10 weeks post-partum... time to get moving!

I've made a few workout plans and then not started them in the last 4 weeks, but last week I decided I needed to get started and that the turning of the month and getting Lisa on twitter would be my motivation to get cracking.

On Sunday I had found runningintoshape and her awesome podcasts! So I solved the if I just go out oh my own I totally will not run as much as I am supposed to and end up walking most of the time problem.

Monday night I ran out to Target and got 2 sports bras and a pair of shorts (oh and some soap and a swimsuit for Isla..). So, now I tackled the OMG if I run, my boobs won't cause some poor motorist to drive into a ditch problem and I was thatmuch closer to hitting the road.

Tuesday, my husband came home from work, I finished nursing the baby and I flung on my gigantic new bra and my shorts and laced up my shoes.  Swore a few times at the MP3 because I was having some stupid user error issues with it, waved bye to baby and said I love you if I die from this experiment and I was off.

Walked for 5 minutes and then ran for the first 60 seconds.  Holy crap, this feels good.  I'm not dying. YAY.  Walked 90 seconds.  Ran another 60. Pshhht.  Got this under control.  Haven't run in a year and I am doing great.  Walk 90 seconds.  Run 60.  Hmmm It's getting a little warm out.  Walk 90 seconds.  Run 60. Oh thank god I am almost done.  Walk 90 seconds.  Run 60 seconds. Ummm my legs are kind of hurting.  Hmm am I done yet? Walk 90 seconds.  Run 60 umm is this a hill???? Walk 90 seconds. Run 60 seconds. THANK GOD. I AM DONE. HALLELUJAH. PRAISE JEEBUS. CRAP I HAVE A CRAMP. Walk 90 seconds.  Run 60 seconds? WHAAAT?? I HAVE ONE MORE? DAmn miscalculation on my part.  Ugh ugh ugh. Cramp cramp cramp. GOING TO DIE.  Walk 90 seconds.  Congratulations walk 5 as a cool down.

Holy crap I finished.  So Week 1 Day 1 was conquered.  I almost didn't survive, but I fought through and was victorious.  Isla had a sweaty mom return home to her.

My goals are simple.
Finish this 9 week plan in 9 weeks.
Each week add something extra.  So for this week I am just doing the 3 runs and anything else that happens is just a bonus.
Next week I will add in a walk one day or I will do Jillian Michaels 30 day Shred depending on the weather/my schedule.  And then the next week I will add in something and so on.
And if I could lose some weight while doing this great.  I started today with being 5 pounds down from what I weighed when I got pregnant with Isla last year.  If I could continue on this losing path it would be fabulous, but I don't want to touch my diet since I am all the time famished from breastfeeding and I feel I make good choices MOST of the time and I don't want my supply to tank.

and a hot sweaty me after my run. you're welcome.

July At A Glance

Books Read

33. Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand – Helen Simonson (July 18^th)

34. The Last Place – Laura Lippman (July 23^rd)
35. By A Spiders Thread – Laura Lippman (July)

My favorite was probably By A Spider's Thread but overall this was a great month for reading even if it was just 3 books.  They were all great!


Currently Reading: The Sandalwood Tree which is our group read for August if you want to join! So far it is good!

Fave Recipes Posted:
Quiche
Summer Salad

I actually got back into the cooking swing this month and made quite a few yummy dishes and not all got documented.  I have a few more in store this month and hopefully will get to share them.  On the menu this week is Nacho Enchilada Casserole, Hot Dogs, Sloppy Joes and Beef and Rice Enchiladas.

Movies Watched
The Hangover 2

HILARIOUS! Yes it wasn't as funny as the first but it was hilarious for all the same stupid reasons and yeah it was basically the same movie, but who cares it is funny!

Fave Photos
This is hard.. I am going to only pick 5. You are welcome. ;)

What were your favorites in July?

A Great Summer Weekend..

