And It Continues

I've now lost a total of 68 pounds.  A year ago, I did not think that this amount of weight loss would've been possible.  However, I've persevered and am now 2.4 pounds away from my weight loss goal.  I do plan to lose more after I reach this goal, but for right now, 2.4 pounds.  I've lost the weight of a typical 6th grader.  Wow.

I Did It!

I completed running in my very first road race.  All I wanted to do was finish the race WITHOUT walking.  And I did it!!!!! 

It was raining cats and dogs and the temperature was chilly (in the 50s).  Luckily, there was no wind.  The race began with the firing of Minute Man muskets (it's a thing they like to do in Massachusetts).  We ran through mud and puddles, and ended up in a neighborhood that had very little traffic, but lots of rolling hills.  As you came down one hill, you began to climb another.  I had my music playing and I kept a pace that works for me. 

So, after losing 66.2 pounds, I've now run in my very first 5K road race.  Next on my fitness agenda....The Color Run at the end of July.  This is a run where at every kilometer, the runners are sprayed with a different color.  So, after running 5K, you've got tie-dyed clothing.....well sorta.  You're also tie-dyed too!!  Can't wait for that one.

Running

Yes, that's right.  I'm running my first 5K.  I've been running for about 5 months now.  Mostly on the treadmill.  However, on Saturday, I've registered to run in a 5K.  I'm nervous.  What I'm nervous about is what if I can't keep up.  But, I plan to put in my headphones, turn on my music, and keep on keeping on.  Next race.....the color run.  I can't wait for this one.  This  race is going to be fun.  After every kilometer you run, you get sprayed with color paint.  Everyone wears white so by the end of the race, you've got tie-dyed clothes!

Continued Weight Loss Success

As of today, I've lost 65.6 pounds.  I am so close to my goal weight.  I've also picked up more running events.  I will be doing a triathlon in September.  This one is being sponsored by Title Nine and is women only.  It is really a sprint triathlon....1/4 mile swim, 10 mile bike ride, 5K run.  I decided to invest in my legs and feet and went to a store that specializes in running.  I was informed that good running shoes keep you from getting unnecessary injuries.

Before going to the running store, I had a retail therapy session.  That's right, I went to The Loft and invested in some clothing.  Right now, most of my clothing is a bit too big.  So, I got needed summer tops and a skirt.  I'm pleased to say that at first I got a size 8 to try on.  That proved too big and ended up buying the size 6 skirt.  Now before you start congratulating me, I've heard that the clothes at The Loft run large.  So, who knows what size I really am.

More on Weight Loss

As of today, I've lost 63 pounds.  I am also training to run my first 5K in June.  Then, in July, I will run a 5K that looks like it will be a lot of fun.  Called the Color Run, runners wear a white shirt and shorts.  Every kilometer, runners are sprayed with bright colors.  After 5 kilometers, your shirt is bright colored....and you're brightly colored too.  And in August, my daughter and I are planning to do a team triathlon.  She is going to swim the swimming leg of the triathlon.  I'm going to do the bicycle and running portion of the triathlon. 

Finally, my new exercise passion is spinning.  It kicks my butt, but I LOVE IT!! 

 This picture of a person after spinning gives you an idea how you feel after the class.  I'm usually soaking wet and usually consume at least 2 bottles of water.

Kitty Cat Hat

Here is a hat I've made for baby AOI.

 

Now to knit the booties. 

Weight Loss

As you may or may not know, I've been on a weight loss journey.  I've lost 59.6 pounds since January 9, 2011.  It has been a learning experience.  What makes it a learning experience is that I've had to look at WHY I eat the way I eat.  I've also learned what foods are better to eat.  And I've learned how to make wise food decisions.  Finally, I'm learning to have a healthier relationship with food.

The program I am using to lose weight is Weight Watchers.  The reason why I like this program over others (and believe me I've tried the others) is that I eat regular food, not their food.  I deal with going out to eat, feeding a family, etc. while eating the same foods that everyone else eats.  I could go on and on about the good qualities of Weight Watchers, but I'll do that on WeightWatchers.com.

I'm getting closer to my goal.  I need to lose 8.8 pounds to be at the upper weight of my goal range.  I need to lose 9.8 to have a healthy BMI.  I'm getting oh, so close.  And yet, on January 9, 2011, I felt that the amount I had to lose was too great and overwhelming.  But with the help of my leader and the members of my meeting group, I've been able to stay with it.

Baby Bootie

Here is the latest baby bootie I've fallen in love with.  I am also working on a pair of booties that resemble the knitted Ugg boot!  Toi, let me know what colors you would like for your baby girl.

Giveaway Again!

So, no one commented and I am not obligated to make anyone a hat.  So here's Giveaway 2.......If anyone comments, be they followers or not, I will knit that person a hat.  Or, if they prefer, they can have me knit a pair of baby booties.

Giveaway?

So many blogs I follow have product giveaways.  I don't have any product giveaways, however, I'd like to make a hat and give it away to anyone that wants it.  Since only 3 people even follow me, that would be very easy to do.  So here goes:  To the 3 people that follow me, if you comment on this post by next Sunday, I will make you or your baby (you make the choice) a hat of your color choices.  So, if all three of you comment, all 3 of you get a hat.  Here is the design (I can make it from child size to adult)

You will be able to decide if you want the hat, with or without a tassel. 

Just One More Wake-Up!!

Yes.  That's what we say when approaching a school vacation week.  Next week is our February vacation week.  It can't come soon enough.  The school is rife with kids getting sick, teachers sick, and if you're not sick, you're exhausted.  Many people think that a teacher's day ends at the end of the school day.  In reality, there are times that my day doesn't end until 2 or 3 in the morning.  And this vacation is being spent correcting papers and filling out a placement form for each of my 8th grade students.  I will also apply some finishing touches to  a couple of lessons that I'll be doing when vacation is over. 

