The Somewhat Healthy Triple Chocolate Muffins

So, I'm trying to eat healthier. You know, to loose those last ten baby pounds that are hanging out around my middle. I've been working out at least three times a week, but as usual, my diet is always the hardest thing to alter. Mostly due to my love affair with sugar.

I love sugar.

So much.

I troll Pinterst often for "healthy" baking recipes. Granted, most times I get distracted by all the other sugary goodness out there, but I decided I'd try a "healthy" one today. Granted, I lacked the whole wheat flour and unsweetened almond milk, but whatever. I actually had the coconut oil! And I had the zucchini.

Yeah. That's right. I baked something sweet and chocolate with zucchini.

And they are utterly brilliant. They are not very sweet, likely due to the use of half the sweeter called and the use of dark chocolate, but they are so good. And they hit the spot. And you cannot taste the zucchini at all.

So, here's the recipe, which I adapted from here. Her recipe is healthier than mine, due to her use of white whole wheat flour and unsweetened almond milk. I did cut the honey, but I used regular flour, so I will call mine....

The Somewhat Healthy Triple Chocolate Muffins

1 1/4 cup of your choice of flour
1/3 cup of unsweetened dark coco powder (or whatever you have)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon vanilla (I love vanilla, but you can use 1 teaspoon if you don't love it like me)
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
1/3 cup of honey (just fill the 1/3 cup in half)
1 egg
1 egg white
1 cup of shredded zucchini
1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup of dark chocolate almond milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup of white chocolate chips, plus a few to sprinkle on the top before baking

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Line muffin tin with liners and spray. (Seriously, no matter what kind of liners you're using, spray them with nonstick cooking spray. These babies like to stick, so spray away.)
(Random: I tested out silicone muffin liners and they are AWESOME. The muffins popped right out and I can reuse them again and again.)
3. Shred the zucchini into the smallest bits you can manage.
4. Put the pile of zucchini in two paper towels, find a sink, and squeeze. Make sure all the extra water gets out. If you soak through the first set of paper towels, get another set and squeeze till no water comes dripping out. Set aside.
5. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, coco, baking soda, salt and whisk together. Set aside.
6. In a large bowl (hopefully one with tall sides) combine the coconut oil, egg white and egg, and vanilla. Mix on medium till you cannot see any bits of coconut oil. The mixture should be smooth.
7. Add the zucchini, unsweetened applesauce, and almond milk. Mix till combined on the low setting.
8. Slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing till combined.
9. Fold in the chocolate chips.
10. Spoon into the muffing liners. The original recipe said you'd get 12, but I got 18 filling each about half full.
11. Bake for 22 -25 minutes. I put mine in for 23 minutes and 30 seconds. But, every oven is different.
12. Let cool for awhile. (I didn't time this part.) Once cool, remove from muffin liners and enjoy.

Vivid Imaginations Are Not Always Good

Those indeed are my feet. And they do not actually look that small in person. It's the camera angle and pointing my toes together. I took the photo myself with my iPhone. Because no one helps me photograph things in this family. (Hence why the last photos of me that were taken were at Christmas.)

In other news, I'm NOT dying!

(There was about an two hours this morning I assumed the worst, panicked and had to medicate myself. Pilot Boy, of course, abandoned me for the first time since we left AK, so clearly, I'm going to wind up dying in the hospital or something...or that was my thinking. Clearly, I'm not in a hospital or dying.)

Why am I excited about the whole not dying? Because I've been in very minor pain (read, most people would have completely ignored it, but I am me and I HATE pain) for a few days longer than I thought normal, so finally I dragged myself in a mild panic to the phone to make an appointment. Last time I had similar pains, I wound up in the hospital for four days and had some guy cut me open and remove my appendix. And that wasn't the worst thing that happened whilst I was there. But, that is not a story y'all want to hear. Trust me.

Anyways, after suffering a panic attack, I downed those one of those little happy pills I picked up in Alaska for moving and felt...a weird combination of calm and panicked. To came in waves. I'd panic, then clam down and feel sleepy. Then I'd panic again. It was an annoying cycle till I had to leave.

When I first got the pills, due to the fact I read the warnings, I refused to operate a car whilst on them. However, seeing as Pilot Boy flew the coop, I had no choice but to drive myself and seeing I'd taken a pill on Sunday (I was thinking the pain was part of an upcoming panic attack, which I was having due to the prospect of being out in the sun for hours around hoards of people--which wound up not happening because Pilot Boy can't read the date on his iPhone correctly and the air show/car show wasn't going on when we got there) and managed to watch Iron Man 3 and pick up on things Pilot Boy failed to notice, I was like, "I can drive!"

