Moxie's Ramblings

Another 1/2 Marathon

2010-11-29T22:27:00.002-05:00

Turkey Day 2010

1:50:50

Invasion

2010-09-13T14:53:00.002-05:00

No more peppers for me.

My Nieces

2010-09-07T05:09:00.003-05:00

Picnic in the Park with my family.
Below are pictures of Taylor and Reese, my brother's kids.

Hobby????

2010-07-23T08:34:00.003-05:00

I attempted to reconnect with my inner artist.

I know there is plenty of technique to learn and use b ut this is what I came up with on my own. Now if I could take a watercolor class......

A New Year

2010-07-22T10:50:00.003-05:00

Well, summer vacation is on the edge of being over. Back to the grind Monday. This is when I wished I lived in WA and did not have to go back until the end of August...and they only got out 2 weeks after us. Well, all I have to do is make it the 3rd week of September...then Thanksgiving...then Christmas....then February.....then Spring Break...Then the end of May. I love how my job breaks it into managable chunks. I don't think I could ever work a job where I had to work 52 weeks a year.

Now all I have to do is stay away from the break room table where sweet treats and other nastiness that calls my name sits taunting me.

Crispy Kale Chips

2010-07-18T18:14:00.002-05:00

Yummy stuff and easy.

Ingredients

A Bunch of Kale
Olive Oil in a Spritzer.
Sea Salt

Directions

Clean and get rid of the thick stems while tearing them into deck of cards size peices or smaller.
Preheat Oven or Toaster Oven to 350.
Spray Kale with Olive Oil from a spritzer.
Cook for 10 - 20 until crispy
Season with salt
Eat immediately.

Enjoy!

What do you eat??

2010-07-15T20:28:00.003-05:00

If you can't eat bread.......and anything with Gluten in it then what do you eat?

Alot of nuts, fruits, vegetables, .......

Lunch: Big ole salad. Instead of dressing from a bottle I squirt about 2 tbs. of spicy mustard and 1 tbs. of honey on my salad. I choose spinach and this week I am buying a bag of arugula. I top it with loads of veggies. I also include cheese and about 2 oz. of left over meat from last night's dinner. I top it all off with a fresh navel orange.

Dinner: About 3 oz. of meat (chicken, pork loin, or hamburger patty) and 1/2 a sweet potato and a few veggies dipped in hummus. This week we are having broiled asparagus.

Snacks/Treats: handful of semi sweet chocolate chips with a spoonful of peanut butter, small bowl of all natural icecream, apple and 2 slices of cheese, .....

Sure there are alternatives to the pastas if you can't live with out it. But I still try to limit my total grain consumption so that even includes the gluten free ones.

Once you realize that gluten is causing the problem it is really not hard to stay away from it. However, one will never know if gluten is the problem until you cut it out for 8 weeks.

So, what is gluten????

2010-07-15T00:08:00.000-05:00

Gluten is a protein found in grass related grains. That includes wheat, rye, and barley. Also included are kamut and spelt. However, gluten can be found in foods other than your traditional baked goods like bread, ceral, cakes, cookies, etc. Gluten is also milled down and added to to foods as a food additive. It works in foods to enhance flavors, stabilize, and thicken. Examples of this include soy sauce, beer, seasoning packets, ketchup, icecream, etc. Oats are also included in this list because they have been processed on machines that have processed gluten containing grains.

So, what is naturally gluten free??
Corn, rice, tapioca, arrowroot, quinoa, millet, sorghum, sweet potato, yams, buckwheat, chickpea flour, taro, chai seed, teff, montina, lupin, amaranth, to name a few.

5 months ago I thought this was going to be hard. I loved bread, cookies, cake...........

Today I would much rather skip the bread than experience the gastrotestinal distress it causes in my body. For example, this past weekend I ended up eating a protein bar for a snack and drinking a few beers. At the time I figured I might as well eat the french bread that came with the meatballs. Over loading on gluten wreaked havoc on my system. It took 36 hours for my GI system to feel like it was back to normal again.

Reasons to Stop Eating Gluten

2010-07-14T06:42:00.004-05:00

About 5 months ago and after a little research on a health problem I was having I decided to cut gluten out of my diet. Needless to say, after about a week I felt 1000x better. The lower GI problems that I was having reduced dramatically and mostly ended. Since then I have ventured to eat gluten products again and with in 12 hours the symptoms I was once having return. If you are having any of the problems discussed below I highly recommend eliminating gluten from your diet for at least 8 weeeks. It will more than likely make a world of difference.

Article Source: http://www.blogger.com/EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vivienne_C_Savill

Have you ever stopped to ponder how much gluten you might be consuming in your
diet? Have you ever stopped and thought about the fact that this highly processed product, did not play much of a part in our diet until the last 100 years or so. In evolutionary terms, this is only a very short period of time and it is felt that as a race, our bodies have not adapted well to this rapid change. If you are a regular eater of bread or toast, cereals, pasta, pastries, pizza, pies, wraps, biscuits or crackers, your gluten intake is likely to be extremely high.

In my clinic, I regularly request that my patients avoid processed foods and have mainly fresh produce. And unfortunately for those gluten lovers, there is no such thing as a bread tree or a pasta tree! When I ask my patients to eat gluten free eating gluten products for 6 to 8 weeks (for various different health reasons) I am constantly surprised how many of them tell me how good they feel without the gluten. In particular, many of my patients report more energy and less bloating of the stomach. So what are some of the problems associated with gluten:

1. Gluten is the number one allergy food, which can produce measurable IgE antibodies and an allergy response within 2 to 4 hours of ingestion;

2. Gluten is known to be associated with many skin disorders including the allergy related ones, but also skin conditions such as psoriasis, where 40% of people are believed to have an intolerance;

3. Some people will have a very overt form of gluten intolerance known as celiac disease. In celiac disease the finger like projections in the bowel, known as villi, are actually worn away;

4. The average western diet is highly acidic and one of the main causes of this is high
grain intake;

5. Grains stop the absorption of the important mineral zinc, due to the phytates which they contain;

6. Poor nutrition is very common in modern society. When you are filling up on nutrient poor, calorie rich foods such as breads, you are doing this at the expense of eating more nutritional foods such as vegetables;

7. Gluten intake is associated with leaky gut syndrome. A substance has been identified that resides on the outside of the small intestine and this substance is responsible for the absorption of gluten into the blood stream. As the gluten passes through the intestine, the substance forces open the tight junctions that are found between the cells, allowing the gluten to pass into the blood stream. Once in the blood stream gluten can create an inflammatory response which can affect the whole body and produce symptoms such as pain, fatigue, allergy, skin problems etc;

8. Gluten can cause a delayed allergy response which produces IgG antibodies - symptoms can arise 24 to 72 hours after ingestion;

9. Gluten can slow down thyroid function and should therefore be avoided if you
have hypothyroidism;

10. When consuming a high carbohydrate food such as bread, cakes, pastries, pizza or biscuits, the body must produce large amounts of insulin, to process the glucose in these foods. If you are eating gluten for breakfast, lunch and dinner, your body will be almost continually producing insulin. Problems such as polycystic ovary syndrome, insulin resistance and diabetes are associated with blood sugar and insulin problems. Decreasing the intake of gluten and consuming more vegetables and proteins instead, will help reverse these blood sugar related conditions.

Some of my patients become a little bewildered at the suggestion of removing gluten from the diet, but believe me it is not as hard as what you think. There are many companies producing gluten free foods these days and it really is a matter of educating yourself about what is good and what is not so good. Unless you are a celiac, most people can tolerate small amounts of gluten now and again. But for lifelong good health and disease prevention, going gluten free or significantly reducing your intake, is definitely a smart move.

Written by Naturopath and Nurse, Vivienne Savill. For gluten free cooking advice, visit http://www.recipetohealth.com/

Vivienne Savill is a Naturopath and Nurse who runs a natural health clinic in Australia. She is passionate about teaching people how to maintain good health and prevent ill health, through the use of diet, nutrition, lifestyle and herbs. Vivienne is the author of numerous health books which can be found at http://www.recipetohealth.com

Asheville, NC

2010-07-13T20:28:00.004-05:00

Silver Comet 1/2 Marathon

2009-11-08T12:49:00.002-05:00

It may not be my fastest 1/2 Marathon but it was the first one that I have been able to move the next day. I did not feel like I was run over afterwards. I think it is about time to start thinking about a Full Marathon......

2009-10-08T19:53:00.001-05:00

Georgia Educator's Night at the Aquarium

2009-09-26T07:14:00.004-05:00

I was able to meet up with my old Girls Night Out group from Griffin this Friday Night (and a couple of other friends that we lost at some point during the evening) and enjoy the World of Coke and the GA Aquarium for FREE!

I don't think I would have ever gone if I had to pay full price for it. Below are the sights we saw. Pictures are crappy......I just need to suck it up and buy a new camera because it is killing me to not get all the great shots I saw.

Buggy Days

2009-09-19T19:00:00.005-05:00

Pictures are given credit to www.barnesvilledispatch.com.

Hair

2009-08-13T16:28:00.003-05:00

Hair Before Work

Hair After Work

Enough said.....

Expeditionary Learning

2009-08-01T14:55:00.003-05:00

New teacher orientation is over and next week I start my new job as a PE teacher for Kindergarten thru 3rd grade. I am soooooo excited about being back in the classroom after a 1.75 year hiatus.

Challenges that I will have to overcome with this job are:
1. My work space is outside under a pavilion. If people in Florida can teach PE outside so can I.
2. For the first time I will have an assistant for two of the days because I have double classes on Tues. and Thursday. I have always been by my self even when I had 40 kids at a time. I hope they are on board with the "New" PE and don't expect to just roll the ball out.

New exciting things to look forward to are:
1. Decatur City Schools are charter schools. We follow the Expeditionary Learning Model at the Primary Level which is based on the Outward Bound Principles. In the 80s an Outward Bound guru took their idea to professors at Harvard to incorporate their model into the academic realm. Just to give you an idea of what others think about this learning....our current President Obama has spent time checking out this model of schooling. http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog_post/how_our_schools_should_be/

2. Running a 1/2 marathon with Robby (well we will at least start together but the way he has been running lately he will be waiting for me at the finish line) on Halloween Day.

3. The unknown, who know where this will all take us.

More on Expeditionary Learning as I get thrown into it. :)

Life is a Zoo

2009-07-18T15:23:00.002-05:00

Our trip back to GA was an adventure.

Thursday - Load Truck

Friday - Finish loading truck and leave before lunch. Made it all the way to St. Regis, Montana with no problem.

Saturday - Clutch in car messed up. Had to drive back to Spokane to pick up a car trailor and then back to St. Regis to get the car. Loaded car on the trailer with the help of great people from MT and a boy scout group. Hit the road and made it to Bozeman, MT for the night.

Sunday - Trailor breaks decided to not work properly coming down the Continental Divide and I thought we were going to fry the breaks in the truck. They started shaking sooooooooo bad. Imagine that taking off and landing every 10 minutes and sometimes every 30 seconds. That is how it is to drive a Penske truck with a car trailor attached. Oh and let me add 7 days straight of this stuff. Made it to Rapid City, SD for the evening.

Monday - Imagine 2 lane interstate for about 90% of SD and Iowa. The other side of the interstate is totally gone. They are redoing the whole interstate across the midwest.
We made it to St. Joesph, MO and were able to stay the night with a great friend/college professor. We were able to relax in a real house with real food.

