Tag Archives: exercise

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Things Are Looking Up

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Day 151 in my trek toward Mickey

1) Fever…gone!  Hallelujah!  I still feel exhausted, but the fever has not returned.

2) Stomach-still some issues.  But it is definitely getting better.

So my plan for today was to go back to work, stay sugar-free, eat healthy and put some extra steps in my day.  Mission accomplished.  Mischief managed.

It is several degrees below sanity outside here today.  It’s the type of day that just getting up and out the door, making your way to work, putting in your day, hitting the grocery store for a bit, and traveling back home feels like a MAJOR accomplishment.  So I feel good about this day.

I had to hit the grocery store, because we literally had nothing in the house for dinner but three bread crusts and a half stick of oleo.  🙂  It’s lousy to be sick for so long.  You eventually run out of food.

Anyway…things are looking up here at the Jarvi household.  Slowly, but surely, we are feeling better.  PTL!

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Encountering Mickey

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Day 148 in my quest to encounter Mickey

Today my plan was to research and figure out where I will meet up with Mickey in October, so this is it.  On October 14, 2015 (Lord willing and the creek don’t rise) I will meet up with Mickey in the Magic Kingdom at the Town Square Theater.  I am so-o-o-o excited when I envision it.  Me: “Thank you, Mickey, for inspiring me to get healthier this past year!”  Mickey: Silently nods head and shakes my hand.  Me: “Mickey, you have been a true friend.”  Mickey: Silently nods and rocks back and forth from foot to foot.  Me: “OK, g’bye, Mickey.”  Mickey: Silently gives me a hug and waves goodbye.

I guess it’s a good thing they aren’t allowed to talk.  How would they ever do the voice, right?

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Facing the Music

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Day 147 in my disco-dance to Disney and my marvelous mate (the British word: mate, as in friend) Mickey.

Today’s plan was to assess the damages.  Now that the holidays are behind me, I had to face the music.  Yes, I was careful, more careful than I have ever been during the holidays.  BUT I was far from perfect.  So I bucked up my courage and stepped on the scale this morning.  After all, I need to know where I am, so I can dig back in, right?  I was so nervous.  Would this be my first gain in nearly 5 months?  Would I step off the scale in tears after swearing up a storm?  Would I have to break out the next size up…again?

Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles…I actually lost weight over the holidays!  Woo hoo!!!  Now I am down 36.8 pounds from the beginning.  That’s another 3.5 pounds since I weighed myself on December 11.

I am so chuffed.  It makes me want to keep on keeping on.  So come on 2015, let’s dance!

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Salad and Swimming

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Day 136 in my quest to be at my best when I meet up with Mickey

I’ve been at work for just over three hours, and the printer has been humming the whole time, except for a small break when I ran the church’s January newsletter to the post office.  Christmas Eve…printed and in place.  Christmas Day…printed and ready to go.  Sunday, December 28…printing now and I will stuff it and have in ready within the hour.  Praise God!!

Lord willing and the creek don’t rise, we are headed out of town on five days of vacation after work today.  My plan for today is to swim tonight at the Hampton Inn (or my version of swimming which is to walk around in the pool for half an hour) and to order a salad when we dine out at our favorite Green Bay eatery, Grazies Italian Grill.  I will skip the amazing pasta this time.  After all, it’s Christmas Eve eve, so I want to be as good as possible.  Seriously, folks, all bets are off for the next two days.  I won’t go crazy, but I will indulge in some holiday favorites.

I will meet you at the Kingdom!

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Settin’ Up and Sweatin’ Up

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Day 131 in my physical endeavors to get into better shape to meet Mickey in October at the Magic Kingdom

My plan for today is to be as good a servant as I can be in a physical way.  So, I went into the sanctuary and set up Damascus Road, our contemporary band, for our big blow-out Lessons and Carols service this Sunday.  It took a very long time, because our chairs and some of our equipment had been used for the Christmas pageant last Sunday and for the brass group to rehearse on Monday and for Advent Vespers last night.  It was sweaty, physical labor, and it felt good to do the work.  Then I set up St. James Brass for Sunday.  It was only four chairs and four music stands, but the stands were all over the building, so it took quite a bit of walking and looking.  Again it was sweaty, physical labor.  Later today I will help the pastor add chairs to the sanctuary for Sunday.  Lessons and Carols is one of our most highly attended services of the year.  (Coming in third after Christmas Eve and Easter)

That will be plenty for today.  🙂  Meet you at the Kingdom!

 

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Digging Deep

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Day 123 in my trek to the Kingdom that is Magic and my friend Mickey.

Today’s plan is to take good care of my self:

  1. I went to the doctor’s this morning and had some blood drawn.  I am doing my best to stay 2 steps ahead of diabetes.  I am prediabetic and controlling it well with diet and exercise.
  2. I had a salad and a piece of fruit for lunch today.
  3. We are eating dinner out tonight, and I will once again have a salad.
  4. I am planning to get up early tomorrow and head to Lake Bluff Health and Fitness to walk before work.

Christmas is just 2 weeks away, and I want to dig deep and be as good to my body as possible.  Maybe it will help me to make healthier choices on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, too.  Here’s hoping!

Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: All prayers are being accepted for my brother Gary who is going through some major health issues right now.  Please lift him up in prayer with me.  God bless!

