As If I Didn't Know...

Fitness Band Wagon
As part of my Christmas present, my parents bought me the Zumba Fitness and the Wii Fit Plus.  They hope that this will help me in my goals to get back into shape.  According to my nephew Parker, the Wii Fit Plus is "super fun".  He was very excited when he found out I had gotten it. So this past week I tried them both out. 

The Zumba was fun??  Yeah, the jury is still out on that one.  I started with the 20 minute easy level.  I was dying pretty much by the end!  I've got the booty shaking (as I have quite a lot of booty to shake) part down quite well, but the other steps?  Well, let's just say it is more of my body just flaying around than actual dancing!!! 

Today I tried out the Wii Fit.  So, when you first start it you do some testing.  It is supposed to get your BMI, weight, center of balance, posture, etc.  Ok, well it told me what I already knew.  I'm fat.  When you start out, you pick an avatar.  Well I already had one from another game so it picked that one.  When it finds out how fat you are, it makes your avatar swell up!!!  I have to say that just adds insult to injury!!! But was kind of funny to watch!

Then the "game" proceeded to tell me that according to its calculations I am 43 years old.  I have to admit, I didn't think that was quite that bad considering I am 36 years old and well, exercising is not my friend!!!  I figured I would be in the 70s or 80s in age.  Then it told me that I had a pretty good center of balance and good posture!  Ha!!!  Any one who knows me that I can literally fall down by just standing up I am so clumsy! Also, my Dad is constantly telling me to sit up straight and stop slouching.  I'm not sure how accurate this thing is!!!  It can obviously be duped pretty easily!  Anyway, I did a few of the exercises and it was ok.  I like that you can set up goals and it has a calendar which marks your progress.  I hope to keep up with it and be able to see some progress!

Projects to be finished in 2012
Ok, so I thought I would pull out all the projects that I've started and see what I had.  Not such a good idea!  LOL  I obviously have a severe case of ADD when it comes to stitching!  But I hope to finish some if not most of these projects.  They are all in various degrees of incompleteness! (Sorry for the photos, for some reason I just couldn't get very clearn pictures of some of them)

HAED Dragon Knot 2.  This has been one I've been working on for ___ years.  I can't quite remember.  I have about 6 pages to complete, some of those are just 1/4 pages. 

HAED Queen of Hearts.  I started her last year I believe.  This is 2 pages completed.  I have a goal of completing another 2 pages this year.  So this is not one that I am necessarily looking to finish.

I started this one in 2011.  It is Thomas Kinkade's Tinker Bell/Peter Pan.  This one is for my sister because she saw this and just had to have.  What Sissy wants, Sissy usally gets.  (Yes, I am quite guilty of spoiling her!)

Mirabilia's The Kiss.  This has never been a "hard" stitch.  In fact it is quite easy.  I've been working on this one off and on for about 2 to 3 years.  I usually put it aside because I run out of a thread and forget to pick it back up when I get the threads in.  Hopefully this will be the year to finish!

Disney's Snow White.  This one is for my little niece Cassady Hope.  Also another easy one.  Don't know why it isn't finished.

HAED Emerald Hearts.  This was a freebie from HAED in 2011.  It is all kitted up and ready to go.  Just never started it.

A stocking for my sister.  I haven't consistently stitched on this one because it is Aida cloth and I don't like it.  But I need to finish it since I've gotten so far!

My niece Cassady Hope's baby blanket.  Well she isn't a baby anymore.  She'll be 3 this year.  I don't have much to go.  I just find stamped cross stitch tedious.  You would think it is easier than counted, but not really.

Another one for my sister.  I can't remember the name but it is the night fairy to match the day fairy I've already completed for her many years ago.

HAED's Mad Tea Party.  This one is for my niece Marly Grace.  My goal for the year is 2 pages.  This is a really big one!  This picture reflects about 2 1/2 pages completed.

This is 10 projects. I'm sure I hav more "hidden" under my bed in storage but I'll just go with this list for now!! 10 seems manageable, doesn't it? 

This week I've been working on Dragon Knot 2. Here's a close up of the section that I've been working on .  To see the last time I posted a progress pic click here. It seems that the last time I worked on Dragon Knot was back in June of 2011.



Ok, it is time to get ready for the week!  Lunches to be planned.  Laundry to do.  And of course, the most important thing to get ready for: the National Championship game between LSU and Alabama.  I've already go the corn, black bean salsa made for tomorrow night's party!  Geaux Tigers!!!  Beat Bama AGAIN!

