that. Well about an 1.5 later and we got the tree up and decorated and now it is feeling a bit like Christmas around here. I just love it. The only thing is that I moved the Piano by myself, which in hindsight was a stupid idea and now I have a very sore back. I am hoping that when I get up tomorrow it will be gone.

Last night we went to "Runningman's" place for a house warming party. It was a lot of fun and the kid's and Trevor loved playing Rock Band on xBox 360. I tried it once, but it didn't go so well for me. Anyways they have a lot of great friends and it was nice meeting everyone and chatting with them. Thanks you two : ) Love the house!!!!!

Okay...tomorrow is a new month which in my books means new beginnings, so I have ordered Trevor to take the leftover snack sized chip bags that we have in the house, which is left over from Bible Study on Friday night. I don't know what it is but I just can not be in the same house with chips, chocolate, donuts or any sort of junk food. It is just a bad situation. Lately I just have no will power when it comes to that stuff. I figure....out of sight...out of mind.

The card workshop was a lot of fun yesterday. We actually made a little mini gift bag and one card. I have yet to take some pictures, but I will very soon. Till then...I hope you all have a great week : )

"Whatever may come

What can you do when the situation gets worse? You can improve.

Life throws many challenges at you. And you always can respond in a positive, effective way.

It is wise to plan for the future and to prepare for the future. Yet there is no need to worry about the future.

Because whatever the future may bring, you will find an answer for it. Whatever events may transpire, you can craft a powerful and successful response that will move your life forward.

It may indeed be very difficult. And in transcending that difficulty, you have the opportunity to find great fulfillment.

Dream big dreams that resonate perfectly with who you are, and know that you will reach them. For whatever may come, you can make it work for you."

-- Ralph Marston

It has been a busy week for me with assignments and my finals coming up next week and working. Next week I am at the school working everyday except Thursday when I write my finals. Next Thursday night we are off to my work Christmas Party at Jubilation's Dinner theatre. It coulldn't have been scheduled for a better day...right after my finals. I believe I may have a few celebratory cocktails that evening. We have already scheduled the kids to go to Grandma and Grandpa's (Trevor's Parents) that evening and because they do not have school the next day (5th) they are staying over 2 night...lucky little ones!!. Simon has a soccer game at 2pm on the 6th and after the game Trevor is taking them to my parents (overnight again) while we go to his Christmas Party. That will be 3 nights with no kids in the house...I must say that I am pretty excited about the whole thing. Too bad it's still a week away and in between now and then we still have a lot to do. Including setting up the Christmas Tree, going to a house warming party, teaching Sunday School, go to a card-making party and study, study study.

Some good news on the eating disorder front. I am doing exceptionally well. I haven't had an "episode" since the very beginning of October. The thing is that I haven't even thought about binging or stress eating. It's almost as though I am living a life without an eating disorder for the first time since 1994. I know that it hasn't been that long, but for me it has been the longest I've ever gone. My last session with my doctor she asked me how have I come from April 2008 (when she first saw me and they were debating whether I should be hospitalized) to now. You know what I replied...it's the kid's...not my kids, but the kids at the school. It's my new job. I absolutely love working with kids and they make me feel good about myself. They make me feel special. I know that I am important in their lives as I can't walk down that hall without getting 50 hugs and high fives. We were at Simon's soccer game the week before and he was playing against one of his school mates who I happen to work with his class (another Grade 1 student). As soon as he saw me he came up to me to give me a big hug. I guess I was pleasantly surprised by the hug as we weren't at school. My doctor was saying how it was quite something that these kids have no idea what I go through with training for Ironmans and other races and how I try so hard to do well just so I can be/do something special, but with them I don't have to try. The only thing I have to do is be myself and they love that. I am finally good enough and I didn't have to do anything...I just have to be me.

"That was worth it"

