Welcome to Life Through Bifocals

Life is not always clear and easy to figure out. So grab a cup of coffee and your bifocals and let's see what we can see.

Monday, January 31, 2011

Weekend Review: And the 400 Mile Challenge


Hubby took the roof rake/shovel/thingy and knocked the icicles off the roof.  The house no longer looks like a death trap, however, I sort of wanted to keep them over the front door as a waring to all solicitors to stay away from our door unless you are ready to risk being impaled on the front walk! But Hubby didn't think that was a good idea so down they came.





I spent most of Saturday shopping and cleaning (man the laundry really piles up some weeks around here) and finishing getting in my last few miles before I stopped counting  for the week. How did you all do on the challenge this week.  You can hop over to Ellie's and see how the others are doing. I managed to total of 41 miles this week. So my total so far is 168 miles.  Riding the bike is what is giving me the miles. I am getting faster so I travel farther in 15 minutes than I had in the past. Also I increased my step aerobics to 30 minutes (2 miles) each time.


Sunday was the 11th birthday of our Ingretrity StarBeck aka Becke the Wonder Dog --Becke Boo Boo -- Baby Becke Boo.  She enjoyed a nice birthday dinner of green and yellow beans with haddock.  She continues to give us so much joy and I cannot tell you how much we love her.  We love her little quirks such as only I can let her out to go potty but daddy can let her back in.  She will sleep with us on the bed but has to wait till daddy tells her to go to bed and then walk her down the hall (I thinks she likes getting tucked in). She will allow our grand daughter to play with her toys and will play with her a bit with them. She also allows the grand daughter to dress her up.  She travels with us someplace most everyday and is very well behaved.  She loves to go for walks, so since Sunday was suppose to be really cold again (at this point "really cold" is a relative term that no one really knows the meaning of anymore)  and Saturday finally saw 33 degrees, I bundled up like an Eskimo, and took her for a walk - outside - in the fresh air - away from the pellet stove - and the 76 degree house. We didn't go far but boy did we go fast!! We went one mile, which I quickly added to the Saturday total as soon as we got back. She was so happy to be out there and I just wanted to prove that a moving object can't freeze to the side of the road.  I did bring my cell phone just in case however, you know, I had to call 911 to come chisel me out of the frozen pit I was in.  The photos are not that great because my little camera's wide viewer became frosted over and my bifocals darken in sun (or cold) and I was wearing 2 pares of gloves trying to push down the button while walking but here we are.   Yeah for us! PS The nose of said human did freeze on said face and then ran for 30 minutes after we got home and it defrosted - does that count towards my challenge total? No I didn't think so either.


 Happy Birthday our Becke Boo Boo.  May we enjoy many more years with you.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Thank you Wendi

More icicles on our home

I love you blogging woman! One of the blog that I love is Wendi's My Heart is Always Home. I asked her how she got that wonderful signature she uses on her blog and she sent me the website right away.  Now the instructions gave me a head ache and my eyes crossed looking for the location to put the code in that I had just made but I was able to do it and it was because of Wendi. Thank you so much.  So if you would like a signature on your blog too the go to: http:www.mylivesignature.com and create a signature for your blog as well. It's FREE! I love that price.  Oh and go visit Wendi and look in on her busy life, you will be glad you stopped by.
Thank you again Wendi!! You are super helpful!!!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Wednesday Hodgepodge: Join in on the fun




Joyce did a great job of coming up with this weeks Hodgepodge. Click on the button and join us.  Thank you Joyce.

1. Will you watch the Super Bowl? If so who will you root for? If you are outside the USA what is the 'big deal sporting event' in your own country?

Yes we will watch the game.  I am not a fan of football and do not understand it but Hubby loves it so we watch it. I usually pick the team I want to win by the color of the uniform. So this year it's a toss up between yellow and yellow so I will cheer for the yellow team and I bet my team wins!


2. Is ignorance bliss?

Yes. God protects babies and fools and I have often been both and covered by His grace and love.  I am thankful for not knowing things some times and have developed an sense of trust in His love because of my ignorance. 


