happiness

There are some things that are making me happy this summer.  I thought I would share.

The Voice
Have you seen it?  It's a new singing competition / reality show on NBC this season.  I find the celebrity judges/coaches to be particularly amusing, of course, but some of the talent on the show are truly incredible.  I can't wait to watch the rest of the season!

So You Think You Can Dance
Do you watch it too?  Oh you so should!  My parents got me hooked on this dancing competition / reality show on Fox a few seasons ago and I've been obsessed ever since.  I never realized you could get so caught up in the story line of a dance and that you could be moved to such emotion by the brilliance of choreography.

Movies, in general
Every weekend so far, I have managed to sneak in a movie at the movie theater with my family.  Seeing movies has always been one of my favorite activities anyway, but over the past few years I just haven't made it a priority.  Times have changed!  It's a way to escape this awful summer heat and my cRaZy life for a couple of hours - count me in!  I like to go to the Santikos Silverado theater because it's clean and nice and they have an amazing drink station.  You can get Coke Zero, for example, in 6 different flavors.  sooo cool.

Oatmeal
I want it.  I love it.  Every morning I take my half cup of oats and add in a tablespoon of Splenda brown sugar blend, loads of cinnamon and a cup of water.  I zap it in the microwave for 2 minutes and let my mouth go to its happy place.

Chicken salad
I want it.  I love it.  I bought the pre-seasoned sweet chili chicken breasts from H.E.B.  I boiled them, chopped them up, and added Mayo made with olive oil and then some dill pickle relish.  I found myself some nice multi-grain hearty bread, toasted it up, and piled on my chicken salad.


Crystal Light iced tea
If I'm not drinking water, I'm drinking this delightfulness.  It's refreshing and lovely.

Relax and Sleep
application on my phone.  There are many options to choose to listen to, but I only listen to one - monks chanting - I set the timer for 40 minutes each night and it helps me fall asleep.



C.O. Bigelow Mentha Body Vitamin Body Wash
That Pink Girl mentioned this product in a blog post a couple of months ago.  It sounded like something that would do a hot and sweaty body good.  You see, it's a cool and refreshing body wash that leaves you feeling all tingly and happy.  It definitely helps beat the heat and that puts a smile on my face.  That's all I ask.

I'm gonna be an aunt
Just before Easter weekend, when  our whole immediate family was in town and gathered at my parent's house for dinner, younger sister Linda and brother-in-law Craig announced they are expecting their first child.  This will be my first niece or nephew and our parent's first grandchild.  Our family is on cloud 9.  Linda *finally* lifted the gag order on Tuesday AFTER she informed our grandmother herself, so now we don't have to keep our excitement a secret any longer.  The baby is due December 27th which means for the first time in all of my years, our family will not be traveling to Chicago for Christmas as we want to make sure we are in town for the birth of the newest addition to our family.  I've been wondering what happens in Houston while we are away...


What is making you happy?  Please share!  =)

sleep, hydrate, eat, and MOVE: the plan

So you promised you wouldn't judge me and that's the only reason I'm showing this to you guys...

This year hasn't quite turned out how I had hoped so far with regards to my weight loss and fitness goals. Desperate times call for desperate measures.  No worries...I feel like I'm getting back on the right path, but let's just say some damage has been done and I've had a few set-backs, so I'm working my way back to where I once was so that progress can be made.  In the mean time...survival mode has been put into place.

Step 1 is to get sleep.  I'm getting that.  The goal is 7 to 8 hours a night.

Step 2 is to hydrate.  I'm doing that.  The goal is to drink 1 gallon of fluids a day (combo of water and Crystal Lite iced tea).

Step 3 is to eat right.  Remember the same game I discussed in an earlier post?  I like that concept and that's how I'm working my week days.  Following the South Beach diet, monitoring my calorie intake, taking cravings into consideration (I have a mad need for oatmeal and chicken salad lately) and sticking to my plan.

Step 4 is to MOVE.  I am not in the same shape I once was.  Sad, true story.  My body and my lungs are just not cooperating.  Three bouts of bronchitis in the past 3 months do not a happy, healthy Kim make.  I created a mileage plan and the goal is just to accomplish the mileage whether it be through walking, crawling running, or skipping (haha) my way to completion.
and here it is:

So, there you have it.  For the first time in a long time, I feel motivated and encouraged.  This is a good sign.  I will keep you posted on my progress!  =)

I can see clearly now...