I figured out a way to feel like I am 16 years old once again. It all started last night when the New Kids on the Block hit the stage. Yup, you read it right...NKOTB. I was the biggest fan alive when I was in my teen years. Honestly those were some of favorite times while I was growing up. It was just great having a crush. It was fun pretending that one day I would be married to Joey McIntyre. I remember signing my new name Susan McIntyre over and over again until I mastered it. How funny was that? The last time I saw the New Kids in concert it was November 1990 in Edmonton. I was 16 years old at the time. Well I felt that way again yesterday. It was so much fun hearing all the songs from way back. Unfortunately, our seats were really far away from the stage. Section 113 Row 10. Luckily there were a few jumbo screens so we could see what was going on. Half way through the concert the "boys" left the stage and next thing you know they are on a mini revolving stage with a piano about 75-100 feet from us. Wow!!! Now I can see them. I tell Trevor I am just going to go and have a closer look. I go down as far as I can. I would love to get on the floor, but there is a bouncer preventing such a thing from happening. That's okay. I have a pretty good view leaning against the boards which prevent me from going on the floor. They sing about 30 minutes and then there set is over and they start walking down and then it happened....they start walking over to where I am....I can't believe it they are heading right for me....Pinch Me Please. I lean over the board just a bit and then...one by one they touch my hands....AAAAHHHH....this "girl" who was standing beside me got touched as well. We look at each other and exchange little girl giggles and then we say to each other "that was worth it!" So...I had a FABULOUS night! At one point Trevor went to the bathroom and returned with a NKOTB glossy memorabilia book---I have the best hubby ever. He asked me if I wanted a t-shirt, but I declined. As much as I love them I am still a closet NKOTB fan...okay maybe not anymore. Before the show Trevor took me out to dinner to a fancy shmancy steak house called Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. It was so good. By far the best steak I have ever had. I loved it there. Too bad it is so pricey. The best part is that their "steaks are seared to perfection at 1800 degrees and topped with fresh butter so they sizzle all the way to your table" and they really do sizzle...mmmmm....loved it. We ordered sweet potato casserole with pecan crust as one of our side dishes...it really tasted like a dessert. ALL IN ALL---DEFINITELY A NIGHT TO REMEMBER!!!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

So...maybe I've been picking up the wrong books lately

From my previous post I told you all about my new love of books...specifically "Stick a Geranium in your Hat and be Happy!" Today I realized that I probably should have been reading some other books...my school books. I have an assignment due tomorrow at midnight and I've know about this assignment forever and a day. I have been researching the case study which it is on for the past few weeks. I gathered all my information on the computer and today I missed Jazzercise after school so I could come home and work on the assignment. I was hoping since I did all the research that 2 hours...3 tops I would be done. Well that did not happen. I just finished the assignment about 40 minutes ago...6 hours later. Oh man...at least it is done now. The worst part is that since I kind of left it till the last minute I ended up feeling pressured and somewhat stressed (Sorry for taking some of that stress out on you, Trevor). Since I am an emotional eater I found some stress relief in the form of Halloween candy (chocolate). Conveniently I didn't count any of my points today. Did I mention I had McDonalds for supper...I Hate McDonalds!!!! Oh well...tomorrow is a new day. Despite my chocolate over indulgence I did manage to get my butt to the gym this morning. I had to work today at 11am, so instead of going to my usual gym, which is a 30 min drive from dropping the kids off at school back to the school to work I headed across the street to one of Calgary public pools. They have a small fitness centre there which is all I needed. When I first arrived both treadmills were being used by "casual" walkers. I jumped on the elliptical for 10 minutes---until they finished. Then it was my turn to run on the treadmill. 6.3 miles in 60 minutes. Hmmm...I wonder if it has anything to do with no televisions. The treadmills are facing mirrors, so I can focus primarily on my form. I had a bit of time left so I did another 20 minutes on the elliptical...again. Then I showered, got ready, drove across the street and there I was all ready for work.

Today was an okay day...Tomorrow will be a better day : )

BE GRATEFUL...

for husbands who attack small repair jobs around the house.
They usually make them big enough to call in professionals.

For children who put away their things and clean up after themselves.
They're such a joy you hate to see them go home to their own parents.

___source unknown
(from "Stick a Geranium in Your Hat and Be Happy!)

Does Halloween really need to linger on & on

So it has been a week since I have been back on the Weight Watchers train. Today was my first weigh in and the results are in ...

Starting Weight: 148.8 lbs
Today's Weigh in: 146.4 lbs
Total loss: 2.2 lbs

I am thrilled with the results. Part of me wishes I would've had some massive drop, but slower is better. I used every single point I have had available to me....flex points, activity points...you name it I used it. Yesterday I earned 14 activity points for spending 120 minutes (2 hours) on the elliptical. I had to give my legs a break from running...I was too sore. I worked my butt off yesterday. I still had 8 flex points left from week 1 and since they do not carry over from week to week it was my mission to use them all. Yesterday after Simon's soccer practice Trevor, myself and Simon headed over to the mall to Cinnzeo to get a 4 pack of cinnamon buns (One for Kamden too as we were getting her from tap dance right after). I worked out the calculation of the cinnamon before I went and bought it. Here is the craziness of the whole thing. One Cinnabon from Cinnzeo =16 points....hmmm that doesn't even cover my 2 hours on the elliptical, but I had enough points left over from flex and from my daily points to make it work. Was it worth it??? Probably not, but now I won't crave a cinnamon bun for a while and that'll be worth it.