3. Which of the seven dwarfs are you? (and just in case your Disney is a little bit rusty, here they are-Bashful, Doc, Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, and Sneezy)

Depending on my hormones, stress level, mood, how much sleep I got the night before, if I had my morning coffee yet, or toss of the dice I can be all of them. Aren't you glad you don't live with me? I try very hard not to be Grumpy too often but there are those days when I wake up on the wrong side of the bed. I thinks I'm Sybil (remember that movie?)

4. When you are riding in the car with another couple how do you organize the seating? (Men up front? Women up front? Couples sit together?) And thanks to Lori at Mountain Woman at Heart for the question! Everyone go say hi to Lori.

When in the car we sit according to leg lenght. Hubby is 6'3" and often can not sit in the back so he gets the front seat.  Real simple.


5. What is beauty?

When I first became a Christian, there was this older woman with 7 kids already. She took Hubby and I under her  wing and cared for us and showed us what a woman from Proverbs is all about. That is beauty.


6. If someone asks you to bring an appetizer or a dessert to a party in their home, which would you choose?

Appetizer, either cheese and cold cuts or a dill dip with veggies. I like easy.


7. What is your crowd pleasing go-to appetizer?

I like the cheese, cold cuts, shrimp platter.


8. Insert your own random thought here.

Icicles hanging off the back of the house.  How many days till Spring?

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Recipe of the week: Low Carb "Frappuccino"

One of the icicles hanging from the house


Man oh man has it been cold up here! By the looks of the national map most of the country has been feeling the cold as well in one way or another. One thing that you probably noticed is just how dry this bitter cold air is. It makes me really thirsty and boy have I been drinking water. The other day a co-worker was making a trip to Starbucks and asked me in I wanted something. My first thought was - "Starbucks! are you kidding?" but I couldn't think fast enough for a low carb drink. I was drinking coffee and didn't want another hot coffee even though it was so bitter cold!  So I told her no and thanked her for asking.  But you know I though about it all day- and i mean all day!  I was thirsty and really wanted something cold and really love Starbucks Frappuccino but they are not low carb and they are costly!  Once home, I made my own low carb version.



A really tall glass of something cold even on a cold day!

Low Carb Caramel Frappuccino.

1 cup brewed coffee
several ice cubes
Sugar Free Caramel Syrup
Heavy cream

Place it all in a blender and blend it away, pour into a tall glass and enjoy! 

Do you a favorite drink that you make instead of spending the money and buying it? Do share please.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Weekend Review: The 400 mile Challenge

The little yellow building is the dog house! Good thing she doesn't use it much.
Well the news around here is 33 inches of snow in January!! I believe that the state capital has the official snow depth at 31.5 but it's 33 here at our town. Every where you go you hear "So how much do you have?" or "What did you get from the last storm?"   People are still digging out and trying to find places to put it.  The snow banks are so high that you inch out into the intersection just to see who is about to hit you.  During storms like this there is a parking ban which means you either cannot park on the streets at all or you can park on the even side today and the odd side tomorrow. All of this has people trying to figure out where to put the car or if it's an odd day or even day.  Thankfully we have a driveway but cars are being towed all over and the owners are not very happy.  Our driveway gets plowed but we have to shovel a path from the driveway all the way to the back so that the oil company can deliver our heating fuel.  And we have to shovel out a spot for Becke the wonder dog to go - you know what.  We got this show shovel a few weeks back and we have since put it to very good use.  

The regular shovel next to it is for the stares. I'm not good on stares.


The good side of this is that I had 2 days of no work.  So I could concentrate on getting in my workouts. I could ride the bike twice instead of just once or put in the Wii workouts and and go for it. 
So I got in 51 miles this week!  That was a lot and I must say that I am proud of myself (I know Pride goes before the fall - so I'm trying hard not to be too proud).  I usually get some bug or flu in the winter that keeps me in bed for several days or even a week. One year I was on antibiotics for months and I don't exercise much then so if that happens this time, it will all balance out.  So I am up to a total of  127 miles.  

