"We love to play at the Y-M-C-A!"

So here it is. I dumped my gym. The feeling of being in an episode of "Nip and Tuck" (which I've never actually watched) was getting to me. Plus, the kids really hated the Kidz Zone: the babysitting room where they watched your kids. I don't blame them. It stank of recently disposed diapers and the workers weren't terribly friendly. We didn't have to pay an initiation fee because they had some deal going on, and we were paying month to month, so no monetary loss.

HOWEVER, this doesn't mean I've given up on working out. Instead, we joined the nearby YMCA. It ROCKS! For less than we were paying at the other place, they have EXCELLENT workout epquipment and group classes AND we get a free pool membership. This is especially excellent considering the adorable little kids pool they have.
Its a brand new facility, so it's really nice. Also, Stevie and David really like the childcare area, so much in fact that they didn't want to leave yesterday.

We spent the entire afternoon at the pool. The kids had a marvelous time. And I (being an idiot) was so intent on spraying sunscreen all over my face and my children, completely forgot to spray my back. The good news is that I no longer have a farmer's tan. The bad news is that my back is now a charred lump of red flesh.

Progress, In the Form Of...

1) Finally had a very fun time last night socializing with some other sisters in the ward. It was Book Club night, and though the book was “Mansfield Park,” we hardly discussed it at all. In fact, the conversations got pretty salty for a bunch of Mormon gals (especially seeing as how the Relief Society President was heading up the more questionable banter!)

2) Went back to gym this morning, and did complete butt-kicking workout. And though I’m still a bit daunted by the beefmen, I DID enjoy a fabulous episode of “American’s Best Dance Crew” while doing cardio on the elliptical machine (Go Boogie Bots!)

3) Stevie made friends with our neighbors’ grandkids, and while they won’t be around permanently, at least we’ll have some kids to invite to his birthday party in September. We also met the family down the street who just HAPPEN to have a 3 year old boy just one month younger than Stevie. He hasn’t come over to play yet, but we’re just glad to know he’s there!

4) Steven bought the kids a play pool last night, and we actually got out doors and in the water for the first time since the Fourth of July. We stayed out there for TWO HOURS! The boys had a blast.

Lethargy

Not much to report. Besides doing Story Time this morning at the library, we did absolutely nothing. What’s worse, I didn’t even go to the gym. Considering the food I eat, this is a dangerous thing. This new gym is just a little hard to go to. Everyone there is either a hulking beefman (male) or a Size -2 (female) and they all seem to narrow their eyes hostilely at anyone who doesn’t live, eat and breathe working out. And what’s more, I never actually SEE these people working out. Mostly they just walk menacingly around the gym and congratulate each other on their ripped pecs and gluts.

Could this be the beginning of the end of exercising for me? It was so easy today to say, “No, I guess I won’t go today.” Goodness knows what size I’ll balloon to if I DO stop going.

You know, I just don’t FEEL like doing anything. I just want to sit around the house with the kids and read books all day. I find myself doing just that lately, and then scurrying around the house 30 minutes before Steven gets home to frantically clean and pretend like I’ve been productive. Either I’m having some kind of counter-attack from all the running-around I did in Arlington, or I’m just tired. of. going. out. It’s too hot. My boys are too hard to wrangle. It’s Wednesday. You name it, I’ve got an excuse.

Suddenly Feeling More Prolific

It rains A LOT here. I mean a lot a lot. I think it’s rained every other day since we moved in. Which is actually a very good thing because Steve and I totally dig rainstorms. Plus, we have the excellent 1950’s-type carport, which is perfect for sitting under and strumming the guitar while the rain beats down overhead. The kids abandon all sense of decorum and get soggy wet (hey, I love to play in the rain and I’m 30), so I got a few shots at dusk the other day.