Tuesday - Drove FOREVER!!! We though we would try to make it all the way to GA but..... when darkness fell the stress level in the truck just multiplied. I could not see the bumps and turns ahead. We pulled over for the evening to find out the Super 8 we picked had been shut down. Shamrock hotel across the street here we come. Can't beat $40 a night including the pet fee. We were soooooo tired that night that when we woke up the next day we found the doors of the car wide open and the key still in the door knob. (Yes it was an old place.) Luckily we were in a safe place or the crap we have in my car was not worth stealing. ;)

Wednesday - Made it home around lunch time. However, we decided to take the car down to Macon so we had to drive yet another 60 miles round trip to unload the car and trailor. I was soooo sick of the truck by then. At least Samson did not have to make this trip.

Thursday - Drove car up to Atlanta to see the house we were going to rent for the school year.

Friday - Drove truck to Atlanta to unload it. Had lunch at the Brickstore and then drove back to Griffin to drop off the truck. Yes, we are free at last of the truck!!!!!!!

Saturday - Had to drive all the way back up to North of Atlanta for a family get together.....man I am tired of driving.

Sunday - Done......I think. House in Atlanta was still not unpacked and but we had to prep for the KB class at Gordon.

Monday - Teach KB Class

Tuesday - drive back to ATL

Wednesday - teach KB class

....... Now we are getting into the daily life stuff..........
Once something exciting happens I will post about it.

Carrie

Grocery Getter

2009-05-24T11:54:00.004-05:00

One of my favorite things about living Bellingham is how easy it is for me to use my bike to get groceries. When we lived in GA we use to ride down to the Ingles in Barnesville which was a haul to get groceries from Milner. So, it will still be possible.

Homemade Yogurt

2009-05-18T21:36:00.002-05:00

So is it really worth it?
Homemade yogurt?

1/2 gallon of milk heated to 180 F
Let cool 115 F
Add a couple of tablespoons of live cultures/already made yogurt
Let sit not letting it go below 100 F
8 - 12 hours later.......
Strain with cheese cloth for a couple of hours.

Now you have greek style yogurt....

Cost -2 trader joe's greek style yogurt container for the price of 1/2 gallon of milk (Maybe $1.50 or $2.00) It is about $3 each container if you buy it in the store.

$6 worth of yogurt for $1.50.....
Amount saved. $4.50

Another 1/2

2009-05-07T23:08:00.003-05:00

This past weekend I ran in my second 1/2 marathon. I was able to shave 18 minutes off my personal record. It was a beautiful day! Here I come Atlanta 1/2 marathon on Thanksgiving day. :)

Food and Thoughts

2009-04-19T23:23:00.003-05:00

Food is so much better when you make it from scratch with your own hands. It is also the best when it is straight from the source and produced locally.

In effort to reduce the amount of money we spend about 6 months ago Robby and I quit eating out our 1 night a week. At first it was kind of depressing not getting out of the house and eating out. Now that we are scratch cooking and making meals that take time and effort I find it hard to eat out. It is just not the same. I now find foods cooked in today's resturaunts to not have depth and and freshness that we can create in our home. Instead, I feel like we are being ripped off now that I know how much it really costs and how fat and flavored enhanced foods are when you are not in control of what happens to your food.

My new love for the week is Local Raw Honey made by bees who have pollenated blackberry bushes. Now I have to find somewhere in GA that sells local raw honey. I sure do hope someone has hives in the middle of a peach orchard. Now that would be tasty.

Love #2 - French Toast made with homemade bread, drizzled with honey from above.

Love #3 - Daylightsavings time. I have offically seen seasonal affective disorder in person. It is amazing what a difference it makes when the sun rises before you do and sets just before you go to bed. It means walks after dinner in the light, runs in the AM in the light, grass growing like it has no other job to do, trees blooming, flowers shooting out of the ground. If we win the lottery I am buying a summer home in the PNW. It is going to be hard to move to the south in the middle of summer and leave this weather and 17 hours of daylight.

Please Help

2009-04-16T23:35:00.003-05:00

Update on job applications.

So far no bites.

I just applied for another Henry Co. job tonight.
This past week I applied for one in Decatur City and Walton County.

Now I just need everyone that knows me to send out positive energy (prayers) that I can get a bite for just an interview.

Goodnight.

A Week of Baking

2009-03-29T20:13:00.002-05:00

Pumpernickel Bread

that Robby made earlier this week. (It is almost gone.)

I have used it to make sandwiches (cheese and chicken/spinach/cheese) and french toast. It is delicious. Robby also made a honey wheat loaf that I was told I could not touch to take pictures of because he plans to eat it. ;)

Hummingbird Cupcakes

Hummingbird cake is a rich cake made with mashed banana's/pineapple/pecans. Topped off with cream cheese icing with pecans. Now I have to figure out how to get them all to work on my bike so that I am not tempted to eat them all.

Next week I may try red velvet.

Unmotivated to Write and Update

2009-03-21T10:47:00.003-05:00

I am still here and surviving. Just unmotivated to write anything.
I am ready for it to warm up so I can ride with out 50 layers of clothes on.

Other than that it is all still the same.

I have applied for jobs in Henry Co., Walton Co., Taylor Co., and Troup Co. and have yet heard anything from them.

Where ever I get a job is where we will move back to. Except Henry Co., we will rent in Griffin and I will car pool with a great nurse friend of mine. If no jobs pan out we will be in Milner until we can make something happen and I will substitute for Spalding and Lamar.

Baking with yeast if finally becoming our friend and the homemade bread is delicious!

I am just sitting here right now waiting for it to warm up so I can ride the bike.

Later.

Thoughts

2009-02-18T01:39:00.003-05:00

Things that are running through my head.

1. I have regained the connection with the internal signals of my body. In the past month I have only 1 real binge. I am recognizing my fullness and actually listening to it. It has taken me about 3 months to feel comfortable with the concept and not be so obsessive about food.

2. Robby and I have begun the adventure of make food from scratch. This means that we are really cooking and baking with real ingredients, not artificial or highly process ingredients for us. Yes we use butter, sugar, and cream cheese for our cakes. Because remember it is not the dessert, rich and high fat foods that make us carry extra weight, it is the non-hunger eating.

3. Now with that been said I have gain a few pounds okay like 5 extra lbs (that would be 10 lbs since we moved to WA) since I have moved away from "dieting". So, yes it is a little frustrating. I reflect back on what I was doing when I was a happy healthy weight when we were in GA. It looked like this: PE related stuff all day, riding the bike oh maybe 150 miles or more a week (on a good week), running/training for 5Ks the other days, and bicycle commuting 10 miles every day...... Today my life looks like this: sit at a desk all day...come home and get a little training in 1 - 1.5 hours each day that consists of a variety of stuff, bicycle commute 2 miles (less than 10 minutes). I can change that.

Hungerwork: Reconnecting to Hunger Cues

2009-02-09T00:17:00.002-05:00

The longer someone has depended on external cues (diets or healthful eating advice) to guide their eating the more out of touch they are with internal cues that guide eating.

The whole idea of tapping back into the internal cue system is like a choose your own adventure book. The results/findings that you become aware of in each step determine the next step you take. This means that what works for one person may not work for another person. Everyone has different experiences and pasts. For some it may be very simple and for others it may be alot of work to regain the awareness of internal cues. How you answer the following questions helps determine what to do next.

Step 1: Understand your own experience of hunger and satiety.

How do you know when you are hungry?
How do you know when you are full?
How do you know when you are satisfied?
What is the difference between full and satisfied?
Does your hunder feel different at different times of the day? Sometimes more urgent? Sometimes more gentle?
How does your hunger vary from day to day?
What happens to your hunger when you do not eat right away?
Does the food taste differ depending on how hungry or full you are?

Possible responses to questions.

NOT listening to the body.

Stomach growling. (Just air moving through intestines, not a hunger signal)
Start thinking about food in response to an uncomfortable feeling or thought.
Crave certain foods.
Time of day.
Opportunity presents itself.
Think it's time to eat.
Believe you have not eaten enough food.
Haven't eaten since breakfast.
See of smell something enticing.
Plate is empty.
Belly Hurts
Pants get tight.
Stops when someone else stops.
Think that is all your suppose to eat.
Think this is all the food plan allows.

IS Listening to the body.

Feel dizzy or lightheaded.
Cranky or irritable.
Gnawing emptiness in the belly.
Lose interest in food.
No Longer hungry.
Feel full.
Physical hunger signs are diminishing or gone.
Feel satisfied.

Step 2: Quantify and monitor physical cues using the Basic Hunger/Satiety Scale.

Create a language for hunger and satiety. Use a 0 to 10 scale. 5 being nuetral. 10 being Thanksgiving Dinner full. 0 being empty.
Rate your hunger at this moment.
Each person will have their own rating scale.

Example Hunger Scale:

0 - Starving and beyond.
1 - you are so hungry you want to order everything on the menu.
2 - Everything looks good. Very preoccupied with Hunger.
3 - Hungry and urge to eat is strong.
4 - Little Hungry. You can wait to eat, but you know you will be getting hungrier soon.
5 - Not hungry. Not full.
6 - No longer hungry. Sense food in the belly but could eat more.
7 - Hunger is gone. If you stopped here you may not feel hungry for 3 - 4 hours.
8 - Not uncomfortable but definitely have a full belly.
9 - Moving into uncomfortable.
10 - Very uncomfortable maybe even painful.

You may ask, "Where should I start eating and where should I stop eating?" Having strict guidelines would resemble dieting. The answer is, "It depends." One must consider the situation when deciding at what point they should start eating and at what point they should stop eating.

For example, if you will not have oppurtunity to eat again for several hours you may want to eat to a point of 8. Or if you know you will have a snack in a couple of hours you may only eat to 6. It all depends on when you will have the oppurtunity to eat again.

REMEMBER: Eating dessert every day or eating a high-fat diet does not necessarily cause weight gain, but consistent nonhunger eating will.

Step 3: Use a food journal, if needed. (Not a necessary step, but it may help you see the whole picture.)

Quality of Diet. Any meal pattern guide can be used. You want to choose one that is supportive to your health.
Hungerwork (0 - 10 scale from above) Graph where you start on the scale at the before point of eating and then graph where you stopped eating.
Moods, Thoughts, or Feelings. It is suggested that one seek out supervision with a therapist when exploring the relationship between these things especially if there is a strong relationship between the two.

So, with all this being said it starts to get deeper and deeper into the issue at hand. Some maybe able to help themselves from here. Some may need a little guidance from others. Some may need to seek guidance from a professional.

I may or may not continue to blog about this specifically but if you would like more information and I don't blog anymore about it feel free to email me directly cjboggs@yahoo.com

Goodnight.

Reframing the Relationship

2009-02-06T00:29:00.002-05:00

The fear of food, or more specifically, the fear of what people believe food can do to them, underlies many eating problems.

In general Americans have been educated about healthful eating through weight loss diets. Discussions of healthful eating are commonly about how to consume the fewest calories possible, how to cut out fat to minimize calorie intake, whether carbohydrates are "fattening" or not, and offers little real help in guiding people in the quest to eat healthy.

Even food advertisements and professionals admonish Americans to "eat right." Most people have to some degree developed food fears, fear of certain foods because of what those foods might do to them. Yet these same foods are often the foods they think they enjoy most because of their rich tastes and textures.

The notion that higher-fat, higher-sugar, higher-calorie food cannot be a part of healthful eating frequently underlies disordered eating in many people. It creates another type of food fear - when thinking one cannot stop eating a certain food. In reality these thoughts draw them to the food. Deprivation will make a person feel overly attracted to the foods they believe they should not be eating. In reality it just makes them think about it more.

Reframing one's relationship with food will require one to alter the way they think about food.

