tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77401367988148799932024-03-22T01:08:38.619-04:00Cobwebs & Mustard Seednot you're everyday crazySivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.comBlogger86125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-41830883956958321362013-08-09T21:23:00.001-04:002013-08-09T21:23:41.789-04:00The Great Dietary Shift of 2013<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
It all started with the sudden onset of weird not really itchy hives at the end of the day, toward the end of November of 2012. They would get progressively worse as time went on – the totally worthless dermatologist tried to give me medicine for my rosacea and then recited a portion on the WebMD entry on idiopathic hives; while looking at the wall behind me and told me to take lots of Benadryl. Oh and a number for a guy that could do the full workup of allergy testing. So, I stopped using my favorite perfume and lotion (Twirl, my new signature cent) because I had started really wearing that at this time. I was a splotchy mess at my brother’s wedding, on the bright side – I matched my dress!! <u></u><u></u></div>
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Then one day in May while eating my yummy lunch of tuna and red bell pepper – I EXPLODED in hives within 20 minutes of finishing my meal. I was not very happy about it, but I cut the nightshades from my diet and almost immediately the damn hives were much less. This is a serious blow to my cooking because I used tomatoes in some form in almost every day (which, now that I look back, DUR!). Chili’s and salsas are out. My favorite treat: French Fries are out. A totally serious bummer, y’all, I got totally depressed. I would stand in my kitchen and almost cry because everything I wanted to make had nightshades in it and I had to figure out how to alter it to remove nightshades. We ate a lot of curry till I started getting my bearings. <u></u><u></u></div>
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I also started drinking way too much – what had been a glass of wine at dinner was morphing into 2 or 3 glasses. It had more to do with some sort of sixteen year old logic of if I can’t do X then I’ll do Y, so there neener neener. Totally useful. <u></u><u></u></div>
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I am very aware of my body, where I had put on some weight in muscle; I had also been putting on quite a bit of fat from all the wine. My belly was starting to flop over by pants, not so sexy feeling. Which brings us to: Starting last Sunday (so just over a week ago) I cut sugar and alcohol completely from my diet for 30 days. I’m calling it my Whole-ish 30 because I am still eating some sugar in the form of fruits (because otherwise they would go bad and I can’t bring myself to waste money like that). I am happy to report in my first week I have lost 7 pounds, and the flopping belly is much less. This is my 3<sup>rd</sup> challenge of this sort; I have found that periodically I need to do these to keep myself in line, those cheat meals have a habit of getting out of hand. (I do these outside of my Crossfit box and their Paleo Challenges because 1) I have already “won” a challenge and 2) I am very unhappy with some of the politics going on at my gym at the moment.)<u></u><u></u></div>
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I can almost guarantee that the wine is also a huge factor in the hives; because it has always been a trigger for the rosacea flairs. I am also happy that I have been able to wear my perfume and lotion again, because they were clearly not a cause of the hives. WHOOT! I also seem to have acquired a great love of sparkling mineral water, which would have nothing to do with using my pretty glasses for my bubbly drinks (usually mixed with lime/lemon or pomegranate juice). <u></u><u></u></div>
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Let’s see what this week brings – PMS and the sugar cravings that go with it (as well as the bloating, blargh).</div>
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Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-83827585828152187422011-09-09T14:26:00.000-04:002011-09-09T14:26:44.632-04:00Ten Years<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Remarkably the bulk of 9/11 is seared into memory. I don’t know why… I can barely remember my wedding… it’s just a blur of fantastic and I can only remember about 3 distinct things about when I had Freya. I can tell you that I don’t ever want to see the images of the Towers burning, the smoke, the gut wrenching knowledge that they fell. Looking out my window now I see a sky that is so much like the one that day that bright late summer blue with white fluffy clouds. <br />
<br />
<br />
I was at work; it started like it was like any other work day, I was in the office by 7:30 and we had an off-site staff meeting that day. I remember I was wearing pale khaki dress pants, a lace cami, a men’s white dress shirt and brown boots. Anyway, the meeting started at 8 ended it earlier than they had intended and as we emerged from the conference room there was a pile of people around a small television showing the images of the Towers on fire. I really had to use the loo, and made some sort of flip remark as I passed the television - I hadn’t really seen what had happened at that point and never in a million years would I have thought that those buildings would fall. I had been a part of a carpool to the meeting, and the guy that had driven had a big van that had a little television in it (this was before headrest telly’s). We were watching the news on the way back to the office; the first Tower fell just as we were pulling onto the highway. The girl sitting beside me was hysterical, her brother worked in one of the Towers and she couldn’t get through to him. I don’t remember getting back to my desk; we were told that if we needed to we could leave for the day. I stayed… I didn’t have a computer at home and I was trying to figure out (like everyone else) what the hell was going on. I sort of wandered from my desk to my coworkers desks, nothing but the bare minimum got done that day. Several of us went to donate blood, but the line was so long that we decided to come back later. <br />
<br />
I left a little early – around 3 and then went to the gym to try and get a workout in. I wouldn’t call what I did a workout, but I got some sweating done while listening to NPR. And let me tell you using the old skool walkman radio while trying to run on the treadmill is not a good combination – the reception was really bad. So I packed it in after about half an hour and went home. <br />
<br />
I don’t remember anything else clearly until the sun had set and we were watching television and ALL the stations had switched to their local news. MTV was broadcasting their local NYC news and that freaked me out the most for some reason. Husband was saying that it was most likely Osama bin Ladin as it was too well organized not to have a very serious group behind it. I remember thinking that the world was going to end in fire. I do not remember eating that day. I do remember that I took out a fifth of bourbon that night; I needed to be as physically numb as I was emotionally numb. I did not cry, and I can usually cry at a cat food commercials.<br />
<br />
