Life is in the Details

Scenes from a snow week

Here are the downed tree branches that would have fallen out my car if I hadn't had a freaky premonition the intuition to move it from it's usual spot in the driveway. 

This is how close it came.

The snow that fell was the perfect packing kind for snowballs and snowmen. After I finished a few hours of shoveling (and collapsed on the floor inside for a few moments to give my aching' back a rest and to warm up) Ryan and I got to work on a little snow guy of our own.

He provided his Build-a-bear's sunglasses and his Yankees ice cream bowl/batters cap for the personalized touches that say Cohen all the way.

They are both such cuties.

 

We failed on our attempt to include sour patch licorice cut in half lengthwise as the mouth but we concluded that we didn't really need a mouth anyway and we liked him just the way he was (well, after adding some grape buttons, that is).

It was definitely a fun snow week last week!

Yesterday I started the Mesocycle 2 Week 3 in my STS workouts. So far, so good. I'm enjoying it again and I'm trying to decide if I will switch it up to something altogether different after this mesocycle because I'm not sure my foot can handle Plyo Legs, the leg option that I usually do in Meso 3. I may give it a try just to see. I'm not entirely sure yet. [Note: I skipped Disc 18 last week (on Friday) because it was a back and biceps workout and I had just shoveled for hours the day prior (on Thursday) and my back was absolutely killing me until Saturday (and my left bicep was a bit sore but for less).]

We're supposed to get more freezing rain overnight and this morning. 

TODAY: I am craving soup. And fresh bread. As I've mentioned before I could eat soup everyday and never get tired as there are so many different soups that I like to make. My freezer has been too full for a while now so I've been trying to eat from there and whittle down the supply to make more room so that I can starting cooking lots of yumminess again but I've done the best I can and although there may not be much room in there still I feel the need to have a pot of soup on the stove. I'm thinking mushroom-barley or mushroom-farro (only for me of course since no one else eats mushrooms around here). And for the bread product... either some flatbread cooked up in a pan or my favorite rolls. Hmmm... decisions decisions. 

In my exercise-land it's a cycling day. I'm trying not to go insane on my indoor trainer and some days I'm more successful than others. This past week I've definitely been starting to just wish spring weather would get here already.

 

Photo Catch-up (winter break and beyond)

What do Jewish people do on Christmas? Well Mike worked on the kids' computer... likely installing an update or fixing something (Ryan has developed a habit of deleting things which prompted me to create separate logins for each of them this week so that they have their own iTunes library, folders/files, etc. and can't wreak too much havoc on each other). This also gave me the opportunity to delve into the world of parental controls (I even put time limits and bedtimes in there so that they can't go on when they should be sleeping and can only have a certain amount of computer time - thank you Apple for making this easy to do).

I also baked some bread for sandwiches.

I used a new flour blend from King Arthur Flour:

The ingredient list:

This was one very tasty loaf! The bag of flour made two loaves of bread total. The flavor and texture were wonderful and I loved that it was a straight dough (meaning that you mix the ingredients, you let it rise, you shape it, rise again, and bake as opposed to a pre-ferment which takes more time which I haven't been wanting to do lately which means our daily bread of the sponge challah hasn't been happening. I've been craving something that doesn't take as long to do so a straight dough has held appeal for me lately).

Jessi had three school projects to work on over the break (one literature project, some brainstorming for Odyssey of the Mind, and her science project). Here she is finishing her science project board together.

We also did the requisite Chinese food for dinner (of course)!

And New Years was our standard lobster (for Mike only this year)... I had planned to make a truffled mushroom risotto for me but made myself a snack of cauliflower and cheddar cheese fondue and I was too stuffed to make it then so I made the risotto for myself a few days later.

Here's the risotto in the early stages before the rice thickened up. It may be sacrilegious to do this but I had leftovers since I'm the only one who eats this and I ate it for lunch the next few days and it was delicious. I even froze some! Gasp!

Our NYE dessert tradition continued... dark chocolate fondue with lots of dippers (pretzels not shown as they are on the other side of the spinner).

Last weekend I had yoga teacher training on both days.

I bring my little zafu when I remember to help make sitting on the floor for hours more comfortable.

It was a strange feeling to start the first week of the year off with a rest/recovery week but that's where things fell in my STS routine. I kept wanting to do something and then had to stop myself from doing too much. I mostly did yoga and cycling (no intervals just good, decent pedaling).  This week I was back at it... completing Mesocycle 2, Week 1 of the STS series. If you are interested in the STS series I just saw an email announcing a 30% off sale until this Sunday (tomorrow) so go to Cathe's site for more information. 

