2026 - Here We Go!

 2026 - Here We Go!!!

The past few years I have completed a yearly BINGO card of goals. I love a list!

I won't lie ... a blank BINGO card is pretty intimidating!

But, pretty exciting too!

The possibilities are endless!

2026 ... Here We Go!!!

Paris Challenge

 Paris Challenge

YAY!!!

I completed the Paris Walking Challenge. In an effort to get moving more I signed up for the Paris Challenge with my daughter. This challenge and many others are on the app The Conqueror. This app connects with my Garmin so all of my activities are tracked and posted to the challenge I choose. 

The Paris Challenge was a 33 mile challenge.

You can find out more about The Conqueror Challenges 

HERE

**This is not a sponsored post**

New Routine

 New Routine

I have been working on expanding my exercise routine. Over the weekend I joined an online walking route of Paris. I'm doing this one with my daughter.

Monday mornings have become the morning that I bake a loaf of bread. I'm enjoying the bread making and so is my body. The bread that I make doesn't make my throat burn or give me indigestion and heartburn.

My new exercise routine ...

My new Monday morning bread baking routine ...

I love routine

Time Just Keeps Slipping Away

 Time Just Keeps Slipping Away

That seems to be the theme of my life these days. For whatever reason I'm unable to get a handle on time. I seem to be on the rise for work, work, sleep, and repeat cycle presently. I have list after of list of things that need to be done, things that I would like to do, and the ever growing list of things I'm unable to get accomplish!

What in the world!

Spring here in East Tennessee has been amazing and beautiful. Sometime in March, I think it was March, I went on a hike with my friend Lindsey to Ijams Nature Center.

It did not disappoint!

Ijams Nature Center

South Knoxville, Tennessee

Recent Amazon Finds

 Recent Amazon Finds

... 

As mentioned recently ... I'm tired of being overweight. I also seem to have an uncontrollable need to purchase FAD exercise equipment.

Stay tuned for Infinity Hoop and Rowing Machine progress.

I have been rowing almost daily on my rowing machine since I got it and I have noticed improvement in my arms, shoulders, and legs but nothing for my mid-section. Hopefully the Infinity Hoop will do what it advertises it will do!

Wish me LUCK!!

I've been experiencing a bit of eye fatigue ... computer work all day ... iPhone ... and Kindle use are taking a toll. These cooling eye drops are AMAZING!

I highly recommend them.

This cute little spoon came with my purchase of the Spicy Chili Crisp

I'm all about the spicy these days.

This sauce is really good ... on eggs, in soup ... and I'm sure many other things.

It's delicious!

Again, I highly recommend.

My Weight

 My Weight

My weight is out of control ... I hate it!

I have also come to realize that I have an unhealthy need to buy every piece of FAD exercise

equipment that is out there!!!

Don't mind me ... I'll just be over here huddled in the corner crying ....

😢😢😢😢😢😢

Pantry Update

 Pantry Update

I mentioned my pandemic food hoarding pantry a few weeks ago, so this morning I decided to clean and organize my pantry. 

I threw away several opened (stale) items and a few items past their expiration dates.

I separated items ... all of the sugar (snack) items are on the very bottom shelf. Nuts, grains, and teas on the shelf above that. Vegetables and canned meats and pasta noodles up next, then the shelf above that is full of soups and sauces. The top shelf is for anything too tall for the other shelves ... oatmeal, bisquik, olive oil, cereal, cream of wheat, etc.

My goal is to remove sugar, as much sugar as possible from my diet going forward.

I made cupcakes last week because I had a serious sugar craving! After eating 4 of them, I took the rest of them to work the following morning.

Sugar is something that I will be working toward removing from my diet. I have become obnoxiously large! I have done nothing but gain weight since I turned 45. As I will be 60 at the end of this year, I'm going to begin working on reversing this trend and lose weight. I have a weight loss goal of 30 pounds. 

Meal Prep ...

 Meal Prep ...

I try to do a little meal prepping for the workweek lunches but, I'm not very good at meal prepping. I usually end up baking or grilling a meat, make a pot of rice, and then canned vegetables. Yes, extremely boring. 

This weekend I decided to make a pot of beef stew. I have been craving some beef stew and decided to make some over the weekend.

Beef stew with cabbage and mixed vegetables. I usually use potatoes but I'm trying to eat less carbs. It's delicious!

I really need to start exercising more but so far I haven't been the least bit motivated!

UGH!!!

Transitioning Into Spring

 Transitioning Into Spring

I am fortunate to live in an area that has the four distinct seasons. Now of course we have Blackberry Summer, Dogwood Winter, and several other seasons here too!

But at the moment we are transitioning from winter into spring. This past weekend we sprang forward in Daylight savings time. From what I understand this will be the last time change into Daylight savings time. Going forward this will be Eastern time with no more time changes.

Bowling and Reading

Around here ... one day it is 70 degrees and the next day is 40 degrees!

So ... indoor activities are in order. Thank goodness for my social bowling league and my kindle. 

Livingroom 2023

 Livingroom 2023

Once all of the Christmas decorations were taken down and put away ... I wanted to try a new living room furniture configuration!

I love it! Having the couch opposite of the picture window breaks up the room and serves as a divider for the dinning room space and the living room space.

This room is going to get a lot more use now that it is everyone has a place to get comfortable.

I hope that I will have more opportunities in 2023 to entertain and I feel as though my living room is ready for guests!

As you know I got Booker and Jezebel new beds for Christmas.

Booker loves this chair so I when I moved the furniture around I put his new bed in one of the chairs.

Jezebel loves being the Queen of the couch, so naturally, her bed went on the couch.

As you can see both of them are very happy with their new beds and the new living room configuration.