So, I did.

It wasn't really until I actually got into the clinic did I become super loopy.

First, I went the wrong way to Flight Med. Luckily a nurse pointed me in the right way. (I might have scared her with my huge smile and cheery thank you while looking like death warmed over-- which I look like usually, as I am the palest thing in Texas. And I was super pale today, as I forwent my usual makeup in fear of being shoved into the hospital.) After going back the way I came passed the coffee bar (yeah, the clinic's got a Starbucks), I arrive at the correct place and handed my ID over and waited for the paper work.

"You can sit down," the woman said, handing my ID back to me.

I stared at her, cocked my head and sat down.

Without any paperwork.

I sat with some babies who were getting shots till they called my name.

Fifteen minutes early. (I was super early because I thought it'd take me longer to get there and I knew I'd get lost. I still refuse to use the highways here unless I have to. So, sometimes I wind up somewhere I've never been before.)

I wandered after the nurse to the exam room, sat down and began to laugh. I was also shaking, twitching and just all around acting strange. I quickly explained my issues and added the fact I'd taken some anxiety pills that morning.

She knew which one I had taken and I hadn't needed to drag the bottle out to tell her.

In fact, she knew everything about me from the past five years. (Medical wise, she failed to know that I sit around writing, making up my own words, and singing songs about my dog.)

The computer worked. My records had transfered.

I kind of died of shock at this point. In the past five years since I "joined" this whole military thing, no one has ever known anything when I've gone to the doctor because the computer never works and my chart never says anything past my name (though something they don't even know that and call me Pilot Boy). Hence why I simply gave up trying to solve my allergy issues whilst in Alaska because the last doctor they'd shoved me off on used GOOGLE to look up what drugs to put me on. GOOGLE. I use GOOGLE to figure out what drugs I want to take. (Well, when I research that type of thing, which was once. Google failed me, so I began asking people I knew who were on the same thing. It yielded better results.)

But today, they knew EVERYTHING. They had all my blood pressures, all my medications (they frowned as it'd clearly not been updated in some respects. There were a few things I'm not on any longer that were still on there as if I were taking them) and basically everything I'd ever written a million times on that damn paper they always hand me first thing!

It was so shocking I almost passed out.

The best thing, though, I got a prescription for Zyrtec. I could write odes to that pretty little pill that allows me to kind of breath and not die from the fact Russia likes to live in my head right between my eyes.

Anyways, the pain I was in there for turned out to be strained muscles from over zealous Pilaties crunching. So, no core working out for four to six weeks. BAH. Just as I was getting back into it. At least I'm not dying, they do not have to cut me up to drag something out of there or give me another vile cat-scan. (You do not want to know.)

Moral of the story: for the first time ever, I'm actually somewhat impressed with the medical wing. They had their stuff together. Or I happened to catch them on a good day. I only was at the pharmacy for maybe a half hour-- if that. I didn't pay attention. I was reading and coming down off my panic high. (Trust me, I'm feeling it now...and this one was bad...I haven't ached like this since I got the happy pills. I can't imagine what state I'd been in without the meds....eek.)

In other news that has nothing to do with my health, I finished book four of my Potter series. I also began posting my newest obsession. Links to all can be found under the tab with a list of all my stories. I'm trying to get my act together and get something posted on Wattpad-- something original. I was thinking of posting Elle, but I think she needs some more editing. Mostly because when I looked, I couldn't figure if I'd put the edits in or not. Or if I had been in the process of editing it on my Kindle. Basically, I got confused. Not unheard of.

Well, I have one last read through on the next part of the New Obession. Since I posted one this AM, I figured I'd post this in the PM. Get more readers in the afternoon than morning.

Laterdays.

Writing Ate My Brain

I've been writing up a storm...so long I can't remember when I last was not working on the story that has consumed my life. It is literally all I can think about, all I can get myself to do in a timely manner. I can't write blog posts, I can't sew, I can't even eat. All I can do is write. It is insane.

The only thing not fallen on the way side due to the mind consuming story (which in some for has been consuming me since I was in high school. My journals from that era are filled with tasty, random tid bits that related to the story. They are also filled with a lot dumb things and massive spelling errors. Oh, and the most absurd things I thought were important enough to write down. I'm a regular comedian.) was my working out.

