Keep it Up or Let it Go?

It's currently April 2013 and I've been a very, very bad blog hostess.  I have not written anything really meaningful since late summer/early autumn of last year.  Sure, I've said a quick "hello" here and there during the holiday seasons, but nothing really "meaty" or important.  My life's priorities have shifted quite a bit over the past few months and I'm trying to decide whether to continue with this blog or lay it to rest.  I'm feeling a little conflicted since the blog's been going since 2010 and it does hold quite a few memories and photos.  I have thought about renewing it and starting fresh, with new beginnings.

For now, maybe I should think on it a bit longer and leave it active.  We'll see what the future holds.

Pondering the New Year

Happy New Year!!!!!

I wanted to begin by wishing everyone a very Happy New Year!  It's hard to believe that it's already 2013.  Time is just steadily marching along.  I'm not sure if I like how quickly it's moving but that's another conversation for another day.

Resolutions. I usually don't make resolutions for upcoming years.  It's just not something that I normally do.  It's typically a running joke that people "break" their resolutions within the first couple of weeks or months of the new year.  I believe it's mostly because the goals set are unrealistic.  I've always felt that it is much better to strive toward smaller goals no matter the time of year in which those goals are declared.  Goals and resolutions are basically the same thing, one is just made at the beginning of the new year and is, in my opinion, more likely to be left unrealized.

With that being said, I will continue to strive toward my goal of losing weight in the coming year.  I know in my head that it's a slow and steady journey even though I really wish the weight would just drop off with a simple snap of my fingers.  -- Ha!  Talk about unrealistic! --  I'm going to continue with my WeightWatchers program and I hope to do a bit more walking once warmer weather arrives in the spring.  I am also going to be more active on SparkPeople.  Joining a few new teams may help motivate me and keep me working toward my long-term goals.

I think that's enough for me.  Nothing too specific as to sabotage myself but something to keep me moving forward.  Do you believe in New Year's Resolutions?  Do you tend to stick to them throughout the year?

Merry Christmas!

Have a very, very Merry Christmas!!!!  I hope everyone has a wonderful day with their families.  Be safe and have a joyous holiday!

Happy Halloween!

Happy, Happy Halloween!!!  I'm in class tonight so I won't be able to enjoy the trick-or-treaters but at least I won't have the temptation of all that candy!!! :-)  I hope your Halloween is a safe and wonderful one.

39 and Holding?

Today is my 39th birthday.  The last one before I hit the "dreaded" four-o.  Honestly, right now, I'm good with being 39 and 40 doesn't seem too bad.  We'll have to see how I feel this time next year!  I wonder if I will be 39 and holding....

A Chaotic Couple of Months

I've had quite the busy last month and a half.  Unfortunately, too busy to do much blogging or really focus on my weight loss and health.   Or at least that's what I tell myself.

I started school again in early August.  I'm working on my Health Sciences Certificate so that I can apply to a Clinical Laboratory Technology program in Fall 2013.  My classes include Human Anatomy & Physiology I, the related lab class, and Medical Terminology.  I have classes on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays so it's a very hectic schedule with a 40-hour work week in the mix as well.  I really don't know how people do it with kids too.

Also in August, my husband and I were given a notice to move from the house we were renting.  Our landlord had gotten into some financial trouble and the house that he was living in at the time was being foreclosed upon.  This meant that he needed to move into the house that we were renting.  He gave us a 60-90 notice but we went ahead and started the house search.  Luckily we found a place within the first two weeks and we packed up everything, scheduled the movers, and moved the weekend before Labor Day.  Needless to say, we are still trying to unpack a garage piled high with boxes.  We have WAY too much stuff!

With everything going on, I've become very lazy in watching my weight.  It is just so very easy to fall back into old habits and I have paid the price...weight gain.  My jeans are starting to get a little too snug and the holidays are just around the corner.  I can't seem to get motivated to begin my Weight Watchers program again and I haven't been on SparkPeople regularly in weeks.  I am trying to motivate myself but with all of my workout clothes, snack containers, and portable lunch bag with blue ice all packed away in my garage somewhere, it is very hard to do.  I seem to be in a bit of a mental slump but I hope that once we get settled a little more in the new house that I can shake it off.

Back from Vacation

I have returned from a wonderful week-long vacation in Northern California.  I am sad that the trip is over but glad to be sleeping in my own bed again.  My husband and I visited family outside of Sacramento.  We took a whirlwind tour of Lake Tahoe, the Jelly Belly Factory, San Francisco, Muir Woods and Beach, and Napa Valley while we were there.  We put over 1100 miles on the rental van in just over three days!  That's a lot of riding!


The hiking in Lake Tahoe was awesome.  We only had the one day so we picked Emerald Bay State Park on the southwest side of the lake to visit for the day.  The views were amazing and that water was soooo blue.  It was a bit warm at about 84 degrees but much cooler than Sacramento which was about 106 degrees!  Everyone had a great time hiking around the lake and visiting Eagle Falls.  I definitely got my exercise while there.  What a terrific day.

The next day was the start of a 2-day tour of the Bay Area.  We went to the free Jelly Belly Factory tour to see how jellybeans, and other candies, are made.  They had already started production on the Halloween candy as we could see the orange and black packaging before it was boxed up.  We even got a free sample of candy as we left.



After spending about an hour and a half at the factory, we drove into the San Francisco.  This was my first visit to the city and only my husband's second.  The one thing about this trip was that we didn't get to spend much time in the city, but while we were there, we totally fit in as much as we could.  We visited Pier 39, rode the cable car, ate at Boudin's (awesome sourdough bread, yummy), saw Union Square, walked into Chinatown, had a tasty but not very diet-friendly dessert at Ghirardelli Square, drove down Lombard Street, and walked on the Golden Gate Bridge (though it was too foggy to ever actually see it).  I would definitely go back to this awesome city as there is so much more I would love to do there.

We spent the night just outside of the city and got an early start at the redwood forest, Muir Woods, the next morning.  That place was beautiful and I could have stayed there all day.  The surroundings are gorgeous and very lush.  And the tress are enormous.  It was an awe-inspiring visit.  We left about lunchtime and headed to Muir Beach just down the road.  It was very cloudy and foggy when we arrived but it cleared up shortly after lunch.  Those rocky cliffs are very different from the beaches on the East Coast but are equally beautiful.  I still can't get over how cold the Pacific Ocean is!

Late that afternoon, we headed back toward Sacramento, detouring slightly to drive through a short portion of Napa Valley.  It was close to sunset as we drove past the vineyards with the small, green grapes hanging from the vines.  I can see why so many people love this area.  I would love to see it in the autumn when the leaves change colors and the grapes and full and ripe on the vines.  I bet it really is a sight to see.

Northern California definitely did not disappoint and we had a wonderful vacation.  It was so nice to see my niece and nephew while there and to get to do as many things as we did.  What an awesome trip!