I'd rather make a change

Today I'm linking up my first-ever Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans post! Woohoo!

I had the pleasure of meeting some of the Shrinking Jeans girls at Fitbloggin.  I had lurked at the site before, and tweeted once or twice, so I knew they were my kind of people.  But, I never really had the time to participate actively.  After meeting them in person - and seeing how much they rocked - I decided I would make some time.  Because these ladies (even with out having known them more than I know my mailman) are like that old friend you have.  You know the one - she can move away and not talk to you for a year, then move back and pick right back up as if it hadn't been a day?  Yeah, that's them.  They take you any way you are - and when ever you have the time.  Even if you're like me, and only do a drive-by comment every once in a blue moon.

That's because they are awesome-sauce.

And also?  They aren't afraid to tell you to get your butt up off the couch and get your arse in gear.  Except, they'll say it with a few more expletives and with the threat of hunting you down.

In the most loving way possible, that is.

ANYWAY....

All this is to say, I'm joining in on their current challenge.  This 3-week challenge is to pick some habits and incorporate them into your daily routine in order to help you reach your healthy goals.  Mine are:

1. Workout (almost) daily.  See my last post, "I'd rather kick it up" to see the exact workout regiment I'm trying and to see my weigh-in.  *cough*208*cough*  (But, somehow I stepped on the scale and it said 205.4 this morning, so lets take that tiny shiny miracle and roll with it.)
2. Eat vegetarian.  My husband challenged me to go veg, so we just started that on Monday.  It is my first ever foray into abandoning beef (I freaked a little) but it's going well so far.  No really, it is.
3. Drink water.  This will probably be my hardest goal.  Not that I have anything against good old H20, but I just never think to drink until I'm already thirsty, or worse.  So, do me a favor and tweet me to chug, if you can.  Please and thank you!
4. Take a multivitamin.  I am a total medicine/vitamin slacker.  The only vitamins I even have in the house expired in 2009.  Guess I'll get some new ones soon.  Promise.

That about sums it up for me - what healthy habits do you want to create?

I'd rather kick it up

It's time to fess up.  I've been slacking off on this weight-loosing gig.  More than slacking, really - more like going backward.

It mostly started when I found out my scale was lying to me, and it just kept going downhill from there.  I guess there are a lot of excuses, but none of them are any good.  I've been stuck in a "I couldn't care less" crazy spiral, and I want out.

Alarms started ringing the last time I stepped on my (new) scale.  Due to the huge error in the old scale, and the total lack of all things healthy, I've crept back up over 200 pounds.  In truth *gulp* I weighed in at 208 pounds.  Ugh, that sucks to write, but it's the truth.

UGH.

Thankfully, when I was at Fitbloggin, I was given a great opportunity to team up with LA Boxing.  These guys are letting me join their gym for 3 months and hooking me up with weekly personal training sessions as well.  They even gave me a some goodies to get me going - including gloves and wraps.

The gloves have already seen action (aside from my family walloping up on each other) at the local LA Boxing gym, here in Rockville, Maryland.  I had a personal training session Wednesday, and yesterday my friend was sweet enough to join me for a kickboxing class.  Both visits helped me understand why they call it a 1000-calorie workout.  It was intense - I really put my body to work, sweat like crazy, and woke up super sore.

Let me clarify --
By "sweat" I mean:  I exuded rivers of perspiration from the top of my head all the way to the bottom of my feet.
By "sore" I mean:  Each time I moved my limbs, I was reminded how hard I worked, mostly followed by an "owwwwww."
By "put my body to work" I mean:  I found muscles I didn't know existed, pushed myself farther than I thought possible, and opened up my lungs more than I ever have before.

And this is just the beginning.

This is shaping up to be my weekly regiment, for the next 3 months:

Monday - possible rest day, but more likely a walking day
Tuesdays - Yoga (at my yoga studio)
Wednesdays - Personal Training at LA Boxing with Donte (more on him to come)
Thursdays - Boxing class at LA Boxing
Fridays - training walks for my third Susan G. Komen 3-day for the Cure.
Saturday - another (longer) training walk
Sunday - Kickboxing at LA Boxing

Do you think that this is do-able?  Is it crazy?  Will I be able to get back to the 180's by June - maybe even back into the legwarmers for BlogHer in August?  Will I get strong enough to hold a downward dog for more than 10 seconds?  Do you think I will survive?

What do you think?



Disclosure: As a participant of #Fitbloggin', I was offered (by LA Boxing) three months free membership, free personal training, and merchandise - all in exchange for blogging my *honest* opinions once a week.

I'd rather celebrate Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day!

Did you know I have a mini eco-activist on my hand?

My daughter is on a mission - already, at the age of 5 - to save the world.  Why?  Because, as she puts it, she "lovesssss nature!!"

This girl not only talks the talk, she walks the walk.  She will find, and pick up the nastiest pieces of trash while we are on walks.  She will chastise you for leaving the water on for too long.  She hugs trees.  I'm not kidding.  She's a full-on tree-hugger.  I love it.

So to celebrate Earth Day, we are in nature-saving mode.  And we have a few things to suggest to you, if care to join us.

First - go see Oceans.  We are going to see it right after school - I think the kids will love it.  Plus, if you see it during the opening week, Disneynature will make a donation in your honor to save our coral reefs.

Second - have some earth-friendly fun!  We made a cereal box purse, a paper roll wallet, and a ribbon holder bracelet.  They are oh-so chic and very simple.  If you need directions, shoot me an email or comment below and I'd be glad to help you out.