This weekend brings ice skating lessons for Jessica and going to buy J her own set of skates!!! She is so excited for this. 

I'm happy to have some time to play with some new art supplies! Photos to come.

Digital Layout: STS (Shock Training System)

It's about time that I document my love for the STS strength training program!! It's been the program with which I've spent the past 3 winters. It gets me motivated for working out indoors... for beginning again, and that's no easy task (neither is getting me to do lower body strength training)! If it was 55+ degrees here it would be pretty hard to get me in that basement at all because I'd want to be out riding my bike... with fresh legs. I including some of my own thoughts as well as some of the program description from the website.

This week ends Mesocycle One for me and next week is my recovery week (complete with massage!). The break week is a part of the program too so don't think I'm just slacking! It's four weeks on; one week recovery. Then I need to decide what I'll do next. I may continue on with the STS program as planned and move on to Mesocycle 2 or I may mix it up and do some of the newer DVDs that I haven't tried yet (including the STS Total Body DVD). 

That second photo above is an old one because my sneakers have been bothering me lately (oh, for about 2+ years, probably more). So this photo is a more accurate representation of how I roll and weight train these days:

I wish I put this one in but I don't feel like redoing it... and besides I think the Fivefingers need a page of their very own! LOL!

Happy New Years everyone!!!

STS: Mesocycle 3, Week 1 & Week 2

Last week I started Mesocycle 3 of the STS program (the final section of this program that focuses on increasing strength). The previous week - in between mesocycle 2 and 3 - was all about active recovery... for me that meant yoga... and oh how relaxing that was (though I made the mistake of doing some strength-building yoga on one day and then a section of new DVD that was harder than I expected so the week was NOT without soreness!! 

Wednesday's workout last week was just as HARD as I fear it would be. Earlier this year when I was doing the STS program for the first time  I didn't use the Plyo Legs DVDs, opting, instead, for the heavier squat rack legs DVDs that can be used in its place. But the weight vest that I used made movements really awkward because it was too loose and big for me and since I didn't have a weight rack and the weather was starting to get nice, I just decided to scrap the legs portion of the strength training and started riding my bike outside again for 90+ minutes. 

I've learned a thing or two about myself through this last 11 weeks of this program so far and this is it: I things nice and slow. I liked the first mesocycle the least, then comes the second, my favorite is the one I'm doing now (except for LEGS! I prefer Mesocycle 2 for that). Fast endurance type workouts like those in Meso 1 and in Plyo Legs just KILL me. I guess they're supposed to... but man, I feel so weak doing legs! I was huffing and puffing and even had to pause the DVD multiple times to catch my breath and rest so that I would be ready for the next exercise. I'm sure these are going to be great for my leg power. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger right?

*****

Up until this point the thoughts posted here were written at the end of last week (I just forgot to post them). Since that time I've had a chance to complete another week (almost - all the discs are done I just have some cardio to do over the weekend).... and hindsight really is 20/20. I completed the second Plyo Legs workout for this mesocycle (disc #30 about 20 minutes ago) and it wasn't nearly as bad as the first one. I realize now that it SEEMED so hard because I was already infected and about to be slammed with a nasty virus and just didn't know it at the time (when I was doing Plyo Legs #26). Aaaah! So see I had nothing to fear! And I'm writing this down so that next Wednesday comes around and I'm dreading THAT day's plyometric leg workout, I can just come on over here and read my own words and not be such a scared-y cat! And a big high five for me for figuring out a way to move around my workout schedule to GET THE JOB DONE and still kick this virus in the butt (except for Wed, when clearly MY butt was the one getting kicked).

Here's a look at the workouts for the past two weeks:

STS: Mesocycle 3, Week 1

Monday, December 7, 2009 - STS Disc #25 (Chest & Back)

 
 

Tuesday, December 8, 2009 - indoor cycling 32 minutes + STS No-Equipment Abs

Wednesday, December 9, 2009 - STS Disc #26 (Plyo Legs) 

 

Thursday, December 10, 2009 -indoor cycling 33 minutes+ STS Stability Ball abs

Friday, December 11, 2009 - STS Disc #27 (Shoulders, Biceps, & Triceps)

 

Saturday, December 12, 2009 - indoor cycling + abs

Sunday, December 13, 2009 - recovery

STS: Mesocycle 3, Week 2

Monday, December 14, 2009 - STS Disc #28 (Chest & Back)

 

Tuesday, December 15, 2009 - indoor cycling 33 min + STS Yoga-insired abs

Wednesday, December 16, 2009 - Virus kicked my butt and I napped instead of working out