There is even room for my rowing machine, when I moved out of the living room when I set up the Christmas tree. I've missed rowing while watching television.

Now it is time to get back on my rowing machine!

I love my home and my new living room set up.

Row Row Row Your Boat

 Row Row Row Your Boat

Or in this case ... rowing machine ...

September 11, 2022

154 lbs

Thigh measurement 25 inches

Waist measurement 41 inches

It's time to get serious ... my health is at risk carrying all of this excess weight around. My joints, my bones, my heart ... it is time to begin excising regularly and eating cleaner. 

Bowl-O-Rama Fall Season 2022

 Bowl-O-Rama Fall Season 2022

Labor Day weekend has come and gone ... and soon Autumn will arrive. Fall is on it's way. Bowling has begun ... and hopefully cooler and shorter days will arrive too.

Team - Lucky Strikes

Me and the baby girl ... for the win!

UGH!!!!

 UGH!!!!

I am ashamed of how fat I have become. I diet and I exercise and I still can't drop any weight. I'm totally at a lost and very frustrated. All I seem to have accomplished is not gaining anymore weight but I can't seem to lose any of the weight ...

After seeing this picture of me on our hike this past weekend that my daughter took ... I'm absolutely mortified at how fat I have become.

I've tried everything, I eat healthy, I drink water, I exercise ... honestly I don't know what else to do. I need help!

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park

 The Great Smoky Mountains National Park

On the Tennessee side of the park.

On Saturday morning me and my girl took out first hike. It was part of a class given by the University of Tennessee. We hiked a little over 5 miles, the trail was called, The Old Sugarland Trail. 

It was a great day and a beautiful hike.

I hope to have many more hikes in the future.

Spring Bowling League - 2022

 Spring Bowling League - 2022

As you know ... I love bowling! I love it even more this time around ... my daughter is bowling with us. So Fun!!!

Me and My Girl
Enjoying the Lanes!
Another generation of bowlers ....
Bowl - O - Rama!!!

Bowl-o-rama!!!

 Bowl-o-rama!!!

My second love ... is bowling!

It is hard to believe that I started bowling in our local Tuesday night social bowling league in October of 2019. Two and a half years of bowling fun. We are headed into our 8th league season. There are 4 league seasons per year. There are 9 weeks per season, with the final evening being the playoffs between the top 8  teams. It is so much fun! Last year my mom gave me her bowling ball and my bowling average is around 120 pins per game.

Our team, Lucky Strikes, begins Season 8 on March 22nd! 

🎳🎳🎳

Fitness

 Fitness Goals

So this is happening ...

I have serious fitness goals for 2022 AND BEYOND!

I have real issues with food and dieting. So it occurred to me that it might be really helpful if I could use a very visual system for measuring and thinking about and considering healthy food choices (and amounts). I've never really considered food in terms of healthy portion control. It has always been  ... this is bad for you, to much fat, I shouldn't eat this or that ... you know all of the hype!

I have also purchased a jump rope and have decided to work up slowly and build on a daily exercise routine. As a quilter, my hobby and lifeline is very sedimentary, so it is important for me to build a doable and consistent exercise routine. 

Now ... it would be awesome if I could find an accountability partner! hahaha!!

Happy 58th Birthday to me!!!

I cannot believe that I'm 58 years old ... 

FYI ... I'm still 30 in my head!

😝😝😝

Hahahahahahaha!!!

Cleaning Up My Act

 Cleaning up my act ... 

I've decided that September is going to be all about changing my diet and exercise ...

I spent some time over the weekend cleaning and organizing my pantry and refrigerator.

These are the foods that I can eat.

These are the foods that I cannot.

I have decided to try a plant based (vegan) diet.

Exercise = walking and stretching.

I'm hoping to lose 20 lbs.

And, in general, feel better.

Goals for September stats:

Organized pantry and refrigerator

Made grocery list

A completely vegan day - no meat or dairy

day 7 of no dairy

weight - 138.6

Just A Few More Things ...

 Just a few more things regarding cleaning house ... sort of ...

It is my goal to clean up my eating habits and to exercise daily. Both of which can be difficult when working 2 jobs but I do think it is still possible.

Last night after work I rounded up my yoga mat and lumbar roller.

It is going to be beneficial to start stretching ... especially my lumbar area. As an office worker I don't stretch enough, my posture is horrid, and my sciatic nerve gives me a lot of pain. I know that stretching will help with that. 

After working my second job last night I set my goal of walking 2 miles before going home. 

I DID IT!!! 

In just under 45 minutes I walked a little over 2 miles.

It feels so good to achieve my goals. 

Then a lite dinner, if you haven't tried this brand of ramen I do recommend it.

It is non GMO and a healthy version of ramen noodle. 

I added peas and green onion to this one and it was delicious.

Goals for September stats:

2.24 miles

220 calorie lite dinner

breakfast smoothie

fruit for lunch

Cleaning House ... Sort of ...

Cleaning House

... sort of ...

I've decided to focus on making better choices ...

Such as, it is my goal for the month of September to take a break from social media. I will still be posting here on my blog but I feel I spend to much time on Facebook and Instagram. I feel that both have become negative and toxic places at the moment. I've also decided to clean up my eating habits and focus on exercising more. I need to work on some positive habits and lessen the negativity from outside sources that I have allowed into my daily life.

That being said, I have my trusty sewing room and a few projects to help me focus on my goals.

Besides sock knitting and the quilting WIPs that I currently have going I will be making a T-shirt quilt for someone I love. I think it is a surprise, so I can't say who.

I've also started a new embroidery project.

Both projects I hope to complete before Christmas this year.

I feel good ... I feel positive ... and I feel excited about the possibilities!

Goals for September stats:

present weight - 141.6 lbs.