Tuesday, May 4, 2010

This and That + 2 Winners

Can you believe it's May already? The days and seasons are just flying by. I don't know where the time goes and I sure could use some more time in my days, that's for sure.

HEALTH & FITNESS
I'm going to try to be brief on this topic, because Lord knows I can go on and on and on about diet and exercise these days. Back in the beginning of April, I blogged about starting a calorie counting program to help me lose weight using the Lose It app on my iPhone. I started on April 1 and am happy to report that I've lost 8 lbs. as of May 1! All I can say is thank goodness I got some great results right away, because I was pretty miserable--hungry and cranky--for the first week or two. Don't get me wrong, it's still not easy, but it's definitely easier than those first two weeks.

April was a great month in exercise for me. I've been working out 5-6 days a week now as opposed to the 4-5 days a week previously, which has been awesome. Not just because I'm burning more calories, but my body simply craves the daily exercise now, too. When a day off comes along, I get kind of restless and my body keeps whispering, "go, go, go!" but my brain says, "wait! ice, ice, ice baby before you get hurt!" I battle myself the whole day.

My friend Maureen, who is also my running class instructor from the gym, started up a mixed level bootcamp class on Friday mornings at 5:45 am and of course, I signed up for it. Last Friday was our first class and while the drills were intense, because it was the first class, there was also some downtime for her to explain things, so it wasn't brutal. During one drill she said we would probably have muscle soreness over the weekend, and I nearly tuned her out thinking that didn't really apply to me. I workout six days a week and even cross train! Well, I've got one word to describe how I felt over the weekend: OUCH! I winced and maybe even groaned out loud every time I sat or had to go up or down the stairs. I'm thinking this class will be good for me.

I only went running four times in April, but I made the most of those runs and worked on my pace. One of my fitness goals for 2010 is to run at a 10:30 minute mile pace and this morning I ran 2 miles in 21:05-- the first mile at 10:33 and the second mile at 10:32. Totally made my day.

My husband and I also went out on our first cycling rides of the season in April. I think all the running I've been doing since last fall has improved my cardiovascular fitness level because I only needed to stop once on two of the most challenging hills of my favorite route through the wildlife reservation. Last fall, I had to stop twice on each of those hills. I'm hoping to do the entire loop without stopping at all by the end of the summer.

COOKING
I've got a handful of recipes that I want to share and will hopefully get them up soon. Most are main dish recipes, but I also want to try my hand at making Angel Food Cake and biscotti that is less than 100 calories per piece. I love biscotti.

GARDENING
I really wanted to re-establish my vegetable garden this spring as I haven't had one in three years because of the addition we did on the house, but it's nearly time to plant summer crops here in Zone 6, and I'm no where near ready. I wanted to get a fence put up in the yard first because the garden will back up to it and I haven't even called anyone in for an estimate yet. So I was thinking for this year, to maybe plant some vegetables in with the flowers that are in my side yard perennial garden. It's a small garden between the house and the driveway, but it gets enough sun and I'll see it every time I go out, so I'll probably be more likely to weed and water it anyway. I just wondered if it would be too accessible to the deer, but then decided no. The deer would have to walk up my driveway, go between my car and the house that is only maybe 6 feet wide and the only way out is the way they came in because the steps into the house are right there. Well, clearly, what do I know. Look what I spotted in that space this past Sunday:


Isn't that the cutest thing! It was so small, I wondered if it was born there early that morning or the night before. A couple of hours later it was gone and I couldn't find it anywhere in my yard. I wonder if it wandered away alone or if the mother came back for it. I kind of hope I'll see it again so I'll know it's okay, but it'll probably be back in a month or two eating my garden! I wonder if I'll think it's a sweet little thing then.


2 KIDS AND A DOG GIVEAWAY WINNERS!
Finally, I used the list randomizer at random.org to select two lucky winners of the 2 Kids and a Dog Calendar giveaway! And the winners are ....

BRANDY and DOODLEGIRL !!!

Congratulations! Please email me at krauscakes[at]verizon[dot]net with your mailing address so the lovely Alexia from 2 Kids and a Dog can get your calendar out to you in the mail. I hope you get some smiles out of their calendar like I do! Thanks for playing! :o)


WHAT ABOUT YOU?