Thursday, December 17, 2009 - STS Disc #30 (Shoulders, Biceps, & Triceps)

 

Friday, December 18, 2009 - STS Disc #29 (Plyo Legs)

 

Saturday, December 19, 2009 - shoveling snow for three hours + running/playing in 18"+ of snow

Sunday, December 20, 2009 - more snow shoveling

And now I brace myself for the winter snow storm that is predicted for our area tonight and tomorrow. I'm already stocked up and in between playing in the snow and drinking hot cocoa we are going to do some serious baking!! Doughnuts (first time for these!), cookies, quick breads, and yeast breads are our future!! We have some gifts to give and some new traditions to start. I'm REALLY looking forward to a snowed-in weekend!! Bring it ON.

STS: Mesocycle Two, Week 4

YES!!! I'm finished with the 2nd mesocycle in the STS program. Next week is my well-deserved active recovery week in which I intend to paint and do lots of yoga! I only have one more mesocycle to go and I will have completed the STS program.

Monday, November 23, 2009 - STS Disc #22 (Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps)

 

Tuesday, November 24, 2009 - indoor cycling 32 minutes + moving stuff for carpeting 

Wednesday, November 25, 2009 - STS Disc #23 (Legs)  + moving kids books and toys back upstairs

 

Thursday, November 26, 2009 - 31 minutes cycling + P90X abs

Friday, November 27, 2009 - STS Disc #24 (Back & Biceps)

 

Saturday, November 28, 2009 - indoor cycling 31 minutes+ STS Stability Ball abs (skipped the last exercise: single leg pikes)

Sunday, November 29, 2009 - recovery

STS: Mesocycle Two, Week 2

Since there is no New Carpet Prep Fairy, today I'm trading in my indoor cycling workout for the many trips and up and down the stairs that it takes to move ALL of our books on our upstairs level down to our basement in preparation for getting new carpet on Saturday. My legs are killing me and I'm taking a break by planning today's Girls on the Run lesson which will be held inside today because of the weather. The laundry is done - thank you yesterday's stroke of insight - and Ryan has been off of school for yesterday and today and we've been enjoying some time just the two of us to catch up, play, read, and cuddle. Later tonight is Jessica's third grade musical performance (she asked my opinion on what earrings she should wear with her solid red shirt - a color that is not usually part of her style repertoire - I thought the dangly ones with a gazillion little stars hanging down were more patriotic than the multi-color smiley faced ones - especially since they were slightly broken). Today she has a big government test that we've been studying for a lot of the past few days. 

It's Thursday so that means new content for BPS classes. I won't get a chance to watch Ali's Week 8 presentation until tomorrow but I read over the handout while brushing my teeth and I'll be thinking about seeing, dreaming, and thinking and about putting together another page in my story. Reflecting and writing makes me so happy.

Oh and here's another week of what I've been doing with my STS workouts.

Monday, November 9, 2009 - STS Disc #16 (Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps) 

 

Tuesday, November 10, 2009 - indoor cycling 30 minutes + No Equip Abs (stopped before the planks started)

Wednesday, November 11, 2009 - STS Disc #17 (Legs) 

Thursday, November 12, 2009 - indoor cycling + abs

Friday, November 13, 2009 - STS Disc #18 (Back & Biceps)

Saturday, November 14, 2009 - indoor cycling 32 minutes + was very tired and legs were fatigued so I did the first 7 minutes of STS Weights & Plates abs instead of anything longer

Sunday, November 15, 2009 - recovery

STS: Mesocycle Two, Week 1

Monday, November 2, 2009 - STS Disc #13 (Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps)

Tuesday, November 3, 2009 -Spinervals Competition 28.0

Wednesday, November 4, 2009 - STS Disc #14 (Legs)

Thursday, November 5, 2009 - abs (was supposed to do cardio but didn't have it in me - very tired and legs are extremely sore - walking around today like I am 90 years old)

Friday, November 6, 2009 - STS Disc #15 (Back & Biceps), cycling on the indoor trainer (33 minutes to make up for yesterday's missed cardio)

Saturday, November 7, 2009 -indoor cycling + abs

Sunday, November 8, 2009 - recovery

I can finally see the glimmer of light

The kids have been grabbing the camera a bunch over the past two weeks. So many photos that I didn't have enough room to upload the photos to my computer and things have been normal as well as busy and I haven't had what to post. This was a week that I might have just put a photo up and called it a day. But I didn't want to put up photos from this summer - even though there are many still left unshared. Ryan in particular will ask to use the camera and then take 100 photos of his feet near a ball - and there are 36 of just the fan.

