Weekly Weigh-in

Start Weight: 215
Current Weight: 177
17.7% lost overall:

I skipped last week because I was sick with a cold. But even with that cold I managed to complete the 30-Day Challenge on the EA Sport Active game for the Wii. Please read my review here (and see pictures of me playing the game!).And so that this post isn't completely devoid itself, these are my new weights, one of my Valentersary presents!This is my iPod Touch in it's normal pre-run position. I need to either devise a new one myself of just buy one, this one chafes a little where the velcro is.And these are my running shoes. They are Brooks Ariels. I love the mesh top, they are ultra-stable and are nice and roomy in the toe.

'Make Life' Table Runner

Make a Blanket Day put me in a quilting mood so I whipped this up on Sunday. This table runner is made from a Make Life charm pack fro Moda. I've been needing something for the dining table since Christmas!

Make A Blanket Day

Saturday was Project Linus Make a Blanket Day. This year I had a lot more fun than last year! It seemed like we played a lot more games as a large group and everyone was a little cramped so it felt like we were all a little more friendly.
While I was there I:

Finished a panel baby blanket. I have a sore on my middle finger from hand stitching the binding but I got it done!

Finished a rainbow quilt top. You might remember from this post that I was in a Rainbow Block Swap. Those poor blocks (one complete top and the other still in blocks) have been hanging around in my Project Linus to-do pile since then. Well, I officially have both tops done now, and I have backing fabric for them too! And guess what. I have the binding made! I am so on top of them!

My Boo-Boo Kids Quilt didn't win anything. But I am entering it in the County Fair so maybe they will have different ideas about it! I'm so glad I completed it in time though, I learned a LOT about time management. I scheduled each and every aspect of completing that quilt in my calendar and got it done on time!

Had a wonderful lunch which was provided by the hospital we were at. Delicious!

Met tons of new people, but only a small fraction of the 175 people there! I met some really nice ladies that were crocheting, the ladies at my table just happened to be from the same county as me and most were involved in Extension services so we had a lot to talk about! And I met someone else who is entering their Boo-Boo Kids Quilt in the fair (but she's from a different county) so I didn't feel quite as bad about taking mine after everything was over. Most of them get left there for Project Linus. I promise I will be donating mine after the fair!!

The grand total-1553 blankets were completed that day! That is an amazing number!!

Valentersary 2010

Our wedding anniversary is only a few days after Valentine's Day so we combine our celebration into a week-long extravaganza! And this year is extra special since it marks the TENTH year we've been married! You can tell I have a sweet tooth by the first two presents I got:Yes, that's THREE boxes of Holey Donuts!! YUM!! Low-fat donuts!! And a tin full of assorted TastyKake products!We don't have Tastykake here in Illinois and I had never tried them. But I have heard of them from people online and they had been on my wanting-to-try list for a while. I really liked the Chocolate Junior I had, and Mike really likes the Peanut Butter Kandy Kakes!

And to work off all those sweets, Mike also got me Just Dance, the game for the Wii that I borrowed from a friend and really liked. And to play my new game, a new PINK Wii remote! AND new 10 lb weights that are square on the ends so they won't roll around and fall on my toes!

It was a Wii-themed anniversary because I got him cymbals to add to his Rock Band drum kit! He also got a Beatles t-shirt and (to work off all those sweets that he's helping me eat) some new work-out shorts. And as a present to both of us, but he got to unwrap it since he had asked for some for Christmas, I got us a new sheet set. A nice cotton sateen set that has felt good all week, so soft and just the right weight!

Sadly, I've been sick with a cold for the past two days so while we had planned to eat out yesterday, it has been postponed until Friday. Hopefully I'll be able to taste by then!

Project Complete!

My Boo-Boo Kids quilt is complete! You can see the fun echo quilting around the sun and stars in this one! We dropped it off today and it will be exhibited next Saturday at Make a Blanket Day!

Weight Loss Wednesday

Start Weight: 215
Current Weight: 180
% lost overall: 16.28%
+4 pounds

Oh no! A gain! Terrible food choices this weekend brought on a horrible bloated feeling, ew. It started off with too much pizza Friday night, followed by a get-together with friends to make frosted sugar cookies for Valentine's Day, and a run for snacks on Sunday for the Super Bowl, which we don't even watch but it was an excuse to snack. Ack! But I got rid of the cookies that were left (the Fire Station was very pleased!) and I have been food journaling since then to get back on track.

I successfully made "ham and beans" without the ham! A little Hickory BaconSalt (a vegetarian bacon-flavored salt) was all it needed! I got a craving for ham and beans and cornbread so I thought ahead! I had Mike pick up some beans on Saturday, soaked them and made the soup on Sunday. YUM! Now I have MORE than enough to freeze some and have leftovers for a while.

Last night I made the most delicious roasted peppers stuffed with bulgar and feta cheese, YUM!

Newest skirt

Here's a really blurry picture of the newest SkirtSports skirt I added to my collection! It's the Tought Girl that Mike got me for Christmas. Isn't it adorable! This is after Tuesday's evening run and Wii Active workout.I gave blood on Wednesday and am SO happy to report that my blood pressure was normal! It was, in fact, outstanding! From looking at my previous donation records, my blood pressure in 2006 was:
160/80.
My doctor back then didn't want to put me on medication but was thinking about it. My blood pressure yesterday was:
112/70!
WOW!

But there is one bad thing about giving blood. For some reason, I thought the rule was wait 4 hours before heavy lifting or exercise. But it's 12 hours. (You have to leave the bandage on for 4 hours.) So no yoga on Thursday night. Boo!

Boo-Boo Kids Quilt (and more)

Another top done! Here is my Boo-Boo Kids Quilt for the Project Linus Make-A-Blanket-Day event! Every year, we are given a theme fabric (this year it's the darker yellow with orange stars) and a theme (this year-Wish Upon a Star). Earth's sun is the largest star (indeed, the largest object) in our Solar System. So my quilt's title is "Dream Big". Now I have 8 days to get it quilted and bound before I have to drop it off for the competition!

And I almost forgot to post these two pictures! These are the two Linus blankets that Mike picked out the fabric and did the fringe on!
And here are the NICU Linus blankets I made with the Serger my friend loaned me! I will certainly be looking for one of those at garage sales this summer, it worked like a dream!

January mileage

Total miles for January: 5.75

But that was from only the last week because January 24 was my first day back from that sprained ankle.

So far my runs have looked like this:
January 24-run .5, walk .25, run .5, walk .25, run .5, walk .25
January 26-run .5, walk .25, run .75, walk .25, run .5, walk .25
January 29-run .5, walk .25, run .5, walk .25, run .5, walk .25

February 1-run 1, walk .25, run .5, walk .25, run .5, walk .25

When my ankle was still bugging me, I tried deep water aerobics (supposedly the more rigorous of the two workouts they offer). My assessment:not a great workout. It was less of a workout than swimming laps, I certainly didn't get winded or break a sweat. I thought the stereotype was going to be false but it actually is for old ladies. So I didn't go back.