I'm sitting here procrastinating working out. It was weigh-in day and I lost two more pounds, which is awesome. I am two pounds away from breaking into another decade (if you know what I mean) and it is a decade that I haven't been in for a long, long time. Two things happen when I am successful with weight loss like this:
1. I feel good and confident to the point that I feel like it is "ok" to slack a little. You know, have an ice cream, skip a day of working out.
2. I feel even more determined to stay on it and stay focused because I am so close to a goal.
Yes, both these things happen simultaneously. I will be swayed either way depending on external factors. So, the fact that I didn't have time to work out this morning because Mimi had a doctor's appointment at 8:45 is not a good thing because as the day goes on I am less motivated to work out plus, you know, two more pounds...feeling a little too cocky here.
Also, after the doctor's appointment we spent the afternoon in the sun at the Jamison Square fountain so I'm all tired and burnt out from the sun. Oh yeah, I had a little ice cream while we were there too. So I really, really, really should go work out! I don't want to get all complacent because I am doing well and fuck it all up. Not to mention the fact that I am going on vacation on Friday and as much as I tell myself that I will be really mindful of eating on the trip and not go overboard, I ALWAYS end up being a glutton on vacations. So, I REALLY MUST GO WORK OUT NOW, right?
Ok, I've convinced myself. I'm going to finish this short post and then go work out.
I haven't started a new book though I have checked out two from the library and bought two new ones. I don't know why I l keep getting more and more books even though I already have a stack I haven't read yet. I figure I better start with the library books since I have them for a limited time. One is called "you against me" and the other is called "light beneath ferns". Weird. Both books titles are not capitalized on the front cover. Strange coincidence.
Now to log recent activities. Graham returned from his camping trip happy and sun burnt. He also has a small mark on his chest where his friend accidentally shot him with an air gun. Apparently Graham's friend's mom thought I would hate her and never let Graham hang out with them again. I am SO not that kind of mom. Shit happens, especially with kids. I can't stand moms that won't let their kids climb trees because they might fall out and get hurt. What kind of fucking world is it when kids can't climb trees anymore. So at some point I want to call the mom to thank her for giving Graham a wonderful camping trip and to assure her that I am not upset and will gladly let Graham stay with them again.
Having said all that, Graham was happy for two reasons. He was happy because he had a lot of fun camping, especially swimming in the lake. However, he was also happy to be home.
Since he had been camping and hiking and away from electronics for four days, I took the kiddos to Despicable Me 2 that afternoon (Saturday) and we had a jolly time. I don't think it was as good as the first one, but still very enjoyable. The little girl, Agnes, totally reminds me of Mimi.
On Sunday we walked over to the Woodstock Farmer's Market and bought some raspberries. Then we went to the library but, of course, Graham forgot his Summer Reading Card again, which has been done for months and he hasn't retrieved ANY of his prizes for it. I'm hoping they will let him take all three or four at once at not think he is just some kid that filled them all in for the prizes. The first week of summer that kid read A LOT!
That afternoon we headed over to the Portland Aquarium. My mother-in-law got us a year membership for Christmas and we had only been once before. It isn't all that great, but it is free for us and I figure we need to get our money's worth on the annual membership. Actually though, we really did have a lot of fun and both kids could have stayed in the shark room for hours and hours petting the stingrays and sharks. I especially enjoyed the shark talk given by one of the employees. Most of the kids and adults weren't really listening, still just trying to pet the animals. Then there's me. I am such a nerd and such a lover of learning at heart. I was intently listening to everything he said and I think he almost got annoyed with all the questions I asked. Although he did get really excited when he had just explained how the Black Fin Sharks can never stop swimming or they can't breath and they will drown and I asked if they slept. He enthusiastically explained how one half of their brain turns off so they can sleep and rest that part of the brain while the other half stays awake enough so they can swim. Then the brain halves switch so the other half can get a break. Isn't that completely fucking awesome! Yeah, I'm a BIG nerd.
Yesterday we just got a lot of stuff done, both everyday stuff and stuff in preparation for our trip to SLC later this week. I worked in the yard for about 1.5 hours and now I have multiple splinters in my hands and feet and one really nice blister on my thumb. I think the yard looks better though and hopefully it will make a good impression on potential buyers of our neighbors house. Not that I want our neighbors to leave. They really are the best neighbors ever, but I want the best for them and they are ready for more room so I'm willing to help however I can. Plus I want them to attract buyers that I like. I told them when they get an offer they need approval from me on the people that want to buy. I was kidding, of course. (Kind of)
And that brings me back to today. We took Mimi to her 4 year old appointment. She is completely healthy and normal. Then we went to Powell's where I once again spent money I shouldn't on books for all three of us. Afterwards we went to Whole Foods and grabbed some lunch which we ate at the park before playing on the playground for awhile. Finally, we splashed around the fountain at Jamison Square for about two hours, ending the festivities with a little ice cream.
Mimi is now asleep and Graham rode his bike over to a friend's house. And me? I'm going to go put on my tennis shoes and get on the Lifecycle and ride for 40 minutes. Thanks for helping to convince me to do the right thing.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Friday, July 19, 2013
I Think This Is #9 ?
Today was a great day! It was a great day because it wasn't forced fun; there were no expectations. See, I was thinking about that the other day, forced fun. The first time I heard this term used was by my senior year A.P. Biology teacher. I think we asked her what she was going to do for New Year's Eve and she said that she didn't do anything for New Year's Eve because it is forced fun and forced fun is never that fun.
I think I realized right away that she was correct and I as the years have gone on I've come to fully agree with her on the issue of forced fun. Frankly, I can only remember one really, really good New Year's Eve and it was good because my boyfriend was out of town so I just kind of decided at the last minute what to do and didn't have any expectations.
Now that I'm a mom I don't really do anything special for New Year's Eve so it isn't bad, but nothing great either. But back when I used to actually do things on New Year's Eve, they almost always turned out bad or were a disappointment. This holds true for days like St. Patrick's Day and Cinco de Mayo as well. Days made for the soul purpose of having a reason to go out and drink and "party", but with these extra expectations of having an especially good time. You don't really need a reason to go out; if you want to go out go out and you will most likely have a better time because you really wanted to go out rather than going out because it is a designated day that you are "supposed" to go out.
So again, the problem is when we have specific expectations for the fun activity in which we are planning to participate. No one can predict the future and there are all kinds of factors that may change the outcome of a day or night. An activity may not go the way you would have expected it to if you had expectations, but can still be a lot of fun. The problem is, if you think about the expectations ahead of time, no matter how fun the experience is, you will still be disappointed because it didn't go the way you planned. If you didn't have the expectations in the first place then any fun can be truly enjoyed.
