Resolve, Not Discouragement

A year or so ago, I put on a pesky five pounds that refused to come off, despite training for a triathlon.  I think that it's partially the onset of perimenopause that makes it so hard to drop weight.  Unfortunately, it also is true that I have always had a hard time keeping regular exercise as a habit.  It is also true that I'm the kind of person who really just wants to eat what I want to eat. 

I think that I just need to be persistent and lower my expectations.  By "lowering my expectations", I mean that I need to be okay with being a slow runner/swimmer/rider, or a person with a lot of other things that take up time in my life.  Priorities need to be readjusted.  I brush my teeth and floss every day.  I say my prayers every day.  I practice the bass at least five days a week.  I actually enjoy exercise.  I should be able to make that a priority and a habit.

Rowdy put together this funny picture (so if you see it on Pinterest, know that it originated here, in our house, on his computer):

I'm as bad as anyone about this, but isn't it funny to see a "Best Chocolate Cake Recipe EVER!!" pin next to a "Thinner Thighs in Ten Moves--do this three times a day, every day, and you will have legs like THIS in 30 days!"?  Trust me, the fitness model who posed for that is:  1) working out ten hours a day, 2) not eating chocolate cake, and 3) not 47  years old.  It's just like when people were using photos of Dara Torres' ripped body as motivation.  Folks, that woman's job was training her body.  She had a coach.  She had someone looking after her child.  I think she even had a personal chef.  Her physiology is such that she can be an elite athlete.  That's not the life of anyone that I know personally.

Rant over.  But anyway...I am trying.  You're probably trying, too.  What can we do to motivate each other??

Be the Kind of Person

A bumper sticker today said something along the lines of:  Be the kind of person your friends can stand up for, but they don't need to.  Anyway, it made me think about an experience I had a couple of days ago.  A friend of mine was getting a security clearance for his job, and I was one of his character references.

The interviewer was completely professional and efficient.  She asked me questions about my friend's integrity, work ethic, how he spends his free time, and how he would handle the tasks ahead of him.  It was so wonderful to be able to say that my friend is a man who lives his life with complete integrity.  He probably feels great knowing that he doesn't have to worry about how his friends and associates will answer in his behalf.

Briccos-R-Us

Rowdstar and I went to Toys-R-Us this evening to pick up a couple of hula hoops to use for tomorrow's Mutual March Madness Minute To Win It.

We did get hula hoops....

...and a Sponge Bob ukelele for me to have music on-the-go...

...and a wooden xylophone for Rowdy, jump ropes for double-dutch with the Young Women...

...and a heavy-duty pogo stick!!!  Riding a pogo stick on only four hours of sleep may have been chancy, but some of our best family stories come from riding pogo sticks ill-advisedly.

This Week in Pinterest

"Miracle Bread" truly is just that.  Only one hour to delicious, fluffy bread.

Find the recipe here.

Hilariously, Rowdstar has made good on his promise to join Pinterest.  Everyone should follow him.  I think he's going to have a lot of fun with it.

It's Daejeon!

Keiler received his mission call last Thursday, and it was to the Korea Daejeon mission.  It's the perfect spot for him, of course.  He is very excited, as are all of his family.  He reports to the MTC on May 16th, so there's a little bit of time to get geared up.

Here's a nifty map of all of the cities in the mission.  To get better oriented, let's mag out a bit:

It's that West coast bit (obvs).

Here's the link to the mission website.  And the mission president's wife's blog is here--and on my blogroll!

One of My Favorite Things

is learning something new.  If I had more discretionary time right now, I would fill it with music and language lessons and practice.  But I don't.  I am still quite enjoying bass lessons, and next month will contain a trip to Mammography Boot Camp.  Whether or not it will be more or less fun than real boot camp remains to be seen.

Pretty, Pretty Princess

Princess Estelle Silvia Ewa Mary was born to Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden on February 23rd.  Isn't she darling?  She was also named Dutchess of Ostergotland,  from whence my Swedish ancestors emigrated.  That's why I feel some kind of connection to her.

Her great-grandma knitted that sweater.  I doubt that Queen Elizabeth's going to do that for any of her grandchildren.  Ya gotta love the Swedes and their down-to-earthiness.

Out for a walk with her mom and dad.

This is a traditional Swedish Princess Cake.  I think it's pretty, but it's covered in marzipan.  Gross.

Vadstena Castle in Vadstena, Ostergotland.  I visited there in 2005.  Well, not visit as in going in, but I was there on that spot.  It's pretty.