Landstuhl, Germany

Auto accident

The day before leaving for 11 days in Germany I was in an auto accident. I am the dark colored Lexus in the photos. I was hit on the passenger side by a driver going around 60. I am so thankful I dodnt have anybof my kids in the passenger seat. That area was smushed in and they would have been crushed. I have a couple of broken ribs and a broken sternum, but all in all I feel good. I was able to still travel the next day. Thank God for His protection and noone was seriously hurt. 

Guest bedroom

I almost have our guest room finished, just a few more touches. This room has 12 foot ceilings so i am able to put my 12 foot tree in here. The bedroom set came from my mother in law and i love it. I want to buy 4 standard size pillows for the bed and use antique embroidered pillowcases. I have my adult children coming home for Christmas so Im ready and cant wait!

T25 Week 5 Review

I have officially ended Alpha phase of T25. Monday I will start Beta Phase, which kicks it up a notch and adds some upper body work and weights. I still have not lost any weight this week. I have got to dial in my diet as I am not as strict as I need to be. I know that and I am trying not to get discouraged and give up. This is where I usually quit and decide I need to start over so I can do it right and better and perfect. I am trying to break the cycle and continue on. I cannot tell you how happy I am not to see Total Body Circuit again in the next 5 weeks. Happy to have all new workouts.

This coming week is Thanksgiving. We had a Thanksgiving lunch yesterday at my husbands company. I brought butterbeans and deviled eggs. It was all casseroles and desserts so since I am gluten free I couldn't even have most items. I had ham, turkey, butterbeans, broccoli salad, and tea. There was a crust less pie my husband thought was gluten free and he brought a slice for me. I didn't touch it.

We have another lunch after church. I have to bring two sides. I may take the broccoli salad and some southern peas.

I am making ham, Turkey, gluten free southern dressing, peas, fried corn, roasted sweet potatoes, and a cheesecake for Thanksgiving. I'm going to have a cheat day and then freeze stuff like leftover dressing so I don't carry it onto the next week and get off eating right.

T25 Week 4 review

I ended week 4 with no weight loss. I'm actually teetering on none to a 2 lb gain depending on when I step on the scale. I've had a lot of stomach discomfort and seem to be bloated a lot. I don't know what to think, I'm working and so discouraged that I'm not losing more. I will keep going.

Someone local took family pictures on the mountain. The one below is one she took. They were pretty bad. Half are blurry and the others we were all blue. I edited out a lot of the blue, but this photo is still not right.

I am trying to get in photos and not wait until I've lost weight. It is a struggle. I am sad I look like this and feel like I do. It is motivation to keep working towards my goal and get healthy.

Making Homemade Vanilla

Today I made bottles of homemade vanilla to give at Christmas as hostess or thinking of you type gifts. I usually make it with vodka, and people said I could use cheap Ever Clear, but I used a name brand Vodka before and it was very good vanilla.

I order vanilla beans from Madagascar off Amazon. If they tell you the grade, you want grade B instead of A. A would be for baking with, B are better for making vanilla and not as expensive.

I read someone say they used rum instead of vodka because it was a little sweeter. So I thought I'd try that this year.

I ordered amber colored bottles off Amazon. They are 4 oz. which is perfect for giving.

I cut each bean in half so they would fit in the bottle. Then sliced through each bean with the edge of the knife. I didn't open or scrape them, just sliced through so the rum can get inside and start mixing. I put two whole beans, or 4 sections after cutting, into each bottle. I use a funnel to fill with the rum. Shake each bottle. Every time you walk by shake them or turn them so the rum will mix with the vanilla and start to infuse. Do this whenever you happen to think of it and have time.

It takes a good 3 to 4 months to really infuse and be ready to use. You can use it earlier, it just will not be as strong a vanilla flavor.

T25 Week 4 Day 4

Today I did T25 Total Body Circuit. I'm getting so tired of this workout. It does work my body, I am just ready for a new workout. I have to do it 3 more times and I am done with it and will move on to Beta Phase. I can do that.