The other news around here is that it has gotten bitter cold. Actual temps here have been in the single numbers and the wind chill is bring it down to negative numbers.  We are really looking forwarded to warming up to freezing!  Sounds strange but we would be thankful for just freezing about now.  

How was your weekend and how was your challenge?

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Reaching Toward Heaven in 2011: Song and Reading



This journey that I have started on is calling me to be a woman of praise.  The weather yesterday had more wet snow in it.  The snow froze on the ground and in our area, the street became an ice ring so instead of going to mid week service, I stayed home and spent time with God.  Hubby was so tired that he was sound asleep all evening so I had the entire time alone (except for Becke the wonder dog).

I sang, prayed, read the Bible and began a new book "Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America" by Mike Yankoski. Mike hears a sermon about being the Christian you say you are and it stays with him and he thinks about it and decides to live as a homeless person for 5 months to see if his faith is real or if he is a believer because his life is good and believing is easy. I'll let you know how it moves along.  

What I enjoyed about the evening alone with God, was the one on one time with God. Although I love going to worship and really enjoy the service, the people, the joint worship, there is something special with time just spent with Him and me.  He reminds me of people to add to my prayer list. He allows me to really hear the words of the songs I am singing. And while I'm reading the Bible, I see something new in the words I read.

"I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray.  Psalm 17:6. (NLT) He Listens To Me. He Bends Down to Better Hear Me!!!  Just Him and me...and what a wonderful experience it is.  

Have you had that experience? 

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Wednesday Hodgepodge:




Once again, Joyce did not disappoint us when she came up with this weeks Hodgepodge so join in on the fun by answering  here or head over to Joyce's blog and join in on the fun.


1. Do you like your name? Were you named after someone? If you have children how did you settle on their names?
Wow! That was a loaded question and Joyce, you never knew it. I really do like my name. You see I picked it.  I legally changed my first and middle name after I was married.  I was named by my mother  because she had to call me something to get me out of the hospital.  Way back in the old days mom and baby stayed in the hospital for 8 days after giving birth.  She was mad at my dad and he had a bit of a Scottish accent and couldn't pronounce my first name.  He, supposedly gave me my middle name but my mother didn't spell it correctly on purpose so that she gave my original name to get even with him.  Years later, after I was married and my dad had died, I changed my first and middle name to Lynn Marie. My dad wanted me to have a hyphenated name but I didn't know at the time that I could do that with my first and middle name without making my first name Lynn-Marie. I have no middle name so I just use both names all the time.  I really do prefer Lynn Marie to Lynn but will answer to Lynn every time.

Our son was named for his dad, a Jr. I always wanted a junior although we never called him "Junior".  We called him "Little Gerry" and for the longest time that worked out fine, now he's 6'1" with a family of his own - somehow "Little" just doesn't cut it any more. Now I call him son or if I'm talking to my D-I-L I say "Your Gerry"

Our daughter's middle name belonged to both my hubby's biological mother and my mom so she got that name as her middle name. We had a first name picked out but my older sister stole it for her child born  5 months earlier. So we started to look for another first name.  Her dad came up with her name. After what I went through with my name, whatever he picked, and however he spelled it, it was going to stay.

2. How do you define success?
Standing before God and hearing "Well done good and faithful servant, welcome home."

3. Wheel of Fortune or Jeopardy?
Jeopardy, and boy would I love to get hubby on that show because he knows all the answers!

4. If you could own any single object that you don't have now, what would that object be?
WOW this is another hard question. There is really nothing that I long for, no object that I want. I am blessed.

5. What is something that inspires you?
I am inspired by people, not things. The people who are taking charge of their health inspired me to take up the 400 mile challenge. The people who unselfishly take care of others inspires me to seek ways to help others (without them finding out about it). The people who read their Bible every day and can remember book, chapter and verse inspires me to read every day to hear His voice above the noise of the world.  The people who give their lives to help/protect others (Hubby is a police lieutenant and my cousin is married to a fireman) inspires me to find those who need a pat on the back and to give them one. 

6. Meatloaf-yea or nay? If its a yay how do you make yours?
Meatloaf - yea. I use hamburger, pork, eggs, cheese, onion and seasonings (no bread) and bakes it in a muffin tin so each person gets a meatloaf Muffin. 