I had a lovely Saturday.  Actually, I've had a lot of lovely Saturdays and for that I am quite thankful.  I need them as they provide me some balance.  They keep me sane.  They, along with Sundays, give me the strength to face the week.

Summers kinda suck in my line of business.  and then they kinda don't.  It's like I have a love/hate relationship with them.  I was an honors student in school.  Back in the day there were certain subjects that were not offered in the "honors" level, like history, for example.  So there was a noticeable difference between my regular history class and my honors math class, if that makes sense.  Well 8 months out of the year my job would be classified as regulars and then about mid May to mid September it's honors.  This means I am challenged which means I'm not bored. like at all.  It also means longer hours and more stress, but it means a certain sense of pride, accomplishment, and empowerment as well.  It's sort of a trade-off, I suppose.  So, this post is not about complaining, but rather explaining and relishing in my weekend, so let's get back to that, shall we?

I know I'm ironically out of focus...

Saturday...ahhhh...Saturday.  I was supposed to get up and run...or walk...heck just move in preparation for my half marathon in August, but since I'm battling yet another bout of bronchitis that didn't happen.  Let's hear it for our lovely air quality, shall we?  Instead, I slept, but it was needed, so I took that.  Then I met up with mi familia for family lunch.  I was able to squeeze in a movie - Super 8 - and then meet up with some friends to celebrate a birthday.  Super 8 was super cute, by the way.  It kind brought me back to E.T. and Goonies days.  I liked that.

Sunday was another lazy Sunday.  Every once in a while those are great to have, but really what is this Kim going to do in less than 8 weeks when her 4th Half Marathon hits, eh?  All I really did was meet up with mi familia again for a fantasmic dinner at Mia Bella (mmmm...) and then I did some grocery shopping and then I formulated my food, hydration, and revised half mary training plan before going to bed for my mandatory 7 hours.

I am starting to feel better - in mind, body, and spirit (well save for this stupid cough, but whatever...).  A wise soul named Brittaney - check out her blog cuz she rocks - offered up a word of advice to me based on my last post - she said to focus on getting sleep so that my mind could be clear.  Whoa buddy she was so right!   What a world of difference when a girl gets 7 to 8 hours a night versus maybe 5!  Sure some of it has been Nyquil-induced, but hey...who is keeping tabs as long as the end result is the same, right?!

Tomorrow, I may just be bold and daring and post my food, hydration, and revised half mary training plan if you promise not to judge me!  ;)

making lemonade

My cute mom has always said if you don't have something nice to say, then you shouldn't say anything at all. Well...I suppose all of our cute moms have told us that a time or two.  I've been kinda quiet lately.  It's so unlike me.  It even makes me uncomfortable when I'm on mute.

Bottom-line is I've just been...blah.

Work has been kicking my booty.  I've been putting in a lot of hours and it doesn't end when I leave the premises.  I feel as though there has been a war waged against me within the organization and there is no waving of a white flag in sight.  I have two choices here.  I can cry over the spilled milk or I can make lemonade.  Me thinks that since milk will surely spoil in this heat, the better bet is lemonade.

Shall we talk about my half marathon training?  It's non existent.  I'm so very proud of this.  not.

We could always discuss my healthy eating...oh, but let's not make a liar of me as healthy eating hasn't been happening here.

Let us not forget about my sleeping habits.  I'm lucky to get 5 hours a night and even if I do, it's interrupted.

Yep, this is why I haven't been blogging cuz I'm a Debbie Downer full of disappointments.

How do I get back on the right track?  Why oh why am I so easily derailed?  How can I be proud of me again?

Several years back I was shopping in Old Town Spring and found this little figurine in a shop.

I had to buy it because I thought it too precious and it came with such a good message - worth reading and remembering.

Today I choose to count my blessings - they are plentiful.  Today I choose to spotlight my accomplishments and not my shortcomings.  Today I choose to celebrate the fact it is a new day filled with new opportunities for change.  Today I choose to walk away from the pity party.  It's time to make lemonade, y'all (but...with Splenda perhaps)  ;)

Cheers to a HAPPY day!

good enough

First, I give you a quote.  I posted this on my dry erase board at work for my employees.