My diet today
B- Kind bar before workout and protein drink after workout.
S- I didn't eat one....bad
L- chicken, broccoli, zucchini
D- soup made with Thai ginger broth, chicken broth, chicken, noodles, carrots, and coconut milk. I slice gluten free bread with butter and garlic.
S- Apple with peanut butter

T25 Week 4 Day 3

These photos loaded out of order, but today I had a Kind bar before my workput and protein shake after my workout.

I had grilled BBQ chicken, brows rice, steamed broccoli for lunch. 

A snack of an apple with peanut butter

Supper was grilled chicken, steamed broccoli, rousted squash and mushrooms. 

I  I didn't do my T25 workout. I sat around making every excuse and pprocrastinating and tried to talk myself into doing nothing. I am so sore I can barely sit down and it hurts to walk. I was not wanting to go work those muscles and endure the pain. I ffinally decided to get put of the house and walk. The weather was perfect. I have been doing good a mile, sor I added 3 cul de sacs and did 1. 6 miles. I stretched my sore muscles and feel better to have done something rather than nothing. 

I am increasing my walk to 1. 6 miles daily now. 

T25 Week 3 Review

I am discouraged because this week I didn't lose any weight. I didn't do many of the double workouts I had planned and didn't push as hard. I've really struggled with headaches and not sleeping and have been very off. I need to push through this week! Making new habits and not giving in to excuses is so hard.

T25 Week 3 Day 2

Today was Speed in T25. Speed works on Cardio with high knee jumps, sprints, hop hop turns with punches, but in between incorporates stretches and stability moves. The goal is to torch calories and improve your core. I love it because it moves quickly. 

I didn't get up to walk so I'm going to add a little to my walk later today. I'll hit a couple of cul de sacs to add some time. 

In my Diet Bet she gave us an exercise routine. I'm going to do it before supper this afternoon. Your do 30 seconds of each of these moves: mountain climbers, squat jumps, crunches, push-ups, burpees, jump rope, walking lunges, and reverse lunges. I am going to add stepping on the box from my Firm video set. 

I am about to go do my 15 minutes on the elliptical. I really need to download some music for a good Playlist. 

I know it sounds like a lot, but I am breaking it up. My goal is to walk first thing in the morning, working up to running again. Then after everyone leaves for work and school doing my T25 and elliptical. Later around 4 doing a 2nd workout and then walking right before supper. I don't work and have time and have made excuses for years.  I am trying to focus on me and really work at this. I don't always have time for a 2nd workout and don't change life to do it. I just hope to do them when I can and like today be a little flexible and adjust when I can't. I made some sausage and eggs cups and had one and a half for breakfast. I just couldn't eat more. I put up the rest in freezer bags so I now have them on hand. 

For lunch I had tacos. i had some roasted zucchini I added to the tacos and it was a good filler. 

Cleaning schedule

7I've pretty well made a schedule I have been able to stick with to keep the house clean.

I have my AM chores I do every morning (except Sundays):
Make bed, pick up my bedroom, wipe bath, pick up bath, take clothes to laundry and put in a load, wipe half bath, wipe boys bath, pick up den, kitchen dishes, wipe counters, sweep main areas, spot mop any spots.
I've timed it and this take 30 minutes. If I don't do anything else my house is picked up and presentable for guests.

After my AM chores I break deeper cleaning down by days. These take about an hour except shopping day.

Monday- dust and vacuum house.
I take my duster on a stick and do the ceiling corner, fan, baseboards, blinds, lights, etc in one room. If I concentrate on one room deeper dusting it gets done every 2 months.
Every room gets dusted with a dusting cloth and vacuumed.
I then go back with my steam mop and do all the wood and tile floors.
If the area rugs need washing I wash them.
I wash the master sheets on Monday

Tuesday:
I pay bills, file papers, shred papers, print and cut coupons, plan grocery shopping by sales, and take care of any calls or letters/cards I need to send.
I iron clothes.