Other than designated days for forced fun, I also think we create expectations for activities when we are trying to re-create something. Maybe you had an amazing camping trip so you decide to go back to the same place next year and you want it to be the same as the year before, but it can't. It is not the year before. It is a new year and you are a year older and the people you are with are a year older and maybe there are different people camping near you or the weather is different and it just can't be exactly the same, but you want it to be so badly that you just can't enjoy the trip, no matter if the trip really is very fun.
I think I have been guilty of doing this for summer in general. I have had some really amazing summers and though I always look forward to summer, NEED summer by the time it comes, and enjoy summer, some are better than others.
The summer Mimi was born was one of the best summers of my life. Graham and the Baby Beorn were my best friends. I strapped Mimi onto my chest, and Graham and I were out hiking almost every day. "Hiking" might be hiking 4 miles in the Gorge or walking through the Rhododendron Gardens, but we were outside, amongst plants, walking most days. It was a phenomenal summer and none of it was planned. I mean, I had a newborn; I had no plans other than changing diapers, breast feeding, and being a mom. But Mimi turned out the be an easy baby that loved being out and about as long as she was cuddled up next to my chest and both Graham and I are restless; we don't really like just hanging around the house. So everyday it was just like, "Hey, let's go get breakfast and the Multnomah Falls Lodge and go for a hike," or "Wanna walk down to the Rhododendron Gardens?" It was organic with no expectations bringing true happiness to us.
I think I tend to plan too much for summer activities. I want to be biking and hiking and swimming and outdoor playing all summer, and there is nothing wrong with that. But I try to plan the activities ahead of time: "Tuesday we will finish swimming class, pack lunches, and head down to Jamison Square. Wednesday we will ride our bikes down to Johnson Creek and look for crawdads." I do this with no sense of how we will feel that day. Did we get enough sleep? What is the weather like? I'm trying to recreate past summers that cannot be re-created and were only great because they happened organically.
So, yesterday I just happened to be looking on the internet; I think I was looking for when the Sellwood Pool has open swim time. I happened across a mention of the Leach Botanical Gardens and went to their website. It looked really cool and I knew at some point this summer I wanted to check it out.
Mimi and I had planned to either go to Jamison Square or the river today. I had planned to get up at 7:15 like I do every morning and work out. When I woke up, however, with Mimi in bed with me (because she always comes into my room early in the morning) we just cuddled and giggled and stayed in bed for awhile. I REALLY didn't feel like doing the same old workout and then rushing to get ready for swimming. I really just wanted to have a chill morning and drink coffee and actually make some eggs for breakfast. So, I did.
I was able to get some little things done and enjoy my coffee and take time getting Mimi ready for swimming. However, there was still the issue of making sure to get some exercise before the day was complete. So, out of the blue I asked Mimi if she wanted to ride in the bike trailer, later today after swimming, and go out to the sheep farm (a little before 172nd on the Springwater Corrider Trail) and then ride over to the Botanical Gardens and check it out. (The Gardens are a little less than a mile south of Foster on 122nd...easy to get to from the trail.) She was game.
So, that's what we did and it was wonderful and I got some good exercise dragging her and her trailer on my bike and it was just lovely. I never knew about the Botanical Gardens and it is a really awesome place; I recommend it highly. It's free too, so that is a plus. Mimi and I saw hobbit houses and pixies, heard fairies rustling in the bushes and possibly the galloping of a unicorn. Today was what summer is about.
Not that we didn't have a good time at the Sellwood Pool yesterday; we had a blast. But it wasn't spontaneous and magical like today was.
In other news, Graham called me today from Estacada. I had planned on him calling me yesterday, so I was feeling a little nervous that I hadn't heard from him. They didn't end up driving to town yesterday so he didn't have cell service. So today he called and he is safe and fine so that is a weight off my shoulders. He wasn't very verbose so it is hard to tell if he is having a good time, miserable, or somewhere in the middle, but at least I know he is alright and I get to see him tomorrow.
Finally, I finished the book "Uses for Boys" and it was alright. Like I said before, I think it was a superb choice for subject matter as I think there are lots of girls out there that could relate. I also think the author did an excellent job of describing and capturing sex and making love, what it is like when it is a one night stand, what it is like when you are young and head over heels in love. But I still think the book lacked some depth, especially in terms of character development. Rather than making a stylistic choice to leave a lot for the reader to infer, it felt like the author said so little because she didn't know how to articulate what needed to be said. So yeah, interesting read but nothing stellar.
I'm thinking I might not start a new book for awhile because next week is pretty busy, getting ready to go to Salt Lake and then I will be in Salt Lake for over a week and I know that will be very busy. I've been doing most of my reading during Mimi's daily swim classes and those are over for awhile so, we'll see.
I'm anxious for Tuesday's weigh in and will keep you updated whether the results are good or not. I promise to always be honest on this blog. Ok....toodaloo!
I think I realized right away that she was correct and I as the years have gone on I've come to fully agree with her on the issue of forced fun. Frankly, I can only remember one really, really good New Year's Eve and it was good because my boyfriend was out of town so I just kind of decided at the last minute what to do and didn't have any expectations.
Now that I'm a mom I don't really do anything special for New Year's Eve so it isn't bad, but nothing great either. But back when I used to actually do things on New Year's Eve, they almost always turned out bad or were a disappointment. This holds true for days like St. Patrick's Day and Cinco de Mayo as well. Days made for the soul purpose of having a reason to go out and drink and "party", but with these extra expectations of having an especially good time. You don't really need a reason to go out; if you want to go out go out and you will most likely have a better time because you really wanted to go out rather than going out because it is a designated day that you are "supposed" to go out.
So again, the problem is when we have specific expectations for the fun activity in which we are planning to participate. No one can predict the future and there are all kinds of factors that may change the outcome of a day or night. An activity may not go the way you would have expected it to if you had expectations, but can still be a lot of fun. The problem is, if you think about the expectations ahead of time, no matter how fun the experience is, you will still be disappointed because it didn't go the way you planned. If you didn't have the expectations in the first place then any fun can be truly enjoyed.
Other than designated days for forced fun, I also think we create expectations for activities when we are trying to re-create something. Maybe you had an amazing camping trip so you decide to go back to the same place next year and you want it to be the same as the year before, but it can't. It is not the year before. It is a new year and you are a year older and the people you are with are a year older and maybe there are different people camping near you or the weather is different and it just can't be exactly the same, but you want it to be so badly that you just can't enjoy the trip, no matter if the trip really is very fun.