7. Which is more admirable-the ability to organize and be methodical or the ability to adapt and make do?
The ability to do both. It's the ability to be able to adapt and make do when there is nothing else to do and the ability to organize and make a plan and follow that plan when the situation calls for it.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I made these for our grand daughters
The Little Sister is due in 4 weeks!

OK - I think the grandparents are ready - the Baby blanket is done.

OK now it's your turn - go visit others or leave your answers here.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Recipe of the Week: Low carb cookies



I was going through some low carbs recipes that I had bookmarked to try in the future and since it was a cold day here, hubby asleep after working all night and shoveling out the path for the oil man to get all the way around the house to deliver our oil. I decided to make us some cookies. Have you seen this low carb site? Linda's Low Carb Menus & Recipes. They have lots of recipes that I have adapted to what I had on hand or what met our needs.  This one is under the desserts section.

 Momov2Boys Cocoa Flax Cookies

1 cup flax meal
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar free syrup (I used the chocolate syrup and the caramel syrup)

 I made one batch of chocolate /chocolate and one batch chocolate/caramel. Can you tell by the picture which is which? Neither can I -  I like the chocolate/caramel the best with a nice cup of Scottish  Breakfast tea it was a great way to end our day while I sat working on the quilt.  The sugar free syrups I can find at our local Target and the Flaxseed meal was at our local food store in the health section. These cookies are more cake like than cookie like but still very good.




 The nutrition here is for 2 cookies
Cal 92
Fat 7
Pro 4
Carbs 5
Fiber 4
NET CARBS 1


Do you have a low carb cookie recipe that you like - how about sharing with the rest of us.  

Monday, January 17, 2011

Weekend Review: The 400 mile Challenge

So the week end here was cold! And I mean real COLD. We got up to -1 and with the wind chill it really never got over the 20's on Saturday. Sunday it got up to freezing - that's right 32!  Didn't stay there long and it felt good to only be freezing! 







So how did your week go this week? How did you do on your challenge? I was very happy with my mixed up routine. I try to get in 15 minutes on the bike each day before work then after work try to get in something  else to break up my day. I sit at a computer most of the day so I try to get up and walk around the building every few hours. Wearing my pedometer is a big help to getting in my miles.
So this week I added 38 miles to my workout bringing my total to 76 miles!
How about you? Head over to Ellie's and see how others are doing!  Let's cheer each other on and encourage each other to move those joints. Summer is coming and we all want to be flexible enough to enjoy playing outside.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Blog Button



Since I've been blogging and reading other blogs, I was wondering how to get those great buttons onto my blog and frankly learning this "Blog Language" has my eyes glazing over - rolling into the back of my head, and "blah! blah! blah!  ENGLISH blah! Blah! Blah!" runs through my mind. Terms like YourButtonURL, YourBlogURL, and YourBlogName all have me scratching my head and wondering what is the difference and where do I find these codes/names on my computer screen. So I just started looking around for someone who spoke English.  I think I found her. Chronicles of Amber had what looked like a easy way to create a button.  I will give you the link so that you can have the pictures as well, however, her language is a bit raunchy so here is the link but you have been warned.  Here's the link because she does deserve the credit for this.

The short version of her directions without pictures follows:

How to copy my buttons onto your blog
1.       Copy the photo and place it on your desktop (or someplace where you will remember it). If you have a Mac simple click on the picture and drag it to the desktop.

2.      Go to your Dashboard and select DESIGN

3.      Click on ADD A GADGET

4.      Select PICTURE

5.     Upload my button picture from your computer (do you remember where you put it?) In the “Link” section add my blog info which is http://lifethroughbifocals.blogspot.com/

6.    Hit SAVE and that should be it.  You will see the button but not the code under it.

  I asked Hubby to try to see if he could add my button to his blog and he did so it did work. Now to figure out how to make these directions a page. Here we go again with directions that have me thinking "Blah! Blah! blah! ENGLISH Blah! Blah! Blah!"
I hope you all have good weekend everyone!