Though I didn’t let on in my earlier, more depressing and cynical post, I really am excited about this new gym. They do the free babysitting thing for TWO WHOLE GLOORRRIOUS HOURS. Not that I’ll ever be exercising for two whole hours, but at least the option is there. I very well might just sit in the sauna room or take a shower there, just for the sake of being able to take a shower without onlookers. (Remember when you used to be able to take showers completely alone, without little heads poking in every five minutes to insist on coming into the shower with you fully clothed or to demand that you come out immediately and make them a PB&J?)

(We have a severe thunderstorm watch tonight, with potential for 60 mph winds! Deploy hurricane shutters!—insert girlish squeal here.)

Lil' Help?

Everyday, the only thing that keeps me working out is listening to the awesome tunes on my mp3 Player. You should see me at the gym: chugging away on the elliptical, tapping the beat on the rim, lip-syncing my guts out and seriously trying to ellipticize (word?) in tempo. I’m pretty sure everyone there privately refers to me as "that poor schizophrenic girl."

But after 11 months, I’ve seriously started to wear out all my best dance/workout songs. And while I switch them out as often as I can, I now realize the sad truth. I need some new music! If you have any favorite dance/workout songs to suggest, I’d love to hear about them…anything with a good beat. I definitely need some new material; I’m desperate here! Heaven forbid I lose all interest and my 6-year anniversary rolls around without a lither, slimmer Jenny! My dress size is in your hands!!!!

Okay, here's my top 50. Long list, maybe, but I highly reccommend all of them:

All He Can Do Is Hold Her- Amy Winehouse
Anything Can Happen- Finn Brothers
Are You Gonna Be My Girl- Jet
Breakable- Ingrid Michaelson
Bust a Move- Young MC
Bye Bye- Jo Dee Messina
Cecila- Simon and Garfunkel
Cleva- Cake
Come Back to Texas- Bowling for Soup
Fell in Love With a Boy- Joss Stone
Fidelity- Regina Spektor
Fighting for My Love- Nil Laura
Fourth of July- Shooter Jennings
Friday I’m in Love- The Cure
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun- Cyndi Lauper
Give It Up- Amos Lee
Goodnight and Go- Imogean Heap
Groove Is In the Heart- Dee-Lite
Hallelujah- Martin Sexton
Hangin’ Around- Counting Crows
Heartbreak Even- Ani DiFranco
Hey Julie- Fountains of Wayne
Higher Love- Steve Winwood
How Can I Keep From Singing- Eva Cassidy
I Turn My Camera On- Rock Kills Kid
Jesse’s Girl- Rick Springfield
Jungle Boogie- Kool & the Gang
Just What I Needed- The Cars
Kiss Me on My Neck- Eryka Badu
Knock ‘em Out- Lily Allen
Like a Prayer (Dance Mix)- Madonna
Livin’ on a Prayer- Bon Jovi
More Than a Feelin’- Boston
Mud on the Tires- Brad Paisley
On the Radio- Regina Spektor
Praise You- Fat Boy Slim
Shake, Senora- Harry Belafonte
Short Skirt and a Long Jacket- Cake
Smile- Lily Allen
Sooner or Later- Michael Tocher
Speak, Lord- The Color Purple Soundtrack
Thank God I’m a Country Boy- John Denver
The World- Brad Paisley
These Words- Natasha Beddingfield
Uptown Girl- Me First & the Gimmee Gimmees
Venus- Bananarama
We Didn’t Start the Fire- Billy Joel
What a Good Boy- Barenaked Ladies
Wordplay- Jason Mraz
You Part the Waters- Cake

Frustrating Fitness and Other Topics...

I feel like I worked reasonably hard this week and I only lost a half a pound. It’s kind of irritating, and makes me want to throw up my hands, cry to the heavens that “I tried,” and then eat an entire cake. I won’t, though. Yet.

Steven left for Galveston last night and had his interview today. I hope it goes well. I know it will, because if there’s one thing my husband excels at, (actually, there's many things) it’s talking. That man can talk to anyone, anywhere about anything. It’s inspiring.