I want to know what's going on in your world lately... do you have anything to share?

Do you have a garden? Do you container garden? What vegetables, herbs or flowers do you like to grow every year?



List Randomizer

There were 6 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

Brandy
doodlegirl
Dru
orannia
Lover of Romance
nath

Timestamp: 2010-05-03 02:30:32 UTC


18 comments:

  1. I've been looking at our Y's schedule and thinking about trying a few new classes. Though, I know I couldn't do the bootcamp you do. *g* WTG on the bike riding and not having to stop as much. Hmm, I have a recipe for lemon biscotti, but don't know the calories per serving.
    Aww, cute little deer! Best wishes on the garden.

    As for the win? Awwwww, thank you! I hadn't realized I'd entered! *G*

    I hope you're having a good week!

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  2. You could too do the bootcamp class. An effective instructor should be able to lead a group exercise program to a mixed level group at every class. Besides, you already do a variety of workouts at your Y ... I'm sure you could keep up.

    Lemon biscotti sounds delicious. I love lemon desserts!

    I guess I duped you in the calendar giveaway. All you had to do was comment on the post! ;)

    I hope YOU'RE having a great week! :)

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  3. Oh my goodness! That little baby deer is the cutest thing! I hope it found its mommy okay.

    What's new? Not much :)

    Gardening? Ugh, I still have to weed out my backyard. But I guess the weather really hasn't been warm enough yet for it even though everything is growing and some are even flowering. I have one spot on the lond side of the deck that I have to plant something large in this year. Maybe a small ornamental tree? There are some really neat ones, shrubs that are grafted onto tree trunks. We don't do alot of vegetable gardening. I always do some tomato plants. Devin wants to have some herbs, so I thought maybe I'll container grow some that he'd like. We did cucumbers one year. I think I might like to do some of those again.

    And I'm getting antsy for some warm days so that I can go for walks again!

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  4. Amy, the deer was so precious. The girls and I wanted to name it, but never decided on one before it left. LOL. My eldest wanted "Charlie" because it could be a girl or boy's name, and we obviously couldn't tell the sex of the baby deer. My youngest wanted "Bambi" for obvious reasons. Again, a name that could go either way because the Bambi in the Disney movie was most certainly a boy. I wanted "Lily." Clearly I've decided the deer should be a girl. LOL!

    An ornamental tree sounds great for along side your deck. What about a butterfly bush? They can grow tall, and you can cut it back every year to control it's size. In the summer, it has fragrant flowers that attract .... *drum roll* ... butterflies!

    I'm sorry it's still chilly by you. It's been a warm spring for us, which brought on pollen season more than two weeks earlier than usual this year! I hope the summer isn't a scorcher. I like heat... just not high humidity that comes along with it.

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  5. Yes, that IS the cutest thing!

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  6. I am currently finishing up classes and studying for finals. Also I am waiting for this crazy Floridian weather to end and Summer to roll around the corner. Other than that, I am getting ready for BEA thats the end of this month.

    All I get in my backyard are kitten sized squirrels. LOL!

    Have a great day!

    -I Heart Book Gossip

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  7. Congrats to Brandy and Doodlegirl!

    That baby doe is so cute.

    Congrats on the weight loss. It really is hard. I've been on Weight Watchers since mid-March and I lost 9lbs. Yay me. I start my power walking class on Sunday.

    I just came back from attending my first Malice Domestic Convention and I had a blast. If you like cozy mysteries, I recommend attending this event.

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  8. Congrats on the 8 lb! I had to convert it, but 3.6 kg - mag! (Note: In Death reference :) And congrats to Brandy and Doodlegirl!

    The fawn is so cute. IIRC, don't they stay put until their mothers come back (or maybe I'm imagining things?)

    All the best with the garden. Mine is shutting up dhop for the winter - I just need to keep on top of the oxalis (evil weed!). Oh, and my tip (although you no doubt already know it), plant marigold and/or basil with your tomatoes. Companion planting at it's best.