Finding summer even in the midst of winter.

Remember on Wednesday the weather forecast showed that we were going to get between 10-16 inches? Well we got 22 INCHES! YUP you read that right. Then the wind blew, and blew, and blew some more and so we have drifts of 48 inches!  I wish it would just blow across the street where no one lives and it can just stay there!  Good think my car is tall because seeing around corners is really hard - as in you have you crawl into the intersection to see if you are about to get hit by an oncoming car.  Fun times for all!  We had several moments of "White Out" conditions (for those of you in the south that means you can not see anything beyond 2 feet in front of you). Our small town did a fantastic job keeping up with the roads and most people thankfully stayed home.  Hubby of course had to work and it took him over an hour to get home!  Lots of cars off the road.
Here are a few photos and yes, I agree that the snow is beautiful, but I also think that sunset at (on) the desert is also beautiful.

Our walk way

Trees heavy with snow

Our front yard at dawn 


For those who are still digging out and so longing for Summer - here is some warm summer music. The group is Prydein and they know how to mix rock and roll with Bagpipes.  Turn the volume up and enjoy some summer! Lord willing, I'll see you Monday.


Thursday, January 13, 2011

Reaching Toward Heaven in 2011: Study & Prayer

Photo from Clip Art

Last week I mentioned to you that I was working on reaching towards a better me.  Reaching towards getting closer to God so that I can see what He wants me to see to do what he He wants me to do. I believe that to do that I need to once again read the bible from beginning to end. After all I claim to be a Christian, and I should read the book every day and study it to find it's truth.


 
Every year I start reading the bible every day with the goal of reading all the way through in a year.  I've done that in the past but sadly I didn't do it last year so I'm trying again. I have downloaded the One Year Bible and so I have it with me all the time.  I want to reach as a individual and become a daily bible reader, not just a weekly bible ready. 

I also want to be a person who prays more for others.  I spend many hours in prayer but I confess that most of the time, I end up praying for what I think are my needs. Truth be told, I have no real needs. I have a Hubby that loves me and cares for me. I have a warm comfortable home with food to eat and clothes to wear. I have a car that runs and a job to go to daily that contributes to the bills. I have a God who lovers me and cares for me and yet I find myself in prayer for myself! God has put that behavior on my heart this past week and so I now write down all the others that really do need prayers. I pray for our very pregnant daughter who is very tired and in a lot of pain from the pressure of this newest little one. I pray for the members of our church with cancer. I pray for our military keeping us safe. I pray for the young man who fell and broke his leg, the marriage in trouble, the woman who needs heat at her home and for the others that I see and hear about before I mention me.  Then, after I have prayed for them all, I realize just how blessed I am and I thank God for my live, my salvation, my blessing, and my future.  I want to be a person who see what she has and knows Who to thank.  
So that is what I'm doing to reach toward heaven.  How is your week going? What are you reaching for?

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Wednesday Hodgepodge: A little bit of everything.

picture taken at 5:30am 2.5 inches all ready by then.


I love my hubby, he takes such good care of me.  He worked all night, came home and parked behind my car and told me that I was not going into work today the roads were not safe. He is a police lieutenant and so he sees close up what bad roads and drivers can do and he wants me to be safe safe. I love those strong Christian Husbands who take there role of protector of the family seriously. Since some of us may be trapped in our homes enjoying the snow from inside, why not visit each other in this hodgepodge. Thank you Joyce for some great questions.





1. Every January 1st since 1976 Lake Superior University has published a list of words they'd like to see banished from the Queen's English. Words may be banished due to mis-use, over-use or just general uselessness and they receive over 1000 nominations. Here are the fourteen words/phrases they'd like to see banished in 2011-viral, epic, fail, wow factor, a-ha moment, back story, BFF, man up, refudiate, Mama Grizzlies, The American People, facebook/google when used as verbs, I'm just sayin', and Live life to the fullest.

What word or phrase would you like to see banished from our everyday vocabulary in 2011? You can choose one from the 'official list' or you can get creative and come up with your own.
I would pick "Really?" when it's used responding to the obvious. As in "Today there is a chance of snow" You look out the window and it's snowing, your response is "Really?". Or the lady in front of you at the coffee drive through backs up instead of moving forwarded and hits you. She gets out of the car and says "I hit you!" You reply with "Really?"