The impact of labeling:
When a food is labeled they know what to expect from it.
For example: If a food is labeled "good", they can expect to feel good after eating it. If a food is labeled bad, they will most likely feel bad. If they don't feel physically bad, they will say things that make them feel bad confirming the "badness" of the food.
These thoughts shut down the natural exploration, discovery, and natural feedback process. The natural process looks like this:
"Hmmm, eating a piece of cake when I am really hungry at 3:00 in the afternoon makes me feel shaky and almost nauseated. In addition, I feel as if I don't have any more energy. I don't like this feeling. Next time, I'll have a smaller piece of cake and I will save room at lunch so that I can have it then. If I am hungry at 3:00, something like crackers and cheese will probably feel better." Notice no judgemental statements.
and it can look like this too:
You are at a dinner party and not paying attention to how much you have ate. You realize that you are uncomfortably full. Thoughts, "wow, I am really uncomfortable, next time I remember to check in more closely. For right now I am going to move around and mingle to get my mind off this belly ache until it subsides." Later, "Okay, I almost always eat when I am hungry and quit when satisfied. Because I more than I really needed at the moment, it will take a bit longer for me to get hungry again. If I wait until I am hungry again, my body will balance this out."

Supportive versus Non supportive Eating
For some people a dichotomous view of food might be helpful. For disordered eaters it is not that simple. Labeling a food as bad is a short step from labeling eating it is being wrong. A person can easily begin to believe that they are bad if they eat foods that they have labeled as bad for them. This can lead to feelings of shame and self-loathing, which can spill over to all areas of life that result in punishing attitudes and behaviors that do not support health and well-being.
One step in reframing the relationship with food is to eliminate these words from discussions of food, eating, and weight. When determining whether food is supportive or non supportive, one must always look at the food in the context of the situation in which it is eaten.

Consuming Supportive Food Usually:
Contributes to physical health
Contributes to emotional health
Is not associated with a diet mentality
Meets individual needs
Does not involve trying to change body size
Leaves one feeling satisfied

Consuming Non supportive Food Frequently:
Detracts from physical and emotional health
Associated with diet mentality
Is a burdensome activity
Involves food which are "supposed" to be eaten
Associated with trying to change the body
Involves fear, anxiety and guilt
Perpetuates a deprivation mindset
Is not satisfying and results in looking for more satisfying food

Additional Interventions

Start working on giving your self permission to eat all foods at any time, in any amount, regardless of their nutritional profile.
Over time you will lose interest in the "forbidden" foods and no longer eat it out of feelings of deprivation. This can be accomplish with food bags, in which you carry around with you food that was previously craved but felt you could not have.

Educate you self about the role all food can play in healthful eating and incoporate all types of food you enjoy into your meals and snacks.
Healthful eating involves meeting nutritional needs as well as those of pleasure.

Learn attunded eating behaviors, especially with food that were once forbidden.
Availiblity of food impacts frequency of consumption. If a favorite food is always on hand, it is normal for it to be eaten more often than if it is enjoyed occasionally. This means that it is not lack of willpower or moral make-up. Instead, it's just a normal choice that many people face, particularly in an environment where food is plentifully available. Any potential impact would be on health not weight.

So, if you are not dieting and if all food is okay, how do you know what and how much to eat?
To be continued...

A New Beginning

2009-02-01T09:53:00.003-05:00

Some of my readers relate completely to my last three posts. For some of you I have given you a glimpse into the life of a person with food issues. The reality is that disordered eating can affect anyone - small, medium, large, thin, plump, young, old, rich, poor, middle class, black, white, .....

Knowledge is a powerful tool. It is my opinion that one must first enter reality with knowledge so that they can make educated and supportive choices for their health.

So, where in the world does disordered eating come from?
Many factors can contribute to a situation in which it develops:

Low self-esteem
Unrealistic body standards portrayed by the media
Societal and cultural empasis on looks
Comments about body size and weight
Using food to deal with emotions
Ingnoring cues of hunger and satiety
History of abuse
DIETING

Development of a Eating Disorder

At 6 weeks old we are able to regulate our own caloric intake. We knew when we were hungry and exactly when we were satisfied. Those that stay in touch with this ability will maintain a steady weight throughout their adult lives. (Notice the use of "steady weight", it is your natural weight not the weight some chart tells you that you should be.)

Unfortunatley, many lose the ability to listen and respond to the internal cues of hunger and satiety. Dieters often block them out or consciously ignore them. When one loses touch with this ability they no longer know when or how much to eat. They find it harder to walk away when food is still on the plate. It has been ignored for so long that people often do not realize it exists. This person is now an externally regulated eater. These external cues gain more and more power and people begin to mistrust their bodies.

But why do many health and fitness professionals promote externally regulating our food? It may be the product of the influence of dieting on the professional perception of how a person must eat to achieve and maintain a healthy weight; or many professionals believe their job is to promote weight loss and, by extension, externally-regulated, often restrained eating. Some even believe that there is no way for the body to self-regulate, and one must control the body at all times.

Internally regulated, non-restrained eating, is quickly unlearned as one grows up.

Today one usually hears:

"It's dinner time; come and get it."
"Oh, it's noon; we better eat."
"Finish the food on yor plate before you get dessert."

Alternative comments are:

"It's dinner time; how hungry are you?"
"It's noon but I am not yet hungry. I'll get the sandwich and save it until I am hungry."
"If you plan on eating dessert, make sure you save room so you don't end up uncomfortable full."

We also hear alot of, "if you keep eating like that, you'll get fat," which further undermines internally regulated eating. What if you heard this instead, "hey, we couldn't be that hungry because we just ate dinner. let's set this dessert aside for when we fell hungry again."

Externally regulated and emotionally driven eating can result in a person eating more than the body has asked for, and therefore more than the body needs, leading to weight gain and a resultant unnaturally high weight.

To be continued.....

Breaking Up is Hard to Do Part III

2009-01-30T23:24:00.002-05:00

Warning: I am telling all regarding my relationship with food.

So, my first attempt of losing weight was successful. I lost all the weight I gained in college.
However, two years ago I wanted to take even lower and I started my first "diet".

It started with "No sugar" (deprivation). This lead to "The Zone" (yet more deprivation). I held steady for 4 months and then I remember the day like it was yesterday. A friend and I went to Stone Mountain for the Laser Show and I crumbled.....with fried chicken, french fries (which I had not had in 5 years), and the largest bucket of popcorn that I have ever seen. I would get back on track for a couple of weeks and then I would crumble again. Food started to invade all of my thoughts. I would obsess about food until I ended up overeating that food. I would eat even if I was not hungry, in fact I remember feeling stuffed many times and still eating. I would eat 3 pieces of cake at the same party. I have been on the Zone and off the Zone. A box of Girl Scout Cookies were gone in 30 minutes. Bags of Dove chocolate, bags of chips..... Bammm all gone quickly because I would buy them and obsess about having them to the point that I would eat them all within the same day one handful at a time every time I walked through the kitchen. Heck, I even made special trips into the kitchen when I had no reason to be there.

Over a year ago I moved to WA and things only got worse. It is very stressful to move across the country and when you have a messed up relationship with food it only compounds the effect food plays in your life. I have found myself eating not because I am hungry but because I have a headache or just because I WANT TO have that donut damn it, in fact I can have two if I want. Luckily through all these thoughts I still exercise and it has helped the impact not be so extreme. But the point is I lost connection with my internal self. We have been given the gift of satiety and I have been ignoring it for the past 3 years. Our wonderful bodies want to be healthy and have the ability to tell us when to stop, go, or enjoy. It is time to let the mind and body start working together rather than having the mind and external world tell us what to do. It has taken almost 2 months but I feel like I am on the right track.

If you think I am going to tell you what to eat you are wrong. If you think I am going to tell you what is good or bad to eat you are wrong. If you think I am going to tell you the secrets of weight loss you are wrong.

What I am going to share with you is how I broke up with dieting for good. It is over.

A new journey (relationship) has begun and I am going to share with you some of the things I have discovered. However, that will have to start tomorrow because it is late and the first part of being nice to my body is getting enough sleep because amazing things happen to our bodies when we sleep.
Goodnight.

Breaking Up is Hard to Do Part II

2009-01-30T15:00:00.002-05:00

It is important to understand the effect of dieting on the problem.

Eight years ago I came home from college carrying an extra 30 lbs. I was tired, sick, low self esteem (especially when I had to buy size 14 clothes), and my mind was foggy and unclear. In an effort to change these things I did not turn to the lastest diet book. I did not count calories, I did not eat low carb. I however did start making exercise a daily part of my routine and incorporating more veggies into my daily meals. I still baked and tried new recipes and focused on getting more nutrients out of my food and enjoying the occassional beer or dessert.

Before college and the early years of college I was not aware of my body and weight. In fact I have no clue how much I weighed in highschool. I do remember playing sports and just being active all the time while eating at home and small cheap meals out. To save money I developed the habit drinking water and ordering the cheapest meal on the menu. These habits have benefited me as I have gotten older. I have never ordered a meal at a mexican resturaunt (I always order a la carte: 1 chicken burrito please and water. I don't know how many bowls of veggie soup and corn bread and veggie plates my Dad and I ate at Pastime grill for $3 on the nights my Mom was in school.) When I went to UGA for school I discovered the world of eating out alot. I am a clean plate eater and in resturaunts that is not good. They give us way too much food. Portions are out of control. But hey it's there and how in the world can I let it sit there and go to waste. In reality all we need is a small portion of meat and 1 side item.

So, to the point.
Two years ago I started counting calories and following a dieting book to dictate what I eat. From that day forward I have been obsessed with food. I would follow the diet really good for a week and then all of a sudden I would find my self binging on the donut isle or staching Little Debbie boxes under the car seat while eating 4 or more oatmeal creme pies at a time. Then I would feel really quilty and angry with myself about it. This cycle continued up and down. Eventually I have found myself binging on PNB, donut, chips, ..... on a regular basis. I have even considered seeking help from a professional or a group. That was until I took an online class called: Disordered Eating in Active and Sedentary Individuals. Every since I took this class I have begun the journey to regain the ability to listen to my body and the internal cues that we were all born with.

So, the first step is recognizing the problem. So, now what? The fog just rolled out and the sun is shining here so I am headed out to ride my bike. More to come.

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

2009-01-29T23:26:00.005-05:00

Being an attunded eater means that one reconnects with their self and develops a healthy relationship with the daily event of fueling.

An attunded eater is:
Flexible
Balanced
Supportive
Listening to Internal Cues

A disordered eater is:
Restrained
Irregular
Chaotic
Listening to External Cues

So which are you?

You are a normal eater if you:
Stop eating when you feel full.
Eat when you are hungry.
Make choices in food that are supportive of you health.
Give your self permission to eat b/c your happy, sad, or bored, or just because it feels good.
Overeat sometimes and undereat sometimes.
Trust your body to make up for your mistakes in eating.

You are a misinformed eater if you:
Have reduced caloric intake to lose weight.
Are concerned with your nutritional intake.
Ignore your internal cues of being hungry or full.
Are Not aware of hunger until you see food.
Stop with a clean plate no matter if there is too much or not enough on it.
Aviod looking at your feelings.

You are a deprivation eater if you:
Go on diets and off diets with real flair.
Restrain your eating.
Overeat after a week of restrained eating.
Don't listen to your interal cues.
Follow the guidelines set forth by and "expert".
Feel out of control or controlled by food or thoughts of food.
Divide foods into "Good" and "Bad"
Dislike your body and try to change it with exercise and food intake.
Have a hard time stop eating unless you are following a meal plan.

You are an emotional eater if you:
Complain that you never get full or never feel hungry.
Seek food to cover up, distract, or push down feelings.
Eat even when full.
Feel angry or quilty about eating.
Feel soothed or comforted when eating.
Don't listen to interal cues and signals of fullness/hunger.

More to come later......

A New Year

2009-01-11T13:32:00.003-05:00

A New Year brings many thoughts and ideas.

Here are a couple:

1. I want to become an attunded eater again. (I will do a blog on this later so much to say about the current state of the role that diets play in our lives.) We were all attunded eaters at one point of our lives.

