Where oh where has she been?

First off.  Second week challenge DONE!

I've been trying not to type.  Focus only on work.  Two reasons. 

• had a HUGE deliverable for work - delivered today
• wrist is still bothering me and I'm trying to give it a rest

I've been walking, hiking, working, working, more work..... but this weekend, we are off to a trial in Santa Rosa.  Fin, Tazz, and I are very excited to trial again.  It has been awhile and we are hoping that we have not forgotten how to run a course. 

Next week challenge:  document food every day.  1000 calorie deficit every day!

Seven Day challenge - Success :)

Well I did it.  Stuck to my Veggie/Fish challenge.  Feels good to be successful. 

I have a new challenge for the next 7 days.  I'm hitting the gym everyday.  I've got powerpaws agility in the morning and I'll start my day at the gym and then head up to San Jose for agility afterward.  It will require a little planning as I'll have to change my clothes after the workout, but nothing I'm not used to.

Wearing the body bugg provides me with motivation to move.  This whole "acknowledgement" thing is sorta hard.  Tracking my food and now tracking my exercise puts it right there in your face.  Can't lie. 

I know that my biggest hurdle is to fall into the temptation of not tracking.  I figure I'll just have to go week by week and not try to see how far in the future I have to go....just look one step at a time. 

Agility, Cold Feet, and Christmas!

Got up this morning and headed out for a fun match in the wonderful city of Turlock.  I must thank the folks that put this show on.  It was freak'n COLD!  They were out there making sure the courses were set up and we were having a good time.  It was a small group of us that braved the central valley fog, but it was so worth it.

Fin got to go and spend "mommy" time.  I got to hang out with my best bud.  Unfortunately, both Laura's and my brain must have misfired this morning as neither she nor I wore water proof shoes.  Mine were worse and within 5 minutes of arriving, my feet were soaked....hers soon after.  At one point, I was wondering if I kept running if my toes my just snap off as I couldn't feel them. 

The dogs didn't care that we might have been a little bit of weather wimps.  They just kicked butt and took no prisoners.  We played till about 11:30 and then loaded up the van, got the engine going, took off our soggy shoes and socks and drove home with the heat on "high".  My feet thawed sometime in the first 45 minutes snuggled in my down jacket. 

On the way home, Laura and I exchanged christmas presents.  She got me a BUGG!  I'm so excited.  I'm doing a good job tracking my food, and now I will be able to monitor my exercise.  I've read good things about this cool toy and will be writing up a review after a month.  I'm a lucky person!  Thanks Laura!

Another Saturday Night

Tomorrow I head out for some fun.  Agility Fun Match in the valley.  1 hour 50 minutes, 32 degrees warming up to 50, friends, and a dog that wants to play.  What more could one person want?

Fish challenge.  I've just completed day 5.  Two more days of fish challenge and I'll have to start another.  So far so good.  I've actually lost a bit of weight and am looking forward to weighing myself on Tues to see the results.

I am keeping a food diary as well as posting the meals: http://vicifood.blogspot.com/  It is probably too boring for most, but it is keeping me accountable.  I am not sure how long I'll be able to keep up with the journal, but for now it is making a huge difference in my "justifying" eating inappropriately.  A couple times this week I thought to sneak in something that I shouldn't eat, but the thought of taking a photo of it and putting it on the blog shamed me so much that I stuck with my plan. 

Goals have been set.  My intention is to consistently, doggedly, focus my thinking on achieving these goals.  If I falter, I hope that my friends and family remind me of the goals I want.  I hope that I will not give up long term goals for immediate compulsions. 

In the meantime, I'm off in the morning for a fun adventure.  Can't wait!

Bad Dog

Hmmmm.  How many hours did I spend 2 months ago working on the landscaping.  There are about 50 bulbs coming up and a daisy bush where he is digging.  Unfortunately he is not the only culprit.  All but one have dirty feet.

Frosty Mornings with a hint of spring to come

Woke up this morning to a frost covered back yard.  The dogs love them a nice run around the frosty ground.