The next day was sort of weird… there was an odd quiet while people were regrouping. I don’t remember the rest of the week at all, I had off from work that Friday and was wearing the only red white and blue I owned, and watched the service held at the National Cathedral. There was a small church across the street, and they opened their doors for anyone that needed them, I did not go, but I remember they were ringing their bells. I found out the following week that my co-worker had heard from her brother, he hadn’t gone into the office that morning, but they had lost several good friends. I also worked the phones for the big telethon that was put together by AT&T and Capital One among others. That was an odd experience, most of the people I talked to wanted to go back into the queue so they could “get” a celebrity. After the queues were all clear it was around 3 in the morning – there wasn’t an empty Waffle House in the entire city. I remember walking into the house, eating an apple and then just sobbing. <br />
<br />
Music has always been very important to me, and I distinctly remember the song that I NEEDED to listen to in the days following the Towers falling was Morning Dew by the Grateful Dead. When I hear that song now, I still remember what I was feeling those mid-September days in 2001. And later this song perfectly encapsulates my feelings about 9/11: <br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #990000;">Forsaken</span></strong><br />
<br />
[April 98]<br />
<br />
When I have nothing left to feel<br />
<br />
When I have nothing left to say<br />
<br />
I'll just let this slip away.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I feel these engines power down. <br />
<br />
I feel this heart begin to bleed <br />
<br />
as I turn this burning page.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Please forgive me if I bleed. <br />
<br />
Please forgive me if I breathe.<br />
<br />
I have words I need to say. <br />
<br />
Oh so very much to say.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
And whose life do I lead? <br />
<br />
And whose blood do I bleed?<br />
<br />
Whose air do I breathe? <br />
<br />
With whose skin now do I feel?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I'm supposed to walk away from here.<br />
<br />
I'm supposed to walk away from here.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
And whose life do I lead? <br />
<br />
Whose blood do I bleed?<br />
<br />
Whose air do I now breathe?<br />
<br />
I'm convinced there's nothing more.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The day you died I lost my way.<br />
<br />
The day you died I lost my mind.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
What am I supposed to do? <br />
<br />
Is there something more?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The engines power down. <br />
<br />
Like a soldier to his end I go.<br />
<br />
Because I'm convinced <br />
<br />
that there is nothing more.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
and whose life do I lead <br />
<br />
and whose air do I breathe?<br />
<br />
With whose skin and whose blood do I feel?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
What happens now?<br />
<br />
Have I done something wrong?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Forgive my need to bleed right now.<br />
<br />
Please forgive my need to breathe<br />
<br />
But I've so much to say <br />
<br />
and it wouldn't matter anyway.<br />
<br />
You're not here to hear these words that I must say<br />
<br />
and I'm convinced inside <br />
<br />
that there is nothing more.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Whose life do I lead? <br />
<br />
Whose air do I breathe.<br />
<br />
Whose blood do I now bleed? <br />
<br />
With whose skin now do I feel?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I have nothing left to say. <br />
<br />
I have nothing left to feel.<br />
<br />
Am I supposed to let this go now,<br />
<br />
let darkness come and take you away?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
© VNV Nation 1998<br />
<br />
</div>Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-70334485303417397172011-09-09T11:07:00.001-04:002011-09-09T11:07:42.150-04:00Well That Was a HOOT!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So any hoo... back to posting over here as blogger doesn't lock up my computer! More to follow...</div>
Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-39912574029352185192010-12-17T14:00:00.000-05:002010-12-17T14:00:27.918-05:00Moving!!you'll wanna go to <a href="http://sosivy.tumblr.com/">sosivy.tumblr</a>.com from now on!<br />
whoot whootSivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-23020405636986523852010-12-15T12:56:00.000-05:002010-12-15T12:56:16.824-05:00Hello, Filler Time!My folks were here for an early Christmas visit and we did presents. Holy Cow! Goosy had SO MUCH fun!! She made sure everyone had gifts to open then rolled around on the ground with her new stuffed animals. And she loves to watch the Nutcracker. At least until he turns into the handsome prince. Then she looses all interest. Also, she hates mice - but LOVES the Mouse King. That's my girl.<br />
<br />
I got my presents from my folks also - the LL Bean Signature pants that I really really wanted and some lovely sweaters. I also won an eBay auction for a Classic Coach bag - black east/west cross body! Can't wait until it gets here. Now - the Kate Spade items I want just need to stay in my price range and we'll be all set! <br />
<br />
I really need to go and study for my Marketing final this evening... but I really don't wanna. I am so burned out - and we have a group presentation that has everyone freaking the hell out. And in some sad news, my uncle Jimmy died last night - don't know of what. Unfortunately it is bound to be related to alcoholism... I don't think he was sober since Judy died about 5 years ago. Makes my father, the oldest sibling the only one still alive. Enter operation Cheer Up Daddy! I think I shall have to enlist Goosy in the cheering up process. As she is ALL ABOUT her Grandpa. <br />
<br />
Wow. This got bummer filled pretty fast. Oh well. Can't help that now - have to study for my damn final. Perhaps tomorrow I shall post all sunny and bright.Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-29590895574057453792010-12-10T09:11:00.000-05:002010-12-10T09:11:07.663-05:00So Over TodayYou know the day isn't off go a good start when at 5:30 am you are ready for a do over. Today has been "one of those days" starting with a let cramp at 2am (so bad that I was awake until 3:45) a toddler that doesn't want to sleep in her bed and a dog that snores so loud the windows rattle. But. The worst thing was my workout this morning.... I slipped doing dips. I still have to use a band for them... and my arms were shaking so badly that ring-dips were out of the question... can you see where this is going?? Yup. Popped myself in the face with the band. Hard. Like my vision blacked out and I have a lovely fat upper lip. And it was just the first round of "Elizabeth" and the big bad 6am crossfitter just wanted to sit in the bathroom and cry. This following a series of events that have ended up making me feel like I may never get my hair cut again. I was suppose to get my hair cut and colored Saturday morning... (got a fantastic "happy holidays" discount and everything) not realizing that we are committed elsewhere that morning. So - for the 4th time this year, i have to cancel my hair appointment. <br />