And lastly, if you are a blog owner, you can make your blog carbon neutral.  Why would you want to do that?  Well, because the average blog (with 15,000 visits a month) has a yearly carbon dioxide emission of 8 lbs due to the immense energy usage of computers, servers, and the like.  The good news, is that only one tree can neutralize that emission!  The even better news is that you can join the "My Blog is Carbon Neutral" program and make your blog green with out even leaving your seat.  You just make a quick post, grab the button, send an email, then - voila! - a tree will be planted just for your blog!

That, my friends, adds up to some pretty fantastic green-making.

Now no excuses - go do something green, then pat yourself on the back.

I'd rather save the country a billion dollars

I am completely living up to my twitter name (@LastMinuteMandy) and just sent back my census form.  Yes, it "might" have been sitting with my bills for over a month.  Yes, I "might" have thought (on more than one occasion) that I needed to do it.  I kept meaning to "get to it" but I just didn't.  Plus I figured, at worst, they would send someone to the door to get the answers.  But, as I just learned, that logic is BAD.

Why?

• Because it only costs the government 42 cents (for postage) when I send my form back, but it costs (on average) about $57 per household to send a census taker.  That means that if every house in my neighborhood were as forgetful/lazy/time-less/etc as I almost was, it would result in well over $12,000 worth of government money waisted.  That's just one neighborhood.
• If national participation to mail in the form only increased one percent, taxpayers would be saved 85 million dollars!  
• And if every household mailed back its 2010 Census form, taxpayers could save 1.5 billion dollars! 

So, go fish your form out from under that to-do pile and get it done, because the deadline to mail the form is tomorrow! I did mine with my daughter and it only took a few minutes.  What, did you lose yours?  The census says if you lost or misplaced your form, call them at the Telephone Questionnaire Assistance Center at 1-866-872-6868.

Remember, children count too!  The census counts them to give funding to child-related programs such as headstart, teacher grants, foster care, and state children's health insurance.  And If we don't get counted then our communities lose out on federal funding for local hospitals, senior centers, job training centers, and more.

They're gonna find you anyway, you might as well go do it now.... seriously, go now.  I'm watching you.  The clock is ticking!

I'd rather party!

I'm a party girl.

Seriously, I love a good party.

Because when the heck would I ever get adult interaction if it weren't for a good old bbq, birthday bash, or holiday soiree?  Close to never!

Do I sometimes make a fool of myself at said parties?  Sure!  Do I sometimes get a little tipsy?  Sure!  Do I have fun?  You bet!

That's why I'm happy to welcome all you party goers to my Ultimate Blog Party post!

What's that?  You have been under a rock don't know what an Ultimate Blog Party is?  Okay, I'll help you.  It's pretty much a big blog carnival, where bloggers and non-bloggers alike, visit each others blogs to meet, make friendships, connect and mingle!  (And we all know I love a good mingle.)

Another bonus? There are a bunch of prizes.  And by "a bunch" I mean, "good gracious, that's a freakin' big enough haul to make Oprah jealous."  I'll let you in on my favorites in a minute.

But first, I wanted to say thanks to 5 Minutes for Mom for hosting such a fun way for bloggers to meet and mingle and ... um ... Par-tay!!!  (And as a side note, I was lucky enough to meet Janice and Susan at the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, and I can atest, with first-hand knowledge, that they are lovely hostesses.)

Now, before I go a step further, you *must* get a drink in your hand.  No drink you say?  Alright, try this recipe on for size:

For my Fizzy White Wine Sangria, combine in a big bucket pitcher to taste:

* 1 bottle or more of sweet white wine
* 1 liter-ish of Sprite
* A few-ish cups of white grape juice
* 1 sliced lemon
* 1 sliced orange
* Lots of ice
* Other tidbits (strawberries, other juice, more liquor)

Stir.  Enjoy.  Enjoy.  Enjoy.

Alright, so now you have a drink.

Lets add some music.  (Cause once you have your drink, you know you want to dance.)
Please feel free to play your own, or, if you want to get this party started...



Annnnnd, back to the loot!

I, myself am privy the Uniquehorn custom wordpress design from UnicornBeauty (for my new mom-tips site I have in the works,) a $200 Apple gift certificate (hello iphone) from CmomGo, and a $250 certificate to any Hilton Garden Inn from bloggin2noggin!  (Oh, you should know I really want some of these prizes to use for my fundraising - I'm walking 60 miles to help find a cure for breast cancer.  The Komen 3-day walk for a cure is a big party too, believe it or not!)  Really, any of the prizes could be put to great use - including the grand prize Toshiba laptop! Helloooo! 

At a party you are supposed to get to know me.  But, I have the tendency to get nervous at parties and ramble.  Pointlessly.  Continuously.  Embarrassingly.  So, instead of doing that more I'll just tell you to come visit me here again sometime, or connect with me on twitter at @LastMinuteMandy.  I don't bite.  Much.

Alright, I think that's it for tonight.  I am a night owl, party animal, but I'm still on mom duty.  I'm hoping to add one more little gem for you all tomorrow.  (Because what's a party with music and drinks, but no dancing?  Not much of one at all, my new friends.  Not much of one at all.)  But you'll have to wait for that one.

Party on!  **Insert air guitar here**

I'd rather be mingling 4/5

Monday Mingle time!  You would think that since I'm kid-less for this one, I could have ... oh, I don't know... brushed my hair.  Put on makeup.  Turned on another light.  Not rambled on.  Ah, well, at least I got it done.  And with props, no less!
Thanks for stopping by, minglers.

OH, and CONGRATULATIONS to Kristen on your marriage, and to Karie on your Anniversary! :D

I'd rather dye eggs

Happy Easter!