Winter Funk

The "official" ETL start date has been postponed due to all three of us being sick this week. I'm sorry, but eating nothing but beans and greens is just not what I want to do when I'm feeling like crap. Three days at the new school and Picky gets a terrible head and chest cold. Then of course, gives it right to us.

I will say, in the past two weeks I have been easing into the program, and I seriously feel good. I feel much lighter and have more energy. I was a bad girl and had pizza last night - completely homemade so at least no weird stuff - but I've done pretty well other than that.

We had PP's second birthday party last weekend, so that was fun. My sister stayed the night and we spent most of it out on the porch talking. It's been a pretty boring week in PP land.

Some thoughts: do you ever feel like the life you are living is not what you are meant to be doing? Like you have so much to offer and just can't figure out what the right outlet to direct all your energy is? There are so many BIG things I want to do - not just resolutions - and I just don't know where to start. I am such a Gemini, I am all over the place seriously. I'm hoping this blog will help me either a)reign in my craziness b)get some perspective on life and/or c)actually do some of these things I've been thinking about for so long but haven't had the balls to put them on paper.

1. Become a yoga teacher
2. Make my own soap/aromatherapy/all-natural beauty products
3. Have a blog that people might just maybe read
4. Figure out how the hell to make the three things above a profitable reality so I can quit my day job and spend more time with my family.

A wise woman I worked with in California told me, "if you write it down and look at it every day, it WILL happen." I'm making a sign to tape to my desk now.

Happy Birthday Picky Picky!

My Picky Picky is TWO years old today! How time flies...

We got her a fish tank and I'm going after work to pick out two goldfish. We wanted this to be a family affair, but since I work an hour away from home it's hard to get the car loaded up at 6:30pm and head out when that's usually her dinner time. She's also got her second day at school, staying through lunch. JJ dropped her off since I had to be at work, and said she wanted to take him around and show him everything. I wish so bad I was the one who gets her ready for school, drops her off and gets to know the other parents. Oh to have a job closer to home...

On another note, I was starving yesterday after my Mexican lunch date fell through, so I had a salad with a yummy mustard/rice wine dressing and leftover cabbage rolls for dinner. I don't know why these rolls aren't doing the trick, but I had to have a snack last night after dinner. I did NOT want to break the diet, so I made a small bowl of oatmeal with some leftover coconut milk eggnog (vegan). It was DELICIOUS! I had another bowl for breakfast, along with a juice. Yum! Having salad for lunch and probably veggie stir fry for dinner. I do feel lighter, I haven't weighed myself yet but plan to do so tomorrow sometime.

New Beginnings

Picky Picky started her new school today! She's going to a Montessori preschool here in Raleigh (well, it's in Cary technically but still close to home) which is a big step coming from a nanny who only kept one other baby while keeping PP. There are 15 kids in her class! We were just there for an hour this morning, to let her get used to everything and she did great. We take her through lunch time tomorrow, then through nap time on Friday. I think she is going to do great, I just can't believe she's already old enough to be in preschool.

My Eat to Live resolution officially starts Monday, January 7, but I am easing in this week. Which is good because I have lunch plans for Mexican today with a coworker, lol. Yesterday we made a juice of beets, carrots, sweet potato and apple which I had for breakfast and lunch, and made barley and bean stuffed cabbage rolls for dinner. JJ and I both really liked them, although I was a little hungry and feeling empty about two hours after dinner. I had another juice this morning, and have been munching on a salad so I don't over indulge at lunch. Those dang chips and salsa are just so gooooood......

I'll post some recipes and my meal plan for the next week soon.

Another one bites the dust...

As 2012 draws to a close, I, like millions of other people have already started my list of resolutions to do in the next year. (Of course, losing weight is on top of the list but more on that later.) I am going to post my list of resolutions, because after all, starting a blog to work through my resolutions is #1 on my list, but I'm also going to reflect on the past year and all I've accomplished.

Hmmmm... yeah. I got nothing. HA!

Not really, my only big resolution was to go vegetarian (or at least partly, I still let myself eat seafood because I'm from NC and can't give up shrimp). I actually lasted for the better part of the year. Except for a bite of JJ's burger or chicken here and there, I really stuck to my guns on that one. Until Christmas and I let loose on the prime rib. It was dang good too.

Other than that, I've gotten a promotion and a raise (albeit a small one), I ran a half marathon (not a resolution), a 5K on my birthday (hey - this was a resolution! I'm more awesome than I thought!), loved on my baby girl so much she runs from me when I come at her with kisses, and learned some pretty banging new recipes.

So here it goes for 2013 - it's out there for all the world to see so I can't turn back now!
1. Start a blog for 2013 goals
2. Keep up with said blog at least once a week
3. Read "Eat to Live"
4. Complete 6-week Eat to Live plan - NO EXCUSES OR CHEATS!
5. Encourage a friend to train for and run a 10K with me
6. Do the OBX 1/2 marathon again
7. Home brew at least 3 batches of beer
8. Complete one random act of kindness a month (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
9. Refinish old furniture in spare bedroom
10. Learn how to use my camera

Wish me luck!