 

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Just Another Manic Monday

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Day 121 in my adventures in preparing to meet Mickey in October        (10 months and 5 days to go)

Ahhh…another Monday.  A new beginning, a chance to have an even better week.  So my plan for today was to get up early and go to Lake Bluff Health and Fitness to walk on my way to work.  I did it..again on a Monday…in icy cold drizzle under gray skies.  It does feel great to have my plan for the day accomplished early in the morning.  Tonight we will have a veggie filled, delicious dinner, and I will put this day to bed in a sugar-free, exercised, healthy day-way.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: Is anyone out there watching The Red Tent on Lifetime?  It was off to a great start last night, and tonight it wraps up.  Very interesting.  It’s on at 8:00 CST and 9:00 EST.  It’s worth the watch.  The two hour program called, Women of the Bible, was really good last night, too.  It was a nice break from all the Hallmark Christmas movies.  🙂

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Disney Love

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Day 118 in my current love affair with Walt Disney World and Mickey

Things I adore about a Walt Disney World Vacation:

  1. Family together time away from the stresses and pressures of daily life and work.
  2. Old Key West-I literally exhale and all my stress drifts away when I get there.  Whether  it’s hanging out in our room or relaxing by the pool or sharing a meal at Olivia’s, this place is just my happy place.
  3. The Magic Kingdom–this is the place that I become that little girl again, the one who always wanted to go to “Disneyland” but never got to go, because it was too far and too expensive.  Disneyland and I are both 59 years old this year, and for me it’s been a 56 year love affair with all things Disney.  (That’s about when I have my first memories of Disney.)
  4. EPCOT, Disney Hollywood Studios, The Animal Kingdom–Each park is so unique and so interesting.  I love to see the changes every time we go, even though I sometimes miss the attractions that have gone away.  (I still miss the original “Journey Into the Imagination” ride, and don’t even get me started on “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride”!)  But this time we will see the New Fantasyland and the first stage of the changes at Disney’s Marketplace.
  5. I love the fact that you walk about 5 miles a day, and it doesn’t feel like torture.
  6. I love some serious pool time.  I expect to do miles of pool walking in October just because I can.  🙂
  7. Amazing gourmet meals.  We make it a point to schedule one sit-down meal together for each day that we are there.  Favorites include Olivia’s, The San Angel Inn Restaurante and Tony’s Town Square.  And this year we will be there for the Food and Wine Festival at EPCOT for the first time.  Looking forward to that!

My plan for today is to think on these wonderful “loves”, so that my zeal will be renewed, and I will put some extra active-ities into my day.  I finished setting up for the Womens’ Cookie Exchange this morning.  I will grocery shop on the way home from work today.  And tonight I will take a more active role in decorating the tree and the house for Christmas.  The kids will come over (Yay!) and we will have “The Dip” while we decorate and watch “It’s a Wonderful Life.”  And you know what?  It is a wonderful life!  Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: The Dip is not a diet friendly dish.  We have it twice a year, (1) when we put up the Christmas Tree and (2) on Oscars night.  (A) In a pie pan you spread 8 oz. of cream cheese. (B) Top with 6 chopped green onions. (C) Top with a can of No Bean Chili. (We do one pan with no beans and one pan with beans) (D) Top with 8 oz. of sharp cheddar cheese.  You can either microwave for 5 minutes, or you can heat it at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  We prefer the oven, as it stays hot longer.  Serve with your favorite chips.  Mike and I prefer Ruffles; Jake and Eliza (aka The Kids) like blue corn chips.  Tonight we’ll also have veggies on the side.  For me: more veggies, less chips.  🙂

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Setting Up

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Day 117 in setting out to be in a healthier condition to meet with Mickey at the Magic Kingdom in October.  (10 months and 9 days to go)

Today’s plan is to set up.

  1. Set up Damascus Road, our church contemporary band.  We have had 3 weekends off because there were 5 Sundays in November, and we only play the first two Sundays of the month.  So I will move the chairs, music stands, microphone stands and microphones into place, move the piano into position (Thank the Lord its on casters!), and make sure everyone has the music they will need.
  2. Set up for the Women of St. James Cookie Exchange this Sunday.  I thought this would be an easy job, because it was almost already set up from the Advent Dinner last Sunday.  However, the Ladies’ Sewing Group is meeting in that room today, so everything has been moved out of place.  I prefer to think that God just is helping me to move more.  What do you think?

That’s it for today, dear friends.  Thank you so much for all the birthday love yesterday.  It was a very fun day.  Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Hoofing It and Chocolate Disappointment

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Day 115 in my hike to Mickey.

My plan for today was to park so I walked more.  I ended up at the mall this evening.  Since I had to wait for someone who was in a shopping frenzy, I decided to go and have my hair trimmed at the JC Penny Salon.  So I parked at the opposite end of the mall and walked all the way through to the salon.  Then I walked around a bit while I waited for our meeting time.  I hiked back to the car, and now I’m pooped, and I didn’t even shop.

My birthday is tomorrow.  I will be 59 years old, only one more year in my 50’s.  To treat myself I went to Fanny Mae to buy a few dark chocolate vanilla creams.  When I let myself have a sugary treat on a holiday, I find I want something really special.  Not just anything will do.  (Like something out of the movie Chocolat) Fanny Mae dark chocolate vanilla creams are the creme de la creme for me when it comes to candy.  I was so excited to have this wonderful treat tomorrow with a cup of coffee.  Well, my friends, God has a tremendous sense of humor.  I asked the girl behind the counter if they had any, and she assured me they did.  I grinned from ear to ear.  Then another girl walked out from the back room and said, “Oh, I’m so sorry.  We’re all out of those.  What else may I get you?”  I had to grin, in spite of myself, “No,” I said, “nothing else will do, but thank you anyway.”  I really do believe that God has my back on this thing.  That obviously wasn’t the right treat for my birthday.  PTLA!  Maybe for Christmas?

Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: Shout out to Jennie Carlson!  Happy birthday, dear Jennie!  Happy birthday to you…and many more!