Here is my new digi-scrap page. This one took me forever, because I kept looking for a template to perfectly suit my pictures. I eventually decided not to use a template, because they were becoming more of a hindrance than a help.


The paper kit is called ‘I wanna be a cowboy’ by Fishinmom Designs.

Premature Worrying

I’m more or less positive that my fitness accountability progress comprehensively disappeared this weekend. I don’t know for sure yet, but I’m predicting a positive integer in my little graph on Friday. Sigh…. Curse you, Dad, with your delicious barbecuing skills!

I've been sad today. I know I expressed the uncertainty of Steven’s getting hired on down in Galveston in a previous blog, but he now has an interview scheduled and the prospect's looking solid. And I know I shouldn’t count my chickens before they hatch, but I’ve been counting away, and the numbers seem high. And while it would be such a great opportunity for our financial growth, it would break my heart to leave my hometown again. But everyone has to grow up sometime, I suppose.

I was born in Arlington, I went to school here, I got married here and I’ve raised my little family here for 3 years. And just when the little things all start to fall into place and my kids and I are finally making friends and plans, the Lord smiles at me and says “Not so fast, Jenny,” and the path twists again.

I hate change. But it’s good for you right? Makes you stronger, all that good stuff?

Whatever.

Just Keeping Up

Another great potluck Thursday yesterday (Hooray Betsy!). It was so nice to sit, eat mostly food that, thankfully, I didn’t cook, and talk with all the other moms about everything and nothing. Sometimes you end up clicking with someone you never thought you’d get to know. Mom used to always tell me how important it was to develop female friendships after marriage. Anyway, it was great fun and good conversation while the kiddies played.

We’re driving down to Galveston again today to visit Dad. It’s a very crazy time to go, what with the Choir program being next Sunday AND the Easter Egg Hunt to put together for next Saturday. But we really wanted some time to just VISIT with Dad, instead of having to work while we’re down there. So this is our official relaxation vacation (I’ll try to remember that while driving 300 miles with two little monsters in the backseat).

Lastly, it’s Fitness Accountability Friday, and things are still going my way! I lost another 2 lbs and have only 10 more to go before May 1st. (Knock on wood).

Feb 29: -1 lb.
Mar 7: -2 lbs.
Mar 14: -2 lbs.

Fitness Update

I'm continuing my online accountability, with the idea that if I know everyone in the universe knows, maybe I'll be more diligent.

Success! I met my 2-lb goal this week! Just 8 weeks and 12 lbs to go. Maybe swimsuit shopping won't be as horrific as I feared!

Feb 29: -1 lb.
Mar 7: -2 lbs

Accountability

Here I list my official fitness accountability. I’m planning to lose fifteen pounds by May 12th. And so I will be listing my weigh loss (or…gulp…gain) every week for the whole world to see. So please, if you admire my gumption, please don’t offer me any pizza or cookies!
Feb 29: -1 lb.

DIRTY TRICK

Alright, folks.

Here's the darn honest truth! I've been working out at the gym 4 to 5 days a week for an hour each time for AN ENTIRE YEAR NOW! That's approximately 3 1/2 hours of cardio and two 30 min. sessions of weights EVERY WEEK! Your suprised, aren't you. But let me tell you, I'm religious about it! I bet you couldn't tell that from looking at me. If it were entirely up to being physically active, I'd have this whole healthy lifestyle thing down.

So why must it be that in my particular genetic make-up I can only eat sprout-like materials in order to be a normal size! I'll admit, I've never honestly had a healthy relationship with a vegetable. So until I can make some kind of green peace, I'm most likely doomed. Can anyone out there tell me that they have had to eat 1100 calories a day or less to maintain a healthy weight? Because in my whole life, that's been my only success. Yes, its possible to achieve, but you're starving the entire time. (I did it before my wedding).

So let me warn you now...if you are thin...be extra wary of me the next time I've eaten Diet Fiber Cardboard Flecks for breakfast and still can't fit into my favorite jeans.