2. Do you consider opportunity something that comes to you or something you create for yourself?
I would have to say both. At times I feel that because I'm looking for opportunity, I find it and it comes to me. I have to be open to receive opportunity.

3. Since we're all eating healthy this month, ahem, what's included in your favorite salad? Is there dressing?
Salad dressing has always been on the side since I always hate soggy salad.  As for what's included - well I've been adding a lot of walnuts or pecans into the salad these days.  YUMM!!!

4. The fourth Monday in January is said to be Blue Monday...aka the most depressing day of the year. The date was calculated using many factors including weather, debt level, time since Christmas, time since we've failed at our new year resolutions, low motivation and feeling a need to take action. Do you get the blues this time of year and if so what is something you do to lift your spirits?
It's called "Cabin Fever" up in these neck of the woods because we are trapped in our homes enjoying the beauty of winter from the warmth and safety of our homes. Those of us in more Northern weather are more likely to feel this and yes, I am one of them.  What I do is eat summer type food, grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, strawberries and even a small bowl of ice cream.  It reminds me that summer is coming!  Also exercise will help with the depression as well. And I love looking through those Spring Catalogs that are just starting to show up here.



5. Do you wear a watch? Any other everyday jewelry essentials?
No to the watch, I have a cell phone, and iTouch that tell me the time. I wear my wedding rings, and my special Celtic ring that hubby got me last fall. I sometimes wear bracelets and I have a few neck laces that are special to me.
The one on the left has the birthstones of my grand children. The one one the right is Celtic.

6. What is something useful you learned in high school?
I went to high school when they still taught Home Economics classes (do they still have those classes anymore- didn't think so). Anyhooo I learned how to read food labels, plan a meal, live on a budget, and sew - all skills that I still use and I so very much enjoyed that class.

7. Do you use an accountant when completing and filing your income tax returns or do you attempt to muddle through all by yourself?
I have a hubby who locks himself in the home office, mutters out loud, comes out for a drink of something cold, goes back in, mutters some more, moves papers around the desk, bangs on the computer/calculator, comes back out with that glazed look in his eyes from looking at forms, and directions with beads of sweat on his brow. Returns to the office and finally emerges and points to where I sign the form.  He does this all without swearing! I cook him a really good meal that day. I  love my hubby.

8. Insert your own random thought here.  Well up here the news is all about snow so how much did you get?  
Yesterday our weather man said between 2-18 inches, he was right! Good Job. This is the map of our area at 6am.   We are in the 10-16 inches section.  I will be making hot cocoa today!




Now since some of you may be home because of the storm, having a great "Snow Day",go around and visit others and see what they are talking about.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Recipe of the Week: Low Carb Winter Soup

As much as I dislike winter there is one thing that I do like about: A crock pot of soup!  I love that I can put everything into the pot, turn it on and walk away.  Not only do I have a good, wholesome, made from scratch dinner, but it makes the whole house smell wonderful.  Here is one that I made over the weekend.  




Winter Soup

4 oz cubed steak cut up
4 oz carrot cut up
3 oz mushrooms
6 oz shredded cabbage
2 beef cubes
2 cups water
(or 2 cups beef broth - your choice)
1 teaspoon chili seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

Put it all in the crock pot and let it cook all day.  This makes 4 servings at a total of 3 carbs per serving or about 100 calories per servings if you are counting them.   I hope you enjoy this if you make it.  

Monday, January 10, 2011

Weekend Review: The 400 mile Challenge








Thank you all so much for your kind words about my cracked rib.  Hubby feels very bad for giving me such a big bear hug but we have hugged that way for years and it really wasn't his fault. You can read his story here if you want to.  I am healing nicely and it's not like I've never broken anything before.  I have osteoporosis and yes I am taking something for it but I break.  So far I have broken all my toes, all my fingers, my upper jaw and my ribs 3 times (one of the ribs twice now)  See most people hear about this illness and think "Oh my they will break a hip some day".  Well, maybe, but the little bones will break first.  So I'm getting use to this and I have determined that it will not slow me down. 

