A Trip to the Library (with questions)

As part of our cutting down on costs plan we've decided to stop buying books just because. Jonathan still "needs" the occasional business book and sometimes it's easier to buy a book Jess needs for school, but the "let's get Starbucks and hit the bookstore" trips are on hold for a while.

So I decided we would have Family Library Night.

Now I realize that this is going to be no regular occurrence. I'm pretty much the only one into it. Well, Jonathan thinks it's a great idea but I'm not sure how often he'll be around to participate. Claire is game and actually enjoys going. Hannah's at school so she doesn't really count right now. It's Jess that isn't thrilled with the idea. Strange considering she inhales books like I do.

Tonight was our first trip. We went to the Rehoboth library because I thought they'd have a bigger young adult section (which they did). When we got there I thought, it sure is noisy in here for a library. Turns out they have a LEAP meeting there on Wednesday nights and the children's section was filled with DOGS! Neat program though.

So anyway.

Claire stayed in the children's section, Jess went off to look or sulk or whatever and I wander over to the fiction section wondering how to look for books in this library. When I go to Lewes I head straight for the new releases section and start reading spines. I didn't see a section like that in this library.

Then I realized I have an odd way of picking out books. At least, it seems odd to me. I can never remember author names I like. Well, I know a few but I've read so many of their books that I like to venture outside my box. And I never have a specific book I'm looking for. So I just wander the isles and start pulling books. If the cover looks interesting a do a QUICK skim on the inside flap and make a decision. Takes me about 4 seconds. Tonight I picked
The Cinderella Pact and A Conventional Corpse. That second one is 13th in a series and I've not read any of the first 12 so I'm hoping I can catch on quickly.

By this time the kids were done so we checked out. Walked the long way around to the car since it was so nice out and headed home.

My question to you is: How do you pick out books? Do you have a plan or just wing it? Do you even go to the library? Heck, do you even READ?

Until tomorrow...

Some exercise and a couple Cards

Didn't do my magazine workout today and I'm not going to lie about why not...I was just lazy. I wanted to. But I kept getting distracted and ran out of time.

But the good news is....I walked my butt off at the barn. Hopefully literally! Took Jess over to ride after dinner and did 40 minutes around the fields. And this was no casual walk...I was hoofin' it! Appropriate considering my location huh.

Tomorrow it's back to the weights/elliptical.

The last time I scrapped I used some old SEI. I'd already done a page with it a year or so ago and figured that after doing a second page with it I wasn't going to ever use it again. But I had a lot left so I made a couple quick cards. Have a look:




I had enough paper left to do another and I started it but couldn't make anything happen so i gave up. I think this is the most I've ever done with one line of paper!

Tomorrow, I scrap. An actual layout. Until then...

Can you help me get fit?

A long time ago I was leafing through a Glamour magazine at the salon and found a really fantastic workout routine. Cheryl gave me the go ahead to tear it out and I've held onto it all this time waiting for the inspiration to hit to start using it. I have done it a few times here and there since then, and it is a really good workout, but never on a regular basis. I guess that surprises no one.

Well the inspiration finally hit. It's been building over the last couple of weeks...I just HAVE to makes some changes. Here's my plan...and how YOU can help!

Today I did this workout routine and some time on the elliptical (only 10 minutes as my legs were like jello!). My plan is to do this Monday through Friday this week along with cutting portions, drinking water and eliminating (at least almost) crappy snacks. I might even throw in one or two of my mile walks.

Then next week I'll move on to the next awesome workout torn from a magazine with time on the elliptical etc etc. I'm thinking the variety will not only keep me from getting bored, but will also be good for my body. They say you need to change it up or you get less out of it.

My problem is that I only have 2 weeks of torn from magazines awesome workouts. I just don't get or buy the kinds of magazines that have that section. I've gone through the few Glamour Girls and Seventeens that Hannah has around and none of them have articles like this. Well, one did...but Hannah already tore it out!

I could start buying these mags but I really am trying to stay on some sort of budget these days and I just don't NEED to spend money like that. I am going to hit the library and make copies if I can find any but I just know there are people out there that have some old magazines lying around and I'm hoping they'd be willing to scan, save and email those pages to me.