Ground tennis has been a big thing around here for Ryan. Every moment he can, and even when we are driving home from somewhere, he will start asking me what we can do together when we get home. It always ends up in a game of ground tennis - where we use a soft ball and roll/softly hit it to each other across the floor in my room. I want to take a photo of it today so that I can document it. He had introduced the game to his preschool class a few weeks ago and was a big hit for a while (though I think the teacher might have put the kibosh on it because with a bunch of rowdy 4 year olds I can imagine that things can get out of hand pretty quickly.). :-)

I took Jessica to the doctor's again on Monday and we were able to get her antibiotics and now she is finally starting to cough less and is on the road to recovery. Good stuff.

Today I see the light at the end of the tunnel. This week is our last week of our hectic fall schedule. I could not be happier. Can you hear my deep sigh of relief right now? Its amazing but as I was menu planning for next week and looked ahead at our schedule next week we had almost no days of dinner interruptus or delay by a school or t-ball activity. YAAAAY!!!! This might mean that I can actually start cooking again instead of preparing, or feeding the little people multiple smaller dinners before and after gien activity (and eating a snack myself before dinner because I'm just not used to eating dinner past 5:45), or going out to eat (which is lame around where I live because there is a whole lot more mediocrity than I'm comfortable with). The food rut that I've been in since t-ball/school started is hopefully coming to an end.

I've been scrapbooking a bunch this week which feels really great. I created a bunch of pages including the story of Ryan going to preschool for another year, his 5th birthday party, and two double page layouts (spreads made for Ali E's class) to share. I'm really digging using templates lately. It's just so easy because I've been wanting to get the story down and not have to put too much thought into design. TEMPLATES, I LOVE YOU! I'm going to make some templates out of past pages that I like so that I can easily resuse them instead of reinventing the wheel. I'm still enjoying more white space and simplicity in page design. It's a breath of fresh air.

I just finished my last workout of mesocycle 1 of STS. I am relieved that next week is my active recovery week and I have a massage scheduled! I am beat. I am tired. I need to get more sleep... baseball playoffs are leaving me feeling exhausted.

I decided NOT to renew three magazines that I have been getting that are up for renewal. More fresh air. More time for reading other things!! Simplfy.... Simplify!

On my To Do list today:

• start looking for colors/fabrics for our family room
• scrap Year in Photos 2009 up until October
• get my car washed (I took my bike rack off last week so I can finally go and get my filthy car cleaned)
• browse Splendid Table for some wines I wanted to try after hearing about them on the podcast
• book hotel for upcoming trip - we are headed to Hershey/Lancaster, PA with friends
• find paint dotters for family bingo night tonight at Jessica's school

STS: Mesocycle One, Week 1

Recently I kicked-off a 3 1/2 month weight training program using STS (which you may remember I started this past February and got very close to the end, but then good biking weather came and out went the hardcore weights. The lure or the trail and the road was too strong).... so this time I'm starting earlier so that this time I'm able to finish.

Here's a view from Week 1.

Sunday, Sept. 27 - STS Disc #1

Monday, Sept. 28 - off

Tuesday, Sept. 29 - STS No Equip Abs + indoor bike trainer (31 minutes - speed and hill intervals)

Wednesday, Sept 30 - STS Disc #2

Thursday, Oct 1 - indoor bike trainer (31 minutes - speed and hill drills)

Friday, Oct 2 - STS Disc #3

Saturday, Oct 3 - 50 minute bike ride out on the trail + STS Medicine ball abs 

Overall thoughts/observations from week 1:

• Not exactly the kick-off I had been hoping for. There was none of the usual adrenaline of starting something new due to the other stuff I was dealing with (Linky and all that came with that)
• bike rides were shorter than usual but given the week's events I'll cut myself some slack
• there were only 2 ab days instead of 3 that I will be doing in week 2 and subsequent weeks
• I need to find something to do to keep motivation up on Thursdays (either try to get my butt out of bed at 5:20 to attend a super early spinning class - not likely - or buy some Spinervals DVDs or make up some on-the-bike workout programs to follow with some good great playlists)
• I had lost strength compared to the first time I did this. Not too happy about this... but it's proof that I need to be more methodical/structured in my upper body weight training during cycling season (this is hard because I'd much rather be out biking than inside lifting weights but it's something I'll make a note of and reference when planning my cycling goals)
• The legs portion kicks my butt EVERY TIME. I was walking around like I was wishing I was being pushed in a stroller or a wheelchair. I hurt THAT much.
• I am going to be very sore for the next 3 1/2 months. No doubt about it... the only saving grace is my recovery week at the end of each 4 week mesocycle... towards the end of those I should be just fine (so that comes to about 9 days over the next 100 or so).
• I'm proud that I did anything this week; it would have been very easy just to let it all slide and make excuses. But I didn't. I got out there and did what I set out to do. Big high five to myself for that.

hello, how have you been?

