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Merry Christmas to all my bloggy friends out there!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Thank goodness Santa arrives during the night
This is what happens when the twins see Santa... 
Merry Christmas to all my bloggy friends out there!
Merry Christmas to all my bloggy friends out there!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
my 37th year
Yesterday marked the start of my 37th year. I am truly closer to 40 then 30 now...not freaking out at all.....ok, maybe a little but it's more the fact that the kids are getting older, which means I am too... I think 37 will be a fantastic year and I have lots to be proud of and appreciative for...so I'll minimize my complaining for now!
How was my bday?
It was perfect.
I started it off at 5:30 am for a hamstring & tricep workout and when I came home at 7, Tim and Cole were up waiting, coffee on, presents lined up...
YES! I got 12 pound dumbells!
YES! I got the 6-pack bag..in pink!! So cute!
Plus an added bonus...a new pair of weight training gloves.
Remember last year I squealed when I got a dumbell rack. This is just as good, if not better.
A mommy friend brought by fresh flowers for me, my neighbor dropped off some MAC lipgloss (is she telling me something?), Tim's mom and my parents brought over LULULEMON gear and my sister dropped off a blouse from RW & Co and a "bedazzled" tank from Jacob. Never mind the LULU gifts cards I received in the mail from friends and family out of town....
Am I THAT predictable? LULU is the best best present ever. Hugs to everyone who knows me so well...I ordered a pair of crops and a running top online...they ship free overnight TODAY ONLY!
Tim and I ended the b-day with a movie - Black Swan. My choice. Great movie...I recommend it to anyone who like a psychodrama.....we contemplated a stop at our favorite restaurant for a glass of wine...but the power of a good night's sleep won us over.
Happy Birthday to me..what does 37 have in store for me..
How was my bday?
It was perfect.
I started it off at 5:30 am for a hamstring & tricep workout and when I came home at 7, Tim and Cole were up waiting, coffee on, presents lined up...
YES! I got 12 pound dumbells!
YES! I got the 6-pack bag..in pink!! So cute!
Plus an added bonus...a new pair of weight training gloves.Remember last year I squealed when I got a dumbell rack. This is just as good, if not better.
A mommy friend brought by fresh flowers for me, my neighbor dropped off some MAC lipgloss (is she telling me something?), Tim's mom and my parents brought over LULULEMON gear and my sister dropped off a blouse from RW & Co and a "bedazzled" tank from Jacob. Never mind the LULU gifts cards I received in the mail from friends and family out of town....
Am I THAT predictable? LULU is the best best present ever. Hugs to everyone who knows me so well...I ordered a pair of crops and a running top online...they ship free overnight TODAY ONLY!
Tim and I ended the b-day with a movie - Black Swan. My choice. Great movie...I recommend it to anyone who like a psychodrama.....we contemplated a stop at our favorite restaurant for a glass of wine...but the power of a good night's sleep won us over.
Happy Birthday to me..what does 37 have in store for me..
Friday, December 17, 2010
Fitness Friday- progress pics
Today was shoulders:
4 sets of each exercise:
Dumbell Shoulder press
Arnold Presses
Front Plate Raises
Side Lateral Raises
Bent over reverse flies
Shrugs
40 minutes on the treadmill alternating minute walk minute sprint...and I'm spent.
Not seeing much changes from the front...maybe shoulders are rounding out a bit
My back is definitely getting thicker and fuller, I nice v-taper making the waist look smaller. I'll post my back workout next week. 
Yesterday I saw my trainer Paul (read my last post, he wrote some fantastic and inspiring words) and I had a record squat (12 reps at 205 lbs) and leg (press 12 reps at 405lbs). To say my legs are shaky today would be an understatement. A good session of power shopping with my sister tonight will cure it!
Push a bit more this weekend ok?
4 sets of each exercise:
Dumbell Shoulder press
Arnold Presses
Front Plate Raises
Side Lateral Raises
Bent over reverse flies
Shrugs
40 minutes on the treadmill alternating minute walk minute sprint...and I'm spent.
Not seeing much changes from the front...maybe shoulders are rounding out a bit
My back is definitely getting thicker and fuller, I nice v-taper making the waist look smaller. I'll post my back workout next week. 