I KNOW! I couldn't remember to eat, to wash the dishes, get the mail, write my mother an email, but I did manage to work out for at least 40 to 45 minutes. During the week. Weekends are a lost cause. Even when Mad Man consumed me for awhile. (I watched the whole 4 seasons in like...five days or something insane like that, writing while I watched it. I'm talented. I wrote RAB while watching the "Gilmore Girls.")

Anyways, I've been doing these pilates/cadrio/dance type of workouts. The dance aspect is a failure for me as I'm the proud owner of five left feet. I am sure I look like a complete fool trying to follow the "dance" movements. These movements are so simple any idiot could do it, except this one. I like the pilates aspects of the work outs though. And they combine standing and mat workouts, which amuses me. What also amuses me....

After three weeks of doing this, I CAN SEE RESULTS.

Shocking. I never saw any results when I spent my life in the gym in the Dirt Hole. The only result I seemed to be getting was the fact my shirts no longer fit over my arms because I had muscles. Shirts still fit and I'm not as flabby in my arms. The best part, though, my stomach. Yeah, my a MAJOR issue is my stomach area. I hate it. Never have. You've heard it before. But, you guys! It's getting flatter suddenly. IT IS AMAZING.

I've also lost three pounds, but that's not really that important. What is important, I LOOK GREAT IN MY CLOTHES.

Now, I noticed after the first pilates based workout I did (Pick Your Spot Pilates) I suddenly was standing taller. If that makes sense. I felt my abs were stronger and pulling me up to stand up straight. I felt longer, leaner. It was so strange, I did the ab work out again the next day after walking way the pounds. I then branched out to other pilates based workouts offers by Crunch. I have three I use in a rotation. Burn and Firm pilates is a pretty good workout. I get messed up with the feet movements and I have yet to try it with the weights, but I do like it. It gets my heart rate going and makes me sweat. All good for me in my book. Super Slim Down is the one I do on days I don't want to really move around and look like a moron. It is an all mat based workout, but don't think that means it is easy. I'm still sweating pretty good at the end and I really feel my muscles working. The last one, the ones I really do like quite a bit, is Fat Burning Pilates. I can actually now almost get through the cardio section without tripping over my feet during the squat and leg pointing movements. Almost.

I like the results I am getting, as well as how I feel. I feel awesome. I always felt great after a good gym work out in the Dirt Hole, I'd just get frustrated because nothing on my body would be changing. I'd still look the same, so it wasn't all that rewarding. I tried everything in the Dirt Hole and nothing worked. This whole pilates thing, with the relaxing yoga workout on days in between, is really working for me.

Granted, I've been on a new diet as well. I don't snack any more, I drink a lot of water, and I eat a very, very, very light dinner. (Pilot Boy would not approve.) I eat a lot of fruit and try to get a couple veggies in at lunch. My biggest meal of the day is lunch. I don't know how this will work when Pilot Boy the Meat Eater returns either, as I'm not eating too much meat. I eat a cup of yogurt with fruit for dinner and have a glass of milk. Sometimes I also have a fiber bar at dinner time, if I didn't eat it at lunch. For lunch, I usually make something off this website: www.SkinnyTaste.com. They are Weight Watcher based, but I'm not counting my points. I just find they are easy to follow, have ingredients I've got around and she offers some veggie based dishes. Even Pilot Boy likes the meat dishes. Plus, she makes cookies. I like the cookies, the oatmeal chocolate chips ones are the best. Even Pilot Boy eats those.

That is what I've been up to: exercising and pouring words out of my fingers and laughing at my 13 year old self. (And my 15,16,17, and 18 year old self. By 19 I had stopped keeping written journal.)

I have some ideas for some thoughtful posts, I just have to write them, but I've wanted to right an Operation Jeans update for weeks. Because there was something to update.

Down Dog

Work Out Post....

This week I've been doing mostly yoga. I discovered, randomly of course, that Netflix had YOGA instant watch programs! By Crunch! I kind of like Crunch yoga, even though the DVD I own kills me dead when I do it. But, they had this nice one called Candlelight Yoga. Anyways, I discovered this a week or so ago. I had been doing REALLY WELL doing the whole Walk Away the Pounds DVD, but was getting kind of board. My friend R turned me onto yoga in the Dirt Hole. We took a class once a week at the gym. I really liked it. I figured I wouldn't because even as a child I could not touch my toes.

I am that inflexible.