Well that was a longer break than was planned. I hadn't really planned for there to be any break in continuity of my blog posting but then Spring Break came and Passover and well here we are more than two weeks later! Microblogging via Facebook and Twitter has been much easier to manage over the last few weeks.

But HI THERE again blog (and blog readers)! It's good to be back. Right now I FEEL GREAT!!! I just came back from a deep tissue massage. After working out for 1 to 1.5 hours a day for 6 days a week I feel that it was a good reward. And, man, were things a mess in my back, shoulders, and neck (all the usual places!). So I'm sitting here with my water bottle guzzling some h2o and thinking about all the things that I want to share but have so much to share that I'm almost drawing a blank (is that really possible?)!

My Wellness class over at Big Picture Scrapbooking started and is now in it's second week. We are having fun with a great bunch of women who are ready to make some serious strides towards fitness, health, and wellness. So I have to give a big HELLO and HI FIVE to all of those that are joining me in this session!!! They are keeping ME motivated!

I am on my active recovery week now after finishing STS Mesocycle Two. The last two and a half weeks were sort of spread out over a longer time than they were supposed to take but I knew once the good weather arrived that something would have to give. It turns out the last leg workout is what got left behind and due to having company in and a little trip that we were supposed to take but ended up cancelling and spending it together as a family necessitated spacing things out. I decided to not do Disc 23 (the last leg workout in Meso 2) at all and feel very good about my decision. :-) If I would have done it I would have been too sore to go out on the trail all the days that I did! And when it comes right down to it I would rather be out riding on my bike outside than in my basement lifting weights or in a spinning class at the gym. So this week I'm going to figure out how to best rearrange my schedule to make sure I get a good dose of outside riding along with the necessary strength training for my upper body (and I also need to figure out what I'm going to do about lower body stuff for now - I'm thinking more towards the muscular endurance end of the spectrum instead of the pure heavy lifting so that I don't have that delayed onset muscle soreness).

The kids have been busy with and swim lessons so that they are ready for lots of pool fun at home and at camp this summer. Did I mention that Jessi is giving sleepaway camp a try for a week?? She is very excited about that and earlier this week I was busy filling out forms and bringing them in to the doctors to get the health form signed.

I also brought Mike's bike in for a tune-up at the local bike shop along with my old mountain bike for a bit of the same. The bike shops are pretty backed up now because everyone and their mother is bringing their bikes in after the wonderful weather we had this weekend. After Mike indulged me by spending some of our "date night" going for a bike ride on the trail during which I rode my mountain bike I decided that I was going to sell it and get a bike more suited to my current needs (errands around town, rides with the kids when I don't want to necessarily clip in, light/weekend touring but that I can have for a while if I want to do longer tours). I'm still looking around for what I want and am feeling overwhelmed as to what's available and not knowing what I want. The guy at the bike shop yesterday asked, "Do you want carbon/aluminum or steel?". I don't know!!! All I've riden before my nice road bike was a big heavy mountain bike that I bought when I was in college!! It's a great bike but I didn't buyit because of knowledge of what it was made of. I bought it to get to and from class and to ride the mountain bike trails of Gainesville, FL with my then-boyfriend-from-the-high-school-and-early-college-years.  Clearly I have some investigating to do. On my list of bikes to check out are the Surly Cross-check and Specialized Tricross. Any others I should add to my list?

Let's see... what else has been going on? Over the break I took the kids to the dentist and we all had our cleaning and for the FIRST TIME Ryan let the hygenist clean his teeth with the real cleaning tool with the motor on. Yippee!! We're making progress. During that visit the dentist mentioned that I should bring Jessi in for an orthodontist consult. So yesterday I took her in for that and it turns out she needs a palette explander as step one on what will likely be a longer road of orthodontia treatment. Braces are definitely in her future. I just had no idea that phase one started so early.

Another thing on my mind since I'm spilling it all is Art & Soul Hampton. It's right around the corner and this year I'm going for only two classes instead of for the whole retreat because I only wanted to take Misty Mawn's classes. I haven't painted since my January painting-a-day project so I hope I didn't forget how!! I've just started going through my supplies and seeing what I need to pack and what I need to get. 

It appear that my stomach is going to bring this post to a quick close. It's growling so I need to grab some food before heading out to get Ryan from preschool!