Update on my summer so far

It's been quite the week!

I worked evenings last weekend and began the week tired. But I still managed to do okay with my new body plan. I've done yoga once this week and gone on one walk. (Not two...but still.) I've gotten my portions under control and only had dessert once this week. The only thing I eat after dinner is a rice cake with a small smear of peanut or almond butter. I've started every day with yogurt and fruit which seems to set me up for better food control throughout the rest of the day.

My favorite meal this week:

Marinated grilled steak and portobello mushroom with a baked sweet potato and sauteed spinach.

Belgian waffle with macerated local strawberries and fresh whipped cream. Yum!

I couldn't believe how hard the yoga was. Yoga is something I used to do every day. (Along with ab work, weights three times a week and walking/jogging three to four times a week) But it's been so long and I've gotten so stiff. But I know how this process goes. It's the getting started and getting into a routine that's the hardest part. If I can get past that then I've got it made. I'm trying to keep in mind how good I feel when I'm doing what I should be doing in terms of my health.

What else have I done this week you ask? I've learnt how to change a signal light on my van for one thing. I know it's a silly little thing but something I've never learnt to do myself. But now I know! And it's so nice to not have to rely on anyone else to do it for me...ever again.

I've also gotten the ingredients together to make my own "lotions and potions". I use Dr. Hauschka's skin line and it is ridiculously expensive. I'm almost out of everything and don't have the money to replace any of it. So I've got a bunch of recipes and picked up a few ingredients. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

I read the whole Stieg Larsson trilogy this week. If you don't mind violence, I highly recommend it. I was kept riveted to the printed page and couldn't stop until I was done. I got really invested in what happened to a couple of the main characters and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Now I've picked up "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. I'm working two 8 hour shifts and two 12 hour shifts in the next week though so it's going to be a bit slower going.

My daughter graduated from Grade 8 last night. She looked beautiful and so grown up. I can't believe she'll be in high school next year! She wants to keep practicing her clarinet for band next year so I've decided to go the rent to own route and have to go in two weeks to pick it up. I'm glad she's sticking with it but I'm not looking forward to having to pay for those band trips! She's going to get to New York city before I ever do...My 16 year old has written a couple of great pieces on his blog and has been doing a lot of drawing this week. He finished his last exam a week ago so he's getting into a summer groove. He's got a work out plan in place because he wants to try out for football next fall. He also has a wicked sunburn from a pool party on Monday :) My oldest son has started work at a video store (he studies film in university) and is pleased that he's not stuck working in fast food! My youngest managed to bring up his grades so his final report card was good. He is looking forward to swimming at the pool, hanging out with his brothers and buddies and reading Tolkien! Like mother like son. My eldest daughter is living away from home and seems to be doing well. I'm always relieved when she calls just to talk and there is no pending crisis to get panicked about.

This is the sweater that I started late last summer. I took this photo in February and I'm ashamed to say that I haven't touched it since. I seem to have lost any desire to finish it. So I've finally decided to scrap the whole thing. Sometimes, it's just better to move on and actually do something else, rather than hold out and hope that you'll regain your desire for a project. So I've taken it apart and am going to make a meditation blanket for my eldest daughter. She meditates for twenty minutes a day and I think that this will be perfect for chilly fall and winter mornings. If it goes well (and it should, blankets are easy) then I'll make one for myself later. Meditation is something that I used to do religiously but have fallen out of the habit and would like to eventually get back on track with that as well.

The only other thing of note is we had a 5.5 earthquake on Wednesday. Worse one I've been in! I was outside at the time and could actually see my whole house shake and ripple. And it was so loud! Other than a few things falling off shelves and a picture off the wall all was well here. Glad I wasn't at work when it happened though!

I think this has gone on long enough! I hope all is well with everyone...Happy weekend!