<br />
I am now going to drink a lot of coffee and feel sorry for myself. Hopefully I will be over it soon - my folks are coming down for their Holiday visit and I have a lovely picture of snow in Paris to look at on my computer. Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-17323380313175116492010-12-01T10:00:00.000-05:002010-12-01T10:00:38.733-05:00Paleo Challenge - FinalAnd the winners of the Paleo Challenge: Chris took first and I got second. <br />
<br />
Good Lord. <br />
<br />
So we did what we jokingly said we would do "if we won" which was take the prize money and get some new equipment for the gym. And we got some new abmats. They rock.<br />
<br />
Yay us!Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-87743583802227461602010-12-01T09:56:00.000-05:002010-12-01T09:56:14.961-05:00Leading Up to Christmas!Well we have certainly been busy the last couple weeks. First thing was Oyster Festival and it was the bestest one yet... even if one of us had thrown out his back, but it was properly medicated with Gin so no worries there. We had a fantastic visit with the Family, and Goosy stayed at home with Grandma, making this also the first time that both of us were away from the kid (only the second time for me). <br />
<br />
Then we had a weekend off - and got lots done around the house and did crazy things like get to know our next door neighbor a little better (we have only been in the house for almost 4 years, we rare getting much better!). Then last weekend we went up to Kingston Springs to spend the weekend with my Godmother. Taking both dogs and the kid. We left our house at about 6:15 and it took until almost 8 before we were clear of traffic and into Tennessee. Thankfully the kid slept almost the entire way, and the dogs settled down nicely. We made very good time, and once we cleared a very surreal Chattanooga we had smooth sailing all the way to Cindy's house. The dogs got along great with hers (POSH and Rudy) and Polly the cat even got into the spirit and teased Maggie . We had a fantastic visit, Goosy got to play outside as much as she wanted and she became best friends with Rudy. And even though her sleep got all messed up (hello 4:30 am) she went to bed nice and early Saturday. I spent Friday evening getting kicked by a toddler and shoved by a Moose. Not my best sleep. Chris took Freya when she woke up Ungodly:30 and I was able to get some sleep. Which was great because we got to go to a lovely Farmers Market - that had several grass fed beef vendors (and there are like none at our Farmers Market) and we just had fun looking at everything. We ended up getting some kale, goat cheese, tangerines and apples, to go with the chili that was waiting for our dinner. Then it was back to the house for some lunch and wine in the back yard. (The weather was just perfect - warm and sunny.) The dogs played and played and played and the kid played and played and played with them. We had a bonfire that Freya collected the sticks for and it was just a great evening telling tall tales and drinking. Sunday we went to the dog park in the morning and then drove home that afternoon. I really didn't want to come home. Took lots of great pictures and I have totally fallen in love with the little hunting lodge and the city of Nashville.<br />
<br />
Then - Thanksgiving was last week. We stuffed ourselves silly over at The Jones' and a lovely time was had by all. We provided the Sangria and Tammy's cousin made the greens and Tammy made the rest of it. And oh boy! It was soooo good. I broke Paleo and had some bread - which I regretted the next day, but it was totally worth it at the time. Sunday we put the tree up and Freya has been going full on Christmas since. <br />
<br />
This weekend, we have "off" and then my parents are coming in for a visit - so we get to have Christmas twice. Woohoo! And Sally is going to be here for Christmas, and the week after, when Freya's school is closed. Grr. (on the closed school, not Sally). Thank god I have paid vacation this year. And... that's all for now. I'll post some more exciting scatterbrained rambling later.Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-78957239495543479252010-11-02T14:04:00.000-04:002010-11-02T14:04:30.801-04:00How Come?When the crazies start talking about their “spirit guide” and the like it is always something cool like an Otter, a Cat or (the always popular) Wolf... it's never anything like a goat or cow or duck. Not sexy and romantic enough I guess. I am pretty sure that there are Spirit Guides, but they are a part of a more pagan religion; like Native American, African Tribes or South American indigenous people practiced. Not so much a Catholic or Church of England thing. And most surly nothing like a spirit guide would come within 100 meters of the Puritans.<br />
<br />
I guess it’s funny to me… because I have night terrors, and I have hallucinations at night when I wake up from a particularly vivid dream (my favorite is when I read the Great Gatsby in high school, after reading a party scene and going to bed… now every time I have to go to the loo at night in my folks house, I see a 1920’s party going on in the living room) that all these people talking about seeing “ghosts” and “demons” when what it most likely a sleep disorder (and I have it but can’t remember what it’s called and am too lazy to look it up). Wow. That was quite a sentence. And, now that I'm thinking about it, I have a tendency to see things that aren't there all the time, not just at night. I remember seeing the movie A Beautiful Mind, and thinking: holy shit I have schizophrenia! (Schizophrenia can present in early stages as auditory and visual hallucinations; of course that is dumbing it down a lot; but the gist of why it freaked me out.) It does make for interesting walks to the loo in the middle of the night. It also means that I have at least two people (Husband and Brother) that will see movies like Blair Witch and that Paranormal State and tell me that I am under no circumstances allowed to watch said movie. This is after they have both had to deal with a Sivy post creepy movie. <br />
<br />
Don't get me wrong - I totally believe in ghosts. I have lived in a house that had a ghost cat living in the basement; a little black and white fella that would play with Misha and Sassy. And I will swear that for years after she died, I could feel my cat Sabrina jump onto my bed. Most people I know have at least one story of unexplained phenomena. Perhaps at this point, I should also state, that I really find myself agreeing with the premise of Gods and so forth from the novel American Gods. Yes, I am aware that we are talking fiction here, but there is a rather sound bit of reasoning in there. As this is a country made up of immigrants, having shoved the native peoples as far away as possible, the people that then settled the country brought their gods and belief systems with them. Think about it... all those little bits and pieces of folk lore, or even that Oden would be here because the Vikings settled Greenland and Iceland. All the little imps, demons and creatures from the African folk tales would have found their way over from the slave trade; and all the pixies and other bits and pieces that would have shuffled on over with the highly superstitious people immigrating from Eastern Europe. So they would all mix up together with the native religions and Viola! You get ghost stories. Or something like that. <br />
