The Bermuda Triangle of Weight Loss

We are quickly approaching the temptations and distractions of the holiday season.  Seekers of healthy eating habits run the risk of slowed motivation and lost effort while traveling through the Bermuda Triangle of Weight Loss (Halloween - Thanksgiving - Christmas/New Year). 

This can be one of the most challenging times of year for weight watchers.  Routines can be shaken up and can easily sabotage our pursuit of wellness.  Creating a simple Flight Plan can help navigate you safely through the joys and challenges of the holiday:

Having a clear destination (setting realistic goals)

Take a moment to set a realistic weight-related or behavior-related goal for the season. Whether you commit to a regular exercise routine to combat holiday stress or aim for a number on the scale, goals are an essential strategy for success. Be sure to record your goal in a highly-visible area as a friendly reminder to keep you on track.

Monitoring your in-flight status (tracking food and beverages)

If you bite it, write it! If you drink it, ink it!  Tracking and journaling provides a valuable (even magical?) habit that adds honesty, commitment and historical value to your health plan.  Have you ever recorded your feelings along with your food intake? Do you see a correlation between your food choices and your mood?  This is especially helpful if you are an emotional eater.

Check in with the flight tower regularly (staying connected with your weight loss program)

Support is essential in weight loss and maintenance and staying connected with your weight loss program (attending meetings, participating in online chats and message boards, leaning on friends and family for support), can help you maintain control of your eating habits and motivated right through the holidays.

Whenever you are struggling and tempted to give up throughout the holidays, take a minute to revisit your Flight Plan.  There is no immediate danger and no need to overreact.  The object during the holiday season is to keep your weight loss efforts flying!  Without one, who knows where we will end up on your weight loss journey.

Don't take a holiday from your weight loss efforts this season.  Make room in your calendar now to take time for yourself by planning ahead and staying connected right through the new year!

Healthy Blessings,

Sara

P.S. If you are considering a weight loss program, please join me! I lead Weight Watchers meetings in Fremont on Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. at the First Reformed Church on Hillcrest.  New members are always welcome. Attend your first meeting for free!

Yeah, that's why I love him!

Saturday night we ate at "the Peanut Place" (Logan's Roadhouse) in Muskegon. Soon a gentleman dressed as a farmer was seated across from us. He was acting anxious and kept jumping up to find his wife. Sure enough, soon she joined him. She was dressed sort-of as a clown. We concluded they had just come from a Halloween party.

Then they began blowing up balloons and sculpting them into flowers and swords. The boys watched curiously and soon were holding black swords in their hands. We chatted with them briefly and they told us they were new to ballooning and had just spent four hours as balloon twisters at a party for mentally-challenged kids. They were beaming!

When I returned from the bathroom Ben and the boys had made their way over to the balloon-twisters table and Ben was patting the gentleman on the back and grinning from ear-to-ear. We finished our conversation and said our goodbyes to our new-found friends. When we got in the car, Ben said "Well, I did something tonight I never thought I would do." Bracing for the worst, I asked him what?

"I bought those nice folks dinner." He paused and continued "After I heard that they had spent four-hours making balloons for mentally handicapped kids, something touched me and I wanted to do something nice for them." By now I was too choked up to ask anymore questions. Suddenly it didn't matter that we were carefully counting our pennies. He was proud of himself, and I was proud of him. Yeah, that's why I love him!

Little Boys and Urologists with Hiking Boots

During a routine check-up in May, Owen's doctor discovered that he suffers from "meatal stenosis" (interpretation: his pee hole is too small). She reassured us that this is a common condition in 3-and-4-year old boys and she diagnoses it at least once a week. So she referred us to a pediatric urologist in Grand Rapids.

Monday afternoon, Owen and I visited Dr. Steinhardt, a curt, middle-aged man who wears hiking boots with his shirt and tie.  We waited in his waiting room for over 40-minutes, and visited with him in his exam room for exactly 12 minutes. I was under the impression he would examine Owen and complete a simple, uncomplicated procedure to fix the problem.

Dr. Hiking Boots is a man of few words and has a well-organized drawer of information.  He spoke entirely too fast, used words I didn't understand and left no time for questions.  Does Owen experience daytime wetting? No. Nighttime wetting? No. Urinary Infections? No. Does it take him longer than 25 seconds to pee? I don't know...I haven't timed him!  Is the circumference of his flow more like a base string on a guitar or the high string? Huh?  He demonstrated with an expandable pocket pointer. I smiled but didn't get it.