I think I have been guilty of doing this for summer in general. I have had some really amazing summers and though I always look forward to summer, NEED summer by the time it comes, and enjoy summer, some are better than others.
The summer Mimi was born was one of the best summers of my life. Graham and the Baby Beorn were my best friends. I strapped Mimi onto my chest, and Graham and I were out hiking almost every day. "Hiking" might be hiking 4 miles in the Gorge or walking through the Rhododendron Gardens, but we were outside, amongst plants, walking most days. It was a phenomenal summer and none of it was planned. I mean, I had a newborn; I had no plans other than changing diapers, breast feeding, and being a mom. But Mimi turned out the be an easy baby that loved being out and about as long as she was cuddled up next to my chest and both Graham and I are restless; we don't really like just hanging around the house. So everyday it was just like, "Hey, let's go get breakfast and the Multnomah Falls Lodge and go for a hike," or "Wanna walk down to the Rhododendron Gardens?" It was organic with no expectations bringing true happiness to us.
I think I tend to plan too much for summer activities. I want to be biking and hiking and swimming and outdoor playing all summer, and there is nothing wrong with that. But I try to plan the activities ahead of time: "Tuesday we will finish swimming class, pack lunches, and head down to Jamison Square. Wednesday we will ride our bikes down to Johnson Creek and look for crawdads." I do this with no sense of how we will feel that day. Did we get enough sleep? What is the weather like? I'm trying to recreate past summers that cannot be re-created and were only great because they happened organically.
So, yesterday I just happened to be looking on the internet; I think I was looking for when the Sellwood Pool has open swim time. I happened across a mention of the Leach Botanical Gardens and went to their website. It looked really cool and I knew at some point this summer I wanted to check it out.
Mimi and I had planned to either go to Jamison Square or the river today. I had planned to get up at 7:15 like I do every morning and work out. When I woke up, however, with Mimi in bed with me (because she always comes into my room early in the morning) we just cuddled and giggled and stayed in bed for awhile. I REALLY didn't feel like doing the same old workout and then rushing to get ready for swimming. I really just wanted to have a chill morning and drink coffee and actually make some eggs for breakfast. So, I did.
I was able to get some little things done and enjoy my coffee and take time getting Mimi ready for swimming. However, there was still the issue of making sure to get some exercise before the day was complete. So, out of the blue I asked Mimi if she wanted to ride in the bike trailer, later today after swimming, and go out to the sheep farm (a little before 172nd on the Springwater Corrider Trail) and then ride over to the Botanical Gardens and check it out. (The Gardens are a little less than a mile south of Foster on 122nd...easy to get to from the trail.) She was game.
So, that's what we did and it was wonderful and I got some good exercise dragging her and her trailer on my bike and it was just lovely. I never knew about the Botanical Gardens and it is a really awesome place; I recommend it highly. It's free too, so that is a plus. Mimi and I saw hobbit houses and pixies, heard fairies rustling in the bushes and possibly the galloping of a unicorn. Today was what summer is about.
Not that we didn't have a good time at the Sellwood Pool yesterday; we had a blast. But it wasn't spontaneous and magical like today was.
In other news, Graham called me today from Estacada. I had planned on him calling me yesterday, so I was feeling a little nervous that I hadn't heard from him. They didn't end up driving to town yesterday so he didn't have cell service. So today he called and he is safe and fine so that is a weight off my shoulders. He wasn't very verbose so it is hard to tell if he is having a good time, miserable, or somewhere in the middle, but at least I know he is alright and I get to see him tomorrow.
Finally, I finished the book "Uses for Boys" and it was alright. Like I said before, I think it was a superb choice for subject matter as I think there are lots of girls out there that could relate. I also think the author did an excellent job of describing and capturing sex and making love, what it is like when it is a one night stand, what it is like when you are young and head over heels in love. But I still think the book lacked some depth, especially in terms of character development. Rather than making a stylistic choice to leave a lot for the reader to infer, it felt like the author said so little because she didn't know how to articulate what needed to be said. So yeah, interesting read but nothing stellar.
I'm thinking I might not start a new book for awhile because next week is pretty busy, getting ready to go to Salt Lake and then I will be in Salt Lake for over a week and I know that will be very busy. I've been doing most of my reading during Mimi's daily swim classes and those are over for awhile so, we'll see.
I'm anxious for Tuesday's weigh in and will keep you updated whether the results are good or not. I promise to always be honest on this blog. Ok....toodaloo!
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
NOT Daily Post #8
Wow, it has been two weeks since I have written on my blog! I need to be more diligent about writing. Time to try to recap what has been going on with books, health, and good old summer fun.
It is going to take me a minute to think of all the books I have read so far this summer.
1. Freewill
2. You Don't Know Me But You Don't Like Me
3. 34 Pieces of You
4. Bad Girls Don't Die
5. I Will Save You
6. Dirty Little Secret
7. After
8. Uses for Boys
I was reading I Will Save You last time I wrote, and I really liked it. I can't really say much about it without giving away the plot, but it was well written, interesting, and most importantly, I cared about the characters.
Dirty Little Secrets was about a teenager whose mother is a hoarder. The book really goes into details about this mental illness and it peaked my interest enough that I researched the illness myself which was kind of a bad idea because it made me all paranoid that Graham exhibits hoarding behavior. Of course, much of what I read talked about understanding the difference between normal kid hoarding and the actual mental illness. I think those of us that have mental illnesses see mental illness in everyone else. We are always diagnosing others. Having said that, I think most terms for varying mental illnesses are just words to describe a set of behaviors. Everyone has abnormal behaviors which actually makes it normal. What I am saying is that in a way everyone displays some characteristics of mental illness; some just exhibit it in more extreme ways and/or have multiple characteristics so they (we) are diagnosed with an actual term to describe it. OK, enough on my tangent about mental illness. The book was alright, but the whole middle section was just pages and pages describing the disgusting, mess of a house. I get that the author wanted the reader to really get how bad it was, but at a certain point I got it and would have preferred the story just move along. The ending was satisfying though.
After was a pretty intense book, but I liked it. It was about a girl who had everything going for her. She was an excellent student and a star soccer player. Her dad was gone and her mom wasn't as responsible as she was. The, the girl breaks her own rule and has sex, just once, and gets pregnant. However, she doesn't really realize she is pregnant, or subconsciously she does but is in a sort of denial. When she actually has the baby, alone, in her mom's apartment, she puts the baby in the dumpster behind the apartments. She ends up getting caught and going to a juvenile detention center. The book focuses on her slow progress coming out of the denial. If I had tackled this story, I probably would have gone about it a little differently, but I still liked the book a lot.