2. I want to explore my spirituality further. I have already begun my own journey. I will say that there a many pathways to our spirit and they are all right.

3. Sport/Entertainment - I love to run and cycle and will continue to do so into the new year. This entertainment is free (except the initial costs) and I love it.

4. Declutter my life - get ride of all the useless stuff that collects dust and get down to the bare essentials. If I don't use it I must get rid of it.

Life is what you make it to be. I hope you enjoy your life too.

2008-12-17T20:33:00.002-05:00

After and day of playing in the snow with the kids, answering the phone to say (yes, we are starting two hours late, yes students are at school until their normal dismissal), and calling kids to the office of early pick up I got to take a walk before it got too dark outside to enjoy the snow. Below are pictures of what I saw. Enjoy. I hope we can get out of here Saturday.

The Weather is a Tease & Jingle Bell Jog

2008-12-13T14:28:00.003-05:00

It does not matter if you are in the south or the northwest. The media loves to hype up snow to a point that nothing happens. Not even a flake has happened so far. Come on people where is our 1 inch that will shut us all down. :)

A cold windy northeasterner made it's way down the Fraser Valley just in time for the annual Arthritis Foundation's Jingle Bell Run. A 4 mile loop took us through the city and my neighborhood. It was freaking cold but the run turned out to be better than last year. Denise, Shasonta, and I set a record pace. Last year my time was 30:57. This year we crossed the finishline in 30:30. Sweet. I must be doing something right in my training to keep my times so close.

Stay warm, and I can't wait for some 60 degree weather next weekend. :)

A Tale of a 1/2 Marathon

2008-12-06T11:13:00.019-05:00

In the darkness of the night of November 30th I rolled out of bed with the plan to run 13.1 miles with a great friend of mine. Eight weeks ago we thought this was a fun idea. The morning of it still felt like a fun idea. We were on our way of checking a "To Do" off our lists.

Our training consisted of interval and circuit training with a sprinkle of running each week. Today was the day we were going to test this method of training. Our goal was to complete it in under two hours. Little did we know what the day had in store for us.

When we arrived in Seattle it was blanketed with fog and the temperature was a warm yet wet 49 degrees. Decked out in shorts and a technical shirt (not cotton) we hopped out of the car and followed the masses to the start line. After stopping by the "honey pots" we found our way to a very crowded start line. We heard the race start but all we could do was stand still. Five minutes passed before we even crossed the start line.......

The race had begun. People kept coming and coming and coming. We were passing people and people were passing us. Around mile 4 we finally decided to stop for a sip of water while in the I-5 tunnel......

At mile 4 my brain reminded me that we needed to stay hydrated or in 6 miles we may regret not staying hydrated. We made our way to the table and "POOF" before I could blink my eyes I lost Shasonta. Panic struck me and I froze looking frantically around. I ran to the end of the water table thinking that maybe that's what she did but I knew it would be impossible to find her in the sea of people. I started to run and felt like crying but I knew the longer I stood around my chances of finding her were getting closer to zero. When I emerged from the tunnel I stopped and looked for a good 30 seconds before accepting that I would be completing the race on my own with hundreds of strangers. It became a game of how many people can I pass after that point. For two miles I ran a great tempo. The crowd was pushing me along with little effort. Mile 5 and Mile 6 came before I knew it. (Wow, I just ran a 10k and I did not have the psychological slow down that I normally do when I have done 10k races in the past.) I stopped to watch the crowd one more time hoping that Shasonta would be there while I sucked down a Mocha flavored Gel Shot loaded with caffeine. It was one of the nastiest things I have ever had but that was all I had. (Yes, poor planning on my part.) Now, I knew I was on my own for sure. It was time to get serious.

Shasonta was stopped on the course for a photo opportunity about 4 minutes in front of me. At the time I did not know this but now that I do, I think... how long did I stand around and freak out. It must have been longer than I realized but if you think about it if she was running and I was standing still it really would not take that long to get 1/2 a mile ahead of me.

We kept running.....

and running.....

and running....

and running...

... yes, we are still running...

I have no clue what mile marker this was but we were still running....and still happy. I felt amazingly well and so did Shasonta (as you can tell). I felt like I was floating down the street. However, I was so ready for it to be over.

It was the home stretch. The stadium was the last part and the finish line. It felt sooooo good to see this line. I cruised in trying to pass as many people as I could.

I crossed the finish line and stepped into another journey. It was a mass of chaos. I had no clue where anyone was. After standing on the back of some industrial truck and looking into the sea of people I decided to head to the recovery area. With hopes of finding them standing on the side I was quickly disappointed that my efforts were giving me no return. I slowly made my way through the massive crowd of people. I could hear over the PA system people's names being called to the red balloon/computer terminal area to meet up with their lost ones. I made my way over there and gave the wonderful women on the mic my friend's name. With in 2 minutes Robby walks up and saves me and my world stops swirling around. It was then that I learned I was not alone at the finish line. They all saw me come in and they even got pictures. I was ready to get out of there. We headed back to the car and I was happy to see Shasonta and Dale on the way back. We loaded up and got out of Seattle. Stopping at the first rest stop out of Seattle I "fell" out the car. My hip flexors were seizing up and my legs were on strike. After convincing them to cooperate with me I changed and we headed to Boundary Bay for a beer and lunch.

It was a wonderful day and I am ready to try it again. However, I will choose a smaller race.

Lessons learned for the day that others may benefit from.

1. Have a plan of what to do if you get seperated.

2. Know the phone numbers of the people you are with. (I had no clue of how to get intouch with anyone on this coast. I only know numbers by heart of people in GA. That does no good.)

3. You really don't have to run alot to be able to finish a 1/2 marathon. Ask me about my training if you want to know more.

4. Have Fun... I did and it worked.

Update

2008-11-29T18:29:00.006-05:00

It has been a while since I have posted anything. Mainly because I have not done anything too exciting. Sure alot has happened in the political world but I really don't want to talk about about that because people don't come here to read about my political views. They come here to see what I have been up to. So, what does my world consist of right now:

1. Training for a 1/2 marathon that I will be doing tomorrow (Sunday) and getting back on the bike for long rides. In October Tanya and I completed the Runningshoes.com Duathlon as a team. I ran and she did the Mt. Bike part. It was a fun race and the swag was great. It was a blast.

Last weekend I ran the Turkey Trot with a great friend. We both did great. However, we did not get any pictures of the event. Races that are coming up are the Fairhaven Frosty 5k and 10k (I am not sure if I will do this one yet) and the Jingle Bell Jog (4 miler) that a bunch of us from work and a sprinkle of friends that I work out with will be doing. These things keep me distracted from the current economic nose dive.

2. Working - It has finally started to not be too stressful. Now don't get me wrong it is a very stressful job. I am just becoming numb (or more knowledgeable) about it. I have learned to difuse angry parents, handle more medical issues than I care to handle, and juggle 50 things at one time. Maybe this job will work to my advantage one day. However, I do know that communication is the key. If you are a teacher and you are doing a special event or organizing something please let the freakin secretary know because they are the one gets all the questions and it would make my life easier if I could just answer their questions rather than saying I will have to get back with you on that because I don't know the answer. Also, don't forget to recognize your secretary on Secretary's day because they do alot more than you realize.

3. Worrying that I will not beable to get back in the field of Health and Physical Education. The WA budget is not looking good and according to my boss/principal he seems to think that there will be a lot of cuts in the school system next year. Soon, I will start my adventures in finding a job. Where ever I land one is where I will be next year. Who knows where that will take me.

4. Planning a trip back to GA.

So, that is the jist of my journey right now just treading water. :)

Rainy Day Blues

2008-11-07T21:18:00.000-05:00

Mission Accomplished

2008-10-13T00:22:00.000-05:00

Bellingham Traverse

2008-09-29T21:26:00.006-05:00

The Bellingham Traverse is an adventure race that you can either do solo, with a partner, or with a team. It consists of 5 legs. They are:

6 mile run

6 mile Mt. Bike

17 mile Road Bike

3 mile trail run

4 mile paddle

Here is a brief description of the event courtesty http://www.bellinghamtraverse.com/
Bellingham Traverse is an endurance multi-sport challenge that celebrates the life journey of salmon. Soloists, tandem and relay teams compete for survival on the course that demonstrates the urban and natural challenges that salmon face in their journey. The course follows the urban greenways and roads through Bellingham, showcasing the city's parks including Boulevard Park, Lake Padden, Fairhaven, and Marine Park. The course then heads out into the open water of Bellingham Bay finishing at a hidden beach at the end of Cornwall Avenue that is where all teams gather to finish the last leg together as they "trek" the last 1/2 mile to the finish line at the Depot Market Square and Boundary Bay Brewery.

Here are the proofs of our team. Photo's were taken by http://www.brunkphoto.com/

I did the 3 mile trail run.

Here is a picture I got at the post race party at Boundary Bay.

Robby looks sooo happy to be there doesn't he. Yes he was missing the first half of the UGA game for me. Thanks.

I'd Rather Be

2008-09-23T19:02:00.004-05:00

I'd rather be teaching kids how to climb a rope than sitting in the office. Me during my break time.

Ptarmigan Ridge

2008-09-13T22:00:00.006-05:00

Yes, another adventure to Mt. Baker Wilderness. The difference this time is I finally was able to drag Robby along on the trip. I must say all my other trips have been great. This one was a little different. It all started with the car ride. It makes a big difference when you are the one that has to drive. Driving in the mountains is not necessarily fun and can reek havoc on the dog in the back seat if you take the twists and turn too fast. Yes, Samson barfed in the back seat. Sorry buddy. I will drive slower from now on. I will spare you pictures of this.

I was told that the hikes from Artist's Point are a lot easier and you can make them short and still see great things. I was also told that these trails have more people on them. Oh my, there were loads of people!!!! Way toooooo many people. I felt like I was at the mall and we all were little ants following a specific trail. You were constantly dodging people and stepping off the trail to let people pass. I DID NOT like this at all. I was use to seeing the occasional person but having the trail to myself most of the time in silence. Listening to only nature. Well on this trail there were kids and people talking all the time....... anyway.

On all previous trails 90% of the trail was covered with trees and you were in the shade. One walks for 2 miles through the forest and then at the very end of the hike there is a moment where you can sense the forest opening up and then all of a sudden you have a TA DA moment where you see amazing things. For the trail we choose today you were walking on a steep rocky ledge and you see your destination the whole time. From the moment of entering the trail head you can see the TA DA moment, it is just further away. You could choose to not walk further because heck you can already see what you came to see. Why get closer? Why continue to walk? There was no sense of accomplishment. There was no delayed gratification. So, after about 20 minutes of hiking in the blazing sun we turned around and got in the car and left. So, much for trying to enjoy the beauty of nature. It felt more like we went to the mall. Well, I did take pictures of the adventure so enjoy. It was neat to see this place without all the snow. In July when I came up here it was covered with snow.

At the end of the day I finally got to stop at The North Fork Brewery and try 2 pints of their beer. I got a Stout and IPA. They were delicious and the best part of the day. Here's to better adventures next time.

Heliotrope Ridge

2008-09-07T22:38:00.012-05:00

Mt. Baker National Forest has many amazing trails. They all basically look the same until you get close to the tree line. What makes this trail different from the other trails I have done so far are the water crossings. I must admit one was a little nerve racking the first time. However, by the end I felt like a pro and was able to move quickly through them. Below are the sights we saw while on the trail.

This was the water crossing that made me a little nervous.

Ed and Debbie climbing the trail.

The spectacular glacier that we got to see when we got to the ridge. It reminded me of Alaska a little.

If you look closely there are people on the glacier. It helps give one an idea of how big it really is.
Where we ate lunch.
My favorite part of the whole hike was climbing on top of this rock and eating lunch while surrounded by such beauty.
Debbie and Dora after lunch.