<br />
Now, the creepiest and also saddest thing that I have ever had happen to me was when I was in high school. There was this big white abandon farm house where my friends and I would go and hang out because we were all cool and goth and shit. Well, before we started hanging out there someone had painted a pentagram on the floor of one room, and there was the typical "satanic" gibberish on the walls. (I have a feeling that if met by a true Satanist these suburban weenies would have wet themselves, but I digress). Eventually, I got more hours at work and daylight savings ended, and generally I just didn't have time to go and hang out at the house. I really liked the house, it had a fantastic layout, and this super little room on the second floor, that had only a bathtub sitting in it. I used to talk to the house when I would hang out there, telling it how pretty I thought it was; and then one night, I had this very vivid dream that there was blood running down the walls, like the walls were bleeding, and blood covering that silly pentagram on the floor. And I had the oddest feeling, like the house was in trouble and very cold. The next day, I drove out to where the house was, and discovered that it was being torn down. The property had been sold and house was about half demolished when I saw it that day. And I just burst into tears. I remember telling the house that I was so sorry, but there was nothing that I could do; and to date, I have not had any more dreams about the house. Where the house stood is now as gas station.Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-30540408193648358102010-11-02T09:38:00.000-04:002010-11-02T09:38:08.370-04:00Paleo Challenge, Benchmarks, and Other Goings OnThe Paleo Challenge has officially ended, and we are now doing the benchmarks to gauge performance. So - that is three different things - the one rep max of power clean, deadlift, bench press and back squat; the Benchmark: 500M row, 40 squats, 30 sit-ups, 20 push-ups and 10 pull-ups; and "Hugo". Hugo has been this nasty looming thing for the entire challenge for me. It is 5 rounds for time of: 400M run, 21 box jumps, 21 kettle-bell and 21 pull-ups. I am pretty sure that it almost killed me doing Hugo in August. (I had brilliantly donated blood the day before, having no idea what Hugo was.) But as we are doing these with the same modifications as at the beginning, I am hoping for a sub-45 min Hugo. So far, my "benchmark" was 6:06, down from 7:49 and my deadlift has gone up to 190 (from 185). My back squat is 145 up from 105! WOOO! That leaves the power clean and bench press for after Urbanna, as Hugo is tomorrow. And I'm sure I posted this already - but going from 160 to 146 was pretty cool too. And, at 146 I am officially weighing less than when I got pregnant. I still have about 6 pounds of fat to go - my target is 139. OH! And my face is like 90% better, still get some flushing from nerves and heat but the painful puffy zit infested red flushing is gone. The best part: no more medicine! <br />
<br />
Now, for the other goings on.... Grandma is arriving today to stay with Freya for Oyster Festival. It is no kid this year, and we are really looking forward to this vacation. It will be the second time I have been away from her overnight. I am a little nervous, but we both really need this break. I have been looking forward to and planning my wardrobe for this trip for the last 2 months! Surprisingly the wardrobe hasn't altered much at all. Atypical of me, usually I've overhauled the planned wardrobe at least 3 times! But - can't go wrong with jeans, t-shirts and sweaters. Biggest issues have become: which shoes and jacket or puffer vest?? We aren't checking luggage and it will all have to fit in the massive NRA backpack (that thing is a pocket universe) but boots take up a lot of room! And do I really want a coat? Decisions, decisions! Oh, my bag - do I carry a tote, my purse, which purse.... oh heavens to Betsy! That whoosh you just heard? That was Chris rolling his eyes. But if I am focusing on this, then I am not freaking out about leaving Freya. So it's all good. Besides the most important things on the what to pack list are: camera, "ears", cords for the phones and the iPod. Because everything else can be obtained once we are there if we have forgotten anything.Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-67945020672173189192010-11-01T09:46:00.000-04:002010-11-01T09:46:45.128-04:00HalloweenI was a little worried about Halloween this year. With the not wanting to wear her Witch Dress at the birthday party about 2 weeks ago and working on "trick or treat" and saying thank you .... that is a lot! But, magically she wanted to wear her witch dress (that daddy fixed the itchy arms of) and she NAILED the trick or treat. She went around our end of the street, Chris was also dressed up (in his Kendo gear) and I stayed home to dish out "treats". They were gone for just about an hour (had to take puppy meeting breaks) and when they got back, she helped me hand out candy to the last 3 or 4 groups to hit the house. <br />
<br />
All our Trick or Treater's said trick or treat and they all also said thank you. Which is huge as many people I have talked to the kids just stuck out their bags, not saying anything and then turning around and going. The candy is OK - but the fun part is getting to say Trick or Treat!! This is the first year since we had Freya that we participated in Trick or Treating, and we sure made up for lost time!Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-70965182336859604012010-11-01T09:35:00.000-04:002010-11-01T09:35:16.357-04:00No Time to Sit Still! ~ a fragmentIt is finally fall! The weather is chilly in the morning (46 degrees) and just a little warmer than I would like in the afternoons but still cooler that it has been! Woot Woot! We have a super busy couple of weekends coming up. Next weekend we have Barbells for Boobs, Nocturnal Nature Walk, and our body fat dunk tank tests. Sometime in there we want to go talk a little hike and see the fall foliage and get some Dutch Monkey donuts*. The following weekend is Halloween and we have a party to go to! As well as taking Goosy our for the first time. Oh - and I'm starting school! Whew. <br />
<br />
This past weekend Freya attended her first birthday party that wasn't for her. It was a dress up party and she was all excited to wear her little punk witch costume.... well that lasted for all of 5 or 6 minutes then it was full on melt down and "I want it offffff" so (thanks to Grandma) we had a substitute Elmo dress up costume and she wore that instead. She was so damn cute. We got there and we had a great time painting mini pumpkins, eating all the marshmallow's out of the snack mix and having cake with ice cream. After what might have been the longest two hours of my life (we are full on potty training and are going without pull-ups these days) we made it home without having an accident took the shortest nap on record and then went out for dinner.Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-69872546505718246282010-10-28T16:20:00.000-04:002010-10-28T16:20:45.539-04:00huh.It is totally fascinating to me when I think about my self image. Before I had Freya, I would have told you that I was "athletic". I worked out, and I also drank A LOT of beer and wine, so while I had a flat stomach - I also had some pretty impressive fat pockets on my hips. Because I like numbers: I weighed 147 when I got pregnant, wearing a size 8/10. I gained A LOT of weight when I was pregnant, I was 215 on their scale two days before I gave birth. Almost a year later, I was holding at 164 and wearing a size 12. I felt like shit. To me - I was fat. I had this huge saggy and distorted stomach and a huge ass. And lets not forget the chins! So it was that in the summer of 2009 I did a fantastic Carb Cycling diet. And I lost the weight. I was 147 for like a day. The problem with the Carb Cycling diet, was that I just didn't have the time to prepare food and have it ready to go for lunch at work. I ended up eating so much chicken and steamed veggies that the second I hit my target weight, I went back to "normal"eating. And, we can see where this is going can't we??? Well as well as going back to my bad eating habits, I also got a new job that had mandatory overtime. So not only was I eating bad, but I was super stressed out as well. And: Hello 20 pounds! <br />
