Monday, May 30, 2011

So how did it work for you? and more….

May Bike Challenge

If you did my challenge with me can you leave a comment and tell me how you did, please? I’m just curious and felt honored you joined me. I also have something for you, if you’ll leave me your e-mail address.

I rode 22 days out of 31. Logged in 57 miles, I didn’t try for any certain distant just getting on the bike. I am still going to keep riding and just take the doctors advice and just go for joy rides, nothing hard.

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I wanted to show you something. In my life for the past 16 months I have been working on losing some weight. I have lost 55 lbs with just another 10 or so to go. I haven’t done anything other then eat less and move more. It’s hard, it’s a challenge but it’s so been worth all the work. If you’d like to follow my journey check out my life style change blog. 

Mike and I went hiking Friday evening. It was gorgeous out there and we just needed some time to unwind from the week.

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Now……

I am going to take this week off from blogging and just try and get some other things done. I am so far behind on taking care of business here that I’ve got to do that. I will read a bit here and there but with so much that needs to be done before school is out for the summer I better spend this week concentrating on that. I will be back on Saturday, after my 5K walk/run.

Take care my friends and have a blessed week.

Friday, May 27, 2011

This week….

Has been busy but here it always is in one way or another. The kids and I have been busy doing what we do best, playing and learning.

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One of our biggest events was Justin graduating from Preschool. It was such an honor being invited to watch Justin graduate. He has come so far this year. I am very proud of him.

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Another big thing in these little lives. Jon, Justin and Hannah have never had a wiener roast. So Mike taught them how to roast wieners and we had a picnic.

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We got our boat ready this week and while it was sitting by the garage we had to play in it.

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We transplanted, for the 3rd time, the tomatoes and peppers. This should be the last planting because after next week it’s time to plant the garden, that is if it warms up. This morning when I got up it was 30* and quite chilly out there.

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Jim and I got the boat launched. It was such a beautiful day. Wilbur loves going for rides. We had a blast and it felt so good to just be out with Jim.

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We feed the last of our bird seed to our birds and Junior (he’s our Yellowbellied Sap Sucker) came for one last visit.

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Today Justin and I made chocolate chip cookies except I didn’t have any brown sugar so just substituted white and a bit more flavoring and I swear I bought chocolate chips but couldn’t find them anywhere’s so we took the last of the Valentine and Easter candy from the freezer and beat the living daylights out of it with a hammer.

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So between this stuff, mowing, tilling the garden, scouts, getting some spring cleaning done and making a bracelet for an older customer….no wonder I’m tired and tomorrow I’m going to work out in the morning, take my daddy garage saling and I so want to do some kind of BBQ.

And I think last but not least, the rhubarb is ready so I went out and cut a stock pot full and make sauce. I made 12 quarts. I don’t have a picture to show you, you all know what canning looks like. But I have to say this was the tastiest batch I’ve ever made. I put the last of the apples from last fall, the last of the cranberries and the last of the freeze dried raspberries in it. Oh plus a box of sugar free orange jello.

I’m off Monday, time to relax and do some fishing. AND…. do a huge Memorial Service Flag ceremony at our VFW for our veterans. Our scouts and leaders were asked to do the flags and lead the pledge so that’s where Mike and I will be Monday at 10:00. Remember what Monday is folks, a day to say thank you and pray for all the families that are or have put their lives on the line for our freedom.

Take care my friends and have a blessed, awesome, relaxing, rejuvenating and wonderful weekend.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Try as I may….

I can not leave a comment on anyone’s blog. I am sorry because I am reading and I have tried and tried and tried, for the past two days. I even thought it was my computer and did a clean up, restore (in case some how I changed some setting). I can’t find a place to e-mail anyone so I am just hopping blogger fixes itself and I can go and tell you I was there but until then please know I am reading and I have tried to e-mail a few of you telling you this. Most have gone to you, some come back.

Just wanted you to know. At least I can post and see what’s going on in your worlds.

Jim took me for a boat ride tonight. IT WAS AMAZING!!! It has been at least 5 years since we’ve taking the 14’ out on the lake. It felt wonderful.