Next he examined Owen, and invited me to watch. I sheepishly stepped to the table and smiled at Owen, who was being such a good patient, and far to young to be embarrassed.

The doc promptly finished his exam, washed his hands, opened his drawer of knowledge and thrust an information sheet about Owen's condition in my hands.  (Apparently he sensed I wasn't following completely and thought if I saw the big medical terms on paper I would suddenly understand).  He concluded that, although the hole is smaller than normal, the procedure wasn't "medically necessary". Owen doesn't display any symptoms of discomfort or danger.  He assured me that now that Owen is out of diapers, the hole will remain this size. Now how about his bowels and constipation? (I really should be a more observant mother). Doc produced another useful handout that described constipation in youth.

I was afraid to ask whether this would affect Owen in the long-term - you know - reproductively.  There is probably a handout for that too.

So, in sum, Owen's pediatrician recommended an unnecessary procedure that only becomes necessary if your four-year-old takes longer than 25 seconds to pee, should be peeing every 2.5 hours, the circumference of the flow should be more like that of a base guitar string and he should not suffer from constipation.  Parents with little boys take note.

I'm thankful Owen didn't need to undergo the procedure. (We could always visit again if he develops "problems").  I'm also thankful Owen can't read this blog, as I'm sure he will be utterly embarrassed when he reads it at upon graduation. Just kidding.

Vacation Ends - Back to Reality...Home Sweet Home

After six days on the road and over 2,400 miles in the van it's back to reality for the Wolfsen family.

We traveled through eight states in all: Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana.

We had the best night's sleep yet last night at a Country Inns & Suites hotel in Marion, Illinois.  We slept in, ate a nice continental breakfast at the hotel and began our trek home around 11 a.m.  The nine-hour trip was uneventful. The boys were great!  I downloaded an audiobook onto my iPod before we left this morning and Ben and I listened to it.  It was One For the Money by Janet Evanovich.  It was a cleverly written mystery, and Ben even liked it!

Simon and Dawn reached Fremont late this afternoon. Deb, Dave, John and Sarah followed a few hours later. We pulled in the driveway around 8 p.m.  Amy, E and Leo decided to stay another night on the road and visit the Museum of Science and Industry and the Aquarium in Chicago before they return home Wednesday.

I forgot to mention a very HAPPY 7TH BIRTHDAY to my favorite middle nephew, Ethan, yesterday. Happy Birthday Buddy!  Sorry we weren't home to celebrate with you.

My favorite oldest nephew, Noah, age 9, is away at Camp Henry this week.  We sent a postcard to him from Memphis Zoo. I hope it reaches him before his session ends on Saturday!

We may spend the afternoon at Silver Lake with Simon and Dawn tomorrow. Our plans are still undetermined.  Sometime I need to prepare my lesson for Weight Watchers on Thursday.  Oh yeah, I suppose I'd better get groceries so my family doesn't starve!

Back to the grind...laundry, workouts, housework, eh.

Lions and Tigers and Bears...Oh My! - Memphis Zoo - Vacation Day 5

WOW!  What a great day!  We visited the Memphis Zoo today.  The heat index was 102-degrees with high humidity levels so we swigged down a lot of water, slathered on the sunscreen and bought hats at the zoo.  Then we tackled every inch of the zoo in about 5 hours.  We had the same crew of travel companions - my in-laws, Aunt Sarah and Uncle John, Amy, E and Leo - eleven of us in all.  

We decided to split up to move through the zoo at a comfortable pace for all.  Amy, E, Leo and us explored together. We have many great photos!  I carried my small camera and Ben carried the Canon. He is so much better at using that camera than I am.

I enjoyed feeding the budgie birds from a wooden dowel rod, watching the gracefulness of the giraffes, giggled at the playfulness of the otters and admired the life of the hippos (eating, napping and swimming all day, every day...sign me up!).  Corbin loved the red pandas and monkeys, Owen enjoyed the monkeys and big cats.  This is a great zoo that doesn't require a lot of walking.  It's exhibits are kid-friendly and the prices are reasonable.  ($45 for a family of four, including parking).  We would probably go back, in January, when its cooler.  Check out their website www.memphiszoo.org.

Our nephew, Leo, is 18-months old and just beginning to discover animals and their sounds.  He thought many of the animals were monkeys, except the ostrich which were "big bok boks!".  The zoo must be a strange place for an 18-month-old.