So can you help? Here's the one I'm doing this week:



I'd really like to build a nice library of different routines. I'd be happy to post the ones I get here too so everyone can use them.

Thanks so much!

please send copies to klokken (at) gmail . com thanks!

Weekend ReCap

Bad news first - no exercise and no scrapping. No surprise there.

Whew. That's out of the way.

Jess, Claire and I went to PopPop's house on Saturday morning. Friday was his birthday (87 years!) and I wanted to stop in for a quick visit in honor of it. He looks good but he's getting OLD. Kind of scary. We visited for a few and I did a couple simple to me but big for them tasks around the house. Tony picked up Jess there so he got to say hi too. One hour really goes a long way. I need to remember to bring those hour long visits closer together.

Claire called her friend Carly when we got home and before I knew it she was off with them for what ended up being a sleepover. At 7:00 Jonathan and I realized we had a free night and raced off to the movies. We saw The Ruins at the cheap theater and it was just the ticket.

Today was pretty much the usual for a Sunday at home. Some laundry, the grocery shopping and a little puttering around. I cooked burgers on the grill for the first time in FOREVER and they were tasty! After dinner I took Jess to the barn to ride and Claire tagged along like usual to play with Macy.

I'm finishing the night with a little Yahoo canasta and some checking in at the new AllyScraps message board which FINALLY came back up this weekend.

Tomorrow I exercise! Call me on it if you don't hear about it. Til then...be good!

The AllyScraps board is BACK!

whew what a relief!

Check it out!

working on learning how to get this over there ---->

Action Plan - Day 2

Today was one of those days that kind if just disappeared. At 2:00 I realized I needed to get my (big) butt in gear and do some moving. So I worked outside for a half and hour or so then did my one mile walk around the neighborhood. Go me! I also did a pretty decent job on portion control and snacking today. AND I drank water. There are too many days that I only drink coffee and nothing else. I'm on glass 3 (12 ounces each) and counting. My kidneys wont know what to think!

Two days in a row. :D

Claire funny

So we get to the barn yesterday for Claire's riding lesson and she jumps out of the truck and immediately run to chickie's pen (that's Macy's pet chicken Velvet). She's been laying eggs lately and Claire wanted to see if there were any in there.

And there was! She went in and got it and took it in the barn to Macy. Then she came running back to the truck where I was gathering up some "stuff" and said:

She laid another egg mommy. If chickie had a husband she'd have lots of babies by now.

Sweet huh!

all thoughts and NO action

I need to turn all these well thought out plans about my state of physical fitness into something I actually accomplish every day. Well, at least 4 or 5 days a week. Not only do I have some events coming up that I want to look WAY better for but I'm just generally not in good shape at all. And every day I think; I'm going to start doing this and stop doing that and when I'm here I'll walk instead of sitting and I'll cut my portion sizes and on and on and on. I've really got the right idea in mind but that's just it...it's only in my mind.

So how do I get from plans to action? Why do I think today will be the day and it never is? How could I want something so badly and yet never do a single thing about it?

Where's the magic switch??

Since AllyScraps has been down I've been thinking about blogging again. Have to get my random thoughts out somehow right? So I thinking that maybe I'll document my daily actions towards my big plan of getting fit and looking good. If it's in my face in black and white I can't hide. At least, that's what I'm hoping.

I'll call today Day 1. Of course, I get this big idea when I have 10 minutes left before the afternoon shuffe but at least it's out there for all to see. And I did just come inside from an hour of gardening so that has to count for something.

What I want you to do...my 2 random readers...is keep me in check. Get in my face and let me know I've skipped 2 days. Remind me that fruit is just as good as Wheat Thins. Be my cheerleader.

Thanks!

Lost without my AllyScraps fix

I can't believe our little board got hacked and is gone. What are the odds of AllyScraps being one of the random message boards the "bad guys" decided to ruin? Slim to none you would think. But here I am...without any connection to our cyber family. It's amazing how much I notice the absence.

I know Cathy is working on a new board though so it wont be long until we're back up and running. Until then, in case anyone stops in here, I miss you guys. Keep checking the store front and when you see the link, you know we're back in business!

See you soon!