Any how this weekend we were suppose to get  2-4 inches of snow so we hunkered down and worked on house hold stuff and by that I mean the baby quilt! It is the most important thing on my mind right now! Baby coming in about 5 weeks! However the snow really never amounted to anything over 1/2 inch but hay I was ready for it.

And it can work my arms as well!

I got to tell you all so far I'm enjoying this 400 mile challenge. The weather has not cooperated much so walking outside has has been subbed by riding the stationary biking. After all even though we didn't get much snow it was wicked cold and I don't do cold!   Our bike has a monitor that tells us how many miles we have gone so it's mile for mile here! Wearing a pedometer allowed me to clock miles while I went about doing what I normally did, after all the idea here to get moving so all miles count so walking around work/ home should count as well right? So I'm counting  my miles Saturday-Saturday and so my total for this week is 37.  Now all those miles are broken up by walking (inside/ outside) - biking - free weights & using the Wii system step aerobics. I borrowed the "Just Dance 1" from a friend and I must say that 15 minutes of that MUST count as a mile because I am dancing my butt off! I think I'll go get the volume 2 and we can share. Or Maybe the Zumba DVD? Has anyone tried that one?  What did you think?   I also have added a side bar to the right to keep track of how I'm doing. 


See I get board easily so I really do have to mix up my routine or I'll go nuts! And Hubby would not like that at all. So how was your week and how is your 400 mile challenge going? 

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Reaching Toward Heaven in 2011


Disclaimer: I did not come up with this Theme, Our Preacher did but I love it so I'm using it.

Reaching - we all reach don't we? Reaching is natural but what does the word mean? According to my iTouch Dictionary it means the following: "The act of physically reaching or thrusting out."

A few weeks ago my Hubby hugged me and cracked my rib and it separated from the cartilage so I have learned a new respect for being able to reach. Washing my hair was a bit hard and reaching to pick up something off the floor was downright painful!  I'm so glad that Becke the wonder dog is trained to service level because she has been the one picking up things that fall, after all she is closer to the floor right? Now how to train a dog to wash her owner's hair!!! 

Becke getting the remote
Becke getting a cleaning cloth, she was so fast, it was hard to get the photo



Becke close up with the cloth.
We reach behind the desk to get that pen that fell back there. We reach for a cup in the back of the cabinet. We reach for a platter on the top shelf (or ask Hubby to get it since I'm short).  Babies reach for parents and my granddaughter reaches for me with "Up". 

This takes effort and energy doesn't it? I'll answer my own question because without the use of all my ribs the answer is most definitely YES!  
We all reach for destinations. Whether they are physical like on a vacation or goals like the 400 mile challenge that I am taking part in. Still,  planning, thought, and effort need to go into this activity. Reaching towards Heaven requires planning, thought and effort, too. So as I reach toward heaven in 2011, I need to plan what my God would have me do (in prayer of course), think about what my God would have me do (again in prayer), and then with effort put my plan to work so that I can reach my goal.  I have a feeling that reaching for heaven will at times be painful as well.  I'll keep you posted on that.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Wednesday Hodgepodge: New Hodgepodge


Some of my snowmen will stay up even after the tree and other decorations are down. Snow men just make me smile, which is good because I really do not like cold weather, I have a hard time to breath when it's really cold.  What makes you smile in Winter?


Joyce over at From This Side of the Pond created another hodgepodge for us to learn about each other.  You can head over to her blog and link up or answer here.  Either way, we get to a little more about each other.


1. What three words would you use to describe 2010?
Began Something New!  I took charge of my weight and health and began a blog. It was a good year.

2. If fear were not an issue what is something you'd like to try?
I would like to try water skiing. It looks like a lot of fun but falling hard on water is painful and I know that from years of "Cannon Balls" and "Belly Flops".

3. What do you add to your coffee or tea?
Coffee, splenda and cream. Tea; sometimes nothing other times cream and splenda as well. It all depends on the flavor and my mood (mostly my mood!)