We decided to get back onto the interstate and travel up I-55 for a few hours before stopping for the night. Dave and Deb, Aunt Sarah and Uncle John decided to continue onto Mt. Vernon, Illinois to meet up with Simon and Dawn on their way north.  Amy, E and Leo are staying with us in a great hotel in Marion, Illinois.  Tonight we ordered pizza poolside and swam in the pool.

Tomorrow we'll mosey up through Illinois, Indiana and eventually home to Michigan.  Back to reality...the laundry is waiting, workouts must resume, groceries must be gotten, and Ben reports back to work on Thursday. 

I'll prepare for my Weight Watchers meeting Thursday evening and then the rush is on to get ready for fair week next week!

On The Road Again...Vacation - Day 4

Despite the unrelenting heat and humidity we had a really great day!  

I had really great intentions to workout this morning so snuck out of the hotel room and down to the fitness center in our hotel. Spent 10 minutes trying to operate either of the two treadmills for a quick run with no luck. By the time I finished that I only had 10 minutes before it was time to awaken the rest of the family.  So I jumped on the elliptical trainer for 10 minutes while I watched the QVC channel (I couldn't operate the TV and remote either). *sigh*

We ate another delicious breakfast at the hotel (I should have worked out longer) and circled the wagons with the other three families we are traveling with.  Soon we were on the road to travel south to Avery Island, Louisiana - home of Tabasco sauce.  There is a 150-acre jungle garden and wildlife preserve on the island. It's a bit of a tourist trap but well-worth the $6.25 per person to travel by car through the natural wetlands and swampy areas of the Louisiana backwaters.  The boys were thrilled to get within 5-feet of alligators and even fed them some Teddy Grahams!  We have lots of photos. The gators ranged in size from 18-inches to over 4-foot long.  We also saw snapping turtles with moss on their backs, a black squirrel, many egrets and blue heron, a huge yucky spider and several large (2"+) grasshoppers.

We took photos at the largest, oldest live oak tree on the island, the bird sanctuary, the buddha pagoda and gater pond.

Aunt Amy danced from one fire ant hill to another as they marched up her legs and bit her in several places.  Grammy had Benedryl that she applied to the bites right away, which helped remove the sting.

The men toured the Tabasco plant while the ladies shopped at the country store which included just about anything you can imagine, everything had the Tabasco logo on it.  I finally found a rice cooker cookbook! It has several recipes with Tabasco sauce as the ingredient but also rice, soup and pasta recipes.  I didn't need another cookbook but it's a guilty pleasure!  I also bought a great CD with authentic cajun and zydeco music on it.  We kept our toes tapping in the car this afternoon. I wish I knew how to two-step.  Then again, I can't even master the chicken dance!

Then we began our trek back north. We've already logged over 1,300 miles in four days! The boys rode with Grandpa and Grandma for most of the drive today. 

A few hours of driving brought us to Bass Pro Shop, just north of Baton Rouge.  Corbin was in his glory as Ben took him through the store (which I think is nicer than Cabela's!) and spent some time with him picking out a new fishing pole and bait.  He finally found his Banjo Minnow kit!  We took several photos throughout the store, especially at the live fish tank.  Uncle John says Corbin is going to be an outdoorsman for sure.  When we asked Corbin what he was going to do when he grew up (because outdoor hobbies cost a lot of money!) he said he was going to go around and collect money from people for popsicles. hmph...

We drove another four hours and turned in for the night in a nice Holiday Inn in Grenada, Mississippi. We decided to order in pizza and eat it around the outdoor pool while the boys swam but the pool was closed!  It closed at 8 p.m.  It was 8:30 p.m. So all 11 of us walked to Shoney's for a greasy meal.

Tomorrow is a big day, we'll drive 100 miles north to the Memphis Zoo and spend the day there.  From there the plan is undetermined...

Summer Vacation 2009 - Day 3

Today was a great day for a wedding.  It was hot and humid (89% humidity and 90-degrees at 9:30 a.m.) but that's the climate here in Lafayette, Louisiana.

The hotel room is beautiful and welcoming but Ben and I are used to sleeping in a king-size bed at home so when we downsized to a queen on the trip, we are cramped for space. Tonight we are each sleeping with a little body.  The boys are thrilled to be sleeping with one of us.  How long will that last?

