Exercise

I went skiing today. It doesn't sound like much except it's the first real exercise (aside from an occasional walk) since Thanksgiving. I should add, it was downhill skiing, not cross-country skiing, so most of the effort came from putting on my boots and hauling my gear around.

It was definitely the most expensive day of skiing ever. I'd purchased a 5 day discount ski pass at the beginning of the season thinking that I'd be up to Whistler for two whole weeks this ski season not expecting to be sick the whole time. This was the ONLY day I'd be using that 5 day pass. I'd rented skiis & boots in Seattle since it was easier and less expensive than renting skiis in Canada. I also bought a new helmet since I'm most likely to fall in our family.

The weather was beautiful and clear. We could see the mountains all around. The snow was fair: packed powder and only a little crunchy in spots. Sounds beautiful? I thought so until we headed down the first slope, and my legs started to hurt so badly from my boots that didn't fit right. The pain shooting up and down my legs made me cry. I'm not entirely sure how I made it down the mountain.

The good news is I found a rental shop, got new boots, and salvaged the day. I was sore and out of shape, but the skiing was beautiful. Now I have to feed the kids dinner and pack so we can drive home tomorrow. Maybe I'll find some ibuprofen first since I'm stiff already.

Influenza

We're supposed to be in Whistler, B.C. enjoying a winter wonderland. I rented skis and have prepaid lift tickets. So why am I sleeping and lounging on the sofa? Because somehow, I've managed to get the flu. And I've likely passed it on to the rest of the household. Michael is feeling achy and has a cough. Timothy has a sore throat. And Christopher is just a toddler who has a perpetual runny nose and an occasionally cough.

Don't get me wrong, I'd much rather be sick here than at home trying to manage taking kids to school and missing work, but it sucks to be sick on vacation, and I seem to often be sick on vacation. Plus, is just sucks to be sick all the time.

Thanks for listening to me rant. I've finally bored Christopher to sleep, and I can go to sleep.

Valentines Day

I don't quite understand Valentine's Day.

I have to make a lunch for some one else's toddler and some other poor parent has to make a lunch for mine. Timothy had to sign almost two dozen pre-printed valentines that he picked out because it had Looney Tunes characters on them. I don't think Timothy has ever ready any of the valentines he's received. He only cares about the candy that many of them come with. Neither boy has any clue why we're doing this or really seems to care.

This year Michael and I decided it was absurd to find a babysitter to go out to dinner on the same night that hordes of other adults are doing the same for poor service by overwhelmed wait staff when we could be packing to go out of town the next day. We're going to get his parents to watch the kids and pick a random night next week to go and pretend to be adults.

Valentine's Day just seems like another crass opportunity to commercialize something really special. Love is about appreciating your partner. Not an occasion to buy overpriced roses and go out to dinner.

Maybe I'm too old to be a romantic. I don't think I ever was a romantic. All I want for Valentine's Day is the opportunity to take a bath in peace and to go to bed early and not get awakened until I want to the next morning. Hmm. I think I'm a sleep deprived mom.

More of the same

I've been pretty lousy about what I've been putting into my mouth. Mostly because I'm eating too much, but I haven't been making great food choices either. Chinese New Year makes me want Chinese food, and Chinese food is relatively high in sodium. It doesn't need to be high in fat, but that's much of what I like and don't have as much the rest of the year. It's sort of like having Thanksgiving and Christmas again.

I finally decided that was the only way I was going to get over the coughing was to get enough rest. I still have a little something, but it's not too bad except for the pulled chest muscle. It hurts to cough, to sneeze, to laugh, and sometimes to twist or lift. But after over a week of spending 12 hours a night in bed, work and kids have eaten into my sleep allowance. As a result, my cough is somewhat more persistent.

More worrisome is Christopher has had a fever for the last two evenings. It was high enough (104.4F) on Sunday evening that I went to the ER for a kid for the first time. Of course, the nurses and doctor nicely told me that all we needed was ibuprofen and that it was normal for a viral infection. So we're all paranoid about catching another cold. Bother.

How Depressing

Just watched a Good Morning America segment on diet sodas. It was yet another study showing that artificial sweetners seem to affect the metabolism in an unkown way, leading to weight gain, metabolic syndrome, and other bad stuff.

I either have metabolic syndrome or am darn close to it - it's the current term describing the confluence of insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and weight gain. Hmmm, that sounds familiar. And I drink a lot of Diet Coke, in fact, I can't really get through the day without it - and it's not just the caffeine. The doctor on GMA said, "these individuals know who they are, that they should give it up." I know I should, but it's SO hard. It fits with everything medical I've been going through, but it's so hard to stop. I feel lousy when I don't get my fix and it really is a fix - an addict getting what she wants.

Now would be a good time to do this - I have 2 2L bottles of Diet Coke, and that's it in the house right now. I'm gonna try. Oh, this is so depressing - but if it makes the appetite and weight loss easier to deal with, not to mention the whole metabolism thing, I really have to give it up.

Surprisingly good

Well I found I actually had a pretty good day for fruits and veggies, which is the main area I struggle with. 3 servings of fruit and 3 of veggies. Not a usual day for me, but maybe my body will implode from shock. You never know!

Finally back to work at the quilting as it's been a series of errors since my quilting machines foot broke when a friend borrowed it two weekends ago. Then they sent me the wrong replacement foot (just like the different feet for a sewing machine). So... behind on work except that a friend let me use her machine and that was nice as I was able to get a few projects done. Now hopefully tomorrow I can be nice and focused and productive!

I was worried when I changed positions that the same thing would happen with the quilting that happened with the counseling and I'd have trouble getting business as networking isn't my strongest thing. However, quilters are social by nature and while I feel my quilting still has a long ways to go, I'm booked out into April at this point for customer quilts. My husband points out that must mean something!

17 Fitness truths

Found this at Zen Habits. I found it rather inspiring, and very realistic.

http://zenhabits.net/2008/02/17-fitness-truths-to-get-you-in-great-shape/#more-642