Today was a new day and I had a bunch of errands to do in the morning (including my weigh in) and at 10:30am I was off to the school to mark some tests for the spell-a-thon. I left the school at 11:00am and headed to the gym. I wanted to do 2 hours of cardio, but got sick of it after 90 minutes. Some days I get bored going to the gym and other days I could work out forever. I headed back to the school to help out with Simon's teacher and I was marking more stuff for her. There was a couple of mini chocolate bars on the table and she said help yourself. Me...such little will power...I ended up having the Oh Henry (Halloween Sized) chocolate bar. I just calculated the points for it and it is 3 points. UGGGHHH...Why...it was just a snippett of chocolate...barely a taste...3 points...are you kidding me? I was hoping for 1 point. Oh well. I still have plenty of points left for the rest of the day, but I am not having anymore random uncalculated items. I have already figured out that this week is going to be tough as I am going out for dinner with dad on Friday and I don't know what the points will be for that so I am going to go to the gym Friday morning and do 1 hour of cardio (7 pts) and use all of my flex points (35 points) and I am hoping that I will have about 9 points left over from my daily points allowance. That will be 51 points for that meal...I know it'll probably be way over estimating, but I'd rather go point crazy with the over estimations then under estimate and wonder what happened the following week during weigh in...I don't like surprises..at least not on the scale.

Congratulations to Simon and Kamden for both getting 100% on your spell-a-thon tests!!! Way to go, guys!!

I Love to read

Today is Remembrance day the day we remember those that fought in the war for our freedom. We happen to be at the gym today at 11:00am when they turned off all the music and over the intercom said that we are now going to take a minute of silence. Everyone stopped on their machines and stopped doing weights to pay respect to those that gave us a better life. It was so nice to see that in this world of differences that everyone was united even if it was just for that minute. It was beautiful.

It has been a long time since I've been able to say that. Since I've started school the only things that I have been reading have been my school books and my Shape and Oxygen magazines. This past Sunday our church had a book sale. $2 for hard cover book and $1 for soft cover. They had about 5 tables packed with books and even some vhs movies and cd's. After I teach Sunday School in the morning I have about 15 minutes before Trevor and the kids get to church, so I took this opportunity to search the tables. There were so many great titles. I didn't want to just pick anything so I said a little prayer asking God to pick a great book for me. By the time I had left I had 2 hard covers, 5 soft covers and 2 movies for the kids. One of the books which I had picked was this massive book. I wasn't sure why had picked it as I haven't read a book in a long time and to tackle a 696 page book may be...well...close to impossible. After church we headed over to my parents place for the rest of the day. I brought my "new" purchases into the house, so I could have a look at them. After lunch I had a look at one of the books I got called "Creative Correction - Extraordinary Ideas for Everyday Discipline" by Lisa Welchel (Blair from Facts of Life---remember her?). Just by glancing through it I noticed some really great ideas. At around 2:30pm Trevor and I went to the the new Gold's gym on 130th ave---wow---I loved running on that treadmill...1.5 hours we are back at mom and dad's and I am looking at my books again. I decide to see what the big book is all about. It's actually three bestselling works by Barbara Johnson complete in one volume. I open it and start reading. Okay this is the one that I think God wants me to read. The first book is called "Stick a Geranium in your hat and be happy! Barbara, the author shares her own personal, traumas, including her husband's near-fatal accident and the loss of two sons-one in Vietnam and the other to a drunk driver. This book is full of quotes, biblical verses and encouraging words. She has this "poem" in there called...

Resolutions for avoiding Misery

Choose to love---rather than hate
Choose to smile---rather than frown
Choose to build---rather than destoy
Choose to presevere---rather than quite
Choose to praise---rather than gossip
Choose to heal---rather than wound
Choose to give---rather than grasp
Choose to give---rather than grasp
Choose to act---rather than delay
Choose to forgive---rather than curse
Choose to pray---rather than despair

This book is an incredible read and I am almost 100 pages into it and I just learn something new everyday. I forgot that reading was enjoyable. I am sure I'll have quotes from this book in the rest of my posts from here on in.