As part of our hotel package we ate a great breakfast this morning. The boys were in heaven with made-to-order eggs, omelettes, pancakes, waffles, toast, bagels, bacon, sausage, hot and cold cereals, yogurt, juices, fruit and pastries.  None of the Michiganders knew the plan for the day so we ate a large breakfast in case we didn't eat again until 7 pm. That's the relaxed, casual atmosphere in the south.

After breakfast we spent some time in the indoor pool and hot tub. Corbin swims like a fish underwater but not so well on top of the water. Something to work on when we get home, if we finally have summer weather!

At 11:30 a.m., the Wolfsen Family caravan assembled to drive 40 minutes to the hall where the wedding and reception were set to commence.  The beer keg was already on tap and the setting was very casual. Several of Simon and Dawn's family and friends gathered to witness the brief ceremony officiated by the Justice of the Peace.  Dawn wore a pretty, casual white dress with her cowboy boots, her sister wore a denim dress and boots, Dawn's niece (14 months) stole the show when she toddled down the aisle in a cowgirl outfit and tiny little boots.  Simon and Sam wore short-sleeved polo shirts, jeans and cowboy boots.

Soon the party began. There was a small luncheon that included cajun favorites such as ribs, meatballs, chicken drumettes, "boudin" (a spicy pork and rice deep-fried meatball) and jambalaya.  The music was great and the dancers were entertaining.  We watched Dawn's family dance the two-step to the cajun zydeco music.  It looked like fun!

Corbin has been so anxious to see a live alligator so we left the reception and visited Dawn's parents' farm on the bayou.  The alligator had been sited on their property earlier this morning but we never found him today.  We did enjoy watching their guinea fowl, chickens and rooster, beef cattle, dog "Rebel" and two snapper turtles being held in large tubs, waiting their fate as Turtle Soup.  We also enjoyed looking at the fruit (lemon, lime, fig, pear) and pecan trees on the property.  But it was hot, so we soon returned to our cars and made a final appearance at the reception.

Being a family with an agricultural background, we stopped at the rice field on the way back to the hotel and fondled the rice. We didn't venture too far into the field though, for fear of rattlesnakes!  We also saw fields of sugar cane and milo (commercial sorghum).  At first it seemed strange to have rice fields in Louisiana. But then I remembered the popular authentic cajun dishes such as jambalya and dirty rice and it made sense to me.

We went back to the hotel room and refreshed (I took a 10-minute power nap) before we met for dinner.  The caravan resumed in search for food. We had been recommended to go to a seafood buffet about 5 miles from our hotel.  When we got there, we learned the price was $18.95 per person, and the people were lined up out the door!  Two things I steer clear of when dining out?  BUFFET (because I can't control myself and overeat) and SEAFOOD (Yuck! besides, Ben is allergic...).  I was relieved when we decided to move on.  According to our GPS, there was a BBQ restaurant 3 miles away. So Ben and I led the caravan to a deserted parking lot.  The place had gone out of business!  By then it was nearly 7 p.m., the boys were crabby and everyone was hungry!  We ended up back at Picante's. A yummy Mexican restaurant that satisfied everyone.

When we returned to the hotel, everyone was tired, so we crashed without pool time tonight.  It was a busy, hot day.  Everyone is exhausted, but happy and satisfied.

Tomorrow we will visit Avery Island (a beautiful botanical garden and wildlife area) before we begin our journey back north. We hope to end in Memphis tomorrow night and will visit the Memphis Zoo on Monday.

Entering Cajun Country - Day 2

We made it to Lafayette Louisiana!  Today we drove seven hours to our final destination.  We spent a lot of time looking for wildlife on the drive. Unfortunately we didn't see anything. Unless you count the interstate roadkill -- a wild boar, an armadillo and something white and fluffy that we couldn't identify.  The boys were very busy looking for an alligator in every stream, river, swamp and bayou we passed. No luck tho.

We found it amusing that the rest stops in Mississippi had security guards in their air conditioned security shed, and a golf cart parked near the guard shack. As if the golf cart could run someone down on the interstate if there was trouble.  Uh boy.

We finally arrived at Simon and Dawn's apartment mid-afternoon.  Neither of them were home. Debbie, my MIL, was making the wedding bouquets. Aunt Amy took Corbin and Owen swimming in the pool while Ben and I checked into the hotel and found the floor of the van.

The hotel is a vast improvement over last night! Even Ben thought last night's place was dirty and said he would have gladly paid the extra $40 to stay at the holiday inn!  If he comments I know it's bad!