4. What historical sporting event would you like to witness?
The Olympic games where the American Hockey team  beat the Russians, now that was in what year? 2/22/80

5. What is one piece of advice you would like to give your sixteen year old self?
"Don't believe it, you are better than what they say."

6. Are you a planner or do you prefer to fly by the seat of your pants?
Oh my I plan, and plan, and plan. I want to know every detail and be ready for anything.  I am very afraid of "flying by the seat of my pants"  - something will go wrong and I will not have the right phone number (or clean underpants)

7. What is one thing you are looking forward to in 2011?
Our 4th grand child and 2nd grand daughter will be born.  I can not tell you how much being a Grannie means to me.  I love it beyond words.

8. Insert your own random thought here. How long did it take you to "De-Christmas"?
We are still in the process of taking it all down.  With full time jobs, trying to exercise, blogging, quilting and various other things, most of the house is still up.  Maybe by the weekend it will be down but for now, it's up except for the tree.

Thanks Joyce for a Great set of questions.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Recipe of the Week: Cauliflower Broil



While reading Facebook the other day, over and over again I read variations of "Diet starts this week!"
Well, I so understand that feeling! For all of you out there I say "Go After that New Life Style."And to help you out here is one of my recipes.

I really like Cauliflower, don't you?  I really like how low it is in carbs so I played around with it and came up with this recipe. I hope you try it and that you like it as well.

1 head of Cauliflower 
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 Strips of bacon cooked and broken up
1/2 stick of butter
4 ozs Cheddar Cheese shredded (I used Vermont Sharp)
4 teaspoons Italian seasonings

Boil the Cauliflower until it's almost fully cooked, drain and mix everything else in. Place all in a greased casserole dish and place under the broiler until the cheese melts.  Serves 4.

Each 1 cup  serving has 1 carb!  
You can mix this up by adding chives instead of the Italian seasonings and top each serving with sour cream or ranch dressing but add the carbs of the dressing.  


How do you cook your Cauliflower? I would love to have a few more recipes.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Week End Review: A New Year - A New Start -The New Year Challenge


Welcome to 2011! I hope you were all safe over the holiday weekend and had fun bringing in the new year.  It was quiet here as hubby worked and Becke the wonder dog and I fell asleep.  Hubby did call us and we watched the Ball Drop on TV so we did bring in the new year  together (sort of-on the phone) and then I quickly went back to sleep and he went back to work.  Oh well!

Saturday was a normal day of food shopping and clothes shopping.  Needed to get some work pants in a smaller size and found it funny that if you wear a size 4 then you are short but the size 0 comes in a tall!! Really? That strikes me funny. Sunday I was a great day at at church. The theme for the sermon "Reaching Towards Heaven in 2011!" A lot to think about there. Then we got to play with the best grand daughter in the world!

I am inspired by many things in my life but recently 3 woman especially have inspired me to better care for myself. The first one is Sue B. who walked 500 miles last year! She challenged herself to do this and she reached her goal, walking in all sorts of weather. She understands how important it is to keep moving, to keep the joints moving and to use her own body weight to build up her body.  The other woman is Missy D. who lost 82 pounds, and started running. She took charge of her life and she feels and looks amazing. These woman are busy woman, they take care of there families, they take care of others, and still find time to take care of there own health. They are not sitting around watching day time TV and eating Bom Boms. And one more - There is this woman who I see every Sunday as I'm driving to church.  I don't know her name but she is always out there walking with her arms in the air working them while she walks. She makes me laugh and I think of the Postal Service Motto, "Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet or ..." I have seen her walk in all sorts of weather and she also inspires me. I find these woman...simply amazing. So........





I have decided to take on the 400 mile challenge. Ellie over at Books, Fitness & Other Stuff is starting this as a way to get into shape and she has invited others to join her. Since I've been inspired by the woman above I have joined.  Click on the box  either above or in the right hand column and see the rules. If you have a blog you can join the fun. If you don't have a blog you can put your miles right here.  Together we can cheer each other on and get fit. I plan to post on Mondays - starting next Monday.