More from the house of hair

Today I straightened my hair.

It is really hard to take photos of yourself and them turn out okay. I have some that I took, I am not crazy about them, but I will post the best of them anyway.
This front view is a bit blurry. I will fix it later and repost it. You will just have to deal with it for now.
I have some that are better, but the lighting was awful for they were just messed up.

House of Hair

Well I did it. I didn't chicken out. I am proud of myself. Jeff even liked it and it is SHORT!

So without further ado...
ta da
this is the curly version. My hair is naturally wavy, curly. I have a Chi straightener. I wear it straight sometimes too.

Obviously this is the side view.

Now for the back...


I am just really pleased at how it turned out.

Great Food Debate

Coke or Pepsi? COKE zero

Thick crust or thin for your Pizza? Thin by default. I really LOVE the thickness of the "pan" type pizze. But counting calories you know

Rare or Well Done for you steak? Medium

Hot Dogs or Hamburgers? Hamburger with cheese!

Ketchup or Mustard on your hot dog? Both.

Cake or Pie? I guess it depends on the occasion and what kind of pie or cake is offered.

Brownies with a fine, glossy crust, or soft cake brownies? If I want cake I will bake a cake. If I want brownies I want BROWNIES!!!

Nuts in the brownies? NO, NO, and NO.

Vanilla or Chocolate ice cream? chocolate.

Blue cheese or ranch dressing with your Buffalo wings? Ranch

Soup or Salad? Salads. I love salad in any form.

Butter on your Popcorn? duh

Pork or Beef barbecue? pork,

Coffee or tea? Coffee. I prefer tea in winter, for some reason.

Beer from a can or a bottle? bottle. hello OR from the tap...yummmoooo

Oreos or Hydrox? Oreos.

Little Debbie or Hostess? Little Debbie, Nutty Bars...mmmmmm

Bacon or Sausage? link sausage
Eggs Scrambled or Fried? Scrambled, no fried, no scrambled....oh I am confused

This week

I just finished 3 12-hour shifts in a row. I am sure glad to be off for a couple of days. I have a ton to do and get done between now and Thursday afternoon. We are leaving Texarkana around noon Thursday to head to Indiana for the weekend.
Today I have a doctors appointment and then I think I may run over to Gander Mt. They are having a wonderful sale right now.
Tomorrow I will be 37 years old. I am going to get my hair cut. I hope my girl has time to do it. I will call her later today. Oh yeah, and there is a make up soccer game on Tuesday evening. so much for a nice birthday rest, eh.
I have to get all the laundry done, pack, get the oil changed, and go buy some snacks for the road. All this will be done over the next couple of days. I am supposed to work Wednesday night from 11pm-7am. I am hoping to get to stay home. Won't know about that until around 9pm on Wednesday evening.

I am through blabbing for now.

UPDATE: Doctors appointment went well. I go in on Oct 14th for a baseline bone density. OMG...am I really that old! Mammograms and bone densitys..oh my
Haircut will be this afternoon instead of tomorrow. I will try and post some new pictures tonight.

Rooms at Sam's Town

One bad habit that I have is reading room reviews. The sites I had found about Sam's Town had pretty poor reviews. I kept thinking "great"! But I kept in mind the nit-picky things that people complained about.
We were on the 18th floor with a river view. It was wonderful. The room was HUGE, the bathroom was HUGE, the tub was HUGE. It was quiet and relaxing. We could look out our window and see the Boardwalk, the river, people fishing, boating, and fish flopping.
I have no complaints about the room. We ate at the International Buffet and it was pretty darn good. Smokey Joes Cafe' was good too. I think one of the best meals of them all was Wednesday. Jeff had a class from 8am-1030 and we went to IHop. I was very pleased:). I finished off my eggs, bacon, sausage, and hashbrowns with a straberry crepe. It was heavenly. Jeff had a blueberry (i think).
We spent the day shopping and just being together. We went over to Youree Dr. to do some shopping. There are a lot of shopping areas and restaurants over there. So for dinner we went back to the Boardwalk and went to Fuddruckers. OMG....delish! We need one here in Texarkana.


out room window toward Boardwalk
escalators in lobby..cool

Bossier City, Shreveport, and Sam's Town

Boy am i glad to be home. I am thankful for the time Jeff and I had to get away. It has been very, very rare for just us to go somewhere alone. Especially for 3 nights.
We got into town fairly early Monday morning. We had to kill time until 1pm for Jeff's first meeting. Also, we couldn't check into the hotel until 4pm.
While Jeff was in his first meeting I went over to the Boardwalk and hung out. It was a nice day.