I am currently reading Uses for Boys. It is about the classic scenario of the girl who has no father figure, and in the book's case a distant mother as well, and tries to find value and comfort in boys and sex. I can tell you as a middle school teacher that this kind of girl exists. This scenario happens too often. However I also don't love the way the author is tackling the subject. It is hard to explain what I mean. It is written in short, choppy chapters with a lot of snippets of the main character's thoughts with a lot to be inferred. But because those snippets of thoughts are the same ones repeated over and over I as a reader am not getting the depth of the character I could if it was written differently.
So, that's where I am on the book front. It will be cool to keep track of just how many books I read this summer and what they are. People always ask me what I've been reading and I always blank out and don't have an answer, but by writing this all down I think I will be able to answer that question much more accurately.
Health: I'm sure I gained some weight the week my friend was here because there was a lot of eating and drinking going on. However, there was some decent activity as well. As a result I chose not to weigh myself for awhile, even after "getting back on the (health) wagon". I know a lot of people that disagree with the idea of not weighing yourself when you know it will be bad, that you are trying to fool yourself and therefore won't be as successful in your weight loss. That may very well be true for certain people.
Like most people, I respond better to positive reinforcement than negative, but I think I respond worse to negative reinforcement than a lot of people. Seeing a significant weight gain on the scale can make me feel very dejected. I know I probably gained weight, so I really don't need to see the actual number and am motivated to get back to a good weight before I weigh myself so I can have a nice surprise.
After a week of the old eating right/exercise routine I weighed myself and I was pleased. I am back to the weight I was before I gained the three pounds. I'm feeling pretty good about that. I also realized something. Before I started really trying to lose weight again because of my knee I had a natural resting spot for my weight possibly fluctuated a few pounds here and there. Then I lost those ten pounds back in March. I fell off the wagon for awhile and assumed I had gained it all back, but never checked. Now, I am back on the wagon. I actually think I have maintained that ten pound loss. I wasn't actively losing any weight for awhile, but I think I've been healthy enough to adjust my resting weight, which does happen after you maintain a certain weight for awhile. Having an average weight of ten pounds less than it has been for years is pretty awesome and I think I deserve to feel good about that.
Completely switching gears, my good high school friend came to visit for almost a week. Kyle and the kids headed to the coast that Tuesday afternoon and I picked up my friend at the airport at 10:30 at night. We went back to my place and talked and talked and talked, until like 3:30 in the morning. I can't remember the last time I stayed up until 3:30. It was awesome.
We got up the next day and after a nice breakfast out headed to the coast to meet up with the family. It was really fun to watch my friend's reaction to the northwest coast which is very different from the coast she is used to in Florida. I think the northwest is amazingly beautiful and the coast and quaint little coastal towns are no exception. She obviously saw the same thing I did and it was just really awesome to get to share it with someone that has never seen it or been exposed to it.
We did some walking on the beach, some Apples to Apples at the beach house, a small town 4th of July parade, a BBQ, and watched a pretty amazing professional fireworks show on the beach. The last day we took a beautiful hike down to Indian beach and stopped at the Tillamook Cheese Factory on the way home.
The last day she was here was nearly a perfect day. She and I biked for a while up the beautiful Springwater trail and then get over to this place called Edgefield. It is hard to explain Edgefield to someone that has never been there or to any of the other McMenamin's "resorts". Edgefield is a huge plot of land with lodging, different restaurants and bars and a winery, and a golf course. It is covered in gardens, including vegetable gardens and has a huge field where they hold concerts. MecMenamin's also brews their own beer. It is a beautiful place and we spent the day there eating, drinking, and wandering around the gardens. Then, we rode our bikes home. Seriously, biking, drinking, and gardens...three of my very, very favorite things. Doesn't get much better.
After she left it was back to our busy routines. Swim, Dance, Camps...In a lot of ways we are just as busy this summer as we are during the school year. There is a lot of rushing around to get to camps or classes on time and there are many days I don't shower, which is kind of gross since I workout most days, often in the morning. But the truth is when I know I am just going to sweat going hiking or biking later or get dirty swimming in the river at the beach it seems stupid to shower first.
Mimi is still in swimming and hip-hop dance class. Graham was involved in a camp last week that was custom made for him. It was a film making class and over the course of the week they made a zombie movie. Graham ended up being on the acting side of the camera a lot which is no surprise since he is a talented actor. For those of you that don't know Graham was to direct movies, specifically dark movies, horror movies, and comedy/horror movies. So as a said, this camp was custom made for him. They are going to send us a copy of the movie and I can't wait to see it.
Graham also hit a major milestone in growing up this week, he left his family for multiple days. Graham has never been away from me for more than a night except when he went to Las Vegas with my parents to see The Lion King musical and that was only two nights.
On Saturday he went with his friend's family to Long Beach, WA to stay on the beach for two nights. He was very nervous and pre-homesick and asked to take a picture of me with him. While he was gone he called me many times a day. I'm going to tell you right now, I cried when I was driving away from dropping him off at their house.
He came back Monday, stayed with us Monday and last night, and I just dropped him off at their house again this morning for a THREE night camping trip where there will not be cell phone reception. Though it is nice to be a little less busy with only one child, it will be strange and I will miss him dearly. However, I do feel a little better this time despite it being a longer trip in the woods because now that he already did it once and had a good time I am a little more at ease and he was definitely less nervous this time now that he is used to being with them and away from me. Also, his mom said they will drive into town a few times so he can call me. Obviously I trust this family and am very fond of them or I wouldn't have let him go.
Mimi and I have been doing this like hiking at Oaks Bottom and going to the river beach and going to the park. Sometimes we just like to put on our bathing suits and get out the kiddie pool and hang in the backyard. By the way, I love my yard. Both of us are outdoors lovers so that is where we spend most of our time. However, I have accomplished some cleaning and laundry between activities which is nice because if I keep things clean then I have more time to enjoy summer.
So, that pretty much brings us up to date. I am going to try to write more often from now on and then the posts won't have to be so long.
Also, if you are reading these, I never proof-read so please don't judge me; I have more important things to do (hiking, biking, playing) than proof-read. : )
It is going to take me a minute to think of all the books I have read so far this summer.
1. Freewill
2. You Don't Know Me But You Don't Like Me
3. 34 Pieces of You
4. Bad Girls Don't Die
5. I Will Save You
6. Dirty Little Secret
7. After
8. Uses for Boys
I was reading I Will Save You last time I wrote, and I really liked it. I can't really say much about it without giving away the plot, but it was well written, interesting, and most importantly, I cared about the characters.