I still cannot touch my toes without a major knee bend, but I love how I feel after I do yoga.

I just have issues finding yoga dvds that get along with me. I do not like INTENSE yoga, as I do yoga when I want to feel relaxed. The Crunch DVD I won never relaxes me and I feel like I ran ten miles after I am done, and I CANNOT RUN. Also, Downward Dog is my enemy.

I am serious.

We have never been friends. Ever.

I think I have really weak wrists or something, as if I do Down Dog too many times, or for too long, my wrists seer in pain. For days. I usually collapse into child's pose during long periods of Down Dog.

Candlelight Yoga only has one or two Down Dog poses, as it's whole goal in life is to teach you to relaaaaaaaaxxxxx. It even does the best shoulder stretch known to man. Which is a total plus in my book. If you ever want to try yoga, or are curious, start with this Candlelight Yoga, available on Netflix Instant. Also, the instructor on this DVD is awesome. She is not annoying. Also, I've done this workout like ten times and each time I don't find myself thinking OMG, which happens with a lot of workout DVDs I do multiple times. (If I did not need the rhythm of the music, I'd mute Walking Away the Pounds.) This instructor's voice is relaxing. And even after multiple uses, even when you know what it is coming, it isn't super annoying to be told to move through the positions. It's almost like BEING at a class.


Now, I am NOT PREGNANT, but I did try out the Crunch Yoga Mama work out. Why did I do this? I was 1) curious and 2) plan to someday pop a kid out. It is on Nextflix Instant, so I gave it a try. It is pretty good too. I hate the instructor though, she is annoying to me. Also, due to the fact I have no bun in the oven, I was kind of annoyed by all her belly talking. Because I cannot commune with my bun. There is nothing there except fat. I don't really want to talk to fat. But, it is not super intense, but it's more involved than Candlelight. ALSO, because pregnant women can get carpel tunnel, I was finally shown a way to relieve the stress on my wrist during down dog. A towel placed under the hands. OMG. BEST THING EVER. Also, there is a less intense way to down dog and still stretch the back or whatever down dog is supposed to do. So I LEARNED SOMETHING. I mostly see this Mama Yoga as a alternative to the Candlelight when I feel more worky outy. Also, when I get knocked up, I can use it...if it stays available on Instant. I wouldn't buy it because the instructor annoys me.

In other news, I weighed myself for the first time since I began GET BUTT IN GEAR. One pound. Yeah, one pound. And my jeans are still kind of tight, but the good news is I FEEL BETTER. As in, I feel like I can actually maybe hike with Pilot Boy and NOT DIE a horrible death when faced with a HILL.

I Should Write a Post

So here I write one.

I hate spring.

Especially here because it's just ugly. The snow melts to reveal garbage people were too lazy to actually THROW OUT IN A GARBAGE CAN. The littering here is horrible. Seriously, what the hell people? Why don't you just go home and throw out your trash? Why does the city have to have a program to clean this place up for the tourists? It is lame. Just take your trash home and throw it out. (We do not recycle here. Well, we do, but only plastic milk jugs and certain paper products. Don't get me started.)

So, I hate spring here because it just makes me mad.

Mentally mad and then I start sneezing.

So then I get nose mad.

I did finally order a pair of sneakers. I don't own any sneakers that are...well, nice. I mowed the lawn in my pretend converses last year and my other pretend converses are currently covered in saw dust and other things from sitting in the garage all winter/summer. I have a pair of Ralph Lauren shoes my dad got me when I was in 8th grade from Macy's in New York City. I ruined them because I was stupid and 13. I still have them because I refuse to get ride of them because they are Ralph Lauren and my dad got them for me. I also still have the flannel Tommy Hilfiger shirt he got for me. I doubt I can get it buttoned, as I remember it being kind of smallish when I was 13. I'm like 10 times bigger in some areas. Okay, a lot of areas.

Operation Get Butt in Gear is still on. I just find it boring telling y'all about it. But here is where I am at: I still don't fit into all my jeans. I still weigh the same I did when I began this. Thus, I haven't magically lost 10 pounds. However, I feel better when Pilot Boy drags me on hikes. The "hills" do not KILL ME DEAD like they did last spring. I still HATE THEM, but they don't kill me dead.

Just for your information: start doing cardio training if you wanna see any water falls *cough, cough...Dad* So far all waterfalls have HILLS. So, start doing some cardio if you wanna see any water falls and NOT DIE.

So ends the post.