We'll be staying at the Hilton Garden Inn across from the Cajundome in LaFayette for the next two nights.  The hotel is beautiful, the room is immaculate, the pool, whirlpool and fitness center are inviting, and they serve a full breakfast each morning.  Aunt Sarah and Uncle John are staying across the hallway, my in-laws are in a hotel down the road and Amy and E are staying with Simon - for now.

The boys were thrilled to find a green lizard near the pool and can spot those little buggers instantly!  They have keen critter detection but haven't been fast enough to catch one yet.

To keep the boys entertained we walked around the apartment complex in search of lizards.  My nephew Leo (18 months) toddled along with me.  We met Grandpa along the way and continued our walk through the property.  I was fine with the heat (94-degrees and muggy) until the last half-block and suddenly the sweat began to roll and I was drenched!

The men split from the women for dinner.  The ladies took the three little boys with us and we ate at Copelands, a New Orleans themed restaurant.  They are also known for their cheesecakes but we were too full to try one!  Grammy and Aunt Sarah watched the boys while Amy and I met Dawn and eight of her friends for a Ladies Night/Bachelorette party.  The men ate at a cajun restaurant (Ben said the alligator tastes just like chicken) and shot pool at a pool hall.  The alcohol was flowing at both parties.  I stuck to my regular Diet Coke on the rocks.  I like to live life on the edge.

I'm realizing that folks in the south are not in a hurry, nor do they really make plans ahead of time. Perhaps it's the heat (or the alcohol) that keeps them laid back and relaxed.  I'm unsure of the plan for the wedding tomorrow.  We are spending the morning at the hotel - swimming, eating breakfast, and swimming some more.

Bah for now y'all.

Louisiana or Bust! - Family Vacation 2009 - Day 1

So in a previous post I just committed to regular entries.  Then it hit me, I could blog about our family vacation so you could follow along (if you are really, really bored).

So we left Fremont this morning at 6:06 a.m.  Two adults, two children, one mommy-van, snacks, drinks, cameras, laptop, and too many suitcases to count.  Although we'll only be gone for six days, we packed for six weeks.

Our goal was to drive 12 hours to Memphis, Tennessee. I'm proud to report I am sitting in a hotel one-hour south of Memphis, in the town of Batesville, Mississippi (home of Batesville Casket Company for my funeral director friends and family members).  

The boys were exceptionally well-behaved today. The DVD player that came with the van paid off!  Owen (age 4) had a tiny meltdown this afternoon when he couldn't get comfortable for his nap.  But the tantrum passed.  Corbin (age 8) has been very helpful with Owen and has become the important point person between the food bags and cooler.  "Corbin could you give me the Wheat Thins?"  "Corbin I need a Diet Coke..."

We reached the Michigan-Indiana line in only 2 1/2 hours. I have no idea whether that was good timing or not, but it seemed to go quickly for me.  We even had a potty break and Egg McGrease Muffin just south of Holland. So much for spending less and eating less on this vacation.....

We chose a cross country route through Indiana instead of the high-traffic area around Chicago.  It set us back about 30 minutes but we watched plenty of corn grow.  Ben's Aunt Sarah and Uncle John left with us and they took the Chicago route, we opted for countryside. They ended up 30 minutes ahead of us. We never did catch them today but checked in several times by phone. They have more patience, better snacks, iron-clad bladders and no antsy children in their vehicle. We estimate they are an hour ahead of us and will check in with them again in the morning.

Traveling the flat country farmland through the long state of Illinois brought back many childhood memories of trips to visit family in Central Illinois.  I think I even recognized the overpass where my dad pulled our 1983 Subaru wagon over, hauled my sister and I out the back of the car and threatened to paddle us if we didn't shape up. As I recall it was all my sister's fault, but that's another story (love ya Lee Lee!).

Ben was in his glory watching the huge fields unfolding with corn, soybeans, sorgum (sp?) and other cash crops. There are several large dairy farms in Indiana and the Illinois farmers apparently harvest vast amounts of cash crops as their farms didn't have any animals on them.  What's a farm without animals???  Of course, he also rubbernecked at any tractors and mechanical oddities we passed. He missed his calling as a farmer....

Somewhere in Illinois, the boys enjoyed watching a by-plane dive through the air as he sprayed the fields.  I enjoyed experiencing small town America with their floral shops, cafes, antique stores and historical buildings and road markers.

Did I mention how flat the state of Illinois is? And boring...

