Happy November!

The first day of this month, I started thinking about Thanksgiving Day. Being a devout follower of the Weight Watchers method of living and eating, the points values of all sorts of different foods came to mind, of course. And I began to think of Thanksgivings past, with family crowded around a large table, going one by one around it, and saying something we are thankful for before we begin the face stuffing! It dawned on me that I have a great app for my iPhone, called a gratitude journal, which I have been neglecting to use. It looks like a piece of notebook paper and at the top of each page it starts "Today I am grateful for..." Once you type in a few things you are grateful for it spouts a quote out for you. On November 1st, my quote was:
"Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties." ~Erich Fromm
Which in itself is not an earth shattering, show stopping quote...there have been better. But what caught my attention most about it was that the background had dandelions in it. I just got a dandelion tattooed on my foot! I took this as a sign that I must get back on track for appreciating every little thing in my life...things I usually take for granted. So I made it a point to start in the month of November, using my Gratitude Journal daily, and being openly thankful for things everyday this month, and not JUST on Thanksgiving Day. I started using my status updates on Facebook as a way to share my appreciation with others, and encourage them to do the same. It's catching on I think! Not only is it helping me to feel better each day by recognizing all of the amazing blessing in my life...but I am pumped to have encouraged many of my friends and family to do the same! It feels good knowing that those I love most are counting their blessings right along side of me! I encourage YOU to take on this challenge as well! And trust me, as the month moves on...it will seem like a challenge, but one well worth the effort, I assure you!

Today is my family reunion! I'm going to have to cut this one short to finish getting ready and head out, but it makes me be thankful for my 35 weekly allowance points for Weight Watchers! My family has always been mostly overweight, and Weight Watchers has helped many of us to overcome what history has shown happens in my family, on both Mom & Dad's side. Which is you usually gain and gain and gain weight over a lifetime...never to lose it...always complimented by health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer etc. It's days like today that bring to light the realization of how this happens! EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY IS SUCH A GOOD COOK! The food is always so amazing! Not just on Thanksgiving Day, but EVERY DAY! If you are lucky enough to have tasted a meal made by the hands of a Nation or a Halloran then you know what I'm talking about! Weight Watchers has also taught me that if you make foods using the lighter versions of each of the ingredients...the meals taste just as amazing, but are way better for you! The problem is getting people to eat the 'light' version once you have told them it is 'light.' The trick? Don't tell them. The will never be able to tell the difference! LOL They underestimate my sneakiness!!

Well, I'm off to finish getting ready! My best friend from college lives close by and hopefully her & her beautiful baby girl are going to come join my family for a few fun hours this afternoon! I'm taking the camera...I know you will all be waiting with bated breath for pictures!! (bated breath...first time I've ever been able to use that in context! high five self! LOL)

Song of the Day: The All-Americal Rejects GIVES YOU HELL
Nike Inspiration: Why do I run? ... Why do I breathe?
Today I love: Weight Watchers weekly allowance points (and the fact that this is the 2nd day in a row for me to blog!)

Suprise!

Truly, I am the worlds WORST blogger! So this may come as a suprise to some that I'm whipping out a little something mid-day on a Friday. Look back at old blogs and I probably start out each one with how awful I am at keeping up with blogging. I guess I will stop that. It jinxes me. LOL Next time I will start with something different.

My rehab with the knee is coming along famously! I'm back at the gym for little bitesize workouts twice each day. Once in the morning and once in the afternoon, each with 30 minutes of cardio, then I do abs, the 100 pushup ap on my iPhone & split up my at home PT exercises between the two workouts. It feels great to sweat again, and I know it's only a matter of time before I'm back to my old running self!

I tried to remind myself today that I didn't become a runner overnight...but really, I kind of did! LOL One day I just decided to run a mile...I could do it and I was hooked from there! But I know in actuality, it was the months of cardio every morning that build up my endurance to allow me to run that first mile, and each mile after. So I don't mind taking my time & building back up to where I was before I got hurt...if life would just stop getting in the way and allow me to build back up!

I'm moving this month. My lease ends on Nov. 15th, and then I'm back to Mom & Dad's house until it sells. They are packing up to head to their dream home in FL...purchased last month...and I'm getting in as much Mom & Pop time as possible before that. Don't know if I will be able to make it without them, but I've got to give it a shot. I can't go with them...my steady job is here & I've got a new Jeep to pay off! :)

Point of all that...I have seriously injured my back. It was my genius plan to be all OCD with my move. I kind of can't help that. Genetics and chromosomes and all. So I'm on box 15 of the most organized packing fiasco in the worlds history, and decide to pack all of my breakable dishes and kitchenware, wrapped up in newspaper, in the medium U-Haul box. It says right on the box that it's good for kitchen stuff!! I pack it on the dining room table and tape it up! I'm pretty proud of myself at this point and the kitchen has really thinned out. Until I realize in mid-lift that this great accomplishment weighs about 100 lbs! Mother of God!

Been laid up for 2 days taking a few things here and there for pain and muscle spasms and such. I'm alternating heat & ice & going to see the chiropractor more often than he sees his own children I'd suspect. Today it feels like more damage was done than good. There's no one here for me to complain to though, so good thing I had this blog...just sitting here all alone, not being used. It was nice to get that off my chest.

Anyone know any exercises or stretches or anything I can do to help this pain go away? I'm having to walk all stiff and retarded like a new hire @ Hooter's showing off the girls. It is uncomfortable to say the least. Back to sleep I go. Bad dreams bad dreams, go away. Good dreams good dreams, here to stay. Bad dreams bad dreams, go away. Good dreams good dreams, here to stay. Bad dreams bad dreams, go away. Good dreams good dreams, here to stay. You have to do it three times for it to work.

Song of the day: Garth Brooks UNANSWERED PRAYERS
Nike Inspiration of the day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emkaZrvx0jI