First Time for Everything

Every so often, the First Alert System gets tested. They tell you it is just a test. They then tell you that this alert system will alert you to things of danger.

It went off last night.

Scared the living shit out of me.

I had just gone to bed, turned on the classical music channel and was minding my own business when the horrible sound emitted from the radio and scared me to death.

I know I've lived here for over a year, but I don't know where anything is save Anchorage, Palmer, Homer, Eagle River, Wasilla, and Fairbanks. Oh, and I kind of know where Barrow is, but other than that, I've got no clue. So, as the guy was reading off the tsuami warmings for the state, I was like OMG. WFT? Then he said the wave would his Seward at....

And he got CUT OFF. WFT?

I have no clue where Seward is. I just know it's a highway.

So I took to Twitter. Why did I take to Twitter? Because the Internet and I do not get along. I scrolled through Twitter for a moment then tried to find something on the Internet.

It failed. I could not find out WHERE in Alaska the thing was going to hit. All I knew was that from downtown you can see water. And it connects to the ocean at some point. After a half hour of searching, I finally got smart and searched ALASKA on Twitter and thank god for the people of Twitter. It took me only maybe 5 minutes of scrolling to get the actual alert the guy had been reading. I then used Google Maps and found all the places. I then searched ANCHORAGE on Twitter and found people stating that Anchorage was safe due to how far inland we are and how high above sea level we are. Or something along those lines. By this point, it was one am in the morning. And I was wide awake.

I shut my iPhone off and contemplated getting up and taking to the actual internet on the computer, but just stayed in bed. I got up at seven and watched the "Today Show" which I could not figure out if they were live or an hour behind. They kept saying the wave was going to hit CA on Alaska time, not an hour ahead like it should have been. I think they were live...an hour before the station was playing it. I couldn't tell. I then sat through all of Obama's press conference. Then I realized I should go buy fruit, so I did that.

I did not exercise today, as I am kind of zombie like, seeing I got like maybe three or four hours of actual sleep.

Crumble

How do make a kick ass crumble:

Ingredients:

Find some fruit to fill a small glass baking pan. Does not truly matter what fruit you use. Apples, pears, blueberries, strawberries...anything works except maybe oranges. Or a grapefruit. I tend to use apples and rhubarb when it randomly appears in my backyard. Not together, apples and rhubarb, but separately.  Today, I'm going to use Apples and Blueberries.
1/2 stick of butter (doesn't matter what sort of butter. I use the fake stuff because it's cheap and "better" for you. Might need more butter if the topping is too dry.)
Spices (just dump these on to your liking and use whatever you think goes with your fruit.)
1/2 box of yellow cake mix.
Oatmeal (will just sprinkle to your liking)


1. Okay, so find some fruit.
(I found Apples and Blueberries.)

2. Preheat the oven to 350. Find glass baking dish.

3. Locate a knife and cutting board. Cut up fruit if needed.
(I cut up the apple. I did not cut the blueberries.)

4. Toss everything into a glass dish (size 9X9 or something along that).

5. Sprinkle said fruit in dish with some sort of spices (could use cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamon, all spice, etc.)
(I put ginger and cardamon all over my fruit.)

6. Find the oatmeal and sprinkle over the top of the fruit.

7. Cut a stick of butter in half. Get a microwave safe mixing bowl and put the butter in it. Put it bowl and butter into the microwave. (Soften the butter. Don't MELT IT. 10 or 15 seconds works.)

8. Dump half the box of cake mix onto softened butter.

9. Dump some more spices into the cake mix. If you want, add some vanilla.

10. Find a fork (Forks are the best) and mix together the cake mix and butter. If you MELT butter, this step becomes kind of...off. Too much melted butter will result in a cake mix like substance, not the crumbly mixture you want. Doesn't matter, as it all tastes the same. But I find its easier to work with the crumbly stuff. If it's too dry, add more melted butter. JUST A LITTLE. Not too much, or you'll end up with cake mix.

11. After it's mixed together, lick the fork. Put fork in dishwasher or wherever you store dirty dishes.

12. Using your hands, pick up clumps of cake mixture and crumble over the oats and fruit.

13. After the topping is on, add some more oatmeal.

14.  Stick it into the preheated oven. Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the topping looks baked. Usually this takes roughly about 30 to 35 minutes, depending on how lame ones oven is.

And WHALA. You have a yummy desert. Or fruit product to eat.

