People have started to notice

A few people have now mentioned to me that I seem thinner, or that my shape has changed.  My massage therapist said I must have lost 15 lbs.  (I had only lost 10 at the time)  This makes me feel good about what I am doing.

To that end, I made some changes in the last week.  I have moved my parking spot from in the basement of the garage to the top floor of the garage so that I have to climb up more stairs, and I have started climbing the stairs to the 7th floor in the morning before work.  It is HARD.  I assume it will get easier.

Last night I went to the pub, and after accounting for all the calories consumed/imbibed I was well over my goal/exercise calories for the day.  So I got on the elliptical and worked out.  Total buzz killer but at least I got up this morning and didn't weigh more than the day before.

OH!  I got my new scale in the mail yesterday and it syncs automatically with my computer.  How's that for sweet?  Unfortunately it tells me that I am 1/3 FAT.  UGH.  I still have a long way (weigh) to go.

Fun Day

Yesterday was a pretty awesome day. 

Matthew and Joseph went with me to see the Oregon Symphony.  They had a super fun pops show with some ballroom dancers from Dancing with the Stars and some singers from American Idol.  They were fantastic.  Tristan and Anna were who I expected to be my favorites, but I think that the real star yesterday was a contemporary/break dancer.  He completely owned the show and the crowd.

Then we went to BJ's Brewhouse for dinner which was excellent.  Great company and super fantastic pizza.

I did have way too much salt yesterday and I can feel it all over today.  Really not good.  I'll try eating at home every meal today and see if I feel better tomorrow.

Oh yeah, and maybe I'll remember to take a picture or two. 

Back from the gym

4 miles in an hour on the treadmill. I used an incline for part of the time. I haven't really done that much before. I also jogged a little to make up for my warm-up time. The last mile I walked at 4.2 miles an hour.

Back again

Wow, it's been about forever since I blogged.

I've started something new, though, and I want to have a place to come and put some thoughts down about it.

In January, when I got back from vacation I went to see my physician for a yearly check-up.  She told me that my cholesterol was too high and she gave me 3 months to improve it.  I'm pretty sure that if I don't make a significant improvement she'll put me on medication.  Medication I probably wouldn't need if I ate right and exercised more.  So. . . that's what I am trying to do. 

I've downloaded MyFitnessPal and acquired a fitbit to track my exercise.  I've dusted off my gym membership and I am logging every. single. thing. I. eat.

I'm trying to hold myself accountable for the shape my body is in.  No one else can.

I'm still mom, still work at a wonderful place in Portland, I STILL KNIT.  I still spend too much time in front of a computer or an iPad, but I'm going to try this and see how it goes.  I think it can only be better.

One of my goals is to lose some weight.  The day I started tracking what I eat and weigh I weighed 149 lbs.  I'm really not sure what my ideal weight is, but I think I have some clues.  Back fat.  Muffin top.  Bingo Flaps.  These are my enemies and I will see them gone.  I would like to see my collar bones. I can't remember the last time I saw them. 

I'm setting my initial goal to be 125lbs.  I'll adjust as I get closer to the goal.

Getting there!

Today I am ordering more than half of the yarn we'll need for the Sock Summit. It's a big purchase and I hope that it will all turn into beautiful yarn.

On the knitting front I have begun sock number two of the Escher socks that I am making for my son. I really love these socks and will probably knit another pair bigger for me later.


I have set aside a skein of yarn to knit next. It is a variegated number with brown green and bright pink. I'm thinking of knitting a toe-up pattern from Wendy D. Johnson. I'm also thinking of a scarf. It's so hard to decide and there is so much potential in a brand new skein.
Oh, and this is the gorgeous lily pad Shelby of heartstone.etsy.com gave us to take pictures on. Isn't it perfect? Just the right size, shape color. I'm so happy with it and grateful to her for making it for us.

This weekend should be full of fun, knitting and sunshine!

Behind the scenes

Thursday was "Take your child to work day." Joseph, being a bright boy, knows that his mom and dad do not have the most kid-exciting jobs. Grandma Robin, however, is a volunteer at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. She's been a volunteer there for more than 10 years and she previously worked there as membership coordinator. Thursday she was helping out with the birds.

Here is Joey in the day room getting ready to start his adventure.


He met a real live sea star that was being moved from one tank to another.
Then he got to look at some of the display tanks from the staff side.


Then he met an octopus that isn't on display at the moment.
Then it was time to go to the kitchen and help Grandma make up bowls of fish to feed to the birds. He was so good at helping in the kitchen that CJ let him (under grandma's watchful eye) come out and feed a few of the birds in the aviary. What a lucky boy!



Joey even had time to measure himself against the giant crab mural. He looks a little like lunch to me.



The fun didn't end there. We toured the lighthouse a few miles away and then saw a bald eagle while driving back from one of our favorite shopping spots. It was a great time!

Busy Easter Weekend

My little family packed up the car and headed to my parent's house at the coast for Easter Weekend. Friday night after we arrived mom and I chatted and knit for a few hours while Joey slept in his very own little fort and Matthew dove into a book that Amanda lent him.

Saturday dad was up early to cook us breakfast. Mom and I were well fortified for our short shopping excursion to the outlet mall in Lincoln city. We were back in time for lunch at Kum Yon's.

While we were gone Joseph put together an entire Indiana Jones Lego set. He's something else with those sets, he can sit for hours pouring over the little books to get them JUST RIGHT. As far as I can tell it was a perfect reproduction of one of the movie sets.

In the afternoon Mom and I took Joseph to purchase a new toy. He wanted Bakugan Brawlers. I do not really "get" these toys, but he sure played with them for the rest of the weekend.

Dad made an incredible souffle for dinner. It was cheesy and had crab and was wonderful. I added some stir-fried kale and Mom made biscuits and a salad. Clearly this was an exceptional Easter feast.

The rest of the evening was quiet and spent in front of the TV watching sports and knitting. Well, except for Matthew, he was so sucked into that book he read the whole thing.

Sunday we drove back to Hillsboro, stopping only to eat at Andaman Thai in Lincoln city. I can't say enough about that little restaurant. It has the BEST Thai food I've had in Oregon, and I've had A LOT of Thai food here.

Amanda came right over when we got home and we played Rock Band until it was time to acknowledge that it really was a work night and we needed to cut it out and turn in. Joseph is getting a lot better a drumming! I was really proud of his efforts last night.

All in all it was a fabulous weekend. I even managed to get a little laundry done!

Now, to tackle the work week with the same energy...