Yesterday I saw my trainer Paul (read my last post, he wrote some fantastic and inspiring words) and I had a record squat (12 reps at 205 lbs) and leg (press 12 reps at 405lbs). To say my legs are shaky today would be an understatement. A good session of power shopping with my sister tonight will cure it!Push a bit more this weekend ok?
Friday, December 10, 2010
Fitness Friday - Food and UGGS!
I'd like to think that our whole house "eats clean"
Tosca Reno has a great cookbook called the Eat Clean diet. Check it out, it's worth it. My friend Maia told me about the delicious egg salad recipe she tried from this book. It was a HIT all around. I can make it with full fat cottage cheese for the boys and no fat for Tim and I. I can use all whole milk and eggs for the boys and mostly egg whites for Tim and I. Try it out this weekend and let me know your thoughts!
1/4 cup / 60 ml fat-free cottage cheese
• 1 Tbsp / 15 ml skim milk
• 1 tsp / 5 ml mustard• 4 hardboiled egg whites, diced
• 1 hardboiled yolk
• 2 Tbsp / 30 ml chopped green onion
• 2 Tbsp / 30 ml chopped celery
• Dash curry powder
• 1/4 tsp / 1 ml sea salt
Calories from Fat: 30
Fat: 3.5g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Trans Fat: 0g
Protein: 17g
Carbs: 18g
Dietary Fiber: 3.5g
Sodium: 528mgCholesterol: 106mg
Besides food, I seem to have an UGG addiction. Either you love em or you hate em...I love em... I cannot bring myself to spend $270 on the new 3 button style out there this winter...so I ordered a pair from China, www.manynike.com. Likely NOT real, but man they arrived today (with a box included and tags on!) and for $45 I will wear them loud and proud. Take a look!
I am ordering UGG slippers and flip flops as soon as I get paid!
On the weight gain front...not great news..I lost 2 pounds on my weigh in this week, putting me at 122.5. Body fat remained at 11.9%. That pound of muscle I worked for disappeared as fast as you can say FLU BUG!. On the upside, I feel 100% back to normal physically, my back measurement went up which means my lats are popping out a bit more. Mentally, I'm excited to hit it hard the next few weeks and grow...The plan is to choose ground beef over chicken at least once a day and get in at least 3 protein shakes per day.
Here's my treadmill workout from this morning:
Incline 9: 3 minutes walk at 3.5mph, 2 minutes run backwards at 3.0mph
Incline 10: same as above
Incline 11: same as above
Incline 12: same as above
Incline 10: Side shuffle 30 sec one way, 30 seconds other side, 3.0 mph, repeat until 4 more times
10 minute light jog, incline 1, 5.5mph
NEW ON MY IPOD THIS WEEK:
Tosca Reno has a great cookbook called the Eat Clean diet. Check it out, it's worth it. My friend Maia told me about the delicious egg salad recipe she tried from this book. It was a HIT all around. I can make it with full fat cottage cheese for the boys and no fat for Tim and I. I can use all whole milk and eggs for the boys and mostly egg whites for Tim and I. Try it out this weekend and let me know your thoughts!
1/4 cup / 60 ml fat-free cottage cheese
• 1 Tbsp / 15 ml skim milk
• 1 tsp / 5 ml mustard• 4 hardboiled egg whites, diced
• 1 hardboiled yolk
• 2 Tbsp / 30 ml chopped green onion
• 2 Tbsp / 30 ml chopped celery
• Dash curry powder
• 1/4 tsp / 1 ml sea salt
Preparation
- Whip cottage cheese and milk until smooth in medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Blend remaining ingredients except egg whites with cottage cheese mixture.
- Add diced egg whites to cottage cheese mixture. Mix well.
Calories from Fat: 30
Fat: 3.5g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Trans Fat: 0g
Protein: 17g
Carbs: 18g
Dietary Fiber: 3.5g
Sodium: 528mgCholesterol: 106mg
Besides food, I seem to have an UGG addiction. Either you love em or you hate em...I love em... I cannot bring myself to spend $270 on the new 3 button style out there this winter...so I ordered a pair from China, www.manynike.com. Likely NOT real, but man they arrived today (with a box included and tags on!) and for $45 I will wear them loud and proud. Take a look!
