Jazzercise

Back in March, my sister started going to Zumba (BEWARE: Website has auto-play music) classes. Several weeks ago she invited me to go to one with her and I loved it. It was really fun and a great workout. She told me then that she wanted to find something different because it wasn't working for her anymore. I agreed to look around with her to see if there was something else we can do.

As I often lament, we live in a small town that's a good hour away from civilization. We have a Walmart and a Starbucks, but that's about it. So finding an exercise class close to home wasn't easy. Although I'd prefer to do Zumba - even if my sister wanted something new - the nearest class is 40 minutes away. Instead we decided to do Jazzercise, which is about 5 minutes away.

No brainer, right?

Except..well, there's kind of a stigma attached to Jazzercise. Or there is for me anyway. I expected to see cheesy dance moves and one-piece unitards with shiny nylons, leg warmers, sweat bands and high-tops. (reference video)



Not that I really care about the stigma, but I didn't think it would be a very good workout. I was wrong. It's an excellent workout. It has seriously been kicking my ass. I go three days a week, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. The first week I thought for sure I'd die at the Thursday class. Last week, my second week, was better, but I still got my ass kicked.

They start you off really hard..you go up quick and come down slowly. The first 5 or so songs are really upbeat and it's a lot of cardio. The next 5 or so songs are dedicated to working core muscles, including a few floor routines do a lot of ab/leg work. My muscles are always screaming by the end of the hour. This week we're doing three in a row since Monday is a holiday. I'm very concerned about making it through three classes back to back.

Besides Jazzercise, in my bid to beat the pants off Kay (and Casee and Scooper, who decided to join) by the end of March, I've also started doing a 1200 calorie-a-day diet. I did really great with it the first week and managed to lose just under 4lbs. Last week I stayed within my calorie range but ate a lot of bad calories (Del Taco and Doritos) and only dropped just over a pound. Still, I'm down almost 5 lbs now, and that's just in the first two weeks of the challenge. So really, I can't complain. Even with the cheesy image I get in my head every time I think about it.

Also? I'm totally winning this challenge.

*thanks to Lindsay for bringing up the video

Remember that package...

...the one I shipped to Rowena? Well guess what? It finally made it!

I took it back to the post office the week before Christmas and they said they'd send it out again at no charge, though they weren't able to offer an explanation as to why it hadn't arrived the first time (no such number my ass). She hadn't mentioned it and it slipped my mind but guess what? Last week she finally received it. Only a month later.

I might as well say it again: What The Fuck, Post Office?

It's That Time Again...

Kay and I have started another weight loss challenge. I can't remember if I blogged about it before (I'm too lazy to go look) but just before I got pregnant we signed up to do one together. That didn't work out so well for obvious reasons.

I started gaining weight before I got pregnant, then I gained more while I was pregnant and I haven't stopped gaining since I'm not pregnant anymore. It's become rather ridiculous. So when Kay asked if it was time to do another challenge I said, "Bring it!".

Now that the holidays are over I plan to get back into a regular routine, and I'm making exercise part of that. I'm also going to try to re-train myself to cook healthier. We always eat well-balanced meals, but butter and bacon seem to be major components of every meal. While that works sometimes, it isn't good for the every day.

Starting tomorrow we'll be doing a three month challenge, ending March 1, 2010. Just so you know..I plan to win. I'm bringing my A-game to this challenge, and I won't be going home the loser. Er..staying home the loser. Er..whatever.

The point is, I'm going to win. At the end of these three months I WILL have beaten Kay. Oh yes, I will.

I'm starting out with 17lbs. That's an average of about 6lbs a month, which seems pretty healthy. If I lose more than that, bonus. My total goal is about 23lbs, but I don't want to over do it to start.

I even created a ticker to help me out:




Wish me luck!

Merry Christmas Eve!

I can't believe it's already Christmas Eve. This whole year has flown by. In another week it will be 2010! Isn't that crazy?