Today I had several important jobs including iPod and radio operator, trash collector, DVD technician, snacks coordinator and my favorite - map reader and navigator. Ben was impressed. I owe my keen ability to read the map, recognize the symbols, mile markers and measure distances, to my Dad, who taught me how to read a map on our family vacations.  Nowadays I'm afraid map reading is becoming a lost skill with the invention of the Garmin and other GPS systems. (Oh yeah, just for back-up, the Garmin displayed its knowledge on our windshield too).  But I'm way more reliable and can hold a better conversation so I know I won't be replaced anytime soon.

We ran into rain showers in southern Illinois and it rained steadily for the next four hours. At times, it was raining so hard we considered pulling over. Ben expertly steered us past a stretch of road that was underwater and we hydropaned for quite a distance before he released his white knuckles and relaxed his jaw.  That was in northern Arkansas.

We hit rush hour, construction and more heavy rain as we approached Memphis. It took over an hour to pass through that.  Did I mention we were also in a tornado warning area?  At times there were flashes of lightening and dark, omnimous clouds. I would have panicked if we came upon the Storm Chaser unit from the Discovery Channel, but we didn't.  

We settled into an um...two-star hotel for the night. It's a Days Inn, an economical choice.  We were tired and the price was right.  For the most part the room was clean.  I'm just not spending a lot of time in the shower or bathroom.  The bathroom light takes about 10 minutes to turn on and the floor and walls of the shower are pretty scummy, but I'm blaming it on the water. 

We passed through seven states in all today: Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi.  We celebrated each new sign that marked the border to a new state much like a new adventure.

So that's the summary of Wolfsen Family Vacation 2009 - day one.  Tomorrow it's seven hours to Cajun Country in Lafayette, Louisiana where we will unite with Simon, Dawn and the rest of our crazy cast of characters we call family.  

Over and out good buddy.

More later...

Commitments

Gees, another month has passed without an entry! I'm slowly realizing that without a commitment, several of my projects end up this way. No commitment, no effort, no blog.  I really would like to make this blog a priority therefore will commit to regular postings. Although I don't want to make a commitment that becomes a chore, I want to keep it lighthearted and fun, not something I grow to dread.

So I guess I've made the commitment and then backed out of it in the same sentence?  I should have been a politician...

Funding Yogi's Future

My husband and I have a small home-based vinyl graphics business. Today we had the honor of lettering a very special van for a very special child.  

His name is Logan and he is four years old. Logan has Cerebral Palsy.  Although we have never met Logan, we know his cool Grandpa Ken.  Grandpa Ken is very proud of Logan (or Yogi as his family calls him) and G'pa beams when he tells us stories of him.  Logan and his family have a new handicap accessible van. 

There is another important person in this story too.  Her name is Keri. She is Logan's mother.  On top of her other duties, she has committed herself to post regular updates in a blog to keep friends and family current on Logan's condition.  I have never met Keri but I have spent some time on her blog, viewed photos of Logan and family, and read several of her entries which are beautifully written as only a proud mother can do for her child.

To virtually meet Logan, Keri and other important people in their life you can visit them at www.loganssuperheroes.blogspot.com.

Most importantly, Logan is due for a surgery that is not covered by health insurance and will cost around $20,000.  His family has set up a fund at a local bank and is accepting donations to offset the costs. If you feel so inclined, I hope you will spend a few minutes visiting Logan's site and consider donating in Logan's honor.  We did. Thank you.

Farewell MJ

Today the world is mourning the loss of the King of Pop. From Boy Wonder to Wacko Jacko, I'm going to miss Michael Jackson and his antics. I always thought of him as a troubled, tormented lonely person with more talent in his white, sequined pinky finger than I have in my whole soul.  

His music spanned four decades and was always catchy and entertaining.  He was a philanthropist (We are the World), an obsessive with appearance (Man in the Mirror), had attitude (Beat It!), was a lover (Billie Jean) and perhaps launched his individual career into orbit with Thriller in 1984.  I can't recall whether my copy of Thriller was in the form of a vinyl record or cassette tape, but I remember singing along with MJ in my living room and pretending I was his favorite backup singer while trying to master the moon walk.

Over the last few days I have enjoyed watching the news channels as they pay tribute to the multi-layered facets of Michael's life and legacy.  Despite the sadness of his passing, I find myself smiling at the memories that dance in my mind as his music is played over and over on the television and radio.  I am reminded, too, of the many faces (no pun intended) of Michael and his music over the years. His music reminds me of the many different phases in my life as he passed through his.