I am ordering UGG slippers and flip flops as soon as I get paid!On the weight gain front...not great news..I lost 2 pounds on my weigh in this week, putting me at 122.5. Body fat remained at 11.9%. That pound of muscle I worked for disappeared as fast as you can say FLU BUG!. On the upside, I feel 100% back to normal physically, my back measurement went up which means my lats are popping out a bit more. Mentally, I'm excited to hit it hard the next few weeks and grow...The plan is to choose ground beef over chicken at least once a day and get in at least 3 protein shakes per day.
Here's my treadmill workout from this morning:
Incline 9: 3 minutes walk at 3.5mph, 2 minutes run backwards at 3.0mph
Incline 10: same as above
Incline 11: same as above
Incline 12: same as above
Incline 10: Side shuffle 30 sec one way, 30 seconds other side, 3.0 mph, repeat until 4 more times
10 minute light jog, incline 1, 5.5mph
NEW ON MY IPOD THIS WEEK:
- More - Usher (remix)
- Check it out - Will I Am & Nicki Minaj
Thursday, December 9, 2010
It's been 5 years..and 18 before that and likely NEVER AGAIN
I have a friend who lives in another country. I'll call her Noni. 5 years ago she contacted me on facebook. The last time we had seen eachother before that was 18 years!
She lived one street away from my house growing up. She moved to Winnipeg from Toronto with her mom, dad and younger sister. She saw me standing at the bus stop one day and said "I must be friends with her". A week later she registered for the same swim club and we became inseparable. We rode the bus to school, hung out at recess, swam behind eachother at swim practice and mixed in sleepovers, shopping and of course boys. We were 12.
At 14 she told me she had to move back to Toronto. Her dad was being transferred. The day she pulled away from my house, the van packed to the roof and her hanging out the window crying was tough on this 14 year old. I had invested ALOT of time into her and she was leaving me. She was going to be someone else's best friend and I was left here, all alone.
My parents felt bad and sent me to Toronto that summer for swim camp. Noni and I picked up where we had left off. It had only been 6 months. I went back the next summer, and things were great, but we were changing. Time apart at 15 years old was not fostering best friend qualities.
She called me from a far away country the day of my wedding in 2000. It had been 11 years since we had spoken. She was crying, happy for me, sad for not being able to attend the wedding....she dropped a bomb
She had a son. It was a one night stand and she wanted it to work with the father but he chose to return to his girlfriend. She was broke, miserable and now a single mom. We ended the conversation with a vow to keep in touch and meet up one day soon, in Canada.
That day came 5 years later. I was living in Calgary and she was going to be in Toronto and given Canada is not ALL that big, she would book a flight from TO to Calgary and visit me, Cole (1 year old) and Tim. I remember standing at the airport waiting for her, nervous and excited, happy and scared..you name it. She came out of the doors, we hugged, cried and laughed. I thought to myself...see? after all this time you can still be close, even if you are far apart.
Or so I thought.
One day into her 4 day visit and I was ready to boot her little bottom back across the ocean.
Harsh, yes, yes it is.
The entire trip was her therapy session, and pampering extravaganza. I played the role of both therapist and sugar mamma. The father of her son married his girlfriend and wants custody of their son. She is never allowed to move. She is stuck "there". She dropped out of school and can't hold down a job (insert bite of expensive piece of steak she ordered at our dinner - courtesy of Tim, oh and don't forget the 4 drinks in there)
Why don't we do massages? Sure, why not...and while we're at it, this gal on maternity leave (unemployment wages) will take care of that $200 tab. Here is where we insert the story of how she slept with a groomsmen at the wedding in Toronto and now he refuses to call her back...on the cell phone her dad is paying for..which is almost dead...so she can't talk to her son....
Let's go shopping! Suuuuuuurrrre!!!!! Let's spend money we do not have!! In fact, after I buy lunch, she will go and buy a $60 belt from Banana Republic and then proceed to LEAVE the belt at another store shortly thereafter. The solution being that I return to the mall (with 1 year old in tow) and search for the belt...and then mail it to her far across the ocean.
Right.
I got home that day with a pounding headache and a heavy heart. It was not supposed to be like this. It was supposed to be a reunion I would cherish forever. Our lives had taken very different paths, but deep down I thought those 12 year old best friends were in us somehow.