I zoomed into get a better look at the glacier. Mt. Baker
Fields of shrub on the other side.

So, there you have it. Another hiking trip courtesy Debbie and Ed. I am thankful that they share their hiking trips with me so that I may share the beauty of the Pacific Northwest with you.

Past and Present

2008-09-01T18:52:00.005-05:00

Labor Day Bike Ride

Animals on the way to Lake Samish.

Two strange yet interesting sculptures we saw on our way around Lake Samish. We also saw a family of goats eating the weeds around the sculptures.

Lake Samish The road leading to Lake Samish

Catholic Church Downtown
Pictures that Heather took from our two hikes near Mt. Baker.

Skyline Ridge

2008-08-18T00:17:00.008-05:00

No words to describe just taking in the sights I saw. I am too lazy to put them in order so start at the bottom and work your way up to see them in "sort of" order. :)

It's a Small World

2008-08-14T23:20:00.002-05:00

I have been back to work for a little over a week now. So far I am reaffirming my ability to do the job that I am standing in the midst of. There is sooooooooooooo much to the job. So far I have not gotten so overwhelmed that I wanted to run home crying. I contribute this to the fact that Debbie has help make the transition smooth.

Today we had our first secretary's meeting with a guest motivational speaker from Evergreen Team Concepts. You may be wondering why in the world I am telling about this but here is the catch. He started out asking questions leading up to a story, like is there anyone else from GA in the room. Yes, I raised my hand. He then preceded to tell us that he grew up in a small town called Griffin. He is from Griffin, GA. Holy smokes, Batman. Did that man just say he grew up in Griffin, GA? He asked me if I knew where that was. Of course, I said, I basically grew up there. He then preceded to tell a story about a time he was at 4th Ward Elementary. He spoke of the Secretary and how she made an impact on his life. Come to find out through the story he grew up in The Rock and then moved to Griffin where he spent most of his school career. He was amazed that I knew where everything was. I was amazed that I met a man from the same neighborhood that I spent the first 31 years of my life. During part of the story he started to tell about his math teacher in 6th grade. At first I thought it may be my grandmother that he spoke of but it wasn't. I asked him later if he knew Mrs. Skelton and sure enough he remembered the name. Now mom, did Grandmother wear red lip stick to work? He said that was a memory of her. I did not know Grandmother during her teacher years so I couldn't confirm it. He said he was in Griffin in the 60's. So I am guessing he is in his 50's. His name is Henry Beeland. His dad passed away in the late 90's while he was still living in Griffin. I am still amazed about the whole thing. So far, I have met two people in Bellingham, WA that had been in the area that I grew up. One day at the park while working out I met a women whose uncle lives in Jackson. Yes we had to reminisce about Fresh Air BBQ.

Well, I am starting to babble. Off to watch swimming.

Tall Ships

2008-08-03T10:16:00.004-05:00

This past week two historic reproduction ships sailed into Bellingham Harbor. Robby and I ventured down to take a look at them. The ships are the Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain.

The new Lady Washington is a full-scale reproduction of the original Lady Washington. Built in the British Colony of Massachusetts in the 1750’s, the original vessel carried freight between colonial ports until the American Revolutionary War, when she became an American privateer. In 1787, after the war, she was given a major refit to prepare her for a unprecedented trading voyage around Cape Horn. In 1788, she became the first American vessel to make landfall on the west coast of North America.

The topsail ketch Hawaiian Chieftain is a replica of a typical European merchant trader of the turn of the nineteenth century. Her hull shape and rigging are similar to those of Spanish explorer's ships used in the expeditions of the late 18th century along the Washington, Oregon, and California coasts. Built of steel in Hawaii in 1988 and originally designed for cargo trade among the Hawaiian Islands, her design was influenced by the early colonial passenger and coastal packets that carried on coastal trade along the Atlantic coastal cities and towns.

Below are pictures I took of the ships.

Unexpected Bill and .....

2008-07-28T18:57:00.002-05:00

Another reason we don't want to own a car. (They cost toooo much to fix when someone else messes it up!!! Grrrrr.)

My rant for the day.

Roll Call

2008-07-21T21:22:00.002-05:00

Well, I know about 4 people check out my blog but I am curious, who else is reading. Leave a comment. :) Happy Summer!

From the Bottom of the Bay to the Plate

2008-07-19T21:44:00.003-05:00

While we were shelling the crab this afternoon Robby handed me a chunk of meat to try. To be honest I really did not like it plain. So, for dinner we whipped the meat into crab cakes. Oh my goodness, it is by far the best thing I have ever had. YUMMY! We got a total of 6 cakes from 2 crabs.

Bay Adventures

2008-07-18T16:47:00.006-05:00

Friday morning started at 6am for Robby and I . We joined a new friend and his friend on his boat. The journey that morning was to pick up 4 pots that were dropped yesterday in the bay. Below are pictures from the journey. Enjoy.

Bullet sniffs out the pot.

First you catch the line.

Then you empty the pot.

Then you have to crack and gut the crab. (Sorry no pictures of that.)

Then you prepare them in boiling water.

Yummy! (I guess. I have never had crab before.)

Mountain Adventures

2008-07-18T10:27:00.010-05:00

Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest

Thursday I got the chance to take an easy trek up to finally see the mountains that are our neighbors. Mt. Shuksan and Mt. Baker are the popular ones. After 50 miles in the car and a stop at the Nooksack Falls our journey began. We took short cuts straight up the hills through snow instead of walking up the road which opened to cars today (Friday). Thank goodness for hiking poles and our experienced guide Debbie.

Nooksack Falls

(Professional Photo)

The headwaters of the North Fork of the Nooksack River begin on the glaciered slopes of Mt Shuksan. Flowing through open mountain valleys it winds its way into a deep rocky gorge. The channel narrows as the river fights its way through a dark forest, the trees safely anchored on harder rock. Suddenly it bursts out into the blue sky plummeting, momentarily free, for 175 feet. This is the Nooksack Falls. (Taken from website.)

My photos of Nooksack Falls

Picture Lake

There’s no mystery about its name. Picture Lake is singularly gorgeous, capturing reflections of Mount Shuksan and the Snoqualmie National Forest in its mirrored waters. It is also one of the most photographed spots in Whatcom County. Professional photo of the lake. Here are the pictures I was able to get. Man I wish I had a Nikon D300.

Heather, the dogs, and myself.

(Samson stayed home there was not enough room in the car for him.)

Heather Meadows

Table Top Mountain from Heather Meadows

On the way to Artist Point (Yes, that is a trail marker under the snow.)

Artist Point
Mountain SkierLunch

Table Mountain in the background.

Mt. Baker

Mt. Shuksan from Artist Point

Group picture at the top in front of Mt. Baker.

I think Heather and Debbie got more action shots. I will share them with you when I get a copy of them. :)

Additional Blog

2008-07-15T00:53:00.002-05:00

I have started a new blog that is going to be about exercise and nutrition. It will mainly be my daily journal of what I do each day. Check it out sometimes. This will be a practice run for our future gym. :) Enjoy.

Moxie's Gym

Happy Belated 4th of July

2008-07-05T19:47:00.002-05:00

Whatcom Falls Park

2008-06-27T16:37:00.004-05:00

Nestled on the out skirts of Bellingham is a wonderful place called Whatcom Falls Park. I ventured over to Tanya's house (15 minute easy mt. bike ride) and we rode for a couple of minutes before we were surrounded by nature. If you visit me in Bellingham I will definitely show you this place. Breath taking.

Master Gardner? Not quite.

2008-06-25T09:49:00.003-05:00

So, what I thought was going to be a couple hour adventure in gardening turned into an 8 hour day.

So, dail in your imagination and think, out of control roses with grass growing under the bush, piles of leaves, weeds, out of control holly bush, and fluffy grass. Okay, now that you have that picture in your head, check out what it looks like after an assualt of clippers, weed eater, rake, and lawn mower. I am offically tired!

Moment of Insanity

2008-06-14T01:06:00.002-05:00

Yeah, the school year is finally over for the kids. However, for me it has just begun. In Bellingham it is a dog eat dog world when it comes to getting a job as a teacher. So far I have seen experienced teachers who were fulfilling a leave replacement contract lose their jobs to the green teachers fresh out of college. In the PE department they just juggled everyone around to fulfill the retired position. Unfortunatly since I was in the paraeducator world I was not even involved in the juggle. Every job I ended up applying for was fulfilled internally. So that left me out of the loop. That brings me to my moment of insanity.

The secretary that I was assisting is moving to the new school which means her position opened up. Some how she convinced me to apply for it. Well, I was the only internal canidate that was crazy to apply for it. I was offered the job and OMG I accepted it. What the hell was I thinking. Well I guess I am up for a heck of a challenge. So, my goal is to create a secretary handbook so that I can pass it on after this coming school year to the next crazy person. At least I will get paid more. If I don't get a PE job for the 2009-2010 school year we are getting the heck out of here.

Running and Endurance

2008-06-10T20:52:00.002-05:00

This past weekend I met a great group of fellow Crossfitters. During the weekend I learned all about Pose running and how to program for the endurance athlete. Now I am ready to try it out on myself and others.

A Hairy Situation

2008-05-29T22:10:00.002-05:00

What Samson does best. Shed. Fur tumble weeds roam the house. Fur storms occur daily during his brushing session. Today's storm was mild.

After the storm and what it leaves behind.

You just gotta love having a dog.

More Ski to Sea Pictures

2008-05-26T21:56:00.003-05:00

A collection of pictures from other team members and their leg of the race.

Misty our Cross-Country Skier

Misty

Guy our Road Biker

Guy and I behind the Bunny Man.
3:10ish to Fairhaven collecting the plaque.
Marcus our Road Runner
Misty and Joe (our Downhill Skier)
Joe at his finish line.
Marcus - Pre-race, pre-blisters, pre-calf strain. Hope you feel better today Marcus.

All we are missing are pictures of Joe B. in the kayak. Did anyone get pictures of Joe?

Ski to Sea

2008-05-25T16:41:00.007-05:00

The annual Ski to Sea Race from Mt. Baker to Bellingham Bay can be traced back to the Mt. Baker Marathon held from 1911 to 1913.

In 1973, the Mt. Baker Marathon was recreated and called the Ski to Sea Race. The Race, now a relay, was designed to showcase the recreational opportunities in Whatcom County. The Race has evolved into the "Grand Daddy" of all races, attracting participants from all over the world. In 2005, the Ski to Sea Race was featured nationally on the "Fox Sports Northwest" network, reaching 3.2 million households.

Every Memorial Day weekend teams come from as far as Japan to participate in the Ski to Sea. The legs of the race are as follows.

Cross Country Ski - 4 miles

Downhill Ski - 2.5 miles

Run - 8 miles

Road Bike - 36 miles

Canoe - 18 miles

Mt. Bike - 9 miles

Sea Kayak - 5 miles

Today was my first exposure to the event. I agreed to do the canoe leg with a friend from the gym. However, at 10:30 this morning they announced that the leg was cancelled because of dangerous conditions on the Nooksack River. This was the first time they have ever cancelled the canoe leg of the race. Yesterday's and today's high temperatures caused a lot of snow melt from Mt. Baker, which sent water levels high and fast.

(Finish line for the Road Bikes.)

(If you look really hard you can see Guy and I executing the time chip hand off.)
(I am dashing to the time chip pad to stop the clock for the road biker. If the canoe leg had been going on we would run to our canoe, haul it to the river and head 18 miles down stream to Ferndale.)
(More exchange pictures)

Nooksack River

Lonely Canoes

Emilie and I

Final leg of the race.

The Kayaker gets to ring the bell when they cross the finish line.

What a long day! Our team finished 2nd in the Competitive Mixed Team division with a time of 7 hours and 25 minutes.