If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it.  ~Mary Engelbreit


May Ray in the City posted a blog yesterday about her insecurities.  She posed a question:  "How do you defeat negative thinking?"


This is what I commented:  "I think we are often our own worst enemies as women. It really sucks. Whenever those negative thoughts creep in (and they do way too often), I try to spin it for the positive or counter it with a positive.  I am pretty sure it's a practiced thing.  Let's practice! =)"


Then today happened...more specifically this afternoon.  As I mentioned in my Zen-Kim post, I am making an extreme effort to keep my cool at work.  I've determined that cool, calm, and collected will yield better results than anxious, emotional, reactive Kim.  Then today happened...more specifically this afternoon.


I am a disorganized person.  This is apparent if you come to my home and/or stop by my office.  I have been making an extreme effort to become better organized at work - maybe not in obvious appearance (like my desk still looks like a bomb hit it), but in creating spreadsheets to keep track of things and setting reminders on my Outlook.


What's my point?  I have stepped outside my comfort zone focusing on two things that don't come naturally to me.


1.  Zen-Kim
2.  Organized Kim


Why did I do this?  I wasn't happy with something (myself at work) and so I changed it (me).


I have been proud of myself.  I feel like my work performance has been stellar.  I've eagerly taken on each challenge.  Then today happened...more specifically this afternoon.


Ultimately, Zen-Kim disappeared and was replaced by a crying fool.  Why a fool, you ask?  Well...because I lost sight of my own advice.  I let someone make me insecure about something I feel very secure about (my job performance).  I let other people's negativity overwhelm me.


See what I mean, lady bugs...we are our own worst enemy and our energies would be better put into warding off true enemies...you know, the external ones.  I was fighting the wrong fight.  Now, I may not be able to always change the negative self-talk that creeps up, but I can "spin it for the positive or counter it with a positive."  So with that, I decided to make a list of the things I am good at to make myself feel better after "the incident" that was this afternoon (countering the negative, if you will).


I am a speed reader.


I am a fast and accurate typist.


I have nice lips.


I am witty.


I am a talented home decorator.


I am a creative cook.


I am a super star playing Zuma Blitz.


I have some mad logistical skills.


I am good enough.  Are you?  Make your own list to remind yourself that you are, indeed!  Know it!  Live it!

"The Same Game" and a Recipe

Can you believe I actually cooked?  I know, right?  It's been a long, long time since I've posted a recipe.

I've been kind of disgusted with myself lately...I've so not been on the wagon.  It's quite frustrating because back when I first started my lifestyle changed, I was so committed...so focused and it was...easy.  Then my injury happened and well...I guess I've been in kind of a funk since then.  It seems every week I "try" to recommit only to fail.  Has this ever happened to you?  Please tell me I'm not alone.  I've said it before...I'm terribly undisciplined.  Sure, sure...I have it in me to be disciplined, but it takes soooo much work (can you just hear my whine?).  ;)

I came up with a new idea.  I'm calling it "The Same Game".  I plan on eating basically the same thing for breakfast and lunch every single day with a healthy light meal for dinner (at least that's this week plan - hahaha).  Yeah, I have no idea how long I will be content with this, but for now, here goes:

Breakfast - a Jay Robb smoothie made with unsweetened almond milk and a banana.  I can, of course, opt to turn this into a green monster by adding spinach.

Lunch - a peanut butter and jelly sammy with a Carb Master yogurt and either a colored pepper or a cucumber. I am, of course, using Simply Jif as it has less sugar than regular PB.  My jelly of choice is Polaner's Sugar Free Orange Marmalade.

Snack - fruit.  This week it's blackberries as they were on sale at Kroger for $1.00.

Dinner - a bag of frozen veggies with some kind of light meal preferably sans bread carbs (meaning no rice, pasta, sweet potato, or bread)

I am allowing myself the addition of a Clif's bar or a Larabar on workout days for additional fuel.  I also recognize that because I am a social butterfly of sorts (read:  single girl), there will probably be a dinner outing once a week in which case I will do my best to plan ahead and choose my selections wisely.

Okay, enough about all that business.  Onto my recipe.  Every day Allrecipes.com sends me their recipe of the day.  Today's was Cheesy Chicken Meatballs.  I thought this sounded yummy, so I clicked on the link.  See the original recipe for yourself by going here.