I walked and walked and walked. There was hardly anyone there at all. I guess it helped that it was a school day and work day for people. I nearly had the place to myself.





This was the view of our hotel from across the river. I was standing at the Boardwalk waiting for Jeff to call me to come and get him.
On Jeff's top 10 of favorite stores.

Next post will be about the room and the gorgeous view.

We are home

It was a great trip, but we are glad to be home.
Now it is laundry, and getting ready to repack for next Thursday:).

A trip

Jeff and I will be away for the next few days. Jeff has some Forensic Chemistry meeting in Shreveport and I am tagging along for the trip.
We will be staying at Sam's Town. We will not have internet! I am taking the camera, of course, so I can get some shots of the city, the river, and Boardwalk.
Next week is a trip to Indiana. We will have internet there. There will be pictures as well:)

Happy Birthday Kristi!!!!

Fall soccer

Today was the first soccer game of the Fall season. They are playing on a much bigger field and longer time.
We lost today. Hopefully, they have learned what it is going to be like on the bigger field etc.

100 Days..

On Monday September 22, 2008 there will be exactly 100 Days until December 31, 2008.
I am trying to come up with a personal challenge. Something to achieve during this time.
I know I need to step it up a bit, or a lot!
The competition is tough!
I had planned on the ChaLEAN Extreme. I found out recently that the release date has been pushed back to early November. It doesn't leave time to finish a rotation.
So goes my great plan:)
I want to be on that stage in Hollywood, California in March 2009. I want to be chosen for this honor.

My eating is still a great downfall for me. I have got to clean it up. I can do it for 100 days, can't I?

I will think up a good challenge for myself and let you know.

Felix

"feli" is Latin for cat. This is the reason that he got his name. We had considered renaming him. Adam and I like Felix and Jeff and Victoria do not. Hector was another thought.
In the end it has pretty much been decided that we will keep the name Felix.
He is a sweet little guy.

Week of Working Out

It was so much fun posting about my week of working out I thought I would do it again.
***I work my tail off and don't seem to burn many calories during my workouts. I take a blood pressure medication that slows my heart rate. My resting HR is around 58-62. It takes a LOT for me to get my heart rate to "cardio" levels and keep it there. it is discouraging, but there is nothing I can do about it***
Sunday-rest

Monday- Turbo Jam- Turbo Sculpt, Ab Jam (1/2), at the last minute I added the 20 min
(1 hour 2 minutes and 296 calories)

Tuesday- i came home from working all night and did Cardio Party Remix and 1/2 Ab Jam
(41 minutes and 185 calories)

Wednesday-i came home from working all night again and did Fat Blaster, 3T, and 1/2 ab jam
(58 minutes and 268 calories)

Thursday-Cardio Party 3, Turbo Jam Ab Jam (all of it), 10 minute Trainer Yoga
(1 hour 20 minutes and 257 calories)

Friday-P90X Shoulders and Arms, 10 min Trainer Lower Body, Turbo Jam Ab Jam 1/2
(1 hour 27 minutes and 266 calories)

Ike

As Galveston and Houston and other cities along the coast get pounded by Ike. We up here in Texarkana await the high winds and torrential rains.
I got home from work this morning and took some photos of the clouds moving in at the house.

Felix the cat

We have brought home a cat. He has been hanging out at our church/school. With the bad weather moving in and threats of severe weather and flooding we brought him home.
He is beautiful! Jeff has always wanted another Tabby Cat. He had one when he was still living at home.
Well he had sort of been adopted by the school kids and was named Felix. Our other boys PJ and Ajax seem to be tolerating the little tyke.