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By now, I am back in my fat clothing, feeling miserable. I couldn't see going to the gym doing the treadmill at all at this point. I was so tired, I missed my family. I was doing a lot of complaining. Then, right around my birthday this year, I started to do Cross-Fit. And along with Cross-Fit came the "Paleo Challenge". Now, I knew about Paleo already, had the book and everything. But, we had never put it into place. Just seemed to hard. Now, I was ready. And as of this past Saturday, the challenge end date: I am 145 pounds, and my body fat went from 32% to 26%. I have about 6 more pounds of fat to get to my "optimum" range. And I will get there because, as I have said here before, we are staying Paleo. And I love Cross-Fit. It really did save me (and my 6 am class means that I can still work out when the overtime kicks up again).<br />
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So, I am now "skinner" than I was before I got pregnant. Except - the jeans that I have been wanting to get into - will never fit. Becasue now I have muscles where I had fat. And I am so much happier - I feel good and have an outlet for that aggression that is always just under the serface for me. <br />
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And in totally Piffle news - no hair cut yet.... will trim and change the color instead. I have realized that I really love my hair long. Just without the split ends.Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-65043358545828564262010-10-13T13:59:00.000-04:002010-10-13T13:59:20.586-04:00I Need New Hair<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And it want it to look roughly like this:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0KhAPPWrZ0L6ddxvXa2tB7QOuArGMLVKON0a23EE4KP4r3rg8e-7C1ohYGKKKASlQ0bm1V8Xb9vS_f_kKKDXN-vfbb4I92ly3ziTActIHFh5QCZ1OlvVyq3qmX2YEj0bnU_pPMBDnR6L/s1600/PDVD_1268.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0KhAPPWrZ0L6ddxvXa2tB7QOuArGMLVKON0a23EE4KP4r3rg8e-7C1ohYGKKKASlQ0bm1V8Xb9vS_f_kKKDXN-vfbb4I92ly3ziTActIHFh5QCZ1OlvVyq3qmX2YEj0bnU_pPMBDnR6L/s320/PDVD_1268.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The red will be a little darker (since I dye it anyway - I sorta get skeeved by the idea of dying it the same color as the husband and kid have naturally). I am currently sporting a long, unshaped beast of chocolate brown that hangs in a knotted wad down around my shoulder blades. Can you say "hair up in a knot on the top of my head!"? </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This cut has the look of something that I can (gasp) blow dry and go. And one day, when I am a big girl, I will actually curl the ends. You would think, as much time as I spend longing for pretty hair that I would actually, I don't know, DO SOMETHING with my hair. Hmm. Perhaps it is time to put on the big girl knickers and schedule an appointment, procure a curling iron and finally just get into the habit of doing my hair. God lord. After all - I can get out of bed at 5:15 AM to go to CrossFit and I changed my diet to Paleo, this is easy after that!</div>Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-74363736460531909832010-09-24T10:05:00.001-04:002010-09-24T13:36:05.196-04:00My Brain is WeirdThere are certain songs that every time I hear them I link it to the book that I am reading at the time – and then it seems the two are forever linked in my brain. For example: I was reading the Sandman comic by Neil Gaiman, and the next morning as I was driving to work I was listening to Empires by VNV Nation – and now every time I hear a song from Empires, one of the story lines from the Sandman will pop into my head. Some of them are pretty intense like the Great Below by Nine Inch Nails will generate images similar to Simon floating out to sea from the Lord of the Flies. No idea how that linked up in my head as I haven’t read that book in ages – like High School? And Pioneer to the Fall’s by Interpol always makes me think of the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter books. <br /><br />It is actually sort of nice – when I get stuck in traffic (a daily occurrence in Atlanta) I can just select a song and let my mind wonder its own little story line. And then I’m not cursing a blue steak down I-85 because my mind is nicely occupied.<br /><br />As and obligatory Paleo/Crossfit update: diet going well and today I did an unassisted Kipping Pull-Up. GO ME! And my clean has gone up 5 pounds from my one rep max so there you go. I can also do 55 sit-ups in 2 minuets, hold plank for 1:14 and I almost did a hand stand! Except that I got dizzy on the way up and went splat. The Challenge ends on our anniversary and I hope that they have the body fat emersion truck dude there on that same Saturday so that we can get our measurement done that day. Then we can enjoy our anniversary dinner without thought to the salt content and so on and so forth of the meal. Because I have a feeling that meal will be a doozey. I know I am planning on some wine and more that a little chocolate. But – oddly – I don’t want to break Paleo (too much) because with so much going well I don’t want to wake up the next morning with full on rosacea flushing and belly issues. What started as a we can go get Italian is slowly morphing into a Mexican feast. <br /><br />And as for exciting plans for the weekend: Papa Jacks for breakfast (most likely on Sunday) and I’m gonna dye my hair Dark Chocolate Brown. There is also the possibility that we might swing out to watch Fight Gone Bad at the AFB in Smyrna, but I have a feeling that might not happen. As it will be hot as hell Saturday…. but things look like they will be cooling off and there should only be a high of like 75 on Monday.<br /><br />In wardrobe news: I also got the zipper on a little size 8 brown cord skirt fixed and viola! I have the skirt to go with the sweater I got a couple weeks ago. And I am totally stoked that I can get my no longer such a fat ass in a size 8 skirt. I also scored a lovely gold nylon bag - which will make a lovely tote for weekends till someone is totally potty-trained and it will also be a great travel bag. Between that and our huge NRA backpack we shouldn’t need any other bags when we fly up for Oyster Festival this year. And that will be an oddity – because Freya is going to stay at home with Grandma. Hopefully she will go easy on Grandma! It will mark the second time since she was born that I have been away from her for more than a day. I am really looking forward to not having a bedtime fight and getting to sleep in! I am still looking for a long cardigan/sweater coat in a dark sage or brown (preferably) cashmere… there is on a the T.J. Maxx that I just might have to scoop up! It has a hood – but I can work with that. I think that I have shrunk enough that my fabulous red trench is going to need to be replaced. Sigh. I love that coat – but I can get two of me in there now so I think that it needs replacing….with a sweater coat! Ha!Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-4141052804670427172010-09-21T09:06:00.002-04:002010-09-21T09:25:54.889-04:00Sick of the heatI am so tired of 90+ days. Like pondering a move to the Arctic sick of it. It does have a plus side, I can still wear my flip's and tank tops. And I'm not cold all the time. But dammit! I am ready to wear sweaters, fall dresses, tights and my new kick ass boots! Waaa!<br />Perhaps - I'll do it anyway... the first day of Autumn is Thursday - I shall celebrate by dressing like it is Autumn and then sweating to death. But! I have gluten free beer now. Silver lining and all that.Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-83405566122191377492010-09-14T10:34:00.005-04:002010-09-21T09:06:21.187-04:00Paleo/Crossfit BabyFreya is doing the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Paleo</span> Challenge by default, as both her mother and father are eating <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Paleo</span> these days. I just found a last lone hold out bag of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Cheezits</span> in the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">cupboard</span> last night, which tossed out (read: stale). So far eating <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Paleo</span> with the little one has been pretty easy she likes fruit and veggies and is getting a handle on meat. At this point, I am not packing her lunch for school because they make very good food for her at the daycare, but that will probably change come Kindergarten in 3 years. (eek!) Then it's: Hello <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Bento</span> box! They are cute and interesting and super inexpensive and will hold all the food we eat very well. They also make a little press thingy that when you put a freshly boiled and peeled egg in it it will make it into a little cat face. Nothing says You need me! to a mother of a little girl than the ability to make her boiled eggs into a cat face.<br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div></div><div>Last week we had a Cross-Fit gym group picture with as many members of No Excuses as could get there. Freya loves to go to the gym because we let her play with the equipment after the folks there are done with their workouts. She was also cheering for the guys that were finishing up a particularly evil <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">WOD</span>. Nothing cuter than a little voice going <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">WOOHOO</span>! We were posed and our pictures taken - Freya was better behaved than some of the adults there. She sat still, and was totally awe struck by John and his freshly worked on tattoo. </div><div> </div><div>After the posed picture we just sort of milled around, and some random candid pictures were taken including one of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Crossfit</span> baby:</div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4H1sG1UkDCMAuu8GqcF2jbYivN1DiJ9NkDuRV_-iZA-wToeqwFlZRgGOx_D51FYyF8O6hEaQt4TDO9OVM42YNZNjsyPOzkNG9PyHhIdf0HOtJfKpuOsheAFYYEo400h1Ep_PseW52uCHz/s1600/tire+flip+2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519351587513701954" style="WIDTH: 149px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4H1sG1UkDCMAuu8GqcF2jbYivN1DiJ9NkDuRV_-iZA-wToeqwFlZRgGOx_D51FYyF8O6hEaQt4TDO9OVM42YNZNjsyPOzkNG9PyHhIdf0HOtJfKpuOsheAFYYEo400h1Ep_PseW52uCHz/s200/tire+flip+2.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOvV5c1AnAFxc6HsW5vYnm2sRj5uMCb4Ujo6L-IljvPyzovb-KqzscmEqH2myQEBSmVSY5hqF7X0RQTMpklJ4ZMWyWeAg7SzuWMOSjejyfTmr66-4iWDsX9ThDd-1QSR0iyF377xNWxvCt/s1600/tire+flip+1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519351582011948530" style="WIDTH: 128px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOvV5c1AnAFxc6HsW5vYnm2sRj5uMCb4Ujo6L-IljvPyzovb-KqzscmEqH2myQEBSmVSY5hqF7X0RQTMpklJ4ZMWyWeAg7SzuWMOSjejyfTmr66-4iWDsX9ThDd-1QSR0iyF377xNWxvCt/s200/tire+flip+1.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZaYNhVSz5wpJ6uTi03w2S7CZRKCJ12i5WQcnSedMK3RbSCtlw9-oPuxZr3RRa6BpKcGRiBN0kAfQ3s40CM4O0SaxhMl1luxlbKrDB3_ZyI7jZzA0XIScBCTAlQk05D6sC_nPJOgLPWHcs/s1600/crossfit+baby.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519351591730329746" style="WIDTH: 126px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZaYNhVSz5wpJ6uTi03w2S7CZRKCJ12i5WQcnSedMK3RbSCtlw9-oPuxZr3RRa6BpKcGRiBN0kAfQ3s40CM4O0SaxhMl1luxlbKrDB3_ZyI7jZzA0XIScBCTAlQk05D6sC_nPJOgLPWHcs/s200/crossfit+baby.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht557_j57aDzoJmOBMO1zNFeztN5JekiC6xfOuF4fkzRh4Y3gjQR9qWye7Brcb5FM3RKbqGzNQaAa9og6Ijzm3HLc5MDCGPCNQN61eVVdN80eujS6rhIZAc6OmZnqVG22hNSqOb5bEtW9r/s1600/tire+flip+3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519351598006807538" style="WIDTH: 111px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht557_j57aDzoJmOBMO1zNFeztN5JekiC6xfOuF4fkzRh4Y3gjQR9qWye7Brcb5FM3RKbqGzNQaAa9og6Ijzm3HLc5MDCGPCNQN61eVVdN80eujS6rhIZAc6OmZnqVG22hNSqOb5bEtW9r/s200/tire+flip+3.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiySO-no0DvLOMa9JkdnoANIy8n6aAkKjOnh-GUGHlpr8tkd60cTe0Ht8Keu9B0KptI06EFECj5J0nXYFztoff8YwcVRReK_D57jszRqoq43mBvVd1-l10TjFJFysGltLSRUsl2hJhTTh1u/s1600/tire+flip+4.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519351608019102130" style="WIDTH: 149px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiySO-no0DvLOMa9JkdnoANIy8n6aAkKjOnh-GUGHlpr8tkd60cTe0Ht8Keu9B0KptI06EFECj5J0nXYFztoff8YwcVRReK_D57jszRqoq43mBvVd1-l10TjFJFysGltLSRUsl2hJhTTh1u/s200/tire+flip+4.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Flipping a tire. She actually did better than I did the first time I ever flipped a tire! (The picture in the middle also made it onto the gym web page for today's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">WOD</span>.) Momma and Daddy are so proud.</div></div></div></div></div></div>Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-42127933425481343022010-09-02T09:21:00.006-04:002010-09-10T12:47:32.482-04:00Autumn?I think that we might actually be getting closer to Autumn! There is a nice coolness to the morning air, even if the afternoon highs are in the upper 80's!<br /><br />Autumn is my favorite season and it has been for as far back as I can remember. I love the crisp air and the shorter days and the general feeling of being lighter. The oppressive heat of summer (especially down here in Atlanta) has wained and the mosquito's have died back and it is suddenly pleasant to be outside. And the new sweaters don't hurt either. And (no surprise here) I love my sweaters. I have made acquiring sweaters an art form. I have cardigans in just about every useful color (for me) and even some that aren't so useful (read: pink). I have a pile of "work sweaters" and a smaller pile of "play sweaters" they each need some updating this year. Very exciting, I know. Not as exciting as trying to find a pair of gold heels. Woo! <br /><br />The other thing I need to update this year is my coat. I have this super fantastic awesome royal blue wool coat from the 1960's and it needs new buttons. Thinking large plastic - in white or purple or kelly green. Hmmmm, now that I think about it, I also need to clean out the dry-rotted liner and do some hem work. Which is the best about living in Atlanta, I don't have to worry about re-lining the damn thing because just the wool will be enough to keep me warm!