I managed to get almost all of my shopping done last week, and I didn't set one foot in a store to do it. I bought everything online and had it shipped. Not only did it save me a bundle (I found some awesome online sales) but it saved me from committing murder just before Christmas.

This year MM and I decided to make our gift theme camping. This year we decided to do a lot more camping, but we don't have a lot of gear. The kids' sleeping bags, for example, were purchased when they were toddlers and are now ripped and falling apart. So we decided instead of doing traditional play-with-them-for-a-week-then-forget-about-them toys to get them good sleeping bags and other camping gear. We even got them flashlights and camping toilet paper for their stockings. (heh)

We did buy them a few other things - they each got a Nintendo DS game to play with, TG got a couple CDs and LM got some DS accessories.

I think MM is most excited about his gift, though. He got a dutch oven. He's over the moon about this thing. Last I heard he's even planning to bust it out Christmas day and make us a dessert. (I'm not holding my breath)

I'm hosting both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day this year (I have for the past couple of years). Tonight we'll have butternut squash soup and chili (and my mom's oyster stew) and tomorrow we'll have a full traditional spread. At Thanksgiving (I still have that post to finish up...) I did something non-traditional and made Italian food. I thought MM and TG were going to stage a full out rebellion. Not that I cared much since I was the one doing the cooking, not them. But still, I figured I'd go back to doing the traditional thing for Christmas.

I'm making a ham, roast beef and all the trimmings. MM's sister and mom are making a turkey and bringing desserts. All in all I think we'll have close to 3o people here. Part of me is looking forward to it, but part of me isn't. My sister spent the night last night and she'll help me get most of the sides ready today, which will help. While we can do the bulk of the preparations tonight, all of the cooking as to be done tomorrow.

I think next year we're going to take a trip during the holidays. As much as I love spending time with my family, it'll be nice getting away from the stress.

The day after Christmas we're taking the kids to their dad's. We split the holidays and this is my year to have them for Christmas, but since they get a full two weeks off we agreed to let them go up to his house for the second week. I'm kind of looking forward to a week of rest and relaxation.

Anyway, I hope all of you have a fabulous weekend.

Merry Christmas!!

Pride and Prejudice

Nalini Singh blogged about visiting Pemberley (or the house that played Pemberley on t.v.) and also about Darcy, which prompted me to start a YouTube P&P love fest.

I certainly adore P&P in all forms, but I'm partial to a few scenes in the 2005 release. I'm not trying to take away from the epic BBC version (and it IS epic), but there's something so...gripping about this scene from the big screen version.

The rain scene:



Ahh, poor Darcy. Anyway, just thought I'd share. I think I had better go dig out my copy to watch again.

Curl Up with a Book and a Nook contest!

WTF, Post Office

Right around Thanksgiving I sent both Casee and Rowena packages of books. This is something I do once a month, or maybe twice a month depending, and I've never had any problems before. Sure, sometimes it takes forever to reach them, but then sometimes it doesn't take any time at all. I usually send them media mail because it costs less and that hasn't ever been an issue either.

Yesterday Rowena sent me an email asking if I'd sent her books. She said she hadn't gotten them yet and was kind of worried that they'd gotten lost. I was kind of worried, too, because Casee got hers and she lives in another state. Rowena's books always get delivered before Casee's.

Rowena said she'd check around her office and see if she could find them and I pretty much assumed they'd been delivered when she wasn't there and someone hadn't told her. But then I got home today and what was on my door step? That's right, Rowena's package. It had been returned to me. Know why?

Because it said there was "No Such Number" as the zip code I put on there. Which I can understand. Sometimes my handwriting isn't the best, and after checking the package I can see where they'd have issues because the "8" looks like a "0".

Only it wasn't Rowena's zip code they couldn't read...it was mine. Now tell me, how is it that the post office can't read my zip code and therefore claims no such number exists, but they can return the package to my house. Does that make a lick of sense?

I plan to take it back to the post office tomorrow to find out WTF the deal is. I better not have to pay postage again either.


See how the arrow is pointing to the return address label?

WTF Post Office. What the fuck.