Regardless of the frost, hints of spring are everywhere.  The sunrise is earlier every day and the bulbs are pushing their greens up and fighting their way to blossoming. 

Poor Rocks was at the vets all day yesterday.  His mouth was really bothering him.  Turns out that after spending $750, our wonderful vet can not find anything wrong except for a bit of gingivitis.  Rocky came home with pain meds so right now he is feeling mighty fine.  We'll see what happens in a few days when he no longer has the meds whether the "feeling fine" continues.  I will admit that he is feeling good enough to be a trouble maker.  So maybe tossing money at the vet fixed the problem.  Time will tell.

I also visited the Dr. today.  My wrist has been killing me since Christmas.  I'll need an MRI to tell them what the problem is, but the Dr. suspects that I have broken it or have an old break that is causing me trouble.  MRI should tell what's up and what the next step is.  In the mean time, I've got to wear this brace that makes it difficult to do stuff.  The good news, is I can't get the brace wet...no dishes!  :)  Kel mentioned that I can take the brace off to wash the dishes.  I'm thinking, "not."

No agility tonight as I got back from the Dr.'s so late.  I really was excited about going.  The good news is that I'm getting together with my buds tomorrow for some agility practice.  Can't wait.

Two days down on my vegitarian eatting program.  Five more to go.  So far I'm enjoying everything I'm eatting.  I'm also reducing the calories and I will admit that yesterday I was pretty hungry.  Today, however, I have ended the day quite full.  Seriously Quinoa is filling.
This weekend, practice at Robs on Sat and Fun match on Sunday.  No rain in site!

Fun times

Old dogs do learn new tricks.  Here is my sweet Maddie - 11.5 years young.

Veggie Challenge

Wanna try something new? 

I'm going to go vegetarian for one week starting tomorrow.  Each day I'll post the food I eat.  I am not going vegan, I will eat fish.  In addition, I'm going to stay away from packaged foods like rice mixes, etc.  It is going to be a challenge for me as I like my meat. 

Today I'm going shopping, on my list:

-salad makings
-broccoli
-fresh fruit
-low fat yogurt
-fresh fish
-tuna
-whole wheat bread
-almonds

Tomorrow's menu:
-breakfast:  almonds, yogurt, banana
-snack: apple
-lunch: tuna sandwich, grapes
-dinner:  fresh fish, broccoli, salad, brown rice

Wish me luck!

PS:  the dogs will continue to eat meat...just the humans will be trying this new diet.  I wonder how long it will take for my husband to notice.

2011 Starts with Creativity

The end of 2010 ended with a trip to Monterey to see the fishes, have a wonderful lunch, and walk in cannery row with mom and husband Kel.  Came home, relaxed, played skipbo and mom enjoyed a movie while I walked then played with the pups.  Dinner was ginger beef (yum) and then another movie. 

Relaxing and not worrying about crowds was priceless!

Woke up and it was 2011.  Who would have thunk it?  For our first day of 2011, my sister showed up and we worked on a project for her wedding.  She waiting a LONG time to find the woman of her dreams, so we are doing special things for the wedding.  Today we worked on cards (a little larger than business cards).  She is going to hang them on a tree and guest will be asked to sign these instead of a guest book.  Hopefully they will also write nice things on them as well (e.g., Trish & Eve, hope your life is full of fun surprises - Mr. & Mrs. John Smith).

 We used stamps, paint, markers, embossing stuff, and our indiviudual creativity.  I think they came out really unique and wonderful.

 For this one, I cut out and embossed the butterflys, then glued them back on the card.

 This one I really like.  Photo doesn't do it justice.  Used a sponge that had yellow and orange on it to color the paper, then used an old dirty stamp to stamp the hint of the butter fly. 

 This one with the humming bird was started as a mistake with the blochy green, but adding to it, I think it turned out really sweet.

 This is the last one I did.  We were cleaning up and I used the dirty sponges to paint a forest scene. 

Had a great time. Thanks Trish for including me in your wedding!