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Take care my friends. Have a blessed nights sleep.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Wordless Wednesday…

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Blessings my friends.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

44:28…

Well I beat my time, I wanted to do it in less the 45:00 and I did. I came in 9th, 3rd in my age group. The fastest time was 40:56, over all in the competition walk, so I am going to work hard to make that my best time.

Mike came and gave me lots of love and encouragement and I was so glad to see him at the 1/2 point. I was starting to cry a bit because of the challenge, the rain, the being alone but when he came and gave me some water and a smile I was ready to finish good and felt much better. I now know I can do this again and alone as long as there’s a friendly face in the crowd. It was weird, I live in a small town where most people know most people but out of the better then 100 people I knew maybe 10. It was a lonesome experience but a rewarding one.

Wilbur walked too in the Fitness Walk with a Venture Scout of mine, Kori. They did an awesome job too. Thank you Kori for taking Wilbur. He loves to walk so much and looks forward to you too.

Mike took some pictures so here they are. Thank you for all your kind words and encouragement also, I really needed it and it made all the difference in the world.

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Ready, set GO!!!!

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Half way point. The 5 of us were in the middle of the group.

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Almost done and Mike there taking pictures. You guys, you have to know that Mike makes me so proud. He’s there always to give me what I need to keep going. I LOVE YOU MIKE!!!

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And just about done.

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All done, wet but so happy.

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Kori and Wilbur crossing the finish line.

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My partner in all my exercise walking.

And my sheet….

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So I now have 2 weeks to improve my time but this walk is a walk/jog/run so my time should be about 10 minutes less. I’ll see what I can do to perfect that.

So now it’s time to relax, warm up and enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Now before I close you’ve got to go to Michele's blog. Today she did her first bike tour. As of this minute she hasn’t posted anything for today but I know she will be. YOU GO GIRL!!! I am so proud of you.

Take care my friends and have a blessed and super awesome weekend. :o)

Friday, May 20, 2011

Canoeing…and…

Mike and I took the canoe out last night and went fishing and canoeing. We worked hard because we went up the creek and two years ago it was more opened but we had beavers then. Well someone (not us because we don’t believe in trapping them from our area) trapped them so now we have muskrats. YUCK!!! They are so messy compared to beavers. Beavers make nice clean stand able dams, muskrats make mess soft yucky spots. Here, I’ll show you….

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This is a beaver dam. There’s a difference of about 3’ in the water. Both sides are clean and we can fish either side.

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This is muskrat mush, we had to portage around them and after doing that three times gave up and came back, portaging again 3 times.

I’m only complaining a little because out here all wild life is excepted just beavers are cooler.

Here’s a couple just because pictures and then I have to tell you about the loon.

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We have a pair of loons that have been nesting on our lake for at least 10 years and if I think really hard I bet lots longer then that. They are so use to us they swim around the boat. Well last night on our way back we got to stop by mama loons nest and take some pictures and while we did that she swam close to the canoe just to make sure we weren’t touching. She never threatened us or us her we just sat and drifted along and took pictures. ENJOY!!!

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So there you have it, our outing last night. I’m not sure the calories burned being out paddling, portaging and fishing use up but it’s gotta be better then sitting at home doing nothing (like that ever really happens here).

Jim and I transplanted some trees last night after fishing. Jim will buy or get small baby trees and put them in the garden until they are established and then transplant them. When we bought this land from mama and daddy it was a field. Now look at it…

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This little guy came and visited us yesterday, he’s called an Indigo Bunting. He never stays real long, maybe a few days, but him and his lady are so fun to watch.

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Okay we’re off for a bike ride to great grandma’s. Soon I’ll have the little bike cart fixed and be able to have the girls in that instead of on me and my bike but for now this works. Speaking of bike rides, how is everyone doing on their 20 day challenge? 11 days left to get your time in and then I’ll have a drawing for everyone that participated. I have 15 days in now with a total of 65 miles. Not far but I am getting my days in.

Take care and have a blessed and awesome day.