This past weekend was the perfect mix of busy, fun, family and relaxing.  The only thing missing was a dip in the pool or lake but frankly, there wasn't much extra time. ;)

Friday night my husband got his car worked on and then we had bbq chicken and potatoes on the grill with a side of corn for dinner.  We enjoyed a locally brewed beer, Red Sky, yum, and that night we hung out with Isla until she went to bed.  We made some cheese/bean dip and watched tv until we fell into bed early.

Saturday we all woke up early and hung out in bed together for awhile and then my hubby made some eggs, sausage and toast for us.  Isla got a bath and then we all got baths/showers to go out to eat for my mother and sister in-laws birthdays.  It was Isla's first time out for a meal with us and she was fabulous.  And was NOT the child screaming in the restaurant.  Yay.  She was entertained for about an hour and then was ready for her own meal and a nap so she and I cut out early to the car and got her ready to sleep the 40 minutes home. 

When we got home we watched a movie while Isla napped some more.  We ate our leftovers for dinner and then I took Isla over to my aunt's cottage to hang out and she was entertained by my uncle who made faces at her for quite awhile.  Then I came home, put her to bed and made a photo book for my mom while my husband played NCAA football with his cousin.

Sunday we all got up early again (me under protest) and I got a newspaper and cut out the ads and we played with Isla and then during her afternoon nap I went grocery shopping and then at night we went back over to my aunts cottage and hung out with more family who was in town.  She entertained them all with her drooling and got to play with her 4 year old third cousin who adored her.

Last night we worked on uploading photos and my husband made a photo book for himself.  We watched more tv and got ready for the week.  If I would have had 5 more minutes of daylight the pool was calling my name.

And today? I am so going into the pool.  High of 90. Oh and I am finally going to buy a sports bra so I can re-start the Couch to 5k tomorrow.  Already downloaded a podcast for Week 1.  And I HAVE to run because Lisa joined twitter and I said I'd run if she did. ;)

How was your weekend? Do anything exciting?

Welcome to July’s last discussion over Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand! Any and all are welcome to contribute!

I will say that I was sad to see the book end.  I ended up liking it far more than I thought I was going to like it.  The last part of the book was full of action and it ended up all the loose ends, which sometimes annoys me but I don’t think it was done in a bad way.  I  think only the storyline of Gertrude and Ferguson seemed a bit rushed/not quite right. Kudos to the author, as this was her first novel!

Something that really irked me was the way that Mrs. Ali’s family treated her.  While I know culturally this is acceptable and done I just can’t wrap my mind around it.  I also can’t believe how Mrs. Ali put up with it.  She was a very intelligent independent woman.  It’s amazing what cultural/familial duties will push even those who don’t abide by all the customs anymore.  And it was quite amazing what she was willing to give up for Abdul Wahid and Amina.  I don’t think I could do that for a nephew of mine.  Especially one so obtuse.  But I guess she did it more for George.

Speaking of obtusness.  Roger.  Wow.  One would wonder how he came from the Major and is wife whom the Major kept saying was a sweet doting mother.  But then, even as the Major would point out, Roger said some of the same things the Major did.  However, the Major never said things with the same feeling/greed that Roger did.  He also understood love, maybe not how to always act on it but he did understand it.  Roger, is a freaking lost cause.

1. If you could be friends with one of the characters, which one would you be friends with and why?
2. What do you think was the Major’s Last Stand?
3. Do you think Amina made the right choice? Do you think she and Abdul Wahid will eventually get together?
4. What role did obligations play in this book?
5. How do you think the Golf Club will react to the marriage?

Thanks for reading and responding! If you would like to write a post for August’s Group Read let me know! Fresh perspectives are always wanted!

By A Spider's Thread

Tess Monaghan, private detective, is approached by Mark Rubin, a very very conservative Orthodox Jew whose wife and children are missing but the police have determined that it isn't a case for them. Rubin is insistent that their marriage was a good one, there was no abuse and he has no idea why his Natalie would leave him and take their children. The only thing he can come up with is maybe she was trying to save him from something?