And this is why Martha Stewart and I do not get along. When I make this it always turns out prefect because I just DUMP and there is little measuring. The only thing I "measure" is the butter. But only because I cut it in half where it tells me the half point is located. I eye ball everything else.

Update on GET YOUR BUTT IN GEAR:


Day Eight: Took day off.

Day Nine: Hiked. For how long, I do not know. For how far, I do not know. But we hiked through the Chugack Mountains around the Hillside Trail System or something. It was sunny and hot. Yeah, you read that right: SUNNY AND HOT. It was like 28 degrees down in Anchorage, but up on the sunny mountain it was almost 40 degrees. Except in the shade. But when we got back in our car it was 39 degrees. And we were both only wearing fleeces. And Basil was HOT. Black puppy in the boiling sun. But she was a happy hot puppy. She LOVES snow and walking and running, so she was thrilled. Plus, she's getting a lot better about meeting other dogs on the trails. She no longer gets so excited she freaks the other dogs out. She always says HI, but doesn't say HI MY NAME IS BASIL LOVE ME PLAY WITH ME LOVE ME PLAY WITH ME LOVE ME HI MY NAME IS BASIL! I AM A PUPPY!

Like the other dogs couldn't tell.

Day Ten: Did 20 minutes of walking.

Day 11: Will do another 20 minutes of walking.

And so ends the update.

I gotta whole lotta things

Operation Jeans Update:

Day Six: Was loopy.

Day Seven: Did two miles. Well, kinda. About half way through my feet began to sear with pain, I had to stop and fiddle with my shoes. Now, my thighs hurt. I might have over did the knee lifts...

Day Six of Operation Jeans was a total bust because I took Excedrin and Zyrtec, which for some unknown reason leaves me feeling loopy and kinda outta of my mind. I can't seem to do anything that requires any thought and if I do, it ends up going wrong. So, usually, on days I have to take the two drugs together, nothing gets done.

Nothing also seems to get done when Pilot Boy is home. The kitchen exploded again. He's yet to explode all over the bedroom, but that is only due to the fact he still has not unpacked his bag.

This weekend I plan to clean out closets. We've only been in this house for a year and two things have happened: We've filled the closets and we still haven't unpacked everything. Which is partly why the closets are full. We need some spring cleaning STAT.

I went to the Gap today and tried on the jeans I've been lusting after online. They were...disappointing. They did not fit how I imagined or wished and they were kind of sagging in the rear area. NOT A GOOD THING PEOPLE. I think I might just order the jeans I have in regulars and hem them so I can wear heels. I really wanted an easy fit, kinda wide flare jean. In a lighter color than the ones I have (which also go saggy in the butt, but if you do not use fabric softener and put them in the dryer and put it on high, then they hold their shape a bit longer). Alas, I think my dream jeans are not in production. I also need to go through the jeans I have and get rid of the ones I can a) not longer get over my knee and b) no longer button.

Well, that's it. Good bye.

Insert Something Here

Operation Jeans Day Three, Four, Five....

Day Three: Woke by Pilot Boy at 4.30. Was talked at by Pilot Boy at 5:20 am as he realized he had gotten up too early and didn't know what to do. Got up. Two hours later, fell asleep to the History Channel International and had strange dreams about moving grain silos and the Di Medici brothers. Woke up at nine am and had issues doing anything productive all day long. Felt like I was in a fog. Fell over.

Day Four: Woke up at nine. Decided not to exercise because I was going to clean house. Three hours later, I decided it was stupid of me to rearrange two rooms that day (guest room and family room). Moving heavy objects was my work out.

Day Five: did 20 minutes and felt very work outy.

There.

I updated.

I've had "Singin' In the Rain" in my head for days. More than likely because its sunny. After I watched the Oscars (the first time since college), I was like, "I'm going to watch Singin' In the Rain because I can." So I watched it and it was brilliant. Except that one part where Gene Kelly dances for like a half hour straight and it really has nothing to do with the movie. But this is a common feature of Gene Kelly movies. I think the worst one was in American in Paris. I seriously fell asleep during the half hour long dance monologue. The one in On The Town also kind of annoying, as it lacked anyone else from the movie and felt kind of odd. The only Gene Kelly Dance Monologue that did not annoy me was in "Summer Stock." It KINDA made sense in that movie. I didn't make it through The Pirate...I bet there was one in there. I mean, I think I made it through, but by the time I watched that one, I think when I realized it was a Gene Kelly Dance Monologue, I'd leave the room. Or go do something.  And For Me and My Gal...I don't think they'd discovered Gene Kelly Dance Monologues yet, as that was his first movie and Judy Garland was the star of that. Not Gene Kelly.