It's been 5 years since her visit. 5 years since we have spoken. She must have felt the same way as I did given we have not made the effort to keep in touch. I often wonder how she is, what she's doing, if she's in a better place now. If she's standing on her own two feet, confident and proud.
I hope so.
Maybe one day I'll decide to find out...maybe in another 18 years.
She lived one street away from my house growing up. She moved to Winnipeg from Toronto with her mom, dad and younger sister. She saw me standing at the bus stop one day and said "I must be friends with her". A week later she registered for the same swim club and we became inseparable. We rode the bus to school, hung out at recess, swam behind eachother at swim practice and mixed in sleepovers, shopping and of course boys. We were 12.
At 14 she told me she had to move back to Toronto. Her dad was being transferred. The day she pulled away from my house, the van packed to the roof and her hanging out the window crying was tough on this 14 year old. I had invested ALOT of time into her and she was leaving me. She was going to be someone else's best friend and I was left here, all alone.
My parents felt bad and sent me to Toronto that summer for swim camp. Noni and I picked up where we had left off. It had only been 6 months. I went back the next summer, and things were great, but we were changing. Time apart at 15 years old was not fostering best friend qualities.
She called me from a far away country the day of my wedding in 2000. It had been 11 years since we had spoken. She was crying, happy for me, sad for not being able to attend the wedding....she dropped a bomb
She had a son. It was a one night stand and she wanted it to work with the father but he chose to return to his girlfriend. She was broke, miserable and now a single mom. We ended the conversation with a vow to keep in touch and meet up one day soon, in Canada.
That day came 5 years later. I was living in Calgary and she was going to be in Toronto and given Canada is not ALL that big, she would book a flight from TO to Calgary and visit me, Cole (1 year old) and Tim. I remember standing at the airport waiting for her, nervous and excited, happy and scared..you name it. She came out of the doors, we hugged, cried and laughed. I thought to myself...see? after all this time you can still be close, even if you are far apart.
Or so I thought.
One day into her 4 day visit and I was ready to boot her little bottom back across the ocean.
Harsh, yes, yes it is.
The entire trip was her therapy session, and pampering extravaganza. I played the role of both therapist and sugar mamma. The father of her son married his girlfriend and wants custody of their son. She is never allowed to move. She is stuck "there". She dropped out of school and can't hold down a job (insert bite of expensive piece of steak she ordered at our dinner - courtesy of Tim, oh and don't forget the 4 drinks in there)
Why don't we do massages? Sure, why not...and while we're at it, this gal on maternity leave (unemployment wages) will take care of that $200 tab. Here is where we insert the story of how she slept with a groomsmen at the wedding in Toronto and now he refuses to call her back...on the cell phone her dad is paying for..which is almost dead...so she can't talk to her son....
Let's go shopping! Suuuuuuurrrre!!!!! Let's spend money we do not have!! In fact, after I buy lunch, she will go and buy a $60 belt from Banana Republic and then proceed to LEAVE the belt at another store shortly thereafter. The solution being that I return to the mall (with 1 year old in tow) and search for the belt...and then mail it to her far across the ocean.
Right.
I got home that day with a pounding headache and a heavy heart. It was not supposed to be like this. It was supposed to be a reunion I would cherish forever. Our lives had taken very different paths, but deep down I thought those 12 year old best friends were in us somehow.
It's been 5 years since her visit. 5 years since we have spoken. She must have felt the same way as I did given we have not made the effort to keep in touch. I often wonder how she is, what she's doing, if she's in a better place now. If she's standing on her own two feet, confident and proud.
I hope so.
Maybe one day I'll decide to find out...maybe in another 18 years.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Christmas me Some MUSIC!
I was stalling the Christmas Tree "putting up" event. I love my tree, I want the ornaments to remain intact...you know...free from 20 little fingers grabbing at them all day. I asked around for baby proofing ideas and my boss told me this:
Wrap a bunch of presents (empty boxes even) and place them around the tree.
It worked! I thought Kyle the climber may begin a journey to the top of the tree but he has stayed away, content to sit and look at the lights. Luke swats at the lower branches...that's about it.. so far so good.
When we were putting up the tree I played my favorite Christmas CD...which is The Barenaked Ladies - Barenaked for the Holidays. My favorite song?
