New Job Part 2

My new boss told me yesterday what he is hoping will happen with hiring me.  The department is pretty unprofessional and lax, as warehouses can be.  The warehouse workers swear freely (which my new boss is trying to restrict, without much success) and the dress code is jeans and t-shirts.  He was hoping that hiring me would help bring the level of professionalism up to standards.  Hence, I think I will stop wearing jeans and go back to wearing my office wardrobe.  It makes me look more professional and certainly feel more professional.  Of course, I will be the best dressed person in the office but, such is life. 

Disneyland Main Street Windows

One of my favorite things is going to Disneyland.  I grew up in Southern Califorina and Disneyland was part of my backyard.  I even did a stint as security for a few years and it was one of the best times of my life.  I hope to have Disneyland as my retirement job.

One of the fondest memories I have of Disneyland is the windows on Main Street.  The windows were always decorated with scenes from the latest Disney film and I was enchanted with them as I walked down Main Street as my family first arrived at the park for the day.

I am still fascinated with the windows as they are changed with the seasons.  Here are some of my favorites:

New job

I started my new job this past week and I have to say that I love it!  It is very hectic and busy but there are no projects to do for days on end and everyone is of the same mindset to get the work done as quickly as possible so everyone can go home for the day.  It appears that Mondays and Tuesdays are usually very busy and the rest of the week, the work dies down althought I'm sure this can change at a moment's notice.

The downside is the drive home.  I am much further and getting to pick up Matthew at daycare is a challenge.  Hence, I have decided to put him in a daycare a little closer to home so that Steven can pick him up if I'm going to be late. That should release the pressure on me to get home right away if things get busy at work.

I haven't worked out all week since I've been trying to get my bearings on my new schedule.  I received Brazlian Butt workout from Beachbody.com and I would like to try it but again, I don't really have the time yet.  Our heater went out during this storm and we have to try and fix it or get it fixed.  Greg is a fantastic handyman and he can usually fix just about anything.

Saturday

I have the bug to pick up my sewing again (not that I ever really stopped) and make a cloth doll.  I have done it in the past and did a pretty good job.  So, like many of my hobbies where I do it in spurts, it's time to dust off the sewing machine and pull out my doll making books and begin again. Creative Cloth Doll Making by Patti Medaris Culea is one of the best out there.  Her cloth dolls are beautiful and fairly simple to make.  I cannot say that my creations are very artistic (I don't think I'm that creative), but it is fun to do and since I am an avid collector of fashion dolls such as the Robert Tonner line, making my own is sometimes fun.

I actually became an doll collector years ago when I decided to begin collecting Barbie dolls.  I had always loved Barbies and had made a promise to myself that I would one day have every Barbie made.  The advent of the Internet showed me an entire world of doll collecting and better still, repaints.  I discovered that people were taking vinyl fashion dolls and repainting the faces to make new characters.  Some of the work I discovered was beautiful and very unique.  However, these artists weren't using Barbies.  They were using a doll named Gene Marshall- a 16 inch fashion doll modeled after the movie stars of the 1930s and 1940s.  I fell in love with the Gene doll after that and never looked at another Barbie again. 

Gene Marshall introduced me to the world of Tyler Wentworth dolls, designed by Robert Tonner.  His dolls are amazing and he has expanded his line from Tyler Wentworth to include Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, and Wizard of Oz, just to name a few.

Shakology and Bodybuilding.com

I had received my monthly order of Shakology - by far the best meal shake I have ever tasted (I swear, its like a fast-food chocolate milkshake!) - and with it came 2 workout videos: a 30 minute and a 50 minute workout. Since I have been bored with P90X, I decided to do the 30 minute workout.

I didn't much care for the woman who was leading the workout but it was a nice little routine. It was an intense little workout - perfect for anyone just beginning to exercise. It wasn't enough for me personally but if you are short on time, its a good workout.

Yesterday, I also renewed my relationship with Bodybuilding.com and the transformation stories on that site. It was re-energizing for me to get back on track with my eating and exercise. After all, I won't lose the weight and transform by body unless I work at it.

One of the things I noticed is that most people eat the same foods over and over again. Some of them even note in their blogs that the same diet can get boring. But the foods are all clean and lean.

Another motivation was looking at my thighs in shorts last night. I was giving Matthew a bath and noticed the cottage cheese thighs reaching down to my knees!! Yuck!!! I have to work that crap off.

I have been offered another position at work so I have been extremely busy trying to make that transition. I haven't pushed play but I have been taking power walks (and I do mean POWER) with my baby and my dog at the end of the day because I don't want to set them aside after working so much overtime. It is something we can do together and it really has cleared the mind and keeping me somewhat on the exercise track.

Last night, I had to go to the grocery store for my husband to get some cold medicine. I went to the line and I was standing behind a very obese man. He was purchasing candy, Pepsi, cheese and - believe it or not - weight loss shakes! I couldn't believe my eyes! This man was looking to reduce his calorie count by drinking weight loss shakes while ruining everything with all the candy and soda. I was thinking to myself how much better he would be if he had switched out the candy for some fresh fruit and vegetables.