Fred Astaire movies never had these dumb dance monologues either. The dancing in his movies always seemed to FIT. Well, the one movies I actually watched that had Fred Astaire in it...Shall We Dance. I think that is the only movie I watched that had Fred in it last summer when I went through my old movie phase. I tapped Swing Time but I got bored. Like all the movies based off of "classic" books. I died a slow death when I watched Withering Heights. I don't think I made it to the end either. Like....that one with the kid....


Well, I am going to go check on my laundry and then go back to editing away my life.

Operation Jeans Day Two

Workout did not occur as early as I wanted because...I....lost...a...button. And had to go to the dentist to get a new one.

Does that sound like an odd sentence? If not, read it again: I lost a button and had to go to the dentist to get a new one.

And by button I mean this little thing that holds my Invisalign braces to my teeth.

Anyways, since I forgot the things I needed to run errands as I ran out the door with my curly, frizzy hair in a pony tail and minimal makeup on, I came back and I did another mile with Leslie. Today went much as it went yesterday. Only I don't feel as...worky outy.

I ate okay yesterday. No snacks and only one oatmeal cookies. Tragically, I think the TARDIS cookie jar makes my cookies...kinda stale soft. Total sad face. :(

Well, that is it for Operation Jeans Day Two.

In other news, they plowed our street so its more than one lane again. The whole things seems so wide...its kind of crazy. I forgot how wide the street was in the first place. And someday, there might be a sidewalk again!

In Purse News: Got some brightly colored denim. Totally excited for bright, spring colors! I almost burst when I came home and was like NOW WHAT DO MAKE! I've been trying to decide if I should break into new designs, but decided to just use the ones I have and just make them cross body. Simple.

Also, thinking about doing a giveaway. With gently used purses, as I don't know what to do with the ones I test out. I have like a million purses that I've used like maybe two or three times at test purses. They are in good shape, but have a small flaw or something. I don't know anyone to give them away to, as they are FINE. Except the one I tired the magnet on the first time. It fell apart. But the one I was carrying these past few weeks has nothing wrong other than the snap is on backwards. I bet no one can tell except me.

Well, there is your news. Come back tomorrow. As it'll look the same (if I remember to update. It will be Saturday...)

Operation Jeans Day One

So, I worked out.

So, GO ME.

I did exactly what I said I was going to do. I can't remember if I said I was going to get up early (I didn't) but I did do the 20 minute, 1 mile walk on Walk Away the Pounds. I used to do this video a lot when I was working. It took 20 minutes and I got a mile in. I'd do it after dinner, before I took my nightly shower. I never felt like I was getting a good work out when I was 22, as I was never winded or sweaty when I was done. My half hour on the elliptical I did when i worked at the bank was better, but after working 8 hour days doing mindless computer work, I couldn't handle getting on the elliptical. So I'd just do this 20 minute walk. It is totally mindless at times. At times it's not because you have to pay attention because you're moving your arms and legs in "non" walking ways.

First, there are side steps. What are those? You step side to side to the beat of the music. Then, the leg lifts, which are like...extreme marching. They really work your butt and abs, but are killer on knees. Especially when you're holding 2 pound weights. (Which I did not do today because 1. I am out of shape and 2. I have no clue where they went when I moved here. I have the 5 pound ones, but those are too heavy.) I like the kick backs the most, which is the side step where you kick your leg backwards. The last thing are kicks, which you just kick forward. I like those too. I like kicking.

By the time I was finished with this 1 mile "walk" I was winded, my heart was beating faster and I was sweaty. Either I had the heat on too high or I am SUPER out of shape. Or it was the fact during the first half mile I couldn't actually breath out of both nostrils as my Zyrtec didn't kick in till after a half mile. I can breathe now, thankyouverymuch.

I feel like I got a good work out. Which is a change from when I used to do this video. I will do it again tomorrow. Because, I said three days this week and there are only two days left this week. Oops.

Now, in order to loose my middle, I also need to alter my diet. I'm not good at this, I admit. I've tried "eating healthy." I have tried counting calories. I have tried eating only at meals. I've tried eating small meals five times a day. None of that worked. Counting calories drove me nuts. And I began to cheat. I also cheat when I write down what I eat daily. The only thing that really "worked" was when I did the "yoga diet" over the summer.

What was this?