Dirty Little Secrets was about a teenager whose mother is a hoarder. The book really goes into details about this mental illness and it peaked my interest enough that I researched the illness myself which was kind of a bad idea because it made me all paranoid that Graham exhibits hoarding behavior. Of course, much of what I read talked about understanding the difference between normal kid hoarding and the actual mental illness. I think those of us that have mental illnesses see mental illness in everyone else. We are always diagnosing others. Having said that, I think most terms for varying mental illnesses are just words to describe a set of behaviors. Everyone has abnormal behaviors which actually makes it normal. What I am saying is that in a way everyone displays some characteristics of mental illness; some just exhibit it in more extreme ways and/or have multiple characteristics so they (we) are diagnosed with an actual term to describe it. OK, enough on my tangent about mental illness. The book was alright, but the whole middle section was just pages and pages describing the disgusting, mess of a house. I get that the author wanted the reader to really get how bad it was, but at a certain point I got it and would have preferred the story just move along. The ending was satisfying though.
After was a pretty intense book, but I liked it. It was about a girl who had everything going for her. She was an excellent student and a star soccer player. Her dad was gone and her mom wasn't as responsible as she was. The, the girl breaks her own rule and has sex, just once, and gets pregnant. However, she doesn't really realize she is pregnant, or subconsciously she does but is in a sort of denial. When she actually has the baby, alone, in her mom's apartment, she puts the baby in the dumpster behind the apartments. She ends up getting caught and going to a juvenile detention center. The book focuses on her slow progress coming out of the denial. If I had tackled this story, I probably would have gone about it a little differently, but I still liked the book a lot.
I am currently reading Uses for Boys. It is about the classic scenario of the girl who has no father figure, and in the book's case a distant mother as well, and tries to find value and comfort in boys and sex. I can tell you as a middle school teacher that this kind of girl exists. This scenario happens too often. However I also don't love the way the author is tackling the subject. It is hard to explain what I mean. It is written in short, choppy chapters with a lot of snippets of the main character's thoughts with a lot to be inferred. But because those snippets of thoughts are the same ones repeated over and over I as a reader am not getting the depth of the character I could if it was written differently.
So, that's where I am on the book front. It will be cool to keep track of just how many books I read this summer and what they are. People always ask me what I've been reading and I always blank out and don't have an answer, but by writing this all down I think I will be able to answer that question much more accurately.
Health: I'm sure I gained some weight the week my friend was here because there was a lot of eating and drinking going on. However, there was some decent activity as well. As a result I chose not to weigh myself for awhile, even after "getting back on the (health) wagon". I know a lot of people that disagree with the idea of not weighing yourself when you know it will be bad, that you are trying to fool yourself and therefore won't be as successful in your weight loss. That may very well be true for certain people.
Like most people, I respond better to positive reinforcement than negative, but I think I respond worse to negative reinforcement than a lot of people. Seeing a significant weight gain on the scale can make me feel very dejected. I know I probably gained weight, so I really don't need to see the actual number and am motivated to get back to a good weight before I weigh myself so I can have a nice surprise.
After a week of the old eating right/exercise routine I weighed myself and I was pleased. I am back to the weight I was before I gained the three pounds. I'm feeling pretty good about that. I also realized something. Before I started really trying to lose weight again because of my knee I had a natural resting spot for my weight possibly fluctuated a few pounds here and there. Then I lost those ten pounds back in March. I fell off the wagon for awhile and assumed I had gained it all back, but never checked. Now, I am back on the wagon. I actually think I have maintained that ten pound loss. I wasn't actively losing any weight for awhile, but I think I've been healthy enough to adjust my resting weight, which does happen after you maintain a certain weight for awhile. Having an average weight of ten pounds less than it has been for years is pretty awesome and I think I deserve to feel good about that.
Completely switching gears, my good high school friend came to visit for almost a week. Kyle and the kids headed to the coast that Tuesday afternoon and I picked up my friend at the airport at 10:30 at night. We went back to my place and talked and talked and talked, until like 3:30 in the morning. I can't remember the last time I stayed up until 3:30. It was awesome.
We got up the next day and after a nice breakfast out headed to the coast to meet up with the family. It was really fun to watch my friend's reaction to the northwest coast which is very different from the coast she is used to in Florida. I think the northwest is amazingly beautiful and the coast and quaint little coastal towns are no exception. She obviously saw the same thing I did and it was just really awesome to get to share it with someone that has never seen it or been exposed to it.
We did some walking on the beach, some Apples to Apples at the beach house, a small town 4th of July parade, a BBQ, and watched a pretty amazing professional fireworks show on the beach. The last day we took a beautiful hike down to Indian beach and stopped at the Tillamook Cheese Factory on the way home.
The last day she was here was nearly a perfect day. She and I biked for a while up the beautiful Springwater trail and then get over to this place called Edgefield. It is hard to explain Edgefield to someone that has never been there or to any of the other McMenamin's "resorts". Edgefield is a huge plot of land with lodging, different restaurants and bars and a winery, and a golf course. It is covered in gardens, including vegetable gardens and has a huge field where they hold concerts. MecMenamin's also brews their own beer. It is a beautiful place and we spent the day there eating, drinking, and wandering around the gardens. Then, we rode our bikes home. Seriously, biking, drinking, and gardens...three of my very, very favorite things. Doesn't get much better.
After she left it was back to our busy routines. Swim, Dance, Camps...In a lot of ways we are just as busy this summer as we are during the school year. There is a lot of rushing around to get to camps or classes on time and there are many days I don't shower, which is kind of gross since I workout most days, often in the morning. But the truth is when I know I am just going to sweat going hiking or biking later or get dirty swimming in the river at the beach it seems stupid to shower first.
Mimi is still in swimming and hip-hop dance class. Graham was involved in a camp last week that was custom made for him. It was a film making class and over the course of the week they made a zombie movie. Graham ended up being on the acting side of the camera a lot which is no surprise since he is a talented actor. For those of you that don't know Graham was to direct movies, specifically dark movies, horror movies, and comedy/horror movies. So as a said, this camp was custom made for him. They are going to send us a copy of the movie and I can't wait to see it.
Graham also hit a major milestone in growing up this week, he left his family for multiple days. Graham has never been away from me for more than a night except when he went to Las Vegas with my parents to see The Lion King musical and that was only two nights.