Grand Parade for Ski to Sea

2008-05-24T18:29:00.013-05:00

Grand Parade

Bellingham HS Marching Band

(There were a handful of bands just like any other parade.)

Ski to Sea Mascot

Grand Parade Marshal

(riding in a black Thunderbird)

Another H.S. Band

(I liked their kilts.)

The Shriners

(You can't have a parade with the Shriners.)

Some Theatrical Group

(They were running around and interacting with the crowd.)

Plenty of Floats

(Relay for Life - Knocking out Cancer)

(Horse powered car.)

(Beautiful Horse - The are so big their belly comes up my shoulder.)

Interesting People in the Parade

(In Bellingham you have poop scoopers following the horses.)

(Roller Betties - Bellingham's Roller Derby Team)

Eco-Friendly Participants

(After 9pm they have Cascadia Cabs that help tote people around.)

The parade ended with the Bellingham Alumni Marching Band.

Haggen to Haggen

2008-05-12T20:41:00.002-05:00

Saturday a group of us ran in the Haggen to Haggen 5K. I finished the fast course with a time of 21:30. Only 11 seconds of my 5K PR. Of course I will give credit to the course because it seemed that half of it was down hill. It felt really good though since I have only been doing Crossfit workouts and not really running. So thanks Crossfit.

Also, a couple of weeks ago a picture of myself popped up on the Crossfit main website. Below is a picture of the workout "Fight Gone Bad" during our certification. Maybe if I had worn something more revealing I could have gotten a better picture of myself. ;) Oh well, maybe next time.

Hope all the mother's out there had a great mother's day! Hope to see you soon.

Tulips Galore

2008-04-26T21:51:00.004-05:00

5:30 AM

2008-04-26T08:27:00.003-05:00

I will say by living this far up north one of the craziest things is that the sun rises and sets earlier and later in the day than I am use to. The first picture was taken at 5:30AM and the second picture was taken at 6:30AM. I woke up at 5AM and I could tell it was twilight outside. By 5:30 the birds started to move around so I decided to roll out of bed. It looks like it is going to be a great day to visit the tulip fields in Skagit.

A fun workout.

2008-04-25T08:45:00.005-05:00

Besides running and riding my bike I also enjoy Crossfit Style workouts. They give me the best full body workout there is. Mix all this with strength training twice a week and one will experience great things. I feel physically better and mentally better. I stand up taller and can think clearly through out the day. I rise at 6am and hit the hay at 10ish pm. I contribute my dedication to diet and physical activity to the positive feelings that I have every day. Enjoy the video.

Sunny Morning

2008-04-22T10:13:00.004-05:00

The sun is out and the sky is blue. However, it is still 38 degrees outside. Before heading off to work I ventured outside to capture some of the beauty of the Pacific Northwest found in the yard. (I really like not having to be at work until 8:45 and it only taking 10 minutes to get there by bike.)

Neighbor's Birdhouse

Broadway Park

Tulips in the front yard.

Spring or Winter? Make up your mind!

2008-04-19T11:19:00.005-05:00

While everyone else in the lower 48 are enjoying toasty 60 to 80 degree weather the Pacific North west can not decide if it wants to be spring or winter. A front from the North rolled in and has dumped snow about 50 mile south of Bellingham measuring up to 8 inches. Luckily Bellingham just has over cast skies and no snow right now. Out in the county there is a little dusting of snow that I saw on the morning bike ride.

Speaking about bike rides. In April one should beable to head out the door with shorts and a jersey on. In WA you will probally have leg and arm warmers on too. Not today, I had on an under shirt, polar tech fleece, jersey, wool socks, shoe covers, fleeced lined wool hat, black gloves, fleece lined wool gloves, bike shorts, leg warmers, and a pair of capris over that. With all that on I was still a little chilly. After about an hour of riding it even snowed on us a little. Here are a couple of pictures from the adventure. Enjoy and send a little warm weather this way please!

Life Without a Car

2008-03-26T21:47:00.000-05:00

Many of you may know that Robby and I moved out to WA without a car. In December I had the car shipped out but we have continued to live car free 99.9% of the time. I only use it when I don't have time to walk, ride, or bus it which is rare. From my perspective here are the things that I felt I missed out on when I drove everywhere.

1. Extra cash in the pockets. I bought 1/2 a tank of gas when the car first got here in December. As of today I still have 1/4 a tank. The cheapest gas around here is $3.64. So by not driving we save a load of money.

2. Nature. Eventhough we live in a city every morning on the way to work I hear the birds sing, feel the cool breeze on my face, breath in fresh air (unless I am stuck behind a car), and of course I get to feel the rain on my face. One is able to see subtle changes that happen (like flowers) when they are moving slower and out in the environment. You hear more sounds and you are more aware of what is truly around you.

3. Community. When you are in a car you are trapped behind the windows in your own little world never acknowledging each other. By walking or riding my bike I actually get to make eye contact with people along the route. At a stop light I even get a share a "good morning" with others on their bike if they happen to be at the light at the same time. Sharing a ride on the bus makes one more aware of differences and this brings you to a new level of respect and understanding for others. I have always had an understanding and respect for the "mentally challenged" population. After being a rider of public transportation I have learned that they depend on this service. I have learned that by living in a community that offers this service it helps the "mentally" and "economically" challenged citizens make ends meet. They may not mentally beable to drive a car or even afford one. Public transportation helps them by giving them a way to get from A to B. Kudos to cities who offer this service for everyone! (Got off subject sort of, but public transportation gives one more of a sense of community.)

4. Sense of adventure / Exercise. Everyday I feel like I have accomplished something. I got the blood in my body flowing. Now my muscles and brain are oxygenated. I am ready to go. All of this leads to a healthier body and mind. Luckily I get to move around at work and don't have sit all the time but I am sitting alot more than I use to. I find today that to many people have grown accustom to the walk 10 feet to the car, sit for 10 - 30 minutes, walk 100 feet to the office, sit for 8 hours, walk 100 feet back to the car, sit for 10 - 30 minutes, walk 10 feet to the couch and collapse of exhusation from work, sit and watch TV for 3 hours, lay down and sleep for 6-8 hours. Don't neglect your body!!!!!!!!! I use to feel this way until I started making exercise a part of my daily routine. Now I have more energy than I have ever had! I can make it the whole day with out zonking out and I think alot clearer. Don't forget to work your body everyday! If you start exercising now it will be alot easier as you get older. I will be doing some kind of exercise everyday until the day I die.

Well, that is enough of what I think. Do you think you could live car free? or even reduce the amount of time you spend in a car each week?
How?

I love living 99.9% car free!

Randomness Countdown

2008-03-20T22:31:00.004-05:00

So, here we go..... I have to dig deep for this one.

10. When I listen to music I do not hear the words. I only hear the beat, rhythm, melody, and pitch. It is the way it all blends together that attracts me to music. Yes, I know I am missing the best part of a song but I just have the hardest time hearing the words and comprehending what they are actually saying.

9. Piggy backing on 10, I am not an auditory learner. I discovered this in college. In Biology class at UGA I had a friend who would just listen to the lecture. She did really well in the class. I tried this out for one of the units and failed the test. It was at this moment that I learned I have to see it, write it, hear it, and apply it to actually retain it.

8. I was the trumpet section leader in the marching band as a sophomore in high school. I even got to play the solo on homecoming. It was the theme song from a popular movie in the early 90's. I can't think of the name of it. I also took piano lessons for 8 years and got really good at. But now I stink at it.

7. I took 20 quarter hours of Portuguese in college. Oi, is all I remember. Crazy thing is that I made A's in all the classes.

6. I did not go to any of my high school proms. I think I was kind of stand offish to the guys in high school. If I got asked I might have gone but no one ever asked. That might have been because I was kind of a witch to boys in high school. But now that I think about it at that time I probably would have said no because I was anti social when it came to those events. I saw them as a waste of time and money.

5. I love math. I think it has to do with the fact that math is just patterns and formulas. If one knows the pattern or formula then one can figure out the answer.

4. I am obsessed with food. Almost too obsessed. This obsession is sometimes healthy and sometimes unhealthy. I am currently working on making it a healthy obsession 99.9% of the time. The unhealthy part is eating pans of brownies, boxes of cereal, bags of chocolate, whole pizza pies, 12 donuts or cupcakes, boxes of cookies, jar of peanut butter, etc... in one sitting.

3. I have multiple personalities. The crazy things is that I have no control over which personality comes out. This ticks me off sometimes because I recognize it and try to control it. I just consider it as me being a chameleon of situations. What I mean by this is that I can flighty and ditsy around some, at work I can be strong willed, in the gym I can be aggressive. It just depends.

2. Sodas and carbonated drinks are evil to me. I discovered this as a teenager. They create havoc in my GI tract and pump me up with gas. (How embarrassing.)

1. I love to workout. I do something everyday that is related to exercising. If I miss a day I go crazy.

Oyster Dome

2008-03-10T23:24:00.004-05:00

Front Row (LtoR): Emilie, Carrie, Mac, Lindz, Shain

Back Row (LtoR): Travis, Walt, and Lynn

Sunday afternoon a handful of us from the gym got together for a hike on one of the many trails in the Pacific Northwest. About 10 miles south of Bellingham are the Chuckanut Mountains which give you a beautiful view of the San Juan Islands. I got everyone together and Travis who has done the trail before led the way on the trail. Below are the sights we saw when we finally made it to the top. It was an hour and a half climb straight up the side of a mountain for 3.5 miles. (The crazy thing is I thought this was going to be a recovery hike. Little did I know what I was in for.)

I will say that this to me was just as hard as any Crossfit workout. The view at the top was a great reward along with the Oatmeal Stout they had waiting on me at Boundary Bay when we finally made it back into town.

Here is what Emilie had to say about the day.

A few of us made the 6-mile Oyster Dome hike on Sunday. Lynn (aka The Mountain Goat) lead the way with a blistering pace. Walt (aka The Shadow) was never more then two steps behind. Mac (aka MacDaddy) had a smile on his face ALL day, especially when eating everyone’s snacks at the top. Shain (aka Pokey Puppy/Recon Ranger) provided some hilarious trail commentary. Travis (aka Mr. T Oyster) was the only of us to have done the Oyster Hike and kept us moving in the right direction… UP. Carrie (aka ‘Take A Deep Breath Carrie’) had all of us laughing most of the day. All in all it was a great day wrapped up with dinner at Boundary Bay. For more pics of the day check out our Flickr page.

The Simple Joys

2008-03-02T23:47:00.003-05:00

Taking a walk in the woods with a friend gives me more satisfaction in life than anything.

Simplify your life,

Carrie

Level I Certifcation

2008-02-19T01:18:00.002-05:00

This weekend Robby and I traveled to Santa Cruz, CA to attend the CrossFit Level I certifcation. Above is the group picture of everyone that was there, including trainers. We met alot of great people and learned in greater detail what Crossfit is really about. This stuff is amazing.

Also this weekend it was my goal to be able to do 10 kipping pullups by the Certification. At the Cert. I achieved 13 kipping pull ups. I love this stuff and I can't wait to start training others using this philosophy. Here is a video of me at Jogo the Thursday before Cert. reaching my goal of 10.

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T22:02:00.003-05:00

Orignal Picture

Watercolor Painting

My 1st attempt of painting Samson in watercolors. Not too bad but there is room for improvement.

1st Bike Ride of 2008

2008-02-03T19:46:00.000-05:00

It has been a long time since I have suited up and went for a bike ride since we moved to Bellingham. The main reason is because I have no clue of where to go. So I headed out of town for 20 minutes and turned around. After that I headed to the Bay Trail. Below are sights I saw while on this trail.

Enjoy!

Recent Snow

2008-02-02T19:49:00.000-05:00

Recent snow that I had to go to work in.