I then had a realization. I had been slacking off on my own diet the past few weeks - eating more than I should and indulging in too many sweets. The worst part of it was that I knew I was doing it and I just didn't stop. It shocked me that I had so quickly and easily reverted back to lazy eating habits. Granted, I hadn't been eating fast food but my portions were much larger than they should be and the past 2 days I have actually gone to the candy machine and bought candy bars!!!

I looked at the man again. I tell you, there is nothing like seeing it first hand to get you back on track. Luckily, my Shakology arrived yesterday and it came with a 30 minute workout and a 50 minute workout. My lunch bag is stuffed with fruit and vegetables and lean protein as well as my Shakology serving.

I find I am getting bored with P90X. I know, it sounds crazy but I think it is too long. I think a 6-week workout is perfect because after that, I'm looking to change things up and P90X doesn't really do that. It just switches up the same workouts. Hence, I get bored. I really have no desire to do it anymore, let alone for 2 more months. At least, not right now. I was thinking of doing the Shakology workout. I really want more cardio right now.

There is also a new workout called Brazlian Butt that I would love to try but I don't really have the money to purchase another workout.

Financial Peace

I listened to Dave Ramsey this morning for the first time in a long time (podcasts are wonderful things, aren't they?). I am working toward becoming debt free and I believe I will begin by having a garage sale this weekend and putting the money into my step 1 - an emergency savings account- something Greg and I never bothered to build.

It's time to go gazelle!

Focus

It's interesting how life's changes alter the focus of your life. At the beginning of 2008, I was very focused on school and career. I was looking forward to being an empty-nester. Both my teenagers' world was no longer focused on me. I knew they still needed me but I wasn't the center of their world any longer.

Then, I got pregnant. I was unhappy but tried to look at the bright side of it. A baby was always a good thing. The biggest worry was giving birth to a special needs baby. Being of a ripe old age of 44 in maternity years, our fear was that we would produce a child whom neither one of us were capable of dealing with. All the tests proved that the baby was indeed healthy and normal.

The moment Matthew was born, my focus completely changed from myself to him. I no longer cared about career and school. As a young mother, I was still very selfish, putting myself first at every turn. Not that self-absorption is a bad thing but in my haste to make my children independent, I perhaps failed at being there for them all the time.

This was different. My new baby became my world and raising him became my focus. I don't know if this is sick obsession or maturity. I can give to this one what I failed to give to my older children. I realize that career and stuff is so unimportant and that self is usually full of shit.

This little boy is my sunshine.

The New Year

Resolution: I will log my food and exercise intake at Myfitnesspal.com on a daily basis.

Resolution: I will do my workout at least 5 days per week when I get home from work.

Resolution: I will take 1 hour every weekend to log our spending for the week and maintain our debt snowball as per Dave Ramsey Financial Peace program.

Resolution: I will delegate more household chores to members of my family instead of doing everything myself.

The Journey Begins Again

Start of a new year.
Last spring, I looked at myself in the mirror and saw that pregnanc, no surprisingly, had ruined my already expanding figure. It was time to get in shape and try to get back to a decent size. My family suffers from Type II diabetes (I had experienced gestational diabetes during my pregnancy) and I was determined to reduce my chances of developing it. In addition, my older son had been talking about a new workout - P90X - that he was dying to begin. Hey, I said to myself, sounds good. I'll try it.

I began P90X and found it to be far too advanced for me. I therefore, went onto Beachbody.com where I found Slim In 6, a workout geared more to my level of fitness and focused on cardio and lots of squats! Coupled with a great diet, I was on my way.

After six weeks, I had lost 12 pounds and was in my size 10 jeans again. So, I moved onto Chalean Extreme - a program that used more weights. However, all the squats from Slim In 6 did some damage to my left knee and I was soon in a great deal of pain. I had to rest the knee a total of 3 months before it felt strong enough to exercise again. Needless to say, I gain the 12 pounds back, and then some.

I decided to begin P90X. Chalean Extreme was a nice workout but I found myself becoming a little bored with it. P90X really worked me hard and Tony Horton is very entertaining during his workouts. I found myself becoming strong.

Yet, little did I know, I was in for a huge crash. Working full-time in an extremely stressful and complicated job, beginning a master's in Early Childhood Education at ASU, a new baby, and 2 teenagers took its toll and left little time to exercise and get in shape. I was so over-extended that I almost had a breakdown. I sat down with the family and told them that I needed their help - at the very least, around the house. I dropped all my classes and I just concentrated on being with the baby and spending time with my husband. I took a much-needed break to refresh my mind and peace of spirit.

I did not exercise.

Well, I've had my vacation and I am ready to begin again. Today, I start P90X once again - Lean phase which focuses more on cardio than weight training. I have a workout buddy here at work who is doing the program with me. We are keeping each other on track with our eating and exercising.

I need this to stick because I want to be able to dance at Matthew's wedding.