Happy Holidays!

I've been negligent in my writing on the blog.  It is a combination of things.  Busy.  Stressed.  Life.  Friends.  Family.  All of those combined have left me very uninspired! 

I've been spending a lot of time with my parents on the weekends.  Life has thrown me a huge curve ball and I'm lucky that I've been able to go to my parents for counsel and solace.  We've had our typical family dinners, been going to church together, and enjoying Saints games and Lady Tiger basketball games.  The week is time for work and spending time with my friends and dog.

I completed all my shopping today. My last gifts to pick up were for Duke.  His stocking has been hung and stuffed full of the goodies.  Now he is pouting because I won't let him have any of it yet!!!  Nope, it is for Christmas!  Yes, I do take each item out on Christmas morning and let him pick and choose that which he wants to play with.  I also make sure to bring one of his new items with us when we go to my parents. Now all I have to do is finishing wrapping!

On a side note, and kind of a sad one, poor Duke's mother, Molly, passed away today.  She was just a year older than Duke and died of heart failure.  As many of you know, Duke has a heart condition also.  It is being treated with medication and I hope that he has a few more years ahead of him because we are aggressively treating it!  He seems to be doing well on the medication and is even gaining weight so I hope that at his regular annual check up things will continue to look good and we won't have to add any more medicines!

I have been stitching.  Here and there.  When I am home I've been vegging out and watching movies.  Being very lazy!!!  I've been working on what will one day be a Christmas stocking for my sister.  Not this year of course, maybe next year! 

It is time to start working on my goals for next year.  I'll review my list from this year and either carry over those that haven't been completed or cross off that which I have completed.  I might even add on a few more.  I know that I have quite a few projects that I hope to finish in 2011 as I didn't have very many finished this year!

Hope that all of you have a Happy Holiday!

Are You in the Holiday Spirit?

I have always liked the anticipation of the holidays but then, boom, it happens!  The holiday blues settle in.  Ugh!  I really wish they wouldn't.  I loathe being a "Scrooge"! 

I don't seem to be the only one though.  I've been reading a number of blog entries where writers are confessing to feeling "Bah Humbug!".  It's comforting to know that I am not the only one!  My friend Jill suggested that I need to listen to some more Christmas music.  Ummmm, not sure about that one!

I do have my little tree up. The gifts are purchased if not wrapped. I haven't put out my stocking or Duke's stocking yet though or put up my holiday wreath on the door. Why?  Because I am stressed and worried to the max.  What has me stressed?  Money, job, and life (in that order).  LOL!  Oh, how I wish I could learn life's lessons without falling down so hard!

After the summer that my parents had dealing with my Sister's problems, I didn't want to bother them with mine, but this weekend was a culmination of a month long of worrying that led me to baring my soul to my parents.  They were more upset that I didn't share my worries with them than the actual situation.  It felt good to share my concerns with them and to be reassured.  I was not looking for a solution but just a sounding board.  Although, of course, if I chose, I know that my Dad has a solution because as he reminded me "I'm here for both my little girls."  Awww, don't I have the best Daddy in the world!  And yes, I am 35 years old and still a Daddy's girl!  Always will be! 

I saw recently a status update on a friend's FB page: "Stress.  It does the waistline good."  I laughed when I had seen this because the friend who posted it is like a size 0.  However, I have to agree with it!  I've been stressing so much that my appetite has dwindled away to nothing and my pants are starting to fit a bit loose.  Maybe I should start to exercise and take advantage of this "jump start"?

I've continued on with some stitching, even though  my mojo is gone!  I'm hoping to get it back if I continue to pick up a project and put some stitches into it!  Right now I am working on a Dimensions Stocking Kit that I have had for years!  It is so odd to be stitching on 18-count Aida cloth!  Yikes!!  It is so stiff!  But I really wanted to get this stocking finished.  I bought two of the same pattern with the intent to make one for my sister and one for myself.  So, the one I am working on now is for my sister.  After 1 week of work, this is how far I've gotten.  Sorry for the poor quality pic, I took it with my cell phone as I am out of batteries for the camera! This particular piece has a lot of half cross stitches in it and blends.  Do I hope to finish it for Christmas?  Sure.  Will I?  Probably not.  LOL I'm pretty realistic!

Despite all my worries, misgivings, and stress, I still have a small kernel of hope and faith for the future.  Who knows?  I may still win that lottery! 

Happy Holidays!