The ever skeptical Tess, is skeptical. She figures Rubin to be a controlling arse of a husband, which he was to an extent, but a typical Orthodox husband if you come to think of it. Tess agrees to take the case because she needs money and he has lots of it.

Bit by bit Tess learns that Mark hasn't been that forthcoming with information as she learns details that make his perfect life and perfect wife sound not so perfect at all. Russian immigrants, lying about religion, prison deals, what else will Tess learn before she can find Natalie and the children? Will she find Natalie and the children? Are they even alive?

I of course, loved this one too! You can really see Lippman's writing getting better and better, the further into the series you get. Tess's love life gets a spotlight as does her Aunt Kitty's and those snippets lead me to believe Tesser is finally growing up in her mid-thirties! ;)

Have you ever dated someone else as a back up when the one you wanted was unattainable?

9 weeks!

I sadly do not have any new photos uploaded because I was a tad busy today cuddling with my girl since she got her 2 month shots.  Poor thing.  She has been fussy and cranky and I don't blame her.  Poor thing.  She barely napped today and when she did it was on me.  I do have a video from last week.

On Monday, my girl turned two months old.  It's crazy to me how far we've come in such a short time.  She is smiling, cooing, playing on her mat, tracking our voices, laying on her tummy and lifting her head up, sucking on her fingers and growing like crazy.  She is now 11 pounds 11 ounces.  Good lord. Still in size 3 months and wearing pampers size 1 2 diapers.  She likes sitting on our laps and looking out at the world.  She helped me cook dinner this week by sitting in her bumbo chair and laughing and watching.  She still naps in her swing and sleeps in the pack n play next to our bed.  She adores her play mat.  She will swat and smile at her toys for the longest time.  She also likes looking at our faces and smiling.  And we like smiling back.

We love you baby girl.



The Last Place

Laura Lippman sucked me in again. I think mystery books are my favorite of the summer.  Probably, because they are easy to get into and lack the flowering descriptions of the more literary picks!

In The Last Place, Tess is given a list of people by one of the boards that Whitney is a part of, who have been killed by a partner/spouse and needs to find out if they local police flubbed the investigations.  Seems easy enough, right?

Well, Tess screws up first by not looking at autopsy reports and then she arrives at a house to find a supposed dead victim alive????

Someone is messing with her and apparently has an agenda that Tess must figure out before anyone else dies.

I really liked this installment in the Tess Monaghan series until it got towards the end and there was a scene where people were fighting to basically see who was going to live.  It got a little gruesome and I kind of gagged at the visual painted.  Ewwwww. 

Overall, Tess is growing as an investigator and some of her dumb slips from before have gotten better and I think my favorite sub-plot was where she and Whitney may have used Nair on a guy who was trying to roofie girls drinks. ;)  Don't mess with them!

Has anyone else started this series since I started gushing about how much I love it?

August's Group Read is...

The Sandalwood Tree by Elle Newmark! We had a tie and using random.org this one appears to be the winner! We will be discussing the book in August every Friday.  Anyone is free to join us and I really hope that you do.  We had a ton of people show interest in July and then I think Lisa and I were the only ones who read the book, which is a shame because it was a good one! If you would like to write a guest post for one of the Friday's let me know!

Here is our discussion schedule:

Discussion 1 Chapters 1 -10 – August 5^th

Discussion 2 – Chapter 11-20 August 12^th

Discussion 3 – Chapter 21 – Chapter 32 August 19^th

Discussion 4 – Chapter 33 – the end August 26^th

About: A sweeping novel that brings to life two love stories, ninety years apart, set against the rich backdrop of war-torn India.

In 1947, American historian and veteran of WWII, Martin Mitchell, wins a Fulbright Fellowship to document the end of British rule in India. His wife, Evie, convinces him to take her and their young son along, hoping a shared adventure will mend their marriage, which has been strained by war.
But other places, other wars. Martin and Evie find themselves stranded in a colonial bungalow in the Himalayas due to violence surrounding the partition of India between Hindus and Muslims. In that house, hidden behind a brick wall, Evie discovers a packet of old letters, which tell a strange and compelling story of love and war involving two young Englishwomen who lived in the same house in 1857.