Farewell MJ - your contributions to our world are many, your talents are great and, despite your troubled accusations and loneliness, your are a legend in your own way...  

Now where did I leave my sequined socks and can of Pepsi?

Mopping Award

Can you spell S-L-A-C-K-E-R? I'm a bit remiss on blogging entries and I had a request from a follower to add a post (thanks Mom!). So, today I'm reminded of the unenviable task of mopping the kitchen floor (which was recently completed - I should get an award -- a "moppy"?).  I'll start preparing my speech...

Anyhow - did I mention how much I don't enjoy housework? Dusting, vacuuming, cleaning toilets...  It has been nearly four months since our cleaning lady, Donna, was here.  That was one of the expenses that was cut when I lost my job. I appreciate her now more than ever... I would love to reinstate that expense as a worthwhile investment!  $60 every other Thursday is a priceless check to write in my mind!  Although I've kept up on other housekeeping detail (not a stellar effort, but acceptable), I despise mopping the floor.  It's a hard wood surface and covers a large high-traffic area through our entry way, kitchen and dining room. It does get swept at least once a week in an attempt to keep the sand, cat hair and dust bunnies under control. But I've ignored the dirt build up, an outline of a tiny kid footprint, skid marks where the dog has exceeded the speed limit and skidded across the floor with wet paws, and the one that put me over the edge - a mysterious sticky patch where cat hair and sock fuzz has been collecting.  I finally had to admit I needed to do something about the deep down grime. (now where did I put Donna's phone number?).  Sweeping alone, could not buy me time any longer.  It was as if the dust bunnies and dirt particles organized themselves in protest in that sticky spot and demanded attention.

I reluctantly went to the garage and unwedged the old mop from the rafters and rinsed out the bucket. Now I know why Donna brought her own cleaning supplies... The mop is a tired old heap of spaghetti noodles that can no longer organize themselves to twist around the pole for ringing.  I was certain Donna settled on Windex-and-water as an acceptable solution to a streakfree shine.  So I guessed at the ratio of water to Windex and set about scrubbing the protest and catching the new dust bunnies that dared to dance in front of me and settle on the wet surface.  

After about 30 minutes of backbreaking mopping and scrubbing, the agony was over - and the mop water looked like a weak mug of hot cocoa (maybe I should have changed the water mid-cleaning?).

I was proud of myself for making my strategic mopping pattern and not mopping myself into a corner. 

It turns out that the Windex and water selection was not solution as I can see water spots but it is satisfactory to me.  I should be good for another four months with regular sweeping. Hopefully I will be back to work by then and Donna will resume her happy cleaning ways.

Quick Question...

Okay so I'm not big on nail polish except I like a splash of color on my toes during sandal season.  I just painted my toenails and used a "Rimmel 10-day polish". 

So if I applied three coats of polish to each toe will it last for 30-days?

Mom Gets Thumbs Up From 8-Year-Old

This morning my eight-year-old, Corbin, was eating breakfast at the table.  I realized I had to...er, um...pass gas.  I thought it would be a silent one so I let it pass. But to my surprise it had gained power on the way out and made a loud disgusting sound!  (you know, the sound that makes you think you should check your underwear for holes?).

I became suddenly amused and looked at Corbin and enjoyed the surprise on his face and then he dissolved into hysterical laughter.  I had to get an approval rating so I asked him if I was a dork or a cool mom - I got a thumbs up!

He probably bragged about this incident to his whole second grade class but I figure they would give me a thumbs up rating too.

It seemed like a good idea...

It seemed like a good idea at the time. Spending a lazy Sunday afternoon sprawled out on my hammock, listening to the sounds of nature and getting some color. Ben and the boys were away so silence was my friend. Too bad the sun wasn't.

It was a beautiful spring day in West Michigan, temp around 70-degrees, not a cloud in the sky.  I dressed in one of my workout tank tops and shorts.  I scrubbed my face and wore a hairband to hold back my bangs. After all, I don't sunbathe often, so I had to maximize this opportunity for a suntan.

I set the clock on the bench of the deck and eased myself into the hammock. I positioned the pillow just right, rolled up my shorts as high as they would go, and pulled down the neckline of my tank top, tucking it in my bra, to maximize the sun exposure on my chest.

I sighed to myself with supreme satisfaction as I relaxed and cleared my mind.  Thoughts of skin cancer were not permitted. I was going au natural without protection today, a treat, because it is rare that I sunbathe.  Each spring I have a delusional thought that my skin will be kinder to me, suddenly I will become a bathing sun Goddess instead of a 30-something with fair skin and freckles.  Why did I think this spring would be different? 