Also during vacation, my daughter is having minor surgery.  So, I'll be teacher, mom, and nurse.  What I do plan to do for me is to get some rest.  My school days are usually sleep deprived.  I do recover during the summer and various days off in the year.  However, during the year I'm sooooo tired. 

Sorry to be a downer.  I know I should be thankful that I have a career that I love, but right now, with the lack of respect that teachers get and the new changes in teacher evaluations, it's getting harder to remain a positive person.

Whitney

Say it isn't so?!?  I'm stunned that such a talent is gone.  So, I'll leave a link to one of my favorite Whitney songs.  This song helped me through an especially trying time in my life:

 

Rest In Peace Whitney.

Black History Month

When I was a little girl, I once asked my mother why African Americans didn't fight in any of America's wars until World War II.  I came to this conclusion because my history books did not mention the contributions of any African Americans during any of our wars.  And the only reason I knew that African Americans did fight in WWII was because of my dad, his brothers, and my mother's brothers.  She was appalled by my question.  I mention this thought because of the Black History month documentary titled, "Love of Liberty/Black Patriots."  This is the story of the contribution of African American soldiers for America's liberty beginning with Crispus Attucks at the Boston Massacre through the current wars of today.

I admire those who came before me because they were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for this country when they were treated poorly.  Many returned home from wars to be subjected to Jim Crow laws.  Some were even lynched for being too "uppity."  Tom Brokaw called the generation of Americans who weathered the Depression and fought in WWII, the "Greatest Generation."  The sacrifices that African American soldiers endured to prove that African Americans deserved the rights promised to all Americans in the constitution, truly made them part of America's "Greatest Generation."

C25K Week 3

So today begins my 3rd week on this running program.  As always, the first day is rather challenging.  But, the challenge is really in my head.  I have to constantly battle myself to make myself believe that I can do this. Once I've completed the workout, I come to realize that I did it and it really wasn't that impossible.  Tomorrow and Thursday, I will walk on the treadmill at a rate between 4 mph and 5 mph.  On Friday, I will do the second day of the week 3 workout.  Saturday, I plan to walk for about 2 hours and then put in 60 minutes on the elliptical.  Sunday morning, I will do day 3 of week 3 of the C25K workout. 

Sick and Teaching

This is the 4th day of being sick.  I only took off 2 days from school.  However, by the end of the school day yesterday, I had developed a severe case of laryngitis.  I usually get laryngitis before I get sick.  This time, I've gotten it after.  Oh well.  It was very hard teaching today.  I had to type everything on the Activboard.  The kids read what they were supposed to do and did it.  I do miss my voice, but it seems as though I've got a very stubborn bug. 

Hats!

This week, I finished 2 hats.  Last night I even worked on one while sick in bed.  Here are the pics. (Notice the strings.....I haven't gotten rid of them yet!)

This is the one that I was working on last Monday!

This is the one I completed last night.

What I like about the second hat is that it has a hem inside that I knitted while I was completing the hat.  One of my students asked what did I do with the hats I make.  I told her that I give them away as gifts.

The Iron Lady!

My youngest and I decided to go to the movies.  We decided to see "The Iron Lady" starring Meryl Streep.  This movie was an intriguing look into the life of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.  I loved how they decided to tell her life story.  Instead of taking us from the beginning of her life to the present, the story is told from the present and jumps around her life.  Because of her failing mental capabilities, she hallucinates and remembers things out of sequence.  I don't know why the critics didn't get that this was told from the mind of someone who is battling dementia and should be done this way.  As much as I didn't like her when she was the leader of Britain, this movie made her human.  Meryl Streep deserves any awards she receives because of this role.

Saturday!!

As most of you, I look forward to Saturday.  I put in about 11 hours each day at school, and then I come home and put in about another hour or two.  By Friday evening, I'm fried.  But, I'm also a mom, and I have to schlepp my 15 year old here and there.  So, I drink lots of tea and coffee at night so that I don't fall asleep while I'm driving. 

This morning, I got up around 7:30 a.m. and ran on the treadmill again.  I'm determined to be able to run a 5K by May.  Also, I want to sign up for the 3 day walk to help end breast cancer.  I just want to mooove! 

Finally, I'm getting back into knitting again.  I love the feeling I get when I've completed a project.  I also like the challenge of a difficult pattern.  So, I'll take pictures of my latest completed hats.  Then, I'll post them. 

C25K

That's right!  I've started the C25K program.  This is a running program that gets you from the couch to running a 5K in about 6 weeks.  Tonight was my first night.  I was afraid at first.  But what I did to help me prepare for this is that I've been running in the halls of my school.  I do this when I first arrive.  I'm usually alone in the building (I arrive at school around 6:00 a.m.) so I run.  This let me see that my bum knee would be a non-issue.  So tonight when I got home, I put on my workout clothes and hit the treadmill.   Can't wait for round two.  My goal is to run a 5K sometime in May.

January Blues.

I'm home from school today because I have the January blues.  I have been putting in 12 hour days at school----I get there at 6:00 am and leave around 6:00 pm----and need a one day mental health break.  I have taken up knitting again to help me remain sane.  So, here is a pic of my lastest work.

I am a little over half done.  When it is finished, it will fit an adult medium head and will have a tassel that hangs from the top.  I am making it as a gift for one of the people I teach with.  I've also started another hat that I plan to give to whoever wants it.  Strangely enough, I don't have a hat for me.  I tend to give away everything that I make.