On Saturday he went with his friend's family to Long Beach, WA to stay on the beach for two nights. He was very nervous and pre-homesick and asked to take a picture of me with him. While he was gone he called me many times a day. I'm going to tell you right now, I cried when I was driving away from dropping him off at their house.
He came back Monday, stayed with us Monday and last night, and I just dropped him off at their house again this morning for a THREE night camping trip where there will not be cell phone reception. Though it is nice to be a little less busy with only one child, it will be strange and I will miss him dearly. However, I do feel a little better this time despite it being a longer trip in the woods because now that he already did it once and had a good time I am a little more at ease and he was definitely less nervous this time now that he is used to being with them and away from me. Also, his mom said they will drive into town a few times so he can call me. Obviously I trust this family and am very fond of them or I wouldn't have let him go.
Mimi and I have been doing this like hiking at Oaks Bottom and going to the river beach and going to the park. Sometimes we just like to put on our bathing suits and get out the kiddie pool and hang in the backyard. By the way, I love my yard. Both of us are outdoors lovers so that is where we spend most of our time. However, I have accomplished some cleaning and laundry between activities which is nice because if I keep things clean then I have more time to enjoy summer.
So, that pretty much brings us up to date. I am going to try to write more often from now on and then the posts won't have to be so long.
Also, if you are reading these, I never proof-read so please don't judge me; I have more important things to do (hiking, biking, playing) than proof-read. : )
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Daily Post #7
Tuesday was weigh in today. Remember how I said that I hoped I maintained my weight from the week before? I had really hoped that despite not eating/drinking wonderfully that all my exercise kept my weight in check? Well, I gained three pounds.
Food is my weakness. It is so easy to overeat, or not realize what you are putting in your mouth if you don't keep track of it religiously. Also, I drank beer last week and I really think beer is my biggest downfall when it comes to weight loss.It's hard for me to believe that I ate and drank enough to gain THREE POUNDS despite all my activity. But, it is what it is and it won't be coming off this week because my friend is here from Florida and we are going to the coast and I plan to eat and drink and be merry. I will try to be somewhat careful, though, and maintain my weight.
I have to wonder if there is more going on. Weight is tricky. It can fluctuate a lot for many different reasons. Regardless, it is good to see a gain like that to remind myself that I have to be diligent on the food end; the exercise is not enough.
Regardless, I'm still feeling pretty good, all tan and enjoying summer. Not a lot else to talk about but I am sure I will have lots to say on my next post after fun at the coast for the fourth.
Food is my weakness. It is so easy to overeat, or not realize what you are putting in your mouth if you don't keep track of it religiously. Also, I drank beer last week and I really think beer is my biggest downfall when it comes to weight loss.It's hard for me to believe that I ate and drank enough to gain THREE POUNDS despite all my activity. But, it is what it is and it won't be coming off this week because my friend is here from Florida and we are going to the coast and I plan to eat and drink and be merry. I will try to be somewhat careful, though, and maintain my weight.
I have to wonder if there is more going on. Weight is tricky. It can fluctuate a lot for many different reasons. Regardless, it is good to see a gain like that to remind myself that I have to be diligent on the food end; the exercise is not enough.
Regardless, I'm still feeling pretty good, all tan and enjoying summer. Not a lot else to talk about but I am sure I will have lots to say on my next post after fun at the coast for the fourth.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Summer Daily Blog #6
See what happens when I give myself permission NOT to write everyday? It's been a week since I have written! Oh well. So let's see...what's been going on?
Since reading 34 Pieces of You I read a YA Supernatural/Ghost book. Though most YA ghost stories are fairly similar and quite predictable, I still find them entertaining. However, I was impressed with this one. It's called Bad Girls Don't Die and the ending did follow the standard, predictable ghost story ending. However, the first 3/4 of the book did not focus on the ghost story at all; instead the writing focused on the character development of the protagonist and that made for a much more interesting story.
Now I am reading a book called I Will Save You and so far it is pretty good. Much like 34 Pieces of You it begins with a big event that the reader can't fully understand and then, through flashbacks, the story slowly unfolds. If I like this one I may get some others by the same author. I'm heading to the beach on Wednesday for a few days so I should probably take a few books. Then again, my friend from Florida is coming with us so I may be more into chatting than reading.
But before discussing future events, let's talk about my very busy past week. On Wednesday Mimi and I went to Sky High, the trampoline place. They added a new "kid's room" which is a big carpeted area with tumbling mats and toys and books and one of those indoor play structures, like a mini version of what they have at PDX Playdate. Anyway, she wanted to check that out too so for three extra dollars she could jump on the trampolines and play in the kid's room. In the end she only jumped for about five minutes and spent the rest of the time in the kid's room. She didn't want to leave after an hour (you pay by the hour) so I decided to get her another hour JUST for the kid's room. BUT...if you are not using the kid's room in conjunction with jumping then the kid's room costs eight dollars an hour. So, the bottom line is, I paid a whole lot of money for two hours in a carpeted tumbling room, especially considering PDX Playdate is a flat fee and you can play as long as you want. Regardless, she had a great time and made some friends and that is what really matters. It was pretty funny when there were three boys, Mimi, and one other girl in the kid's room and Mimi was wrestling with the three boys. I just have to remember moments like that every time she asks me if she can have high heels or lipstick or a pink princess dress. Deep down she really is my child, it is just hidden behind pink, girly fluff.
On Thursday we went to the Children's Museum and I made a great discovery: Late afternoon is the BEST time to go to places for kids. Usually when I'm taking the kids somewhere like the Children's Museum I'm all about getting there as early as possible, thinking I will "beat the crowds" yet somehow it never works out that way. The truth is, ALL parents with younger children are getting up early and trying to beat the crowd so everything ends up being crowded after all. Getting there at two, however, was perfect. It was not crowded at all and Mimi didn't have to fight her way through exhibits or wait long minutes to get a turn. We were able to hit EVERYTHING in two hours.
Our trip to the zoo on Friday is more evidence to my new theory that late afternoon is best, though heat may have been a factor as well. We went to the zoo on Friday around 1:30 and it was not very crowded at all. It was awesome. We got to see both the penguins and the sea otter being fed and there was no crowd so we were able to stand right in front and watch the whole thing. Now, as I said, maybe the lack of crowds was due to the hot temperatures, but I'm still thinking late afternoon may be my new trick.
As I said in an earlier blog, Graham was at zoo camp all week. Zoo camp was great because it EXHAUSTED Graham. He was super tired every night. On Wednesday Graham's camp stayed after closing, until nine, and they had a nighttime scavenger hunt all over the zoo and saw a lot of animals active at night that don't usually demonstrate a lot of activity. When Graham got home that night, he was all glossy eyed and barely said anything to me before going straight to his room and falling promptly asleep. I think I got my money's worth with this camp.