<br /><br />Dammit - come on cooler weather! I am tired of all this sweating just walking down to get the mail. I also need to air out the house some more - it still has that funky to much air conditioning smell. <br /><br /><br />I think that I shall go back to my favorite fantasy for the rest of my afternoon: cocktail party, fabulous dress, gold heels, drinking pink champagne, eating fancy chocolate and having my house EXACTLY the way I like it. The table set with the fancy china, and magically I have all the Kate Spade fancy china odds and ends (the ones with the gold and silver bugs, because the china is a floral). Maybe for Thanksgiving! OOH. Better get to planning! I have gold shoes and hopefully a dress to go and get!Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-35620311734426867202010-08-31T10:23:00.003-04:002010-08-31T10:57:23.664-04:00I Love PaleoPaleo has been this catalyst… and I know that I will probably be eating like this for the rest of my life. There are several things that assist in keeping the decision solid: my skin clearing up, and that the weight is coming off to name the big ones. But, it is also how I feel. Even when I am starving hungry, it is a different hungry than when I was eating all that crap. This is more of a "Hello, this is your stomach, please eat something" rather than the "HARVEY NEED FOOD NOW -GRRRRRR". Harvey being the name I gave that very nasty mood that took over when my blood sugar would drop when I got hungry, usually the shakes and nausea would follow. This usually resulted in my consuming a huge amount of pasta, or french fries. And, as I have been typing this out, it has just occurred to me that I haven't gotten the shakes from being hungry since starting Paleo. Like it wasn't hunger that gave me the shakes, it wasn't having sugar and/or glutton. That is kind of scary, now that I think about it. <br /><br />There is something infinitely more satisfying about life when I know that what I’m putting into my body is good for it and also that the work-outs I am doing at CrossFit give me a much greater since of accomplishment. I mean – it is so much better for the psyche than the endless hamster wheel that is the elliptical machine at the gym. I also have camaraderie while working out and have made new friends. After a particularly difficult WOD (workout of the day) we talk and joke while regaining the use of our appendages. I have never thought that I would be one of those people that willingly gets up at 5:15 to go work out. But I am, and I love it. Also, my coffee drinking is way down, because after CrossFit - I don't need any caffeine. <br /><br />And the most interesting thing that has changed, is the Internet searches that I do. It used to be that I would start obsessing about something or the other, and trying to locate it (never mind that I didn't need a new coat, purse, pair of boots, the epic 7 month search for the "perfect white bag") and actually get into a world class bad mood if I couldn't locate it! These days, I hunt down Paleo recipes and read my Nigella Lawson cookbooks for meal ideas, (altering the Nigella to Paleo when needed). And I am having so much fun doing it.Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-37062593022023974512010-08-30T09:06:00.004-04:002010-08-30T09:28:14.257-04:00GrouchyNeed more snacks. I can't seem to loose this nagging hungry feeling and it is making me grouchy because, I end up grazing all afternoon.... and craving a block of cheddar cheese.Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-16386782417247795032010-08-25T08:37:00.005-04:002010-08-26T08:29:40.964-04:00Fall Clothing - Post of Twee-nessIt is time for the thrilling and exciting time of fall shopping. For the first time in YEARS there are only a couple of things that I "need" for my wardrobe and they are mostly for work. This is because I am shrinking out of all my current fall/winter wardrobe. Boo-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Hoo</span>. And I have decided to finally get the damn things that I have been wanting for several years. Like a chocolate brown elbow sleeve cashmere turtleneck. (<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">currently</span> watching one on <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">eBay</span> - bitch will be mine!!!! if all goes well in like 13 hours.) Wait... where was I? Right! So the rest of things I "need" that aren't for work? A pair of yellow <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">corduroy's</span> and a sweater coat. I know. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Y'all</span> are just <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">RIVETED</span>. Now... for finding that pair of caramel colored knee-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">ish</span> high boots. Those bitches are being elusive. Because I need to try them on with my mega-calves - <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">apparently</span> athletic legs don't want boots? I don't get it. I would really rather not have them shipped only to have to send them back. Total bummer. So - <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">DSW</span> better get some this year.<br /><br />Of course living in Atlanta, I can wear tee-shirts and tank tops almost all year long. And doing <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">CrossFit</span> means that I am going to have to get more work out clothing. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Honesty</span> it's about time that I get some nice work out stuff. I might even get a new gym bag. The excitement!<br /><br />Stay tuned to see if I win the sweater!<br /><br />ETA: BOO-YA! I won the sweater! WOOOOOO!Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-79448777726276146742010-08-24T10:24:00.003-04:002010-08-24T10:54:45.771-04:00Heart Breaking - But Not So Much Now That I Think About ItSo - Paleo is going well! Very well - in fact 10 pounds in 2 weeks well. That first week - dropped like 6 pounds - they were called: Beer, Goldfish Crackers, Cheezit's, Doritos's and Pop-Tarts. Slowed down to 4 pounds last week, which is better actually because this is a 3 month challenge and I don't want to plateau too early. The only heartbreaking part, when I think about it, is that I no longer can have beer. Because by removing all the gluten from my diet has done such wonders in for my skin, my digestion and my energy levels in just 2 weeks, I don't want to screw that up. I will miss beer, I really will, but not enough to dwell upon because for the first time in almost 6 years my face has cleared up and for the first time since I started to pay attention, my "belly issues" have gone away. Just like that! Poof! On the bright side: Wine and dark chocolate are still in the mix! And after the Paleo Challenge is over a move to the Primal Blueprint (basically the same thing except for the addtion of dairy).