I was enjoying myself so much...I fell asleep.  Forty-minutes later I awoke with a start.  The damage was not fully evident until later that evening when the burn grew redder and redder, and my doting husband smirked at my attempt at sunkissed golden skin.

Did I forget to mention I wore my husband's Oakley sunglasses? So I have an equally attractive white bridge across my nose and white eyes to offset the red burn on my forehead, nose and cheeks.

Next time I will certainly wear my swimsuit instead of the hideous tan/burn lines I currently have on my chest, arms and legs.  When I wear a simple v-neck t-shirt I have a narrow patch of red skin bordered on each side by my normal blinding white skin - I look like a candy cane.  People immediately notice and respond "ooh! you got some sun, doesn't that burn hurt?" Yeah, whatever.

My tender Michigan skin proves to be the same skin I've had for 34 years.  I don't know why I thought this year would be different. This morning it began the lizard-like peeling process. My forehead, my nose...I can't conceal my dimwitted fate even with makeup.

At least my skin will be healthy and appear young when I'm 90 BECAUSE IT DOESN"T ALLOW ME TO ENJOY THE SUN FOR OVER 20 minute intervals...ever.  I'll just continue to settle for the "freckles just grow closer together" look this summer.  I've never had a true tan, any hint of color peels off in days.

Lesson learned. Again.

Snot Fest - Day 7

So today is day 7 of this miserable snot fest.  Some say it's a sinus infection, others insist it's an allergy. Whatever it is, I can't wait for it to leave my head so I can resume my life.  I've been schlepping around the house with a box of tissues in tow for a week now.  My husband and kids are keeping their distance while my dog, Turbo, and cat, Otis, are sticking close to offer their sympathies. At least someone cares...pets always seem to know when one is feeling under the weather, don't they?

I must be feeling a little better. I'm noticing now how dirty the kitchen floor is and even finished a couple loads of laundry this afternoon.  I also realized I haven't exercised in a week and am feeling "flabby".  

I hope my stuffy head miraculously disappears overnight tonight.  I have my final critique tomorrow morning to become certified as a Weight Watchers leader and don't want to sound as if I'm wearing a clothespin on my nose.  I spent a fair amount of time preparing and rehearsing the meeting today.  This week's topic is on Motivating Strategy and I chuckled to myself when I realized the coincidence of timing and topic.  This week I have been so sick that I haven't cared about what I put in my mouth nor exercised.  And I'm supposed to provide an inspirational approach to motivating strategy? HA! Perhaps honesty will be the best policy tomorrow as I confess my habits over the last week. It will prove that everyone, at every stage of their weight loss effort, suffers from motivation (or lack there of) as a normal, human part of weight loss and management.  Even those like me who have reached their weight goal and become Lifetimers experience motivational struggles from time to time.  Wish me luck and say a prayer for me as I am nervous about conducting my first WW meeting from start to finish tomorrow.

I'll be critiqued by my Trainer, Mentor and Boss, all at the same time! I am thankful each of these ladies are very kind and want me to succeed so their feedback will be much appreciated. I am feeling adequately prepared and know the content well.  I believe in Weight Watchers and have a good base of knowledge of the program, tools and training techniques so I can rely on my education and knowledge if I get stuck or lose my train of thought.

Well I'd better sign off for tonight. I need a new tissue and another dose of Tylenol...sw

10 Things You May Not Know About Me

So...I did it. I finally started a blog...now what? I guess the appropriate thing to do is to introduce myself.  Here are 10 things you may not know about me. (Come to think of it, this is an introduction, so chances are good that you will learn something today!)  An educational experience - and we've only just begun. Enjoy!

1. I want to be a contestant on Wheel of Fortune.
2. I was a vegetarian throughout high school.
3. I lost 80 pounds in 2006, attained Lifetime status with Weight Watchers, and am now a Weight Watchers Leader.
4. I've never been drunk. (I'm a sipper, not a chugger!)
5. I was trained as a professional clown and am past-president of our local clown alley.
6. I'm left handed.
7. I prefer Diet Coke over coffee and peanut butter over chocolate.
8. I can lick my nose with my tongue.
9. Someday I will write a book that is a cross between Irma Bombeck and Paul Harvey.
10. My 2009 New Year's Resolution is to eat less, move more, spend less and simplify.