Week of Working Out

I haven't decided how I want to approach posting about my workouts. I do want too though. This is for the week of 09/07/08-09/13/08
Sunday-Rest

Monday-KenpoX, 10 minute Trainer abs, 10 minute Trainer upper body.
(1 hour 16 minutes and 269 calories)

Tuesday-Cardio Party 2, 10 minute Trainer lower body, P90 Ab ripper 200.
(1 hour and 209 calories)

Wednesday-10 minute Trainer cardio, total body 2, and yoga. I had worked a 12 hour night shift, so i kept the workout "light".
(43 minutes and 160 calories)

Thursday-Turbo Jam Punch, Kick, and Jam, P90X Ab RipperX
(1 hour 9 minutes and 335 calories) 4:30am workout

Friday- I worked a 12 hour night shift came home this morning and did Cardio Party Remix
(32 minutes and 193 calories)


Most of the time I workout at 8am. I have a group that works out a Team Beachbody on WOWY (Working Out With You). Sometimes I either wake up or get woke up early and I decide to hammer through a workout while everyone is sleeping. Either way I like to get it done early. The longer in the day I put it off the less likely I am to follow through with it. I will post all about WOWY in another post.

I haven't decided if I will workout on Saturday. I work again tonight and we are supposed to have a soccer game tomorrow morning. According to the weather we will be having storms instead.

So as of Friday September 12th I have worked out 280 minutes and burned 1166 calories.

Ok so it is Saturday and I got home from my 8 hour night shift and decided to workout. Today's WOWY prize was $1000, so I felt like I needed to get my name in the running. I did Turbo Jam 20 minutes, and Turbo Jam Ab Jam 1/2. I worked out 30 minutes and burned 134 calories.
My weeks total is 310 minutes and 1300 calories.

Progress

Since I have been doing Turbo Jam I have been measuring and weighing regularly. I didn't think that I had made much progress this last year. I knew I had made some, but it seems so slow.

So my stats are as follows:
2 year results
48lbs and 45 inches GONE

Over the last 12 months I have lost 13lbs and around 8.5 inches.

The funny part are my measurements (2 year).
Chest -13.5
Waist -8.75
Hips -6
(if you are adding the other inches come from arms and legs)

I am very pleased with the results! Want to know about Turbo Jam just ask:)

Going to Extremes

I have posted about this before, but time is getting closer. Very soon Chalene Johnson the maker of Turbo Jam will debut her new workout DVD's.
It is called ChaLEAN Extreme. It is her answer to P90X
I am so ready for the challenge. It will be my birthday gift to ME!

As soon as it is released and I have it in my greedy little hands I will take before pix and post them. Yep, I promise.

It is time for a tough challenge and I am up for it. I plan to blast through the holidays with ease.

Eating Clean...what the heck does that mean

Long term and quick results are 80% what you eat and 20% exercise.
Keep the junk food out of site! Have will power of steel.

some other information I found

A person that eats clean generally practices the following:

• Eliminates refined sugar
• Cooks healthy meals
• Packs healthy meals
• Makes healthy choices when dining out
• Drinks a lot of water
• Eats 5-6 small meals per day
• Eliminates alcoholic beverages (or significantly limits it)
• Always eats breakfast

Eating clean can be a major transition for a majority of people due to addictions to sugar, white bread, and fast food. It takes discipline in order to make eating clean a habit but it is possible and has so many long-term health benefits.

Want to know what is good for you. Climb Michi's Ladder.

The Bonding Benefits of a 30-Day Plan

In a great interview given by Chalene Johnson, maker of Turbo Jam, she talks about the benefits of working out, making a plan, and getting a buddy involved.
Don't wait for time to exercise. You will never have it. You MUST make the time to exercise.
Here are a few tips she gives that works for her. I find them to be helpful for me too.

1. Never leave exercise to chance. "Exercise has to be scheduled with the same regularity as picking up your child at school. It's that important. I wake up at 5:45 and work out. That's when nobody needs me. I want to stay in bed, but when I'm finished working out, I think, 'Thank God I did that—I feel so good!' You won't find the time. You have to make the time. Because ChaLEAN Extreme is all about building muscle to burn fat, you will see results fast, which will inspire you to stick with the program."
2. The early bird gets the results. "People who work out in the morning tend to lose weight faster, keep it off longer, and stay with a regular workout schedule. Turbo Jam is a fun, upbeat way to fit fitness into your life. It doesn't take a lot of space; you can do it when the kids are asleep, or even invite the kids to join in. They love all the kicking and punching moves!"
3. Partner up. "Sharing any experience, including exercise, keeps you motivated and on track. And it provides a more positive outlet for socializing and bonding."
4. Create the right environment. "Just like in your office, you have your keyboard, printer, and phone nearby to get your job done. The same is true for getting fit. Rid the pantry and the freezer of unhealthy foods and keep healthy snacks on hand. I let my kids have what they want, but they often don't eat the bad stuff because it's out of sight. When they choose a food, I tell them whether it will 'make you stronger' or 'slow you down.' Presented in that context, they choose more wisely."