Saturday the kids and I went up to Horsetail Falls to beat the heat. We hiked the 2 mile loop and it was very shady and pleasant. I was really impressed with Mimi as she hiked almost the whole thing herself and the first half is pretty much all up hill. She only asked me to carry her at the very end when we were heading down the steep trail to the road. I probably ended up carrying her .2 miles. Both kids were happy and cheerful, no complaining, and we hand a wonderful morning.
When we got home we broke out the kiddie pool and spent the afternoon in the sun and water. We got a new patio umbrella so now there is actually some shade in the backyard. Graham usually doesn't hang out back there with us as much because he really isn't a fan of the heat and sun, but now that he can sit in the shade he has been out there with us a lot more.
Kyle made on awesome dinner on the grill: chicken and a vegetable roast...YUM!
Last time I made a blog entry it was weigh in day and I had lost two pounds, which I was feeling pretty good about. The thing is, everything is so psychosomatic. I really think that what we see literally changes based on what someone said or what the scale said or the size of pants we do or don't fit into. Anyway, in the last week I have seen three different people that I haven't seen in awhile who genuinely complimented my looks. I say genuinely because all three said it in an almost surprised way, or like they were in awe. I guess I could take that as a put down like, "Oh my god! You have always been such a fatty! I can't believe you look trim!" But I don't really take it that way. I just take it that I look noticeably different to them than the last time they saw me to my benefit.
So anyway, that makes me feel good and I start thinking, "Hmmm, maybe my body is showing my weight loss/fitness more than I think it is. I mean, we are our own harshest critics, right? Everyone knows that we all have fucked up body images of ourselves, right?" But then again, I was wearing shorts all three times.
Here's the thing, people always ask me if I have lost weight when they see me in shorts for the first time, or if they haven't seen me in shorts in a really long time. I have really thin, muscular legs. I think people see those legs and think, "Wow, she must have lost weight," when really my legs always look that way regardless of how fat I am. I just look better when I can show off that not fat part of my body...which is why I prefer summer and hate pants.
Based on the scale and the compliments I thought I started seeing some changes in the mirror. The problem is when I start believing that I'm really thinning up and looking good I go too easy on myself. With food, that is. Never with fitness. So, I have not been great with food the last week. I wouldn't say I have been horrible, but certainly not religiously following the foods and portions I had planned for myself. Over the course of the week I have looked at myself in the mirror many times and seen different things depending on the moment. In the morning I think, "Yeah, you are looking pretty good," then after lunch getting into the shower it's all "What the hell happened? Four hours ago you looked good, now you look all blobby again?" I'm telling you, it's all in the head and I'll probably never really know what I look like to others.
The good news is, I have been working out religiously and I finally went on that long, lone bike ride I've been waiting to go on for a few weeks now. Sunday morning I drove out to the Banks-Vernonia trail and parked at the Manning trail head. I biked from there to Vernonia and back for a total of 36 miles. Not a huge ride, but still a lot more than I have had time to do lately. It. Was. Wonderful.
I had never ridden the trail before and I was worried about doing a semi-long ride on such a hot day especially since I didn't even get started until 10. But the trail is shaded almost the entire way! It is amazing, like someone just bulldozed a trail straight through an evergreen forest. I was riding between huge, towering trees much of the time thinking "I am in the middle of the forest!" which wasn't exactly true but...it felt good, it smelled good, and it looked spectacular.
Vernonia is an adorable little town. Once you get to Vernonia the trail leads to a little lake called Virginia Lake and continues all the way around the lake. I saw people fishing and lots of birds and it was very tranquil. On the other side of the main street is another park with a really cool, old-school swimming hole. The main street has lots of cute little shops and restaurants and I stopped at the Bear Creek Pub (or something like that) and had a beer and a BLT before heading back. What a wonderful ride! I am really hoping that my husband will let me go on a long, solo ride at least once every two weeks, if not more. I'd like to try to ride a few more miles each time and build up my stamina to what it once was.
So, not too shabby in the fitness arena; we will see what the scale says tomorrow. I'm crossing my fingers for being the same as last week, hoping the exercise countered the food and I didn't gain anything.
After I got home from my bike ride I took a shower and cleaned up in order to go on a date with my little man to The Addams Family musical at Keller Auditorium. I love when Graham and go on dates to plays or the ballet together. The show had a great set and was very funny. Both Graham and I enjoyed ourselves and it was a great end to a great weekend.
Now I'm just getting ready for my friend to come into town tomorrow night. Kyle and the kids are heading down to the coast tomorrow afternoon and then my friend and I are going to drive down Wednesday morning. We are staying in Rockaway until the 5th. I'm excited to spend the 4th in a little beach town and expose my friend, who lives in Florida, to what a beach is in the Northwest. Not sure when I will get a chance to check in again, but I will try not to make it a whole week this time.
Since reading 34 Pieces of You I read a YA Supernatural/Ghost book. Though most YA ghost stories are fairly similar and quite predictable, I still find them entertaining. However, I was impressed with this one. It's called Bad Girls Don't Die and the ending did follow the standard, predictable ghost story ending. However, the first 3/4 of the book did not focus on the ghost story at all; instead the writing focused on the character development of the protagonist and that made for a much more interesting story.
Now I am reading a book called I Will Save You and so far it is pretty good. Much like 34 Pieces of You it begins with a big event that the reader can't fully understand and then, through flashbacks, the story slowly unfolds. If I like this one I may get some others by the same author. I'm heading to the beach on Wednesday for a few days so I should probably take a few books. Then again, my friend from Florida is coming with us so I may be more into chatting than reading.
But before discussing future events, let's talk about my very busy past week. On Wednesday Mimi and I went to Sky High, the trampoline place. They added a new "kid's room" which is a big carpeted area with tumbling mats and toys and books and one of those indoor play structures, like a mini version of what they have at PDX Playdate. Anyway, she wanted to check that out too so for three extra dollars she could jump on the trampolines and play in the kid's room. In the end she only jumped for about five minutes and spent the rest of the time in the kid's room. She didn't want to leave after an hour (you pay by the hour) so I decided to get her another hour JUST for the kid's room. BUT...if you are not using the kid's room in conjunction with jumping then the kid's room costs eight dollars an hour. So, the bottom line is, I paid a whole lot of money for two hours in a carpeted tumbling room, especially considering PDX Playdate is a flat fee and you can play as long as you want. Regardless, she had a great time and made some friends and that is what really matters. It was pretty funny when there were three boys, Mimi, and one other girl in the kid's room and Mimi was wrestling with the three boys. I just have to remember moments like that every time she asks me if she can have high heels or lipstick or a pink princess dress. Deep down she really is my child, it is just hidden behind pink, girly fluff.