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  9. Congratz C! 8lbs wow that's great! I'm hoping to also lose that much with my current diet. I haven't done much of gym exercise though. Hope I'll continue what you do it's healthy.

    And yeah that baby pix is a keeper. Awwww whatta cutey.

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  10. Lisa, the baby deer was adorable. Those big dark eyes and those spots! The spots are so sweet.

    I <3 Book Gossip, I know what you mean about this weather. It's been too unseasonably warm for my tastes, too. At least yesterday's showers relieved some of the humidity, right?

    That's so cool that you're going to BEA. I am going to go in to the city one of days or evening, I think, not so much so I can go to the expo, but because I want to meet some blogging friends! We should try to find each other!

    Dru, thanks for the congrats on the weight loss and congrats to you too!!! It IS really hard. We can commiserate together. I hope you have fun in your power walking class on Sunday!!!

    The conference sounds really cool. Did you come home with a lot of books and swag?

    orannia, thanks for the congrats--and the mag!-- on my 3.6 kg loss. I hope I can keep it up at this rate so I'm on the diet for a shorter amount of time. I'm looking forward to the end when I'll be on 1700 calories a day instead of 1300!

    Is oxalis the weed that is like a tiny daisy?
    I do some companion planting, too, but need to review some. Definitely basil with tomatoes, and I know marigolds are good because the slugs LOVE marigolds and eat them instead of the crops, but a dish of beer works well on those slugs, too. They dive in and drown.

    Natalie, thanks on the congrats. So you and I saw each other maybe the weekend before I started the diet, so when we meet again, don't be telling me you notice the loss unless you really mean it! No false kudos, k? ;)

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  11. Congratulations to Brandy and Doodlegirl.

    That is the cutest picture, Christine! You had Bambi in your garden. :D

    Congrats on the weight loss. Keep it up. :)

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  12. YipPpyYyYyyy!!! i was so excited to read that I was a lucky winner! That just made my 'ok' day into a dazzling day! Thaaanks!

    BTW christine... that is SO GREAT for losing EIGHT pounds that you originally ATE.... (sorry i couldn't help myself with that play on words).

    I am munching on some pretty dry, tasteless air popped pop corn in the hopes it will shed a little bit of weight for me.. as running doesn't seem to be doing it for me! (Though I DO feel more toned)

    I will email you personally and give you my address!
    Thanks again for your generosity and for your inspiration!

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  13. Congrats, Christine! I'm always in awe when you write about your diet and fitness schedule. I hope that one day some of it will rub off on me. Keep the posts coming! :)

    And awh, that baby deer is cuuute. I'm looking forward to your recipes.

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  14. Promise...you know I'm a very hones person ;-)

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  15. oops,,,blame the typo from my keyboard.

    I meant honest (not hones.)

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  16. I envy your motivation with exercising!

    We started to garden and then they said it was going to snow this weekend. In May. In Minnesota. Can you believe it? The kiddo and I are going stir crazy with the crazy weather that is preventing us from going outside!!
    :)

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  17. No wonder you are dreaming about fried pumpkin :) I was wondering how that app worked for you? I could imagine forgetting to input the information all the time I am grazing.

    http://polwig.com

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  18. Hilcia! Bambi was SO sweet! I am hoping we see the baby deer again, although not devouring our garden. Thanks for the weight loss kudos! :)

    Shawn: I got your email and will see you get your fun calendar. You know, you are not the first person to start running and report that you haven't lost any weight. Maybe you lost fat, but gained muscle, so the scale hasn't shown a change even though your body did change. Thanks for the weight loss kudos! :)

    Taja: Thank you! Have you been bike riding now that spring has finally sprung?

    Natalie: Thank you. :)

    Michelle: I cannot believe you guys are expecting snow! I hope it melts quickly and spring shows up soon!

    Kathy: LOL! I would dream about your recipe for fried pumpkin fritters even if I wasn't dieting. They look SO good!

    The Lose It app is working wonderfully for me!! I've actually lost 12 lbs. since April 1. The app has a huge database with nutritional information for so many foods, and it's very easy to add your own foods to the database from nutritional information labels. Plus my iPhone is always in my pocket or close by, so I got in the habit of entering everything right away.

    Thanks for visiting! :)

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