So what is your excuse. Mine was always no time, kids, tired, no room, nothing works..the list goes on and on.
The truth is I never really made time to workout. Not even 10 minutes. If you dedicate yourself to you, you will make the time. Your health and life are too important to keep letting it go.
Start today. By the time tomorrow gets here it is already today. Don't wait for Monday. There is no rule that says you have to start on Monday.

Funny Story on KATV today

'Flying' Fish Breaks Ark. Boy's Jaw, Injures More

Food For Thought

Have you noticed that this summer has been pretty mild. Yes, I know we have had some pretty hot days, but not terrible and not LONG hot months. Typically we have June, July, and August of very hot, very dry weather.
Notice how after the first full week in August we had rain, rain, and more rain. Now it is September and it is still pretty nice out. With the exception of the "Tropical Depression" brought on by Gustav.

My thoughts are this; Do you think we are in for a bad winter? Its been a while since we really had bad weather. You know ice and stuff.

Here is a little poll for my 2-3 readers..lol

Would it be a good idea to buy jugs of water to keep on hand for the winter?
Should we be washing out our old milk jugs and filling with water to have for cooking, drinking, flushing toilets?

If we had a bad ice storm like in 2000 would you be ready?

2 years and 48lbs

2 years ago this very day I began a new routine that changed my life.
I had gotten do tired of being overweight , feeling puffy, and feeling sad. Oh, how many times did I just cry. I couldn't hardly look at myself in the mirror. I didn't want to go anywhere. I forced myself to do what I had to do, but I was just miserable.

So I saw the infomercial for Turbo Jam and jumped in with both feet. Praying that I wouldn't fail yet again. Well, I proved myself wrong. I am sure Jeff just watched and waited for me to quit like I usually did.

So it wasn't easy. But it is SO worth it.
my "before" photo. It is not officially the before. I was to ashamed to take a photo the day I started. So this is Christmas 2004. A year and a half before my starting time.

Beachbody..

Check out the websites that beachbody gives their coaches.

I love being a part of such a great company.

Cinnamon Rolls

For the actual Cinnamon Roll recipe you can go to cinnamon rolls. Hers makes 7 pans. I didn't need 7 pans, so I 1/2'ed it.

My icing was at recipe zaar
6 ounces cream cheese
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 TBSP milk (or orange juice)

1. heat cream cheese and butter in microwave ~30 seconds. once soft stir
2. add powdered sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time. add vanilla, milk, and last bit of powdered sugar and stir to combine.
(drizzle, slather, or bathe your cooked cinnamon rolls in icing)


(somehow the only camera photo that i took was of them in the oven. no really good ones all warm and gooey and

Cinnamon Rolls for the Crime Lab

I made cinnamon rolls for the first time ever tonight. I took the recipe from The Pioneer Woman's website. Her recipe makes 7 pans (or about 7 dozen). I 1/2'ed the recipe. The roll needs a little more sugar or something but overall these bad boys taste great.
I made a cream cheese icing that I got from a recipe website.
These photos were taken with my phone. I took a couple with my camera, but right now I am too lazy to hook up the camera etc.
I will post the recipe for the cinnamon rolls and icing tomorrow.

Dayspring's Broccoli Salad...yum

3-4 stalks of broccoli flowerettes
1 bunch of green onions chopped or 1/2 cup chopped red onions (we did 1/4 cup green, 1/4 cup red)
1/2 cup raisins (we used golden)
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (we used the raw already sliced. the bigger ones we cut in half)
1/2 lb bacon fried crisp and crumbled


Dressing
1 cup mayonnaise (not miracle whip)
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions: mix dressing and pour over salad ingredients. Chill for 2-4 hours before serving or chill overnight.


YUMMY!!!!

The weather today

As hurricane Gustav makes land in the Gulf Coast we here in S.W. Arkansas get to watch a beautiful storm move in. It truly amazes me because we are so far from the coast. How can we get such beautiful clouds and such. I just mapped it and we are about 416 miles from New Orleans.
Today, Victoria and I had to get out for a little while and I took a picture of some clouds with my phone.