Trevor has been sick with a cold forever. Lately he has been getting more sick and hacking. He has laryngitis and is always tying to talk because he like that his voice sounds like he has a frog in his throat. I honestly think he just needs a day of complete rest, but it is hard to keep Mr. T from going to the gym. He missed yesterday at the gym, but has full intentions of going today. Oh well....he is an adult, right?! I have been to the gym trying to make up for some lost running days. I missed a few days the week before as I felt a cold coming on and I didn't want to stay sick. Since Friday I have ran just over 35 miles. My quads are hurtin' but that's okay. Everyday I go to the gym I just get on the treadmill and go. I don't have any certain miles to do in my head. I just go a minimum of 60 minutes and then whatever happens after that...

I started going to Weight Watchers again. I went to my first meeting last Wednesday, November 5th since January. I keep thinking that I can lose the last 10-15 pounds by myself, but who am I kidding. I've been trying to lose the same 10 pounds forever now. So going to the gym for 60 minutes gives me 7 additional activity points, which turns into to food points. Hey...I will do anything for food. Yesterday I did two hours on the treadmill and ran just under 11 miles. 14 extra points..yippee. I am going for my weigh in tomorrow night. I know that I am down as I have been keeping track of those points and have not faltered. My clothes are fitting better already. Mini Chocolate Bars---the kind the kids got in their Halloween bags are 2 points each and those add up. I did all the calculations for the different bars and discovered that Caramilk is 1 point, so now I have one of those a day. I discovered that I NEED chocolate : ) My starting weight is 148.6 lbs and I am hoping to get to around 130lbs by the time we go to Orlando, FL. I feel comfortable around that weight---it's just getting there that is tough, but I am hoping with help at the meetings and support from my family I WILL DO IT.

Our church is holding its annual "Father/Daughter Date Night" on Friday, Nov. 14th. I've been trying to get my dad to go for the past few years. This year my mom bought us tickets, so we are going this year. I am really excited about it. It is going to be a sit down Italian Dinner and there will be music, guest speaker, and we even get a beautiful commemorative picture. Next year Trevor will take Kamden as the girls have to be at least 8 years of age.

LOST
DOG with 3 legs
blind in left eye, missing
right ear, tail broken and
recently castrated. Answers
to the name of "Lucky."

This and That

Today the kids had a Remembrance Day Assembly at 10:40am. I don't actually start work at the school till 11:00am, but Kamden begged and pleaded for my to come early since she was singing a few songs with the school choir during the assembly. They did a really great job putting it on. I think it's wonderful how they are teaching the kids at that school.

Today is that start of a 4 day weekend for me. I am so excited that the kids and I have Monday off. Sometimes I forget that Trevor is on the same schedule as we are. For some reason I thought he got Monday off as well and I planned it in my head that we would go to the gym together as a gang on Monday. Oh well I suppose I should be happy that we are going to the gym together tomorrow. Trevor has an 18 mile run while I have a 16 mile run. Next week I get to enjoy my 18 mile run. Yikes..that just seems so far...okay...if I don't think about it....

We rented a couple of movies today including "The Strangers"---don't waste your money on it, "Kung Fu Panda"---the kids really enjoyed that one and "The centre of the Earth"---that one is on tomorrow nights agenda. The kids rented a couple of wii games as well so it looks like everyone is in for a fun weekend.

Wow...it's November Already??

I think last month could have possibly been my least productive month as far as blogging goes. It seems that I have been running out of things to say...well...that's not really true. I can never run out of things to say. I guess I have just been keeping busy in a good way and enjoying life. Last week I finally caught the cold, which Trevor had. I've been walking around feeling under the weather for about a week now. Fortunately, I am not feeling too bad but just not that healthy. A little run down and a runny nose. My friend and school said that I should carry around hand sanitizer now that I am working with kids a lot more. I should get into the habit of washing my hands after everything. So I guess I'll just have to start doing that.

This year we had the most beautiful day for "Trick-or-Treating". I wasn't sure what I should wear or how many layers I should put on the kids as I was thinking that as soon as the sun goes down it is going to get chilly, but it never did. In fact, the kids were peeling off their clothes as the evening went on. Everyone had a fun time and they did get a lot of candy. I love chocolate and right now I am sitting here looking at 2 bags of candy and it sure is tempting. I really need to get back to healthy eating. I am starting to feel yucky about myself and an in desperate need to get back on track. I managed to m smilebox from Friday night as well as some Boo at the Zoo picks...

On Saturday the whole gang went to see High School Musical 3. We finally can put faces to names. I can't believe it has taken me this long to know who Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens are. Kamden actually own HSM 2 and they watch it in the mini van while I am driving, so I've heard the movie a million times, but this is the first time that I've seen any of the HSM movies. It was okay, I am sure if I were 10 years old I'd have a crush on all the boys in the movie and I'd probably have their pictures all over my wall....man...those were the days.