A week in Bellingham, WA

2008-02-02T18:42:00.000-05:00

Weather

Who knows what it can be. Wet, windy, sunny, cold, snowy, freezing, breezy, drizzly, rainy, icy. All of these words can sum up the weather for the past week. Why pay attention to the weather channel or news when I can look outside and predict the forecast better than the meterologist? There have been numerous times that the actual weather is completely different than what was predicted. So, in general I keep myself ready for anything. One thing I do know is that it will be cold 100% of the time so I always dress in layers because the level of coldness changes through out the day.

Work

The structure of school compared to my previous experience is different in soooooo many ways.

Difference 1: Amount of "recess/free play" time.

Previous School: If lucky 20 minutes a day for pure "run around like kids and play however you want (within safety reasons)" I do know that 5th graders did not always get recess everyday.

Current School: If they arrive to school 30 minutes before class starts. In the mornings for 10 minutes playgrounds are monitored by adults so that students can play before class starts, 15 minute morning recess, 15 minute recess after they eat lunch. This happens rain/snow or shine. (Trust me I have had to stand out in the drizzle to monitor.) So, if they are lucky they get about 40 minutes of playground time through out the day. I am sure this works because there are only 300 students in the whole school. This means less people have to share the same space. Plus, teachers do not monitor recess times. Recess is a break time for the teachers.

Thoughts: If you are from my previous school and are intersted in learning more about how it is structured just ask I can tell you more. Wouldn't it be great to let the kids run and play in the mornings rather than sit around the gym. Just an idea. Just think they can get the blood flowing and activate their bodies first thing rather than sitting and talking, which is what they are going to be doing the rest of the day.

Difference 2: Specials

Previous School: Specials teachers were able to serve every student in the school (except the pre-kindergarten program). Kids were exposed to Art, Music, PE, and sometimes Spanish or computers starting at an early age.

Current School: K - 2nd grade student do not go to specials at all. However, they get out of school 1 hour before the 3-5 students. K gets out at Noon (which is changing next year.) The special classes they have are PE, Library, and Strings. No art :( I am suprised.

Thoughts: Bellingham School District is a little behind by not offering at least PE and the other specials at the K-2 level. I think surrounding school districts within the county offer it at all levels.

Difference 3: Weather

Previous School: School is cancelled when it snows enough to ice the roads. Rain, cold, and mud would prompt keeping your kids inside for the day.

Current School: They go outside no matter what and I have had to stand in it. I remember one day watching kids splash in puddles as it rained on them with a 30 mph wind coming from the south. Oh, and the tempurature was maybe 35 degrees. The biggest kicker was that they were dressed in blue jeans and a long sleeve shirt. Most of them had on jackets but they were soon taken off as they got hot from playing.

Thought: The rain here is different. No heavy down pours, just a steady drizzle. When it snows here most people know how to drive in it but alot still don't. Plus it doesn't always snow over the whole city. We got 4 inches Monday night but 5 miles down the road they got nothing. The roads were crazy icy and I just walked to the bus (which had chains on it) to get to school. At least they delayed school for 2 hours for the kids. I had to be there on time. I am glad they only delayed it though. Otherwise we would have had to make the day up at then end of the year no matter what. We don't get out until June 13th. That is going to be an adjustment. I am use to getting out at the end of May.

Well this post is long enough so I will stop there. Hopefully I did not bore you too much.

Take Care,

Carrie

Update

2008-01-27T19:35:00.000-05:00

Not much is going on here.

Sunday started out with snow and ended with sunshine. So, we headed out the door for a walk with Samson.

This is a video of the creek that runs through downtown. We followed the trail along it during part of our walk.

Enjoy,

Carrie

Jack of all Trades

2008-01-19T10:37:00.000-05:00

I know my mom is dying to know how my first week of work went this week so I will share with everyone.

My morning starts off in the office with assisting Debbie and helping with Tardy's (starting Tuesday).

From there I head to a resource room for an hour and work with a group of 5th graders and 3rd graders on math skills.

Then I head back to the office to relieve Debbie for her break. Starting Tuesday after the break I will stay in the office and work on attendance. This past week I have been heading out for morning recess duty. Yeah, no more recess duty starting next week.

From there I get a 15 minute break and then I head pack to the resource room to help a student with reading for 30 minutes.

Back to the office to cover for Debbie during her lunch break. During this time I usually have to administer meds to a couple of noon time regulars. After her lunch I head out to Lunch Recess Duty for 45 minutes. When Recess Duty is over I get a 30 minute lunch.

After lunch I head to a 5th grade class to help during writing. I have discovered that I need to brush up on those skills. I can write for myself with a lot of proof reading but helping others that don't get it write is challenging. When done there I head out to do bus duty for the primary students who get out at 2:30. Most students walk home, ride their bikes home, get picked up by parents, and a handful ride the bus home.

When that is over I head to a 4th grade class and do spelling conferences with the students. From there I head back to the office for a short period and then back outside for Intermediate bus duty. They get out at 3:30. By the time I finish duty then I get to go home. This week however, I have been staying a little late to be trained on the computer programs that I will be using.

So that is my day in a nutshell. I enjoy the job but I can not wait to get back into the classroom teaching PE.

Best,
Carrie

Turning Point

2008-01-11T22:59:00.000-05:00

Or shall I say foot in the door, step up, or promotion.

It is official I am no longer a substitute starting Monday. I have accepted a job as a Paraeducator at Birchwood Elementary where I will be a women of many responsibilities. Those responsibilities include working in a resource room, monitoring students on the playground, being a nurse, secretary, office assistant, evening bus duty monitor, etc. I am sure there are other things I will be doing. All I know is that I will go to the same school each and everyday. No longer will I have to be glued to the computer trying to snag sub jobs or wake up at 5:30 am being ready to fly out the door to head who knows where. Right now I can relax a little and prepare for the next step which is landing a full time teacher position.

Life is good right now.
Carrie

Samson's WOD

2008-01-10T01:14:00.000-05:00

Samson joined Robby and I for our walk to CrossFit this evening. When we got there Mac (Jogo's dog) came out and invited him to play...... and Samson started the marking game. I think they marked the tire at least 9 times each. Emilie caught the fun on camera and made it into a video.

Words to Live By

2008-01-08T11:29:00.000-05:00

I found this article and really like it so I thought I would share it with you.

7 New Year's Eco-Resolutions for 2008

Ideas even a toe-dipper in the green pool can deal with

By Annie Bell Muzaurieta, for TheDailyGreen.com
Updated: 12/20/2007 2:08:12 PM

1. I will relinquish my title of Most Likely to Acquire Useless Crap I Don’t Wear or Need.

Admit it — your closet is full of had-to-have items that have been banished to a life of hanging unworn. You have enough notepads, pens, books, magnets, and collectible tchotchkes to fill a ministorage unit. Yes, our purchases keep the economy going, but most of us buy far more than we need. (There are whole TV shows dedicated to demonstrating ways to unclutter!) Remember that packaging, waste, and pollution are created to make these items available to you. If you trash those once-new goodies when you’re no longer interested in them, they will live in a landfill for years and years. It’s time to clean out, and stop collecting crap.

2. I will avenge my phantom load.

Phantom load has nothing to do with the pounds that mysteriously appeared on your midsection over the holidays. The term refers to the energy wasted by electronics and power chargers when they are plugged in but not in use. That’s right — your computer cord, cell phone charger, and time-telling DVD player are all sucking energy from the outlet even when there isn’t anything attached or being watched (hence the spookyphantom-ness). Actually cut the power to your electronics by plugging them in to a power strip and flipping the switch to “off” when you’re not watching or listening.

3. I will be smarter than bottled water companies and drink for free what they are trying to sell me.

Kicking the plastic water bottle habit might sound like an impossible feat if you’re as addicted as the average thirsty American; last year we consumed enough water to fill about 50 billion plastic bottles. If the fact that plastic is bad for the environment doesn’t get you to quit, just think: Several bottled water brands use the same H20 that’s available from your faucet. So buy an eco-chic reusable stainless steel bottle, and refill it throughout the day — for free. If you’re parched at the mere thought of quitting cold turkey, ease into a plastic-bottle–free life by bringing one less bottle a week to the gym, or by giving them up at the office.

4. If I can remember to TiVo “Dancing with the Stars,” I can remember to bring my own bags to the grocery store.

It’s as if plastic shopping bags are required to exit a store—the disposable sacks are forced on customers even when the purchase is just a can of soda. But plastic bags are made from petroleum and only about 1 percent of the estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion Annie Bell plastic bags consumed worldwide are recycled each year. Most end up in landfills (where they take perhaps 1,000 years to decompose) or in the sea. If you start bringing your own bags now, you’ll be ahead of the curve if plastic ones become outlawed in your community.

5. I will switch to recycled paper products at home (but not if they make me chafe).

We know there are some folks out there who must have two-ply, but even you can commit to changing just one thing. If you have a Larry David-like aversion to recycled toilet paper, try the paper towels. If brown won’t match your kitchen colors, look for recycled paper towels that are whitened without chlorine or stick with washable dishcloths. By purchasing recycled paper products you’re preventing trees from being chopped down, and paper waste from ending up in landfills. In addition, less energy and water are required to produce a recycled paper product.

6. I will consider whether my meal came from the farm or the factory.

Big agriculture isn’t all bad. Everyone has a guilty culinary pleasure that comes from a big factory (see: Oreos, and Cap’n Crunch). But while you’re worrying about your own carbon footprint, remember that your food has one too. Think of how many miles your food has traveled (do you really need berries from Chile?), how many chemicals are used, and how much pollution and waste have been generated in the production of your foodstuffs. Support local agriculture by shopping for food at a farmers market. The goods will be fresh, and you might enjoy meeting some of the people who grew your dinner.

7. I will take a day off from road rage and take mass transit or car-pool one day a week.

If you have public transportation options available to you, try switching to the train or bus one day a week. According to the American Public Transportation Association, public transportation use saves 1.4 billion gallons of gasoline each year, and can reduce household expenses by $6,200. Plus you’ll get a day off from road rage. If you don’t live near public transportation, try organizing a once-a-week carpool with your neighbors or coworkers. You’ll save on fuel, tolls, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by removing cars from the road. As a bonus, you’ll gain access to that exclusive carpool lane.

Kipping

2008-01-03T21:49:00.000-05:00

I am on my way towards meeting one of my goals for this year. Here is a video of me kipping pull ups consecutively for a few reps. Hopefully it will no time before I can do more than 3 in a row. On Monday when I was fresh I was able to do 5. Today I could only do about 3 good ones.

Enjoy, Carrie

A New Year

2008-01-02T15:31:00.000-05:00

A new year has begun. For the past 5 years I have known what was coming but at this point I have no clue. So here are somethings that I would like to see by the end of 2008.

1. Return back to the classroom and teach Health/Physical Education.
2. Develop into a Crossfit Athlete that can hang with or near the top women.
3. Italy. I hope to make it there but it is all dependent on #1.
4. A bigger social network and maintain distance friendships that I have.
5. Improve my teaching skills in physical fitness with adults.

I can't sit around waiting for things to fall into place so I will be out working my butt off to make as much as I can happen.

I would love to hear about your goals/resolutions for the new year. Post them to Reader's Thoughts.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T14:36:00.000-05:00

I hope that everyone that reads the blog is having a Merry Christmas.

Shopping, site seeing, and entertaining my parents have been on the agenda for the past couple of days. Here are some of the things we have seen.

Chuckanut Drive

(you can see the Amtrak tracks if you look close)

San Jaun Islands from Chuckanut Drive

My parents made it to Vancouver, BC but I decided to stay home and get somethings done.

Christmas morning we went for a 2.6 mile walk around Lake Padden. Pictures from that will come later once my dad downloads the pictures. Tonight I will try to get a family photo to share with everyone.