I bought this book called the "yoga diet." Which told you to eat two large meals and one smaller one. Eat around the same time each day and drink warm water. And do yoga. It also gave recipes and basically said to eat organic.

I didn't do the organic part. I couldn't find half the thing listed in the book for the recipes, but I worked with what I had. This was how I learned to make Thai Pad. My own way. I ate that a lot over the summer. I tried to eat smaller meals and not stack on high sugar items. I also never bought these things or juice. I had orange juice, but that was all I drank. I also drank soy milk for most of the summer, till I decided I hated it, and went to Oragnic Milk, which DOES taste different than Regular milk.

Then Pilot Boy came home and my whole diet went to pot. Why? He likes snacks. He buys them. He likes meat. He makes the dinner because he thought I was weird. He also makes fun of me for drinking hot water (that habit stuck. I LIKE IT.) And he drinks too much OJ and milk to buy organic stuff. Seriously, he like inhales OJ. So, when he came home, I began counting calories. That lasted till the holidays when I just gave up.

My problem also is that I like baking. I love cookies. I love crumbles, and I love cake. And I like making these items. On the yoga diet, I made a lot of crumbles and I tried to make pancakes. (They were HORRIBLE.) When I was counting calories, I did an extra lot of stair climbing to burn off my goodies.

I also love cheese.

Anyways, I have yet to decide what I am going to do for the whole "diet" part of this Operation Jeans. I'm pretty good at eating three meals a day. I'm pretty good if I am busy not snacking. I'm bad at eating meals at the same time daily. Very bad. I also tend to not eat dinner...when Pilot Boy is gone. Because I kind of just give up by the end of the day because....I hate cooking. Mostly because when you cook, you use pans and unlike mixing bowls, those cannot be tossed in the dish washer.

I will drink warm water. And I will try to eat more veggies and fruits (I'm very bad at this. Mostly because I don't like many veggies and I don't like buying fruit. I don't know why. I just hate buying fruit.) Maybe this will help? Balanced meals? I suck at those too.

Well, need to do something besides walk one mile, sit through an earthquake and have a dream where all these snow melted over night.

Loud and Clear Jeans, I HEAR YOU.

Hey. I have been here a year.

And once again, I'm ten pounds heavier.

So, all the weight I managed to shed this summer returned. Blast you winter hibernation.....

So, once again, I am standing here wondering why none of my jeans fit right. Damn jeans. Why can't you just grow along with me?

I do not want to buy  new jeans. I hate buying new jeans. Or anything for my bottom half. I like shirts. And shoes. Oh, those go on your bottom half. Well, I like shoes and socks, but anything between my waist and my ankles, I dislike buying things for. Hence why I have a billion shirts. And shoes.

Handbags always fit. That is why I make them. They always fit.

Anyways, since I hate the gym here with a flaming passion, I can't run to save my life (seriously, if I had to run to save my life, I'd die. Because I cannot run), and it is always cold and no one plows around here, I think I'll have to start doing those Walk Away The Pound DVDs my mom gave to me because she didn't like them. The only downside to them, the last time I religiously used them (Before I got married), my knees always hurt. Between walking two miles a day to the court hours (YAY CONRAD!) and then walking away the pounds at night, my knees were killing me. Then I bought new shoes that were too small (DAMN YOU NIKE!). Anyways, I have good shoes now...my knees haven't hurt when I do workout here, so I guess they still have some way to go...

Why am I telling you this? Because, I am going to try something new to maybe keep myself going. Every day I manage to work out, I'm totally going to post and tell you. If I fail to do this at least three times a week, please yell at me. Because while I hate gyms, if I work out with others, I am more apt to do it. (Like in college! E made me go. Someone was COUNTING on me. I think I was simply broken in the Dirt Hole when I managed to go to the gym three days a week.)  So, tomorrow, I plan to put my fancy work out clothes on and Walk Away The Pounds for one mile (20 minutes). We'll work up from there because....I....am....out...of...shape. But at least sometimes I can breathe.

Goals: Fit into Jeans Right. There that is my goal. No weight goal, just FIT INTO JEANS goal. Well, I can fit into them, I just can't breathe properly for the first hour they are on my butt. My goal is to fit into jeans. Or pants. I do wear other things other than jeans. My mini skirts are still fit...and might not be too big...I haven't worn them in awhile. IT IS COLD. It needs to be at least 30 to wear a mini skirt.

So GO! (You can workout too. And then tell me if you want. Or not. BUT I AM TELLING YOU.)