Wednesday:
shopping day. I take a cooler and market bags and make a round to stores getting sales.
Clean out refrigerator and gather all trash.

Thursday:
Prep or organization day
I prep food and freeze, can food, or separate meats and other items.
If a cabinet or drawer or area has gotten messy I can organize or deep clean an area.

Friday:
Clean baths.

Saturday:
Yard work and clean car

Every afternoon about an hour before my husband gets home I do a quick pick up, make sure laundry is put away, and start supper.

I don't always get everything done every week, but by spot cleaning daily and breaking it up my house stays pretty clean and people can stop by.

I let the kids clean their room once a week. They wash their sheets.

I try to keep the microwave, oven, and stove clean by doing them as I am cooking or during my morning chore routine.

T25 Week 3 Day 1

Today I woke early and went for a 1 mile walk. I am building back my endurance so I can start running again in a couple of weeks. As I was walking I decided to run a little and did a couple of minutes. It was just the one time, but I pushed myself a little and look forward to feeling string again. Las the time I could see some much improvement in my lung capacity after one week of wwalking. I am trying to walk morning and night to get used to it. Nown, if the neighbors would turn off their sprinklers that would be great. 

T25 today was Total Body Circuit. I feel the push-ups in my shoulders and right elbow. I do them on my knees and still struggle because I am so out of shape. I don't think I am lined up right, but if I move my arms down I don't have strength to do them. I am watching this and hope to straighten it out as I add some strength. 

I am adding 15 minutes on the elliptical and an upper body weight set today. I don't work so I am spacing out my workouts and making it a priority to get in shape. I have an elliptical, and our neighborhood has a gym with weights and a treadmill and elliptical. That is so good, bexcuse on rainy days I can go to the gym and get my workouts in. No excuses! 

I woke with a in us headache that I dealt with all night. I took excedrine and have to establish or it will upset my stomach. So many times I grab chips but today I got a Kind peanut butter and dark chocolate protein bar. I ate half then had the other half after my walk. It has 200 calories, so debatable whether it is a good choice. I need to go get some vegetables today for omelets and egg cups to make up. 

I have fallen out of routine of taking my vitamins. I take a multi vitamin, vitamin D, magnesium, glucosamine, get B12 shots, and sinus meds. My D and B12 levels have been low to on the low side even with taking extra. I need to go sit in the sun 15 minutes a day also. We have been in a drought so all the tree and grass pollen has been horrible this year. I've been getting sinus headaches daily. I didn't sleep well. 

We'll, I haven't sleep well in 10 years. I wake at 3:30 every night. I am working on making a structured bedtime routine. At 9 I am going and changing into pajamas, taking off makeup and brushing teeth and then not looking at phone for the rest of the night. I'm trying to go to bed at 10. So far, i haven't done it. I made working on this routine. 

I am also working to drink 10 glasses of water a day. I have a Tervis tumbler that is 2. 5 cups. What I do is drink one by 10, one by 12, one by 3, and another by 6. I can tell a big difference after a few days when my body gets hydrated. I pee the first few days as my body eliminates stored fluids. Then I feel better and actually crave water. My body just feels to be running better. I am going to take a photo of my skin. I have milia. It is white bumps on my face that look like pimples without a head. They are actually little cysts that form from excess oils. I have them on my jawbone area in front of my ears. and to the side of my eyes. I want to see if making sure to take off makeup and water will help. 

I woke with a headache so I ate half of the Kind bar with medicine. I ate the other half after I walked. It has 200 calories so I didn't eat anything else. I always have the protein drink after my T25 workout. I am trying to get a lot of protein. You are supposed to eat your weight in grams of protein. No way I can do that, but with 30 grams this protein drink really helps me.

For lunch I had leftovers. Like I said, i need to get to the store. This is roast, roasted carrots that have EVOO on them cooked in oven, and rice with real butter. Really high carbs and not usual. 

For supper I had a taco salad.

I had Greek yogurt at 3 and a mini candy bar my husband brought from work.