I wouldn't be me if I didn't change up a recipe to make it my own, now would I?  First of all, the grocery store I went to didn't have ground chicken which forced me to make Cheesy Turkey Meatballs instead.  The original recipe also called for vegetable oil to be added to the meat mixture.  This addition didn't make sense to me and seemed unnecessary.  I read the reviews to see if anyone left this ingredient out, but all anyone mentioned was swapping olive oil for the vegetable oil which totally makes sense IF the oil is necessary.  I consulted with younger sister Linda and my cute mom and they both agreed the oil could most likely be nixed (and they were right).

CHEESY TURKEY MEATBALLS

Ingredients

1.25 lbs 97% lean ground turkey
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup of Italian Cheese & Herb Cooking Creme
1/4 cup of Reduced Fat Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup of Panko bread crumbs
1 TBSP Italian seasoning
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp Adobo seasoning

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Spray the bottom of a cookie sheet with Pam.  Mix all the above ingredients together and form into balls.  I used an ice cream scooper and made large meatballs.  Warning - this is VERY messy.  In total, I made 15 meat balls.  Bake for 17-18 minutes.

The Dish

I wanted to make a "pasta" dish with spaghetti squash, but after having no luck in finding a spaghetti squash in two different stores, I gave up and went for zucchini instead.  I sliced up my zucchini in thin slices and then boiled it.  I then drained it and plated it.  Next, I topped my zucchini with fire-roasted diced tomatoes and a bit of shredded Parmesan cheese.  I have to say the dish was delightful and I look forward to having it again tomorrow night.  Oh and yes...it is South Beach Friendly (Phase 2 because of the bread crumbs).

I'm also hoping to post a new recipe each week!

Have you ever played "The Same Game"?

Zen-Kim

Oh what a week, my lovelies...what a week!

I've mentioned my profession before - I manage a moving company.  Guess what happens in the summer?  We get busy...like ridiculously busy...like hold on to your hats, party people, cuz it's about to get cRaZy up in here busy. 

I like it.

I thrive off of it.

Everybody has those few things in this world they are good at...their talents, if you will.  I'm good at my job.  I'm even better at it under pressure.

If I have too much time to do something...it doesn't get done until the last minute.  I'm a procrastinator, but not because I'm lazy.  Nope.  It's much deeper than that.  It's because my creative and productive juices flow freely when there are no other options.

I like it when my day flies by and I have that sense of accomplishment knowing I made a difference.

Here's the thing.  I can get pretty intense.  I can let the stresses get to me, the anxiety overwhelm me.  I can take my frustrations out on others and vent until people are tired of listening to my whining/complaints.

I don't want to be like that this summer.  I want to be calm and rational.  I don't want to sweat the small stuff.  I want to have a clear head to solve problems more...altruistically.  I realize that people vibe off of me.  If I demonstrate patience and peacefulness, others will follow suit. 

My parents left town on Wednesday and jokingly told me to stare at a picture of their dog to find my Zen-state.  No, I don't think Oliver truly gave me this inspiration.  I think the very idea of it just made me laugh.  My Zen-state is coming from within...perhaps it's maturity...perhaps it's wisdom...perhaps it's me realizing that my work is exhausting enough without adding all the unnecessary emotions.

I stayed at work super late last night finishing up some work.  While doing so, I was inspired to fill up my dry erase board with some encouragement/words of wisdom, etc for my employees to see this morning when they arrived at work.

I asked a question.

At the end of the day, can you say you have tried your best?

I answered it.

Yes - Congratulations...this is what it is all about!  Keep up the great work!!!  =)

No - What improvements can you make tomorrow to turn this around?  What lessons did you learn?

This doesn't have to be applied to my employees.  This can be applied to me...to you...to us all.  Isn't the name of the game just to try our best?  Sometimes we have an off day.  It happens.  We must pick up the pieces, learn the lesson, and move on.  Other days we have experienced accomplishment, bliss, freedom, happiness, etc...  Isn't the feeling of elation we get from those good days enough to make us work harder to recover from the bad?

I should hope so.  I know so.

After a whole week of practicing "responding" versus "reacting" to all the curve balls thrown my way, I can say that I am pleased with my efforts.  I feel empowered to take on the rest of the summer with the exact same zeal.

Hopefully Zen-Kim can remain for the entirety of the summer, just taking it all in stride.

Enjoy your weekend, I know I will.