Elf's Lament. Take a listen HERE
Which made me search for a comparable CD. Fun for both adults and kids. No luck...
What do you listen to at Christmas time? What makes you dance and smile and feel the true spirit of Christmas?
Wrap a bunch of presents (empty boxes even) and place them around the tree.
It worked! I thought Kyle the climber may begin a journey to the top of the tree but he has stayed away, content to sit and look at the lights. Luke swats at the lower branches...that's about it.. so far so good.
When we were putting up the tree I played my favorite Christmas CD...which is The Barenaked Ladies - Barenaked for the Holidays. My favorite song?
Elf's Lament. Take a listen HERE
Which made me search for a comparable CD. Fun for both adults and kids. No luck...
What do you listen to at Christmas time? What makes you dance and smile and feel the true spirit of Christmas?
Friday, December 3, 2010
Fitness Friday- Make that Flu Bug Friday
I'm usually inspired on fridays to post some great workout for everyone. Today, not so much.
I woke up with the cold sweats, stiff as a board and that old "hangover" feeling I have not had in YEARS. I told Cole last week during our house of illness phase that mommies can't get sick. Who would take care of the kids?
Eat my words.
I got it goooood. I admit, I take on ALOT of stuff. This weekend alone I have 2 photo shoots for friends, 20 papers to mark, 2 hockey games and a sister's b-day. Luckily my course is 2 weeks away from being done. Christmas card picture requests will die down and December birthdays are half of what November looks like.
So this body shut down today and spent most of it in the fetal position on the floor as the twins played nicely...phew. I napped when they napped..something I have not done since they were newborns.
So for those who were hoping for a workout, my apologies. Make me a promise to simply get some cardio in this weekend. I will do the same.
Here's to health!
I woke up with the cold sweats, stiff as a board and that old "hangover" feeling I have not had in YEARS. I told Cole last week during our house of illness phase that mommies can't get sick. Who would take care of the kids?
Eat my words.
I got it goooood. I admit, I take on ALOT of stuff. This weekend alone I have 2 photo shoots for friends, 20 papers to mark, 2 hockey games and a sister's b-day. Luckily my course is 2 weeks away from being done. Christmas card picture requests will die down and December birthdays are half of what November looks like.
So this body shut down today and spent most of it in the fetal position on the floor as the twins played nicely...phew. I napped when they napped..something I have not done since they were newborns.
So for those who were hoping for a workout, my apologies. Make me a promise to simply get some cardio in this weekend. I will do the same.
Here's to health!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
My morning in numbers
10: number of times I asked Cole to eat, get ready, pack lunch, put boots on, put jacket on...you get the picture. Amazing we made it to school on time..
9: number of times Kyle threw his food over the edge of his highchair before he actually ate something...and we wonder why he is so skinny..
8: number of times Luke threw a hissy fit when I picked up Kyle
7: number of times Kyle threw a hissy fit when I picked up Luke
6: number of diaper changes
5: number of times I have swept the floor already
4: number of times Kyle has climbed up onto the coffee table by moving an object over to use as a step (sneaky little twirp)
3: number of coffees I have already had
2: number of times I have actually sat down (one would be to write this post while 15 minutes of Thomas occupies their little minds)
1: number of loads of laundry I managed to get done..
It's 1pm.
I can only imagine my numbers for this afternoon..one thing is for sure..90 will be the number of minutes these two munchkins nap!
To all you momma's out there at home with the kids......what's your numbers looking like?
9: number of times Kyle threw his food over the edge of his highchair before he actually ate something...and we wonder why he is so skinny..
8: number of times Luke threw a hissy fit when I picked up Kyle
7: number of times Kyle threw a hissy fit when I picked up Luke
6: number of diaper changes
5: number of times I have swept the floor already
4: number of times Kyle has climbed up onto the coffee table by moving an object over to use as a step (sneaky little twirp)
3: number of coffees I have already had
2: number of times I have actually sat down (one would be to write this post while 15 minutes of Thomas occupies their little minds)
1: number of loads of laundry I managed to get done..
It's 1pm.
I can only imagine my numbers for this afternoon..one thing is for sure..90 will be the number of minutes these two munchkins nap!
To all you momma's out there at home with the kids......what's your numbers looking like?
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