Until then Merry Christmas!

Carrie

Vote Ron Paul

2007-12-24T01:30:00.000-05:00

Take 30 minutes out of your life to educate yourself about this man. Share what you learn with your friends and family. Then in Feb. vote for him in the presidental primary.

Part I

Part II

Vote Ron Paul!

Winter Solstice

2007-12-21T23:51:00.001-05:00

Today marks the day in which we start gaining daylight each day. The sun rose at 8am this morning and it set at 4:15pm. We begin gaining 2 minute each day until the summer solstice. To celebrate the day we cracked open a home brew from a great friend back in GA. I am sure he spent today preparing the brew for the next winter solstice while drinking a few of this year's brew. Cheers, Scott we enjoyed the drink.

On another note. This ferry may be in our near future. Who knows where the next stop will be. :) The Alaska Ferry was in port today picking up passengers and their packed to the gill trucks and moving vans. What a neat sight to see. This thought to be continued... (Could be soon or could be years, who knows???? I just take it one day at a time.)

Not that bad

2007-12-18T22:20:00.000-05:00

Okay, I had two more days of middle school after Friday and I think Friday was just a freaky day. Thank goodness I did not cancel the job after Friday's experience. I actually enjoyed it yesterday and today. The thing I did different is that I went in with a different attitude and took the advice of a great teacher at Whatcom Middle. He told me things I already knew but he gave me the confidence to go in and take charge. Kudos to James.

On another note. If you don't watch G4 on TV you need to start now. Our new favorite show is Ninja Warrior. Love it. Check this out.

The guys that are able to do this stuff are amazing!

Tour of Whatcom and B.C.

2007-12-16T18:46:00.000-05:00

It was a busy weekend for us. It started with subbing on Friday at the middle school level. I will say that it has not been my favorite experience. Note to self do not take any more middle school jobs. Yes, it was that bad.

So bad that I headed straight to CrossFit Friday night and do a work out to keep myself from crying. Argh...

Saturday begun with Crossfit morning session and then straight to Boundary Bay for lunch and a much needed drink that I had been waiting for since 3:00pm Friday.

As you can see, Bob and Alice made it safely to Bellingham. We enjoyed lunch and headed to the Farmer's market to browse the local artisan merchandise. There is not much food or veggies to buy this time of the year . In fact there is only one more weekend left at the market until April. After lunch we headed out Mt. Baker Highway to see how close we could get to the mountain.

It is about 54 miles to Mt. Baker and we only made it about 42 miles before we saw the sign to not proceed unless you have chains for your tires. So we pulled over and took a couple of pictures of what we saw.

Sunday started with a trip to Lynden, a dutch community north of Bellingham. Unfortunately, the downtown square of Lynden is shut down on Sundays so we did not get to eat at a Dutch Restaurant. :( So we headed north to the Lynden border crossing to get a glimpse of British Columbia, Canada. We went to Alderwood, B.C. a very small town that appeared to cater to the tourist in the Vancouver area. There are no pictures of the town because if you have seen a city/town in America you have seen Alderwood.

However, you usually do not get to see mountains like these. I am sure they are still 50 miles away in this picture.

After crossing back over into Washington, we made our way back to Lynden and headed over to Birch Bay. On the way to the bay we saw hundreds of rows of what we think are Raspberry vines. So I just had to have Bob stop so that I could take a picture. This area would be great to ride our bikes in.

We made it to Birch Bay Park where there are great views and loads of drift wood.

Well, it has been a wet and windy weekend and it does not look like it will get better in the days to come. We have one more meal before Bob and Alice head back to Georgia. I hope they enjoyed the tour of the county and the different places that we ate out at.

Take Care,

Carrie

Eventful Weekend

2007-12-10T18:56:00.000-05:00

There are no pictures because I realized that I left the camera at home on the way to the bus that we almost missed. So I will just tell you about our weekend.

Saturday -
Jingle Bell Jog and Crossfit Workout: We headed out for a 4 mile fun run which I completed in 30:57. I am pleased with my time considering I have not been training specifically to run a race for the past 2 months. After the run Robby put us through a kettlebell and wallball workout at Jogo. From there we headed home for lunch and rest.
Dinner: We headed out to meet other Crossfitters at Boundry Bay for a beer or two. After that we headed to Fairhaven Cruise Terminal to look at the Gingerbread house contest, decorated/lighted yacht parade in the Bay. I wish I had pictures of this.
Then we headed home. Sunday consisted of watching the snow fall outside and shopping at the mall.

That is our weekend in a nutshell. Alice and Bob are getting here Thursday night so hopefully I will have pictures to share next weekend. Soon after they leave my parents will be here.

Take Care,
Carrie

This is dedicated to everyone back in GA

2007-12-01T22:06:00.000-05:00

I could not help myself. It is kind of boring though.

Enjoy!

Batteries and 2 hours later...

2007-12-01T19:19:00.000-05:00

We had to go back to the store to get batteries and bread that I forgot on the first trip. The picture below are us walking back from the store.

We put away the bread and headed across the street to the park. While there we found our own area and let Samson run free. He LOVES the snow! The first picture is of us looking at the house from the park.

I will say that if I had a car I would NOT be driving in this stuff. There were some spots that are slippery and the road are very slippery. I know this by watching some of the people try to drive around here. Slipping and sliding. :)

Winter Wonderland......

2007-12-01T16:57:00.000-05:00

This morning when we woke up there was a dusting of snow on the ground. It looked like someone had sprinkled confectioner's sugar on the town. While at Jogo this morning it really started to snow. Big fluffy flakes floating to the ground.

So, before my camera battery went dead and after our workout I got a few pictures in at the house too.

We had planned to go to the movies this afternoon but we will wait and see how things go tomorrow instead. Plus I rather walk to the store for batteries and play in the snow. More pictures to come soon.

Take Care

Tough Work Out

2007-11-28T01:27:00.000-05:00

Since I missed the 450 things to be thankful for on Friday, Emilie put me through the work out yesterday. Here is a glimpse of the work out.

The total workout was:

“450 Things to Be Thankful For” WOD
Row x 20 calories
Push Press x 10 (Guys 95, Girls 65)
Push Ups x 20
Sumo Deadlift High Pull x 10 (Guys 95, Girls 65)
Rope Recline Pull x 20
Snatch x 10 (Guys 95, Girls 65)
GHD Hip Ext x 20
Push Jerk x 10 (Guys 95, Girls 65)
GHD Sit Up x 20
Barbell Windshield Wiper x 10 (Guys 95, Girls 65)
*THREE ROUNDS (450 Total Reps) FOR TIME

Personal Update:
I have been subbing and working a seasonal retail job for the past couple of weeks. So I have been keeping myself busy with working and exercising. It is late and the day starts early tomorrow.

Take Care,
Carrie

Post Meal Fun

2007-11-22T20:03:00.000-05:00

After lunch and a 2 hour nap we headed out to take Samson for a run. Below are the sights we saw.

From the Alabama Street/Railroad Trail Pedestrian/Bike Bridge you can see downtown and Bellingham Bay.

Then we headed to the end of the street to see the sunset. We got there a little late so we missed the sunset. We got to see the tail end of it though.

Happy Thanksgiving and Goodnight.

Carrie

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T15:54:00.000-05:00

Well, my first attempt at thanksgiving dinner is finally over. On a scale of 1 to 10 I give it a 6. Here are the reasons why.

1. Lack of variety - cooking for just two limits everything you can make. When you have a big group everyone brings one thing which gives you huge variety. There is no reason to try to cook everything. I think next time I will just go to the local co-op and get small dishes of a few things. Rather than having enough dressing to feed the homeless population.

2. Frozen Green Beans - Should have just gotten the canned kind. It made a difference. A little salt helped.

Other than those two things it was not bad. So here is a picture of my plate.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Try not to eat too much.

Carrie

Fitness in Bellingham

2007-11-22T11:02:00.000-05:00

When Robby and I moved to Bellingham we gave up our at home gym. In GA we had a running track, workout room, and 2 car garage. When we moved to a smaller house we gave up all of those things. Luckily we found Jogo in Bellingham that meets our needs. We work out there almost everyday. To learn more about the gym go to http://www.jogogym.com/. We love it here. If you look under the news section you can get a glimpse of us doing workouts. I am proud of the picture that I took of Robby with his Crossfit shirt on practicing his Olympic lifts. I think Emilie sent it to headquarters to see if they would post it on the official http://www.crossfit.com/ website.
Now, here is video from another affiliate that will give you an idea of why we enjoy this style workout. Example workout (window media player).

Enjoy!
Carrie

2007-11-12T12:35:00.000-05:00

I know this has nothing to do with my current life but I am posting it to share with those that may not have seen it. Enjoy.

Bellingham Marina

2007-11-11T16:13:00.000-05:00

Sunday consisted of a ride on the mountain bike with Samson by my side and Robby following behind. We set out down the street and over the railroad tracks and came upon a beautiful sight. That sight is a well maintained lawn and a paved trail called Harbor Loop Trail. This trail passed through Zuanich Park (Port of Bellingham). The pictures below are some of the views that we had of Bellingham Bay. Enjoy.

Rainy Day = Wet Dog

2007-11-09T13:28:00.000-05:00

Samson has to go out and exercise or he will drive me nuts in the evenings. So there is no way to avoid a wet dog even on days it does not rain. It is just that wet around here. This is what he looked like after a run through Cornwall Park the other day.

Thank goodness that he has a tough outter layer of fur that kept the mud from sinking in.

Speaking of a tough outter coat I have learned that WOOL is the way to go around here. It keeps you warm and DRY! Luckily I have a couple of wool sweaters already but I need more. Wool socks, shirts, pants, etc. I need it all. Well, since I did not get called in to help out at the school today I might head to the mall and see what I can find. I'll put on my Goretex jacket and head out with $1.50 in hand to ride the bus. It beats having to drive 30 - 40 miles to the nearest mall. It is only 2 miles down the road. I would ride my bike but I don't want to have lug all the stuff around the mall with me. :)

Let's get back on track!

2007-11-09T12:07:00.000-05:00

Things are finally starting to settle down and get into a routine in WA. I have realized that I have neglected the original purpose of my blog. To write about my obsession with food and exercise. For the past two months moving has taken over that obsession and now I am settling down from that. So what have I been doing and eating for the past two months??????

On the road for a week we did Crossfit or similar work outs at the hotel in the afternoon. However, by the time we made it to WA I had put on 5 lbs. That must be due to the irregular eating which included junk food like hamburgers and fries, candy bars, donuts, etc. During the stress of the trip I found comfort in the junk and now I am paying for it.

Our first 2 weeks in WA lead to alot of stress also which triggers my craving for sugar. Also the lack of a full time job leaves me lingering around looking for things to eat. So, now that I am starting to get in a routine it is time to get back on track. Besides food, exercising has been hard too. Being in a new place holds me back because I don't know where to go or what a good running loop is. Also the size of the house is considerably smaller than our previous house which makes workout room limited especially if both of us are working out.

So, yesterday I opened up the bike route map and decided to run down to the Harbor and do the trail loop there and run back. Well, 40 minutes later I was still 5 minutes running from the house so I stopped and walked the rest of the way. The run was good but I could tell I have not been doing enough in the past 3 weeks because I was suffering. Tomorrow if it is not pouring down rain like it was this morning I will head to the cycle shop at 7:30 and hope I can hold on to the back of the group and not get lost. I really hope it is not pouring down rain because I have been missing my riding. However, I did get to ride to school the two days I have subbed but it is still not the 10 miles I was doing in GA. It was only 4 miles. So, hopefully starting today I will start to shed a couple of the pounds I have gained and also find a full time job doing something during the day to keep me from boredom eating.

Stay strong,
Carrie