<br /><br />This past weekend I competed in the Garage Games: Survival of the Fittest. A little CrossFit competition that was a lot of fun. I have only been doing CrossFit for like 2 months, so I think that I was the least experienced competitor there, by at least 6 months. But! I finished the first WOD and wasn't eliminated which was what I was shooting for. The first lift in the second WOD was my 1 rep max weight and I managed to crank out 6 before I saw stars and my knees buckled. I am very proud of myself. And look out because next year I'm gonna totally KICK SOME ASS! Here is a picture of Freya getting ready to do a dead lift (using the bar that I used for some cleans):<br /><br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8lLHivRBWRMk8qyc9otm8ZX7RQHuqIxjK2XUV3y7BPlV8L92kJzNP4zkvxzV-QlZUfGdD7u10D8agweL8sqcPBZj1kR4f7ZBNRsRi5y0TqRSkcUHleRbkrTdRnQOlJ119AWQdoOgQr3D/s1600/doing+dead-lift!.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508985299471945314" style="WIDTH: 380px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8lLHivRBWRMk8qyc9otm8ZX7RQHuqIxjK2XUV3y7BPlV8L92kJzNP4zkvxzV-QlZUfGdD7u10D8agweL8sqcPBZj1kR4f7ZBNRsRi5y0TqRSkcUHleRbkrTdRnQOlJ119AWQdoOgQr3D/s320/doing+dead-lift!.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The best part of the entire day was getting to watch Goosey play around with the pull-up bar's and the dead lift. Sadly I was still competing when she did her pull-ups (w/ Daddy assistance) and there was no camera at hand. She also walked up to the dead lift station (185lbs) and pulled on the bar with her Daddy behind her cheering her on. Making sure we weren't in the way of competitors, I noticed there were about 5 or 6 guys all heavily tattooed, and about 215lbs looking over at her and they just had the goofiest grins on their faces. I am still giggling about it now, 4 days later!Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-81692362368694787882010-08-18T07:50:00.002-04:002010-08-18T08:11:44.503-04:00Like a ton of BricksThere I was... having a nice Sunday afternoon. The kid is finally starting to play on her own (granted in fits and spurts) but she was playing in her "fort" and I watched two episodes of Gilmore Girls. I loved that show. I still watched through the contrived temper-tantrum the creator/writer threw and the shitty non-ending we got as a series finale but... I really liked the characters. Mostly I loved Lorelei, and her wardrobe. Especially her wardrobe. <br /><br />I have gotten pretty hippie-dippie of late... ill-fitting skirts, sport bra's, wallabies.... I"m suddenly starting to feel very sorry for my husband.... Anyway! I am now winding my way back to the land of the stylish (this is becoming a joke in our house) more to the Lorelei inside as I like to put it. Think: jeans that fit well, dresses, a handbag that isn't a nasty canvas tote... BOOM! I want to be a pretty girl. Just like that! It makes me really wonder about myself sometimes.<br /><br />And I discovered: when I don't feel good (in this case being about 30lbs over my usual weight) I take it out on myself by dressing in things that will accent the part that is bothering me and then focusing on it. Totally a good productive way to go about solving a problem. Hey! Go out of your way to make sure you continue to feel like shit! Thanks to CrossFit and the Paleo diet I am comfortable in my skin again... like I am worth the nice things I look at online. <br /><br />This year my goal is to go with my off-beat style, have fun and mostly remember it's not what the "in" article of clothing, accessory, shoe is - but how does it fit? that should matter. That might be the suckiest sentence ever... screw it, I don't feel like fixing it.<br /><br />Now... if I can just win that Marc Jacob's bag on eBay for like $35 I will be over the moon! And it will become the SQUEEE heard around the world. Now - to make that list of for my fall wardrobe search. And now that I think about it... start looking into Christmas ideas also.Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-84540322161204405822010-08-10T09:12:00.004-04:002010-08-13T08:25:56.163-04:00Cross-Fit and PaleoSo - Sunday we started the "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Paleo</span> Challenge" at our Cross-Fit gym. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Paleo</span> Challenge is pretty simple actually - follow the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Paleo</span> diet, before and after pictures, body fat percentage and training improvement from 8/9 to 10/30. The Football totals were pretty intense, I am still pretty sure that Hugo is the most difficult thing I have ever done (5 rounds for time of: 400 m. run, 21 pull-ups, 21 kettle bell swings, 21 box jumps, it took me 46:07. The other is called the baseline and it's a 500 m. row, 40 squats, 30 sit-ups, 20 push-ups and 10 pull-ups - did it in 7:18.<br /><br /><br />I am very excited about this challenge because the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Paleo</span> diet is something that we have been talking about doing for several years - basically eating lean meats, veggies, fruit, nuts and eggs. NO GLUTEN and very little dairy. I made a smoothie yesterday as a snack for after the dentist (because I was still numb and didn't want to risk chewing food) and it was egg white protein powder, cup of frozen berries, ice and water. It was so good that I had to fight Freya to get it back when I gave her a sip. She will be getting her own little smoothie now after she ran off with the one I made for breakfast this morning.<br /><br /><br />Sunday was the hardest day by FAR. All either of us wanted to eat was <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">carbs</span>! I was cranky and hungry feeling even after I had eaten. But on Monday, the very next day I was feeling so much better, my energy was up and I noticed that I'm drinking way less coffee! So much so that I have put away the coffee maker and am using the French Press - so better coffee to boot.<br /><br />I can't wait to see how much I improve - both physically and mentally on this challenge. I am willing to bet that my face will clear up and that my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">rosacea</span> flair -ups will almost completely go away. And for the girl that always had belly issues: haven't had any since Sunday. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Yay</span>!!Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7740136798814879993.post-57567961162949000162010-06-28T10:27:00.002-04:002010-06-28T10:33:31.546-04:00So Cute I Got CavitiesSo, I made chocolate croissants for Sunday breakfast. Very exciting for me as they came out very very yummy. The next time I make them, a smidge lower on the heat and I'll let them bake a bit longer, and use a touch more chocolate... I needed to get a guage on how much chocolate to use, as nothing would be more tragic than having all the chocolate ooze out and end up on the baking sheet. But, I digress. As we were getting ready to eat our yummy chocolate croissants, Freya started to sing the Chocolate Song from Dora. Which is a fantastic song... because it is all about mixing chocolate. Mmmmm... So she would sing the chocolate song and take a big bite of her croissant, and giggle. Lather, Rinse, Repeat. Until the BOTH of her croissants were eaten. That's my girl.Sivyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15888290668041705735noreply@blogger.com0