On Thursday we went to the Children's Museum and I made a great discovery: Late afternoon is the BEST time to go to places for kids. Usually when I'm taking the kids somewhere like the Children's Museum I'm all about getting there as early as possible, thinking I will "beat the crowds" yet somehow it never works out that way. The truth is, ALL parents with younger children are getting up early and trying to beat the crowd so everything ends up being crowded after all. Getting there at two, however, was perfect. It was not crowded at all and Mimi didn't have to fight her way through exhibits or wait long minutes to get a turn. We were able to hit EVERYTHING in two hours.
Our trip to the zoo on Friday is more evidence to my new theory that late afternoon is best, though heat may have been a factor as well. We went to the zoo on Friday around 1:30 and it was not very crowded at all. It was awesome. We got to see both the penguins and the sea otter being fed and there was no crowd so we were able to stand right in front and watch the whole thing. Now, as I said, maybe the lack of crowds was due to the hot temperatures, but I'm still thinking late afternoon may be my new trick.
As I said in an earlier blog, Graham was at zoo camp all week. Zoo camp was great because it EXHAUSTED Graham. He was super tired every night. On Wednesday Graham's camp stayed after closing, until nine, and they had a nighttime scavenger hunt all over the zoo and saw a lot of animals active at night that don't usually demonstrate a lot of activity. When Graham got home that night, he was all glossy eyed and barely said anything to me before going straight to his room and falling promptly asleep. I think I got my money's worth with this camp.
Saturday the kids and I went up to Horsetail Falls to beat the heat. We hiked the 2 mile loop and it was very shady and pleasant. I was really impressed with Mimi as she hiked almost the whole thing herself and the first half is pretty much all up hill. She only asked me to carry her at the very end when we were heading down the steep trail to the road. I probably ended up carrying her .2 miles. Both kids were happy and cheerful, no complaining, and we hand a wonderful morning.
When we got home we broke out the kiddie pool and spent the afternoon in the sun and water. We got a new patio umbrella so now there is actually some shade in the backyard. Graham usually doesn't hang out back there with us as much because he really isn't a fan of the heat and sun, but now that he can sit in the shade he has been out there with us a lot more.
Kyle made on awesome dinner on the grill: chicken and a vegetable roast...YUM!
Last time I made a blog entry it was weigh in day and I had lost two pounds, which I was feeling pretty good about. The thing is, everything is so psychosomatic. I really think that what we see literally changes based on what someone said or what the scale said or the size of pants we do or don't fit into. Anyway, in the last week I have seen three different people that I haven't seen in awhile who genuinely complimented my looks. I say genuinely because all three said it in an almost surprised way, or like they were in awe. I guess I could take that as a put down like, "Oh my god! You have always been such a fatty! I can't believe you look trim!" But I don't really take it that way. I just take it that I look noticeably different to them than the last time they saw me to my benefit.
So anyway, that makes me feel good and I start thinking, "Hmmm, maybe my body is showing my weight loss/fitness more than I think it is. I mean, we are our own harshest critics, right? Everyone knows that we all have fucked up body images of ourselves, right?" But then again, I was wearing shorts all three times.
Here's the thing, people always ask me if I have lost weight when they see me in shorts for the first time, or if they haven't seen me in shorts in a really long time. I have really thin, muscular legs. I think people see those legs and think, "Wow, she must have lost weight," when really my legs always look that way regardless of how fat I am. I just look better when I can show off that not fat part of my body...which is why I prefer summer and hate pants.
Based on the scale and the compliments I thought I started seeing some changes in the mirror. The problem is when I start believing that I'm really thinning up and looking good I go too easy on myself. With food, that is. Never with fitness. So, I have not been great with food the last week. I wouldn't say I have been horrible, but certainly not religiously following the foods and portions I had planned for myself. Over the course of the week I have looked at myself in the mirror many times and seen different things depending on the moment. In the morning I think, "Yeah, you are looking pretty good," then after lunch getting into the shower it's all "What the hell happened? Four hours ago you looked good, now you look all blobby again?" I'm telling you, it's all in the head and I'll probably never really know what I look like to others.
The good news is, I have been working out religiously and I finally went on that long, lone bike ride I've been waiting to go on for a few weeks now. Sunday morning I drove out to the Banks-Vernonia trail and parked at the Manning trail head. I biked from there to Vernonia and back for a total of 36 miles. Not a huge ride, but still a lot more than I have had time to do lately. It. Was. Wonderful.
I had never ridden the trail before and I was worried about doing a semi-long ride on such a hot day especially since I didn't even get started until 10. But the trail is shaded almost the entire way! It is amazing, like someone just bulldozed a trail straight through an evergreen forest. I was riding between huge, towering trees much of the time thinking "I am in the middle of the forest!" which wasn't exactly true but...it felt good, it smelled good, and it looked spectacular.
Vernonia is an adorable little town. Once you get to Vernonia the trail leads to a little lake called Virginia Lake and continues all the way around the lake. I saw people fishing and lots of birds and it was very tranquil. On the other side of the main street is another park with a really cool, old-school swimming hole. The main street has lots of cute little shops and restaurants and I stopped at the Bear Creek Pub (or something like that) and had a beer and a BLT before heading back. What a wonderful ride! I am really hoping that my husband will let me go on a long, solo ride at least once every two weeks, if not more. I'd like to try to ride a few more miles each time and build up my stamina to what it once was.
So, not too shabby in the fitness arena; we will see what the scale says tomorrow. I'm crossing my fingers for being the same as last week, hoping the exercise countered the food and I didn't gain anything.
After I got home from my bike ride I took a shower and cleaned up in order to go on a date with my little man to The Addams Family musical at Keller Auditorium. I love when Graham and go on dates to plays or the ballet together. The show had a great set and was very funny. Both Graham and I enjoyed ourselves and it was a great end to a great weekend.
Now I'm just getting ready for my friend to come into town tomorrow night. Kyle and the kids are heading down to the coast tomorrow afternoon and then my friend and I are going to drive down Wednesday morning. We are staying in Rockaway until the 5th. I'm excited to spend the 4th in a little beach town and expose my friend, who lives in Florida, to what a beach is in the Northwest. Not sure when I will get a chance to check in again, but I will try not to make it a whole week this time.
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