Drawn to their story, Evie embarks on a mission to piece together her Victorian mystery. Her search leads her through the bazaars and temples of India as well as the dying society of the British Raj. Along the way, Martin’s dark secret is exposed, unleashing a new wedge between Evie and him. As India struggles toward Independence, Evie struggles to save her marriage, pursuing her Victorian ghosts for answers.

Bursting with lavish detail and vivid imagery of Calcutta and beyond, The Sandalwood Tree is a powerful story about betrayal, forgiveness, fate, and love.

Hope you join us! Let me know in the comments if you plan to read along!

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand - Discussion 3

Welcome back to Discussion #3 over Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand.  We are talking about chapters 14-18 or basically anything that has happened so far in the book.

I think the book has gotten better as it has gone on.  In the beginning I was worried it was going to be too dull for my sleep deprived mind to handle.  But minus a couple rambles of scenery it has moved along pretty fast and the Major’s dry humor has come out more and more.

I kinda wish this was a movie, just because I would have loved to have seen the scene at the Golf Club’s dance!

It is very interesting to see the differing degrees of prejudices that the different characters in the book have.  And the fact that they just say things that are incredibly offensive aloud! But I think that does have something to do with British culture/attitude.  Still, it amazes me how many of them were so very rude to Mrs. Ali’s face or would say mean things about her just because of her skin color.  Even the Vicar from the church was horrid.  Honestly, I wouldn’t want to spend time with any of them if I were the Major.  Mean people all around!

1. Would you ever make the sacrifice for your family like Mrs. Ali made for her nephew and Amina?

2. Do you think the reaction that the Major and Mrs. Ali got from their respective friends and family were typical? Do you see this ype of prejudice happen? Has it happened to you?

3. Speaking of prejudice.. small mindness comes up a lot.  Who is small minded? How is it shown in the book?

4. What is your opinion of Ferguson and Lord Dagenham’s idea for the village?

5. If you were to attend the Golf Club’s dinner/dance what would your costume look like?

Next week will be our last discussion over Major Pettigrew! Don’t forget to vote for August’s read.

Buffett Bound!

At the Bama Breeze
You can shoot some pool down there
You can act a fool down there
You can play it cool down there

[ Buffett, Chicago 2004]

At the Bama Breeze
You can drink some beer down there
Argue, laugh, and cheer down there
Pass another year down there

[Buffett, Alpine Valley, 2008 ]

Jimmy got caught smoking a joint
Out behind the bar
Sittin' in his car
And they took him to jail
The tip jar paid his bail

[Buffett, Alpine Valley, 2008 ]

In 1984 Mick Jagger
Passed through town
Bought the house a round
Signed his name on the wall
In the ladies bathroom stall... yeah

[Buffett, Alpine Valley, 2008 ]

At the Bama Breeze
I turned 21 down there
Had too much fun down there
Stumbled out with the sun down there

[Buffett, Cincinnati, 2009 ]

Saturday night the bouncer Grady
Lets the ladies in free with the fake I.D
And the short-enough skirt
Yeah figures what the hell could it hurt

[Buffett, Cincinnati, 2009]

Second set the owner Lulu
Get's up with the band
A beer in her hand
And sings "Freebird" slow
Then she raises a toast
Here's to Ronnie and the boys
Now everybody make some noise!

[Buffett, Pittsburgh, 2010]

At the Bama Breeze
You're one of our own down there
You never drink alone down there
Good God I feel at home down there

[Buffett, Pittsburgh 2010]

At the Bama Breeze
You're one of our own down there
You never drink alone down there
Good God I feel at home down there       

Spending the day down at DTE with some of my VERY favorite people listening to one of my very favorite singers. ;) The lyrics above? Bama Breeze by the one and only Jimmy Buffett! The bolded? How I feel when we get together with some of our favorite people!

Don't forget to vote for August's group read on the side bar!